Robert Schwentke Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Naman Ramachandran Sky original drama series “The Lovers,” starring Johnny Flynn (“Beast”) and Roisin Gallagher (“The Fall”) has commenced production. The six-part series, written by playwright David Ireland (“Cyprus Avenue”) and directed by Justin Martin (“Together”), follows Janet (Gallagher), a foul-mouthed, disaffected Belfast supermarket worker and Seamus (Flynn) a self-centred, political broadcaster with what looks to be a perfect London life and a celebrity girlfriend.

EXCLUSIVE: Aislinn Clarke is set to direct Hellish Nell, the genre thriller for Studiocanal and The Picture Company.  

EXCLUSIVE: Mohamed Diab is set to direct Leap, a high concept action thriller script by Source Code writer Ben Ripley and produced by The Picture Company.

Ed Meza @edmezavar Germany’s impressive crop of crime drama, mystery, suspense, apocalyptic catastrophe, royal intrigue and tales of the supernatural is certain to attract buyers at this year’s MipTV in Cannes. The selections of series, TV movies and unscripted shows offer a wide range of content but also remain heavy on crime — a favorite German genre.  Among the new offerings is Beta Film’s fact-based title “I am Scrooge.” Produced by Zeitsprung Pictures, the Cologne-based company behind the hit Netflix spy thriller “Kleo,” “I am Scrooge” chronicles the true story of Arno Funke, a frustrated artist who found fame as a bombmaking extortionist in the early 1990s. 

German director Robert Schwentke’s directorial career has swung in a few directions; he has made Hollywood actioners like Flightplan with Jodie Foster, the adaptation of The Time Traveler’s Wife and a film that almost defines the idea of a personal movie, based on his own diagnosis with testicular cancer. He has both written and directed Seneca – On the Creation of Earthquakes, an eccentric competition choice, even by the inclusive standards of the Berlinale – starring John Malkovich as the eponymous Stoic philosopher. Over two hours, he delivers what is largely a monologue: as a performance, it has at least the strength of dogged determination. As a film, however, Seneca is almost unendurable.

The audiences at Berlin International Film Festival tend to be respectful and engaged.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Picture Tree Intl. has boarded Berlin Film Festival title “Measures of Men,” which focuses on the genocide committed by the German army against the Ovaherero and Nama tribes in Southwestern Africa. The trailer debuts (below). The film is written and directed by Lars Kraume, whose credits include Berlin’s “The Silent Revolution” and Toronto’s “The People vs. Fritz Bauer.” It stars Leonard Scheicher (“The Silent Revolution,” “Das Boot” TV series), Namibian actor Girley Charlene Jazama and “Toni Erdmann” star Peter Simonischek. The film has its world premiere on Feb. 22 in the Berlinale Special section, and will be released in Germany by Studiocanal in late March.

Naman Ramachandran Chris O’Dowd (“Puffin Rock”), Amy Huberman (“Derry Girls”), Beth McCafferty and Eva Whittaker (“Wolfwalkers”) lead the voice cast of “Puffin Rock and the New Friends,” the film based on the TV series “Puffin Rock.” Following their collaboration on Oscar nominees “Song of the Sea” and “The Breadwinner,” WestEnd Films is teaming again with Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon and Northern Ireland’s Dog Ears on the film and is launching sales at Berlin’s European Film Market (EFM), where first footage will be shown to buyers. “Puffin Rock and the New Friends” sees Oona, Baba, May and Mossy joined by a new characters Isabelle, Phoenix and Marvin. When the last Little Egg of the season disappears under mysterious circumstances, Oona and her new friends race against time to bring the Little Egg home before a big storm hits Puffin Rock and puts the entire island in danger.

John Malkovich starrer Seneca – On the Creation of Earthquakes and Alex Gibney’s untitled Boris Becker documentary are set to have their world premieres at the upcoming Berlin International Film Festival next year. The projects are among the six titles which will play in the fest’s Berlinale Special Gala section, which also includes Brandon Cronenberg’s Infinity Pool, starring Alexander Skarsgård, Mia Goth and Cleopatra Coleman and Todd Field’s Tár.

An apocalyptic drama from the makes of Deutschland 83, a retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and an emotionally-driven series set in Alabama are European giant Sky Deutschland’s latest trio of original dramas.

Wilson Chapman editorHBO has unveiled the first full trailer for “The Time Traveler’s Wife,” a new romantic drama series set to premiere May 13.Based on the 2003 best-selling novel of the same name by Audrey Niffenegger, “The Time Traveler’s Wife” stars Rose Leslie as Clare Abshire, an ordinary woman in a relationship with Henry DeTamble (Theo James). Their loving relationship is complicated by the fact that Henry has an unusual genetic disorder that causes him to leap through time at sudden intervals, resulting in him experiencing his romance with her out of order. As Henry uses his time leaps to reexamine past traumas and outrun the forces chasing him, a frustrated Clare is forced to cope with his frequent absences.

The latest attempt by a studio to rejuvenate a series with big merchandising potential, “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins,” is not a particularly good version of the prevailing popcorn blockbuster.

“Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origin” opens this Friday, July 23, and Paramount Pictures is making a final push for seeing the movie in theaters with a final trailer.

Henry Golding stars as Snake Eyes, “Warrior” headliner Andrew Koji plays Storm Shadow, “Ready or Not” actress Samara Weaving stars as Scarlett, and “Money Heist” breakout star Úrsula Corberó stars as the Baroness.“Snake Eyes,” the third live-action film based on the “GI Joe” toy line, will focus on the origins of the fan-favorite character known for his masked face, black commando uniform and ninja training.

“G.I. Joe: Retaliation” may have come out eight years ago, but the series isn’t quite over yet.

Also Read: 'Rocketman' Director Dexter Fletcher Boards Making-Of 'Godfather' Series 'The Offer' at Paramount+Next up for Paramount is “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe – Origins,” which moved up from October 22 to now open on July 23, 2021.

By Dave McNary

Paramount Pictures has announced that filming has started on the next G.I. Joe movie Snake Eyes has kicked off in Japan.

By Tom Grater