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‘Warrior’ Helmer Gavin O’Connor Rides To Rescue On ‘Jane Got A Gun’

Mike Fleming

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EXCLUSIVE: When We Need To Talk About Kevin helmer Lynne Ramsay pulled a no-show and dropped out of helming Jane Got A Gun on the first day of shooting, producer and financier Scott Steindorff said they were determined to set a new director quickly and keep the picture from falling apart. Well, it looks like they’ve gotten themselves a good one. A deal is closing with Gavin O’Connor, the writer/director of Warrior, Pride and Glory, Miracle and Tumbleweeds. O’Connor will get the picture underway Thursday.

RELATED: SHOCKER: ‘Jane Got A Gun Loses Director Lynne Ramsay On First Day Of Production

Considering how fragile independently financed productions can be, this is fairly remarkable that Steindorff and his fellow producers including Natalie Portman and Aleen Keshishian have managed to keep this picture from falling apart, and prevent the cast and crew from leaving the Sante Fe set and scattering to the winds.  As Deadline revealed exclusively yesterday, the production endured what has to go down as the worst first day of shooting in movie history, when Steindorff was forced to gather the crew and castmembers Portman, Joel Edgerton, Jude Law and Rodrigo Santoro to tell them that after nine months of developing the project, the director wasn’t showing up after a series of negotiating twists and turns took place over the weekend.

Her exit was the talk of the town yesterday and I couldn’t come up with a single example of a helmer dropping out in similar circumstances. Steindorff told me yesterday Ramsay was pay or play and that he’d retained litigator Marty Singer to keep his legal options open.

“I have millions of dollars invested, we’re ready to shoot, we have a great script, crew and cast,” Steindorff told me yesterday. “I’m shocked and so disappointed someone would do this to 150 crew members who devoted so much time, energy, commitment and loyalty to a project, and then have the director not show up. It is insane somebody would do this to other people. I feel more for the crew and their families, but we are keeping the show going on, directors are flying in, and a replacement is imminent.”

I wondered at the time whether some of this was bluster, and maybe he got lucky in landing an accomplished helmer who happened to be available. He has done gritty dramas before. In this Brian Duffield-scripted pic, Portman plays the title character, a woman whose outlaw husband returns home riddled with bullets. Convinced his gang will return to finish him off and destroy her farm, the woman turns to an ex-lover she hasn’t seen in a decade to help her defend the farm.

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/warrior-helmer-gavin-oconnor-rides-to-rescue-on-jane-got-a-gun/

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Dish Network Says Rising Programming Costs Contributed To Q4 Earnings Miss

Hard to say how investors will read the results: There are a lot of moving parts at Dish as it teases its wireless broadband plans, promotes its Hopper DVRs, and shutters Blockbuster stores — all while it manages its core satellite TV services business. But Q4 ended up with $209.1M in net income attributable to Dish, -33.1% vs the period last year, on revenues of $3.59B, -1.1%. The revenue figure is slightly better than the $3.56 that analysts expected. Earnings, at 46 cents a share, missed forecasts for 50 cents. The company’s press release and annual report this morning mostly discuss full year results, not the quarter. Dish says, though, that earnings were hurt by rising programming costs — which execs frequently decry — as well one-time items related to its many court room battles. It ended the year with 14.056M subscribers, an increase of 14,000 in the quarter, which is slightly better than some analysts expected. Dish says it had 800 Blockbuster stores at the end of 2012, and recently said it will close about 300 of them. The operation had an operating loss of $35.3M last year on revenues of $1.09B. “In addition to the landmark introductions of our Hopper Whole-Home HD DVR, the successful launch of dishNET and the developments with our wireless spectrum, one of our key stories of the year was the change in our customer trajectory,” CEO Joeseph Clayton says. “During 2012, Dish added about 89,000 net pay-TV subscribers after having lost approximately 166,000 net pay-TV subscribers in 2011.”

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/dish-network-q4-earnings/

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Does ‘Argo’s’ WGA Victory Seal The Deal For Oscar?

Pete Hammond

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Tonight’s Writers Guild of America awards show brought further clarity to this year’s topsy turvy awards race but it also brought some embarrassment to the guild. Is there any reason the WGA can’t coordinate the so-called “simutaneous” ceremonies between east coast and west coast so that winners aren’t being tweeted thoughout the room at L.A.’s JW Marriott Hotel Ballroom a full hour before they are announced to the local crowd gathered for the main awards show?

Anyone with a Blackberry or iPhone knew that Argo and Zero Dark Thirty won their respective Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Screenplay awards long before the actual winners in Los Angeles even knew thanks to word leaking out of the New York WGA East show. Argo’s scripter Chris Terrio told me he had no idea until it was announced in L.A . that he had won even though that announcement came fully an hour and a half after it was blasted across several websites including Deadline. He said he wondered if something was up when other winners on stage referred to tweets they had received indicating they had won but he never checked. Director Ben Affeck stayed home with the family but told Terrio he would be closely following events on the WGA’s live streaming site. Obviously he had reason to be happy.

Zero Dark Thirty’s Mark Boal told me his phone wasn’t working but he heard about five minutes before his category was announced that he had won . I’m told Sony chief Amy Pascal was even emailing congratulations before the winner was read in L.A.  In his speech Boal mentioned that knowing gave him time to put some words of thanks together. Zero Dark’s  director Kathryn Bigelow , also at the Sony table, said she knew something was up when she looked over and saw me tweeting furiously at a nearby table. Slowly the whole room was getting the word. Half the Lincoln table next to mine clearly knew but seemed to keep the news of the Argo win from Kushner. It seems a shame that an awards ceremony has to be run like this. Can’t we keep it a secret until the envelopes are opened on both coasts?  C’mon this is the social media age. Stuff leaks out fast. Let’s fix it.

As for the show itself it was a classy affair with some first rate acceptances. Valentine Davies special award winner Phil Rosenthal stole it with a particularly funny speech that was at times heartfelt and mostly hilarious. Lincoln’s Tony Kushner also deliverered a fine thank you from the heart upon accepting the guild’s prestigious Paul Selvin Award. And Tom Stoppard’s perfectly pitched acceptance of the Laurel Award for screenwriting was exactly how it should be done and certainly was inspiration for every writer in the room.  It was also nice to see the Breaking Bad team take the series writing award two years in a row as well. Creator Vince Gilligan told me before the show that they are down to their last three episodes ever. When I mentioned rumors that there eventually could be a Breaking Bad movie he shot down the idea. And don’t even think about a  Sopranos –type ending for the series. “We are going to lay it all out on the field,” he said  dismissing any possibility that there will be any question this series has ended once and for all.

As for the meaning of the WGA awards as they relate to Oscars, there are only two days left in Oscar voting so there can’t be too much of a direct impact. But the fact that Argo took the Best Adapted Screenplay prize pretty much seals the deal for this film. If ever there was going to be a place where Lincoln or even Silver Linings Playbook might triumph it was here at the WGA.  And we can’t chalk this win up to simple Argo momentum. The WGA votes were all in by  Friday January 25th , just before the PGA and SAG coronations of Argo were announced. That means there was no big ‘Mo factor at work here and the WGA simply voted what they thought was the best film withoug being influenced by other guilds and awards shows. With Golden Globes, Critics Choice Movie Awards, PGA, DGA, SAG, BAFTA  and now WGA major wins Argo is in just about as commanding a position as any film could possibly be on the cusp of marching into the Academy Awards.

As for Original Screenplay winner Zero Dark Thirty, it’s certainly nice for Boal but it doesn’t cement his Oscar chances in the same category since WGA rules banned Oscar-nominated scripts like Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained and Michael Haneke’s Amour, both front-running Oscar entries. This is still a wide open race at the Academy Awards but the WGA imprimatur gives Boal a nice boost.

And now there is one week to Oscar Sunday. Although Argo will be entering the Dolby theatre as an overwhelming favorite, stranger things have happened and if ever there was a year ripe for upsets it is this one. Casual surveys of Oscar voters turn up no consensus at all in terms of the way the winds are blowing. That could lead to split votes and surprising winners. Or not.  At any rate expect it to be one hell of a ride in the week we have left.

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/does-argos-wga-victory-seal-the-deal-for-oscar/

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UPDATE: CAA Not Sorry! THR Reporting Agency’s Explicit Sundance Party Featured Strap-On Penis And Simulated Sex

UPDATE: Nikki Finke, who’s ill, reports that CAA is not apologetic for the party.

PREVIOUS: Now it’s clear why CAA doesn’t invite the media to its annual Sundance talent agency event. The Hollywood Reporter’s Matt Belloni is reporting that CAA’s Sunday night packed party featured “a team of pole-shimmying, barely-dressed burlesque dancers. At least one of them upped the ante by dancing with a strap-on penis, which sources say she used during an extended routine to tease the photo-snapping crowd of CAA clients, film executives and other festival-goers. Two dancers also performed what was described by a source as a simulated sex act on a bed in the party space… The act was too suggestive for at least one female party-goer who tells The Hollywood Reporter she was offended and left the event… ’The performance by Simon Hammerstein’s The Act LV was more explicit than intended,’ a CAA rep tells THR. ‘We regret if this created an uncomfortable setting for any of our guests.’” The risque revue is based at the Palazzo Hotel in Las Vegas. The CAA event was held at the Claim Jumper on Main Street on a night when major several agencies were vying for major Hollywood players. Here is an Internet photo of CAA principal Kevin Huvane, CAA’s Chris Andrews, and movie producer Harvey Weinstein attending the party where guests according to THR were busy snapping photos of the women performing. Hard to believe this is 2013 and grown men still act like this.

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2013/01/thr-caas-explicit-sundance-party-features-strap-on-penis-and-simulated-sex-agency-apologizes/

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Lindsay Lohan’s New PR Team Rogers & Cowan Pulls Her Out Of Barbara Walter’s ’20/20′ Interview At The Last Minute

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Few in Hollywood pull out of Barbara Walter’s interviews, especially when they have an upcoming project. But Lindsay Lohan’s new PR representatives Rogers & Cowan confirmed tonight that the actress will not be appearing on ABC’s 20/20. Lohan was scheduled to be on the show November 16 for an interview with Walters. A source tells Deadline that Lohan’s new flackery was dissatisfied with the direction ABC wanted to take the interview. The 20/20 stint was to promote Lohan’s upcoming  Lifetime movie Liz & Dick in which she portrays Elizabeth Taylor and her stormy romance to two-time husband and co-star Richard Burton, played by Grant Bowler. Liz & Dick premieres November 25th. Meanwhile, what a Herculean task it must be to flack Lindsay Lohan.

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2012/11/lindsay-lohan-pulls-out-of-2020-interview/

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Legendary Won’t Partner With Warner Bros On Tom Cruise’s ‘All You Need Is Kill’

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EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros tells me that — technically speaking — Legendary Pictures “was never officially in” to co-finance Tom Cruise‘s futuristic world army-vs-alien fighters sci-fi film currently filming in London. But then why was Thomas Tull’s banner listed on WB’s October 1st announcement dating All You Need Is Kill for 2014? “Anticipated their involvement but was never firm,” WB tells me. So this is what I’ve learned: the movie’s UK production was just notified within the past 24 hours that Legendary “has pulled out” of Warner Bros’ All You Need Is Kill starring Cruise and Emily Blunt with Doug Liman directing. Actually, Legendary’s decision was made about 10 days ago – after Warner Bros begged Legendary to come in with Village Roadshow. “Legendary agreed to come on subject to terms. That meant subject to script, budget, and creative mandate,” confirms my insider. “But then Legendary decided it doesn’t fit within their creative mandate or fanboy demographic and they didn’t really have the appetite for this. So they didn’t come to terms with Warner Bros.” I’m assured that the Legendary-WB relationship is still very much intact, especially with Legendary having brought Pacific Rim and Godzilla to the studio while co-financing Man Of Steel with Warner Bros. Meanwhile, there are vehement denials of behind-the-scenes chatter that Liman is over budget or Cruise is running the show. All You Need Is Kill is dated for March 14, 2014.

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2012/10/legendary-wont-partner-with-warner-bros-on-all-you-need-is-kill-starring-tom-cruise/

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‘The Hobbit’: First TV Spot

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2012/10/the-hobbit-first-tv-spot/

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Actors From Rejected NBC TV Pilot Start YouTube Show ‘Bitter, Party Of 5′ (Video)

During the last pilot development season, 5 actors bonded while shooting Downwardly Mobile for NBC, a sitcom starring Roseanne Barr. Now Jason Antoon, Mary Birdsong, Greg Cromer, Tricia O’Kelley, and Romy Rosemont come together on YouTube for Bitter, Party Of 5. Here’s Episode 1 where they start out calling NBC Entertainment honcho Bob Greenblatt’s office to learn whether their pilot was picked up and, well, you can guess the rest. But I applaud the pluck:

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2012/10/actors-from-rejected-nbc-tv-pilot-start-youtube-show-bitter-party-of-5-video/

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Toronto: Tribeca Film Acquires Docu ‘How To Make Money Selling Drugs’

TORONTO – Sept. 13, 2012 – Tribeca Film has acquired U.S. rights to Bert Marcus Productions’ How to Make Money Selling Drugs, which had its world premiere on Friday night at the Toronto International Film Festival. The provocative documentary offers an in-depth look at the high-stakes world of drug dealing and drug enforcement by blending authentic reportage with pop culture references. Directed by Matthew Cooke, the film reunites producers Bert Marcus of Bert Marcus Productions and Adrian Grenier (HBO’s Entourage), the team that created the breakout hit Teenage Paparazzo. Tribeca Film plans a 2013 theatrical release day and date with on-demand platforms, where it will be available in more than 40 million homes through a variety of video-on-demand offerings, as well as iTunes, Amazon Watch Instantly, VUDU and Xbox.

How To Make Money Selling Drugs offers a captivating glimpse into the lives of those on both sides of the “war on drugs,” delivering a diverse and unique perspective on the controversial subject through interviews with 50 Cent, The Wire producer David Simon, Arianna Huffington, Woody Harrelson, Eminem and Susan Sarandon, as well as infamous drug kingpin “Freeway” Rick Ross. Presenting a shockingly candid examination of how a street dealer can rise to cartel lord with relative ease, the documentary reveals how public policy and government drug enforcement have struggled to creatively adapt to and effectively disincentive Americans from dealing drugs. Bert Marcus Productions was granted unprecedented access from top‐ranking government officials, from the U.S. Drug Czar to the Drug Enforcement Agency, all providing unique and honest viewpoints on this pervasive global topic.

The deal was negotiated for Tribeca Film by Nick Savva, Director of Acquisitions, and by ICM Partners and Lawrence Kopeikin on behalf of the filmmakers.

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2012/09/how-to-make-money-selling-drugs-documentary-acquistion-tribeca-film-toronto-film-festival/

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AMC Networks Tops Q2 Earnings Forecasts But Warns Of Dish Network Damage

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This may be the key line in AMC Networks’ report this morning: Dish Network’s decision to drop AMC, IFC, WEtv, and Sundance Channel has cut the programmer’s total subscribers by 13% — but if the dispute isn’t resolved then the impact on cash flow and operating income “will be materially higher.” (Yesterday Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen was still talking tough, saying that his customers aren’t interested in AMC’s channels.) Yet the Q2 numbers, from the period before the fight with Dish broke open, aren’t bad. AMC generated $41.5M in net income, +52.9% vs the same period last year, on revenues of $327.6M, +12.2%. The revenue figure exceeds forecasts of $324.5M. And earnings at 58 cents a share beat the Street’s expectations by a penny. The domestic networks carried the ball with revenues +14.4% to $305.2M and operating income +21.6% to $111.3M. Ad sales grew 13.4% to $130M, while payments from cable and satellite companies were +15.2% to $176M.

But AMC has problems at its “International and Other” operation which includes its overseas channels, IFC Films, a broadcasting and technology unit, and VOOM HD. Revenues here were -13.1% to $26.3M with operating losses increasing 53.8% to $14.1M. The release sheds little light here, simply saying that it reflects declining revenues at IFC Films and the tech unit — as well as higher litigation expenses related to AMC’s $2.5B breach of contract suit against Dish for dropping the VOOM channels. Dish’s decision to drop AMC’s services is “directly related” to the suit, which goes to trial on September 18 in New York State Supreme Court, AMC chief Josh Sapan says. “Last month, the company received 36 Emmy Award nominations, more than any other basic cable television group,” he adds. “This critical reception helps drive the growth of our business and our financial performance.”

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2012/08/amc-networks-q2-earning/