Category: News

(Photograph credit: Matthew McConaughey/Twitter)

Filmiere.com informs you that 2020 was full of great memoirs if you’re interested in American cinema. Woody Allen finally managed to publish his much-discussed autobiography “Apropos of Nothing” where he gives his account on famous allegations, as well as stories about his childhood, his comedy start times, and then subsequent movie career.

Oliver Stone also just recently published his memoir “Chasing the Light” which chronicles how he rose to fame with “Platoon”. There are also books that are not necessarily memoirs but feel like it; similar to “Picturing Peter Bogdanovich”, a large interview with legendary Peter Bogdanovich.

Actors were also publishing stuff; such as Val Kilmer’s great, inspirational book. Matthew McConaughey joins the trend now. “Ever since I learned to write, I’ve been keeping a journal, writing down anything that turned me on, turned me off, made me laugh, made me cry, made me a question, or kept me up at night,” McConaughey says in a video message to his social media followers.

“Two years ago, I worked up the courage to take all of those journals off into solitary confinement just to see what the hell I had, and I returned with a book.” The book is called “Greenlights” and will be on sale on 10.20.20.  Those who are going to quarantine or spends time at home have plenty to read this year.

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(Photograph credit: Walt Disney Studios)

“For larger films, and epic stories like Tron, you are more dependent. It’s not quite as possible as with a small group of filmmakers. It’s a different art form.”, Filmiere.com quotes Olivia Wilde on what she said back in time on why we’re waiting for the third Tron film, fanboy favorite sci-fi starring Jeff Bridges.

Both of previous “Tron” films have received acclaim for their technical details and their blockbuster fun side but criticized the storylines as basic and not too interesting. The first film was a box office disappointment that later got a huge cult following, and the second one did over nearly 400 million dollars on the box office.

Now the third part is going strong. Garth Davis, who made his feature directing debut with 2016’s fact-based drama “Lion,” has signed on to direct a new “Tron” movie for the studio. It is supposed to be more of a new version rather than a direct sequel and it’s said to star Jared Leto.

Leto signed on to star in a new “Tron” movie, but until Monday, there hadn’t been much forward momentum for the franchise. We’ll keep you updated about the project.

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(Photograph credit: SPC)

Filmiere.com would be glad to report news that is not COVID-related finally but unfortunately, it’s the effect on cinema and the world is enormous and it doesn’t stop. Not only it postponed or canceled many film projects and releases but also many cinema people are actually diagnosed with the disease including losses like the great film composer Adam Schlesinger’s sad passing.

This time Spanish movie star Antonio Banderas who’s fresh off his first Oscar nomination for his incredible turn in “Pain and Glory” has announced that he got diagnosed with coronavirus. He said there’s nothing too much to worry about as he’s recovering, but he had to spend his birthday on quarantine.

He added that he only feels a little more tired than usual but generally doing, fine. Wishing him a speedy recovery. Banderas will next to appear in “Uncharted”, “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” (with a good friend of his; Salma Hayek) and “Lamborgini – The Legend” as Ferrucio Lamborghini, that will add another bio role to his resume which just recently included stand-in for Almodovar in “Pain and Glory”, Ramon Fonseca in “The Laundromat” and Pablo Picasso in “Genius”.

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(Photograph credit: Tokyo International Film Festival)

Unlike canceled festivals like Telluride, some are still planning to move ahead just like Toronto and Venice. In Asia, it’s Tokyo Film Festival who has plans to go on in physical form like every year but there will be some changes. Due to obvious reasons, they will make some changes to its structure, and the festival has also announced a tie-up with Japan’s leading indie film festival, Tokyo Filmex.

Filmiere.com reports that the festival will take place from October 31 to November 9. “By staying physical, TIFF will enable audiences to re-experience the joy of watching films on the big screen, which will light a beacon of hope for the future of film,” the festival said in a statement.

“We also believe this will help strengthen international solidarity in the global film industry and reexamine our understanding of visual culture after Covid-19.” Certainly good news for the Asian movie industry and Japanese cinema.

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(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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(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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(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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(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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(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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(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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