By Andreas Wiseman
January 12, 2021 8:36am

EXCLUSIVE: The Good Fight and Outsiders actress Christina Jackson has been cast as the female lead in big-budget war movie Devotion, which is due to get underway next month in the state of Georgia.

Sony pre-bought domestic last fall on JD Dillard’s (Sweetheart) Korean war pic, which will star Jonathan Majors (Da 5 Bloods) and Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick) in the lead roles, and is backed by Sicario and La La Land outfit Black Label Media.

The aerial epic will chart the true story of U.S. Navy fighter pilots, Jesse Brown and Tom Hudner, two young men from different worlds. Initiated together into the VF-32 squadron, they are pushed to their limits flying a new design of fighter jet. But their friendship is tested when one of them is shot down behind enemy lines. Jackson will play Daisy Brown.

Dillard will direct from a screenplay written by Jake Crane and Jonathan A. Stewart, based on the book by Adam Makos. Crew includes Mank and Raised By Wolves DoP Erik Messerschmidt and Da 5 Bloods and Hidden Figures production designer Wynn Thomas.

Producers are Molly Smith, Rachel Smith, Thad Luckinbill and Trent Luckinbill for Black Label, which is fully financing. STX is handling international sales and will distribute in UK and Ireland.

Jackson, best known for WGN crime-drama series Outsider, is currently in production on Apple TV+’s Swagger, a casting we can also reveal today.

She has previously had supporting roles in series including Boardwalk Empire and Deception. Devotion marks the rising actress’s most significant big screen outing to date, her only previous film role coming on 2008 indie comedy Harold. She is repped by Paradigm and MKSD Talent.

Source: DEADLINE

By Matt Donnelly

Benicio Del Toro has joined the feature film “Reptile” as star and executive producer, Variety has learned exclusively.

The Black Label Media project will also mark the feature directorial debut of Grant Singer, the prolific music video director whose collaborators include The Weeknd and Taylor Swift.

Del Toro will play Nichols, a hardened New England detective unflinching in his pursuit of a case where nothing is as it seems, one that begins to dismantle the illusions in his own life.

Singer wrote the script with Benjamin Brewer. Black Label will produce and finance, led by Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill and Thad Luckinbill. Seth Spector will co-produce.

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with one of the most talented emerging filmmakers, Grant Singer on his original script alongside the brilliant Benicio Del Toro,” the Black Label team said in joint statement.  “Grant is a bold storyteller who has crafted a sophisticated, visceral psychological thriller and we’re ecstatic for the opportunity to make something truly haunting and suspenseful that will resonate with the audience long after the film ends.”

Production is eyeing a spring 2021 start with a release date to be determined. Benicio is repped by LBI, Range Media Partners and Hansen Jacobson.Singer is repped by CAA, Anonymous Content and Steve Burkow at Ziffren Brittenham.

Black Label Media was formed in 2013 by partners Smith and the Luckinbills to finance and produce bold films with commercial appeal. Their credits include three-time Academy Award-nominated “Sicario” (directed by Denis Villeneuve, starring Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, and Josh Brolin), “Sicario 2: Day of the Soldado” (directed by Stefano Sollima), “12 Strong” (directed by Nicolai Fuglsig, starring Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon and Michael Peña), and “Sierra Burgess is a Loser” (directed by Ian Samuels, starring Shannon Purser and Noah Centineo).

Black Label also co-financed and executive produced the Academy Award-winning “La La Land” with Lionsgate. Their upcoming slate includes Peter Sattler’s “Broken Diamonds” starring Ben Platt and Lola Kirke, and Derek Kolstad’s “Time Agent.”

Black Label will also begin production February 2021 on JD Dillard’s “Devotion” with Glen Powell and Jonathan Majors.

Source: VARIETY

By Andreas Wiseman
International Editor

September 4, 2020 10:00am

Sony has pre-bought domestic on JD Dillard’s (Sweetheart) Korean war pic Devotion, which is set to star Jonathan Majors (Da 5 Bloods) and Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick). STX has come aboard for international sales ahead of the TIFF market and will distribute in UK and Ireland.

Black Label Media is aiming to start production in February.

The film will chart the true story of U.S. Navy fighter pilots, Jesse Brown and Tom Hudner, two young men from different worlds. Initiated together into the VF-32 squadron, they are pushed to their limits, testing and flying a new design of fighter jet. But their friendship is tested when one of them is shot down behind enemy lines.

Dillard will direct from a screenplay written by Jake Crane and Jonathan A. Stewart with revisions by Dillard and based on the book by Adam Makos.

Producers are Molly Smith, Rachel Smith, Thad Luckinbill and Trent Luckinbill for Black Label Media (La La Land), who are also fully financing.

Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions acquired the film, and Sony Pictures will distribute in North America. CAA Media Finance brokered the deal with STX.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with both Sony Pictures and STX International to bring this epic story to the big screen,” said Sicario producer Molly Smith. “JD Dillard is one of the most exciting filmmakers in the business and brings an extraordinary vision to this film in combination with our talented cast.”

SOURCE: DEADLINE

By Dino-Ray Ramos

Associate Editor/Reporter

August 18, 2020 9:00am

Gunpowder & Sky’s sci-fi label Dust is teaming with producer John Davis (Predator franchise, the upcoming Jungle Cruise) and Black Label Media (La La Land, Sicario) to develop time-hopping action pic Time Agent. John Wick scribe Derek Kolstad is set to write the feature based on the Korean short film The Time Agent from writer/director Jude Chun, which was previously released by Dust.

“The Dust team lives for amplifying the voices of diverse storytellers and when we first came across Jude’s short film, we knew we had something special,” said Eric Bromberg, General Manager of Dust. “Having the short realized into a feature film with the powerhouse combination of John Davis, Black Label and Derek Kolstad, only confirms our instinct that this will be nothing short of a mind-bending adrenaline-shot-to-the-heart.”

The Time Agent short film was originally released in 2018 and, as the title suggests, it follows an agent who travels to the past to save the future by making barely-perceptible yet very influential alterations to the timeline. During his mission, he must live in complete isolation (which sounds too familiar in these times). The solitary life fits the agent just fine until he runs into a girl about to commit suicide and accidentally saves her life.

“I’ve always had an affinity for films that live and breathe off of high energy and complex characters, and Chun’s film scratched that itch for me,” said Davis. “Dust has an eye for the exceptional so I can’t wait to help reinvent this wild tale of time travel with them, alongside the renowned team at Black Label.”

“From the moment I saw the short, I recognized a vast and unexplored world hidden within the initial concept eager to be fully realized,” added Kolstad. “Thankfully, the imaginative teams at Gunpowder & Sky and Davis Entertainment saw the potential too, and shared a similar vision for it. Dude, I’m excited to dive in and help further bring this one to life.”

Gunpowder & Sky’s co-founders, Van Toffler and Floris Bauer, as well as Bromberg will executive produce alongside Davis, Chun, Jeremy Stein (SVP, Davis Entertainment) and Black Label Media’s Molly Smith, Thad Luckinbill and Trent Luckinbill. Black Label’s Seth Spector will co-produce. Black Label Media will also finance and produce alongside Davis Entertainment and Gunpowder & Sky.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

By Amanda N’Duka

February 11, 2020 9:56am

Alcon Entertainment has secured all filmed entertainment rights to Postscript, the recently released follow-up to Cecelia Ahern’s 2004 debut novel P.S. I Love You. The Blind Side production company will co-finance and co-produce the feature adaptation along with Black Label Media.

Alcon produced and financed the 2007 film adaptation of P.S. I Love You, which starred Hilary Swank as Holly, as well as Gerard Butler, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kathy Bates, and Lisa Kudrow. It followed the story of Holly and her husband Gerry (Butler), who are tragically torn apart when Gerry dies from a brain tumor. A grieving Holly discovers Gerry has left behind 10 letters designed to help Holly overcome her sorrow and transition to a new life.

Postscript, which hit bookshelves today in the US today (via Grand Central Publishing) following its UK release (via HarperCollins) last September, picks up on Holly’s story seven years after her husband’s death with Holly having peacefully moved on with her life. However, when Holly’s sister asks her to tell the story of the “PS, I Love You” letters on her podcast — she does so reluctantly, not wanting to reopen old wounds. Soon after the episode airs, people start reaching out to Holly, and they all have one thing in common: they’re terminally ill and want to leave their own missives behind for loved ones. Suddenly, Holly finds herself drawn back into a world she’s worked tirelessly to leave behind — but one that leads her on another incredible, life-affirming journey.

Alcon co-founders and co-CEOs Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson are producing the project with Molly Smith, Trent and Thad Luckinbill of Black Label.

Ahern is repped for TV and film by Howie Sanders at Anonymous Content, and for publishing by Theresa Park of Park & Fine Literary and Media.

Source: DEADLINE

By Patrick Hipes
June 27, 2019

EXCLUSIVE: Black Label Media said Thursday that its newly formed Black Label Ventures has struck an equity partnership with the Bleav Podcast Network, a move that will give the La La Land producer a branded platform to produce original podcast content.

It marks the latest move for Black Label, whose recent films include Sierra Burgess Is a Loser, Sicario: Day of the Soldado and 12 Strong. It has also been ramping up activity on the TV side and is now turning to the digital space.

Black Label Media co-financed and executive produced La La Land with Lionsgate; the pic won six Oscars and was nominated for Best Picture in 2017.

“We’re extremely enthusiastic about the partnership,” Black Label Media partner Trent Luckinbill said. “Podcasts are now a mainstream medium for entertainment, and we look forward to bringing our same creativity, talent relationships and passion to the space.”

Bleav launched in November and has more than 60 podcasts that focus on original content featuring professional athletes and topic experts in the Los Angeles and national markets. It is the first podcast network to provide an individual show for every sports team, and has been expanding to new cities and new topics.

Black Label Media is next with on the film side with Peter Sattler’s Broken Diamonds, which stars Ben Platt and Lola Kirke.

Source: DEADLINE