News

A film adaptation of “Prima Facie,” the smash-hit one-woman stage play starring Cynthia Erivo in the role that earned Jodie Comer both Tony and Olivier awards, will launch at the Cannes Film Market.

Embankment is handling international sales on the project, which was first announced by Variety in 2023. UTA Independent Film Group and CAA Media Finance will co-represent for the U.S.

BAFTA winner and Emmy nominee Susanna White will direct, with Australian playwright Suzie Miller having adapted her own critically-acclaimed stage play for the screen.

“Prima Facie,” which translates to “at first sight,” tells the propulsive story of ambitious and confident defense attorney Tessa. From working class roots, the rising star in the high-powered London legal system skillfully defends her clients — including those accused of sexual assault. But after she is raped by a colleague, she discovers that the law does not deliver justice along the boundaries of consent.

Stephanie Collie, the costume designer behind film and television projects such as “Peaky Blinders,” died of cancer on Oct. 26 at St Christopher’s Hospice in London.

Over the course of her career, Collie worked with talent including Michael Caine, Henry Cavill, Jessica Chastain, Daniel Craig, Penélope Cruz, Morgan Freeman, Samuel L. Jackson, Cillian Murphy, Gary Oldman, Ryan Reynolds and Michelle Williams.

Collie began her career in the sewing room of the BBC alongside costume designer Susan Coates. Following an introduction from Coates to David Parfitt, she worked as a wardrobe assistant to Branagh on “Much Ado About Nothing.” From there, Collie worked as a costume designer on “Peter’s Friends,” which was directed by Branagh.

In 1988, Collie had her work featured onscreen in Guy Ritchie’s crime comedy film “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.”

Of her design for the film, Christopher Laverty said: “You could not pick up a men...

Stephanie Collie, the acclaimed British costume designer whose work on Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Peaky Blinders moved beyond the screen and made its way into mainstream culture, has died. She was 60.

Collie died Saturday at St. Christopher’s Hospice in South London following a terminal cancer diagnosis six months earlier, a publicist announced. Her husband, director of photography Hubert Taczanowski, died in June, also of cancer, at age 63.

Collie’s résumé also included Michael Winterbottom’s The Look of Love (2013), starring Steve Coogan, Anna Friel and Imogen Poots; London Has Fallen (2016), starring Gerard Butler and Morgan Freeman, and its 2019 sequel, Angel Has Fallen; and Patrick Hughes’ The Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017), starring Samuel L. Jackson, Ryan Reynolds and Salma Hayek, and its 2021 sequel, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard.

Collie had a career breakthrough with the British gangster film Lock, and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), directed by Guy Ritchie and produced by Matthew Vaughn.

Released exclusively on Amazon Prime, a Revisionist western miniseries called The English (2022) features an endearing protagonist who's played by famous British actress Emily Blunt. Her character is called Lady Cornelia Locke, a headstrong Englishwoman hellbent on revenge for the untimely death of her son. Co-starring is Chaske Spencer as Sergeant Eli Whipp, also known as Wounded Wolf his Pawnee name in translation.

Both leads perform to absolute perfection, digging deep into the details of the human condition while also sharing a remarkable rapport that flourishes into an all-time great dynamic. In part, this is thanks to showrunner Hugo Blick and his understanding of character development. On top of directing all six episodes, he also penned their original scripts. Some monumental efforts, but from the composer to the cast, everyone attached to The English proved essential to its production.

Unfortunately, their work flew under the general radar of prominence, with most...

It's hard to believe that A24 is over 10 years old, but the company has quickly become one of the best contemporary distributors. Few distribution companies have developed their own recognizable aesthetic or are able to sell pricey hipster-style merchandise. But A24's curation of independent film has stoked the flames of cinephiles' passion for bold visions and imaginative stories. Their commitment to creating a platform for independent filmmaking feels refreshing in the glut of superhero and IP-driven releases. A24 has launched the careers of some of our most innovative filmmakers, including Greta Gerwig, Barry Jenkins, Alex Garland, Ari Aster, and Robert Eggers while bringing directors such as Harmony Korine and Sean Baker to a wider theatrical audience. But for every "Moonlight" or "Hereditary," there are other A24 films that have not been quite as well-received. Even though they have bad Rotten Tomatoes scores, they are still worth watching for all...

Exclusive: Veteran British director Susanna White has revealed she’s working on a feature film based on her teenage life set against changes in the fashion world, as she gears up for today’s launch of Apple TV+ period drama The Buccaneers.

White is developing an untitled script for the BFI, the first time she has written a feature script herself, and the plot is based on her personal coming of age story. “It’s the story of me at 13, set in the world of fashion in early 1970s,” she told Deadline in an interview. “It’s very fun, sexy and hopefully moving.”

We hear the film will follow 13-year-old Gingernut as she grows up with the fur trade’s decline playing out in the background. The plot will see her trying to make sense of her parents’ dysfunctional relationship and include themes of family, growing up, betrayal, love and loss.

If you’re a fan of Mel Gibson’s classic action flicks, be sure to stream them before they leave Max at the end of August.

All four “Lethal Weapon” movies and “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome,” starring the late, great Tina Turner, will be leaving the streaming service. Luckily, you’ll have all month to watch them.

Watching the new “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” animated movie in theaters? Max has several films featuring the radical reptilians: the live-action “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze” (1991)

and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III” (1993), as well as the animated “Tmnt” (2007).

Kaiju fans will want to check out “Godzilla” (2014), “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019), “King Kong” (1933) and “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” (2012).

Finally, if horror is your thing, six “Hellraiser” films and “The Ring Two” make great summer scares.

Here’s everything leaving Max in August 2023

August 5

Hard Knocks:...

Cynthia Erivo will star in a film adaptation of Suzie Miller’s play, Prima Facie, which is currently playing on Broadway.

Jodie Comer won an Olivier Award for playing Prima Facie’s Tessa, a young barrister who finds herself fighting against the same legal system that had supported her, in the one-woman show in the West End and is currently leading the show on Broadway. Erivo, who is currently starring in the Wicked film, among other projects, will star as Tessa in the film version and will also executive produce, alongside producers Participant and Bunya Productions.

The film will be directed by BAFTA Award-winning filmmaker Susanna White (Woman Walks Ahead, Our Kind of Traitor). Miller adapted the screenplay for the screen.

“I am thrilled to be joining Suzie, Susanna, Participant, Bunya and the rest of the team on this journey with Prima Facie. Tessa’s experience sheds such vulnerable light...

Cynthia Erivo will star in a film adaptation of the theater sensation “Prime Facie,” Variety can report exclusively.

Participant and Bunya Productions announced Monday that Oscar nominee Erivo will take on the role originated on the West End by actor Jodie Comer. Erivo will also executive produce the project through her banner Edith’s Daughter.

BAFTA winner and Emmy nominee Susanna White will direct. Suzie Miller has adapted her own critically-acclaimed stage play for the screen.

“Prima Facie,” which translates to “at first sight,” tells the propulsive story of ambitious and confident defense attorney Tessa. From working class roots, the rising star in the high-powered London legal system skillfully defends her clients — including those accused of sexual assault. But after she is raped by a colleague, she discovers that the law does not deliver justice along the boundaries of consent.

“I am thrilled to be joining Suzie, Susanna, Participant, Bunya...

Exclusive: Fiona Shaw (Andor), Katherine Waterston (Inherent Vice) and Chaske Spencer (The English) have entered production in NYC on Park Avenue, a new indie drama from Sundance alum Gaby Dellal (On a Clear Day), who directs from her script written with Tina Alexis Allen.

A production of Rimsky Productions and Washington Square Films, Park Avenue follows a mother and daughter who, over a fraught six weeks, reveal secrets, unravel lies and ultimately lay bare the ties that bind. Paralyzed by her life wrangling cattle in Alberta, Canada, Charlotte (Waterston) jumps into her Ford Bronco, flees her over-controlling husband, and lands back in her childhood Park Avenue apartment where she takes refuge with her mother Kit (Shaw). Rediscovering the boy she loved, now her grown doorman Anders (Spencer), and the life she left at 18, the mother and daughter explore shared history, unshared truths and find a way to face both love and loss.

Warner Bros. Discovery has had a rough go of it recently. The newly-formed mega corporation’s decision to callously prune HBO Max’s servers of hours of content has led to mountains of bad PR and billions of dollars in market cap losses. Suffice it to say, a jam-packed list of new HBO Max releases for September 2022 would provide some welcome relief for the “House of the House of the Dragon.”

Unfortunately, HBO Max’s new releases this month are uncommonly light. It’s impossible to say whether this is the result of more Wbd meddling or simply some bad scheduling luck but either way it’s not going to make any executives’ seats less warm. There are only a handful of notable originals this month, led by season 2 of the Spanish language comedy Los Espookys on Sept. 16. That is joined by a pair of documentaries, Escape from Kabul on Sept.

The Scene 2 Seen podcast is back!!

Sorry ya’ll. I had to go on a brief hiatus for July. With San Diego Comic-Con, Emmy nominations and my travel schedule, I took the time to sit down brainstorm some fresh ideas to add to the podcast.

I am excited to be publishing one episode a day between today and Friday of this week. Trust me it will be worth it as there are some awesome guests, beginning with today’s episode featuring Plains Cree actor Michael Greyeyes.

Greyeyes is from the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation from Canada has been in the acting business for over 30 years. He feels like he’s just now found his footing with his role on Peacock comedy series Rutherford Falls, which premiered its second season June 16.

Rutherford Falls follows two lifelong friends, Nathan Rutherford and Reagan Wells, whose relationship is tested when a crisis hits their small town.

We’re in the dog days of summer, and if you’re looking for refuge from the heat, consider cozying up on the couch with the air conditioning blasting and Plex TV streaming on your home entertainment system! Plex’s collection, The Cinephiles — A24 on Plex, is still ongoing, but there are a plethora of films from distributors big and small streaming on Plex. With Plex, you can explore both crowd-pleasing blockbusters or hidden gems you may have missed.

Plex offers a one-stop-shop streaming service offering 50,000+ free titles and 200+ of free-to-stream live TV channels, from the biggest names in entertainment, including Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, Lionsgate, Legendary, AMC, A+E, Crackle, and Reuters. Plex is always overflowing with thousands of new and old familiar favorites on its platform and we’re here to happily select the cream of the crop.

This month our picks include...

Jessica Chastain’s eyes filled with tears at last night’s Oscars long before she won Best Actress for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” When Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh won Best Makeup and Hairstyling, the camera showed Chastain looking overwhelmed and mouthing the words “I love you.”

In the days leading up to the Oscars, Chastain had said that she would skip the red carpet if necessary so she could be in the Dolby Theater when the Makeup and Hairstyling award were announced. (It was one of the eight categories relegated to the pre-show.) And indeed, when the moment arrived, she was seated right in front of the stage, her eyes brimming with tears.

In her acceptance speech, Dowds thanked Chastain right away, calling her “our biggest, most dedicated collaborator.” That was no exaggeration: The actress has worked with Dowds and Ingram since 2013’s “Mama,” where they...

Peacock has put in development Avenger Field, a one-hour drama series starring and executive produced by Oscar winner Renée Zellweger, from writer Felicia D. Henderson and MGM Television, Deadline has confirmed. The project also hails from Zellweger’s Big Picture Co, Toluca Pictures and North Rose Pictures. MGM Television is the studio.

Written by Henderson, who also serves as showrunner, Avenger Field, said be in the vein of Hidden Figures, celebrates the brave women (and men) that executed a clandestine all female US Airforce program called the Wasps to battle Hitler’s evil from home. Inspired by the true story of Wasps leader Jackie Cohran (Zellweger) and the diverse group of women as brave and righteous as the astronauts from The Right Stuff, these women fought the system, skeptics and even sabotage to bring everyone home safely.

Susanna White serves as director and executive producer. Henderson executive produces via Waterwalk Entertainment...

Renée Zellweger has lined up another TV role with NBCUniversal. Variety has learned exclusively that the actress is set to star in the drama “Avenger Field” that is in development at Peacock.

The one-hour drama series, which hails from MGM Television, tells the story of those that established a clandestine all female US Airforce program called the WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots) to battle Hitler from home. Inspired by the true story of Wasp leader Jackie Cohran (Zellweger) and the diverse group of women who fought the system, skeptics and even sabotage to bring everyone home safely.

Felicia D. Henderson is attached to serve as writer, showrunner, and executive producer via WaterWalk Entertainment. Susanna White will direct and executive produce. Zellweger will executive produce with Carmella Casinelli under their Big Picture Co. banner. Steve Stark and Stacey Levin of Toluca Pictures, Emily Rose and Jill North of North Rose Pictures,...

Exclusive: Hulu has put into development hourlong drama The Golden Cage, from producers Darryl Taja (The Perfect Guy) and Adam Rodin (Extant). Kiernan Shipka (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) is attached to star in the project, created and written by Page Awards finalist Oskar Nordmark. BAFTA-winning British helmer Susanna White (Andor) is set to direct the potential pilot and serve as an executive producer.

Described as Suits meets Oliver Stone’s Wall Street, The Golden Cage explores the lengths one woman (Shipka) will go to camouflage her past, while climbing the dizzying heights of Wall Street.

This marks the first major sale for Nordmark who is a forensic accountant by trade. He executive produces alongside Taja via his Epidemic Pictures banner, Rodin, White and Roadside Attractions. Talks are underway with potential showrunners.

Rodin originally brought the project to Taja to develop and produce through Epidemic Pictures. Based on the experience...

Exclusive: We have learned that actor and director Michael Greyeyes has inked a first look deal to develop film projects with Blumhouse.

Greyeyes stars in Blumhouse/Weed Road Pictures/Universal’s upcoming re-imagination of Stephen King’s Firestarter as Rainbird, a relentless powerful man who has been pushed into a violent life. Keith Thomas is directing the pic off Scott Teems’ script who will also EP.

Greyeyes received rave reviews from critics for his gripping portrayal of Makwa/Michael, in Wild Indian, the feature debut by writer/director Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr, which premiered in competition at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The film will be released theatrically and on VOD in September. This Spring, he starred opposite Ed Helms and Jana Schmieding in the new Peacock comedy Rutherford Falls, co-created and executive produced by Helms, Mike Schur and Sierra Teller Ornelas. The series,...

Michael Greyeyes pushed his body to the breaking point in order to play Makwa, the haunted man at the center of “Wild Indian.”

The veteran actor shed 35 pounds from his already slender frame, losing the weight largely by fasting. It was hard, Greyeyes admits, but also necessary to portray someone who has a toxic secret that threatens to destroy his carefully manicured existence as a successful executive and family man.

“There were months where basically I was hungry all the time,” Greyeyes told Variety. “That allowed me to have a lived experience. I would walk by coffee shops or bakeries and see all these delicious looking things I couldn’t have. It created a sense of frustration and keen hunger. I felt like a wolf at times when I was playing this role — I was something lurking at the edges of polite society trying to find his prey.”

“Wild Indian,...

Exclusive: Michael Greyeyes has been cast as the character of Rainbird in Universal-Blumhouse-Weed Road Pictures’ adaptation of Stephen King’s bestselling novel Firestarter.

In Firestarter, a young girl develops pyrokinetic abilities and is abducted by a secret government agency that wants to harness her powerful gift as a weapon.

Rainbird is a relentless powerful man who has been pushed into a violent life. The character was played by Oscar winner George C. Scott in the original 1984 movie.

Greyeyes recently received rave reviews from critics for his gripping portrayal of Makwa/Michael, in Wild Indian, the feature debut by writer/director Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr, which premiered in competition at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. This Spring, he will star opposite Ed Helms in the new Peacock comedy Rutherford Falls, co-created and executive produced by Helms, Mike Schur and Sierra Teller Ornelas. The series is set...

Pulsar Content, the Paris-based sales company launched at Toronto, has acquired “Wild Indian,” a thriller executive produced by and starring Jesse Eisenberg, along with Michael Greyeyes (“Fear the Walking Dead”). The film marks the feature debut of Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr., whose shorts have played at Toronto and Sundance.

“Wild Indian” was developed at the Sundance Writer, Director and Producer labs, and also took part in the first Catalyst Program at last year’s Sundance. The film also stars Chaske Spencer (“Woman Walks Ahead”) and Kate Bosworth (“Still Alice”).

Now in post-production, the movie follows two Anishinaabe men who are bound together after covering up a murder of a schoolmate. After years of separation following widely divergent paths, they must finally confront how their traumatic secret has shaped their lives.

“Wild Indian” is produced by Blake Pickens, Thomas Mahoney and Corbine Jr. Along with Eisenberg, the executive producers are 30West...

Andrew Garfield and Jessica Chastain will play Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” a biopic that will be directed by Michael Showalter (“The Big Sick”), an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

The film will be based on the documentary of the same name that was directed by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato from World of Wonder. Abe Sylvia wrote the script for the feature. Chastain is producing alongside her producing partner Kelly Carmichael through their Freckle Films production banner, and Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane through their Mwm Studios are also producing. Jordana Mollick is executive producing.

Tammy Faye Bakker was an American singer, evangelist and television personality who first gained recognition for “The Ptl Club,” a televangelist program she co-founded with her then-husband Jim Bakker in 1974. In 1978, the pair built a Christian theme park called Heritage USA. Later, Jim Bakker was indicted,...

Fourteen-year-old skateboarding star and two-time world champ Brighton Zeuner will be the focus of a feature documentary by Imagine Documentaries and Zero Point Zero, Variety has learned exclusively.

Described as a coming-of-age story, the film will document Zeuner’s childhood, personal and professional relationships, and road to earning a spot as a member of the 2020 Us Olympics skateboarding team, with the sport debuting as an Olympic event in Tokyo. She is the youngest-ever X Games gold medalist, winning her first world title while a 12-year-old middle schooler, and recapturing the title last year at the start of her high school career.

Emmy- and Peabody Award-winner Beth Aala will direct, and Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Justin Wilkes and Sara Bernstein will executive produce for Imagine Documentaries. Lydia Tenaglia, Chris Collins and Joe Caterini will executive produce for Zero Point Zero, and Samuel Roseme will serve as executive producer for Black Bicycle Entertainment.

The Golden Globes will be handed out Sunday, and Jessica Chastain and Sam Rockwell are set as the first presenters. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association made the announcement on the pair, who appeared together in 2017’s Woman Walks Ahead, on Twitter this morning:

Exclusive: The HFPA is proud to announce that Sam Rockwell and @jes_chastain will be presenters at the 76th Golden Globe Awards! Tune to @nbc on Sunday at 8Pm Et/5Pm Pt to see these two and many, many more celebrate this year's #GoldenGlobes! pic.twitter.com/3rYDOOHhtn

— Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) January 2, 2019

Chastain, a five-time Globes nominee who won for 2013’s Zero Dark Thirty, recently was onscreen in Molly’s Game — for which she grabbed a Globe nom — and The Zookeeper’s Wife. She has a number of films in the works including 355 and It: Chapter Two.

Rockwell won the 2018 Golden Globe for his supporting role...

Exclusive: Chaske Spencer (Woman Walks Ahead) is joining the Season 4 cast of NBC’s Blindspot in a recurring role. Details are mainly being kept under wraps. We only know he’ll be playing Dominic Masters, someone who works for Madeline Burke (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). In Season 4, Jane Doe/Remi (Jaime Alexander) continues to fight the effects of the Zip poisoning she received in Season 3, which has destroyed her recent memory. This, as the FBI team hunts a dangerous enemy operative, and a deadly new foe emerges. Creator Martin Gero serves as executive producer along with Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter for Warner Bros. TV, Berlanti Productions, and Quinn’s House. Chaske, known for his portrayal of Sam Uley in the Twilight films, was recently seen in the Susanna White-directed feature Woman Walks Ahead, opposite Jessica Chastain and Sam Rockwell, which made its World Premiere at the 2018 Toronto Film Festival. He...

It’s been over half a century since gun-slinging, hi-de-ho westerns dominated the box office, when names like John Wayne, Roy Rogers and Clint Eastwood rolled off the tongue. In 2018, tumbleweeds slowly crawling across a deserted street are few and far between. Don’t get it twisted, though, westerns are no where near extinct. Some of your favorite stars have been recently seen polishing their revolvers in hot pursuit of money, power and revenge, including in this weekend’s “Ballad of Buster Scuggs” and next month’s “The Sisters Brothers.”

In honor of the 21st century takes on a classic genre, TheWrap takes a look at 10 stars you may be surprised dawned the proverbial ten-gallon hat.

Brad Pitt

In between Pitt’s performances in “Interview with a Vampire” and “Seven” was 1994’s western drama “Legends of the Fall.” The film saw Pitt play a World War I soldier who returns...

Jessica Chastain is in full-on assassin mode in the first look at the upcoming action-thriller “Eve.” The movie stars the Oscar nominee as a black ops assassin who is forced to fight for her own survival after a job goes dangerously wrong. The impressive supporting cast includes Colin Farrell, Common, John Malkovich, and Geena Davis.

“Eve” made headlines before production started due to the involvement of original director Matthew Newton. Chastain was criticized on social media for signing on to work with the filmmaker, who has a history of multiple arrests due to alleged violence against women. Newton was charged in 2007 with stalking and causing bodily harm to his then-girlfriend, and he reportedly punched another girlfriend in August 2010 in the lobby of a Rome hotel room, causing her to suffer a concussion and a sprained jaw.

Newton left the project in August, with Chastain’s “The Help” director Tate Taylor replacing him behind the camera.

With a special focus on emerging Canadian Cinema NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (Nfmla) is presenting three programs of Canadian short films, co-hosted by the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles and Telefilm Canada.

The festival program is sponsored by Seneca College Toronto, City National Bank and Mount Saint Mary’s University Los Angeles. Community Collaborators include the Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff), Ubcp / Actra and more.

The evening will be introduced by Canadian-born producer Erika Olde, whose work includes Home Again (starring Reese Witherspoon), November Criminals (starring Chloë Grace Moretz and Catherine Keener) , The Female Brain (directed by and starring Whitney Cummings) , and Woman Walks Ahead (starring Jessica Chastain and Sam Rockwell).

The films represent a mix of drama, comedy, thriller, horror, new media and documentary, and include alumni from Tiff 2017, award winners from top-tier festivals, and first time filmmakers alike.

The first program of the evening presents a mix of existentialism and comedy,...

Lionsgate is one of the top studios in the film industry. The company has been behind films such as the Sicario franchise, The Hunger Games, John Wick, and television shows such as Dear White People, Orange is the New Black and The Royals just to name a few. Lionsgate is always releasing new content and as well as bringing classics to in-home release. Here are just a few projects that are making their way to in-home release from Lionsgate.

Woman Walks Ahead – 8/28

Program Description

An all-star trio leads the way when Woman Walks Ahead arrives on Blu-ray (plus Digital) and DVD August 28 from Lionsgate. Directed by Susanna White (Our Kind of Traitor) and starring Academy Award® nominee Jessica Chastain, Academy Award® winner Sam Rockwell, and Michael Greyeyes, who The New York Times lauds as “a miracle of intelligence and dignity,” the film tells the fictionalized account of the true-life events...

Widowed New York painter Caroline Weldon (Jessica Chastain) travels to South Dakota in 1889 to do a portrait of Sitting Bull (Canadian actor/dancer Michael Greyeyes). It's the sort true-story premise would be a fascinating starting point for a movie ... if said film had more than a nodding acquaintance with the truth. Hollywood airbrushing quickly infects Woman Walks Ahead from the get-go, whether or not you know that Chastain and Greyeyes are at least 15 years younger and eons more glamorous than the characters they're respectively playing. Thankfully, the two screen version...

Sam Rockwell isn’t slowing down. A few months after winning every award under the sun for his performance in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” the actor is back in theaters with another distinctly American film: “Woman Walks Ahead,” which required him to saddle up as a cowboy and learn the Lakota language alongside Jessica Chastain. The recent Oscar winner isn’t stateside for the release of Susanna White’s 1890’s period piece about Sitting Bull and the woman who traveled across the country to paint his portrait, however — he’s in Prague, where production on “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” and “Thor: Ragnarok” director Taika Waiti’s outrageous-sounding “Jojo Rabbit” is underway.

“It is the greatest script I’ve read in so long,” Rockwell said over the phone of the dark comedy that Waititi hopes will “piss off a lot of racists.” Asked about his character, Captain Klenzendorf, the actor...

Filmmaker Debra Granik made a splash at the start of this decade with Winter’s Bone and she finally returns to theaters with her Sundance debut Leave No Trace with Ben Foster and Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie. Bleecker Street hopes to replicate the box office success of Granik’s previous feature, which helped catapult the career of Jennifer Lawrence. The company is taking Leave No Trace in a number of cities this weekend. Jessica Chastain stars in A24’s Woman Walks Ahead, based on a true story. The feature was written by Who Wants to Be a Millionaire creator Steven Knight. Neon is heading out with Sundance doc Three Identical Strangers, hoping to tap some of the nonfiction success of fellow documentaries Rbg and Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, both of which also debuted at the festival. And Fip is sending out bio-drama Sanju in 355 North American theaters this weekend,...

The Traverse City Film Festival is celebrating its 14th year in 2018 by bringing together some of the year’s best indies and documentaries, plus classics from Jonathan Demme, Hal Ashby, and more. The Michigan-set festival, backed by Michael Moore, is being run in 2018 by directors Susan Fisher and Meg Weichman, who have worked on the festival for nearly a decade and have been at the helm since December.

Tickets for this year’s edition will go on sale to the public on Saturday, July 21 (click here for the official festival website). Friends of the Film Festival will be able to get early access to tickets with advance sales starting Sunday, July 15.

The full lineup for the 2018 Traverse City Film Festival is below.

Opening Night: “Rbg”

Centerpiece: “Hearts Beat Loud”

Closing Night: “Burden”

Open Space

“Stop Making Sense,” Jonathan Demme

“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” Jake Kasdan

“Coco,” Lee Unkrich

“Black Panther,...

The way Jessica Chastain burst on to the scene, it’s hard now to envision a cinematic landscape that doesn’t involve her. One of Hollywood’s biggest stars, she mixes charisma, activism, and sheer talent to be one of the most high profile A-listers in the business. Already a favorite for the Oscars, nomination wise, she’s an icon. As such, and wish a new movie on the way this weekend, it’s a perfect time to pay her some tribute. Chastain makes for a perfect spotlight subject. That’s exactly what’s going to be happening today too, so let’s get this show on the road! Chastain began her career by having a ton of films come out almost at the same time. There was Jolene, which shot first, but then The Debt, followed by the 2011 deluge of Coriolanus, The Help, Take Shelter, Texas Killing Fields, and The Tree of Life.

When filmmaker Susanna White was growing up in gray-skied England, the “Woman Walks Ahead” director was obsessed with Westerns, though she always felt there was something missing. “I’d grown up loving Westerns as a genre, whether that’s John Ford movies, or Sergio Leone movies,” White said in a recent interview with IndieWire. However, “there was a level at which I didn’t connect to them,” she added, “because they were such a man’s world.”

For her latest film, the “Nanny McPhee Returns” director was able to do something she’d always wanted to: retrofit a genre she loved, while also staying true to the time period it portrayed. It certainly helped that her lead actress, Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain, is also a Western-loving cinephile who agreed that the genre could use a feminist touch. “Woman Walks Ahead” addresses that, with Chastain cast as Catherine Weldon, a painter...

Actress and producer Jessica Chastain has long been outspoken about the many ways in which Hollywood can change for the better, from helping her co-star Octavia Spencer get equal pay to calling for more diversity in front of the camera and speaking out against sexual predators. Naturally, she has some thoughts about the latest debate to upend Hollywood: the lack of diversity in film criticism, and how it might impact the way audiences react to movies.

“I think that it would be a wonderful day when film criticism represented what our society represented, because right now there’s a few people that are telling us what is worthwhile,” the actress and producer said in an interview with IndieWire this week. “There’s one group in particular that is telling us what is worthwhile and whose stories should be told, and who is valuable and who isn’t valuable. I believe...

It was the kind of casting that seems preordained: When Jessica Chastain was officially tapped in February to play the adult Beverly Marsh in the much-anticipated horror sequel “It: Chapter Two,” the news came only after months of fans dream casting the redhead for the role, drumming up enough chatter that Chastain herself happily admitted to wanting the role in November of last year. The chance to take on the part of grown up Beverly (played by Sophia Lillis in the 2017 horror hit) also appealed to Chastain because it would reunite her with two of her favorite collaborators: director Andy Muschietti and his producer sister Barbara Muschietti.

But that wasn’t the only element that spoke to her. Like plenty of other genre fans, Chastain grew up reading Stephen King’s books and watching the movies they inspired, even if she was perhaps a smidge too young to dip into his brand of terror.

Jessica Chastain is embarking on a new adventure in The Hollywood Reporter’s exclusive first look at Woman Walks Ahead.

In the clip, the actress plays Catherine Weldon, an American widowed artist from New York that travels alone via train to North Dakota in pursuit of painting a portrait of Chief Sitting Bull (Michael Greyeyes). After finding herself in the middle of nowhere, without any way to transport herself to the chief, Weldon soon comes across a Native American on his horse.

“Do you know somewhere I can hire a wagon?” she asks the man, who in turns ...

Jessica Chastain is embarking on a new adventure in The Hollywood Reporter’s exclusive first look at Woman Walks Ahead.

In the clip, the actress plays Catherine Weldon, an American widowed artist from New York that travels alone via train to North Dakota in pursuit of painting a portrait of Chief Sitting Bull (Michael Greyeyes). After finding herself in the middle of nowhere, without any way to transport herself to the chief, Weldon soon comes across a Native American on his horse.

“Do you know somewhere I can hire a wagon?” she asks the man, who in turns ...

After wrapping up Cannes Film Festival, the summer season continues with one premiere from that festival, and much more. Including a few studio tentpoles that pique our interest, as well as other festival favorites finally hitting theaters, there’s something for everyone this month.

Matinees to See: Adrift (6/1), Hotel Artemis (6/8), Hearts Beat Loud (6/8), The Workers Cup (6/8), Gabriel and the Mountain (6/15), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (6/22), The Catcher Was a Spy (6/22), Love, Cecil (6/29), The Cakemaker (6/29), and Woman Walks Ahead (6/29)

15. Sicario: Day of the Soldado (June 29)

Synopsis: The drug war on the Us-Mexico border has escalated as the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the Us border. To fight the war, federal agent Matt Graver re-teams with the mercurial Alejandro.

Trailer

Why You Should See It: Without the creative contributions from Denis Villeneuve and Roger Deakins, one can’t quite shake the feeling that this Sicario follow-up might be better fitting as a straight-to-Netflix release.

Gus Van Sant’s next offering, Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot has a new trailer featuring its all-star cast in exceptional performances.

Based on a true story, this poignant, insightful and often funny drama about the healing power of art is adapted from John Callahan’s autobiography and directed by two-time Oscar® nominee Gus Van Sant.

The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara, Jack Black, Carrie Brownstein, Beth Ditto and Kim Gordon.

Also in trailers – Jessica Chastain and Sam Rockwell head to the old west in trailer for Woman Walks Ahead

The film is set for a limited Us theatrical release on May 11th

Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot Official Synopsis

After Portland slacker John Callahan (Joaquin Phoenix) nearly loses his life in a car accident, the last thing he intends to do is give up drinking. But...

Jessica Chastain and Sam Rockwell star in the new trailer for Woman Walks Ahead, Based on true events, of Catherine Weldon’s lone trip to North Dakota in the 1880’s to paint Chief Sitting Bull.

The biographical drama is directed by Susanna White and stars Michael Greyeyes alongside Chastain and Rockwell.

The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2017 and shortly after, A24 and DirecTV Cinema acquired distribution rights to the film. It will also screen at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 25, 2018.

Also in trailers – Dwayne Johnson is the hero we are all looking for as he stars in debut trailer for Skyscraper

The film is scheduled to be released through DirecTV Cinema on May 31, 2018, before being getting a limited release on June 29, 2018.

Woman Walks Ahead Official Synopsis

Catherine Weldon (Jessica Chastain), a widowed artist from New York who, in the 1880s, travelled alone...

Woman Walks Ahead Trailer

Susanna White‘s Woman Walks Ahead (2017) movie trailer stars Jessica Chastain, Michael Greyeyes, Sam Rockwell, Michael Nouri, and Bill Camp. Woman Walks Ahead‘s plot synopsis: “Based on true events, Woman Walks Ahead tells the story of Catherine Weldon (Jessica Chastain), a widowed artist from New York who, in the 1880s, traveled alone [...]

Continue reading: Woman Walks Ahead (2017) Movie Trailer: Jessica Chastain Paints Chief Sitting Bull

The post Woman Walks Ahead (2017) Movie Trailer: Jessica Chastain Paints Chief Sitting Bull appeared first on FilmBook.

Jessica Chastain is joining the evergrowing A24 family with Woman Walks Ahead, a Western drama that finds the actress playing a widow who sets out West to meet Sioux Chief Sitting Bull. Watch the Woman Walks Ahead trailer below. Jessica Chastain + A24 = something I definitely want to see. Throw in some Sam Rockwell and you probably […]

The post ‘Woman Walks Ahead’ Trailer: Jessica Chastain Heads Out West appeared first on /Film.

Jessica Chastain is known for playing strong, bold, determined women in her films, and her character in the upcoming Woman Walks Ahead is no exception. In the film she plays Catherine Weldon, a painter who travels to the American frontier to paint the legendary Sitting Bull. This was at a time when tensions the Lakota tribe and the U.S. Army are at an all-time high.  The new trailer for the movie is here, teasing a luxuriously shot biopic that doesn.t stray away from the darker elements of... Read More...

It’s no less than Jessica Chastain who serves as the eponymous woman at the heart of Susanna White’s latest Tiff premiere, a historical drama that follows the fascinating true story of portrait painter Caroline (also known as Catherine) Weldon (Chastain). The activist and artist dedicated her life to helping Native Americans, and in the summer of 1889, she decamped for Dakota Territory to live among the people she was so passionate about helping.

White’s film is mostly occupied with chronicling Weldon’s friendship with Sitting Bull (Michael Greyeyes) and how it eventually led to her painting his portrait and her closer involvement with the native people during a time of tremendous pain and pressure. The film’s first trailer follows that bond, including a heart-pounding build-up to what looks to be an explosive showdown between the Native Americans and a group of encroaching soldiers (including an appropriately menacing Sam Rockwell).

At Tiff,...

A24 has released the first trailer for “Woman Walks Ahead,” in which Jessica Chastain plays a painter who travels west to paint the famous Chief Sitting Bull.

Catherine Weldon (Chastain) heads out of New York to paint Sitting Bull (Michael Greyeyes) just as tensions start to boil between the Lakota reservation and the U.S. Army, so many perceive Weldon’s travel as a threat.

“They all think that you and me are planning some kind of uprising,” Chastain says in the trailer. “The only battle I’ve ever fought against is insignificance.”

Also Read: Jessica Chastain Wants 'Woman Walks Ahead' to Create Hope Amid Our Current 'Political System' (Exclusive Video)

“Woman Walks Ahead” also stars Sam Rockwell and Ciaran Hinds. It was directed by Susanna White and written by Steven Knight.

The biographical drama first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2017 and will hit U.S. theaters on June 29.

Also Read: Jessica Chastain Western Drama 'Woman Walks Ahead' Acquired by A24, DirecTV

Watch the trailer above.

Read original story Jessica Chastain Travels West in First Trailer for ‘Woman Walks Ahead’ (Video) At TheWrap...

Jessica Chastain has made a career out of playing defiant women, as seen in “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Miss Sloane.” Now, she can add her performance in “Woman Walks Ahead” to the list of strong-willed women she has played. As seen in the “Woman Walks Ahead” trailer, the film tells the story of Caroline Weldon, a real-life painter from the 1880s. Weldon was viewed as inferior by those around her due to her desire to become an artist.

"The only battle I've fought against is insignificance." "So live long." A24 has debuted the official trailer for an indie drama titled Woman Walks Ahead, the latest feature from filmmaker Susanna White. The film tells the remarkable true story of Catherine Weldon, played by Jessica Chastain, a portrait painter from Brooklyn. In the 1890s, she travels to the Dakota Territory to paint a portrait of Sitting Bull and becomes embroiled in the Lakota peoples' struggle over the rights to their land. The cast includes Michael Greyeyes as Sitting Bull, Chaske Spencer, Sam Rockwell, Ciarán Hinds, Michael Nouri, and Bill Camp. This looks exceptional, and seems to have come out of nowhere but it did premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. I really want to know what Sitting Bull and her talk about. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Susanna White's Woman Walks Ahead, direct from YouTube: Based on true events,...

On the film festival circuit last fall, Jessica Chastain brought two films, but in order to not distract from the awards ambitions of Molly’s Game, the other was held until this year. Now ahead of a summer release, A24 has debuted the first trailer for the western Woman Walks Ahead, which comes from director Susanna White (Our Kind of Traitor) and writer Steven Knight.

Following the true story of an artist from New York who comes to Standing Rock in the 1880s in order to paint a portrait, but is met with a look at the government’s intrusion on Native American land, it certainly has unfortunately timely connotations. Also starring Michael Greyeyes, Chaske Spencer, and Oscar winner Sam Rockwell, see the trailer and poster below ahead of a DirecTV bow next month and a theatrical release in June.

Based on true events, “Woman Walks Ahead” tells the story...