Latest – Page 1354

  • News

    Paramount creates new creative structure as Berman steps down

    2007-01-11T06:48:00Z

    Paramount Pictures threw out the book on Hollywood corporate structure yesterday [Jan 10], choosing not to replace departing president Gail Berman and creating instead a creative triumvirate that will report directly to Brad Grey.Apart from the chairman, the three people now charged with setting the slate are Scott Aversano, the ...

  • News

    Black Book to open Miami Film Festival in March

    2007-01-11T06:40:00Z

    Paul Verhoeven's second world war thriller Black Book will open the Miami International Film Festival, which runs from Mar 2-11.Robert Cary's romantic comedy Ira & Abby has been chosen as the Awards Night film, while the world premiere of Antonio Cuadri's romance The Heart Of The Earth will close the ...

  • News

    New US independent Outsider buys Apples, Klimt

    2007-01-11T00:23:00Z

    Los Angeles-based distributor Outsider Pictures has picked up North American rights to Anders Thomas Jensen's Danish black comedy Adam's Apples and Raul Ruiz's biopic Klimt.Adam's Apples charts the relationship between a neo-Nazi and a priest and stars Danish cinema stalwarts Mads Mikkelsen and Ulrich Thomsen.Adam's Apples was Denmark's foreign language ...

  • News

    Lebowitz named CFO at LA office of Liberation Entertainment

    2007-01-11T00:17:00Z

    Mark Lebowitz has joined sales and distribution company Liberation Entertainment as chief financial officer.Lebowitz will handle all financial operations and act as human resources executive for the Los Angeles office.He previously held senior executive posts at the television groups of Sony and Paramount, and also served at Stone Canyon Entertainment ...

  • News

    Novelist Connelly to co-write Equalizer script with Lankford

    2007-01-11T00:14:00Z

    Bestselling author Michael Connelly and Terrill Lee Lankford have signed on to co-write the screenplay for The Equalizer for The Weinstein Company (TWC).Paul McGuigan will direct the story based on the hit television series of the same name about Robert McCall, a highly trained former covert operative who becomes a ...

  • News

    Nickens to receive posthumous award from WGA

    2007-01-10T23:58:00Z

    The late screen and television writer Daryl G Nickens will posthumouslyreceive the Morgan Cox Honorary Service Award at the 2007 Writers GuildAwards ceremony on Feb 11.Nickens co-wrote the 1991 number onerelease House Party 2 with Rusty Cundieff. His television creditsinclude The Parkers, Viper, Benson and The Fabulous Jeff Jackson.'Thisaward is ...

  • News

    Berman steps down at Paramount after 18 months

    2007-01-10T23:32:00Z

    Paramount Pictures chairman and chief executive officer Brad Grey is preparing a production department shake-up in the wake of Gail Berman's departure as president.The studio confirmed today [Jan 10] that Berman quit after 18 months in the job, during which time her suitability has been debated and scrutinized incessantly.Her television ...

  • News

    CanWest in 'exclusive' negotiation for Alliance Atlantis purchase

    2007-01-10T16:48:00Z

    Canadian media conglomerate CanWest Global Communications and New York-based investment bank Goldman Sachs are in exclusive negotiation toward a possible purchase of Alliance Atlantis Communications ( AAC ), AAC confirmed this morning. According to a report in today's Globe and Mail newspaper, a deal, estimated at $1.8 bn (C$2.1 bn), ...

  • News

    Chaiken, Dungan team for LA-based production outfit

    2007-01-10T02:00:00Z

    Producers Jennifer Chaiken (My Flesh And Blood) and Sebastian Dungan (Transamerica) have launched Los Angeles-based 72 Productions.Backed by a private equity fund dedicated to the acquisition and development of feature film projects, 72 Productions arrives with four projects in the pipeline.The Perfect Hour is a period drama being produced with ...

  • News

    Summit's Mr & Mrs Smith pilot gets greenlight from ABC

    2007-01-10T00:46:00Z

    US TV network ABC has greenlit production on Mr & Mrs Smith, based on Summit Entertainment's hit thriller starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie that grossed more than $470m worldwide.Regency TV will produce the pilot in association with Dave Bartis and Doug Liman's Dutch Oven Prods. Summit Entertainment's Patrick Wachsberger ...

  • News

    Oster named evp of communications at MPAA

    2007-01-10T00:36:00Z

    Seth Oster has been hired as executive vice president for communications at the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).Commencing Jan 15, Oster will oversee operations in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America. He will serve as a member of the MPAA's senior management group, reporting directly to MPAA chairman ...

  • News

    Apple seals deal with Paramount for movies on iTunes

    2007-01-10T00:31:00Z

    Paramount has become the first Hollywood studio aside from Disney to sign a content deal with Apple. The new deal sees the studio and sister outfits Paramount Classics, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies supplying more than 100 titles to the iTunes Store including School Of Rock, Zoolander and Chinatown.The move ...

  • News

    Soderbergh, Hackford to take part in MPAA symposium in Washington DC

    2007-01-09T23:30:00Z

    The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) s hosting an industry symposium entitled The Business Of Show Business on Feb 6 in Washington DC.The day-long event features three panels dealing and will cover such topics as the digital revolution, development and production, and intellectual property.Panelists include film-makers Steven Soderbergh and ...

  • News

    Leonard joins Initial to oversee marketing and publicity

    2007-01-09T23:23:00Z

    Former Myriad Pictures marketing and publicity executive Maxine Leonard has joined Initial Entertainment Group (IEG) as senior vice president of marketing and publicity, effective immediately.Leonard will oversee IEG's corporate communication strategy and reports directly to company president Graham King.She will also work closely with the worldwide marketing and publicity teams ...

  • News

    Academy names seven films shortlisted for makeup Oscar

    2007-01-09T23:10:00Z

    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced its shortlist of contenders for the best make-up Oscar.The films in alphabetical order are: Apocalypto; Click; Pan's Labyrinth; Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest; The Prestige; The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause; and X-Men: The Last Stand.The Academy's ...

  • News

    Fox International takes Buffalo for Latin America

    2007-01-09T23:07:00Z

    Fox International has snapped up Latin American rights to Jorge Hernandez Aldana's drama The Night Buffalo, one of the most anticipated films set to receive its world premiere at Sundance later this month.The distributor plans an April release on the film, which Guillermo Arriaga adapted from his own novel about ...

  • News

    Condon, Dayton and Faris make DGA shortlist

    2007-01-09T23:02:00Z

    Bill Condon (Dreamgirls), Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine), Stephen Frears (The Queen), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel) and Martin Scorsese (The Departed) will vie for the Directors Guild of America's DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2006.The DGA Award is a highly reliable barometer ...

  • News

    Smith promoted to director of acquisitions at Roadside

    2007-01-09T23:00:00Z

    Dustin Smith has been promoted to director of acquisitions at Roadside Attractions and will work closely with co-presidents Howard Cohen and Eric d'Arbeloff in identifying new projects.Smith, who was previously involved in the acquisition of The Road To Guantanamo and The Puffy Chair, among others, will travel to Sundance later ...

  • News

    US music star Abdul boards Bratz: The Movie for Arad, Crystal Sky

    2007-01-09T22:32:00Z

    Paula Abdul will star in and play a key creative role in Bratz: The Movie, Arad Productions and Crystal Sky's upcoming film based on the hit fashion doll line. Lionsgate holds US rights Shooting is set to begin in February in time for an August 2007 release.Abdul, a bestselling singer, ...

  • News

    The Rocket, Bon Cop lead Canada's Genie nominations

    2007-01-09T22:15:00Z

    Hockey drama The Rocket landed 13 nominations for Canada's Genie Awards, including picture, director Charles Biname, lead actor Roy Dupuis, screenwriter Ken Scott and a host of technical and craft categories. Announced today, the nominations tilted heavily to Quebec production with police comedy Bon Cop, Bad Cop - Canada's top-grossing ...