RLJE Films Buys Deep-Sea Thriller ‘The Dive’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Brent Lang Executive Editor Vertical has acquired U.S. rights to Catherine Hardwicke’s “Prisoner’s Daughter,” a thriller with Brian Cox and Kate Beckinsale that premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. The film is about a terminally ill father who is recently released from prison and struggles to connect with his daughter and grandson. Vertical will release “Prisoner’s Daughter” in theaters on June 30, 2023. It’s a starry collection of talent. Cox is best known for playing the mephistophelean Logan Roy on “Succession,” while Beckinsale has starred in blockbusters and indie films such as “Underworld,” “Love and Friendship” and “Pearl Harbor.” Hardwicke has directed critical and commercial hits like “Twilight” and “Thirteen.”

Joey Essex has reportedly been left in an "emotional wreck" after a break-in at his Essex mansion.The 32 year old TOWIE star, who is now dating professional skater Vanessa Bauer, 26, is said to be looking for a new property to buy in Dubai as a result. Joey was reportedly left "horrified and shaken" when he discovered that thieves had broken in to his home in the countryside in January.The thieves then ransacked his personal belongings and the property was in a state of complete disarray. According to reports, the reality TV star has said he is looking forward to feeling "safe" elsewhere, and is hopeful moving abroad will help him regain his privacy.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Welcome Villain Films, a relatively new genre studios, has acquired North American rights to the gory thriller “Beaten to Death.” The company plans to release the film in select theaters this summer with a digital release to follow. Directed by Sam Curtain from a script he co-wrote with Benjamin Jung-Clarke, “Beaten to Death” unfolds after a desperate choice leads a man named Jack down a path that leaves him beaten and bruised as he struggles against man, nature, and his own insanity. According to the official logline, Jack, “stranded in the middle of nowhere after barely surviving a horrific assault, encounters one local after another and quickly learns that a sick game of cat and mouse is about to begin. Battling the deranged country psychos and the harsh landscape, Jack must go to extreme lengths to survive.”

“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” Thursday, the Academy Award winner took a trip down memory lane with the host while promoting his new film, “Renfield.”While Cage, whose real name is Nicolas Coppola, has some impressive blockbusters under his belt — including “National Treasure,” “Moonstruck,” and “The Rock” — the 59-year-old’s top five is comprised of his lesser-known work.“I’m going to start with ‘Pig’ that is my favorite movie I have ever made,” Cage told Colbert. “I love ‘Mandy,’ the movie that Panos [Cosmatos] directed. I love ‘Bringing Out The Dead’ that Martin Scorsese directed.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Beirut-based production powerhouse Cedars Art Productions is having one of its best Ramadan runs ever with eight new series that are all currently scoring stellar ratings during the region’s peak TV season across the Arab world. The prominent Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region film and TV company – which also has offices in Cairo, Casablanca, and Dubai – is heading to the Cannes MipTV market with a slew of shows, many of which push boundaries in an effort to appeal to a younger generation of Arab viewers.  Case in point is timely drama “Soul Rising” featuring Egyptian star Menna Shalabi as a young woman named Rouh who, in search of her son, winds up captive at an ISIS camp for female fugitives amid fierce fighting in Syria. This series has been submitted for International Emmy consideration, said Cedars’ president Sadek Anwar Sabbah.

Sophia Scorziello editor FX has released the trailer for their upcoming limited series “Class of ‘09,” a suspense thriller about a class of FBI agents dealing with the rise of artificial intelligence within the U.S. government. The eight-episode show, starring Brian Tyree Henry and Kate Mara, will premiere May 10 on Hulu. The trailer begins with an FBI class reciting an oath in unison, pledging their devotion to the pursuit of truth and knowledge, but an eerie tone develops as some begin to show concern over how the bureau is progressing. Stakes rise as characters become engrossed in missions tinged with classic FBI tropes, including laser-filled rooms, swarms of agents advancing on a home, gun fights, erratic driving and rooms filled with countless monitors broadcasting the same image from screen to screen.

Brent Lang Executive Editor “Snowfall” star Damson Idris will appear opposite Brad Pitt in a new Formula One racing film from “Top Gun: Maverick” director Joseph Kosinski. The untitled movie is being made by Apple Original Films and will be produced by Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment. Kosinski will produce the feature alongside seven-time Formula One champion Sir Lewis Hamilton under his Dawn Apollo Films banner, and Jerry Bruckheimer and Chad Oman of Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Ehren Kruger, who did similar honors on “Top Gun: Maverick,” is writing the screenplay.  The racing feature stars Pitt as a former driver who returns to the sport. Idris will play his teammate. Aside from that, engines will be revved, finish lines will be crossed, cars will collide… OK, we really have no idea what happens on or off the track. But since the movie is being made in cooperation with Formula One, the action sequences will likely be a standout.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Gravitas Ventures has acquired North American distribution rights to “Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West,” a documentary that shines a harsh spotlight on the U.S. government’s treatment of wild horses. The non-fiction film was written, directed, and edited by Ashley Avis, who is best known for making 2020’s “Black Beauty” for Disney+. Gravitas Ventures will release the documentary in select theaters and on demand on May 12, 2023. The film looks at the reasons why wild horses in the Western part of the U.S. are fast disappearing and could be eradicated. At its core, the film argues, is a divisive battle over land and special interests, one in which horses are collateral damage. They are rounded up by helicopters, and facing encroachment on their natural habitat. Often, officials separate them from their families, a wrenching experience for the animals.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Carmelo Anthony has come on as an executive producer of “The Harder They Come,” a new stage musical that is about to finish a sold-out run at New York’s Public Theater. In addition, Anthony’s long-time business partner Asani Swann, who co-founded the basketball star’s production company Creative 7, will also serve as an executive producer on the show. They are joining the production as it looks to find a regional theater where it hopes to fine-tune the show before possibly mounting a Broadway return. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, best known for “Topdog/Underdog,” penned the adaptation of the 1972 Jamaican crime film. That movie and now the show feature music from Reggae icon Jimmy Cliff. Also involved is Justine Henzell, whose father Perry Henzell co-wrote and directed the movie.

The sky’s the limit for Tyler Perry!

Tyler Perry!ET's Nischelle Turner visited Perry at Tyler Perry Studios, on the set of his new movie, Six Triple Eight, where he revealed that there's truth to the rumors about him buying a majority stake in BET — in fact, he's very interested in purchasing the network.«Rumor? No, it's not a rumor,» Perry shared. «I've been there for four years now and had tremendous success.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Taylor Frey, Kyle Richards and Rick Cosnett are set to star in “The Holiday Exchange.” The film is an LGBTQ holiday romance with a script that was penned by Frey. Jake Helgren (“A Christmas to Treasure”) will direct the movie about a successful businessman grappling with a break-up. Wilde (Frey) has just sold his company, but facing the holidays as a single man, he decides to swap houses on an LGBTQ app with handsome, Brilfax-bred Oliver (Cosnett). In their efforts to escape their woes, each end up meeting respective handsome locals in the forms of Julius (Samer Salem) and Henry (Daniel Garcia), who will spice up their visits. In the process romance ignites in both sunny L.A. and a charming, snowy town called Brilfax. Richards stars as Wilde’s lively and involved mother, Lola.

Brent Lang Executive Editor “Napoleon” will charge into movie theaters just in time for awards season. The historical epic from Ridley Scott (no slouch when it comes to directing lavish looks at the past and explorations of the warrior way) will open in cinemas exclusively on Nov. 22 before streaming globally on Apple TV+ on an undetermined date. Sony Pictures will partner with Apple on the theatrical rollout. “Napoleon” stars Joaquin Phoenix as the French emperor and military leader. Phoenix previously teamed with Scott on 2000’s mega-hit “Gladiator,” so there’s a track record there. But this film won’t be all Waterloo, all the time. In addition to epic battles, “Napoleon” will also look at the visionary commander’s volatile relationship with his wife, Josephine, who is played by Vanessa Kirby. Apple also released a first look image (above) from the film featuring Phoenix on horseback, saber unsheathed.

Helen Flanagan looked sensational as she slipped into a gorgeous bikini while enjoying a family holiday. Over the weekend, the former Coronation Street actress was branded a 'supermum' as she whisked her kids on a sunshine holiday for Easter.

Canneseries world premiere, Movistar+ has shared in exclusivity with Variety the international trailer to “The Left Handed Son” (“El hijo zurdo”), the directorial debut of Rafael Cobos, writer of Alberto Rodríguez international hit “Marshland” banner TV series “The Plague.”  Cobos also wrote Rodriguez’s memorable episode in “Offworld,” a market screening at this year’s MipTV. Movistar+, which produces with José Antonio Félez’s Atipica Films, its partner on “The Plague” and “Prison 1977,” has also announced the release date for “The Left-Handed Son,” whose episodes will all be made available on Movistar+, Spain’s biggest SVOD/pay TV platform, on April 27. 

Brent Lang Executive Editor Arianna Bocco has stepped down as president of IFC Films. She will be replaced on an interim basis by Scott Shooman, who currently serves as head of acquisitions. Bocco left the company on Thursday. IFC, which is owned by AMC Networks, will conduct a search for a permanent replacement for Bocco, a longtime executive at the company and a major force in the world of independent film, respected for her keen taste and strong relationships with top talent. Bocco took the reins at IFC in 2020 after her predecessor Lisa Schwartz stepped down. But she had been at the company for more than a decade before making that leap. “IFC Films is a vibrant and vital part of our business and we will continue to acquire, produce and distribute films across our IFC Films, Shudder and RLJE Films ecosystems,” AMC Networks said in a statement. “We have full and total confidence in Scott’s ability to run the business as interim head and know that our film team will not miss a beat as it proceeds forward with a robust slate of releases and acquisitions.”

Brent Lang Executive Editor Susan Cain’s “Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole” has been optioned for the stage by Bated Breath Theatre Company. The author will help adapt her bestselling book, which weaves together poignant stories of loss and resilience, as well as Cain’s personal experience. It also touches on art, literature, religion and science to explain why longing and loss can be so deeply profound and transformational. Mara Lieberman, the executive director of Bated Breath Theatre Company, will write the adaptation in collaboration with Cain, and direct and produce it. The new production will be produced by Bated Breath and RRR Productions, which was founded by Ryan Ratelle.

Nicolas Cage became Dracula while filming Renfield – even when the camera’s were turned off.The film’s director Chris McKay said that the Mandy actor was “living” in character between takes while shooting the upcoming horror comedy. In fact, Cage’s method acting approach to the character was so extreme that McKay said it was like talking to the vampire himself.Speaking to Insider, McKay said: “Whatever scene we did, he would still be 100% living in that attitude after we stopped shooting.

Will Smith could run.The 59-year-old Hollywood actor has finally revealed the reason he would often be slapped by fans whenever he was at an airport.Cage, whose real name is Nicolas Coppola, said the bizarre trend was inspired by his 1987 film “Moonstruck,” in which he starred opposite singer Cher.In the film, Cher slaps Cage’s character.“For the longest time, back from ‘Moonstruck,’ I would walk to the airport and people just had a habit of saying: ‘Snap out of it!’ from Moonstruck – the Cher ‘Snap out of it’ [line] – and I did get slapped a few times,” he told Entertainment Tonight.“Oh yeah, I did! And that, you know, it’s part of the job,” he added.When asked why fans felt the need to raise a hand against the Oscar winner, Cage suspected it was because fans believed there could have been something in it for them.“I think maybe [they think] I’ll cast them in something. Who knows?” he quipped.Cage previously revealed that he almost turned down the role — but ultimately agreed to it after making a deal with his agent.“I made that movie on a deal with my then-agent Ed Limato.

Nicolas Cage has been in well over 100 movies, including,,,,, and many more. But only one of his films evokes so much emotion from fans it leaves him feeling pain.The 59-year-old Academy Award winner spoke with ET's Rachel Smith on Monday at the New York City premiere of his upcoming horror-comedy film, and he recalled the bizarre incident that would unfold courtesy of fans enthralled by his 1987 rom-com film, , which also starred the legendary Cher.«For the longest time, back from, I would walk to the airport and people just had a habit of saying, 'Snap out of it!' from — the Cher 'snap out of it' [line] — and I did get slapped a few times,» said Cage, whose revelation left his co-star, Nicholas Hoult, in utter shock.«No, no!» Hoult reacted.«Oh yeah, I did,» Cage confirmed.