‘Star Wars: Visions’ EP James Waugh On Bringing Anime Into The ‘Star Wars’ Universe And Taking The Series On A “Global Tour” For Volume Two

Given the fragile state of world peace at the moment, it seems like a good time for the latest film from Hoop Dreams director Steve James, a piece of little-known history from the cold war that could potentially have devastating consequences today. Sadly, James’ Venice Film Festival out of competition title A Compassionate Spy just doesn’t deliver the drama and tension you might expect from the high-stakes story of a mild-mannered American scientist who passed sensitive nuclear secrets to the Russians out of a mixture of idealism and naivety.

Manori Ravindran International Editor High-profile espionage cases in the post-war period often invoke the grisly fate of the Rosenbergs, the first U.S. citizens to be convicted and executed by electric chair for sharing atomic secrets with the Soviet Union in peace time. But in the new documentary “A Compassionate Spy,” filmmaker Steve James tells the incredible story of Manhattan Project scientist Ted Hall, who shared classified nuclear secrets with Russia — and got away with it. The Participant and Kartemquin Films-produced documentary, which has its world premiere in Venice on Sept. 2, is one of a number of films at this year’s festival that tackle the topic of nuclear disaster: Projects from Noah Baumbach’s feature adaptation of Don DeLillo’s “White Noise” through to Oliver Stone’s on-the-nose documentary “Nuclear” all contemplate some aspect of our nuclear past and future.

EXCLUSIVE: Emma Roberts (Madame Web) will exec produce and star in Space Cadet, a new rom-com from Stampede Ventures, which enters production this month. Also now aboard the film from writer-director Liz W. Garcia (The Lifeguard) is Prime Video, which will distribute it internationally.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Kore-eda Hirokazu will be the star turn at Emerging Japanese Films, a Los Angeles showcase organized by Japan’s Visual Industry Promotion Organization. The event, running Sept. 27 – Oct. 1, 2022, at the Harmony Gold Preview House, consists of four newly-released, dramatic and awards-worthy Japanese feature films and a retrospective night that honors Kore-eda, whose “Shoplifters” won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2018. Kore-eda will take part in a live video conversation after the screening of his “Like Father, Like Son,” a child-swap drama film that Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks previously optioned for remake.

Gregg Goldstein Becoming Nicholas Sparks’ literary agent and then film production president might not seem like the best preparation for making a romantic drama about cannibalism, but Per Capita Prods. founder Theresa Park is transitioning to a wider, edgier range of projects with ease.  Park is producing an animated children’s show based on Michael Buckley’s bestselling fantasy novel series “The Sisters Grimm” for Apple TV+. And she arrives in Venice for the Sept. 2 world premiere of “Bones and All,” Luca Guadagnino’s adaptation of Camille DeAngelis’s novel about a couple (Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell) whose tastes run more towards hand eating than the hand holding found in Sparks’ works. The MGM/UA feature follows two other offbeat projects in Per Capita’s first year of releases: A24’s robot drama “After Yang” starring Colin Farrell and the Apple TV+ female-centered series “Roar” with Nicole Kidman. 

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent SND has picked up the international distribution rights to “Visions,” Yann Gozlan’s (“Black Box”) psychological thriller starring Diane Kruger (“Inglorious Basterds”) and Mathieu Kassovitz (“The Bureau”).  The French Riviera-set movie, produced by Eagles Team Entertainment, 24 25 Films and SND, just finished shooting in the South of France and Japan. SND handles French distribution and worldwide sales rights. The theatrical release is planned for 2023.  Kruger stars as Estelle, a brilliant airline captain who leads a seemingly perfect life with her husband Guillaume, a renowned doctor. When she accidentally bumps into Ana, a former flame, Estelle falls in love all over again. As their affair gets more intense, Estelle has recurring visions, nightmares and hallucinations, and when Ana disappears mysteriously, she starts losing grip on reality.

Korean actor Song Kang-ho, who starred in Parasite and won best actor at this year’s Cannes film festival for his role in Broker, is set to make his debut in a Korean series with Uncle Sam Shik for Seoul-based production company Slingshot Studio.

Parasite star and this year’s Cannes Best Actor winner Song Kang-ho has been confirmed for his first-ever Korean drama role of his 32-year career.On August 30, production company Slingshot Studio announced that Song has accepted a role in its upcoming K-drama series titled Uncle Sam Shik.The upcoming role will mark the critically acclaimed actor’s first-ever K-drama role of his acting career, which first began in 1990. Song spent the first six years of his career starring in theatre productions before making his film debut in 1996 with The Day a Pig Fell into the Well.According to Asia Gyeongje, the upcoming 10-episode series will follow the “bromance” between a pair of longtime friends, Sam Shik and Kim San, who survived South Korea’s turbulent 1960s period together.Uncle Sam Shik will be directed by Shin Yeon-shik, whom Song recently worked with on upcoming films One Win and Cobweb, which are currently in post-production.Best known for his roles in the films Thirst, Memories of Murder, Snowpiercer and Parasite, the 55-year-old became the first South Korean male actor to win the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for his recent drama film, Broker.The film, directed by Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda and also starring K-pop idol IU, received a 12-minute standing ovation after its premiere screening at the festival earlier this year.“Winning an award from such a prestigious festival as Cannes is a great and happy moment, an unforgettable turning point of my life,” said Song during a recent interview.However, the actor added: “I have won the award, but that itself cannot become the purpose.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Nippon TV, a leading Japanese entertainment company, has licensed 13 of its most popular anime titles to Netflix to stream non-exclusively around the world.  The first titles to start streaming on Sept. 2, 2022 include the first 38 episodes of ever-popular “Hunter x Hunter,” which will be available in 104 countries, including Spain, Italy, Finland, Turkey, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and the UAE; “Ouran High School Host Club,” in 190 countries; and “Claymore,” in 136 countries. Others – listed in the order in which Netflix will upload them – include “Death Note” (37 eps. x 30 mins); “Death Note: Relight 1” (130 mins), “Death Note: Relight 2” (120 mins) in 14 countries” “From Me to You” (25 eps. x 30 min); “From Me to You 2nd Season” (13 eps. x 30 min); “Berserk” (25 eps. x 30 mins); “Parasyte-the Maxim” (24 eps. x 30 mins); “Nana” (47 eps. x 30 mins); “Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting!” (76 eps. x 30 mins); and Monster” (74 eps. x 30 mins). 

Having previously entered distribution deals with Netflix for reality, drama and entertainment series, Japan’s Nippon TV is expanding its relationship with the streamer, licensing 13 of its most popular anime titles to the platform in a non-exclusive pact.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Lee Jung-jae, the star of hit Netflix series “Squid Game,” is to reprise his role as a manic killer in “Ray,” a TV series spun off from 2020 Korean action-horror film “Deliver Us From Evil.” Korean media sources report that Lee will star in and co-produce the series through his own Artist Studio company and Hive Media, producer of “Deliver Us From Evil.” Variety has reached out for further details. In the original movie, Hwang Jung-min played In-Nam, a former black ops agent who travels to Thailand to investigate an abduction. There he is pursued by Lee’s character Ray, a Korean-Japanese ruffian whose brother had been killed by In-Nam. Both heavily tattooed and charming, Ray embarks on a bloody rampage of revenge.

EJ Panaligan editorReality competition series “Ink Master” will return for its 14th season on Wednesday, September 7 in the United States on Paramount+, and the streamer has released a first-look trailer for the new season which highlights the show’s returning contestants.Tattoo artists from previous seasons will return to the show to compete for a grand prize of $250,000 and the title of “Ink Master.” Competitors include Angel Rose (Season 11, 13), Bob Jones (Season 13), Chris Shockley (Season 11), Creepy Jason (Season 12), Deanna James (Season 10), Gian Karle (Season 8), Hiram Casas (Season 13), Holli Marie (Season 12), Katie McGowan (Season 6, 9) and Pon (Season 12). Joel Madden, lead vocalist for pop-punk band Good Charlotte, will replace Dave Navarro as host of the ink-based competition show.

“Ink Master” Season 14 is nearly here, and the brand new trailer, exclusive to TheWrap, promises that when it arrives on Paramount+, the competition will be fierce.A host of fan favorites are returning for this season’s installment. TheWrap can also exclusively reveal the contestants.

'Mad Max' star Vincent Gil has died aged 83. The actor - who was best known for playing Crawford Montizano aka Nightrider in the 1979 film - died after a long battle with ill health, according to his 'Mad Max' co-star Paul Johnstone who shared the sad news in a post on Facebook on Sunday (21. 08.

Mad Max star Vincent Gil has died at the age of 83.

local listings.While “Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero” will not be streaming upon its initial release, it will eventually be streaming on Crunchyroll.The latest installation of the “Dragon Ball” institution sees the return of Red Ribbon Army, an evil organization that Goku previously destroyed. Since its destruction, the army has been reformed with new and mightier Androids, Gamma 1 and Gamma 2 and is back for vengeance against Goku and his family.

Peter Debruge Chief Film CriticWhat Westerners don’t know about Noh — the classical Japanese theater form in which masked dancers gracefully interpret supernatural tales — could easily fill a 12-hour PBS documentary. But who wants to watch that? Certainly not the audience renegade anime director Masaaki Yuasa is after with “Inu-oh,” a rowdy punk alternative focusing on two social rejects whose defiantly original performance style broke all the rules and elevated them to rock-star status, only to be (all but) forgotten by history.Among the most unpredictable artists of his medium, Yuasa specializes in trippy, off-the-wall anime features such as “Mind Game” and “Night Is Short, Walk On Girl” that recall the work of psychedelic toonsmith Ralph Bakshi at his anti-establishment extreme (“Coonskin,” “Wizards”).