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Adrian Schiller, the British actor who starred as Lord Aethelhelm in the Netflix drama series The Last Kingdom, has died. He was 60.

Schiller died on April 3 of unspecified causes, his agent, Amanda Evans at Scott Marshall Partners in the U.K., confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. “It is with the heaviest and saddest hearts that we announce the death of our beloved client, Adrian Schiller, on Wednesday 3 April. He has died far too soon, and we, his family and close friends are devastated by the loss,” the U.K. talent agency said in a statement.

Schiller’s sudden death followed a star turn in Australia in The Lehman Trilogy, where he performed the role of Henry Lehman in the touring production.

Born on Feb. 21, 1964 in London, England, his extensive TV credits included roles in the ITV series Victoria, where he played Cornelius Penge, a footman in the royal household, Father Brown for BBC,...

This soapy, semi-harrowing wartime drama follows Bel Powley as a teenager sneaking snogs behind the prison huts

Here’s a soapy, semi-harrowing wartime drama based on Ruta Sepetys’s bestselling YA novel Between Shades of Gray, about a teenage girl deported to a Soviet gulag. The book was written for teenagers but discovered by adults; the issue for the movie seems to be uncertainty about which audience is the target. It’s a sometimes hard-hitting, always heartfelt film – and star Bel Powley is an actor with an umami-style knack for adding depth to any film she’s in. But cynical viewers over 17 may find themselves rolling their eyes at snogs grabbed outside prison huts.

We start in Lithuania in 1941. Powley is 16-year-old Lina, a promising artist whose father, a university professor, is suspected of working against the Soviets. One night the entire family is arrested; Lina, her mum and little...

Infinite, a sci-fi film from director Antoine Fuqua, made a major change with Mark Wahlberg as its new headliner, replacing Chris Evans. Indeed, while Avengers: Endgame was the expected, well, endgame of Evans’s tenure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Captain America (maybe?), the actor happens to have several starring roles on his docket. Consequently, with regards to Infinite, Chris Evans—unlike Cap—didn’t want to “do this all day.”

Mark Wahlberg replaced Chris Evans as the headlining star of Infinite, as Variety reported back in June 2019. Evans, who had been attached to the project since that February, dropped out due to scheduling issues. Star-swap notwithstanding, the fast-tracked movie project will adapt author D. Eric Maikranz’s 2009 novel, The Reincarnationist Papers. Prolific producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian are onboard via the former’s Paramount-based Di Bonaventura Pictures, joined in that capacity by John Zaozirny, along with executive producer Rafi Crohn.

It’s become a Bavarian rite of summer. With Germany and the rest of continental Europe swooning through the dog days of August, local audiences flock to the cinema to catch the latest capers of detective Franz Eberhofer, the star of a crime comedy franchise based on a series of best-selling novels. As temperature soar, so do ticket sales for what’s become one of Germany’s most sure-fire box office hits.

But don’t expect to catch “Leberkäsjunkie” (The Meatloaf Addict) anytime soon at a theater near you. The fifth installment in the Eberhofer franchise has hardly traveled beyond Bavaria, even as it’s become Germany’s second highest-grossing domestic film of 2019 ($10 million). “It’s a huge social event in parts of Bavaria,” says Martin Moszkowicz, executive chairman of Constantin Film, which distributes the film. “It’s a real phenomenon.”

That phenomenon is part of a broader trend across Europe,...

Jonah Hauer-King is far from being a poor, unfortunate soul.

The relative newcomer, 24, scored the role of Prince Eric in upcoming live-action reimagining of The Little Mermaid opposite Halle Bailey‘s Ariel. Hauer-King will serve as the main love interest in the movie musical — a role former One Direction singer Harry Styles previously passed on.

As the undersea cast begins to fill out (Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem and Jacob Tremblay are all reportedly circling key roles in the film), Hauer-King’s casting marks a big-screen milestone for the actor, best known till now for his supporting work on TV.

Before...

Disney has found its Prince Eric for its live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid.” British actor Jonah Hauer-King has been cast to star as the character in Rob Marshall’s film, an individual with knowledge of the project told The Wrap.

Hauer-King screen-tested and beat out other contenders over the weekend. He will star opposite actress and singer Halle Bailey, who is playing Ariel.

Marshall is directing, and the film is produced by John DeLuca, Marc Platt and Lin-Manuel Miranda. David Magee (“Mary Poppins Returns”) wrote the script.

Also Read: Daveed Diggs in Talks to Join Disney's 'Little Mermaid' as Sebastian

“The Little Mermaid” live-action remake will feature the 1989 animated classic’s original songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, as well as new songs with music by Menken and lyrics by Miranda.

Production is anticipated to begin in early 2020.

The original “The Little Mermaid” follows Ariel, a...

Joseph Baxter Nov 18, 2019

Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, starring singer Halle Bailey as Ariel, will be directed by Rob Marshall.

The Little Mermaid is coming back to theaters, this time in live-action form, as part of Disney’s deluge of live-action movie remakes of its iconic animated classics. Of course, the move is hardly the biggest surprise in the world, with the year 2019 alone yielding "A-list" releases of Dumbo, The Lion King, and Aladdin, and with Mulan set arrive in March 2020, and 101 Dalmatians prequel Cruella arriving in May 2021, giving its prolific corporate tentpole neighbors at Marvel a run for their money.

Halle Bailey will embrace life under the sea, and later on the surface, to star as Ariel. This is a major break for the singer/actress, who is part of the cast of Freeform’s Grown-ish and is one-half of the R&b act, Chloe X Halle.

Sophie Cookson is in negotiations to star opposite Mark Wahlberg in Antoine Fuqua’s action thriller “Infinite,” sources tell Variety.

Wahlberg took over the role from Chris Evans, who left the project due to scheduling conflicts.

“Infinite” is based on D. Eric Maikranz’s novel “The Reincarnationist Papers,” which centers on the Cognomina, a secret society of people who possess total recall of their past lives. A troubled young man haunted by memories of two past lives stumbles upon the centuries-old society and decides to join their ranks. Ian Shorr are adapting the story for the screen.

The Paramount film will be produced by John Zaozirny alongside Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian at Di Bonaventura Pictures. Rafi Crohn is the executive producer.

“Infinite” is set to bow Aug. 7, 2020, with production scheduled to begin this fall.

Cookson’s feature film debut came as the female lead in the Fox hit “Kingsman: The Secret Service,...

"It's not what you see, but how you see it..." Signature Entertainment has debuted a new UK trailer for the WWII survival drama Ashes in the Snow, based on the true story of a 16-year-old aspiring artist and her family deported to Siberia. The film is adapted from Ruta Sepetys' novel "Between Shades of Gray", and that original title was changed to prevent any confusion with the Fifty Shades of Grey series (as you all know). We featured a Us trailer in December before its release in January, but why not another to take a closer look at. Bel Powley stars as Lina, with a cast including Peter Franzén, Sophie Cookson, James Cosmo, Martin Wallström, Timothy Innes, Jonah Hauer-King, Sam Hazeldine. Described as a "beautifully executed yet heart-breaking, captivating and eye-opening war thriller that unveils a forgotten part of history in a way that makes you experience the despair...

Bel Powley, the star of “Diary of a Teenage Girl” and “White Boy Rick,” is set to star as the female lead opposite Pete Davidson in an untitled comedy Davidson co-wrote with director Judd Apatow at Universal, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

It was also recently announced that comedian Bill Burr would also star in the film, which will begin production this summer in New York City.

Apatow, Davidson and Dave Sirus co-wrote the film, which will be Apatow’s sixth feature. Apatow will also produce for his Apatow Productions alongside Barry Mendel. Universal senior executive vice president of production Erik Baiers will oversee production on behalf of the studio.

Universal has set a release date for June 19, 2020.

Powley most recently starred in “White Boy Rick” with Matthew McConaughey and the drama “Ashes in the Snow.

Exclusive: Film Independent is looking to enrich and inspire the industry with its latest lineup of keynotes, films and panelists for its 14th annual Film Independent Forum. Keynotes will be delivered by Late Night filmmaker Nisha Ganatra and Len Amato President of HBO Films. The Forum will kick off with a screening of Olivia Wilde’s comedy Booksmart and will also feature Justin Chon’s drama Ms. Purple. The event, which continues to champion inclusive storytelling in film, takes place April 26 – 28 at the Lmu Playa Vista Campus and Harmony Gold Theater.

“Once again, I am thrilled to congregate our community to explore the work of the most interesting creators this year,” said Maria Raquel Bozzi, Senior Director of Education and International Initiatives. “From our screenings of Olivia Wilde’s Booksmart and Justin Chon’s Ms. Purple to our Keynotes by acclaimed writer-director Nisha Ganatra and HBO Films President Len Amato,...

No longer just a teenage girl with a diary, Bel Powley has moved beyond her breakout role in Marielle Heller’s acclaimed drama and into a new phase of her career. After co-starring in last year’s “White Boy Rick,” she’ll next be seen in “Ashes in the Snow.” Vertical Entertainment has released a trailer for the film, which you should perhaps consider watching below.

Here’s the premise: “In 1941, During World War II, a 16-year-old aspiring artist and her family are deported to Siberia amidst Stalin’s brutal dismantling of the Baltic region. One girl’s passion for art and her never-ending hope will break the silence of history.” Marius A. Markevicius directed the film, an adaptation of Ruta Sepety’s novel “Between Shades of Gray.”

Martin Wallstrom, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Jonah Hauer-King, Peter Franzén, and Sophie Cookson co-star in the film, which had its world premiere at...

“People must know what is happening here; with your pen, you can show them.” These words are spoken and they grip you tightly as the trailer for “Ashes in the Snow” shows you the harsh conditions and misery felt during World War II. But will Lina’s art be celebrated or cause her more trouble?

Based on Ruta Sepetys’ bestselling novel “Between Shades of Gray,” the historical drama “Ashes in the Snow” looks at a period of World War II that is often overshadowed: The Soviet Union’s annexation of the Baltic states.

Continue reading ‘Ashes In The Snow’ Trailer: Bel Powley Stars As A Young Artist Torn From Her Family Under Stalin’s Rule at The Playlist.

"We must think beyond the walls of this house... We must resist this occupation." Vertical Ent. has debuted an official Us trailer for an indie survival drama titled Ashes in the Snow, based on the true story of a 16-year-old aspiring artist and her family deported to Siberia during World War II. The film is adapted from the bestselling novel "Between Shades of Gray", written by Ruta Sepetys, and that original title was changed to prevent any confusion with the Fifty Shades of Grey series (of books and movies). Bel Powley stars as Lina, with a full cast including Peter Franzén, Sophie Cookson, James Cosmo, Martin Wallström, Timothy Innes, Jonah Hauer-King, and Sam Hazeldine. This looks like a powerful, inspiring story of opposition but it also looks like pretty much every other WWII story of people being hauled off. Take a look. Here's the official Us trailer (+ poster) for Marius A. Markevicius...

The ever-changing power balance between film and television was the subject of a Black Nights panel.

Opportunities are being created in feature films for emerging actors and directors as a result of the glboal boom in TV drama, suggested a panel of leading international agents and producers at the Black Night Stars panel debate called ‘Shifting Focus from Film to TV’ at the Black Nights International Film Festival in Tallin this week.

As an increasing number of film actors and directors are tied in to long-term contracts for TV series, more roles are becoming available for lesser known and emerging...

Mimi Steinbauer’s Radiant Films International has come on board to handle international rights on the dramatic thriller Stripped. Pic reps the feature directorial debut of veteran camera operator Patrick O’Brien. Matthew O’Brien wrote the script in which Daredevil‘s Charlie Cox and Pitch Perfect‘s Brittany Snow star. Radiant will introduce the project to buyers at the upcoming American Film Market.

Stripped is produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Erik Howsam of di Bonaventura Pictures and O’Brien in partnership with Vancouver-based Lighthouse Pictures.

Mimi Steinbauer, founder and CEO of Radiant Films said, “Radiant is delighted to be a part of this fun, alluring thriller with a line-up of exciting talent in front of and behind the camera. Buyers are hungry for just this sort of dynamic material, and Patrick’s vision for this film will surely deliver a hit.”

Cox plays the lead role of Will Hickey,...

Vertical Entertainment has acquired North American rights to Ashes in the Snow, the narrative directorial debut of Marius Markevicius that stars Bel Powley. The coming-of-age drama set in 1941 during Stalin’s brutal dismantling of the Baltic region just had its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival. Vertical is eyeing an early 2019 theatrical release. Powley plays Lina, a young Lithuanian artist arrested by the Soviet secret police and deported with her mother and younger brother to labor camps in Siberia. She finds solace in her art and risks everything to document and draw what she sees in hopes her drawings will shed light upon Stalin’s terror. Martin Wallström, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Jonah Hauer-King, Sophie Cookson, James Cosmo and Sam Hazeldine also star. Ben York Jones penned the script, adapted from Ruta Sepetya’s novel, and Sorrento Productions, Tauras Films and Twilight Merengue Studios produced. The deal was negotiated by Vertical’s Rich Goldberg,...

Kosovo on track to join Creative Europe; Lgbt road movie scores Us, UK deals.

Polish filmmaker Jan Matuszynski’s The Last Family has continued its successful festival run by being named best film in the New Europe - New Names competition at the Vilnius International Film Festival (23 March - 6 April).

Matuszynski’s feature debut - which is being handled internationally by New Europe Film Sales - had its world premiere at last year’s Locarno Film Festival and received the special jury award at the Sofia International Film Festival as well as four prizes at the national Polish Film Awards last month.

The competition’s international jury of Gothenburg Film Festival’s programmer Freddy Olsson, Russian film critic and programmer Boris Nelep and Fipresci president Alin Tasciyan presented its best director prize to the Bulgarian directorial duo Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valcahnov for their second feature Glory which also picked up the Cicae Art Cinema Award.

Moreover...

Screen investigates which films from around the world could launch on the Croisette, including on opening night.

With just over a month to go before the line-up for this year’s Cannes Film Festival is unveiled in Paris, Croisette predictions and wish lists are hitting the web thick and fast.

Screen’s network of correspondents and contributors around the world have been putting out feelers to get a sense of what might or might not make it to the Palais du Cinéma or one of the parallel sections.

Just like the Oscars, this year’s festival is likely to unfold amid a politically-charged atmosphere. Beyond Trump and the rise of populism across the globe, France will be digesting the result of its own presidential election on May 7. Against this background, the festival will be feting its 70th edition.

Below, Screen reveals which titles might - and might not - be in the running for a place at the...

From the Berlin Film Festival comes the news that two young actors who made big splashes a few years back are set to star in new films: Bel Powley (“Diary of a Teenage Girl”) will headline Marius A. Markevicius’ “Ashes in the Snow,” while Ellar Coltrane of “Boyhood” is co-starring alongside John Cusack in Lucky McKee’s thriller “Misfortune.” Avail yourself of a photo from the latter below.

Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Berlinale Bible: Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival

Here’s the synopsis for “Ashes in the Snow”: “Based on the internationally best-selling novel ‘Between Shades of Gray’ by Ruta Sepetys, ‘Ashes in the Snow’ introduces us to Lina, a sixteen-year-old budding artist in 1941 Lithuania, who along with her mother and young brother are deported by the Soviets to a Siberian work camp. Faced with years of hard labor in an unforgiving climate, Lina...

This year’s Afm had no single standout title, but a selection of high-profile projects and star appearances sparked buyer interest.

In an increasingly polarised independent space besieged by a talent exodus to TV and the might of digital platforms and studio acquisitions teams, the consensus was there was no single must-have title at the 2016 American Film Market (Afm). So it was up to a handful of appealing projects and star appearances to inject life into the market.

As Screen International revealed, Sacha Baron Cohen showed up at the Annapurna International offices to talk up his $20-30m Danish comedy remake Klown. Viola Davis trumpeted Gfm Films’ The Personal History Of Rachel DuPree, Margot Robbie met Sierra/Affinity buyers for I, Tonya, and Mark Wahlberg took part in a TWC-Dimension presentation with writer-director Damian Szifron for The Six Billion Dollar Man.

COO David Glasser expects to begin pre-sales in December on Szifron’s Wild Tales follow-up, and orchestrated...

Exclusive: Mimi Steinbauer’s sales company will introduce international buyers in Toronto to John Butler’s Contemporary World Cinema selection.

ICM is handles Us rights to the Irish film, set to receive its world premiere on September 11.

Andrew Scott, Moe Dunford, Fionn O’Shea and Nicholas Galitzine star in Handsome Devil, about odd-couple roommates at a rugby-mad boarding school who resist peer pressure and form an unlikely bond.

Butler wrote the screenplay and Rebecca O’Flanagan and Robert Walpole produced for Treasure Entertainment. Claire McCaughley and Sarah Gunn served as co-producers.

“We knew off the bat that we wanted to add the charming and delightfully funny Handsome Devil to our slate, said Radiant president and CEO Steinbauer.

“It’s a real crowd-pleaser. We knew we had to be the ones to share this film with our international partners and look forward to doing so in Toronto.”

Handsome Devil marks Butler’s second Toronto premiere after 2013 selection [link=tt...

Lisa Loven Kongsli (upcoming Wonder Woman, Force Majeure), Sophie Cookson (Kingsman: The Secret Service), and Peter Franzen (History Channel’s ‘Vikings’, The Gunman) have joined 2016 BAFTA Rising Star nominee Bel Powley (upcoming Carrie Pilby, The Diary Of A Teenage Girl), Jonah Hauer-King, and Martin Wallstrom (FX series ‘Mr. Robot’) in Marius Markevicius’ riveting Ashes In The Snow, it was announced by Radiant Films International President and CEO, Mimi Steinbauer.

Rounding out the newly announced cast are Sam Hazeldine (The Huntsman: Winter’S War, Monuments Men), James Cosmo (HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’, upcoming Ben-hur), Adrian Schiller (The Danish Girl, Suffragette) and Tom Sweet.

Currently in production, Radiant will present the project to international buyers at the upcoming Marche du Film in Cannes.

Ashes In The Snow is the poignant story of a 16-year-old heroine Lina Vilkas (Powley) who is separated from her family amidst Stalin’s reign of terror in the Baltic region during WWII.

Exclusive: Alex Lawther, Pauline Étienne, Jonah Hauer-King lead cast on UK comedy; first image revealed.

WestEnd Films has boarded world sales ahead of Cannes on Film4 and BFI-backed UK comedy Old Boys (working title), which features rising stars including The Imitation Game actor Alex Lawther and The Nun lead Pauline Étienne, who makes her English-language debut.

Production wraps this weekend on Toby MacDonald’s under-the-radar coming-of-age feature debut, which has been filming in locations across Sussex, UK.

Also starring are Jonah Hauer-King, currently filming opposite Bel Powley in Ashes In The Snow, Denis Ménochet (Inglourious Basterds) and Joshua McGuire (Mr. Turner).

Inspired by Edmond Rostand’s classic Cyrano de Bergerac story, the film is written by The Bad Education Movie co-writer Freddy Syborn and is produced by first-timer Luke Morris.

In the school-set re-working of Cyrano, an awkward but imaginative pupil (Lawther) helps the handsome but spectacularly dim school-hero (Hauer-King) pursue the fiery daughter (Étienne) of a visiting...

Exclusive: Alex Lawther, Pauline Étienne, Jonah Hauer-King lead cast on UK comedy; first image revealed.

WestEnd Films has boarded world sales ahead of Cannes on Film4 and BFI-backed UK comedy Old Boys (working title), which features rising stars including The Imitation Game actor Alex Lawther and The Nun lead Pauline Étienne, who makes her English-language debut.

Production wraps this weekend on Toby MacDonald’s under-the-radar coming-of-age feature debut, which has been filming in locations across Sussex, UK.

Also starring are Jonah Hauer-King, currently filming opposite Bel Powley in Ashes In The Snow, Denis Ménochet (Inglourious Basterds) and Joshua McGuire (Mr. Turner).

Inspired by Edmond Rostand’s classic Cyrano de Bergerac story, the film is written by The Bad Education Movie co-writer Freddy Syborn and is produced by first-timer Luke Morris.

In the school-set re-working of Cyrano, an awkward but imaginative pupil (Lawther) helps the handsome but spectacularly dim school-hero (Hauer-King) pursue the fiery daughter (Étienne) of a visiting...

As far as first impressions go, Swedish actor Martin Wallstrom (full name: Carl Martin Gunnar Wallström Milkéwitz) was one of the biggest highlights coming out of the inaugural season of Mr. Robot, and considering the sheer quality of USA Network’s acclaimed cyber-thriller, that’s quite the compliment.

It’s a breakout performance that hasn’t gone unnoticed, either, with The Hollywood Reporter today revealing that Wallstrom has landed a key role in Ashes in the Snow. Set to star opposite Bel Powley, the coming-of-age drama is lifted from Ruta Sepetys’ World War II best-seller Between Shades of Grey and will see Wallstrom don the military garb as a Soviet officer. Taunted for his Ukrainian upbringing, Wallstrom’s outcast strikes up an unlikely friendship with 16-year-old Lina Vilkas (Powley) and her ailing mother, lending them a shred of hope in an otherwise bitter and harsh environment.

Adapting Sepetys’ acclaimed novel...

How To Talk To Girls At Parties

Ruth Wilson, Jessica Plummer, Nicole Kidman, Elle Fanning, Alex Sharp and Matt Lucas have joined the cast of John Cameron Mitchell's "How To Talk To Girls At Parties" at A24. The film is based on a short story by Neil Gaiman while Howard Gertler, Iain Canning and Emile Sherman are producing.

The story follows a shy teenage punk rocker in 1970s suburban London, and his two closest friends. One night they all sneak into a party where they meet a group of intensely attractive, otherworldly girls; at first they think they're from a cult, but eventually come to realize the girls are literally aliens with nefarious plans. [Source: Deadline]

Ashes in the Snow

Jonah Hauer-King and Bel Powley ("Diary Of A Teenage Girl") have come onboard Marius Markevicius' World War II drama "Ashes In The Snow" in the leading roles. Ben York Jones...

Exclusive: Jonah Hauer-King has come aboard the World War II drama Ashes In The Snow opposite rising star Bel Powley. King will play the romantic lead in the film alongside Powley, breakout star of Sundance hit Diary Of A Teenage Girl. The European co-production is fully financed and scheduled to begin filming in Lithuania early next year. The film is based on Ruta Sepetys' New York Times bestseller Between Shades Of Gray. Ben York Jones (Like Crazy) wrote the screenplay…...