Kodi Smit-McPhee, Djimon Hounsou to Star in ‘The Zealot,’ WestEnd Launching Vadim Perelman Thriller in Cannes (EXCLUSIVE)

In the Moscow Times’ obituary for Eduard Limonov, who died four years ago aged 77, writer Mark Galeotti summed up the poet-turned-politician in two simple sentences: “Was Limonov a visionary or a poser, an artist or a politician, a leftist or a rightist? The answer to all of them is, of course, yes.” This is key to understanding Kirill Serebrennikov’s latest movie, a boundary-blasting biopic that simply drips with punk-rock energy, revealing everything and nothing about a slippery character whose modus operandi was reinvention from the get-go and for whom consistency really was the hobgoblin of small minds.

EXCLUSIVE: Following a multi-buyer tug of war, horror movie The Monkey, the adaptation of the Stephen King short story, is heading to Neon for domestic here at the Cannes market.

Naman Ramachandran Production is underway on horror-thriller film “Borderline,” shot in the U.K. and Malta. Lucien Laviscount (“Emily in Paris”), Laura Marano (“The Royal Treatment”) and Middle Eastern star Cynthia Khalifeh (“8 Days”) lead a cast that also includes Jason Flemyng (“A Violent Man”).

It feels like it’s been months or even years that we’ve all known that Timothée Chalamet would star in a Blue De Chanel advertisement directed by Martin Scorsese (“Killers Of The Flower Moon”). The pair, who conducted some interviews last year, particularly one for GQ, are clearly mutual admirers of one another.

Naman Ramachandran A short film fund aimed at championing female and non-binary filmmakers led by “Doctor Who” star Jodie Whittaker has unveiled its first project winner at the Cannes Film Festival. At Cannes 2023, women’s and non-binary visibility platform Primetime and Bournemouth Film School’s Funding Futures unveiled an initiative to spotlight women and non-binary filmmakers.

EXCLUSIVE: Riverdale and Hustlers star Lili Reinhart is set to lead mystery thriller American Sweatshop, whose producers include Oscar winner Barry Levinson (Rain Man) and acclaimed American showrunner Tom Fontana (Oz) who will be producing his first feature.

After “Nitram” wowed critics at the Cannes Film Festival three years ago, with Caleb Landry Jones winning Best Actor for his role, many expected Justin Kurzel‘s would return to the Croisette with his next film, “The Order.”  But Deadline reports that Kurzel’s upcoming true crime movie won’t hit the festival circuit yet, if it even is at all.   Continue reading ‘The Order’ First Look: Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult & Tye Sheridan Star In Justin Kurzel’s Upcoming True Crime Thriller at The Playlist.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent German actors Elisa Schlott (“Das Boot” TV series), Max Riemelt (“Sleeping Dog”) and Alma Hasun (“Corsage”) are set to star in Italian director Silvio Soldini‘s drama “The Tasters,” which reconstructs the untold true story of the women conscripted to be Adolf Hitler’s food tasters. Shooting is set to start on Friday in Italy’s northern Alto Adige region on the Nazi-era drama, which is being pre-sold at the Cannes Marché du Film by Rome-based Vision Distribution, headed by sales agent Catia Rossi.

Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth lead the red carpet at the screening of “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” at the Cannes Film Festival in southern France on May 15, 2024.

EXCLUSIVE: The starry packages keep on coming at the Cannes market.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Bob Yari’s startup mini-major Magenta Light Studios has found its first in-house film production in “Summerhouse,” a period drama set against the anxiety of the Vietnam War. “Bombshell” and “Halloween” star Malcolm McDowell will lead the project with Jacob Ward, an up-and-comer who made his debut in Ray Romano’s 2022 film “Somewhere in Queens.” Ed Kaplan (“2 Graves in the Desert”) will write the script and direct, with Shelly Jonson (“Greyhound,” “Captain America: The First Avenger”) as director of photography. Production will begin in Connecticut this month.

Alex Ritman Bond legend Pierce Brosnan has lined up a new project, and this time it’s being directed by his own son. Thriller “Wolfland” marks the second feature from actor-turned-filmmaker Sean Brosnan (“My Father Die”), working from a script he co-wrote with Matt D’Elia.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Are we headed for a bon marché? A new class of finished films and packages (unmade movies with big stars and a director attached) will travel to Cannes this week in search of cash and homes with the studios, streamers and global indie players. The 2024 Cannes market comes equipped with some interesting contradictions. Stateside, the content buying machine is fraught.

Alex Ritman Having starred in only his first Western films in the last few years with ‘The Old Way’ and ‘Butcher’s Crossing,’ Nicolas Cage is doubling down on the genre, having teamed up with Heather Graham (“Austin Powers”) and Stephen Dorff (“True Detective”) for “The Gunslingers.” Costas Mandylor (“Saw”), Scarlet Stallone (“Tulsa King”), Tzi Ma (“The Farewell”), and Randall Batinkoff (“Dead Man’s Hand”) also star in the film, which is being launched in Cannes with Brilliant Pictures handling international sales. Grindstone has U.S. rights to the film.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “Asterix,” the popular French comics franchise, is set for a new animated journey. Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de la Patelliere, whose latest film “The Count of Monte-Cristo” is premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, have penned “Asterix, the Kingdom of Nubia.” SND, the commercial arm of French network M6, has boarded the film and will kick off international sales at the Cannes Film Market, where they will present a sizzle reel to buyers.

EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Garfield is in negotiations to star alongside Julia Roberts in Amazon MGM Studios’ upcoming feature After the Hunt, which will be released in theaters next year. Luca Guadagnino is directing the film from a script penned by Nora Garrett. Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer and Allan Mandelbaum are producing alongside Guadagnino via his Frenesy banner. Imagine Entertainment’s Karen Lunder will executive produce alongside Nora Garrett. The film is targeting a summer start-of-production.

Alex Ritman Guy Ritchie has another film in the works that doubles down on the British upper class. The prolific director — already behind this year’s Netflix hit “The Gentlemen” and WWII action thriller “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” — has unveiled his 18th feature film, “Wife and Dog,” with Black Bear launching sales in Cannes.

FOX is unveiling its TV programming schedule!

Naman Ramachandran Veteran film producer and distribution executive Avi Federgreen’s Toronto-based sales company Indiecan Entertainment International has unveiled its Cannes Film Market slate. Leading the slate is “She Was Here,” a documentary that delves into the life of beloved child actress Heather O’Rourke, famed for her role in the “Poltergeist” and known for the line “They’re here.” O’Rourke’s life was tragically cut short at the age of 12. Director Nick Bailey explores O’Rourke’s untold story, featuring interviews with her “Poltergeist” co-stars Craig T.

EXCLUSIVE: Ahead of the Cannes market, Lionsgate has taken North American rights off the table on one of the bigger-budget new packages that’ll be on sale next week: that’s action-thriller Mutiny, which will star action evergreen Jason Statham (Fast & Furious) and be directed by Jean-François Richet (Plane).