A 15-year-old “Lord of the Rings” fan film titled “The Hunt for Gollum” is back online and streaming on YouTube after it was temporarily blocked in the aftermath of Warner Bros. revealing its next “Rings” movie has the same title (via Entertainment Weekly). The fan film, which centers on Gandalf tasking Aragorn with hunting down Gollum before the latter can find Frodo and the One Ring, has earned 13 million views since its debut more than a decade ago.
The fan-created “Hunt for Gollum” was unavailable to watch on May 9 after Warner Bros. announced Andy Serkis is starring in and directing “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.” Viewers got the following message on the fan film: “This video contains content from Warner Bros. Entertainment, who has blocked it on copyright grounds.” The fan film was restored on YouTube by the morning of May 10.
Warner Bros.’ new “Rings” movie...
The fan-created “Hunt for Gollum” was unavailable to watch on May 9 after Warner Bros. announced Andy Serkis is starring in and directing “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.” Viewers got the following message on the fan film: “This video contains content from Warner Bros. Entertainment, who has blocked it on copyright grounds.” The fan film was restored on YouTube by the morning of May 10.
Warner Bros.’ new “Rings” movie...
- 5/10/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Andy Serkis is returning to the 'Lord of The Rings' franchise to star in and direct a new movie based around his character Gollum.The actor is stepping behind the camera to take charge of 'Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum' - the first of several new films in the series being planned by Warner Bros. - with the original trilogy's director Peter Jackson set to be involved in the production alongside his longtime writing partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens who will pen the screenplay.Andy said in a statement: "Yesssss, Precious. The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle-earth Peter, Fran and Philippa. "With Mike and Pam [Warner Bros chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy], and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside [special effects company] Weta and our film making family in New Zealand,...
- 5/10/2024
- by Louise Mary Randell
- Bang Showbiz
Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group’s Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy announced today that the Oscar-winning team behind the nearly $6 billion blockbuster Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens are reuniting to produce two new films from Tolkien’s Middle-earth for Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema.
The first of the two films, Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, will be directed by and star Andy Serkis, with Walsh and Boyens set to write the screenplay, along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou (Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim). The film will be executive produced by Ken Kamins, with Serkis and The Imaginarium’s Jonathan Cavendish.
Said De Luca and Abdy, “For over two decades, moviegoers have embraced the Lord of the Rings film trilogy because of the undeniable devotion Peter, Fran, and Philippa have...
The first of the two films, Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, will be directed by and star Andy Serkis, with Walsh and Boyens set to write the screenplay, along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou (Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim). The film will be executive produced by Ken Kamins, with Serkis and The Imaginarium’s Jonathan Cavendish.
Said De Luca and Abdy, “For over two decades, moviegoers have embraced the Lord of the Rings film trilogy because of the undeniable devotion Peter, Fran, and Philippa have...
- 5/9/2024
- by Mirko Parlevliet
- Vital Thrills
Updated with working title, film details: The first of two new Lotr films at Warner — working title Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum — will be directed by and star Andy Serkis, with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens set to write the screenplay, along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou (Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim). The film will be executive produced by Ken Kamins, with Serkis and The Imaginarium’s Jonathan Cavendish.
Peter Jackson will produce along with Walsh and Boyens, Wbd said in a release that fleshed out comments on the project by Wbd CEO David Zaslav earlier today.
Said Warner Bros. Motion Pictures heads Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, “For over two-decades, moviegoers have embraced the Lord of the Rings film trilogy because of the undeniable devotion Peter, Fran and Philippa have...
Peter Jackson will produce along with Walsh and Boyens, Wbd said in a release that fleshed out comments on the project by Wbd CEO David Zaslav earlier today.
Said Warner Bros. Motion Pictures heads Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, “For over two-decades, moviegoers have embraced the Lord of the Rings film trilogy because of the undeniable devotion Peter, Fran and Philippa have...
- 5/9/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Warner Bros. has made it official: It will be returning to Middle-earth.
On Warner Bros. Discovery’s first-quarter earnings conference call on Thursday, CEO David Zaslav said that the company is “now in the early stages of script development” for new Lord of the Rings movies, which he says they “anticipate releasing in 2026” and will “explore storylines yet to be told.”
The first film, from New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures, will be called Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum (working title), with Andy Serkis set to star and direct the feature,
Zaslav says that director Peter Jackson and his longtime writing partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens “will be involved every step of the way.” Boyens and Walsh will write the screenplay. The deal covers two films in the franchise.
“It is an honor and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator,...
On Warner Bros. Discovery’s first-quarter earnings conference call on Thursday, CEO David Zaslav said that the company is “now in the early stages of script development” for new Lord of the Rings movies, which he says they “anticipate releasing in 2026” and will “explore storylines yet to be told.”
The first film, from New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures, will be called Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum (working title), with Andy Serkis set to star and direct the feature,
Zaslav says that director Peter Jackson and his longtime writing partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens “will be involved every step of the way.” Boyens and Walsh will write the screenplay. The deal covers two films in the franchise.
“It is an honor and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator,...
- 5/9/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Warner Bros. will release the first of its new batch of live-action “The Lord of the Rings” films in 2026, which will focus on Andy Serkis’ Gollum.
Original “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy filmmaker Peter Jackson and his partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are producing the movie and “will be involved every step of the way,” Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said during an earnings call Thursday.
The project is currently in the early stages of script development from writers Walsh and Boyens, along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou, and will “explore storylines yet to be told,” Zaslav said.
In a press release from Warner Bros. later Thursday morning, the studio revealed that the working title for the film is “Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,” and it will be directed by and star Serkis in his iconic titular role. The film will be executive produced by Ken Kamins,...
Original “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy filmmaker Peter Jackson and his partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are producing the movie and “will be involved every step of the way,” Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said during an earnings call Thursday.
The project is currently in the early stages of script development from writers Walsh and Boyens, along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou, and will “explore storylines yet to be told,” Zaslav said.
In a press release from Warner Bros. later Thursday morning, the studio revealed that the working title for the film is “Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,” and it will be directed by and star Serkis in his iconic titular role. The film will be executive produced by Ken Kamins,...
- 5/9/2024
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Warner Bros hosted a star-studded CinemaCon session on Tuesday in which the studio brought stars and showed footage from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Mickey 17, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Horizon: An American Saga, Joker: Folie a Deux, and Trap, among others.
Michael Keaton, Tim Burton, Robert Pattinson, Bong Joon Ho, Kevin Costner, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, and M Night Shyamalan were among the celebrities who took to The Colosseum stage in Caesars Palace to promote the upcoming slate in the first studio presentation at CinemaCon 2024.
Bong and Pattinson promoted Mickey 17 from Plan B, which Bong described as a “tale of...
Michael Keaton, Tim Burton, Robert Pattinson, Bong Joon Ho, Kevin Costner, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, and M Night Shyamalan were among the celebrities who took to The Colosseum stage in Caesars Palace to promote the upcoming slate in the first studio presentation at CinemaCon 2024.
Bong and Pattinson promoted Mickey 17 from Plan B, which Bong described as a “tale of...
- 4/10/2024
- ScreenDaily
Warner Bros hosted a star-studded CinemaCon session on Tuesday in which the studio brought stars and showed footage from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Mikey 17, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Horizon: An American Saga, Joker: Folie a Deux, and Trap, among others.
Michael Keaton, Tim Burton, Robert Pattinson, Bong Joon Ho, Kevin Costner, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, and M Night Shyamalan were among the celebrities who took to The Colosseum stage in Caesars Palace to promote the upcoming slate in the first studio presentation at CinemaCon 2024.
Bong and Pattinson promoted Mickey 17 from Plan B, which Bong described as a “tale of...
Michael Keaton, Tim Burton, Robert Pattinson, Bong Joon Ho, Kevin Costner, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, and M Night Shyamalan were among the celebrities who took to The Colosseum stage in Caesars Palace to promote the upcoming slate in the first studio presentation at CinemaCon 2024.
Bong and Pattinson promoted Mickey 17 from Plan B, which Bong described as a “tale of...
- 4/10/2024
- ScreenDaily
Warner Bros hosted a star-studded CinemaCon session on Tuesday in which the studio brought stars and showed clips from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Mikey 17, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Horizon: An American Saga, Joker: Folie a Deux, and Trap, among others.
Michael Keaton, Tim Burton, Robert Pattinson, Bong Joon Ho, Kevin Costner, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, and M Night Shyamalan were among the celebrities who took to The Colosseum stage in Caesars Palace to promote the upcoming slate in the first studio presentation at CinemaCon 2024.
Bong and Pattinson promoted Mickey 17 from Plan B, which Bong described as a “tale of a...
Michael Keaton, Tim Burton, Robert Pattinson, Bong Joon Ho, Kevin Costner, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, and M Night Shyamalan were among the celebrities who took to The Colosseum stage in Caesars Palace to promote the upcoming slate in the first studio presentation at CinemaCon 2024.
Bong and Pattinson promoted Mickey 17 from Plan B, which Bong described as a “tale of a...
- 4/10/2024
- ScreenDaily
Furiosa fired up CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
Warner Bros. Pictures unveiled a sneak peek at five minutes of footage of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga inside Caesars Palace during its studio presentation with the help of director George Miller and his stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth to help pump the upcoming release for theater owners.
Warner Bros. will release Furiosa on May 24, following the film’s world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Starring Taylor-Joy and Hemsworth, Furiosa finds Miller returning to the dystopian world he created more than 30 years ago with Mad Max. It follows a young Furiosa (Taylor-Joy) after she’s snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of the great Biker Horde led by the Warlord of Dementus (Hemsworth). Furiosa must withstand many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.
The high-octane footage...
Warner Bros. Pictures unveiled a sneak peek at five minutes of footage of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga inside Caesars Palace during its studio presentation with the help of director George Miller and his stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth to help pump the upcoming release for theater owners.
Warner Bros. will release Furiosa on May 24, following the film’s world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Starring Taylor-Joy and Hemsworth, Furiosa finds Miller returning to the dystopian world he created more than 30 years ago with Mad Max. It follows a young Furiosa (Taylor-Joy) after she’s snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of the great Biker Horde led by the Warlord of Dementus (Hemsworth). Furiosa must withstand many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.
The high-octane footage...
- 4/10/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group is staying in the Timothée Chalamet business.
The movie company has signed the star of its back-to-back box office hits Wonka and Dune: Part Two to a multiyear first-look feature deal.
Details were not disclosed, but the company said it would collaborate with the star on projects he would both act in and produce.
“Over the last few years, we have admired not only Timothée’s commitment to his craft, which is evident in the range and depth of his varied roles, but also his unwavering dedication to give 100 percent of his time and attention to every project he has made here at Warner Bros. and elsewhere,” said motion picture group co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy in a statement.
“His collaboration on the campaigns for Dune and Wonka is something we all enjoyed immensely, and the results speak for themselves,” the statement added.
The movie company has signed the star of its back-to-back box office hits Wonka and Dune: Part Two to a multiyear first-look feature deal.
Details were not disclosed, but the company said it would collaborate with the star on projects he would both act in and produce.
“Over the last few years, we have admired not only Timothée’s commitment to his craft, which is evident in the range and depth of his varied roles, but also his unwavering dedication to give 100 percent of his time and attention to every project he has made here at Warner Bros. and elsewhere,” said motion picture group co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy in a statement.
“His collaboration on the campaigns for Dune and Wonka is something we all enjoyed immensely, and the results speak for themselves,” the statement added.
- 3/26/2024
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In what is no surprise, Warner Bros Motion Picture Group is getting into business with its Dune and Wonka star Timothée Chalamet, and has hammered a multi-year first look feature film deal with the Oscar nominee as actor and producer.
Between the Dune movies and Wonka, Chalamet’s recent pics with the Burbank, CA lot have delivered $1.6 billion to studio coffers. Chalamet became the first actor in over four decades to star in the top two domestic-grossing films released in an 8-month period.
The latest talent deal is one of many hammered out by Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co-Chairs and CEOs, Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, as they set their future slate at the studio. Since being announced for the top studio job at Warner Bros back in June 2022, the duo have made deals with Tom Cruise, Jon M. Chu, and T Street’s Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman.
Between the Dune movies and Wonka, Chalamet’s recent pics with the Burbank, CA lot have delivered $1.6 billion to studio coffers. Chalamet became the first actor in over four decades to star in the top two domestic-grossing films released in an 8-month period.
The latest talent deal is one of many hammered out by Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co-Chairs and CEOs, Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, as they set their future slate at the studio. Since being announced for the top studio job at Warner Bros back in June 2022, the duo have made deals with Tom Cruise, Jon M. Chu, and T Street’s Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman.
- 3/26/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Timothée Chalamet has proven twice within just the last three months that he is a true movie star. He’s one of the few young actors right now who can open a movie, whether it’s a family-friendly romp like “Wonka” or a sci-fi epic like “Dune: Part Two.”
That both of those were released by Warner Bros. is motivation for the studio to lock his services down as best they can. And so they have.
On Tuesday, WB film group heads Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy announced they’ve signed a multi-year, first-look feature film deal with Chalamet in which he will collaborate with the studio on future projects as both an actor and a producer. No specific projects were announced today.
Chalamet, 28, is still new to the producing game — but no longer a rookie. He produced Luca Guadagnino’s “Bones and All,” which was greenlit by MGM...
That both of those were released by Warner Bros. is motivation for the studio to lock his services down as best they can. And so they have.
On Tuesday, WB film group heads Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy announced they’ve signed a multi-year, first-look feature film deal with Chalamet in which he will collaborate with the studio on future projects as both an actor and a producer. No specific projects were announced today.
Chalamet, 28, is still new to the producing game — but no longer a rookie. He produced Luca Guadagnino’s “Bones and All,” which was greenlit by MGM...
- 3/26/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman’s company T-Street has signed a two-picture producing deal with Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group.
Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, who took over as the studio’s co-chairs and CEOs in 2022, orchestrated the deal. It marks the producers’ first collaboration with Warner Bros., having previously worked with Lionsgate on the box office hit “Knives Out,” Netflix on its sequel “Glass Onion,” Disney on “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and Focus Features on the neo-noir thriller “Brick.” It’s unclear if Johnson will direct either of the two films that he’ll be overseeing at Warner Bros.
“Mike and Pam’s renewed commitment to original storytelling and the theatrical experience make Warner Bros. Discovery an ideal place to help us bring the filmmakers we love to audiences around the world on a grand scale,” said Johnson and Bergman. “We’re thrilled to have them as partners.
Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, who took over as the studio’s co-chairs and CEOs in 2022, orchestrated the deal. It marks the producers’ first collaboration with Warner Bros., having previously worked with Lionsgate on the box office hit “Knives Out,” Netflix on its sequel “Glass Onion,” Disney on “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and Focus Features on the neo-noir thriller “Brick.” It’s unclear if Johnson will direct either of the two films that he’ll be overseeing at Warner Bros.
“Mike and Pam’s renewed commitment to original storytelling and the theatrical experience make Warner Bros. Discovery an ideal place to help us bring the filmmakers we love to audiences around the world on a grand scale,” said Johnson and Bergman. “We’re thrilled to have them as partners.
- 3/18/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
As they prepare to start the third installment of the Knives Out trilogy with Daniel Craig to shoot later this year, T-Street partners Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman have made a two-picture producing deal with the Warner Bros Motion Picture Group.
T-Street becomes the latest in a flurry of A-listers to align with studio co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, after they made alliances with Tom Cruise and stepped up to acquire a film that reunites writer-director Ryan Coogler and Michael B Jordan in a period genre movie to shoot later this year.
Johnson and Bergman will have two “put” pictures, meaning the studio will make what they agree on. Their most recently produced film like that was American Fiction, the Cord Jefferson directorial debut that was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar among five noms; Jefferson won Best Adapted Screenplay. T-Street also produced the Sundance drama Fair Play,...
T-Street becomes the latest in a flurry of A-listers to align with studio co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, after they made alliances with Tom Cruise and stepped up to acquire a film that reunites writer-director Ryan Coogler and Michael B Jordan in a period genre movie to shoot later this year.
Johnson and Bergman will have two “put” pictures, meaning the studio will make what they agree on. Their most recently produced film like that was American Fiction, the Cord Jefferson directorial debut that was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar among five noms; Jefferson won Best Adapted Screenplay. T-Street also produced the Sundance drama Fair Play,...
- 3/18/2024
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Warner Bros chief Pam Abdy says she would “love to make a sequel to the box office blockbuster Barbie, after the original movie “ignited audiences around the world.”
Abdy, the co-chair and CEO of Warner Bros Motion Picture Group, told the BBC that Warner Bros and Barbie director Greta Gerwig were “always talking” about the prospect of following their success with another outing to Barbie’s unique world.
Abdy added that it had hurt “of course” that both Gerwig and Margot Robbie were omitted from the Oscars nominations for Best Director and Best Lead Actress respectively. She called Gerwig a visionary and “one of the best filmmakers working today.”
To date, the original movie has so far made $1.45billion at the worldwide box office, and goes into Sunday evening’s Academy Awards with eight nominations, including for Best Picture. Ryan Gosling is nominated for Best Supporting Actor and will also...
Abdy, the co-chair and CEO of Warner Bros Motion Picture Group, told the BBC that Warner Bros and Barbie director Greta Gerwig were “always talking” about the prospect of following their success with another outing to Barbie’s unique world.
Abdy added that it had hurt “of course” that both Gerwig and Margot Robbie were omitted from the Oscars nominations for Best Director and Best Lead Actress respectively. She called Gerwig a visionary and “one of the best filmmakers working today.”
To date, the original movie has so far made $1.45billion at the worldwide box office, and goes into Sunday evening’s Academy Awards with eight nominations, including for Best Picture. Ryan Gosling is nominated for Best Supporting Actor and will also...
- 3/9/2024
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
The last American movie star. The savior of cinema. Maverick. There are plenty of superlatives thrown around Tom Cruise these days—including by us—and for good reason. In an era where audiences increasingly only venture to the theater for familiar intellectual property (if at all), Tom Cruise remains one of the last old school marquee names people turn out for in order to watch the actor.
And more often than not, they’re justified in that trust, because Cruise has spent his middle-age proving that like his most popular alter-ego—Navy pilot Pete Mitchell—he has no intention of turning in his wings. It’s a common observation to even note that the Mission: Impossible movies Cruise made in his 50s were better than the ones he made in his 30s, and his dedication to in-camera stunts in those films, as well as Top Gun: Maverick, have increasingly resembled...
And more often than not, they’re justified in that trust, because Cruise has spent his middle-age proving that like his most popular alter-ego—Navy pilot Pete Mitchell—he has no intention of turning in his wings. It’s a common observation to even note that the Mission: Impossible movies Cruise made in his 50s were better than the ones he made in his 30s, and his dedication to in-camera stunts in those films, as well as Top Gun: Maverick, have increasingly resembled...
- 2/22/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Just last month, Tom Cruise entered a partnership with Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group chiefs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy to develop and produce original and franchise theatrical films, but what kind of movies does Cruise really want to make? By risking life and limb with real stunts in movies such as Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning and Top Gun: Maverick, Tom Cruise has become the biggest action star on the planet. While the actor will doubtlessly continue in the action realm, a report from Variety states that Cruise would like to return to the early days when he worked on serious, dramatic movies with directors such as Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick, and Paul Thomas Anderson.
In the early days of his stardom, Cruise was a bonafide awards contender, scoring Best Actor nominations at the Academy Awards for Born on the Fourth of July and Jerry Maguire, but it...
In the early days of his stardom, Cruise was a bonafide awards contender, scoring Best Actor nominations at the Academy Awards for Born on the Fourth of July and Jerry Maguire, but it...
- 2/21/2024
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
In January, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group chiefs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy jetted to London to connect with the new crown jewel of the studio, Tom Cruise. The three met to identify a film that would kick off their nonexclusive “strategic partnership.” Sources say a raft of possibilities were discussed, including an “Edge of Tomorrow” follow-up and Quentin Tarantino’s “The Movie Critic,” which currently isn’t set up with a distributor and has Warner Bros., like every major studio, salivating.
At 61, Cruise remains the king of studio tentpoles, a roost solidified by 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick,” which took in $1.5 billion worldwide. But Cruise wants more than action stardom — he’d like to return to working with auteurs like Paul Thomas Anderson. In fact, he hasn’t earned an Oscar nomination for acting since he appeared in Anderson’s 1999 drama “Magnolia.” Earlier in his career, Cruise benefited from...
At 61, Cruise remains the king of studio tentpoles, a roost solidified by 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick,” which took in $1.5 billion worldwide. But Cruise wants more than action stardom — he’d like to return to working with auteurs like Paul Thomas Anderson. In fact, he hasn’t earned an Oscar nomination for acting since he appeared in Anderson’s 1999 drama “Magnolia.” Earlier in his career, Cruise benefited from...
- 2/21/2024
- by Tatiana Siegel
- Variety Film + TV
The upcoming Road House remake looks to be one of Amazon’s biggest movies of the year, but according to Variety, there has been some major drama brewing behind the scenes for several years, all to do with whether to release the movie theatrically or on streaming.
Road House will debut on Prime Video next month, but the lack of a theatrical release has caused some acrimony. When director Doug Liman first signed on to direct the movie, Michael de Luca and Pam Abdy were in charge of MGM at the time, and the intention was that Road House would be developed for the big screen, but that all changed when Amazon acquired MGM for a cool $8.5 billion. De Luca and Abdy left for Warner Bros., but Amazon Studios chief Jennifer Salke took charge of Road House and was set to give it the green light… but there was one important choice to be made.
Road House will debut on Prime Video next month, but the lack of a theatrical release has caused some acrimony. When director Doug Liman first signed on to direct the movie, Michael de Luca and Pam Abdy were in charge of MGM at the time, and the intention was that Road House would be developed for the big screen, but that all changed when Amazon acquired MGM for a cool $8.5 billion. De Luca and Abdy left for Warner Bros., but Amazon Studios chief Jennifer Salke took charge of Road House and was set to give it the green light… but there was one important choice to be made.
- 2/14/2024
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Hollywood loves a bare-knuckle brawl. And the town got a battle royal with “Road House.”
The reboot of the 1989 cult favorite, which launches on Amazon Prime on March 21, sparked a fierce fight behind the scenes over its release. While studio-filmmaker standoffs are not uncommon, this one featured such subplots as the involvement of a notorious private investigator, a producer given the heave-ho, a cameo from Ari Emanuel and a director going scorched-earth. Even more shocking, some of the embarrassing details began to publicly spill out in recent months, culminating with director Doug Liman promising to boycott the film’s premiere at SXSW on March 8.
Despite the drama, the movie is expected to be one of Amazon Prime’s most-watched films this year. So how did things go wrong?
In November 2021, Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy were running MGM and began negotiating with Liman to direct and Jake Gyllenhaal to star as the tough-guy bouncer,...
The reboot of the 1989 cult favorite, which launches on Amazon Prime on March 21, sparked a fierce fight behind the scenes over its release. While studio-filmmaker standoffs are not uncommon, this one featured such subplots as the involvement of a notorious private investigator, a producer given the heave-ho, a cameo from Ari Emanuel and a director going scorched-earth. Even more shocking, some of the embarrassing details began to publicly spill out in recent months, culminating with director Doug Liman promising to boycott the film’s premiere at SXSW on March 8.
Despite the drama, the movie is expected to be one of Amazon Prime’s most-watched films this year. So how did things go wrong?
In November 2021, Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy were running MGM and began negotiating with Liman to direct and Jake Gyllenhaal to star as the tough-guy bouncer,...
- 2/14/2024
- by Tatiana Siegel
- Variety Film + TV
How does one repay a team of producers for launching its highest grossing film of all time? Give them the key to the studio — literally.
On Monday, “Barbie” producers, LuckyChap’s Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara inked a first-look deal at Warner Bros., which distributed the $1.4 billion-grossing movie. So, to celebrate, Warner Bros. Pictures Group Co-Chairs and CEO Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca decided to resurrect an old tradition, started by WB co-founder Jack Warner.
“Every once in a while, when a significant piece of talent signed a deal with the studio, he presented that company, that talent, with a key to the studio,” De Luca said as he and Abdy raised a toast to the trio. “We are so delighted to have our first key to our studio be given to LuckyChap.”
This historical artifact, De Luca noted, was particularly special, as the LuckyChap team received...
On Monday, “Barbie” producers, LuckyChap’s Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara inked a first-look deal at Warner Bros., which distributed the $1.4 billion-grossing movie. So, to celebrate, Warner Bros. Pictures Group Co-Chairs and CEO Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca decided to resurrect an old tradition, started by WB co-founder Jack Warner.
“Every once in a while, when a significant piece of talent signed a deal with the studio, he presented that company, that talent, with a key to the studio,” De Luca said as he and Abdy raised a toast to the trio. “We are so delighted to have our first key to our studio be given to LuckyChap.”
This historical artifact, De Luca noted, was particularly special, as the LuckyChap team received...
- 2/13/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Warner Bros. really likes being in the Margot Robbie business. Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group has signed a multi-year first look feature film deal with Robbie’s production company LuckyChap Entertainment. It will make WB the first stop for any film projects Robbie wishes to produce through her production arm, which she runs alongside Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara.
It’s no big question as to why. Robbie and Ackerley together produced WB and Mattel’s “Barbie,” which grossed $1.45 billion as the highest-grossing film of 2023, and went on to earn eight Oscar nominations, including for Best Picture.
But, not so fast, “Barbie” fans. That doesn’t a sequel is incoming. The announcement made on February 12 by WB film chief heads Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy doesn’t mention any specific projects just yet, nor does it stipulate whether Robbie would star in the films.
Still, Warner Bros. loves tying...
It’s no big question as to why. Robbie and Ackerley together produced WB and Mattel’s “Barbie,” which grossed $1.45 billion as the highest-grossing film of 2023, and went on to earn eight Oscar nominations, including for Best Picture.
But, not so fast, “Barbie” fans. That doesn’t a sequel is incoming. The announcement made on February 12 by WB film chief heads Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy doesn’t mention any specific projects just yet, nor does it stipulate whether Robbie would star in the films.
Still, Warner Bros. loves tying...
- 2/12/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Warner Bros. is staying in business with Margot Robbie, the star and producer of 2023 box office champion Barbie. The studio has set a first look film deal with LuckyChap, the banner Robbie runs with Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara.
Barbie stands as Warners’ highest grossing film of all time with $1.45 billion. It became a cultural phenomenon and landed eight Oscar nominations, including for best picture.
The deal is another feather in the cap for Warner Bros. film bosses Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, who have focused on courting top talent, signing Tom Cruise to a much ballyhooed (but non-exclusive) deal, and bringing Ryan Coogler’s next movie to the studio (wooing him with a deal in which the rights revert to him after a period of time).
These public facing moves have helped counter negative sentiment parent company Warner Bros. Discovery and CEO David Zaslav have earned in creative...
Barbie stands as Warners’ highest grossing film of all time with $1.45 billion. It became a cultural phenomenon and landed eight Oscar nominations, including for best picture.
The deal is another feather in the cap for Warner Bros. film bosses Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, who have focused on courting top talent, signing Tom Cruise to a much ballyhooed (but non-exclusive) deal, and bringing Ryan Coogler’s next movie to the studio (wooing him with a deal in which the rights revert to him after a period of time).
These public facing moves have helped counter negative sentiment parent company Warner Bros. Discovery and CEO David Zaslav have earned in creative...
- 2/12/2024
- by Aaron Couch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Margot Robbie’s production company is making it official with the studio that backed the Oscar-nominated blockbuster “Barbie.”
LuckyChap signed a multi-year, first-look feature film deal with Warner Bros. to collaborate on future projects. The pact follows the smash success of “Barbie,” which was distributed by Warner Bros. and produced by Robbie and her LuckyChap co-founders, Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara. With $1.45 billion globally, “Barbie” was the highest-grossing movie of 2023 as well as the biggest film in the studio’s 100-year history. It was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including best picture.
As Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co-chairs and CEO Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy build out the studio’s film slate, they said they’re on a mission to “invest and commit to working with the greatest partners in front of and behind the camera.”
“Margot, Tom and Josey have built a unique home for storytellers at LuckyChap,...
LuckyChap signed a multi-year, first-look feature film deal with Warner Bros. to collaborate on future projects. The pact follows the smash success of “Barbie,” which was distributed by Warner Bros. and produced by Robbie and her LuckyChap co-founders, Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara. With $1.45 billion globally, “Barbie” was the highest-grossing movie of 2023 as well as the biggest film in the studio’s 100-year history. It was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including best picture.
As Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co-chairs and CEO Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy build out the studio’s film slate, they said they’re on a mission to “invest and commit to working with the greatest partners in front of and behind the camera.”
“Margot, Tom and Josey have built a unique home for storytellers at LuckyChap,...
- 2/12/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Warner Bros Motion Picture Group is making sure the producer of the studio’s highest-grossing movie of all time, Barbie, isn’t going anywhere.
Studio bosses Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy have closed a multiyear first-look feature film deal with LuckyChap’s Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara on future projects. The news follows the $1.45 billion global-grossing Barbie notching eight Oscar nominations, as well as Song of the Year and Best Song Written for Visual Media Grammy wins for Billie Eilish and Finneas’ single “What Was I Made For?” in addition to two Golden Globe wins.
“Margot, Tom and Josey have built a unique home for storytellers at LuckyChap, where filmmakers are doing incredible work in a supportive and creatively freeing environment,” said De Luca and Abdy, co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group. “As we build our theatrical film slate, Warner Bros Discovery continues to...
Studio bosses Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy have closed a multiyear first-look feature film deal with LuckyChap’s Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara on future projects. The news follows the $1.45 billion global-grossing Barbie notching eight Oscar nominations, as well as Song of the Year and Best Song Written for Visual Media Grammy wins for Billie Eilish and Finneas’ single “What Was I Made For?” in addition to two Golden Globe wins.
“Margot, Tom and Josey have built a unique home for storytellers at LuckyChap, where filmmakers are doing incredible work in a supportive and creatively freeing environment,” said De Luca and Abdy, co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group. “As we build our theatrical film slate, Warner Bros Discovery continues to...
- 2/12/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Remember that brief moment in November of 2023 where we all thought Warner Bros. wasn't led by a soulless, money-hungry ghoul but by human beings who could see reason and allow "Coyote vs. Acme" to be shopped to other studios rather than delete it from existence? Well, that didn't last long.
In a damning report by TheWrap, it appears David Zaslav, head of Warner Bros. Discovery and eternal enemy of the Animaniacs, has reversed course and decided no one should ever watch the finished film "Coyote vs. Acme" even if other studios were willing to pay money for it. As producer Chris DeFaria told TheWrap, "They just want to get this behind them," referring to what he heard from a Warner Bros. executive in early January. "They want to close the books." According to TheWrap, Warner Bros. won't even announce that they were unable to find a home for the film.
In a damning report by TheWrap, it appears David Zaslav, head of Warner Bros. Discovery and eternal enemy of the Animaniacs, has reversed course and decided no one should ever watch the finished film "Coyote vs. Acme" even if other studios were willing to pay money for it. As producer Chris DeFaria told TheWrap, "They just want to get this behind them," referring to what he heard from a Warner Bros. executive in early January. "They want to close the books." According to TheWrap, Warner Bros. won't even announce that they were unable to find a home for the film.
- 2/9/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Update, March 19: Warner Bros. has slated the film for a March 7, 2025 IMAX release.
After a heated bidding war, Warner Bros. won the rights to the latest collaboration from writer-director-producer Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan.
Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group’s Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy confirmed the studio landed a deal with the duo for the untitled movie, based on an original script by Coogler. Details about the plot are being kept under wraps, but it has been described as an “original genre film.”
The new movie marks Coogler and Jordan’s fifth collaboration, beginning with “Fruitvale Station” in 2013 and continuing with the “Creed” and “Black Panther” franchises. De Luca and Abdy also have a successful track record with the duo, as they greenlit “Creed III” during their tenure at MGM.
News of the project surfaced last month when it was reported that Coogler and Jordan...
After a heated bidding war, Warner Bros. won the rights to the latest collaboration from writer-director-producer Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan.
Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group’s Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy confirmed the studio landed a deal with the duo for the untitled movie, based on an original script by Coogler. Details about the plot are being kept under wraps, but it has been described as an “original genre film.”
The new movie marks Coogler and Jordan’s fifth collaboration, beginning with “Fruitvale Station” in 2013 and continuing with the “Creed” and “Black Panther” franchises. De Luca and Abdy also have a successful track record with the duo, as they greenlit “Creed III” during their tenure at MGM.
News of the project surfaced last month when it was reported that Coogler and Jordan...
- 2/8/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
As Turner Classic Movies celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, the beloved cable channel is extending its partnership with Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson.
The announcement was made Friday at a TCM 30th anniversary party at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills, with Spielberg and Anderson in attendance. Warner Bros. co-film chief Pamela Abdy told guests the trio “will be extending their involvement with TCM for another year starting this month — several months earlier than their original agreement, which we started last May, so we can all look forward to this amazing collaboration.”
“It’s truly a dream to be in these conversations and really just listening to Paul and Steven and Marty just talk about film, it’s humbling, it’s awesome. It just reminds you how amazing it is to be part of this industry and part of this history,” she added.
The filmmakers have been...
The announcement was made Friday at a TCM 30th anniversary party at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills, with Spielberg and Anderson in attendance. Warner Bros. co-film chief Pamela Abdy told guests the trio “will be extending their involvement with TCM for another year starting this month — several months earlier than their original agreement, which we started last May, so we can all look forward to this amazing collaboration.”
“It’s truly a dream to be in these conversations and really just listening to Paul and Steven and Marty just talk about film, it’s humbling, it’s awesome. It just reminds you how amazing it is to be part of this industry and part of this history,” she added.
The filmmakers have been...
- 1/13/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Annette Bening is joining Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Frankenstein lore feature at Warner Bros; the studio making it official that this is a go-project. Cameras roll in Q1. This package with its attachments has been out there since it was at Netflix, and the deals have finally closed with everyone. Jessie Buckley is the star of the movie which follows Frankenstein’s pursuit of love.
There’s already been word out there about the cast, including Buckley, and it’s a murderers’ row with Christian Bale, Penélope Cruz, and Peter Sarsgaard. Bale and Buckley have been circling this project well before the strikes.
Logline: A lonely Frankenstein travels to 1930s Chicago to seek the aide of a Dr. Euphronius in creating a companion for himself. The two reinvigorate a murdered young woman and the Bride is born. She is beyond what either of them intended, igniting a combustible romance, the...
There’s already been word out there about the cast, including Buckley, and it’s a murderers’ row with Christian Bale, Penélope Cruz, and Peter Sarsgaard. Bale and Buckley have been circling this project well before the strikes.
Logline: A lonely Frankenstein travels to 1930s Chicago to seek the aide of a Dr. Euphronius in creating a companion for himself. The two reinvigorate a murdered young woman and the Bride is born. She is beyond what either of them intended, igniting a combustible romance, the...
- 1/12/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
After nearly a decade, it seems "Edge of Tomorrow 2" finally has a real shot at coming to fruition. Don't get too excited just yet, but Warner Bros., the studio behind the 2014 sci-fi blockbuster, recently locked down a deal with Tom Cruise, who starred in the film. The actor is now set to develop, produce, and star in projects for the studio. And wouldn't you know it, the sequel in question is on WB's wishlist.
The Hollywood Reporter recently broke down the blockbuster deal between Warner Bros. and Cruise. The outlet's article states that the studio's heads of film Michael DeLuca and Pam Abdy are eager to see Cruise return to the role of William Cage, noting, "DeLuca and Abdy have also hoped to lure Cruise back for a follow-up to the 2014 film 'Edge of Tomorrow.'" The article goes on to explain that the project was already...
The Hollywood Reporter recently broke down the blockbuster deal between Warner Bros. and Cruise. The outlet's article states that the studio's heads of film Michael DeLuca and Pam Abdy are eager to see Cruise return to the role of William Cage, noting, "DeLuca and Abdy have also hoped to lure Cruise back for a follow-up to the 2014 film 'Edge of Tomorrow.'" The article goes on to explain that the project was already...
- 1/11/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Last February, David Zaslav made his way to CAA’s offices, accompanied by his film-studio chiefs, Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy. The delegation gathered in agent Maha Dakhil’s office, where Kevin Huvane and Joel Lubin were in attendance. Also there was a prized client: Tom Cruise.
The meeting was the product of a call that De Luca and Abdy had made to Dakhil. They asked Dakhil to pass along a message of thanks to Cruise for working so hard to save theaters. The star was then still in the process of pulling the seventh Mission: Impossible movie together, which he had dragged against heavy odds through the pandemic. Meanwhile, Top Gun: Maverick had restored faith in the viability of movie theaters. Cruise would later promote Barbenheimer, a rare move for an actor who had nothing to do with either film.
The CAA meeting went on for two hours.
The meeting was the product of a call that De Luca and Abdy had made to Dakhil. They asked Dakhil to pass along a message of thanks to Cruise for working so hard to save theaters. The star was then still in the process of pulling the seventh Mission: Impossible movie together, which he had dragged against heavy odds through the pandemic. Meanwhile, Top Gun: Maverick had restored faith in the viability of movie theaters. Cruise would later promote Barbenheimer, a rare move for an actor who had nothing to do with either film.
The CAA meeting went on for two hours.
- 1/11/2024
- by Kim Masters
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Paul Thomas Anderson has assembled an all-star cast for his next movie, which will likely be the most expensive of his career.
Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio, long rumored to be in the movie, and Sean Penn, who recently popped up in Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza,” will appear in the untitled film. They join Regina Hall, the “Girls Trip” and “The Hate U Give” standout. Production on the film, which Warner Bros. will produce, is set to start this month in California, the state where nearly all of Anderson’s movies have unfolded. The new Anderson project has a contemporary setting and will be an ensemble piece, according to a source with knowledge of the production.
The film is cloaked in secrecy, so much so that Warner Bros. has tried to keep the mere fact that it was producing the movie under wraps for months. But its price tag has raised eyebrows,...
Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio, long rumored to be in the movie, and Sean Penn, who recently popped up in Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza,” will appear in the untitled film. They join Regina Hall, the “Girls Trip” and “The Hate U Give” standout. Production on the film, which Warner Bros. will produce, is set to start this month in California, the state where nearly all of Anderson’s movies have unfolded. The new Anderson project has a contemporary setting and will be an ensemble piece, according to a source with knowledge of the production.
The film is cloaked in secrecy, so much so that Warner Bros. has tried to keep the mere fact that it was producing the movie under wraps for months. But its price tag has raised eyebrows,...
- 1/10/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Warner Bros has Paul Thomas Anderson set to direct Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn as well as Regina Hall in an untitled film that will begin production this year in California. Anderson wrote the script, and he will produce the film with Sara Murphy and Adam Somner.
The film is currently untitled and they’re keeping the logline under wraps. We have learned that it is a contemporary setting and it is the most commercial one PTA has attempted, with commensurate budget. It came out of a relationship that Warner Bros Picture Group co-chairs/CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy built making PTA’s last film, Licorice Pizza, while they ran MGM. That film got three Oscar noms for Best Picture, and Best Screenplay and Best Director for PTA.
While DiCaprio, Penn and Hall are the leads, the new film will have a big ensemble cast...
The film is currently untitled and they’re keeping the logline under wraps. We have learned that it is a contemporary setting and it is the most commercial one PTA has attempted, with commensurate budget. It came out of a relationship that Warner Bros Picture Group co-chairs/CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy built making PTA’s last film, Licorice Pizza, while they ran MGM. That film got three Oscar noms for Best Picture, and Best Screenplay and Best Director for PTA.
While DiCaprio, Penn and Hall are the leads, the new film will have a big ensemble cast...
- 1/10/2024
- by Justin Kroll and Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Tom Cruise, one of the biggest movie stars of all time, has found a new home at Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group's Co-Chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy have announced they will jointly develop and produce original theatrical films (both original and within franchises) starring Cruise beginning in 2024. They have entered into what is being called "a new strategic partnership." Cruise and his production company will have offices on the Warner Bros. Discovery lot in Burbank, signaling the seriousness of the marriage.
Cruise is one of the last truly bankable movie stars on the planet, making this a big win for Warner Bros. The partnership marks a return to Warner Bros. for Cruise, whose filmography with the studio includes movies like "Edge of Tomorrow," "Rock of Ages," "The Last Samurai," "Magnolia," "Eyes Wide Shut," "Interview with the Vampire," "Risky Business," and "The Outsiders." De Luca...
Cruise is one of the last truly bankable movie stars on the planet, making this a big win for Warner Bros. The partnership marks a return to Warner Bros. for Cruise, whose filmography with the studio includes movies like "Edge of Tomorrow," "Rock of Ages," "The Last Samurai," "Magnolia," "Eyes Wide Shut," "Interview with the Vampire," "Risky Business," and "The Outsiders." De Luca...
- 1/9/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Hot off the heels of distributing the billion-dollar sensation Barbie in 2023, Warner Bros. is starting 2024 off strong with a momentous movie deal involving one of Hollywood’s most iconic stars, Tom Cruise! The cat is out of the bag, folks! Tom Cruise is partnering with studio chiefs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy to jointly develop and produce original and franchise theatrical films starring Cruise.
The deal finds Tom Cruise’s production company setting up shop on the Warner Bros. Discovery lot in Burbank. According to insiders, the arrangement, which kicks into effect this year, is not a first-look deal. In other words, Cruise will continue working with other studios on various projects, including Paramount, where Cruise’s action-packed Mission: Impossible franchise lives.
WB’s David Zaslav, who has not been the studio’s most popular leader, brokered the deal, finally adding an ornate feather to his cap. While no projects have been announced,...
The deal finds Tom Cruise’s production company setting up shop on the Warner Bros. Discovery lot in Burbank. According to insiders, the arrangement, which kicks into effect this year, is not a first-look deal. In other words, Cruise will continue working with other studios on various projects, including Paramount, where Cruise’s action-packed Mission: Impossible franchise lives.
WB’s David Zaslav, who has not been the studio’s most popular leader, brokered the deal, finally adding an ornate feather to his cap. While no projects have been announced,...
- 1/9/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav and the Motion Picture Group’s co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy have hammered out a new strategic partnership deal with Tom Cruise that takes effect this year.
The $13 billion-grossing star and producer will develop and produce original and franchise theatrical titles which he’ll star in. Cruise and his production company will have an office on the Burbank, CA lot. The last time Cruise starred in a Warner Bros movie was the 2014 sci-fi action title Edge of Tomorrow ($370.5 million global gross), one of eight titles he made with the studio including Rock of Ages, The Last Samurai, Magnolia, Eyes Wide Shut, Interview with the Vampire, Risky Business and The Outsiders.
Note, this isn’t an exclusive deal, as Cruise will continue to work with Paramount, where he’s shooting Mission: Impossible 8, and Universal, where he’s making the $200M shot-in-space movie directed by Doug Liman.
The $13 billion-grossing star and producer will develop and produce original and franchise theatrical titles which he’ll star in. Cruise and his production company will have an office on the Burbank, CA lot. The last time Cruise starred in a Warner Bros movie was the 2014 sci-fi action title Edge of Tomorrow ($370.5 million global gross), one of eight titles he made with the studio including Rock of Ages, The Last Samurai, Magnolia, Eyes Wide Shut, Interview with the Vampire, Risky Business and The Outsiders.
Note, this isn’t an exclusive deal, as Cruise will continue to work with Paramount, where he’s shooting Mission: Impossible 8, and Universal, where he’s making the $200M shot-in-space movie directed by Doug Liman.
- 1/9/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Tom Cruise has his next mission.
The ageless action star signed a new deal to develop and produce theatrical films with Warner Bros. Discovery. These movies will be a mix of original productions and franchise fare and will star Cruise, the company said in a release touting the deal. As part of what is being billed as a new “strategic partnership,” Cruise and his production company will have offices on the Warner Bros. Discovery lot in Burbank.
It’s a coup for Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, who took over as co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group in 2022, and who have been working to reinvigorate the studio, as well as for David Zaslav, the man who hired them. The deal with Cruise, who has projects at rival studios like Universal and Paramount, isn’t exclusive, nor is it a traditional first-look pact. The actor can make movies at other companies,...
The ageless action star signed a new deal to develop and produce theatrical films with Warner Bros. Discovery. These movies will be a mix of original productions and franchise fare and will star Cruise, the company said in a release touting the deal. As part of what is being billed as a new “strategic partnership,” Cruise and his production company will have offices on the Warner Bros. Discovery lot in Burbank.
It’s a coup for Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, who took over as co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group in 2022, and who have been working to reinvigorate the studio, as well as for David Zaslav, the man who hired them. The deal with Cruise, who has projects at rival studios like Universal and Paramount, isn’t exclusive, nor is it a traditional first-look pact. The actor can make movies at other companies,...
- 1/9/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Tom Cruise has taken a flying leap, though this time not on a motorcycle and off of a cliff. No, Cruise is headed to Burbank as part of a new strategic partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery; he’ll develop, produce, and star in “original and franchise theatrical films” there — and also fly some aircraft in and out of Bob Hope Airport.
Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy — and Cruise — announced the partnership on Tuesday. Cruise and his production company will even get offices on the Warner Bros Discovery lot.
Cruise’s deal with Warner Bros. — a return, of sorts — does not make him exclusive to the studio. There are currently no projects in development and it is not a traditional first-look deal; think of this as more of a formal commitment to collaborate with De Luca and Abdy on future blockbusters. Cruise...
Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy — and Cruise — announced the partnership on Tuesday. Cruise and his production company will even get offices on the Warner Bros Discovery lot.
Cruise’s deal with Warner Bros. — a return, of sorts — does not make him exclusive to the studio. There are currently no projects in development and it is not a traditional first-look deal; think of this as more of a formal commitment to collaborate with De Luca and Abdy on future blockbusters. Cruise...
- 1/9/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Tom Cruise is setting up shop on the Warner Bros. lot.
In a new strategic partnership that Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav helped shepherd, Cruise will team with movie studio chiefs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy in jointly developing and producing original and franchise theatrical films starring the world-famous actor.
Cruise and his production company will have offices on the Wbd lot in Burbank. The pact, which commences this year, isn’t a traditional first-look deal, insiders say.
Luring Cruise into the fold is a coup for Zaslav, Abdy and De Luca, considering he’s one of the last movie stars who carries clout around the world. And it’s especially a coup since he’s otherwise remained a free agent who hasn’t had a formal deal with Paramount, home of his two biggest franchises, Mission: Impossible and Top Gun, since 2006.
Insiders stress that Cruise will continue to work with other studios,...
In a new strategic partnership that Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav helped shepherd, Cruise will team with movie studio chiefs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy in jointly developing and producing original and franchise theatrical films starring the world-famous actor.
Cruise and his production company will have offices on the Wbd lot in Burbank. The pact, which commences this year, isn’t a traditional first-look deal, insiders say.
Luring Cruise into the fold is a coup for Zaslav, Abdy and De Luca, considering he’s one of the last movie stars who carries clout around the world. And it’s especially a coup since he’s otherwise remained a free agent who hasn’t had a formal deal with Paramount, home of his two biggest franchises, Mission: Impossible and Top Gun, since 2006.
Insiders stress that Cruise will continue to work with other studios,...
- 1/9/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Article updated at 2:54Pm Screenings are being set up this week for streamers Amazon Prime Video, Apple and Netflix to check out and potentially acquire Warner Bros’ axed Looney Tunes movie Coyote vs. Acme after the studio’s phone ran off the hook the entire weekend from angry filmmakers and talent reps over their third feature film kill after Batgirl and Scoob Holiday Haunt!
The more egregious Hollywood sin with Coyote vs. Acme is that it’s a finished film was intended for a theatrical release, while the other two movies were still in the works.
Of those kicking the tires, even though no deals have been drafted, I hear Amazon is a leading contender given the fact that Courtenay Valenti, the Head of Film, Streaming and Theatrical for Amazon Studios and MGM, was a big champion and linchpin for the movie while she was President of Production...
The more egregious Hollywood sin with Coyote vs. Acme is that it’s a finished film was intended for a theatrical release, while the other two movies were still in the works.
Of those kicking the tires, even though no deals have been drafted, I hear Amazon is a leading contender given the fact that Courtenay Valenti, the Head of Film, Streaming and Theatrical for Amazon Studios and MGM, was a big champion and linchpin for the movie while she was President of Production...
- 11/13/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The 15th Annual TCM Classic Film Festival will take place April 18-21, 2024 in its traditional Hollywood Boulevard location with a lineup exploring tales of conflict in cinema under the theme “Most Wanted: Crime and Justice in Film.”
This will mark the first TCM festival since, in a rather unprecedented move, feature executives, Mike De Luca and Pamela Abdy, Co-Chairs & CEOs, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, took creative control of the ad-supported cable network this past summer, ahead of its 30th anniversary next year.
The appointment followed an outreach by leading filmmakers and staunch film preservationists Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson to David Zaslav, CEO of TCM parent Warner Bros. Discovery, with concerns for the future of the channel following another major restructuring at the company that saw most of the TCM leadership exit in layoffs, including EVP and General Manager Pola Changnon, SVP of Programming and Content Strategy Charles Tabesh,...
This will mark the first TCM festival since, in a rather unprecedented move, feature executives, Mike De Luca and Pamela Abdy, Co-Chairs & CEOs, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, took creative control of the ad-supported cable network this past summer, ahead of its 30th anniversary next year.
The appointment followed an outreach by leading filmmakers and staunch film preservationists Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson to David Zaslav, CEO of TCM parent Warner Bros. Discovery, with concerns for the future of the channel following another major restructuring at the company that saw most of the TCM leadership exit in layoffs, including EVP and General Manager Pola Changnon, SVP of Programming and Content Strategy Charles Tabesh,...
- 10/11/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
After a tumultuous few months at TCM, the network’s Classic Film Festival will return to Hollywood on April 18-21 for its 15th edition with the theme “Most Wanted: Crime and Justice in Film,” it was announced Wednesday.
“Like Turner Classic Movies itself, the TCM Classic Film Festival is a destination for cinephiles, and the 2024 edition will undoubtedly be among the best yet,” Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co-chairs and co-CEOs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy said in a statement.
“We are so thrilled to invite TCM fans to celebrate the very best in cinema in the heart of Hollywood and to be amongst the filmmakers and casts who have lit up the silver screen for us all over the years.”
In June, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav moved oversight of the beloved TCM to De Luca and Abdy in the wake of layoffs that claimed the jobs of longtime staffers Pola Changnon,...
“Like Turner Classic Movies itself, the TCM Classic Film Festival is a destination for cinephiles, and the 2024 edition will undoubtedly be among the best yet,” Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co-chairs and co-CEOs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy said in a statement.
“We are so thrilled to invite TCM fans to celebrate the very best in cinema in the heart of Hollywood and to be amongst the filmmakers and casts who have lit up the silver screen for us all over the years.”
In June, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav moved oversight of the beloved TCM to De Luca and Abdy in the wake of layoffs that claimed the jobs of longtime staffers Pola Changnon,...
- 10/11/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Aaron Ryder was in a hurry. He knew other producers were chasing the GameStop story that was flooding headlines in 2021, as day traders ran up the stock for the brick-mortar store that had been shorted by several hedge funds. One single investor, Keith Gill (Paul Dano) believed the stock was undervalued and plowed his life savings into it. “You don’t even own a house!” a frustrated friend tells him in “Dumb Money” the movie adapted by former investigative reporters Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo from Ben Mezrich’s book “The Antisocial Network: The GameStop Short Squeeze and the Ragtag Group of Amateur Traders That Brought Wall Street to Its Knees,” with Craig Gillespie at the helm.
It all started during the pandemic in January 2021 when Ryder, who had built the film production division of FilmNation before new MGM chief Mike DeLuca offered him a first-look deal, was under...
It all started during the pandemic in January 2021 when Ryder, who had built the film production division of FilmNation before new MGM chief Mike DeLuca offered him a first-look deal, was under...
- 9/9/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
There’s no end to Barbie‘s magic tricks.
On Monday, Greta Gerwig’s movie is passing up the $1.342 billion grossed globally by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 to become the top-grossing film in the history of Warner Bros. at the worldwide box office, not adjusted for inflation. Barbie’s domestic gross through Sunday was $592.8 million, while its foreign tally was $745.5 million. (On Wednesday or Thursday of this week, the summer pic will become only the 13th movie in history to cross the $600 million mark domestically.)
The records broken by Barbie — starring Margot Robbie as Mattel’s famous fashion doll — are numerous. The box office blockbuster notched another major milestone Aug. 16 when passing up Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight to become the biggest Warner Bros. movie ever in North America.
And last week, Barbie passed up Illumination and Universal’s runaway blockbuster The Super Mario Bros. Movie...
On Monday, Greta Gerwig’s movie is passing up the $1.342 billion grossed globally by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 to become the top-grossing film in the history of Warner Bros. at the worldwide box office, not adjusted for inflation. Barbie’s domestic gross through Sunday was $592.8 million, while its foreign tally was $745.5 million. (On Wednesday or Thursday of this week, the summer pic will become only the 13th movie in history to cross the $600 million mark domestically.)
The records broken by Barbie — starring Margot Robbie as Mattel’s famous fashion doll — are numerous. The box office blockbuster notched another major milestone Aug. 16 when passing up Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight to become the biggest Warner Bros. movie ever in North America.
And last week, Barbie passed up Illumination and Universal’s runaway blockbuster The Super Mario Bros. Movie...
- 8/28/2023
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When people transform into their superhero personas in comic-book movies, the change is rarely as disturbing as it appears to be in Blue Beetle. While speaking with Variety, Blue Beetle director Angel Manuel Soto discussed his cinematic inspirations, including looking to David Cronenberg for the main character’s transformation.
Angel Manuel Soto is a die-hard cinephile who isn’t afraid to show his influences in his work, and when it came time to show Jaime’s first transformation into Blue Beetle, he wanted to make it a more visceral experience, just like the king of body horror. “How can we do [David] Cronenberg for kids?” Soto said. “I wanted the energy to be fun but also tell the story about the movies that made me love movies.“
Related Blue Beetle tickets are now available for pre-order on Fandango
Given the underperformance of recent DC movies, there are fears among the Latino...
Angel Manuel Soto is a die-hard cinephile who isn’t afraid to show his influences in his work, and when it came time to show Jaime’s first transformation into Blue Beetle, he wanted to make it a more visceral experience, just like the king of body horror. “How can we do [David] Cronenberg for kids?” Soto said. “I wanted the energy to be fun but also tell the story about the movies that made me love movies.“
Related Blue Beetle tickets are now available for pre-order on Fandango
Given the underperformance of recent DC movies, there are fears among the Latino...
- 8/2/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Oscar-winning “West Side Story” actress Ariana DeBose, Warner Bros. Pictures Group CEO Pamela Abdy and nationally recognized trial lawyer Wylie A. Aitken have joined the American Film Institute Board of Trustees, AFI announced on Thursday.
“AFI is the place where artistry and academia meet,” said Kathleen Kennedy, chair of AFI Board of Trustees, in a statement shared with TheWrap. “The addition of Pam, Wylie and Ari to the board will further propel our national mandate to inspire, to educate and, ultimately, to drive culture forward.”
DeBose won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 musical remake of “West Side Story.” She has also won a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and been nominated for a Tony. In 2022, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Abdy serves as co-chair and CEO of Warner Bros. Pictures Group,...
“AFI is the place where artistry and academia meet,” said Kathleen Kennedy, chair of AFI Board of Trustees, in a statement shared with TheWrap. “The addition of Pam, Wylie and Ari to the board will further propel our national mandate to inspire, to educate and, ultimately, to drive culture forward.”
DeBose won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 musical remake of “West Side Story.” She has also won a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and been nominated for a Tony. In 2022, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Abdy serves as co-chair and CEO of Warner Bros. Pictures Group,...
- 7/27/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Los Angeles, July 20 (Ians) Jason Momoa’s ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ production team have apparently come a long way before it will finally arrive in theaters on December 20, cutting Ben Affleck’s Batman cameo in the process.
According to a new report, the James Wan-directed pic has gone through three rounds of reshoots and held several test screenings, which were described as “uninspiring,” under three regimes at Warner Bros. The timing of the first two reshoots were not clear, but they reportedly took place between the summer of 2022 and early 2023, reports aceshowbiz.com.
Filming originally wrapped in January 2022 but by summer, Warners film boss Toby Emmerich was out and DC Films head Walter Hamada soon followed. The movie was in the middle of post-production and beginning test screenings.
According to The Hollywood Report, after one round of test screenings, new Warners film bosses Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy...
According to a new report, the James Wan-directed pic has gone through three rounds of reshoots and held several test screenings, which were described as “uninspiring,” under three regimes at Warner Bros. The timing of the first two reshoots were not clear, but they reportedly took place between the summer of 2022 and early 2023, reports aceshowbiz.com.
Filming originally wrapped in January 2022 but by summer, Warners film boss Toby Emmerich was out and DC Films head Walter Hamada soon followed. The movie was in the middle of post-production and beginning test screenings.
According to The Hollywood Report, after one round of test screenings, new Warners film bosses Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy...
- 7/20/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
According to reports, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is sailing through rough seas on its way to cinemas. A new article from The Hollywood Reporter says the sequel to 2018’s Aquaman is doggy paddling to shore after a stint of reshoots in New Zealand in mid-June, with stars Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson attending. Multiple sources say this is the film’s third round of reshoots, a number unheard of in most Hollywood circles.
Warner Bros greenlighted Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom under the leadership of former film boss Toby Emmerich and DC Films head Walter Hamada. 2018’s Aquaman earned $1.148B worldwide, becoming DC’s most successful superhero film. Even with the sequel suffering several setbacks, it’s easy to see why WB doesn’t want to let Aquaman and the Lost City drown.
After wrapping principal photography in January 2022, management ordered two reshoots. Unfortunately, test audiences were unimpressed with the results.
Warner Bros greenlighted Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom under the leadership of former film boss Toby Emmerich and DC Films head Walter Hamada. 2018’s Aquaman earned $1.148B worldwide, becoming DC’s most successful superhero film. Even with the sequel suffering several setbacks, it’s easy to see why WB doesn’t want to let Aquaman and the Lost City drown.
After wrapping principal photography in January 2022, management ordered two reshoots. Unfortunately, test audiences were unimpressed with the results.
- 7/19/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is in uncharted waters, with the next several weeks potentially setting its course, for good or for ill.
The sequel to Warner Bros.’ 2018 DC movie is coming off a round of reshoots that occurred in New Zealand in mid-June and involved stars including Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson, according to multiple sources.
This is the third round of reshoots for the movie, directed by James Wan. That is almost an unprecedented number, even for a movie of this scale.
Lost Kingdom has faced several headwinds as it swims toward a Dec. 20 release date. It was postponed several times (it originally was due to bow in December 2022), and like its DC movie brother The Flash, its making has now spanned three regimes at Warners.
The movie was greenlit under the Warners regime led by former film boss Toby Emmerich and his lieutenant, DC Films head Walter Hamada,...
The sequel to Warner Bros.’ 2018 DC movie is coming off a round of reshoots that occurred in New Zealand in mid-June and involved stars including Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson, according to multiple sources.
This is the third round of reshoots for the movie, directed by James Wan. That is almost an unprecedented number, even for a movie of this scale.
Lost Kingdom has faced several headwinds as it swims toward a Dec. 20 release date. It was postponed several times (it originally was due to bow in December 2022), and like its DC movie brother The Flash, its making has now spanned three regimes at Warners.
The movie was greenlit under the Warners regime led by former film boss Toby Emmerich and his lieutenant, DC Films head Walter Hamada,...
- 7/19/2023
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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