Film News Roundup: Studio Movie Grill Hires Former AMC Executive Tonya Mangels

Dave McNary Film ReporterIn today’s film news roundup, three projects — “The Culling,” “Atlantis” and “A Savannah Haunting” — are unveiled; “Transhood” wins the Audience Award at AFI Docs; the WGA East announces 15 candidates; and the Visual Effects Society honors five members.PROJECT LAUNCHESUniversal Pictures is developing the thriller “Atlantis with “Jurassic World” director Colin Trevorrow and his Metronome Film Co.

“Chicken Run” (2000) turns 20 years old this week, and to celebrate, Be Reel looks back at the filmography of Nick Park, the chief creative voice of Aardman Animation through its heyday. READ MORE: The 50 Best Animated Films Of The 21st Century So Far To understand the origins of Park’s world, we first rewind to the original, Academy Award-winning “Wallace & Gromit” shorts: “A Grand Day Out” (1989), “The Wrong Trousers” (1993) and “A Close Shave” (1995).

Dave McNary Film ReporterIn today’s film news roundup, Edgar Wright is directing “The Chain,” “Scoob!” and “The Secret Garden” get release dates, and “Young Hearts” and “Doors” find homes.DIRECTOR ATTACHMENT “Baby Driver” director Edgar Wright is attached to Universal Pictures’ adaptation of kidnap movie “The Chain,” based on the bestselling novel by Adrian McKinty.Jane Goldman has been hired to write the script.

Dave McNary Film ReporterIn today’s film news roundup, the Santa Barbara Film Festival moves back, Legion M is backing “Save Yourselves!,” Gravitas buys “Odd Man Rush,” a Tiny Tim documentary finds a home and The Creative Coalition is backing films about obesity.FILM FESTIVALThe Santa Barbara International Film Festival has shifted its dates backwards for its 36th annual event, which will now take place from March 31 to April 10, 2021.The festival, which typically occurs in January and is a key

Dave McNary Film ReporterIn today’s film new roundup, “Broken Hearts Gallery” moves back, “Burnt Orange Heresy” gets a release date, “Summertime,” “2 Hearts” and “The Mechanic” find homes and Helen Mirren is narrating “Escape from Extinction.”RELEASE DATESSony Pictures has moved back the release of romantic comedy “The Broken Hearts Gallery” from July 10 to July 17.The studio said Tuesday that the movie will still be the first wide release of the summer. Last week, Warner Bros.

Dave McNary Film ReporterIn today’s film news roundup, Pierce Brosnan will play an engineer who tries to rewind his biological clock, a film about the 1964 Anchorage, Alaska, earthquake is in the works and a Hire Her Back initiative is underway.CASTINGPierce Brosnan has signed on to star in writer/director Brett Marty’s feature-film adaptation of “Youth,” a short film he directed and co-wrote in 2016.Highland Film Group is handling the international rights for the science-fiction thriller, with

Dave McNary Film ReporterIn today’s film news roundup, Stephen Lighthill becomes president of the American Society of Cinematographers, Universal is teaming with Timur Bekmambetov and the DGA health plan is offering three months of free coverage to some members.NEW PRESIDENTThe American Society of Cinematographers’ board of governors has elected Stephen Lighthill as president, replacing Kees van Oostrum.The ASC noted that van Oostrum had served the maximum four terms and recently was appointed

Dave McNary Film ReporterIn today’s film news roundup, the Winklevoss twins are coming to Hollywood via a Bitcoin movie, the Newport Beach Film Festival announces its opener and Mutiny Pictures becomes a distributor.PROJECT LAUNCHThe Winklevoss Twins — Cameron and Tyler — are teaming with Greg Silverman’s Stampede Ventures on a feature film adaptation of “Bitcoin Billionaires,” the 2019 book by Ben Mezrich.Jon Berg will also produce with Silverman and the twins, who became famous in Mezrich’s

Tom Tapp Deputy Managing EditorCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom released on Friday his long-awaited guidelines for restarting film and TV production in the state amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

By Dave McNary

By Dave McNary

By Dave McNary

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By Dave McNary

By Dave McNary

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By Ellise Shafer