Author: Michelle McCue

Huge passion for film scores, lives for the Academy Awards, loves movie trailers. That is all.

Chloé Zhao’s NOMADLAND’s Premiering At Venice, Toronto, Telluride, and New York Film Festivals On September 11 – Stars Frances McDormand

(From L-R): Director/Writer Chloé Zhao, Director of Photography Joshua James Richards and Frances McDormand on the set of NOMADLAND. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2020 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

Searchlight Pictures Chairmen Nancy Utley and Steve Gilula announced today a series of global screenings to commemorate Chloé Zhao’s upcoming feature film NOMADLAND’s invitations to Venice, Toronto, Telluride, and New York Film Festivals.

Zhao’s third film, an exploration of modern-day van dwelling life on the road, will World Premiere with simultaneous screenings on September 11th at the 77th Venice International Film Festival and the 45th Toronto International Film Festival, both of which will feature virtual introductions by producer, writer, editor, and director Zhao, and producer and actor Frances McDormand. Telluride, which canceled its 47th edition due to the global pandemic, will host a special “Telluride from Los Angeles” drive-in screening in Southern California later in the evening, featuring in-person appearances by Zhao and McDormand. Additionally, the New York Film Festival announced NOMADLAND as the Centerpiece Selection of the 58th edition of the festival, leading into a domestic theatrical release this fall, subsequently rolling out internationally.

NOMADLAND marks the first project between Zhao and Searchlight and the fifth between McDormand and Searchlight. McDormand won an Oscar for her performance in Martin McDonagh’s film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, which Searchlight released globally in 2017. Zhao adapted NOMADLAND from journalist Jessica Bruder’s 2017 non-fiction book Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century following McDormand and producer Peter Spears’ acquisition of the literary adaptation rights shortly after publication.

The film follows Fern (McDormand), a woman who, after the economic collapse of a company town in rural Nevada, packs her van and sets off on the road exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad. The film features real nomads Linda May, Swankie, and Bob Wells as Fern’s mentors and comrades in her exploration through the vast landscape of the American West.

Frances McDormand in the film NOMADLAND. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2020 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

Searchlight coordinated the events in tandem with festival programmers to salute the spirit of collaboration between the 77th Venice International Film Festival, 47th Telluride Film Festival, 45th Toronto International Film Festival, and 58th New York Film Festival. While Telluride was ultimately canceled, executive director Julie Huntsinger sought to honor the film with a hosted drive-in screening in Southern California.

“The American road fascinates me. It’s heartbreakingly beautiful and deeply complicated. I’ve traveled it for many years and always hoped to capture a glimpse of it. I’m thankful to be able to make NOMADLAND and excited for audiences to join Fern on her adventure,” said Zhao.
“NOMADLAND is a true cinematic discovery,” said Utley and Gilula. “We are grateful to Chloé and the entire NOMADLAND filmmaking team and to the festival community that is essential to the success of independent films, and we thank Alberto and Giulia, Julie and Tom, Cameron and Joana, and Eugene and Dennis for the opportunity to be a part of this unique time in our industry’s changing landscape. Chloé reminds us that film has the power to connect us no matter how far apart we might seem. We hope this special film can move audiences across the world and further support global cinema.”

“It is both a great pleasure and honor to be part of Chloé Zhao’s new film’s unveiling to the world,” said Venice International Film Festival Director Alberto Barbera. “NOMADLAND is a brave and touching journey into a world that exists under the radar of mainstream social consciousness. It is a film that acquires particular meaning in a moment of pandemic induced seclusion, proving that values like mutual support and a strong sense of community can save us from solitude, failure, and despair. I am also happy to share the opportunity to support this beautiful film with our fellow festivals of Telluride, Toronto, and New York: a concrete sign of solidarity and collaboration in this unprecedented and difficult time.”

“We can’t wait for Toronto audiences to fall in love with NOMADLAND as we did,” said TIFF Co-Heads Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey. “Frances McDormand’s heartbreaking performance and Chloé Zhao’s wise embrace of American outcasts make this a film everyone should see. We’re proud to join our colleagues in Venice, Telluride, and New York in presenting this terrific new film from Searchlight.”

“Chloe’s understanding and depiction of the layered beauty of the human experience achieves new heights in NOMADLAND,” said Telluride Film Festival executive director Julie Huntsinger. “Tom Luddy and I believe in her vision and are grateful to unite with our colleagues in Toronto, Venice, and New York to highlight this sensitive and stunning achievement.”

“We knew that Chloé Zhao’s masterful film, NOMADLAND, deserved a central spot at the New York Film Festival as soon as we saw it,” said Eugene Hernandez, Director of the New York Film Festival, “It was hardly surprising to learn that the film had also resonated with our friends in Venice, Telluride, and Toronto. We’re elated to share Chloé and Fran’s remarkable achievement with New York audiences this fall, in solidarity with our festival colleagues.”

“We are honored to have Chloé back at the festival with her most ambitious and moving work to date,” said New York Film Festival director of programming Dennis Lim, who chaired the festival’s Main Slate selection committee. “Anchored by Frances McDormand’s indelible performance, NOMADLAND is a road movie for our precarious times, and it establishes Chloé as one of the most clear-eyed and humane observers of life on the American margins.”

NOMADLAND is produced by Frances McDormand (HBO’s Olive Kitteridge) Peter Spears (Call Me by Your Name), Mollye Asher (The Rider), Dan Janvey (Beasts of the Southern Wild), and Chloé Zhao (The Rider). In addition to McDormand, the film features David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck.). Zhao reunites with her cinematographer on The Rider, Joshua James Richards (God’s Own Country). The film features compositions by Italian composer Ludovico Maria Enrico Einaudi and film editing by Zhao. At Searchlight, the film was overseen by Presidents of Production Matthew Greenfield and David Greenbaum and Vice President of Production Taylor Friedman. Zhao is a film director, screenwriter, editor, and producer known for her work on her debut feature film, Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Her second feature film, The Rider (2017), received several accolades including nominations for Independent Spirit Award for Best Film and Best Director. Zhao directed the upcoming Marvel Studios release Eternals, set for release in 2021 by Walt Disney Studios.

Video: Watch Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter At BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC Comic-Con@Home Panel

Orion Pictures’ BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC gave the most excellent panel discussion at this year’s Comic-Con@Home on Saturday. Moderated by Kevin Smith, this panel included cast members Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, Samara Weaving, Brigette Lundy-Paine and William Sadler, as well as director Dean Parisot and screenwriters Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon.

The stakes are higher than ever for the time-traveling exploits of William “Bill” S. Preston Esq. (Alex Winter) and Theodore “Ted” Logan (Keanu Reeves). The now middle aged best friends set out on a new adventure to seek the song that will set their world right and bring harmony in the universe, with the helped by their daughters (played by Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine), a new batch of historical figures and a few music legends.

The film also stars Kid Cudi, Kristen Schaal, Anthony Carrigan, Erinn Hayes, Jayma Mays, Jillian Bell, Holland Taylor, Beck Bennett, William Sadler, Hal Landon Jr. and Amy Stoch.

BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC will be released on demand and in theaters on September 1, 2020.

https://billandted3.com/

Two-Time Academy Award Winner Olivia de Havilland Dies at Age 104

Olivia de Havilland in the 1946 film “To Each His Own,” for which she won her first Oscar©.

(Reuters) – “Gone With the Wind” star Olivia de Havilland, considered the last surviving actress of the Golden Age of Hollywood, died on Sunday at the age of 104, the Hollywood Reporter said.

She died of natural causes at her home in Paris, where she had lived for more than 60 years, it said, citing her publicist.

De Havilland’s acting career included two Academy Awards, a victory over Hollywood’s studio system and a long-running feud with sister Joan Fontaine that was worthy of a screenplay.

She first drew attention by playing opposite swashbuckling Errol Flynn in a series of films starting in the 1930s and made an enduring impression as the demure Southern belle Melanie in “Gone With the Wind” in 1939.

Later she would have to fight to get more challenging roles – a battle that ended up in court but paid off with Oscars for “To Each His Own” in 1946 and “The Heiress” in 1949.

De Havilland, a naturalized American who was born to English parents in Japan, had lived in Paris since 1953. She made few public appearances after retiring but returned to Hollywood in 2003 to take part in the 75th Academy Awards show.

De Havilland’s family moved to California when she and Joan were children. She began her movie career after director Max Reinhardt saw her in a California production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and cast her in his 1935 film version of the play. Warner Bros. was impressed and, as was the custom at the time, signed the teenager to a seven-year contract.

Warners loaned her out to make “Gone With the Wind” in 1939 and de Havilland’s gentle but willful personality helped make the role of Melanie one of the movie’s most intriguing parts. The role earned her the first of her five Oscar nominations.

“I felt very drawn to Melanie,” de Havilland later said. “She was a complex personality compared to the heroines I’d been playing over and over.”

“Gone With the Wind,” which also starred Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, won eight Academy Awards, including best picture.

The prestige of the Oscar nomination and the popularity of “Gone With the Wind” did not get de Havilland the types of roles she wanted. She often refused the parts Warner Bros. offered, which resulted in the studio suspending her several times.

In 1943 de Havilland declared that her seven-year deal with Warners had expired but the studio said she still owed them the six months that she spent on suspension.

De Havilland won in court, weakening the major studios’ dominance over actors by limiting actors’ contracts to seven years, regardless of suspension time. But challenging a powerful studio had been a risky career move and she did not make a movie for three years.

De Havilland made a triumphant return to the screen in 1946 with the Oscar-winning role of an unwed mother in “To Each His Own.” Three years later her portrayal of a spinster brought another Academy Award for “The Heiress.”

  • Best Actress Olivia de Havilland with presenter Ray Milland at the 1946 Academy Awards©.

The Oscars provided fodder and a venue for de Havilland’s rivalry with Fontaine, who was one year younger. Their relationship had been testy since childhood and the acrimony reached a new level in 1942 when the sisters were both Oscar-nominated – de Havilland for “Hold Back the Dawn” and Fontaine for Alfred Hitchcock’s “Suspicion.” Fontaine was the winner.

Four years later when de Havilland won for “To Each His Own,” Fontaine extended a congratulatory hand at the ceremony but de Havilland did not acknowledge her – a moment captured by photographers. De Havilland reportedly was upset about a catty remark by Fontaine about her husband, writer Marcus Goodrich.

The sisters stopped speaking altogether in 1975 after their mother died. Fontaine said de Havilland had not invited her to the memorial service but de Havilland claimed Fontaine had said she was too busy to attend.

When Fontaine died at age 96 in December 2013, de Havilland issued a statement saying she was “shocked and saddened.”

In an interview marking her 100th birthday in 2016, de Havilland told the Associated Press she called Fontaine “Dragon Lady.”

“I cannot think of a single instance wherein I initiated hostile behavior,” de Havilland said. “But I can think of many occasions where my reaction to deliberately inconsiderate behavior was defensive.”

De Havilland made 50 movies in her career and nine were with Flynn, including “Captain Blood,” “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” “The Adventures of Robin Hood” and “They Died With Their Boots On.” She told LA Weekly she had a crush on Flynn but never acted on it.

Other memorable roles included playing both a sweet and evil twin in “The Dark Mirror” in 1946 and a mental patient in “The Snake Pit,” which earned her an Oscar nomination, in 1948. Later she starred in two well-received suspense films, “Lady in a Cage” and “Hush … Hush, Sweet Charlotte” with Bette Davis (both 1964).

De Havilland did not like the way she was portrayed in the 2017 film television miniseries “Feud: Bette and Joan” about Davis and Joan Crawford. She sued the producers, claiming she was made to look like a gossip and hypocrite, and the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court, which let stand a ruling that dismissed De Havilland’s suit.

De Havilland had a son, Benjamin, with Goodrich and a daughter, Giselle, with her second husband, journalist Pierre Galante.

Pictured: Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn as they appear in THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, 1938.

New to Prime Video in August – TOP GUN, CAPONE, ARKANSAS, CHEMICAL HEARTS

August brings new Amazon Original Series, Movies, and Specials including the premiere of World’s Toughest Race: Eco Challenge Fiji, the ultimate expedition race from the creator of Survivor and hosted by Bear Grylls in which 66 teams from 30 countries race non-stop for 11 days across hundreds of miles of rugged Fijian terrain complete with mountains, jungles, rivers, and ocean. Amazon Original Movie Chemical Hearts (2020) based on the novel Our Chemical Hearts and starring Lili Reinhart and Austin Abrams and directed by Richard Tanne, new episodes of Clifford The Big Red Dog and Jessy and Nessy, and a look back at the first season of The Boys with Prime Rewind: Inside The Boys.

Prime members can also enjoy recently-released movies like Capone (2020), starring Tom Hardy as the titular Al Capone; Arkansas (2020), Clark Duke’s directorial debut starring Liam Hemsworth; Dora And The Lost City Of Gold(2019), a family-friendly action-comedy starring Eva Longoria and Michael Peña; and The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019), a modern-day Mark Twain fable starring Shia LaBeouf and Dakota Johnson. In addition to 80’s hits such as Top Gun (1986), Rain Man(1988), and Steel Magnolias(1989) are available.

Prime Video also recently introduced two new features: Prime Video Watch Party, a new native social viewing experience on desktop that is available for US Prime members at no additional cost to their membership, and Prime Video Profiles, allowing customers to create and manage up to six user profiles within their account with content personalized separately to each profile. 

Customers can also join the first-ever Amazon Virtual-Con, featuring talent conversations from new and upcoming Amazon Original Series The Boys, Upload, Truth Seekers and Utopia. Special appearances confirmed by more than 30 cast and crew Including Seth Rogen, Eric Kripke, Aisha Tyler, Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Karen Fukuhara, Greg Daniels, Robbie Amell, Andy Allo, Gillian Flynn, John Cusack, Rainn Wilson, Sasha Lane, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost & many more. All panel programming available at: amazon.com/virtualcon.

Here’s what’s new on Amazon Prime Video in August:

New Originals:

  • Jessy and Nessy is a series about Jessy, an innately curious little girl and her best friend, Nessy, a five-and-a-half-thousand-year-old purple sea monster. Jessy happens to see the world a little differently through her magical glasses called ‘Inspectacles’. Together this unlikely duo explore life’s curiosities and reveal how all of these seemingly everyday curiosities have fantastical answers. New episodes streaming August 7
  • From the creator of Survivor and hosted by Bear Grylls, World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji tells the story of the ultimate expedition race, in which 66 teams from 30 countries race non-stop for 11 days across hundreds of miles of rugged Fijian terrain complete with mountains, jungles, rivers, and ocean. For the veteran teams the goal is to win – but for most, the dream is to finish and prove to themselves and the world, that they can prevail in the World’s Toughest Race. Streaming August 14
  • Chemical Hearts follows seventeen-year-old Henry Page (Austin Abrams) who has never been in love. He fancies himself a romantic, but the kind of once-in-a-lifetime love he’s been hoping for just hasn’t happened yet. Then, on the first day of senior year, he meets transfer student Grace Town (Lili Reinhart) and it seems all that is about to change. When Grace and Henry are chosen to co-edit the school paper, he is immediately drawn to the mysterious newcomer. As he learns the heartbreaking secret that has changed her life, he finds himself falling in love with her — or at least the person he thinks she is. Available in HDR. Streaming August 21
  • More adventures are in store in Clifford The Big Red Dog as Emily Elizabeth and Clifford embark on an expedition for a lucky coin, open a pet daycare, and walk the entire island backwards! From leading baby sea turtles safely to the ocean to singing a rock ballad on their mission to the Moon, the friends learn that looking at life from a different perspective can help save the day and that change isn’t always scary. New episodes streaming  August 21
  • Prime Rewind: Inside The Boys is an aftershow that brings fans inside the making of The Boys and gives them a safe space to freak the &@#$ out about what they just saw. Each week host Aisha Tyler is joined by cast, crew, and surprise guests to take a deep-dive look into the latest episode, dissecting the plot twists, basking in the spectacular gore, exploring the themes and comic book origins, and getting to know more about the (clearly disturbed) people behind the show. Fans will also get exclusive teasers and hints on upcoming episodes to fuel their alarming totally normal obsession. Prime Rewind: Inside The Boys will debut on August 28 with a look back at season one. The aftershow continues on September 4 to dive into each episode of Season 2 as it rolls out through the October 9 season finale. Prime Rewind: Inside The Boys is from Amazon Studios, Embassy Row and Sony Pictures Television and executive produced by Michael Davies, Aisha Tyler, Julia Cassidy, Eden Sutley and Jennifer Ryan. Streaming August 28

Fresh Films

  • When her parents (Eva Longoria and Michael Peña) disappear in search of the Lost City of Gold, Dora (Isabela Moner) swings into action on a wild quest to find them. Follow Dora and her friend in Dora And The Lost City Of Gold (2019) as they navigate the jungle, outrun treasure hunters and unlock the mystery of the fabled city. Streaming August 3
  • In Clark Duke’s directorial debut, Arkansas (2020), Kyle (Liam Hemsworth) and Swin (Clark Duke) live by the orders of an Arkansas-based drug kingpin named Frog (Vince Vaugh), whom they’ve never met. But when a deal goes horribly wrong, the consequences are deadly. Streaming August 5
  • The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) follows a young man with Down syndrome (Zack Gottsagen) who escapes from an assisted living facility and befriends a wayward fisherman on the run (Shia LaBeouf); as the two men form a rapid bond, a social worker (Dakota Johnson) attempts to track them. Streaming August 6
  • Capone (2020) chronicles the final days of notorious gangster Al Capone (Tom Hardy) as he succumbs to dementia and relives his past through tormenting memories. Streaming August 10

‘80s Throwback

  • Top Gun (1986) follows Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise), a young flyer who’s out to become the best, but his reckless attitude and cocky demeanor put him at odds with the other pilots, especially the cool and collected Iceman (Val Kilmer). Streaming August 1
  • Rain Man (1988) tells the story of an idealistic young wheeler-dealer (Tom Cruise) whose life is changed forever when he discovers he has an autistic savant older brother (Dustin Hoffman). Streaming August 1
  • An adaptation of Robert Harling’s play of the same name, Steel Magnolias (1989) centers on the bond a group of women (Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirly MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, and Julia Roberts) share in a small-town Southern community, and how they cope with the death of one of their own. Streaming August 1

New to Buy:

  • Based on the CW Seed series, Deathstroke: Knights and Dragons (2020) follows master assassin Slade Wilson (voiced by Michael Chiklis) as he leads two lives: a relentless killer known as Deathstroke and a family man. Can he atone for the sins of the past – or will his family pay the ultimate price? Available for purchase August 4
  • Originally premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, The Fight (2020) gives an inside look at the legal battles that lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) are facing during the Trump administration. Available for purchase August 7
  • The King of Staten Island (2020) is a semi-autobiographical comedy-drama about Pete Davidson growing up in Staten Island, including losing his father during 9/11 and entering the world of stand up comedy. Available for purchase August 11
  • From writer/director Jon Stewart comes Irresistible (2020), a comedy about a Democrat political consultant (Steve Carell) who helps a retired Marine colonel (Chris Cooper) run for mayor in a small Wisconsin Town. Available for purchase August 18
  • From Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment, Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020) follows the fledgling hero (voiced by Darren Criss) as he engages in bloody battles and fights for his life. The world will learn about Superman, but first, Superman must save the world. Available for purchase August 23

Prime Video Channels Sampling:



New in August – Available to Prime members at no additional cost to their membership          

August 1
Movies
3:10 To Yuma (2007)
Four Weddings And A Funeral (1994)
Inception (2010)
Margin Call (2011)
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
Rain Man (1988)
Rustlers’ Rhapsody (1985)
Safe (2012)
Something’s Gotta Give (2003)
Spare Parts (2015)
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Steel Magnolias (1989)
The Holiday (2006)
Top Gun (1986)

Series
Beverly Hillbillies: Season 1 (Best TV Ever)
Beyond Scared Straight: Season 1 (A&E Crime Central)
Bitchin’ Rides: Season 1 (Motortrend)
Blood: Season 1 (Acorn TV)
Californication: Season 1 (Showtime)
Chesapeake Shores: Season 1 (Hallmark Movies Now)
Dusty’s Trail: Season 1 (Best Westerns Ever)
Fifth Ward: Season 1 (Urban Movie Channel)
Ice Road Truckers: Season 1 (HISTORY Vault)
Lego Jurassic World: Legend Of Isla Nublar: Season 1
Les Miserables: Season 1 (PBS Masterpiece)
Moveable Feast: Season 1 (PBS Living)    
Riviera: Season 1 (Sundance Now)
The Berenstein Bears: Season 1 (PBS Kids)
The Teacher: Season 1 (PBS Masterpiece)

August 3
Movies
Dora And The Lost City Of Gold (2019)

August 5
Movies
Arkansas (2020)

August 6
Movies
The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)

August 7
Series
*Jessy & Nessy – Amazon Original Series: Season 1B

August 10
Movies
Capone (2020)
Hard Night Falling (2019)
Lucky Day (2019)

August 14
Movies
Bernie The Dolphin 2 (2019)
Master (2017)

Series
*World’s Toughest Race: Eco Challenge Fiji – Amazon Original Series: Season 1

August 18
Movies
The Cup (2012)

August 21
Movies
*Chemical Hearts (2020) – Amazon Original Movie

Series
*Clifford – Amazon Original Series: Season 2B

August 22
Movies
The Legion (2020)

August 28
Specials
*Prime Rewind:  Inside The Boys – Amazon Original Special

August 31
Movies
Primal (2019)
The Courier (2019)

New in August – Available for Rental or Purchase on Prime Video                    

August 4
Movies
Deathstroke: Knights and Dragons (2020)

August 7
Movies
The Fight (2020)

 August 11
Movies
The King of Staten Island (2020)

August 18
Movies
Irresistible (2020)

August 23
Movies
Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020)

Documentary “All In: The Fight for Democracy” To Open In Select Theaters on September 9 Ahead Of Global Launch on Prime Video September 18

Amazon Studios announced today, 100 days out from this year’s U.S. Presidential Election, the documentary All In: The Fight for Democracy will open in select theaters on September 9 ahead of its global launch on Prime Video on September 18.

The film features Stacey Abrams, the first Black woman to become the gubernatorial nominee for a major party in the United States, and the founder of Fair Fight Action, the nation’s premier organization battling voter suppression. 

All In: The Fight for Democracy is directed by Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker Liz Garbus and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Lisa Cortés, and produced by Garbus, Cortés, Academy Award-winning producer Dan Cogan and Stacey Abrams. Amazon Studios acquired worldwide rights to All In: The Fight for Democracy from production company Story Syndicate.

All In: The Fight for Democracy examines the often overlooked, yet insidious issue of voter suppression in the United States in anticipation of the 2020 Presidential Election. The film interweaves personal experiences with current activism and historical insight to expose a problem that has corrupted our democracy from the very beginning. With the perspective and expertise of Stacey Abrams, the former Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, the documentary will offer an insider’s look into laws and barriers to voting that most people don’t even know is a threat to their basic rights as citizens of the United States.

Directors Liz Garbus and Lisa Cortés said, “With 100 days left until one of the most important elections in American history, we are thrilled to officially announce All In: The Fight for Democracy which will tell a powerful and harrowing story of the fight for the right to vote as well as arm citizens with the tools they need to protect this right.  The film will be accompanied by an ambitious and visionary action plan to reach voters and educate them across the nation.”

“Today, we are 100 days out from Election Day – a pivotal moment in our mission to protect our democracy – and we need to come together as a country and make sure every voice and vote is counted,” said Abrams. “The title All In: The Fight for Democracy speaks to the importance and necessity that every American has the right to have their voice be heard and their vote counted. We know that if our votes were not important, so many folks wouldn’t be working so hard to take our right to vote away.”

Ahead of National Voter Registration Day, in coordination with the All In: The Fight for Democracy film release, the filmmakers and Amazon Studios will launch #ALLINFORVOTING, a robust social impact campaign with community-based organizations, non-profits, corporations, artists, activists and influencers. The non-partisan campaign will develop a groundswell of digital content to combat misinformation about the voting process, and launch targeted campaign programming to educate and register first time voters, mobilize communities to have their voices and values counted in the November election (and beyond), and train citizens to know how to recognize and report voter suppression. 

Additional #ALLINFORVOTING activations and programming will include:

  • An online digital action hub featuring resources and tools for visitors to register to vote, check registration status, get election reminders, find their polling place, access state by state election information, see “what’s on my ballot”, request an absentee ballot, and learn how to recognize and report voter suppression. 
  • Local grant program to support grassroots organizations working to educate and mobilize voters in ten states (Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin) to build capacity and engage low-propensity voters.
  • “Grow a Voter” educational initiative aimed at engaging the next generation of voters utilizing the film as a tool for conversation in the classroom. A curriculum will be developed in partnership with movement leaders and distributed to teachers nationwide. 

In the coming weeks, the impact campaign will be announcing official partners and will launch the action hub and digital programming. 

Zack Snyder Talks JUSTICE LEAGUE The Snyder Cut At Justice Con – Reveals Superman Black Suit

Director Zack Snyder sat in on Justice Con panel on Saturday and discussed the upcoming release and restoration of JUSTICE LEAGUE, as well as revealing a scene of Superman in his black suit!

After global passionate fan calls to action and the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement, it was announced in May that the director’s vision of the film would finally happen.

HBO Max and Warner Bros. Pictures will exclusively world premiere Zack Snyder’s director’s cut of the Warner Bros. Pictures/DC feature film Justice League in 2021.

In Justice League, fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions. 

The Justice League screenplay is by Chris Terrio, story by Chris Terrio & Zack Snyder, based on characters from DC, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The film’s producers are Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, with executive producers Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, Jim Rowe, Ben Affleck, Wesley Coller, Curtis Kanemoto, and Chris Terrio.

ICYMI: Watch THE NEW MUTANTS Comic-Con@Home 2020 Panel

The ComicCon@Home panel featuring writer/director Josh Boone, the stars of “The New Mutants,” including: Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Alice Braga, Blu Hunt and Henry Zaga and graphic artist Bill Sienkiewicz, took place on Thursday.

Included in the 30-minute panel, moderated by Ira Madison III, was an exclusive look at the opening sequence of the original horror thriller.

Twentieth Century Studios also unveiled character Twitter emojis, fan-inspired posters and a special poster designed by Sienkiewicz, the celebrated artist who began illustrating the New Mutants graphic novels in 1984.

Twentieth Century Studios in association with Marvel Entertainment presents “The New Mutants,” an original horror thriller set in an isolated hospital where a group of young mutants is being held for psychiatric monitoring. When strange occurrences begin to take place, both their new mutant abilities and their friendships will be tested as they battle to try and make it out alive. Directed by Josh Boone (“The Fault in our Stars”) and written by Josh Boone & Knate Lee, “The New Mutants” stars: Maisie Williams (“Game of Thrones”); Anya Taylor-Joy (“Glass”); Charlie Heaton (“Stranger Things”); Alice Braga (“Predators”); Blu Hunt (“The Originals”); and Henry Zaga (“13 Reasons Why”). The film is produced by Simon Kinberg, p.g.a., Karen Rosenfelt  and Lauren Shuler Donner with Stan Lee and Michele Imperato Stabile serving as executive producers.

Watch The Trailer For LOVECRAFT COUNTRY, Premiering August 16 On HBO From Producers Misha Green, J.J. Abrams, Jordan Peele

From showrunner and executive producer Misha Green, HBO’s new drama series LOVECRAFT COUNTRY debuts Sunday, August 16 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

Based on the novel of the same name by Matt Ruff, the ten-episode series follows Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors) as he journeys with his childhood friend Letitia (Jurnee Smollett) and his uncle George (Courtney B. Vance) on a road trip from Chicago across 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father Montrose (Michael Kenneth Williams). Their search-and-rescue turns into a struggle to survive and overcome both the racist terrors of white America and monstrous creatures that could be ripped from an H.P. Lovecraft paperback.

The series stars Jurnee Smollett (“Birds of Prey,” “Underground”), Jonathan Majors (“Da 5 Bloods,” “The Last Black Man in San Francisco”), Aunjanue Ellis (“When They See Us”); Abbey Lee (“Mad Max: Fury Road”), Jada Harris (“The Resident”), Wunmi Mosaku (“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”), and Michael Kenneth Williams (HBO’s “The Wire” and “Boardwalk Empire”). Recurring guests include Courtney B. Vance (HBO’s “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” “American Crime Story”), Jamie Chung (“Once Upon a Time”), Jamie Neumann (HBO’s “The Deuce”), Jordan Patrick Smith (“Vikings”), and Tony Goldwyn (“Scandal”).

LOVECRAFT COUNTRY is executive produced by Misha Green, J.J. Abrams, Jordan Peele, Bill Carraro, Yann Demange (who also directed Episode 1), Daniel Sackheim (who also directed Episodes 2 and 3) and David Knoller (executive producer on Episode 1); based on the novel by Matt Ruff.

Produced by afemme, Inc., Bad Robot Productions and Monkeypaw Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Director Ava DuVernay And A Late Show Host Stephen Colbert Discuss Law Enforcement Accountability Project

On Thursday writer, producer, director Ava DuVernay was the guest on A Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

The host and filmmaker talked about the legacy of Congressman John Lewis, his influence during the production of SELMA, and personal advice from the lawmaker where he told her to “do everything!”. They also spoke about the criminalization of black people and the myth that they need to be controlled through mechanisms of social control that is prominent in the justice system, which is shown in her film 13TH.

Winner of the Emmy, BAFTA and Peabody Awards, Academy award nominee, DuVernay also talked about her new program LEAP: Law Enforcement Accountability Project, which came about by the murder of George Floyd and how it funds artists who raise awareness about officers who have committed crimes against black people. In addition Colbert and DuVernay also discussed the mainstream press’s lack of coverage about law enforcement units in Army-style camouflage with no identification other than a simple “Police” label on their outfits going into Portland and other U.S. cities. Read more about it here: https://fortune.com/2020/07/22/trump-federal-troops-portland-law-us-cities-chicago-nyc-baltimore-philadelphia-detroit/

Learn more about LEAP and how to contribute at LEAPACTION.org

Duvernay’s film “13th” is streaming for free right now on YouTube.

Combining archival footage with testimony from activists and scholars, director Ava DuVernay’s examination of the U.S. prison system looks at how the country’s history of racial inequality drives the high rate of incarceration in America. This piercing, Oscar-nominated film won Best Documentary at the Emmys, the BAFTAs and the NAACP Image Awards.

DuVernay also helmed the film WHEN THEY SEE US, the infamous case of The Central Park Five, that was released worldwide on Netflix in May 2019.

Nick Frost Stars In Teaser For Amazon Prime’s New Series TRUTH SEEKERS And Watch The Cast at The SDCC 2020 Panel

Shaun of the Dead guys, Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, team up for the 4th time in the new Amazon Prime series TRUTH SEEKERS.

Truth Seekers is a supernatural comedy drama series featuring Nick Frost, Samson Kayo, Simon Pegg, and Emma D’Arcy. A group of part-time paranormal investigators team up to uncover a deadly conspiracy.

Watch the Comic-Com panel from Thursday.