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The Sundance Film Festival might be moving in 2028, but until then, it’s parking itself back in Park City for another edition of what are expected to be just under 100 features and 50 shorts. The second Sundance under the supervision of new festival director (and IndieWire co-founder) Eugene Hernandez takes place January 23 through February 2, with the lineup expecting to start trickling out next week.

Ahead of the announcement, however, IndieWire has the scoop on films we’re hearing will be in Utah this year and the ones — some long-gestating indies, others secret surprise drops — we’re hoping will pop there. Some expected titles, like Celine Song’s “Past Lives” follow-up “Materialists” or “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” from Kogonoda either aren’t finished yet or are holding out for Cannes and into the fall festivals. Others, like Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s “Hot Milk,” have been on this list before.

David Ehrlich, Kate Erbland,...

Exclusive: Amid a push to expand further into talent representation, 2Am has hired Ryan Lucas as a manager.

Lucas joins from UTA, where he’s worked since 2015, most recently as a talent agent across film, television, and theatre. He was a natural fit for 2Am, given that he worked closely with several of the firm’s clients during his time at the agency, including Janicza Bravo (Zola), Jayme Lawson, and James Sweeney (Twinless). While not all clients have yet been formalized in the transition, he will continue to work with Lawson and Sweeney at 2Am, also bringing with him existing clients including Emmy and Tony Award winner Sean Hayes (Will & Grace) and India Amarteifio, star of Netflix’s Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Lucas will be based out of 2Am’s Los Angeles offices.

Launched in early 2021 by founding partners Christine D’Souza Gelb, David Hinojosa, and Kevin Rowe,...

The 40th edition of the Film Independent Spirit Awards unveiled nominations this morning, nominating Neon’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner Anora, A24’s I Saw the TV Glow, Amazon MGM Studios’ Nickel Boys, A24’s Sing Sing and Mubi’s Demi Moore body-swap horror movie The Substance for Best Feature.

Anora and I Saw the TV Glow equally lead all noms with six apiece. The Sean Baker-directed Anora landed Best Feature, Best Lead Performance (Mikey Madison), two Best Supporting Performance noms (Yuri Borisov and Karren Karagulian), Best Director, and the Producers Award.

I Saw the TV Glow, which made its world premiere at Sundance earlier this year, is quite the shocker, busting into the Best Feature category as it arguably hasn’t been on the lips of any awards prognosticator this year. The Jane Schoenbrun-directed-and-written drama horror title follows a teenager who is just trying to make...

The 40th Annual Independent Spirit Awards nominations were announced live on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 7:00am Pacific/10:00am Eastern on Film Independent’s YouTube channel. Scroll down for the full list of contenders, and find out who wins during a ceremony hosted by comedian Aidy Bryant on Feb. 22, 2025.

The Spirit Awards honor the best achievements in low-budget American filmmaking and and now breakthrough TV programs as well, as decided by the members of Film Independent. The nominating committees comprised writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, actors, critics, casting directors, film festival programmers and other working film professionals. Winners are chosen by film industry insiders as well as everyday film lovers who pay their yearly dues to be part of Film Independent. Members have access to Film Independent’s exclusive nominee screening room online, as well as a number of awards season experiences including special screenings and Q&As.

Film Independent...

In a refreshing and unpredictable swerve, Aaron Schimberg’s New York theater satire “A Different Man” picked up Best Feature at the 2024 Gotham Awards on Monday night. The Sundance premiere, about a washed-up actor (Sebastian Stan) with neurofibromatosis who undergoes facial reconstruction surgery only to be confronted by his much more confident double (Adam Pearson), shot on the Upper West Side in New York and has been an awards season dark horse with support from critics here.

Stan is also in the Oscar mix for his portrayal of Donald Trump in “The Apprentice,” which didn’t place on the Gotham nominations list. Bets were on “Anora” to win the Best Feature prize, so “A Different Man” winning was an unexpected treat.

At the event held at Cipriani on Wall Street, I bumped into Stan and Pearson early in the evening, with Pearson flying in from the U.K. over the...

TheWrap is thrilled to announce the launch of “Visionaries,” a new video series featuring in-depth conversations between Hollywood’s most innovative creators during awards season.

This all-new series pairs creative forces in candid, one-on-one discussions about their craft, the overall process and artistic vision. The format creates an intimate environment where filmmakers and artists can share personal insights and experiences that shaped their award-contending works.

The series premiere will feature a compelling dialogue between Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning actor Colman Domingo and director Greg Kwedar, discussing their powerful collaboration on “Sing Sing.” Domingo, who both stars in and executive produces the film, has attracted critical acclaim for his performance, while Kwedar’s innovative direction has established him as one of Hollywood’s most promising new voices — both creatively and financially, where he and his fellow producers made “Sing Sing” under a novel arrangement in which every cast and crew member was...

The annual Sundance Film Festival gala fundraiser has unveiled its 2025 honorees. Known as “Celebrating Sundance Institute,” presented by Google TV, the gala will bestow the Vanguard Awards to “Dìdi” writer/director Sean Wang, and “Sugarcane” co-directors Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie. Both features premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

“Dìdi” won the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award and a Special Jury Prize for Best Ensemble Cast, before being acquired by Focus Features.

“For over a decade, Sundance has been my north star, symbolizing artistic excellence and bold, distinct voices,” Wang said of the honor. “It has since also become a community of artists, an unwavering support system, and a creative home for both myself and my first feature, ‘Dìdi (弟弟)’. As the recipient of several Sundance Institute artist development programs — Ignite, Taaf, and the Screenwriters and Directors Labs — I know firsthand how deeply transformative that support can be for emerging storytellers.

The Sundance Institute announced today that Michelle Satter, Founding Senior Director of Artist Programs at Sundance Institute, will be honored at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival gala fundraiser, taking place at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley in Utah on January 24, 2025.

The event, dubbed Celebrating Sundance Institute, will see Satter recognized for her decades-long commitment to nurturing artists and cultivating independent film through the Sundance Labs, where artists convene to develop groundbreaking projects through an in-depth creative process.

Other honorees will include Dìdi filmmaker Sean Wang, as well as the Sugarcane duo of Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, who debuted their latest films at this past year’s festival and will respectively receive the Vanguard Awards for Fiction and NonFiction.

The Vanguard Award recognizes emerging artists whose work highlights the art of storytelling and creative independence. Past recipients have included Celine Song, Maite Alberdi, W. Kamau Bell, Nikyatu Jusu, Ryan Coogler,...

Warner Bros. just found a way to make English-language versions of “Parasite” and “The Handmaiden.”

The Warner Bros. Motion Pictures Group and Korean studio Cj Enm have entered an agreement to co-develop, co-finance, and distribute English-language and Korean-language feature film remakes of each studio’s films. It will start with Warner Bros. as a lead studio on an English-language remake of a Cj Enm film, and then the reverse will happen. Those first two titles to be remade from the studios’ respective libraries have not been announced.

“Miky Lee, Cj Vice Chairwoman, and the team at Cj Enm have built an enviable slate of films over its history to become a powerhouse producer of Korean cinema, with films that resonate with audiences across the globe,” Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group’s Co-Chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy said in a statement shared with the press on Tuesday.

Warner Bros. has reached a production deal with Korean studio Cj Enm that will see the two companies partner to make remakes of films from each other’s libraries.

Through this new agreement, initially, Warner Bros. will act as lead studio on an English language remake of a film from Cj Enm’s library, and Cj Enm will act as lead studio on a Korean language remake of a film from the Warner Bros. Pictures library. Cj’s library includes several Korean films that have enjoyed breakthrough global success, including Park Chan-wook’s “The Handmaiden,” Celine Song’s “Past Lives,” and Bong Joon-ho’s Best Picture Oscar winner “Parasite.”

“Miky Lee, Cj Vice Chairwoman, and the team at Cj Enm have built an enviable slate of films over its history to become a powerhouse producer of Korean cinema, with films that resonate with audiences across the globe. We are excited...

Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group has struck a deal with Cj Enm, the backer of Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar-winning “Parasite” and Celine Song’s acclaimed “Past Lives,” to develop, finance and distribute English-language and Korean-language remakes of each studio’s films.

Through the new agreement, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group will take the lead on English-language remakes of Cj Enm’s library, while Cj Enm will spearhead Korean-language adaptations of Warner Bros. films.

Each studio will be responsible for the development and productive of their respective remakes, though the other company will provide input on creative decisions like the project’s writer, director, producer, cast and budget. Warner Bros. Pictures will serve as distributor globally on all films, with the exception of Cj Enm handling the rollout of its remakes in South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and Turkey.

“Miky Lee, Cj vice chairwoman, and the team at Cj Enm have...

“The Dreamers,” “Y Tu Mamá También,” “Casablanca,” “Notorious,” hell, even “Titanic” — cinema loves a love triangle, and Justin Kuritzkes wrote the definitive one of 2024 with his script for Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers.”

That film put Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor in a psychosexual frenzy and turned tennis into a sweaty, propulsive metaphor for the games people play to get each other into and out of bed. Kuritzkes is back in Guadagnino land with his script for “Queer,” an adaptation of William S. Burroughs’ 1985 novella about an expat’s heartache in Mexico City.

While that film, out November 27 from A24, isn’t explicitly a love triangle, you could argue that drugs and alcohol form one point in a triad between Lee (Daniel Craig) and elusive army vet twink Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey) as they keep trying to make a romantic connection work. Including a trip to the South American jungle looking for ayahuasca,...

Hiro Murai, a music video director and TV director and executive producer on Atlanta, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and The Bear, will make his feature directorial debut for A24, Square Peg and 2Am on the samurai epic Bushido.

Plot details remain under the proverbial wraps on the project, although A24 did share that the saga will take place against the backdrop of feudal Japan.

Murai will direct and produce the original film, with Henry Dunham serving as both writer and producer.

A24 will finance and produce, with Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen producing through their Square Peg, alongside Julia Oh, Christine D’Souza Gelb,...

It used to be a rite of passage: up-and-coming directors would first cut their teeth on commercials, work their way up to television shows to develop a strong body of work, and finally burst onto the scene with movies after proving that they have what it takes to handle much larger productions. That filmmaking pipeline has become a thing of the past in the last few decades, but one bona fide talent is taking his cues from a more old-fashioned era. The final result is one of the more exciting projects we've heard about it some time.

Even if you don't quite know his name just yet, you've seen his work on "Atlanta," "Barry," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," and several of Donald Glover's music videos performed under the stage name Childish Gambino. Now, director Hiro Murai is taking his biggest step yet into Hollywood with his feature film debut...

The producer and director behind many classic episodes of “Atlanta,” “The Bear,” “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” “Station Eleven,” and more is finally making a movie.

Hiro Murai, the Emmy-winning producer and director, is set to make his feature directorial debut on “Bushido,” a samurai film and epic that will be set up at A24, an individual with knowledge of the project told IndieWire. A24 is financing and producing.

“Bushido” is said to be an action film set during Feudal Japan, but specific plot details are being kept under wraps.

Murai is directing the film from a script by Henry Dunham (“The Standoff at Sparrow Creek”), and he and Dunham will also produce along with Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen for their Square Peg banner and Julia Oh, Christine D’Souza Gelb, and David Hinojosa for their 2Am banner.

While it’s unclear about the budget on the film, a period film...

"Past Lives," Celine Song's achingly beautiful, contemplative drama was a standout at 2023's Sundance Film Festival. The playwright's directorial debut follows Nora, or Na Young (Greta Lee), and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), two childhood sweethearts who grow up together in South Korea before becoming separated for more than a decade after Na Young's family move to Toronto. Later, Nora relocates to New York where she rediscovers her long lost friend on social media and the pair reconnect. However, Nora ultimately withdraws from the long-distance relationship and eventually marries American writer Arthur (John Magaro).

12 years later, Hae Sung finally visits Nora and Arthur in NYC, and a final act sees the childhood sweethearts try to make sense of their lingering feelings in the face of Nora's genuine love for her husband. Ultimately, the pair come to the understanding that their current situation simply constitutes another of their many past lives,...

Casting is such a crucial component to crafting a great film that last year the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rightly deemed the profession worthy of Oscar recognition. There will now be a Best Casting trophy handed out every March, which has avid Oscar viewers wondering what films would've won the top prize each year prior to 2025 –- and whether that winner would've had to be in the running for Best Picture. Would this have been a way to make sure star-studded romps like "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," "Casino Royale," or "The Cannonball Run" were represented on Hollywood's biggest night? Would a critical misfire like "Heartburn" have been acknowledged just for bringing together the heavyweight acting duo of Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep for the first time? Could films like "The Outsiders" or "Stand by Me" (which should've been a Best Picture contender) have taken...

Luca Guadagnino’s drugged-up gay romance “Queer” made its U.S. premiere at the New York Film Festival on Sunday, October 6 as part of the festival’s Spotlight Gala. A24 acquired the domestic distribution rights following its premiere at Venice, set to premiere in theaters on November 27.

One of the buzziest films of this year’s upcoming awards season, Guadagnino’s latest has been talked about for having the filmmaker’s most explicit, graphic sex scenes of his career, involving Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey. At the NYFF premiere, Starkey told IndieWire that while they had an intimacy coordinator, he didn’t really feel the need to use them.

“Daniel and I worked with an intimacy coordinator, but we were in movement rehearsals for like months before those shoots,” Starkey told IndieWire. “So, you know, by the time we got there, it’s like we’d been [in] like a jiu-jitsu...

After debuting as host of the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards, Saturday Night Live alum Aidy Bryant is coming back for ceremony’s 40th edition in 2025.

The Spirits’ nominees will be announced December 4, with winners to be revealed at the awards show on February 22, 2025 that will be streamed live on the IMDb and Film Independent YouTube channels.

“We couldn’t ask for a better host for our 40th anniversary! As we prepare to celebrate this incredible milestone honoring the outstanding achievements and contributions within the independent world, we welcome Aidy back with open arms,” said Josh Welsh, president of Film Independent. “After her unforgettable turn last year, we can once again anticipate an evening filled with laughter, inspiration, and recognition of excellence.”

Last year’s top winners included A24’s Past Lives for Best Feature and that pic’s Celine Song as Best Director.

Bryant was a 10-year cast member on Saturday Night Live.

Denis Villeneuve will receive the Director Tribute at the 34th Gotham Awards, in recognition of “Dune: Part Two.” The ceremony will take place live and in person on December 2, 2024 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. The prize celebrates visionary filmmakers “responsible for bringing some of audiences’ most beloved films to life,” according to the statement released by the Gotham Awards.

“Denis Villeneuve has masterfully adapted Frank Herbert’s classic, first with 2021’s ‘Dune’ and now with ‘Dune: Part Two,’ creating a visually stunning and narratively complex conclusion to this tale in a manner that has captivated everyone from critics to audiences to devoted fans,” Executive Director of the Gotham Film & Media Institute Jeffrey Sharp said in a statement. “The Gotham is honored to present Villeneuve — a visionary who has redefined the genre for modern audiences — with The Director Tribute. This recognition celebrates not only his recent accomplishments...

While at the Creative Investors Conference at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, Killer Films producer Christine Vachon addressed the controversy involving Joaquin Phoenix’s last-minute exit from the latest project by “May December” director Todd Haynes.

“The truth is, pretty much what happened is out there for all of you to read. I don’t know much more than that. I’d gossip if I had anything to gossip about, but I don’t. It was tragic,” she said when asked about what happened with the project.

“In a lot of ways, the most tragic part about it is that Todd Haynes is 62. He’s not old, right? But there is a finite number of films that he’ll be able to do in his lifetime. I consider him one of the most extraordinary film artists of his generation, and the idea that his time was wasted and that...

Veteran producer Christine Vachon spoke publicly this morning about what she described as the “tragedy” behind Todd Haynes’ now-shelved gay romance flick starring Joaquin Phoenix at the San Sebastian Film Festival.

Vachon — a regular at the Spanish festival — discussed the abandoned project as part of her keynote at the festival’s industry-focused Creative Investors’ Conference.

To start, Vachon shut down the suggestion that there was an elaborate backstory behind the production being halted.

“Pretty much what happened is what’s out there for you to read. I don’t know any more than that. I would gossip if I had anything to gossip about,” Vachon said before adding that “it was tragic” to see the production fall.

“Todd Haynes is 62,” Vachon said. “He’s not old but there’s a finite number of films that he will be able to do in his lifetime. I consider him one of the...

The Gotham Awards said Wednesday that it will honor Netflix’s The Piano Lesson with the 2024 Gotham Awards Ensemble Tribute during the 34th annual awards ceremony December 2 in New York City.

The Piano Lesson, directed by Malcolm Washington and co-written by Washington and Virgil Williams based on the famed play by August Wilson, features a cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Danielle Deadwyler, Michael Potts, Corey Hawkins, and Erykah Badu.

Set in 1936 Pittsburgh just after the Great Depression, The Piano Lesson follows the lives of the Charles family in the Doaker Charles household and an heirloom, the family piano, which documents the family history through carvings made by their enslaved ancestor.

Related: 2024-25 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Oscars, Grammys, Guilds & More

The pic just had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival. It is set to premiere in select theaters on November 8 before...

“Patience is a virtue”, they say, and for Marvel fans, it’s practically a superpower. While the cinematic universe has had its fair share of hits and misses—think the underwhelming reception of The Marvels—there remains a flicker of hope. Who could forget the grippingly twisty tales of Loki or the pure fun of Deadpool & Wolverine? But what’s adding a spring to everyone’s step and perhaps even shooting some web-fluid high into the sky? None other than the highly anticipated Fantastic Four: First Steps, slated for a 2025 release.

Dakota Johnson in Fifty Shades of Grey | Credit: Universal Pictures

With Pedro Pascal, who reportedly can’t stop bragging about his big MCU debut as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, and Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach rounding out the iconic super quartet, can you blame fans for marking their calendars with excitement? Even Dakota Johnson is humorously irritated...

The most surprising thing about “Matt and Mara” — Kazik Radwanski’s sharply engaging indie drama about former sweethearts reconnecting — is how chaotic it feels, despite its understated tone. This starts with how quickly it flings you into its premise, disorienting you right alongside married creative professor teacher Mara Walsh (Deragh Campbell) when a man from her past, the quick-witted novelist Matt Johnson (Matt Johnson), pops up out of nowhere to say hi right outside her classroom, just a few seconds into the runtime.

The movie’s broad strokes resemble Celine Song‘s Oscar-nominated immigrant drama “Past Lives,” which, while masterful, left some viewers wanting a version of that film where its lovelorn leads actually get together, or at least move in that direction. They’re wrong, but have nonetheless been rewarded, as “Matt and Mara” scratches that particular itch. However, Radwanski’s Toronto-set story isn’t quite a linear, didactic affair drama either,...

Exclusive: Dan Magnante has been hired by 2Am, the production/ management company founded by Christine D’Souza Gelb, David Hinojosa and Kevin Rowe. Magnante will join as a producer with a focus on television.

Overseen by Hinojosa, 2Am’s film and TV production division just launched with a Venice Film Festival World Premiere Halina Reijn’s Babygirl—starring Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, and Antonio Banderas. A North American premiere is upcoming at TIFF, as is one for Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist, on which Hinojosa was exec producer. The company is also in post-production on Celine Song’s Materialists, featuring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal. Previously, 2Am produced Song’s directing debut, the Oscar-nominated film Past Lives.

Magnante will be based in 2Am’s Los Angeles office with D’Souza Gelb and Julia Nelson. Magnante has produced both film and television, and he spent over a decade at Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment.

Emmy Rossum and Zoë Winters will star in the Off-Broadway play Walden this fall.

The play, written by Amy Berryman and directed by Whitney White, will play the Tony Kiser Theater starting Oct. 16, before an opening night of Nov. 7.

Walden is set in the “near future,” and follows Stella (played by Rossum), with her fiancé Bryan in tow, as she reunites with her estranged twin sister, Cassie (Winters), in a remote cabin. While both were raised by their father to be NASA scientists, only Cassie has followed that path. The two clash over old conflicts, as well as the decision whether to remain on earth or pursue life in space.

The play marks Rossum’s Off-Broadway debut. Best known for her role as Fiona Gallagher on Shameless, Rossum has also starred as Christine in the film adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera, in addition to films such as The Day After Tomorrow,...

On Tuesday night at the Venice Film Festival, just as Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer” was beginning to roll its closing credits and the Sala Grande was still dark and applause had only begun started, star Daniel Craig turned in his seat to give director Luca Guadagnino a tight hug. The gesture would foreshadow what was to come mere minutes later, when the above-the-line talent made sure to have just about every creative who worked on the film who was present at its Venice premiere take a trip down the theater stairs — and take in the rapturous cheers from the audience.

Though it was not a standing ovation that broke records — mostly because by the eighth minute past the credits, even costume designer Jonathan Anderson got his own time in the spotlight — it was one of the more exuberant receptions for a film so far at the festival. Italian teenagers seeking autographs started a “Luca,...

Daniel Craig is getting support from his wife Rachel Weisz at the premiere of his new movie Queer during the 2024 Venice Film Festival on Wednesday (September 3) in Venice, Italy.

The 56-year-old 007 actor looked stylish in a buff colored suit. Rachel opted for a royal blue strapless gown and a stunning diamond necklace.

Keep reading to find out more…

They were joined by Daniel‘s costars, including Drew Starkey, Omar Apollo, Colin Bates, Henry Zaga, Lesley Manville, Jason Schwartzman, Andra Ursuta and Michael Borremans. Director Luca Guadagnino and screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes (joined by wife Celine Song) were also present. We’ve got photos of everyone in the gallery.

Here’s the movie’s synopsis: “Set in 1950s Mexico City, Queer follows William Lee (Craig), an American expat in his late 40s, as he leads a solitary life amidst a small American community. However, the arrival in town of Eugene Allerton (Starkey), a young student,...

Daniel Craig cruised to Italy and is now on land at the Venice Film Festival for the Queer world premiere.

Ahead of the Luca Guadagnino film’s festival debut — taking place at Palazzo del Cinema’s Sala Grande in the early evening on Tuesday — Queer was toasted at a pre-premiere celebration courtesy of Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson and W Magazine’s editor-in-chief Sara Moonves. Anderson served as costume designer for the A24 release, marking his second straight collaboration with Guadagnino after Challengers. Also keeping it in the family, Craig stars in Loewe’s new campaign.

Held at Il Porticciolo, the restaurant inside Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice, the intimate affair drew a shortlist of actors from Queer, fashion insiders from Loewe and festival stars. Craig arrived arm-in-arm with actress wife Rachel Weisz, who is here to support her husband as he breaks free of his James Bond persona...

Dakota Johnson and “Hit Man” breakout Adria Arjona will star in a new comedy about navigating an open marriage called “Splitsville” for both Neon and Topic Studios.

“Splitsville” is being directed and written by Michael Covino and also stars both Covino and his writing partner Kyle Marvin, who are reuniting after working together on “The Climb” from 2019.

The film stars Marvin as Carey, who is asked for a divorce by his wife Ashley (Arjona). When Carey seeks advice from his friends Julie (Johnson) and Paul (Covino), he discovers the secret to their happiness is an open marriage. But when Carey tries it for himself with Ashley and winds up crossing the line, it throws all of their relationships into chaos.

Neon will be distributing “Splitsville” in the U.S. with a release in 2025 and production kicking off this fall. But the distributor through its sales arm is also launching international...

After breaking out with 2019’s The Climb, an acclaimed indie dramedy snapped up by Sony Pictures Classics after world premiering at Cannes, Michael Angelo Covino has closed to deal to direct and star in Splitsville, a new comedy for Neon and Topic Studios.

Others in the cast will include Dakota Johnson (Daddio), Adria Arjona (Hit Man), and Covino’s fellow writer, producer and star of The Climb, Kyle Marvin, with whom he wrote the script. The project reunites Neon and Topic Studios following their work together on Infinity Pool, the sci-fi horror pic from Brandon Cronenberg, which marked Neon’s first in-house production set for theatrical release.

Splitsville picks up with Ashley (Arjona) asking for a divorce, watching as the good-natured Carey (Marvin) runs to his friends, Julie (Johnson) and Paul (Covino), for support. He’s shocked to discover that the secret to their happiness is an open marriage; that is,...

The latest film from buzzy US studio A24 delves into the complexity of a shifting mother-daughter relationship. Much like last year's award-winning Past Lives (also an A24 release), from playwright-turned-director Celine Song, Janet Planet marks Pulitzer Prize-winning Annie Baker’s first steps from stage to screen. A coming-of-age story about a mother (Julianne Nicholson) and daughter Lacy (Zoe Ziegler), the film loosely unfolds throughout four chapters, delineated by distinct title cards, as boyfriend Wayne (Will Patton), old friend Regina (Sophie Okonedo) and theatre troupe leader Avi (Elias Koteas) drift in and out of Janet’s orbit. These interactions are predominantly viewed via the unique perspective of misfit Lacy, an imaginative and observant child who spends her summer vying for her mother’s attention, while adrift and struggling to find her own trajectory in life.

Baker nicely captures a specific moment in time — the seemingly endless feel of a long, hazy...

Kanopy, the no-fee/ad-free movie streaming service available through local libraries, colleges, universities and other institutions, has released the list of its Most-Watched Films of 2024 Midyear and ranked the Top 10 most-watched Kanopy films in the United States. Topping the crop is the Celine Song-directed Oscar nominee “Past Lives” from 2023, with the 2023 Ben Kingsley-starrer “Jules” coming in second and “Golda” (also from 2023) featuring Helen Mirren as Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir ranking third.

See‘Past Lives’ star Greta Lee is standout on ‘The Morning Show’

In all, perhaps unsurprisingly, eight of the 10 most-streamed films of 2024 were released in 2023. The others, in order, are:

4. “The Royal Hotel” (2023)

5. “Punch-Drunk Love” (2002)

6. “”Sometimes I Think About Dying”(2023)

7. “BlackBerry” (2023)

8. “Talk to Me” (2023)

9. “She Came to Me” (2023)

10. “Dial M for Murder” (1954).

Predict the 2024 Emmy nominees by July 17

Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or...

Based on the comic by Sara Varon | Written and Directed by Pablo Berger

Based on Sara Varon’s 2007 comic of the same name, Robot Dreams is brought alive by writer/director Pablo Berger. Unfolding in a version of ‘80s New York where animals inhabit the world, the story follows Dog as he grows tired of being alone. In an effort to combat loneliness, he places an order for a robot friend to share his life with. When Robot arrives, a friendship blossoms between the pair as they enjoy their days skating, at the beach, and listening to Earth, Wind and Fire’s September.

Among Berger’s prior filmography is Blancanieves, a 2012 retelling of the Snow White fairy tale as a black-and-white silent movie. A similar tactic is used in this animation, as the story is brought alive wordlessly while saying so much through the central pairing. The journeys taken touch...

Da’Vine Joy Randolph and the director and cast of Anatomy of a Fall are also among the 487 new artists and executives to judge the Academy Awards

Killers of the Flower Moon star Lily Gladstone, Past Lives director Celine Song, and actors Jessica Alba, Catherine O’Hara and Fiona Shaw are among the 487 artists and entertainment executives invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organisation announced on Tuesday.

Other invitees included Past Lives actors Greta Lee and Teo Yeo, Bottoms filmmaker Emma Seligman, New Zealand actor Rachel House – best known for her collaborations with Taika Waititi – and French director Alice Diop, whose feature debut, the legal drama Saint Omer, became an international festival darling in 2022.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Ampas) has invited 487 artists and executives to become members, with Sandra Huller, Justin Triet, Celine Song and Da’Vine Joy Randolph among the high profile invitees.

Also invited to join are actors Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Fiona Shaw, directors Alice Diop, David Yates and S S Rajamouli, and writers Arthur Harari and Tony McNamara.

Executives invited to join that branch of the Academy include British Film Institute CEO Ben Roberts and Fifth Season co-CEOs Chris Rice and Graham Taylor.

Among those invited to join the costume designers branch are Holly Waddington and Małgorzata Karpiuk.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Ampas) has invited 487 artists and executives to become members, with Sandra Huller, Justin Triet, Celine Song and Da’Vine Joy Randolph among the high profile invitees.

Also invited to join are actors Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Fiona Shaw, directors Alice Diop, David Yates and S S Rajamouli, and writers Arthur Harari and Tony McNamara.

Executives invited to join that branch of the Academy include British Film Institute CEO Ben Roberts and Fifth Season co-CEOs Chris Rice and Graham Taylor.

Among those invited to join the costume designers branch are Holly Waddington and Małgorzata Karpiuk.

Every summer, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences invites a deluge of new members to join its ranks. Since #OscarsSoWhite back in 2015, the Academy has moved away from its elitist tendencies and toward embracing younger and more diverse artists and executives from all over the world. This year’s invited class is no exception.

If the invitees all accept Academy membership, the total members will number 10,910 and voting members 9,934. And with the addition of the 2024 members, 35 percent of Academy members identify as women, 20 percent of Academy members are from underrepresented ethnic and racial communities, and 20 percent of Academy members are from countries or territories outside the U.S.

As usual, a slew of Oscar nominees and winners are gaining admittance to the club (71 Oscar nominees and 19 winners), including actors Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Sandra Hüller, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”), costume designer Holly Waddington...

Jessica Alba, Lily Gladstone, Greta Lee, Catherine O’Hara, and S.S. Rajamouli, director of “Rrr,” are among the 487 artists and executives invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. With all expected acceptances, AMPAS membership will rise to 10,910 from 10,817 last year, with 9,934 members eligible to vote in the upcoming 97th Oscars in 2025—an increase from last year’s 9,375.

This year’s invitees include 44% women, a 4% increase from 2023, and 41% from underrepresented ethnic and racial communities, marking a significant 7% rise. The actors, casting directors, costume designers, documentary, executives, makeup artists and hairstylists branches have invited more women than men. The actors, directors, documentary, and writers branches mainly comprised artists from underrepresented communities.

The directors branch features the most impressive array of filmmakers from both international and domestic spheres, such as Lila Avilés (“Totem”), Jayro Bustamante (“La Llorona”), Jd Dillard (“Devotion”), Alice Diop (“Saint Omer”), Boots Riley (“Sorry to Bother You...

Four hundred and eighty-seven members of the global film community — among them Killers of the Flower Moon star Lily Gladstone, Past Lives filmmaker Celine Song, CAA managing partner Chris Silbermann, and SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland — are receiving invitations on Tuesday to become members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization announced this morning.

“We are thrilled to welcome this year’s class of new members,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang said in a joint statement. “These remarkably talented artists and professionals from around the world have made a significant impact on our filmmaking community.”

Invitees who wish to accept, as the vast majority tend to, will join the specific branch of the Academy that invited them. Eight were invited by more than one branch — Michael Andrews (film editors and short films/feature animation), Bahram Beyzaêi (directors and writers...

Fresh off her turn in Marvel‘s maligned “Madame Web,” Dakota Johnson is returning to indies with Christy Hall’s feature directorial debut “Daddio.” Sean Penn co-stars as a lone-wolf taxi driver and old-guard New Yorker who picks up Johnson’s character, Girlie, from JFK. On the journey back to Brooklyn, they share a heart-to-heart about life, love, sex, relationships, and more.

For Johnson, working with Hall was no different from working with more established filmmakers. “Well, it’s different every time. It depends on the person,” Johnson told IndieWire. “Sometimes you would never guess that it was somebody’s first feature, and sometimes it can be really challenging.” Production took place in just 16 days and primarily on a soundstage. Not only does Johnson star, but she also serves as a producer, alongside her TeaTime Pictures co-founder Ro Donnelly.

“This is, it’s just such a gem of a project.

Chris Evans retired from the Marvel Cinematic Universe for good after Avengers: Endgame in 2019. Yet, his charismatic portrayal of Captain America continues to create ripples among the fandom, particularly the ‘spectacular’ physique he built up for the role. Undergoing an extensive workout regimen along with 12-14 hours of daily shoots, the actor’s physical transformation is one of the best Hollywood has ever witnessed.

Chris Evans’ iconic scene in Captain America: Civil War

But one look at him now makes it hard to believe he is the same actor who showed off his bicep bulge while dragging a helicopter in Captain America: Civil War. Even fans are shocked to see how much weight Evans has lost since his Marvel retirement.

Chris Evans Looks Unrecognizable After Marvel Retirement

Chris Evans in Captain America The First Avenger | Marvel Studios

Chris Evans‘ brilliant transformation for his MCU role is famous for being one...

The Academy Museum will host its fourth annual star-studded gala on Oct. 19, this year honoring Paul Mescal, Rita Moreno and Quentin Tarantino.

The fundraising event will celebrate the museum’s third anniversary and help raise funds to support museum exhibitions, education initiatives and public programming. Mescal will receive the Vantage Award, honoring an emerging artist or scholar who is helping to contextualize and challenge dominant narratives around cinema; Moreno the Icon Award, celebrating an artist whose career has had a significant global cultural impact; and Tarantino the Luminary Award, given to an artist whose singular contributions have expanded the creative possibilities of cinema.

Supported by Rolex, the official watch partner and founding supporter of the Academy Museum, the gala is being co-chaired by Dr. Eric Esrailian, Salma Hayek Pinault, Nicole Kidman, Eva Longoria and Tyler Perry.

“The Academy Museum Gala celebrates the power, global impact, and indelible importance of cinema,...

Paul Mescal, Quentin Tarantino and Rita Moreno will be honored at the fourth Annual Academy Museum Gala. Co-chairs for the event are Dr. Eric Esrailian, Salma Hayek Pinault, Nicole Kidman, Eva Longoria and Tyler Perry. The gala will be held on Oct. 19 at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles.

The three awards presented at this year’s Academy Museum Gala display the museum’s goal of advancing the understanding, celebration and preservation of film and challenge narratives. Mescal will be presented with the Vantage Award, which honors an emerging artist who is contributing to contextualizing and challenging dominant narratives in film. Moreno will be presented with the Icon Award, which celebrates artists whose career has had a remarkable impact around the world. Tarantino will be honored with the Luminary Award, which is awarded to an artists whose work has expanded creative possibilities in cinema.

“The Academy Museum Gala celebrates the power,...

The 2024 Academy Museum Gala is set to honor a pair of Hollywood icons and one rising star.

Quentin Tarantino, Paul Mescal, and Rita Moreno will be feted for the fourth-annual awards ceremony, taking place October 19. The annual fundraising gala benefits the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and raises funds to support museum exhibitions, education initiatives, and public programming, including screenings, K–12 programs, and access initiatives in service of the public and the local community of Los Angeles.

“Gladiator 2” star Mescal will be celebrated with the Vantage Award, which honors an emerging artist or scholar who is helping to contextualize and challenge dominant narratives around cinema. Oscar winner Tarantino is set to receive the Luminary Award, which is given to an artist whose singular contributions have expanded the creative possibilities of cinema. “West Side Story” actress Moreno will be awarded the Icon Award, celebrating an artist whose career has had a significant global cultural impact.

Caroline Lindy’s comedy horror Your Monster won the audience favourite award at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival: London, which ran from June 6-9.

Writer-director Lindy, star Melissa Barrera and producer and actor Kayla Foster were present at the Picturehouse Central cinema venue to accept the award.

It was voted for by thousands of festivalgoers from the 11-strong Sundance London programme.

Your Monster had its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival in Utah, US in January. The film stars Barrera as a softly-spoken actress who, after her life falls apart, finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying yet charming monster living in her closet.

Exclusive: Activist Artists Management has signed Jojo T. Gibbs, the actress, writer, producer and stand-up comedian best known for her starring role in Lena Waithe’s semi-autobiographical BET series Twenties, for representation. Bernie Cahill and Grant Pennel will run point for the client.

Airing for two seasons from 2020-2021, Twenties was a comedy-drama following the lives of three young women in their twenties as they navigated the challenges of adulthood in Los Angeles. Starring opposite Christina Elmore, Gabrielle Graham, Sophina Brown and Big Sean, Gibbs portrayed Hattie, a queer Black woman based on Waithe, who aspires to be a screenwriter.

Most recently seen in Alex Garland’s buzzy A24 pic Civil War, Gibbs’ other recent credits on the film side include Luc Besson’s Dogman opposite Caleb Landry Jones, Celine Song’s A24 Best Picture nominee Past Lives, Hulu’s Mimi Cave thriller Fresh, Amazon’s Something from Tiffany’s, and Cora Bora,...

Chic and vibrant, Dakota Johnson’s latest looks offered a delightful burst of summer inspiration in the city, presenting a true masterclass in New York chic style.

Shines Bright in Floral Doen Nevara Sundress

On Friday, May 31, the 34-year-old American actress was spotted stepping out while filming the upcoming romantic comedy “Materialists” in New York City.

Accompanied by her makeup artist, Dakota looked stunning in her Doen Nevara sundress in citron anemone bloom. The delicate silk dress featured a soft yellow, white, orange, brown, and purple floral print, beautifully complementing her fair complexion and adding an ethereal touch to her ensemble.

Dakota Johnson radiates summer vibes in her stunning Doen Nevara dress while filming on the set of ‘Materialists’ on May 31, 2024, in New York City (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages)

The whimsical, breezy sundress evoked a 1930s-inspired silhouette adorned with billowing ruffles at the shoulders and intricate silk organza flowers at the central front neckline.

Pedro Pascal’s entry into the Game of Thrones world started in the fourth season, playing Oberyn Martell. The character has a personal agenda of his own, who wants to take revenge against the Lannisters for causing the death of serval members of his family, including his sister. The character’s hatred for the Lannisters is well documented in his introduction.

Pedro Pascal as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones | HBO

However, things take a turn for the character as he decides to fight for Tyrion against Gregor Clegane, who will be fighting for the Lannisters. It has been 10 years since the world was shaken by the intense gory way Oberyn was eviscerated by Gregor in the much-acclaimed episode, The Mountain and the Viper, and fans are still reminiscing the deadly episode.

The Mountain and the Viper Turns 10 And Oberyn’s Brutal Death Still Traumatizes Fans Oberyn was mercilessly killed...