Deadline’s Most Valuable Blockbuster tournament is back. While studios during Covid wildly embraced the theatrical day-and-date model when cinemas were closed, they soon realized there’s nothing more profitable than a theatrical release and the downstreams that come with it. If anything, theatrical is the advertisement for a movie’s longevity in subsequent home entertainment windows. Entering the conversation in 2023 were the streamers, such as Apple, who have also realized the necessity of theatrical to eventize their movies. The financial data pulled together here for Deadline’s Most Valuable Blockbuster Tournament is culled by seasoned and trusted sources.
The Film
Anyone But You
Sony/Columbia Pictures
Net Profit: $103M
Sony development executive Maia Eyre brought this Will Gluck-Ilana Wolpert project into the studio. Mix in the genius, sizzling-hot pairing of Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney and Top Gun: Maverick‘s Glen Powell and you get a long holiday honeymoon for...
The Film
Anyone But You
Sony/Columbia Pictures
Net Profit: $103M
Sony development executive Maia Eyre brought this Will Gluck-Ilana Wolpert project into the studio. Mix in the genius, sizzling-hot pairing of Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney and Top Gun: Maverick‘s Glen Powell and you get a long holiday honeymoon for...
- 5/2/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Francis Ford Coppola’s self-funded feature Megalopolis has revealed a first look image after landing a Cannes competition berth.
The project follows the rebuilding of a metropolis after it has fallen into decline, with two competing visions — one from the idealist architect Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), the other from corrupt Mayor Frank Cicero, played by Giancarlo Esposito — colliding.
The first official image from Megalopolis reveals Driver eyeing a rebuilding of the City of New Rome, while Nathalie Emmanuel, as Julia Cicero, the socialite daughter of Mayor Cicero, looks on. Megalopolis is structured as a Roman epic fable set in an imagined modern America.
To rebuild New Rome, Julia Cicero ultimately comes between a Cesar Catilina she falls in love with and Frank Cicero whom she remains loyal to as her father, as the two men battle with competing visions.
The film will screen in competition in Cannes on May 17 in...
The project follows the rebuilding of a metropolis after it has fallen into decline, with two competing visions — one from the idealist architect Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), the other from corrupt Mayor Frank Cicero, played by Giancarlo Esposito — colliding.
The first official image from Megalopolis reveals Driver eyeing a rebuilding of the City of New Rome, while Nathalie Emmanuel, as Julia Cicero, the socialite daughter of Mayor Cicero, looks on. Megalopolis is structured as a Roman epic fable set in an imagined modern America.
To rebuild New Rome, Julia Cicero ultimately comes between a Cesar Catilina she falls in love with and Frank Cicero whom she remains loyal to as her father, as the two men battle with competing visions.
The film will screen in competition in Cannes on May 17 in...
- 4/30/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A decade on from its fateful leak, a look at how a two-minute Deadpool test reel has led to Deadpool & Wolverine – a film that is about to change the MCU.
The general public was never even meant to see it, and yet the test footage for Deadpool has made more of a dent on pop culture than some multi-million dollar films with huge marketing departments behind them.
To this day, nobody has publicly admitted to leaking that footage in 2014. Some have pointed the finger at director Tim Miller; franchise star Ryan Reynolds has playfully hinted that he might have uploaded it to the internet that July. There are theories that the studio that commissioned it, 20th Century Fox, may have leaked it deliberately as part of an elaborate publicity campaign.
Whoever leaked the two-minute reel, which showed what the red-suited, sweary anti-hero might look and sound like, it proved...
The general public was never even meant to see it, and yet the test footage for Deadpool has made more of a dent on pop culture than some multi-million dollar films with huge marketing departments behind them.
To this day, nobody has publicly admitted to leaking that footage in 2014. Some have pointed the finger at director Tim Miller; franchise star Ryan Reynolds has playfully hinted that he might have uploaded it to the internet that July. There are theories that the studio that commissioned it, 20th Century Fox, may have leaked it deliberately as part of an elaborate publicity campaign.
Whoever leaked the two-minute reel, which showed what the red-suited, sweary anti-hero might look and sound like, it proved...
- 4/30/2024
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
Sony Pictures Entertainment has promoted Tahra Grant to chief communications officer in the wake of longtime leader Bob Lawson being elevated to head of corp comms for the entire Sony group.
Most recently, Grant has overseen corporate communications for the Motion Picture Group, a position she’s held for the last eight years. During that time, Grant has reported to Lawson, who will now be based in Tokyo, making for an easy transition within the company upon her taking the reins. She will now report directly to Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra.
As head of the film side’s comms team, Grant’s tenure has included PR surrounding Sony movies “Once Upon A Time in… Hollywood,” “Where The Crawdads Sing,” the “Spider-Verse” franchise, the “Jumanji” franchise, “Little Women,” “Anyone But You,” the Tom Holland-led “Spider-Man” trilogy, the “Venom” franchise, “The Woman King,” the “Ghostbusters” franchise, “The Equalizer” franchise,...
Most recently, Grant has overseen corporate communications for the Motion Picture Group, a position she’s held for the last eight years. During that time, Grant has reported to Lawson, who will now be based in Tokyo, making for an easy transition within the company upon her taking the reins. She will now report directly to Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra.
As head of the film side’s comms team, Grant’s tenure has included PR surrounding Sony movies “Once Upon A Time in… Hollywood,” “Where The Crawdads Sing,” the “Spider-Verse” franchise, the “Jumanji” franchise, “Little Women,” “Anyone But You,” the Tom Holland-led “Spider-Man” trilogy, the “Venom” franchise, “The Woman King,” the “Ghostbusters” franchise, “The Equalizer” franchise,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Sony Pictures Entertainment has promoted Tahra Grant to chief communications officer.
Serving as executive vp in the role, Grant will report to Spe CEO Tony Vinciquerra after previously leading corporate communications for the studio’s Motion Picture Group over the past eight years. She steps into the position vacated by Bob Lawson, who was promoted earlier this year to lead corporate communications for Sony Group Corporation and will be based in Tokyo. Grant and Lawson will continue to work together closely in their new roles.
In a message to Sony Pictures staff, Vinciquerra praised Grant’s work with film chief Tom Rothman and her leadership amid industry-wide challenges.
“With her strong relationships and partnership with Tom Rothman and our Mpg leadership, Tahra has strengthened the narrative around the vitality, sustainability and forward-looking strategies of our motion picture business, while navigating some of the most complicated industry events of our time,...
Serving as executive vp in the role, Grant will report to Spe CEO Tony Vinciquerra after previously leading corporate communications for the studio’s Motion Picture Group over the past eight years. She steps into the position vacated by Bob Lawson, who was promoted earlier this year to lead corporate communications for Sony Group Corporation and will be based in Tokyo. Grant and Lawson will continue to work together closely in their new roles.
In a message to Sony Pictures staff, Vinciquerra praised Grant’s work with film chief Tom Rothman and her leadership amid industry-wide challenges.
“With her strong relationships and partnership with Tom Rothman and our Mpg leadership, Tahra has strengthened the narrative around the vitality, sustainability and forward-looking strategies of our motion picture business, while navigating some of the most complicated industry events of our time,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sony’s SVP of Corporate Communications for the Motion Picture Group, Tahra Grant, has been upped to EVP, Chief Communcations Officer for Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Grant succeeds Robert Lawson in a top Corp Comm post that reports directly to Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra. As we told you back in February, Lawson was promoted to SVP, Corporate Communications for the entire Sony Group and is moving to the conglom’s HQ in Tokyo, Japan.
Grant arrived at the studio in 2016 and within a year was promoted to SVP of Media Relations. Grant worked with Lawson at New York-based PR firm Rubenstein Communications. During Grant’s run at Sony Pictures, she’s streamlined and sharpened corp comm ops, handling crisis and issues with deft skills during Covid and the double strikes, before and after. Grant is known for assessing promptly entertainment business situations as they arise, as well as advance strategizing for them.
Grant succeeds Robert Lawson in a top Corp Comm post that reports directly to Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra. As we told you back in February, Lawson was promoted to SVP, Corporate Communications for the entire Sony Group and is moving to the conglom’s HQ in Tokyo, Japan.
Grant arrived at the studio in 2016 and within a year was promoted to SVP of Media Relations. Grant worked with Lawson at New York-based PR firm Rubenstein Communications. During Grant’s run at Sony Pictures, she’s streamlined and sharpened corp comm ops, handling crisis and issues with deft skills during Covid and the double strikes, before and after. Grant is known for assessing promptly entertainment business situations as they arise, as well as advance strategizing for them.
- 4/29/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Spider-Man 4 rumors are running wild, but the potential involvement of Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan has to be the craziest of them all. The film has already been through a number of plausible directors, but none seem to fit the requirements of either Sony or Marvel. One industry insider took the time to call out the false information about Spider-Man 4 directors, and he debunked the theories about four famous filmmakers.
Some wild speculations are circulating online about the director of the next Spider-Man project after No Way Home
Finding a replacement for Jon Watts, who directed the first three movies, hasn’t been easy. Both Marvel and Sony look to create a phenomenal film that could outperform the box office of Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, their visions for the fourth film are very different.
Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan Were Considered For Spider-Man 4 — Rumor Debunked
Industry...
Some wild speculations are circulating online about the director of the next Spider-Man project after No Way Home
Finding a replacement for Jon Watts, who directed the first three movies, hasn’t been easy. Both Marvel and Sony look to create a phenomenal film that could outperform the box office of Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, their visions for the fourth film are very different.
Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan Were Considered For Spider-Man 4 — Rumor Debunked
Industry...
- 4/29/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
Cannes Classics, the festival’s selection for tributes and retrospectives, has announced the rest of its program after the previously-announced opening night film “Napoleon Par Abel Gance.”
Among the highlights are a restoration of Charles Vidor’s 1946 “Gilda” to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Columbia Pictures, with Tom Rothman, Chairman and CEO, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, attending. Wim Wenders will be on hand for a 40th anniversary screening of Palme d’Or winner “Paris, Texas,” while Faye Dunaway will be present for the screening of “Faye,” the first documentary about her life.
Ron Howard will present his documentary “Jim Henson Idea Man,” while Nanette Burstein brings the premiere of her documentary “Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes.”
See the full program of Cannes Classics below.
100 years of Columbia Pictures
“Gilda”
Charles Vidor
1946, 1h50, United States
A Sony Pictures Entertainment presentation. Restoration from the original 35mm nitrate negative and a 35mm nitrate internegative.
Among the highlights are a restoration of Charles Vidor’s 1946 “Gilda” to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Columbia Pictures, with Tom Rothman, Chairman and CEO, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, attending. Wim Wenders will be on hand for a 40th anniversary screening of Palme d’Or winner “Paris, Texas,” while Faye Dunaway will be present for the screening of “Faye,” the first documentary about her life.
Ron Howard will present his documentary “Jim Henson Idea Man,” while Nanette Burstein brings the premiere of her documentary “Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes.”
See the full program of Cannes Classics below.
100 years of Columbia Pictures
“Gilda”
Charles Vidor
1946, 1h50, United States
A Sony Pictures Entertainment presentation. Restoration from the original 35mm nitrate negative and a 35mm nitrate internegative.
- 4/25/2024
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Though festivals and distributors were very excited to sell you a “final” film by Jean-Luc Godard, Fabrice Aragno made clear Phony Wars would not be the last transmission. Continuing Tupac-like beyond-the-grave releases, it’s been announced this year’s Cannes Film Festival will include in their “Events” sidebar the “ultimate film by Jean-Luc Godard,” Scenarios, which I cannot possibly summarize better than their official description and thus:
Scenarios is the title that Jean-Luc Godard chose to give to a final 18-minute gesture, made, literally, the day before his voluntary death. Furthermore, Jean-Luc Godard recorded a 34-minute film in which, mixing still images and moving images, halfway between reading and vision, he presented the Scenarios project .
Worth noting that Scenario was, with Phony Wars, one of two films with which Godard planned to end his career. A project made with single-digit hours left on Earth… well, one’s mind reels at the potential.
Scenarios is the title that Jean-Luc Godard chose to give to a final 18-minute gesture, made, literally, the day before his voluntary death. Furthermore, Jean-Luc Godard recorded a 34-minute film in which, mixing still images and moving images, halfway between reading and vision, he presented the Scenarios project .
Worth noting that Scenario was, with Phony Wars, one of two films with which Godard planned to end his career. A project made with single-digit hours left on Earth… well, one’s mind reels at the potential.
- 4/25/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
The Cannes Film Festival’s Classics sidebar celebrates 20 years this year with a lineup of films including a 4K restoration of Wim Wenders’s Palme d’Or winning Paris, Texas, and a debut screening of Ron Howard’s 2024 doc Jim Henson Idea Man.
Wenders and Howard will be on the ground in Cannes, where they will present the films alongside Faye Dunaway, who will present the feature-long doc Faye about her life and career.
Other Cannes Classics screenings will include a 4k restoration of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai to mark the late Japanese filmmaker’s 70th birthday while Frederick Wiseman will present his 1969 documentary Law And Order. Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman and CEO Tom Rothman will also attend to screen Charles Vidor’s 1946 film Gilda as part of a 100-year celebration of Columbia Pictures.
The sidebar will also screen Scénario, an 18-minute film by Jean-Luc Godard. The project was...
Wenders and Howard will be on the ground in Cannes, where they will present the films alongside Faye Dunaway, who will present the feature-long doc Faye about her life and career.
Other Cannes Classics screenings will include a 4k restoration of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai to mark the late Japanese filmmaker’s 70th birthday while Frederick Wiseman will present his 1969 documentary Law And Order. Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman and CEO Tom Rothman will also attend to screen Charles Vidor’s 1946 film Gilda as part of a 100-year celebration of Columbia Pictures.
The sidebar will also screen Scénario, an 18-minute film by Jean-Luc Godard. The project was...
- 4/25/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Glen Powell is giving credit where credit is due regarding his Anyone but You co-star Sydney Sweeney.
In a recent interview with The New York Times, the actor praised the Euphoria star for the role she played in the movie’s marketing strategy to help it become a rom-com genre hit. Sweeney also served as an executive producer on the project.
“The two things that you have to sell a rom-com are fun and chemistry. Sydney and I have a ton of fun together, and we have a ton of effortless chemistry,” Powell explained. “That’s people wanting what’s on the screen off the screen, and sometimes you just have to lean into it a bit — and it worked wonderfully. Sydney is very smart.”
Anyone but You‘s marketing campaign, which heavily contributed to its box office success, included romantic photos of the film’s leads, longing gazes between the duo on red carpets,...
In a recent interview with The New York Times, the actor praised the Euphoria star for the role she played in the movie’s marketing strategy to help it become a rom-com genre hit. Sweeney also served as an executive producer on the project.
“The two things that you have to sell a rom-com are fun and chemistry. Sydney and I have a ton of fun together, and we have a ton of effortless chemistry,” Powell explained. “That’s people wanting what’s on the screen off the screen, and sometimes you just have to lean into it a bit — and it worked wonderfully. Sydney is very smart.”
Anyone but You‘s marketing campaign, which heavily contributed to its box office success, included romantic photos of the film’s leads, longing gazes between the duo on red carpets,...
- 4/24/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“I trust myself as a writer, I trust my process,” Quentin Tarantino declared onstage at the Adobe Max creative conference in 2016. “I never try to take anything out too soon. If I do, I realize it, and I put it back.” The acclaimed filmmaker added: “Not every film needs to be made. Not every movie should be made.”
And one of those movies that will not be made — as the world learned April 17 — is The Movie Critic, which was billed as Tarantino’s 10th and final film. The project initially focused on a writer working for a fictional porn magazine in the late 1970s and then it quietly evolved, amid a flurry of rewrites, into something resembling a spinoff of his ninth film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (with some potential meta twists, as we’ll explain later).
The decision came as quite a shock given the project was...
And one of those movies that will not be made — as the world learned April 17 — is The Movie Critic, which was billed as Tarantino’s 10th and final film. The project initially focused on a writer working for a fictional porn magazine in the late 1970s and then it quietly evolved, amid a flurry of rewrites, into something resembling a spinoff of his ninth film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (with some potential meta twists, as we’ll explain later).
The decision came as quite a shock given the project was...
- 4/23/2024
- by Borys Kit, Pamela McClintock and James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sydney Sweeney is a marketing genius. That’s Glen Powell’s reasoning for how their rom-com “Anyone but You” went from anything but a success to a box-office and VOD hit.
“The two things that you have to sell a rom-com are fun and chemistry. Sydney and I have a ton of fun together, and we have a ton of effortless chemistry,” Powell told the New York Times. “That’s people wanting what’s on the screen off the screen, and sometimes you just have to lean into it a bit — and it worked wonderfully. Sydney is very smart.”
Sweeney, who also executive produced the film through her Fifty-Fifty Films banner, was directly behind the “Anyone but You” marketing strategy. It included romantic pictures of her and Powell, longing looks on red carpets, and lots of flirting in interviews. And when Powell and his long-term girlfriend broke up, the rumors heated up.
“The two things that you have to sell a rom-com are fun and chemistry. Sydney and I have a ton of fun together, and we have a ton of effortless chemistry,” Powell told the New York Times. “That’s people wanting what’s on the screen off the screen, and sometimes you just have to lean into it a bit — and it worked wonderfully. Sydney is very smart.”
Sweeney, who also executive produced the film through her Fifty-Fifty Films banner, was directly behind the “Anyone but You” marketing strategy. It included romantic pictures of her and Powell, longing looks on red carpets, and lots of flirting in interviews. And when Powell and his long-term girlfriend broke up, the rumors heated up.
- 4/23/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man 4 cannot seem to shake off the chaos surrounding its production. Sony and Marvel would love to bring back the web-slinger for a fourth film, as it was Spider-Man: No Way Home that gave their respective last billion-dollar film. However, the film hasn’t locked a director yet, with Jon Watts stepping away from the duties. One of the latest rumors suggested that Sam Raimi, the director of the original Spider-Man film series, will be helming the film.
Tom Holland’s next Spider-Man film after No Way Home gets an upsetting update
However, one industry insider could confirm from his sources that Raimi is not a choice for the studios. The news is upsetting to some fans, who were excited about the director’s potential involvement due to the popularity of Tobey Maguire’s films.
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man 4 Upsetting Update Suggests Sam Raimi Is...
Tom Holland’s next Spider-Man film after No Way Home gets an upsetting update
However, one industry insider could confirm from his sources that Raimi is not a choice for the studios. The news is upsetting to some fans, who were excited about the director’s potential involvement due to the popularity of Tobey Maguire’s films.
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man 4 Upsetting Update Suggests Sam Raimi Is...
- 4/19/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
Nicole Kidman has reigned supreme at movie theaters since 2021, when she and AMC revealed an instantly meme-able spot for “We Make Movies Better,” which urged consumers to return to theaters in the wake of the devastating coronavirus pandemic.
Now, another topic of utmost concern to exhibitors might be getting some high-wattage star treatment: those darn people who won’t silence their cellphones when a movie is playing.
Last week, Marvel and Disney screened a spot that certainly felt like an in-theater PSA of sorts as part of its Deadpool & Wolverine presentation at CinemaCon.
The spot began with Deadpool telling Wolverine about his theories for Secret Wars, a reference to Marvel Studios’ upcoming crossover movie, Avengers: Secret Wars. But every time Deadpool began to say what he’d heard will happen in the movie, a cellphone rang and interrupted him.
Eventually, Wolverine had enough — and addressed the camera directly, flinging (bleeped...
Now, another topic of utmost concern to exhibitors might be getting some high-wattage star treatment: those darn people who won’t silence their cellphones when a movie is playing.
Last week, Marvel and Disney screened a spot that certainly felt like an in-theater PSA of sorts as part of its Deadpool & Wolverine presentation at CinemaCon.
The spot began with Deadpool telling Wolverine about his theories for Secret Wars, a reference to Marvel Studios’ upcoming crossover movie, Avengers: Secret Wars. But every time Deadpool began to say what he’d heard will happen in the movie, a cellphone rang and interrupted him.
Eventually, Wolverine had enough — and addressed the camera directly, flinging (bleeped...
- 4/16/2024
- by Pamela McClintock and Aaron Couch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Donna Langley became the first studio mogul to take the stage at CinemaCon this year in a sign of the general angst facing many Hollywood legacy studios.
Sony film boss Tom Rothman’s comments on stage usually turns heads, but his studio stayed home this year. Last year, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav showed up to get to know theater owners, but this year he had scheduling conflicts, so wasn’t part of Warner Bros.’ presentation Tuesday. But like Langley, Paramount chairman Brian Robbins is expected to be part of his studio’s session on Thursday.
Langley has plenty of reason to crow after placing No. 1 in marketshare in 2023 and watching Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer win big at the Oscars.
“When it comes to the traditional markers of success in our business, there’s not much more you could ask for than being No. 1 at the box office and...
Sony film boss Tom Rothman’s comments on stage usually turns heads, but his studio stayed home this year. Last year, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav showed up to get to know theater owners, but this year he had scheduling conflicts, so wasn’t part of Warner Bros.’ presentation Tuesday. But like Langley, Paramount chairman Brian Robbins is expected to be part of his studio’s session on Thursday.
Langley has plenty of reason to crow after placing No. 1 in marketshare in 2023 and watching Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer win big at the Oscars.
“When it comes to the traditional markers of success in our business, there’s not much more you could ask for than being No. 1 at the box office and...
- 4/11/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Francis Ford Coppola’s highly anticipated, self-funded feature Megalopolis has landed a Cannes debut. The film will screen in competition at the festival on May 17 in a gala premiere at the 77th annual festival.
The project follows the rebuilding of a metropolis after its accidental destruction, with two competing visions — one from an idealist architect (Adam Driver), the other from its pragmatist mayor (Giancarlo Esposito) — clashing during the process. Shia Labeouf, Laurence Fishburne and Aubrey Plaza round out the cast.
The project, which Coppola first began writing in 1983, cost a reported $120 million to make — funded in part by the sale of a significant portion of his wine empire. Recently, the film had a screening for potential buyers, with Universal’s Donna Langley, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos and Sony’s Tom Rothman in attendance at Universal CityWalk. It is still seeking distribution, but the filmmaker has noted his desire for an Imax release.
The project follows the rebuilding of a metropolis after its accidental destruction, with two competing visions — one from an idealist architect (Adam Driver), the other from its pragmatist mayor (Giancarlo Esposito) — clashing during the process. Shia Labeouf, Laurence Fishburne and Aubrey Plaza round out the cast.
The project, which Coppola first began writing in 1983, cost a reported $120 million to make — funded in part by the sale of a significant portion of his wine empire. Recently, the film had a screening for potential buyers, with Universal’s Donna Langley, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos and Sony’s Tom Rothman in attendance at Universal CityWalk. It is still seeking distribution, but the filmmaker has noted his desire for an Imax release.
- 4/9/2024
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
We have recently reported that legendary Oscar-winning filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola is back after more than a decade of being absent from the scene. The project in question was Megalopolis, a sci-fi epic that was conceived way back in 1979, while Coppola was filming Apocalypse Now, one of the greatest war movies ever made. Now, 45 years later, Coppola has finally made the movie and on March 28, 10 a.m., at the Universal CityWalk Imax theater, the first screening of the movie was given, as Coppola is looking for a studio to distribute his major work.
At the time, we reported that the movie’s runtime was 2 hours and 13 minutes, and that is without the credits. But, while the movie seemed to be good, the studios aren’t really fighting to acquire the (as reported) $120-million project, which was more or less self-funded by Coppola.
As we have reported, Megalopolis is set in...
At the time, we reported that the movie’s runtime was 2 hours and 13 minutes, and that is without the credits. But, while the movie seemed to be good, the studios aren’t really fighting to acquire the (as reported) $120-million project, which was more or less self-funded by Coppola.
As we have reported, Megalopolis is set in...
- 4/9/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Fiction Horizon
One of the most iconic filmmakers of all time, Francis Ford Coppola is returning with his passion project that he has been developing since the early 1980s, Megalopolis. Starring Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel, the epic sci-fi drama follows Julia Cicero’s struggle between her father’s traditional values and her lover Ceaser’s progressive vision for post-disaster New York City.
Francis Ford Coppola on the sets of The Godfather
Coppola, known for iconic films like The Godfather trilogy and Apocalypse Now, recently hosted a screening of his new epic at the Universal CityWalk IMAX theater. However, despite attendance by industry titans, reports suggest Coppola may face distribution challenges, with insiders hinting at a potential uphill battle to secure a distributing partner for Megalopolis.
Insiders Predict Distribution Struggle for Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis
Francis Ford Coppola is actively seeking a mainstream distributor willing to invest heavily in marketing for...
Francis Ford Coppola on the sets of The Godfather
Coppola, known for iconic films like The Godfather trilogy and Apocalypse Now, recently hosted a screening of his new epic at the Universal CityWalk IMAX theater. However, despite attendance by industry titans, reports suggest Coppola may face distribution challenges, with insiders hinting at a potential uphill battle to secure a distributing partner for Megalopolis.
Insiders Predict Distribution Struggle for Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis
Francis Ford Coppola is actively seeking a mainstream distributor willing to invest heavily in marketing for...
- 4/9/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
NBCUniversal chief content officer Donna Langley was there. So was Sony head Tom Rothman. Bob Iger was one of the few Hollywood heavyweights who couldn’t make it, but at least he had a good excuse, still in the midst of a vicious proxy battle with investor Nelson Peltz.
The event: The grand unveiling of Megalopolis, the self-funded epic from legendary The Godfather trilogy director Francis Ford Coppola, to the titans of the film industry. The March 28 screening — held 10 a.m. at the Universal CityWalk Imax theater — was also attended by such Coppola-verse luminaries as nephew Nicolas Cage, The Godfather series star Al Pacino and Spike Jonze, Coppola’s ex-son-in-law. Two of the film’s stars — Shia Labeouf and Coppola’s sister, Talia Shire — were also on hand.
The project, which Coppola first began writing in 1983, cost a reported $120 million to make — funded in part by the sale of a...
The event: The grand unveiling of Megalopolis, the self-funded epic from legendary The Godfather trilogy director Francis Ford Coppola, to the titans of the film industry. The March 28 screening — held 10 a.m. at the Universal CityWalk Imax theater — was also attended by such Coppola-verse luminaries as nephew Nicolas Cage, The Godfather series star Al Pacino and Spike Jonze, Coppola’s ex-son-in-law. Two of the film’s stars — Shia Labeouf and Coppola’s sister, Talia Shire — were also on hand.
The project, which Coppola first began writing in 1983, cost a reported $120 million to make — funded in part by the sale of a...
- 4/8/2024
- by Seth Abramovitch, Kim Masters and Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After the March 28 friends, family, and industry screening for Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” at Universal’s CityWalk AMC in IMAX, reactions were wild. Some said it was his most ambitious film since “Apocalypse Now;” another described it to Puck as “batshit crazy.” Made for $120 million and bankrolled entirely by Coppola through the sale of one of his vineyards, it incorporates new VFX techniques — ones, the filmmakers hope, will be seen on the biggest screens possible.
For that to happen, it will need a major theatrical deal and the filmmakers are now in talks with distributors and major studios. However, those entities have been particularly risk averse these days — and while Coppola is a legend, he hasn’t made a commercial success in three decades.
The film’s stars include Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, and Giancarlo Esposito; maybe, say, Paramount or Universal want to be back in the Coppola business.
For that to happen, it will need a major theatrical deal and the filmmakers are now in talks with distributors and major studios. However, those entities have been particularly risk averse these days — and while Coppola is a legend, he hasn’t made a commercial success in three decades.
The film’s stars include Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, and Giancarlo Esposito; maybe, say, Paramount or Universal want to be back in the Coppola business.
- 4/2/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Francis Ford Coppola screened his long-awaited, self-funded $120m epic Megalopolis to buyers in Los Angeles on Thursday (March 28) after years of speculation and a lengthy production schedule.
Universal’s Donna Langley and Sony’s Tom Rothman were among studio heads who according to reports mingled with the likes of Darren Aronofsky, Roger Corman, Al Pacino, Nicolas Cage and Andy Garcia in a crowd said to number more than 300 at Universal CityWalk’s Imax theatre.
The epic story stars Adam Driver as Caesar, a driven architect striving to rebuild a massive city who falls in love with Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), the...
Universal’s Donna Langley and Sony’s Tom Rothman were among studio heads who according to reports mingled with the likes of Darren Aronofsky, Roger Corman, Al Pacino, Nicolas Cage and Andy Garcia in a crowd said to number more than 300 at Universal CityWalk’s Imax theatre.
The epic story stars Adam Driver as Caesar, a driven architect striving to rebuild a massive city who falls in love with Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), the...
- 3/28/2024
- ScreenDaily
Will Smith is back to throwing hands — for good, this time — in Sony’s first trailer for its new “Bad Boys” movie. Along with the trailer, we got a title: “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.” Hell yes.
Smith and his sidekick Martin Lawrence are back up to their old antics in the June 7 film. Four years removed from “Bad Boys 3,” in what we’ve all just colloquially called “Bad Boys 4” to this point, Smith’s Mike Lowrey is still a badass. Lawrence’s Marcus Burnett, well, he has a lot going on — including tummy issues. (A word of advice to Marcus: ginger ale is only a magic elixir if you forego the Skittles and convenience-store hot dog.)
The storyline goes a little something like this: Joe Pantoliano’s Capt. Conrad Howard is either dead or just being framed for a string of crimes he did not commit. He...
Smith and his sidekick Martin Lawrence are back up to their old antics in the June 7 film. Four years removed from “Bad Boys 3,” in what we’ve all just colloquially called “Bad Boys 4” to this point, Smith’s Mike Lowrey is still a badass. Lawrence’s Marcus Burnett, well, he has a lot going on — including tummy issues. (A word of advice to Marcus: ginger ale is only a magic elixir if you forego the Skittles and convenience-store hot dog.)
The storyline goes a little something like this: Joe Pantoliano’s Capt. Conrad Howard is either dead or just being framed for a string of crimes he did not commit. He...
- 3/26/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
In the run-up to the release of last December’s “Wonka,” Timothée Chalamet made a surprise visit to New York’s Hudson Yards for a screening of the fantasy musical for kids enrolled in After-School All-Stars. With the holiday season in full swing, the 28-year-old actor handed out gift bags filled with Xboxes, Nikes and, naturally, chocolate bars. It was a plan he concocted on his own and was followed by similar events, such as a January visit to a Minnesota high school, where he took selfies with students from the drama program.
“He took every kid’s hand who came. He took a photograph with everybody who asked him, which was pretty much everyone,” recalls “Wonka” producer David Heyman. “That was about his heart. But he’s also very savvy about marketing. He gets very engaged and brings ideas to the table.”
Chalamet is that rare performer who appeals to audiences of all ages.
“He took every kid’s hand who came. He took a photograph with everybody who asked him, which was pretty much everyone,” recalls “Wonka” producer David Heyman. “That was about his heart. But he’s also very savvy about marketing. He gets very engaged and brings ideas to the table.”
Chalamet is that rare performer who appeals to audiences of all ages.
- 3/13/2024
- by Tatiana Siegel and Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
"Office Space," Mike Judge's satirical take on white collar office culture, disappointed at the box office but soon became a cult favorite after it arrived in 1999. That was mostly thanks to home video sales and Comedy Central airing the film multiple times after its theatrical run. But "Office Space" thoroughly deserved whatever cult status it attained, because it always felt very much ahead of its time.
The film stars Ron Livingston as Peter Gibbons, a put-upon programmer who spends his days amid the bleakly oppressive environs of software company Initech. After being hypnotized to stop caring about his job, Peter takes a lackadaisical approach to work and surprisingly begins to climb his way up the corporate ladder. But when his colleagues Samir Nagheenanajar (Ajay Naidu) and Michael Bolton (David Herman) are fired, Peter and his friends mastermind a plan to steal money from Initech via a software virus. The...
The film stars Ron Livingston as Peter Gibbons, a put-upon programmer who spends his days amid the bleakly oppressive environs of software company Initech. After being hypnotized to stop caring about his job, Peter takes a lackadaisical approach to work and surprisingly begins to climb his way up the corporate ladder. But when his colleagues Samir Nagheenanajar (Ajay Naidu) and Michael Bolton (David Herman) are fired, Peter and his friends mastermind a plan to steal money from Initech via a software virus. The...
- 3/12/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Sony Pictures Entertainment is upping its head of television Ravi Ahuja to president and chief operating officer of the entire studio.
While not explicitly stated by Spe chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra in his internal memo regarding Ahuja’s appointment to the No. 2 role, it is a clear indication of Vinciquerra’s succession plan for when he ultimately decides to retire from his top post in the coming years.
Ahuja, currently the chairman of Sony global television studios and corporate development, will take on his new responsibilities beginning April 1 and shift to Sony’s Poitier Building in Culver City, while still retaining his position as chief of Sony Pictures Television.
He will continue reporting directly to Vinciquerra, and their respective lines of reports and leadership will not be changed as a result of the promotion. Tom Rothman remains in his role as chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s motion picture group,...
While not explicitly stated by Spe chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra in his internal memo regarding Ahuja’s appointment to the No. 2 role, it is a clear indication of Vinciquerra’s succession plan for when he ultimately decides to retire from his top post in the coming years.
Ahuja, currently the chairman of Sony global television studios and corporate development, will take on his new responsibilities beginning April 1 and shift to Sony’s Poitier Building in Culver City, while still retaining his position as chief of Sony Pictures Television.
He will continue reporting directly to Vinciquerra, and their respective lines of reports and leadership will not be changed as a result of the promotion. Tom Rothman remains in his role as chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s motion picture group,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Last week, it was revealed that American Beauty and Skyfall director Sam Mendes conceived and has signed on to take on the monumental task of telling the story of arguably the most popular rock band of all time, The Beatles. His epic concept was not to have just one biopic but to make four separate movies, with each film focusing on a member of the group. Not many details have been announced beyond that, but as Mendes pitched his idea to Hollywood, Sony Pictures would end up outbidding the other studios for the chance to release these movies.
The Hollywood Reporter now reveals that Sony head Tom Rothman is betting big on this project by releasing all four movies in the same year. Rothman told THR, “You have to match the boldness of the idea with a bold release strategy. There hasn’t been an enterprise like this before, and...
The Hollywood Reporter now reveals that Sony head Tom Rothman is betting big on this project by releasing all four movies in the same year. Rothman told THR, “You have to match the boldness of the idea with a bold release strategy. There hasn’t been an enterprise like this before, and...
- 2/28/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Days after Paramount’s Bob Marley: One Love overperformed in its opening weekend at the box office, Sony Pictures chief Tom Rothman stole a bit of the spotlight Feb. 20 in unveiling not one but four intersecting feature films from Sam Mendes about The Beatles, each focusing on one member of the Fab Four: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.
“You have to match the boldness of the idea with a bold release strategy,” Rothman tells The Hollywood Reporter about the project that earned the Oscar-winning director a coveted signoff from the group’s selective label Apple Corps. “There hasn’t been an enterprise like this before, and you can’t think about it in traditional releasing terms.”
Sony hopes the films, which don’t yet have writers on board, will begin shooting in the U.K. in mid-2025 to make the planned 2027 release for all four titles,...
“You have to match the boldness of the idea with a bold release strategy,” Rothman tells The Hollywood Reporter about the project that earned the Oscar-winning director a coveted signoff from the group’s selective label Apple Corps. “There hasn’t been an enterprise like this before, and you can’t think about it in traditional releasing terms.”
Sony hopes the films, which don’t yet have writers on board, will begin shooting in the U.K. in mid-2025 to make the planned 2027 release for all four titles,...
- 2/28/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Uncharted franchise finally made its way to the big screen last 2022 and was considered a success by Sony’s standards and is now hailed a franchise according to Tom Rothman. Sequels and spinoffs are definitely up for grabs, and given the success of the first entry and Mark Wahlberg’s update, production may be well underway. After being stuck in development hell for years, one could only hope that future installments will have a smoother production.
Despite getting mixed reception from both critics and fans alike, the first film directed by Ruben Fleischer managed to generate $400 million at the box office. Tom Holland also has respect for the IP after becoming a fan during the production of Spider-Man: Homecoming which made his athleticism a huge factor for his casting and the film evolves around a younger Drake which serves as a loose prequel from the original storyline.
Uncharted Sequels...
Despite getting mixed reception from both critics and fans alike, the first film directed by Ruben Fleischer managed to generate $400 million at the box office. Tom Holland also has respect for the IP after becoming a fan during the production of Spider-Man: Homecoming which made his athleticism a huge factor for his casting and the film evolves around a younger Drake which serves as a loose prequel from the original storyline.
Uncharted Sequels...
- 2/23/2024
- by Rouvin Josef Quirimit
- FandomWire
In January, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group chiefs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy jetted to London to connect with the new crown jewel of the studio, Tom Cruise. The three met to identify a film that would kick off their nonexclusive “strategic partnership.” Sources say a raft of possibilities were discussed, including an “Edge of Tomorrow” follow-up and Quentin Tarantino’s “The Movie Critic,” which currently isn’t set up with a distributor and has Warner Bros., like every major studio, salivating.
At 61, Cruise remains the king of studio tentpoles, a roost solidified by 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick,” which took in $1.5 billion worldwide. But Cruise wants more than action stardom — he’d like to return to working with auteurs like Paul Thomas Anderson. In fact, he hasn’t earned an Oscar nomination for acting since he appeared in Anderson’s 1999 drama “Magnolia.” Earlier in his career, Cruise benefited from...
At 61, Cruise remains the king of studio tentpoles, a roost solidified by 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick,” which took in $1.5 billion worldwide. But Cruise wants more than action stardom — he’d like to return to working with auteurs like Paul Thomas Anderson. In fact, he hasn’t earned an Oscar nomination for acting since he appeared in Anderson’s 1999 drama “Magnolia.” Earlier in his career, Cruise benefited from...
- 2/21/2024
- by Tatiana Siegel
- Variety Film + TV
Marvel and Sony are butting heads on the upcoming Spider-Man 4 movie and it’s not at all good news for fans of Tom Holland’s web-slinger. Kevin Feige-led Marvel and Tom Rothman-led Sony are divided on the creative direction, the release date, and the director of the movie. Both Marvel fans and Feige do not want the Spider-Man: No Way Home director Jon Watts to direct the next film and they have a clear reason why.
Marvel fans do not want Spider-Man: No Way Home director returning for Spider-Man 4
Marvel Studios is considering Netflix’s Daredevil creator Drew Goddard to direct Spider-Man 4. The studio also does not want the film to be released next year alongside plenty of other planned MCU movies, which is something Sony reportedly opposes.
No Way Home Director Returning For Spider-Man 4 Is Bad News For Marvel Jon Watts along with...
Marvel fans do not want Spider-Man: No Way Home director returning for Spider-Man 4
Marvel Studios is considering Netflix’s Daredevil creator Drew Goddard to direct Spider-Man 4. The studio also does not want the film to be released next year alongside plenty of other planned MCU movies, which is something Sony reportedly opposes.
No Way Home Director Returning For Spider-Man 4 Is Bad News For Marvel Jon Watts along with...
- 2/21/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man: No Way Home created an illustrious box-office and critical marvel with mind-bending surprises and cameos. Sony was far from waiting too long for another sequel to the $1.9 billion movie.
Tom Holland in Spider-Man: No Way Home
However, fans may not witness the same bang as Spider-Man: No Way Home created on-screen, Spider-Man 4 is reportedly a mess even before production. Of course, two separate studios collaborating on a project will not always end up in a smooth operation, and the Holland-starrer movie could be the latest victim of it.
Suggested“Don’t toy with my emotions”: Fans Want Tom Holland and Timothée Chalamet to Star in Sam Mendes’ Beatles Franchise
The Spider-Man 4 Mess
Kevin Feige. Image: Gage Skidmore/Cc
As per reports, Spider-Man 4 is in a bit of a mess as Sony and Marvel have been in a behind-the-scene dispute over the...
Tom Holland in Spider-Man: No Way Home
However, fans may not witness the same bang as Spider-Man: No Way Home created on-screen, Spider-Man 4 is reportedly a mess even before production. Of course, two separate studios collaborating on a project will not always end up in a smooth operation, and the Holland-starrer movie could be the latest victim of it.
Suggested“Don’t toy with my emotions”: Fans Want Tom Holland and Timothée Chalamet to Star in Sam Mendes’ Beatles Franchise
The Spider-Man 4 Mess
Kevin Feige. Image: Gage Skidmore/Cc
As per reports, Spider-Man 4 is in a bit of a mess as Sony and Marvel have been in a behind-the-scene dispute over the...
- 2/21/2024
- by Lachit Roy
- FandomWire
The thing about The Beatles is, they weren’t just the best band in the world. It’s that they were several different types of best-band-ever over the course of seven short years – first jangly mop-top chart-toppers, then harder-edged rock ’n’ rollers, then psychedelic superstars, with additional detours into folk-rock and more along the way. So the question is this: how do make a biopic movie about The Beatles? The answer is, that you make several Beatles biopics at once. That’s exactly the approach set to be taken by Sam Mendes – the Skyfall director is planning to make not one but four intersecting Beatles biopics, one following the perspective of each member, and all due in cinemas in 2027. We expect he’ll be working eight days a week to make it all happen.
The news was confirmed in a press release from Sony Pictures, who’ll be producing the...
The news was confirmed in a press release from Sony Pictures, who’ll be producing the...
- 2/20/2024
- by Ben Travis
- Empire - Movies
When it comes to arguably the biggest acts in rock music history, how does one go about making a film adaptation that lives up to the legend? The King of Rock ‘N’ Roll, Elvis Presley, would get his own flashy, epic treatment courtesy of Baz Luhrmann’s visual flair in 2022. But for a band like The Beatles, how do you truly capture the journey in a feature film? Director Sam Mendes has the answer. You do four feature films. Deadline has the breaking story that the Skyfall, Spectre and American Beauty director will audaciously attempt to cover the story of The Beatles with four films, which will each concentrate on a member of the band.
Mendes’ vision involves having each movie tell the story from each Beatle’s point of view and will interconnect with the other films. The 1917 director conceived of this grand idea and had pitched it to Hollywood,...
Mendes’ vision involves having each movie tell the story from each Beatle’s point of view and will interconnect with the other films. The 1917 director conceived of this grand idea and had pitched it to Hollywood,...
- 2/20/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
The Beatles are going solo all over again. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, and John Lennon will each be the subject of their own solo films directed by Sam Mendes, who is taking a microscopic approach to the usually overarching music biopic narrative. The films, according to a statement from Sony Pictures, will tell the story of the Beatles from each member’s point of view.
“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of...
“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of...
- 2/20/2024
- by Larisha Paul
- Rollingstone.com
Sam Mendes is to direct separate theatrical feature films about each member of iconic band The Beatles.
Sony Pictures Entertainment will finance and distribute the films with full theatrical windows in 2027.
Each fiction film will tell the band’s story from a different member’s point of view, with Apple Corps Ltd., Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison, granting story and music rights for a scripted film for the first time.
Mendes will also produce alongside his Neal Street Productions partner Pippa Harris and Neal Street’s Julie Pastor.
Harris said: “We intend...
Sony Pictures Entertainment will finance and distribute the films with full theatrical windows in 2027.
Each fiction film will tell the band’s story from a different member’s point of view, with Apple Corps Ltd., Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison, granting story and music rights for a scripted film for the first time.
Mendes will also produce alongside his Neal Street Productions partner Pippa Harris and Neal Street’s Julie Pastor.
Harris said: “We intend...
- 2/20/2024
- ScreenDaily
Like a chimera of any intelligent person’s least-favorite storytelling models, we are (in the sense of a diagnosis) finally seeing the cinematic universe intersect with musical biopics. And where to start but the very biggest? Today brings the rather momentous news that Sam Mendes will direct a four-film Beatles epic that tells their story from each member’s perspective, arriving in 2027 via “an innovative [and groundbreaking] release cadence.” If that seems an odd term for movies, you’re correct; I’ve only ever seen it used for software, which is to say: an engineered product.
Though let’s not be too cynical just yet. The Beatles’ Apple Corps Ltd. are fully behind the project, which guarantees more of their music than any narrative feature yet. Mendes has certain ill instincts but, per his Bond pictures, can be a great keep-the-trains-running-on-time craftsman who hires the right people––imagine the Ed Sullivan Show...
Though let’s not be too cynical just yet. The Beatles’ Apple Corps Ltd. are fully behind the project, which guarantees more of their music than any narrative feature yet. Mendes has certain ill instincts but, per his Bond pictures, can be a great keep-the-trains-running-on-time craftsman who hires the right people––imagine the Ed Sullivan Show...
- 2/20/2024
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Sam Mendes is going to have to work “Eight Days a Week” to pull this one off.
Backed by Sony, Mendes is going to make “four distinct theatrical feature films,” one from each member of the iconic band’s perspective, a February 20 press release reads. It is the first time that Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles — Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison — have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film. (Note: Apple Corps is not Apple the gigantic iPhone maker. It is the name of the band’s conglomerate.)
Mendes will direct all four biopics, which promise to “intersect” with each other and “tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history.”
Sony Pictures Entertainment will finance and distribute the films worldwide; each will have a “full theatrical window” in 2027. “The dating cadence of the films, the...
Backed by Sony, Mendes is going to make “four distinct theatrical feature films,” one from each member of the iconic band’s perspective, a February 20 press release reads. It is the first time that Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles — Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison — have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film. (Note: Apple Corps is not Apple the gigantic iPhone maker. It is the name of the band’s conglomerate.)
Mendes will direct all four biopics, which promise to “intersect” with each other and “tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history.”
Sony Pictures Entertainment will finance and distribute the films worldwide; each will have a “full theatrical window” in 2027. “The dating cadence of the films, the...
- 2/20/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Sam Mendes has teamed with Sony Pictures Entertainment for The Beatles, four theatrical films about the British supergroup, each from the perspective of a different band member.
The project, coming more than 50 years after The Beatles broke up and 40 years after the death of John Lennon, will see Apple Corps (the company founded by the band members) and The Beatles — Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the families of Lennon and George Harrison — offer up each of the Fab Four’s full life stories and music rights for a scripted film. Mendes will direct the four theatrical feature films to recapture the story of the greatest band in history.
Music films have proven to be resilient at the box office. Paramount’s Bob Marley: One Love over-performed last week, while Taylor Swift’s $15 million concert film The Eras Tour outgrossed a number of Hollywood tentpoles, with $261 million globally last year. A...
The project, coming more than 50 years after The Beatles broke up and 40 years after the death of John Lennon, will see Apple Corps (the company founded by the band members) and The Beatles — Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the families of Lennon and George Harrison — offer up each of the Fab Four’s full life stories and music rights for a scripted film. Mendes will direct the four theatrical feature films to recapture the story of the greatest band in history.
Music films have proven to be resilient at the box office. Paramount’s Bob Marley: One Love over-performed last week, while Taylor Swift’s $15 million concert film The Eras Tour outgrossed a number of Hollywood tentpoles, with $261 million globally last year. A...
- 2/20/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
John, Paul, George and Ringo will each be the subject of a different upcoming feature film.
Director Sam Mendes plans to make four separate movies, one from each Beatles member’s point of view. They will intersect to “tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history,” leading up to their 1970 breakup, according to a press release. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the families of the late John Lennon and George Harrison have granted full life story and music rights for the scripted films.
“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies,” Mendes, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker of “American Beauty,” war drama “1917” and James Bond films “Skyfall” and “Spectre,” said in a statement.
Sony Pictures Entertainment will finance and distribute all four films theatrically in 2027. Details about...
Director Sam Mendes plans to make four separate movies, one from each Beatles member’s point of view. They will intersect to “tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history,” leading up to their 1970 breakup, according to a press release. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the families of the late John Lennon and George Harrison have granted full life story and music rights for the scripted films.
“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies,” Mendes, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker of “American Beauty,” war drama “1917” and James Bond films “Skyfall” and “Spectre,” said in a statement.
Sony Pictures Entertainment will finance and distribute all four films theatrically in 2027. Details about...
- 2/20/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: In a move that ought to make fans of The Beatles twist and shout, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Oscar-winning filmmaker Sam Mendes and his Neal Street Productions have set plans to make four separate theatrical films — one on each of the members of music’s most famous and enduring band.
Mendes will direct all four of the films, and this marks the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles – Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison – have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film.
Mendes conceived this grand vision. He’ll tell interconnected stories, one from each band member’s point of view. The dating cadence of the films will be revealed closer to the films’ release. I’m told they are locking down writers quickly.
This is perhaps the most ambitious project Deadline has revealed exclusively since...
Mendes will direct all four of the films, and this marks the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles – Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison – have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film.
Mendes conceived this grand vision. He’ll tell interconnected stories, one from each band member’s point of view. The dating cadence of the films will be revealed closer to the films’ release. I’m told they are locking down writers quickly.
This is perhaps the most ambitious project Deadline has revealed exclusively since...
- 2/20/2024
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Following the lackluster performance of Sony’s recent Marvel outing Madam Web, reports have emerged suggesting Sony executives are considering risky moves for the as-yet unscheduled Spider-Man 4 that could jeopardize the future of Tom Holland’s upcoming movie. Specifically, Sony is rumored to be pushing for another multiverse storyline while rushing the sequel’s release date against the wishes of Kevin Feige and Tom Holland.
What Risky Decisions Is Sony Rumored to be Pushing About Spider-Man 4? Tom Holland as Spider-Man
Chief among Sony’s reported ideas is yet another multiverse-focused storyline after the success of last year’s dimension-collision in Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, inside sources indicate Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and star Tom Holland oppose rehashing multiverse themes so soon, instead favoring a street-level, villain-of-the-week approach that spotlights Holland’s Spider-Man himself.
Sony are apparently trying to rush release spider-man 4
Also Kevin Feige wants...
What Risky Decisions Is Sony Rumored to be Pushing About Spider-Man 4? Tom Holland as Spider-Man
Chief among Sony’s reported ideas is yet another multiverse-focused storyline after the success of last year’s dimension-collision in Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, inside sources indicate Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and star Tom Holland oppose rehashing multiverse themes so soon, instead favoring a street-level, villain-of-the-week approach that spotlights Holland’s Spider-Man himself.
Sony are apparently trying to rush release spider-man 4
Also Kevin Feige wants...
- 2/20/2024
- by Nivedita Dubey
- FandomWire
Tom Holland became a household name thanks to his portrayal of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, Peter Parker, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Following in the web-slinging footsteps of Andrew Garfield, Holland made his debut in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. He then went on to star in his own Spider-Man trilogy – Homecoming, Far From Home, and the record-breaking No Way Home – becoming the youngest actor to ever play the iconic hero on the big screen.
Tom Holland in Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home
Amidst major announcements for Deadpool and the Fantastic Four, there’s speculation that a Spider-Man update might be in the works. However, when it comes to deciding who will lead the highly anticipated film, it appears that Sony Chief Tom Rothman and Marvel Studio President Kevin Feige have differing opinions.
SUGGESTEDSpider-Man 4 Rumors: Main Villain and Tom Holland’s Spidey Suit Details Will Have You Hyped...
Tom Holland in Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home
Amidst major announcements for Deadpool and the Fantastic Four, there’s speculation that a Spider-Man update might be in the works. However, when it comes to deciding who will lead the highly anticipated film, it appears that Sony Chief Tom Rothman and Marvel Studio President Kevin Feige have differing opinions.
SUGGESTEDSpider-Man 4 Rumors: Main Villain and Tom Holland’s Spidey Suit Details Will Have You Hyped...
- 2/20/2024
- by Prantik Prabal Roy
- FandomWire
Paramount’s Bob Marley: One Love delivered a huge $50 million-plus domestic opening over the six-day Valentine’s Day-Presidents Day corridor, enough to crush Madame Web‘s $26.2 million start, a record worst for Sony’s superhero adventures.
Monday estimates show One Love raking in $52 million for the six days domestically, up from Sunday’s estimate of $51 million. That includes $34.1 million for the four-day Presidents Day weekend and a record $14 million on Valentine’s Day (rival studios say the decision to go out on sweetheart’s day was a smart choice in building momentum). The movie’s weekend debut is on par with the starts of such musical biopics as Rocketman or Elvis, and did almost double the business it was tracking to do. (Grosses for all films could shift again when final weekend numbers are tallied following the Monday holiday.)
Overseas, One Love earned an impressive $29 million for a global launch...
Monday estimates show One Love raking in $52 million for the six days domestically, up from Sunday’s estimate of $51 million. That includes $34.1 million for the four-day Presidents Day weekend and a record $14 million on Valentine’s Day (rival studios say the decision to go out on sweetheart’s day was a smart choice in building momentum). The movie’s weekend debut is on par with the starts of such musical biopics as Rocketman or Elvis, and did almost double the business it was tracking to do. (Grosses for all films could shift again when final weekend numbers are tallied following the Monday holiday.)
Overseas, One Love earned an impressive $29 million for a global launch...
- 2/19/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The trailer buzz was worrisome, advance ticket sales anemic. Then last week, the critic reviews for Madame Web were posted, and they stung deepest of all — Sony’s Spider-Man spinoff received the lowest average Rotten Tomatoes score (13 percent) of any major superhero film in nearly a decade.
“On Wednesday night, you could actually watch advance purchase sales declining in real time as buyers were refunding their tickets,” marvels a major theatrical chain executive. “It really says something when you’d rather have Shazam! 2 numbers.”
It marked one of the lowest starts in Hollywood history for a film based on a Marvel character. Domestic box office for the first six days in North America was just $26.2 million after opening midweek on Valentine’s Day. International tallied $25.7 million from 61 markets. Even the fan-friendly CinemaScore grade was poor (C+ — extremely low for a superhero title).
Like DC and the once-unstoppable Marvel, Sony is...
“On Wednesday night, you could actually watch advance purchase sales declining in real time as buyers were refunding their tickets,” marvels a major theatrical chain executive. “It really says something when you’d rather have Shazam! 2 numbers.”
It marked one of the lowest starts in Hollywood history for a film based on a Marvel character. Domestic box office for the first six days in North America was just $26.2 million after opening midweek on Valentine’s Day. International tallied $25.7 million from 61 markets. Even the fan-friendly CinemaScore grade was poor (C+ — extremely low for a superhero title).
Like DC and the once-unstoppable Marvel, Sony is...
- 2/19/2024
- by Pamela McClintock and James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sony Pictures has acquired the worldwide rights to ‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’, a fantasy romance starring Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell, in the first major deal of the European Film Market in Berlin, reports ‘Variety’.
The film will be directed by South Korean-born American filmmaker Kogonada, who also helmed the TV series ‘Pachinko’ and the sci-fi drama ‘After Yang’. ‘The Menu’ scribe Seth Reiss has penned the script.
‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’, according to ‘Variety’, marks Robbie’s follow-up role to ‘Barbie’, the $1-billion blockbuster that she also produced.
Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the film is teased as “an imaginative tale of two strangers and the extraordinary emotional journey that connects them”. Production starts this spring in California.
“Every once in a great while in this job you read a script so special and original, that you fly to the last page, inspired and uplifted,...
The film will be directed by South Korean-born American filmmaker Kogonada, who also helmed the TV series ‘Pachinko’ and the sci-fi drama ‘After Yang’. ‘The Menu’ scribe Seth Reiss has penned the script.
‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’, according to ‘Variety’, marks Robbie’s follow-up role to ‘Barbie’, the $1-billion blockbuster that she also produced.
Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the film is teased as “an imaginative tale of two strangers and the extraordinary emotional journey that connects them”. Production starts this spring in California.
“Every once in a great while in this job you read a script so special and original, that you fly to the last page, inspired and uplifted,...
- 2/18/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
In the first major on-site deal at EFM, Sony has swooped on worldwide rights to the Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell fantasy romance A Big Bold Beautiful Journey.
Kogonada, who worked with Farrell on After Yang, will direct from a screenplay by Seth Reiss in California this spring. The deal reportedly closed in the $50m range.
Plot details remain under wraps beyond the logline issued by financier 30West and parent company and producer Imperative Entertainment referencing an “imaginative tale of two strangers and the extraordinary emotional journey that connects them”.
The hope is the transaction will trigger more sales on...
Kogonada, who worked with Farrell on After Yang, will direct from a screenplay by Seth Reiss in California this spring. The deal reportedly closed in the $50m range.
Plot details remain under wraps beyond the logline issued by financier 30West and parent company and producer Imperative Entertainment referencing an “imaginative tale of two strangers and the extraordinary emotional journey that connects them”.
The hope is the transaction will trigger more sales on...
- 2/18/2024
- ScreenDaily
Margot Robbie has settled on her first project after Barbie, and it finds her teaming up with Colin Farrell.
The duo will join forces for a new movie called A Big Bold Beautiful Lie, and it is expected to start production in the coming months.
Read more about Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell’s new movie…
According to Variety, the movie has been described as “an imaginative tale of two strangers and the extraordinary emotional journey that connects them.” It’s been billed as a fantasy romance.
At the moment, we don’t know much else about the plot.
A Big Bold Beautiful Lie was written by Seth Reiss and will be directed by Kogonada. Sony Pictures will distribute it.
By the sounds of it, expectations are high for it to be a hit, at least according to Tom Rothman, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group.
“Every...
The duo will join forces for a new movie called A Big Bold Beautiful Lie, and it is expected to start production in the coming months.
Read more about Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell’s new movie…
According to Variety, the movie has been described as “an imaginative tale of two strangers and the extraordinary emotional journey that connects them.” It’s been billed as a fantasy romance.
At the moment, we don’t know much else about the plot.
A Big Bold Beautiful Lie was written by Seth Reiss and will be directed by Kogonada. Sony Pictures will distribute it.
By the sounds of it, expectations are high for it to be a hit, at least according to Tom Rothman, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group.
“Every...
- 2/17/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Sony Pictures has acquired the worldwide rights to “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey,” a fantasy romance starring Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell, in the first major deal of the European Film Market in Berlin.
The film will be directed by Kogonada, who also helmed the TV series “Pachinko” and the sci-fi drama “After Yang.” “The Menu” scribe Seth Reiss penned the script.
“A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” marks Robbie’s follow-up role to “Barbie,” the $1 billion blockbuster that she also produced. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the film is teased as “an imaginative tale of two strangers and the extraordinary emotional journey that connects them.” Production starts this spring in California.
Imperative Entertainment’s Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas and Ryan Friedkin will produce “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” alongside Reiss and Youree Henley. Executive producers include Kogonada, Ilene Feldman and Original Films’ Ori Eisen. The film is financed by 30West.
The film will be directed by Kogonada, who also helmed the TV series “Pachinko” and the sci-fi drama “After Yang.” “The Menu” scribe Seth Reiss penned the script.
“A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” marks Robbie’s follow-up role to “Barbie,” the $1 billion blockbuster that she also produced. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the film is teased as “an imaginative tale of two strangers and the extraordinary emotional journey that connects them.” Production starts this spring in California.
Imperative Entertainment’s Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas and Ryan Friedkin will produce “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” alongside Reiss and Youree Henley. Executive producers include Kogonada, Ilene Feldman and Original Films’ Ori Eisen. The film is financed by 30West.
- 2/17/2024
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: The EFM market has lift off! In the first major worldwide pact done on the ground here in Berlin, Sony Pictures has tied up a deal in the $50M range for Margot Robbie (Barbie) and Colin Farrell (The Batman) package A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, which is one of the market’s hottest scripts.
Plot details are under wraps, but the romantic fantasy from director Kogonada (After Yang) is being described as “an imaginative tale of two strangers and the emotional journey that connects them”. The film is due to shoot this spring in California.
Oscar nominee Robbie is red-hot coming off box office smash Barbie, which she starred in and also produced through her LuckyChap banner. The film is up for eight Oscars including Best Picture. She had her pick of scripts to choose from following the movie’s massive success and in recent weeks landed on Big...
Plot details are under wraps, but the romantic fantasy from director Kogonada (After Yang) is being described as “an imaginative tale of two strangers and the emotional journey that connects them”. The film is due to shoot this spring in California.
Oscar nominee Robbie is red-hot coming off box office smash Barbie, which she starred in and also produced through her LuckyChap banner. The film is up for eight Oscars including Best Picture. She had her pick of scripts to choose from following the movie’s massive success and in recent weeks landed on Big...
- 2/17/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
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