The company has already raised over $100 million in financing, primarily from the investment firm RedBird Capital Partners. Affleck serves as CEO and Damon as the company’s chief creative officer. Affleck plans to exclusively work on Artists Equity films moving forward, while Damon has pledged to star in an undisclosed number of films for the company. Damon will also do all of his future producing through the label. The decision to start the company was prompted by Hollywood’s focus on streaming and the subsequent lack of opportunities for actors and artisans to share box office and syndication profits....

From a pair of dreamy memoirs about his formative years (“Distant Voices, Still Lives,” “The Long Day Closes”), an archival documentary that excavated the city in which those years were spent (“Of Time and the City”), and swooning adaptations of the novels and plays that allowed him to make sense of his own wounded soul (“The Deep Blue Sea”), Liverpudlian auteur Terence Davies has established himself as one of the most achingly personal of master filmmakers; this despite his adamant belief that his personal life is “really boring....

In the latest print issue of South Korean film magazine FILO (via World of Reel), the auteur said his favorite films of 2021 were (in no order): “Don’t Look Up,” “Drive My Car,” “Flee,” “Sundown,” “The Mitchells vs. The Machines,” “Happening (L’événement),” and “Sewing Sisters.” He also said he enjoyed watching 2019’s “Sorry We Missed You” and Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s 2015 film “Happy Hour” last year. Unsurprisingly, his list covers a wide range of films, ranging from esoteric arthouse movies to big budget Netflix animation....

Cannes Directors’ Fortnight 2021 Lineup Includes Joanna Hogg’s ‘The Souvenir Part II’ and More Cannes Critics’ Week Unveils 2021 Lineup: 13 World Premieres, No U.S. Directors Spike Lee’s Cannes 2021 Jury: Song Kang-Ho, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Melanie Laurent, and More Spike Lee Makes History as Cannes Film Festival 2021 Jury President Cannes Film Festival Pushed to July 2021 Pre-Festival Analysis Cannes 2021 Lineup: 10 Surprises and Snubs, from Sean Penn to Park Chan-wook Cannes Remains Male-Dominated, Don’t Let the Record Number of 2021 Female Filmmakers Fool You...

There are big studio efforts on offer (“Top Gun: Maverick,” “Elvis”), along with singular indies from a range of rising stars (“Rodeo,” “War Pony,” “God’s Creatures”) and new features from some of our favorite auteurs (“Armageddon Time,” “Crimes of the Future,” “Showing Up,” “Three Thousand Years of Longing”). Digging through the Cannes lineup is always a treat, but this year’s selection feels particularly rich and rewarding. You can’t go wrong with this one, but that didn’t stop us from trawling this year’s picks to unearth the 18 titles we’re most excited about seeing, the creme de la creme of a festival that strives to only program the best....

“They said to me, ‘We’re going to be shooting in 2023’,” Cox told NME. “I said, ‘Great, when?’ They said, ‘All 2023’. I start shooting in February and finish in December.” The 18-episode count for “Born Again’s” first season makes it the longest Disney+ MCU series by a large margin — the other shows, such as “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” and “Wandavision,” range for six to nine episodes total. Its also significantly longer than the three Netflix “Daredevil” seasons, which were 13 episodes each....

Charlie Kaufman is not a fan of solving movies for his audience. “I’m not really big on explaining what things are,” the writer-director said in a phone interview. “I let people have their experiences, so I don’t really have expectations about what people are going to think. I really do support anybody’s interpretation.” Nevertheless, nothing in Kaufman’s head-spinning repertoire has begged for answers more than “I’m Thinking of Ending Things....

“It was a great honor to work with Christopher, to be in conversation with such a dedicated artist,” Mike Mills said. “In his 80s when we met, I marveled at his intense curiosity, hunger to make something vulnerable, and his need to challenge himself. Christopher was both dignified and mischievous, deeply cultured and always looking for a good laugh. As he said about playing my father who was dying ‘not an ounce of self pity,’ and that’s how he was....

Broadcast online, the awards celebrated the best in film, TV, and short-form costume design in eight categories that spanned fantasy, contemporary, and period works. Streamed live on Twitter, the virtual ceremony was hosted by Lana Condor (“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”). Oscar frontrunner Ann Roth’s work on “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” bested other period film nominees at the CDG Awards, heading toward a likely Oscar win, beating “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “One Night in Miami,” and two other Oscar nominees, “Emma,” and “Mank....

Held at the The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, the annual awards celebrated the best in film, TV, and short-form costume design in eight categories that spanned fantasy, contemporary, and period works. Show hosts were actors Andrew Rannells (“The Prom”) and Casey Wilson (“The Shrink Next Door”). Wednesday’s wins clearly puts “Cruella” in the Oscar driver’s seat after beating the other three period Oscar nominees — “Cyrano,” “Nightmare Alley,” and “West Side Story....

Each month, the Criterion Collection gives us a new batch of digitally remastered movies from across the globe. If you’re looking to discover new classics, or maybe check out an old favorite, try the vast collection of gems the Criterion Collection has to offer. The upcoming releases for the month of September (and a couple from October) range from drama to horror, film noir, and more. To help with your love of discovering films, we’ve put together a list of films that have been restored like never before and contain exclusive bonus content....

Thus Monday’s fifth annual Critics Choice Documentary Award winners — which recognize the year’s achievements in documentaries released in theaters, on TV and on digital platforms, for which I voted in several categories — push Best Documentary Feature “Dick Johnson Is Dead” (Netflix) and its Best Director Kirsten Johnson into the lead for the Oscar shortlist of 15, which the Academy will announce on February 9, 2021. Netflix dominated the field with six wins, including “Dick Johnson is Dead,” popular hit “My Octopus Teacher,” which took home Best Cinematography and Best Science/Nature Documentary, Best Narration winner “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet,” and, with “Athlete A,” tied for Best Sports Documentary....

If there’s one clear distinction between the simpatico minds driving “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” it’s that Larry David always thinks he’s out of ideas and Jeff Schaffer knows that will never happen. “Bad things are still happening to me,” Schaffer said. “So I’ve still got ideas.” Schaffer, who’s been officially producing, writing, and directing the HBO comedy gem since Season 5, spoke to IndieWire about the show’s sustained success, including returning from a six-year “interregnum” and why each season could be the last… but almost certainly isn’t....

All it will take for Erivo to attain EGOT status is an Oscar win, while Hudson needs a Tony and an Emmy. Both women boast extraordinary voices with range comparable to Franklin, and sang most of their songs live, but had to brush up their on-camera piano playing (backed up by pros on the soundtrack) to take on the famed gospel singer-turned-global music star. With support from the estate, Hudson got to sing the title song, “Respect” and other greatest hits like “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman,” while Erivo dug into a range of songs over Franklin’s 60-year career....

Known for portraying memorable, hard-scrabble women, the character actress is finally breaking untraveled ground with her first on-camera lead role in the tender-hearted indie romance “A Love Song,” director Max Walker-Silverman’s debut feature, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival to stellar reviews. “I’m not complaining, but I’ve never really had the luxury of choosing projects. Maybe now I’m getting to that point,” Dickey told IndieWire during a recent interview via video call from her home in Los Angeles....

“That role changed the trajectory of my life,” Bautista said. “It’s always going to be special to me. Now that I’m four films in…I really wished they would have invested more in Drax, personally. Because I think Drax has more of a story to tell. I think Drax has a really interesting backstory which they dropped the ball on. That’s no dig on Marvel. They had their slate, I know what they’re focused on, that’s what they have [it] slated out....

That comment from the Q&A portion of the April 26 Warner Bros Discovery Q1 investor call sums up much about a presentation that should assure shareholders fiscally responsible, cost-minded leaders at the helm while inducing a fair amount of nerves among staff across the portfolio. It’s certainly a not-so-subtle dig at Jason Kilar and former WarnerMedia leadership. And it gives a big-picture take on why CNN+ was shuttered so quickly, though Zaslav and CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels mentioned the now-deceased streamer on multiple occasions during the call....

IndieWire can confirm that Warner Bros. Discovery gave the live virtual convention the axe this year, much like HBO Max’s “Batgirl” film. “With the return of in-person events, Warner Bros. Discovery is excited to be able to engage with our fans live at numerous comic-cons around the world and will not be scheduling DC FanDome for 2022,” a statement from Warner Bros. Discovery shared with IndieWire read. Originally launched in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the eight-hour livestream virtual convention covered all things DC, ranging from comics to TV shows and movies, with series creators and actors holding virtual panels to give updates on their respective projects....

“Deaf people are just as entitled to enjoy the thrill of the cinema as hearing people, but they’re still not being provided for,” National Deaf Children’s Society campaign lead Beccy Forrow told Metro. “Half of cinemas didn’t provide any subtitled showings and those that did were unwilling to offer them at convenient times. It’s a sad yet familiar story for millions of deaf people across the UK, where subtitles are now a holy grail instead of something they can rely on....

“I wanted at the beginning to do the two parts simultaneously,” Villeneuve said. “For several reasons, it didn’t happen, and I agreed to the challenge of making part one and then wait to see if the movie rings enough enthusiasm. As I was doing the the first part, I really put all my passion into it, in case it would be the only one. But I’m optimistic.” Villeneuve previously told Total Film magazine that greenlighting “Dune: Part Two” would depend on the financial success of “Dune: Part One” at the box office....