Spotlight #16 – About the future of releases
This week is all about three things – filmmakers voicing their opinions about Warner Bros/AT&T release decision, Disney+ Investor's Day and their Phase 4 Marvel plans, and Christmas that are closing in on us.
This Week's Bullets
- Netflix Film Club is bringing yet another interview, this time with Aaron Sorkin about his The Trial of Chicago 7
- Variety's 10 to Watch just announced emerging Directors, to but we gotta wait up for full profiles until February
- One of the most successful producers, Jerry Bruckheimer, will not have his contract with Paramount extended, probably. Does it have something to do with his long-time collaborator, Johnny Depp's latest fuck-up?
- Agnieszka Holland's Charlatan had their North American rights to distribution acquired by Strand Releasing
- Harrison Ford (78) will star in the latest Indiana Jones film, directed by James Mangold (Logan) – making it the first Indiana Jones film not directed by Steven Spielberg
- Netflix just announced a new, 6-part comedy series "History of Swear Words" that'll be hosted by nobody else than a living legend, Nicolas Cage. Fuck!
This Week's Curated Articles
Directors, Theaters Express Worry Over Warner Bros. HBO Max Deal
The WB's announcement, that came on December 3, about having the same date for HBO Max's release as well as theatrical one for a slate of more than 15 films doesn't go unnoticed. It would be an understatement to say that some are not happy.
Denis Villeneuve, one of my favourite directors, is calling out Warner Bros and AT&T in his open letter, stating that filmmaking is about collaboration and trust, but that WB decided to not be on the same team anymore. That being said, Villeneuve supported the decision to delay the release by a year because of public safety, and he's pro-streaming, but he argues that some movies are made to be seen on a big screen.
Another name that is weighing in on this move is, for example, Christopher Nolan – though his Tenet's premiere was one of the reasons WB decided to go this way – he warns about how this will affect workers in the film industry. Others, such as Patty Jenkins or Aaron Sorkin, are afraid of what such decision will mean for the future of filmmaking.
Directors Guild of America (DGA), according to THR, expressed their concerns about how films will be valued in a letter signed by their executive, and demanding a meeting. Legendary Entertainment, the production company that co-financed for example Dune, hopes to negotiate with WB about a generous deal. Still, they are prepared to take legal action if the two companies are not able to reach a compromise.
As you can see, a lot of people are voicing their opinions, calling for a discussion. Hollywood, totally blindsided by such decision, is never going to be the same again after the year we just had, but right now, we're sailing in the dark.
Every Project Disney Announced at Its 2020 Investor Meeting
Focus your eyes, the 2020 Disney Investor Day! Once a year, Disney summons its investors and tells them what’s ahead for upcoming years. This year was really enriching, as you can check that in the article! If you wanna read more about every announced project, follow me here.
And psst! We have a few other bits of gossip which Disney revealed – one of them being not recasting the role of Chadwick Boseman. The rest? You can read about that in this article.
3 Budgets, 1 Director: Does Money Change Nolan's Filmmaking Style?
Christopher Nolan is not just a great director, but also a very wise one. In this article (as well as the attached videos) you can find three Nolan’s movies in comparison, a $6K Following, $9 million Memento and $160 million Inception and you can see how this director works with the money he has. It’s the motion of the ocean, not the size of the boat.
Award's & Festival's Window
'Another Round' Wins Big at European Film Awards
(Drumroll in the back) It’s done, the 33rd European Film Awards have their winners. Almost all the glory was gained by Thomas Vinterberg’s “Another Round”. Have you seen it? If not, you definitely should! Of course there are lots of other great movies – the whole list of winners and a bit more about Another Round above.
This Week's Recommendation
The best Christmas movies on Netflix
You can deny it, you can disagree with it, but that is the only thing you can really do about it. Christmas are just behind the doors, and we have to accept it, even though this year it will be slightly different. Anyway, if you want to get into the mood, here are some tips on thematic movies you can dig out from Netflix. Get hot cacao and a fluffy blanket and brace yourselves - Christmas are coming.
Trailer of the Week
Sound of Metal (2019)
I have, honestly, no excuse of how this could have slipped through our fingers. Riz Ahmed gives the best performance of his career in Darius Marder’s powerful story about a drummer losing his hearing. And, unlike the movie from the last week, that this time, the community stands behind it.
Director Marder told Variety, “This film is a wake-up. Most people think of deafness as a physical disability. We don’t understand that it is in fact, a culture.”