AWARDS HEADLINES
‘Son of Saul’ and These 8 Other Foreign Films Inch Closer to Oscar Nominations
Out of 80 accepted Oscar submissions, nine features have been shortlisted to advance to the next round of voting. The five nominees will be announced on January 14, 2016 alongside all other categories. (IDW)
In Predicting the Best Picture Oscar Winner, Study Shows Films Often Tap into What’s Trending
The most common type of best picture winner is one that, directly or indirectly, speaks to the zeitgeist — the spirit of the age, the issues people care about in the moment, the things that seem “important” now. (THR)
OTHER HEADLINES
‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Begins Epic U.S. Box Office Siege with Record Thursday-Night Opening
J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens is headed for a $50 million-$55 million Thursday-night opening at the North American box office. Prerelease tracking suggests Force Awakens will earn in the $180 million-$220 million range for the weekend. (THR)
Across the Globe, ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ is Hitting Light Speed
After taking $14.1 million on its opening day in 12 markets on Wednesday, The Force Awakens went into light speed in the UK on Thursday with an estimated £9.6 million — that’s $14.3 million in one day and one market alone. (DL)
‘Steve Jobs’ Katherine Waterston to Star in ‘Alien: Covenant’
The actress broke out last year with Inherent Vice, delivered an emotional performance in Steve Jobs and shot the highly anticipated Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Next up is Ridley Scott‘s Prometheus sequel, Alien: Covenant. (/FILM)
In David and Goliath Battle, Goliath Scores Win in UTA and ICM vs. Boutique Agency Lenhoff & Lenhoff
A federal judge granted UTA and ICM Partners’ motion to dismiss the claims in the dispute arising out of two clients of the smaller agency allegedly being poached by the big guys, the charges include complaint of cartels among the so-called ‘Uber’ talent agencies and conspiracy to create an oligopoly. (DL)
Colombia’s Caracol TV Doesn’t Skimp in Launching Mega-Production at NATPE
Featuring up to 11 exotic locations in Colombia, authenticated period costumes and up to 400 extras in battle and village scenes, telenovela The White Slave took seven months to shoot after five months of development and pre-production. (VAR)
‘Maze Runner’s’ Dylan O’Brien Sprints Over to ‘Little White Corvette’
The action comedy that was once set up at two different studios and was to have been a starring vehicle for Emma Stone has now been picked up by Twentieth Century Fox and will now star Dylan O’Brien. (THR)
The Show Everyone Around the World is Watching is Africa’s Take on ‘Sex and the City’
The web TV series An African City follows the lives of independent young women in the Ghanaian capital Accra – and it has struck a chord with women around the world. (BBC)
12 Ways to Make Your Commute a Little More Tolerable
With traffic beginning to take over all hours of the day in L.A. along with cyclists, potholes, pedestrians, and construction making streets a veritable obstacle course, here are some ways to make that commute more bearable. (HP)