Motion Picture: ‘Nomadland’ Awards Takeover, Production In LA On The Rise
Gregg DeGuire / Stringer
Action: Barkhad Abdi, Adan Canto, and Jason Isaacs are joining the cast of the upcoming spy thriller Agent Game, a story about a CIA Agent framed for the murder of a detained foreign national (Abdi). Previously announced cast included Dermot Mulroney, Rhys Coiro, Annie Ilonzeh, and Mel Gibson. The film is directed by Grant S. Johnson and produced by Tyler W. Konney, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mike Langer.
Stuart C. Wilson / Stringer
Comedy: Singer-songwriter Gloria Estefan is in talks to co-star alongside Andy Garcia in the upcoming Father of the Bride reboot. A collaboration between Warner Bros and Plan B, the story follows a father managing the stress of his daughter’s wedding through the complex relationships within his large Cuban American family. The script is written by Matt Lopez with Adria Arjona starring as the titular bride-to-be, produced by Dede Garner and Jeremy Kleiner with Plan B Entertainment.
Chloe Zhao - Rich Fury
Drama: Sony Pictures Classics has acquired exclusive rights in North America, Australia, and New Zealand to Parallel Mothers (Madres Paralelas), the 13th collaboration between Sony and director/writer Pedro Almodóvar’s production company El Deseo. The drama explores the imperfect nature of motherhood as lived by three women, portrayed by Penélope Cruz, Aitana Sánchez Gijón, and Milena Smit. Produced by Agustín Almodóvar and Esther García through El Deseo, the film is available to stream on HBO Max as of April 30.
Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland swept the floor at the Independent Spirit Awards, taking home Best Feature, Best Director, Best Editor, and Best Cinematography. Other notable wins from the night include Riz Ahmed for Best Male Lead (Sound of Metal), Yuh-jung Youn for Best Supporting Female (Minari), and One Night in Miami… for the Robert Altman Award, presented to the ensemble cast, director, and casting director by the non-profit Film Independent.
Denzel Washington’s drama A Journal for Jordan is slated for a December release this year. Following the true story of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dana Canedy and her love affair with First Sergeant Charles Monroe King, the project is Washington’s most recent directorial effort since the Oscar-nominated Fences in 2016.The screenplay is written by John Burnham Schwartz and Virgil Williams, with Michael B. Jordan portraying Charles Monroe King.
Juan Ocampo
Documentary: Produced by Jamie Foxx and Kevin Hart, the upcoming Apple Originals double feature Number One on the Call Sheet will explore the challenges faced by Black actors and actresses in the entertainment industry, with one feature focusing on actresses and the other actors. The films will be directed by Shola Lynch and Reginald Hudlin, respectively, with Angela Basset, Halle Berry, Hudlin, and Bryan Smiley as Executive Producers. The films are projected to debut on Apple TV+.
Industry Update: An informational hearing regarding “Unseen Latinas in Hollywood” was held in Sacramento to explore the challenges Latinas face in breaking into the industry. The hearing illuminated multiple concerns regarding inclusivity of Latin Americans in the industry, as they hold nearly zero Executive positions among the 11 major film studios and 74 major television networks. Judalina Neira, co-executive producer of The Boys, closed the hearing by saying “I want to thank you all for starting this conversation; I’m optimistic for what we can do for the next five years.”
Things are looking up for production in Los Angeles, as on-location television filming has increased by about 45%, reaching pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2021. The same cannot yet be said for feature production, which though slowly improving still has a long way to go compared to TV. In this first quarter feature production is down 13.5% recording 575 shoot days compared to last year’s 665, according to FilmLA. It is likely that when it comes to new projects released in 2021 and possibly 2022, we will see a higher output of episodic and limited series content and fewer features, not taking into account those rescheduled from their original 2020 release dates.
