Thompson on Hollywood

Teen Lesbian Romance Jack and Diane Goes to Magnolia, Stars Juno Temple and Riley Keough

Distribution rights to Bradley Rust Gray's Jack and Diane -- currently in post -- have gone to Magnolia Pictures. The film stars Juno Temple (Atonement, Cracks), Riley Keough (The Runaways), Kylie Minogue and Cara Seymour, and features animation from the Brothers Quay and creature effects by Cremaster 2 and 4's Gabe Bartalos. Gray made his mark as a director with 2009's micro-budget fest-circuit hit The Exploding Girl, which starred Zoe Kazan and earned largely positive reviews.

By Sophia Savage
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May 5, 2011 7:14 AM
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Armie Hammer to Star in Psychological Thriller Love Story, 2:22, To Be Shopped At Cannes

Armie Hammer is attached to star in Lightstream Pictures' 2:22, a psychological thriller to be directed by Paul Currie (One Perfect Day, co-founder of Lightstream) and based on Todd Stein (Unbound) and Nathan Parker's (Moon) original screenplay. Rights for the film will be shopped at Cannes via Ralph Kamp's Timeless Films. Lightfilms's Lawrence Inglee in producing. The synopsis for 2:22, which hopes to begin shooting in Sydney this fall, is below. Hammer is hot: he just wrapped Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, will play the Prince in Relativity's upcoming The Brothers Grimm: Snow White (with Julia Roberts and Lily Collins) and is up for the title role in The Lone Ranger, which is more about Johnny Depp's Tonto.

By Sophia Savage
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May 2, 2011 6:35 AM
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Amazon Studios Offers Free and Licensed Library of 2,000 Songs

Amazon Studios -- which invites filmmakers and screenwriters to submit their works for discovery -- announces the release of 2000 free and licensed movie-production music tracks for any registered and signed-in member on their site. Amazon Studios says they added the feature: "in order to enhance the overall viewing experience of the movies they upload to the site. Amazon Studios also recognizes that it’s hard for filmmakers to get valid licenses to soundtrack music for their test movies. Sound and music are important parts of how test movies garner more engaged feedback from movie fans than just scripts alone. Every month, Amazon Studios offers a $100,000 award to the best test movie."

By Sophia Savage
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April 28, 2011 7:54 AM
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Jeremy Renner Offered Lead in Tony Gilroy's Bourne Continuation: Not as Bourne, Folks

It's confirmed, but no surprise. Writer-director Tony Gilroy has offered Jeremy Renner the lead in his Bourne franchise continuation. But he'd be playing a different assassin, who went through the same training program as Matt Damon's Bourne. (Which leaves open the possibility of Damon's eventual return.)

By Sophia Savage
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April 22, 2011 4:20 AM
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Jiro Dreams of Sushi Goes to Magnolia Before North American Tribeca Premiere

North American rights for Jiro Dreams of Sushi have gone to Magnolia, which plans to release the film later this year. Jiro Dreams had its world premiere at the Berlinale and will make its North American premiere at Tribeca on April 21. The film follows 85-year old chef Jiro Ono and his son, Yoshikazu, who is heir to his legendary Tokyo restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro.

By Sophia Savage
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April 20, 2011 7:08 AM
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Mark Cuban Puts Landmark Theaters, Magnolia on the Block UPDATED

Mogul Mark Cuban, 52, put indie chain Landmark Theatres and specialty distributor Magnolia Pictures up for sale more than a month ago via investment bank Moelis & Co. The first round of auction bids come in next week. The story was first reported by Bloomberg. "Business is great," wrote Dallas Mavericks owner Cuban in an e-mail. "We are just testing the waters. Lets see what market thinks it's worth, then we can decide what to do."

By Anne Thompson
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April 19, 2011 10:41 AM
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Graig Gillespie To Direct Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Portman's Handsomecharlie Films Producing

Craig Gillespie (Lars and The Real Girl) will direct the Lionsgate adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Natalie Portman's Handsomecharlie Films and Darko Entertainment are producing. The adaptation is based on Seth Graham-Smith's 2009 zombified expansion novel of the Jane Austen classic, a NYT Bestseller and Oprah's "Summer Reading List" mention. He also wrote the screenplay.

By Sophia Savage
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April 18, 2011 6:56 AM
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SPC To Release Roman Polanski's Carnage; Based on Play God of Carnage, at L.A.'s Ahmanson Theatre

Sony Pictures Classics will release Roman Polanski's Carnage in North America in late 2011. The film, which wrapped in Paris last month, is an adaptation of Yasmina Reza's Tony-Award winning play, God of Carnage. The film stars Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly. Carnage takes place in Brooklyn, NY, and follows two sets of parents who meet to calmly discuss their children's playground fight but end up behaving like kids themselves. Sony states: “In today’s world of moviemaking, Roman Polanski, his screenwriting partner Yasmina Reza, his cast, his crew, and his producer Said Ben Said represent the best of the best. We are so fortunate and pleased to bring Carnage, which promises to be an experience of intense emotion and hilarity, to the American audiences.”

By Sophia Savage
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April 14, 2011 5:06 AM
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Sundance Institute Film Music Program ComposersLab Opens to L.A. Public May 21

The Sundance Institute Film Music Program mounts its one-day ComposersLab: LA on May 21. It is open to the public at Los Angeles's Downtown Independent Theatre. The lab will feature film composers George S. Clinton, Edward Shearmur and Christopher Young. In an effort to expand their offerings, the Institute will also host ShortsLabs for aspiring filmmakers in Chicago (May 7), New York (July 9) and Los Angeles (August 6).

By Sophia Savage
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April 13, 2011 6:26 AM
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True Story Oranges & Sunshine Goes to Cohen Media Group; Stars Emily Watson & Hugo Weaving

Rights for Jim Loach's Oranges and Sunshine, from the producers of The King's Speech, have gone to Cohen Media Group from Icon International. The film stars Emily Watson, Hugo Weaving and David Wendham and tells the true story (from a screenplay by Rona Munro) of social worker Margaret Humphreys, who, after uncovering the organized deportation of children who were sent from the UK to Australia, fought to reunite thousands of families and bring worldwide attention to the scandal.