Ben Foster To Play Holocaust-Surviving Boxer Harry Haft In New Film From Barry Levinson

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November 6, 2018

With his performance in Debra Granik’s Leave No Trace still earning rave reviews and even a Gotham Award nomination, Ben Foster is lining up his next film and it’s a bit of a surprise. The versatile actor will put on the gloves for boxing biopic Harry Haft, to be directed by Barry Levinson.

Foster will step into the ring as Harry Haft, and his story is pretty incredible. In 1941 Haft was captured by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz, where he was trained as a boxer and forced to fight other prisoners to the death. In 1945 he escaped a death march by killing a German soldier and donning his uniform. Eventually he made his way to the United States where he began a career as a heavyweight prizefighter. In his final fight Haft faced the legendary Rocky Marciano.

The script by Justine Juel Gillmer is adapted from Alan Scott Haft’s novel, and found its way onto the Black List. Levinson is a screen veteran who recently directed Al Pacino in HBO’s Paterno. His last big screen film was 2015’s Rock the Kasbah with Bill Murray. It’s another potential prestige drama for Foster as boxing movies continue to make a comeback. Under normal circumstances I’d think he needed to pack on pounds of muscle to play a heavyweight fighter but Haft was only about 180lbs at his heaviest. Knowing the way Foster gets into the shoes of every character he plays there might be some wild stories about his training regiment.

Production on Harry Haft begins in February.

David Lowery To Direct Arthurian Legend ‘Green Knight’

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John Nolan

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November 6, 2018

With his Robert Redford swansong The Old Man and the Gun still in theaters, director David Lowery has already set up his next film. He’ll be returning to A24 for fantasy film Green Knight, a retelling of the Arthurian tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Lowery will direct and produce the film, which is based on the classic chivalric romances of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. The story goes that Sir Gawain, youngest of the knights and Arthur’s nephew, accepts a challenge from the massive Green Knight to deliver a blow with his mighty axe, and in exchange the Green Knight can return the blow in a year and a day. Gawain beheads the Green Knight, who doesn’t die but picks up his head and reminds Gawain of the oath. As the date approaches, Gawain finds his bravery, honesty, and loyalty tested. The story has been adapted twice, in 1974 and 1984, in films both directed by Stephen Weeks.

This will be Lowery’s return to A24 after they distributed his indie horror, A Ghost Story. He’s previously directed Ain’t Them Bodies Saints and a remake of Pete’s Dragon. [Deadline]

John Krasinski And Emily Blunt Confirm ‘A Quiet Place’ Sequel Plans

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John Nolan

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November 6, 2018

Although director and star John Krasinski wasn’t as quick to jump on board, Paramount was ready to move on a sequel to A Quiet Place after its $330M box office run. Krasinski eventually warmed to the idea, and while he won’t be back behind the camera, and likely not in front of it either, he has come up with an idea for a second movie and will write the script. Now in a conversation with EW, Krasinski and his wife/co-star Emily Blunt give their idea of what a sequel will look like, and how it will differ from the prior movie.

While there had been some speculation, perhaps even hope, of a prequel that would bring back the entire cast, Blunt suggests that moving forward is the best way to go…

“In some ways, the idea of seeing who these people were before this all happened would be interesting, but I’m not quite sure because I think actually it’s now what’s the next chapter and what happens next. I think people feel very invested in this family…. I think it’s such an open book right now, and certainly for John who is lasering into something as we speak.”

Krasinski has talked about his “small idea” that got him interested in writing a sequel, and he confirms what that idea is. Basically, this will be a much bigger story than the rather isolated one we saw before…

“I had this very small idea, and what it was is that this is a world you can play in, this isn’t just a character to remake or a group of characters or a story. It’s actually a world, which is a whole different, very unique experience. It’s something we feel very lucky to have. It’s not like Alien or Jaws where the main villain is the thing you’re repeating; it’s an actual entire set of rules and the circumstance that the world has undergone that you can play in very different facets.”

To me that sounds like the surviving members of the Abbott family will encounter other families going through what they went through. It at least opens up the possibility of the Abbotts returning in some way. A Quiet Place 2 opens May 15th 2020, moving into a more high-profile summer slot.

Ryan Reynolds And Fred Savage Talk PG-13 ‘Once Upon A Deadpool’

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John Nolan

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November 5, 2018

So are you a kid who really wanted to see Deadpool 2 but weren’t smart enough to figure out a way to get into the R-rated flick? Honestly, you don’t deserve what’s coming to you, but you’re going to get it. A holiday-timed PG-13 cut of the film is coming, and we now know it will be titled Once Upon a Deadpool. Awwww shucks that’s so sweet.

Deadline has some updated info on the edited sequel, which will have a limited theatrical run from December 12th through Christmas Eve. The film will feature a holiday theme, framed by sequences with a kidnapped Fred Savage, obviously taking from his role in The Princess Bride. All in all, eight additional scenes were filmed for the new cut which is only about three minutes shorter than the original version.

While many have knocked Disney for this, calling it a cash grab, that isn’t exactly the case. Ryan Reynolds has confirmed this is a charitable effort, and $1 from every ticket sold will go to the charity Fuck Cancer, which will be renamed Fudge Cancer during this PG-13 period.

“Fox has been asking for a PG-13 basically since the start in 2006,” Reynolds said. “I’ve said no since 2006. Now, this one time, I said ‘Yes’ on two conditions. First, a portion of the proceeds had to go to charity. Second, I wanted to kidnap Fred Savage. The second condition took some explaining…”

Savage, clearly playing along, had this to add, “While my participation in this film was anything but voluntary. I am happy to learn that Fudge Cancer will be the beneficiary of this shameless cash grab.”

Okay, so the goal isn’t entirely philanthropic. The re-release is being watched closely by Disney, who will be taking over Fox assets in the coming months. Disney has never put out an R-rated superhero movie and this is a way for them to test Deadpool’s viability in a more all-ages setting. Plus, this opens up an avenue for Deadpool 2 to open in China, who have refused the two R-rated Deadpool movies thus far. Of course, that’s one of the biggest markets in the world and a potentially huge bonus to a movie that was already a smashing success.

Whether all of this turns out to be worth it we’ll find out next month!

HBO’s ‘Deadwood’ Movie Begins Shooting, Original Castmembers Returning

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John Nolan

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November 5, 2018

It’s real. Al Swearengen is readying his F-bombs and “cocksuckers” now, because the Deadwood movie is actually happening. HBO has confirmed the film’s start of production, with the original cast on board. Well holy cocksuckin’ shit.

This year has been a see-saw of good and bad news for fans of David Milch’s Shakespearean western series, with star Timothy Olyphant saying it wouldn’t happen at one point. A few months later and HBO had given it a thumbs up, and now this. Milch will write the script, of course, but it will be Daniel Minehan behind the camera. Much of the original cast is returning, too: Ian McShane (Al Swearengen), Timothy Olyphant (Seth Bullock), Molly Parker (Alma Ellsworth), Paula Malcomson (Trixie), John Hawkes (Sol Star), Anna Gunn (Martha Bullock), Dayton Callie (Charlie Utter), Brad Dourif (Doc Cochran), Robin Weigert (“Calamity” Jane Canary), William Sanderson (E.B. Farnum), Kim Dickens (Joanie Stubbs) and Gerald McRaney (George Hearst). A new character named Caroline is being introduced, as well, played by Jade Pettyjohn.

I have no idea what the story could be, but based on the show’s third and final season I have to believe it has to do with the return of George Hearst, who was a major foil. Honestly, I don’t really care because Deadwood is back and hopefully it does well enough that HBO will approve of more.

Marvel’s Kevin Feige Teases Longform Narratives For Disney’s Streaming Service

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John Nolan

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November 5, 2018

If you’re a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and aren’t we all (?), this is a pretty exciting time. We’re days, perhaps weeks away from the first Avengers 4 trailer, and that should be incredible. There’s a Captain Marvel film on the way, as well, and the beginning of a new phase for the MCU on the big screen. But there’s perhaps even greater excitement for Marvel’s plans for Disney’s streaming service, reportedly called Disney Play, which we already know will include shows with some of our favorite Avengers heroes.

Marvel’s Kevin Feige was part of a roundtable discussion hosted by THR, and in it, he talked a little bit about introducing more longform narratives to Disney Play, as something we can’t get from the theatrical experience…

“Well, it’s not a hundred percent complete yet, so there’s only so much I’m allowed to say, or so much they even tell me. But Paul [Greengrass] mentioned the streaming service, and I think that is something that we’re going to be adding content to, which is exciting. I love your analogy with the campfire, right? As many people as you can get around the campfire and tell stories. Campfires can be different: We are going to tell stories for the streaming service that we wouldn’t be able to tell in a theatrical experience — a longer-form narrative, that’s what comics are, it’s about as longform a narrative as exists. But also maintaining that theatrical experience, which is our bread and butter, and the lines around the block, if you’re lucky.”

So he could be talking about more limited event series, like the ones he has planned for Scarlet Witch and Vision, Loki, and more. Or perhaps multi-arc movies that tell a complete story involving lesser-known characters? It’s clear the details on Disney Play are still being ironed out, but the potential here is tremendous. Wouldn’t it be awesome to get a Civil War that didn’t have to be truncated into a 2-hour movie? A serialized format would allow Marvel to emphasize other characters and arcs for longer stretches.

Disney Play (or whatever it’ll be called) is expected to arrive in 2019.

‘The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs’ Trailer: The Coen Brothers Reveal Their Offbeat Netflix Western

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John Nolan

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November 5, 2018

The Coen Brothers are no strangers to awards season, but for The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, their first partnership with Netflix, it was unclear just how much of a presence they’d have this year. Now we know it could be pretty significant because the western drama’s new trailer reveals a release date just four days away as part of the streaming service’s expanded release strategy.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs will get an exclusive theatrical run beginning November 8th, before hitting Netflix on November 16th. Along with Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma and the Sandra Bullock thriller Bird Box, the film is part of an effort to have greater influence this time of year, and perhaps attract more top-tier filmmakers to Netflix which has often been criticized for not having much of a strategy.

As for the movie itself, it’s an anthology told in six parts and stars Tim Blake Nelson, James Franco, Zoe Kazan, Tom Waits, and Liam Neeson. Here’s the synopsis:

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a six-part Western anthology film, a series of tales about the American frontier told through the unique and incomparable voice of Joel and Ethan Coen. Each chapter tells a distinct story about the American West.

Between No Country for Old Men and True Grit the Coens have a stellar track record with this genre at this time of year. We won’t have to wait long to find out of that will continue.

SPOILERS! ‘The Walking Dead’ Fools Fans Again, Andrew Lincoln To Star In Three Universe-Expanding Films

By

John Nolan

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November 5, 2018

This season of The Walking Dead has had a melancholic tone to it since the beginning, ever since it was revealed just ahead of Comic-Con that longtime star Andrew Lincoln would be exiting the series. It was strange because AMC and the show’s producers openly discussed his exit and the potential demise of his character, Rick Grimes, who has been there literally since season one frame one. And each episode fans grew nearer to Grimes’ departure, wondering how he would leave. Would it be ripped apart by zombies? Killed by Negan or some other wacko with an axe to grind? Nobody leaves happily ever after, right?

And last night gave us the answer. In the penultimate episode, an explosion left Rick with seemingly fatal injuries, and it was expected last night would be the end for him. Well, it was…for him on The Walking Dead TV series. But The Walking Dead movies? That’s another story. Grimes somehow survived and was airlifted away by a mysterious helicopter. To where? Well, that’s where the movies come in.

In short, all that teasing of Rick’s death was one giant ruse.

Lincoln will return as Rick Grimes in at least three films, written and exec-produced by Scott M. Gimple. He tells THR…

“The story of Rick will go on in films. Right now, we’re working on three but there’s flexibility in that. … Over the next several years, we’re going to be doing specials, new series are quite a possibility, high-quality digital content and then some content that defies description at the moment. We’re going to dig into the past and see old characters. We’re going to introduce new characters and new situations.”

Lincoln added on last night’s episode of Talking Dead, “It’s not the beginning of the end, it’s the end of the beginning. And I like the idea that we get to tell a bigger story, maybe with a sort of wider vista,” Lincoln said on “The Talking Dead,” AMC’s after-show about the zombie hit. “I’ve always been interested in what’s going on out there, you know, whether or not there is contact with the wider world.”

With Lincoln gone, show creators have taken extra steps to keep other popular stars in place. Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride, who play fan-favorite characters Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier (if Carol ever dies I riot!!!), have both signed new contracts, while Danai Gurira is close to doing the same.

So what does this do for fans of the show right now? I know a lot of folks who have seen Rick’s exit as a perfect place to finally quit the show. But do these plans to keep him around, albeit in a different way, do enough so that viewers want to stick around? For me, I think I’m in for the long haul no matter what at this point. This season has been full of ups and downs in quality, but I still have too many characters I love to simply walk away.

What about you? Sound off in the comments.

‘Five Feet Apart’ Trailer: Haley Lu Richardson And Cole Sprouse Star In The Latest Tearjerker Romance Drama

By

John Nolan

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November 5, 2018

Uh oh, get your Kleenex ready. It’s time for another tearjerker romance about star-crossed lovers with terminal illnesses. While all of these films have a certain formula to follow, the best of them have an incredible lead romantic pair, and Five Feet Apart definitely has that with Columbus star Haley Lu Richardson and Riverdale‘s Cole “Jughead” Sprouse.

Marking the directorial debut of Jane the Virgin actor Justin Baldoni, the film centers on two teens with cystic fibrosis who meet and fall in love, even though they can’t get within five feet of one another due to the disease. The cast also includes Moises Arias (The Kings of Summer), Parminder Nagra (Bend it like Beckham), and Claire Forlani (Mallrats).

I’ve only seen bits and pieces of Riverdale so my exposure to Sprouse is fairly limited. I remember him as the kid opposite Adam Sandler in Big Daddy, but something tells me he’s grown as an actor since then? However, I’ve heard the acclaim for his work and he appears to be the real deal. Richardson has been incredible in practically everything of late, from her Gotham Award-nominated performance in Columbus, to her work in Support the Girls and Split.

Five Feet Apart opens March 22nd 2019.

‘Back Roads’ Trailer: Alex Pettyfer’s Directorial Debut Adapts The Oprah Book Club Selection

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John Nolan

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November 5, 2018

Once a part of Hollywood’s young class of rising stars, Alex Pettyfer has mostly been persona non grata after developing a bad reputation. But he seems to be trying to turn things around now, and part of that movement is embarking on his directorial debut, Back Roads, an adaptation of the Oprah Winfrey Book Club pick authored by Tawni O’Dell. It’s an ambitious effort which finds Pettyfer also stepping in front of the camera, joined by a talented cast.

Pettyfer is actually picking up the reins of a film that has been in the works since 2011, when Adrian Lyne (Unfaithful) was on track to direct it. However, that changed and Lyne sticks around as co-writer along with O’Dell. The story follows Harley, a young man living in a Pennsylvania coal town who must take care of his three sisters while their mother is in jail for murdering their abusive father. Harley must not only deal with being stuck where he is, but he also becomes with the sexy but depressed mother of two who lives down the road. The object of Harley’s desire is played by Jennifer Morrison, joined in the cast by Nicola Peltz, Robert Patrick, and Juliette Lewis.

Back Roads hits theaters on December 7th.