News

Exclusive: Following the success of their Western Old Henry, which the National Board of Review named one of the Top Ten Independent Films of 2021, Hideout Pictures is back in the saddle with The Isolate Thief, a new Western to star Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings franchise), Mackenzie Foy (Interstellar), and Odeya Rush (Lady Bird).

Directed by John Suits (3022), the film is set at the close of the U.S. Civil War, as a young woman struggles to conceal the gold she stole from a group of violent outlaws who have seized control of her remote outpost. As the men relentlessly hunt for the treasure, she must outwit and deceive the ruthless bandits at every turn. Amid a deadly winter, survival transforms into a perilous game of cunning and betrayal.

Suits called the film “a story about resilience, survival, and the strength it takes to outlast the harshest odds—both from nature and humanity,...

Well into the new dark crime comedy Greedy People, I had to check IMDb to make sure this wasn’t some movie one or both of the Coen brothers had actually made and somehow I didn’t realize before diving in. Nope, it was Potsy Ponciroli who directed, and Mike Vukadinovich who wrote it. No Coens anywhere in sight except as the clear inspirations for this entertaining movie of which the masters behind Blood Simple and Fargo would probably approve, and might even have made at the beginning of their illustrious careers.

So get this for a plot.

New and very inexperienced cop Will (Himesh Patel) arrives in the small East Coast town of Providence for his new job as a deputy, partnered with quirky vet Terry (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). With a pregnant wife (Lily James) and their loving dog in tow it seems like a good career move. However, Will...

Diane Guerrero is set to lead horror movie “The Whistler” alongside Juan Pablo Raba.

The film, which has started shooting in Cali, Colombia, tells the story of grieving parents Nicole and Sebastian. Still reeling from losing their daughter, the couple unexpectedly inherit a remote farm in the Venezuelan plains where they are soon drawn into a nether world.

Diego Velasco (“This Fool”) is directing from a script by Carolina Paiz (“Orange Is The New Black”).

“Nicole and Sebastian arrive to find the farm overrun by mysterious squatters who claim they can conjure spirits,” reads the logline. “As Sebastian attempts to violently run them out, Nicole is lured into their world, desperate to contact her dead daughter…forcing the couple to deal not only with the spirit world, but their own inner demons.”

Hideout Pictures are producing the pic. Trevor O’Neil and Margaret Miller are producers with Shannon Houchins, Potsy Ponciroli...

Signature Entertainment has picked up dark comedy Greedy People for UK-Ireland release, starring Lily James and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, from UK sales outfit Mister Smith Entertainment.

The feature explores what happens when the eccentric residents of a small, picturesque island town are faced with a sensational murder and the discovery of a million dollars next to the body, leading to a series of increasingly bad decisions that hilariously upend the once-peaceful community.

Himesh Patel, Uzo Aduba, Tim Blake Nelson, Jim Gaffigan and Simon Rex also star.

Zack Schiller, Dylan Sellers, Shannon Houchins, Chris Parker and David Boies produce, with US Old Henry filmmaker Potsy Ponciroli directing,...

Lionsgate has acquired domestic rights to the Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lily James and Himesh Patel comedy “Greedy People.”

The film explores what happens when the eccentric residents of a small, picturesque island town are faced with a sensational murder and the discovery of $1 million next to the body. This sparks a series of increasingly bad decisions that do a number on the peace and tranquility of the community.

“’Greedy People’ is a hugely entertaining crime thriller in every way,” said Allison Lynch, Lionsgate’s director of acquisitions and co-productions. “Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lily James, and Himesh Patel lead an incredible cast through twists and turns that range from the hilarious to the horrific – and the movie always keeps you guessing.”

The film’s starry ensemble also features Uzo Aduba (“Orange is the New Black”), Tim Blake Nelson (“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”), Jim Gaffigan (“Chappaquiddick”) and Simon Rex (“Red Rocket”).

Gordon-Levitt’s credits include “Flora and Son,...

Pencils vs. Pixels is a new documentary that explores the history and future of 2D animation, featuring commentary from industry professionals. The film highlights the animation boom of Disney's Renaissance era and the impact of computer technology on the 2D animation industry. While 2D animation faced challenges, it never truly disappeared and has experienced a resurgence with recent films incorporating hand-drawn elements. Pencils vs. Pixels showcases this artistic evolution.

Strike Back Studios and Hideout Pictures have debuted the trailer for Pencils vs. Pixels, their new documentary that celebrates 2D animation. The upcoming feature, narrated by Mulan's Ming-Na Wen, explores 2D hand-drawn animation and the transformative journey from the Disney Renaissance to the computer animation revolution... and the inspiring future yet to come. Check out an exclusive new clip below.

Pencils vs. Pixels relies on commentary from renowned industry professionals and famous animators including Seth MacFarlane, Alex Hirsch (Gravity Falls), Peter Docter,...

The American Film Market kicks off Oct. 31 and runs through Nov. 5 in its new headquarters at the Le Meridien Delfina in Santa Monica. Industry screenings are set at theaters throughout the city and AFM’s conference series, the AFM Sessions, will take place at the Hilton Santa Monica Hotel. More than 245 companies and organizations are exhibiting at this year’s AFM, with national pavilions from China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Thailand and the U.K. In all, buyers from more than 65 countries are registered at the film market.

Here are some of the buzziest titles at AFM 2023:

Alphas

Director: Liam O’Donnell

Producers: Pierre Morel, Renee Tab, Christopher Tuffin, Matthew Chausse, Drew Bailey

Key cast: Martin Henderson

Story is set in a quiet surfing community where killer whales are enlisted to fend off great white sharks after a series of attacks. When the alpha great white shark proves too powerful to stop,...

From Strikeback Studios and Hideout Pictures comes Pencils vs. Pixels, a new documentary that showcases the animators that bring your most favorite characters to life.

A celebration of 2D hand-drawn animation and the transformative journey from the Disney Renaissance to the computer animation revolution… and the inspiring future yet to come.

Pencils vs. Pixels is directed by Bay Dariz and Phil Earnest and narrated by Ming-Na Wen. Animators featured in the documentary include Seth MacFarlane, Alex Hirsch, Peter Docter, John Musker and many more!

Directed By

Bay Dariz • Phil Earnest

Produced By

Tom Bancroft • Bay Dariz

Written By

Bay Dariz

Editor

Mike Hugo

Cinematography

Dustin Supencheck • Michael Delano

• Chris Haggerty

Executive Producers:

Shannon Houchins, Noor Ahmed, Christopher Joe

Narrated by

Ming-Na Wen

Running time: 72 min

Synopsis: Pencils Vs Pixels is a celebration of the unique magic of 2D hand-drawn animation and an exploration of how the Disney Renaissance of the...

Ming-Na Wen, who voiced Mulan in Disney’s animated feature of the same name, is set to narrate a new documentary titled “Pencils Vs Pixels.”

Co-directed by Bay Dariz (“Hypochondriac”) and Phil Earnest, “Pencils Vs Pixels” is a celebration of 2D hand-drawn animation.

The documentary, which will have its world premiere at Annecy International Animation Film Festival next week, will explore the Disney-led 2D animation boom of the late 1980s and early 1990s which was soon eclipsed by the dawn of computer animation. But, as the film shows, a resurgence of 2D animation suggests there is still hope for the medium.

The documentary features interviews with the great and good of the animation world including Pete Docter, John Musker (“The Little Mermaid”), Tony Bancroft (“Mulan”), Jorge R. Gutiérrez (“The Book of Life”), Seth MacFarlane (“Family Guy”), Glen Keane (“Beauty and the Beast”), Tina Price (“Hercules”), Lorna Cook (“Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron...

With Spirit Halloween: The Movie now available on VOD, we have an exclusive clip just for Daily Dead readers!

"When a new Halloween store opens in a deserted strip mall, three middle school friends who think they’ve outgrown trick or treating make a dare to spend the night locked inside the store Halloween night. But they soon find out that the store is haunted by an angry evil spirit who has possessed the creepy animatronic characters. The kids will need to embark on a thrilling and spooky adventure in order to survive the night and avoid becoming possessed themselves. Inspired by the world’s largest Halloween retailer, Spirit Halloween, Spirit Halloween The Movie has the look and feel of the classic tween adventure films of the 70s and 80s – complete with old-school animatronics and set pieces provided by the Spirit Halloween franchise."

Directed by David Poag from a screenplay by Billie Bates,...

Exclusive: Greenwich Entertainment has acquired U.S. and Canadian rights to the edge-of-your-seat documentary thriller Buried: The 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche, a “gripping account of the deadliest avalanche in U.S. ski resort history.”

Greenwich plans to release the documentary — winner of the Audience Award at Telluride’s Moutainfilm festival – in theaters in New York, San Francisco and Northern California on September 23, expanding to additional markets thereafter. A 45-day exclusive theatrical window will be followed by a release on Tvod/Est (transactional video on demand/electronic sell-through) and DVD on November 8.

Jared Drake and Steven Siig directed the film, which takes viewers back to the catastrophic events of March and April 1982 near Lake Tahoe, California. A massive storm had dumped huge quantities of snow onto the area beginning in late March. Then, on the afternoon of March 31, tragedy struck.

“[W]ithout warning, millions of pounds of snow would hurtle down the side...

Many horror fans (myself included) make it a point to visit their local Spirit Halloween pop-up store every autumn, but what would happen if you spent the night within its creepy confines? That question is answered for three middle school friends in the new teaser trailer for Spirit Halloween: The Movie, a new film from Hideout Pictures and Particular Crowd that co-stars Rachel Leigh Cook and Christopher Lloyd!

Spirit Halloween: The Movie will be released on VOD beginning October 11th, and you can check out the new teaser trailer below!

Directed by David Poag from a screenplay by Billie Bates, Spirit Halloween: The Movie stars Rachel Leigh Cook, Christopher Lloyd, Marla Gibbs, Donovan Colan, Marissa Reyes, Jaiden J. Smith, Dylan Martin Frankel, and Brad Carter. The film was produced by Shannon Houchins, Noor Ahmed, and Mike Hagerty.



The post Watch the Teaser Trailer for Spirit Halloween: The Movie appeared first on Daily Dead.

Spooky season is still six months away but the folks behind the “Spirit Halloween” movie – yes, the one based on the ubiquitous October pop-up store, which Variety exclusively revealed last month – have given Variety an exclusive sneak peek at the first images of Christopher Lloyd and Rachael Leigh Cook on set as well as more plot details.

In “Spirit Halloween,” Lloyd (best known as Doc Brown in “Back to the Future”) plays wealthy land developer Alec Windsor. Decades ago, one Halloween night, Windsor disappeared without a trace and ever since his cursed spirit is said to haunt the town each year on October 31 for one hour.

Meanwhile Cook (“He’s All That”) plays Sue, who has recently remarried after her husband passed away. When a Spirit Halloween store pops up in an abandoned strip mall, Sue’s teenage son Jake and his friends decide to spend the night there for a dare.

If, like me, one of your favorite things to do each fall is to find and visit your local Spirit Halloween store, then you also might be excited to hear that Strike Back Studios and Hideout Pictures have finished principal photography on a Spirit Halloween movie written by Billie Bates, directed by David Poag, and featuring a cast that includes Christopher Lloyd and Rachael Leigh Cook.

The Spirit Halloween film is slated for an October release, and we'll keep Daily Dead readers updated on further details. In the meantime, we have the official press release, including the film's synopsis:

Press Release: Strike Back Studios and Hideout Pictures continue their busy production schedule in 2022 having wrapped principal photography of “Spirit Halloween.” When a new Spirit Halloween store appears in a deserted strip mall, three middle school friends who think they’ve outgrown trick or treating make a dare to spend the...

Christopher Lloyd and Rachel Leigh Cook have been snapped up for the upcoming family/kids adventure movie ‘Spirit Halloween.’

The tagline reads “When a new Spirit Halloween store appears in a deserted strip mall, three middle-school friends who think they’ve outgrown trick-or-treating make a dare to spend the night locked inside the store Halloween night,” reads the logline. “But they soon find out that the store is haunted by an angry evil spirit who has possessed the creepy animatronic characters. The kids embark on a thrilling and spooky adventure in order to survive the night and avoid becoming possessed themselves.”

Spirit Halloween is the iconic costume and prop store with 1,425 locations across North America, and has teamed with Strike Back Studios, Hideout Pictures and Particular Crowd.

Also in news – Tom Hiddleston set for Apple series ‘White Darkness’

David Poag will make his directorial feature debut in the film which...

With toy-related films all the rage, Halloween fans have been left under-served — until now.

Spirit Halloween, the iconic costume and prop store with 1,425 locations across North America, has teamed with Strike Back Studios, Hideout Pictures and Particular Crowd for a feature-length family movie called, you guessed it, “Spirit Halloween.”

Billed as a family/kids adventure movie, the project stars “Back to the Future’s” Christopher Lloyd and “She’s All That” star Rachael Leigh Cook, as well as some new faces.

“When a new Spirit Halloween store appears in a deserted strip mall, three middle-school friends who think they’ve outgrown trick-or-treating make a dare to spend the night locked inside the store Halloween night,” reads the logline. “But they soon find out that the store is haunted by an angry evil spirit who has possessed the creepy animatronic characters. The kids embark on a thrilling and spooky adventure in order...

Exclusive: Deadline has a new trailer for Alaskan Nets, a sports documentary executive produced by Chris Pratt and his production company Invisible Productions that Good Deed Entertainment is releasing on digital and VOD on April 8.

The film from director Jeff Harasimowicz takes viewers to an island that lies off the coast of Southeast Alaska. Remote and largely hidden from the outside world, it’s home to the Tsimshian natives of Alaska’s last remaining native reserve: Metlakatla. For more than a century, two sacred traditions have defined Metlakatla: fishing and basketball. Audiences will witness the improbable journey of cousins Danny Marsden and DJ King, fishermen and stars of the high school basketball team, as they lead their team and town toward their first state championship in more than 30 years—the only thing that will bring life back to an island that has undergone unimaginable tragedy.

Alaskan Nets made its world...

Filmmaker-actor Tim Blake Nelson commands the screen in the Western thriller “Old Henry,” written and directed by Potsy Ponciroli. Nelson’s intense performance as a man driven to extremes in order to protect his son in early 1900s Oklahoma drives the narrative.

What appealed to you most about the script?

I’ve always loved Westerns. It was a true meat-and-potatoes take on the genre, but my main connection to the material was as a dad, as I’ve got three ornery kids in New York City, two of whom are in college. Raising kids is tough because you always want to shield them from the challenges of the world, and I loved how Potsy’s script examined the real tension that comes with parenthood, and how parents always have to decide how much of the real world they should be exposing their children to.

Who is Potsy Ponciroli?

I didn...

Exclusive: Sugar23 and Ace Content have come aboard Jared Drake & Steven Siig’s award-winning documentary Buried as executive producers, with Rocket Science signing on to handle domestic and international sales.

The film follows a California community’s effort to heal, after being confronted with a shared trauma on March 31st, 1982, when a large avalanche hit the ski resort Alpine Meadows and killed seven. Academy Award-winning producer Evan Hayes of Ace Content (Free Solo) joined Oscar winner Michael Sugar (Spotlight) and eight-time Emmy nominee David Hillman (The Tipping Point) of Sugar23 in screening the film prior to its premiere on the festival circuit and immediately signed on to spearhead its sale and release.

The producers have spent the last four months working with Jared and Siig to lock picture, and are looking to release it next year—timed to the 40th anniversary of the Alpine Meadows tragedy. Additional exec producers on...

The Mill Valley Film Festival will open with the California premiere of “Cyrano,” directed by Joe Wright and written by Erica Schmidt, adapted from Schmidt’s 2018 stage musical of the same name, which is based on Edmond Rostand’s 1897 play “Cyrano de Bergerac.” Opening night takes place on Oct. 7 at the Sequoia Theatre and Smith Rafael Film Center.

Peter Dinklage stars as Cyrano de Bergerac, who, believing himself to be ugly, feels unworthy of the love of his friend Roxanne (Haley Bennett). Before he confesses his feelings, Roxanne falls in love at first sight with Christian. Bashir Salahuddin and Ben Mendelsohn also star. The film features music by Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner with lyrics by Matt Berninger and Carin Besser. Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Guy Heeley produce, with Cass Marks as co-producer and Enrico Ballarin as line producer.

The 44th annual Mill Valley Film Festival runs from Oct.

Sales

Vmi Worldwide has closed several major territory sales for western “Old Henry” from Shout! Studios and Hideout Pictures. Sales buzz reached its fever pitch as the film premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Tuesday evening.

So far, Vmi has closed deals in Italy (Blue Swan), the U.K. and Australia (Signature), France (Ace Entertainment), Germany (Koch), Benelux (Three Lines), the Middle East and Turkey (Phoenicia Pictures International) and South Korea (Jaye Entertainment).

“Old Henry” was written and directed by Potsy Ponciroli (“Still the King”) and produced by Shannon Houchins and Michael Hagerty. Starring Tim Blake Nelson (“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”), Scott Haze (“Children of God”), Gavin Lewis (“Little Fires Everywhere”), Trace Adkins (“The Lincoln Lawyer”) and Stephen Dorff (“Blade”), the film turns on Henry, a farmer who helps an injured man with a bag of cash. Eventually, a gang shows up claiming to be the money’s rightful owners.

Character actor Tim Blake Nelson may have found his niche in memorable turns recalling the heyday when Westerns ruled the roost in Hollywood. Or at least in Venice, where this film festival once again has shown a fondness for the star in a genre that rarely gets much of a closeup anymore. A couple of years ago, Nelson was unforgettable singing “When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings” in one of the vignettes of the Coen brothers’ anthology The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, which had its world premiere in Venice before going on to get an Oscar nomination for that very song. Now Nelson is back in his inimitable scruffy style as a live-off-the-land-looking guy bringing up a straight-arrow teenage son in the waning days of the old west as Old Henry, which debuted in an out of competition slot at Venice earlier today.

Set in 1906, Old Henry is...

Deals struck for UK, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

HanWay Films has closed a raft of deals on Tony Stone’s Unabomber drama Ted K, ahead of the Cannes Pre-Screenings.

The US feature, which premiered in Berlin’s Panorama strand in March, has been picked up for distribution in the UK and Ireland (Altitude), Italy (Movies Inspired), Scandinavia (NonStop), Portugal (Films4You), Greece (Odeon), Cis & Baltics (Paradise), Middle East (Front Row), ships and airlines (Horizon), Singapore (Shaw) and Latin America (CDC).

Cinetic Media previously negotiated a North America deal with Super Ltd, Neon’s boutique distribution label.

The third feature of...

A precursory Google search for Howard’s Mill leads to related searches from those asking whether Shannon Houchins and Kaiser Whitmire’s feature is real or a true story. The documentary-style thriller blurs the lines between horror and true crime, spinning a mystery that begins with a missing person. Framed as a documentary looking into the mysterious case of missing amateur treasure […]...

The true crime drama recently premiered in the Berlin festival’s Panorama section.

Berlin festival entry Ted K has been acquired for North America by Super Ltd, distributor Neon’s boutique label.

Written and directed by Tony Stone, the true crime drama had its premiere in the Panorama section of the recent Berlin International Film Festival. Based on the diaries and writings of Ted Kaczynski, the film tracks the life of the so-called Unabomber, played by Sharlto Copley, while he was in hiding in Montana.

Ted K is presented by Heathen Films in association with Verisimilitude, Hideout Pictures, In Your Face Entertainment and Cameron Brodie.

HanWay Films and Cinetic have boarded Berlin Film Festival entry Ted K for international and North American sales, respectively. The companies have also released a first look image.

Writer-director Tony Stone’s true crime drama, starring Sharlto Copley (District 9) as the ‘Unabomber’ Ted Kaczynski, will play in the Panorama section of this year’s largely digital Berlinale.

The film tracks a period in the life of Kaczynski, more widely known as the Unabomber, and draws from his personal diaries and accounts from those who knew him during his life in hiding in a simple wooden cabin in the mountains of Montana.

According to the producers, a number of the film’s supporting cast are non-professional locals, some of whom knew Kaczynski, and the production worked closely with his former neighbors and employers to corroborate research and paint an authentic picture of the man.

Stone built a recreation of Kaczynski...

Cinetic Media and HanWay Films have launched sales on writer/director Tony Stone’s Berlin Panorama selection “Ted K,” starring Sharlto Copley (“District 9”).

The film tracks a period in the life of Ted Kaczynski, better known as the Unabomber, and draws from his personal diaries and accounts from those who knew him during his life in hiding. Kaczynski, a former university professor who despises modern society and its faith in technology, becomes radicalized and commits local acts of sabotage, ultimately leading to deadly bomb attacks.

HanWay is in charge of international sales, while Cinetic is handling North America.

“As filmmakers we wanted to revisit and abolish the usual tropes of the biopic to create an experiential cinematic journey, depicting what Ted’s day to day life was like through extreme subjectivity,” said Stone. “Since 1996 when a man covered in filth was dragged out of his cabin, the public has...

Sharlto Copley stars as Unabomber Ted Kaczynski in the true crime drama directed by Tony Stone.

HanWay Films has secured international sales rights to Tony Stone’s Unabomber drama Ted K, which is set to premiere in the Panorama strand of the industry-focused, online-only Berlin International Film Festival (March 1-5).

Cinetic Media will handle North America sales on the US feature, which stars Sharlto Copley as Ted Kaczynski, who is serving eight life sentences for waging a bomb campaign against individuals for nearly 20 years.

London-based sales outfit HanWay will begin discussing the feature with buyers during the virtual European Film...

Exclusive: Stephen Dorff, Trace Adkins, Scott Haze and Gavin Lewis have been added to the cast of Old Henry, a Western actioner in the works from Shout! Studios and Hideout Pictures. They join Tim Blake Nelson, who was tapped to star last week. Principal photography is now underway on location in Tennessee.

Old Henry, written and being directed by Potsy Ponciroli, centers on Nelson as widowed farmer Henry and his son Wyatt (Lewis), who warily take in a mysterious, injured man named Curry (Haze) with a satchel of cash. Dorff plays Ketchum, the head of the group looking for Curry. Atkins plays Wyatt’s Uncle Al.

Shannon Houchins and Mike Hagerty are producers. Garson Foos, Bob Emmer, Jordan Fields, Alex Siskin and Trevor O’Neil are executive producers.

The movie is part of a multi-picture deal between the Shout! Studios arm and Hideout, all Westerns, which the companies will co-produce and co-finance.

Exclusive: Tim Blake Nelson has signed on to star in Shout! Studios and Hideout Pictures’ action western Old Henry.

The movie, which is written and directed by Potsy Ponciroli, follows a widowed farmer and his son who warily take in a mysterious, injured man with a satchel of cash. Shannon Houchins and Mike Hagerty are producing. EPs are Garson Foos, Bob Emmer, Jordan Fields, Alex Siskin, and Trevor O’Neil.

Nelson, whose work spans acting, directing, producing and writing, recently starred in Warner Bros’ Just Mercy and the HBO multi-Emmy winning limited DC series Watchmen. His turn in Watchmen as the vigilante Looking Glass earned Nelson a Critic’s Choice nomination in the supporting actor drama series category.

His feature credits include the Coen Brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou? and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, as well as Lincoln, The Incredible Hulk, Meet the Fockers, Minority Report and the upcoming Guillero del Toro feature Nightmare Alley.

Exclusive: Shout! Studios and Hideout Pictures have entered a long-term, multifaceted production partnership for a slate of new Western films that includes the titles Old Henry, Hardin and 4 Dead in 5 Seconds.

Under the partnership, Shout! Studios and Hideout Pictures will jointly develop, finance, and produce new feature-length movies for distribution. Hideout Pictures will leverage their extensive relationships with talent and bring hands-on production experience for future film productions. Shout! Studios will co-finance and co-produce these films with Hideout Pictures. The newly forged collaboration was announced by Garson Foos, Shout’s co-founder and CEO; Shannon Houchins, CEO of Hideout Pictures; and Jordan Fields, Vice President of Acquisitions at Shout! Studios.

“We’re thrilled about this new partnership with Shannon and Hideout Pictures, an innovative production company that has emerged as a major creative force in entertainment,” said Foos. “We share the same entrepreneurial vision that bodes well for the success of this collaboration.

Exclusive: Hideout Pictures has acquired the rights to Kevin Steverson’s sci-fi book series Salvage Title.

The first book centers around Harmon Tomeral, an orphan turned space academy pilot, who faces an uphill battle in regards to going to space. Harmon and his friend compete in a Top Fleet Marine competition whereby the winner gets 100,000 credits, which would just be enough to start their own salvage company. If they could build a mech and win the competition, they’re set. But the fleet had already shown they didn’t want Harmon in space, however, it’s a good thing his friends and crew were very much against fleet regulations.

Hideout will develop Salvage Title as a feature film, with graphic novelist Doug Wagner penning the script. The project will be produced by Hideout Pictures’ CEO Shannon Houchins, Trevor O’Neil and Potsy Ponciroli.

Said Houchins, “Kevin is a tremendous storyteller and...

Exclusive: Hideout Pictures, the financing, developing and producing arm of Nashville-based Average Joes Entertainment, has launched a film fund with the aim of providing equity and gap financing to indie films, and to acquire IP to be developed as TV or film properties.

The fund, backed by private equity, is said to be in the eight-figure range. No other details were available.

Hideout Pictures, which launched in 2014 via co-founder and CEO Shannon Houchins, has provided financing for projects including Kevin Smith’s forthcoming Jay & Silent Bob Reboot, 3022, Ted K starring Sharlto Copley and other pics. Its producing credits include the Cmt series Still the King starring Billy Ray Cyrus, which aired for two seasons.

“We are a filmmaker-driven company who understands the diverse roles financiers can play within independent films,” Houchins said. “This has proven to be a successful vertical within our business and the creation of the fund will...

During the Party Down South TV series finale, Thursday, April 7th at 9:00pm, Cmt will run an exclusive first-look at its upcoming scripted Still the King TV series. The new comedy premieres Sunday, June 12, 2016 at 9:00pm Et/Pt. Back in January, Cmt announced Party Down South's fifth season would be its final, leaving the reality series effectively cancelled.

The cast of Still the King includes: Billy Ray Cyrus, Joey Lauren Adams, Madison Iseman, Lacey Chabert, Leslie David Baker, Kevin Farley, Travis Nicholson, and Jon Sewell. The series comes from Hideout Pictures, with Cyrus serving as executive producer and writer. Shannon Houchins, Potsy Ponciroli, and Travis Nicholson also executive produce. Julia Silverton and Jayson Dinsmore executive produce for Cmt.

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