Sundance Institute has announced the 2024 Directors, Screenwriters, and Native Labs fellows.
The Native Lab takes place in person in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from April 29–May 4 and will support four fellows and two artists in residence. The Lab focuses on centring Indigeneity in the storytelling of participants from Native and Indigenous backgrounds and will work on feature film and episodic scripts through one-on-one feedback sections and roundtable discussions with advisors.
The fellows are: Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan (writer-director) with Hum (Phil-usa); Ryland Walker Knight (writer-director) with The Lip Of The World (USA); Charine Pilar Gonzales (writer-director) with Ndn Time (USA...
The Native Lab takes place in person in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from April 29–May 4 and will support four fellows and two artists in residence. The Lab focuses on centring Indigeneity in the storytelling of participants from Native and Indigenous backgrounds and will work on feature film and episodic scripts through one-on-one feedback sections and roundtable discussions with advisors.
The fellows are: Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan (writer-director) with Hum (Phil-usa); Ryland Walker Knight (writer-director) with The Lip Of The World (USA); Charine Pilar Gonzales (writer-director) with Ndn Time (USA...
- 4/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
Sundance Institute announced today the fellows selected for the 2024 Directors, Screenwriters, and Native Labs. The Native Lab in New Mexico will support four fellows and two artists in residence, and the Directors Lab in Colorado will support the development of eight projects with nine fellows, with an additional three fellows also joining for the online Screenwriters Lab held immediately after.
For over four decades, Sundance Institute’s signature labs have provided filmmakers a nurturing, immersive environment to develop their projects and refine their artistic voice under the guidance of accomplished creative advisors.
The 2024 Native Lab, taking place in person in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from April 29–May 4, is designed for participants of Native and Indigenous backgrounds and focuses on centering Indigeneity in their storytelling. Fellows will build community and refine their feature film and episodic scripts through one-on-one feedback sections and roundtable discussions with advisors. Four fellows were selected: three who are U.
For over four decades, Sundance Institute’s signature labs have provided filmmakers a nurturing, immersive environment to develop their projects and refine their artistic voice under the guidance of accomplished creative advisors.
The 2024 Native Lab, taking place in person in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from April 29–May 4, is designed for participants of Native and Indigenous backgrounds and focuses on centering Indigeneity in their storytelling. Fellows will build community and refine their feature film and episodic scripts through one-on-one feedback sections and roundtable discussions with advisors. Four fellows were selected: three who are U.
- 4/29/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Craig Mazin, co-creator, writer, director and executive producer of HBO’s breakout new drama series The Last Of Us, has re-upped his exclusive television deal with the network and sibling streamer Max for an additional four years.
No one is commenting but I hear the premium pact is in the eight figures. That should not come as a surprise as Mazin has delivered two back-to-back commercial and critical hits for HBO with the Emmy-winning limited series Chernobyl and drama series The Last Of Us.
Delayed by the strike, Season 2 of the post-apocalyptic drama starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey started in Vancouver last week for a 2025 premiere. Mazin co-created the adaptation of the popular PlayStation game with the game’s Neil Druckmann.
The two share writing, showrunning and episodic directing duties on the drama, which transcended genre to bring in large audiences beyond the game’s devoted followers. The...
No one is commenting but I hear the premium pact is in the eight figures. That should not come as a surprise as Mazin has delivered two back-to-back commercial and critical hits for HBO with the Emmy-winning limited series Chernobyl and drama series The Last Of Us.
Delayed by the strike, Season 2 of the post-apocalyptic drama starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey started in Vancouver last week for a 2025 premiere. Mazin co-created the adaptation of the popular PlayStation game with the game’s Neil Druckmann.
The two share writing, showrunning and episodic directing duties on the drama, which transcended genre to bring in large audiences beyond the game’s devoted followers. The...
- 2/21/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Timothée Chalomet in WonkaPhoto: Jaap Buittendijk/Warner Bros.
A year ago we couldn’t have said definitively whether Wonka would be a delightful musical extravaganza or a total disaster. Either outcome seemed plausible. After all, was anyone actually clamoring for yet another version of the mysterious, magical chocolatier from Roald Dahl’s beloved book series?...
A year ago we couldn’t have said definitively whether Wonka would be a delightful musical extravaganza or a total disaster. Either outcome seemed plausible. After all, was anyone actually clamoring for yet another version of the mysterious, magical chocolatier from Roald Dahl’s beloved book series?...
- 12/5/2023
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
It's a miracle Peter Berg's "Hancock" exists at all.
The revisionist Will Smith superhero flick began life in 1996 as a spec screenplay by Vy Vincent Ngo called "Tonight, He Comes." The tale of a surly, alcoholic antihero was way ahead of its time; it was a refutation of comic book movies that weren't being made in the absurd volume we're seeing today. It was also startlingly original, which prompted no less an A-lister than Tony Scott to acquire it as a potential directing project. It was one of the hottest scripts in Hollywood, and, for six solid years, it went absolutely nowhere.
"Tonight, He Comes" nearly went before cameras in the early 2000s under the direction of Michael Mann, then nearly came to fruition with the likes of Jonathan Mostow and Gabriele Muccino at the helm. Vince Gilligan and John August were brought in to rework the script in...
The revisionist Will Smith superhero flick began life in 1996 as a spec screenplay by Vy Vincent Ngo called "Tonight, He Comes." The tale of a surly, alcoholic antihero was way ahead of its time; it was a refutation of comic book movies that weren't being made in the absurd volume we're seeing today. It was also startlingly original, which prompted no less an A-lister than Tony Scott to acquire it as a potential directing project. It was one of the hottest scripts in Hollywood, and, for six solid years, it went absolutely nowhere.
"Tonight, He Comes" nearly went before cameras in the early 2000s under the direction of Michael Mann, then nearly came to fruition with the likes of Jonathan Mostow and Gabriele Muccino at the helm. Vince Gilligan and John August were brought in to rework the script in...
- 11/4/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
A superhero character that starts as a little boy and can simply become a superhero with just a word? That sounds like the dream of nearly every kid growing up that read comic books. So it’s not a surprise that this lesser-known character ended up being one of DC’s biggest successes on the silver screen. From hiring a horror director with no action experience to hiring a comedy lead not exactly known for his physique, this had almost everything working against it. Yet it managed to be the most highly praised in all of superhero film, so today on DC Revisited, let’s go into the Rock of Eternity and say his name, as we get into everything Shazam!
Shazam had a pretty unique history, first appearing back in Whiz Comics in 1940, his name was originally Captain Thunder. This changed to Captain Marvelous, then shortened down to Captain Marvel.
Shazam had a pretty unique history, first appearing back in Whiz Comics in 1940, his name was originally Captain Thunder. This changed to Captain Marvelous, then shortened down to Captain Marvel.
- 11/2/2023
- by Tyler Nichols
- JoBlo.com
When you think about where to head for Halloween favorites, Disney+ probably doesn’t immediately spring to mind. But just because Disney+ is free from blood-and-gore extravaganzas doesn’t mean it can’t scratch your spooky itch. In fact, far from it! There is a pretty robust amount of Halloween (and Halloween-adjacent) fair on Disney’s direct-to-consumer platform, including a bunch of new stuff that was recently added and so many classics, for every age group. Here are our choices for the very best Halloween movies and shows on Disney+ right now.
Frankenweenie (2012) Photo: Disney
Unlike other Disney remakes, which start out in animation before transitioning to live-action, Tim Burton decided to remake his oddball live-action short film (one of his “after school projects” that kept him busy while animating for Disney) in the form of a feature-length stop-motion animated film. Talk about a curveball! One of his most emotionally resonant and overlooked films,...
Frankenweenie (2012) Photo: Disney
Unlike other Disney remakes, which start out in animation before transitioning to live-action, Tim Burton decided to remake his oddball live-action short film (one of his “after school projects” that kept him busy while animating for Disney) in the form of a feature-length stop-motion animated film. Talk about a curveball! One of his most emotionally resonant and overlooked films,...
- 10/26/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
The Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark episode of Wtf Happened to This Adaptation? was Written and Narrated by Andrew Hatfield, Edited by Mike Conway, Produced by Lance Vlcek and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian. Here is the text of Hatfield’s script:
Campfire tales. Town legends. Ghost stories. Whatever you want to call them, they exist as a way to tell stories from one generation to the next. They can be told at summer camp, at sleepovers, or by grandpa when he’s had an extra J & B and is feeling squirrely. They can be urban legends, embellished stories based in fact, or even just a made-up tale to illicit fright from its listeners. For certain generations, the stories of Alvin Schwartz accompanied by the illustrations of Stephen Gammel have terrified kids who stumbled upon them at the Scholastic book fair and given adults Ptsd...
Campfire tales. Town legends. Ghost stories. Whatever you want to call them, they exist as a way to tell stories from one generation to the next. They can be told at summer camp, at sleepovers, or by grandpa when he’s had an extra J & B and is feeling squirrely. They can be urban legends, embellished stories based in fact, or even just a made-up tale to illicit fright from its listeners. For certain generations, the stories of Alvin Schwartz accompanied by the illustrations of Stephen Gammel have terrified kids who stumbled upon them at the Scholastic book fair and given adults Ptsd...
- 10/20/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Writers are overwhelmingly in favor of the new contract its guild has won from the studios. WGA members have voted in favor of ratifying the new minimum basic agreement, with an enormous 99 percent of members who voted approving the contract. The strike is officially over.
The guild said of the 8,525 valid votes cast, there were 8,435 “yes” votes and 90 “no” votes. Back in 2020, the last time the contract came up for a ratification vote, 98 percent of members approved it, but only 4,155 valid votes were cast.
Writers will now work under this contract effective through May 1, 2026.
“Through solidarity and determination, we have ratified a contract with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of our combined membership,” said Wgaw president Meredith Stiehm. “Together we were able to accomplish what many said was impossible only six months ago. We would not have been able to achieve this industry-changing contract without WGA Chief Negotiator Ellen Stutzman,...
The guild said of the 8,525 valid votes cast, there were 8,435 “yes” votes and 90 “no” votes. Back in 2020, the last time the contract came up for a ratification vote, 98 percent of members approved it, but only 4,155 valid votes were cast.
Writers will now work under this contract effective through May 1, 2026.
“Through solidarity and determination, we have ratified a contract with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of our combined membership,” said Wgaw president Meredith Stiehm. “Together we were able to accomplish what many said was impossible only six months ago. We would not have been able to achieve this industry-changing contract without WGA Chief Negotiator Ellen Stutzman,...
- 10/9/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Consent, credit and compensation.
Those were the terms that SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland and Writers Guild of America West negotiating committee member John August called for in order for guild members’ work, likenesses and brands to be used to train artificial intelligence systems. At a hearing before the Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday, they joined other representatives for various groups — including authors, voice actors and musicians — to warn of the encroachment of generative AI into the media and entertainment industries that they say undercuts their labor and presents heightened risks of fraud.
The rise of AI tools have concerned creators who’ve been urging policymakers to institute guardrails surrounding the use of the technology. In the absence of regulation, the WGA secured a deal with studios and streamers that provides some protection for members on how it can be credited and utilized. SAG-AFTRA has been pushing for similar terms in its negotiations.
Those were the terms that SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland and Writers Guild of America West negotiating committee member John August called for in order for guild members’ work, likenesses and brands to be used to train artificial intelligence systems. At a hearing before the Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday, they joined other representatives for various groups — including authors, voice actors and musicians — to warn of the encroachment of generative AI into the media and entertainment industries that they say undercuts their labor and presents heightened risks of fraud.
The rise of AI tools have concerned creators who’ve been urging policymakers to institute guardrails surrounding the use of the technology. In the absence of regulation, the WGA secured a deal with studios and streamers that provides some protection for members on how it can be credited and utilized. SAG-AFTRA has been pushing for similar terms in its negotiations.
- 10/4/2023
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Win some, lose some. That’s how negotiations go, and it’s how the WGA and AMPTP settled their lengthy standoff. In an impressive feat of transparency, the WGA laid out its own strike receipts from start to finish. The strike is over, but “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” screenwriter and WGA committee member John August told IndieWire that doesn’t mean the guild stops fighting.
With AI, the guild won precedent: AI can’t replace a human worker, or drive down their wages or working conditions. And he described the fight for success-based residuals as “our first crack,” but the writers will use the next three years to figure out how well the model works.
In an extended conversation with August over Zoom on September 27, the day after the contract details were released, he broke down the wins and the compromises, and where the WGA will need to keep pursuing its goals.
With AI, the guild won precedent: AI can’t replace a human worker, or drive down their wages or working conditions. And he described the fight for success-based residuals as “our first crack,” but the writers will use the next three years to figure out how well the model works.
In an extended conversation with August over Zoom on September 27, the day after the contract details were released, he broke down the wins and the compromises, and where the WGA will need to keep pursuing its goals.
- 9/29/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
It was musical Monday for WGA picketers on day 56 of the Writers Guild strike, with Death Row Records representing in front of Sunset Bronson Studios, site of one of Netflix’s many Los Angeles-based offices.
Death Row boss and WGA supporter Snoop Dogg was unable to attend today due to prior commitments in the recording studio but he sent along Death Row Gm John Payne and label executive K Dubb who spoke to Deadline about why they were in attendance.
“The reason why I’m here is personal and business,” said Payne. “This means a lot to me and we’re all in the same gang when it comes to this. Without these people and their pens, there would be no TV shows and there would be no place for us to put our music. I see all these expensive cars going in (to Netflix) and [the writers] have on old shoes.
Death Row boss and WGA supporter Snoop Dogg was unable to attend today due to prior commitments in the recording studio but he sent along Death Row Gm John Payne and label executive K Dubb who spoke to Deadline about why they were in attendance.
“The reason why I’m here is personal and business,” said Payne. “This means a lot to me and we’re all in the same gang when it comes to this. Without these people and their pens, there would be no TV shows and there would be no place for us to put our music. I see all these expensive cars going in (to Netflix) and [the writers] have on old shoes.
- 6/27/2023
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Deadline’s Strike Talk podcast is now at Week 8, as we complete a stretch in which the standoff between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers passed the 50-day mark, halfway to the 100-day dispute that decimated Hollywood in 2007 and the 253-day dispute of 1988.
This week, host Billy Ray holds court with The Black List principal and former studio exec Franklin Leonard and three members of the current WGA Negotiating Committee in Yahlin Chang, Danielle Sanchez-Witzel and John August. There is no wavering in their resolve to make a strong deal but also give writers a chance to continue a healthy creative ecosystem by addressing AI, mini-rooms and minimums.
They reveal some compelling information. Ray laments that when he was a member of the negotiating committee how disappointed he and his cohorts were to learn that 33% of membership was making the minimum; that figure is now 50%, he said.
This week, host Billy Ray holds court with The Black List principal and former studio exec Franklin Leonard and three members of the current WGA Negotiating Committee in Yahlin Chang, Danielle Sanchez-Witzel and John August. There is no wavering in their resolve to make a strong deal but also give writers a chance to continue a healthy creative ecosystem by addressing AI, mini-rooms and minimums.
They reveal some compelling information. Ray laments that when he was a member of the negotiating committee how disappointed he and his cohorts were to learn that 33% of membership was making the minimum; that figure is now 50%, he said.
- 6/23/2023
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline Film + TV
Two years ago, during the lockdown, I wrote that I had become addicted to those little bird-box libraries that make walking here something of a literary pilgrimage.
I’m still addicted. And almost two months ago, just before the writers strike began, I made a charming discovery–that one of my neighbors is a Very Famous Writer– all thanks to his sidewalk library.
The writer will remain unnamed, because privacy is something to be respected, even by reporters. But here’s the short form:
About four o’clock one afternoon, before the dog-crowd comes out, I felt a need for one of those short, head-clearing walks. A good target, I figured, would be a spot some blocks away, where somebody or other was maintaining what I’d long thought was the best little library in town. I won’t give titles, because some of those might tip the owner’s identity.
I’m still addicted. And almost two months ago, just before the writers strike began, I made a charming discovery–that one of my neighbors is a Very Famous Writer– all thanks to his sidewalk library.
The writer will remain unnamed, because privacy is something to be respected, even by reporters. But here’s the short form:
About four o’clock one afternoon, before the dog-crowd comes out, I felt a need for one of those short, head-clearing walks. A good target, I figured, would be a spot some blocks away, where somebody or other was maintaining what I’d long thought was the best little library in town. I won’t give titles, because some of those might tip the owner’s identity.
- 6/11/2023
- by Michael Cieply
- Deadline Film + TV
It was Pride and Drag Queen picket day in Los Angeles, where around 300 people hit up Warner Bros. Discovery to highlight their issues as the strike marches into its second month.
The hundreds of writers attending the picket were provided glitter and stickers for their signs on the first day of Pride month. The event attracted the likes of Severance creator Dan Erickson to Yellowjackets star Liv Hewson.
“When queer writers are under attack,” chanted the crowd, “What do we do? Stand up, fight back.” Others added, “If we don’t get it, shut it down.”
Signs featured sayings such as “Protect All Queer Art” and “I’m Gay For Pay” as Whitney Houston’s I’m Every Woman blasted from a speaker system.
On the scene at the Pride Picket outside of Warner Bros. Studios in LA #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/tyDgjgdAJx
— Deadline Hollywood (@Deadline) June 1, 2023
John August, a...
The hundreds of writers attending the picket were provided glitter and stickers for their signs on the first day of Pride month. The event attracted the likes of Severance creator Dan Erickson to Yellowjackets star Liv Hewson.
“When queer writers are under attack,” chanted the crowd, “What do we do? Stand up, fight back.” Others added, “If we don’t get it, shut it down.”
Signs featured sayings such as “Protect All Queer Art” and “I’m Gay For Pay” as Whitney Houston’s I’m Every Woman blasted from a speaker system.
On the scene at the Pride Picket outside of Warner Bros. Studios in LA #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/tyDgjgdAJx
— Deadline Hollywood (@Deadline) June 1, 2023
John August, a...
- 6/1/2023
- by Matt Grobar, Sean Piccoli and Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
This is part of a series of frank accounts of the strike from Hollywood writers at different levels in their careers. The diarists have been granted anonymity to encourage candor. You can read previous entries by ‘Eastside Warrior’ and others here.
Week Three. Bull horns. Whistles. Personal speaker systems. We’re starting to get the hang of this strike thing. Someone had a freight train horn installed on his car and started circling Disney. When you drag anxious, Vitamin-d deprived introverts away from their MacBooks and expose them to actual sunlight, catharsis happens.
Maybe it’s the tread falling off our discount tennis shoe. Maybe it’s the light touch of sun stroke. Maybe it’s the constant tsunami of people overwhelming Paramount. (Friday was Trek day, and all the Starfleet uniforms on display made it look like revenge of the Red Shirts.) Whatever it is, there’s definitely something...
Week Three. Bull horns. Whistles. Personal speaker systems. We’re starting to get the hang of this strike thing. Someone had a freight train horn installed on his car and started circling Disney. When you drag anxious, Vitamin-d deprived introverts away from their MacBooks and expose them to actual sunlight, catharsis happens.
Maybe it’s the tread falling off our discount tennis shoe. Maybe it’s the light touch of sun stroke. Maybe it’s the constant tsunami of people overwhelming Paramount. (Friday was Trek day, and all the Starfleet uniforms on display made it look like revenge of the Red Shirts.) Whatever it is, there’s definitely something...
- 5/22/2023
- by Anonymous
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Writers Guild of America negotiating committee member John August has publicly disclosed his company’s investment in an artificial intelligence-powered writing tool and is facing some member blowback as the WGA is seeking to regulate the use of the technology in its current negotiations.
The Big Fish and Aladdin screenwriter (and co-host of the popular Scriptnotes podcast) on Friday posted a blog entry about his involvement with Sudowrite, an “AI writing partner” fueled by OpenAI’s Gpt-3 that purports to generate early drafts, perform revisions and offer synonyms and word suggestions for writers. In the post, August — who beyond his writing work helms the Quote-Unquote Apps company, which is behind the Weekend Read and Highland apps — says that he was first introduced to Sudowrite founder Amit Gupta in August 2021, when the company was focused on prose fiction. (As of Friday, the service was advertising to writers online that it would...
The Big Fish and Aladdin screenwriter (and co-host of the popular Scriptnotes podcast) on Friday posted a blog entry about his involvement with Sudowrite, an “AI writing partner” fueled by OpenAI’s Gpt-3 that purports to generate early drafts, perform revisions and offer synonyms and word suggestions for writers. In the post, August — who beyond his writing work helms the Quote-Unquote Apps company, which is behind the Weekend Read and Highland apps — says that he was first introduced to Sudowrite founder Amit Gupta in August 2021, when the company was focused on prose fiction. (As of Friday, the service was advertising to writers online that it would...
- 5/20/2023
- by Katie Kilkenny
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)
If one were to write a book about a handful of movies that defined Hollywood, it would be very difficult to imagine writing that book without including 2008's "Iron Man." While the superhero movie boom certainly began several years earlier with the likes of "X-Men" and "Spider-Man," not to mention "Batman Begins," it was director Jon Favreau's take on Tony Stark that completely reshaped the way people in the movie business think about filmmaking in general. Forget sequels -- cinematic universes are the way of the future!
Yet, the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it was merely an idea in the summer of '08 when this movie arrived, with the potential to connect the various films in development at Marvel Studios...
If one were to write a book about a handful of movies that defined Hollywood, it would be very difficult to imagine writing that book without including 2008's "Iron Man." While the superhero movie boom certainly began several years earlier with the likes of "X-Men" and "Spider-Man," not to mention "Batman Begins," it was director Jon Favreau's take on Tony Stark that completely reshaped the way people in the movie business think about filmmaking in general. Forget sequels -- cinematic universes are the way of the future!
Yet, the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it was merely an idea in the summer of '08 when this movie arrived, with the potential to connect the various films in development at Marvel Studios...
- 5/6/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
It’s jarring how much the entertainment landscape has changed since the last writers strike: In 2007, Netflix was still primarily a DVD-by-mail business, Amazon Studios and Apple hadn’t yet crossed over from Silicon Valley to Hollywood, and streaming as we know it didn’t exist. Now there’s more content being produced than ever, with the streamers and legacy players like Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery spending well into the billions each year.
Once again, a strike is happening during a period of widespread economic uncertainty spurred by inflation, concerns of a recession, and mass layoffs in media and entertainment. But this time around, there’s a twist: the ascension of generative artificial intelligence. If half the internet can be tricked by an AI-created Drake and The Weeknd collab, could that same tech write scripts and enable studios to create more content for less money?
Initially, as ChatGPT emerged...
Once again, a strike is happening during a period of widespread economic uncertainty spurred by inflation, concerns of a recession, and mass layoffs in media and entertainment. But this time around, there’s a twist: the ascension of generative artificial intelligence. If half the internet can be tricked by an AI-created Drake and The Weeknd collab, could that same tech write scripts and enable studios to create more content for less money?
Initially, as ChatGPT emerged...
- 5/3/2023
- by Ashley Cullins and Katie Kilkenny
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
While the Writers Guild of America is at the negotiating table with studios and streamers hammering out the industry’s approach to this evolving technology, the union has clarified its stance on works created with the help of artificial intelligence.
The guild stated that it is seeking in these talks to ban AI from being used as source material and AI-written works and AI-rewritten works from being covered under its contract; the union also wants to preclude AI-created writing from being considered for credits. The guild additionally seeks to prohibit writers from being assigned “AI-generated material to adapt” and is also looking to prohibit “AI software generat[ing] covered literary material.”
The guild wrote in its statement, “The WGA’s proposal to regulate use of material produced using artificial intelligence or similar technologies ensures the Companies can’t use AI to undermine writers’ working standards including compensation, residuals, separated rights and credits.
The guild stated that it is seeking in these talks to ban AI from being used as source material and AI-written works and AI-rewritten works from being covered under its contract; the union also wants to preclude AI-created writing from being considered for credits. The guild additionally seeks to prohibit writers from being assigned “AI-generated material to adapt” and is also looking to prohibit “AI software generat[ing] covered literary material.”
The guild wrote in its statement, “The WGA’s proposal to regulate use of material produced using artificial intelligence or similar technologies ensures the Companies can’t use AI to undermine writers’ working standards including compensation, residuals, separated rights and credits.
- 3/22/2023
- by Katie Kilkenny
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
As the possibility of a writers’ strike looms, studios are bracing for the fallout. The Writers Guild of America’s contract with studios expires on May 1, and if the two parties can’t reach a compromise before then, Hollywood could essentially shut down. A strike would put many projects at risk of delays or even cancellation because the schedules of actors, directors, and production employees are set months or even years in advance. Therefore, through a variety of backup plans, including accelerating production schedules, stockpiling scripts, and increasing foreign productions, studios, networks, and producers are planning and preparing for the worst.
“The entire town is dealing with fear, anxiety and depression, and that’s without there being a massive strike,” Peter Newman, head of NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ Mba/ Mfa program, told Variety. “Companies are bleeding money, and no one has figured out a cogent business plan for the next decade.
“The entire town is dealing with fear, anxiety and depression, and that’s without there being a massive strike,” Peter Newman, head of NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ Mba/ Mfa program, told Variety. “Companies are bleeding money, and no one has figured out a cogent business plan for the next decade.
- 3/17/2023
- by Jessica Lerner
- The Streamable
It’s only a matter of time before late-night cracks the streaming model.
Chelsea, hosted by Chelsea Handler, and Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj opened the door for late-night shows on Netflix, followed by a second wave of streaming originals such as Apple TV+’s The Problem with Jon Stewart and Peacock’s The Amber Ruffin Show.
The latter two shows did not exist the last time there was a negotiation between the WGA and the AMPTP.
But in 2020, the writers guild did attempt to help scribes working for streaming comedy-variety shows by lobbying for WGA minimums to apply.
At the time, the WGA’s negotiating committee said, that “comedy-variety is perhaps the oldest television genre and it’s still going strong with more new shows being produced now than in any time in recent memory. And for the past few years this genre has been quite popular on subscriber streaming platforms.
Chelsea, hosted by Chelsea Handler, and Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj opened the door for late-night shows on Netflix, followed by a second wave of streaming originals such as Apple TV+’s The Problem with Jon Stewart and Peacock’s The Amber Ruffin Show.
The latter two shows did not exist the last time there was a negotiation between the WGA and the AMPTP.
But in 2020, the writers guild did attempt to help scribes working for streaming comedy-variety shows by lobbying for WGA minimums to apply.
At the time, the WGA’s negotiating committee said, that “comedy-variety is perhaps the oldest television genre and it’s still going strong with more new shows being produced now than in any time in recent memory. And for the past few years this genre has been quite popular on subscriber streaming platforms.
- 3/7/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Nearly 500 WGA members gathered today at the Writers Guild Theater in Los Angeles to hear their leaders discuss the guild’s upcoming negotiations for a new film and TV contract. The press wasn’t allowed inside, but out on the street, cheers and applause could be heard emanating from the meeting. This was the first of four member meetings that will be held this month, with two more scheduled in L.A. and one in New York.
Solidarity was the order of the day. Although those in attendance were told not to talk to reporters, several ventured to say that the membership is united ahead of the contract talks, which have not yet been scheduled with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers. The WGA’s current contract expires May 1.
“The leadership presented their agenda, and everybody applauded,” said a writer after leaving the meeting. “They’re getting the troops warmed up.
Solidarity was the order of the day. Although those in attendance were told not to talk to reporters, several ventured to say that the membership is united ahead of the contract talks, which have not yet been scheduled with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers. The WGA’s current contract expires May 1.
“The leadership presented their agenda, and everybody applauded,” said a writer after leaving the meeting. “They’re getting the troops warmed up.
- 2/11/2023
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
The WGA West on Saturday will hold its first membership meeting to discuss its upcoming negotiations with the AMPTP for a new film and TV contract. Two other membership meetings are scheduled in Los Angeles later this month, and one will be held in New York.
John August, a member of the WGA Negotiating Committee, spoke recently on his Scriptnotes podcast about the upcoming meetings and what members should expect as the process unfolds. He also downplayed rumors of a threatened strike “because honestly, none of us know what’s gonna happen.”
Related Story DGA Says “Studios Are Not Yet Prepared To Address Our Key Issues” & Won’t Be First Guild To The Bargaining Table This Year Related Story Charlie Kaufman To Receive WGA West's Laurel Award Related Story Lindsay Dougherty, Head of Hollywood's Teamsters Local 399, Urges Members To Save Up In Case Of A Strike By WGA, SAG-AFTRA or...
John August, a member of the WGA Negotiating Committee, spoke recently on his Scriptnotes podcast about the upcoming meetings and what members should expect as the process unfolds. He also downplayed rumors of a threatened strike “because honestly, none of us know what’s gonna happen.”
Related Story DGA Says “Studios Are Not Yet Prepared To Address Our Key Issues” & Won’t Be First Guild To The Bargaining Table This Year Related Story Charlie Kaufman To Receive WGA West's Laurel Award Related Story Lindsay Dougherty, Head of Hollywood's Teamsters Local 399, Urges Members To Save Up In Case Of A Strike By WGA, SAG-AFTRA or...
- 2/9/2023
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
Verve has appointed founding partner Bill Weinstein to the position of CEO, the first in the agency’s 13-year history.
In his newly created position, Weinstein’s responsibilities will “continue to evolve,” though he will remain working in his capacity representing clients, “an indication of Verve’s continued commitment to its core tenet of advocating for creative talent across all levels of the company,” per the agency.
Weinstein’s clients include J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay (“Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”), Sara Hess (“House of the Dragon”), Jac Schaeffer, Michael Arndt (“Little Miss Sunshine”), Mike Jones, Adele Lim (“Crazy Rich Asians”), Meg LeFauve (“Inside Out”), John August (“Aladdin”), Allison Schroeder (“Hidden Figures”), Brian K Vaughan (“Paper Girls”), James Schamus and Geoffrey Fletcher (“Precious”).
The decision to appoint Weinstein to Verve’s first-ever CEO was announced internally last week by fellow founding Verve partners Adam Levine and Bryan Besser in an all-company meeting.
In his newly created position, Weinstein’s responsibilities will “continue to evolve,” though he will remain working in his capacity representing clients, “an indication of Verve’s continued commitment to its core tenet of advocating for creative talent across all levels of the company,” per the agency.
Weinstein’s clients include J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay (“Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”), Sara Hess (“House of the Dragon”), Jac Schaeffer, Michael Arndt (“Little Miss Sunshine”), Mike Jones, Adele Lim (“Crazy Rich Asians”), Meg LeFauve (“Inside Out”), John August (“Aladdin”), Allison Schroeder (“Hidden Figures”), Brian K Vaughan (“Paper Girls”), James Schamus and Geoffrey Fletcher (“Precious”).
The decision to appoint Weinstein to Verve’s first-ever CEO was announced internally last week by fellow founding Verve partners Adam Levine and Bryan Besser in an all-company meeting.
- 1/18/2023
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
On the eve of its anniversary, Verve has tapped founding Partner Bill Weinstein as the first CEO in the agency’s thirteen years. The decision was made by the Partnership and announced by his fellow Founding Partners Adam Levine and Bryan Besser in an all-company meeting with a grateful and excited Weinstein thanking each member of the Verve community for their support and belief.
In the heartfelt speech from Besser and Levine, they highlighted the need to provide additional structure as the independent agency adds resources to its core film and television business while continuing to expand into new areas of client representation.
“As we continue to evolve, we recognize the need to formalize the managerial organization of our business to bring greater accountability, efficiency, and excellence to our core mission of advocating on behalf of creative talent,” Said Besser on behalf of the Partnership.
The appointment comes on the...
In the heartfelt speech from Besser and Levine, they highlighted the need to provide additional structure as the independent agency adds resources to its core film and television business while continuing to expand into new areas of client representation.
“As we continue to evolve, we recognize the need to formalize the managerial organization of our business to bring greater accountability, efficiency, and excellence to our core mission of advocating on behalf of creative talent,” Said Besser on behalf of the Partnership.
The appointment comes on the...
- 1/18/2023
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
Is ChatGPT a sign that automation is coming to film and TV writing? As far-fetched as it sounds, the arrival in November 2022 of a free prototype of the AI-powered chatbot — which has jolted observers with the sophisticated, fluid writing it can produce when prompted, even in the form of poems, essays and, yes, short scripts — has set off alarm bells about the disruption that the chatbot could wreak on the work of entertainment scribes. Still, top film and TV writers are skeptical that the technology in its current state imperils their livelihoods in any way, even as they remain cautious about the potential for future advancements.
“Do I see this in the near term replacing the kind of writing that we’re doing in writers rooms every day? No, I don’t,” says Big Fish and Aladdin writer John August, who has tested the free research preview and talked about...
“Do I see this in the near term replacing the kind of writing that we’re doing in writers rooms every day? No, I don’t,” says Big Fish and Aladdin writer John August, who has tested the free research preview and talked about...
- 1/12/2023
- by Katie Kilkenny and Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Story: Over the course of one Christmas Eve, a disparate group of twenty-somethings deal with drug deals gone wrong, touchy-feely cops, bad drugs trips, angry gangsters, dead-end minimum wage jobs and a whole lot of angst.
The Players: Starring: Katie Holmes, Sarah Polley, Timothy Olyphant, Scott Wolf, Jay Mohr, Taye Diggs, and William Fichtner. Directed by Doug Liman.
We were a strange movie because we were an indie film, and then right before we started filming, Columbia bought us out. We were in pre-production and about to start shooting and our foreign financing fell out because we didn’t have a bankable white male star. At that point, though, we had a cast that was already really exciting. Katie Holmes wasn’t a star, but everyone thought she might become a star. Scott Wolf was a star. People were excited about Sarah Polley. We had a really electric young cast,...
The Players: Starring: Katie Holmes, Sarah Polley, Timothy Olyphant, Scott Wolf, Jay Mohr, Taye Diggs, and William Fichtner. Directed by Doug Liman.
We were a strange movie because we were an indie film, and then right before we started filming, Columbia bought us out. We were in pre-production and about to start shooting and our foreign financing fell out because we didn’t have a bankable white male star. At that point, though, we had a cast that was already really exciting. Katie Holmes wasn’t a star, but everyone thought she might become a star. Scott Wolf was a star. People were excited about Sarah Polley. We had a really electric young cast,...
- 12/21/2022
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Exclusive: Outfest has selected ten queer and transgender writers from diverse backgrounds for its 2022 Screenwriting Lab.
The participants workshopping feature-length scripts during the week-long program, taking place virtually from today through Friday, December 9, include Bri J. Hernandez (Boys in Bands), Donovan Tolledo (Fat Lip), James Acker (Sadboi), Joseph Sackett (Cross Pollination), Katie Heaney (My Ex-Wife’s Wedding) and Vernon Jordan, III (Lavender Boy).
Those working on episodic projects are Estevan (Elote Preparado), Paloma Riojas (Shepherd), Riya Saxena (Matchmakers) and Rubén Mendive (Little Village).
Then, there are the thirteen additional Notable Writers selected to receive industry support from Outfest. Those scribes are Adelina Anthony, Adina Kruskal, Chasey Ridgley, Drew Burnett Gregory, Ernesto Martínez, Gerard Shaka, Joseph Pellegrino, Kate Imy, Nathan Pearson, Nick Janaye, Robert Cunningham, Sebastián Rea and Stevie Wain.
Created in 1997 as a screenwriting contest, the Outfest Screenwriting Lab has since become the cornerstone of Outfest’s artist development and education programs.
The participants workshopping feature-length scripts during the week-long program, taking place virtually from today through Friday, December 9, include Bri J. Hernandez (Boys in Bands), Donovan Tolledo (Fat Lip), James Acker (Sadboi), Joseph Sackett (Cross Pollination), Katie Heaney (My Ex-Wife’s Wedding) and Vernon Jordan, III (Lavender Boy).
Those working on episodic projects are Estevan (Elote Preparado), Paloma Riojas (Shepherd), Riya Saxena (Matchmakers) and Rubén Mendive (Little Village).
Then, there are the thirteen additional Notable Writers selected to receive industry support from Outfest. Those scribes are Adelina Anthony, Adina Kruskal, Chasey Ridgley, Drew Burnett Gregory, Ernesto Martínez, Gerard Shaka, Joseph Pellegrino, Kate Imy, Nathan Pearson, Nick Janaye, Robert Cunningham, Sebastián Rea and Stevie Wain.
Created in 1997 as a screenwriting contest, the Outfest Screenwriting Lab has since become the cornerstone of Outfest’s artist development and education programs.
- 12/5/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
The Writers Guild of America has named its negotiating committee for the pivotal 2023 round of contract talks covering film and television projects, the first to occur since Covid-19 disrupted the last round of talks two years ago.
With WGA West executive director David Young serving as chief negotiator, the 2023 negotiating committee overseeing the WGA’s Basic Agreement will be co-chaired by former WGA West presidents David Goodman and Chris Keyser. Prominent Guild members including John August, Kay Cannon, Mike Schur, David Shore and Davis Simon will serve on the negotiating committee, as well as WGA West leaders Meredith Stiehm, Michele Mulroney and Betsy Thomas and WGA East leaders Michael Winship, Lisa Takeuchi Cullen and Christopher Kyle.
Other members of the committee include WGA West board members Adam Conover, Angelina Burnett, Robb Chavis, Travis Donnelly, Ashley Gable, Eric Haywood and Nicole Yorkin and WGA...
The Writers Guild of America has named its negotiating committee for the pivotal 2023 round of contract talks covering film and television projects, the first to occur since Covid-19 disrupted the last round of talks two years ago.
With WGA West executive director David Young serving as chief negotiator, the 2023 negotiating committee overseeing the WGA’s Basic Agreement will be co-chaired by former WGA West presidents David Goodman and Chris Keyser. Prominent Guild members including John August, Kay Cannon, Mike Schur, David Shore and Davis Simon will serve on the negotiating committee, as well as WGA West leaders Meredith Stiehm, Michele Mulroney and Betsy Thomas and WGA East leaders Michael Winship, Lisa Takeuchi Cullen and Christopher Kyle.
Other members of the committee include WGA West board members Adam Conover, Angelina Burnett, Robb Chavis, Travis Donnelly, Ashley Gable, Eric Haywood and Nicole Yorkin and WGA...
- 11/7/2022
- by Katie Kilkenny
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On a special episode of Back To One, I’m sharing a segment from a recent episode of the popular screenwriting podcast Scriptnotes called “Writing As Acting.” In it, screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin “analyze what lessons writers can learn from acting techniques (such as staying present) and working with actors (like staying open).” When I first heard this segment, I desperately wanted to share it with Back To One listeners because I thought it was very enlightening, and maybe even healing, to hear creatives on the other side of the camera talk thoughtfully, and with sensitivity, about the process […]
The post Back To One Episode 226, Special Episode: Writing As Acting (A Scriptnotes Segment) first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Back To One Episode 226, Special Episode: Writing As Acting (A Scriptnotes Segment) first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 10/25/2022
- by Peter Rinaldi
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
On a special episode of Back To One, I’m sharing a segment from a recent episode of the popular screenwriting podcast Scriptnotes called “Writing As Acting.” In it, screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin “analyze what lessons writers can learn from acting techniques (such as staying present) and working with actors (like staying open).” When I first heard this segment, I desperately wanted to share it with Back To One listeners because I thought it was very enlightening, and maybe even healing, to hear creatives on the other side of the camera talk thoughtfully, and with sensitivity, about the process […]
The post Back To One Episode 226, Special Episode: Writing As Acting (A Scriptnotes Segment) first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Back To One Episode 226, Special Episode: Writing As Acting (A Scriptnotes Segment) first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 10/25/2022
- by Peter Rinaldi
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
After what seems like forever, "Black Adam" is hitting theaters this weekend. It's the conclusion of a journey that goes back a long time, with the project kicking around the halls of Warner Bros. in some way, shape, or form for well over a decade. More to the point, Dwayne Johnson, back when he was pretty much only known to the general public as The Rock, has been attached to the role for ages. In most cases, when someone is attached to a part for over a decade, the project is destined to fall apart. Yet, somehow, this one managed to stay together and Johnnson is getting his day in the sun, bringing the DC Comics anti-hero to life in live-action for the first time.
This all goes back to 2007 when John August began scripting a "Captain Marvel" Marvel, which turned into "Shazam!," a movie that went through quite a...
This all goes back to 2007 when John August began scripting a "Captain Marvel" Marvel, which turned into "Shazam!," a movie that went through quite a...
- 10/19/2022
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Following the massive success of Steven Spielberg’s groundbreaking Jurassic Park in 1993, sequels were inevitable. Michael Crichton, author of the original novel, even wrote one himself, The Lost World, which served as the loose basis for Spielberg’s own cinematic sequel, 1997’s The Lost World: Jurassic Park. When that made a ton of money as well, plans were put in motion for Jurassic Park III.
It would be four years before that film arrived in theaters, however, and a number of things changed during that time. While Jeff Goldblum returned from the original Jurassic Park to star in The Lost World, he sat out the next movie—making way for another of the first film’s main trio, Sam Neill, to step back in as Dr. Alan Grant.
Although Jurassic Park III has garnered a reputation over the years for being a troubled production, Neill tells Den of Geek now...
It would be four years before that film arrived in theaters, however, and a number of things changed during that time. While Jeff Goldblum returned from the original Jurassic Park to star in The Lost World, he sat out the next movie—making way for another of the first film’s main trio, Sam Neill, to step back in as Dr. Alan Grant.
Although Jurassic Park III has garnered a reputation over the years for being a troubled production, Neill tells Den of Geek now...
- 6/6/2022
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
For this entry of Phantom Limbs, we’ll be taking a peek at Drew Barrymore’s developed but eventually jettisoned Barbarella and the Second World, a feature film adaptation of the Jean-Claude Forest comic book previously brought to screens as Roger Vadim’s classic ‘60s Jane Fonda vehicle. Joining us for this talk is John August, the celebrated […]
The post Drew Barrymore as Barbarella? Writer John August Details the Unmade Movie [Phantom Limbs] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
The post Drew Barrymore as Barbarella? Writer John August Details the Unmade Movie [Phantom Limbs] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
- 4/29/2022
- by Jason Jenkins
- bloody-disgusting.com
Warner Bros. has announced release dates for several films including DC’s “Blue Beetle,” directed by Angel Manuel Soto, which is now due Aug. 18, 2023. The superhero saga was originally set to premiere on HBO Max, but will now start its run exclusively in theaters.
Starring “Cobra Kai” actor Xolo Maridueña, “Blue Beetle” will focus on the most recent version of Blue Beetle, introduced in 2006, as the Mexican-American teen Jaime Reyes. “I have so much pride in getting to be a part of this project with Angel, someone like him,” Maridueña told Variety when he was cast. Along with “Batgirl,” it had originally been developed as an HBO Max project.
“The Last Train to New York,” based on Korean zombie movie “Train to Busan,” will open April 21, 2023. Timo Tjahjanto directs from a script by Gary Dauberman, with James Wan producing.
Meanwhile, animated Wizard of Oz feature “Toto,” told from the Pov of the titular pooch,...
Starring “Cobra Kai” actor Xolo Maridueña, “Blue Beetle” will focus on the most recent version of Blue Beetle, introduced in 2006, as the Mexican-American teen Jaime Reyes. “I have so much pride in getting to be a part of this project with Angel, someone like him,” Maridueña told Variety when he was cast. Along with “Batgirl,” it had originally been developed as an HBO Max project.
“The Last Train to New York,” based on Korean zombie movie “Train to Busan,” will open April 21, 2023. Timo Tjahjanto directs from a script by Gary Dauberman, with James Wan producing.
Meanwhile, animated Wizard of Oz feature “Toto,” told from the Pov of the titular pooch,...
- 12/17/2021
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Unlike in Adaptation or The Player, the new Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish comedy presents its main character’s job as a glorious career peak
John August, who has written several Tim Burton films including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, had harsh words for anyone thinking of putting a screenwriter at the centre of their script: “It shouldn’t be a surprise that Hollywood is not knocking down your door to make that movie because it’s just about a screenwriter. And who cares about a screenwriter?”
Related: The Guide: Staying In – sign up for our home entertainment tips...
John August, who has written several Tim Burton films including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, had harsh words for anyone thinking of putting a screenwriter at the centre of their script: “It shouldn’t be a surprise that Hollywood is not knocking down your door to make that movie because it’s just about a screenwriter. And who cares about a screenwriter?”
Related: The Guide: Staying In – sign up for our home entertainment tips...
- 8/30/2021
- by Ryan Gilbey
- The Guardian - Film News
Add this to your stockpile of movie trivia. There’s a world in which we might have seen Zack Snyder’s Justice League hit theaters in 2017 with input from Craig Mazin, the creator of HBO’s superb Chernobyl and co-host (with John August) of the popular screenwriting podcast, Scriptnotes. This isn’t exactly breaking news, but it’s the kind of industry tidbit you […]
The post Zack Snyder Asked ‘Chernobyl’ Creator Craig Mazin for Help on His Cut of ‘Justice League’ appeared first on /Film.
The post Zack Snyder Asked ‘Chernobyl’ Creator Craig Mazin for Help on His Cut of ‘Justice League’ appeared first on /Film.
- 7/22/2021
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
“Black Widow” star Scarlett Johansson is producing a “Tower of Terror” movie at Disney, according to an individual with knowledge of the project.
“Toy Story 4” director and “Inside Out” writer Josh Cooley is writing the screenplay. Plot details are being kept under wraps.
“Tower of Terror,” a popular elevator-drop ride at Disneyland initially based on Rod Serling’s anthology series “The Twilight Zone,” takes place at the fictional Hollywood Tower Hotel. First opened in 1994, the Tower of Terror ride was revamped in 2017 as a Marvel Studios attraction called “Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!”
The “Tower of Terror” movie, which has been in development since 2015, previously had a treatment by John August that centered on five people in a posh hotel who take an elevator and disappear after it’s hit by lightning. Previously, a 1997 TV movie based on the attraction starred Steve Guttenberg and Kirsten Dunst.
Johansson will...
“Toy Story 4” director and “Inside Out” writer Josh Cooley is writing the screenplay. Plot details are being kept under wraps.
“Tower of Terror,” a popular elevator-drop ride at Disneyland initially based on Rod Serling’s anthology series “The Twilight Zone,” takes place at the fictional Hollywood Tower Hotel. First opened in 1994, the Tower of Terror ride was revamped in 2017 as a Marvel Studios attraction called “Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!”
The “Tower of Terror” movie, which has been in development since 2015, previously had a treatment by John August that centered on five people in a posh hotel who take an elevator and disappear after it’s hit by lightning. Previously, a 1997 TV movie based on the attraction starred Steve Guttenberg and Kirsten Dunst.
Johansson will...
- 6/23/2021
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Refresh for updates…On Monday, a number of prominent Hollywood figures took to social media to mourn the closure of Arclight Cinemas.
“Well this sucks,” tweeted Knives Out and The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson. “Every single person who worked at the Arclight loved movies, and you felt it. Sending love to every usher, manager and projectionist who rocked that blue shirt and made it such a special place.”
Meanwhile, Barry Jenkins—the Oscar winner behind Moonlight, and upcoming Amazon series The Underground Railroad—simply tweeted, “F**K.”
Writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood, too, felt the hurt, tweeting, “This is so painful. The Arclight is my go-to. Clean, great sound, assigned stadium seating, great popcorn, usher movie introductions. A true movie-going experience.”
Roland Emmerich, the writer-director behind films including Midway and Independence Day, thanked ArcLight and Pacific Theatres (which is also closing) for the “many wonderful cinematic experiences” they provided.
“Well this sucks,” tweeted Knives Out and The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson. “Every single person who worked at the Arclight loved movies, and you felt it. Sending love to every usher, manager and projectionist who rocked that blue shirt and made it such a special place.”
Meanwhile, Barry Jenkins—the Oscar winner behind Moonlight, and upcoming Amazon series The Underground Railroad—simply tweeted, “F**K.”
Writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood, too, felt the hurt, tweeting, “This is so painful. The Arclight is my go-to. Clean, great sound, assigned stadium seating, great popcorn, usher movie introductions. A true movie-going experience.”
Roland Emmerich, the writer-director behind films including Midway and Independence Day, thanked ArcLight and Pacific Theatres (which is also closing) for the “many wonderful cinematic experiences” they provided.
- 4/13/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The news that the Arclight Cinemas are closing permanently — part of the larger closure that includes Pacific Theaters in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic — hit the film industry, and the greater Los Angeles community, like a shockwave.
Filmmaker John August was one of the first to tweet about the news: “Oh no. ArcLight Hollywood is my favorite place to see movies.”
Actor Ben Schwartz echoed that feeling. “The Arclight Hollywood was my most favorite theatre in the world to see movies,” he tweeted. “I saw my first movie in LA there when I moved here in 2009 and the last movie before the pandemic there. Truly a bummer.
Writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood tweeted that the Arclight was her “go-to” and praised the theater’s sound, seating, and popcorn.
Writer-producer Liz Hannah called the news “truly devastating” and underlined the emotional connection she shared with so many about the theater: “I know...
Filmmaker John August was one of the first to tweet about the news: “Oh no. ArcLight Hollywood is my favorite place to see movies.”
Actor Ben Schwartz echoed that feeling. “The Arclight Hollywood was my most favorite theatre in the world to see movies,” he tweeted. “I saw my first movie in LA there when I moved here in 2009 and the last movie before the pandemic there. Truly a bummer.
Writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood tweeted that the Arclight was her “go-to” and praised the theater’s sound, seating, and popcorn.
Writer-producer Liz Hannah called the news “truly devastating” and underlined the emotional connection she shared with so many about the theater: “I know...
- 4/13/2021
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety Film + TV
News sparks speculation over whether streamer, studio might step in to acquire chain.
The pandemic has claimed a beloved exhibition casualty in the US as it emerged on Monday evening (April 12) that ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres have closed down.
The news sparked immediate speculation over whether a streaming platform or studio might step in and buy the Pacific Theatres chain, which is owned by Decurion Corporation and operated 16 sites and around 300 screens mostly on the West Coast.
Venues included Cinerama Dome, a Hollywood icon that opened on Sunset Boulevard in 1963 and made an appearance in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,...
The pandemic has claimed a beloved exhibition casualty in the US as it emerged on Monday evening (April 12) that ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres have closed down.
The news sparked immediate speculation over whether a streaming platform or studio might step in and buy the Pacific Theatres chain, which is owned by Decurion Corporation and operated 16 sites and around 300 screens mostly on the West Coast.
Venues included Cinerama Dome, a Hollywood icon that opened on Sunset Boulevard in 1963 and made an appearance in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,...
- 4/13/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
“There are some fish that cannot be caught. It’s not that they are faster or stronger than other fish, they’re just touched by something extra.”
Tim Burton’s Big Fish will be available on 4K Ultra HD May 4th. Throughout his life Edward Bloom (Ewan McGregor) has always been a man of big appetites, enormous passions and tall tales. In his later years, portrayed by five-time Best Actor Oscar nominee Albert Finney, he remains a huge mystery to his son, William (Billy Crudup). Now, to get to know the real man, Will begins piecing together a true picture of his father from flashbacks of his amazing adventures in this marvel of a movie.
Disc Details & Bonus Material
4K Ultra HD Disc
Newly Remastered in 4K resolution from the original camera negative, with HDR10All-new Dolby Atmos audio + original theatrical 5.1 audio
Blu-ray Disc
Feature presented in HD, sourced from...
Tim Burton’s Big Fish will be available on 4K Ultra HD May 4th. Throughout his life Edward Bloom (Ewan McGregor) has always been a man of big appetites, enormous passions and tall tales. In his later years, portrayed by five-time Best Actor Oscar nominee Albert Finney, he remains a huge mystery to his son, William (Billy Crudup). Now, to get to know the real man, Will begins piecing together a true picture of his father from flashbacks of his amazing adventures in this marvel of a movie.
Disc Details & Bonus Material
4K Ultra HD Disc
Newly Remastered in 4K resolution from the original camera negative, with HDR10All-new Dolby Atmos audio + original theatrical 5.1 audio
Blu-ray Disc
Feature presented in HD, sourced from...
- 2/22/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
‘Toto’ Animated Musical Prepping At Animal Logic Studio
Warner Bros’ feature musical animation Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story Of The Wizard Of Oz, based on the Michael Morpurgo book, is heading into production at the Animal Logic studio in Vancouver. Alex Timbers is directing the film from a screenplay by John August – the story is a re-telling of the classic tale from the perspective of Dorothy’s beloved companion. It will be produced by Derek Frey, who previously headed-up Tim Burton Productions. Pre-production has now begun, with the recruitment of artists underway. Animal Logic and Warner have been teaming for 20 years, and are now in production on an animated film based on the DC Super Pets franchise, directed by Jared Stern and set for release in 2022.
Federation Adds Doc Series & Films
French outfit Federation Entertainment has bolstered its documentary sales slate with four new series and film acquisitions. The company...
Warner Bros’ feature musical animation Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story Of The Wizard Of Oz, based on the Michael Morpurgo book, is heading into production at the Animal Logic studio in Vancouver. Alex Timbers is directing the film from a screenplay by John August – the story is a re-telling of the classic tale from the perspective of Dorothy’s beloved companion. It will be produced by Derek Frey, who previously headed-up Tim Burton Productions. Pre-production has now begun, with the recruitment of artists underway. Animal Logic and Warner have been teaming for 20 years, and are now in production on an animated film based on the DC Super Pets franchise, directed by Jared Stern and set for release in 2022.
Federation Adds Doc Series & Films
French outfit Federation Entertainment has bolstered its documentary sales slate with four new series and film acquisitions. The company...
- 2/9/2021
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Being a Hollywood assistant has always been a tough gig, but the Covid-19 pandemic has only made it tougher on the industry’s thousands of support staffers.
According to the second annual #PayUpHollywood survey, which polled over a thousand support staffers, nearly 80% of respondents reported earning less than $50,000 in 2020, a 14.7% increase from the prior year. And over a third of respondents reported less than $30,000 in income in 2020 — a marked increase from the 11% who made that much in 2019.
Earning less than $53,600 a year in Los Angeles qualifies as being “cost-burdened” by U.S. Department of Housing and Development, which defines it as paying “more than
30 percent of their income for housing” and potentially having “difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing,
transportation, and medical care.”
Notably, about 37.5% of survey takers are financially supported by friends or family to cover living expenses, and over 19% have had to move in with family, friends...
According to the second annual #PayUpHollywood survey, which polled over a thousand support staffers, nearly 80% of respondents reported earning less than $50,000 in 2020, a 14.7% increase from the prior year. And over a third of respondents reported less than $30,000 in income in 2020 — a marked increase from the 11% who made that much in 2019.
Earning less than $53,600 a year in Los Angeles qualifies as being “cost-burdened” by U.S. Department of Housing and Development, which defines it as paying “more than
30 percent of their income for housing” and potentially having “difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing,
transportation, and medical care.”
Notably, about 37.5% of survey takers are financially supported by friends or family to cover living expenses, and over 19% have had to move in with family, friends...
- 2/2/2021
- by Elaine Low
- Variety Film + TV
Craig Mazin has extended his overall deal with HBO and HBO Max for an additional three years.
The news comes as little surprise, given the success Mazin has had at HBO. He previously created the critically-acclaimed HBO limited series “Chernobyl,” which detailed the aftermath of the titular Soviet nuclear disaster in 1986. The show, which starred Jared Harris and Stellan Skarsgård, won two Golden Globes and 10 Emmy Awards in 2019. Mazin also won a Writers Guild, Producers Guild, and Peabody Award for his work on the show.
HBO also recently gave out a series order to “The Last of Us,” an adaptation of the hit video game of the same name. Mazin is set to write and executive produce the upcoming series along with Neil Druckmann, the writer and creative director of the game. The series order was announced in November.
Mazin is also known for his work writing features, with his...
The news comes as little surprise, given the success Mazin has had at HBO. He previously created the critically-acclaimed HBO limited series “Chernobyl,” which detailed the aftermath of the titular Soviet nuclear disaster in 1986. The show, which starred Jared Harris and Stellan Skarsgård, won two Golden Globes and 10 Emmy Awards in 2019. Mazin also won a Writers Guild, Producers Guild, and Peabody Award for his work on the show.
HBO also recently gave out a series order to “The Last of Us,” an adaptation of the hit video game of the same name. Mazin is set to write and executive produce the upcoming series along with Neil Druckmann, the writer and creative director of the game. The series order was announced in November.
Mazin is also known for his work writing features, with his...
- 1/25/2021
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Craig Mazin, who created HBO’s acclaimed limited series “Chernobyl” and is writing its upcoming TV adaptation of “The Last of Us,” has extended his exclusive overall television deal with the premium cable network for another three years. He will also add WarnerMedia’s streaming service, HBO Max, to the deal.
Under the continued pact, Mazin will develop projects for both HBO and HBO Max. The Golden Globe, BAFTA and two-time Emmy Award-winning creator is currently writing and producing a number of projects for HBO, the most high-profile being the adaptation of the video game “The Last of Us.”
The series, set 20 years after the destruction of modern civilization, centers on a hardened survivor named Joel who is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. Per HBO, “What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.
Under the continued pact, Mazin will develop projects for both HBO and HBO Max. The Golden Globe, BAFTA and two-time Emmy Award-winning creator is currently writing and producing a number of projects for HBO, the most high-profile being the adaptation of the video game “The Last of Us.”
The series, set 20 years after the destruction of modern civilization, centers on a hardened survivor named Joel who is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. Per HBO, “What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.
- 1/25/2021
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin is staying in business with HBO.
The writer and producer has extended his overall deal with the WarnerMedia-owned premium cable network and its streaming sibling HBO Max for an additional three years.
It comes as he prepares for his latest series, an adaptation of Sony Playstation video game franchise The Last Of Us. The project, which is with HBO, is being written by Mazin and Neil Druckmann, who wrote the video game, and tells the story of Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed.
Mazin was responsible for HBO’s period drama Chernobyl, produced by British firm Sister, which scored nineteen Emmy nominations and won for Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Director. He also won Writers Guild, Producers Guild and Peabody Awards for the five-part series.
The writer and producer has extended his overall deal with the WarnerMedia-owned premium cable network and its streaming sibling HBO Max for an additional three years.
It comes as he prepares for his latest series, an adaptation of Sony Playstation video game franchise The Last Of Us. The project, which is with HBO, is being written by Mazin and Neil Druckmann, who wrote the video game, and tells the story of Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed.
Mazin was responsible for HBO’s period drama Chernobyl, produced by British firm Sister, which scored nineteen Emmy nominations and won for Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Director. He also won Writers Guild, Producers Guild and Peabody Awards for the five-part series.
- 1/25/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Back in 2015, a movie based on the popular theme park ride The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror was announced to be in development at Disney. But alas, the Tower of Terror movie never came to be. But the ideas behind it live on, and screenwriter John August — the writer of films like Go, Big Fish, and Frankenweenie — is now finally […]
The post What John August’s Unmade ‘Tower of Terror’ Movie Would Have Been About appeared first on /Film.
The post What John August’s Unmade ‘Tower of Terror’ Movie Would Have Been About appeared first on /Film.
- 12/21/2020
- by Hoai-Tran Bui
- Slash Film
Ryan Reynolds can currently be found at the top of the domestic box office as part of The Croods: A New Age‘s voice cast, and while the animated sequel may have scored the biggest opening since Tenet debuted at the beginning of September, a five-day haul of just over $14 million only serves to illustrate the continued plight of the theatrical industry.
The 44 year-old already has The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard and Free Guy scheduled to arrive on the big screen next year, while Deadpool 3 has finally gathered some momentum by hiring a pair of writers, but Reynolds appears to be more than happy operating in the world of streaming for the time being, after striking up a fruitful partnership with Netflix.
Ryan Reynolds Shares First Look At His Netflix Time Travel Movie 1 of 3
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The 44 year-old already has The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard and Free Guy scheduled to arrive on the big screen next year, while Deadpool 3 has finally gathered some momentum by hiring a pair of writers, but Reynolds appears to be more than happy operating in the world of streaming for the time being, after striking up a fruitful partnership with Netflix.
Ryan Reynolds Shares First Look At His Netflix Time Travel Movie 1 of 3
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Having headlined Michael Bay...
- 12/2/2020
- by Scott Campbell
- We Got This Covered
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