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13 Films has come on board to represent international sales at the AFM this week on the romantic comedy and SXSW selection A Nice Indian Boy from Levantine Films and Wayfarer Studios.

Karan Soni from the Deadpool franchise and Nobody Wants This and Jonathan Groff from Hamilton and The Matrix Resurrections star in the story directed by Roshan Sethi (7 Days).

When Naveen brings his white-orphan-artist fiancé Jay home to meet his traditional Indian family, they must work together to plan the Indian wedding of their dreams.

Sunita Mani, Zarna Garg, and Harish Patel round out this the cast on the cross-cultural family comedy.

Minka Kelly leads the cast in Blackwater Lane, bringing to life Cass Anderson, a drama teacher struggling to understand disturbing events unfolding around her. Adapted from B.A. Paris’s novel The Breakdown, the film follows Cass down a twisting path of supernatural mysteries and unraveling mental health.

Dermot Mulroney and Maggie Grace co-star as Cass’s husband and best friend, their performances deepening the intricate narrative. Set in a sprawling English countryside manor, the film weaves psychological thrillers with supernatural elements.

Director Jeff Celentano builds tension through the lush yet unsettling backdrop. Viewers are drawn into Cass’s deteriorating mental state as uncanny occurrences disrupt her life. Meanwhile, Minka Kelly’s emotionally powerful portrayal anchors the movie in grounded psychological drama.

The film also probes timely themes of trauma and gaslighting through Cass’s experiences. While not without flaws, Blackwater Lane remains an engaging mystery that borders on horror. Overall,...

Pumpkin spice is flowing, autumn leaves are turning and it’s time to start watching some of your seasonal favorites. But Fall’s arrival also brings a new challenge every year — figuring out where all the best Halloween movies are streaming right now.

If you’re looking for family-friendly Halloween movies, Peacock has a handful of the essentials, most notably the “Harry Potter” films, as well as “Casper,” “Blippi Celebrates Dia De Los Muertos” and “Scared Shrekless.”

With 150+ new Halloween titles in September and October, Peacock also has the “Leprechaun,” “I Know What You Did Last Summer” and “The Purge” franchises, along with plenty of great standalone horror movies for the Halloween season, from teen screams like “The Craft” and “Jennifer’s Body” to classics like “The Fly” and “Christine.”

Want some underrated horror movies you might not have seen to celebrate this Halloween? No worries, they’ve got that too,...

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Peacock is ready with an entertainment-packed October this year. The upcoming month will see the return of some brilliant police procedural shows like The Irrational and Found, and also new original series like Teacup. Just like every month, Peacock is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the 10 new movies and TV shows coming to Peacock in October 2024.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (October 3)

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is an animated fantasy adventure comedy film directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic from a screenplay by Matthew Fogel. Based on the Mario video game franchise developed by Nintendo, the 2023 film follows the story of Brooklyn plumber Mario who is transported alongside his brother Luigi into a magical world through a mysterious pipe, but Mario and Luigi become separated and now Mario must find him.

Peacock has announced the lineup of movies, TV shows, and live sports that will be available on the streaming service in October. The Peacock October 2024 schedule includes the streaming premieres of The Mouse Trap and Blackwater Lane, as well as the debut of the terrifying Peacock Originals Teacup and Hysteria!

Peacock has something for everyone, from frightful favorites like I Know What You Did Last Summer and The Fly and spine-chilling thrillers like The Craft and Jennifer’s Body to films to scare up fun for the whole family, such as the Harry Potter franchise, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, and more.

Hysteria!

October also brings a taste of early noughties nostalgia with the exclusive streaming premiere of Didi and a royal reality check when Queens Court returns for season 2. Get on your dancing shoes for the premiere of Reggaeton: The Sound That Conquered the World, and don...

Minka Kelly is getting ready to raise a glass to the holiday season with her forthcoming romantic-comedy feature for Netflix.

The Euphoria actress is set to star in Champagne Problems from writer-director Mark Steven Johnson. Kelly will play a mergers and acquisitions executive who heads to France just ahead of Christmas to finalize a deal for a beloved champagne brand. However, the situation gets complicated when she begins a whirlwind romance with a Parisian stranger who just happens to be the son of the champagne company’s founder.

The film’s release information and additional cast details are set to be announced at a later date.

Johnson previously helmed the streamer’s 2022 rom-com feature Love in the Villa that starred Kat Graham and Tom Hopper. Prior to that, he directed the 2020 Netflix movie Love, Guaranteed featuring Rachael Leigh Cook and Damon Wayans Jr.

Stephanie Slack and Margret H. Huddleston are...

The always booked and busy Dermot Mulroney (“My Best Friend’s Wedding”) has joined the cast of NBC’s “Chicago Fire,” the network announced on Thursday. Mulroney will portray Chief Dom Pascal during the upcoming 13th season of the popular drama series.

Although storyline details were not released at press time, Deadline reports through sources that the character is described as an active member of the Chicago Fire Department who previously spent the last decade as a fire chief in Miami, Florida. Now, as the new leader of 51 following the exit of Battalion Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker), the generally cheerful Pascal, who works well under pressure and whose leadership style differs from Boden’s, finds himself not only dealing with a new job but the realities of being estranged from his wife.

Mulroney most recently co-starred in the romantic comedy “Anyone But You” and the horror mystery “Blackwater Lane.” Previous...

Dermot Mulroney has joined “Chicago Fire” Season 13 as the station’s newest fire chief.

Mulroney, who recently starred in Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell’s “Anyone but You,” will play Chief Dom Pascal in the NBC procedural’s upcoming season. He takes the baton after Eamonn Walker, who played Battalion Chief Wallace Boden since the show’s start, exited as a series regular after 12 seasons.

The decision for Walker’s exit, which was announced in May, came from the actor, an individual with knowledge told TheWrap. Walker’s character won’t be killed off, and is expected to make appearances in upcoming episodes of “Chicago Fire.” The character had been on a leave of absence for part of Season 12, and returned for the Season 12 finale.

In addition to starring in “Chicago Fire,” Walker’s Battalion Chief also appeared on spin-off series “Chicago Med” and “Chicago P.D.”

This fall, Mulroney will...

Maggie Grace stars in a new British thriller Blackwater Lane, and the actress reflects back on her career in her latest interview with The Independent. The actress would become known widely as Liam Neeson‘s daughter from Taken — who went on the fateful trip that led to her kidnapping, which in turn gave Neeson a second career as an action star. She also reflects on her time on the hit ABC TV drama Lost. Grace portrayed Shannon Rutherford on that island as the resident “rich-girl-with-regrets.” The J.J. Abrams-produced and written show had premiered 20 years ago, but Grace still calls her exit from it to be one of the most heartbreaking aspects of her career.

As Lost comes up in the conversation, the interviewer insists that what made Grace’s abrupt killing on the show shocking was that she seemed to be the heart of the early episodes and especially...

Maggie Grace, who played Shannon Rutherford on hit ABC drama Lost, has recalled her relatively short stint on the series, saying she had hoped there would be more story for her character. The actress told The Independent in an interview published today that Shannon being killed off in episode six of the second season is “still the worst heartbreak of my career. I was devastated!”

Shannon began the series as a spoiled and unsympathetic character, but ultimately softened as her relationship with Sayid (Naveen Andrews) blossomed. As with several former series regulars, Grace’s Shannon returned for the 2010 Lost finale.

Grace elaborated that she “thought they were gonna take (Shannon) a little further,” but said she understood the reasoning, telling The Independent that the character “was sort of a caricature of white privilege before that was a phrase, you know? And maybe I was just too good at my assigned job of being incredibly annoying.

Directed by Jeff Celentano, Blackwater Lane is a mystery thriller based on B. A. Paris’ novel, “The Breakdown”. The film takes forever to build up suspense and comes up with an unimpressive explanation in the last few minutes. It revolves around a happily married couple (or so it seems), Cass and Matthew. They had recently moved into their new home, and they were still getting accustomed to their countryside neighborhood. Cass Anderson was a school teacher, and she enjoyed her job. She and her colleagues celebrated the onset of term break over a few drinks, and on her way home, something strange happened.

It was a stormy night, and even though Matthew warned her not to take the road through the woods, Cass did not pay heed to it. On her way, Cass noticed a car parked by the side of the road. A woman was seated inside, but Cass continued to drive,...

“Blackwater Lane”, directed by Jeff Celentano is a new horror feature, starring Minka Kelly, Dermot Mulroney and Maggie Grace, available June 21, 2024 on all digital platforms:

“…’After witnessing a tragedy on a dangerous country road, ‘Cass’ is visited by a ghostly presence and begins to question her sanity.

“As these otherworldly experiences intensify, Cass is driven closer to the brink until she begins to assemble the pieces of a horrific plot against her.”

Click the images to enlarge…...

"If you can’t trust yourself, who can you trust?" Lionsgate has debuted an official trailer for Blackwater Lane, yet another of these cheap and clunky thrillers that looks like it was made-for-tv in the 90s. This is getting released in June right away on VOD if anyone cares. Adapted from the book titled "The Breakdown" written by B.A. Paris. Late one night a woman drives by a stranded motorist who is later revealed to have been murdered. After a series of terrifying events the woman believes she is the killer's next victim. From the book: "The only thing she can't forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt. And the silent calls she's receiving, or the feeling that someone's watching her..." Blackwater Lane stars Minka Kelly, Maggie Grace, Dermot Mulroney, with Natalie Simpson, Kris Johnson, Edward Baker-Duly, and Pandora Clifford. "It doesn't make any sense.

“Blackwater Lane”, directed by Jeff Celentano is a new horror feature, starring Minka Kelly, Dermot Mulroney and Maggie Grace, available June 21, 2024 on all digital platforms:

“…’After witnessing a tragedy on a dangerous country road, ‘Cass’ is visited by a ghostly presence and begins to question her sanity.

“As these otherworldly experiences intensify, Cass is driven closer to the brink until she begins to assemble the pieces of a horrific plot against her.”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Exclusive: Tech entrepreneur and producer Oleg Shardin, best known as the co-founder of digital whiteboard company Miro, and actor-producer Alex Lane have partnered to create multimedia production company Puma In A Tank.

The new banner will specialize in low to mid-level budget elevated thriller films and TV shows focusing on international components and socially relevant themes.

The company has already raised financing to co-fund a slate of films and TV shows and will seek strategic partnerships on a project-per-project basis.

Partners include venture capitalist Joachim Laqueur, M&a and business strategy expert Vasiliy Lantsov and corporate finance professional Igor Shardin.

First projects include female-driven thriller feature film Speak Up, directed by award-winning Irish filmmaker Rioghnach Ni Ghrioghair (Balor Hall); American dramedy TV series Driver A.D., based on the international bestseller Driving The Saudis by Jayne Amelia Larson, who also co-created the series, as well as female-driven futuristic thriller A Better Place.

Ben Van Kleek directed alien abduction story.

Jackrabbit Media has closed a North American deal at AFM with Gravitas Ventures on the completed twenty68 films sci-fi thriller Jonah.

Ben Van Kleek directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Trevor Vandelac about a journalist’s childhood trauma which resurfaces during an investigation into a woman who claims her son was abducted by aliens.

Alaina Huffman (Smallville), Osric Chau (Superhost) and Ken Kirby (Good Trouble) star and Josh Farnworth, Van Kleek, and Vandelac served as producers. The film just premiered at Austin Film Festival.

Gravitas Ventures plans a March 2024 release.

Mark Padilla,...

Twisted take on the classic fairy tale stars Lauren Staerck, Natasha Henstridge.

Blacktop International has launched worldwide sales at AFM on Andy Edwards’ horror film Cinderella’s Revenge starring Lauren Staerck from Trust and Natasha Henstridge from Species.

The twisted take on the classic fairy tale produced by Sobini Films takes place as Cinderella’s (Staerck) wicked stepsisters and stepmother push her too far, triggering a vengeful rampage with the help of her Fairy Godmother (Henstridge).

The cast includes Stephanie Lodge, Beatrice Fletcher, Megan Purvis and Darrell Griggs. Sobini’s Mark Amin produces with Mark Lester, Cami Winikoff, and Jessica Mathis.

Jeff Celentano directed, Elizabeth Fowler, Shaun Sanghani, Warren Ostergard produce.

13 Films has closed multiple territory sales on completed thriller and AFM sales title Blackwater Lane starring Minka Kelly, Maggie Grace, and Dermot Mulroney.

Rights have gone in Flins Y Piniculas (Spain), Eagle Films (Middle East), Dutch Filmworks (Benelux), Nos Lusomundo (Portugal), Galapagos (Poland), Artists View (Indonesia), Tanweer (Greece), Filmfinity (South Africa), and Stars Media International (former Yugoslavia).

13 Films is currently closing a deal with a North American distributor to the story about a woman who drives by a stranded motorist who later ends up murdered. After a series of strange events,...

Tannaz Anisi and sales team to present first-look footage next week.

13 Films has boarded worldwide sales for AFM on Bk Studios’ psychological thriller My Sister’s Bones starring Olga Kurylenko, Jenny Seagrove and Anna Friel and produced by the late Bill Kenwright.

Heidi Greensmith, whose debut feature Winter earned a 2015 Bifa nomination, directs the Bk Studios feature based on Nuala Ellwood’s novel of the same name about a woman who returns from war-torn Iraq following the death of her mother.

While packing up her mother’s belongings she begins to believe something terrifying is happening in the house next door.

Not every TV and film production will stop amid dual strikes by SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America. A host of projects stopped work after writers went on strike against media companies for better pay, streaming data transparency and protections against artificial intelligence (among other issues), and many more have paused since actors walked out on July 14.

There are exceptions, however. SAG-AFTRA’s strike rules allow for work on productions covered under different agreements, and the union can grant waivers or sign interim agreements with independent productions. Below is a list of TV shows and films that fall under those designations; this story will be updated as more productions earn waivers.

Interim Agreements

SAG-AFTRA has reached interim agreements with numerous independent productions, including movies from A24 (Death of a Unicorn, starring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, and Mother Mary with Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel) — which is not part...