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Filmmaker Maggie Betts has been tapped to direct “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” for Netflix after Leslye Headland’s departure from the project.

Betts, whose credits include Amazon MGM’s Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones-led legal drama “The Burial” and Sony Pictures Classic’s 2017 drama “Novitiate,” will also co-write the screenplay with Liz Tigelaar.

Adapted from Taylor Jenkins Reid’s best-selling 2017 novel, “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” follows a fictional Old Hollywood star who gives a final interview to an unknown journalist. During her tell-all, the fiercely private celebrity pulls back the curtain on the true story of her infamous seven marriages and other wild tales of showbiz scandals, betrayals and woes.

Netflix picked up rights in 2022 but the project has yet to get off the ground. Fans of the novel have been vocal about wanting Jessica Chastain to play the title role of Evelyn Hugo,...

It seems that not a single Gunn’s announcement related to the upcoming ‘Superman’ reboot can go without controversy. A while back, when Milly Alcock was cast as Supergirl, the director was criticized for having an all-white main cast of the movie.

Now the most recent outrage is directed toward the cast being “D-List” in nature. Everything started with the announcement that Pruitt Taylor Vince will be cast as Jonathan Kent in the upcoming reboot with Neva Howell cast as Martha Kent, Superman’s adoptive human mother.

Even though both actors are established in their own right with medium-sized roles, none of them in the past has led blockbusters. Vince will star as a series regular in the upcoming Apple TV+ series ‘Lady in the Lake,’ alongside Natalie Portman, set to release this summer. His extensive television work includes appearances in popular series such as Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things,’ Marvel’s ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,...

It appears that every announcement about James Gunn’s upcoming ‘Superman’ reboot sparks controversy. Some time ago, when Milly Alcock was cast as Supergirl, the director faced criticism for assembling an all-white main cast (despite Supergirl not being a part of main cast…)

Now, the latest uproar revolves around the perceived “D-List” nature of the cast. It all began with the announcement of Pruitt Taylor Vince as Jonathan Kent and Neva Howell as Martha Kent, Superman’s adoptive human parents, in the upcoming reboot.

Although both actors have established themselves with medium-sized roles, neither has previously headlined blockbuster films. Vince is set to star as a series regular in the upcoming Apple TV+ series ‘Lady in the Lake,’ alongside Natalie Portman, scheduled for release this summer. His extensive television credits include appearances in popular series like Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things,’ Marvel’s ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,’ and NBC’s ‘Heroes Reborn....

The Burial is an acclaimed legal drama with a stellar cast, including Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones, based on a true story. The movie explores economic exploitation and racial injustice within the funeral business, exposing a larger network of corruption. Director Maggie Betts delivers a strong sophomore effort, while the cast, including rising star Mamoudou Athie, gives standout performances.

An acclaimed legal drama with a stellar cast, The Burial features two Oscar-winning actors in the roles of its main characters along with many other talented performers. The Burial is based on a true story, taking inspiration from Jonathan Harr’s article of the same name published in The New Yorker in 1999, about a charismatic personal injury lawyer who took up the case of the financially struggling owner of a funeral home. As this duo goes against a corporate giant in the funeral business, the Prime Video original movie's plot...

Plot: A nearly bankrupt funeral home owner (Tommy Lee Jones) is screwed in a deal by an unscrupulous, corporately run competitor. He enlists the aid of a flashy personal injury lawyer (Jamie Foxx) in a court case that blows the lid off of dishonest practices in the industry.

Review: Maggie Betts’ The Burial was the biggest surprise of this year’s TIFF. Set for a limited, one-week run in theatres on October 6th before making its streaming debut on Prime Video on October 13th, it feels like the streamer doesn’t really know what a high-quality film they have on their hands. Based on the true story of Jeremiah Joseph O’Keefe (Jones), a kindly, honest funeral home owner who was nearly bankrupted by a massive corporate competitor, the Loewen Group, it’s a highly entertaining David vs. Goliath tale that has two potentially award-worthy performances at its heart.

Both...

When filmmaker Maggie Betts premiered her feature debut, the stunning period piece “Novitiate,” at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, the drama starring Margaret Qualley as a young nun took a path many other films had already followed. It showed to strong reviews (including from this writer), earned Betts a Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Director, was bought at the festival by Sony Pictures Classics for an estimated 7-digit price, got a theatrical release in the heat of the fall season, and even picked up some awards buzz for co-star Melissa Leo.

These days, that once-traditional route is a vestige of the past, as the theatrical landscape continues to shift and festival buys grow slimmer. But while Betts readily admits she’s had to change her ambitions to suit the ecosystem, that hasn’t diminished her work. It has, however, altered it a bit. For one thing, it took her six years...

There’s been a shocking amount of horror movies released in August and September. Now that it’s October, it’s going to seem far more appropriate, with the month starting off with a doozie. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.

Way back in 1973, William Peter Blatty‘s 1971 novel, “The Exorcist,” was adapted into a movie by the late William Friedkin, becoming a huge theatrical phenomenon that is still thought of as one of the scariest horror movies ever made. It introduced many Americans to the idea of possession and exorcism, making household names of Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn, both who received Oscar nominations. The movie received 10 bids total, winning for Blatty’s screenplay and the sound.

Fifty years later and filmmaker David Gordon Green has followed his mostly successful “Halloween” sequel trilogy with “The Exorcist: Believer,” the first of three movies in the works. The...

Exclusive: Writer-director Maggie Betts has signed with WME for representation.

Her latest film, The Burial starring Jamie Foxx, Jurnee Smollett and Tommy Lee Jones, premiered to rave reviews at Toronto Film Festival last month and will be released theatrically by Amazon/MGM on October 6.

Related: ‘The Burial’ Review: Jamie Foxx And Tommy Lee Jones Lead Rousing David Vs. Goliath Deep South Legal Story – Toronto Film Festival

Betts’ debut feature Novitiate premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, winning the Jury Award for Direction, and was picked up for distribution by Sony Pictures Classics. She also was nominated for a Gotham Award for Breakthrough Director.

Related: ‘The Burial’ Trailer: Jamie Foxx & Tommy Lee Jones In A Legal Matter From Maggie Betts

Betts continues to be managed by Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

Editor’s note: This review was originally published at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. Amazon Studio releases the film in select theaters Friday, October 6, and it will be available to stream on Prime Video starting Friday, October 13.

Likely the most rousing crowdpleaser ever made about the legal battle for a burial insurance business, Maggie Betts’ “The Burial” is the kind of fun but impassioned courtroom drama Hollywood used to release on a regular basis — before the film industry was so preoccupied with dying that it couldn’t afford to think about what it was leaving behind. Set in 1995, and shot with enough wit and confidence to sell the illusion that it was made around the same time, Betts’ unexpected follow-up to the severe nun saga “Novitiate” relishes in the simple pleasures of its own nostalgia from almost the moment it starts.

And yet the movie proves to have a more...

The Burial tells the story of funeral home owner and former politician Jerry O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) and his case against the Loewen Group, spearheaded by flashy personal injury lawyer Willie E. Gary (Jamie Foxx). The film, based on a real case in Hinds County, Mississippi, in 1995, is the sophomore narrative feature from Maggie Betts, with a screenplay by Doug Wright and Betts.

O’Keefe is the father of 13 children with 22 grandchildren and a mountain of debt he’s been hiding from everyone, including his wife (Pamela Reed). And at his age, his focus is on securing his legacy to make sure his large family is taken care of after he’s gone. Though he owns multiple funeral homes, debt has forced him to sell. His attorney and friend Mike Allred (Alan Ruck) sets up a meeting with Raymond Loewen (Bill Camp), the billionaire owner of the Loewen Group, who...

The Burial is a not-so-great title; it sounds like a horror film. I hope it doesn’t keep people away from this highly entertaining, crowd-pleasing movie that otherwise is an example of what good old fashioned Hollywood filmmaking can still be all about in the right hands. It feels bigger than life, but it is based on some pretty big lives indeed.

This lively courtroom true story has taken awhile to get to its closeup. Inspired by a November 1999 New Yorker article by Jonathan Harr, The Burial, which provides choice lead roles for Oscar winners Tommy Lee Jones and Jamie Foxx, has taken a long circuitous route to production. Directors like Jonathan Demme and Ron Howard were in and out along the way until it finally wound up in the hands of Maggie Betts, best known for 2017’s wildly different religious drama Novitiate.

With an initial draft script by Tony and Pulitzer winner Doug Wright,...

"I wouldn't get too used to me being kind to you, Mr. Gary. Once we begin that trial, I'm going to destroy you." Prime Video has revealed an official trailer for The Burial, the second feature film from filmmaker Maggie Betts following Novitiate a few years ago. This one is premiering at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival kicking off this weekend, which is why there's a trailer to watch now. It'll also be released, both in theaters and streaming on Prime Video, this fall. Inspired by true events, a lawyer helps a funeral home owner save his family business from a corporate behemoth, exposing a complex web of race, power, and injustice. The impressive cast features Jamie Foxx as the smooth-talking attorney Willie E. Gary, with Tommy Lee Jones, Jurnee Smollett, Alan Ruck, Mamoudou Athie, Pamela Reed, and Bill Camp. It looks like some good fun in the court room, watching...

The Burial is a new film based on a true story, following an unconventional lawyer hired to save a bankrupt funeral home from corporate corruption. The cast includes Academy Award winners Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones, as well as other recognizable faces like Jurnee Smollett and Mamoudou Athie. Prime Video has released the first official trailer for The Burial, giving audiences a glimpse into the compelling story that lies ahead.

Jamie Foxx is Tommy Lee Jones' attorney in The Burial trailer. Based on a true story, the upcoming film follows an unconventional personal injury lawyer who is hired to help a bankrupt funeral home owner save his family business from a corrupt corporation. The Burial cast is led by a couple of Academy Award winners, Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones, and also includes recognizable faces like Jurnee Smollett, Mamoudou Athie, Bill Camp, and Alan Ruck.

Today, Prime Video...

Those predisposed to thinking “they don’t make movies like that anymore” should take note of “The Burial,” Amazon Studios’ upcoming legal drama starring Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones.

Based on the 1999 New Yorker article of the same name, the new film from “Novitiate” filmmaker Maggie Betts stars the Oscar winners as, respectively, lawyer Willie E. Gary and funeral home owner and war hero Jeremiah Joseph O’Keefe. Back in 1995, Gary helped O’Keefe in a massive lawsuit against the Loewen funeral company, and the pair formed an unlikely bond.

Here’s how Amazon Studios describes the action:

Inspired by true events, when a handshake deal goes sour, funeral home owner Jeremiah O’Keefe (Academy Award winner Tommy Lee Jones) enlists charismatic, smooth-talking attorney Willie E. Gary (Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx) to save his family business. Tempers flare and laughter ensue as the unlikely pair bond while exposing corporate...

Jamie Foxx is heading to the courtroom in legal drama “The Burial,” based on a true story.

The Oscar winner stars alongside Tommy Lee Jones for Maggie Betts’ follow-up to her 2017 breakout film “Novitiate.” Based on a New Yorker article by Jonathan Harr, “The Burial” follows a Black personal injury lawyer who takes on an unusual case amid prejudices in the South.

Per the official synopsis, inspired by true events, when a handshake deal goes sour, funeral homeowner Jeremiah O’Keefe (Jones) enlists charismatic, smooth-talking attorney Willie E. Gary (Foxx) to save his family business. Tempers flare and laughter ensue as the unlikely pair bond while exposing corporate corruption and racial injustice in this inspirational, triumphant story.

O’Keefe sued Canadian funeral home Loewen Group in a history-making case 15 years ago.

Doug Wright and director Betts adapted the New Yorker article, with Wright behind the story. In addition to lead stars Jones and Foxx,...

Exclusive: Two time Emmy-nominated actor Margaret Qualley has signed with CAA for representation.

Qualley, who was previously at UTA, received major awards recognition for her performance in the title role of Netflix’s well reviewed and very popular limited series Maid with Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and Critics’ Choice Award nominations. She previously earned Emmy and Critics’ Choice nominations for the FX limited series Fosse/Verdon.

This fall, Qualley will appear opposite Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo in Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, which is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival. Upcoming films also include Yorgos Lanthimos’ And, with Jesse Plemons and Emma Stone; Ethan Coen’s film Drive-Away Dolls; and Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, in which she stars opposite Demi Moore.

Qualley most recently starred opposite Christopher Abbott in Zachary Wigon’s feature Sanctuary, which premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in May. Her...

This post contains spoilers for the first four episodes of "Mrs. Davis."

"Mrs. Davis" is a trip. The new show from "Lost" co-creator Damon Lindelof and "The Big Bang Theory" writer Tara Hernandez is so strange, its own star recently described it on "The Daily Show" as "like a Rubix Cube had sex with a haunted calculator." And you know what? Betty Gilpin's not wrong there; "Mrs. Davis" is a wacky exploration of faith and technology driven by absurd, algorithmically generated details that turn out to be integral to a mission to change the world.

So much happens in the four episodes of "Mrs. Davis" that dropped on Peacock this week that it's enough to make you need a break to process. That's exactly what Simone (Gilpin) takes in the fourth episode when a series of increasingly zany clues lead her to the Vatican, where she's told to deliver...

Misha Green and Jurnee Smollett will embark on their third collaboration with Green’s feature directorial debut, “Sunflower.”

The Lionsgate film has been described as a thriller about two women who attempt to escape from a remote sunflower farm, where they are being held hostage by a deranged college professor.

Green will write and direct, as well as produce along with Craig Flores. Production is slated to begin this summer.

Also Read:

Dylan Sprouse and Mason Gooding to Star in Patrick Lussier’s Actioner ‘Aftermath’

“’Sunflower’ was the first script I sold when I landed in Hollywood, and now having the opportunity to make it my first feature directorial outing feels like kismet,” said Green in a statement. “I couldn’t have hoped for better partners and collaborators than Nathan, the Lionsgate team, Craig, and Jurnee to help me shepherd it to the big screen.”

“Everyone at our studio was...

Exclusive: Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds), Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix franchise), Isabelle Fuhrman (The Novice) and Liana Liberato (To the Bone) have signed on to star in Justine Bateman’s upcoming feature Face, based on her 2021 bestseller, Face: One Square Foot of Skin.

The film penned by Bateman consists of 14 vignettes, both comedic and dramatic, which look at women’s faces getting older, and why that makes people angry. While much of society appears to assume that women’s faces are somehow broken and need to be fixed, Face reveals some of the many ways in which women, and those around them, allow this idea to take root at all.

Parker will play Tanya, an actress balancing her need to use her face for her job and the pressure to not move it at all, with Moss as Mrs. Foster, a kindergarten teacher whose young students remind her of the magical functionality of the face.

Margaret Qualley will exec produce and star in The End of Getting Lost, an Amazon Studios thriller from Mustang director Deniz Gamze Ergüven, which also has Paul Mescal in talks to co-star, Deadline has confirmed.

The film is based on a novel of the same name by Robin Kirman, which Simon & Schuster will publish on February 15. In this dark, cunning love tale set against 1990s Europe, we follow a young couple, Gina (Qualley) and Duncan (Mescal), on what Duncan claims is their honeymoon—but after Gina suffers a mysterious accident, we’re brought into a dizzying journey where we toggle between past and present, husband and wife, to uncover a portrait of love’s power, as well as its dangers. As the pair hop borders across Europe, their former lives threatening to catch up with them while the truth grows more elusive,...

At just 27 years old, Margaret Qualley has racked up notable performances in numerous films and television shows bound to be cherished for a lifetime. From “The Leftovers” and “Fosse/Verdon” to “Once Upon a Time in America” and “The Nice Guys,” she’s already collaborated with Oscar and Emmy winners, and now she’s in Panama, working on the latest film from Claire Denis.

But even with Qualley’s early accomplishments, she admits to feeling like she doesn’t fit into the mold of other performers. The actress said she hasn’t had much exposure to awards season, but what she has experienced so far has been just plain fun. Qualley jokes it’s something she should probably talk about in therapy, but she has a tendency to lower her expectations so she’ll never be disappointed — even when she ended up Emmy-nominated for her role as Ann Reinking in the FX limited series “Fosse/Verdon.

Exclusive: Tommy Lee Jones is being set to star alongside Jamie Foxx in Amazon’s The Burial, with Maggie Betts directing. Jones plays a lead role that was going to be filled by his The Fugitive co-star Harrison Ford, until he had to drop out. Doug Wright penned the screenplay.

Amazon Studios, Bobby Shriver Inc. and Double Nickel Entertainment are producing with Foxx the upcoming drama based on The New Yorker article by Jonathan Harr. Producers are Bobby Shriver and Double Nickel’s Adam Richman & Jenette Kahn. Datari Turner is also producing. The film is based on a true story: After a bankrupt funeral home owner decides to sue a rival businessman over a handshake deal gone wrong, the owner hires a flamboyant attorney to handle the case.

Betts wrote and directed Novitiate, which won the Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Director at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. She also received...

Exclusive: Liana Liberato has signed on to star in Todd Bogin’s first feature, Left with Only Rain, with Jordan Rodrigues (Ladybird), Rumer Willis (Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood), and Richard Kind (A Serious Man) also joining the cast.

The thriller centers on Sabina Geshem, a young woman reeling from a breakup, who is struggling to rebuild her once-promising dance career. After a dalliance with her ex threatens her big comeback, Sabina goes to a small town to track him down. There, she discovers his new and pregnant girlfriend, inserting herself into the unsuspecting woman’s life, and seeking something other than closure.

Bogin penned the script for the film, which 2×4 Productions’ Dustin Williams will produce alongside Gabriel Francisco and Rafael Francisco of Francisco Productions.

Liberato recently wrapped production on K. Asher Levin’s Dig, an indie feature in which she stars opposite Emile Hirsch.

1. “Colin in Black and White” (available October 29)

Why Should I Watch? Wow, where to begin? I guess you have to start with the man himself, Colin Kaepernick. The former NFL quarterback who shined a spotlight on police brutality and systemic oppression through protest serves as co-creator and onscreen narrator in his six-part coming-of-age story. Then there’s Ava DuVernay — the Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind “Selma” and “When They See Us” handles co-creator, executive producer, and pilot director duties (and she also directs all of Kaepernick’s present-day scenes). Jaden Michael will play Young Colin, and really, that sums up all you need to know. Since his on-field protests, Kaepernick hasn’t been offered a position in the NFL, despite two appearances in the NFC Championship game, one Super Bowl, and the sixth-best touchdown-to-interception ratio in league history. That his first media project is framed around his youth, rather than a splashy tell-all about his professional career,...

After breaking out on HBO’s “The Leftovers” and delivering a stellar leading turn in the 2017 feature “Novitiate,” actress Margaret Qualley is entering the Netflix limited series game with “Maid.” The one-season series is inspired by Stephanie Land’s memoir, “Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive” and is created and written by “Shameless” writer and playwright Molly Smith Metzler. Netflix released the first trailer on Tuesday, which you can watch below.

Qualley stars as Alex, a young woman who’s recently left an abusive relationship with her young daughter in tow. The two have no money and are living in a shelter. In order to make ends meet, Alex takes to being a maid.

Qualley is the predominate focus in the trailer, but there’s an equally impressive cast surrounding her — including her own mother, actress Andie MacDowell. MacDowell plays Alex’s mother, Paula,...

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“Malignant,” James Wan’s latest horror offering, scared its way into theaters on Friday, but for those of you who want to watch from home, the film is streaming exclusively on HBO Max.

Annabelle Wallis stars in the spooky movie about a woman who discovers that her debilitating dreams are terrifying realities. Rounding out the cast are Maddie Hasson (“Novitiate”), George Young (“Containment”), Michole Briana White, Jake Abel, Jacqueline McKenzie, and Ingrid Bisu.

In order to watch “Malignant,” you must be subscribed to the HBO Max ad-free plan ($14.99 a month). The movie is available in 4K Ultra HD, Hdr 10, and Dolby Vision.

Don’t have HBO Max? Join today through Hulu and enjoy a free seven-day trial.

“The Days of Abandonment,” a feature film set at HBO and starring Natalie Portman, is no longer moving forward at the network after Portman unexpectedly left the project.

“The Days of Abandonment” was in pre-production at HBO and was to be directed by Maggie Betts based on a novel by author Elena Ferrante, but production will no longer move forward.

“Due to unforeseen personal reasons, Natalie Portman has stepped down from HBO Films’ Days of Abandonment’ prior to the start of filming. Unfortunately, the production will not move forward. We are very sorry we won’t be able to bring this beautiful story to the screen with our talented writer/director and cast. We send our sincere thanks to our cast, producers, and crew for all their passion and hard work,” HBO said in a statement.

Reps for Natalie Portman did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment,...

Warning: The following interview contains some spoilers about Black Widow, opening July 9 in theaters and on Disney+ Premier.

After being delayed for more than a year due to Covid, Black Widow, the second feature movie in the MCU post the franchise’s pinnacle, 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, will finally see the light of day. Industry estimates project that the Scarlett Johansson standalone movie can feasibly open to between $80M-$90M at the domestic B.O.

Like all Marvel movies, exhibition is looking at Black Widow as a savior for them, even if it’s available on Disney+ Premier at the same time for $29.99. After all, who wants to watch a Marvel movie at home?. The pic introduces Natasha Romanoff’s ‘family’ and how they become pawns in a Russian super solider experiment. In the newly connected MCU Disney+ series-and big screen feature universe, Black Widow...

Ultrasound, making its US premiere at Tribeca Film Festival, and international premiere at this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival. The sci-fi thriller stars Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men), Chelsea Lopez (Novitiate), Breeda Wool (UnREAL), Tunde Adebimpe (Marriage Story, Spider-Man: Homecoming), Rainey Qualley (Love in the Time of Corona), and Bob Stephenson (Lady Bird). Driving home late at night during a heavy rainstorm, Glen experiences car trouble. Near where his car gets stuck, he …

The post Clip for Ultrasound starring Vincent Kartheiser, Breeda Wool appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.

Ultrasound, screening at this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival (following its world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival). Listed as one of the six can’t-miss titles by Forbes, the film stars Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men), Chelsea Lopez (Novitiate), Breeda Wool (UnREAL), Tunde Adebimpe (Marriage Story, Spider-Man: Homecoming), Rainey Qualley (Love in the Time of Corona), and Bob Stephenson (Lady Bird). Driving home late at night during a heavy rainstorm, Glen experiences car trouble. Near …

The post Rainey Qualley, Vincent Kartheiser & Breeda Wool in Ultrasound @ Fantasia Ff 2021 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.

Mary-Louise Parker has joined the cast of HBO Films production “The Days of Abandonment.” The movie, which is in pre-production, will star Natalie Portman and is based on Elena Ferrante’s 2002 novel of the same name (it was published in English in 2005).

In “The Days of Abandonment,” Portman plays Tess, who, according to the logline, is “a woman who abandoned her own dreams for a stable home life,” but when “abandoned by her husband, her world is thrown off its axis.” It promises to be “a visceral, no-holds-barred journey into the mind of a woman in crisis that confronts the norms of motherhood and female identity as Tess traverses the darkest reaches of her own psyche.”.

Parker will play an unnamed character who in the casting announcement is called “Mysterious Woman — a mesmerizing but elusive woman Tess starts encountering everywhere she goes, causing Tess to question her sanity.”

Maggie Betts will write,...

Natalie Portman is set to star in and executive produce an adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s novel “The Days of Abandonment” for HBO Films.

Maggie Betts is directing, writing and executive producing the film based on Ferrante’s acclaimed novel, first published in Italian in 2002 and republished in English in 2005. Portman will play Tess, a woman who abandoned her own dreams for a stable home life and is in turn abandoned by her husband, throwing her world off its axis.

Ferrante’s “The Days of Abandonment” is described as a a visceral, no-holds-barred journey into the mind of a woman in crisis that confronts the norms of motherhood and female identity as Portman’s character traverses the darkest reaches of her own psyche.

The film is being produced in association with Medusa.

Portman and Sophie Mas are executive producing on behalf of their MountainA, which just signed a first look...

Oscar winner Natalie Portman is set to star and executive produce HBO Films’ The Days of Abandonment, based on Elena Ferrante’s best-selling novel. The film, which is currently in pre-production, hails from writer-director Maggie Betts (Novitiate), Portman and her MountainA Films, Maven Screen Media, Len Amato’s Crash & Salvage and Fandango. Ferrante also serves as an executive producer.

Written and directed by Betts, The Days of Abandonment revolves around Tess, played by Portman. When Tess, a woman who abandoned her own dreams for a stable home life, is in turn abandoned by her husband, her world is thrown off its axis. Adapted from Ferrante’s tour-de-force novel of the same name, The Days of Abandonment is a visceral, no-holds-barred journey into the mind of a woman in crisis that confronts the norms of motherhood and female identity as Tess traverses the darkest reaches of her own psyche.

Betts executive...

James Wan has announced that his new film Malignant has finished via Instagram and Facebook, along with this image.

Malignant comes out September 10th. I finally wrapped it last week. This was supposed to be my “little horror thriller” I do between the big ones, but the pandemic pushed it as long the big ones. I’m super excited for this film. I don’t even know how to describe it. I wanted to do something original and genre-bending, and different to my other work, but still in the spirit of the horror-thrillers I grew up with. More to come. #MalignantMovie

James Wan

Here’s the official site via WB: https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/malignant

It was announced December 17, 2019 that shooting wrapped in Los Angeles on Atomic Monster’s “Malignant,” the latest creation from “Conjuring” universe architect James Wan. The film marks director Wan’s return to his...

Maggie Betts (Novitiate) to direct from screenplay by Olivia Hetreed (Girl With The Pearl Earring).

UK-based Maven Screen Media, screenwriter Olivia Hetreed and director Maggie Betts are developing a dramatic thriller about the pro-choice pioneer and activist Rebecca Gomperts.

Maven’s Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler will produce the timely feature alongside Thomas Benski of Pulse Films, Teddy Leifer of Rise Films, and James Ferrari.

Maven reunites with Betts, whose Novitiate premiered at Sundance 2017, and continues to forge ahead with the company’s mandate to increase representation of women behind and in front of the camera.

The film will tell the true story of Gomperts,...

Maggie Betts (Novitiate) to direct from screenplay by Olivia Hetreed (Girl With The Pearl Earring).

UK-based Maven Screen Media, screenwriter Olivia Hetreed and director Maggie Betts are developing a dramatic thriller about the pro-choice pioneer and activist Rebecca Gomperts.

Maven’s Celine Rattray and Trudie will produce the timely feature alongside Thomas Benski of Pulse Films, Teddy Leifer of Rise Films, and James Ferrari.

Maven reunites with Betts, whose Novitiate premiered at Sundance 2017, and continues to forge ahead with the company’s mandate to increase representation of women behind and in front of the camera.

The film will tell the true story of Gomperts,...

Jamie Foxx will produce and star in Amazon Studios’ “The Burial,” centered on the legal battle over a funeral home chain during the 1990s.

“The Burial” is based on Jonathan Harr’s 1999 article in the New Yorker about the contractual dispute case brought against funeral home executive Ray Loewen by Mississippi businessman Jeremiah O’Keefe, who hired the flamboyant attorney Willie Gary. The jury awarded O’Keefe a total of $500 million, an amount which would bankrupt Loewen’s company.

“Novitiate” helmer Maggie Betts has been signed to direct from a script by Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright. Production companies are Amazon Studios, Bobby Shriver Inc. and Double Nickel Entertainment. Producers are Bobby Shriver, Double Nickel’s Adam Richman and Jenette Kahn along with Datari Turner.

Foxx won a best actor Oscar for “Ray” and was nominated in the supporting actor category for “Collateral.” He also starred in the legal drama “Just Mercy...

Exclusive: Oscar winner Jamie Foxx is set to produce and star in Amazon’s The Burial, with Maggie Betts on board to direct. Foxx joins the two-handed drama and will star opposite a legendary role currently being cast. Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright penned the screenplay.

Amazon Studios, Bobby Shriver Inc. and Double Nickel Entertainment are producing the upcoming off-kilter drama based on the New Yorker article by Jonathan Harr. Producers are Bobby Shriver and Double Nickel’s Adam Richman & Jenette Kahn. Datari Turner is also producing.

Based on a true story, after a bankrupt funeral home owner decides to sue a rival businessman over a handshake deal gone wrong, the owner hires a flamboyant attorney to handle the case.

Foxx recently won at the NAACP Image Awards and received a SAG Award nomination for Just Mercy. He can currently be seen in Netflix’s Project Power, and will next...

If you’re not familiar with the work of young actress Margaret Qualley, then shame on you. Okay, maybe that’s a bit harsh, but the sentiment stands. In a relatively short time, she has appeared in a number of quality films and TV series, showcasing her range, such as “The Leftovers,” “The Nice Guys,” “Novitiate,” “Donnybrook,” and last year’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” And it appears she’s going to continue to do so with the forthcoming series, “Maid.”

Read More: Robert Pattinson & Margaret Qualley To Star In Claire Denis’ New Film For A24

According to Deadline, Qualley is set to star in the upcoming series, “Maid,” based on the best-selling memoir from author Stephanie Land.

Continue reading Margaret Qualley To Star In ‘Maid’ Series For Netflix Produced By Margot Robbie at The Playlist.

The last few years have already afforded us multiple opportunities to reflect on the remarkable talents of Margaret Qualley, an actor who, since breaking out in TV’s “The Leftovers,” has delivered pure, clear-eyed conviction to just about anything: She’s equally persuasive playing an anxious novice nun in “Novitiate,” the regally glamorous Ann Reinking in “Fosse/Verdon” or a dazed, flirty Manson girl in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” These are all good parts in good projects; the utter credibility she brings to “Strange But True” is another kind of achievement. Qualley shows up at the start of Rowan Athale’s daft behind-picket-fences thriller, so pregnant it’s a wonder she can walk at all, to announce with a sweet, straight face that she’s miraculously bearing the child of a boy who died five years before. And we utterly believe her, or at least we believe that she believes herself.

Exclusive: Maddie Hasson has joined the cast of James Wan’s untitled Atomic Monster Film (Aka Silvercup) in a key role.

She joins the current cast which includes Annabelle Wallis, Jake Abel and George Young. The pic reps a return for Wan to his indie horror/thriller roots. Pic’s storyline is under wraps. It will shoot in Los Angeles at the end of September, a recipient of the Independent California Film Rebate.

The project is being independently financed by Starlight Media and Midas Innovation, which is distributing in China. New Line, which has a long history with Wan on his Conjuring franchise and upcoming Mortal Kombat (which Wan is producing), will release the pic in the rest of the world. Wan is producing with Michael Clear with a story by Wan and Ingrid Bisu.

Hasson currently stars in Doug Liman’s critically-acclaimed, genre-bending YouTube Originals action/thriller series Impulse,...

Maddie Hasson was drawn to “Impulse” because she found the protagonist, Henrietta “Henry” Coles, to be “really interesting, especially for a young female character.” Based on the book series by Steven Gould, the YouTube Originals series centers on a teenager who discovers she possesses powers of teleportation following a sexual assault. A version of this story was previously filmed by Doug Liman as the 2007 film “Jumper.” The filmmaker then brought the show to the streaming network and directed the pilot episode. Watch our exclusive video interview with Hasson above.

See Lauren LeFranc interview: ‘Impulse’ showrunner

The actress describes Henry as “a very lonely person. She’s always on her own. I liked her because she’s like a raw nerve. She’s very angry, real and harsh. I liked seeing that in a young female character because I think so often young adult TV shows can get caught up … in being likable.

O-t Fagbenle

English actor O-t Fagbenle (The Handmaid’s Tale) will appear alongside Scarlett Johansson in Black Widow, the Marvel movie which marks the Hollywood debut of director Cate Shortland.

Marvel president Kevin Feige is producing the movie, the origin story of Johansson’s Kgb spy assassin Natasha Romanoff, who was introduced in Iron Man 2 and ultimately became an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and an Avenger.

Production is due to start in London in June. Shortland won the assignment last year from a field of 49 candidates including Amma Asante (Belle), Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don’t Cry) and Maggie Betts (Novitiate).

Johansson reportedly admired Shortland’s work with Saskia Rosendahl as the lead in the WWII drama Lore.

The Black Widow screenplay by Ned Benson, who wrote The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby trilogy, is a rewrite of a script by Jac Schaeffer.

In The Handmaid’s Tale Fagbenle plays Luke Bankole,...

Birdman Oscar winner Alexander Dinelaris among participants.

Nigel Sinclair, Celine Rattray and Thomas Benski are among speakers scheduled to attend the 11th annual Winston Baker TV & Film Finance Forum in New York on April 24 in association with the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment.

The event will cover financial and creative perspectives in entertainment and address growth and innovation strategies for film and television investors, operators and content creators in an evolving marketplace.

Strategy executives from Viacom, Vine Alternative Investments, Alcon Media Group and Guggenheim Securities will speak on the state of the market, M&A strategies,...

Exclusive: Voltage Pictures has boarded international sales on Tim Sutton’s upcoming thriller The Chain, which reunites the filmmaker with his Donnybrook stars Jamie Bell and Margaret Qualley. Both stars are in talks to join in addition to Colette‘s Denise Gough and Captain America: Civil War‘s Sebastian Stan.

Voltage president and COO Jonathan Deckter announced the news today.

The Chain, which Sutton adapted from Tobias Wolff’s award-winning short story of the same name, follows the story of a man’s daughter who is viciously attacked by a dog, setting off a chain of events that ends in unspeakable tragedy. This is the second feature-length adaption of Wolff’s literary work; his memoir This Boy’s Life was adapted into the hit feature film of the same name starring Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Barkin. Production on The Chain will start in April.

Producers are Rumble Films’ David Lancaster and Stephanie Wilcox. Deckter negotiated the deal with Jon Shiffman COO/CFO of Rumble Films on behalf of the producers. UTA will rep North American rights. Rumble Films also produced Sutton’s bare-knuckle pugilist pic Donnybrook which made its world premiere at last year’s Toronto Film Festival’s Platform Section, won the 2018 Fantastic Fest main competition and will be released by IFC Films in 2019.

“The incomparable Tobias Wolff is one of my favorite authors and we’re even bigger fans of Jamie Bell since working with him on the powerful feature Skin,” said Deckter. “We’re thrilled to partner with our friends at Rumble Films to bring Tim Sutton’s adaptation to audiences around the world. It ticks all the boxes for a strong, international commercial contender so we could not be happier to be representing The Chain,” Deckter continued.

The Chain is the latest film to be added to Voltage’s production and sales slate for Berlin. The company recently announced its new production Blackwing from writer David Loughery and its worldwide representation of the social media thriller Follow Me.

Bell who first rose to prominence in his debut role in Billy Elliot, most recently played Bryon Widner in Guy Nattiv’s skinhead redemption drama Skin, which won the Fipresci prize at Toronto and is set to open in the Panorama section at this year’s Berlin. He is repped by UTA and Artists Independent Management.

Two-time Olivier Award-winning actress Denise Gough’s film credits include Bleecker Street Media’s Colette opposite Keira Knightley and Dominic West and Lionsgate’s Juliet, Naked opposite Rose Byrne and Chris O’Dowd. Gough was nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Play at the 2018 Tony Awards for her role in Angels in America. She recently wrapped Monday and can next be seen in 20th Century Fox’s The Kid Who Would Be King, which is currently in release. Gough is repped by UTA and Independent Talent Group.

Stan’s credits include Jonathan Demme’s Ricki and the Flash, Ridley Scott’s The Martian and I, Tonya. Most recently, Stan starred opposite Nicole Kidman in Karyn Kusama’s Destroyer. He is repped by ICM Partners and Brookside Artist Management.

Qualley is best known for her role as Jill Garvey on the HBO series The Leftovers. Her film credits include Shane Black’s The Nice Guys and Maggie Bett’s Novitiate. Qualley will next star in the FX limited series Fosse/Verdon opposite Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams, premiering in the spring. She is repped by UTA and Management 360.

FX has set the main cast for the eight-episode limited series “Fosse/Verdon,” Variety has learned.

The series is based on the biography “Fosse” written by Sam Wasson and tells the story of the romantic and creative partnership between Bob Fosse (Sam Rockwell) and Gwen Verdon (Michelle Williams).

Norbert Leo Butz has been cast in the series regular role of Paddy Chayefsky, while Margaret Qually will appear in the series regular role of Ann Reinking.

In addition, the following people have been cast in recurring roles: Aya Cash as Joan Simon, Nate Corddry as Neil Simon, Susan Misner as Joan McCracken, Bianca Marroquin as Chita Rivera, Kelli Barrett as Liza Minnelli, Evan Handler as Hal Prince, Rick Holmes as Fred Weaver, Paul Reiser as Cy Feuer, Ethan Slater as Joel Grey, Byron Jennings as George Abbott, and Laura Osnes as Shirley MacLaine.

Butz is currently starring on Broadway in “My Fair Lady...

FX has rounded out the cast as production begins on Fosse/Verdon (new official title), its high-profile eight-episode limited drama series starring Oscar winner Sam Rockwell and Oscar nominee Michelle Williams in the title roles, from award-winning producers Thomas Kail, Steven Levenson, Lin Manuel-Miranda and Joel Fields, FX Television Studios and FX Productions. Production on the series is currently underway in New York City ahead of its spring 2019 premiere on FX.

Joining previously announced Rockwell and Williams as series regulars are Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz (Bloodline) as Paddy Chayefsky and Margaret Qualley (Novitiate) as Ann Reinking. Additional recurring cast includes Evan Handler (The People v. O.J. Simpson) as Hal Prince; Aya Cash (You’re The Worst) as Joan Simon; Nate Corddry (For All Mankind) as Neil Simon; Susan Misner (Jack Ryan) as Joan McCracken; Bianca Marroquin (Chicago) as Chita Rivera; Kelli Barrett (The Punisher) as Liza Minnelli; Rick Holmes...

You don’t ever stop being an addict, you just learn to make better choices. That’s the advice Melissa Leo gives to a young woman in “Unlovable,” an indie dramedy that premiered at this year’s South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.

In the film, Leo plays the sponsor to a recovering sex and love addict named Joy (Charlene deGuzman). She introduces Joy to her quirky and reclusive brother (John Hawkes), who forms a garage band with Joy as she struggles to get her mind off a boyfriend. In the process, Joy learns the true nature of intimacy as they start making music together.

In this exclusive clip from the film, Joy pops the question to Leo’s character Maddie to see if she’d be willing to be her sponsor.

Also Read: 'Novitiate' Review: Melissa Leo Grounds a Visually Striking Study in Faith

“We get what we think we deserve,...

A24 and DirecTV have acquired North American distribution rights for the drama “Skin” out of the Toronto Film Festival, Variety has learned.

The movie, about a man raised by skinheads who risks his life to leave a white supremacy group, premiered on Saturday night as part of Tiff’s Special Presentations section. “Skin” received strong reviews and awards-season buzz for Jamie Bell’s performance as Bryon Widner, the subject of the 2011 documentary “Erasing Hate.”

As part of the deal, “Skin” will be released in 2019. The movie is directed by Israeli filmmaker Guy Nattiv, who also produced the picture. The rest of the cast includes Vera Farmiga, Danielle MacDonald, Mike Colter, and Bill Camp.

The movie’s other producers are Oren Moverman; Maven Pictures’ Trudie Styler and Celine Rattray; Jaime Ray Newman; and Dillon D. Jordan. Maven, a production and financing company based in New York, has a proven track record at launching festival darlings.

Quentin Tarantino is filling out the cast of his 1969-set “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” with rising stars Rumer Willis, Dreama Walker, Margaret Qualley, Costa Ronin, Damon Herriman, Victoria Pedretti and Madisen Beaty, TheWrap has learned.

Herriman, an Australian actor best known to American audiences for a recurring role on “Justified,” has been cast as Charles Manson — the notorious cult leader whose self-styled “family” committed multiple murders in the year when the movie takes place.

In addition, “Empire” star Rumer Willis plays British actress Joanna Pettet; Walker plays actress and singer Connie Stevens and Ronin (“The Americans”) portrays Polish actor Voytek Frykowski, who was one of the victims of the Manson Family’s murder spree at Roman Polanski’s home on Cielo Drive.

Also Read: Quentin Tarantino's Charles Manson Movie: How the Stars Compare to Real-Life Characters (Photos)

Qualley plays a character named Kitty Kat, Beaty portrays Katie and Pedretti is Lulu.