Late Canadian Director Jean-Marc Vallée Honoured At Banff Rockie Awards

We gotta wait a little while longer for Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two as Warner Bros has moved the Legendary film from Oct. 20, 2023 to Nov. 17, 2023.

EXCLUSIVE: Ian McKellen (The Good Liar), Gemma Arterton (Summerland) and Mark Strong (1917) will lead the cast of The Critic, a period thriller based on Anthony Quinn’ classic novel Curtain Call, which will also star Oscar nominee Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread), BAFTA nominee Romola Garai (Suffragette), Ben Barnes (Westworld) and Alfred Enoch (Foundation).

Director John McNaughton made his name in Hollywood with subversive thrillers like 1998’s “Wild Things” and the 1986 seminal serial killer pic “Henry: Portrait of A Serial Killer.” The latter film gave “The Walking Dead” actor Michael Rooker one of his big breakout lead roles. Now, the two are set to work together once again.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentU.S. actor David Dastmalchian (“Dune,” “The Suicide Squad”) is attached to star as the host of a late-night talk show that goes horribly wrong in upcoming indie chiller “Late Night With the Devil,” which is currently shooting in Australia.Directed by Australian writing-directing duo Colin and Cameron Cairnes (“100 Bloody Acres,” “Scare Campaign”), “Late Night” is the second title spawned by a multi-picture deal between low-budget U.S.

EXCLUSIVE: Michael Rooker is reteaming with his Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer director John McNaughton for the first time in nearly four decades on a new film titled Road Rage, which is intended to be the first in a series.

Léa Seydoux is set to play Lady Margot in Dune: Part Two, the next instalment of the fantasy blockbuster. Deadline reported that the French actress is still in negotiations to join the cast which includes Timothée Chalamet, Josh Brolin and Zendaya. In May it was confirmed that Christopher Walken and Austin Butler would star in the second film.

Lea Seydoux has joined the upcoming sequel to Dune!

EXCLUSIVE: Striking while the iron’s hot following her critically acclaimed performances at the recent Cannes Film Festival, Denis Villeneuve has tapped Léa Seydoux play Lady Margot in Warner Bros. and Legendary’s Dune: Part Two. Seydoux is currently in negotiations and will join the all-star ensemble that includes Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya and Josh Brolin, who are expected to reprise their roles, as well Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken and Austin Butler, who were also recently announced. Villeneuve is back to write, direct and produce. Spaihts will return to co-write with Villeneuve.

K.J. Yossman Director James Marsh is set to direct a new hybrid animated documentary feature for Submarine and Sandpaper Films.“Oasis, Saving the Baghdad Zoo” (working title), is a feature-length animated documentary partly based on “Babylon’s Ark,” the book about a year-long rescue mission of animals abandoned across Baghdad by Saddam Hussein and his son Uday.Billed as a 21st century Noah’s Ark, the film will show how a team of American soldiers, Iraqi zookeepers, and international volunteers tended to lions, camels, bears, exotic birds, monkeys, pigs and even an ocelot in the middle of a brutal war, risking their own lives in the process.

EXCLUSIVE: Paris-based Real War of Thrones has hired former Mediawan senior executive Jean-Marc Rouhette to the newly-created role of Chief Operating Officer.

Naman Ramachandran The inaugural London Action Festival (July 28-31) will open with a screening of “Die Hard,” with director John McTiernan and other guests in attendance at a Q&A. McTiernan’s “Predator” will also screen at the festival.

Manori Ravindran International EditorThe late, great Canadian director Jean-Marc Vallée was honored in Banff with a moving tribute during Tuesday’s Rockie Awards.The Montreal filmmaker — who is best known for directing “Dallas Buyers Club” and “Wild” along with TV series “Big Little Lies” and “Sharp Objects” — died suddenly on Dec. 25, sending shockwaves across the Canadian film industry and Hollywood.

The end of the final full day of the 2022 Banff World Media Festival saw the Canadian confab reward barrier-breaking projects and honor a departed genius.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe Banff World Media Festival revealed the winners of the 2022 Rockie Awards International Program Competition on Monday, with big winners including the “Friends” Reunion, “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” “We Are Lady Parts” and more.The event, held in Banff and hosted by comedian Rakhee Morzaria (“Run the Burbs”) featured winners chosen by a panel of 150 international industry professionals. The Rockie Awards International Program Competition presented awards in 28 categories spanning Documentary & Factual, Arts & Entertainment, Children & Youth, Scripted, and Podcast.The competition featured 148 nominations from 45 countries including the UK, United, Canada, Australia, France, China, Germany, Italy and Norway.

HBO Max’s pandemic-delayed Friends: The Reunion and Channel 4/Peacock hit We Are Lady Parts were the big winners Monday as prizes were handed out at the Banff Media Festival’s Rockie Awards International Program Competition.

A month before Christmas on a bitterly-cold winter evening in the heart of Manchester city centre, two homeless men died in a fire which engulfed a derelict building. At first they were identified only by their nicknames - Popeye and Uncle Albert - but eventually their characters, personalities and lives were revealed.