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South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are opening up about why the animated series is delayed and why they will skip the 2024 elections.

In a new interview, Parker and Stone revealed they are not keen on joking about Donald Trump anymore, which is part of the reason Comedy Central won’t return until 2025.

“We’ve tried to do South Park through four or five presidential elections, and it is such a hard thing to—it’s such a mind scramble, and it seems like it takes outsized importance,” Stone told Vanity Fair while promoting their ¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor! documentary. “

Parker added, “Obviously, it’s f***ing important, but it kind of takes over everything and we just have less fun. I don’t know what more we could possibly say about Trump.”

Stone said that the show’s not returning until next year was “on purpose” as...

The 2024 presidential election just threw us another curveball: South Park, known for its commentary on current events, will sit out satirizing this year’s presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

In a new interview with Vanity Fair, South Park co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone revealed the show won’t return for Season 27 until 2025. The delay can partially be chalked up to behind-the-scenes corporate reasons (Parker says they’re “waiting for Paramount to figure all their s—t out”), but Stone added that the show is also bypassing the November election “on purpose.”

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Australian actor Sarah Snook is widely known for her Emmy-winning role as Siobhan "Shiv" Roy, the youngest of the Roy children on the wicked wealth drama "Succession." She appeared in every episode of the show and was able to match the performance of heavy-hitter Brian Cox, who played Shiv's father, Logan. Since "Succession" ended in 2023, Snook has moved back to her acting roots in the theater, appearing on stage in her native Australia.

Even in small supporting roles, however, Snook is an impressive screen presence. She was excellent as a snotty daughter in the ghost story "Winchester," and some might remember her from her small role in "Steve Jobs" in 2015, where she played Apple's marketing guru Andy Cunningham. Snook also appeared in the horror film "Jessabelle" and, in 2023, served as star and executive producer in the film "Run Rabbit Run." Her most recent film was "The Beanie Bubble," which...

It seems like fans accuse everyone of using the drug Ozempic these days. Anytime someone loses weight, fans accuse them of using the drug to do so. Now, Matt Stone and Trey Parker are bringing the controversial drug to South Park. It is no surprise that the storyline will feature Eric Cartman.

Here is a look at the upcoming South Park special and what it plans to say about Ozempic.

South Park Targeting Ozempic

Ozempic is a drug meant to help people with Type 2 Diabetes. However, it also has a side effect that includes weight loss. This has meant that many people have received prescriptions for Ozempic to lose weight. As a result, this means there is a shortage of this. It also caused a shortage of similar medications such as Trulicity since people using Ozempic have had to switch to stay medicated.

As a result, many people with Type...

New customers can enjoy Paramount+’s standard weeklong free trial, or use a special promo code to watch Paramount+ with Showtime free for a month!

Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny are back for another foul-mouthed adventure this month! On May 24, the new movie “South Park: The End of Obesity” makes its debut on Paramount+, available to subscribers of the Paramount+ Essential plan (normally $5.99 per month) and the ad-free Paramount+ with Showtime tier ($11.99 per month). The new special will see new weight-loss wonder drugs flood into South Park, but Cartman is denied access! What will he and his friends do to get their hands on the drugs? Customers who have never tried Paramount+ can always enjoy a seven-day free trial of the streamer, but for a limited time, they can also use a special promo code to stream ad-free with Paramount+ with Showtime for a full month!

How to Get Free...

Paramount+ today announced that the streaming service’s next South Park exclusive event, South Park: The End of Obesity, will premiere on Friday, May 24, in the U.S. and Canada, and on Saturday, May 25 in the U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

The first six exclusive events – South Park: Post Covid: The Return of Covid, South Park The Streaming Wars, South Park The Streaming Wars Part 2, South Park: Joining the Panderverse, and the recently released South Park (Not Suitable for Children) – are currently available to stream exclusively on Paramount+.

In South Park: The End of Obesity, the advent of new weight loss drugs has a huge impact on everyone in South Park. When Cartman is denied access to the life-changing medicine, the kids jump into action.

The hit animated franchise South Park, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022, debuted on Comedy Central on August 13, 1997. Stan,...

Paramount+ announced on Wednesday that South Park: The End of Obesity, its latest South Park exclusive event, will premiere in the U.S. and Canada on Friday, May 24, debuting in the U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria the following day.

Produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, The End of Obesity watches as the advent of new weight loss drugs has a huge impact on everyone in South Park. When Cartman is denied access to the life-changing medicine, the kids jump into action. Check out a teaser above.

Presumably playing off the recent popularity of Ozempic as a weight loss drug, the special event comes on the heels of six others — South Park: Post Covid, South Park: Post Covid: The Return of Covid, South Park The Streaming Wars, South Park The Streaming Wars Part 2, South Park: Joining the Panderverse and the recently released South Park (Not Suitable for Children...

South Park has satirized all corners of American pop culture over its 26-season run. The show’s latest Paramount+ special took on the creator economy by poking fun at OnlyFans, Logan Paul, and the questionable influencer marketing practices Paul has used to advertise his beverage brand.

The special, titled South Park: Not Suitable For Children, is the sixth South Park installment that Trey Parker and Matt Stone have released exclusively on Paramount+. The 42-minute program centers around a sports drink called Cred — a thinly veiled reference to Paul and Ksi’s Prime. The kids at South Park Elementary are trying to acquire as many bottles of Cred as they can. Meanwhile, in videos that resemble the Prime Super Bowl ad, a South Park-ified version of Paul named Logan LeDouche inspires the kids to express their individuality (by buying Cred).

In the episode’s B-plot, Randy Marsh follows the lead...

“South Park” pushed the limits in a brand new way during its latest Paramount+ special.

The aptly titled “South Park (Not Suitable for Children)” contained more nudity in its 46-minute runtime than Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s animated comedy has shown to date. According to TheWrap’s calculations, nine minutes and 27 seconds of that runtime showed the character Randy naked from the waist down. True to the style of this adult animated comedy, the animation of Randy’s often-shown genitalia was more detailed and graphic that other examples of genitalia the series has shown in the past.

(Note: This estimate only applies to the regular seasons of “South Park” and its Paramount+ specials. The video game “South Park: The Stick of Truth” notoriously contained a battle sequence that took place while the parents of the player character were having sex, a sequence that could last longer than nine minutes depending on gameplay.

The latest “South Park” special is ready for its Paramount+ debut! “South Park: (Not Suitable for Children)” is coming to the streamer on Wednesday, Dec. 20, just in time to make your Christmas complete! The show is back with its own unique take on a topical story; when it’s discovered that a teacher at South Park Elementary has an OnlyFans page, the town is thrown into chaos that engulfs Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny. You can watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Paramount Plus.

How to Watch 'South Park: (Not Suitable for Children)' When: Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Where: Paramount Plus Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Paramount Plus. Get 30 Days Free$5.99+ / month paramountplus.com

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About 'South Park: (Not Suitable for Children)'

The town of South Park would be the perfect, idyllic mountain hideaway…...

Sarah Snook, the Emmy-nominated actress from HBO’s hit drama “Succession,” has signed on to star in an adaptation of Jane Austen’s final novel, “Persuasion.”

The movie, from Searchlight Pictures, will be directed by Mahalia Belo. Published in 1817 after Austen’s death, “Persuasion” centers on Anne Elliot, a 27-year-old whose family moves to lower their expenses. In the meantime, they rent their home to an Admiral and his wife. The wife’s brother, a Navy captain, had been engaged to Anne Elliot (who will be portrayed by Snook), but they have had no contact in more than seven years when they meet again.

Jessica Swale, whose credits include “Summerland,” will pen the screenplay.

Alison Own and Debra Hayward are producing the film through their Monumental Pictures banner. BBC Films is co-financing the drama. Katie Goodson-Thomas is overseeing the project for the studio, as well ass Pete Spencer and manager Apolline Berty.

Peter Templeman on set with Stephen Peacocke.

Director Peter Templeman rates Michael Lucas and Christine Bartlett as Australia’s pre-eminent creators of TV comedy-dramas.

So he jumped at the chance to serve as the set-up director of the duo’s Five Bedrooms, Hoodlum Entertainment’s 8-part series which premieres on 10 at 8.40 pm on May 15.

He could not be happier with the performances of the ensemble cast led by Kat Stewart, Stephen Peacocke, Doris Younane, Katie Robertson, Roy Joseph, Kate Jenkinson and Hugh Sheridan.

“Michael and Chris created totally real characters, each with a rich inner life and a back story,” Templeman tells If. “Working on the show was a great experience. We were spoiled for talent.”

Scripted by Lucas, Bartlett and Mithila Gupta, the plot revolves around five strangers, all misfits, who find themselves at a singles table at a wedding. After an excess of alcohol they decide the solution...

Ryan Kwanten (Photo credit: Matt Byrne).

Half-way through shooting Seth Larney’s 2067 in Adelaide, Ryan Kwanten is convinced the sci-fi mystery thriller will have a lasting impact on moviegoers.

“There is something behind Seth’s vision which makes this feel like it’s more than a movie,” says the actor, whose extensive credits include HBO’s True Blood, Ivan Sen’s Mystery Road, Fox’s comedy New Girl and Peter Templeman’s Not Suitable for Children.

“It has a deeper consciousness and is one of those projects that I know will stay with me for a long time. It will play with people’s snap judgments: it’s not your classic case of good versus evil. There really isn’t a bad person in this movie. Everyone has intentions which they think are honourable.”

Set in a deforested and oxygen-deprived world – the result of climate change – the plot follows Kodi Smit-McPhee as Ethan Whyte,...

For those of you who are looking for a perfectly badass Han Solo jacket, Anovos has exactly what you're looking for! This jacket is awesome, and you just have to fork over $500 to get it. The Han Solo jacket is currently available for pre-order and will ship later this year.

Anovos specializes in the creation and distribution of insanely detailed Star Wars costume gear, and if you're a Han Solo fan, this is a jacket that is definitely a tempting purchase. I'll admit, I want one really bad, and I want to buy it! Unfortunately, I just don't have the $500 dollars it would take to make the purchase.

The jacket was created using references from the original screen-used jacket, and it’s made of genuine leather with a satin lining. Here are all the details:

Smuggler. Scoundrel. Hero. Han Solo, captain of the Millennium Falcon, was one of the great leaders of the Rebel Alliance.

A few weeks ago, the premium Star Wars costume creator Anovos revealed their Jyn Erso outfit from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The costume is incredibly cool, and now there's a new accessory that you can buy from Anovos, and it's Jyn's combat poncho. You can find the details below:

Putting behind a checkered past by lending her skills to a greater cause, Jyn Erso is impetuous, defiant, and eager to bring the battle to the Empire. Used to operating alone, she finds higher purpose by taking on a desperate mission for the Rebel Alliance. Anovos is proud to offer the Rogue One: A Star Wars™ Story Jyn Erso Cold Weather Survival Gear "Concho." Items are subject to change in availability and features. This is not a toy. Not suitable for children.This accessory includes details recreated from Rogue One: A Star Wars™ Story screen-used production assets.

The Bleeding Steel team.

Film production spend in Sydney was worth around $50 million in the last year, according to the City of Sydney.

In 2015—16, the City of Sydney.s film liaison team approved more than 1,300 film and photo shoots across Sydney, including 31 major TV drama series and feature films..

City of Sydney CEO, Monica Barone, said the city has streamlined the application process, making filming in the city easier and cementing Sydney.s lead over other Australian cities as a top film location.

.With China set to overtake the Us as the biggest movie market, we can expect an increase in the number of Asian film productions in Sydney. This puts the spotlight on the best our city has to offer, attracting interest, tourists and investment that supports jobs and the local economy," said Barone.

.Our dedicated film liaison officer provides valuable assistance to producers in scouting and securing filming locations,...

Top: Fayssal Bazzi as D-mac, Rahel Romahn as Nick, Michael Denkha as Ibrahim and Lincoln Younes as Hassim

Bottom: Damon Herriman as Jason, Justin Rosniak as Ditch, Alexander England as Shit-stick and Chris Bunton as Evan

Photographer credit: David Dare Parker

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Abe Forsythe's black comedy Down Under is set to hit Australian cinemas on August 4.

Distributed by StudioCanal, the film is a black comedy set during the aftermath of the Cronulla riots.

As Forsythe's second feature, it is the story of two carloads of hotheads from both sides of the fight destined to collide..

Sincere, though misguided, intent gives way to farcical ineptitude as this hilarious yet poignant story of ignorance, fear and kebab-cravings unfolds, and what was meant to be a retaliation mission turns into something neither side could have imagined.

During the shoot, Forsythe told If the narrative mined comedy through the heavy drama.

.The humour turns...

Rebecca Gibney will lead a strong Australian cast for upcoming drama series Wanted, which starts production in Brisbane this week.

Wanted is the story of two strangers who, after intervening in a deadly car-jacking, are swept up a chase across Australia.

Series co-creator and star, Rebecca Gibney will be joined Stephen Peacocke (Home and Away, Hercules), Ryan Corr (Holding The Man, Love Child, Packed To The Rafters), theatre, film and tv veteran Nicholas Bell (Miss Fisher.s Murder Mysteries, Tangle, Satisfaction, Newstopia) and theatre star Geraldine Hakewill in her first major television role.

Gibney said she was excited about the extraordinary team of people.

"To be filming in the beautiful state of Queensland is a dream come true," she said..

Seven director of network production, Brad Lyons, .said Gibney would play a role unlike any of her previous characters, combined with Steve Peacocke.s first major role back in Australia.

Goddess. Mark Lamprell is directing A Few Less Men, the sequel to Stephan Elliott's 2011 hit comedy A Few Best Men. Lamprell takes over from Not Suitable for Children's Peter Templeman, who was named as the director when Screen Australia announced its investment in the project last month. Scripted by Dean Craig, A Few Less Men will see Xavier Samuel, Kevin Bishop and Kris Marshall reprise their roles as the guys who transport their mate.s coffin across Australia after a forced plane landing strands them in the middle of the bush.

Shooting is set to start on October 26 in Western Australia, produced by Tania Chambers, Laurence Malkin and Share Stallings, their second collaboration after Kill Me Three Times.

Chambers tells If, "The change of director was a very amicable and mutual decision. We continue to look for projects to do with Peter and are very excited to work with Mark.

Backing also allocated to China-Australia co-production The Nest.

Investment from Screen Australia means filming is set to go ahead on A Few Less Men, the sequel to 2011 ensemble comedy A Few Best Men.

At the same board meeting, the government agency also backed Kimble Rendall’s The Nest, a China-Australia co-production to be primarily made in Australia.

Arclight Films International will represent both films.

A Few Less Men will see Xavier Samuel, Kris Marshall and Kevin Bishop return to their roles as hapless friends, who become stranded in the Australian bush with a friend’s body after their plane makes a forced landing.

It is understood that Rebel Wilson (Pitch Perfect), who played Daphne in the first film, will not reprise her role.

A Few Best Men screenwriter Dean Craig (Death At A Funeral) will return to pen the sequel, although he will not direct as previously reported.

Peter Templeman will take on directing duties, marking his second...

Kimble Rendall.s 3D action adventure The Nest, a sequel to A Few Best Men and a TV drama starring Rebecca Gibney are being co-funded by Screen Australia.

The agency is investing $3.19 million in the three projects, a remarkable economic multiplier as the combined budgets are $38.4 million.

An official Australian/Chinese co-production, The Nest tells of the discovery of a well-preserved mummified Emperor from 200 BC China, which unleashes a 2,000 year-old nightmare.

Arclight Films, which produced Rendall.s Chinese hit Bait 3D, is producing through Gary Hamilton, Ying Ye and Mark Lazarus with a Chinese partner yet to be identified.

Shooting in Australia and China is due to start in the fourth quarter with an international cast. Tait Brady.s Label is the Australian distributor.

Rendall has been developing the script since he finished Bait. "I was researching Chinese history," he tells If today on the line from Beijing.. "The Nest...

The ugly Cronulla race riots in southern Sydney in 2005 may seem an unlikely source of humour but that.s the backdrop of writer-director Abe Forsythe.s latest film.

Set during the aftermath of the riots, the black comedy looks at two carloads of hotheads from both sides of the fight who are destined to collide.

.The narrative mines comedy through the heavy drama,. Forsythe told If on Thursday on the last day of a six-week shoot. .The humour turns on how absurd the situations were and how they spiralled out of control. It doesn.t let the audience off lightly..

Forsythe began writing the screenplay five years ago and the project finally came together with producer Jodi Matterson and Greg Mclean as executive producer. Mclean had admired Ned, Abe.s directing debut in 2003, and the two had long wanted to work together.

The financiers are Screen Australia, Fulcrum Media, the...

Americans should probably get to know Sarah Snook. If you’re like me then you probably missed her in Julia Leigh’s unsettling Sleeping Beauty, but as recently as 2012 she was hailed as Australia’s Emma Stone (just google "sarah snook australia's emma stone") for her excessively charming performance in the (otherwise terrible) local rom-com Not Suitable for Children and last year impressed in a small role in the apocalyptic rave thriller These Final Hours. Her biggest role yet, however, came in the form of the Spierig Brothers' Predestination and at last night's “Australian Oscars”, the Aacta Awards, she won the coveted Best Lead Actress prize, stealing it from the grip of two mightily formidable contenders.

The big winners + Cate Blanchett without her shoes (!!!) after the jump...

Who me?...

Warner Bros. Pictures has announced that it has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to Academy Award winner Russell Crowe’s (“Gladiator”) directorial debut, from RatPac Entertainment, The Water Diviner, which the Studio will release in select U.S. theaters on April 24, 2015.

Starring Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind) and Olga Kurylenko (Oblivion, Quantum Of Solace), The Water Diviner is an epic adventure set four years after the devastating battle of Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I.

Australian farmer Connor (Crowe) travels to Istanbul to discover the fate of his sons, reported missing in the action, where he forges a relationship with the beautiful Turkish woman (Kurylenko) who owns the hotel in which he stays. Holding on to hope, and with the help of a Turkish Officer, Connor embarks on a journey across the country to find the truth about the fate of his sons. The Water Diviner is an extraordinary tale of love,...

Lemon Tree Passage, an Australian supernatural thriller inspired by an urban legend, will open in a limited number of cinemas on October 31, tying in with Halloween.

Produced by Jeremy Ervine and directed and co-written by David Campbell, the plot follows three American backpackers who learn about the ghost of a motorcyclist that stalks young motorists and encounter something far more evil.

The cast is headed by Jessica Tovey (Wonderland, Tracks), Pippa Black (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Nicholas Gunn (The Hunters Club, Neighbours), Tim Phillipps (TV.s Chopper, The Secret Circle), Tim Pocock (Dance Academy) and Andrew Ryan (Not Suitable for Children, Tomorrow, When the War Began).

Campbell and Erica Brien wrote the screenplay after he saw a segment aired on Today Tonight in 2010 dealing with teenagers who were caught speeding in Lemon Tree Passage Road in Port Stephens and told the cops they saw a ghostly light.

A YouTube...

Following strong notices for their breakout zombie film "Undead" in 2003, Australian genre filmmakers Michael and Peter Spierig teamed with Ethan Hawke and Sam Neill for the vampire action flick "Daybreakers" back in 2009. Five years on, they're back for their third feature "Predestination" which also stars Hawke along with Noah Taylor and Sarah Snook.

Dropping horror in favor of complicated sci-fi, this might be their best effort yet. Based on "Starship Troopers" author Robert A. Heinlein’s 1960 short story "All You Zombies," the action follows a Temporal Agent who must pursue a criminal that has eluded him throughout time and at the same time ensure his own survival.

Actress Sarah Snook has scored a strong reputation here in Australia for her work on the TV series "Spirited" and films like "Not Suitable for Children". Here she takes on what appears to be a meaty role where half the time they've adjusted...

In Wolf Creek 2, writer/director Greg Mclean’s sequel to his 2005 directorial debut, Mick Taylor proves that a human can still be the most dangerous predator in the Outback. Now available on Blu-ray and DVD, we’ve been provided with an exclusive behind-the-scenes clip to share with Daily Dead readers:

“Image Entertainment, an Rlj Entertainment (Nasdaq: Rlje) brand, brings you the much-anticipated sequel Wolf Creek 2, available on Blu-ray for an Srp of $34.97 and DVD for an Srp of $27.97 on June 24, 2014. Directed by Greg McLean (Wolf Creek, Rogue), the film stars John Jarratt (Wolf Creek, Django Unchained), Ryan Corr (Not Suitable for Children), Shannon Ashlyn (Il Taglialegna) and Philippe Klaus (Mercy).

Wolf Creek made over $25M in box office and was included in Slant Magazine’s list of the 100 best films of the decade. New York Magazine critics placed Wolf Creek at 25th on their list of “the 25 Best Horror Films Since The Shining.

I rented Wolf Creek 2 twice when it hit VOD recently. In my opinion, it is one of the best horror sequels we’ve been given for a while, and it was so insane, that it instantly secured itself a spot on my top 10 of the year list, regardless of what happens between now and then. Whereas the first film was a slow burn film in the style of Hostel, Part 2 starts crazy, and remains so throughout the duration of the film. Some of the set pieces are so epic, that it really felt like something that should have been given a wide theatrical release. The bad news is that you won’t be seeing Wolf Creek 2 at your local theater, but the good news is that you’ll be seeing it on your TV sooner than you’d think. On June 24th Image Entertainment is releasing the film to DVD & Blu-ray.

Mick Taylor: the man’s name can send a shiver down an Outback traveler’s spine, and the man himself has no problem cutting into that same spine with his hunting knife. In Wolf Creek 2, writer/director Greg Mclean’s sequel to his 2005 directorial debut, Mick Taylor proves that a human can still be the most dangerous predator in the Outback. If you’ve been wanting to add Taylor’s latest reign of terror to your home media collection, you won’t have to wait much longer.

Wolf Creek 2 will be available on Blu-ray and DVD on June 24th. We have the movie’s synopsis, special features, and a look at its cover for you to check out:

“Image Entertainment, an Rlj Entertainment (Nasdaq: Rlje) brand, brings you the much-anticipated sequel Wolf Creek 2, available on Blu-ray for an Srp of $34.97 and DVD for an Srp of $27.97 on...

Well Go USA Entertainment will distribute in the Us Zak Hilditch.s debut feature These Final Hours, which screened in Directors Fortnight in Cannes.

That.s the 18th Australian film acquired for Us theatrical release this year, an all-time record beating the previous high of 15 in 1997.

Produced by Liz Kearney, the film will get a platform release in New York and Los Angeles as a precursor to VOD and DVD. Well Go handled Not Suitable for Children. Wolf Creek.s Nathan Phillips plays a self-obsessed young guy who makes his way to the party-to-end-all-parties on the last day on Earth but ends up saving the life of a girl (11-year-old Angourie Rice) who.s searching for her father. Sarah Snook, Daniel Henshall, Jessica De Gouw and Kathryn Beck round out the cast.

Rice made her debut in Transmission, Hilditch.s short film also produced by Liz Kearney, the tale of...

Rodger Corser and Asher Keddie

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Adam Zwar, Angus Sampson, Colin Moody, Kaiya Jones, Oliver Ackland and Doris Younane have joined the cast of Party Tricks, the Network Ten drama now shooting in Melbourne.

Michael Lucas (Offspring, Not Suitable for Children) created the 6-part series which stars Asher Keddie as Premier Kate Ballard, whose campaign to be re-elected is upset when popular TV and radio personality David McLeod (Rodger Corser) is drafted in as the Opposition.s candidate.

It turns out Kate and David had a secret, tumultuous affair several years earlier. Party Tricks becomes a cat-and-mouse game which culminates in an election night finale.

Imogen Banks and John Edwards are producing for Endemol Australia, co-funded by Screen Australia and Film Victoria. Endemol Worldwide Distribution is distributing internationally.

Zwar (The Agony of Life, Rush) plays Trevor Bailey, the deputy Opposition leader.. Sampson (Paper Giants: Magazine Wars, Howzat! Kerry Packer.s War) is Wayne Duffy,...

Shane Jacobson, Saran Snook, Alan Tudyk, Deborah Mailman and a dog named Meeko head the cast of Oddball, a comedy which starts shooting in Melbourne and country Victoria on Monday.

Based on a true story, the film features Jacobson as Swampy Marsh, an eccentric chicken farmer who, helped by his granddaughter, trains his mischievous dog Oddball to protect a wild penguin sanctuary from fox attacks.

In the process he reunites his family and saves their seaside town.

The director is Stuart McDonald (Summer Heights High, Super Fun Night), replacing the originally announced Clayton Jacobson who left the project a couple of week ago.

The cast includes Sarah Snook (These Final Hours, Not Suitable For Children), Alan Tudyk (I, Robot, Serenity, Frozen, Knocked Up), Coco Gillies (Maya the Bee Movie), Richard Davies (Offspring, Howzat! Kerry Packer.s War), Deborah Mailman (The Sapphires, Bran Nue Dae, Offspring), Frank Woodley (Kath & Kimderella, The...

Writer-director Sarah Spillane.s debut film Around the Block will test the viability of a short window between theatrical and home entertainment release.

The drama starring Christina Ricci, Hunter Page-Lochard and Jack Thompson will begin a limited cinema roll-out at the Cremorne Orpheum on June 16 - one month before it.s released on DVD, Blu-ray and digital platforms.

Producers Brian Rosen and Su Armstrong are hoping the accelerated release, with Screen Australia contributing to the $200,000 P&A spend, will provide a bigger upside than a conventional cinema season and then waiting 120 days for ancillary revenues.

The film is booked at the Randwick Ritz on June 23 and dates in Melbourne and Canberra are to be confirmed. There will be Q&A screenings with the director and key cast, excluding Ricci.

Pinnacle Films will release the title on DVD, Blu-ray and all major digital platforms including iTunes, Big Pond Movies, Foxtel, Google Play,...

Odin.s Eye Entertainment has acquired worldwide sales rights to Lemon Tree Passage, an Australian supernatural thriller directed and co-written by David Campbell.

The South Australian-shot film inspired by an urban legend had its first screening on Saturday at the European Film Market in Berlin.

Campbell and Erica Brien wrote the screenplay after he saw a segment on Today Tonight in 2010 dealing with teenagers who were caught speeding in Lemon Tree Passage Road in Port Stephens, Nsw, and told the cops they saw a ghostly light.

A video of the sighting has been viewed more than 330,000 times on YouTube and some locals believe it.s the spirit of a motorcyclist who was killed on the road.

The plot follows three American backpackers who learn about the ghost of a motorcyclist that stalks young motorists and encounter something far more evil.

The cast includes Jessica Tovey (Tracks, TV's Wonderland), Pippa Black...

The living dead are running amok in the Wild West in the new flick from Joshua C. Birch and Michael Du-Shane entitled Bullets for the Dead, and we have the sales art and more for you budding buckaroos.

The film stars Christopher Sommers ("Terra Nova," Jucy, The Horseman) and Kathryn Beck (Not Suitable for Children, Burning Man, The Little Things).

Synopsis

Escorting the fiery young Annie Blake and her gang to the sheriff in Blood Gulch, bounty hunter Dalton discovers the remains of an horrific massacre and rescues its sole survivor, a preacher. Before long the group are fighting for their lives against a zombie horde that walks the desert plains eating all the flesh in their path. And as the preacher’s secret unravels, Dalton realizes what he’ll have to do to prevent his wife being resurrected as one of the living dead.

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The good news keeps coming for Ivan Sen.s Mystery Road. The crime thriller received mostly positive reviews after opening the Sydney Film Festival and now the producers have announced a Us deal.

Boutique distributor Well Go USA plans an early 2014 release. Typically Well Go distributes films to a limited number of cinemas simultaneously with DVD and Video-on-Demand platforms..

The deal was negotiated by Arclight Films. Gary Hamilton, who.s also an executive producer on the film, at the Cannes Film Market. He described it as .significant,. which could imply Well Go is putting up a minimum guarantee of five-to-six figures..

.We are delighted to hear of Mystery Road being picked up for a Us release., said producer David Jowsey. .Ivan Sen.s murder mystery feature has a great cast and its genre roots should deliver to audiences around the world...

The film opens in Australia on August 15. Aaron Pedersen...

Australian cinema is a rather curious thing. The folks in the land down under have a particularly interesting sense of humor. They seem to tackle somewhat taboo issues with a wit that is both fresh and captivating. One such film, Not Suitable for Children deals with cancer and the idea of parenthood. True Blood hunk Ryan Kwanten stars in this offbeat and somewhat original film which will both entertain and arouse.

Jonah (Kwanten) is on top of the world. He lives in a party house with two friends, Gus (Ryan Corr) and Stevie (Sarah Snook). He has random hook ups and leads a life of very little responsibility. That is until one random female notices a curious lump on one of Jonah’s testicles. Now, facing testicular cancer, Jonah tries to freeze his genetic material but that idea fizzles. He then has just four weeks to get a girl pregnant otherwise,...

Bryan Brown and Sam Neill will star in Old School, an ABC series in the vein of the BBC comedy-drama New Tricks. Brown will play Ted, a retired cop, with Neill as Lennie, an ex-crim. The odd couple turn sleuth to solve crimes, unravel scams and earn much-needed dosh.

The cast includes Sarah Peirse as Ted.s feisty, sports-mad wife; Hanna Mangan Lawrence as Lennie.s granddaughter Shannon; Mark Coles-Smith as Jason, the mechanic son of one of Lennie.s prison mates; and Damian Walshe-Howling as a charming opportunist who woos Shannon.

The show was created by Paul Oliver and Steve Wright and will be produced by Matchbox Pictures. Helen Panckhurst and exec produced by Tony Ayres and Penny Chapman.

Production of the eight-part series starts in Sydney in June with the directing chores shared by Gregor Jordan (Two Hands, Buffalo Soldiers), Peter Templeman (Not Suitable For Children) and Oliver.

Zombie Western Bullets for the Dead is due to roll in Queensland in July, the first in a slate of low-budget genre films from a new joint venture between Cathy Overett.s Brisbane-based Cathartic Pictures and UK sales agent Stealth Media Group.

Overett told If the aim is to produce two or three films a year, each budgeted at $3 million, using the 40 per cent Australian producer tax offset, which Stealth will sell internationally. The $2 million Bullets for the Dead marks the feature debut of Australian writers-directors Joshua C. Birch and Michael Du-Shane, developed from a 3-minute film, 26 Bullets Dead, which they shot in 2011 when they were students at the Griffith Film School.

The plot revolves around a bounty hunter (Christopher Sommers) who escorts a fiery young woman (Kathryn Beck) and her gang of misfits to the sheriff. En route he discovers the remains of a massacre and rescues its sole survivor,...

Review by Sam Moffitt

Men are very protective of their sex organs. From a young age men are all too aware of how vulnerable their junk is and how easily all or part of their manhood can be removed from the rest of our body. But it’s not something we talk about a lot.

Not Suitable for Children deals with a young Australian man, a party animal really, named Jonah (Ryan Kwanten “True blood”) who learns, almost by accident, that he has testicular cancer. The infected one has to be removed, which will not affect his sexual performance but will render him sterile. Then he also finds out that his sperm will not keep if cryogenically frozen.

I was circumcised as an adult, in 1983. I also had a vasectomy in 2001. I can assure you that any surgery to the male sex organs can be traumatic and I assumed that...

Moviefone's Pick of the Week "Django Unchained" What's It About? Quentin Tarantino's Western about a German bounty hunter freeing a southern slave (and all that comes with it), is at once a commentary on how barbaric the idea of slavery is/was and also a dark comedy about the horrors of the slave trade. See It Because: Some moments you'll be laughing out loud and at others you'll be morose and silent. In the end, you'll be cheering aloud for protagonist Jamie Foxx (Django), who's gunslinging badassery is one of the most memorable performances of the year. Moviefone's Blu-ray Pick of the Week "Repo Man" Criterion Collection What's It About? Uh well.... Emilio Estevez and Harry Dean Stanton star in this 1984 punk classic as a pair of repossession agents that race against rival thugs and government agents to locate a classic Chevy Malibu that may or may not have...

This week: Quentin Tarantino's eighth film, the Oscar-winning "Django Unchained," starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson, finds emancipation on DVD and Blu-ray after a celebrated run at the box office.

Also new this week is the pitch-black comedy "Small Apartments," the Southern ghost story "The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia" and the Criterion Collection Blu-ray debut of "Repo Man."

'Django Unchained'

Box Office: $163 million

Rotten Tomatoes: 89% Fresh

Storyline: Jamie Foxx plays the titular unchained slave in Quentin Tarantino's latest opus, which is set two years before the Civil War. After Django is set free by German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), the doctor convinces Django to help him hunt down the murderous Brittle brothers. Django remains focused on a singular goal: rescuing his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), whom he lost years ago to the slave trade. Fate intervenes when Django and Dr.

Today's batch of MPAA ratings are a little more lively than last week, beginning with an R-rating for Pedro Almodovar's high-flying, 30,000 feet in the air comedy I'm So Excited and Oblivion starring Tom Cruise, Olga Kurylenko and Morgan Freeman comes away with a PG-13. The most interesting to me is Ron Howard's Rush, the Formula 1 racing true story starring Chris Hemsworth (The Avengers) and Daniel Bruhl (Inglourious Basterds) as two of the greatest rivals the world has ever witnessed--handsome English playboy Hunt and his methodical, brilliant opponent, Lauda. I guess I expected a PG-13 studio film, but perhaps their going for something a little more edgy? Is that too much to surmise from a rating alone? Of course, it isn't as if Howard doesn't direct R-rated movies, but I don't really look back at the language in Frost/Nixon and think much of it and while The Missing was rated R for violence,...

Luminous Aussie actress Sarah Snook is ascending fast. After filming a supporting role in apocalyptic thriller These Final Hours and being the best thing about Not Suitable for Children last year, Deadline reports Snook has been cast opposite Ethan Hawke in Predestination, the sci-fi followup from Daybreakers directors Peter and Michael Spierig. In Predestination, based on a classic Robert A. Heinlein short story, Hawke plays a Temporal Agent who on his final assignment pursues a criminal who has long eluded him. Sony has acquired North American and some international rights to the thriller, and filming will begin in Melbourne on April 8....

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Adele Ferguson’s Gina Rinehart acquired by Screentime

Screentime has acquired the rights to the unauthorised biography of the richest woman in the world.

The Banijay-owned company picked up the rights of the story of Gina Rinehart from biographer and Fairfax journalist Adele Ferguson.

Planned as a six hour mini-series, the production will be written by Michael Lucas, writer of Offspring and Not Suitable For Children.

The biography is based on research and interviews with Rinehart’s colleagues, family, friends and former employees. The series will look at both Rinehart and her father Lang Hancock. Fairfax currently owns about 15% of publisher Fairfax Media and is battling for a place on the board.

Screentime’s Des Monaghan said: “We are delighted that we won the race to secure the rights to the story of Gina Rinehart and her father, who have fascinated Australia for decades.”

“Adele is one of Australia’s most highly regarded writers,...

Production is underway on The Rover, starring Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson, in the South Australian outback.

The seven-week shoot began on January 29 and has already attracted the interest of local tabloid, The Advertiser, which ran on-set photos on its front page this week.

The film, written and directed by David Michôd, also stars Scoot McNairy (Argo, Killing Them Softly) who plays Pattinson's brother; Susan Prior (Animal Kingdom, Not Suitable for Children); Gillian Jones (Oscar and Lucinda, The Tree); Anthony Hayes (Burning Man, Animal Kingdom) and David Field (Chopper, Two Hands).

In a statement announcing the new cast, producers Liz Watts and David Linde said: "The South Australian desert environment can be a tough one to work in, particularly for those coming from a Northern Hemisphere winter but both the cast and crew have thrown themselves into the shoot. We are shooting in some of the most haunting and stunning landscapes in the world,...

The sequel to Australia’s highest grossing R-rated film ever has started production in South Australia after long delays.

Wolf Creek 2 has begun principal photography, again helmed by writer-director-producer Greg Mclean.

It will be a welcome relief to Mclean after the film struggled to get off the ground due to financing issues. In 2011 private investor Geoffrey Edelsten agreed to $5m investment but was later accused of failing to honour his commitment.

In a counter-suit, Edelsten claimed he was misled into being the major private investor.

The film was back on track by September but Edelsten has not returned as an investor in the project.

However the film does see the return of notorious pig hunter Mick Taylor played by John Jarrett, currently seen in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained.

Mclean said: “It’s really exciting to work with John Jarratt once more to delve deeper into the fascinating character of Mick Taylor.

The first round of Aacta award winners were announced yesterday in Sydney at the 2nd Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards Luncheon. Held at the Sydney.s The Star Event Centre and hosted by Adam Elliot, the luncheon drew a host of industry representatives including actors Damon Herriman, Daniel Henshall and Felicity Price. The Sapphires was a favourite of the day, taking home five coveted gongs in total for cinematography (Warwick Thornton), editing (Dany Cooper Ase), sound (Andrew Plain, Bry Jones, Pete Smith, Ben Osmo and John Simpson), costume design (Tess Schofield) and production design in a feature film (Melinda Doring.) A jovial Thornton told media working with Sapphires director Wayne Blair wasn.t exactly a walk in the park. .He.s an incredibly hard task master,. he said. .You can.t pull the wool over his eyes when you feel like being lazy.. Cooper spoke of the...

The Sapphires looks set to dominate this year’s Aacta Awards after dominating the categories announced at yesterday’s awards lunch.

The AACTAs – the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts – were held for the first time last year. Yesterday’s lunch at the Star casino in Sydney comes ahead of tomorrow night’s main Aacta ceremony.

The Sapphires won in five of the early categories, including best editing, sound and cinematography.

The event also paid tribute to producer Al Clark with the Raymond Longford Award. Clark was behind films including The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Absolute Beginners and Nineteen Eighty Four.

Tributes were also paid to producer Pat Lovell, who died over the weekend. Lovell was a producer on films including Picnic At Hanging Rock and Gallipoli.

The winners:

Aacta Raymond Longford Award

Al Clark

Aacta Award For Best Visual Effects

Iron Sky. Samuli Torssonen, Jussi Lehtiniemi,...

Russell Crowe has been announced as the new Aacta host after a conflicting La schedule forced original host Hugh Sheridan to pull out.

The second annual Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards will see Crowe headline an impressive line-up of presenters, including Aacta president Geoffery Rush and Aacta ambassador Cate Blanchett.

The awards, to be held on January 30 at The Star Event Centre, will see more than 1000 Australian film and television performers and practitioners in attendance.

In addition to the Aacta Awards in Sydney, Crowe will also host the Aacta International Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday, which Sheridan will now also attend.

"The Australian Academy is making its mark in the States, and I'm equally as honoured to represent the Australian industry in L.A. as host of Aacta's International Awards, as I am to return home to celebrate the success of my peers at the 2nd Aacta Awards Ceremony in Sydney,...