AWARDS HEADLINES
Awards 2016: Harvey Keitel Breaks Tough Guy Routine to Muse on the Merits of Friendship & Joke with Michael Caine on the Set of ‘Youth’
If it seems like you haven’t seen Harvey Keitel do a lot of smiling and laughing on the big screen of late, you’re not alone. He’ll be the first one to agree with you, saying “I share your observation.” Which will be followed by a knowing chuckle by the legendary tough guy, putting you at ease with the notion that his performance as an aging film director in this week’s Youth is so out of the norm. (SSN)
The Oscars’ Year of the Crucible: Evaluating the Top Cinematography Contenders
Vengeance, hate, survival, redemption and forbidden love are explored in this year’s top six Best Cinematography contenders, in which nature very much determines character. Will Roger Deakins get his 13th nomination and finally win his first Oscar? Will Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki take his third straight trophy? It’s been a beautiful year at the movies. (TOH)
As We Wonder About Which Actors Will Be In What Categories, We Also Know That the Academy Has a Long History Of Category Fraud
“Category fraud” is a harsh term to describe the fact that Oscar strategists are pushing some actors into unexpected categories, in hopes that it works to their advantage. There’s no reason to worry, though, because voters will be the ultimate arbiters, deciding how they want to define a work. Equally important, the history of awards is filled with blurred lines, and over the years, most people have stopped questioning it. (IC)
OTHER HEADLINES
SSN Box Office Trending Report for 12/4/15: ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Picks Up Even More Steam Ahead of Release
In our latest weekly series, SSN Insider will take a deep dive into the film ticket sales of the week leveraging data from the powerhouse ticketing website, MovieTickets.com. Not only will the infographic pinpoint which movies are claiming the largest piece of the pie from day to day in terms of sales but also which film had the biggest uptick in terms of a percentage variance surge and which had the biggest downtick or steepest dive between any two points. (SSN)
On the Set For 12/4/15: Gal Gadot Grabs Her Lasso for ‘Wonder Woman’, Brad Pitt Wraps ‘War Machine’, ‘Resident Evil’ Team Finish Final Chapter
A lot of projects get off the ground this week, including Bryan Cranston and Jennifer Garner in Wakefield, a new Blumhouse film called The Keeping Hours, and Will Smith, Jason Segel and Helen Mirren in David Frankel’s Collateral Beauty. Meanwhile, the new Bridget Jones movie, the boxing pic The Bleeder and The Conjuring sequel all complete principal photography. (SSN)
Lucasfilm Looks Forward, Talks With Four Female Directors and Three Female Writers For Its Next Film
Adriana Alberghetti, an agent and partner at power agency William Morris Endeavor, has managed to procure meetings for several of her clients with an eye towards upcoming Star Wars movies. While none off the women are named, Alberghetti represents such high profile directors as Sarah Gavron (Suffragette) and S.J. Clarkson (Jessica Jones) as well as prolific screenwriters like Linda Woolverton (Maleficent) and Marti Noxon. (CS)
The Tracking Board Has Come Out With Its 2015 Hit List — Did Your Script Make the Cut?
It’s that time of the year again, as the website puts out its sixth annual list of the most admired spec scripts, as voted on by industry professionals. To be eligible, a spec needs to have hit the market between December 1st and November 30th. For the full list, head on over to The Tracking Board. (TB)
Universal’s ‘The Wolf Man’ Reboot Sets Its Sites On a 2018 Release Date
The second film in the studio’s intended Monster Universe will open on March 30th, 2018. That’s approximately one year after the March 24th, 2017 release of The Mummy, to be directed by Alex Kurtzman and potentially starring Tom Cruise. Aaron Guzikowski has written the script for The Wolf Man, which is now looking for a director. (SF)
Female Revenge Drama From Jennifer Johnson & Sue Chung Set At The CW
The pair have teamed up for an untitled drama project (aka Furious), which has been set up at the network. Written by Chung, the drama centers on a trio of women who work outside the law to deliver justice against those who evade punishment in the legal system. At the same time, they seek personal revenge against the people responsible for destroying their own lives. Chung and Johnson executive produce for Warner Bros. TV. (DH)
Trailer Buzz: ‘The Nice Guys’
Warner Bros. has released the first red band trailer of the upcoming action comedy, starring Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Kim Basinger and Matt Bomer. Written and directed by Shane Black, the movie hits theaters May 20th, 2016. (EMP)