‘The Reef: Stalked’ Sells to RLJE Films, Shudder (EXCLUSIVE)

For decades, Italian filmmakers dominated Cannes.If the 1960s saw Federico Fellini, Michelangelo Antonioni and Luchino Visconti reign supreme, somehow the 1970s were even richer. Elio Petri and Francesco Rosi won shared top prizes in 1972, while for two consecutive years later that decade the Taviani brothers and then Ermanno Olmi hoisted Palmes across a border that sits just 40 miles away.This year’s lone competition title from an Italian director (the only other Italian language film, “The Eight Mountains,” comes courtesy of two Belgians), Mario Martone’s “Nostalgia” will probably not break that particular drought, but the Neapolitan director can take solace in another modest honor: Telling a story about mothers and sons, about gangsters and priests, and about a peculiar kind of longing for the past in a place where little has changed for hundreds of years, “Nostalgia” is a nigh perfect candidate to wave il Tricolore.Taking a thin amount of plot and stretching it as far and wide as it can go, the film itself is far from perfect, but it does benefit from “The Traitor” star Pierfrancesco Favino’s terrific lead performance as a man who learns the hard way that there’s no going home again.After forty years abroad, Felice (Favino, of course) returns to his native Naples a stranger in a familiar land.

Owen Gleiberman Chief Film CriticMost filmmakers who want to unsettle you in a horror movie will reach for a familiar set of tools: slashers, demons, shock cuts, soundtracks that go boom! in the night. But in “Crimes of the Future,” the writer-director David Cronenberg is out to provoke and disturb us with something far more traumatic than mere monsters.Am I talking about the fact that in the distant future where the film is set, human beings grow mysterious new organs in their bodies? Or that having those organs removed through surgery has become, for a creepy rebel aesthete named Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen), a species of performance art? Or that people no longer experience physical pain, and will therefore stand in the street late at night cutting each other for cheap thrills, as if they were shooting heroin in a back alley? Or that surgery itself, as someone puts it, has become “the new sex”? If you see “Crimes of the Future,” you’ll witness all of these outrages, and a few more besides.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaScoot McNairy, Kit Harington and Josh Lucas are set to star in “Blood for Dust,” an upcoming action thriller that will be directed by Rod Blackhurst.Former friends Cliff (McNairy), a traveling salesman struggling to make a living, and Ricky (Harington), an illegal-weapons dealer making serious money, reconnect one fateful day. Hoping to make some quick cash, Cliff agrees to partner with the violent Ricky, who is expanding his business to include cross-state drug and gun deliveries for John, a mid-level American cartel boss (Lucas).

K.J. Yossman Spooky season is still six months away but the folks behind the “Spirit Halloween” movie – yes, the one based on the ubiquitous October pop-up store, which Variety exclusively revealed last month – have given Variety an exclusive sneak peek at the first images of Christopher Lloyd and Rachael Leigh Cook on set as well as more plot details.In “Spirit Halloween,” Lloyd (best known as Doc Brown in “Back to the Future”) plays wealthy land developer Alec Windsor.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaScreen Media has acquired all North American rights to “The Locksmith,” an upcoming action-thriller starring Ryan Phillippe, Kate Bosworth and Ving Rhames.The film was directed by Nicolas Harvard, a veteran first assistant director whose credits include “Hell or High Water” and “Whiplash.” It marks his feature directorial debut. Screen Media is planning a day-and-date, theatrical and on-demand release later this year.In “The Locksmith,” Miller (Phillippe), an ex-con recently released from prison for a bungled robbery, tries to walk a straight line and work his way back into the lives of his ex, Beth (Bosworth), a police detective, and their young daughter.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent“The Pink Cloud,” a flagship feature from Brazil’s new generation of female filmmakers, has closed three more major territories for Paris-based MPM Premium, sealing France (Universciné), Japan (Senlis) and Germany (Lighthouse). With MPM Premium currently in discussions for the U.K., Australia and Latin America, the sales company is edging ever closer to selling out on all major territories around the world.Territories already secured include Brazil (O2), North America (Blue Fox), Taiwan (Digi Sky Entertainment), China (Beijing Hugoeast), Korea (K Entertainment) and Russia (World Vision).Senlis will stage a theatrical release in 2023 for “The Pink Cloud.” It has been dubbed and will be released in Germany and Austria on July 22. France’s Universciné (France) has launched the film as a premium VoD Release, with a specific promotion for what Universciné calls its “exclusive” titles.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaScreen Media has acquired North American rights to “Code Name Banshee,” an upcoming action-thriller with Antonio Banderas and Jamie King. The film will receive a day-and-date theatrical and on-demand release in July.Directed by Jon Keeyes and written by Matthew Rogers, the duo behind “The Survivalist,” the film follows Caleb (Banderas), a former government assassin in hiding, who resurfaces when his protégé, the equally deadly killer known as Banshee (King), discovers a bounty has been placed on Caleb’s head.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorAnimated movie “The Amazing Maurice,” based on a Terry Pratchett novel and featuring a voice cast led by Hugh Laurie and Emilia Clarke, has sold to multiple major territories. Global Screen will present the film as a market premiere at Cannes.Territories where the movie has been picked up include Italy (Lucky Red), Spain (Flins y Piniculas), Scandinavia (Selmer Media), Portugal (NOS Lusomundo), Israel (Red Cape Distribution), Middle East (Selim Ramia & Co.), Australia and New Zealand (Icon Film Distribution), CIS and Baltics (Volgafilm), Poland (Kino Swiat), Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria (Prorom Media), former Yugoslavia (Investacommerce), Taiwan (Swallow Wings) and Vietnam (Blue Lantern).

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaIFC Films has acquired North American rights to “R.M.N.,” the new film from acclaimed writer, director and producer Cristian Mungiu, ahead of its world premiere in Cannes this week.It’s a grand reunion for the indie studio and the director, marking their fifth distribution collaboration. IFC Films will release “R.M.N.” theatrically in 2022.

RLJE Films has acquired the domestic rights to “Taurus,” ahead of its North American premiere at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, the distributor announced on Monday. The film, written and directed by Tim Sutton (“Donnybrook,” “Dark Night”), stars Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly) and will be released in theaters later this year.The film also stars Maddie Hasson, Scoot McNairy, Megan Fox and Ruby Rose.

EXCLUSIVE: RLJE Films has acquired North American rights to Taurus, the film starring Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly). The drama, which had its world premiere earlier this year at the Berlin Film Festival, is gearing up for its North American premiere next month at the Tribeca Festival. It will now get a theatrical release later this year.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorBerlin-based sales outfit M-Appeal has closed sales on Berlin Panorama title “Concerned Citizen” – Idan Haguel’s satirical feature on privilege and prejudice set in Tel Aviv – for several additional territories.Distribution in the U.K. and Ireland will be handled by Peccadillo Pictures; Arti Film will be distributing the film in Benelux, with a nationwide theatrical release at selected cinemas planned later in the year; Tongariro Releasing has taken the rights for Poland, planning a festival run and theatrical release in arthouse cinemas for summer 2022; and Queer Kino has come on board to handle the film in the Czech Republic, where it will have a national premiere at Mezipatra Queer Film Festival and a theatrical release is planned for early 2023.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaJosh Peck and Kea Ho have joined the cast of “Junction,” an upcoming drama about the opioid crisis. The film is written and directed by Bryan Greenberg, who is best known for his work as an actor on “How to Make It in America” and “One Tree Hill.” “Junction” will be his feature directorial debut.Peck and Ho join an ensemble that includes Griffin Dunne (“After Hours”), Sophia Bush (“Chicago P.D.”), Hilarie Burton (“One Tree Hill”), Jamie Chung (“Dexter: New Blood”), Michaela Conlin (“Bones”), Hill Harper (“The Good Doctor”) Ashley Madekwe (“Country Lines”), Ryan Eggold (“The Blacklist”), Dascha Polanco (“Orange Is the New Black”), Dash Mihok (“I Am Legend”), Geoff Stults (“Wedding Crashers”), Eddie Kaye Thomas (“American Pie”) and Hannah Dunne (“Marriage Story”).

Tyler Perry. ET's Rachel Smith spoke to Perry about Sister Act 3 and how Whoopi Goldberg influenced the film.«We are pretty far down the line, and in the script and in the production of it so it's -- I'm really excited for it,» Perry gushed. While Perry is behind the third film in the trilogy, he was sure to make sure Goldberg — who is reprising her role as Deloris Van Cartier and her witness protection alter ego, Sister Mary Clarence — had a hand in honoring her character and the film's 30-year-old legacy.«It's more Whoopi than anything.

EXCLUSIVE: Shudder, AMC Networks’ streaming service for horror, and RLJE Films, a business unit of AMC Networks, have partnered on the newest Shudder Original Film, Destroy All Neighbors. From music-video and commercial director Josh Forbes and starring Jonah Ray Rodrigues (Mystery Science Theater 3000) and Alex Winter (Bill and Ted franchise) who also produce.

K.J. Yossman Anna Faris, Alicia Silverstone and Patrick Wilson are set to join leads Susan Sarandon and Jaeden Martell in John Krokidas’ upcoming feature “Tunnels.”Bankside Films have acquired the film from “Kill Your Darlings” director Krokidas, which is based on a screenplay by Victoria Rose.In “Tunnels,” Martell (“Knives Out”) and Oscar-winner Sarandon (“Dead Man Walking”) play a duo who strike up the unlikeliest friendship in the wake of unthinkable tragedy.Sarandon stars as Ruby, a woman whose grandson becomes a school shooter.

Joe Alwyn) and Melissa (Jemima Kirke), and embarks on a secret affair with Nick -- forever testing the boundaries and friendships she's put in place. The story, which also stars Sasha Lane as Frances' ex, Bobbi, is told from Frances' perspective through voiceover narration.«One of the reasons I loved Sally's book is because it was so heavily disguised and messy in the best way, and complicated in the best way. And I like the theme she was touching upon and the questions she was provoking about love and happiness and finding love and happiness outside of conventional stuff,» Alwyn told ET's Cassie DiLaura of what initially drew him to the adaptation. «It’s all wrapped up in this beautiful coming-of-age story for Frances and feels like quite a modern love story.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaBlue Fox Entertainment has acquired the worldwide rights to “Jane,” a YA thriller starring “Riverdale’s” Madelaine Petsch.The cast also includes Grammy-nominated singer songwriter Chlöe Bailey, Oscar-winning actress Melissa Leo, and model Chloe Yu. Blue Fox Entertainment will release “Jane” theatrically this fall, with the film debuting simultaneously on Creator+.