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Here comes some Americana.

Lionsgate has unveiled trailer for the modern day Western starring Sydney Sweeney and Paul Walter Hauser, which opens August 22.

Tony Tost’s Americana follows a gallery of dynamic characters as they clash over the possession of a rare Native American artifact. After the artifact falls onto the black market, a shy waitress with big dreams (Sweeney) teams up with a lovelorn military veteran (Walter Hauser) to gain possession of it, putting them in the crosshairs of a ruthless criminal working on behalf of a Western antiquities dealer. Bloodshed ensues when others join the battle, including the leader of an indigenous group and a desperate woman fleeing her mysterious past.

Halsey, Simon Rex, Eric Dane and Zahn McClarnon star alongside Sweeney.

The movie is produced by Bron Studios and Saks Pictures Company in association with Rhea Films and Hercules Film Fund / Creative Wealth Media. EPs are Aaron L. Gilbert,...

Sydney Sweeney and Paul Walter Hauser are an unlikely Bonnie and Clyde for crime thriller “Americana.”

The ensemble film, which premiered at SXSW, is set in South Dakota, where small-town diner waitress Penny Jo Poplin (Sweeney) dreams of becoming the next Dolly Parton — she just has to get to Nashville first, though. Enter fellow local outcast, rancher Lefty Ledbetter (Hauser), who just might have the funds to get out of town…if the theft of a coveted Indigenous Lakota ghost shirt goes through.

The official synopsis reads: “A gallery of dynamic characters clash over the possession of a rare Native American artifact in this wildly entertaining modern-day western. After the artifact falls onto the black market, a shy waitress with big dreams (Sweeney) teams up with a lovelorn military veteran (Hauser) to gain possession of it, putting them in the crosshairs of a ruthless criminal (Eric Dane) working on behalf...

After holding some preview screenings at drive-ins this past weekend, Rlje Films will be giving an adaptation of the Adam Cesare novel Clown in a Cornfield (pick up a copy Here), directed by Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil and Little Evil‘s Eli Craig, a wide theatrical release on May 9th – and in anticipation of that release, JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray was able to sit down for an interview with Craig and cast member Kevin Durand (Abigail)! You can watch the interview in the video embedded above.

Clown in a Cornfield centers on Quinn and her father, who have just moved to the quiet town of Kettle Springs hoping for a fresh start. Instead, she discovers a fractured community that has fallen on hard times after the treasured Baypen Corn Syrup Factory burned down. As the locals bicker amongst themselves and tensions boil over, a sinister, grinning figure emerges from...

Two years have gone by since we heard that an adaptation of the Adam Cesare novel Clown in a Cornfield (pick up a copy Here) was in the works, with Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil and Little Evil‘s Eli Craig on board to direct the film. Recently, we learned when we’re going to have the chance to see the movie, as it was announced that Rlje Films will be giving it a theatrical release in the United States on May 9th – and before we reach that date, the killer clown known as Frendo has set out on a two-week cross-country tour!

Here’s the information: Frendo, the childhood clown of your nightmares from the upcoming, highly anticipated horror film, is hitting the road for two weeks on a semi-truck tour ahead of the film’s theatrical release on May 9th. Frendo is expected to terrorize anyone who gets in his way at iconic landmarks,...

Two years have gone by since we heard that an adaptation of the Adam Cesare novel Clown in a Cornfield (pick up a copy Here) was in the works, with Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil and Little Evil‘s Eli Craig on board to direct the film. Recently, we learned when we’re going to have the chance to see the movie, as it was announced that Rlje Films will be giving it a theatrical release in the United States on May 9th. That will be followed by a streaming release on the Shudder service. With one month to go until the film reaches the big screen, a clip has made its way online – and it’s surprisingly SPOILERy, because it shows one of the kill scenes. But if you don’t mind having a kill spoiled for you, check out the clip in the embed above.

Clown in a Cornfield...

Two years have gone by since we heard that an adaptation of the Adam Cesare novel Clown in a Cornfield (pick up a copy Here) was in the works, with Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil and Little Evil‘s Eli Craig on board to direct the film. Recently, we learned when we’re going to have the chance to see the movie, as it was announced that Rlje Films will be giving it a theatrical release in the United States on May 9th. That will be followed by a streaming release on the Shudder service. The full trailer was attached to the theatrical release of the sci-fi thriller Ash last weekend, and now it has made its way online. You can check it out in the embed above!

Clown in a Cornfield centers on Quinn and her father, who have just moved to the quiet town of Kettle Springs hoping for a fresh start.

Flying Lotus has directed the experimental comedy Kuso and the Ozzy’s Dungeon segment of the horror anthology V/H/S/99, and next up for the rapper and filmmaker (who is a.k.a. Steven Ellison) is the sci-fi thriller Ash, starring Eiza González (Baby Driver) and Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad). Rlje Films will be giving Ash a nationwide theatrical release this Friday, March 21st (you can read our 6/10 review Here) – and a press release has revealed that a full trailer for the slasher movie Clown in a Cornfield will be attached to Ash! The only way to see the trailer in theatres this weekend will be to attend a screening of Ash.

An adaptation of the Adam Cesare novel (pick up a copy Here) from Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil and Little Evil director Eli Craig, Clown in a Cornfield centers on Quinn and her father, who have just moved...

Two years have gone by since we heard that an adaptation of the Adam Cesare novel Clown in a Cornfield (pick up a copy Here) was in the works, with Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil and Little Evil‘s Eli Craig on board to direct the film. Recently, we learned when we’re going to have the chance to see the movie, as it was announced that Rlje Films will be giving it a theatrical release in the United States on May 9, 2025. That will be followed by a streaming release on the Shudder service. Yesterday, a poster for the film arrived online, coming with the promise that a teaser trailer would be unveiled – and now, that red band teaser trailer can be seen in the embed above!

Clown in a Cornfield centers on Quinn and her father, who have just moved to the quiet town of Kettle Springs hoping for a fresh start.

Two years have gone by since we heard that an adaptation of the Adam Cesare novel Clown in a Cornfield (pick up a copy Here) was in the works, with Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil and Little Evil‘s Eli Craig on board to direct the film. Recently, we learned when we’re going to have the chance to see the movie, as it was announced that Rlje Films will be giving it a theatrical release in the United States on May 9, 2025. That will be followed by a streaming release on the Shudder service. With the theatrical release date now just a couple of months away, a poster for Clown in a Cornfield has arrived online – and it comes with a promise that the trailer will be dropping tomorrow! You can take a look at the poster at the bottom of this article, then come back to JoBlo.com tomorrow to watch the trailer.

Rlje Films and Shudder Acquire Eli Craig's Clown In A Cornfield - In Theaters May 9, 2025: "Rlje Films and Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, announced today that they have snagged the U.S. rights to Eli Craig’s Clown In A Cornfield, based on the Bram Stoker Award-winning horror novel by Adam Cesare. From Temple Hill Entertainment, the production team behind smash hit Smile, the film stars Katie Douglas (Ginny & Georgia), Carson MacCormac (Shazam!), Aaron Abrams (Hannibal), Will Sasso (The Three Stooges), and Kevin Durand (Abigail). Rlje Films will release the film wide theatrically on May 9, 2025.

Adapted to a screenplay by Carter Blanchard and Craig, Clown In A Cornfield follows Quinn (Douglas) and her father (Abrams), who have just moved to the quiet town of Kettle Springs hoping for a fresh start. Instead, she discovers a fractured community that has fallen on...

Two years have gone by since we heard that an adaptation of the Adam Cesare novel Clown in a Cornfield (pick up a copy Here) was in the works, with Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil and Little Evil‘s Eli Craig on board to direct the film. Now we know when we’re going to have the chance to see the movie, as it has been announced that Rlje Films will be giving it a theatrical release in the United States on May 9, 2025. That will be followed by a streaming release on the Shudder service.

Clown in a Cornfield centers on Quinn and her father, who have just moved to the quiet town of Kettle Springs hoping for a fresh start. Instead, she discovers a fractured community that has fallen on hard times after the treasured Baypen Corn Syrup Factory burned down. As the locals bicker amongst themselves and tensions boil over,...

Exclusive: Rlje Films and Shudder have snapped up U.S. rights to Clown in a Cornfield, a new horror thriller from Eli Craig, who directed the cult horror comedy Tucker & Dale vs. Evil. Produced by Temple Hill, the team behind Paramount’s Smile films, pic will get a wide release via Rlje on May 9, 2025.

Based on the Bram Stoker Award-winning horror novel by Adam Cesare, Clown in a Cornfield follows Quinn (Douglas) and her father (Abrams), who have just moved to the quiet town of Kettle Springs hoping for a fresh start. Instead, she discovers a fractured community that has fallen on hard times after the treasured Baypen Corn Syrup Factory burned down. As the locals bicker amongst themselves and tensions boil over, a sinister, grinning figure emerges from the cornfields to cleanse the town of its burdens, one bloody victim at a time. Welcome to Kettle Springs. The...

Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn star in Christy Hall’s Daddio ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

Director Christy Hall welcomed Fifty Shades of Grey star Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn for her upcoming indie drama, Daddio. The movie will mark the feature directorial debut for Hall, who has also penned Daddio.

The official synopsis reads, “Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn shine in the ‘Daddio’ trailer, a film that promises to highlight their acting prowess. Set in a New York cab, the movie delves into deep conversations, showcasing the actors’ range and the power of human connection.”

Daddio Release Date

Daddio is set to arrive in theaters on June 28, 2024. Recently, the film premiered in New York at the Tribeca Festival.

Trending Ben Stiller Reveals The Timeline Of Severance Season 2 And Explains The Delay Behind Its Release: Everything You Need To Know Chris Sheridan’s Sci-Fi Resident Alien Gets Renewed For Season 4, Shifts To...

Dakota Johnson is a passenger in both life and a yellow taxi cab, seeking connection with whomever is most near. For her, that turns out to be crass driver Clark, played by Sean Penn in the two-hander drama “Daddio.”

Their shared journey is from New York City’s John F. Kennedy Airport to Hell’s Kitchen, with Johnson’s character Girlie determined to get to Clark’s innermost being. He’s not into it. The indie feature written and directed by Christy Hall debuted at TIFF 2023 and will next play at Tribeca 2024.

Johnson produces alongside TeaTime Pictures partner Ro Donnelly, who told IndieWire that Girlie is emotionally “reflective” of the below-the-line team behind the feature itself.

“Because she is our generation of women who are still approaching these men in a nonjudgmental way because it’s fascinating. We’re not threatened by it,” producer Donnelly said. “And that reveals her power,...

Sony Pictures Classics announced on Tuesday that it will release its indie drama Daddio, starring Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn, in theaters nationwide on June 28.

Marking the feature directorial debut of Christy Hall, who also penned the script, Daddio world premiered at last year’s Telluride Film Festival before going on to screen in Toronto. The film is described as character-study, encapsulated in one single cab ride, that explores the complexities inherent to the secrets we keep, particularly the ones locked away on our phones. It’s about truth and illusion, how we so effortlessly substitute one for the other out of survival — about the hurtful memories of childhood, past trauma manifesting in profound ways, and the dance between the pain and poetry that is the human experience.

Johnson and Ro Donnelly produced via their TeaTime Pictures, along with Hercules Film Fund, First Love Films, Raindrop Valley, Projected Picture Works,...

Dakota Johnson is hopping in a cab to distance herself from the Madame Web fallout for Christy Hall’s upcoming drama Daddio. Setting a destination for theaters on June 28, Daddio stars Johnson and Sean Penn in a character-driven feature about human connectivity and appreciating life’s intricate events that lead to significant changes. The highly anticipated film, written and directed by Christy Hall in her feature directorial debut, received an enthusiastic response and critical praise following its premieres at the 2023 Telluride Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival.

Here’s the official synopsis for Daddio courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics:

Daddio celebrates the power found in those rare moments of pure human connection, even with the most unlikely person. This highly contained, yet kinetic character-study – encapsulated in one single cab ride – explores the complexities inherent to the secrets we keep, particularly the ones locked away on our phones. It’s about truth and illusion,...

Exclusive: The Sydney Sweeney & Paul Walter Hauser title, Americana, which was one of the prolific acquisition titles from last year’s SXSW, has finally seen its worldwide rights go to Lionsgate.

Why did a movie with big stars and 100% on Rotten Tomatoes take so long to sell? I understand part of the hold-up stems from the pic’s financier, Bron Studios, going into bankruptcy.

The Tony Tost written and directed movie follows local outsiders and outcasts in a small South Dakota town whose lives violently intertwine after a rare artifact falls onto the black market. Americana also stars pop singer Halsey, Eric Dane, Zahn McClarnon, Gavin Maddox Bergman, Simon Rex, Derek Hinkey, Toby Huss, and Harriet Sansom Harris.

Pic is produced by Alex Saks. EPs are Aaron L. Gilbert, Steven Thibault, Alison-Jane Roney, Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis, Terry Dougas, and Jean-Luc de Fanti.

Said Lauren Bixby, SVP, Acquisitions and Co-Productions for Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group,...

Sony Pictures Classics is in negotiations to pick up “Daddio,” TheWrap has learned. While the acquisition is not yet a done deal, SPC is on the verge of grabbing the Sean Penn/Dakota Johnson taxi melodrama for North America, Latin America and various European and Asian territories.

The picture, directed by Christy Hall — who previously co-created the Netflix series “I Am Not Okay with This” — had a well-received debut at Telluride and then at Toronto. Her directorial debut concerns a taxi driver (Penn) and a rider as they get to know each other during a trip from the JFK airport to Manhattan.

Repped by CAA Media Finance and WME Independent, the film was granted a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, which allowed the two actors to do publicity in Toronto. It was produced by Hercules Film Fund, TeaTime Pictures, First Love Films, Raindrop Valley, Projected Picture Works and Rhea Films.

Exclusive: Sony Pictures Classics is in exclusive negotiations to acquire Daddio, the Christy Hall-directed two-hander starring Sean Penn and Dakota Johnson. The film established itself as a bright spot in its premiere at Telluride and then at Toronto. SPC will get North America, Latin America and territories throughout Europe and Asia.

Hall, who co-created the series I Am Not Okay With This, makes her feature directorial debut armed with a taxi cab, two terrific actors and a razor-sharp script in which a driver and his fare get to know each other and intimate aspects of their lives during the course of a traffic-snarled road trip from JFK to midtown Manhattan.

Penn plays the cab driver, who engages his passenger in small talk that becomes gradually more revealing. Johnson plays the young woman who is navigating an affair with a married father and who clearly has misgivings about it. Penn,...

Disney is reaching for the stars today with a trailer and art for the coming-of-age sci-fi adventure Crater. Available now on Disney+, Crater tells the story of five unlikely friends exploring parts unknown to fulfill the wish of the dearly departed. Kyle Patrick Alvarez directs from a script by John Griffin. The Crater trailer depicts a thought-provoking odyssey with heart, mystery, and action for audiences of all ages.

Crater stars Isaiah Russell-Bailey, Mckenna Grace, Billy Barratt, Orson Hong, Thomas Boyce, and Scott Mescudi. A 21 Laps production, Crater is produced by Stranger Things producer Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, and Dan Cohen. Emily Morris, John G. Scotti, Rpin Suwannath, Gordon Gray, Paris Latsis, and Terry Dougas executive produce.

“Crater is the story of Caleb Channing (Russell-Bailey), who was raised on a lunar mining colony and is about to be permanently relocated to an idyllic faraway planet following the death of his father...

The Disney+ Hotstar Original Movie “Crater” will debut exclusively on the service on May 12. Directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez, the coming-of-age sci-fi adventure stars Isaiah Russell-Bailey, Mckenna Grace, Billy Barratt, Orson Hong, Thomas Boyce and Scott Mescudi.

A 21 Laps Production, the film was written by John Griffin and produced by Shawn Levy, Dan Levine and Dan Cohen. The film’s executive producers are Emily Morris, John G. Scotti, Rpin Suwannath, Gordon Gray, Paris Latsis and Terry Douglas.

‘Crater’ is the story of Caleb Channing (Russell-Bailey), who was raised on a lunar mining colony and is about to be permanently relocated to an idyllic faraway planet following the death of his father (Mescudi). But before leaving, to fulfill his dad’s last wish, he and his three best friends, Dylan (Barratt), Borney (Hong) and Marcus (Boyce), and a new arrival from Earth, Addison (Grace), hijack a rover for one final adventure...

Exclusive: Deadline has learned that Tony Tost’s feature directorial debut Americana, from Bron Studios/Saks Picture Company is making its world premiere at SXSW on March 17 at the Paramount Theatre in the festival’s Narrative Spotlight section.

Formerly known as National Anthem, the pic stars Sydney Sweeney, Paul Walter Hauser, Halsey, Eric Dane, Zahn McClarnon, Gavin Maddox Bergman, Simon Rex, Derek Hinkey, Toby Huss and Harriet Sansom Harris. In the pic, unlikely heroes and villains must navigate a complex playing field in pursuit of a legendary Native American artifact with ties to the complicated history of the American West in this elevated, darkly comedic crime thriller.

The movie also marks multi-platinum, chart-topping singer-songwriter Halsey’s first on-screen role. The award-winning, Grammy-nominated recording artist has amassed more than 50 billion streams worldwide, and over 75 million RIAA-certified singles and albums sold.

Bron and WME Independent are repping worldwide sales for the acquisition title.

Exclusive: Wild Bunch International has made an eleventh-hour addition to its European Film Market slate, signing international sales on Swedish Morbius director Daniel Espinosa’s upcoming drama Madame Luna.

Inspired by real-life events, the film follows an Eritrean refugee who gets stuck in Libya and becomes a notorious human trafficker known as “Mama Luna” with deep ties to the Italian Mafia.

When she is forced to flee to Italy due to a change in fortunes, she experiences the same hardships endured by the people she exploited.

Desperate to find a way out of the situation before she is recognized and brought to justice, she forms a bond with a younger version of herself.

The film was shot in Sicily and Calabria last August and September and is now in post-production.

Wbi has teased a first image of newcomers Meninet Abraha and Hilyam Weldemichael, who are both of Eritrean origin, in...

Exclusive: Hercules Film Fund and Rhea Films have closed a deal to finance and produce a feature-length version of Power Signal — the sci-fi short from Oscar Boyson that had its world premiere in Sundance’s Midnight Shorts section last Friday.

The short stars Babs Olusanmokun (Dune) as a NYC delivery worker who has a close encounter with an otherworldly life form after accepting a degenerate customer’s bizarre proposition. Boyson directed the pic, also starring Angela Sarafyan, Tennessee King and Will Brill, from his and Erin DeWitt’s script, also producing with Jordan Drake, Alex Coco, and production companies Object & Animal and Hayden 5.

Like the short, the feature adaptation is described as a NYC-set sci-fi Western in which e-biking delivery workers are the cowboys. Further plot details are under wraps.

Boyson will direct from his script written with DeWitt and Ricky Camilleri. The project reunites him with producers Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis...

Paris Hilton's dream of being a mom has come true. On Jan. 24, the 41-year-old heiress and husband Carter Reum welcomed their first child together, a boy, via surrogate. Hilton unveiled the news alongside a sweet photo of her holding the baby's hand on Instagram, though they have yet to reveal the name. While she's previously opened up about the couple's IVF journey and desire to have children, she hadn't shared a specific timeline.

Hilton and Reum, a venture capitalist and entrepreneur, have known one another for over 15 years, but they only reconnected in late 2019. The pair, who recently celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary, quickly fell in love as their friendship turned romantic. After over a year of dating, the two got engaged in February 2021 on a secluded island. They the tied the knot later that year, in November, in a lavish fairytale wedding. "You're the first one who tore...

Last week, we shared a clip from Session 9 (watch it Here) director Brad Anderson’s new horror film Blood that showed characters played by Michelle Monaghan (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) and Finlay Wojtak-Hissong (The Banana Splits Movie) getting attacked by a vicious dog. Now another clip from Blood has arrived online, and this one shows Monaghan’s character going to extreme lengths to help her son after that dog attack. You can watch the clip in the embed at the bottom of this article.

Scripted by Will Honley, Blood sees Monaghan taking on the role of Jess, a nurse and mother recently separated from her husband, who moves with her daughter Tyler and young son Owen back into her old farmhouse. Shortly after settling in, Owen’s dog escapes into the woods and returns days later, blood-soaked and rabid. When he attacks and bites Owen, the resulting infection from...

Session 9 (watch it Here) director Brad Anderson’s new horror film Blood is set to receive a theatrical release from Vertical Entertainment on January 27th, with a VOD release to follow on January 31st. Now that those dates are just a few days away, a minute-long clip from Blood has arrived online, and you can check it out at the bottom of this article.

Scripted by Will Honley, Blood stars Michelle Monaghan (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) as Jess, a nurse and mother recently separated from her husband, who moves with her daughter Tyler and young son Owen back into her old farmhouse. Shortly after settling in, Owen’s dog escapes into the woods and returns days later, blood-soaked and rabid. When he attacks and bites Owen, the resulting infection from the bite grows more alarming by the day as Owen’s behavior becomes frightening and deadly. As he spirals deeper...

A few months ago, we heard that Session 9 (watch it Here) director Brad Anderson’s new horror film Blood had secured a North American and UK distribution deal with Vertical Entertainment. Now it has been announced that Vertical is planning to give the film a theatrical release on January 27th, with a VOD release to follow on January 31st. And along with that announcement comes the unveiling of the film’s trailer, which you can check out in the embed above!

Scripted by Will Honley, Blood stars Michelle Monaghan (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) as Jess, a nurse and mother recently separated from her husband, who moves with her daughter Tyler and young son Owen back into her old farmhouse. Shortly after settling in, Owen’s dog escapes into the woods and returns days later, blood-soaked and rabid. When he attacks and bites Owen, the resulting infection from the bite grows...

Exclusive: Vertical Entertainment has picked up North American distribution rights to erotic horror ensemble Alone At Night (previously known as 18 & Over).

The film follows Vicky (Ashley Benson), a young woman looking for an escape after going through a tumultuous breakup. After retreating to a friend’s remote cabin in the woods to clear her head, she continues modeling sexy lingerie for her devoted followers on 18 & Over, an adults-only, live-streaming website. But when the power goes out, Vicky discovers something terrifying awaiting her in the dark — a masked killer wielding a crowbar who’s hellbent on bringing her night to a grisly end.

Cast comprises Benson (Pretty Little Liars), Pamela Anderson (Baywatch), Luis Guzmán (Traffic), model Winnie Harlow, musician G-Eazy, rapper Aap Nast, Paris Hilton, Lindsey Pelas (Extraction), John Robinson (Lords of Dogtown) Cassius Corrigan (Huracán), and Sky Ferreira (Baby Driver). Social Media influencers Lindsey Pelas, Twan Kuyper, Steven Spence, Cheyrelle Fontenette,...

Two years ago, we heard that Michelle Monaghan (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) had signed on to star in Blood, a new horror film from Session 9 (watch it Here) director Brad Anderson. Now Deadline reports that Vertical Entertainment has acquired the North American and UK distribution rights to film. They haven’t announced a release date or strategy yet, but we’ll let you know when they do.

Scripted by Will Honley, Blood centers on

Jess (Monaghan), a nurse and mother recently separated from her husband, who moves with her daughter Tyler and young son Owen back into her old farmhouse. Shortly after settling in, Owen’s dog escapes into the woods and returns days later, blood-soaked and rabid. When he attacks and bites Owen, the resulting infection from the bite grows more alarming by the day as Owen’s behavior becomes frightening and deadly. As he spirals deeper into the depths of the illness,...

Brad Anderson (Session 9, The Machinist) is back with psychological horror movie Blood, and Deadline reports today that Vertical Entertainment has scooped up North American rights.

Deadline notes in their report, “While the feature will be released to both theaters and digital platforms, a release date has not yet been disclosed.”

Michelle Monaghan (“True Detective”) stars alongside Skeet Ulrich (Scream), Finlay Wojtak-Hissong, Rodrigo Beilfuss, Erik Athavale, June B. Wilde, and Skylar Morgan Jones.

“The film follows Jess (Michelle Monaghan), a nurse and mother recently separated from her husband (Skeet Ulrich), who moves with her daughter Tyler (Skylar Morgan Jones) and young son Owen (Finlay Wojtak-Hissong) back into her old farmhouse. Shortly after settling in, Owen’s dog escapes into the woods and returns days later, blood-soaked and rabid. When he attacks and bites Owen, the resulting infection from the bite grows more alarming by the day as Owen’s behavior becomes frightening and deadly.

Exclusive: Vertical Entertainment has snapped up North American and UK rights to the horror film Blood, from award-wining director Brad Anderson. While the feature will be released to both theaters and digital platforms, a release date has not yet been disclosed.

The film penned by Will Honley follows Jess (Michelle Monaghan), a nurse and mother recently separated from her husband (Skeet Ulrich), who moves with her daughter Tyler (Skylar Morgan Jones) and young son Owen (Finlay Wojtak-Hissong) back into her old farmhouse. Shortly after settling in, Owen’s dog escapes into the woods and returns days later, blood-soaked and rabid. When he attacks and bites Owen, the resulting infection from the bite grows more alarming by the day as Owen’s behavior becomes frightening and deadly. As he spirals deeper into the depths of the illness, Jess discovers a disturbing cure, which makes her question how...

If you think the price of early-access premium VOD movies from major studios is steep, this will make your eyes roll.

For the launch of “18 & Over,” an indie horror film starring, produced by and co-created by Ashley Benson (“Pretty Little Liars”), the producers are granting an exclusive two-month streaming window to fans who buy one of 10,000 limited-edition NFTs with character art based on the movie.

The price of entry? The NFTs will go on sale for 263 each on Aug 5 — which, if they all sell out, would work out to a 2.63 million total haul. Then, starting Aug. 12, each Nft owner will be able to watch the “collector’s cut” of the film for a two-month period via a private link.

To be fair, producers Hercules Film Fund and Rhea Films say that “long-term holders” of the NFTs will receive perks in addition to early-access streaming, including exclusive access to...

Gravitas Ventures, an Anthem Sports & Entertainment Company, today announced the launch of its new theatrical release label, Gravitas Premiere, which will acquire 4-6 cast-driven, high production value films per year and release them wide theatrically with significant P&a support. The first title on Premiere’s docket is Katie Aselton’s dramedy Mack & Rita, starring Diane Keaton, which it will release wide in theaters across the U.S. and Canada on August 12.

In Mack & Rita, Mackenzie Martin (Elizabeth Lail) is tired of doing all the things she has to do to keep up and get ahead in her 30s. Since she was a little girl, Mack’s deepest wish has been to be just like her Grammie: comfortable in her own skin, great at saying “no,” and largely unburdened by what others think of her—not to mention love for a good chunky sweater and being in bed by 8:00 p.

Gravitas Ventures, of Canada-based Anthem Sports & Entertainment, has acquired the North American rights to the Diane Keaton-starring comedy film “Mark & Rita” — set to premiere Aug. 12 — as it expands into a new theatrical release label Gravitas Premiere.

The label will acquire four to six “cast-driven, high production value films” per year, releasing them wide theatrically, according to the company’s announcement.

“We are delighted to launch Gravitas Premiere with the acquisition of ‘Mack & Rita,’ which solidifies our commitment to championing the cinematic in-theater experience,” said Gravitas Ventures Founder and CEO Nolan Gallagher. “People love going to the movies and this film is an excitingly fresh and insightful comedy that needs to be experienced on the big screen. ‘Mack & Rita’ is the type of high-quality, independently-produced story we are seeking to acquire through Gravitas Premiere, and we look forward to collaborating with our exhibition partners in bringing the...

Oscar winner Halle Berry has entered into a new partnership with Netflix which will see her continue to star in and produce films for the streamer.

The announcement comes one week after Netflix’s global release of her feature directorial debut, Bruised, which quickly landed the streamer’s #1 film of the week slot in the U.S., and has charted at #2 on its Top 10 Global English Film List. Bruised hit #1 in a total of 21 countries, and was watched for 47.7M hours in its first five days.

In the film penned by first-time feature writer Michelle Rosenfarb, Berry stars as Jackie Justice, an Mma fighter who reclaims her power, in and out of the ring, when everyone has counted her out. She also produced the sports drama alongside Basil Iwaynk, Brad Feinstein, Guymon Casady, Linda Gottlieb, Erica Lee, Gillian G. Hormel, Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis and Terry Douglas. It made...

Exclusive: A round of seed funding has been completed by Wonder Dynamics, the AI-driven visual effects venture hatched by VFX artist Nikola Todorovic and Ready Player One star Tye Sheridan to democratize the visual effects process using Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to develop production tools for filmmakers to produce VFX and CG elements faster and at a significantly lower price point.

The initial round raised $2.5 million, coming from Founders Fund, Cyan Banister, Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis & Terry Dougas’s Realize Tech Fund, Capital Factory, MaC Venture Capital and Robert Schwab. Todorovic and Sheridan, who between them hold three patents on their innovation, will use the funding to scale their AI engineering and VFX teams, and expand their AI production tool. They might do another round of venture capital funding by summer, and the innovation will be road tested on an unspecified film project that will shoot later in the year. After that,...

Exclusive: The Katie Aselton directed romantic comedy Mack & Rita has rounded out the cast which has already set Diane Keaton, Taylour Paige and Elizabeth Lail.

As we already told you Keaton is playing Rita, Lail is playing Mack, and Paige is playing Rita’s best friend Carla from when the protagonist was young. The movie, scripted by Madeline Walter and Paul Welsh, is now shooting in Los Angeles. Endeavor and Fortitude are repping worldwide rights.

Mack and Rita follows Mackenzie Martin is tired of doing all the things she has to do to keep up and get ahead in her 30’s. Since she was a little girl, raised by her Grammie Martin, her deepest wish has been to be just like her Grammie, comfortable in her own skin, great at saying “no” and largely unburdened by what other people think of her. Not to mention Mack has always loved a...

Exclusive: Solstice Studios is temporarily taking their Mark Wahlberg drama Joe Bell off the calendar in plans for a theatrical release later this year.

The decision, I hear, comes due to the continued depressed state of the domestic box office during the pandemic; this despite this morning’s great news that No. 1 movie chain AMC is warding off bankruptcy with additional funding.

The Reinaldo Marcus Green-directed movie, which Deadline first told you Solstice picked up at TIFF for $20M, was originally planned for a Feb. 19 release in consideration for the 2020-21 awards season. Back in August, before Warner Bros. Tenet opened, Solstice was there for those movie theaters which were reopening with the Russell Crowe thriller Unhinged. That movie grossed $20.8M stateside, $42.8M worldwide.

Joe Bell is based on the true story of a small-town, working-class father (Wahlberg) who embarks on a solo walk across the U.S. to...

The trailer for Justin Timberlake’s new film “Palmer” has arrived. In the drama, Timberlake plays a former high school football star turned convicted felon who now has the responsibility of caring for 7-year-old Sam, whose interest in tea parties, dolls and fairies makes him the target of bullies at school.

“Palmer” is a coming-of-age story directed by Fisher Stevens, and the film shows a solemn, more introspective side to Timberlake as he looks after Sam and comes to realize that neither he nor the boy have to conform to what everyone expects them to be.

“Listen to me, son, kids are mean, especially when they see something that they’re not used to seeing,” Timberlake says in the trailer. “The truth is, I haven’t felt like I was good at anything until Sam.”

Cheryl Guerriero wrote the screenplay for “Palmer,” which also stars Juno Temple, Alisha Wainwright, June Squibb and Ryder Allen.

Justin Timberlake stars as an ex-athlete who returns home after serving a prison sentence in the trailer for the new movie “Palmer.”

The Sk Global film, bought by Apple TV Plus in July, tells a story surrounding lead character Eddie Palmer, an athlete who becomes addicted to painkillers and who gets caught robbing a home. After a stint in prison, the man returns to his hometown to find his grandmother caring for a neighbor’s child. But the child does not fit into the rigid behavioral expectations of his rural home.

“Next door is a beautiful 30-year-old woman who’s a meth addict, who has an eight-year-old boy, who likes to play with dolls and dress up as a girl in red state America,” director Fisher Stevens said of the film in an interview with Billboard. “Justin’s grandmother is co-parenting this boy with the meth addict mom who is...

Mark Wahlberg will enter this year’s Oscar race with his film “Joe Bell,” which Solstice Studios will release Feb. 19, 2021, under a new title and with a new edit.

Solstice Studios acquired Reinaldo Marcus Green’s “Good Joe Bell” out of the Toronto International Film Festival back in September in a $20 million deal, and the film stars Wahlberg as Joe Bell in a true story of a working-class father who embarks on a solo walk across the United States to educate about the effects of bullying and how his gay teenage son Jadin was tormented in high school.

“Joe Bell” also stars Connie Britton and Reid Miller, and “Brokeback Mountain” writers Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry are behind the screenplay. Wahlberg is also a producer on the film, and the new cut also includes a new original song over the end credits from songwriter Diane Warren.

“Joe Bell” shows how...

Solstice Studios will release a new cut of Mark Wahlberg’s latest film under the new title Joe Bell on February 19, 2021, timed to the delayed 2020-21 awards season. Solstice, as Deadline first told you, picked up the movie at the Toronto Film Festival for $20 million. The movie was previously titled Good Joe Bell.

The pic has a timely message about tolerance, unity and embracing our differences. Joe Bell is based on the true story of a small-town, working-class father (Wahlberg) who embarks on a solo walk across the U.S. to crusade against bullying after his gay teenage son, Jadin (Reid Miller), is tormented in high school. Joe makes his way along the breathtaking expanse heading from Oregon to New York City, delivering a simple message of tolerance from a father’s perspective, hoping to reach those who may be open to hearing it from someone like themselves. Confronting many hardships,...

“We feel it has now reached its full potential,” says Solstice head Mark Gill.

Solstice Studios will release a new cut of Mark Wahlberg awards contender under the new title Joe Bell.

The drama will open on February 19, 2021, in time to qualify for awards consideration.

Wahlberg plays a Midwestern man who walks across the country talking about bullying after his gay son suffers at the hands of other students.

Reinaldo Marcus Green directed from a screenplay by Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry. The cast includes Connie Britton, Gary Sinise, and newcomer Reid Miller

The company acquired the film at the...

Solstice Studios has bought the worldwide rights to the drama “Good Joe Bell,” starring Mark Wahlberg, for about $20 million, a source has confirmed to Variety.

“Good Joe Bell,” directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, premiered Sept. 13 at the virtual Toronto International Film Festival. The deal closed Saturday. Solstice is planning a theatrical release during the upcoming awards season.

The film, which also stars Reid Miller, Connie Britton and Gary Sinise, is based on the true story of Joe Bell and his 15-year-old son Jadin, who died by suicide in 2013 after being subjected to bullying because he was gay. After his son’s death, Bell resolves to walk across the country as a tribute to him.

Solstice Studios, founded in 2018, has elevated its profile in recent months by becoming one of first distributors to release a new film into theaters during the pandemic with Russell Crowe’s road-rage thriller “Unhinged.” The film...

Solstice Studios has acquired worldwide rights to the Mark Wahlberg drama “Good Joe Bell” for $20 million, an individual with knowledge of the sale told TheWrap.

The film also stars Reid Miller, Connie Britton and Gary Sinise. Solstice aims to release it in theaters for awards season.

“Good Joe Bell,” which made its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, is based on a true story of a man who travels by foot across the country to educate about the dangers of bullying in high school after his gay son experiences abuse from his classmates.

TheWrap’s Steve Pond wrote in his review for “Good Joe Bell” that Wahlberg “gives an effective Everyman performance and that it’s an effective tearjerker, even if it does not have the impact of the screenwriters’ ‘Brokeback Mountain.'”

“An open-hearted, unapologetically emotional story of a man struggling to come to terms with what happened...

Exclusive: Upstart Solstice Studios has won an auction for the Toronto buzz title Good Joe Bell, the Reinaldo Marcus Green-directed drama scripted by the Oscar-winning Brokeback Mountain team of Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana. The film stars Mark Wahlberg as the title character. Sources said the deal is around $20 million for worldwide rights, and that the film will get a proper theatrical release in the upcoming awards season. It becomes yet another big deal in the mostly virtual Toronto Film Festival.

The film also stars Reid Miller, Connie Britton and Gary Sinise, and tells the heartbreaking true story of Joe Bell, an average guy from the heartland who has difficulty showing support and acceptance of his teen son Jadin when the youth reveals he is gay. As a sophomore and a member of the high school cheerleading squad, the teen was subjected to unmerciful bullying by school jocks. Joe...

Partners plans summer 2021 theatrical release.

Vertical Entertainment and Redbox Entertainment have teamed up to acquire North American rights to TIFF Midnight Madness selection Shadow In The Cloud.

Chloe Grace Moretz stars as a secretive woman on board a Second World War bomber beset by Japanese fighter pilots and a sinister presence.

New Zealand filmmaker Roseanne Liang wrote and directed the Automatik, Four Knights Film, and Rhea Films production, and Nick Robinson also stars.

Tom Hern, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Kelly McCormick, and Fred Berger served as producers, while executive producers are Terry Dougas, Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis, Jean Luc DeFanti, and Sandra Yee Ling.

Exclusive: Vertical Entertainment and Redbox Entertainment have just closed a deal to acquire North American distribution rights to Shadow in the Cloud, the raucous Midnight Madness Toronto Film Festival title that might hold the distinction of being the first drive-in theater movie acquisition ever. Deadline hears the deal was near $5 million, and the plan is to release multiplatform including theatrical next summer.

Pic stars Chloë Grace Moretz and Nick Robinson, and it was written and directed by New Zealand filmmaker Roseanne Liang. Moretz plays a badass female World War II pilot who joins an unsuspecting crew on a bomber. She’s carrying top secret cache on a B-17 Flying Fortress. The crew’s sexist taunts and surprise encounters with enemy fighter planes become the least of her worries as she goes up against an evil presence on board the flight that is tearing the plane apart bolt by bolt.

Pic...

Netflix is in talks to acquire Halle Berry’s directorial debut “Bruised” in an eight-figure deal for worldwide rights, according to an individual with knowledge of the project.

Berry’s directorial debut is a mixed martial arts drama that centers on a former Mma fighter struggling to regain custody of her son and restart her athletic career. According to Toronto International Film Festival website, Jackie “Justice” (Berry) has been working multiple jobs and barely scraping by ever since losing an important match years ago. When her boyfriend, Desi (Adan Canto), manages to trick her into going to an underground fight, her passion for the sport is reignited. As Jackie prepares to go back to “the only thing she is good at,” the son she once abandoned is dropped off at her doorstep. Confronted by her past choices and traumas, Jackie will have to fight to reclaim the two most meaningful...