Ben Affleck to make a film about “Chinatown”

(photograph credit: Paramount Pictures)


“Forget it, Ben, it’s Chinatown”. Even though these days Ben Affleck is seemingly turning into another Martin Scorsese of “he’s attached to direct this and that” kind of news because since ever his last directorial efforts, there had been at least five or six projects he was attached and then either he abandoned the project or we just didn’t hear anything else about it.

Now he’s up to another new film, this time his new film is supposed to tell the story behind “Chinatown”. The movie was turned down by John Huston and Peter Bogdanovich – two of the greatest directors of their time until Roman Polanski came up to the project.

The movie was a big deal even though it’s making-of is not necessarily legendary or iconic, since the movie itself is iconic, then this can still get attention. Of course, we don’t know much about what aspect they’re going to focus on yet. Meanwhile, movie fans have already started to think about who should play Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway.

Certainly, Leonardo DiCaprio wouldn’t be in such a film, Christian Slater is too old but Chris Pine may tackle Nicholson? As for Faye Dunaway, Olivia Wilde and Elizabeth Olsen sound like spot-on choices but Ben may choose someone on-demand like Dakota Johnson also.

Filmiere.com will keep you updated regarding the project. Even if the movie won’t be made, still the casting game is fun.

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“John Wick” fifth installment is confirmed

(photograph credit: Lionsgate)

“John Wick” is one of the most critically and commercially successful action series in cinema right now, alongside “Mission: Impossible” but it’s totally of its own with its style, world-building, motivations, and distinctive action choreographies.  Since the first film, they found ways to extend the universe and bring something new to the table.

Now we knew that the fourth part was confirmed, but now fifth is also confirmed and Filmiere.com reports that they will be shot back-to-back which must be very exciting news for fans. Keanu Reeves will return to the John Wick, Lionsgate confirmed on Thursday.

Reeves is scheduled to shoot John Wick 4 and John Wick 5 back to back sometime early next year. John Wick: Chapter 4 was originally scheduled to hit theaters on May 21, 2021, but the film was delayed earlier this year to May 27, 2022, one of many theatrical releases pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As for the fifth part, no release date is known yet.

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Viggo Mortensen goes back to arthouses after “Green Book”

(Photograph credit: Hollywood Reporter)

It’d be fair to say that Viggo Mortensen is mostly an arthouse superstar, especially his turns in David Cronenberg films made him a beloved name in the film community. It’d be fair to say that since “Lord of the Rings” movies, Danish-American actor had not been in any mainstream film that is beloved by large crowds until “Green Book”.

After earning his third Oscar nom for “Green Book” and directing his own movie, Mortensen goes back to what he is best known for.  Now after “Jauja,” a major hit at the 2014 Cannes Festival, Viggo will re-team with Argentine director Lisandro Alonso on “Eureka,” one of the boldest upcoming art films from Latin America.

Just like some of his recent roles, he plays a father part again. He plays a man who searches for his daughter who got kidnapped by an outlaw. It already sounds like too similar to “Janja” but it’s not a sequel or anything. In addition, the setting for Part 1 of “Eureka,” entitled “Western,” is no longer Argentina’s Patagonia but a lawless township in 1870 on the U.S.-Mexico border.

With these infections rising all over the world, it’s hard to know when the filming will start and where it will premiere, says Filmiere.com

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Sarajevo Film Festival Cancels Physical Fest

(Photograph credit: China Daily)

Sarajevo Film Festival was set to be the first international film festival to take place in a meaningful physical form since probably Berlinale but now – not so surprisingly – the festival is canceled, at least in physical form because of the recent rise of coronavirus cases in Bosnia.

Organizers have made a late decision to shift the event entirely online.  Filmiere.com reminds that the fest had been due to take place August 14 – 21 in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo and the team have been bullish for months that it would be able to stage events in person despite widespread cancellations on the circuit.

Just recently they announced their line-ups, which were not full of big names but it was still exciting and interesting to see if there’s going to be a physical form festival this soon. The jury was set to be led by Hungarian acclaimed director Michel Hazanavicius.

The industry-focused CineLink program had already been set for an online edition due to travel complications. Hopefully next year we’ll get over the virus and there will not be any canceled film event anywhere for such reasons.

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Tom Hanks to Play Geppetto in Disney’s ‘Pinocchio’

(Photograph credit: Paramount Pictures)

Tom Hanks is strong as ever. He’s fresh from an Oscar nomination for his turn in “A Beautiful Day in Neighborhood”, won Cecille B. DeMille award just this year, he recovered from COVID-19, the film he wrote did well at Apple and he has some other exciting projects upcoming also.

Now Hanks is in early negotiations to play Geppetto in Disney’s live-action version of “Pinocchio.” Filmiere.com reports based on earlier news that Robert Zemeckis was on board to direct the project, the latest in a long line of live-action remakes of its animated movies such as “Aladdin”, and “The Lion King”.

Before he steps into the famed woodworker’s shoes, Hanks will portray Colonel Tom Parker in Warner Bros.’s upcoming Elvis Presley biopic. While he was shooting the film in Australia, which was here and his wife caught coronavirus.

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Bradley Cooper to star in Paul Thomas Anderson’s next

(Photograph credit: Warner Bros.)

Bradley Cooper is going strong. He’s fresh off from “A Star is Born” success, has been in the latest Avengers film for his voice work, next to appear in Guillermo Del Toro’s new film and is now mentioned for Paul Thomas Anderson’s next.  It’s not totally officially confirmed but Filmiere.com can claim that there are a lot of reliable sources to offer this claim.

Plot details are being kept secret, but the movie involves multiple storylines revolving around a kid actor attending high school in the Valley, which is the setting of some of Anderson’s best-known titles. Some sites claim that George Clooney and Michael Douglas were among people who’re considered for the role but that’s not too much of reliable info considering we don’t know what role that is offered to Cooper yet.

He’s not going to be the lead character also given what we know about the project. The project, which recently jumped to MGM from Focus Features, was gearing up for a spring/summer 2020 production start date prior to the COVID-19 shutdown. According to sources, the project is now eyeing a fall start. New PTA movie is always welcome and it’s exciting to see where Cooper’s career is heading on.

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Mulan going on Disney+

(photograph credit: Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo/Glamour)

On Disney’s 3Q earnings call today, it was announced that Mulan is going to Disney+ on Sept. 4, Filmiere.com reports. That shouldn’t be a big surprise, even though yes, it’s risky because it was a big-budget movie, it had significant importance of representation in American cinema as well as it was thought to make a lot of money in China but in those challenging times, maybe it’s for the best and it’s interesting to try out how much people are willing to watch something this big on their home.

CEO Bob Chapek said it was important to find new avenues of distribution during the pandemic and that “in the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, and a number of countries, we will be offering on Disney+, the epic Mulan on premiere access beginning Sept. 4, with the price point being $29.99 in the U.S.” Is it also good news for “Tenet” since it will have more screenings? who knows.

Everything is unpredictable these days. It’s unfortunate that this movie will not premiere on theatres first. Critics reviews are not out yet but Disney occasionally gets hits; like last year’s “Togo” with Willem Dafoe. Since the movie is directed by Niki Caro, it could be big for the female filmmaker’s sake also. The movie is expected to get a theatrical release in some markets though.

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Pedro Almodovar and Regina King to appear in Venice with their new films, while McQueen goes New York.

(photograph credit: Canal+/Sony/GEM/Kobal/Shutterstock)

Not in the competition but still nice to see big names are being added to Venice. Spanish auteur Pedro Almodovar has made an English-language 30-minutes longer film with Tilda Swinton in what was said to be a “record-breaking time”, Filmiere.com reports.

Almodovar’s latest film “Pain and Glory” has gotten huge acclaim all over the world and this one must be interesting as well. Regina King, who just recently scored another Emmy nomination, makes her directorial debut with “One Night in Miami”.

The film tells a fictionalized story of Cassius Clay, Malcolm X, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke as the group celebrate Clay’s surprise title win over Sonny Liston in a Miami hotel room in 1964. King’s film has reported appearing in Toronto as well but we don’t know if it’ll be on the same day as “Nomadland” or not. As for Steve McQueen,  he will kick off the 58th edition of the New York Film Festival with his new work “Lovers Rock.

The movie unfolds during a blues party in the early 1980s and tells a story of young love. Two other films from the five-film anthology, “Mangrove” and “Red, White and Blue,” will also have their world premieres as part of this year’s main slate.

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Courteney Cox will be back for “Scream 5”

(Photograph credit: Dimension Films)

Courteney Cox established herself as a major TV star with her turn in “Friends” but thanks to Wes Craven’s “Scream”, she proved that she’s more than a one-trick-pony and can play a wide range of roles. Her character Gale Weathers (Riley) is definitely the horror’s most famous tabloid reporter.

Cox lobbied hardback in time for the role for that reason, wishing to play a “bitch” character, her efforts ultimately succeeding when she was cast and “Scream” fans will be happy to know that she still loves to play the character and will be back to reprise it in the next installment, which will, unfortunately, be the first “Scream” film to not directed by Wes Craven because of his sad passing.

More casting updates should be announced soon and Filmiere.com will keep you updated with that. “Scream” will be directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett of the filmmaking group Radio Silence (“Ready or Not,” “V/H/S”) from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt (“Murder Mystery,” “Zodiac,” “The Amazing Spider-Man”) and Guy Busick (“Ready or Not,” “Castle Rock”).

The film is intending to start shooting this fall in North Carolina, ahead of it hitting cinemas sometime in 2021.

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RIP Wilford Brimley

(Photograph credit: Universal Pictures)

Another sad passing of the week that Filmiere.com has to report is unfortunately Wilford Brimley. As usual with many established character actors, he was more of a guy the audiences will think of “that guy in that movie” rather than knowing by his name but Wilford Brimley did it all; the scene he goes nuts in John Carpenter masterpiece “The Thing” is simply amazing to watch and it’s somewhat popular.

He had diabetes and 85, so the news shouldn’t be surprising to some but still, it’s sad to see a great character actor goes away. He was also very fun in “Cocoon” and “In & Out”, also memorable in “The Natural”, great performance in “The Firm”. Brimley also does a lot of TV work, which includes another great performance in the 80s TV series “Our House”.

And he was active on Twitter just until yesterday, similar to Carl Reiner which makes it all really sad. Don Amache won an Oscar for “Cocoon” but Brimley was as impressive, like that in the fishing scene. His presence will be missed in movies.

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