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Josh Brolin is in negotiations to appear in ’Whalefall’.The 57-year-old actor is currently in talks with 20th Century Studios and Imagine Entertainment to co-star in the upcoming movie - which will be an adaptation of author Daniel Kraus’ 2023 novel of the same name - alongside Austin Abrams.‘Whalefall’ is being described as ‘The Martian’ meets ‘127 Hours, and will be directed by ‘Underwater’ filmmaker Brian Duffield - who will also co-write the screenplay with Kraus.The story follows a scuba diver searching for his late father’s remains, only to be swallowed by an enormous 80-foot, 60-tonne sperm whale.With just an hour of oxygen left, he faces a desperate fight for survival but unexpectedly finds a new reason to live in the most perilous and unlikely circumstances.‘Whalefall’ is to be produced by Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody and Allan Mandelbaum under the Imagine Entertainment banner, while Duffield also serves as a producer.

Josh Brolin is in negotiations to join Austin Abrams in 20th Century’s adaptation of the Daniel Kraus novel Whalefall, with Brian Duffield directing. Duffield will co-write the script with Kraus.

The film is described as The Martian meets 127 Hours, centering on a scuba diver in search of his deceased father’s remains who gets swallowed by an 80-foot, 60-ton sperm whale and has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out. After giving up on life, the young man is surprised to find a reason to live in the most dangerous and unlikely of places.

Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody and Allan Mandelbaum are producing. Mandelbaum brought the book into Imagine and previously produced Duffield’s No One Will Save You (for 20th Century Studios). Duffield will also produce.

Richard Abate and Will Rowbotham of 3 Arts Entertainment will exec produce with J.R. Young overseeing for the studio.

David Leitch has a history of having high-profile talent in his films, and now Nicholas Houltwill be added to that list. The American filmmaker is now planning his next thriller, an unnamed action heist movie, and Hoult is set to star in the Amazon MGM Studios, Imagine Entertainment, and 87North project that will be directed by Leitch. It's expected to be a theatrical release with the script written by Mark Bianculli (Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector).

In an effort to keep the excitement going, details about the plot haven't been released, but with Leitch's track record, eager film lovers can expect lots of effects and action-packed scenes. From John Wick (2014) to Deadpool 2 (2018), Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019), The Fall Guy (2024), and more, you can imagine a dramatic explosion will be somewhere in one of the scenes.

Alongside Leitch, 87North's Kelly McCormick will also produce, in addition...

Nicholas Hoult is set to team up with David Leitch for his upcoming action thriller. Leitch is to direct the as-yet untitled bank heist movie for Amazon MGM Studios, and sources have told Deadline that the 'Nosferatu' star has signed up for the project. Mark Bianculli has penned the script for the movie, but plot details are yet to have been revealed.The film is expected to start shooting later this summer. Leitch will also produce alongside Kelly McCormick, Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody, and Allan Mandelbaum.Hoult's next role will see him star as supervillain Lex Luthor in James Gunn's 'Superman' this summer, which feature David Corenswet in his debut as the titular superhero, and Rachel Brosnahan is portraying Lois Lane. 'The Menu' star Hoult recently admitted he is "very excited" to see Corenswet's take on the Man of Steel.He told '...

After barely escaping the curse of Nosferatu with his life, Nicholas Houlthas landed his next role. This time, the actor will be receiving a crash course in action perfection as he leads the cast of David Leitch’s upcoming bank heist film, which is backed by Amazon MGM Studios. As of right now, the untitled movie has yet to reveal plot details, but with Leitch behind the camera, we already know that the production will be overflowing with high-octane sequences and next-level stunt performances. Set for a cinematic release ahead of what we would imagine being a streaming drop on Prime Video, the movie’s screenplay is the latest to come from Mark Bianculli (Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector). In addition to Amazon MGM Studios, Leitch and Kelly McCormick will be producing under their 87North banner alongside Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody, and Allan Mandelbaum for Imagine.

News broke...

Nicholas Hoult has signed on to star in the untitled bank heist thriller that David Leitch is directing for Amazon MGM Studios and Imagine Entertainment.

Leitch will also produce with wife and producing partner Kelly McCormick via their 87North banner, alongside Imagine’s Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody and Allan Mandelbaum.

Amazon, Imagine and 87North are keeping plot details locked in a vault, but the script is written by Mark Bianculli, who was a writer and consulting producer on Amazon’s Nazi hunting show Hunters.

Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the story centers on a group of savvy bank robbers who use social media to document their heists, playing a cat-and-mouse game with police. Bianculli and Imagine have spent the better part of a decade developing the project, according to sources. It is unclear who Hoult would play.

A summer shoot is being planned, and Amazon is planning to release the feature in theaters.

Exclusive: David Leitch’s next high-profile action thriller is gaining some serious star power as sources tell Deadline Nicholas Hoult is set to star in the Amazon MGM Studios, Imagine Entertainment and 87North’s untitled bank heist pic that Leitch is directing. The film will be released in theaters from a script by Mark Bianculli.

Plot details are being kept under wraps but given Leitch’s track record of delivering on big thrills and fun set pieces in films like Bullet Train, Deadpool 2 and most recently The Fall Guy, expect something similar in scope. 87North’s Kelly McCormick and Leitch will produce alongside Imagine’s Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody, and Allan Mandelbaum.

The project has gained a ton of momentum in recent weeks after Leitch and McCormick boarded the project at the top of the year. Once the package hit the market, it wasn’t long before Amazon moved...

Exclusive: Following an extensive auditioning process, rising star Austin Abrams has landed the lead role in 20th Century’s adaptation of the Daniel Kraus novel Whalefall, with Brian Duffield directing. Duffield will co-write the script with Kraus.

The film is described as The Martian meets 127 Hours, centering on a scuba diver in search of his deceased father’s remains who gets swallowed by an 80-foot, 60-ton sperm whale and has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out. After giving up on life, the young man is surprised to find a reason to live in the most dangerous and unlikely of places.

Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody and Allan Mandelbaum are producing. Mandelbaum brought the book into Imagine and previously produced Duffield’s No One Will Save You (for 20th Century Studios). Duffield will also produce.

The project has been a major priority for the studio...

Bullet Traindirector David Leitch may be teaming up with Amazon MGM Studios and Imagine Entertainment for a new action thriller that reportedly centers on a series of heists taking place in the social media age. The new project doesn't yet have a title, but some of its production details have started to surface.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Leitch will be joined by his wife Kelly McCormick to produce the feature under their 87North banner, which recently oversaw the hugely divisive Ke Huy Quan-led action-comedyLove Hurts. Imagine's Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody, and Allan Mandelbaum are also on board to produce the upcoming crime caper, with Mark Bianculli serving as an executive producer.

The script is being penned by Bianculli, who previously co-created the NBC crime drama Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector with VJ Boyd. Sources claim that Bianculli's latest undertaking will offer a modern spin on classic heist movies,...

In January 2025, it was reported that David Leitch was in talks to direct Warner Bros.' Ocean's 14. However, the long-awaited heist sequel will reportedly not be the next movie Leitch makes.

Instead, per Deadline, Leitch has signed on to direct an untitled bank heist action movie. The project is moving quickly toward production at Amazon. Plot details remain under wraps. Mark Bianculli, whose credits include Hunters, Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector, and the upcoming Cliffhanger reboot, wrote the screenplay. Leitch will also produce with Kelly McCormick under their 87North banner, alongside Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody, and Allan Mandelbaum, with Bianculli serving as executive producer of the project.

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After getting his start in Hollywood as a stunt performer, Leitch made his directorial debut (albeit in an...

David Leitch is set to team up with Amazon MGM for a new heist action thriller.The 49-year-old filmmaker - who helmed the 2022 action comedy flick 'Bullet Train' - and his 47-year-old producer wife Kelly McCormick will make the untitled movie under their 87North production company, which oversaw the recent movie 'Love Hurts' that starred Ke Huy Quan.'Apollo 13' producer Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody and 'No One Will Save You' creator Allan Mandelbaum from Imagine Entertainment are also on board for the project.Although plot details of the new film are under wraps, a source told The Hollywood Reporter that the script has been penned by Mark Bianculli, who is best known for writing and producing the drama series 'Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector,' for NBC in 2020.An insider claimed to the publication that the movie's story "centers on a...

David Leitch may be in talks to direct Ocean’s 14 for Warner Bros, as we confirmed just last month. But we’re told that will not be his next project, as he’s currently moving quickly toward production on a new bank heist action flick at Amazon.

The film’s title and plot details are being kept under wraps. Leitch will work from a hot script by Mark Bianculli. Kelly McCormick and Leitch will produce under their 87North banner, alongside Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody and Allan Mandelbaum, with Bianculli serving as executive producer of the project.

Known for his work on films like Bullet Train and Atomic Blonde, Leitch is coming off of The Fall Guy, a stuntman-themed action comedy for Universal, starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, which unspooled last March after premiering at SXSW, grossing around $181 million global. Under his 87North banner, he also recently...

Fall Guy filmmaker David Leitch and his 87North banner are teaming up with Amazon MGM Studios and Imagine Entertainment to pull off the heist of the century.

Amazon has landed an untitled crime action thriller, which is being eyed as the next movie for Leitch, the director behind snappy heist thriller Bullet Train, comic book sequel Deadpool 2 and last year’s breezy stunt lovefest Fall Guy.

Leitch will also produce with wife and producing partner Kelly McCormick via their 87North banner, as well as with Imagine’s Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody and Allan Mandelbaum.

Amazon, Imagine and 87North are keeping plot details locked in a vault, but the script is written by Mark Bianculli. Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the story centers on a group of savvy bank robbers who use social media to document their heists, playing a cat-and-mouse game with police. Bianculli and Imagine have spent...

Amazon MGM Studios and Imagine Entertainment’s Luca Guadagnino thriller After the Hunt, is going into limited release October 10, with a nationwide break October 17.

The film follows a college professor (Julia Roberts) who finds herself at a personal and professional crossroads when a star pupil (Ayo Edebiri) levels an accusation against one of her colleagues (Andrew Garfield), and a dark secret from her own past threatens to come to light. Guadagnino regular Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloë Sevigny also star along with Lío Mehiel, Thaddea Graham, Will Price, Christine Dye, and Burgess Byrd.

The After the Hunt screenplay is by Nora Garrett. Producers are Guadagnino, Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody and Allan Mandelbaum.

Don’t be shocked if this one makes a premiere during the fall film festival troika. Guadagnino loves to launch at the Venice Film Festival, as he did for his latest pics Bones and All and Queer.

On October...

Amazon MGM will release “After the Hunt,” a psychological drama directed by Luca Guadagnino and starring Julia Roberts, during prime awards season, starting with select theaters on Oct. 10, 2025, followed by a wider release on Oct. 17, the company announced on Thursday.

The film will debut nationwide alongside two other major releases: Blumhouse’s “The Black Phone 2” starring Ethan Hawke, and Lionsgate’s R-rated comedy “Good Fortune” featuring Aziz Ansari, Keanu Reeves, and Seth Rogen.

“After the Hunt” also stars Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg, Chloë Sevigny.

Written by newcomer Nora Garrett, who will also serve as executive producer, “After the Hunt” will see Roberts play a college professor who finds herself at a personal and professional crossroads when a star student (Edebiri) levels an accusation against one of her colleagues (Garfield), and a dark secret from her own past threatens to come into the light.

Allan Mandelbaum, who brought...

After the Hunt has tracked down a prime awards season slot from Amazon MGM Studios.

Director Luca Guadagnino’s thriller feature is set to launch in limited theatrical release on Oct. 10, with the film expanding its theater count the following week. Julia Roberts leads a cast that includes Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloë Sevigny.

Also set for nationwide release on Oct. 17, when After the Hunt is scheduled to go wide, are Universal’s horror sequel The Black Phone 2 and Lionsgate’s Aziz Ansari-directed comedy Good Fortune that stars Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen and Keke Palmer.

Hailing from Imagine Entertainment, After the Hunt focuses on a college professor (Roberts) who is forced to confront her own dark past when a prominent student (Edebiri) makes an accusation against one of her colleagues (Garfield).

Guadagnino helmed the movie from a script by Nora Garrett. Serving as producers are Guadagnino,...

“After the Hunt,” a thriller directed by Luca Guadagnino and starring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri and Andrew Garfield, will land in theaters this fall.

Amazon MGM is granting the film a prime awards season release date, with a limited rollout on Oct. 10 before expanding on Oct. 17. “After the Hunt” will open nationwide on the same date as Blumhouse’s thriller “The Black Phone 2” with Ethan Hawke and Lionsgate’s R-rated comedy “Good Fortune,” starring Aziz Ansari, Keanu Reeves and Seth Rogen.

Described as a “gripping psychological drama,” the film follows Roberts as a college professor who “finds herself at a personal and professional crossroads when a star pupil (Edebiri) levels an accusation against one of her colleagues (Garfield),” according to the official logline. As she navigates the difficult situation, “a dark secret from her own past threatens to come to light.” Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloë Sevigny round out the cast.

Amazon MGM has acquired 200 Monas, the debut novel from Jan Saenz that was pitched as Margo’s Got Money Troubles meets Uncut Gems, with Imagine Entertainment on board to produce.

200 Monas follows a college senior who has 48 hours to sell her recently deceased mother’s stash of pills, described as “a rare pharmaceutical with mind-blowing side effects.” She enlists the help of a local drug dealer with a heart of gold to get the job done. Little Brown acquired Saenz’s book earlier this month for publication.

Saenz will adapt and serve as an executive producer. Imagine’s Brian Grazer and Jeb Brody will serve as producers, with Brody and Joyce Choi overseeing the project for Imagine.

Imagine is producing 200 Monas via its first-look deal with Amazon MGM, having worked with the studio on Thirteen Lives and docs like Judy Blume Forever. The companies are currently working together on the...

The Gotham announced today that Theresa Peters, Partner in the Talent department at UTA, will join the organization’s Board of Directors.

As a Board member, Peters will work with The Gotham to advance its mission of celebrating and nurturing independent film and media creators by providing career-building resources, access to industry influencers, and pathways to wider recognition.

Peters joined UTA in 2008 from the William Morris Agency, where she was an agent for 14 years. She is a fixture within the entertainment industry, having cultivated a roster of long-time clients both in front of and behind the camera.

Notable clients include Kirsten Dunst, James McAvoy, Viggo Mortensen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alicia Vikander, Theo James, Sam Claflin, George MacKay, Tahar Rahim, Thomasin McKenzie, Zoe Kazan, Sam Heughan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Antony Starr, Jessica Biel, Haley Bennett, Hugh Dancy, Finn Cole, Ben Hardy, Harry Lawtey, Alba Baptista, Kyle MacLachlan, Letitia Wright, Rafe Spall, and Jamie Dornan,...

Lionsgate has picked up the adult comedy Rager to be directed by Jon Kasdan, who also wrote the screenplay with Dan Klein.

The script is under wraps, but the Imagine Entertainment project is produced by Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody and Allan Mandelbaum, with Justin Wilkes to executive produce.

Kasdan co-wrote Solo: A Star Wars Story alongside his father, Lawrence Kasdan, and is the writer and showrunner for Willow on Disney+. He also wrote and directed The First Time and In the Land of Women. Before that, Kasdan worked as a writer for the Freaks and Geeks TV series and acted in Dawson’s Creek and Dreamcatcher.

Klein’s credits include Miracle Workers on TBS and Wet Hot American Summer. For its part, Lionsgate has had success with Knives Out, the last two John Wick movies, relaunching the Hunger Games franchise with The Battle of Songbirds & Snakes and the latest installment in the Saw franchise.

Exclusive: Lionsgate has picked up Rager, an adult comedy from Imagine Entertainment, which Jon Kasdan (Solo: A Star Wars Story) will direct from his script written with Emmy nominee Dan Klein.

While plot details are under wraps, we hear the film is in the spirit of The Hangover. Imagine developed the script with Kasdan and Klein and sold it on spec. Producers will include Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody, and Allan Mandelbaum, with Justin Wilkes exec producing.

In addition to co-writing Solo: A Star Wars Story, which Imagine Entertainment principal Ron Howard directed for Disney/Lucasfilm, Kasdan is known for writing and showrunning Disney+’s Willow, co-produced by Imagine. He also wrote and directed the romantic comedy, The First Time, starring Britt Robertson and Dylan O’Brien, as well as Warner Bros’ In the Land of Women, starring Adam Brody, Kristen Stewart, and Meg Ryan.

Emmy-nominated for his writing on the Jon Stewart...

Richard Osman has joked that he felt like a competition winner after Steven Spielberg visited the set of Netflix feature The Thursday Murder Club.

Amblin is producing the adaptation of Osman’s bestselling series of murder mystery novels, and the project has assembled a stacked cast.

Spielberg and Osman were pictured with Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, who star as friends in a retirement home who gather to solve murders for fun, but find themselves caught in a real case.

On the set of #TheThursdayMurderClub Steven Spielberg meets a competition winner. pic.twitter.com/EMD6lkMx3g

— Richard Osman (@richardosman) August 13, 2024

Other cast includes David Tennant, Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Ackie, Daniel Mays, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Richard E. Grant, Tom Ellis, Geoff Bell, Paul Freeman, Sarah Niles, and Ingrid Oliver.

Filming got underway in June on the buzzy crime-comedy from writer-director Chris Columbus. Producers are Jennifer Todd and Columbus.

The Thursday Murder Club comes from Harry Potter director Chris Columbus, and boasts an impressive star-studded British cast. While filming is underway, the movie has added even more star power.

Per Deadline, The Thursday Murder Club cast has grown with even more famous names. The film, which is an adaptation of Richard Osman's eponymous novel from 2020, will follow a group of true-crime aficionado friends in a retirement home who get caught up in a real murder case. The Thursday Murder Club's lead cast is made up of Helen Mirren, who plays ex-spy Elizabeth, Ben Kingsley, who is Ibrahim, a former psychiatrist, Pierce Brosnan, who plays Ron, a former union activist, and Celia Imrie, who plays Joyce, an ex-nurse.

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Tom Ellis and Richard E. Grant are amongst a new set of actors joining the cast of Netflix feature ‘The Thursday Murder Club.’

Also joining the cast are Geoff Bell (Kingsman: The Secret Service and Top Boy), Paul Freeman, Sarah Niles and Ingrid Oliver.

Previously announced cast members include Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Sir Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, David Tennant, Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Ackie, Daniel Mays and Henry Lloyd-Hughes.

Also in news – Paul Mescal stars in first look images & poster for ‘Gladiator II’

The story follows a group of friends in a retirement home who gather to solve murders for fun, but find themselves caught in a real case. The four members of the club are played by Helen Mirren (ex-spy Elizabeth), Sir Ben Kingsley (ex-psychiatrist Ibrahim) Pierce Brosnan (former union activist Ron) and Celia Imrie (ex-nurse Joyce).

Written and directed by Chris Columbus for Amblin Entertainment, Richard Osman’s novel,...

Richard E. Grant and Tom Ellis are the latest additions to Netflix‘s The Thursday Murder Club film, based on the beloved novel series by Richard Osman.

The newly-released cast, alongside Geoff Bell (Kingsman: The Secret Service, Top Boy), Paul Freeman (Tokyo Trial, Raiders of the Lost Ark), Sarah Niles (Ted Lasso, F1), and Ingrid Oliver (Last Christmas, Doctor Who) join a star-studded lineup including Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, David Tennant, Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Ackie, Daniel Mays and Henry Lloyd-Hughes.

The film, directed and written by Chris Columbus of Harry Potter fame, follows a group of friends in a retirement home who gather to solve murders for fun, but find themselves caught in a real case. The four members of the club are played by Mirren (ex-spy Elizabeth), Kingsley (ex-psychiatrist Ibrahim) Brosnan (former union activist Ron) and Imrie (ex-nurse Joyce).

Osman’s book was released to...

Exclusive: Richard E. Grant (Withnail & I), Tom Ellis (Lucifer), Geoff Bell (Kingsman: The Secret Service), Paul Freeman (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Sarah Niles (Ted Lasso) and Ingrid Oliver (Doctor Who) are the latest names to have joined Amblin and Netflix’s movie The Thursday Murder Club.

They join a star-studded British and Irish ensemble including Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, David Tennant, Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Ackie, Daniel Mays and Henry Lloyd-Hughes.

Filming is underway on the buzzy crime-comedy from writer-director Chris Columbus. Pic follows a group of friends in a retirement home who gather to solve murders for fun, but find themselves caught in a real case. The four members of the club will be played by Mirren (ex-spy Elizabeth), Kingsley (ex-psychiatrist Ibrahim) Brosnan (former union activist Ron) and Imrie (ex-nurse Joyce).

Producers are Jennifer Todd and Chris Columbus. Executive producers are Holly Bario, Jeb Brody,...

David Tennant, Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Ackie, Daniel Mays and Henry Lloyd-Hughes have joined the cast of the Netflix feature ‘The Thursday Murder Club.’

They join the previously announced cast of Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Sir Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie.

The story follows a group of friends in a retirement home who gather to solve murders for fun, but find themselves caught in a real case. The four members of the club are played by Helen Mirren (ex-spy Elizabeth), Sir Ben Kingsley (ex-psychiatrist Ibrahim) Pierce Brosnan (former union activist Ron) and Celia Imrie (ex-nurse Joyce).

Also in news – Emily Blunt in talks for Steven Spielberg’s next film

Written and directed by Chris Columbus for Amblin Entertainment, Richard Osman’s novel, of the same name was released to great acclaim and popularity in 2020 and created a devoted fanbase.

Columbus also serves as a producer alongside Jennifer Todd. Holly Bario, Jeb Brody,...

Jonathan Pryce, Noami Ackie, David Tennant, And More To Join Netflix’s The Thursday Murder Club (Photo Credit –Instagram/Wikimedia)

Netflix is welcoming A-list stars including David Tennant (Doctor Who), Jonathan Pyrce (The Two Popes), Noami Ackie (Blink Twice), Daniel Mays (Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget), and Henry Lloyd-Hughes (Killing Eve) who are all set to star in Amblin and Netflix’s crime comedy movie The Thursday Murder Club. Along with them, Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan, and Celia Imrie will also be joining the cast.

The filming of the project is confirmed to begin late this month. The Thursday Murder Club is a crime comedy directed and written by Chris Columbus. Based on Richard Osman’s 2020 novel of the same name, the story centers around a group of friends in a retirement home who form a club to solve murders for fun, only to find themselves entangled in a real-life case.

Exclusive: David Tennant (Doctor Who), Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes), Naomi Ackie (Blink Twice), Daniel Mays (Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget) and Henry Lloyd-Hughes (Killing Eve) are joining Amblin and Netflix’s movie The Thursday Murder Club.

They join the recently revealed Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie. Filming begins later this month.

Chris Columbus is writer-director on the buzzy crime-comedy, which will follow a group of friends in a retirement home who gather to solve murders for fun, but find themselves caught in a real case. The four members of the club will be played by Mirren (ex-spy Elizabeth), Kingsley (ex-psychiatrist Ibrahim) Brosnan (former union activist Ron) and Imrie (ex-nurse Joyce).

Producers are Jennifer Todd and Chris Columbus. Executive producers are Holly Bario, Jeb Brody, Eleanor Columbus and Jo Burn. The film is based on Richard Osman’s 2020 novel of the same name.

“There’s...

Naomi Ackie, Daniel Mays, Jonathan Pryce, Henry Lloyd-Hughes and David Tennant have joined the cast of Netflix and Amblin Entertainment’s “The Thursday Murder Club,” based on Richard Osman’s novel of the same name.

According to an official logline, the series follows, “a group of friends in a retirement home who gather to solve murders for fun, but find themselves caught in a real case. The four members of the club are played by Helen Mirren (ex-spy Elizabeth), Sir Ben Kingsley (ex-psychiatrist Ibrahim) Pierce Brosnan (former union activist Ron) and Celia Imrie (ex-nurse Joyce).”

Chris Columbus serves as writer, director and producer with Jennifer Todd. Holly Bario, Jeb Brody, Eleanor Columbus and Jo Burn executive produce.

Tribeca Festival 2024 Competition Winners Include ‘Griffin in Summer,’ ‘Bikechess,’ ‘Hacking Hate’

Tribeca Festival has announced the 2024 winners of its competition categories at an awards ceremony at Racket NYC. Top awards went to “Griffin in Summer,...

Netflix has come on board “The Thursday Murder Club,” Amblin’s upcoming adaptation of the bestselling novel starring Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan and Ben Kingsley. Chris Columbus is writing and directing the story of a group of friends who solve murders.

The 2020 book by Richard Osman tells the story of four friends who live in a retirement community and take on cold cases for fun. When a shady property developer is found dead, the four find themselves in the middle of their first live crime. Mirren will play ex-spy Elizabeth, Kingsley will play ex-psychiatrist Ibrahim and Brosnan will play former union activist Ron.

Netflix and Amblin’s film partnership also includes the upcoming Jason Bateman-Taron Egerton film “Carry-On.”

Osman, a popular British quiz show presenter, said in a statement, “I’m so proud of this book, so it is a dream to see ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ in such incredible hands.

Exclusive: Netflix just boarded a buzzy one. The streamer has joined The Thursday Murder Club, the Chris Columbus-directed feature adaptation of Richard Osman’s bestselling novel.

Just days after casting on the flick was confirmed with Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan and Ben Kingsley in lead roles, we can reveal that Netflix is now also attached.

The film has been on the boil since September 2020, when Steven Spielberg acquired the adaptation rights from Osman, the British gameshow host, TV exec, screenwriter and novelist. Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment is making it, with Columbus the writer and director.

The film will be the latest to come through Netflix’s film partnership with Amblin, which has already spawned the the upcoming Jaume Collet-Serra action thriller Carry-On, starring Jason Bateman and Taron Egerton.

The story follows a group of elderly friends in a retirement home who gather to solve murders for fun,...

Exclusive: Tracey Lincoln has been appointed to the role of Vice President, Community and Brand Partnerships at Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment, the company’s President Justin Wilkes announced on Wednesday.

Lincoln joins from Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s Parkwood Entertainment, where she led social strategy and execution as Director, Social Media Strategy. In her new role, she will spearhead social strategy across Imagine’s upcoming releases and library, creating original short-form content, working with social creators to develop long-form projects, and expanding brand partnerships.

Her hiring comes as Imagine continues to build considerable momentum in brand-driven entertainment that has produced award-winning short-form, long-form, scripted and unscripted entertainment with brands such as Coca-Cola, Nike, Proctor & Gamble, Ford, Major League Baseball and a recently announced partnership with Lvmh.

“We are thrilled to welcome Tracey Lincoln to our team,” stated Marc Gilbar, President of Imagine Brands. “Storytelling on social platforms will only continue to grow,...

Exclusive: In a competitive situation with multiple studios bidding, 20th Century Studios has reeled in theatrical distribution rights to Imagine Entertainment’s thriller Whalefall, based on the recently published novel by bestseller Daniel Kraus.

Aboard to co-write, direct, and produce the film is Brian Duffield, who has a strong relationship with 20th President Steve Asbell and his team, following their work together on the acclaimed sci-fi thriller No One Will Save You. Imagine snapped the book up for development in a pre-emptive film rights deal last summer, as we were first to report.

Published last summer by MTV Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Whalefall is described as The Martian meets 127 Hours. The book is about a scuba diver in search of his deceased father’s remains who gets swallowed by an eighty-foot, sixty-ton sperm whale and has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out. After giving up on life,...

Exclusive: Imagine Entertainment has hired Jeb Brody to be President of Imagine Features. Brody had most recently been President of Amblin Partners, which was downsized by Steven Spielberg. Imagine founders Brian Grazer and Ron Howard are bringing Brody aboard to lean more heavily into feature films.

Karen Lunder, who ran the division and produced the films Thirteen Lives and the upcoming release Eden, is becoming a fulltime producer for Imagine, where she will work on a slate of high-priority projects.

Brody will oversee the Features development team which includes SVP Film Allan Mandelbaum, and Joyce Choi. As part of this expansion, Choi has been promoted to Director of Development.

Brody is a well regarded exec and producer who has experience in films large and small, from the Sundance hit Little Miss Sunshine to the studio franchise Fifty Shades of Grey and the Sam Mendes-directed 1917. Brody came to Amblin from Secret Hideout,...

Exclusive: Hot on the heels of an Academy Award nomination for his starring turn in Netflix’s civil rights drama Rustin, Colman Domingo has been appointed to the Board of Directors of The Gotham Film & Media Institute.

As the newest member, he will work with The Gotham on their mission to celebrate and nurture independent film and media creators by providing career-building resources, access to industry influencers, and pathways to wider recognition.

Domingo joins a board that includes Focus Features Vice Chairman Jason Cassidy and multi-hyphenate Riley Keough, whose additions were announced in November. Other members include Nancy Abraham, Anthony Bregman, Jeb Brody, Gerry Byrne, Alina Cho, Dan Crown, Mark D’Arcy (Director Emeritus), Amy Emmerich, Philipp Engelhorn, Kai Falkenberg, James Janowitz, Franklin Leonard, Stephanie March, Soledad O’Brien, Dee Poku, Hanna Rodriguez-Farrar, John Schmidt, Lisa Taback, Teddy Schwarzman, Drew Wilson, and Celia Winchester.

“As long-time admirers of Colman’s brilliant...

The Gotham Film & Media Institute announced that Focus Features Vice Chairman Jason Cassidy and actor, producer, and director Riley Keough will join the organization’s Board of Directors. The newest Board members will help advance The Gotham’s mission of celebrating and nurturing independent film and media creators.

“We are so excited to add Jason, one of the most respected and innovative film executives, and Riley, an extraordinarily talented actress and critically acclaimed filmmaker, to The Gotham’s already incredible Board of Directors,” said Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute. “With their genuine passion for championing independent creatives, we are confident that the organization will amplify its positive impact on the media industry through their expertise and perspectives.”

Jason and Riley will join The Gotham’s existing board members including, Nancy Abraham, Anthony Bregman, Jeb Brody, Gerry Byrne, Alina Cho, Dan Crown, Mark D’Arcy (Director Emeritus), Amy Emmerich,...

It’s Friday, aka Insider Day. Jesse Whittock back again to run you through the international film and TV stories dominating the headlines this week.

BBC’s Social Media Guide

Steadying the flagship: Easily one of the BBC’s biggest ongoing headaches is around how the broadcaster’s most popular stars and presenters engage on social media platforms. The issue blasted back into life earlier this year when Match of the Day presenter and Twitter/X fanatic Gary Lineker tweeted to liken the language used by the British government around its asylum seeker policy to that of Germany in the 1930s and was temporarily suspended by the BBC. After an outcry over the suspension, which included many of Lineker’s colleagues stopping work in solidarity, he was reinstated and the BBC plunged into an existential crisis over how it remains impartial while allowing freedom of expression to its biggest stars.

Speaking at the San Sebastian Festival, 2nd Creative Investors’ Conference, Jeb Brody, Amblin Partners president of production, weighed in on the challenges faced today by film producers aiming for theatrical releases.

“You’re no longer just in competition with whatever else is coming out that weekend, you’re in competition with the fact that the entire history of cinema is in [our pockets] right now,” he said. First and foremost on the panelists minds on Tuesday was the probable writers’ strike deal in the U.S., confirmed the same evening, that will lead to a return of film and television production.

But Brody warned:“The tension between streaming and theatrical remains, the larger studios working with their own streamers and trying to function well and make sure that that’s all making sense, remains.”

“I think a lot of the issues that led to the strikes is still with us. And it...

The 2nd Creative Investors’ Conference, organized by the San Sebastian Festival and CAA Media Finance, took place as the U.S. saw history in the making: the end of the Writers Guild of America’s 148 day strike. That set the tone of proceedings at the two-day confab and maybe added a slightly larger sense of forward momentum to the central issue at stake: a State of the Union take on the challenges and opportunities for the U.S and global film industry, from a market and producers’ perspective.

Multiple audience members, many from Spain and Europe, commented on their delight at the caliber of panelists and attendees, many at the top of their game. Their answers to questions marshalled by CAA Media Finance’s Roeg Sutherland on one key panel and San Sebastian’s Wendy Mitchell on many more, were often direct and sometimes counter-intuitive but convincing; which is what...

Amblin Partners President of Production Jeb Brody welcomed the tentative writers’ strike deal during an industry panel at the San Sebastian Film Festival on Tuesday but warned that some of the issues that sparked the industrial action in the first place were still swashing around.

“I think a lot of trickiness in the movie business that led to the strike is still with us, and it’s going to be a couple of years I think until they figure it out,” he said, citing tension between streaming and theatrical and as well as malingering questions around how people are remunerated.

He said the strike had impacted everybody, especially on the development front, but added that he felt Hollywood would soon get back up to speed.

“It’s definitely going to be a problem for the next little while but overall, it’s a strong industry and people will bounce back quickly,...

The second annual Creative Investors Conference runs September 26-28.

Executives from Focus Features, Warner Bros, Plan B and Neon are among the speakers at San Sebastian International Film Festival’s second annual Creative Investors Conference running September 26-28 in collaboration with CAA Media Finance.

There will be a series of ‘Fireside chats’ with Mariano César, SVP content Ge Content Latin America at HBO Max (Warner Bros. Discovery), Jeremy Kleiner, co-president at Plan B, and Killer Films co-founders Pam Koffler and Christine Vachon.

Kiska Higgs, president, production & acquisitions at Focus Features, Sarah Colvin, director of acquisitions at Neon, Jeb Brody, president of production at Amblin Partners,...

The conference is taking place from September 26-28.

Mubi’s Bobby Allen, Blueprint Pictures’ Peter Czernin, Killer Films’ Christine Vachon, Casarotto Ramsay & Associates’ Anna Higgs and Netflix’s Teresa Moneo will all attend the second annual Creative Investors’ Conference at the San Sebastian International Film Festival this month.

Organised in collaboration with CAA Media Finance, it is taking place at the festival from September 26-28 and will comprise of a series of panels and discussions open to industry badge holders, under the Spanish Screenings: Financing & Tech strand.

Scroll down for the full list of participants

Roeg Sutherland, Benjamin Kramer and...

Netflix’s Teresa Moneo, Mubi’s Bobby Allen, Cinetic Media’s John Sloss, and Jeb Brody, President of Production at Amblin Partners, are among the names set for CAA Media Finance and the San Sebastian Film Festival’s second annual Creative Investors’ Conference.

The conference will take place September 26-28 and include a series of panels and discussions. Roeg Sutherland, Benjamin Kramer, and Sarah Schweitzman from CAA Media Finance will participate in the conference and moderate alongside journalist and San Seb advisor Wendy Mitchell.

Organized in collaboration with CAA Media Finance, other high-profile execs set to attend include Vincent Maraval, President of Goodfellas; Mariano César, SVP of Content Ge Content Latin America at HBO Max; Sarah Colvin, Director of Acquisitions at Neon; Liesl Copland, Executive Vice president, Content and Platform Strategy at Participant Media; Phil Hunt, CEO of Head Gear Films and Co-managing Director of Bankside Films; Fionnuala Jamison, Managing...

San Sebastian Festival’s 2nd Creative Investors’ Conference (Cic), co-organized once more with CAA Media Finance, has lured some of the most prominent names in the international entertainment business, led by CAA Media Finance’s Roeg Sutherland, Goodfellas’ Vincent Maraval and Cinetic Media’s John Sloss.

Sutherland, Nick Ogiony and Sarah Schweitzman from CAA Media Finance will participate in the Conference, held on Sept. 26 and 27 at the Tabakalera, and moderate some of the activities, as will Wendy Mitchell, delegate and advisor of the San Sebastian Festival.

Variety has learned that the VIP international guests will hold private networking lunches/meetings with about 25 leading Spanish producers, includING Mariela Besuievsky of Tornasol Media; Eduardo Carneros, Euskadi Movie Aie; Valérie Delpierre, Inicia Films; Ignasi Estapé, Arcadia; Belén Atienza, Perdición Films; Fernando Bovaira, Mod Prods; Morena Films’ Juan Gordon and Elastica Films’ María Zamora.

Another added bonus is a podcast, jointly produced/hosted by...

“Nomadland” director Chloé Zhao has landed two heavy hitters for her next film, “Hamnet,” set up at Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners. Oscar nominees Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are both in talks to star in the film, an individual with knowledge of the project told IndieWire.

“Hamnet” is a historical fiction take on the Bard, William Shakespeare, that tells the story of his wife Anne “Agnes” Hathaway and her romance with the man who would become the world’s most famous playwright. The novel focuses on the death of the couple’s son, Hamnet, who died at age 11 in 1596 and has been speculated to be an inspiration for Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet.”

Specific character details for Buckley and Mescal were not disclosed.

“Hamnet” is based on a New York Times-best-selling novel from 2020 by author Maggie O’Farrell. Zhao is co-writing the script with O’Farrell.

Liza Marshall through Hera Pictures and Pippa Harris,...

Exclusive: Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are in talks to star in an adaptation of Hamnet for Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions and Book of Shadows. Chloé Zhao will direct the film based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell, who will adapt the script with Zhao.

The New York Times bestselling historical fiction novel imagines the story of Agnes – the wife of the world’s most famous writer, William Shakespeare – as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. The novel charts the emotional, familial and artistic consequences of that loss, bringing to life a human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of The Bard’s Hamlet.

Hamnet won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Fiction Prize at the 2020 National Book Critics Circle Awards and was shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize and longlisted for the Andrew...

Filmmaker Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) has been signed up to take the helm on an adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed Shakespeare-era novel ‘Hamnet’ for Amblin Partners.

The bestseller reframes the creation of William Shakespeare’s most famous play, ‘Hamlet,’ through the lens of the playwright’s wife Agnes, as she grieves the death of her only son, 11-year-old Hamnet, to the bubonic plague. The novel also traces the beginnings of Agnes’ relationship with young Shakespeare — who is never named, known only as the world’s most famous playwright.

Also in news – Austin Butler cast in adaptation ‘City on Fire’

Zhao will also be penning the screenplay with O’Farrell. Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions and Book of Shadows are all backing the project.

Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris (1917) and Sam Mendes (1917) are producing, and Nic Gonda is executive producing for Book of Shadows. Jeb Brody, Amblin’s president of production,...

Chloé Zhao is adding another feature to the roster of films she has on her plate. The filmmaker has set her sights on Hamnet, which is in the works from Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions and Book of Shadows.

The feature is based on Maggie O’Farrell’s historical novel of the same name. It centers on Agnes, the wife of William Shakespeare who is mourning the loss of her son, Hamnet.

Zhao is a two-time Oscar winner for Nomadland, which landed her best director and best picture Oscars as a producer. The filmmaker followed that up with Marvel Studios’ Eternals, and she is also known for The Rider.

Zhao will pen the script for Hamnet with O’Farrell. Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris and Sam Mendes are producing, with Nic Gonda executive producing for Book of Shadows. Jeb Brody, Amblin’s president of production, and Mia Maniscalco, senior vp creative affairs,...

After Chloé Zhao’s venture into the Marvel universe, the Oscar winner is taking on the Bard. The “Nomadland” and “Eternals” director will adapt “Hamnet,” the 2020 novel from Irish author Maggie O’Farrell, IndieWire has confirmed.

A work of historical fiction, “Hamnet” tells the story of William Shakespeare’s wife Anne Hathaway (referred in the story as Agnes), and her romance with the man who would become the world’s most famous playwright. The novel particularly focuses on the death of the couple’s son, Hamnet, who died at age 11 in 1596 and has long been speculated to be an inspiration for Shakespeare’s most famous play, the very similarly named “Hamlet.” Upon its release, O’Farrell’s novel received critical acclaim; it won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Fiction Prize from the 2020 National Book Critics Circle, and was named by the New York Times Book Review as one...