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More than a decade has passed since Legendary Pictures secured the rights to Godzilla and other characters owned and created by the Japanese company Toho so they could launch a cinematic universe they call the MonsterVerse – and they also secured the rights to the King Kong character so he could be part of their MonsterVerse as well. Things got started with Godzilla in 2014, and since then the universe has expanded with Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla vs. Kong, the animated series Skull Island, the live-action series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. A third Godzilla / Kong mash-up is now in the works – and Deadline has just revealed that Matthew Modine (Full Metal Jacket) is in the cast!

As Deadline notes, “the Stranger Things and Married to the Mob actors’ credits also include Christopher Nolan’s Academy Award-winner Oppenheimer, Hard Miles, Miss Virginia and The Martini Shot.

Matthew Modine is the latest actor to join the Monsterverse.

The actor, who had a resurgence thanks to his work on Netflix’s Stranger Things, has closed a deal to join the cast of Legendary’s latest installment of its Godzilla-King Kong movie franchise.

Grant Sputore (I Am Mother) is directing the creature feature, which one again showcases gigantic monsters and the tiny humans caught in between.

Plot details from the David Callaham-written script are being kept under the Earth’s crust, but Legendary has said the story will feature “several new human characters alongside the beloved and iconic Titans Godzilla and Kong as they face off against a cataclysmic world-ending threat.”

The call sheet already includes new-to-the-franchise actors Kaitlyn Dever, Jack O’Connell and Delroy Lindo. Dan Stevens is reprising his role of laid-back monster veterinarian and dentist Trapper, whom he played in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Legendary has closed a deal for Matthew Modine to join the cast of the next theatrical feature film in its Monsterverse franchise from director Grant Sputore.

The Stranger Things and Married to the Mob actor joins Dan Stevens, who is reprising his role as Trapper, Kaitlyn Dever, Jack O’Connell and Delroy Lindo. Dave Callaham wrote the most recent draft. The sequel will feature several new human characters alongside Godzilla and Kong as they face off against a cataclysmic, world-ending threat.

A decade old, Legendary’s Monsterverse is a cross-platform story universe centering on humanity’s battle to survive in a world facing a catastrophic new reality – the monsters of our myths and legends are real. Last year’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire becoming the highest-grossing installment in the Monsterverse at $571.8M million in worldwide box office.

In addition to the Warner Bros. distributed movies –2014’s Godzilla, 2017’s Kong: Skull Island,...

Degrassi: Next Class star Ana Golja, Dana Abraham and Dennis Andres are set to star in the action drama Sidd.

Abraham, whose credits include Orphan Black: Echoes and Neon Lights, also penned the screenplay for the indie pic about a Marine-turned-boxing coach that draws on his real-life experience as a competitive boxer.

The film portrays Sidd (Abraham), a retired super-middleweight boxer struggling to keep his gym afloat in a gritty urban neighborhood. When Dante, his estranged half-brother played by Andres, leads a drug syndicate that targets his fighters, Sidd must confront a dark world in his past.

And as he grows closer to his new neighbors, Giselle (Golja) and her young son, played by Logan Nicholson), Sidd risks everything to take Dante down and prevent anyone else from becoming collateral damage.

The indie from action film banner Kemodo Entertainment is directed by cinematographer-turned-helmer Russ De Jong, who will use...

Exclusive: Erika Cevallos has been promoted to the role of Worldwide Sales Manager at Double Dutch International (Ddi) ahead of the upcoming AFM, which she will attend in her new role.

Ddi COO and President Ron Moring said the move marked a significant career milestone for Cevallos who joined the company as a Sales Representative in late 2023.

Based in Ecuador, Cevallos brings an international perspective to her work, combining her professional expertise with a strong academic background. She is also a university professor, teaching courses on film and film production.

Ddi said that in addition to her academic and professional roles, Cevallos has hands-on experience across various behind-the-camera positions.

“We are honored to have Erika among our team and recognize her efforts and success with her new title, someone so determinate to connect these standout films with audiences around the world,” said Moring of Ddi.

Ddi’s AFM line-up includes The Martini Shot,...

Matthew Modine, who famously portrayed Private Joker in Stanley Kubrick’s Vietnam War classic Full Metal Jacket, spent months working with the director and became a close friend. Even back then, like Kubrick, he had clear views on war and peace. Today, those views are stronger than ever.

“If Stanley were alive today, with the state of the world, he’d make a black comedy,” Modine tells The Hollywood Reporter Roma at the Lucca Film Festival, where he is being honored with a lifetime achievement award. “Not many people know that Kubrick had a fantastic sense of irony and humor. If he were here, he’d be brilliant at creating a comedy about the grotesque absurdity of leaders like Putin and Donald Trump. He’d make a great comedy with those characters.”

Modine is at Lucca to host the Italian premiere of his new fim, The Martini Shot, directed by Stephen Wallis.

The stars are descending on Tuscany. Ethan Hawke, Paul Schrader, Matthew Modine and Swedish auteur Ruben Östlund will walk the red carpet at the Lucca Film Festival, the annual event held in the picturesque Tuscan town, home to old-fashioned merchants, tailors, jewelers and some of the best olive oil on the planet.

The Hollywood Reporter Roma will become the official International Media Partner of Lff this year, providing daily coverage throughout.

The Llff, which kicks off on Saturday and concludes on Sunday, Sept. 29, is the vision of fest director Nicola Borrelli, who places an emphasis on uncompromising, unconventional cinema.

Also attending is Italian cinema legend Pupi Avati, fresh from premiering his gothic horror film The American Backyard in Venice. Francesco Costabile, the writer of of Familia, will also be in Lucca, along with the film’s lead actor, Francesco Gheghi, who recently won best actor in the Orizzonti section of the Venice Film Fest.

US actors’ union strike was confirmed on Thursday (July 13) morning Pacific Time.

SAG-AFTRA’s imminent strike action has hit its first festival as US actor Matthew Modine withdrew from a Q&a at the world premiere of The Martini Shot at Ireland’s Galway Film Fleadh on Thursday evening.

Meanwhile over in London Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan confirmed prior to the screening at Odeon Luxe that his cast, which includes Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr, Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett and Kenneth Branagh, had walked out as a mark of solidarity with the strike.

Earlier in the day,...

There is growing angst about the potential impact of the confirmed SAG strike on upcoming A-list festivals such as Venice and Toronto, but the industrial action is already having a tangible effect on festivals around the world with the Galway Film Fleadh in Ireland having to pull a Q&a tonight with actor Matthew Modine.

It becomes the first festival known to have a promotional event pulled because of the strike.

Modine, the one-time SAG president hopeful, was due to take part in the Q&a for movie The Martini Shot, which is debuting at the event, but the actor has removed himself from any further promotional activities. Co-star and fellow SAG member Fiona Glascott was also due to be taking part in the Q&a, we are told.

The plan at the moment we’re told by producers is for Modine, Glascott and co-stars to watch the movie “as...

What if you held a red carpet and nobody came?

For organizers of the fall film festivals — and studios planning splashy summer premieres — that nightmare scenario looks likely to come true after contract negotiations between the actors guild SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) ended without a deal Wednesday night.

SAG-AFTRA’s National Board is now almost certain to officially call for a strike at its meeting in L.A. early Thursday morning (update: a strike was called). The guilds haven’t publicly announced protocols for members in the event of a walkout, but on a call on Monday with top PR firms and hundreds of agents, SAG-AFTRA leaders outlined how strike rules may impact promotion and campaigning. A source familiar with the call tells The Hollywood Reporter that the promotion and press of film and TV projects from struck companies would not be allowed,...

’Oppenheimer’ London premiere is due to take place tonight (July 13), as is the world premiere of ’The Martini Shot’ at the Galway Film Fleadh.

With the US actors’ union SAG-AFTRA strike looking likely to go ahead, the rest of the world is bracing itself for the possible knock-on effects, with the London premiere of Oppenheimer and Ireland’s Galway Film Fleadh both having to work around the possibility of US actors downing tools later today.

SAG-AFTRA’s National Board will vote on Thursday morning (July 13), Pt time, on whether to strike. The result will be announced at a press conference at 12.00 Pt.

With a SAG-AFTRA strike now looking certain, the eyes of festival publicity teams and programmers may be on Venice and Toronto as major upcoming events likely to be severely impacted should U.S. actors be prevented from promoting their movies as per strike rules.

But on the West coast of Ireland, a slightly smaller festival happens to be taking place right as the union’s National Board meets on Thursday to officially decide whether to call a work stoppage, a decision that could immediately affect the event’s screenings.

The 35th edition of the Galway Film Fleadh opened in the coastal city on Tuesday night with the world premiere of The Miracle Club, starring Maggie Smith, Kathy Burke and Laura Linney. While that screening was watched by a packed house at the Town Hall, another world premiere is happening on Thursday just hours after the critical vote, with its...

The full line-up includes 21 world premieres, six European premieres and 60 Irish premieres.

Ireland’s Galway Film Fleadh (July 11-16) returns for its 35th edition with a line-up including opening night film Thaddeus O’Sullivan’s The Miracle Club, following its world premiere at Tribeca, that stars Laura Linney, Maggie Smith, Kathy Bates and Agnes O’Casey.

The full line-up includes 21 world premieres, six European premieres and 60 Irish premieres from 43 countries, boasting 95 feature films in total.

Closing the festival will be the Irish premiere of Alison Ellwood-directed Cyndi Lauper documentary Let The Canary Sing, with the US ’Girls Just Want To Have Fun...

’The Martini Shot’, starring Matthew Modine, John Cleese and Derek Jacobi, will also world premiere.

The Galway Film Fleadh has lined up a number of world premieres of Irish films for this year’s festival, which runs from July 11-16, including Lisa Mulcahy’s Lies We Tell, George Kane’s Apocalypse Clown and The Martini Shot, starring Matthew Modine, John Cleese and Derek Jacobi.

Lies We Tell is the story of an heiress who is forced to embrace her family’s dark legacy, starring Agnes O’Casey, David Wilmot, Holly Sturton and Chris Walley. Produced by Blue Ink Films and backed by Screen Ireland,...

Jointly represents North American rights with The Gersh Agency.

Ddi has come on board for worldwide sales starting at EFM on Stephen Moyer’s drama A Bit Of Light starring Anna Paquin, Ray Winstone and Youssef Kerkour.

Moyer’s (True Blood) second directorial outing follows Ella (Paquin), nearly in her 40s, who moves back with her father Alan (Winstone) and tries to stay sober after ceding custody of her young daughters to her ex and his new partner.

A Bit Of Light filmed entirely on location in Suffolk and Scarborough in the UK. Phin Glynn and Axel Kuschevatzky produced through...

Exclusive: We hear that Matthew Modine, Embeth Davidtz and Arian Moayed have boarded Studiocanal’s Liam Neeson thriller Retribution in key roles.

The pic, which shoots in Berlin, stars Neeson as a banking executive whose life is thrown upside down when a bomb is placed inside his car with him and his family, and the banker’s children are forced to go through the harrowing events with him. Nimrod Antal is directing.

Noma Dumezweni, Jack Champion and Lilly Aspell also star. Champion and Aspell play the banker’s son and daughter, respectively.

Modine is a Primetime Emmy nominee for his turn in the 1993 HBO movie And the Band Played On. His feature credits include such movies as Married to the Mob, Full Metal Jacket, The Dark Knight Rises, Memphis Belle, Pacific Heights, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, 47 Meters Down, Breaking News in Yuba County and the upcoming movie The Martini Shot...

‘Point of No Return.’

Vincent Monton is understandably chuffed that Australians have the chance to discover – or rediscover – his telemovie Point of No Return 25 years after it premiered on Network 10.

Umbrella Entertainment released a digitally restored version of the drama written and directed by Monton, which starred Marcus Graham and Nikki Coghill, on DVD and VOD this month.

Graham played the dual roles of Grady, a former soldier who is traumatized by his experiences in war and prison, and his murdered brother Kristian.

Grady escapes from custody after attending Kristian’s funeral. Coghill is Kate, the girlfriend of the protagonist who later hooked up with his brother.

The producer, the late Phillip Emanuel, had raised the budget to make a telemovie about a prison break but was not happy with the script so he approached Monton. The offer was to write a screenplay in three weeks, which he could...

is best known for her role as Professor Minerva McGonagall in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, but she has long been a fan of the famous franchise.

With a busy year ahead, Glascott, 36, spoke to People about all things Harry Potter and also gave a little insight into her world.

Aside from her roles in the critically-acclaimed film Brooklyn (opposite Saoirse Ronan) and BBC2/Showtime series Episodes (as Matt LeBlanc‘s ex-wife), Glascott has also dabbled in theater across the pond, where she currently resides with her husband and daughter.

Before you start seeing her all over the big screen,...

Exclusive: Matthew Modine (Stranger Things) has been tapped as one of the leads opposite Sophia Bush in CBS’ drama pilot Surveillance, from Matt Reeves, David C. White, Patricia Riggen and 20th Century Fox TV, which will co-produce with CBS TV Studios.

The casting will not impact Modine’s duties on Netflix’s supernatural mega hit hit Stranger Stings where he plays the sinister Dr. Martin Brenner.

Written by White, with Riggen set to direct, Surveillance is described as a complex and timely spy thriller centered on the head of communications for the Nsa (Bush), a charming operative who finds her loyalties torn between protecting the government’s secrets and her own.

Modine will play Man in a Red Tie, a high level and mysterious government operative whose identity and true mission is shrouded in secrecy. In addition to Bush, he joins recently cast Catalina Sandino Moreno and Raphael Acloque.

Reeves...