John Friedberg Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

EXCLUSIVE: Neon is in pole position to win North American rights to Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe horror-thriller Longlegs in the first sizeable domestic deal of this year’s EFM.

EXCLUSIVE: Black Bear International has closed a raft of international deals on EFM titles Longlegs and Fred & Ginger, we can reveal. The two projects were among the most in-demand with foreign buyers and the deals account for the lion’s share of each film’s budget.

EXCLUSIVE: Simona Tabasco (The White Lotus) will star opposite Sydney Sweeney in the psychological horror film Immaculate from Black Bear Pictures. Details regarding Tabasco’s role are being kept under wraps.

Riz Ahmed and Lily James are joining forces for the contemporary thriller “Relay,” which will be presented to buyers at European Film Market in Berlin.David Mackenzie, who helmed the Oscar-nominated “Hell or High Water,” will direct from a script he wrote with Justin Piasecki. Production begins in New York and New Jersey in April 2023.“Relay” stars Ahmed as Tom, a “fixer” whose specialty is brokering major payoffs between corrupt corporations and the individuals who threaten to ruin them.

EXCLUSIVE: We’re not quite done yet with the European Film Market packages, with a nice one coming together at the eleventh hour as Oscar winner Riz Ahmed and Baby Driver star Lily James have been set to lead thriller Relay for director David Mackenzie (Hell or High Water).

Julia MacCary editor Álvaro Morte, Benedetta Porcaroli, Dora Romano and Giorgio Colangeli have joined Black Bear Pictures’ upcoming psychological horror film “Immaculate” with previously announced star and producer Sydney Sweeney. The film has begun its principal photography in Rome. The horror film depicts devoutly religious Cecilia (Sweeney) who receives an offer at an illustrious Italian convent. While seemingly picture-perfect, her new home in the Italian countryside holds some horrifying secrets. Morte’s credits include “Money Heist,” “Mirage,” “The Wheel of Time” and the upcoming series “Talkies.” Porcaroli has worked on projects such as “Perfect Strangers” “Baby,” “18 Presents” and the upcoming “Il Vangelo Secondo Maria.” Romano was featured in “The Hand of God,” “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer,” “Imma Tataranni – Deputy Prosecutor” and “Night Sun.” Colangeli’s credits include “Il Divo,” “Mindemic,” “Citizens of the World” and the upcoming “Castelrotto.” Sweeney’s acting work includes “Euphoria,” “The White Lotus” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

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

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.

There’s more star power on board for Guy Ritchie’s new war movie, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, which announced new cast additions today before its principal photography starts Feb. 13.

Recent double Emmy nominee Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria) is reteaming with The Voyeurs director for Immaculate, a new psychological horror that Mohan will direct for Black Bear Pictures.

EXCLUSIVE: Rushi Kota (Never Have I Ever) has signed on for a role in Sony and Black Bear’s GameStop film Dumb Money, from director Craig Gillespie. He joins an ensemble that already includes Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Sebastian Stan, Pete Davidson, Shailene Woodley, Anthony Ramos, Vincent D’Onofrio, Dane DeHaan, America Ferrera and Myha’la Herrold. 

EXCLUSIVE: America Ferrera is set to join the A-list ensemble of Sony and Black Bear Pictures’ upcoming dramedy Dumb Money. She joins Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Sebastian Stan, Shailene Woodley, Anthony Ramos, Vincent D’Onofrio, Dane DeHaan and Pete Davidson, with Craig Gillespie directing.

EXCLUSIVE: Anthony Ramos, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Dane DeHaan have joined the all-star ensemble of Sony and Black Bear Pictures upcoming dramedy Dumb Money. They join Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Sebastian Stan and Pete Davidson with Gillespie directing. The pic based on bestselling author Ben Mezrich’s book The Antisocial Network, the script was adapted by Rebecca Angelo & Lauren Schuker Blum. Ryder Picture Company’s Aaron Ryder, Black Bear’s Teddy Schwarzman and Gillespie will produce. Principal photography is currently underway. Sony recently swooped in to land distribution rights after the film was recently announced a this years Toronto Film Festival. Sony Pictures also holds Latin America, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, South Africa, India and select Asian rights.

reported in September, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Sebastian Stan and Pete Davidson lead the cast in undisclosed roles. Shailene Woodley joined them last week.

EXCLUSIVE: The cast for Craig Gillespie’s next film Dumb Money keeps getting better as sources tell Deadline Shailene Woodley is set to join the A-list cast of the upcoming film at Black Bear Pictures. She joins Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Sebastian Stan and Pete Davidson with Gillespie directing. The pic based on bestselling author Ben Mezrich’s book The Antisocial Network, the script was adapted by Rebecca Angelo & Lauren Schuker Blum. Ryder Picture Company’s Aaron Ryder, Black Bear’s Teddy Schwarzman and Gillespie will produce. Principal photography is currently underway.

EXCLUSIVE: After signing on to the highly-anticipated project earlier this year, Craig Gillespie has now lined up an all-star cast that features some faces that all too familiar to the director. Sources tell Deadline, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Sebastian Stan and Pete Davidson are set to star in Black Bear Pictures Dumb Money, an adaptation of the Ben Mezrich’s The Antisocial Network with Gillespie directing. Rebecca Angelo & Lauren Schuker Blum are adapting with Ryder Picture Company’s Aaron Ryder, Black Bear’s Teddy Schwarzman and Gillespie producing.

#FerrariMovie @FerrariMovie pic.twitter.com/aUOr5C0U4G“Ferrari” is set during the summer of 1957. Ex-racecar driver Enzo Ferrari is in crisis. Bankruptcy stalks the company he and his wife, Laura, built from nothing 10 years earlier.

EXCLUSIVE: The Imitation Game outfit Black Bear Pictures is bolstering the senior ranks of its fledgling management division with the hire of respected former ICM Partners and William Morris agent Joanne Roberts Wiles.

EXCLUSIVE: Michael Mann’s upcoming race car drama Ferrari is building on its already stacked ensemble as sources tell Deadline, Jack O’Connell, Patrick Dempsey and Sarah Gadon have rounded out the cast. Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley and Gabriel Leone are already set to star. Dempsey will play Piero Taruffi and O’Connell will play Peter Collins with Gadon playing Linda Christian. Mann is directing with production set to start on August 1 in Italy.

EXCLUSIVE: STX’s former President of International John Friedberg is joining Teddy Schwarzman’s Black Bear to spearhead the company’s international sales and distribution business, we can reveal.

EXCLUSIVE: After a seven-year stint at the studio, John Friedberg, President of STXinternational, is set to transition to a consultancy role with the company as he pursues new opportunities, we can reveal.

EXCLUSIVE: There’s been a lot of biting rumors around STX Entertainment over the last four months, from a potential sale to Lionsgate to possibly filing Chapter 11. These are not coming to realizations as the Hustlers and Bad Moms studio can now breathe a sign of relief, having fulling closed its sale to The Najafi Companies with Birch Grove LP and 777 Partners now also providing financing.

EXCLUSIVE: Filming is underway in Alicante, Spain, on Guy Ritchie’s untitled action-thriller, starring Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal.