AFM Sets Attendance Record With Online Market

James McClain If nothing else, 2020 has been an exciting year for fans of midcentury modernist master Richard Neutra. A bumper crop of his greatest works — many of them astonishingly well-preserved — have come up for sale, architectural treasures located everywhere from Palm Springs to Connecticut, and from Santa Monica to Montecito.Just in time for the holidays, another Neutra gem has popped up on the open market, this one located in L.A.’s tony Bel Air neighborhood.

The West Wing star Richard Schiff has revealed that he’s in hospital after contracting coronavirus.The 65 year-old tweeted that he had tested positive for COVID-19 on US election day (November 3).“On Election Day I tested positive for Covid-19,” Schiff wrote on November 10. “This has been the most bizarre week of our lives.”He added that his wife and co-star in The Good Doctor, Sheila Kelley, also tested positive.

A lack of big tentpole titles and continued uncertainty about the near-term future of cinema distribution put a damper on this year's, online-only, American Film Market.

Saban Films have snatched rights in North America and U.K. for Under the Stadium Lights (aka Brother's Keeper), a real-life football drama starring Oscar-nominee Laurence Fishburne.

Anthony D'Alessandro Editorial Director/Box Office EditorCohen Media Group and Curzon have jointly taken all US, UK and Eire distribution rights to Uberto Pasolini’s drama Nowhere Special. A theatrical release next year is being eyed.James Norton (Little Women and Grantchester) plays John, a 35-year-old window cleaner, who has dedicated his life to bringing up his four-year-old son, Michael (Daniel Lamont), after the child’s mother left them soon after giving birth.

Sabam Films has doubled down on projects fromConstantin Film, the producers behind the Resident Evil movies. Out of the American Film Market, Saban has acquired thriller Tidesfrom the U.K.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorABC has set early-2021 premiere dates for new seasons of its reality hits The Bachelor and American Idol, along with the return of To Tell the Truth and the debuts of three new game shows: Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, The Chase and The Hustler. Matt James is the new Bachelor in Season 25 of the franchise-launching juggernaut, which returns on Monday, January 4.

Devilworks, the genre sales banner based in Malta, has launched its own U.S. distribution arm in time for the virtual American Film Market The horror specialist, launched by Matteo Rolleri and Samantha Richardson, is now looking to release around 12 films each year in North America and has lined up two releases for the coming weeks.

Australian actor Levi Miller channels his inner Ian Thorpe —quite literally —in this exclusive first-look still from upcoming swimming drama Streamline. Being sold at the virtual American Film Market by Arclight Films, Streamlinecenters on a 15-year-old swimming prodigy with the world at his feet.

Tom Grater International Film ReporterEXCLUSIVE: Clay Epstein’s Film Mode Entertainment has beefed up its sales slate as the American Film Market gets underway in its virtual form.The company has acquired world rights on the hybrid live-action/animated family comedy Ollie. In development, the pic will star Mario Lopez (Saved By The Bell) alongside skateboarder and musician Tony Alva.

Tom Grater International Film ReporterViaplay, the streaming service run by Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group), is launching in the U.S. next year.

Ethan Hawke will star in war thriller Zeros and Onesfrom writer-directorAbel Ferrara. Hawke will play JJ, an American soldier stationed in a Rome that is under siege, locked down, and at war.

Adrien Brody and Vera Farmiga are set to headline Ant Timpson's mystery thriller The Salamander Lives Twice, heading to the virtual American Film Market with XYZ Films.

Cinemas across Europe have gone back into lockdown, theaters in much of the U.S. — including L.A.

Dave McNary Film ReporterAs the 41st American Film Market launches online, Millennium Media is unveiling “Night Has Fallen,” the fourth installment in the Gerard Butler’s durable action franchise.The creative team from 2019’s “Angel Has Fallen” is returning with Robert Kamen penning the script along with Ric Roman Waugh, who is also set to direct again.What’s going to happen? “The plot is top secret,” said Millennium Media, which will produce.“Night Has Fallen” will be filmed at Millennium

Carole Horst American Film Market participants are grounded this year due to restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 virus and the market going virtual. Those factors have resulted in significant economic fallout for Santa Monica, the confab’s seaside home.

As the online-only version of the 2020 American Film Market kicks off, leading Scandinavian sales outfit TrustNordisk has racked up its first deals, closing multiple territories for Betrayed, an upcoming World War II period drama from Norwegian filmmaker Eirik Svensson (Harajuku). Mediawan in France and Tohokushinsha Film in Japan acquired the drama, which features Jakob Oftebro (Kon-Tiki) and Silje Storstein (Homesick) in the based-on-a-true-story narrative about the Braude family.

Dave McNary Film ReporterGary Hamilton, longtime managing director of Los Angeles-based Arclight Films, is preparing for his 36th American Film Market amid the profound changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. His credits include Daniel Radcliffe starrer “Escape From Pretoria” (pictured), “Hotel Mumbai,” “First Reformed,” “Triple Threat,” “Predestination,” “Dog Eat Dog” and “Jungle” starring Radcliffe.

Andreas Wiseman International EditorEXCLUSIVE: Ryan Simpkins (Fear Street 2 & 3), Karim Saleh (Transparent), Jake Choi (Single Parents), Matt D’Elia (American Animal), Jake Sidney Cohen (Homecoming), Cole Escola (At Home with Amy Sedaris, Search Party), Jaz Sinclair (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Paper Towns) Dana Ashbrook (Twin Peaks), and Mary Lynn Rajskub (24) have joined the cast of feature Please Baby Please.Starring are Andrea Riseborough, Demi Moore, Harry Melling and Karl Glusman.