Thompson on Hollywood

Magnolia Acquires Rob Reiner's 'The Magic of Belle Isle'

News

Magnolia Pictures has acquired US rights to comedy "The Magic of Belle Isle," starring director Rob Reiner's "Bucket List" lead Morgan Freeman and Virginia Madsen. Magnolia plans a summer 2012 theatrical and VOD release via its Ultra VOD program.

By Anne Thompson
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February 8, 2012 2:17 PM
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Eric Bana & Rebecca Hall Ex-Lovers for Focus/Working Title Thriller; Plus What's Next for Each

News

As we announced last week, Focus Features and Working Title have paired Eric Bana ("Hanna," "Munich") and Rebecca Hall ("The Town," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona") for an untitled thriller. If you've missed Bana and Hall, rest assured they both have a few projects lined up or on their way...

By Sophia Savage
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February 7, 2012 1:48 PM
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David Seidler Adapting Pushkin's 'Queen of Spades,' Film will Feature Tchaikovsky's Opera

News

David Seidler, who wrote the Oscar-winning script for "The King's Speech," is adapting Alexander Pushkin's Russian short story, "Queen of Spades." The project, which has directer Pavel Lungin ("Tsar") attached, will be shopped at Berlin's European Film Market by the Russian Cinema Fund...

By Sophia Savage
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February 7, 2012 1:47 PM
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Tribeca Film Institute Expands Digital Storytelling Program to Los Angeles; Youth Screening Series Partners with Women and Girls Lead Campaign

News

The Tribeca Film Institute is expanding its Tribeca Teaches program to Los Angeles. The after school digital-storytelling program is going to Lennox Middle School (in a neighborhood with a 93% low-income Latino population), marking its first location outside of New York...

By Sophia Savage
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February 6, 2012 2:27 PM
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Magnolia Will Release Kevin Macdonald's Bob Marley Doc Via Theaters and VOD April 20

News

Before its premiere at Berlin and North American debut at SXSW, Kevin Macdonald's documentary "Marley" has gone to Magnolia Pictures for U.S. distribution in theaters and VOD starting April 20...

By Sophia Savage
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February 6, 2012 2:24 PM
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Ponsoldt's Sundance Hit 'Smashed' Heads to SPC, Stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Aaron Paul

News

Sony Pictures Classics has grabbed James Ponsoldt's "Smashed," which had its premiere at Sundance. The film stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead ("The Thing," "Scott Pilgrim") and Aaron Paul ("Break Bad") as an alcoholic married couple, Kate and Charlie...

By Sophia Savage
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February 6, 2012 1:20 PM
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IN THE WORKS: Viola Davis Lines Up New Projects, 'Beautiful Creatures' and 'Ender's Game'

News

Best Actress front runner Viola Davis ("The Help") has been open about the lack of strong roles for African American women. It was eye-opening when I interviewed her and played clips from her career at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, where she accepted the Performer of the Year Award. Davis had commanded great roles on the stage, but had to carve memorable performances out of a series of supporting roles in TV and movies. Which she did. Now Davis has lined up two new meaty supporting roles.

By Anne Thompson
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February 2, 2012 7:12 PM
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Chastain and Edgerton in Love for Myriad's Double Feature, His and Hers 'Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby'

News

A fine pair, Jessica Chastain and Joel Edgerton, will star in a double-feature project - "The Disappearance of Elanor Rigby: His" and "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Hers" - for Myriad Pictures. It's a love story told from two different perspectives...

By Sophia Savage
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February 2, 2012 4:27 PM
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In The Works: John Hawkes for 'Jackie Brown' Prequel, Spike Jonze's Computer Love

News

Indie favorite John Hawkes is set to star in writer-director Dan Schechter's "Switch," an adaptation of Elmore Leonard's 2002 crime novel, set to shoot this Spring. This is a prequel to Quentin Tarantino's "Jackie Brown"...

By Sophia Savage
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February 2, 2012 1:42 PM
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Will Crowe and Neeson Face Off in Aronofsky's 'Noah's Ark'

News

Christian Bale is a no-go for Darren Aronofsky's "Noah's Ark," but Russell Crowe may be taking the helm as Noah. Word is, Aronofsky is eyeing both Crowe and Liam Neeson for the biblical retelling with Crowe as the good guy and Neeson the bad...