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A little over a week ago, Jessica Chastain announced that she was going to begin development on a new film titled “Eve.” The film, which is said to be a “character-driven action movie,” was to be written and directed by filmmaker Matthew Newton, and produced by Chastain’s own Freckle Films. However, what seemed like a simple announcement took on a whole life of its own.

Continue reading ‘Eve’ Director Matthew Newton Leaves Jessica Chastain Action Film After Abuse Controversy at The Playlist.

Facing public backlash over a history of abusive behavior toward girlfriends, filmmaker Matthew Newton has exited his upcoming film “Eve,” in which Jessica Chastain was set to star and produce.

Read More: Jessica Chastain: ‘I Have Felt So Bad’ That Some Women ‘Feel Excluded’ From Time’s Up

Newton, whose credits include “From Nowhere” and “Who We Are Now,” has a history of multiple arrests. The filmmaker was charged in 2007 with stalking and causing bodily harm to his then-girlfriend, reportedly punching her in the head and attempting to gouge her eyes. Newton pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, common assault, but it was overturned after his psychiatrist sent a letter detailing his battle with mental illness. The director 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.

In a statement made to IndieWire earlier this year,...

Matthew Newton has exited as director of Jessica Chastain’s “Eve” following online backlash due to his history of alleged assault and domestic violence.

Newton, who suffers from bipolar disorder, made the announcement on Friday morning.

“Yesterday I notified Jessica Chastain and the other producers on the film ‘Eve’ that I will be stepping down as director,” he said in a statement. “Since the announcement of this film, the responses, which are powerful and important, have not fallen on deaf ears. I am profoundly aware that I have a responsibility to lead where I have failed in the past. I can never undo the harm that I’ve caused the people I’ve cared about and I carry that shame and responsibility with me every day.”

“Over the past eight years, I have been working extensively with healthcare professionals to help me overcome my addiction and mental health illness,” he added.

Matthew Newton has announced that he will step down as director of Jessica Chastain’s new film, “Eve,” after fans called out past domestic abuse accusations against him.

“Since the announcement of this film, the responses, which are powerful and important, have not fallen on deaf ears. I am profoundly aware that I have a responsibility to lead where I have failed in the past. I can never undo the harm that I’ve caused the people I’ve cared about and I carry that shame and responsibility with me every day,” Newton said in a statement Friday morning.

“Over the past eight years I have been working extensively with healthcare professionals to help me overcome my addiction and mental health illness. For the past six years I have lived a quiet and sober life. All I can do now is try to be a living amends and hopefully contribute...

After mounting backlash over a history of alleged assault, Matthew Newton has dropped out as writer and director of the upcoming Jessica Chastain movie Eve.

“Yesterday I notified Jessica Chastain and the other producers on the film Eve that I will be stepping down as director," Newton said Friday in a statement. "Since the announcement of this film, the responses, which are powerful and important, have not fallen on deaf ears. I am profoundly aware that I have a responsibility to lead where I have failed in the past."

The statement continued: "I can never undo the ...

After mounting backlash over a history of alleged assault, Matthew Newton has dropped out as writer and director of the upcoming Jessica Chastain movie Eve.

“Yesterday I notified Jessica Chastain and the other producers on the film Eve that I will be stepping down as director," Newton said Friday in a statement. "Since the announcement of this film, the responses, which are powerful and important, have not fallen on deaf ears. I am profoundly aware that I have a responsibility to lead where I have failed in the past."

The statement continued: "I can never undo the ...

Petitioners are calling on actress Jessica Chastain to drop Matthew Newton, who has a history of physical assault accusations, as the director of her upcoming movie “Eve.”

The Care2 petition, titled “#TimesUp Activist Jessica Chastain Hires Domestic Abuser to Direct New Film,” has garnered more than 6,100 signatures as of this writing. The petition points to Chastain’s record as one of Hollywood’s most vocal advocates of gender equity, and then asks, “Despite all of this, Jessica Chastain wants to give Matthew Newton a pass? We don’t think so. #TimesUp for rich and powerful men being absolved of horrific abuse against women.”

Last week, Chastain was announced as the star of “Eve,” with Newton directing based on a script he wrote. Chastain is also producing. Newton’s other recent credits include “From Nowhere” and “The Sideways Light.”

Also Read: Fans Ask Jessica Chastain to Drop Director Matthew Newton Over...

Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne are in talks to star in the thriller “The Good Nurse.”

The movie, which has been in development at Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa Pictures since 2016, centers on the serial killer/nurse Charles Cullen. Redmayne would portray Cullen and Chastain would play a nurse who helped track down Cullen after he killed as many as 40 patients before being arrested in 2003.

Bron Studios will produce and release the pic through Lionsgate.

“The Good Nurse,” based on the book by Charles Graeber, will be adapted by Krysty Wilson-Cairns. Danish helmer Tobias Lindholm has been attached to direct the project for the past two years.

Redmayne, who won the best actor Oscar for “The Theory of Everything,” will seen be next as Newt Scamander in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.”

Chastain starred in “Molly’s Game,” Aaron Sorkin’s feature directorial debut. She will appear in the X-Men...

Director has a history of alleged assault and domestic violence in Australia

The Us actor Jessica Chastain, a vocal supporter of the Time’s Up movement and women in film, has come under fire for hypocrisy after the Australian Matthew Newton was selected to direct and write a new film, Eve, which Chastain is co-producing.

Newton has a history of alleged assault and domestic violence in his home country, dating back to 2007 when he pleaded guilty to physically assaulting his then girlfriend, the actor Brooke Satchwell, who is best known for her role in Neighbours.

Jessica Chastain is one of Hollywood’s most vocal advocates of gender equity. So many on Twitter reacted with alarm at the fact that Matthew Newton, named as the director of her upcoming movie “Eve,” has a history of physical assault accusations, including against two ex-girlfriends.

Newton has said his history of mental illness, drugs and drinking are responsible for the charges, and he has repeatedly sought help. He pleaded guilty in 2007 to one count of common assault on his ex, Brooke Satchwell, but the conviction was later overturned after his psychiatrist said he suffered from depression and was unlikely to reoffend. But he faced more assault accusations later, involving then-girlfriend Rachael Taylor.

Given the reversal of the conviction on the common assault charge, it does not appear that he has ever been convicted. He has not had any apparent trouble with the law since 2012, the year he says he became sober.

Jessica Chastain: action star. The Oscar-nominated actress will be starring in an action movie, Eve, under Voltage Pictures — her first action film since 2016’s The Huntsman: Winter’s War. But Chastain, who has become a vocal advocate for equal pay in Hollywood, will be stepping behind the scenes as well as a producer for Eve through her Freckle Films […]

The post Jessica Chastain to Star in and Produce Action Movie ‘Eve’ appeared first on /Film.

Jessica Chastain will star in the character-drive action movie “Eve” and will produce through her Freckle Films production company with Voltage Pictures.

Matthew Newton, who wrote the script, will also direct the picture. Plot details are being kept under wraps.

Newton most recently directed “Who We Are Now,” starring Julianne Nicholson, Emma Roberts and Zach Quinto, which FilmRise picked up after it premiered last year at the Toronto Film Festival.

Nicolas Chartier and Dominic Rustam will produce alongside Chastain and her partner Kelly Carmichael of Freckle Films. Newton will also produce. Jonathan Deckter will serve as executive producer with Babacar Diene serving as co-producer.

Chastain and Carmichael said in a joint statement, “Matthew is wonderfully adept at crafting complex and relatable characters. We’ve been fans of his work and are so thrilled to be partnering with him and Voltage on ‘Eve.’”

Chartier said, “Matt Newton wrote a wonderful new...

Jessica Chastain is set to star in and produce Eve, a forthcoming action film from Voltage Pictures and Chastain's banner Freckle Films, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Matthew Newton (Who We Are Now, From Nowhere) has written the script and will direct. Chastain will produce with Freckle Films' Kelly Carmichael alongside Nicolas Chartier and Dominic Rustam.

Voltage Films' Jonathan Deckter will serve as executive producer and Babacar Diene as co-producer.

"Matthew is wonderfully adept at crafting complex and relatable characters. We've been fans of his work and are so thrilled to be partnering with him and Voltage on Eve,”...