Motion Picture: A24 Moves Forward With Steph Curry Documentary ‘Underrated’
Action/Fantasy/Sci-Fi: WellGo USA made a rights deal for Media Asia’s God of War II for North America. This film is a sequel to Gordon Chan’s 2017 film, God of War, and is directed by Cai Cong. The movie stars Charles Lin, Liu Yuxi and David Wu. This film takes place years after Lü Bu escapes, without memory of his early life spent as a test subject for a sorceress. After defeating war leader Dong Zhuo, a woman arrives claiming to be Lü Bu’s past love. This sparks Lü Bu’s skepticism and his trust in those closest to him becomes clouded. On Sept. 21, WellGo USA released the film in North America.
Jennifer Lopez’s film, The Mother, in which she is starring and producing, will now include Gael García Bernal. She is producing the film alongside Elaine Goldsmith Thomas and Benny Medina for Nuyorican Productions, and Roy Lee and Miri Yoon for Vertigo Entertainment, Green and Marc Evans. The Mother is the first feature film of the partnership between Netflix and Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions. Molly Allen is the film’s executive producer with Niki Caro as its director. The screenplay is written by Misha Green with revisions by Peter Craig. The cast includes Lopez, Gael García Bernal, Joseph Fiennes, Omari Hardwick and Lucy Paez. Lopez plays an assassin who must emerge from hiding in order to rescue her daughter. The Mother will be released in 2022.
Alejandro G. Inárritu - Frazer Harrison
Comedy: Oscar Winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu's upcoming film has been titled Bardo (or False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths). The title was announced as the film wrapped production in Mexico City. This was Iñárritu's first film in his home country since his movie Amores Perros. This “nostalgic comedy” is about a Mexican documentary filmmaker and journalist who faces questions around his own identity, relationships and the reality of his homeland upon returning to Mexico and finding himself at an “existential crossroads.” Iñárritu wrote the script for Bardo in collaboration with Nicolás Giacobone, whom he’s worked on previous projects with including Birdman and Biutiful. The film’s cinematographer is Dairius Khondji, with production design by Eugenio Caballero and costumes by Anna Terrazas. Daniel Gimenez Cacho and Griselda Siciliani star in the motion picture. Bardo is expected to be released in 2022.
After making a three-picture, first-look deal with amazon, Eddie Murphy’s Coming 2 America sequel is in the works. Amazon bought Murphy’s film from Paramount after movie theaters closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Drama: Netflix acquired the rights to Chernin Entertainment’s film adaptation of Jocelyn Nicole Johnson’s debut novella, My Monticello. North America will see Johnson's novella published on Oct. 5th, and the screenplay adaptation of the film will be written by Bryan Parker. Production will be by Jenno Topping and Peter Chernin, with Kaitlin Dahill and Johnson as executive producers.
Amazon Prime Video is releasing Sardar Udham to its audience this month. The film stars Vicky Kaushal, who plays a young man that devotes his life to the struggles for freedom in his home country, India. Sardar Udham is directed by Shoojit Sircar and produced by Ronnie Lahiri and Sheel Kumar. Prime members across 240 countries can find this film exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
Stephen Curry - Kevin Mazur/MG21
Documentary: A24 is moving forward with Underrated, a documentary about the NBA’s Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry. The film will highlight Curry’s time with the Davidson Wildcats at the NCAA tournament and the run for 2008 March Madness. A24 will produce the film alongside Underrated’s directors, Ryan Coogler and Pete Nicks, and Unanimous Media’s Peyton and Curry.
Industry Update: The “godfather of Black cinema,” director Melvin Van Peeples died at age 89 in his Manhattan home on Sept. 21. Peeples was an actor, playwright, filmmaker, composer and novelist. He directed Watermelon Man and Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. A statement from his family, The Criterion Collection and Janus Films says: “His work continues to be essential and is being celebrated at the New York Film Festival this weekend with a 50th anniversary screening of his landmark film Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song; a Criterion Collection box set, Melvin Van Peebles: Essential Films, next week; and a revival of his play Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death, slated for a return to Broadway next year.”