Motion Picture: ‘Atlas’ Trailer Released, ‘Exhibiting Forgiveness’ Acquired By Roadside Attractions
Action/Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi: The thriller film Drop has added Jeffery Self (Search Party/The Horror of Dolores Roach) and Gabrielle Ryan (Power Book IV: Force/Bonding) to its cast. The feature comes from Christopher Landon, is produced by Michael Bay, Jason Blum, Brad Fuller, and Cameron Fuller, and is written by Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach. Drop comes from Blumhouse, Platinum Dunes, and Universal Pictures. Other projects for Self and Ryan include the film Mack & Rita and the science fiction drama series Debris, respectively.
The trailer for Netflix’s science-fiction action film Atlas has been released. The film follows data analyst Atlas Shepherd (Jennifer Lopez), who distrusts artificial intelligence. On a mission to stop a robot (Simu Liu), she must learn to trust it. The feature also stars Sterling K. Brown, Gregory James Cohan, Abraham Popoola, Lana Parrilla, and Mark Strong. Atlas is directed and produced by Brad Peyton; Lopez also produces the feature for Nuyorican Productions. Set to release on Netflix on May 24, Atlas is Lopez’s second Netflix project after the 2023 action film Mother.
An adaptation of the thriller novel The Hole is coming from Esmail Corp, K Period Media, and Kim Jee-woon. The novel, written by Hye-Young Pyun, follows a man being cared for by his mother-in-law after a car accident that resulted in the death of his wife. The man begins to realize more about his wife and their relationship as he tries to escape from his care. The feature adaptation is said to take place between the U.S. and Korea, and feature both English and Korean dialogue. Kim will direct and co-write the film, and his Anthology Studios will produce.
T-Minus, an action-thriller film, is coming from Outlier Society for Amazon MGM Studios. The feature originally began as a project at Point of No Return Films (whose Drew Pearce is co-writing and producing) before Elizabeth Raposo of Outlier Society (who is producing) was drawn to the project when hearing its pitch. Michael B. Jordan also produces for Outlier Society, while Isa Dick Hackett, Sarah Scougal, and Kalen Egan produce for Electric Shepherd Productions. While the plot of the film is not yet known, it is an adaptation of the Philip K. Dick short story A Little Something for Us Tempunauts, which focuses on a group of time travelers caught in a time loop after returning from the future.
The action-adventure film Mayday has added Lovell Adams-Gray (Morningside/Power Book II: Ghost), Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm/Bodies Bodies Bodies), Marcin Dorocinski (Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One/The Queen’s Gambit), and Clark Johnson (Brawl in Cell Block 99/The Wire) to its cast. The film comes from a first-look partnership between Apple and Skydance Media. While the film’s plot - and the four actors’ roles - are unknown, Mayday comes from an original story by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, who will write, produce, and direct the film. The film also stars Ryan Reynolds (who also produces) and Kenneth Branagh.
The film rights for Wesley Wang’s short film nothing, except everything. have been acquired by TriStar Pictures after a bidding war. The short - a “romantic sci-fi thriller” that Wang made while a senior in high school - finds a high schooler using the number 7 as an outlet of order in a world of chaos. With the short being adapted into a film, Wang will write and direct. The feature adaptation will be produced by Protozoa, which is headed by Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel.
Blue Kimble - Robin L Marshall / Stringer
Comedy/Dramedy/Musical: Frank Adkinson Jr. (Smile/My Online Valentine) and Candice Vernon (Make America Great?) have announced the dark comedy film 117 Years of Movie Bullsh*t. Adkinson Jr. and Vernon co-write the film, with Adkinson Jr. and Vernon starring in and directing the feature, respectively. The feature’s executive producer, Blue Kimble (P-Valley/Ruthless), also stars in the film. The feature follows two aspiring Hollywood stars confronting Hollywood’s problematic past when they are sent back in time to the Gone With the Wind era of the industry and find themselves trapped in the roles of token Black characters as they try to return to the present. 117 Years of Movie Bullsh*t is the first feature from Viral Productions, and is currently in post-production.
Zoë Chao (Strangers/The Afterparty) will star in the MRC comedy Let’s Have Kids! The feature focuses on two friends, portrayed by Chao and Karen Gillan (the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy), who plan to become mothers at the same time. However, when only one of them gets pregnant, their friendship is tested. The film is co-written and directed by Adam Sztykiel, who previously co-wrote 2022’s Black Adam and 2010’s Due Date. Let’s Have Kids! will mark Sztykiel’s directorial debut, and is set to begin filming in 2024.
Level 33 Entertainment has acquired the world sales and North American distribution rights for the dark comedy East Bay. Starring Constance Wu (Fresh Off the Boat/Crazy Rich Asians), the film follows a man who believes he is a failure; on his way to getting back on track, the man begins to experience hallucinations. The film is written, directed, produced by, and stars Daniel Yoon (Post Concussion). Wu portrays one of the man’s friends, with Yoon calling her performance the best of her career. Level 33 Entertainment will release East Bay theatrically in North America this month, with a digital release to follow.
A buddy comedy film is set to star SZA and Keke Palmer. The untitled feature, which comes from TriStar Pictures, is to be directed by Lawrence Lamont and written by Syreeta Singleton - both creatives worked on Rap Sh!t. Singleton is also co-producing the feature, which marks the latest collaboration between SZA and Palmer after the two appeared on a Saturday Night Live episode as the musical guest and host, respectively. The two’s latest project arose at Sony Pictures’ CoCre lab, which itself began as a pact between ColorCreative and Columbia Pictures to help emerging, diverse screenwriters create their first feature scripts. Deadline first reported the news.
A remake of the 1993 romantic comedy The Wedding Banquet will star Lily Gladstone and Bowen Yang. Kelly Marie Tran, Yuh-jung Youn, and Joan Chen are also set to star. The remake will be directed and co-written by Andrew Ahn. James Schamus produces and writes with Ahn; Schamus co-wrote the 1993 film, which was directed by Ang Lee. The feature focuses on Min asking his best friend Angela to marry him after his boyfriend rejects his marriage proposal. The situation is complicated when Min’s grandmother arrives and prepares to throw a Korean wedding banquet for the two. The film is set to begin filming in May, and is planned to release theatrically in 2025.
Derek Luke - Kristina Bumphrey
Drama: Derek Luke (Antwone Fisher/Seeking a Friend for the End of the World) will portray Johnnie Cochran in the upcoming biopic Michael, based on the life of Michael Jackson. The feature stars Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, as the titular musician, and comes from Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International. Michael is directed by Antoine Fuqua, written by John Logan, and produced by Graham King, John Branca, and John McClain. Branca and McClain are the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate. The feature is set for a theatrical release on April 18, 2025.
About 30 minutes of the satirical thriller film The Juice have been scrapped. The film, which focuses on the possibility of O.J. Simpson being innocent, starred Charlotte Kirk as Nicole Brown Simpson and Boris Kodjoe (Station 19) as O.J. Simpson. The film is directed by Joshua Newton; its plot focused on real-life attorney Douglas McCann, who, at one point, Owen Wilson was in talks to portray. With a new actor being eyed for the role, Newton hopes to complete the film by Oct. 3, 2025.
Ruby Ruiz (Expats) will star in the feature directorial debut of James J. Robinson, First Light. An Australian-Filipino co-production, the feature follows a nun in the Philippines confronting the ethics of her institution after the death of a construction worker. Robinson, whose previous work includes the short films Inang Maynila and No Reception, also writes the feature. Bonsai Films will theatrically distribute the film in Australia and New Zealand, while Independent Entertainment will handle global sales. The film is currently undergoing principal photography.
Titus Kaphar’s feature directorial debut Exhibiting Forgiveness has been acquired by Roadside Attractions. Starring André Holland, Andra Day, John Earl Jelks, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, the feature follows a painter faced with reconnecting with his estranged father. The film comes from A Hunting Lane, Homegrown, Shade Pictures, and Revolution Ready Production. An inspiration for Exhibiting Forgiveness was “The Jerome Project,” a short documentary Kaphar created about his relationship with his father, along with a series of paintings.
David Castañeda (Ballerina/The Umbrella Academy) is in talks regarding the lead role in the indie biopic film Chalino, which focuses on musician Rosalino Sánchez Félix, known as Chalino and “El Rey del Corrido.” The film is written and directed by Jesus Celaya; his script won him the Latinx Fellowship at the 2020 Sundance Screenwriters and Directors Labs. While Castañeda has been circling the role for months, no deal has yet been made. The film’s production is eyeing to begin in 2024.
H.E.R. is re-collaborating with Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films and Scott Sanders Productions on a film inspired by Majorettes. H.E.R., Winfrey, and Sanders will produce the project, which follows a ballet dancer going to college. At a Historically Black College in Atlanta, the dancer attempts to bring the school’s majorettes team back to its former glory. The feature, coming from 20th Century Studios, is being written by Lauren Ashley Smith, with H.E.R. developing and starring in the film. The creative previously collaborated with Harpo Films and Scott Sanders Productions on 2023’s The Color Purple. News of the film was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Documentary: Array Releasing has acquired the rights to For Our Children in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The documentary is written, produced, and directed by Débora Souza Silva, and focuses on Reverend Wanda Johnson and Angela Williams, whose lives were changed by police brutality against young Black men. Silva, whose work has been funded by Sundance, the Tribeca Film Institute, and Catapult Film Fund, among others, is the recipient of the Creative Capital Award and the Les Payne Founder’s Award. Array Releasing has set a Netflix release date for the film of May 10.
Dawn Porter, director of the documentary Luther: Never Too Much, spoke with Variety about the documentary, which premiered at Hot Docs on April 25. The documentary focuses on R&B singer Luther Vandross, and features, in part, interviews with Vandross’ collaborators, archival footage, and concert footage. In her discussion with Variety, Porter discussed the development of the project, Sony Music Entertainment’s involvement, and the doc’s covering of difficult topics in the singer’s life. The documentary went to the Sundance Film Festival without a distributor. According to Porter, “advanced conversations” are being had about the film’s distribution.
Industry Update: IATSE and OSHA are investigating an accident on the set of Amazon MGM Studios’ The Pickup, an accident which injured several crew members. However, production of the film has not stopped, as the accident, which took place on April 20, occurred with the film’s 2nd unit team while filming an action sequence. The heist film is directed and produced by Tim Story, and stars Eddie Murphy (who also produces), Pete Davidson, Keke Palmer, Jack Kesy, Eva Longoria, Andrew Dice Clay, Ismael Cruz Cordova, and Marshawn Lynch. The plot of the film is currently unknown.
Jason Hafford and Thomas Drachkovitch are partnering at Dream Bay Entertainment. Drachkovitch acts as the founder and Managing Director, while Hafford acts as the co-founder and Head of Management. The company, launched in 2023, offers entertainment production, literary and talent management, and media advisory services divisions, with Hafford and Drachkovitch wanting to offer “strategic guidance, development expertise, and industry insights.” Hafford’s previous work includes serving as an agent in CAA’s global television department, where he worked in London, Mumbai, and Los Angeles. Drachkovitch’s previous work includes serving as Original Series Development Executive at Amazon Studios, where he also worked in London and India.
Adobe has partnered with ScreenSkills to extend their $6M Film and TV Fund to the U.K. The fund, which works to support under-represented communities in film and television, will provide approximately $250,000 in the U.K. across 2024 and 2025. The funds will help hundreds of under-represented creatives there. Some of the training programs developed through the partnership include Dream Big, a training program which offers practical production training, mentoring, and masterclasses, First Break for Unscripted Television, which creates career pathways in unscripted television, and the Film Skills Fund Inclusion and Diversity Conference, which focuses on promoting the benefits of film and television inclusivity and diversity.
David Jonsson (Rye Lane) read excerpts from books on the 2024 International Booker Prize shortlist in short films made with the Merman production company. In the shorts, Jonsson read from Selva Almada’s Not a River. Other celebrities reading across the six short films included Dua Lipa, Tobias Menzies, Eleanor Tomlinson, Anya Chalotra, and Antonio Thomas. The shorts were directed by Charlotte Hamblin (Downton Abbey/Operation Mincemeat) and were made available on Booker Prize’s website on April 24. The shorts will also be shown at Booker Prize’s prize ceremony on May 21.
Ray Chan has passed away at the age of 56. Having worked with a plethora of creatives, some of Chan’s work included serving as a supervising art director and production designer on multiple Marvel Cinematic Universe projects, including the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine. For his work on Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers: Endgame, Chan won two Art Directors Guild Awards - he was nominated an additional three times. Deadpool & Wolverine’s Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy, in addition to Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige and Louis D’Esposito, issued statements speaking on Chan’s work and character.
Producers United is advocating for better conditions for producers. In part, the organization is raising awareness regarding issues with fee disbursement, and is advocating for health benefits. Producers United is composed of 86 “Career Producers,” and is orchestrating meetings to discuss the above issues in the coming weeks. In regards to health care, the Career Producers are advocating for health insurance contributions to cover a production’s entire span, eight weeks of pre-production, and, at a minimum, the final eight weeks of post-production.
The Doris Duke Foundation has provided a $1M grant to the Sundance Institute. The Foundation aims to uplift Muslim stories, and the grant establishes the Building Bridges Fellowship and Completion Fund. Under the Completion Fund, recipients will receive up to $25,000 in support regarding post-production, marketing, public relations, or attendance costs associated with a Sundance premiere. Under the Building Bridges Fellowship, unrestricted artist grants of $10,000 will be given to fellows, in addition to services tailored to their goals, a Sundance Collab Community Package, and access to Sundance Institute’s ELEVATE program. The 2024 Building Bridges fellows, and their projects, are Fatimah Asghar with When We Were Sisters, Colette Ghunim with Traces of Home, Sherif Ibrahim with Wormholes in Cairo, Samia Khan-Bambrah with The Banker’s Daughter, Samina Saifee with AmeriGirl, and Akram Shibly with The Gift of Flight.
Tahra Grant is the new EVP, Chief Communications Officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Grant joined Sony in 2016; her previous roles at the studio included serving as SVP of Media Relations and SVP of Corporate Communications for the Motion Picture Group. Before working at Sony, Grant worked at Rubenstein Communications. Some of Sony’s filmography Grant has worked on includes Anyone But You, The Woman King, and Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse.
The Sundance Institute’s fellows for its Native Lab, Directors Lab, and Screenwriters Lab have been announced. Designed for participants of Native and Indigenous backgrounds, the Native Lab offers feature and episode script development sections and discussions, and centers Indigeneity in its participants’ storytelling. The Directors and Screenwriters Labs offer filmmaking opportunities and script-development sessions, respectively. Some of the fellows, and their projects, include Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan with Hum and Charine Pilar Gonzales with NDN Time at the Native Lab, and Keisha Rae Witherspoon and Jason Fitzroy Jeffers with Arc, Sylvia Khoury with I’m Heather, Kristine Gerolaga with Lamok, Diana Peralta with No Love Lost, and Urvashi Pathania with Skin at the Screenwriters and Directors Labs.
The fourth 1497 Features Lab will feature Zoya Akhtar (The Archies), Fawzia Mirza (Queen of My Dreams), and Roshan Sethi (A Nice Indian Boy) as mentors. The Features Lab, which focuses on elevating the careers of screenwriters of South Asian descent, will offer mentees script development and industry access. Like its Features Lab, 1497, founded in 2020 by Adeel Ahmed, Kamran Khan, and Lipica Shah, is an organization devoted to uplifting artists of South Asian descent. The 2024 Features Lab is enacting a Retreat and Pitch Day; the retreat takes place from Oct. 23-28, and will offer mentees workshops with actors and masterclasses, among other offerings. All eight recognized South Asian countries will be represented by the Features Lab team.
The three co-CEOs of Paramount Global recently assured the company of their plans regarding its future. The executives, comprising the company’s “Office of the CEO” committee, are George Cheeks, who serves as president and CEO of CBS, Chris McCarthy, who serves as president and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, and Brian Robbins, who serves as president and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon; Cheeks is the first person of color and the first African-American to head the company as a co-CEO. In their memo, the executives addressed, in part, their intention to develop long-term goals for Paramount, in addition to recognizing the company’s recent hard work. The three executives became co-CEOs after previous CEO and board member Bob Bakish’s exit.
