TrustNordisk Closes Raft of Deals on 3D-Animated Films ‘Little Allan,’ ‘Just Super’ (EXCLUSIVE)

The Batman” offers a new take on the Caped Crusader a decade after Christopher Nolan wrapped up his Dark Knight Trilogy and a few years after Ben Affleck’s take on the character somewhat petered out. This new film comes from “War for the Planet of the Apes” and “Let Me In” filmmaker Matt Reeves, who draws from gritty crime procedurals like “Seven” and “Zodiac” to craft a nearly three-hour detective story with a man dressed as a bat following clues left behind by a serial killer calling himself The Riddler. It’s a dark, moody and wildly compelling twist on the Batman character that somehow manages to feel fresh.

Naman Ramachandran The producers of Ukrainian animated film “Gulliver Returns” will use earnings from further sales on the film to support their country’s defense.Oleg Khodachuk, producer of the film through the company Gulliver Films, said: “‘Gulliver Returns’ is based on [Ukrainian President] Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s idea and his ideal: that Jonathan Swift’s classic character Gulliver is not a giant in size, but a giant in heart and courage. And in the context of the current invasion of Ukraine by Russia, its story of the small country of Liliput being threatened by the invasion of the imposing Blefuscu army, takes on a new resonance.”The film has already sold to Germany (Telepool), U.K.

Tim Allen addressed the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine in a tweet Thursday morning.  Allen, 68, shared with his followers that he is "full of anger and disgust" with the recent events in Ukraine.  "My mind and body are full of anger and disgust at the coward putin ghouls that have attacked a sovereign country," he said. "This is the definition of wrong. My head, heart and soul pray for the people of Ukraine." Allen concluded his tweet with "F-putin".

New Order.In a new message to the writer, broadcaster and Haçienda DJ Dave Haslam, Erasmus explained that he is travelling to Ukraine’s capital Kyiv to help those affected by the country’s ongoing conflict with Russia.“I’ve fought bullies of one kind or another all my life, Putin is no different,” he wrote. “This is a very, very, very important moment in history Dave, it cannot be lost.”He continued: “Once there (with Durutti in mind) I will set about convening the Factory Nentsov Column made up of fellow helpers and volunteers.” The Durutti Column was an Anarchist column in the Spanish Civil War made up of volunteers who wanted to fight for an egalitarian society.Message received this morning from Alan Erasmus co-founder of Factory Records.

Russian President Vladimir Putin didn’t escape the Saturday Night Live treatment this week. The 69-year-old was spoofed by Colin Jost on the Saturday, Feb. 27 episode, where the ‘Weekend Update’ host got in multiple shots as he spoke about Putin’s current spearheading of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorChinese Berlinale Competition title “Return to Dust” has been sold to several European distributors with more about to close deals. M-Appeal is handling world sales.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentAmber Heard (“Aquaman”) and Spain’s Eduardo Noriega (“Vantage Point”) will star in 19th century-set supernatural thriller “In the Fire.”The film, which will shoot in Italy, is directed by Conor Allyn (“No Man’s Land”).Principal photography is set to start Feb. 21 in Italy’s Apulia region.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentNordic production powerhouse Miso Film, which looks to make a splash at the Berlinale Series with its daring HBO Max show “Lust,” is developing high-end international dramas with Scandinavian creatives such as Pilou Asbæk, Ole Bornedal and Fenar Ahmad. The company is part of FremantleMedia.Ahead of the Berlinale, Miso founders Peter Allen and Jonas Bose discussed with Variety about their ambition to find new voices and original ways to tell stories. The banner, which just started shooting the third season of “Those Who Kill” and is about to begin filming season 3 of “Face to Face” with Lars Mikkelsen, recently shot “Blasted,” the first Norwegian sci-fi comedy, for Netflix.

Naman Ramachandran Acclaimed Bangladeshi director Rubaiyat Hossain, known for her powerful women-centric films, has a new project participating in the Berlinale Co-Production Market and is launching a female filmmaker grant.Her Berlinale co-production market project, “The Difficult Bride,” follows Novera, a bride-to-be in present-day Dhaka who is in love with the groom and the idea of a fairytale wedding, but secretly struggles with her body, which does not seem to comply with the wedding rituals. She makes continuous trips to the beauty salon and uses home remedies to “cure” her body.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorArna Media, the Russian distribution company run by Nadezda Motina, has secured the rights to “Brother and Sister,” “The Tank,” “Little Allan – The Human Antenna” and “The Colors of Fire” for its theatrical pipeline. Arnaud Desplechin’s family-drama “Brother and Sister” stars Marion Cotillard, Melvil Poupaud and Golshifteh Farahani. Cotillard and Poupaud play the titular siblings who, following the death of their parents, reunite after decades of silence.

Naman Ramachandran Kino Lorber has acquired U.S. rights to writer-director Ajitpal Singh’s debut feature, “Fire in the Mountains,” which premiered in the World Dramatic Competition of the Sundance Film Festival in 2021.A powerful feminist tale set in a tourist homestay in the Himalayan foothills of northern India, the film centers around a woman (Vinamrata Rai), the sole breadwinner of the household, who scrimps and saves for her son’s medical treatment, while her alcoholic husband believes that an expensive shamanic ritual is the answer to all their woes.The film is produced by Alan McAlex and Ajai Rai of prolific Indian arthouse producers Jar Pictures alongside Mauli Singh and Amit Mehta.

La Vie En Rose and Netflix’s The Spy producer Alain Goldman has signed an overall deal with Banijay for TV shows and feature films.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentBanijay has partnered with Alain Goldman, the French producer of “La Vie en rose” to produce premium scripted series and feature films through his two production entities, Pitchipoï Productions and Montmartre Films.Goldman, whose production company was previously named Legende Films, will work alongside Banijay France. The French producer had been working with nearly every French film studios, notably Gaumont, and has also been collaborating with streamers such as Netflix with “The Spy,” starring Sacha Baron Cohen, and Amazon Prime with Caroline Vigneaux’s “Flashback” and Mélanie Laurent’s “The Mad Women’s Ball.” Besides “La Vie en Rose,” which earned Marion Cotillard an Oscar, Goldman has also produced “An Officer and a Spy” (2019), “The Connection” (2014) and “The Crimson Rivers” (2000).

Guy Lodge Film CriticAs far-right sentiment surges in France ahead of April’s presidential elections — and lawmakers continue to concern themselves with hijab bans — the time is urgently right for artists to challenge the country’s enduring history of Islamophobia. On the face of it, “Nobody’s Hero” seems like a useful contribution in that regard.

Joe Alwyn‘s character Nick Conway in Hulu‘s upcoming limited series Conversations With Friends—based on the Sally Rooney novel of the same name— partakes of an open relationship, but he confirms this is not the case in his real-life romance with Taylor Swift.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentIdina Menzel (“Frozen,” “Uncut Gems”) and Jae Suh Park (“The Big Short”) have joined Golden Globe nominee Elsie Fisher (“Eighth Grade”) and Alan S. Kim (“Minari”) for “Latchkey Kids,” which David Garrett’s Mister Smith Entertainment has boarded as its sales agent.Starlings Entertainment is also now on board to co-produce and finance the feature, which Mister Smith is launching at this week’s European Film Market in Berlin where it bids fair to become one of the market standouts.Directed by John J.

13-year internet romance came to a heartbreaking end on Sunday's episode of. After Alina kept pushing Caleb for an answer on where he wants the relationship to go after their rendezvous in Turkey, Caleb admitted that he had serious reservations about dating a little person and what that would entail for the rest of his life.Caleb and Alina met in Turkey this season after communicating online for over a decade. The two first connected when they were 15 years old on social media but lost touch for 13 years.

Hulu and BBC Three today offered a first look at Conversations with Friends, their upcoming limited series starring Alison Oliver, Sasha Lane (American Honey, Hearts Beat Loud), Joe Alwyn (Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, The Favourite) and Jemima Kirke (Sylvie’s Love, Girls), which is set to premiere this spring.