Smith Entertainment Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Angus Finney Penning a premature obituary is an occupational hazard that goes with the territory of film industry analysis, and there are few topics that attract such hand wringing as the alleged “death of the pre-sale.”While the execs headed to the Cannes Market have seen major disruptions in the past decade from technology and pandemics, industry insiders say it’s a little too early to play “Taps” on this market mainstay.Legend has it that the concept of indie movie “pre-sales” was invented in the early 1970s by the financial wizard John Heyman, a man no doubt worthy of a role in one of his award-winning son’s “Harry Potter” productions. Bankrolling upfront distribution commitments for indie titles — or “turning paper into gold” as one veteran puts it — was a magician’s trick not lost on a hot sellers’ market in those heady times.

Guy Pearce is to play the lead in epic action feature The Convert from Die Another Day director Lee Tamahori.

Guy Pearce and Te Kohe Tuhaka lead the cast of “The Convert,” an epic New Zealand-set action drama film being directed by Lee Tamahori (“Die Another Day,” “Once Were Warriors”). Mister Smith Entertainment is representing sales rights and will launch the project at the Cannes film market.The story sees Pearce portray a lay preacher who arrives at a British settlement in 1830s New Zealand. His violent past is soon drawn into question and his faith put to the test, as he finds himself caught in the middle of a bloody war between Maori tribes.

Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios has named industry veteran Jill Jones as EVP of Marketing and Publicity.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentIdina Menzel (“Frozen,” “Uncut Gems”) and Jae Suh Park (“The Big Short”) have joined Golden Globe nominee Elsie Fisher (“Eighth Grade”) and Alan S. Kim (“Minari”) for “Latchkey Kids,” which David Garrett’s Mister Smith Entertainment has boarded as its sales agent.Starlings Entertainment is also now on board to co-produce and finance the feature, which Mister Smith is launching at this week’s European Film Market in Berlin where it bids fair to become one of the market standouts.Directed by John J.

Naman Ramachandran Principal photography has wrapped on “He Went That Way,” the true crime thriller starring Jacob Elordi (“Euphoria”) and Zachary Quinto (Star Trek Franchise). Mister Smith Entertainment have revealed a first look image and will be showing the first footage to buyers at the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin.Set in 1964, “He Went That Way” is based on the true crime story of celebrity animal trainer Dave Pitts and his famous TV chimp, Spanky, centerpiece of the traveling entertainment show The Ice Capades in the 1960s, and his fateful three-day encounter with the serial killer Larry Lee Ranes.

EXCLUSIVE: Mia Sinclair Jenness (Arcane) will star alongside Kunal Nayyar, Lucy Hale, Christina Hendricks, David Arquette and Scott Foley in The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, an adaptation of Gabrielle Zevin’s New York Times bestselling novel, which is currently in production in Cape Cod.

EXCLUSIVE: Brisk business has been concluded on Midas Man, the feature about the life of The Beatles manager Brian Epstein, by sales outfit Mister Smith Entertainment.

Will Thorne Staff WriterThe bidding for forthcoming road-trip thriller “He Went That Way,” which boasts an eye-catching lead duo of “Euphoria” star Jacob Elordi and Zachary Quinto, is already hotting up.Variety has learned exclusively that the German distribution rights were snapped up by SquareOne Entertainment ahead of the Cannes virtual film market.

Kunal Nayyar, Lucy Hale and Christina Hendricks are set to star in The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, an adaptation of the New York Times best-selling novel by Gabrielle Zevin. Hans Canosa will direct from Zevin’s adaptation of her own novel and David Garrett’s Mister Smith Entertainment will be shopping the project to buyers at the upcoming Cannes Virtual Market next week. 

EXCLUSIVE: The Kissing Booth and Euphoria star Jacob Elordi will star with Star Trek and American Horror Story star Zachary Quinto in the road-trip crime thriller He Went That Way, which Mister Smith Entertainment is launching ahead of the virtual Cannes market.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorWhodunnit comedy horror film “Werewolves Within,” which was recently acquired by IFC for North American distribution, has been picked up by leading distributors in multiple territories. Mister Smith Entertainment is handling sales on the title, which is based on the virtual reality video game by Ubisoft.

Mister Smith Entertainment has inked a series of international deals on its comedy-horror Werewolves Within following the culmination of last week’s virtual European Film Market.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorInternational sales agent Mister Smith Entertainment has boarded comedy horror whodunnit “Werewolves Within,” which will be released by IFC Films in the U.S.The movie, which is completed, is directed by Josh Ruben, and is written by Mishna Wolff. The cast includes Sam Richardson, Milana Vayntrub, George Basil and Sarah Burns.In the pic, a proposed gas pipeline creates divisions within the small town of Beaverfield.

Dave McNary Film ReporterThe 41st American Film Market was the first AFM to take place online, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the the world of independent film has kept its chin up amid daunting challenges.“I would say it’s a comfortable mixture of cautious but buoyant,” said David Garrett, CEO of Mister Smith Entertainment.AFM opened on the morning of Nov.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentAustin Stowell (“Battle of the Sexes,” “Bridge of Spies,” “Whiplash”) will star opposite Lucy Hale in romantic comedy “The Hating Game,” based on the runaway hit novel by Sally Thorne.Presented at the American Film Market by David Garrett’s Mister Smith Entertainment, which is co-financing and handles world sales, “The Hating Game” will commence principal photography on Nov.

Mister Smith Entertainment, which shared details of the film’s now-finished casting with Variety.Jonathan Tucker, Andre Royo and Owen Teague will join previously announced cast members Andrea Riseborough, Allison Janney and John Hawkes.Claude Dal Farra and Brian Keady from BCDF are producing alongside Kelsey Law of Clair de Lune Entertainment. Michael Morris (“Bloodline,” “Better Call Saul”) will direct from Ryan Bianco’s screenplay.

Leo Barraclough Senior International CorrespondentOscar-nominee John Hawkes and Oscar-winner Allison Janney have come on board for roles in the real-life-inspired feature “To Leslie.” The actors join previously announced lead Andrea Riseborough. Mister Smith Entertainment is handling international sales and will introduce the project this month at virtual Cannes.