Guy Ritchie’s ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ Adds Major Cast As Production Starts

Have you gone out dancing or for a drink at your local queer space and noticed a lot of straight people? The subject usually evokes passionate responses. Maybe you’re in the, “more the merrier” camp or are you in the, “whole world is a straight bar, this is ours” camp?  The question asked, “What’re your thoughts on straight women going to gay bars? I know a lot of people have different views on this so I want to know yours.”One user shared, “I believe gay bars are the closest thing to church that we’ve got.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Elsa Zylberstein, one of the most famous – and bankable — faces of French cinema, known for her Cesar-winning performance in “I’ve Loved You For So Long,” is preparing to emerge as a major film producer. Having recently set up banners in France and the U.S., Zylberstein is actively developing a raft of films and series, working with the likes of Oscar-winning Syrian filmmaker Feras Fayyad (“The Cave”), Ted Braun (Darfur Now”) and Oscar-winning screenwriter Christopher Hampton (“The Father”), among others. These include “Kingdom of Hope,” a movie about Elise Boghossian, a French acupuncturist and humanitarian worker in a war zone who has healed children victims of ISIS . The movie will be directed by Fayyad, who is based in Berlin, and is being penned by Braun, based on Boghossian’s autobiographical book “Au royaume de l’espoir, il n’y a pas d’hiver.”

Pushed to explain his stance ahead of the elections, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has said he will support a ban on “harmful” gay conversion practices in the state. Days after he claimed that the legislation was a “matter for the cabinet”, Premier Perrottet said that if re-elected, his government would provide “in-principle” support to a ban on practices that seek to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Independent Sydney MP Alex GreenwichOut gay Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich had last week announced that a law to outlaw gay conversion practices would be part of his omnibus Equality Bill. NSW Labor leader Chris Minns declared the party’s support for the legislation.Greenwich had said that his support for a future minority government would depend on them supporting the law in Parliament. “I’m grateful for the Premier’s support to end LGBT conversion practices in NSW.

The Drag Kings are set to break a world record when they march in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (SGLMG) Parade on February 25.In a conversation with Star Observer, drag king Big Rod, one of the float organisers, explained, “The float is called Drag Kings Unite, and it’s really about that push for representation for drag kings and showing how diverse and huge our community is.”The Drag Kings Unite float will feature a crown made of strip lighting and a DJ on an elevated platform. The parade participants will be dressed in royal colours, symbolising the drag king community’s strength and desire for more representation in the LGBTQIA+ community.Talking about the misconceptions drag kings face, Big Rod said, “I think a lot of people think drag kings don’t exist or that we aren’t as good as [drag queens]. “I would say that it’s time to stop comparing us to drag queens and respect us as our own genre, our own art form, that is just as wonderful and diverse as drag queens, and it’s time for us to share that space a bit more.”Drag king Sexy Galexy believes that drag kings do not get the same recognition as drag queens because “we live in a man’s world.”“We’ve had our mouths taped shut and pushed back to the back rooms, small rooms, offstage.

Idris Elba has made it clear that he will not be playing James Bond. Elba brought up the persistent discussions about him taking over as Ian Fleming’s famed British spy, while he spoke Tuesday to the World Government Summit in Dubai. When he was asked about his upcoming film based on the British series "Luther," Elba took himself out of the running to play 007.

Actor Idris Elba says he’s going to stick with being the tormented detective John Luther — not James Bond.

Miramax TV is bolstering its executive ranks with the addition of David R. Shraga as SVP and Head of Business & Legal Affairs for the studio’s Global Television operations. Shraga will report to Head of Global TV Marc Helwig, and is responsible for all domestic and international co-production relationships, above the line deal making, licensing, and distribution agreements.  

Lionsgate is set as the distributor for the action-comedy Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, helmed for Miramax by Guy Ritchie. The film starring Jason Statham (F9), Hugh Grant (Glass Onion), Aubrey Plaza (The White Lotus), Josh Hartnett (Lucky Number Slevin), Cary Elwes (Rebel Moon) and Bugzy Malone (The Gentlemen) will be released in the U.S. on March 3. 

Originally anticipated to be released a year ago, Guy Ritchie’s “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre” has been stuck on the shelf for a while now thanks to the dissolution of its studio, STX Entertainment. That left the film completed but without a distributor.

Lionsgate announced on Monday that it has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to Guy Ritchie’s action comedy “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre,” which stars Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza and Hugh Grant.

EXCLUSIVE: As the European Film Market is set to kick off this week, Lionsgate has made a splash with the acquisition of domestic distribution rights to Guy Ritchie’s upcoming World War II movie The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

Angelique Jackson Ready Life founder & CEO Ashley D. Bell announced the creation Ready Entertainment, a new production company dedicated to creating movies and TV shows with strong social justice messages. Bell is a corporate finance attorney and the former White House policy advisor for entrepreneurship & innovation. Dr. Bernice A. King, the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, is a co-founder of Ready Life and will take an active role in Ready Entertainment. Ready Life is an innovative fintech platform with a suite of financial tools that empower individuals to create and preserve generational wealth. Ready Entertainment follows the company’s mission to close the racial equity gap by helping to provide financial loans and the ability to buy a home to those without credit, empowering African Americans to take back control of their finances and banking institutions.

Superstar Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant is on the move in a trade that will rattle the NBA and send oddsmakers scrambling to reset the odds.

EXCLUSIVE: Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) is set to star in the sci-fi romance Daniela Forever, a new film from Spanish filmmaker Nacho Vigalondo (Colossal), which XYZ is financing and launching for sales at the EFM.

Black Bear International has further bolstered its team with the hire of Luane Gauer as SVP, International Production & Acquisitions.

Two missing children are in safe hands after being missing nearly a YEAR!

With a long and varied career under his belt, Jake Gyllenhaal has earned the right to develop whatever projects he wants — and it looks like he wants to work with every A-list action director he can get his hands on. With recent collaborations with Antoine Fuqua (“The Guilty“) and Michael Bay (“Ambulance“), as well as his upcoming remake of “Road House” with director Doug Liman,” Gyllenhaal is well on his way to building an impressive mid-career action resume.

With five films in four years, plus another couple and a TV show on the way, it appears Guy Ritchie is in a career renaissance right now. So much the better for his fans.

EXCLUSIVE: There’s more star power on board for Guy Ritchie and Jerry Bruckheimer’s new war movie, The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare, we can reveal, ahead of its February 13 start date.

Alan Cumming no longer wants to be an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire!