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Nick Ricciardi joined High Stakes Holiday in a key role opposite previously announced cast Andrew Koji Violet McGraw (M3GAN ), Madeleine McGraw (Black Phone), alongside Brynne Kurland, Azizi Donnelly, Jack Griffo, and Struggle Jennings.

High Stakes Holiday billed as Ocean’s 11 meets Home Alone, stars actual sisters Violet and Madeleine McGraw who play sharp witted siblings in the film. On vacation in Las Vegas, they wind up in the middle of a heist and must join forces with Koji’s jaded ex- MI6 agent turned security guard to outwit Donnelly’s devious international thief and rescue a priceless diamond gauntlet.

Shaun Piccinino (Netflix’s A California Christmas) is directing from a script penned by John Ducey (Max’s A Hollywood Christmas).

Ali Afshar (A Californian Christmas ), Daniel Aspromonte ( Day of Reckoning ), and Christina Moore ( Casa Grande ) are producing the film which filmed in Sin City. The McGraw sisters and their...

A cast has been revealed for the upcoming Scorpions biopic Wind of Change. Among the actors set to appear in the film are Dominic West, Alexander Dreymon (The Last Kingdom), and Ludwig Trepte (Generation War), among others.

West will play the German band’s legendary manager Doc McGhee, while Trepte will portray singer Klaus Meine and Dreymon will play guitarist Rudolf Schenker. Ed Speleers (You), and Luke Brandon Field will play guitarist Matthias Jab and drummer Herman Rarebell, respectively.

Get Scorpions Tickets Here

The film is currently in production in London, with plans for a theatrical release before the end of the year. It’s being directed by Alex Ranarivelo, and produced by Esx Entertainment for Fox Entertainment Studios in association with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

“It’s been an unbelievable journey developing this film and bringing it to life feels surreal” stated Ali Afshar, founder and president of Esx Entertainment.

A cast has been revealed for the upcoming Scorpions biopic Wind of Change. Among the actors set to appear in the film are Dominic West, Alexander Dreymon (The Last Kingdom), and Ludwig Trepte (Generation War), among others.

West will play the German band’s legendary manager Doc McGhee, while Trepte will portray singer Klaus Meine and Dreymon will play guitarist Rudolf Schenker. Ed Speleers (You), and Luke Brandon Field will play guitarist Matthias Jab and drummer Herman Rarebell, respectively.

Get Scorpions Tickets Here

The film is currently in production in London, with plans for a theatrical release before the end of the year. It’s being directed by Alex Ranarivelo, and produced by Esx Entertainment for Fox Entertainment Studios in association with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

“It’s been an unbelievable journey developing this film and bringing it to life feels surreal” stated Ali Afshar, founder and president of Esx Entertainment.

Dominic West, Alexander Dreymon, Ludwig Trepte, Ed Speleers, David Kross and Luke Brandon Field have been cast in lead roles in the Scorpions biopic film, “Wind of Change,” which recently started production at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in London.

Directed by Alex Ranarivelo and produced by Esx Entertainment for Fox Entertainment Studios in association with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, “Wind of Change” is a music biopic chronicling the incredible journey of the legendary rock group the Scorpions, with the longest-running and most successful line-up of the band including guitarist Rudolf Schenker (Dreymon), Klaus Meine (Trepte), Matthias Jab (Speleers) and drummer Herman Rarebell (Field). It tells the story of a band united by their passion for music, who sought to inspire change in the world through their powerful sound and meaningful lyrics.

At the heart of the film is their iconic anthem “Wind of Change,” which became the soundtrack to the end of the Cold War,...

Exclusive: Esx Entertainment’s new biopic about the Scorpions, the German band whose music defined an end to the Cold War and a bridge to peace at the time, has set its cast with Dominic West (The Crown), Alexander Dreymon (The Last Kingdom), Ludwig Trepte (Generation War), Ed Speleers (You), David Kross (The Reader) and Luke Brandon Field. Cameras are rolling at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in London for a theatrical release this year.

In addition, we’ve learned that Fox Entertainment Global has worldwide distribution rights, excluding U.S. and global transactional which Warner Bros Discovery Global Content Sales will manage. Both studios are producing with Esx.

Dreymon will play guitarist Rudolf Schenker, Trepte is Klaus Meine, Speleers is Matthias Jab and Field is the drummer Herman Rarebell. West will play their manager, Doc McGhee, and Kross will star as Andrej, the band...

Totoro is making his way back onto the big screen.

As part of Gkids and Fathom Entertainment’s Studio Ghibli Fest, “My Neighbor Totoro” will be re-released in theaters across the country July 19-23. Hayao Miyazaki’s 1988 film follows sisters Satsuki and Mei, who relocate to a country home alongside their father to be close to their hospitalized mother. As the two children explore the countryside, they stumble upon creatures, including forest spirit Totoro.

Screenings will include both English dubbed and Japanese versions. Audience members can stick around after the film ends for a “Creating the Characters” bonus featurette that will include Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki.

This year’s Studio Ghibli Fest consists of an eight-film lineup, including “The Boy and the Heron” (the first time the film returns to theaters after its 2023 release).

Tickets for “My Neighbor Totoro” are available at GhibliFest.com. July 19, 20 and 23 are...

Exclusive: Ali Afshar’s Esx Entertainment High Stakes Holiday has added slight-of-hand magician Shin Lim and Grizzly Night actor Jack Griffo.

The duo join M3GAN actress Violet McGraw and Black Phone‘s Madeleine McGraw in the pic along with Brynne Kurland, Andew Koji, Azizi Donnelly and Struggle Jennings.

In High Stakes Holiday, two sharp-witted sisters (Madeleine & Violet McGraw) on vacation in Las Vegas find themselves caught in the middle of a high-stakes heist and must team up with a jaded ex-MI6 agent turned security guard (Koji) to outsmart a cunning international thief (Donnelly) and save a priceless diamond gauntlet—just in time for Christmas. The pic is billed as Oceans 11 meets Home Alone. Lim will play himself and do most of the magic. He’s also a headliner at the Venetian Hotel.

Shaun Piccinino (Netflix’s A California Christmas) directs off a script by John Ducey (Max’s A Hollywood Christmas). Afshar,...

Exclusive: Ali Afshar’s Esx Entertainment has added Lou Diamond Phillips to the cast of Casa Grande: The Movie, a feature to the original 2023 Prime Video series.

Casa Grande explores the intertwining lives of Northern California farmland families at the turn of the century, with an upstairs/downstairs take on themes of class, immigration, culture and family. The movie continues the journey of the Clarkmans and the Morales families who continue to battle and love over the land. The series was created by Lauren Swickard, Ava Rettke and Afshar. The movie is written by Juan Pablo Arias Muños, Swickard, Sherell Jackson and Alex Ranarivelo.

EP Afshar said, “Think Yellowstone meets Downton Abbey but 25% in Spanish.”

Phillips joins a cast that includes Madison Lawlor, John Pyper Ferguson, Christina Moore, Javier Bolanos, Lauren Escandon, Daniel Mora and Kate Mansi as well as new additions Swickard and Shalim Ortiz.

Muños directs repping his...

Andrew Koji, best known for “Bullet Train” and the Max series “Warrior,” will next star in the cast of an indie action and heist film called “High Stakes Holiday.”

The film is in the vein of “Ocean’s 11” meets “Home Alone” and follows a jaded ex-MI6 agent turned security guard (Koji) who teams up with two sharp-witted sisters on vacation in Las Vegas after they get caught in the middle of a high-stakes heist. The trio must tag team to outsmart a cunning international thief and save a priceless diamond gauntlet — just in time for Christmas.

“High Stakes Holiday” also stars actual sisters Madeleine McGraw, best known for “The Black Phone,” and Violet McGraw, best known for “M3GAN,” as the two on-screen sisters who must team up with Koji’s character. Azizi Donnelly, Jack Griffo, Struggler Jennings, and Brynne Kurland also co-star.

Shaun Piccinino (Netflix’s “A California Christmas”) is...

Ali Afshar’s Esx Entertainment has started production on their second film in Nevada, High Stakes Holiday starring the M3GAN actress Violet McGraw and Black Phone‘s Madeleine McGraw. In addition, Brynne Kurland has joined the cast which also includes Andew Koji, Azizi Donnelly and Struggle Jennings.

In High Stakes Holiday, two sharp-witted sisters (Madeleine & Violet McGraw) on vacation in Las Vegas find themselves caught in the middle of a high-stakes heist and must team up with a jaded ex-MI6 agent turned security guard (Koji) to outsmart a cunning international thief (Donnelly) and save a priceless diamond gauntlet—just in time for Christmas. The pic is billed as Oceans 11 meets Home Alone.

Shaun Piccinino (Netflix’s A California Christmas) directs off a script by John Ducey (Max’s A Hollywood Christmas). Afshar, Daniel Aspromonte and Christina Moore will produce the film. Violet, Madeline and their mother Jackie McGraw are EPs.

It's official — Westerns are in. After a couple of decades when cowboys have seen diminishing returns on the big screen, the classic film genre has been returning in a big way. That is all thanks in part to Taylor Sheridan and his Yellowstone universe, but also to some great Western remakes, Kevin Costner's epic Horizon saga, and Oscar-winning films like The Power of the Dog. 2024 was a great year for Westerns, but 2025 is shaping up to be a good one, too, and the upcoming film Day of Reckoning is joining the ranks. The new film stars Billy Zane, Zach Roerig, Cara Jade Myers, Scott Adkins, and Trace Adkins. Directed by Shaun Silva, written by Travis J. Opgenorth, produced by Ali Afshar, Christina Moore, Daniel Aspromonte, and Don Lepore. Esx is bringing the film to theaters on March 28, 2025. Check out the synopsis below:

"On the verge of losing his wife and his job as sheriff,...

Sisters Violet and Madeleine McGraw are escaping horror for their next joint project. Violet and Madeleine, best known for their work on genre films like M3GAN and The Black Phone, respectively, will collaborate on a holiday feature described as a mix of two legendary Christmas movies: Home Alone and Die Hard. Variety reports that the yet-to-be-named movie will begin filming in Las Vegas next month.

Madeleine, the older of the sisters, began her career with early roles in films like American Sniper before working on the series Outcast and voicing Bonnie in Toy Story 4. Her breakout performance as Gwen Blake in The Black Phone earned her critical acclaim. Madeleine's other credits include the Disney Channel's Secrets of Sulphur Springs and Ant-Man and the Wasp. Violet gained early recognition for portraying young Nell Crain in Netflix's critically acclaimed The Haunting of Hill House. She later appeared in Doctor Sleep and Black Widow,...

Violet and Madeleine McGraw, two sisters who are known for horror films such as “M3GAN,” “The Black Phone,” “Doctor Sleep” and “The Haunting of Hill House,” are leaving the scares behind for their next film.

Described as “Home Alone” meets “Die Hard,” the untitled holiday-set action film begins shooting this April in Las Vegas. Shaun Piccinino (Netflix’s “A California Christmas”) is directing the movie from a script by John Ducey (Netflix’s “A Hollywood Christmas”). Ali Afshar, Daniel Aspromonte and Christina Moore will produce the film. Violet, Madeline and their mother Jackie McGraw will also serve as producers.

Afshar, whose company Esx Entertainment has operated on the Warner Bros. lot for the past decade, will also produce a film adaptation of the television series “Casa Grande.” Production will commence in March around Lake Tahoe, Reno and Carson City.

“Casa Grande,” a bilingual limited series that follows California’s migrant workforce,...

Billy Zane has found his next motion picture. The actor, who recently portrayed acting legend Marlon Brando, has signed on for Esx Entertainment's Day of Reckoning.

According to Deadline, Zane is set to star in the upcoming Western with The Vampire Diaries alum Zach Roerig and Killers of the Flower Moon actor Cara Jade Myers. TackleBox Films' Shaun Silva is directing Day of Reckoning, which follows "put-upon lawman John Dorsey (Roerig), who on the verge of losing his wife and his job as sheriff, posses up with a bullish U.S. Marshall Butch Hayden (Zane) to hold outlaw Emily Rouse (Myers) hostage. A battle of wills ensues as Emily turns the posse on themselves, but as her marauding husband and his gang approach, Emily and John realize they will need each other to survive." Day of Reckoning, the twenty-fifth movie from Ali Afshar's Esx Entertainment, will be produced by Afshar,...

Exclusive: Ali Afshar’s Esx Entertainment has set the western Day of Reckoning starring Billy Zane, Zach Roerig and Cara Jade Myers.

Pic follows put-upon lawman John Dorsey (Roerig), who on the verge of losing his wife and his job as sheriff, posses up with a bullish U.S. Marshall Butch Hayden (Zane) to hold outlaw Emily Rouse (Myers) hostage. A battle of wills ensues as Emily turns the posse on themselves, but as her marauding husband and his gang approach, Emily and John realize they will need each other to survive.

Shaun Silva of TackleBox Films is directing.

Producers of the movie are Ali Afshar, Christina Moore Daniel Aspromonte, and Don Lepore (Ride, Billy Joel – The Last Play at Shea, Emmy nominated The Irrelevant Giant.

Madeleine McGraw and her sister Violet McGraw have had separate successes in the horror genre, with Madeleine having a standout role in The Black Phone and Violet dealing with M3GAN (plus playing roles in the Mike Flanagan projects The Haunting of Hill House and Doctor Sleep). Now, they’ll be facing horrors together in The Curse of the Necklace, which is set to be released through the Tubi streaming service this Friday, October 18th. Ahead of that date, a trailer for the film has arrived online and can be seen in the embed above.

Directed by Juan Pablo Arias Munoz from a screenplay by John Ducey, The Curse of the Necklace follows the Davis family, who navigate through tough times in the 1960s. Laura Davis is separated from her husband Frank due to unpredictable temper fueled by alcohol. As she returns to work as a nurse, her daughters, 11-year-old Ellen & 16-year-old Judy,...

Formed in 1965, the rock band Scorpions is still going strong nearly sixty years later, and they have brought us some awesome hits over the decades, including “The Zoo,” “No One Like You,” “Rock You Like a Hurricane,” “Big City Nights,” and “Still Loving You,” among others – and now they’re getting the biopic treatment, with the film taking the title of their 1991 global hit single Wind of Change.

Alex Ranarivelo (American Wrestler: The Wizard) will be directing the film, which is being developed and produced by Ali Afshar’s Esx Entertainment. The story will follow three unlikely friends whose passion for rock n’ roll fueled their rise from the ashes of post-World War II Germany to the global stardom in the 1980s as the multi-platinum rock band Scorpions. With their home soil still divided, and friends and family on the other side of the Berlin Wall, Rudolf Schenker, Klaus Meine...

Wind Of Change, a biopic of German rock band Scorpions, is in the works, and here are the details.

Scorpions is one of the most successful rock bands in history, with several platinum selling albums to their name.

According to Deadline, Wind Of Change, a biopic which takes its name from its most popular song, is in the works.

It will “tell the story of three unlikely friends whose passion for rock n’ roll fueled their rise from the ashes of post-World War II Germany to the global stardom in the 1980s as the multi-platinum rock band Scorpions. With their home soil still divided, and friends and family on the other side of the Berlin Wall, Rudolf Schenker, Klaus Meine & Matthias Jabs made the bold decision to defy state bans and take a leap of faith behind Soviet lines to fill arenas in the heart of the Ussr. At the height of their revolutionary tour,...

Exclusive: Ali Afshar’s Esx Entertainment has signed on to develop and produce the musical biopic Wind of Change, about German rock band Scorpions, which will tell the story of three unlikely friends whose passion for rock n’ roll fueled their rise from the ashes of post-World War II Germany to the global stardom in the 1980s as the multi-platinum rock band Scorpions.

With their home soil still divided, and friends and family on the other side of the Berlin Wall, Rudolf Schenker, Klaus Meine & Matthias Jabs made the bold decision to defy state bans and take a leap of faith behind Soviet lines to fill arenas in the heart of the Ussr. At the height of their revolutionary tour, the band releases what will become the defining theme for the end of the Cold War – a ballad that circles the globe as the Wall comes down and resonates to...

Exclusive: The cast for Esx Entertainment’s horror movie The Necklace keeps mushrooming, with Nip/Tuck and Pretty Little Liars actress Roma Maffia joining.

Already cast in the movie directed by Juan Pablo Arias Muñoz and executive produced by Ali Afshar are sisters Madeleine and Violet McGraw, Henry Thomas, Sarah Lind, Felix Solis, Jacob Moran, Christina Moore and Brynne Kurland.

The Necklace centers on the Davis family, which is dealing with tough times in 1960. Laura Davis has separated from her husband Frank due to his unpredictable temper, fueled by alcohol. As she returns to work as a nurse, her daughters, 11-year-old Ellen (Violet McGraw) and 16-year-old Judy (Madeleine McGraw), grapple with the changes in the family dynamics. The plot thickens when Frank attempts to win Laura back with a beautiful antique necklace, which turns out to be a conduit for the tormented...

Exclusive: The Haunting of Hill House actor Henry Thomas is joining the Esx Entertainment produced horror movie The Necklace, Deadline hears.

The E.T. actor joins a booming ensemble in the Juan Pablo Arias Muñoz directed movie that includes sisters Madeleine & Violet McGraw (respectively from M3GAN and The Black Phone), Sarah Lind, Felix Solis, Jacob Moran, Christina Moore and Brynne Kurland.

John Ducey wrote the screenplay.

The feature project follows the Davis family who navigate through tough times in 1960. Laura Davis has separated from her husband Frank due to his unpredictable temper, fueled by alcohol. As Laura returns to work as a nurse, her daughters, 11-year-old Ellen (Violet McGraw) and 16-year-old Judy (Madeleine McGraw), grapple with the changes in their family dynamics. The plot thickens when Frank attempts to win Laura back with a beautiful antique necklace, which turns out to be a conduit...

Two new castings have been announced for the upcoming indie horror flick The Necklace. They are actresses Christina Moore and Brynne Kurland. More on this film and these castings below.

The Necklace is an Esx Entertainment produced horror movie from Chilean director and writer Juan Pablo Arias Munoz. He's best known for making his feature debut with the thriller flick Pumpkinhole, which can currently be streamed on Tubi for free or rented or purchased through Amazon Prime Video. He directs from a screenplay written by John Ducey. You might know Ducey from his work on the Netflix romantic comedy That's Amor. He wrote the script for that movie.

The Necklace follows the Davis family as they navigate through tough times in the '60s. After separating from her ill-tempered and alcoholic husband Frank, Laura Davis returns to work as a nurse. Her young daughters, 11-year-old Ellen and 16-year-old Judy, find...

Exclusive: The Esx Entertainment produced horror movie The Necklace has added actresses Christina Moore and Brynne Kurland to their growing cast which includes sisters Madeleine & Violet McGraw (respectively from M3GAN and The Black Phone), Sarah Lind, Felix Solis and Jacob Moran.

John Ducey wrote the screenplay which Juan

Pablo Arias Muñoz is directing.

The Necklace watches as the Davis family navigates through tough times in 1960. Laura Davis has separated from her husband Frank due to his unpredictable temper, fueled by alcohol. As Laura returns to work as a nurse, her daughters, 11-year-old Ellen (Violet McGraw) and 16-year-old Judy (Madeleine McGraw), grapple with the changes in their family dynamics. The plot thickens when Frank attempts to win Laura back with a beautiful antique necklace, which turns out to be a conduit for the tormented soul of an evil boy from long ago, putting Laura and her daughters in grave danger.

Exclusive: Sarah Lind (A Wounded Fawn) is the newest addition to The Necklace, the indie horror flick from director Juan Pablo Arias Munoz that’s shooting in Atlanta. As previously announced, Jacob Moran, Madeleine McGraw, Violet McGraw and Felix Solis will also star.

Written by John Ducey, The Necklace watches as the Davis family navigates through tough times in 1960. Laura Davis (Lind) has separated from her husband Frank due to his unpredictable temper, fueled by alcohol. As Laura returns to work as a nurse, her daughters, 11-year-old Ellen (Violet McGraw) and 16-year-old Judy (Madeleine McGraw), grapple with the changes in their family dynamics. The plot thickens when Frank attempts to win Laura back with a beautiful antique necklace, which turns out to be a conduit for the tormented soul of an evil boy from long ago, putting Laura and her daughters in grave danger.

Daniel Aspromonte and Christina Moore are producing the film,...

Exclusive: Ozark‘s Felix Solis has signed on to star opposite Jacob Moran, Madeleine McGraw and Violet McGraw in The Necklace, a horror film from director Juan Pablo Arias Munoz that heads into production in Atlanta in late May.

Written by John Ducey, The Necklace watches as the Davis family navigates through tough times in 1960. Laura Davis has separated from her husband Frank due to his unpredictable temper, fueled by alcohol. As Laura returns to work as a nurse, her daughters, 11-year-old Ellen (Violet McGraw) and 16-year-old Judy (Madeleine McGraw), grapple with the changes in their family dynamics. The plot thickens when Frank attempts to win Laura back with a beautiful antique necklace, which turns out to be a conduit for the tormented soul of an evil boy from long ago, putting Laura and her daughters in grave danger.

Solis will play the role of Detective Callahan. Daniel Aspromonte and...

Jacob Moran is set to reteam with Madeleine McGraw, his co-star on the hit Blumhouse/Universal horror pic The Black Phone, on a new horror pic titled The Necklace that enters production in Atlanta in late May.

Details as to Moran’s role are under wraps. Madeleine’s sister, Violet McGraw of M3GAN fame, will also star.

Directed by Juan Pablo Arias Munoz, from a script by John Ducey, The Necklace watches as the Davis family navigates through tough times in 1960. Laura Davis has separated from her husband Frank due to his unpredictable temper, fueled by alcohol. As Laura returns to work as a nurse, her daughters, 11-year-old Ellen (Violet McGraw) and 16-year-old Judy (Madeleine McGraw), grapple with the changes in their family dynamics. The plot thickens when Frank attempts to win Laura back with a beautiful antique necklace, which turns out to be a conduit for the tormented...

Exclusive: Ali Afshar’s Esx Entertainment is entering into the horror space with the feature The Necklace starring sisters Madeleine & Violet McGraw, each of whom have garnered widespread acclaim for

gripping performances in M3GAN and 2021’s The Black Phone respectively. Cameras will roll this summer.

Afshar produced the Netflix streaming hit A California Christmas and I Believe in Santa along with the hit HBO Max original A Christmas Mystery, both of which starred Violet McGraw.

The screenplay was written specifically with the McGraw sisters in mind by Afshar collaborator John Ducey . The pic is being directed by Chilean filmmaker Juan Pablo Arias Muñoz, who helmed Pumpkinhole and HBO’s Perry Mason.

Said Afshar, “Madeleine and Violet are among the brightest lights of this generation of young actors, and an absolute joy to work with. Each brings a unique energy to the screen and, together,...

To celebrate the release of Casa Grande, we spoke with the amazing cast and filmmakers of the show – a whopping sixteen people!

Casa Grande follows the lives of rich Southern family dynasties and the immigrant families who work on their farms as they deal with power plays and Ice.

We spoke about wrangling such a huge talented cast as well as working on an actual, working (and smelly) dairy farm!

The cast is interviewed for Casa Granda, coming to Amazon Freevee. The ensemble cast consists of John Pyper-Ferguson, Christina Moore (90210), Madison Lawlor (Juniper), Karen Bethzabe (Babylon), Javier Bolaños (Runt), Raquel Dominguez (Chicago Med), James Marsters (Buffy The Vampire Slayer), Emmy-winner Kate Mansi (Days of Our Lives), Daniel Edward Mora (Coco), Loren Escandon (The Baxters), Keith Miller (Red Ruby), and Laura Alemán (Cleaners). It is directed by Gabriela Tagliavini (Despite Everything), Showrunner and Co-Creator Lauren Swickard (A California Christmas), Co-Creator and...

According to Smithsonian Magazine, the definition of the American Dream has — for better and worse — changed significantly since the inception of the phrase. Whereas the original meaning pertained to "a dream of equality, justice, and democracy for the nation," it is now more commonly associated with one's individual wealth and achievement. In terms of cinema, the pursuit of the American Dream has over the years become a popular framework to tell stories of dreaming big, perseverance, and the importance of work ethic. Even further, as America has become a beacon of economic opportunity, it's no wonder then that, by extension, narratives about the immigrant experience increasingly allude to this grander, capitalistic chase.

This view of the American Dream through the lens of migrant workers is the foundation of Amazon Freevee's newest series, Casa Grande, starring John Pyper-Ferguson, Christina Moore, Kate Mansi, James Marsters, Madison Lawlor, Javier Bolaños, Karen Bethzabe,...

To celebrate its century-long run as one of Hollywood's biggest movie studios, Warner Bros. is releasing 20-minute-long remakes of six of its most classic films. The company, which is now called Warner Bros. Discovery after a merger with Discovery, Inc., plans on developing the short film series through its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team and stated that the series will reimagine these stories through "representative casting, storytelling, and narrative."

The six films on the slate are the recently remade "A Star is Born," the swashbuckling "The Adventures of Robin Hood," the Western "Calamity Jane," the Abbott and Costello comedy "Jack and the Beanstalk," the much-adapted "The Prince and the Pauper," and the James Dean drama "Rebel Without a Cause." Production is slated to begin this summer, with Ali Afshar ("American Wrestler: The Wizard" and a whole slew of Christmas-related material) serving as consulting producer. "We can't think of a better...

As part of its ongoing celebration of the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros. Studios, parent company Warner Bros. Discovery has commissioned short film adaptations of six classic movies from its vault.

These 20-minute shorts, which will be available to stream on Max later this year, will update the films through today’s more diverse and inclusive understanding of the world, with what Wbd’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team calls “representative casting, storytelling and narrative.”

Six filmmakers have already been chosen by a committee that includes Wbd senior vp Dei in North America Karen Horne alongside individuals from Warner Bros. Pictures, Visual Communications, Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, Urban World, Sundance Indigenous Lab, Outfest and ReelAbilities Film Fest. The filmmakers, who will receive a budget through which they can derive their own compensation, will begin production this summer and be mentored by a group of established producers and directors,...

Amazon Freevee has announced that it will stream Casa Grande, a bilingual limited series that examines the everyday realities and conflicts between California’s migrant workforce and the landowners who reap the profits.

Created by Lauren Swickard (A California Christmas) and Ali Afshar, Casa Grande follows the intertwining lives of various families in the farmlands of Northern California and is described as an “upstairs/downstairs story transposed from turn-of-the century English countryside to rural America.” It stars John Pyper-Ferguson, Christina Moore, Madison Lawlor (Juniper), Karen Bethzabe (Babylon), Javier Bolaños (All American), Raquel Dominguez (Chicago Med), James Marsters (Buffy The Vampire Slayer), Kate Mansi (Days of Our Lives), Daniel Edward Mora (Coco), Loren Escandon (The Baxters), and Ali Afshar (He’s Just Not That Into You).

All five one-hour episodes of the English and Spanish language limited series will premiere on Monday, May 1.

“We...

Amazon Freevee has landed the exclusive first-run U.S. rights to “Casa Grande,” a bilingual limited series that follows the tales of California’s hardworking, often undocumented migrant workforce, as well as the wealthy landowners in Northern California.

The series, which consists of five one-hour episodes, premieres May 1 on Freevee. Lauren Swickard (“A California Christmas”) and Ali Afshar created “Casa Grande,” which comes from Afshar’s Esx Entertainment shingle.

Series stars include John Pyper-Ferguson, Christina Moore, Madison Lawlor (“Juniper”), Karen Bethzabe (“Babylon”), Javier Bolaños (“All American”), Raquel Dominguez (“Chicago Med”), James Marsters (“Buffy The Vampire Slayer”), Kate Mansi (“Days of Our Lives”), Daniel Edward Mora (“Coco”), Loren Escandon (“The Baxters”) and Ali Afshar (“He’s Just Not That Into You”).

Latin filmmaker Gabriela Tagliavini (“Despite Everything”) directed the series; Swickard serves as showrunner and also wrote the series with Alex Ranarivelo and Michael Cruz. Other executive producers include Ava Rettke and Daniel Aspromonte.

For quite some time now, Christmas has come every day for Ali Afshar.

The actor, producer and former race car driver is founder and president of Esx Entertainment, a prolific indie film and TV production company that’s made its name in recent years pumping Yuletide content to streamers amid the pandemic.

The projects are modestly budgeted and shot efficiently and safely, mostly due to Afshar’s commandeering of his hometown — a sleepy Sonoma County village called Petaluma, where he built a soundstage from a converted barn and mines below-the-line crew from local residents. Titles include Netflix’s “A California Christmas” and its sequel “City Lights,” and the HBO Max originals “A Christmas Mystery,” “A Hollywood Christmas” and “Holiday Harmony.”

Afshar’s well-oiled Christmas machine functions at such a level that, during a recent conversation with Variety, he revealed he was in the middle of shooting another film — “A Wine Country Christmas.

The holidays started early in Tinseltown (and elsewhere), beginning with James Cameron missing his own “Avatar: The Way of Water” Hollywood premiere, knocked down with a bout of Covid and moving on to New York’s first look at “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” Santa turned up at Christina Moore and John Ducey’s “I Believe in Santa” Netflix premiere and there was even a Christmas Con! Meanwhile, Damien Chazelle brought a much less family-friendly flick, “Babylon,” to the City of Angels in another splashy premiere.

“Avatar: The Way of Water”

Dolby Theatre, Hollywood

Stars Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver and Sam Worthington attend the U.S. premiere of “Avatar: The Way of Water” in Hollywood. (Courtesy 20th Century Studios)

It was well worth the wait! Disney transported fans into Pandora for the “Avatar: The Way of Water premiere” at the Dolby Theatre. Stepping inside, it was as...

Producer Ali Afshar and Esx Entertainment has become a big supplier of holiday movies for HBO Max with count ’em, three coming up: two on Thanksgiving — Holiday Harmony and A Christmas Mystery and one one on Dec. 1, A Hollywood Christmas.

Holiday Harmony follows singer/songwriter Gail (Annelise Cepero) who lands an opportunity to compete for a once-in-a-lifetime shot at the big time, and heads cross country—until she breaks down in Harmony Springs, Oklahoma. With just two weeks to get to the iHeartRadio Christmas Eve performance of her dreams, she takes the advice of local Jack-of-all-trades, Jeremy (Jeremy Sumpter), and takes on a group of misfit kids hoping to perform in a Christmas Eve Gala of their own. Gail and Jeremy grow close, but if she’s going to fulfill her lifelong dream, she may have to leave him and the town she’s grown to love behind. Brooke Shields...

Exclusive: We hear that four holiday movies have received HBO Max release dates as of Wednesday: Legendary’s Christmas Story sequel, A Christmas Story Christmas for November 17 this year, and three yuletide titles from Esx Entertainment: Holiday Harmony and A Christmas Mystery both on November 24 and A Hollywood Christmas on December 1.

A Christmas Story Christmas from director Clay Kaytis and producers Irwin Zwilling, Marc Toberoff, Cale Boyter, Jay Ashenfelter, Peter Billingsley and Vince Vaughn follows Ralphie, who is all grown up now. He must deal with Christmas and all that comes with it, this time as a dad. Peter Billingsley reprises his role as Ralphie. Erinn Hayes, Julianna Layne, River Drosche, Rd Robb and Scott Schwartz along with Zack Ward and Julie Hagerty also star.

The romantic drama Holiday Harmony from producers Ali Afshar, Lauren Swickard and Daniel Aspromonte, and directed by Shaun Paul Piccinino, follows singer-songwriter Gail, who...

As the violet Scion Nebula 86 slams across the finish line at Import Face-Off in Las Vegas this past March, the thundering of Japanese engines is overtaken by the sheer force of the crowd’s screams. The car comes to a stop, enveloped in a cloud of smoke. The driver gets out triumphantly, her arm outstretched towards the stands. For fans of racing, the scene is anything but typical, as the victor, 20-year-old import racer Kaylee Crayton, stands at five-foot-eight and sports wholesome breakfast-cereal good looks; pulling off her onyx helmet...

The festival season is here and it is time to embrace Yuletide spirits. With cinemas yet to draw audience confidence fully, Ott platforms are going all-out to add a Christmas sparkle that celebrate the season of Santa Clause with these Christmas movies and web series.

As we gear up to binge on Christmas, snuggled in a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate, we list new Christmas movie attractions that toast a happy ending to the year, and a good cheer.

Operation Christmas Drop

The film is about a political aide falling for a big-hearted air force pilot while looking to shut down his tropical base and its airborne Christmas tradition. The Netflix film stars Kat Graham, Alexander Ludwig, and Virginia Madsen.

A California Christmas

The Netflix film follows a wealthy real estate heir who poses as a ranch hand to get a hardworking farmer to sell her family's land.

After the unexpected popularity of the new Netflix movie “A California Christmas,” the holiday romantic comedy is getting a sequel.

Ali Afshar’s Esx Entertainment, the production company behind the film, has fast tracked pre-production for the follow-up, which will be titled “California Christmas: City Lights.” Filming is expected to begin in early 2021 in various parts of northern California, including Petaluma, Sonoma County and surrounding areas.

Netflix doesn’t provide streamlined viewing metrics for its movies or television shows, but “A California Christmas” appears to be a breakout hit on the streamer’s charts. The feel-good film, which premiered on Dec. 14, ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for a week and has remained in the top 10 since. According to Forbes, “A California Christmas” beat out Ryan Murphy’s musical “The Prom,” which stars Meryl Streep, James Corden and Nicole Kidman, as well as perennial favorites like “How the Grinch Stole Christmas...

Born a Champion Trailer — Alex Ranarivelo‘s Born a Champion (2021) movie trailer has been released by Lionsgate and stars Sean Patrick Flanery, Katrina Bowden, Dennis Quaid, Reno Wilson, Costas Mandylor, Maurice Compte, Paul J. Alessi, Chris Boudreaux, Marshelle Fair, William W. Barbour, Jonathan Kowalsky, Johnny Jay Lee, Christine Kilmer, and Ali Afshar. Crew Flanery and [...]

Continue reading: Born A Champion (2021) Movie Trailer: Sean Patrick Flanery & Dennis Quaid star in Alex Ranarivelo’s Martial Arts Drama Film...

"There is always some theoretical fighter who thinks he can take on the pros." Lionsgate has unveiled an official trailer for a Mma fighter film titled Born a Champion, from French filmmaker Alex Ranarivelo. The film is co-written by and stars actor Sean Patrick Flanery as Mickey Kelly, one of the first American black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Set in the 1990s, the film follows Mickey as he finds himself pulled into an unsanctioned Mma tournament in the hopes of providing for his family. The full cast also includes Dennis Quaid, Katrina Bowden, Currie Graham, Costas Mandylor, Maurice Compte, Reno Wilson, and Ali Afshar. This has all the usual fight film tropes, and doesn't seem to be unique at all especially with the military subplot, but it does look like Flanery is giving one hell of a performance at least. Check it out below. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Alex Ranarivelo's Born a Champion,...

Warner Bros. has picked up the worldwide sales rights to Esx Entertainment’s political drama series “Casa Grande,” which award-winning Argentine director Gabriela Tagliavini (“How to Break Up With Your Douchebag”) has been tapped to direct.

Warner Bros. International Television Distribution will handle international sales while Warner Bros. Television Group does domestic.

Inspired by true events, the dramatic series of five one-hour episodes follows several families in the farmland of Northern California as it navigates universal themes of class, immigration, culture and family.

“There’s a war about race in our country taking place right now, and we decided to take the bull by the horns,” said Tagliavini, adding: “We show in provocative scenes how hate and violence are originated by fear.”

“I’m proud to be part of this political series; this controversial show will have people talking,” she asserted.

John Pyper-Ferguson (“The Last Ship”) and Christina Moore (“Claws...

“The Ride” begins with a scene of unexpected brutality, engineered by a racist, feral kid. Even so, its “inspired by a true story” promise at the start rings a little tinny. And early on, the BMX-meets-“love wins” drama about a boy whose white supremacist roots and abusive home life land him in juvenile detention has an afterschool-special veneer, albeit somewhat gritty. The over-emotive score, particularly at the outset, punctuates the violence and the sentiment unnecessarily.

But the movie, streaming on Amazon, gains emotional traction when seven years later, John McCord finds himself released to an interracial foster couple. The reason for the film’s emotional resonance owes less to the screenplay — which teases too many easy tropes — than it does to the slow-burn chemistry between Shane Graham, who plays John of the set jaw and racist quips, and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, who portrays the foster father who has seen a lot worse.

"Did you think it was going to be easy?" Roadside Attractions has debuted another new official US trailer for an indie drama titled The Ride, from filmmaker Alex Ranarivelo, about the life of a pro BMX rider from Glasgow, Scotland. This originally premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival in 2018, and we featured a promo trailer back then. The Ride, also known as just Ride, is about BMX pro John Buultjens, as played by Shane Graham in the film. Raised by a white supremacist family, John spent most of his youth locked up in a juvenile detention center. He eventually gets introduced to a foster family, only to discover his new father is black, but together they work through to overcome his racism and "form a bond that helps thrust him down the path to BMX glory." Also starring Ludacris, Sasha Alexander, Blake Sheldon, Jessica Serfaty, Ali Afshar, Nic Luken,...

Stars: Bryan Craig, Tommy Flanagan, Sean Patrick Flannery, George Kosturos, Allison Paige | Written by Carl Morris, Shaun Piccinino | Directed by Shaun Piccinino

[Note: With the film finally debuting in the UK next week, here’s a reposting of our review of American Fighter from its screening at last years Fantasia Festival]

A fictional sequel to an semi-autobiographical original, American Fighter is an interesting proposition for a film and, at least in cinematic terms, shares a lot in common with the classic martial arts film Bloodsport – both deal with underground fighting and both have a connection to the real-life tales of their characters. In this case George Kosturos plays the alter-ego of producer Ali Afshar – whose story of moving from Iran to America and fitting in by becoming a top-class athlete was told in the 2016 film American Wrestler.

American Fighter picks up where that film left off, once again following Ali Jahani (George Kosturos) as he tries to raise funds to get his mother out of Tehran after his father...

More titles expected in coming days.

Roman Kopelevich’s Los Angeles-based Red Sea Media kicks off virtual Cannes sales this week with three new titles led by Mickey Kelley starring Dennis Quaid and Sean Patrick Flanery, and Roped starring Casper Van Dien.

Rounding out the new acquisitions is Wheels Of Fortune with Matt Jones.

Mickey Kelley tells the story of a pioneering American black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu who gets pulled away from everything he loves and into an unsanctioned Mma tournament.

In comedy Wheels Of Fortune, a race car mechanic learns he is entitled to a $40m inheritance from...

“We’re gonna lose the farm, son!” husks country star Trace Adkins in the trailer for “Bennett’s War,” which then goes on to further suggest the viewer is in for a steaming pile of platitudinous corn, with a side order of flag-waving. And indeed, Alex Ranarivelo’s sports drama has a pretty hokey story gist: Wounded military veteran forces himself to miraculously recover his full mobility so he can return to motocross racing and get that prize money to … yep, save the family farm.

Maybe such on-the-nose marketing works for some Heartland audiences, but the good news about that bad trailer is that it does this film a disservice. While “War” may be a duly formulaic feel-gooder at heart, it also soft-pedals the more potentially heavy-handed emotional beats to pleasing effect.

Modest but enjoyable, with some exciting race footage, it should provide an inviting alternative for audiences on the...

Stars: Bryan Craig, Tommy Flanagan, Sean Patrick Flannery, George Kosturos, Allison Paige | Written by Carl Morris, Shaun Piccinino | Directed by Shaun Piccinino

A fictional sequel to an semi-autobiographical original, American Fighter is an interesting proposition for a film and, at least in cinematic terms, shares a lot in common with the classic martial arts film Bloodsport – both deal with underground fighting and both have a connection to the real-life tales of their characters. In this case George Kosturos plays the alter-ego of producer Ali Afshar – whose story of moving from Iran to America and fitting in by becoming a top-class athlete was told in the 2016 film American Wrestler.

American Fighter picks up where that film left off, once again following Ali Jahani (George Kosturos) as he tries to raise funds to get his mother out of Tehran after his father is pulled of their flight to the Us and assassinated,...

Exclusive: Fledgling La film production and distribution outfit Forrest Films is gearing up on mixed martial arts movie drama Mickey Kelley, which will star Sean Patrick Flanery (Powder), Katrina Bowden (30 Rock) and Dennis Quaid (The Day After Tomorrow) alongside Mma fighters Renzo Gracie, Edson Barboza, and Mickey Gall.

Set in 1990, the film follows Mickey Kelley (Flanery), one of the first American black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, who gets pulled away from everything he loves and into an unsanctioned Mma tournament, where his dreams of providing for his family come to a halt with a split-second decision. His life goes off the rails until years later he gets a shot at redemption.

Alex Ranarivelo (American Wrestler) will direct the pic, currently in pre-production. Flanery and Alex Ranarivelo teamed to co-write the screenplay, from a story Flanery created.

Supporting cast includes Maurice Compte (Narcos), Reno Wilson (Transformers) and Currie Graham (Pompeii). Ali Afshar...