Look Out, Cannes! Russia Is Planning a Nice-Based Film Festival to Challenge It
Russia’s National Film Foundation Gosfilmofond has announced that its Alternativa international film festival that will take place in Nice concurrently with the Cannes Film Festival, starting next year. The new fest’s mission will be to screen films rejected by other prominent international film festivals like Cannes, Berlin and Venice, with emphasis on films by directors from the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and surrounding regions. (SAA)
Amazon Nabs New ‘Jack Ryan’ Series From Michael Bay and Carlton Cuse
In a competitive situation, Paramount Television’s hot TV series project based on Tom Clancy’s popular CIA hero has landed at Amazon, with the streaming service giving a series order to the drama. Show is not a direct adaptation of the books, as were the first Jack Ryan movies, but a new contemporary take on the character in his prime as a CIA analyst/operative using the novels as source material. (DH)
The Final Nail In ‘Pacific Rim 2’s Coffin? Universal Removes Sequel From Its Calendar
Studio released a statement confirming the followup to Guillermo del Toro’s film will be redated at a later time. Film was originally scheduled for release on August 4th, 2017, but the decision was made to delay the production and release of the sequel so that “the creative team can continue in its efforts to exceed the amazing experience of the first film.” (CBR)
Everything Must End, Even ‘Girls’, Which Lena Dunham Says Will Finish Up After Season Six
In a radio interview yesterday morning, she said that she and show runner Jenni Konner have had discussions with HBO about wrapping up the show after two more seasons. The fifth season has been shot and will premiere in January, which means that the end will almost certainly come in 2017. (HP)
Reese Witherspoon Joins With New Line and The Gotham Group For ‘In a Dark, Dark Wood’ Adaptation
Ruth Ware’s mystery novel is the second book-to-film collaboration between Pacific Standard and New Line, which teamed up on Garth Callaghan’s “Napkin Notes” earlier this year. The book was on the New York Times, USA Today and Los Angeles Times bestseller lists when it debuted in August. Story centers on a reclusive writer who receives an invitation to a bachelorette party of her best friend from high school, who she hasn’t seen in 10 years. (VAR)
That Long-Awaited ‘Enchanted’ Sequel Starts Picking Up Speed At Disney, Even Has a Working Title
Anne Fletcher (The Proposal) remains attached to direct, and the studio is now in the process of punching up the script with the hopes that it will be in greenlight-ready shape very soon. Additionally, it seems the current working title is Disenchanted. No word yet on which stars of the 2007 film — Amy Adams, James Marsden, Patrick Dempsey and Susan Sarandon will return. (COL)
Neal Mortiz’s Original Films Banner Returns To Sony TV, and Names a New Topper At the Same Time
The producer behind AMC’s upcoming comic adaptation Preacher has signed a two-year overall deal with the studio. Under the pact, Moritz and his Original Film banner will create comedy and drama projects for broadcast and cable and tapped a new head of television. Pavun Shetty has been tapped to oversee Original Film’s TV division. He comes from Chernin Entertainment and, before that, Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video. (LF)
Nat Wolff Weens Himself Off John Green, Signs Up For the Horror Movie ‘Death Note’
Actor best known for Green adaptations The Fault In Our Stars and Paper Towns has joined the cast of director Adam Wingard’s adaptation of the Japanese manga. Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata’s work focuses on a high school student who comes across a handy notebook which allows its owner to kill anyone he pleases by writing their name in the book and picturing their face. He decides to use his newfound power to rid the world of evil. (EMP)
Eighteen Years Later, There’s a ‘Soul Food’ Sequel In Development At Fox 2000
Called More Soul Food, project is based on the 1997 ensemble film. George Tillman Jr., who wrote and directed the original, is writing with Nathan Skulnik. The original, starring Vanessa Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long, Michael Beach and Mekhi Phifer, followed a close-knit African American family with a tradition of eating a big Sunday dinner together. But their bond begins to fall apart after the death of their matriarch. It spawned a long-running Showtime drama. (THR)
Screenwriters: ‘Munich’
The undated, unspecified 163-page screenplay by Tony Kushner and Eric Roth, based on the book Vengeance, by George Jonas. (DS)