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Read More: Full List of 2016 Oscar Nominations "Love & Mercy" From "Brokeback Mountain" to "The Tree of Life" and "12 Years a Slave," Bill Pohlad has produced some of the most critically acclaimed films of the past two decades. Stepping behind the director's chair for the first time since his 1990 debut "Old Explorers," Pohlad and screenwriter Oren Moverman reinvigorated the biopic genre with a unique approach to chronicling Beach Boys leader and co-founder Brian Wilson. The film is presented in a parallel narrative covering two important time periods in Wilson's life: The 1960s and the 1980s. Bringing the singer to life over these two separate decades is a pair of performances by Paul Dano and John Cusack that show the peak of their dramatic powers. Dano, in particular, is a force of unrelenting genius, registering Wilson's brilliance as inspiring and tragic all in a single look. "Tangerine" ...

The first trailer has been released for the star-studded Brian Wilson biopic "Love & Mercy." From director Bill Pohlad ("Old Explorers"), the film earned rave reviews after premiering at last year's Toronto International Film Festival. "Love & Mercy" spans decades in the life of Wilson, focusing in on his artistic impulse, mammoth success and subsequent nervous breakdown. Paul Dano and John Cusack play the "Beach Boys" leading man at various stages of his life, with Paul Giamatti appearing as the controversial therapist Dr. Eugene Landy.  Featuring what looks to be standout performances from an A-list cast, this teaser doesn't go light on the "Beach Boys" soundtrack, with "Surfin' USA" and "God Only Knows" quickly setting an appropriate tone. "Love & Mercy" hits theaters on June 5. Check out the trailer below: Read More: Toronto Review: Brian Wilson Portrait 'Love & Mercy' Isn't...

The Woman in Gold, starring Helen Mirren, and Anton Corbijn’s Life, starring Robert Pattinson and Dane DeHaan, to world premiere at Berlinale.

The 65th Berlin International Film Festival (Feb 5-15) is to host the world premieres of Woman in Gold, starring Helen Mirren; Life, starring Robert Pattinson and Dane DeHaan; and Dagur Kári’s Virgin Mountain.

The films form part of the Berlinale Special Galas line-up, which will also include the international premiere of awards contender Selma and the European premiere of Bill Pohland’s Love & Mercy, starring John Cusack

Based on a true story, Woman In Gold is directed by Simon Curtis (My Week With Marilyn) and stars Mirren as Maria Altmann, an octogenarian Jewish refugee, who takes on the government to recover artwork she believes rightfully belongs to her family.

The UK-us co-production, which also stars Ryan Reynolds (Captives) and Daniel Brühl (Rush), is produced by Origin Pictures, BBC Films and The...

Love and Mercy

Director: Bill Pohlad

Writer: Oren Moverman

Producers: Bill Pohlad, Claire Rudnick Polstein, John Wells, Brian Wilson

U.S. Distributor: Rights Available

Cast: Elizabeth Banks, Paul Dano, John Cusack, Jake Abel and Paul Giamatti

He has proven himself as an discerning producer (e.g: 12 Years A Slave, The Tree of Life, Into the Wild) and unlike his directing debut (1990′s Old Explorers) Pohlad is working from an Oren Moverman script, has got a solid acting team and has two of those major actors (John Cusack and Paul Dano) playing the Brian Wilson and a solid tech team for this uncharacteristic biopic.

Gist: This explores Brian Wilson’s life and explores his legendary battle with mental illness, as well as the love that keeps him alive. Paul Giamatti will play Brian Wilson’s therapist Dr. Eugene Landy, while John Cusack and Paul Dano are set to star as the...

Bill Pohlad ("Old Explorers") is set to direct and Paul Dano ("Looper," "There Will Be Blood") has joined the cast of "Love and Mercy" at River Road Entertainment and John Wells Productions.

Dano plays legendary musician Brian Wilson in his younger years. Another actor is being sought for Wilson later in his life.

Wilson was the mercurial singer, songwriter and leader of The Beach Boys. The film will avoid the standard biopic formula in favour of an unconventional look at seminal moments in Wilson’s life.

Oren Moverman ("The Messenger") penned the script, while Atticus Ross ("The Social Network") is in talks to work on the fim's sound design and soundtrack.

John Wells and Claire Rudnick Polstein will produce.

Source: River Road Entertainment...

Sean Penn is in talks to play famed literary editor Max Perkins in the Bill Pohlad directed biopic Genius.

John Logan penned the screenplay, based in part on A. Scott Berg’s National Book Award-winning 1978 biography Max Perkins: Editor of Genius and at this moment we know that Genius will focus on the relationship between Perkins and a young Thomas Wolfe, though the script is peopled with literary characters.

Here are more details about the story: “The driving force behind such literary superstars as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe, Max Evarts Perkins was the most admired book editor in the world.

From the first major novel he edited to the last, Perkins revolutionized American literature. Perkins was tirelessly committed to nurturing talent no matter how young or unproven the writer.

Filled with colorful anecdotes about everything from Perkins’s struggles to convince the old guard at Scribners...

Sean Penn is in talks to play famed literary editor Max Perkins in the biopic "Genius." According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bill Pohlad, the producer-financier behind River Road Entertainment, will direct. Pohlad and Penn have a working history, with Pohlad having produced and helped finance "Into the Wild," which Penn directed in 2007. Pohlad also is an executive producer on Doug Liman.s political thriller "Fair Game" and Terrence Malick's "Tree of Life," two upcoming films Penn stars in. Pohlad hasn't directed a movie since the 1990 independent film "Old Explorers," which starred Jose Ferrer and James Whitmore. John Logan wrote the script for "Genius," which adapts A. Scott Berg's 2008 biography, "Max Perkins: Editor of Genius."...

For some reason, Hollywood actors love to play writers, especially from the 1920s and 30s. Jane Fonda wore lots of tweeds and smoked lots of cigarettes as Lillian Hellman in 1977′s Julia. Jennifer Jason Leigh learned to mumble like Dorothy Parker in 1994′s Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle. Anthony Hopkins stopped shaving to star in Hemingway & Fuentes, an upcoming drama directed by Andy Garcia about Ernest’s friendship with the boat captain who inspired The Old Man and the Sea. But Sean Penn could be the first to slip into the role of a famous literary editor: According to The Hollywood Reporter,...

Sean Penn is in talks to star as famed literary editor Max Perkins in the long-gestating drama "Genius" for River Road Entertainment says The Hollywood Reporter.

The story follows the fedora-wearing eccentric editor-in-chief at New York publishing house Scribner and his relationship with a young Thomas Wolfe.

Famed literary characters also figure into the story, these would likely include authors F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway whose works Perkins helped oversee.

Producer Bill Pohlad will direct, his first time helming a narrative feature since 1990's "Old Explorers". John Logan adapted the script and will produce.

The project has been in the works for a long time, a previous version had Lawrence Kasdan attached to direct.

In his preparation to return to acting after a self-imposed sabbatical, Sean Penn has been lining up a fair share of upcoming roles. We recently heard he was going to hit some waves for a biopic about iconic surfer Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz. But now he's moving into completely different territory as THR reports the praised yet publicly abrasive actor will star in a film called Genius, telling the story of literary editor Max Perkins who worked with legendary authors like Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Thomas Wolfe. River Road Ent. producer/financier Bill Pohlad will finally direct the drama after many others have tried before. Pohlad hasn't directed a feature since 1990 (something called Old Explorers), so this seems like a risk, but he's been in the business as a producer (he's worked on films like Brokeback Mountain and Into the Wild) long enough to know what's going on, even...

Sean Penn is in talks to take the lead in "Genius," the bio-pic about legendary Scibner editor-in-chief Max Perkins, who worked with Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Veteran producer Bill Pohlad, the founder of River Road Entertainment, will direct and make his return to feature filmmaking since the indie drama 'Old Explorers" in 1990. Pohlad also helped make The Runaways and Brokeback Mountain. Based on a script by John Logan and the 2008 biography Max Perkins: Editor of Genius", "Genius" will focus on Perkins working with a young Thomas Wolfe.

"Genius," the story of literary editor Max Perkins, is getting another shot at the screen.

Bill Pohlad, the producer-financier behind River Road Entertainment, is boarding to direct the showy drama and is in talks with longtime collaborator Sean Penn to star as Perkins.

The project has had many lives, including one incarnation with producer Michael London and Lawrence Kasdan attached to direct. But traction, and financing, was slippery. Pohlad and Penn put it on surer ground.

The pair have a strong working history, with Pohlad having produced and helped finance "Into the Wild," which Penn directed in 2007. Pohlad also is an executive producer on the political thriller "Fair Game" and Terrence Malick's "Tree of Life," two upcoming pics that star Penn.

Pohlad hasn't directed a movie since 1990, when he helmed the indie "Old Explorers," which starred Jose Ferrer and James Whitmore. Although he directed corporate pics and documentaries during the '90s,...