Before J.C. Chandor could fully soak in the experience of premiering his sophomore feature “All is Lost” at Cannes this week — which was met with rapturous praise (read our review here) — he had already lined up his next project, and it’s slated to shoot later this year. His third
feature, “A Most Violent Year,” is planning to cast a bunch of big names, but none of them have been revealed as of yet. Given the buzz for ‘Lost,’ however, names may not be so difficult to come by. Plot details are being kept under wraps but considering how well he handled an ensemble cast with his
debut film, “Margin Call,” it should be fun to see him working with another top notch cast. [Deadline]
Love him or hate him, McG has been more prolific than ever lately. His first five films were each
released three years apart from each other with his latest, “This Means War,” coming out early last year.
Well he’s already wrapped on his next feature, “Three Days to Kill,” starring Kevin Costner and will be following that up with “Hunter Killer.” The project has been gestating for a few years now and has been through the hands of directors such as Phillip Noyce
and Antoine Fuqua, but it looks like it’s finally found a home in McG. “Hunter Killer” is based on the
novel by Don Keith and George Wallace and tells the story of “an untested submarine captain who must
work with a Navy SEAL team to rescue Russia’s president, taken prisoner during a military coup. The two
sides must fight to stop a rogue Russian general from igniting World War III.” [Variety]
David Slade has yet to make a feature film since 2010’s “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” but he’s
been very busy working in television lately. Slade has directed episodes of “Breaking Bad,” “Awake,” and
“Hannibal,” and he’s added another TV project to his slate. He’ll be
directing the opening episode of the upcoming Syfy series, “Helix.” The show revolves around a team of
scientists investigating a possible disease outbreak. Production will begin this summer in Montreal.
[Deadline]
Barry Levinson may have turned 71 last month, but the man refuses to stop working. He’s
recently signed on to helm a love story that takes place across Leningrad and Shanghai over the course
of 40 years. The film’s loosely based on Chinese novel “The Cursed Piano,” which was a best-seller in
China. Considering China is the second biggest source of box office revenue in the world, it should come
as no surprise that more Hollywood producers are looking to make movies that appeal to Chinese
audiences, including non-tentpole fare. The Levinson film will start shooting in Shanghai next February.
[Deadline]
When “The Class” unanimously won the Palme D’or back in 2008, it came as a welcome surprise
and wound up garnering critical acclaim later that year. It took a few years for director Laurent Cantet to
make a feature-length follow up, his latest film “Foxfire” premiered at the Toronto International Film
Festival just last year. But he’s already got his next project lined up, and he’s planning on shooting the
film in Cuba. The project is “Vuelta a Itaca,” a Spanish-language drama and Cantet says he wants to
shoot the film “on a rooftop terrace in Havana.” The film centers on Amadeo, who has returned to Cuba
after a 16 year exile, on the terrace, he and his childhood friends retrace their lives, “gradually revealing
their doubts, secrets, and broken dreams.” Cantet co-wrote the script with Cuban novelist Leonardo
Padura, and shooting will begin later this year. [Variety]
Finally, director Peter Webber is on board to helm an adaptation of the Rose Tremain novel
“The Color,” which was adapted by the author herself. The film will be shot in New Zealand next year
and is about two newly-married immigrants, Joseph and Harriet, who decide to venture out and to try to
make a fortune during the Gold Rush, a decision that will forever alter their lives. The film is to be set
during New Zealand’s Gold Rush that took place during the 1860s. [Screen Daily]
