Ralph Fiennes' Apocalypse Now
Good morning: In today's edition of The Industry, we look at:
A Cover Story interview with the director of The Return starring Ralph Fiennes.
In The Industry News: Searchlight’s DNA, Paramount’s Monster. Focus Features Girls.
Actor Spotlight: John Cena’s little brother. Paapa Essiedu Snape.
Festivals and Resources: Indie Spirit Award nominees. The Substance script.
Indie Filmmaker Spotlight/International News: Paolo Sorrentino’s La Grazia. Destin Daniel Cretton’s Tulips.
Let’s go!
We are beta-testing a new section starting from today’s edition. We’re calling it The Industry TLDR. We’d love your feedback. Let us know your thoughts.
“The horror.”
For those less geeky than me, that’s the last line of dialogue in Apocolypse Now.
There is no such line in director Uberto Pasolini’s The Return, a retelling of the Odyssey story. But there might as well be.
Even though the film is shot on the Greek island of Corfu, the territory of the movie is purely psychological.
That’s because Odysseus is portrayed as a war-torn soldier made manifest by Ralph Fiennes in a largely unspoken role. It’s his best role in some time.
I spoke with Pasolini, and he shared how he prepped Fiennes:
“I gave [Fiennes] some interviews with Vietnam vets to read, which had been very important to me when doing the last few drafts of the script.”
The film opens with Fiennes's muscled yet damaged body washing onto the shores of Ithaca. Shortly thereafter, Fiennes sinks to his knees and eats a faceful of dirt; it’s disgusting yet strangely redemptive.
Pasolini shared that he has been working on the film for over three decades. His approach led by stripping down the film to its raw psychological elements:
“A soldier destroyed by war… a man who was rejecting his own past, who hated what war had made of him, what he had become, who was wrenched by guilt, guilt about his not returning home, guilt about what he had done and seen in war, guilt about the man he had left behind, guilt. A man who is not really himself.”
The film strips away the grandeur of myth, reducing its hero to a man hollowed by war. And that’s the dual beauty of The Return, Ralph Fienees is unlike himself, just like the heroic Odysseus.
For More:
Interview with Uberto Pasolini about his “madness and arrogance” and 30-year friendship with Ralph Fiennes:
https://theindustry.co/p/director-of-the-return-uberto-pasolini
Bleecker Street releases THE RETURN In Theaters Nationwide December 6, 2024.
THE INDUSTRY - TLDR
Searchlight has a new comedy film, DNA, starring Ben Schwartz (Sonic 3) and Sam Rockwell.
Paramount’s Republic Pictures secures worldwide rights to the horror film The Monster. Cast: Djimon Hounsou's (Blood Diamond).
Universal TV’s new series Climbing in Heels hails from the creators behind Netflix hit dramedy Emily in Paris.
Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2 hits #1 on iTunes.
Paramount renews The Agency for Season 2
Searchlight Pictures is opening A Complete Unknown (Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan biopic) a week earlier in IMAX on Dec 18th.
Focus Features picks up pop star Hayley Kiyoko's first feature, Girls Like Girls.
John Cena stars in Netflix’s Little Brother, a comedy also starring Eric Andre.
Sam Richardson (Ted Lasso, Veep) is the newest actor to join the Skydance/Mattel live-action Matchbox.
Paapa Essiedu might play Snape in HBO’s Harry Potter series.
Film Independent Indie Spirit Awards announce their nominees. Anora and I Saw the TV Glow lead with six nominations each.
Paolo Sorrentino (dir: The Great Beauty) just announced a new film, La Grazia.
Universal International Studios promotes CFO Rob Howard to EVP.
THE INDUSTRY NEWS
Jorma Taccone, best known as a member of The Lonely Island and for directing MacGruber, is set to direct and produce Searchlight’s comedy DNA, starring Ben Schwartz and Sam Rockwell. The project, written by Schwartz and produced under the Party Over Here banner, marks Taccone's second recent film announcement, following the thriller The Trip, an English-language remake of the 2021 Norwegian film I Onde Dager currently in production in Finland.
There are no plot details for DNA yet, but it is a very exciting collaboration. Schwartz and Jorma have been friends since they both started out as writers at SNL, and apparently, Taccone will have a bit part in Schwartz’s other big film this upcoming year, Sonic 3.
DNA will start production in 2025 after filming on The Trip concludes.
Paramount’s Republic Pictures secures worldwide rights to Djimon Hounsou's (Blood Diamond) led horror flick, The Monster, directed by Saw franchise’s Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw 2-4, Spiral).
Here’s the Official Synopsis:
Two millennials make quick money by leasing incredible New York City apartments they don’t own to people who don’t know they are being scammed. The con works brilliantly until they run into an apartment owner with a dark secret who flips the game on them.
Hounsou will be joined by horror genre regular Lauren LaVera of the Terrifier franchise, Mia Healey (The Wilds), Alicia Witt (Dune), and Neal McDonough (Band of Brothers), among others. The screenplay comes from writers Jonathan Bernstein and James Greer best known for penning Steven Soderbergh’s Unsane (2018).
The Monster is currently in production in Danbury, Connecticut.
Universal Television’s new series Climbing in Heels hails from the creators behind Netflix hit dramedy Emily in Paris. Darren Star and Elaine Goldsmith Thomas are set to co-write and EP a drama series based on the latter’s debut novel. Climbing in Heels follows the fictional rise of five ambitious secretaries navigating the glitzy world of 1980s Hollywood. Goldsmith is best known for being Jennifer Lopez’s producing partner and acting president of the singer’s Nuyorican Productions (Hustlers). Star has been successful in TV for a long time, creating shows like Beverly Hills, 90210, and Sex and the City. Climbing in Heels will be hitting sleeves everywhere on April 29th, 2025.
Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2 hits #1 on iTunes. It’s nice to see Eastwood still has an army of fans. It’s sad to see that the distributor, Warner Bros., who gave it a very, very limited theatrical release, is still burying it on VOD. It’s free on Max, but it’s nowhere to be found on the home screen (still).
The story follows Nicholas Hoult, who accidentally hits a deer while drunk driving one night. Smash cut to a year later, and he gets jury duty for a case about a man killing his gf one year ago. Hoult begins to suspect that he may have something to do with the killing.
The trailer has a high-pitched tension and one overexposed shot that is enthralling.
Popstar, actress, and writer Hayley Kiyoko is adding film director to her already impressive repertoire. The artist will be making her feature directing and screenwriting debut with Focus Features with Girls Like Girls, based on her breakthrough song of the same name. The female ballad became insanely viral in June 2015 when the music video dropped, showing a beautifully realistic portrayal of a friendship between two young women that evolves into a romantic connection, acting as the first directing project from Kiyoko.
The former Disney star’s musical career has brought her over 1.1 B streams, several awards and accolades, and even acting opportunities, as she has starred in films like Jem and the Holograms (2015) and Beautiful Boy (2018).
While the film is in its early stages, you can watch the inspiration and the official "Girls Like Girls" MV here.
Tidbits:
Renewals:
Paramount+’s The Agency (Season 2)
S1 trailer
Cover Story on why we love to see The Agency’s lead, Michael Fassbender, broken:
https://theindustry.co/p/michael-fassbender-damage
Searchlight Pictures is opening A Complete Unknown (Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan biopic) in IMAX on Dec 18th. That’s a week early. Let the Oscar buzz begin! Although, Oscar Isaac (who played a Dylan-esque character in the Coen Brothers’ Inside LLewen Davis) thought the film was a terrible idea (Gotahm Awards clip).
In theatres Dec 25th. Trailer.
Will Terrifier 3 beat Joker 2 at the domestic box office? We’ll see what happens when the Terrifier 3 gets a special 2-day Christmas re-release on Dec 24 and 25th. Here’s where the films currently stand:
Terrifier 3
$54 M domestic
$2 M budget + $500K marketing
Joker 2
$58.3 M domestic
$200 M budget
Terrifier 3 only opens on “limited screens,” so technically, that means sub-600 theaters. Let’s say we get the best-case scenario of Terrifier 3 opening on 599 screens with the top per-screen average of its original theatrical run, $3261. That imputes $1.95 M/day, which would bring it, sadly, $412.5 K short of Joker 2.
THE ACTOR SPOTLIGHT
John Cena is mercifully not the Rock: Though both wrestlers have taken a swing and have balanced franchises on their muscled shoulders. Cena has a few things going for him, he is pretty humble, and he is very funny.
From Ricky Stanicky to nude at the Oscars, Cena knows how to roll with the punches and make a joke land even if that means he ends up the butt of it.
Now it's exciting to hear he is teaming up with bizarro comedy god Eric Andre for Netflix's Little Brother. The film centers on a famous real estate agent whose life is disrupted by the unexpected return of his eccentric younger brother. In 2025, Cena will be saying his goodbye to wrestling and seemingly putting all his focus on acting. He has Season 2 of Peacemaker currently in development along with his final retirement match in April.
John Cena is here to stay:
Though his entrance into Hollywood was met with some scoffs and some eye-rolls, and maybe he had to tough it out in some less-than-stellar comedies, John Cena's commitment and surprising talent show that he has stepped into a different kind of ring and will be going for quite a few rounds.
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Tidbits:
Netflix’s upcoming drama series The Witness casts its two leads: Jordan Bolger (This Town) and Max Finchman (Invasion). The show will follow the aftermath of the violent murder of mother Rachel Nickell, who was killed in front of her two-year-old son in a London park, which ended up in an innocent man being wrongly convicted. Written and created by Rob Williams (The Victim) the three-part drama will be directed by Mary & George’s Alex Winckler. The Witness is set to premiere on Netflix in 2025.
Detroit native Sam Richardson, known for his hilarious comedic roles in hit shows like Apple TV’s Ted Lasso and HBO’s Veep, is the newest actor to join the Skydance/Mattel live-action Matchbox from Apple. While there is no word yet on his role, Richardson will be starring alongside Jessica Biel and John Cena in the toy car origin story.
The comedian will be seen next opposite Michelle Yeoh in Paramount+’s TV movie Star Trek: Section 31, premiering in January with Matchbox still in its pre-production phase.
Paapa Essiedu might play Snape in HBO’s Potter series. You may have seen Essiedu before, his suicide ignites Jessie Buckley to seek solace in a town filled with men that look like Rory Kinnear in Men (A24, trailer). He plays a flamboyant demon (BTS clip) in Black Mirror. And plays Michaela Coel’s best friend in I May Destroy You (still). He keeps her grounded until he has a horrid experience of his own.
Essiedu’s buoyancy in Black Mirror, yet darkness in Men, feels like it could be a good combo for Snape. He seems a bit young, but maybe that’s the angle for the new show.
John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush star in a production of Shakespeare’s retirement home horror movie. This one looks delightfully macabre. And I can honestly say I haven’t quite seen anything like it before. What more ironic tool for haunting old folks than a creepy baby (trailer)?
FESTIVALS AND RESOURCES
Film Independent Indie Spirit Awards announce their nominees:
Best Feature
Anora Neon
Nickel Boys Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios
I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
Sing Sing (A24)
The Substance (Mubi)
Outstanding Lead Performance
Amy Adams Nightbitch (Searchlight)
Ryan Destiny The Fire Inside (MGM)
Colman Domingo, Sing Sing (A24)
Keith Kupferer, Ghostlight (IFC Films)
Mikey Madison, Anora (NEON)
Demi Moore, The Substance (MUBI)
Hunter Schafer Cuckoo (Neon)
Justice Smith, I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
June Squibb Thelma (Magnolia Pictures)
Sebastian Stan The Apprentice (Briarcliff Entertainment)
Wild that Adrien Brody, The Brutalist (A24) and Nicole Kidman, Babygirl (A24) didn’t make the list.
Best Screenplay
A Different Man, Aaron Schimberg (A24)
I Saw the TV Glow, Jane Schoenbrun (A24)
My Old Ass, Megan Park (Amazon/MGM)
A Real Pain, Jesse Eisenberg (Searchlight Pictures)
Heretic, Scott Beck, Bryan Woods (A24)
Anora (trailer) leads with six nominations:
Best Feature
Best Director (Sean Baker)
Best Lead Performance (Mikey Madison)
Best Supporting Performance (Yura Borisov)
Best Supporting Performance (Karren Karagulian)
Producers Award (Alex Coco)
As does I Saw the TV Glow also with six:
Best Feature
Best Director (Sean Baker)
Best Screenplay (Jane Schoenbrun)
Best Lead Performance (Justice Smith)
Best Supporting Performance (Brigette Lundy-Paine)
Producers Award (Sarah Winshall)
My favorite film of the year La Cocina, got a shout-out as Alonso Ruizpalacios was nominated for best director.
The winners of the awards will be announced on February 22nd in a tent on the Santa Monica beach.
Read Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance screenplay here:
https://theindustry.co/p/prospective-best-screenplay-academy
Fargeat directs. Demi Moore stars. The script won best Screenplay at Cannes.
Also, read Conclave screenplay at the same link above.
INDIE FILMMAKER SPOTLIGHT / INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Paolo Sorrentino is a master of mesmerizing, ethereal, and thoughtful cinema. His just announced a new film, La Grazia.
Razor-thin plot details:
A love story set somewhere in Italy.
That’s most of his films:
The Great Beauty (2013)
Academy Awards, Best International Feature
Youth (2015)
Official selection, Cannes
The Young Pope (2016)
HBO
Parthenope (2025)
Official selection, Cannes
Toni Servillo will star in La Grazia. He played the poetically self-indulgent yet eternally lost soul who starred in The Great Beauty.
No shoot dates have been set.
Tidbits:
Famous actors and directors continue the trend of boarding Oscar-qualifying short films as EPs. The latest is In The Garden Of Tulips, which Destin Daniel Cretton (dir: Short Term 12, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings). Here’s the trailer.
Universal International Studios is changing things up in their higher-ups. After five years with UIS, CFO Rob Howard has been promoted to Executive Vice President, where he will oversee both the financials and overall operational strategies to support the studio’s international ambitions. The second promotion involves Kelsey Balance who is now the EVP of Global Scripted Series after having worked as Head of Programming at NBCUniversal’s side comedy venture Seeso for several years.
Laliga Studios, a division of distribution giant Banijay, presents Veleta, a biopic following Anita Carmona Ruiz, a Spanish soccer player who disguised herself as a man in order to play during the 1920s where female participation was widely frowned upon. The project is based on the work of Jesús Hurtado the author who uncovered the full story of Veleta in 2020, a full 80 years after her death. Veleta is currently still in pre-production.
ON THIS DAY
2001. Ocean's Eleven premieres in Westwood, California.
See you Friday!
Written by Gabriel Miller, Spencer Carter, and Madelyn Menapace.
Editor: Gabriel Miller.
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The art of an actor is to take all of the intent(s) of the writer, director, fellow actors - incorporate that vision into a character founded on something internal and truthful and build that into a character and use that character to build a performance. Once the actor knows the level he or she needs to come in on, the camera, the mark, the dialogue, the timing the rest is improvisation. I’ve witnessed this up close and personal with the best actors applying their craft. Ralph and Juliette are very fine examples of this and there are others, as well.