Vertical Entertainment Buys Action Thriller ‘No Way Out’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Naman Ramachandran Independent film distributor Greenwich Entertainment has acquired North American distribution rights to documentary feature “Hockeyland.”Directed by Tommy Haines (“Saving Brinton”), the film follows rival high school hockey teams in Minnesota’s North Country, one of the breeding grounds for hockey greats who go onto to collegiate and professional play, including the National Hockey League (NHL). Fast on-ice action is paired with an observational approach to examine two communities and their teen heroes through debilitating injuries, off-ice troubles, family health concerns, and the expectations of being a future star in the NHL.

There’s no better place in the world to tip your cowboy hat and shout “yeehaw” than Texas.The Lone Star state boasts almost 300,000 square miles of southern charm and the city of Austin is considered the live music capital of the world.Take that, Nashville... From Tex-Mex barbecues to whip-cracking honky-tonk, the state capital is a must-see holiday spot that’s become a rival to Los Angeles. Austin hosts the famous South by Southwest Festival - visitors glimpsed Sandra Bullock, Nicholas Cage and Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe at this year’s event - fancy! And, apparently, it’s the fastest growing metropolitan in the country and Elon Musk is inspiring a new Silicon Valley by building a Tesla factory in the area.

EXCLUSIVE: Gravitas Ventures has acquired North American right to Genevieve Adams’ dramedy Simchas and Sorrows, along with worldwide rights to Peter Curtis Pardini’s doc The Last Band on Stage, and North American rights to Jaclyn Bethany’s queer thriller, The Falling World. The Anthem Sports & Entertainment Company will release the former title at the Laemmle Soho in Los Angeles on September 16, and on all major digital and VOD platforms on the 20th. Pardini’s film will hit VOD and theaters in three cities on September 30, with Bethany’s indie unspooling on VOD on October 18.

Mila Kunis shared her thoughts about Ashton Kutcher’s new look for his upcoming movie ‘Vengeance,’ and it seems she was “not a fan” of his facial hair for his role, acting alongside B.J. Novak, Dove Cameron, Issa Rae, and Boyd Holbrook.Ashton described his character’s appearance during the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, revealing on the red carpet that it is “kind of this combination of this aristocracy, but also country,“ in reference to the mustache.“There was this kind of Errol Flynn thing happening, but it was also, kind of had this Burt Reynolds country vibe going. I was rocking it for a while, just to kind of feel it and live it.

Mindy Kaling puts all the attention on BFF B.J. Novak at the premiere of his new movie, Vengeance, held at Ace Hotel on Monday night (July 25) in Los Angeles.

Former USA Network and UCP head Jeff Wachtel has launched Future Shack Entertainment, a new television production company focused on developing and co-financing shows for global audiences.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterCinedign has landed North American rights to “Sell/Buy/Date,” a playful and provocative film about the sex industry. Meryl Streep executive produced the movie, which debuted at this year’s SXSW Film Festival in Austin.“Sell/Buy/Date” is set to be released theatrically this fall in the hopes that the film can garner awards attention. After playing in theaters, it will stream exclusively on Fandor with a wider digital release to follow.Broadway veteran Sarah Jones (“Bridge & Tunnel”) directed the film in her feature debut.

Peter Caranicas Deputy EditorEntertainment attorney Michelle A. Cooke, formerly with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, has joined law firm ArentFox Schiff as partner in the firm’s Media & Entertainment and Trademark groups in Los Angeles.Cooke will co-lead a team of 60 lawyers who advise film studios, TV producers and broadcasters, music services, and a range of multimedia developers and publishers.

JYP Entertainment, home to top acts like TWICE, ITZY and Stray Kids, is teaming up with Republic Records to debut a new North American girl group, holding auditions in the US this September.On July 25, the two agencies unveiled a video featuring JYP Entertainment founder and chairman Park Jin-young and Republic Records’ founder and CEO Monte Lipman announcing their upcoming venture ‘A2K’.“The name of this project is ‘A2K’, which is an abbreviation of ‘America2Korea’. So the final artist that comes out of this procedure will be the first American artist made out of a K-pop system,” said Park.“It’s like talented artists who goes through a training system like an Olympic gymnast will go through,” he added.

Ashton Kutcher to return for show’s upcoming Netflix spinoff, “That ’90s Show.”“It was really nostalgic to be back on the set,” Kutcher told Variety’s Carson Burton at the red carpet premiere of “Vengeance” at the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles Monday evening. “It’s all the same folks that made ‘That ’70s Show,’ so it was pretty bizarre.”Kutcher went on to explain that he and his wife, his “That ’70s Show” costar Mila Kunis, felt a return to the property was the right thing to do — beyond being a blast, of course.“Mila and I were contemplating it,” Kutcher said. “We thought, ‘Listen, we’re only in the position that we’re in because of that show, so let’s just go back and do this.

Kyle Walker has spoken about his memorable celebration on the final day of the Premier League season, an iconic moment that is sure to go down in Manchester City folklore.

farewell speech to Parliament, which ended with a quote from “The Terminator.”Johnson stepped down from his post earlier this month after dozens of resignations from his government, including two of his top officials. Addressing members of the Parliament for the last time on Thursday, he gave some slightly chaotic advice to the next Prime Minister before concluding his speech by saying: “Hasta la vista, baby!”“This is the land of Shakespeare and Jane Austen and the quote Boris chose was from ‘The Terminator’?” Noah said after getting in a good laugh at a clip of Johnson’s speech.

Disney+ shared a teaser trailer and behind-the-scenes look at its upcoming TV series National Treasure: Edge of History at San Diego Comic-Con today, giving a glimpse of Jess (Lisette Olivera), the lead.

Also in the works for Craig is farcical comedy “The Estate,” produced by Sarah Jessica Parker and starring Toni Collette, Anna Faris and Thomas Haden Church. Bakalova, Oscar-nominated for her performance in “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” will next be seen in the ensemble of A24’s “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” which premiered earlier this year at South By Southwest.

EXCLUSIVE: Two-time Tony nominee Stark Sands, currently starring in the Toronto production of the Broadway-bound musical & Juliet, has signed with Bill Butler & Michelle Kittrell at Industry Entertainment for management.

EXCLUSIVE: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, known for his roles in Suicide Squad, The Bourne Identity and The Mummy Returns, among others, has signed with Industry Entertainment for management.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentAlarm Pictures has closed North American rights from Hewes Pictures on “The Protector,” the latest film from Canadian writer-director Lenin M. Sivam, in advance of its July 28 world premiere at Montreal’s Fantasia Festival.The U.S.

New U.K. library-title-focused company Radiance Films has signed its first distribution deals with US production and distribution company MVD Entertainment and Elevation Sales for the UK and Ireland.

EXCLUSIVE: B Positive alumna Sara Rue has signed with Alchemy Entertainment for management.