Watching the MGM+ limited anthology series “American Hostage” with exec producer and star Jon Hamm at its Sept. 12 Toronto fest premiere, you might be reminded of last year’s Sept. 7 Toronto premiere, Gus Van Sant’s thriller “Dead Man’s Wire,” about the same 1977 Indianapolis hostage crisis. Or the 2022 podcast “American Hostage” with Jon…
The TIFF-bound documentary “Cheyenne” follows a quartet of fearless cowgirls who compete at riding wild broncos on the rodeo circuit after nearly a century of being excluded because of their gender. Variety has a first look at the film, in which director Taimi Arvidson profiles four cowgirls when the American rodeo circuit opens up a…
“Kri8 Universe,” a five-world science-fiction IP ecosystem from production designer and filmmaker Uzair Merchant, will launch at TIFF: The Market, looking for global licensing, studio and strategic partnerships following 14 years of independent development. The universe consists of five interconnected worlds — Elixir of Life, Black Rose, the 8th Sin, Skye and Vault X —…
In the rubble left by the firebombing of Tokyo in WWII, a 12-year-old girl who once dreamed of a life in music learns to shine shoes, fall in with a band of orphaned boys sheltering under a local yakuza clan and, eventually, erase every trace of the person she used to be. That girl, Kotoko,…
A strong lineup from Taiwan hits the Toronto Intl. Film Festival, with two world premieres in the special presentations strand, a Taiwan-Japan genre title in Midnight Madness, virtual reality, market projects and an international Oscar contender. Feng-I Fiona Roan’s “Happily Ever After” will make its world premiere in special presentations. The film is Roan’s sophomore…
Absolute Batman, KPop Demon Hunters and Doctor Doom, all together at NYCC with Monogram International
In 2022, Gabriel Martins made waves at the Sundance Film Festival with “Mars One,” a sprawling ensemble drama chronicling the life of a Black Brazilian family. At that time, the industry was still wrestling with what a post-pandemic future would look like and, despite “Mars One” having a strong festival run, Martins struggled to secure…
“Ignition,” the upcoming high-concept thriller led by Emmy-nominated “Game of Thrones” star Maisie Williams, has been acquired for North America. WestEnd Films — which launched the film in Cannes — has closed a domestic deal with Saban on the film, directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker James Erskine (“Copa 71,” “Billie,” “Sachin: A Billion Dreams”). The deal comes following…
Liam Neeson was in his home in upstate New York in late 2017 when he was sent a link to a New York Times article about a shameful episode in Ireland’s history. Almost a decade on and he tells Variety he’s “still coming to terms with my reaction to it.” The piece, written by Dan…
Jeremy Thomas, one of the film industry’s most highly respected independent producers with a body of work spanning more than half a century, has died. He was 77 years old. Across his career, Thomas — who founded the Recorded Picture Company and later Hanway Films — helped bring to life more than 80 features, championing the work…