News

In 2006, Mel Gibson was just about the most controversial guy in Hollywood. But he was, let’s all admit it, still an icon of the screen. As such, some people still had a lot of faith in him. And that faith would be translated in Hacksaw Ridge. There was the faith of its central figure, Desmond Doss; that which the producers and studio put into Gibson; and that which Gibson himself had in the project, which would tell of a conscientious objector during World War II. A gamble? Absolutely. A success? Unprecedented. So pick up that weapon, soldier – or, better yet, be at ease – as we find out: What Happened to This Movie?!

Hacksaw Ridge centers around the real-life figure of Desmond Doss, who served as a medic during World War II and became famous for his refusal to carry a weapon. Even still, he is credited with saving 75 lives while in action.

An exorcism movie starring Russell Crowe has climbed the streaming charts yet again. Crowe was born in New Zealand in 1964 and became a rising star off the back of prominent movies including 1992's Romper Stomper, 1997's L.A. Confidential, and 1999's The Insider before being launched as a superstar with his Oscar-winning performance in Ridley Scott's Best Picture-winning 2000 movie Gladiator. Crowe has been nominated for two other Oscars (for The Insider and A Beautiful Mind) in addition to winning one BAFTA and two Golden Globes.

Russell Crowe movies have occupied many different genres in the more than two decades since he won his Oscar. In addition to his comfort zone of dramas, he has also appeared in comedies, Westerns, comic book movies and a musical (Les Misrables). Crowe has also dabbled in the horror and thriller genres multiple times with titles including Unhinged, The Mummy (2017), and The Exorcism.

The...

The Water Diviner is Russell Crowe's 2014 directorial debut; it tells of Joshua Connor (Crowe) and his journey to Turkey following his wife's death, in the search for their three sons who were presumed dead in the Battle of Gallipoli. Despite the motion picture being considered one of Russell Crowe's best action movies, The Water Diviner totaled a somewhat disappointing $35 million at the global box office. Regardless of the underwhelming response, the project quietly occupies a spot in Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe's top three most important movies. Yet, The Water Diviner did face criticism during its theatrical release.

Crowe created The Water Diviner, founded on his deep adoration of Australian culture. He reported that it was important to retell the notorious military campaign during World War I from an alternate perspective. The Water Diviner challenges many of the historical narratives surrounding the Battle of Gallipoli, boldly told through the "perspective...

Russell Crowe has long been celebrated for his powerful performances and commanding presence on screen. Known for his versatility, Crowe has delivered standout roles across various genres, but his action films truly showcase his ability to blend intensity with charisma. From epic historical dramas to gritty modern thrillers, Crowes action movies often highlight his dedication to complex characters and compelling narratives.

These action movies explore how his dynamic performances and choice of roles have cemented his status as one of Hollywoods leading action stars. Each film is a testament to Crowes range and commitment, offering a mix of adrenaline-pumping sequences and engaging storytelling. Crowe's best action movies provide crucial evidence of the actor's long career and many award wins, including an Academy Award.

The Water Diviner (2014) As Joshua Connor

The Water Diviner stands out as a remarkable film in Crowe's career, not only because of his role as the protagonist...

Michael Dorman has signed with Verve for representation, Variety has learned exclusively. Dorman continues to be repped by Entertainment 360, Nathan Culliver in Australia, and attorney Jamie Feldman.

Variety recently reported that Dorman has joined the cast of the Amazon dark comedy pilot “The Nightbeast” alongside series lead Tatiana Maslany. Maslany stars as a suburban mother who begins an affair with the boogeyman living under her son’s bed. Dorman will star as Maslany’s character’s husband.

Dorman is perhaps best known in the for starring in the Paramount+ series “Joe Pickett” and the Amazon Prime Video series “Patriot.” Dorman played the title role in “Joe Pickett,” which ran for two seasons and was based on the character created by novelist C.J. Box. In “Patriot,” Dorman starred as CIA intelligence officer John Tavner alongside Kurtwood Smith, Michael Chernus, and Kathleen Munroe. That show also ran for two seasons at the streamer.

The Amazon dark comedy pilot “The Nightbeast” has added three new series regulars to its cast, Variety has learned exclusively.

Cory Michael Smith, Michael Dorman, and Miles Marthaller will all star in the pilot alongside previously announced lead Tatiana Maslany.

Maslany will star as Amy, described as “a young mother unsatisfied with her seemingly perfect suburban life who begins an affair with the boogeyman in her son’s closet – a surprisingly sexy man called the Nightbeast. But this harmless affair she thought to be a figment of her imagination begins to have unexpected consequences, as her two worlds increasingly begin to collide in this seductive, darkly comedic tale.”

Smith will star as the titular Nightbeast. Dorman will play Eric, Amy’s husband, while Marthaller will play Miles, Amy and Eric’s son.

Smith is best known for playing the iconic Batman villain The Riddler on the Fox series “Gotham,” in...

Olga Kurylenko in Chief Of Station

If you don’t know her name, you almost certainly know her face. Ever since 2008’s Quantum Of Solace, in which she managed to stand out alongside James Bond, Ukrainian-born Olga Kurylenko has been making a big impression. A former model, she has an instinctive approach to acting which has served her well in the likes of To The Wonder, The Water Diviner, Mara, The Translators and The Bay Of Silence. She’s also made a name for herself as an action performer – “A lot of people somehow call me back to do action. I wonder why,” she says, laughing – and now she’s hitting screens in her latest thriller, Chief Of Station, alongside Aaron Eckhart.

“I get lots of action propositions and I do say no to a lot, but certain things I do say yes, and for very different reasons,” she says.

Sasquatch Sunset directors Nathan and David Zellner always wondered what these hairy giants do when they’re not walking – the only Bigfoot footage available has been a minute of a supposed Sasquatch wandering in the northern California woods. They decided to flesh that out in unique dialogue-free comedic imagining of the creatures’ daily life – eating, fighting, etc. Stars Jesse Eisenberg, Riley Keough, Christophe Zajac-Denek and Nathan Zellner are unrecognizable as the hairy tribe of four that entranced Sundance (see Deadline review). Bleecker Street is opening the film, written by David Zellner, executive produced by Ari Aster, in 9 theaters in New York, LA, San Francisco and Austin, ahead of a big jump to about 800 screens next week.

IFC Films opens Nicolas Cage-starring Arcadian on 1,100 screens. Premiered at SXSW, see Deadline review. Eying a low single-digits start. The Benjamin Brewer directed movie follows a father and his...

Well Go USA will unleash arachnophobia-inducing terror this spring with Sting, which crawls into theaters April 12, 2024.

But Bloody Disgusting wants You to see the movie a bit earlier than that. We’re presenting sneak preview screenings of Sting in select theaters on Wednesday, April 10th!

There are eight special sneak screenings across the US, each of them presented by Bloody Disgusting. All screenings start at 7 Pm local. However, it should be noted the Los Angeles screening takes place on Tuesday, April 9th and will feature a live recording with our very own The Boo Crew and star Jermaine Fowler in attendance.

Locations include…

Atlanta – AMC Barrett Commons Boston – AMC Boston Common Chicago – AMC River East Dallas – Cinemark West Plano 20 Xd Houston – Cinemark 290 Xd Los Angeles – Landmark Westwood Theater Philadelphia – AMC Fashion District San Diego – AMC Mission Valley

RSVP Now! Entry is based on first come, first served. Each attendee must RSVP separately.

Writer/Director Kiah Roache-Turner will unleash arachnophobia-inducing terror this spring with spider creature feature Sting, and Bloody Disgusting can unveil an exclusive new clip that teases the monstrous arachnid in action.

Watch the clip and check out the new poster below. Be prepared to ask, “What the hell?”

Well Go USA releases the giant spider thriller in theaters on April 12, 2024.

While the clip below doesn’t reveal much of the giant spider horror just yet, know that the practical spider effects hail from 5-time Academy Award® Winner Weta Workshop, led by Creative Director Richard Taylor (Blade Runner 2049, King Kong, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy).

The film stars Ryan Corr (House of the Dragon, The Water Diviner), Alyla Browne (Three Thousand Years of Longing, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga), Penelope Mitchell (Hellboy), Robyn Nevin (Relic, “Wolf Like Me“), Noni Hazlehurst (The End) and Jermaine Fowler (The Blackening).

In Sting,...

The trailer for the horror comedy film Sting, featuring a girl named Charlotte and a spider named Sting, has been released. Sting grows in size along with Charlotte's fascination, leading to a hunger for larger prey and putting Charlotte's family and the building in danger. Sting utilizes practical effects from Oscar-winning Weta Workshop, and the film will be released in theaters on April 12, 2024, with distribution handled by Well Go USA.

The first trailer for Sting, an upcoming horror comedy involving spiders, has been released. The film concerns a little girl named Charlotte, whose name choice is likely an E. B. White reference and, if not, is just a funny coincidence. Charlotte is a rebellious pre-teen girl who feels ignored by her parents after the birth of her new sibling. Her isolation persists despite Charlotte's father's attempts to bond with her through their comic co-creation, Fang Girl.

One stormy night, an...

Writer/Director Kiah Roache-Turner will unleash arachnophobia-inducing terror this spring with Sting, and the new official trailer ensures that your fear of spiders is about to grow to monstrous levels. Well Go USA releases the giant spider thriller in theaters on April 12, 2024.

Check out the creepy crawly trailer below, which not only teases the giant spider horror but also the practical spider effects from 5-time Academy Award® Winner Weta Workshop, led by Creative Director Richard Taylor (Blade Runner 2049, King Kong, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy).

The film stars Ryan Corr (House of the Dragon, The Water Diviner), Alyla Browne (Three Thousand Years of Longing, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga), Penelope Mitchell (Hellboy), Robyn Nevin (Relic, “Wolf Like Me“), Noni Hazlehurst (The End) and Jermaine Fowler (The Blackening).

In Sting, “One cold, stormy night in New York City, a mysterious object falls from the sky and smashes through the...

What happens when a beloved creature transforms into a terrifying monster? A girl must fight against her mutated pet spider in the new film “Sting.” The intriguing project features practical effects from Weta Workshop and Creative Director Richard Taylor. Their work creates a result that is both believable and disturbing. “Sting” relies on a talented cast. The film stars Ryan Corr, Alyla Browne, Penelope Mitchell (“Hellboy”), and Jermaine Fowler, known for “The Blackening” and “Coming 2 America” turns in a noteworthy performance as the exterminator.

Continue reading ‘Sting’ Trailer: Kiah Roache-Turner’s New Arachnophobia-Inducing Horror Arrives In April Via Well Go USA at The Playlist.

Writer/Director Kiah Roache-Turner will unleash arachnophobia-inducing terror this spring with Sting, a spider infested horror movie featuring practical effects and a monstrous eight-legged creature. New images have debuted ahead of the film’s Spring release, introducing the players trapped with the arachnid foe.

Well Go USA releases the spider thriller in theaters on April 12, 2024.

The film stars Ryan Corr (House of the Dragon, The Water Diviner), Alyla Browne (Three Thousand Years of Longing, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga), Penelope Mitchell (Hellboy), Robyn Nevin (Relic, “Wolf Like Me“), Noni Hazlehurst (The End) and Jermaine Fowler (The Blackening).

Check out the new images below that introduces its characters, including Jermaine Fowler as what appears to be an exterminator.

In Sting, “One cold, stormy night in New York City, a mysterious object falls from the sky and smashes through the window of a rundown apartment building. It is an egg, and from...

The actor-musician teased his next projects at Karlovy Vary.

Russell Crowe is directing Last Breath, a feature documentary about maintaining his passion for music alongside his successful acting career, he confirmed today in Karlovy Vary.

Crowe confirmed that his next role will be Hermann Goering in Jamie Vanderbilt’s Nuremberg, about the trials of Nazi leadership following the Second World War. Production details and shoot dates are unconfirmed.

The New Zealand-born actor, who has performed in bands since the early 1980s, has been shooting material for Last Breath since 2011, he said.

“It’s about my connection to music, which begins...

Russell Crowe will receive the Crystal Globe for outstanding artistic contribution to world cinema at the 57th Karlovy Vary Film Festival (June 30-July 8). The Oscar winning actor will also deploy his musical talent with his band Indoor Garden Party, which will perform at the festival’s opening night concert. The festival also revealed Friday that Johnny Depp would appear in its trailer, which will have its premiere at the opening ceremony.

Crowe, who was born in New Zealand but moved to Australia at an early age, began his acting career at the age of 6, working in TV and theater. In 1989, he started working in Australian films, with “The Crossing”, “Proof”, and “Romper Stomper”. He won two Australian Academy Awards: supporting actor for “Proof” and best actor for “Romper Stomper.”

His first appearance in a U.S. film was alongside Gene Hackman, Sharon Stone and Leonardo DiCaprio in Sam Raimi’s...

The 57th Karlovy Vary Film Festival is highlighting two of the biggest stars of the 2000s, announcing Friday that Russell Crowe will receive the 2023 lifetime achievement honor, the Crystal Globe for outstanding artistic contribution to world cinema, and securing Johnny Depp to feature in this year’s festival trailer.

Crowe will also show off his musical chops at the Czech festival, taking the stage to perform with his band Indoor Garden Party at the Karlovy Vary opening night concert on June 30.

Since his breakthrough performance as an Australian skinhead in Geoffrey Wright’s Romper Stomper in 1992, Crowe has been unavoidable on the global film scene. His iconic turns as rough cop Bud White in Curtis Hanson’s L. A. Confidential (1997), as Big Tobacco whistleblower Jeffrey Wigand in Michael Mann’s The Insider (1999), as Roman general Maximus in Ridley Scott’s sword-and-sandals epic Gladiator (2000), and as mentally-ill mathematical genius John Nash...

Russell Crowe is set to receive the coveted Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema at this year’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. To celebrate his achievements, the festival will be presenting a 20-year anniversary screening of Peter Weir’s Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, which earned Crowe a Golden Globe nomination.

Crowe is also set to perform with his band Indoor Garden Party at the festival’s opening night concert on June 30.

Additionally, Karlovy Vary’s new original trailer, which will premiere at the opening ceremony, will star Johnny Depp. Kviff is well known for its original trailers, which take a distinctive approach to honoring guests and award recipients from previous editions of the fest.

Depp will be the 18th person to appear in a trailer made especially for the festival, this one being directed by Ivan Zachariáš. Depp was previously a...

Cornerstone has struck several deals on Australian-made horror thriller “Sting,” about a huge and insatiable spider, which wrapped production this week. The film was licensed to Lucky Red (Italy), Diamond Films, Nordisk (Scandinavia), Kinoswiat (Poland), Pasatiempo Pictures, Karantanija (Ex-Yogoslavia), Italia (Middle East), Filmfinity (South Africa) and Terry Steiner International (airlines).

That is in addition to pre-existing deals with Studiocanal to release the film in will release in the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Benelux.

The film is directed by Kiah Roache-Turner (“Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead”) and stars Ryan Corr, Alyla Browne, Penelope Mitchell (“Hellboy”), Robyn Nevin (“Top of the Lake”), Noni Hazlehurst (“The End”) and Jermaine Fowler.

“Sting” is produced by Jamie Hilton and Michael Pontin via See Pictures together with Pictures in Paradise’s Chris Brown. Oscar-winning props firm Weta Workshop created the creature.

According to a supplied synopsis, the creature is discovered by...

StudioCanal has taken multiple territories on Sting, the upcoming arachnophobia horror movie from writer/director Kiah Roache-Turner that has just wrapped production in Sydney.

The film — for which a first image has also been revealed — stars Ryan Corr (House of the Dragon, The Water Diviner), Alyla Browne (Three Thousand Years of Longing, Nine Perfect Strangers), Penelope Mitchell (Hellboy), Robyn Nevin (Top of the Lake), Noni Hazlehurst (The End) and Jermaine Fowler (Retreat).

Sting was co-financed by Align and marks its second collaboration with sales company Cornerstone. They worked together previously on Good Luck To You, Leo Grande. The film has also received a major production investment from Screen Australia.

Cornerstone is handling worldwide sales and distribution on Sting, which StudioCanal has acquired for the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Benelux. Additional deals include Lucky Red (Italy), Diamond Films (Latin America, Spain, Portugal), Nordisk (Scandinavia), Kinoswiat (Poland), Pasatiempo Pictures (Baltics,...

Russell Crowe will be a guest of honor of the Rome Film Festival’s independently run Alice in the City section where his second directorial effort, the thriller “Poker Face” – in which he stars opposite Liam Hemsworth – is set to have its world premiere.

Set in the world of high-stakes betting, “Poker Face” stars Crowe as tech billionaire and gambler Jake Foley, who offers his best friends a chance to win more money than they’ve ever dreamed of. But to play, they’ll have to give up the one thing they spend their lives trying to keep – their secrets. As the game unfolds, the long-time pals will discover what is really at stake.

Along with Crowe and Hemsworth, the cast includes RZA of Wu-Tang Clan fame and “Fast and Furious” star Elsa Pataky. Stephen M. Coates wrote the screenplay with Crowe.

Rome’s independently run Alice in the City sidebar,...

Screen Media, a division of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, has acquired North American rights to “Poker Face,” a thriller starring Russell Crowe and Liam Hemsworth.

Crowe also directed the film, which is scheduled to release in theaters on Nov. 16. It’ll land on digital platforms on Nov. 22.

Set in the world of high-stakes betting, “Poker Face” stars Crowe as tech billionaire and gambler Jake Foley, who offers his best friends a chance to win more money than they’ve ever dreamed of. But to play, they’ll have to give up the one thing they spend their lives trying to keep…their secrets. As the game unfolds, the long-time pals will discover what is really at stake.

Along with Crowe and Hemsworth, the cast includes RZA of Wu-Tang Clan fame and “Fast and Furious” star Elsa Pataky. Stephen M. Coates wrote the screenplay with Crowe.

Arclight Films handled worldwide rights for the film.

Exclusive: Erin Moriarty (The Boys), Jai Courtney (Suicide Squad), Dina Shihabi (Archive 81) and Ryan Corr (House of the Dragon) have signed on to star in Catching Dust—an upcoming Texas noir marking the feature debut of writer-director Stuart Gatt, which will enter production in the Canary Islands this month.

The drama is set in the isolation of Texas’ Big Bend, where a lone trailer on an abandoned commune has become the reluctant hideout for Geena (Moriarty), at the behest of her criminal husband, Clyde (Courtney). Geena’s lust for life and desire for interaction with the outside world are quashed by Clyde’s insistence they remain hidden from the law and his former cohorts looking to settle old scores. Exhausted by Clyde’s controlling ways, Geena decides to leave. But then a trailer arrives carrying Amaya (Shihabi) and Andy (Corr), a couple from New York seeking a respite from the city.

Academy Award winner Russell Crowe directs and stars in the upcoming thriller Poker Face, from a script he co-wrote with Stephen M. Coates (John Doe: Vigilante). The cast includes Emmy nominee Liam Hemsworth, Elsa Pataky and Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA. Set in the world of high stakes poker, Crowe stars as billionaire gambler Jake Foley who gives his best friends a night they’ll never forget, a chance to win more money than they’ve ever dreamed of. But to play, they’ll have to give up the one thing they’ve spent their lives doing everything to keep….their secrets. As the game unfolds, the friends will discover the real stakes they’re playing for, the biggest stakes of them all. The film, which was shot in New South Wales, Australia, is currently in post-production.

Poker Face is produced by Gary Hamilton (Arclight Films) and Keith Rodger (Fear Of...

Liam Hemsworth to co-star in thriller; Arclight Films launching sales in Cannes.

Arclight Films kicks off worldwide sales this week and has released an exclusive first image from the thriller Poker Face directed by and starring Russell Crowe alongside Liam Hemsworth.

Crowe plays a billionaire gambler who offers his best friends the chance to win more money than they have ever dreamed of. However, in return, they will have to give up the secrets they have spent their lives protecting and will learn the true nature of what is at stake.

Elsa Pataky and Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA round out...

Guy Pearce and Te Kohe Tuhaka lead the cast of “The Convert,” an epic New Zealand-set action drama film being directed by Lee Tamahori. Mister Smith Entertainment is representing sales rights and will launch the project at the Cannes film market.

The story sees Pearce portray a lay preacher who arrives at a British settlement in 1830s New Zealand. His violent past is soon drawn into question and his faith put to the test, as he finds himself caught in the middle of a bloody war between Maori tribes. The script was written by Shane Danielsen (“Errors of the Human Body”) and Tamahori, after originating from a screen story by Michael Bennet (“Matariki”).

The producers on the film are Robin Scholes, Te Kohe Tuhaka, Andrew Mason and Troy Lum.

“The Convert” is an official New Zealand Australia co-production, between Auckland based Jump Film & Television and Sydney based Brouhaha Entertainment. Film...

Guy Pearce is to play the lead in epic action feature The Convert from Die Another Day director Lee Tamahori.

Mister Smith Entertainment will launch global sales at Cannes later this month on the feature, which is set in early 19th century New Zealand and kicks off principal photography in September.

The King’s Speech and Mare of Easttown star Pearce will play Thomas Munro, a lay preacher who arrives at a British settlement in 1830s New Zealand. His violent past is soon drawn into question and his faith put to the test, as he finds himself caught in the middle of a bloody war between Māori tribes.

Tamahori said it has been “20 years since Guy Pearce and I talked about working together.”

He added: “Guy is a brilliant actor and to have him onboard will allow me to sleep easy at night, for I know he will inhabit the...

Netflix has greenlit a trio of series across Japan, Australia and Taiwan, featuring top talent.

Japanese sitcom “Let’s Get Divorced” follows a rookie politician and his actor wife who struggle with their marriage life and they decide to split up. However, their parents and agents don’t allow them to do it. It is co-written by Japan’s top scriptwriters Kankuro Kudo and Shizuka Oishi and the cast includes Tori Matsuzaka, Riisa Naka, Ryo Nishikido, Yuka Itaya, Koji Yamamoto and Arata Furuta.

The series is directed by Fuminori Kaneko, Ryosuke Fukuda and Takuya Sakaue and the TBS Sparkle production is produced by Aki Isoyama and Itsumi Katsuno with Naomi Satoh executive producing for Netflix. It will bow in 2023.

“Boy Swallows Universe” is an adaptation of bestselling Australian author Trent Dalton’s novel of the same name. “‘Boy Swallows Universe’ is about a boy who receives a message on a...

Evan Rachel Wood, Eliza Scanlen, Rufus Sewell and Vanessa Redgrave are set to lead an adaptation of World War II-era book “All That I Am,” Variety can reveal.

AGC Studios is fully financing the film, which will be shot in Berlin and Sydney in late summer. The studio, led by Stuart Ford, introduced the project to buyers this week as part of the virtual European Film Market, which generally runs alongside the Berlin Film Festival.

Written by Australian author Anna Funder, the 2012 international bestseller brings to light a heroic true story about four German-Jewish literati-turned-anti-Nazi activists who are forced to flee to London following the rise of Adolf Hitler’s regime in Germany.

Sixty years later, one of the group members, Ruth Wesemann, is living in Sydney, Australia, and is the sole survivor of the four. One day she receives a package containing the posthumous memoirs of her old friend...

Russell Crowe has a versatility that is rare among actors in the later stages of their careers. While the Australian first established himself as a leading man, he has comfortably stepped into supporting roles over the past few years. He recently made the transition to the small screen as Fox News mastermind Roger Ailes in Showtime's "The Loudest Voice," and made his directorial debut with the World War I epic "The Water Diviner." While his outlandish performance in 2020's road rage thriller "Unhinged" may have earned him some of his worst reviews ever, it showed a willingness to experiment that is refreshing.

Narrowing down Crowe's strongest work is...

The post Russell Crowe's 13 best movies ranked appeared first on /Film.

Exclusive: Former eOne Asia Pacific boss Troy Lum is officially launching new Australia-New Zealand distributor Kismet, with a slate of projects including Cannes hits and pre-sale titles.

Kismet is headed by Lum, founder of local indie Hopscotch, and Jason Hernandez, former Head of Theatrical Distribution at eOne Australia and New Zealand.

As previously noted out of Cannes, the company have acquired Julia Ducournau’s Palme d’Or winning horror-thriller Titane (pictured), Japanese animator Mamoru Hosoda’s eye-catching fairytale Belle, and Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet’s debut feature, the French romance Anaïs In Love. Titane will be the company’s first release in November.

In addition to its festival acquisitions, Kismet’s lineup also includes Zach Braff’s A Good Person, starring Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman; Nick Cassavettes’ Cus And Mike, which tells the story of Mike Tyson’s legendary trainer and manager Cus D’Amato; Kate Dennis’ All That I Am, based...

Russell Crowe has taken the reins as director of upcoming thriller “Poker Face.” Applying strict Covid-safe Guidelines, filming is now taking place on location around Sydney, Australia, and at the city’s Fox Studios.

Set in the world of high stakes poker and international finance, Crowe stars as a tech billionaire caught in a risky card game.

The cast also includes Liam Hemsworth, Elsa Pataky and Wu-Tang Clan frontman RZA, a long-time friend of Crowe’s. While Hemsworth and RZA’s roles are not clear, it has been reported by local press that Pataky plays a glamorous croupier.

While the original script was set in Miami, it is believed Crowe pushed producer Arclight Films to switch the setting to Sydney where the film could showcase the city’s impressive landmarks. The film is also reported to include a car chase that plays out across the city.

Crowe previously directed the...

Firm will operate from London and Sydney.

UK producer Gabrielle Tana is partnering with Australia’s Troy Lum and Andrew Mason on Brouhaha Entertainment, a new production company based in London and Sydney.

Brouhaha is backed by the Calculus Creative Content Eis Fund, which launched in 2019 to use the UK government’s Enterprise Investment Scheme to support indie firms.

The BFI initiated the Fund although has no financial investment in it.

The Brouhaha slate will combine the upcoming projects of Tana, Lum and Mason. They include Karim Aïnouz’s Firebrand starring Michelle Williams; Kate Dennis’ All That I Am; Lee Tamahori...

The Calculus Creative Content Eis Fund, and other funds managed or advised by Calculus, has invested in Brouhaha Entertainment, a newly formed outfit which combines the slates of seasoned producers Gabrielle Tana, Troy Lum and Andrew Mason.

Tana produced the Oscar-nominated “Philomena,” “The Invisible Woman” and “The Dig.” Lum founded Hopscotch Films which became Australia’s leading independent distributor before being acquired by Entertainment One in 2011. Lum produced “Saving Mr Banks,” “The Water Diviner” and “Adore.” Mason’s producer credits include “Dark City,” “The Matrix” and “Silent Hill.” Together, the trio have produced 27 films and nine television projects.

Upcoming Brouhaha productions include Karim Aïnouz’s “Firebrand,” Kate Dennis’ “All That I Am,” Lee Tamahori’s “The Convert,” Richard E. Grant’s “Majesty” and Patrick Dickinson’s “Cottontail.” Brouhaha is based in Sydney and London.

The fund is managed by Calculus Capital with Stargrove Pictures acting as media advisor. The Stargrove Pictures’ team,...

Producers Gabrielle Tana (Philomena), Troy Lum (Saving Mr. Banks) and Andrew Mason (Dark City) are joining forces to set up production banner Brouhaha Entertainment, which will be based in the UK and Australia.

The trio have already been busy forming their initial slate, with the following projects in the works: Majesty (dir: Richard E Grant), Firebrand (dir: Karim Aïnouz), All That I Am (dir: Kate Dennis), The Convert (dir: Lee Tamahori), and Cottontail (dir: Patrick Dickinson).

The company is receiving backing from the UK Eis fund Calculus Creative Content, which was launched in 2019 to support British indies and has made six investments to date. Stargrove Pictures identified the investment and its CEO Stephen Fuss will join the Brouhaha board.

Tana was Oscar nominated for Philomena, starring Dame Judi Dench and Steve Coogan, and is also behind recent Netflix pic The Dig. Lum and Mason previously teamed on Russel Crowe pic The Water Diviner.

With today’s release of Ludovico Einaudi’s “Cinema,” Universal Music Group confirms its status as one of the world’s most soundtrack-friendly music companies.

Music by Einaudi, the Italian composer and pianist, was featured in recent Oscar winners “Nomadland” and”The Father.” “Cinema” collects 28 pieces featured in those films and such earlier projects as “The Water Diviner,” “The Intouchables” and the miniseries “Doctor Zhivago.”

Each of the last seven Academy Award winners for original score was released or distributed by a Umg label or composed by a Umg artist, according to a spokesperson. Umg artists Jon Batiste and Hildur Guðnadóttir were the composers of “Soul” and “Joker,” respectively. “Grand Budapest Hotel” was on Abkco, “The Hateful Eight” and “The Shape of Water” on Decca, and “La La Land” and the “Black Panther” song album on Interscope.

Similarly, the last seven Grammy-winning scores, and the last seven BAFTA winners, were also Umg-affiliated.

We’re not even halfway through the year, but 2021 is shaping up to be a record-breaker for Australian films at the box office.

So far, the 25 local films and documentaries to screen theatrically have grossed $67.5 million, according to Numero.

That number means this is already the second highest year for Australian film on record, having overtaken 2001’s annual result of $63.1 million (not adjusting for inflation).

Our best year at the box office was 2015, when ticket sales tallied $88 million, spurred on Mad Max: Fury Road, The Dressmaker, Oddball, The Water Diviner, Paper Planes and Last Cab To Darwin.

With more than half the year to go, that record could be surpassed come December. By way of comparison, in the first six months of 2015, receipts stood at $34 million.

This is an incredible result at the best of times, but is made more so by the fact exhibition is still disrupted by the...

Adelaide’s Rising Sun Pictures has been acquired by the LA-headquartered FuseFX, in a deal that is argued to “position the business for global strategic growth”.

In addition to LA, FuseFX has studios across the world including in New York, Atlanta, Vancouver, Montréal, Toronto, and Bogotá. With the acquisition of Rsp, it bolsters its staff numbers to 800.

Rsp was founded in 1995 by Tony Clark, Gail Fuller and Wayne Lewis, growing to become one of Australia’s most successful independent VFX businesses. Its credits span projects such as Mortal Kombat, Black Widow, Ford v Ferrari, Spider-Man: Far from Home, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, Captain Marvel, The Predator, The Boys season 2, Game of Thrones, Thor: Ragnarok, The Hunger Games, Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Australian projects in recent years include Peter Rabbit, Deadline Gallipoli, Anzac Girls and The Water Diviner.

Rising Sun Pictures co-founders Wayne Lewis,...

Crime drama has ranked number one since start of year.

Cornerstone Films has closed a raft of deals with top buyers on Eric Bana crime drama and Australian box-office smash The Dry led by Leonine for German-speaking Europe.

The film has held on to the number one spot for five consecutive weeks since it opened via Roadshow Films on January 1 on A$3.5m (Usd $1.9m), a mighty debut for an independent feature.

The Dry currently stands at more than A$16m ($8.94m) and has overtaken Muriel’s Wedding and The Water Diviner to rank 17th on Australia’s all-time top...

While Aacta’s Byron Kennedy Award is typically given to an individual or organisation who demonstrates “outstanding creative enterprise”, this year the award will go to a film.

The nominees for the honour, which celebrates the legacy of Dr George Miller’s original producing partner and Mad Max co-creator Byron Kennedy, are a short-list of the last decade’s best indie genre features.

The films are diverse, spanning comedies, Westerns, thrillers, horrors and sci-fis, but Aacta has determined each are in line with Kennedy’s “ethos of excellence”, resourcefulness and “the can-do spirit of independent, low-budget local filmmaking.”

They include: The Babadook, Beast, Cargo, Girl Asleep, I Am Mother, The Infinite Man, Mad Bastards, Mystery Road, Red Hill, That’s Not Me, These Final Hours and Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead.

‘Girl Asleep’.

Many nominated are debut features, such as Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook and Zak Hilditch’s These Final Hours,...

In today’s Global Bulletin, Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman fill top spots at the Australian Academy, ITV Studios and Nippon team on a new co-development deal, Abacus Media Rights and Revelation Films announce “The Real Manhunter,” Anderson Entertainment and ITV team on expanding classic sci-fi brands, and the International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg announces this year’s award winners.

Academy

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television (Aacta) has announced that two of the country’s most recognizable on-screen performers, Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman, will assume the roles of Academy president and vice president respectively.

Crowe’s Australian work includes “The Water Diviner,” his directorial debut for which he received five Aacta Awards, and performances in “Boy Erased” and “True History of The Kelly Gang.” For her part, Kidman’s domestic work takes in performances in “Top of The Lake,” “Lion” and “Boy Erased,” each earning her Aacta Awards.

‘Lion’. (Photo: Mark Rogers)

What’s your favourite Australian film of the last decade?

That’s one of the questions Aacta is putting to the general public over the coming week as voting opens for its new Audience Choice Awards.

In contention for the film award are: Peter Rabbit, Red Dog, The Sapphires, The Great Gatsby, The Water Diviner, The Dressmaker, Lion, Ride Like A Girl and Mad Max: Fury Road.

While many of those nominated correspond to the Academy’s own ‘Best Film’ winners over the past 10 years, there are some notable exclusions – 2016’s Hacksaw Ridge, 2018’s Sweet Country and 2019’s The Nightingale.

The Favourite TV Drama of The Decade category sees each broadcaster score two nods – bar Sbs, who were snubbed. They include 10’s Offspring and Neighbours, ABC’s Mystery Road and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Foxtel’s Top of the Lake and Wentworth, Seven’s Molly and Home and Away,...

Next month, Netflix is rolling out a ton of great new Halloween-themed content, including a bunch of must-see originals like The Haunting of Bly Manor, A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting and Rebecca. Unfortunately, though, it’s also losing a lot of horror films in October that would’ve made for perfect seasonal viewing.

On October 2nd, both Cult of Chucky – the last Chucky flick before the reboot – and Truth or Dare – that’s the 2017 TV movie, not the 2018 Blumhouse production – are being removed from Netflix’s library. The bulk of the horror titles leaving in October are, ironically, being removed on October 31st, though. So, if you’re hoping to do an Underworld marathon this Halloween or rewatch classics like Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow or The Silence of the Lambs, make sure you don’t leave it until the day itself.

See below for the full list of...

Russell Crowe is going to save cinema! So goes the marketing push for road-rage thriller “Unhinged,” the first new film to open in theaters since lockdown. Yet it’s worth acknowledging that Crowe hasn’t exactly saved cinema in the past decade, where “Les Misérables,” “The Water Diviner” and “The Nice Guys” are the only moderate highlights. To buy into the hype around “Unhinged,” one has to accept the cult of Crowe and pretend that he’s still a relevant movie star, to pretend it’s no later than 2003’s “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” and Crowe remains a gladiator of cinema.

But even that mind game can’t rescue the lazy B-movie routine of this cheap entertainment from director Derrick Borte, which could be generously described as an homage to Joel Schumacher’s “Falling Down” by way of Steven Spielberg’s “Duel.”

“Unhinged” is the...

Ellen Kuras, whose credits include “Ozark” and “Catch 22,” has come on board to direct Kate Winslet as Vogue cover model turned war correspondent Lee Miller. Joining them is screenwriter Liz Hannah.

“Lee” follows Lee Miller as she travels to the frontlines of World War II as a photojournalist and embarks on a mission to expose the hidden truths of the Third Reich. But in the aftermath of betrayal, she comes to a reckoning about the truths of her own past.

Troy Lum and Andrew Mason of Hopscotch Features and Winslet will produce. Hannah will executive produce.

The screenplay is adapted from the book “The Lives of Lee Miller” by Anthony Penrose, Lee’s son. Penrose and the Miller estate have granted the production full access to The Lee Miller Archives, which include all of her photos and diaries.

Principal photography is anticipated to start in spring 2021.

Rocket Science will finance and produce,...

Rocket Science to finance, produce, handle international sales.

Kate Winslet will play Vogue cover model turned war correspondent Lee Miller in a Cannes virtual market package that has been set for a 2021 spring production start.

Ellen Kuras will direct Lee from a screenplay by Liz Hannah.

Rocket Science will finance, produce and handle international sales. CAA Media Finance and UTA Independent Film Group will jointly represent Us rights.

Lee follows Lee Miller as she travels to the frontlines during the Second World War as a photojournalist to expose the secrets of the Third Reich. After a betrayal, she comes to...

We all know the name Jai Courtney. The Australian actor first broke out on the Starz series Spartacus and later landed roles in a string of high-profile movies like Suicide Squad, Terminator: Genisys and Jack Reacher. Between those movies, he’s gravitated towards more grounded roles in dramas like Felony, The Water Diviner, and Unbroken. He himself says […]

The post Jai Courtney on ‘Semper Fi’ and His Humbling Hollywood Journey [Interview] appeared first on /Film.

Micharne Cloughley.

Micharne Cloughley took an unusual route on her journey to landing her first TV drama screenwriting gig on season 21 of NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

The 2011 Nida graduate served a long apprenticeship as a playwright, working on unscripted TV shows, writing short films and as a casting assistant.

“All the different things I’ve done have informed the way I am working here,” Micharne tells If from New York where she is immersed in scripting her third episode of the procedural show created by Dick Wolf.

Cloughley was hired as a staff writer on the NBC series by Warren Leight, who returned as the showrunner earlier this year. He started with Svu at the beginning of season 13 when the drama was at a crossroads after losing its co-lead Christopher Meloni. He successfully rebuilt the show around Mariska Hargitay’s Olivia Benson.

He left in 2016 and...

Netflix has confirmed that a whopping 66 new original series, movies and specials will be debuting on the streaming service in October. Leading off the lineup is the eagerly awaited “Breaking Bad” movie, which the streaming service is billing as a “television event.” Emmy winner Aaron Paul reprises his role as Jesse Pinkman, who is on the run as his past catches up with him. The first half of the sixth and final season of the cult favorite “Bojack Horseman” will also drop this month.

Two features with awards buzz are coming to Netflix just weeks after their debuts at the Toronto film festival: “The Laundromat,” Steven Soderbergh‘s wry satire about international financial fraud that showcases Oscar darling Meryl Streep; and “Dolemite Is My Name,” a vehicle for Eddie Murphy who portrays 1970s comedian Rudy Ray Moore.

In the lead-up to Halloween, Netflix is programming a slew of scary fare,...

Exclusive: Colin Farrell is teaming up with producer Lee Magiday (The Favourite) and Hopscotch Features on a screen adaptation of Irish crime novel The Ruin, which marks the first project for Farrell’s new production company Chapel Place Productions.

Irish writer Dervla McTiernan’s well-received thriller, set in Galway, follows detective Cormac Reilly as he is thrown back into a case from 20 years before involving two children whose mother died of an overdose. Through the eyes of the detective we see into dark corners of Ireland including police corruption and abuses in the church.

Film and TV outfit Chapel Place, which Farrell will run with his sister Claudine, is developing and producing the project with Magiday’s fledgling outfit Sleeper Films and Australia’s Hopscotch Features. Cast has yet to be set.

The movie reunites Farrell with former Element Pictures executive Magiday with whom he worked on Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Lobster.