News

In 2018, Sony Pictures released Alpha, a prehistoric adventure film. The movie received positive reviews from the critics, but barely impressed at the box office.

Now, Alpha has become a hit on Netflix, per Tudum, seven years after its release. The adventure film comes from John Wick's spin-off limited series The Continental director Albert Hughes. A love letter to dogs, Alpha is set in the last Ice Age and follows a young hunter who encounters and befriends an injured wolf, becoming his best friend.

For the week between Mar. 31 and Apr. 6, Alpha debuted in third place globally, and fourth in the U.S. The movie received 5.5 million views, and 8.9 million hours viewed. The adventure survival film entered the Top 10 in five countries, including the U.S. Alpha's popularity continues, as the movie is still in the charts in seventh place globally, per FlixPatrol.

Alpha's logline reads, "Europe, 20,000 years ago.

Tom Holland and Austin Butler are to star in American Speed – Amazon MGM’s film about cars, corruption and criminality.

Both Tom Holland and Austin Butler are riding a wave of popularity at the moment. It was announced in September that the stars would be combining for American Speed, a film about car racing, drug smuggling and brotherly love. Dan Wiedenhaupt is writing the script, which is based on the true story of the Whittington brothers – a trio of successful racing car drivers who were arrested for drug trafficking and tax evasion in the 1980s.

As far as we know, no director is yet in place, nor do we know who will be playing the third brother. However, what we have learned thanls to Deadline is that Amazon MGM have picked up the film, reportedly after Warner Bros and Paramount both passed on the project. Hopefully, that means we can...

Two of the most sought-after young actors working in Hollywood today are teaming up for a new thriller at Amazon MGM Studios. Tom Holland and Austin are set to shift into the next gear with American Speed, a film based on a true story involving race car driving and drug smuggling.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Amazon MGM Studios landed distribution rights to American Speed, which will star Holland and Butler and be produced by Oppenheimer's Charles Roven via his Atlas Entertainment banner. Written by Dan Wiedenhaupt, the based-on-a-true-story project follows race car-driving trio the Whittington brothers, two of whom got involved in the International Motor Sports Association (Imsa) scandal that went beyond the racetrack and into the world of money laundering, tax evasion, and drug smuggling. No word on which of the brothers each actor will play, but one might put their money on Holland and Butler playing the more nefarious of the three,...

A lot of activity is being revealed with Tom Holland. The MCU Spider-Man star will be making a film with Christopher Nolan, then he’s slated to work on the next Avengers as well as the follow-up to Spider-Man: No Way Home. The production with Nolan is expected to kick off in early 2025, with Universal already slating the film for an IMAX release on July 17, 2026. In addition to directing and writing the film, Nolan will also produce with Emma Thomas under their Syncopy banner.

Holland is lining up more non-mcu projects as Deadline reports he’s now set to join Austin Butler on American Speed. The film was fiercely bid on by studios with Amazon MGM winning the project. The package included having Holland and Butler attached to star in the movie. Academy Award-winning producer Charles Roven (Oppenheimer) is also attached to produce American Speed from his Atlas Entertainment banner...

Tom Holland and Austin Butler are feeling the need... the need for speed. And no, we don't mean Top Gun 3 — or Speed 3 for that matter. Rather, the Spider-Man and Dune actors are revving up and readying themselves to lead true-story inspired racing drama American Speed, which — per THR's reporting — has just landed at Amazon MGM Studios.

The new film, set to be penned by Dan Wiedenhaupt (Alpha) and produced by Oppenheimer's Charles Roven, will see Holland and Butler play two of the three (in)famous race car driving Whittington brothers. Presumably, they'll be playing Don and Bill Whittington, the duo caught up in the Imsa scandal of the 1980s, which saw several prominent figures in the racing community charged with funding their sporting endeavours using money gained from drug smuggling, laundering, and tax evasion.

There's no director attached to the project just yet, and by extension we've no timeframe...

Tom Holland and Austin Butler are getting behind the wheel together. The in-demand actors have signed on to play real-life brothers who were race car drivers and crooks in “American Speed,” a film package that just sold to Amazon MGM Studios, according to Deadline.

Holland (the Spider-Man films) and Butler (Academy Award nominee for “Elvis”) will play two of the three Whittington brothers, who were star race car drivers in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Two of the brothers, Don and Bill, got caught up in a scandal at the Imsa Motorsport Association, where their team was funding their racing activities with money earned from marijuana smuggling. Their story lends itself to a “Scarface”-era period piece with fast cars, fast boats, lots of money, and a rise-and-fall narrative, or “Blow” meets “The Iron Claw.”

Dan Wiedenhaupt (“Alpha”) is writing the screenplay. Oscar-winning producer Charles Roven (Oppenheimer) is producing via his...

A feature project starring Tom Holland and Austin Butler is revving up for Amazon MGM Studios.

The studio has landed a package for American Speed with the two actors attached to star. Charles Roven (Oppenheimer) is attached to produce though his banner Atlas Entertainment, along with Rd Whittington and Douglas Banker. Ryan Sanak serves as executive producer for Atlas Entertainment.

Screenwriter Dan Wiedenhaupt is penning the script for the film that is based on a true story. American Speed follows the three race car-driving Whittington brothers, two of whom were involved in the Imsa scandal in the 1980s that saw numerous drivers charged with funding their racing through money from drug smuggling, tax evasion and laundering.

A director has not yet been announced, nor has a release plan.

Holland has been busy of late, as he will star opposite Matt Damon in Christopher Nolan’s next film for Universal Pictures,...

Austin Butler and Tom Holland are teaming up for a new movie!

The 28-year-old Spider-Man actor and the 33-year-old Dune star are set to share the screen in American Speed, a movie based on a trio of racecar driving brothers.

Amazon MGM Studios picked up the movie and additional details have been revealed.

Keep reading to find out more…

According to reporting by Deadline, the movie focuses on the Whittington brothers. If you are unaware, they are “three historically famous racecar drivers, two of whom were part of the 1980s Imsa scandal, in which a number of drivers were charged with financing their racing activities with proceeds from drug smuggling, money laundering or tax evasion.”

A director has not yet been revealed. However, the script is being handled by Dan Wiedenhaupt. Charles Roven, Rd Whittington and Douglas Banker are set to produce, and Ryan Sanak is acting as executive producer.

Amazon MGM Studios has landed “American Speed,” a package that will see Tom Holland and Austin Butler star as racecar-driving brothers.

Academy Award-winning producer Charles Roven (“Oppenheimer”) is attached to produce via his Atlas Entertainment banner alongside Rd Whittington and Douglas Banker. Atlas Entertainment’s Ryan Sanak will executive produce.

Dan Wiedenhaupt (“Alpha”) is writing the script, which is based on the true story of the Whittington brothers — three historically famous racecar drivers, two of whom were part of the 1980s Imsa scandal, in which a number of drivers were charged with financing their racing activities with proceeds from drug smuggling, money laundering or tax evasion.

Roven also serves as a producer on the sci-fi thriller “Mercy,” starring Chris Pratt, which Amazon MGM Studios is releasing in theaters worldwide on Aug. 15, 2025.

Holland most recently appeared in the 2023 thriller miniseries “The Crowded Room” alongside Emmy Rossum and Amanda Seyfried, and starred...

Exclusive: Following a competitive auction, Amazon MGM Studios has landed American Speed, a package with Tom Holland and Austin Butler attached to star. Oscar-winning producer Charles Roven (Oppenheimer) is attached to produce via his Atlas Entertainment banner alongside Rd Whittington and Douglas Banker. Atlas’ Ryan Sanak will executive produce.

Dan Wiedenhaupt is writing the script, which is based on the true story of the Whittington brothers —three historically famous race car drivers, two of whom were part of the 1980s Imsa scandal, in which a number of drivers were charged with financing their racing activities with proceeds from drug smuggling, money laundering or tax evasion.

Holland has had himself a week prior to this news, with the next installment in his Spider-Man franchise officially announcing Destin Daniel Cretton will come on as director and the film claiming a July 2026 release date. On top of that, Holland also signed on to...

Fulfilling, at last, the prophecy set forth in our monumental fan-novel What If Spider-Man And Elvis Became Friends?, Deadline reports today that Tom Holland and Austin Butler are teaming up for a new movie where they play professional race car drivers who are also international drug smugglers. Specifically, the pair...

Stars: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Morgan Freeman, Natassia Malthe, Leonor Varela, Mercedes de la Zerda, Jens Hultén, Priya Rajaratnam, Spencer Bogaert, Marcin Kowalczyk | Written by Albert Hughes, Daniele Sebastian Wiedenhaupt | Directed by Albert Hughes

An epic adventure set in the last Ice Age, Alpha tells a fascinating, visually stunning story that shines a light on the origins of man’s best friend. While on his first hunt with his tribe’s most elite group, a young man is injured and must learn to survive alone in the wilderness. Reluctantly taming a lone wolf abandoned by its pack, the pair learn to rely on each other and become unlikely allies, enduring countless dangers and overwhelming odds in order to find their way home before winter arrives.

It’s somewhat difficult to articulate a considerably insightful review of Alpha, not because its a poor film as such, but in the vein...

Stars: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Morgan Freeman, Natassia Malthe, Leonor Varela, Mercedes de la Zerda, Jens Hultén, Priya Rajaratnam, Spencer Bogaert, Marcin Kowalczyk | Written by Albert Hughes, Daniele Sebastian Wiedenhaupt | Directed by Albert Hughes

An epic adventure set in the last Ice Age, Alpha tells a fascinating, visually stunning story that shines a light on the origins of man’s best friend. While on his first hunt with his tribe’s most elite group, a young man is injured and must learn to survive alone in the wilderness. Reluctantly taming a lone wolf abandoned by its pack, the pair learn to rely on each other and become unlikely allies, enduring countless dangers and overwhelming odds in order to find their way home before winter arrives.

It’s somewhat difficult to articulate a considerably insightful review of Alpha, not because its a poor film as such, but in the vein...

“Crazy Rich Asians” is heading for a glamorous first weekend with an estimated $22 million from 3,384 North American locations.

The Warner Bros. film debuted August 15 and has already racked up $16 million. Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Awkwafina, and Michelle Yeoh star in the Asian-led pic, the first of its kind since 1993’s “The Joy Luck Club.”

“Crazy Rich Asians” currently holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 92% certified fresh and an A CinemaScore. Jon M. Chu directed from a screenplay by Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim.

“The Meg’s” sophomore frame should come in second place with around $19 million from 4,118 domestic sites. The Jason Statham-starrer debuted to $45 million last weekend and has reeled in an additional $23 million since.

Statham stars as a scientist attempting to defend a beach from a prehistoric, 75-foot Megalodon shark. The Warner Bros. flick has also earned $154 million overseas.

STXfilms’ “Mile 22,” starring Mark Wahlberg, should bring in an...

With the Summer winding down, and Labor Day well in sight, are moviegoers nostalgic for an adventure set it the “good ole’ days”? Hmmm, not sure if they were all that “good”, but the emphasis is on the “ole”, er “old” in the week’s new release. We’re going way, waaay back with this epic, around 20,000 years to be exact to the “cave man” tribal days, when humans were both hunters and the hunted. It’s not fun in fur skin time as in the comic strip “B.C.” or The Flintstones, nor is it the fantasy of early man evading dinosaurs as in the One Million Years B.C. films or the comedy Caveman (loved the stoned “stop -motion” T-Rex in that). . No, it’s a bit closer to the 1980’s double bill of Quest For Fire and Clan Of The Cave Bear, though more “family friendly” but...

Many films have depicted the relationship between a boy and his dog, but none from the perspective of Alpha. Director Albert Hughes takes us back to the beginning of mankind's most trusted companion. Set at the end of the last Ice Age, Alpha tells the story of how dogs became domesticated. It is a captivating, beautifully shot adventure for all ages.

Alpha opens twenty-thousand years ago in Europe. A small tribe, led by Tau (J&#243hannes Haukur J&#243hannesson), is organizing a crucial bison hunt. His teenage son, Keda (Kodi Smit-McPhee), has finally crafted a spear sturdy and sharp enough to kill. The bison hunt is tremendously dangerous. Keda's mother (Natassia Malthe) does not think he is strong enough for the journey. He has too much heart for the savage quest. Tau loves his son, but will not allow anyone in the tribe to shirk their duty. Without the bison,...

Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 100 pairs of advance-screening IMAX movie passes up for grabs to the new film “Alpha” starring Kodi Smit-McPhee!

“Alpha,” which opens on Aug. 17, 2018 and is rated “PG-13,” also stars Natassia Malthe, Leonor Varela, Spencer Bogaert, Priya Rajaratnam and Jens Hultén from writer and director Albert Hughes and writer Daniele Sebastian Wiedenhaupt.

To win your free passes to “Alpha” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning; this doesn’t intensify your competition!

Deadline: Entries can continue being submitted through Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018 at 10 a.m. Cst. These Hookup winners will be awarded via e-mail on that date.

Sony Pictures’ “White Boy Rick,” starring Matthew McConaughey, Richie Merritt, Bel Powley, and Jennifer Jason Leigh, will now be released wide Sept. 21, a month after its original release date of Aug. 17.

The movie will also get a limited release on Sept. 14. This marks the second time “White Boy Rick” was delayed; it was previously pushed back eight months from Jan. 26.

“White Boy Rick” is set in 1980s Detroit at the height of the crack epidemic and the War on Drugs. The film is based on the true story of a blue-collar father (McConaughey) and his teenage son, Rick Wershe (Richie Merritt), who became an undercover police informant and later a drug dealer, before he was abandoned by his handlers and sentenced to a life in prison. Darren Aronofsky serves as a producer on the project.

The original release date of “White Boy Rick” is now occupied by another Sony Pictures title,...

Studio 8’s titles Alpha and White Boy Rick are swapping release dates on Sony’s August-September release schedule.

Alpha, from director Albert Hughes, was originally scheduled for September 14 and will now occupy White Boy Rick‘s original calendar date of August 17.

White Boy Rick now goes to September 14 for an exclusive launch with a wide break on September 21. Smells like White Boy Rick, which has been a hot property and drama internally, is headed for an early awards season debut, and it wouldn’t be a shocker if the movie winds up at the fall film festivals.

The Yann Demange directed movie follows Rick Wershe who became an undercover police informant and drug dealer during the 1980s Detroit scene. Andy Weiss and Logan & Noah Miller wrote the story with Weiss, the Millers and Steve Kloves penning the screenplay. John Lesher, Julie Yorn, Darren Aronofsky, Scott Franklin are producers with Matthew McConaughey,...

Goat

Paramount and The Film Arcade have announced a September 23rd release date for "Goat," Andrew Neel's fraternity drama which was a hit at Sundance. Nick Jonas and Ben Schnetzer star in the film which will open on September 23rd in New York, Los Angeles, and other select U.S. cities along with a digital and on demand release on that date. [Source: EW]

Who Am I

David Goyer is set to direct a remake of Baran bo Odar's German film "Who Am I". The story follows a man who falls in with a group of hackers in Berlin who attempt to gain notoriety by disrupting the public order. Dan Wiedenhaupt ("The Solutrean") is penning the script for the remake. [Source: Deadline]

Euphoria

Charlotte Rampling ("45 Years") is set to join the cast of Swedish writer and director Lisa Langseth's "Euphoria" alongside Alicia Vikander and Eva Green. Vikander and Green play estranged...

Exclusive: David Goyer is set to direct a Warner Bros remake of Who Am I (Kein System Ist Sicher), the Baran bo Odar-directed film about a man who falls in with a group of hackers in Berlin who attempt to gain notoriety by disrupting the public order. The remake is being scripted by Dan Wiedenhaupt, who wrote the Albert Hughes-directed The Solutrean, the Ice Age survival tale that is Studio 8’s first major homegrown film. The film will be produced by Goyer and his Phantom…...

Albert Hughes ("From Hell," "The Book of Eli") is set to direct the Ice Age-set survival tale "The Solutrean" for Studio 8.

Dan Wiedenhaupt's script is set 20,000 years ago during the Upper Paleolithic period and follows a group of early advanced humans in Europe.

When a hunting expedition goes awry, a young survivor braves the inhospitable and dangerous conditions to find his way back.

Shooting gets underway either just before or after the end of the year in Iceland and Canada. The plan is to take advantage of the Imax 3D format in regards to the project.

Hughes and Andrew Rona will produce.

Source: Deadline...

Five years on from The Book Of Eli, and following a dalliance with Akira and the collapse of Motor City, Albert Hughes finally has his next project lined up. He'll direct The Solutrean, under producer Jeff Robinov's new Studio 8 production banner.Currently listed on the IMDb as "Untitled Caveman Project", the freshly-monikered Solutrean is an ambitious-sounding epic adventure set in the Ice Age. The unusual title refers to an Upper Palaeolithic-era industry - a cache of tools and art - first discovered in eastern-central France near Mâcon in 1866. The film's plot, involves a hunting expedition gone wrong and a yojng survivor's difficult journey home again.It could be an Apocalypto, or a 10,000 BC, or a Pathfinder, but hopefully it won't encounter quite the difficulties of Alejandro Gonzalez-Inarritu's The Revenant. It should certainly look spectacular since it's being shot for IMAX 3D. Hughes came up with the story,...

Atlas Entertainment founder Charles Roven has announced a slew of promotions at the company.

Production executive Curt Kanemoto (pictured, top left) has been promoted to vp and Topher Rhys-Lawrence (pictured, top right), formerly Roven’s first assistant, becomes creative executive.

Kanemoto will join production vp’s Andy Horwitz and Jake Kurily, while Rhys-Lawrence will work alongside creative executives Rebecca Roven and Dan Wiedenhaupt.

Legal and business affairs executive Patrick Blood (pictured at bottom) is named vp of legal and business affairs.

Atlas Entertainment is currently in production on the Untitled Superman/Batman Project and Warcraft.

Kanemoto is the company’s executive on all DC Entertainment properties.

Roven is preparing to embark on his first TV project later this year, 12 Monkeys.

Atlas Independent is in production on Man On Carrion Road and in post on Mojave.

“This is an exciting time for Atlas Entertainment as we continue to expand our slate of projects and this latest round of promotions...

Curt Kanemoto, Topher Rhys-Lawrence and Patrick Blood have earned promotions at Atlas Entertainment, it was announced Tuesday by founder Charles Roven. Kanemoto has been promoted from production executive to VP of production, joining Andy Horwitz and Jake Kurily. Kanemoto is the company's executive working on all DC Entertainment properties and is a co-producer on Zack Snyder's highly-anticipated follow-up to “Man of Steel.” Also read: ‘Batman vs. Superman’ and Marvel Headed for Box Office Collision: Why One Side Needs to Blink Rhys-Lawrence, who previously served as Roven's first assistant, has been promoted to creative executive, joining Rebecca Roven and Dan Wiedenhaupt.