Gaumont Launches Thriller ‘Night Call’ at AFM (EXCLUSIVE)

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Red Bull Studios and London-based Featuristic Films have partnered on “Art of the Jump,” a feature documentary about the life and career of Sébastien Foucan, a well-known French athlete. Directed by James Kermack (“Knuckledust,” “Hi-Lo Joe”), the documentary follows Foucan’s humble upbringing in the French suburb of Lisses to sports stardom.

Actress Keshia Knight Pulliam says The Cosby Show should still be held in high regard.

The gods have granted Spartacus fans a miracle.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Starz is going back to gladiator school, with the network greelighting the new series “Spartacus: House of Ashur.” The series will see Nick Tarabay return as Ashur, while original “Spartacus” series creator Steven S. DeKnight onboard as executive producer and showrunner.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Jasmina Kuhnke, a German-born writer, actor, author and activist, has signed with CAA for representation, Variety has learned exclusively. Kuhnke’s debut novel, “Black Heart,” is a bestseller. The semi-autobiographical book recounts her experience growing up on the outskirts of the Ruhr region in Germany in the ’90s, and how she grappled with racism.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “Consent,” an adaptation of Vanessa Springora’s bestselling book which sparked a belated #MeToo moment in France, has lured major distributors while thriving at the local box office and stirring social media buzz. Represented in international markets by Paris-based outfit SND, the film marks the sophomore outing of Vanessa Filho whose debut feature “Angel Face” stars Marion Cotillard and played at the Cannes Film Festival. Inspired by Springora’s real-life story, “Consent” tells the story of a teenage girl who is manipulated and sexually abused by a celebrated writer in his 50s.

Ed Meza @edmezavar Studiocanal and Universal Pictures are re-releasing Richard Curtis’ holiday classic “Love Actually” worldwide this year in a new 4K restoration. The Working Title film, whose all-star cast includes Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Keira Knightley, Colin Firth, Bill Nighy and Liam Neeson, will also be released on home video and digitally in the U.S. and France.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Paris-based company 2425 Films, recently acquired by Mediawan, is working with a pool of rising filmmakers on timely movies, including Charly Delwart’s “1,5 degré,” Ilan Duran Cohen’s “Le coup d’apres” and Thomas Kruithof’s “Les Braises.” 2425 Films, founded by Thibault Gast and Matthias Weber, has been thriving with smart, high-concept commercial movies, such as Yann Gozlan’s “La boite noire” and “An Ideal Man,” as well as the thriller “Burn Out.” The company also presented Gozlan’s latest film, “Visions,” a thriller starring Diane Kruger (co-produced by Eagle Team Entetainment) at this year’s Angouleme Film Festival. Duran Cohen’s “Le coup d’apres” is a film set in the world of French politics, with a duo of French stars, Marina Fois and Laurent Laffite, who previously co-starred in “Papa ou Maman,” a French hit comedy franchise.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Aria Mia Loberti, the breakout star of Shawn Levy‘s Netflix limited series “All the Light We Cannot See,” has narrated a new audio edition of Jules Verne’s classic novel “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.” Loberti, a writer, human rights advocate and Fulbright Scholarship recipient, made her acting debut in “All the Light We Cannot See,” an adaptation of Anthony Doerr’s beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning novel which will premiere on Netflix Thursday. In the show, Loberti plays Marie-Laure, a courageous blind teenager living in Nazi-occupied France during WWII.

Ed Meza @edmezavar Quiver Distribution has picked up Uwe Boll’s crime drama “First Shift” for the U.S., Canada and selected international territories. The pic, which stars Kristen Renton (“Sons of Anarchy”) and Gino Anthony Pesi (“Shades of Blue”) as two mismatched New York City cops forced to work as partners, has also sold in Eastern Europe, Benelux, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Turkey and the Baltics.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor A24 has forged an exclusive output deal with Happinet Phantom Studios covering the distribution in Japan of A24’s upcoming releases, including Alex Garland’s action film “Civil War,” starring Kirsten Dunst, which has a highly anticipated launch at AFM this week. Happinet and A24 have worked together on the release of a number of films in Japan, including triple Oscar winner “Moonlight,” and “Midsommar,” whose gross in the territory was the biggest outside North America.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hong Kong-based sales firm Autumn Sun has acquisition worldwide rights to Chinese family-oriented animated film “I Am T-Rex,” directed by Shang Ming and Si Lin, produced by Beijing Create Dream. “I Am T-Rex” follows a young T-Rex named Didi in her coming of age journey after the death of powerful father T-Rex Rog, who is killed by a rival dino gang. She must learn the ways of the T-Rex and claim the crown again with the help of her uncle and a very caring friend.

A hiker who was challenged to spend a night alone in a "haunted" Scottish bothy says he heard "unexplained sounds" such as scratching and footsteps.

Keira Knightley‘s next role has been revealed!

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Bhutan’s official Oscar entry “The Monk And The Gun,” Pawo Choyning Dorji‘s follow-up to “Lunana: A Yak in The Classroom,” has been bought by a raft of well-established international theatrical distributors. Following its festival premieres at Telluride, Toronto, Rome and Busan, “The Monk and the Gun” has been sold by Films Boutique to Pyramide Distribution (France), September Films (Benelux), Rialto Distribution (Australia), Future Films (Scandinavia), A Contracorriente (Spain), Lev Films (Israel), Aurora Films (Poland), Trigon (Switzerland), Alambique Films (Portugal) and Impact Films (India and Indian Subcontinent). Earlier this week, the crowdpleaser was also acquired by Roadside Attraction for the U.S.

Add another intriguing upcoming Keira Knightley alongside Jay Barton‘s “Black Doves.” Deadline reports that the actress will star in the dystopian sci-fi thriller “Conception,” which takes place in a world where the British government has taken control over parenting. The film marks a reunion between Knightley and director Camille Griffin after working on 2021’s “Silent Night” together.

EXCLUSIVE: Oscar nominee Keira Knightley is set to star in dystopian sci-fi thriller Conception, in which the British government has taken control over parenting.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Call of Duty and Universal Music announced a secret Chase & Status gig with 25 tickets for fans to win.Hosted in London, and accordingly titled LDN Calling, Chase & Status and DJ Bou have tasked fans with three missions to complete before October 31.Every completed mission increases an entrant’s likelihood of winning a ticket, and they will be able to invite a plus one along with them.All three missions will be released through the mission hub and announced through the band’s and Bou’s social channels.As well as the opportunity to attend an exclusive concert in a secret location somewhere in London, the event will offer fans the ability to play Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 ahead of everyone else.

TV favourite Sarah Lancashire is joining Keira Knightley and Ben Wishaw for a new Netflix spy thriller.

Gaumont Launches Production Services Division