Damien Chazelle’s Emma Stone-Ryan Gosling musical “La La Land” is moving out of its summer July 15 date to December 2. Billed as a musical love letter for the holidays, the film will open in limited release before going wide on December 16. Lionsgate also announced that it is collaborating with Black Label Media as a co-financier for the Summit Entertainment title. Lionsgate and BLM recently partnered on “Sicario.” Produced by Fred Berger, Jordan Horowitz, Gary Gilbert and Marc Platt, “La La Land” follows a jazz pianist (Gosling) who falls for an aspiring actress (Stone) in Los Angeles.

During its wide break, “La La Land” will go up against Disney’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and Warner Bros’ “Collateral Beauty.” Chazelle’s previous film “Whiplash” was nominated for an Oscar in the adapted screenplay category (it was based on a short the director initially shot). “Whiplash” also earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar win for J.K. Simmons, who also stars in “La La Land.”

Source: DEADLINE

Josh Brolin and Miles Teller are set to star in the firefighter action movie “No Exit,” sources tell Variety.

“Tron: Legacy” helmer Joseph Kosinski is directing the pic, which tells the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a group of firefighters that faced one of the deadliest wildfires in history in order to save an Arizona town, resulting in the tragic death of 19 crew members.

Ken Nolan developed the story on spec with the producers.

Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, Erik Howsam, Jeremy Steckler, Dawn Ostroff, Mike Menchel, Black Label Media’s Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill and Thad Luckinbill are producing the film. Black Label is financing.

No production start date has been set for the film.

In the past year, Brolin has appeared in “Everest,” “Sicario” (which was also a Black Label media production) and, most recently, the Coen brothers’ black comedy “Hail, Caesar!” He’s also just finished shooting “The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter” opposite Danny McBride and is set to reteam with his “Hail Caesar!” co-star George Clooney on Clooney’s next directorial effort “Suburbicon.”

Teller has “The Divergent Series: Allegiant” bowing next month, and the Todd Phillips movie “War Dogs” premiering on Aug. 19. He is currently filming the PTSD drama “Thank You For Your Service” at DreamWorks.

CAA, which also reps the film, also reps both actors. Teller is also repped by Stone, Genow, Smelkinson, Binder & Christopher.

Source: VARIETY

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST

Austin’s annual South by Southwest Festival (SXSW for short) has announced this year’s lineup of films, which includes movies like Jean-Marc Vallee’s Demolition, comedian Mike Birbiglia’s Don’t Think Twice, and Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead.

“SXSW prides itself on presenting an eclectic mix of emerging and established talent in a range of genres from comedy, thrillers, docs, and international gems,” head of SXSW Film Janet Pierson said in a statement. “We’ve been told we program the way real people watch movies: sometimes for fun, sometimes for mind expansion, then there’s the art, and who doesn’t love a great surprise? We continue to be excited by so much new work as we revel in the richness of tone and craft on display. This year, many more titles are part of our expanded Convergence programming, which means more than one badge type can experience the compelling films throughout the sections.”

It was previously announced that Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some will open this year’s festival, which kicks off March 11 and runs until March 19. See the entire film lineup below.

The Narrative Feature Competition includes: The Arbalest directed by Adam Pinney; Before The Sun Explodes directed by Debra Eisenstadt; Claire in Motion directed by Lisa Robinson and Annie J. Howell; collective:unconscious directed by collective:unconscious (Lily Baldwin, Frances Bodomo, Daniel Patrick Carbone, Josephine Decker, Lauren Wolkstein); Donald Cried directed by Kris Avedisian; Hunter Gatherer directed by Josh Locy; Miss Stevens directed by Julia Hart; The Other Half directed by Joey Klein; A Stray directed by Musa Syeed; and Transpecos directed by Greg Kwedar.

The Documentary Feature Competition includes: Accidental Courtesy: Daryl Davis, Race & America directed by Matt Ornstein; Alive and Kicking directed by Susan Glatzer; Best and Most Beautiful Things directed by Garrett Zevgetis; Goodnight Brooklyn – The Story of Death By Audio directed by Matthew Conboy; The Liberators directed by Cassie Hay; Orange Sunshine directed by William A. Kirkley; Ovarian Psycos directed by Joanna Sokolowski and Kate Trumbull-LaValle; The Seer directed by Laura Dunn; The Space in Between – Marina Abramovic and Brazil directed by Marco Del Fiol; and TOWER directed by Keith Maitland.

A selection of highlights includes: Mike Birbiglia’s Don’t Think Twice; Ilya Naishuller’s Hardcore Henry; Jean-Marc Vallee’s Demolition; Ti West’s In A Valley of Violence; John Michael McDonagh’s War on Everyone; Todd Bieber’s Thank You Del: The Story of the Del Close Marathon; Tomer Heymann’s Mr. Gaga; Jesse Moss’s The Bandit; Nicole Lucas Haimes’ Chicken People; Robert Kirkman’s Outcast; Danny McBride’s Vice Principals; Stella Meghie’s Jean of the Joneses; Sophie Goodhart’s My Blind Brother; Logan Kibens’ Operator; Quincy ‘QD3’ Jones, III’s The Art of Organized Noize; Brett Berns’ BANG! The Bert Berns Story; and Keith Maitland’s A Song For You: The Austin City Limits Story. They join previously announced films including the Opening Night Film Everybody Wants Some; narrative features Chevalier, Midnight Special, and Pee-wee’s Big Holiday; documentaries Beware the Slenderman and Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru; and the episodic Preacher.

…

Source: ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

Black Label Media, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Conde Nast Entertainment and producer Mike Menchel have tapped Joseph Kosinski to direct the Ken Nolan-scripted No Exit.

The pic tells the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a group of firefighters that faced one of the deadliest wildfires in history in order to save an Arizona town, resulting in the tragic death of 19 crew members.

Nolan developed the story on spec with the producers.

Di Bonaventura, Erik Howsam, Jeremy Steckler, Dawn Ostroff, Mike Menchel, Black Label Media’s Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill and Thad Luckinbill are producing the film. Black Label is financing.

Kosinski broke out with Tron: Legacy and followed that up with Tom Cruise’s Oblivion.

As for di Bonaventura, the film fits in his wheelhouse of action-packed films following projects like the Transformers franchise, G.I. Joe and the upcoming Deepwater Horizon starring Mark Wahlberg.

Black Label Media has been on a roll following the success of Sicario both critically and at the box office. The company’s 2016 slate looks to be just as strong with Jean-Marc Vallee’s upcoming Demolition starring Jake Gyllenhaal and the J.D. Salinger pic Rebel in the Rye starring Nicholas Hoult and Kevin Spacey.

Steckler and Ostroff recently wrapped Army of One, directed by Larry Charles for Endgame and Dimension. Mike Menchel past credits include One Chance and Ain’t Them Body Saints.

Kosinski and Nolan are repped by CAA. Nolan is also managed by Kaplan/Perrone Ent.

Source: VARIETY

Sicario, directed by Denis Villeneuve, is a nominee for Best Cinematography, Best Original Score and Best Sound Editing.

FBI Agent Kate Macer is recruited by a shadowy government official to join an inter-agency task force to apprehend a Mexican cartel leader. Guided by a consultant with a suspicious agenda and a tendency to use brutal tactics, Kate embarks on a mission that forces her to question her idealism and leaves her unsure who she can trust.

This is the thirteenth Academy Award nomination for Roger Deakins.

He was previously nominated for:

Unbroken (2014) — Nominee, Cinematography
Prisoners (2013) — Nominee, Cinematography
Skyfall (2012) — Nominee, Cinematography
True Grit (2010) — Nominee, Cinematography
The Reader (2008) — Nominee, Cinematography
The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford (2007) – Nominee, Cinematography
No Country For Old Men (2007) — Nominee, Cinematography
The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001) — Nominee, Cinematography
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) — Nominee, Cinematography
Kundun (1997) — Nominee, Cinematography
Fargo (1996) — Nominee, Cinematography
The Shawshank Redemption (1994) — Nominee, Cinematography

This is the second Academy Award nomination for Jóhann Jóhannsson.

He was previously nominated for:

The Theory Of Everything (2014) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)

This is the eighth Academy Award nomination for Alan Robert Murray.

He was previously nominated for:

American Sniper (2014) — Winner, Sound Editing
Flags Of Our Fathers (2006) — Nominee, Sound Editing
Letters From Iwo Jima (2006) — Winner, Sound Editing
Space Cowboys (2000) — Nominee, Sound Editing
Eraser (1996) — Nominee, Sound Effects Editing
Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) — Nominee, Sound Effects Editing
Ladyhawke (1985) — Nominee, Sound Effects Editing

Other competing nominees in the Cinematography category are Robert Richardson for The Hateful Eight, John Seale for Mad Max: Fury Road, Ed Lachman for Carol and Emmanuel Lubezki The Revenant.

Other competing nominees in the Music (Original Score) category are Thomas Newman for Bridge of Spies, Ennio Morricone for The Hateful Eight, John Williams for Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Carter Burwell for Carol.

Other competing nominees in the Sound Editing category are Mark Mangini and David White for Mad Max: Fury Road, Matthew Wood and David Acord for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Oliver Tarney for The Martian and Martin Hernandez and Lon Bender for The Revenant.

See the full list of nominations for the 2016 Oscars and watch The Oscars LIVE! OSCAR SUNDAY FEBRUARY 28 7e|4p on ABC!

Source: OSCAR

After making its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May and premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival just three days prior, Lionsgate’s edge-of-your-seat crime thriller “Sicario” had its New York premiere Monday night at the Museum of Modern Art leaving guests speechless and riveted by the suspense and action sequences. The film currently has a 94 percent positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and the cast promised the reviews are accurate.

“It turned out to be a good film that I’m very proud of. I was just coming off of ‘Everest’ and I almost didn’t do the movie. Thank God I did,” Josh Brolin told Variety on the red carpet prior to the screening. “The result is incredible. Once I read the script and started to get into it, I was like, ‘Wow, this is something that I want to put my time and energy into!’ What attracted me to the movie is that it brings something into the consciousness. The drug cartel in Mexico is something that’s so close to us and I hope people will see this movie and start to talk about it as much as we talk about ISIS that’s halfway across the planet.”

“Sicario” (a slang word meaning hit man in Mexico) centers on a stoic FBI agent (Emily Blunt) who is recruited by a Homeland Security task force agent (Brolin) to take down a powerful Mexican drug lord supplying the U.S.

“Playing this role is certainly the most intense thing I’ve ever done,” said Blunt. “Although it was challenging, it’s was so appealing because I get to shed every layer of skin to play a part that is raw and gritty. It’s an actor’s dream to do this type of role and I’m so happy that I could do it.”

The British star, who became an American citizen last month, has topped a short list of actresses to portray action-heavy roles, especially after starring in “Edge of Tomorrow” with Tom Cruise. But don’t expect her entire career to be based on wielding guns.

“I don’t want to do it all the time,” she admitted. “If I did, that would mean I would have to be in the gym perpetually, which is something I do not enjoy. But I’m happy to contribute to the new wave of these very kick a– roles for women. I think it’s become less of an anomaly to have women in these parts, which is fantastic. We just saw Charlize [Theron] in ‘Mad Max’ and Rebecca Ferguson in ‘Mission: Impossible’ and all these amazing women showing that they can do a push up and capable of doing what the guys are doing. But we still need more women in these types of roles. We are just beginning and I am happy to contribute.”

Joining Blunt and Brolin at the premiere were costars Daniel Kaluuya, Maximiliano Hernández, Bernardo Saracino and Benicio Del Toro, who is no stranger to drug world movies. His performance in Steven Soderbergh’s “Traffic” earned him an Academy Award.

“I’m Hollywood’s go-to guy for the war on drugs,” joked Del Toro, who plays a mysterious Mexican operative. “I’ve played many characters that live in the drug world. I’ve been the guy who’s in charge of it, the cop going after the drug criminals and the guy addicted to it, but this one had a different angle. I knew there was something interesting for me to do. After this, I think it’s time for me to move on to do other things.”

Del Toro next film is 2017’s “Star Wars: Episode VIII.” He is rumored to play the villain in the highly secret project. “I’m very excited about it. I can’t talk too much about it,” he said. “I loved the original. It was a part of my childhood.”

Following the screening, the cast, director Villeneuve, Roger Deakins, the director of photography, and producers Basil Iwanyk, Edward McDonnell, Molly Smith, Thad Luckinbill and Trent Luckinbill all mingled at the after-party held at The Modern located inside the Museum of Modern Art. Blunt’s husband John Krasinski joined the bash and made his rounds socializing with guests including director Amy Heckerling and cracked jokes with Del Toro. Meanwhile Brolin shared a long conversation with Hilary Swank and Blunt chatted with director Julian Schnabel.

“Sicario” opens Friday and expands nationwide on Oct. 2.

(Pictured: Benicio Del Toro, Daniel Kaluuya, Emily Blunt and Josh Brolin at the “Sicario” after-party)

Source: VARIETY