All articles by Mike Goodridge – Page 158
-
News
Martin Lawrence nearly dethrones M: I 2
20th Century Fox's Martin Lawrence-starrer Big Momma's House opened with a surprisingly strong $25.6m (estimated) over the weekend at the North American box office, giving Paramount's Mission: Impossible 2 a run for its money. However, the Tom Cruise action adventure clung to the top spot with $27m in its second ...
-
News
Cuaron, Vergara launch Anhelo production outfit
Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron and the producer of his latest film Y Tu Mama Tambien, Jorge Vergara, have formalised their relationship in a new production company Anhelo to make Spanish and English-language films, some of which Cuaron will direct. The outfit has already boarded Guillermo Del Toro's ghost story The ...
-
News
Miramax plans return to Colditz
Miramax Films is planning a major film franchise set in notorious German prisoner-of-war fortress Colditz, originally seen on film in Guy Hamilton's gung-ho 1954 classic. The studio has acquired remake rights to that film as well as exclusive movie rights to the book on which it was based by John ...
-
News
Nu Image, Artisan tape up Ticker
Avi Lerner and Danny Dimbort's Nu Image is teaming up with Artisan Entertainment to finance and distribute Steven Seagal-starrer Ticker to be directed by Albert Pyun. Dennis Hopper and Tom Sizemore will join Seagal. Artisan will distribute the film in North America and Nu Image will handle international rights. Paul ...
-
News
Helkon extends ties with Zide, Perry
Germany's Helkon Media is believed to have struck yet another US production deal, agreeing to fully finance films in the $10m range from producers Warren Zide and Craig Perry (American Pie, Final Destination) and their production company Zide/Perry under a two-year arrangement. They will be joined in those films by ...
-
News
New Line closes Rings distribution circle
New Line International has slotted the final key pieces into the worldwide distribution structure on its ambitious $300m Lord Of the Rings trilogy currently shooting in New Zealand. The Time Warner-owned studio is now rallying its partners for a massive coordinated promotional and merchandising blitz for the worldwide simultaneous release ...
-
News
Miramax in sales Heaven
Miramax International has already sold Heaven, set to star Cate Blanchett, to Asmik Ace for Japan, Lauren Films for Spain and Village Roadshow for Greece, despite only unveiling the project two weeks ago.German director Tom Tykwer will make his English-language debut with the film, from a script by late Polish ...
-
News
Fridriksson directs Jarman pic
Veronique Cayla and Thierry Fremaux are the two new names for every producer and director to watch, having today been appointed to top roles at the Cannes film festival.The two will report directly to Gilles Jacob who is giving up his role as general manager, having taken over as festival ...
-
News
Buyers bag The Mexican
Will Tyrer and Chris Ball's Newmarket Group has sold rights in three major territories to The Mexican, starring Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts.The co-production with DreamWorks SKG has gone to Gaga Communications in Japan, Helkon in Germany and Tri Pictures in Spain.Summit Entertainment assisted in the sale of the film ...
-
News
IFG, Working Title strike two-year pact
International Film Guarantors (IFG) has sealed a multi-picture agreement with Working Title Films whereby IFG will the principal completion guarantor on films from the company for the next two years.The deal - overseen by IFG's London and Los Angeles offices - also covers films to be produced by Working Titles ...
-
News
Advanced spots UFO
Publicly traded German distributor Advanced Medien is making a push into high concept video and TV movies through the purchase of a 51% stake in Unified Film Organization (UFO), the five year-old LA-based production and sales operation run by Phillip Roth, Jeff Beach and Ken OlandtAdvanced had sealed an output ...
-
News
Trio joins Helkon in European power play
Helkon International Pictures (HIP) has unveiled its own network of distributor partners who will jointly release movies from Hollywood producers as well as originate its own big budget films that can be shot in Europe. The consortium marks a concerted attempt to help level the playing field with Hollywood, giving ...
-
News
Constantin, Propaganda redo German comedy hits
Germany's Constantin Film and LA-based production and management outfit Propaganda Films have announced that the first two pictures to be produced by their 50/50 production-distribution joint venture will be English-language remakes of hit German comedies - Der Bewegte Mann and Harte Jungs. 1994's Der Bewegte Mann remains Germany's all time ...
-
News
McCormack to reign in My Kingdom
Catherine McCormack has signed to star as the daughter of Richard Harris and Lynn Redgrave in UK gangster movie My Kingdom which is being directed by Don Boyd and produced by Neal Weisman of Close Grip Films, Gabriela Bacher of Primary Pictures and BSkyB's film production arm Sky Pictures. Overseas ...
-
News
MGM buys Nine Yards for Japan
MGM has acquired Japanese rights to Franchise Pictures' hit comedy The Whole Nine Yards in an unusual single territory acquisition for the studio which from November will distribute all its pictures internationally through 20th Century Fox.The Japanese deal, which was the last unclosed territory on the film,was signed on the ...
-
News
Chen Kaige plots Killing with Graham
Chen Kaige, the legendary "Fifth Generation" Chinese film-maker, will finally make his English-language film debut directing US starlet Heather Graham in a London-set erotic thriller called Killing Me Softly. The movie is being produced by Tom Pollock and Ivan Reitman's Montecito Film Co.Kirk D'Amico's Myriad Pictures is representing international rights ...
-
News
Spyglass dunks bastketball doc on Canal
Spyglass Entertainment has sold rights in continental Europe to Leon Gast's untitled basketball documentary to StudioCanal, marking another deal in the ongoing relationship between Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum's Hollywood production and the French major.The film is a history of basketball and marks Gast's follow-up to Oscar-winning boxing documentary When ...
-
News
Good Machine sells on Flora Plum
David Linde's Good Machine International has closed a slew of deals on Jodie Foster's next directorial picture Flora Plum starring Russell Crowe and Clare Danes. Entertainment Film Distributors will take the picture in the UK, Bac Films in France, LaurenFilm in Spain and Paradiso in Benelux. The film was set ...
-
News
Alliance's Hamori to go it alone
Andras Hamori is leaving his position as president of Alliance Pictures to form his own production outfit with a non-exclusive first-look deal at Alliance Atlantis. Hamori will continue to develop and produce the slate he has brought to Alliance Atlantis including pictures with UK production outfit Natural Nylon and George ...
-
News
Hilltop takes world on TF1 comedy
LA-based sales and production outfit Hilltop Entertainment has cut a deal with French broadcaster and film backer TF1 to represent worldwide rights on French language comedy Jet Set starring Lambert Wilson, Ornella Muti, Ariadna Gil and Samuel Le Bihan.The deal is unusual in that not only does it bypass TF1's ...