When Oscar-winning producer Jonathan Sanger was first pitched “Cabrini,” the story of the first American saint, he wasn’t quite sure he was right for the project.
“I said, ‘I think it’s a great idea. I think you should make the movie. I don’t really think I’m the right guy to produce this,’” Sanger recalls of his early conversation with executive producer J. Eustace Wolfington. “I tend to like to make stories about real people, that most people who watch these stories can relate to. And I don’t know how to relate to a saint.”
Wolfington wouldn’t take no for an answer, telling Sanger he was missing the point: Francesca Cabrini may have become a saint, but her powerful story of overcoming adversity as both a woman and an Italian immigrant takes place far before her posthumous canonization in 1946.
“The more I learned about her,...
“I said, ‘I think it’s a great idea. I think you should make the movie. I don’t really think I’m the right guy to produce this,’” Sanger recalls of his early conversation with executive producer J. Eustace Wolfington. “I tend to like to make stories about real people, that most people who watch these stories can relate to. And I don’t know how to relate to a saint.”
Wolfington wouldn’t take no for an answer, telling Sanger he was missing the point: Francesca Cabrini may have become a saint, but her powerful story of overcoming adversity as both a woman and an Italian immigrant takes place far before her posthumous canonization in 1946.
“The more I learned about her,...
- 3/11/2024
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
Digital and social media marketing chiefs of major studios said today they’re really hoping the threat of a U.S. government ban on Tiktok never materializes, so crucial has the platform become to launching films. They’d also like Elon Musk-owned Twitter to get itself together, since that’s also a key platform for Hollywood.
“I don’t personally think that TikTok is going to go away, at least not anytime soon in the U.S., said Alex Sanger, EVP, Digital Marketing, Universal Pictures at a CinemaCon panel today hosted by Deadline’s Anthony D’Alessandro.
“We’ve been using TikTok since it was called Musical.ly,” he said. It was important then, “During the pandemic it became even more important, and it just continues to be so. We find it to be a viable platform for basically every one of our films. M3GAN was certainly one of those.
“I don’t personally think that TikTok is going to go away, at least not anytime soon in the U.S., said Alex Sanger, EVP, Digital Marketing, Universal Pictures at a CinemaCon panel today hosted by Deadline’s Anthony D’Alessandro.
“We’ve been using TikTok since it was called Musical.ly,” he said. It was important then, “During the pandemic it became even more important, and it just continues to be so. We find it to be a viable platform for basically every one of our films. M3GAN was certainly one of those.
- 4/24/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
We all have those games. You know, the ones you played growing up that you absolutely loved and defended fanatically, only to find out years later that the game you cherished when you were younger wasn’t actually that good? It’s probably not the way you’d want to start off talking about Trilobyte’s The 7th Guest, 30 years after its release. After all, unlike some games today that have been totally obscured by nostalgia, The 7th Guest is a landmark title. The game was one of the first to help usher in the CD format, which subsequently unleashed the era of Fmv-based games that still has entries being released today. But even with that noteworthy achievement, just how kind has time been to The 7th Guest after all this time?
The 7th Guest‘s story begins in 1935, in the town of Harley-on-the-Hudson. A man named Henry Stauf kills...
The 7th Guest‘s story begins in 1935, in the town of Harley-on-the-Hudson. A man named Henry Stauf kills...
- 4/1/2023
- by Mike Wilson
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Titans must deal with alternate dimensions and Sebastian Sanger’s (Joseph Morgan) transformation into Brother Blood in the Season 4 midseason trailer released by HBO Max on Wednesday.
The fourth and final season returns with two episodes Thursday, April 13, on HBO Max, followed by one episode weekly through May 11.
Watch the trailer above in which Sanger announces, “My name is Brother Blood, and I’m going to change the world.”
Also Read:
Zachary Levi Pins ‘Shazam 2’ Box Office Failure on Warner Bros’ Marketing: ‘Just a Shame’
HBO Max also shared a photo of the new supersuit for Tim Drake as Robin created by costume designer Laura Jean (“Lj”) Shannon. The character is played by Jay Lycurgo.
Jay Lycurgo in the new Robin supsuit created by costume designer Laura Jean (“Lj”) Shannon (HBO Max)
Among the storylines in the remaining six episodes: Gar Logan (Ryan Potter) goes on a quest of self-discovery,...
The fourth and final season returns with two episodes Thursday, April 13, on HBO Max, followed by one episode weekly through May 11.
Watch the trailer above in which Sanger announces, “My name is Brother Blood, and I’m going to change the world.”
Also Read:
Zachary Levi Pins ‘Shazam 2’ Box Office Failure on Warner Bros’ Marketing: ‘Just a Shame’
HBO Max also shared a photo of the new supersuit for Tim Drake as Robin created by costume designer Laura Jean (“Lj”) Shannon. The character is played by Jay Lycurgo.
Jay Lycurgo in the new Robin supsuit created by costume designer Laura Jean (“Lj”) Shannon (HBO Max)
Among the storylines in the remaining six episodes: Gar Logan (Ryan Potter) goes on a quest of self-discovery,...
- 3/22/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Nobody thought it was possible but last weekend, Universal’s “Cocaine Bear” nearly gobbled up “Ant-Man” at the box office. Much of that success can be linked to its ingenious meme-driven marketing strategy, which exploited the inherently goofy possibilities of a movie with a name like “Cocaine Bear” while still making sure that people knew that this was a real (and very fun movie).
When it came to identifying that “Cocaine Bear” will make for a strong, meme-worthy campaign, Alex Sanger, Universal’s executive vice president of global digital marketing, read the room.
“[Director] Elizabeth Banks gifted us all with this film and the pure, carnal delights it consistently delivers on every level,” Sanger said. “She grabbed the world’s attention from the day the title announcement went out and never let go. There was rabid interest online about this movie. You rarely see that kind mania for a title. Just the words ‘Cocaine Bear,...
When it came to identifying that “Cocaine Bear” will make for a strong, meme-worthy campaign, Alex Sanger, Universal’s executive vice president of global digital marketing, read the room.
“[Director] Elizabeth Banks gifted us all with this film and the pure, carnal delights it consistently delivers on every level,” Sanger said. “She grabbed the world’s attention from the day the title announcement went out and never let go. There was rabid interest online about this movie. You rarely see that kind mania for a title. Just the words ‘Cocaine Bear,...
- 3/4/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
It’s rare that a box office hit arrives in theaters on the first weekend of the new year, but Universal delivered it with the horror film “M3GAN,” a co-production between James Wan’s Atomic Monster Productions and Blumhouse that beat expectations with a 30 million opening.
Horror films are common this time of year as studios see early January as a prime spot to release a low-risk, low-budget title that can draw in younger audiences. But “M3GAN” has beaten all expectations by becoming the first January horror film since 2012 to earn an opening of 30 million or more, buoyed by a wave of strong reviews from critics who praised the film’s mix of horror, dark comedy and self-aware tone.
Insiders at Universal told TheWrap that as reviews came in earlier this week and the film’s Rotten Tomatoes score reached 94, advance ticket sales dramatically increased. Walk-up traffic on Friday and Saturday also beat industry estimates,...
Horror films are common this time of year as studios see early January as a prime spot to release a low-risk, low-budget title that can draw in younger audiences. But “M3GAN” has beaten all expectations by becoming the first January horror film since 2012 to earn an opening of 30 million or more, buoyed by a wave of strong reviews from critics who praised the film’s mix of horror, dark comedy and self-aware tone.
Insiders at Universal told TheWrap that as reviews came in earlier this week and the film’s Rotten Tomatoes score reached 94, advance ticket sales dramatically increased. Walk-up traffic on Friday and Saturday also beat industry estimates,...
- 1/9/2023
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
After four days of deliberation — and more than 25 years of questions — a California jury found Paul Flores guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Kristin Smart. His father, Ruben Flores, was found not guilty of being an accessory to the crime.
The decision came after an emotional closing argument on Sept. 28 from San Luis Obispo County Deputy District Attorney Chris Peuvrelle who told the jury: “It’s been 1,370 Sundays since [Kristin’s parents] Stan and Denise Smart waited for that phone call — the phone call that would never come.” He then pointed...
The decision came after an emotional closing argument on Sept. 28 from San Luis Obispo County Deputy District Attorney Chris Peuvrelle who told the jury: “It’s been 1,370 Sundays since [Kristin’s parents] Stan and Denise Smart waited for that phone call — the phone call that would never come.” He then pointed...
- 10/18/2022
- by Brenna Ehrlich
- Rollingstone.com
In the late 1970s, David Lynch's debut film, "Eraserhead," captured the morbid imaginations of curious audiences -- including beloved comedian Mel Brooks, who was blown away by Lynch's approach to storytelling. Brooks and producer Jonathan Sanger approached Lynch with the offer to direct "The Elephant Man," a biographical prestige film about the real-life circus performer Joseph Merrick. Lynch accepted, and since Brooks had full confidence in Lynch and his vision, he deliberately removed his name from the film and branded it a Brooksfilms release to avoid any comedic association.
While we might think of Lynch as a master today, there were still plenty of growing pains he and his producers had to face as he transitioned into his first major studio film. As a perfectionist, his ego was majorly bruised working on this set. His general inexperience wasn't able to support the weight of his ambitions, as represented...
While we might think of Lynch as a master today, there were still plenty of growing pains he and his producers had to face as he transitioned into his first major studio film. As a perfectionist, his ego was majorly bruised working on this set. His general inexperience wasn't able to support the weight of his ambitions, as represented...
- 8/24/2022
- by Tyler Llewyn Taing
- Slash Film
David Lynch's sophomore film "The Elephant Man" has an origin story that's almost as crazy as the film itself. A period piece set in the Victorian era, the epic drama is about a man with significant facial deformity working as a sideshow attraction. He is brutally mistreated by the world around him until a kind surgeon takes him under his wing and their friendship blossoms. A similar dynamic emerged between director David Lynch and a huge producer that took him under his wing.
After completing his surreal and unsettling first film, "Eraserhead," Lynch set out to write a screenplay. "After 'Eraserhead' I wrote a script called 'Ronnie Rocket,'" Lynch revealed in an interview on the origins of the film (via Julius Deane). "I worked on that script in a bedroom in my parents house," the director confessed. Sadly, no one was interested in funding the film.
After completing his surreal and unsettling first film, "Eraserhead," Lynch set out to write a screenplay. "After 'Eraserhead' I wrote a script called 'Ronnie Rocket,'" Lynch revealed in an interview on the origins of the film (via Julius Deane). "I worked on that script in a bedroom in my parents house," the director confessed. Sadly, no one was interested in funding the film.
- 8/20/2022
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
David Lynch's 1977 debut feature "Eraserhead" is a dank, horrifying picture, replete with surrealist imagery and themes of urban blight, suicidal ideation, and parental resentment. There are dreams within dreams, and even pleasant things are craggy and ugly. It's a smoky, messy film full of squirting bodily fluids and clumps of earth. It's one of the best films of its decade.
His 1980 follow-up film, "The Elephant Man," appears on paper to be one of the least likely sophomore efforts imaginable. Produced by Mel Brooks, "The Elephant Man" was a biographical prestige picture about the real-life Joseph Merrick (named John in the film), a man afflicted with, some have conjectured, Proteus syndrome. Merrick had an enlarged head, an outside right arm, and loose, tumor-ridden skin. He was a performer in circus sideshows and was assumed to be mentally infirm by his cruel "handlers." An English doctor named Frederick Treves discovered Merrick,...
His 1980 follow-up film, "The Elephant Man," appears on paper to be one of the least likely sophomore efforts imaginable. Produced by Mel Brooks, "The Elephant Man" was a biographical prestige picture about the real-life Joseph Merrick (named John in the film), a man afflicted with, some have conjectured, Proteus syndrome. Merrick had an enlarged head, an outside right arm, and loose, tumor-ridden skin. He was a performer in circus sideshows and was assumed to be mentally infirm by his cruel "handlers." An English doctor named Frederick Treves discovered Merrick,...
- 8/18/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
The Jordan Peele universe is expanding — into virtual reality.
Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions has teamed with Meta and Horizon Worlds to offer a new experience in the free virtual reality video game for Quest 2 headsets. The multi-world VR experience, debuting today after being in the works for two months, opens with Monkeypaw Productions: All Aboard.
The train-set adventure contains images Peele fans will instantly recognize and it allows for visitors to explore themed cabins and hunt for Easter eggs from his films Get Out, Us and the upcoming Nope. From there, visitors can then explore Nope World: by Monkeypaw Productions, an experience inspired by his new film, out July 22.
Starring Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer and Steven Yeun, the film follows residents of “a lonely gulch of inland California who bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery,” centering on a ranch and an unidentified flying object.
The Jordan Peele universe is expanding — into virtual reality.
Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions has teamed with Meta and Horizon Worlds to offer a new experience in the free virtual reality video game for Quest 2 headsets. The multi-world VR experience, debuting today after being in the works for two months, opens with Monkeypaw Productions: All Aboard.
The train-set adventure contains images Peele fans will instantly recognize and it allows for visitors to explore themed cabins and hunt for Easter eggs from his films Get Out, Us and the upcoming Nope. From there, visitors can then explore Nope World: by Monkeypaw Productions, an experience inspired by his new film, out July 22.
Starring Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer and Steven Yeun, the film follows residents of “a lonely gulch of inland California who bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery,” centering on a ranch and an unidentified flying object.
- 7/12/2022
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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