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Max subscribers have been enjoying a 2016 action sequel starring Jason Statham. Mechanic: Resurrection, the nine-year-old sequel to 2011's The Mechanic, has cracked Max's Top 10 list this week.

According to FlixPatrol, two weeks after being added to Max, Mechanic: Resurrection came in at #7 on the streamer's Top 10 list. Released in 2016, Resurrection sees Statham back in the role of Arthur Bishop, who had foolishly thought he had been able to put his murderous past behind him. However, when his most formidable foe kidnaps the love of his life, he is forced to travel the globe to complete three impossible assassinations, and do what he does best, make them look like accidents.

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Two Star Wars actors and a Pirates of the Caribbean villain join the cast of Jason Statham's next action movie as filming gets underway in the UK.

The Dennis Gansel...

Much like the action movie icon Jason Statham himself, his panned 2016 sequel refuses to die on streaming. The Stath has become well-renowned for flying the flag for old school action fare, with the actor and martial artist demonstrating his particular set of skills in his return as Arthur Bishop in 2016’s Mechanic: Resurrection, which has now found success on its new streaming home.

Following on from the first The Mechanic, a remake of the 1972 film of the same name starring Charles Bronson, Mechanic: Resurrection finds Statham doing what he does best after his attempt at a quiet life is thrown into chaos when a figure from his past returns. Directed by Dennis Gansel and written by Philip Shelby and Tony Mosher, and starring Tommy Lee Jones, Jessica Alba and Michelle Yeoh alongside The Stath, Mechanic: Resurrection is now #7 in the top 10 on Max (formerly HBO Max). You can check out...

February will bring several new additions to Max's streaming library, including a Jason Statham-led action movie sequel. Perhaps frustratingly, its predecessor will not be joining it.

On Feb. 1, 2016's Mechanic: Resurrection will be hitting Max. Directed by Dennis Gansel, the film is a sequel to the 2011 movie The Mechanic, which was itself a remake of Charle Bronson's 1972 actioner of the same name. Mechanic: Resurrection was a box office success, earning over $125 million worldwide – a sizable improvement over the first movie's haul of $76 million. For some fans of Statham, however, the movies are still best enjoyed together, so Max subscribers looking to first watch 2011's The Mechanic won't be able to do so on the same streaming platform in February.

Related Jason Statham's 17-Year-Old Heist Film That's Based on a True Story Is Coming to Max

A Jason Statham heist film inspired by true events is getting a new streaming home.

Max continues to be the place for Jason Statham fans to get their fix. The platform is already the home of Meg 2: The Trench, Homefront and Death Race, and, come February 1, they’ll be unearthing yet another Statham classic: Mechanic: Resurrection. What do you get when you mix a hunky Englishman, a badass female action hero, and two Academy Award winners? Well, in this very specific case, you end up with a high-octane thriller helmed by Dennis Gansel. With a 31% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie might fall behind Statham’s higher scoring works like Spy, Furious 7 and The Bank Job, but it should still be in any Statham-lover’s queue when it works its way onto HBO’s streamer next month.

You can watch action movie icon Jason Statham take care of business for free this weekend, as one of his biggest sequels is available to stream on one of the lesser-known platforms. The Stath has become well-renowned for flying the flag for old school action fare, with the actor and martial artist demonstrating his particular set of skills in his return as Arthur Bishop in 2016s Mechanic: Resurrection.

While the Mechanic sequel was not as well-received as its 2011 predecessor, Resurrection still boasts several thrilling action sequences, brutal fight scenes, and some imaginative kills (the high-rise swimming pool being a clear highlight) and you can now watch all of this for free on Freevee, the Prime Video extension that allows users to watch all manner of movies and TV shows for free with ads.

The first The Mechanic, which in turn is a remake of the 1972 film of the same name starring Charles Bronson,...

Netflix has lined up some strong additions coming to the streaming platform in October. Fans of Jason Statham movies will want to check out The Mechanic, the 2011 remake of a classic Charles Bronson film.

Per What's On Netflix, The Mechanic is set to start streaming on Netflix on Oct. 1. The movie, which boasts some excellent action sequences with Statham, was directed by Con Air helmer Simon West and written by the team of original Lewis John Carlino, who wrote the original film, and Richard Wenk. Joining Statham in the cast were Ben Foster, Tony Goldwyn, Jeff Chase, Christa Campbell, and Donald Sutherland.

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Related 15 Best Jason Statham Movies, Ranked

Jason Statham is a Hollywood action legend, and he has a plethora of films that demonstrate his action superiority.

In the 1972 movie, directed by Michael Winner, Charles Bronson played Arthur Bishop, an exceptionally skilled assassin working for a secret organization. Statham...

Exclusive: The English-language adaptation of Momo, one of the best-loved fantasy books by The Neverending Story writer Michael Ende, has set a buzzy cast, with Alexa Goodall (A Gentleman In Moscow) taking the lead role of the young orphan girl Momo.

The main cast is completed by Araloyin Oshunremi, Kim Bodnia, Claes Bang (The Square), Laura Haddock, Jennifer Amaka Peterson (The Sandhamn Murders), David Schütter (Charlie’s Angels) and Martin Freeman.

Deadline can also reveal an exclusive first look of Goodall in Momo, which is currently filming in Croatia and Slovenia.

The film is produced by prolific German producer Christian Becker and written and directed by bilingual writer-director Christian Ditter (How To Be Single), who both snagged rights to the popular novel a few years ago and an under-the-radar deal.

Christian Petzold’s anticipated Miroirs No.3 and Kaouther Ben Hania’s epic love story Mimesi are among the 19 projects awarded a total funding of almost €3.5m by Germany’s Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg (Mbb) at the second funding session of 2024.

Miroirs No.3 will star Paula Beer in her fourth collaboration with Petzold after Transit, Undine and Afire. She will play a young music student who has to restructure her life when her boyfriend dies in a car crash in the countryside.

The film, which is being produced by Petzold’s production company Schramm Film Koerner Weber Kaiser, received €500,000 in production funding from Mbb.

The Berlin Film Festival has rescinded opening ceremony invitations to Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party following widespread outcry from the German industry.

Festival sources tell us the decision was finalized today by Berlinale co-heads Carlo Chatrian and Mariette Rissenbeek. Emails have just gone out to staff.

The decision was made following discussions with German Culture Minister Claudia Roth, who sources told us was against the move. We hear the decision was largely influenced by the growing number of industry professionals who had said they would not attend the opening with AfD representatives present.

The festival was set to publish an official letter later this afternoon but moved up its announcement by a couple of hours after hearing that we were about to break the news.

“Over the past few days, there has been an intense discussion in the cultural sector, in the press and on social media...

Exclusive: Multiple German film organizations are planning protests at this year’s Berlinale in response to the festival’s decision to invite members of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party to the opening ceremony, we can reveal.

A number of trade and industry organizations have banded together in opposition to the AfD’s presence at the festival and, in the coming days, are set to publish another open letter voicing their anger over the decision.

We understand the groups — who have asked to remain anonymous for now — intend to protest at Berlin’s opening ceremony on February 15 with demonstrations potentially including a human chain where protesters link arms on the red carpet. There is speculation among a handful of our sources that some industry members could boycott the festival this year, with the potential for another open letter explaining that move.

Discussions over demonstrations intensified soon after Deadline revealed...

Exclusive: Dennis Gansel, director of acclaimed film The Wave and Sky TV series Das Boot, has become the most prominent German filmmaker to call out the Berlin Film Festival’s decision to invite members of far-right party AfD (Alternative For Germany) to this year’s opening ceremony on February 15.

In a message sent to Deadline, the award-winning filmmaker said: “To invite people from the far-right to a film festival which represents cultural diversity and liberal virtues is highly problematic.”

He continued: “The numbers behind the AfD party in Germany are rising constantly, so civil resistance on any level is of utmost importance.”

However, the director went on to caution that a ban on the party would be counter-productive:

“Let’s not forget that a ban of a political party or banning of its members will not save us in the long run. We must continue to communicate and argue with the supporters of the AfD.

Exclusive: Momo, one of the best-loved works by The Neverending Story scribe Michael Ende, is getting a big-canvas, English-language screen adaption from leading German producer Christian Becker and bilingual writer-director Christian Ditter (How To Be Single).

The ambitious movie version of Ende’s popular fantasy novel will chart the story of the eponymous Momo, an orphan girl who must do battle with the soulless and otherworldly ‘grey men’ who stealthily take over her city and steal time. Ende’s book has long been considered a critique of consumerism, stress and unfeeling individualism, themes that should strongly resonate in a contemporary context.

Published in more than 40 languages, this year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the book’s first publication and producers are hoping to begin filmmaking towards the end of 2023.

“For almost 35 years it was impossible to make a new adaptation of Momo,” explains Becker, who...

Filming for the fourth season of the Sky Original series “Das Boot” wrapped in Malta last week, and the first look images have been released. NBCUniversal Global Distribution is handling international sales of the series, which is produced by Bavaria Fiction, on behalf of Sky Studios.

In Season 4, which is coming to Sky’s premium channel Sky Atlantic and streaming service Now next year, the brutal submarine war in the Mediterranean Sea comes to a head, while intrigues and secrets spread through Berlin. Resistance to the Nazis grows within the Kriegsmarine’s own ranks.

Rick Okon as Klaus Hoffmann, Sascha Gersak as Rahn, Jakub Horak as Bischof

After a shared tragedy, the siblings Klaus (Rick Okon) and Hannie Hoffmann (Rosalie Thomass) find their way back to each other. Both fight for their cause. Klaus has returned to the German Reich from Portugal. As a submarine commander he travels to Naples...

Munich-based sales agency Global Screen has closed a raft of sales on its live-action family adventure “Jim Button and the Wild 13.” The adaptation of Michael Ende’s best-selling novel – which has been translated into 25 languages – is one of the most expensive feature films in the history of German cinema, with a budget of more than $24 million.

Global Screen, part of Telepool, has sold the film to France (Megalys Productions), Middle East (Salim Ramio), Cis/Russia (Voxell), Hungary (Ads), Spain (Twelve Oaks) and Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), as well as clinching a worldwide airline deal with Eagle. Offers for North America and Latin America are in negotiation, and other territories have indicated strong interest for the film.

“We are thrilled to announce our first deals for ‘Jim Button and the Wild 13.’ The movie not only stands out thanks to its impressive production value and look that are easily a match for big international studio productions,...

Family adventure led the German box office before its run was cut short by cinema closures.

Family adventure Jim Button And The Wild 13 is to be re-released by Warner Bros when cinemas in Germany re-open.

The $24m German feature led the local box office when it opened on October 1 and grossed $6.88m over five weeks, before theatres were closed on November 2 as part of a nationwide lockdown that remains in place.

Sales agency Global Screen, part of Will Smith and Elysian Fields’s Telepool, picked up global distribution rights to the film ahead of the European Film Market (EFM...

Sales agency Global Screen, part of Will Smith and Marc Forster’s Telepool, has picked up global distribution rights to $24 million family adventure movie “Jim Button and the Wild 13.”

The pic, which is the second most expensive German movie of all times, according to Global Screen, will be launched at the European Film Market (March 1-5). It is a live-action adaptation of Michael Ende’s best-selling novel, which was translated into 25 languages. The main roles were shot in the English language.

“Jim Button and the Wild 13” tells the story of 12-year-old Jim and his best friend, the engine driver Luke. In order to protect their home of Morrowland from the notorious pirate gang “The Wild 13,” the two set off with their steam engines Emma and Molly on a dangerous journey where Jim’s most fervent wish might also come true: he wants at last to find out the truth about his mysterious origins.

In today’s bulletin, Olivia Colman leads the cast of BBC’s pantomime “Cinderella”; season 3 of “Das Boot” commences production; Discovery Plus orders a Dutch adaptation of ITV Studios format “Sex Tape”; and Amazon India reveals Hindi-language anthology “Unpaused.”

Olivia Colman (“The Crown”) and Anya Taylor-Joy (“The Queen’s Gambit”) will headline a virtual version of popular Christmas pantomime “Cinderella,” on BBC Two.

“Cinderella: A Comic Relief Pantomime,” is executive produced by Richard Curtis (“Love Actually”). Colman will make her pantomime debut as the fairy godmother while Taylor-Joy plays the title role. The cast also includes Guz Khan (“Man Like Mobeen”), Tom Hollander (“The Night Manager”), Helena Bonham Carter (“The Crown”), Rege-Jean Page (“Roots”), Jimmy Akingbola (“Rev”) Daisy May and Charlie Cooper (“This Country”).

The show is written by the Dawson Brothers, based on an original script by Ben Crocker, and directed by Matt Lipsey for Crook Productions. It airs on the BBC Dec.

As production gets underway for the third season of ‘Das Boot’ Sky have released a number of first-look images and the latest additions to the cast.

The 10-part third season follows the tense struggles of a young U-boat crew as they engage in the Battle of the Atlantic whilst being hunted down by an obsessed Royal Navy Commander in a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse. They are sent on a dangerous mission to the Southern Hemisphere under the command of Robert Ehrenberg (Franz Dinda) who finds redemption and the family bonds he thought he’d lost forever.

Scene 135 – Kiel Docks

Ehrenberg enters the U-boat

Scene 669A Refugee Hideout – Lisbon

Forster encounters Levi and Rachel who invite him to eat

Meanwhile, in the climes of neutral Lisbon, where exiles, spies and criminals rub shoulders with allies and enemies alike, Hagen Forster (Tom Wlaschiha) discovers a lethal plot to steal a fortune in plundered wartime gold.

Family title ’Jim Button And The Wild 13’ retains top spot in Germany.

Tenet drops 35% in international markets

Christopher Nolan’s Tenet grossed an estimated $7.7m in its seventh session internationally, down from $11.8m for the previous weekend, a decline of 35%. That compares with a decline of 29% the previous weekend.

Despite the slightly greater rate of box office decay, Tenet achieved some strong holds in individual territories, notably Japan (-19%), Australia (-22%), Germany (-31%) and Mexico (-34%).

International cumulative total for the Warner Bros release is now an estimated $275m, and the global tally (including North America) is $325m. IMAX screens account for $30.1m,...

South Korea opening boosts ‘Greenland’ numbers.

Tenet posts strong holds in international markets

Christopher Nolan’s Tenet grossed an estimated $11.5m in its sixth session internationally, down from $16.2m for the previous weekend - a decline of 29%.

The robust performance was achieved thanks to strong holds, rather than the arrival of the spy thriller in fresh markets. The estimated international total for the Warner Bros release now stands at $262m, and the global total – including North America – is an estimated $307m, with $35m coming from IMAX screens.

Top international performer was Japan, with an estimated $2.5m in its third session,...

This was the original release weekend for ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ before its Covid-induced delay.

France, Wednesday, September 30

French comedy My Cousin by Jan Kounen was the biggest release of the week in France on just under 700 prints for Pathé. Vincent Lindon stars as the uptight chief of a family business empire on a mission to get his wayward cousin, who owns half its shares, to sign off on a mega-deal.

Cannes 2020 label feature animation Josep was the second widest launch on 200 prints for Sophie Dulac Distribution. This was followed by Israeli-French drama The End Of Love by Keren Ben Rafael...

Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte in early July quietly made a surprise appearance at an open-air film screening in Rome’s central Piazza San Cosimato, where the country’s leader and his girlfriend wore masks and sat on pillows in a socially distanced spot on the pavement.

They attended the thriving “Il Cinema in Piazza” summer arena amid 1,000 spectators who had each passed a thermoscanner before settling down on their free, pre-booked spot to watch Paolo Virzì’s 1994 dramedy “La Bella Vita,” presented by the director.

The event is run by the Piccolo America nonprofit association, a feisty group of young film buffs who have been shaking things up for years after occupying the nearby shuttered Cinema America movie theater.

There’s greater significance to the org’s summer screenings this year, given a recent legal fight to secure content from local distributors who were wary of films being...

The recipients were the producers of films nominated for best film, best doc and best children’s film.

More than €2m ($3.2m) in nomination premiums has been awarded to the producers of the films nominated for best film, best documentary and best children’s film at the 2019 German Film Awards, aka the Lolas, in Berlin today (March 20).

The best film nominees are Andreas Dresen’s Gunderman, Markus Goller’s 25 km/h, Caroline Link’s The Boy Needs Fresh Air, Aron Lehmann’s The Most Beautiful Girl In The World, Wolfgang Fischer’s Styx and Christian Petzold’s Transit. Each of...

Netflix’s remarkable international growth will continue apace, a packed industry event heard at the European Film Market in Berlin this morning. It was standing room only at the buzzy session titled ‘From Idea to Screen: Developing European Content for and with Netflix’, which gave industry an insight into the streaming giant’s European commissioning and acquisitions strategy for original drama and film.

Taking part were Kelly Luegenbiehl, VP International Originals Europe/Turkey/Africa; Rachel Eggebeen, Director Content International Originals Germany, Austria & Switzerland; Kai Finke, Director Acquisitions & Co-productions Germany, Austria & Switzerland; Damien Couvreur, Director International Originals France; and Diego Avalos, Director International Originals Spain. The session focused primarily on drama series.

The volume of new content being commissioned by the international team is dizzying. Today the service revealed Norwegian horror series Bloodride and two German dramas: Biohackers, a thriller from show runner-director Christian Ditter; and Unorthodox, from Deutschland 83 show runner Anna Winger.

Perhaps the smallest scale franchise in the business is the “I Love You” anthology of films. Each installment in what’s called the “Cities of Love” franchise looks at romantic stories centered in one town. Paris, je t’aime started it off, with New York, I Love You and Rio, I Love You coming next in line. Now, this week brings Berlin, I Love You to screens. Unfortunately, while the first two efforts had lots of charm and offered more good segments than bad, the inverse is true here. Too much of the story is easy to dismiss and forgettable. For the first time, you don’t ever get a sense of why this is a place to love, or why someone might fall in love there. This movie is, as mentioned above, the latest installment of the Cities of Love / “I Love You” anthology series. Obviously, it’s centered in Berlin,...

Typical Berlin? “Nothing,” suggests one of the many characters in this new trailer for Berlin, I Love You, is typical in this city.

The fourth in the “Cities of Love” anthology series since the first – New York, I Love You in 2008, followed by Paris (2006) and Rio (2014) installments – Berlin, I Love You features 10 segments of love and romance in the German city.

Twelve directors contribute, including Fernando Eimbcke, Dennis Gansel, Massy Tadjedin, Peter Chelsom, Til Schweiger, Justin Franklin, Dani Levy and Dianna Agron. The film is produced by Claus Clausen and Edda Reiser.

The trailer gives glimpses of the various tales, including one in which Keira Knightley plays a woman trying to help an apparently homeless little boy (Liam Gross). Helen Mirren plays Knightley’s concerned mom. In another, Mickey Rourke puts his odds of a romantic hook-up at 50-50, and seems to beat the house.

Also in the cast: Luke Wilson,...

Germany’s box-office earnings plummeted 16% to €839 million ($965 million) in 2018, in tandem with an alarming 15.5% drop in theater admissions to 95.8 million, according to figures provided Wednesday by Comscore.

The steep fall in what was once the world’s eighth-biggest movie-going territory comes after an uptick of 5.9% at the German in 2017. But that modest rise followed a 17.1% drop in 2016, making the current picture all the more worrisome for distributors and exhibitors.

On the bright side for the local industry, German movies performed relatively strongly, even though none cracked the top 10. They accounted for 22.9% of the market in 2018, equaling their share in 2017. But total 2018 grosses for German movies on home turf were down 17% to €166 million ($191 million).

The leading domestic title in Germany last year was children’s pic “Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver,” directed by Dennis Gansel, which pulled in more than €11.8 million ($13.6 million) via Warner Bros. That was followed by Studiocanal’s “The Little Witch,...

A lack of strong German films, plus the heatwave and World Cup, impacted the German box office this year.

This year has not been an easy one for German exhibitors or distributors. Indeed, the Association of German Distributors (VdF) was uncharacteristically tight-lipped about making any upbeat forecasts about end-of-year results for overall box-office takings and admissions after its Agm in Berlin in late November.

While recent years have seen distributors confidently looking forward to turnover exceeding the €1bn mark and admissions passing 100 million for the year, film releases between January 1 and November 25 have generated $832m (€729.4m) — compared with $989.2m (€867.5m...

It was announced today that Four-time Oscar-nominated actor Ethan Hawke has signed on the New Orleans-set heist movie Cut Throat City, directed by RZA (of the Wu Tang Clan). The film also stars Terrence Howard, Wesley Snipes, Eiza Gonz&#225lez, Kat Graham, Tip "T.I." Harris, Joel David Moore, Isiah Washington, Keean Johnson, Sam Daly, Denzel Whitaker, Rob Morgan, Rich Paul, Demetrius Shipp Jr. and Shameik Moore. Well Go USA preemptively acquired North American rights earlier this year for the picture for a nationwide theatrical release in 2019. Xyz Films is handling international sales.

Cut Throat City is produced by Elliott Michael Smith and Sean Lydiard of Rumble Riot Pictures. Michael Mendelsohn (Patriot Pictures and Union Patriot Capital Management), William Clevinger, Kyle Tekiela, and RZA, with P.G. Cuscheri writing the original screenplay. Natalie Perrotta Jon Levin, Roger Goff, and Jim Steele are Executive Producing and Jarod Einsohn is co-producing. The...

German films have continued to perform strongly at the box office this year despite record high temperatures over the summer, usually a death knell for local cinemas, and not to mention World Cup soccer, which kept many potential moviegoers at home or in sports bars across the country.

Local pics have benefitted from a strong mix of comedy, children’s fare and drama. German productions accounted for some 11.3 million admissions in the first half of the year, compared with 10.6 million in the first six months of 2017, resulting in a 22.4% market share, up from 18.2%.

“German films have been able to increase both their revenue and market share in a difficult market environment, which is already a special achievement,” Peter Dinges, CEO of the German Federal Film Board (Ffa), tells Variety. “And with some high-profile movie launches in the second half of the year, I am extremely confident that this trend will...

Malte Grunert and Daniel Bruhl’s film production company Amusement Park has brought on seasoned international exec Amelie von Kienlin as it drives more deeply into TV. Former Studio Hamburg film boss Grunert founded Amusement Park in 2009, and “Captain America – Civil War” actor Daniel Brühl joined in 2015 as a partner. They have brought in von Kienlin to build up the TV department, working on projects for the German and international markets.

Grunert said the new recruit “brings with her a unique market insight and creative talent, not to mention having a formidable international network.” He added: “We have high ambitions for the coming years, and we look forward to taking on these challenges with Amelie as a key part of the team.“

Von Kienlin was most recently Svp of scripted acquisition and co-production for Red Arrow Studios International in London. Prior to that, she was head of co-production at Wild Bunch Germany,...

As studios vie for a chunk of an increasingly globalized business, the importance of local-language films that reflect homegrown audiences has been among key talking points for exhibitors and studios here at the CineEurope conference in Barcelona this week. Local films simply help all boats to rise. It’s notably on folks minds amid a box office downturn in some European majors, particularly Germany where underperforming local titles have contributed to a sizable drop in the first part of the year.

Tim Richards, chief of Vue International which operates in major European markets, including Germany and Italy (as well as Taiwan), tells me a local hit “turns a good year into a great year.”

Fox’s President of International Theatrical Distribution Andrew Cripps confirms the importance of local which “brings an audience to movies that don’t normally go, then they see trailers and marketing materials” which have the effect...

Saban Films is stamping its passport for Germany, as the distributor has acquired “Berlin, I Love You” out of the Cannes Film Festival.

Part of the indie franchise that includes “New York, I Love You” and “Paris, je t’aime,” the film focuses on short romantic vignettes and tapestry of character that populate the city.

Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley and Jim Sturgess are among the ensemble cast. The acquisition price is unknown.

Directors on the 10 shorts include Fernando Eimbcke, Dennis Gansel, Massy Tadjedin, Peter Chelsom, Til Schweiger, Justin Franklin, Dani Levy and Dianna Agron.

Also Read: Cannes Report, Day 5: Salma Hayek Sounds Off, Gaspar Noé Redeemed

The film was produced by Claus Clausen and Edda Reiser with Galleon Films’ Alice de Sousa and Skady Lis as co-producers. Emmanuel Benbihy is executive producer. The film was financed by VX119 Media Capital, on behalf of managing partners Jeff Geoffray and Jeff Konvitz.

Highland Film Group is handling worldwide sales together with Disrupting Influence’s Glenn Kendrick Ackermann and Jason Piette. CAA Media Finance co-repping the deal with Highland and Disrupting Influence.

Bill Bromiley and Jonathan Saba negotiated on behalf of Saban Films, who are planning a theatrical release.

Read original story Helen Mirren’s ‘Berlin, I Love You’ Sells to Saban Films At TheWrap...

Highland Film Group handles worldwide sales.

Saban Films has acquired North American rights to Berlin, I Love You, its fourth acquisition announced in Cannes after Siberia, Keeper, and Viking Destiny.

Berlin, I Love You is the latest in the Cities Of Love portmanteau series and comprises 10 love stories set in the German capital. The cast includes Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley, Jim Sturgess.

Saban Films plans a theatrical release. Highland Film Group handles worldwide sales with Disrupting Influence’s Glenn Kendrick Ackermann and Jason Piette, and jointly represents Us rights with CAA Media Finance.

The directors are Fernando Eimbcke, Dennis Gansel,...

Saban Films has acquired the North American rights to “Berlin, I Love You,” whose cast includes Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley and Jim Sturgess. The movie is an anthology feature containing 10 romantic stories set in the German capital.

The deal marks Saban’s fourth acquisition out of the Cannes Film Festival, after it picked up Matthew Ross’ “Siberia,” starring Keanu Reeves, the Gerard Butler starrer “Keepers,” and David L.G. Hughes’ “Viking Destiny.”

Directors Fernando Eimbcke, Dennis Gansel, Massy Tadjedin, Peter Chelsom, Til Schweiger, Justin Franklin, Dani Levy and Dianna Agron will each helm different segments of “Berlin, I Love You,” with Josef Rusnak directing the transition sequence tying up all the episodes.

The film is produced by Claus Clausen and Edda Reiser of Walk on Water Films; Alice De Sousa of Galleon Films, and Skady Lis of Getaway Pictures are co-producers. Emmanuel Benbihy is executive producing, and the film was financed by VX119 Media Capital.

Helen Mirren and Keira Knightley’s Berlin, I Love You is heading to the U.S. after Saban Films has acquired the North American rights.

The anthology feature, which also stars Jim Sturgess, tells ten stories of romance set in the German capital with directors including Fernando Eimbcke, Dennis Gansel, Massy Tadjedin, Peter Chelsom, Til Schweiger, Justin Franklin, Dani Levy and Dianna Agron helming different segments with Josef Rusnak directing the transition sequences.

The film is produced by Claus Clausen and Edda Reiser (Walk on Water Films) alongside Alice De Sousa (Galleon Films) and Skady Lis (Getaway Pictures) as co-producers.

Emmanuel Benbihy is executive producing, and the film was financed by VX119 Media Capital, whose managing partners are Jeff Geoffray and Jeff Konvitz. Highland Film Group is handling worldwide sales together with Disrupting Influence’s Glenn Kendrick Ackermann and Jason Piette, with CAA Media Finance co-repping the U.S. rights.

Marking its fourth acquisition of the Cannes market, Saban Films has acquired North American rights to Berlin, I Love You.

Told as an anthology of 10 romantic stories set in the German capital, directors Fernando Eimbcke, Dennis Gansel, Massy Tadjedin, Peter Chelsom, Til Schweiger, Justin Franklin, Dani Levy and Dianna Agron each helm different segments. Josef Rusnak directs the transition sequence tying up all the episodes. The cast includes Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley and Jim Sturgess.

Berlin, I Love You marks the latest chapter in the Cities of Love franchise, founded by Emmanuel Benbihy, following Paris Je T'aime in 2006...

Marking its fourth acquisition of the Cannes market, Saban Films has acquired North American rights to <em>Berlin, I Love You</em>.

Directors Fernando Eimbcke, Dennis Gansel, Massy Tadjedin, Peter Chelsom, Til Schweiger, Justin Franklin, Dani Levy and Dianna Agron each helmed different segments of the film, which is an anthology of 10 romantic stories set in the German capital. Josef Rusnak directed the transition sequence tying up all the episodes. The cast includes Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley and Jim Sturgess.

<em>Berlin, I Love You</em> marks the latest chapter in the <em>Cities of Love</em> franchise, founded by Emmanuel Benbihy, following <em>Paris Je T'aime</em> in 2006 ...

Historical romance, literary adaptations, arthouse drama, star-studded comedies, children’s pics, animated fare and a high-profile documentary are among the many German films and co-productions on offer at this year’s Cannes Film Market.

Unspooling as part of the festival are Wim Wenders’ “Pope Francis: A Man of His Word,” repped by Focus Features and bowing in Special Screenings; “In My Room,” Ulrich Koehler’s story of a man who suddenly realizes everyone around him has disappeared, which world premieres in Un Certain Regard; and, in Intl. Critics’ Week sidebar, Anja Kofmel’s Swiss co-production “Chris the Swiss,” a partially animated documentary from Urban Distribution that investigates the mysterious death of a young Swiss journalist during the Yugoslav wars.

On the market side, one historical niche that is proving particularly successful is that of the turn-of-the-century artist.

Picture Tree Intl. is following its 2016 hit “Egon Schiele — Death and the Maiden,...

Exclusive: Timeless Films has boarded world sales rights to animation comedy Koati, which will be voiced and executive-produced by Modern Family star Sofia Vergara. Rodrigo Pérez Castro, story artist on Ferdinand, Ice Age: Collision Course and Rio 2, will direct the feature, which is created and produced by Anabella Sosa Dovarganes from Upstairs & Los Hijos de Jack Productions. Vergara will executive produce alongside Luis Balaguer, Diego Urbano, Chris Zimmer, Jose Nacif, Melissa Escobar, Upstairs Productions, Latin We and Timeless Films.

The feature will follow three unlikely heroes: a free-spirited coati (a raccoon-like animal found mainly in Central and South America), a fearless monarch butterfly, and a hyperactive glass frog as they embark on an adventure to stop a wicked coral snake (Vergara) from destroying their homeland and friends. Additional casting is underway.

Vergara, who has previously voiced animations The Smurfs and Happy Feet Two, told us, “Koati is an invitation...

Busy Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes is joining with Netflix and London- and La-based 42 on a new series about the invention of modern football (soccer). The news emerged at Netflix’s See What’s Next event in Rome on Wednesday morning and was among a host of new projects announced.

Netflix VP of International Originals Erik Barmack said the football project (aka The English Game) will be penned by Fellowes and examine how the game reached across class divides to create the world’s most popular sport.

Also new, German series The Wave will be based on the 2008 box office hit Die Welle. The original film was directed by Dennis Gansel and grossed about $24M locally. It centered on a high school teacher’s experiment to demonstrate to his students what life is like under a dictatorship that spins horribly out of control when he forms a social unit...

Love is in the air for Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley and Jim Sturgess.

The trio have joined the cast of Berlin, I Love You, which marks the latest film in the Cities of Love anthology series launched by Emmanuel Benbihy that already has tackled tales of romance in Paris and New York.

Written by Neil La Bute and David Vernon, Berlin, I Love You segments are being directed by Fernando Eimbcke, Dennis Gansel, Massy Tadjedin, Peter Chelsom, Til Schweiger, Justin Franklin, Dani Levy and Dianna Agron. Josef Rusnak will helm the transition sequence that ties all the episodes together.

Mirren,...

Mickey Rourke will star in anthology movie Berlin, I Love You, the latest in the Cities of Love series. 

Rourke is the latest to join the A-list ensemble that already includes Diego Luna, Orlando Bloom, Sophie Turner, Jack Huston and Jared Leto. Patrick Dempsey and Renee Zellweger will also star, as well as make their directorial debuts as part of the film.

Other directors will include Massy Tadjedin, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, Shekhar Kapur, Tom Van Avermaet and Fernando Eimbcke, along with German directors Til Schweiger, Dennis Gansel and Dani Levy.

Berlin, I Love You, which will begin production at the end...

Stars: Jason Statham, Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones, Michelle Yeoh, Sam Hazeldine, John Cenatiempo, Toby Eddington, Femi Elufowoju Jr., Anteo Quintavalle, Rhatha Phongam | Written by Philip Shelby, Tony Mosher | Directed by Dennis Gansel

Living with a Jason Statham “superfan” (aka my wife) means that his version of The Mechanic – a remake of the Charles Bronson original – has become something of a legend in our household. I have seen the film more times than I care to admit and more times than any other Statham-starring feature. Which means, honestly, that excitement level for this sequel, Mechanic: Resurrection, was at an all time high.

This time round Arthur Bishop, aka ‘the mechanic’, is settling into retirement when a vicious crime boss, Crain, offers him an assignment. After Bishop turns him down, Crain kidnaps Bishop’s new girlfriend Gina and sets him a near-impossible task to get her back: he must kill three...

Exclusive: German actor Frederick Lau, who starred in Dennis Gansel's socio-political thriller The Wave, has signed with London-based talent agency United Agents. The young actor, who has more than 50 roles under his belt, most recently won critics over for his role as streetwise alpha male Sonne in Sebastian Schipper's 2015 Berlinale prize winner Victoria. The movie, which was filmed on a single mobile shot lasting more than two hours follows the story of a group of…...

Exclusive: German actor Frederick Lau, who starred in Dennis Gansel's socio-political thriller The Wave, has signed with London-based talent agency United Agents. The young actor, who has more than 50 roles under his belt, most recently won critics over for his role as streetwise alpha male Sonne in Sebastian Schipper's 2015 Berlinale prize winner Victoria. The movie, which was filmed on a single mobile shot lasting more than two hours follows the story of a group of…...

Arthur Bishop [Jason Statham] returned last weekend as Arthur Bishop in Mechanic: Resurrection, the sequel to the 2011 action thriller. When the deceitful actions of a cunning but beautiful woman [Jessica Alba] force him to return to the life he left behind, Bishop’s life is once again in danger as he has to complete an impossible list of assassinations of the most dangerous men in the world.

Directed by Dennis Gansel, the film also features Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones, and Michelle Yeoh.

Now We Are Movie Geeks has a special prize to give away. We have two Mechanic: Resurrection Posters, both signed by the film’s stars Jason Statham and Jessica Alba to give away!

All you have to do to win is leave a comment below and answer this question: What is your favorite Jason Statham movie? (mine is The Italian Job!)

It’s so easy!

We’ll be picking the winners next week.

Jason Statham returned to theaters as hitman Arthur Bishop in Mechanic: Resurrection this weekend — while Statham shines in this action thriller — reviews suggest the film would be unwatchable without his presence. Mechanic: Resurrection, directed by Dennis Gansel, follows Arthur Bishop to Rio de Janeiro as he attempts to move on from events that took place in […]

The post ‘Mechanic: Resurrection’ Review: Jason Statham Shines In Another Action Thriller appeared first on uInterview.

The mere existence of Mechanic: Resurrection, a sequel that no one asked for, serves as a reminder to a time before the internet could show you anything and everything. A time where a certain kind of cheap action flick played late at night on an early iteration of HBO (back when Cinemax was called“Skin-emax”). Low-budget productions that contained set-pieces wrapped in a lame plot. The odd thing about this specific genre is that these low expectations can sometimes lead to magic; in essence, the concept is pre-sold and a rouge director can run wild provided they deliver the goods. This freedom sadly does not exist in Dennis Gansel’s paint-by-the-numbers product, which ought to have been released directly to VOD.

Jason Statham returns as Arthur Bishop, a hired gun whose escaped from the dead only to resurface in Rio. This introduction exists only to establish our hero is a wanted man,...

It’s supposed to be intense, but it’s just silly. Unless it’s secretly about one woman ridding the world of notorious arms dealers through sly manipulation. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing

I’m “biast” (con): hated the first movie

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

About halfway through the idiotic dumbness that is Mechanic: Resurrection — the unasked-for sequel to the cesspit of unthinking nihilism and misogyny that was 2011’s The Mechanic — I found myself drifting into a feminist reverie. What if (I imagined, fancying myself in a better, smarter, kinder world) Jessica Alba’s Gina here were the mastermind pulling all the strings behind the scenes? What if, instead of the damsel in distress she appears to be, she is in fact manipulating all the overgrown boys with guns who get off on throwing violent tantrums, twisting them so that instead of spewing...