Before bullet-pointing the newsier items here, let me note that Ioncinema has begun rolling out its predictions for the Sundance 2015 lineup. There’s not much breaking news here; instead, consider the ongoing feature as a series of updates on over three dozen projects (so far) by the likes of Athina Rachel Tsangari, Bob Byington, Cary Fukunaga, Dees Rees, Jorge Michel Grau, James Ponsoldt, Joe Swanberg, Rick Alverson and Jonás Cuarón.
James Schamus, co-founder of Good Machine in the early 90s with our CEO, Ted Hope, former CEO of Focus Features, Jury President of this year’s Berlinale and the screenwriter (or co-screenwriter) behind such Ang Lee films as Eat Drink Man Woman, The Ice Storm and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, “will make his directing debut on Indignation, an adaptation of the Philip Roth novel,” reports Deadline‘s Mike Fleming Jr. Actually, make that “feature directorial debut.” Schamus, after all, directed two contributions to the new collection We the Economy: 20 Short Films You Can’t Afford to Miss, That Film About Money and The Second Part of That Film About Money.
At any rate, this story’s “set in 1951 and centers around Marcus Messner, an idealistic son of a humble kosher butcher from Newark, NJ,” notes Fleming Jr. “The youth leaves for Ohio to study at a small, conservative college, where he finds himself at odds with the administration, grapples with anti-Semitism and sexual repression, and pines after a troubled girl.” Nathan Rabin at the Dissolve: “Anti-semitism and sexual repression? Kosher butchers? That certainly doesn’t sound like the Philip Roth we know!”
The Heimspiel Filmfest, currently running through Sunday in Regensburg, has posted word on its Facebook page that Christian Petzold will begin shooting Kreise (Circles) for the Bavarian television network BR. The crime thriller stars Matthias Brandt and Barbara Auer, and shooting begins within a few short weeks.
Just to break up the page here,
two Michael Shannons in the video for Deerhoof’s ‘Exit Only’
David O. Russell is looking to work with Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro again. The Playlist‘s Kevin Jagernauth has details on Joy, “the rags-to-riches tale of Joy Mangano, the inventor of the Miracle Mop.” He’s also got the latest on M. Night Shyamalan’s The Visit, which sounds a bit like a cross between Hansel and Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood. Maybe.
Also according to the Playlist, George Lucas has quietly written an animated feature to be released in January, “a madcap fairy tale musical inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Lenny Abrahamson will direct Emma Donoghue’s adaption of her own 2010 novel Room, reports Variety‘s Dave McNary. And William H. Macy, Joan Allen and Jacob Tremblay have joined Brie Larson in the cast.
“Fred Armisen, Selma Blair and Judy Greer will join Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong in Geezer, a new movie about an aging punk rocker,” reports Marah Eakin at the AV Club.
“CBS has given a production commitment to Sneaky Pete, a drama written and executive produced by Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston and House creator David Shore,” reports Deadline‘s Nellie Andreeva.
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