Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/'Captain Nemo' Is Dead in the Water at Disneyhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/17/captain-nemo-dead-disney/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/17/captain-nemo-dead-disney/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/17/captain-nemo-dead-disney/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

The klaxons are sounding for the Nautilus and Captain Nemo's origin story. Variety reports that Disney has quietly shelved the project, and McG has been released from duty in order to seek better fortune ashore.

The project was scheduled to begin production this February, and was on a fast track under Dick Cook. But as you probably remember, Cook was shown the door a few months ago. Many of Disney's big projects seem to be left dangling as stars like Johnny Depp decide whether they're sailing or staying ashore. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo is just the latest, though Disney insists big popcorn flicks will still be a focus for them.

Leagues had already been a revolving door of rumors, with Will Smith said to be in the running to play Nemo. Justin Marks was originally penning the script, but was replaced by Randall Wallace this past July. Variety reports that the project was being penned by Bill Marsilli, so presumably Wallace was off as well. While it's not unusual to have three screenwriters on a project, it doesn't sound like this submarine had a reliable captain. Perhaps the Nautilus will sail again as a proper steampunk picture that explores his romantic Indian past, and not a slapdash summerfest.

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]]>000 leagues under the sea000 Leagues Under the Sea Captain Nemo000LeaguesUnderTheSea000LeaguesUnderTheSeaCaptainNemo20Bill MarsilliBillMarsillicaptain nemoCaptainNemoDisneyfeaturedJules VerneJulesVerneJustin MarksJustinMarksMcGRandall WallaceRandallWallaceWill SmithWillSmithElisabeth RappeTue, 17 Nov 2009 11:15:00 ESTMGM Studios Officially For Salehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/16/mgm-studios-officially-for-sale/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/16/mgm-studios-officially-for-sale/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/16/mgm-studios-officially-for-sale/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

MGM Studios' financial troubles will soon be coming to a sad end. Back in September, it was reported that MGM was in such poor shape that they might be forced to auction off their assets, including James Bond and The Hobbit. That day has come to pass. Variety reports that MGM Studios is officially on the auction block.

MGM has been given a month of breathing space from their interest payments, time they plan on using to begin "a process to explore various strategic alternatives including operating as a standalone entity, forming strategic partnerships and evaluating a potential sale of the company."

But all hopes of survival may rest on what they sell off from their glorious history, including a library of 4,000 titles, the logo, the United Artists company, James Bond, and half ownership in The Hobbit. Time Warner, News Corp, and Lionsgate are said to be interested in all of the above.

As their library scatters to the four winds, it'll be really interesting to see what remakes and reboots it spawns. Remember, Robocop was on the MGM remake slate, and surely some hungry studio will snap that up. The Cannon Films and ITV Global Entertainment collections are just ripe for harvesting. Perhaps you'll finally see a Lifeforce movie, or a remake of Capricorn One, or an aspiring Tarantino type will buy up all those American International Picture rights and revive motorcycle gang movies. Sure, we all want to know who will wind up with James Bond, but it'll be far more fascinating if someone tries to remake Psych-Out. *


*It's possible this is considered one of AIP's "early" films, though it's unclear where that cut off date is.

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]]>Capricorn OneCapricornOnefeaturedJames BondJamesBondLifeforceMGMMGM assetsMGM financial woesMGM for saleMgmAssetsMgmFinancialWoesMgmForSalePsych-OutRobocopThe HobbitTheHobbitElisabeth RappeMon, 16 Nov 2009 09:45:00 ESTIf You Were Summit, What Would You Spend That Wad of Cash On?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/30/if-you-were-summit-what-would-you-spend-that-wad-of-cash-on/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/30/if-you-were-summit-what-would-you-spend-that-wad-of-cash-on/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/30/if-you-were-summit-what-would-you-spend-that-wad-of-cash-on/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You're this small company, and one day, after MTV Films* and other studios pass on this little young adult vampire romance series, you pick it up. You spend roughly $40 million to make the feature, slip it onto the big screen, and suddenly, you've fostered a phenomenon. Your opening weekend alone pays for the film and then some. You score $191 million domestic, and another $192 million from the foreign box office. You find yourself at the heart of a film and marketing goldmine.

So what do you do with the money? You've blown off Lionsgate. You've given your stars sweet pay raises. But there's still a whole lot left over. Nikki Finke has thrown up an in-house memo that discusses talks with Morgan Stanley and how it's time to "look beyond the initial goals we have achieved and plan the next chapter in the studio's journey." Finke's sources say that means "looking mostly for libraries to acquire." Not to mention rumors of a Weinstein takeover.

Between my must-save nature and the number of studios that grabbed big success only to fall into oblivion a short time later, I'm hoping they take it easy and don't go on a Gimme! Gimme! shopping spree. But even then, there will be decisions to make. Stick with books? Youth fare? Stretch the boundaries? Continue to score the projects everyone else leaves behind? If it were up to you, what would you do?

*Gotta love a company that passes up a property, then becomes its most fervent supporter.

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]]>CinematicalSummit EntertainmentSummitEntertainmentTwilightMonika BartyzelWed, 30 Sep 2009 17:32:00 ESTWeinstein Watch: 'Halloween 3D' Gone, Summit to Acquire Company?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/30/weinstein-watch-halloween-3d-gone-summit-to-acquire-company/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/30/weinstein-watch-halloween-3d-gone-summit-to-acquire-company/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/30/weinstein-watch-halloween-3d-gone-summit-to-acquire-company/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Only a few days after Bob Weinstein announced a whole slew of upcoming projects based on existing franchises (including a new Scream trilogy, Spy Kids IV 3D, Halloween 3D, Scanners and Hellraiser), there's now talk that Summit Entertainment (aka Home of the Twilight Saga) may be interested in acquiring either The Weinstein Co. or MGM (both of which are currently trying to dodge buckets full of money woes). Not only that, but Deadline Hollywood also reports that the Weinstein boys have decided to shelve Halloween 3D for now since they felt the production schedule (one that had them shooting in November for an August release) was too rushed, though perhaps these talks of a merger also played a part in that decision. DH claims, however, that Weinstein plans to start Halloween 3D once director Patrick Lussier is free to shoot it (he's working on another film in January, so chances are H3D won't start until sometime in the middle of next year if it happens at all).

Instead of Halloween 3D, though, The Weinstein Co. will be re-releasing Halloween 2 on Halloween -- a move that's left most fans scratching their heads, wondering why they never released a film called Halloween on Halloween to begin with. Part of that reasoning was due to not wanting to compete with the Saw franchise, and when the first Halloween killed (no pun intended) at the box office in August, it was pretty obvious the Weinstein boys would once again try their luck then instead of at the end of October. I'd be curious to see if the re-release decision pays off, and kids looking for a theme and some uneven scares will crowd the multiplex instead of spray shaving cream all over their neighbor's brand new Mercedes. What do you think?

Meanwhile, we'll be keeping a real close eye on this Summit thing ...

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]]>featuredhalloween 3dHalloween3dhellraiserscannersscream IVScreamIvspy kids IVSpyKidsIvsummit entertainmentSummitEntertainmentthe weinstein co.TheWeinsteinCo.Erik DavisWed, 30 Sep 2009 09:20:00 ESTLeonardo DiCaprio Waves 'The Deep Blue Goodbye'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/29/leonardo-dicaprio-waves-the-deep-blue-goodbye/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/29/leonardo-dicaprio-waves-the-deep-blue-goodbye/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/29/leonardo-dicaprio-waves-the-deep-blue-goodbye/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

It's been nearly two months since Leonardo DiCaprio optioned a new project, and he must have thought we would start calling him lazy. In August, Monika reported that he had 25 projects in various stages of pre-production, and now you can add a 26th, as Variety says he's attached to star in The Deep Blue Goodbye, an adaptation of John D. MacDonald's 1964 thriller.

Goodbye is the first of MacDonald's Travis McGee series, which spanned the course of 21 novels. McGee is like a beach bum version of James Bond, a bachelor who happily resides on a houseboat named the Busted Flush. (To add to his cool, he won it in a poker game.) He works as a freelance "salvage consultant," which means he tries to retrieve money or property that a client has been wrongfully deprived of. His life is one of money, adventure, dames, and weird villains all set against sunny Florida, some of whom he'll "bend way, way, over, but not break." Sexy stuff!

To be fair, DiCaprio has reportedly been attached to produce and play McGee for some time, but the movie reporting world learned about it thanks to Fox's new executive Peter Chernin, who is coming aboard Goodbye as producer alongside DiCaprio and his Appian Way partner Jennifer Davisson Killoran. Dana Stevens is penning the script, and the film does not yet have a start date. With DiCaprio's ever growing slate, this post could be long forgotten by the time Goodbye sails in front of the camera.

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]]>20th Century Fox20thCenturyFoxAppian WayAppianWayDana StevensDanaStevensfeaturedJohn D. MacDonaldJohnD.Macdonaldleonardo dicaprioLeonardoDicapriopeter cherninPeterCherninthe deep blue good-byThe Deep Blue GoodbyeTheDeepBlueGood-byTheDeepBlueGoodbyeTravis McGeeTravisMcgeeElisabeth RappeTue, 29 Sep 2009 09:02:00 ESTCould Money Woes Cost MGM James Bond and 'The Hobbit'?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/25/mgm-james-bond-and-the-hobbit/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/25/mgm-james-bond-and-the-hobbit/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/25/mgm-james-bond-and-the-hobbit/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

MGM has been plagued by financial woes for much of their long and illustrious career, but their most recent crisis could end up costing them two of their biggest titles. Nikke Finke of Deadline Hollywood Daily is breathlessly reporting that the studio is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy with over $3.5 billion in debt. MGM held a very long conference call with their creditors, pleading with themto waive their interest payments until February 2010, and allow them the cash they need for the rest of the year, particularly to fund its upcoming slate of films. Naturally, some of those are highly anticipated, such as Robocop, The Hobbit, and the latest James Bond installment.

However, MGM's creditors aren't feeling particularly charitable, and may force the studio to file for bankruptcy. If that happens, they could lose James Bond, The Hobbit, and numerous other franchises as MGM would have to sell them to the highest bidder. Right now, they're trying to convince their Scrooges that bankruptcy is the worst possible option, and that Bond and Bilbo are big enough moneymakers to cover their debt. That's where the situation stands now, and it'll certainly be quite the economic spectacle to watch.

I find the news particularly interesting in light of Peter Jackson's remarks on The Hobbit at ComicCon, when he squashed rumors that the film was in the casting stages, and noted that it hadn't even really been green-lit or had its budget approved yet. It was a douse of cold water after a lot of breathless excitement, much of which seemed to come straight from the filmmakers themselves. Could the brakes have been put on because of MGM's financial woes? Possibly.

Continued below the jump



Continue reading Could Money Woes Cost MGM James Bond and 'The Hobbit'?

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]]>Daniel CraigDanielCraigDarren AronofskyDarrenAronofskyguillermo del toroGuillermoDelToroJames BondJamesBondMGMMGM financial woesMgmFinancialWoesPeter JacksonPeterJacksonRobocopThe HobbitTheHobbitElisabeth RappeFri, 25 Sep 2009 09:02:00 ESTWill Johnny Depp Ditch 'Pirates 4' For Dick Cook?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/21/johnny-depp-pirates-4-dick-cook/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/21/johnny-depp-pirates-4-dick-cook/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/21/johnny-depp-pirates-4-dick-cook/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

As the entertainment world headed out for the weekend, there was a very big shake-up at Disney, with studio head Dick Cook being ousted from the company. Disney's president Bob Iger is determined to reinvent the studio from top to bottom, and reportedly saw Cook as a relic of Disney's cartoonish past. But Cook has a lot of success under his belt, and friendships with the likes of Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, and Johnny Depp. Depp was one of the first to speak out about Cook's departure, and hinted darkly to The Los Angeles Times about the fate of Sparrow and the Black Pearl.

Depp revealed that he only has a potential deal in place for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. It's all dependent on how good the script is, and how favorable he is towards a post-Cook Disney. "There's a fissure, a crack in my enthusiasm at the moment. It was all born in that office." Jack Sparrow was indeed born in Cook's office. As all Sparrow and Depp fans know, Disney had been trying to convince Depp to sign on for a Disney film for years, but it wasn't until Cook name-dropped Pirates that Depp was in.

Cook was one of Depp's supporters against a studio who was unimpressed with his eyeliner, gold teeth, beaded dreads and drunken demeanor. "When things went a little sideways on the first Pirates movie and others at the studio were less than enthusiastic about my interpretation of the character, Dick was there from the first moment. He trusted me." Lo and behold, an icon was born (whether you love him, hate him, or are just tired of him, you have to admit that Sparrow will outlast us all), and we got a little swashbuckling in the summertime. Hats off to Captain Cook for that, and if Sparrow never sails again, at least we'll know that friendship won out over a love of franchise gold.

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]]>Bob IgerBobIgerDick CookDickCookjack sparrowJackSparrowJohnny DeppJohnnyDepppirates of the caribbeanPirates of the Caribbean At Stranger TidesPiratesOfTheCaribbeanPiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtStrangerTidesElisabeth RappeMon, 21 Sep 2009 15:48:00 ESTWatch Out Marvel! Warner Bros Creates DC Entertainmenthttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/10/watch-out-marvel-warner-bros-creates-dc-entertainment/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/10/watch-out-marvel-warner-bros-creates-dc-entertainment/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/10/watch-out-marvel-warner-bros-creates-dc-entertainment/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The dust hasn't even begun to settle on the Marvel / Disney deal before DC Comics decided to engage in some major overhauling on their own. Deadline Hollywood Daily broke the news that Warner Bros had taken over DC Comics and created a new brand called DC Entertainment. DC Comics' president Paul Levitz will step down, and Diane Nelson will head up DCE. She's a name moviegoers wouldn't know, but you know her results, as she's the other woman who helped make Harry Potter such a worldwide phenomenon.

While you might think the timing is a knee-jerk reaction to what Marvel and Disney just did, the truth is that Warner Bros and DC have been working on this revamp for a long time. That's apparent in the slow and steady changes we've seen lately, like the studio reaching out and bringing notable DC writers on board to oversee their movie development. According to Variety, one of the ongoing problems with Warner Bros developing DC titles was that they didn't have an executive "inside the comic book company with the right sensibility for producing tentpoles, or at least the experience of managing all aspects of a major franchise." Finke notes that the uneven relationship between the two companies produced all those pre-production stops and starts that annoy fans so much, and caused the Watchmen lawsuit that nearly delayed the film this past spring.

Continue reading Watch Out Marvel! Warner Bros Creates DC Entertainment

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]]>DC ComicsDC EntertainmentDcComicsDcEntertainmentDiane NelsonDianeNelsonfeaturedPaul LevitzPaulLevitzWarner BrosWarnerBrosElisabeth RappeThu, 10 Sep 2009 09:02:00 ESTDiscuss: Your Worst Marvel Fearshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/01/discuss-your-worst-marvel-fears/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/01/discuss-your-worst-marvel-fears/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/01/discuss-your-worst-marvel-fears/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Without a doubt, there's a potential for greatness with the news that Disney bought Marvel Entertainment. With Pixar in the mix, this could mean a whole collection of cool animated superhero movies where the boundaries of human law are no object. But what about the other side?

Even the best laid plains or ideas can go horribly wrong. It's not like Hollywood, or Disney for that matter, have a perfect track record of cinematic goodness. Obviously, they picked up Marvel because they like what the company is doing, and want to get in on the action. But admiration doesn't always make for loyal productions. Just think about all the great books that get made into terrible films, or any company that buys another and then strives to make "improvements."

Continue reading Discuss: Your Worst Marvel Fears

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]]>CinematicaldiscussDisneyDisney superheroesdisneymarvelDisneySuperheroesMarvelMonika BartyzelTue, 01 Sep 2009 17:02:00 ESTShocking! Disney Buys Marvel Entertainment!http://www.cinematical.com/2009/08/31/shocking-disney-buys-marvel-entertainment/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/08/31/shocking-disney-buys-marvel-entertainment/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/08/31/shocking-disney-buys-marvel-entertainment/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

It's a shocking deal no one saw coming in a million years. According to an official press release from the Walt Disney Company, Disney has bought Marvel Entertainment for the hefty price of $4 billion. Under the deal, Disney gains control of more than 5,000 Marvel characters, and Marvel gains their massive marketing infrastructure.

"This transaction combines Marvel's strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney's creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximizes the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories," said Robert A. Iger, President aof The Walt Disney Company. "Ike Perlmutter and his team have done an impressive job of nurturing these properties and have created significant value. We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney."

So, there you have it. Marvel is now a Disney brand in all senses of the word. Obviously, this has just been announced, but the big question looms: What will this mean for all those upcoming Marvel movies? We've all marveled at the creative networking Marvel Entertainment has been doing, and the way Kevin Feige has been building little bridges of creative continuity throughout their cinematic universe. So far, they seemed to be doing everything right by fans, and creating movies that could draw in newcomers and hardcore geeks. What is it going to mean for the films when a behemoth like Disney takes control? Family friendly, mythology-be-damned, direct-to-DVD offerings? Or will it just mean a lot more Slurpee cups and action figures? Time will tell, but something tells me the future of the Marvel cinematic universe might have become a little less bright.

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]]>disneymarvelfeaturedMarvel EntertainmentMarvelEntertainmentWalt DisneyWaltDisneyElisabeth RappeMon, 31 Aug 2009 09:32:00 ESTNews Bites: Gallner on Elm Street, Madsen's 'Gravity' & Buscemi & Tucci Head for TVhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/09/news-bites-gallner-on-elm-street-madsens-gravity-and-buscemi/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/09/news-bites-gallner-on-elm-street-madsens-gravity-and-buscemi/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/09/news-bites-gallner-on-elm-street-madsens-gravity-and-buscemi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

He's terrorized Veronica Mars, he's chilled with Jennifer's Body, he's been through A Haunting in Connecticut, and now Kyle Gallner is getting more horror. The Hollywood Reporter posts that the young actor has grabbed the lead teen role in the new, Jackie Earle Haley-starring A Nightmare on Elm Street. He'll play Quentin, and indie kind of guy who runs a school podcast called "Insomnia Radio." While not the same role, it's basically the gig Johnny Depp had in the original. Will he also die by bedding? And, can Elm Street be the same without a horde of Just the Ten of Us sisters?

Meanwhile, Virginia Madsen is defying gravity. Variety reports the actress is getting involved with a new documentary called Fighting Gravity. The project focuses on women ski jumpers, and their battle to get the right to compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Specifically, it'll follow 15 female athletes who have challenged the Intl. Olympic Committee's decision to bar them from the games -- making it the only men-only sport in the Games. Sometimes it's hard to believe we're in 2009...

Finally, Steve Buscemi and Stanley Tucci are teaming up once again. Most recently, the pair both made English language remakes of Theo van Gogh's work (Interview and Blind Date). Now Variety reports the friends have created a new shingle, Olive Productions, and have signed a first-look deal with Lionsgate to develop and produce television shows for cable and broadcast networks. The pair are already being commended for their "daring, innovative aesthetic," and I can only hope that from time to time they'll also jump in front of the camera.

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]]>A Nightmare on Elm StreetANightmareOnElmStreetCinematicalFighting GravityFightingGravityKyle GallnerKyleGallnerStanley TucciStanleyTucciSteve BuscemiSteveBuscemiVirginia MadsenVirginiaMadsenMonika BartyzelThu, 09 Apr 2009 13:02:00 ESTThe Glass Ceiling that 'Yentl' Crackedhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/06/the-glass-ceiling-that-yentl-cracked/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/06/the-glass-ceiling-that-yentl-cracked/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/06/the-glass-ceiling-that-yentl-cracked/#commentsFiled under: ,

While skimming my feeds, I came across a post at THR about a Stanley Kramer celebration called "Films That Changed the World." It immediately got me thinking of world-changing cinema, and how much a film can impact us. But try as I might, I couldn't come up with films that changed my world, and instead, kept going back to the story. See, this new series is celebrating the films connected with the iconic filmmaker that were socially conscious. First up: Yentl.

It wasn't so much the film that kept grabbing me, but a quote by Kramer's daughter, Kat: "The history-making film, the first major studio production ever produced, directed and co-written by its female star, shattered Hollywood's glass ceiling like no other film ever did." I wish I could say that it shattered that glass ceiling. If it did, we wouldn't have such abysmal percentages of women in the industry -- both in it and writing about it. Last year, 25 years after Yentl, women didn't even hit 20% of all directors, producers, writers, and the rest of the big behind-the-scenes roles in the industry. We couldn't even hit 10% of all directors. Not even a quarter. Not even a tenth.

That's not a shattering of the glass ceiling, it's a crack in the glass that few women survive when they try to pull themselves through. It's monumental when a woman directs a big, supernatural romance (Twilight), and sadly not surprising when she's then pulled from it. More specifically, it was monumental for a woman to helm it from the pens of other women, even though the film is geared towards the girls itching for a little dark, vampiric action. Women directing for girls? Shocking!

The only way to stretch that crack, and just possibly create that shattered ceiling Kat Kramer was talking about is to do it again. And again. And again. Sadly, it can't just be with solid, noteworthy work. For every wonderful Protagonist, there needs to be a ceiling shake by Amy Heckerling, or a solid kick by Kathryn Bigelow, or Mary Harron -- blockbusters, hits, action, and horror that prove we're not all clumsy romance fiends and fashion victims. It's a fact that seems to be forgotten much too often.





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]]>Amy HeckerlingAmyHeckerlingCinematicalKathryn BigelowKathrynBigelowMary HarronMaryHarronwomen in filmWomen in HollywoodWomenInFilmWomenInHollywoodYentlMonika BartyzelMon, 06 Apr 2009 19:45:00 ESTJohn Cooper Named New Sundance Film Festival Directorhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/11/john-cooper-named-new-sundance-film-festival-director/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/11/john-cooper-named-new-sundance-film-festival-director/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/11/john-cooper-named-new-sundance-film-festival-director/#commentsFiled under: , ,

After almost a month in limbo that left the film community eagerly awaiting the news of a replacement for Geoff Gilmore, Sundance Institute announced in a press release late last night that they are appointing John Cooper as the director of the Sundance Film Festival. According to a story in indieWIRE, Gilmore announced, much to the surprise of many industry professionals, last month that he would be leaving the fest after 19 years to take the position of Chief Creative Officer for Tribeca Enterprises.

Cooper, the former Director of Programming for the Sundance Film Festival and Director of Creative Development for the Sundance Institute, has pioneered several new initiatives for Sundance over the past few years including New Frontier on Main, Sundance at BAM, The Sundance Institute Art House Project and the distribution of Sundance shorts through various digital platforms like iTunes and XBOX.

In the press release, Sundance Institute President and Founder Robert Redford is quoted as saying, "When we established the Festival, it was always with two goals in mind: supporting new artists and inspiring new audiences. Cooper has never lost sight of these goals. He brings to the position an infectious enthusiasm as well as a deep understanding of the Sundance brand and culture. Forward thinking, he is a natural choice of succession to lead the Festival into the 21st century."

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]]>geoff gilmoreGeoffGilmorejohn cooperJohnCooperrobert redfordRobertRedfordsundance film festivalSundanceFilmFestivalMichael LermanWed, 11 Mar 2009 11:45:00 ESTWB Kicks Tautou's 'Chanel' Into Gearhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/wb-kicks-tatous-chanel-into-gear/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/wb-kicks-tatous-chanel-into-gear/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/wb-kicks-tatous-chanel-into-gear/#commentsFiled under: ,

To me Coco Chanel is the woman responsible for my grandmother's smell -- the regal Chanel No. 5. To others she's the woman who created the suit unfortunately immortalized by the assassination of John F. Kennedy. And to the younger crowd, she'll soon be that movie character performed by Audrey Tautou in Coco Avant Chanel.

The Amelie actress signed on to the film last year, but then all news stopped and it looked like Coco was going to be stuck in development hell, or at least have to wait a while longer. Now Variety reports that Warner Brothers has signed on to finance the feature and have got a plan all set. Production will start on September 15 in Paris, and should hit screens next year.

The film will still be directed by Anne Fontaine, from the script by Anne, Camille Fontaine, and script consultant Christopher Hampton. Instead of spanning the woman's long and successful life, Tautou will get to delight in Coco's early years. And for you fashion fans out there -- Karl Lagerfeld, the art director of the House of Chanel, is supervising the wardrobe.

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]]>Audrey TautouAudreyTautouCinematicalCoco Avant ChanelCoco ChanelCocoAvantChanelCocoChanelMonika BartyzelThu, 28 Aug 2008 12:03:00 ESTPack Ratner Heads to Paramounthttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/31/pack-ratner-heads-to-paramount/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/31/pack-ratner-heads-to-paramount/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/31/pack-ratner-heads-to-paramount/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Love him or hate him, you've got to hand it to Brett Ratner for keeping his career in motion. Variety brings word that the hustling filmmaker plans to take his Rat Entertainment company from New Line, where it first settled in 1996, to a first-look deal with Paramount Pictures. Ratner says the departure of New Line execs Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne in February convinced him it was time to move on. At Paramount, Ratner will probably get bigger budgets and executives more receptive to his blockbuster-ready concepts. Stating the obvious, Ratner told Variety he "will not be pitching art films. I want to make major tentpole movies." You don't say?

Unless you're Scott Foundas, you probably balk at the idea of more Ratner movies populating the mainstream film scene, but the guy does fit the proper archetype of the classic Hollywood powerhouse. A modern day Sammy Glick, he knows how to make movies that bring out the audiences, whether or not they're any good. But maybe that determination means that, one day, Ratner will make a lot of great movies. His planned Hugh Hefner biopic sounds promising -- or at least, appropriate.

Still, that's a little ways off. Encouraged by his experience with X-Men: The Last Stand, Ratner decided he wanted to work on a new superhero franchise, so he's adapting Valiant Comics' Harbinger. Also in his queue: Beverly Hills Cop 4, The Incredible Shrinking Man and The Boys From Brazil. Do these projects get anyone excited? Anyone at all?

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]]>beverly hills copbeverly hills cop 4BeverlyHillsCopBeverlyHillsCop4bob shayeBobShayebrett ratnerBrettRatnerhugh hefnerHughHefnermichael lynneMichaelLynnenew lineNewLineparamountrat entertainmentRatEntertainmentscott foundasScottFoundastentpolethe boys from brazilthe incredible shrin...TheBoysFromBrazilTheIncredibleShrin...varietyx-menx-men 3x-men the last standX-men3X-menTheLastStandxmenthelaststandEric KohnThu, 31 Jul 2008 16:32:00 ESTChristal Films Declares Bankruptcyhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/22/christal-films-declares-bankruptcy/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/22/christal-films-declares-bankruptcy/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/22/christal-films-declares-bankruptcy/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Another one might be biting the dust. The Hollywood Reporter posts that the Canadian distributor Christal Films, who have distributed films like Congorama, has received bankruptcy protection with the Quebec Superior Court, and it has 30 days to get things in order. Things just aren't going smoothly for movie companies this year, both in Canada and stateside. (This comes on the heels of ThinkFilm closing its Toronto office.)

Christal suffered a big blow last year when Toronto's Maple Pictures, who have Canadian rights to Lionsgate's films, took their business to Christal's competitor, Seville Pictures. Variety, meanwhile, blames "changes within the film industry," and says this is limiting their profit margins.

The company's hardships have led to 14 staff members being pink-slipped, as well as the company having to give up rights to both My Blueberry Nights and Paris. However, Christal says this bankruptcy business will not affect Christal Films Productions.

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]]>Christal FilmsChristalFilmsCinematicalLionsgateMaple PicturesMaplePicturesMonika BartyzelThu, 22 May 2008 07:32:00 ESTCapitol Films Might Want to ThinkMoney, not ThinkFilmhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/14/capitol-films-might-want-to-thinkmoney-not-thinkfilm/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/14/capitol-films-might-want-to-thinkmoney-not-thinkfilm/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/14/capitol-films-might-want-to-thinkmoney-not-thinkfilm/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

If you had a slow Mother's Day weekend and were lurking around the net, you might have heard that David O. Russell's upcoming comedy Nailed hit another snag; this one much bigger than just an actor walking off set (a snag that was NOT because of Russell!). They were shut down by the Screen Actors Guild because they didn't have enough money to pay their actors.

You can check out the story, as it unfolded, at Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily. Luckily, any of you who are itching to see Nailed needn't worry. Variety reports that ThinkFilm (part of Capitol Films) has resumed shooting (and will hopefully have enough cash to finish it).

But this is part of a bigger problem: Nailed wasn't the only film hit with funding issues. A number of Capitol projects have been stopped or delayed due to lack of funds. ThinkFilm failed to pay Alex Gibney his owed fees for Taxi to the Dark Side. Flicks like Bad Meat were shut down. Then She Found Me's paper ad campaign hit a snag when there was no money for ads. You know you have serious money issues when you can't even get enough for your ad campaigns.

And now they're heading to Cannes with films from The Edge of Love to The Oxford Murders. There's a lot of interesting films attached to this company, but my head has got "Another One Bites the Dust" playing for ThinkFilm and Capitol.

Thoughts?

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]]>Bad MeatBadMeatCapitol FilmsCapitolFilmsCinematicalNailedThen She Found MeThenSheFoundMeThinkFilmMonika BartyzelWed, 14 May 2008 21:32:00 ESTPicturehouse on the Way Out?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/05/picturehouse-on-the-way-out/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/05/picturehouse-on-the-way-out/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/05/picturehouse-on-the-way-out/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Near the end of last week, Defamer spread the rumor that Picturehouse, once the indie arm of New Line Cinema and currently dangling from the edge of the hulking entity known as Warner Bros., has its days numbered. Now that New Line is history and Warners, like many studios, has faced increasing cutbacks, it may give short shrift to the shingles responsible for handling artier fare. Along with Picturehouse, this also includes Warner Independent Pictures, whose recent release slate includes David Gordon Green's magnificent Snow Angels.

Defamer suggested that Picturehouse president Bob Berney might wind up at WIP or head up a new, currently anonymous company. On Friday, Variety's Anne Thompson put it in more coherent terms: It appears quite likely that WIP and Picturehouse will merge together as a single company, with current WIP president Polly Cohen working alongside Berney. Whatever happens, let's just hope that the final result still leaves room for the sharp selection of independent and foreign titles that Picturehouse has handled since its birth three years ago. Defamer points out that Marion Cotillard's unexpected Oscar win for La Vie en Rose matters less than the flop of Run, Fatboy, Run, while the John Simpson-directed horror film Amusement might get dumped on DVD. It was just last year, however, that the company helped edgy fare like The Orphanage and Rocket Science get the sort of release most studios would never try. Let's hope that bravery lives on, somewhere.

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]]>amusementbob berneybob-berneyBobBerneydefamerel orfanatoElOrfanatola vie en roseLaVieEnRosemarion cotillardMarionCotillardpicturehouserocket scienceRocketSciencerunrun fat boyrun fat boy runrun fatboy runRunFatBoyRunFatboyRunsnow angelsnow angelsSnowAngelSnowAngelsthe orphanagethe orphanage posterTheOrphanageTheOrphanagePosterwarner broswarner brothersWarnerBrosWarnerBrothersEric KohnMon, 05 May 2008 13:03:00 ESTDiscuss: Is Hollywood Misogynistic?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/04/is-hollywood-misogynistic/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/04/is-hollywood-misogynistic/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/04/is-hollywood-misogynistic/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

In these supposedly progressive times, gender equality is one of those touchy issues relegated to the last paragraph of a trend piece nobody reads. When Katherine Heigl suggested to Vanity Fair that Judd Apatow's movies were sexist, the assertion came across like an after-the-fact shrug of acceptance. Ever the galvanizing provocateur, New York Times critic Manohla Dargis confronts the issue head-on with a thorough analysis of the gender bias in this year's summer blockbusters.

With "Iron Man, Batman, Big Angry Green Man" and other massive expressions of virility invading the box office, female roles appear to be relegated to the back of the multiplex. Dargis touches on the rumors that Warner Bros head Jeff Robinov believes no woman has been able to sell a movie since Julia Roberts (a point that Natalie Portman might contest, but not Paris Hilton) before sizing up numerous upcoming studio releases, with particular attention paid to Anna Faris, "who could be the next Judy Holliday but without the right material will, alas, probably end up the next Brittany Murphy." It's the kind of pronouncement that hits you in gut.

Continue reading Discuss: Is Hollywood Misogynistic?

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]]>amy poehlerAmyPoehleranna farisAnnaFarisbaby mamaBabyMamabatmanbrittany murphyBrittanyMurphyfilm criticfilm criticismFilmCriticFilmCriticismgregg arakiGreggArakiiron maniron man movie photosIronManIronManMoviePhotosjudd apatowJuddApatowjudy hollidayJudyHollidayjulia robertsJuliaRobertskatherine heigel wed...katherine heiglkatherine heigleKatherineHeigelWed...KatherineHeiglKatherineHeiglemanola dargisManolaDargismisogynisticmisogynymisogynyinfilmnatalie portmanNataliePortmannew york timesNewYorkTimesparis hiltonParisHiltonsmiley faceSmileyFacethe dark knightthe incredible hulkTheDarkKnightTheIncredibleHulktina feyTinaFeyvanity fairVanityFairEric KohnSun, 04 May 2008 17:02:00 ESTMatt Dentler Steps Down from SXSWhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/04/14/matt-dentler-steps-down-from-sxsw/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/04/14/matt-dentler-steps-down-from-sxsw/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/04/14/matt-dentler-steps-down-from-sxsw/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Wow, this news threw me for a loop. According to indieWIRE, our mutual friend Matt Dentler, producer of the South By Southwest Film Festival since 2004, is leaving his post (and Austin) to move to New York City, where he will head the marketing and programming operations of Cinetic Media's new digital rights management unit. Replacing Dentler as SXSW producer will be Janet Pierson, long-time independent film producer and board member of the Austin Film Society.

I've never met Pierson (well, that I know of ... you do get introduced to so many people at film fests, it's hard to keep track of everyone sometimes ... ) but I feel like I know her, from watching the documentary Reel Paradise, which she made with her husband, John. That film documented the year the Piersons and their two children spent living on a remote island in Fiji running the only movie theater on the island. I also wrote last year about John Pierson smacking down on Michael Moore, whose film Roger & Me was sold by the Piersons to Warner Brothers for the then-unheard-of sum of $3 million.

Janet Pierson has fantastic indie street cred, she's a passionate lover of independent film, and I'm sure she'll do a stellar job heading up SXSW. We at Cinematical extend our warmest welcome to her, and wish our friend Matt great luck and joy in his new endeavor. Matt is one of our favorite indie-film-world people, and we hope that he'll come back to SXSW every year to just enjoy the fest for a change, rather than running to and fro introducing films and shepherding talent around. We'll save you a seat at the Alamo, Matt, and there's a five-dollar milkshake with your name on it when we see you there.

*Update: Check out indieWIRE's well-informed piece on Cinetic's plans for Dentler and Pierson on stepping into Dentler's shoes.

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]]>janet piersonmatt dentlersouth by southwestSouthBySouthwestsxswKim VoynarMon, 14 Apr 2008 15:33:00 EST