The American Playwriting Foundation will grant $10,000 each to six Writers Guild of America members who are chosen as the winners in a new playwriting contest.
The grant money, which is given out under the existing program of The Relentless Award, is intended to help WGA writers who are unable to work in TV and film during the strike. The playwrights must be current WGA members and must write a 10-minute play that centers on the theme of picketing or striking. Submissions are open through Sept. 5.
The plays will be performed in a special benefit performance at Theatre Row in New York by a cast including Wayne Brady, Billy Crudup, Vincent D’Onofrio, Gina Gershon, Walton Goggins, Natasha Lyonne, Sam Rockwell, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Liev Schreiber and Yul Vazquez. Five finalists will also be selected and will receive $1,000 each.
The American Playwriting Foundation Foundation, established in honor of Philip Seymour Hoffman, has traditionally...
The grant money, which is given out under the existing program of The Relentless Award, is intended to help WGA writers who are unable to work in TV and film during the strike. The playwrights must be current WGA members and must write a 10-minute play that centers on the theme of picketing or striking. Submissions are open through Sept. 5.
The plays will be performed in a special benefit performance at Theatre Row in New York by a cast including Wayne Brady, Billy Crudup, Vincent D’Onofrio, Gina Gershon, Walton Goggins, Natasha Lyonne, Sam Rockwell, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Liev Schreiber and Yul Vazquez. Five finalists will also be selected and will receive $1,000 each.
The American Playwriting Foundation Foundation, established in honor of Philip Seymour Hoffman, has traditionally...
- 8/3/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Over 30 years after "American Gigolo" launched Richard Gere's career, the film is getting a TV adaptation with another suave leading man in the starring role. Jon Bernthal is taking over the reins as Julian Kaye, a former male escort who spent years being the object of affection until a murder charge landed him in prison. The series almost works as a direct sequel to the original film: picking up 15 years later, Julian is exonerated when new evidence comes to light proving he did not commit the murder that got him put away. But while trying to get back into his old scene, he realizes that picking up where he left off isn't as simple as he'd like. So he does as TV characters so often do, and gets to work trying to solve the murder himself.
Per the synopsis, Julian must navigate "his complicated relationships with his former lover...
Per the synopsis, Julian must navigate "his complicated relationships with his former lover...
- 8/18/2022
- by Shania Russell
- Slash Film
Sex sells, but murder is where the real money is.
Jon Bernthal stars as Julian Kaye, an ex-escort who sets out to exonerate himself after serving 15 years for a murder charge for the death of his former client. Kaye finds former lover Michelle (Gretchen Mol) for answers, while Detective Sunday (Rosie O’Donnell) tries to piece together what really happened at the crime scene.
The Showtime series reimagines the Kaye character originated by Richard Gere in Paul Schrader’s 1980 film “American Gigolo.”
The drama also stars Lizzie Brocheré as Isabelle, the heiress to a ring of sex workers; Gabriel Labelle as Johnny, a younger version of Julian; Leland Orser as Richard Stratton, a self-made tech billionaire; and guest star Wayne Brady as Julian’s best friend and mentor, Lorenzo.
Lead star Bernthal previously told GQ that he was even surprised to be cast in the lead role for the upcoming series.
Jon Bernthal stars as Julian Kaye, an ex-escort who sets out to exonerate himself after serving 15 years for a murder charge for the death of his former client. Kaye finds former lover Michelle (Gretchen Mol) for answers, while Detective Sunday (Rosie O’Donnell) tries to piece together what really happened at the crime scene.
The Showtime series reimagines the Kaye character originated by Richard Gere in Paul Schrader’s 1980 film “American Gigolo.”
The drama also stars Lizzie Brocheré as Isabelle, the heiress to a ring of sex workers; Gabriel Labelle as Johnny, a younger version of Julian; Leland Orser as Richard Stratton, a self-made tech billionaire; and guest star Wayne Brady as Julian’s best friend and mentor, Lorenzo.
Lead star Bernthal previously told GQ that he was even surprised to be cast in the lead role for the upcoming series.
- 7/14/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Julian Kaye just wants to escape himself.
Jon Bernthal stars as the iconic male escort character originated by Richard Gere in Paul Schrader’s 1980 film “American Gigolo.” The Showtime series reimagining of the famed feature is set in the present day, with Julian (Bernthal) trying to decipher why he was framed and wrongfully convicted for murder.
“I can always just be this other guy,” Bernthal as Julian says in the teaser trailer. “This guy isn’t scary. I jumped in water and then I washed him off. And then I get to be me.”
Julian is a former escort released from prison after serving 15 years for a murder he didn’t commit. Julian seeks out former lover Michelle (Gretchen Mol) for answers, while Detective Sunday (Rosie O’Donnell) tries to piece together what really happened at the crime scene.
Despite the series’ contemporary setting, the teaser no doubt calls back to...
Jon Bernthal stars as the iconic male escort character originated by Richard Gere in Paul Schrader’s 1980 film “American Gigolo.” The Showtime series reimagining of the famed feature is set in the present day, with Julian (Bernthal) trying to decipher why he was framed and wrongfully convicted for murder.
“I can always just be this other guy,” Bernthal as Julian says in the teaser trailer. “This guy isn’t scary. I jumped in water and then I washed him off. And then I get to be me.”
Julian is a former escort released from prison after serving 15 years for a murder he didn’t commit. Julian seeks out former lover Michelle (Gretchen Mol) for answers, while Detective Sunday (Rosie O’Donnell) tries to piece together what really happened at the crime scene.
Despite the series’ contemporary setting, the teaser no doubt calls back to...
- 5/31/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Exclusive Updated: Production on Showtime’s drama series American Gigolo has been paused again, this time for at least two weeks, as the series’ co-executive producer David Bar Katz has exited the Paramount TV Studios-produced series. His departure comes three weeks after the Paramount network and TV studio severed ties with the series’ developer, writer, director and executive producer David Hollander following an investigation into allegations of misconduct and almost two weeks after The Offer executive producers Nikki Toscano and Russell Rothberg joined the series as consulting producers.
Toscano, a seasoned showrunner who ran The Offer, is said to have taken the reins of American Gigolo, with Rothberg providing support. The duo are expected to use the two weeks to work on prepping Episode 8, which is getting a script. The series, headlined by Jon Bernthal, originally had received a 10-episode order. I hear that plan has now changed, and the next episode to film,...
Toscano, a seasoned showrunner who ran The Offer, is said to have taken the reins of American Gigolo, with Rothberg providing support. The duo are expected to use the two weeks to work on prepping Episode 8, which is getting a script. The series, headlined by Jon Bernthal, originally had received a 10-episode order. I hear that plan has now changed, and the next episode to film,...
- 5/12/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The Offer executive producers Nikki Toscano and Russell Rothberg have come on board Showtime’s upcoming series American Gigolo, from Paramount Television Studios. They will serve as consulting producers, working alongside Executive Producer David Bar Katz.
The move comes a week after the Paramount network and TV studio severed ties with the series’ developer, writer, director and executive producer David Hollander following an investigation into allegations of misconduct. As Deadline reported, Katz stepped up in the immediate aftermath of Hollander’s exit. Production was then suspended both over the leadership change as well as an actor being temporarily unavailable. Filming has now resumed, with Toscano and Rothberg working closely with Katz to steer the show.
Toscano is an experienced showrunner who has an overall deal at Paramount TV Studios, she most recently ran the studio’s Paramount+ limited series The Offer, about the making of The Godfather.
Production on the series,...
The move comes a week after the Paramount network and TV studio severed ties with the series’ developer, writer, director and executive producer David Hollander following an investigation into allegations of misconduct. As Deadline reported, Katz stepped up in the immediate aftermath of Hollander’s exit. Production was then suspended both over the leadership change as well as an actor being temporarily unavailable. Filming has now resumed, with Toscano and Rothberg working closely with Katz to steer the show.
Toscano is an experienced showrunner who has an overall deal at Paramount TV Studios, she most recently ran the studio’s Paramount+ limited series The Offer, about the making of The Godfather.
Production on the series,...
- 5/3/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Showtime and Paramount Television Studios have suspended production for four days on upcoming series American Gigolo, a reboot of the popular 1980 movie. The move comes a couple of days after the Paramount network and TV studio severed ties with the series’ developer, writer, director and executive producer David Hollander following an investigation into allegations of misconduct.
Production on the series, headlined by Jon Bernthal, was originally slated to continue following Hollander’s ouster, with one of Hollander’s top lieutenants, believed to be co-executive producer David Bar Katz, stepping in as showrunner. The American Gigolo series, produced by Paramount TV Studios with Jerry Bruckheimer Television, has about two episodes left to shoot from its 10-episode order, I hear.
In addition to the leadership change, I hear the production shutdown is being attributed to an actor being temporarily unavailable. The reasons are unclear but I have not heard that it’s Covid-related.
Production on the series, headlined by Jon Bernthal, was originally slated to continue following Hollander’s ouster, with one of Hollander’s top lieutenants, believed to be co-executive producer David Bar Katz, stepping in as showrunner. The American Gigolo series, produced by Paramount TV Studios with Jerry Bruckheimer Television, has about two episodes left to shoot from its 10-episode order, I hear.
In addition to the leadership change, I hear the production shutdown is being attributed to an actor being temporarily unavailable. The reasons are unclear but I have not heard that it’s Covid-related.
- 4/27/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Longtime Showtime showrunner David Hollander has officially been let go from his new series “American Gigolo” following allegations of misconduct.
Deadline reported that the developer, director, executive producer, and showrunner parted ways with the “American Gigolo” TV adaptation for Showtime, which is produced by Paramount Television Studios.
“David Hollander is no longer on the drama series ‘American Gigolo’ and Paramount Television Studios no longer has a producing relationship with him,” a spokesperson told Deadline in a statement.
The outlet also stated that multiple sources close to production claimed Hollander’s firing was after an investigation into allegations of misconduct that allegedly were not related to sexual harassment. It is believed that co-executive producer David Bar Katz, who also worked with Hollander on Showtime’s “Ray Donovan,” will take over as “American Gigolo” showrunner.
“American Gigolo” stars Jon Bernthal as Julian Kaye, a male escort who was arrested for murder. Set...
Deadline reported that the developer, director, executive producer, and showrunner parted ways with the “American Gigolo” TV adaptation for Showtime, which is produced by Paramount Television Studios.
“David Hollander is no longer on the drama series ‘American Gigolo’ and Paramount Television Studios no longer has a producing relationship with him,” a spokesperson told Deadline in a statement.
The outlet also stated that multiple sources close to production claimed Hollander’s firing was after an investigation into allegations of misconduct that allegedly were not related to sexual harassment. It is believed that co-executive producer David Bar Katz, who also worked with Hollander on Showtime’s “Ray Donovan,” will take over as “American Gigolo” showrunner.
“American Gigolo” stars Jon Bernthal as Julian Kaye, a male escort who was arrested for murder. Set...
- 4/25/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Showtime and Paramount Television Studios have parted ways with showrunner David Hollander, who had a long run with Showtime as the leader of “Ray Donovan.” Hollander most recently was at the helm of Showtime’s upcoming drama “American Gigolo.”
Hollander developed Showtime’s TV adaptation of the 1980 Paul Schrader film that launched Richard Gere’s career. In addition to showrunning, Hollander served as director and executive producer on the series produced by Paramount Television Studios. Jon Bernthal stars.
Showtime declined comment on the reason for Hollander’s exit. “David Hollander is no longer on the drama series ‘American Gigolo’ and Paramount Television Studios no longer has a producing relationship with him,” a representative for Showtime and Paramount Television said Saturday.
Representatives for Hollander could not immediately be reached for comment.
Deadline was first to report the news.
“American Gigolo” is expected to continue production with David Bar Katz, one of...
Hollander developed Showtime’s TV adaptation of the 1980 Paul Schrader film that launched Richard Gere’s career. In addition to showrunning, Hollander served as director and executive producer on the series produced by Paramount Television Studios. Jon Bernthal stars.
Showtime declined comment on the reason for Hollander’s exit. “David Hollander is no longer on the drama series ‘American Gigolo’ and Paramount Television Studios no longer has a producing relationship with him,” a representative for Showtime and Paramount Television said Saturday.
Representatives for Hollander could not immediately be reached for comment.
Deadline was first to report the news.
“American Gigolo” is expected to continue production with David Bar Katz, one of...
- 4/24/2022
- by Carson Burton
- Variety Film + TV
David Hollander, the Emmy-nominated executive producer, writer and director behind “Ray Donovan,” will no longer be helming Showtime and Paramount Television Studios’ upcoming series “American Gigolo,” TheWrap has confirmed.
“David Hollander is no longer on the drama series ‘American Gigolo’ and Paramount Television Studios no longer has a producing relationship with him,” a spokesperson said, but declined to comment further.
A Saturday report by Deadline, which cites unnamed sources close to the production, said Hollander was ousted as a result of an investigation into misconduct claims. Furthermore, the outlet says “American Gigolo” co-executive producer David Bar Katz is set to take over the showrunning duties.
Billed as a modern-day adaptation of the 1980 neo-noir crime film of the same name, the series will star “The Punisher” actor Jon Bernthal in the main role, originated by Richard Gere. Also attached are Gretchen Mol, Gabriel Labelle, Lizzie Brocheré, Leland Orser and Rosie O’Donnell.
“David Hollander is no longer on the drama series ‘American Gigolo’ and Paramount Television Studios no longer has a producing relationship with him,” a spokesperson said, but declined to comment further.
A Saturday report by Deadline, which cites unnamed sources close to the production, said Hollander was ousted as a result of an investigation into misconduct claims. Furthermore, the outlet says “American Gigolo” co-executive producer David Bar Katz is set to take over the showrunning duties.
Billed as a modern-day adaptation of the 1980 neo-noir crime film of the same name, the series will star “The Punisher” actor Jon Bernthal in the main role, originated by Richard Gere. Also attached are Gretchen Mol, Gabriel Labelle, Lizzie Brocheré, Leland Orser and Rosie O’Donnell.
- 4/23/2022
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- The Wrap
Exclusive Updated: Showtime and Paramount Television Studios are severing ties with one of the network’s most successful showrunners. Ray Donovan‘s David Hollander, developer, director, executive producer and showrunner of the upcoming Showtime series American Gigolo, produced by sibling Paramount Television Studios, has been let go from the reboot of the popular 1980 movie.
“David Hollander is no longer on the drama series American Gigolo and Paramount Television Studios no longer has a producing relationship with him,” a spokesperson told Deadline in a statement, declining further comment.
According to sources close to the production, the movie was made following an investigation into allegations of misconduct. The exact nature of the misconduct is not clear but sources told Deadline that it involved comments made by Hollander that were not of sexual harassment nature.
I hear production on the series, headlined by Jon Bernthal, is expected to continue with one of Hollander’s top lieutenants,...
“David Hollander is no longer on the drama series American Gigolo and Paramount Television Studios no longer has a producing relationship with him,” a spokesperson told Deadline in a statement, declining further comment.
According to sources close to the production, the movie was made following an investigation into allegations of misconduct. The exact nature of the misconduct is not clear but sources told Deadline that it involved comments made by Hollander that were not of sexual harassment nature.
I hear production on the series, headlined by Jon Bernthal, is expected to continue with one of Hollander’s top lieutenants,...
- 4/23/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
When Adam Schlesinger developed symptoms of the coronavirus in mid-March, his friends thought he would pull through. A healthy 52-year-old, he’d been blessed all his life with both talent and luck. He was the most boundlessly energetic person any of them knew, with a career unlike any other indie songwriter’s — playing in multiple acclaimed bands and writing songs for movies, TV shows, and Broadway, among countless other projects.
“Like a lot of workaholics, he kept a million different things going at once, and was incredibly restless just sitting around,...
“Like a lot of workaholics, he kept a million different things going at once, and was incredibly restless just sitting around,...
- 4/10/2020
- by Simon Vozick-Levinson
- Rollingstone.com
Since Fountains of Wayne co-founder Adam Schlesinger died of complications from Covid-19 on April 1st, tributes from his many friends and collaborators have poured in from all corners. Here, author and playwright David Bar Katz remembers their 35-year friendship.
There are songs we would all have known by heart that we’re never going to hear. There were going to be musicals we’d have waited in line to see that will never be composed. The expressions on my friend’s face that I was counting on to brighten the...
There are songs we would all have known by heart that we’re never going to hear. There were going to be musicals we’d have waited in line to see that will never be composed. The expressions on my friend’s face that I was counting on to brighten the...
- 4/7/2020
- by David Bar Katz
- Rollingstone.com
“The Favourite” director Yorgos Lanthimos is set to direct and executive produce a limited series for Searchlight Television based on Mark Seal’s nonfiction book “The Man in the Rockefeller Suit: The Astonishing Rise and Spectacular Fall of a Serial Imposter.” The adaptation will center around the man known as Clark Rockefeller, who posed as a member of the famed family as part of a decades-long con game that came crashing down in 2008 after he kidnapped his daughter (Via Deadline).
Rockefeller, whose real name is Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, moved to the Us from his native Germany in the 1970s, used a variety of aliases — film student, English royalty, and as a member of the American industrialist dynasty. It was under that false identity that he married his wife, who before long began to suspect her husband is not who he says he is.
In addition to the custodial kidnapping conviction,...
Rockefeller, whose real name is Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, moved to the Us from his native Germany in the 1970s, used a variety of aliases — film student, English royalty, and as a member of the American industrialist dynasty. It was under that false identity that he married his wife, who before long began to suspect her husband is not who he says he is.
In addition to the custodial kidnapping conviction,...
- 11/20/2019
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
Yorgos Lanthimos is set to direct an adaptation of “The Man in the Rockefeller Suit,” which is development at Fox Searchlight Television, a rep for the division confirmed to TheWrap. It is based on the best-selling book by Mark Seal.
David Gilbert is adapting the screenplay for the limited series, which will tell the true story of Clark Rockefeller, a gregarious, successful, and mysterious descendant of the Rockefeller clan. When his wife Sandra begins to suspect that Clark isn’t who he says he is, his decades-long web of deception slowly begins to unravel.
Lanthimos and Fox Searchlight worked together earlier this year on “The Favourite,” which earned 10 Oscar nominations – among them Best Picture and Best Director with Olivia Colman winning for Best Actress.
Also Read: Elle Fanning, Yorgos Lanthimos, Pawel Pawlikowski Get Jury Duty at Cannes
The project was originally set to be a feature, with Pablo Trapero previously...
David Gilbert is adapting the screenplay for the limited series, which will tell the true story of Clark Rockefeller, a gregarious, successful, and mysterious descendant of the Rockefeller clan. When his wife Sandra begins to suspect that Clark isn’t who he says he is, his decades-long web of deception slowly begins to unravel.
Lanthimos and Fox Searchlight worked together earlier this year on “The Favourite,” which earned 10 Oscar nominations – among them Best Picture and Best Director with Olivia Colman winning for Best Actress.
Also Read: Elle Fanning, Yorgos Lanthimos, Pawel Pawlikowski Get Jury Duty at Cannes
The project was originally set to be a feature, with Pablo Trapero previously...
- 11/20/2019
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Exclusive: The Favourite and The Lobster director Yorgos Lanthimos is set to direct and executive produce an adaptation of The Man In The Rockefeller Suit based on Mark Seal’s New York Times bestselling non-fiction book, which is being developed as a limited series at Searchlight Television. Donald De Line and Element Pictures will exec produce with Lanthimos.
Written by David Gilbert, based on the book The Man In The Rockefeller Suit: The Astonishing Rise and Spectacular Fall of a Serial Impostor, the limited series adaptation tells the true story of Clark Rockefeller, a gregarious, successful, and mysterious descendant of the Rockefeller clan. When his wife Sandra begins to suspect that Clark isn’t who he says he is, his decades-long web of deception slowly begins to unravel.
This reunites Fox Searchlight and Lanthimos following their collaboration on The Favourite, which earlier this year was nominated for 10 Oscars, including best picture and director for Lanthimos,...
Written by David Gilbert, based on the book The Man In The Rockefeller Suit: The Astonishing Rise and Spectacular Fall of a Serial Impostor, the limited series adaptation tells the true story of Clark Rockefeller, a gregarious, successful, and mysterious descendant of the Rockefeller clan. When his wife Sandra begins to suspect that Clark isn’t who he says he is, his decades-long web of deception slowly begins to unravel.
This reunites Fox Searchlight and Lanthimos following their collaboration on The Favourite, which earlier this year was nominated for 10 Oscars, including best picture and director for Lanthimos,...
- 11/20/2019
- by Nellie Andreeva and Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Suicide Squad 2 has added a few new members to its skwad. David Bar Katz and Todd Stashwick have been tapped by Warner Bros. to be the new Suicide Squad 2 writers, joining director Gavin O’Connor to co-pen the script to the DC anti-hero sequel. David Bar Katz and Todd Stashwick are co-writing the script for the Suicide Squad sequel alongside director Gavin […]
The post ‘Suicide Squad 2’ Gets Two New Writers appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Suicide Squad 2’ Gets Two New Writers appeared first on /Film.
- 6/8/2018
- by Hoai-Tran Bui
- Slash Film
There's are a few new faces joining the Suicide Squad crew.
David Bar Katz and Todd Stashwick are co-writing the script for the Suicide Squad sequel alongside director Gavin O'Connor, sources confirm to The Hollywood Reporter. The film is a followup to the 2016 DC hit that starred Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Jared Leto and was directed by David Ayer.
Katz is known for his Black List script The Man in the Rockefeller Suit, and has multiple features in development, including Chasing Phil with Robert Downey Jr.'s Team Downey and Warner Bros. He also has comic ...
David Bar Katz and Todd Stashwick are co-writing the script for the Suicide Squad sequel alongside director Gavin O'Connor, sources confirm to The Hollywood Reporter. The film is a followup to the 2016 DC hit that starred Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Jared Leto and was directed by David Ayer.
Katz is known for his Black List script The Man in the Rockefeller Suit, and has multiple features in development, including Chasing Phil with Robert Downey Jr.'s Team Downey and Warner Bros. He also has comic ...
There's are a few new faces joining the Suicide Squad crew.
David Bar Katz and Todd Stashwick are co-writing the script for the Suicide Squad sequel alongside director Gavin O'Connor, sources confirm to The Hollywood Reporter. The film is a followup to the 2016 DC hit that starred Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Jared Leto and was directed by David Ayer.
Katz is known for his Black List script The Man in the Rockefeller Suit, and has multiple features in development, including Chasing Phil with Robert Downey Jr.'s Team Downey and Warner Bros. He also has comic ...
David Bar Katz and Todd Stashwick are co-writing the script for the Suicide Squad sequel alongside director Gavin O'Connor, sources confirm to The Hollywood Reporter. The film is a followup to the 2016 DC hit that starred Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Jared Leto and was directed by David Ayer.
Katz is known for his Black List script The Man in the Rockefeller Suit, and has multiple features in development, including Chasing Phil with Robert Downey Jr.'s Team Downey and Warner Bros. He also has comic ...
Everyone loves con men. Right? That's what film and tv have taught me. Some criminals are bad but con men? Con men are just misunderstood. Like the Music Man. What a guy! Well, Benedict Cumberbatch is about to join the ranks of likable con men in the new film by Fox Searchlight, The Man in the Rockefeller Suit.
The film is about the true story of Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter. He was a man who posed as a member of the famous Rockefeller family to get various jobs on Wall Street and even to get married. He used his fake identity to get close to the richest and most powerful people on earth until he finally gets caught and then fears losing custody of his daughter. I mean, if your name was Gerhartsreiter, wouldn't you want to pretend to be someone else to?
Cumberbatch, of course, is wonderful so I have...
The film is about the true story of Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter. He was a man who posed as a member of the famous Rockefeller family to get various jobs on Wall Street and even to get married. He used his fake identity to get close to the richest and most powerful people on earth until he finally gets caught and then fears losing custody of his daughter. I mean, if your name was Gerhartsreiter, wouldn't you want to pretend to be someone else to?
Cumberbatch, of course, is wonderful so I have...
- 4/13/2017
- by Bryam Dayley
- GeekTyrant
Author: Zehra Phelan
Reports are emerging that Doctor Strange and Sherlock Holmes actor, Benedict Cumberbatch is currently in talks with Fox Searchlight to take the lead in David Bar Katz adaptation of The Man in the Rockefeller Suit.
The Man in the Rockefeller Suit is based on Mark Seal’s book on the real life con man Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, a convicted murderer and con man who is currently serving a prison sentence in the United States, who later took on the identity, Clark Rockefeller as well as other aliases including Chris C. Crowe, Chris Chichester, Charles Smith, Chip Smith. He conned his way into many jobs on Wall Street as well as marrying a wealthy woman with whom he had a child.
The book’s synopsis reads; In 2008, Clark Rockefeller, wealthy scion of a great American family, made headlines when he kidnapped his own daughter and vanished. The FBI and police were baffled.
Reports are emerging that Doctor Strange and Sherlock Holmes actor, Benedict Cumberbatch is currently in talks with Fox Searchlight to take the lead in David Bar Katz adaptation of The Man in the Rockefeller Suit.
The Man in the Rockefeller Suit is based on Mark Seal’s book on the real life con man Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, a convicted murderer and con man who is currently serving a prison sentence in the United States, who later took on the identity, Clark Rockefeller as well as other aliases including Chris C. Crowe, Chris Chichester, Charles Smith, Chip Smith. He conned his way into many jobs on Wall Street as well as marrying a wealthy woman with whom he had a child.
The book’s synopsis reads; In 2008, Clark Rockefeller, wealthy scion of a great American family, made headlines when he kidnapped his own daughter and vanished. The FBI and police were baffled.
- 4/13/2017
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Few actors working in Hollywood today are juggling as many projects as Benedict Cumberbatch – save for maybe Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Fresh off his title role in Marvel’s Doctor Strange, the British thesp has signed on to reprise as the Sorcerer Supreme in both Thor: Ragnarok and next year’s marquee ensemble movie, Avengers: Infinity War. And that’s before you factor in the more drama-oriented fair such as The Current War and Andy Serkis’ long-delayed Jungle Book movie, the latter of which will see Cumberbatch play the iconic role of Shere Khan – no relation to his villain from Star Trek Into Darkness, of course.
It looks likely that Benedict Cumberbatch will have to carve out room on that bustling slate for another project, too, with Deadline reporting today that the actor has entered talks to become The Man In The Rockefeller Suit for Fox Searchlight. Negotiations are ongoing,...
Fresh off his title role in Marvel’s Doctor Strange, the British thesp has signed on to reprise as the Sorcerer Supreme in both Thor: Ragnarok and next year’s marquee ensemble movie, Avengers: Infinity War. And that’s before you factor in the more drama-oriented fair such as The Current War and Andy Serkis’ long-delayed Jungle Book movie, the latter of which will see Cumberbatch play the iconic role of Shere Khan – no relation to his villain from Star Trek Into Darkness, of course.
It looks likely that Benedict Cumberbatch will have to carve out room on that bustling slate for another project, too, with Deadline reporting today that the actor has entered talks to become The Man In The Rockefeller Suit for Fox Searchlight. Negotiations are ongoing,...
- 4/12/2017
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Exclusive: Benedict Cumberbatch is in early negotiations with Fox Searchlight to star in The Man in the Rockefeller Suit for Fox Searchlight Pictures. David Bar Katz has adapted the book by Mark Seal. Donald De Line is producing. The film tells the true story of Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, an imposter who conned his way into various jobs on Wall Street — as well as a marriage — posing as a member of the Rockefeller family. After achieving a life in rarefied social…...
- 4/12/2017
- Deadline
Space on Ryder Farm, the non-profit artist residency program located on Ryder Farm, an idyllic 200 year-old working organic farm in Brewster, New York announced its 2016 season for The Working Farm, Family Residency, Creative Solutions Symposium and Artistic Residency programs at The Players Club. In attendence were Josh Charles, David Bar Katz, Michael Urie, and Marsha Norman, as well as 2016 Space residents Cusi Cram, Daisy Foote, Adam Rapp, and recipients of the inaugural Relentless Award--Clare Barron and Sarah DeLappe.
- 5/20/2016
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Here’s a good sign of momentum: weeks after a documentary premiered at Sundance and received its first wave of fine reviews, the figure known as Jt Leroy is having their life story turned into a feature film. THR tell us Kristen Stewart, James Franco, Helena Bonham Carter, and writer-director Justin Kelly (the Franco-led I Am Michael) will team for Jt Leroy, which examines the eponymous figure — itself the outlet for a writer and actor who fooled the world with “a man who identifies as transgender, tricking the rich and famous in Hollywood, the fashion world and elite literary circles.”
If contracts are arranged, Carter and Stewart will respectively star as Laura Albert and Savannah Knoop, Leroy’s writing and public personas. There are many directions in which this narrative can reach, evidenced by the fact that writer-director-actress Asia Argento, who adapted Leroy’s The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things,...
If contracts are arranged, Carter and Stewart will respectively star as Laura Albert and Savannah Knoop, Leroy’s writing and public personas. There are many directions in which this narrative can reach, evidenced by the fact that writer-director-actress Asia Argento, who adapted Leroy’s The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things,...
- 2/9/2016
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
A bunch of directors just lined up some flash new gigs.
First up Lino Di Salvo, the head of animation on Disney's "Frozen," has come on board to direct the $75 million animated feature "Playmobil: Robbers, Thieves & Rebels" based on the iconic toy brand for On Animation Studios.
The project is the first in a potential trilogy based on the toy brand, which has sold more than 2.8 billion figurines in more than 100 countries.
Next, 20th Century Fox has optioned Eisner Award-winner Cullen Bunn's 2014 graphic novel "The Empty Man" and have brought David Prior onboard to pen and direct the film adaptation of it.
The supernatural thriller deals with a terrifying entity that may be responsible for a string of mysterious disappearances in a small midwestern town. The project is part of Fox’s first-look deal with Boom! Studios. Ross Richie and Stephen Christy will produce.
Then, Argentinian filmmaker Pablo Trapero...
First up Lino Di Salvo, the head of animation on Disney's "Frozen," has come on board to direct the $75 million animated feature "Playmobil: Robbers, Thieves & Rebels" based on the iconic toy brand for On Animation Studios.
The project is the first in a potential trilogy based on the toy brand, which has sold more than 2.8 billion figurines in more than 100 countries.
Next, 20th Century Fox has optioned Eisner Award-winner Cullen Bunn's 2014 graphic novel "The Empty Man" and have brought David Prior onboard to pen and direct the film adaptation of it.
The supernatural thriller deals with a terrifying entity that may be responsible for a string of mysterious disappearances in a small midwestern town. The project is part of Fox’s first-look deal with Boom! Studios. Ross Richie and Stephen Christy will produce.
Then, Argentinian filmmaker Pablo Trapero...
- 2/9/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Mark Seal's book, "The Man In The Rockefeller Suit," is one that Hollywood has been trying to crack for a while now. At one time attached to Scott Cooper (before he would go on to direct "Out Of The Furnace"), Walter Salles was linked to the film way back in 2013 with his longtime collaborator Jose Rivera penning the script. Now, three years later, the project is back to life with another big name behind the camera. Read More: Venice Review: Pablo Trapero's Venice Silver Lion Winner, True Crime Tale 'The Clan' Pablo Trapero, the filmmaker behind "Carancho" and "White Elephant," and coming in hot off his gangster tale "The Clan" which will hit U.S. cinemas this spring, is now set to direct 'Rockefeller.' David Bar Katz has penned the script that tells the true story of Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, a German-born con man who for decades...
- 2/9/2016
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Pablo Trapero, a newly minted Goya winner for his film “El Clan,” is in final negotiations to direct “The Man in the Rockefeller Suit,” TheWrap has learned. Argentinian Trapero, who also took the Silver Lion at last year’s Venice Film Festival, will helm the tale of lifelong con artist Christian Gerhartsreiter, who pretended to be a descendant of the monied American family. Screenwriter David Bar Katz adapted the book by Mark Seal, a contributing editor to Vanity Fair magazine. Donald De Line is producing. Also Read: Lupita Nyong'o in Talks to Star in Amblin Sci-Fi Thriller 'Intelligent Life' CAA handles Trapero.
- 2/9/2016
- by Matt Donnelly
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Fresh from winning the Goya Award this weekend for his film El Clan, Argentinian filmmaker Pablo Trapero has been set to direct The Man In The Rockefeller Suit for Fox Searchlight Pictures. David Bar Katz has adapted the book by Mark Seal. Donald De Line is producing. The film tells the true story of Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, an imposter who conned his way into various jobs on Wall Street — as well a marriage — posing as a member of the Rockefeller family…...
- 2/8/2016
- Deadline
I have watched Jennifer for years as she and I participate at the Sundance World Cinema networking event, speaking to international filmmakers whose films are showing at the festival. But it is only now that I have actually heard about all she does:
So what is it you do?
As a manager of writers and directors for over 16 years at Untitled Entertainment (a company I helped launch), I have always been particularly interested in working with voices from around the globe and am drawn to strong, distinctive storytellers with unique points of view. I also act as a producer on a selective basis.
How do you select clients?
My roster of clients really reflects both my personal taste in storytelling and in people; coupled with my instincts about what I think the marketplace will respond to. By that I don’t mean selling a certain genre of content that I think the market will buy (though it is great when that happens), but rather introducing producers, executives, other artists and financiers to writers and/or directors with material that is fearless, exceptionally well executed and provokes an authentic emotional reaction – whatever the genre.
Do you consider yourself a “Hollywood” manager?
I have found that some of the most interesting film and television projects have emerged from the intersection of storytellers from both inside and outside the Hollywood system. I had the unforgettable experience earlier this year of seeing a team of Argentine filmmakers (Armando Bo and Nicolas Giacobone) I signed off of a Spanish language film at Sundance a few years ago, win the Academy Award for best original screenplay as the co-writers of “Birdman." That was a journey I would not have predicted three years ago and yet it is a fantastic recognition that if you bring strong, distinctive storytelling into the world, there will be an audience to appreciate it.
What do you have to do with the film currently hitting the theaters, “Black Souls”?
One of my most recent client signs is a stunningly talented Italian filmmaker named Francesco Munzi whose film “Black Souls” (his third feature) premiered at the most recent Venice and Toronto film festivals. It has always been a personal interest of mine to find an Italian filmmaker to represent as I lived in Italy for a few years and have always been drawn to the culture and speak the language. I was really captivated by the sophistication and gritty realism of Francesco’s filmmaking in “Black Souls." From both a level of craft and storytelling, as well as the intensity of the performances he captured, I felt strongly that he has the ability to speak to an international audience and wanted to help him transition into English language films.
Read More: 'Black Souls' is a Sobering and Sharply Executed Twist on the Mob Genre
Fortunately Vitagraph picked up “Black Souls” for a U.S. theatrical release and it just started rolling out across the country in April. The reviews so far have been pretty stellar. I am excited to help introduce the entertainment industry to him and his work so we can find the right English-language debut project for him.
How do you define your role in the business?
My role is not limited to representing only film and television writers and directors. I work in every and any medium that my clients want to explore (theater, books, digital content, graphic novels, video games, etc) which is part of the fun of being a manager. It also means I am constantly learning something new, which is partly why I am still challenged by my job so many years into it. For example, taking playwrights and helping them transition into successful film and television writers (two of my clients who started in the theater and continue to work actively in the theater, are seeing great success in every medium right now including current Blacklist scribe David Bar Katz who is writing films for Universal, Fox and Warner Bros and past Blacklist scribe Bess Wohl who has a network pilot in post-production for ABC and features in development for Paramount and Disney).
I am also still excited to discover someone at the very beginning of their career and have recently helped launch a young filmmaker named Steven Caple Jr. who just came out of USC film school last year with some award winning short films. I was introduced to the script for his debut feature along with a teaser he shot for it and knew that he had something to say and the vision and drive to make it happen. A year after first meeting him, we are about to head into pre-production on that feature. I also believe strongly in working with women filmmakers and am fortunate enough to work with exceptional artists like U.K. director Sophie Muller who is an internationally acclaimed music video director and award winning Canadian Ruba Nadda (“Cairo Time”, “October Gale”) who has made four features (a feat for any young filmmaker).
How did you become a manager?
I fell into management almost by accident but it turned out to be a great match for me, allowing me to evolve creatively and professionally in this changing marketplace. It is a role which requires that I utilize skills from almost every job I have ever had (from being a summer camp counselor in high school, to working in finance in NYC, film acquisitions in Italy and studio development and production experience in Hollywood) and I treasure the feeling of true partnership I go into with the artists I represent.
The flexibility and entrepreneurial nature of my role as a manager has also presented exciting producing opportunities. A recent example is the film “Meadowland” which I executive produced and which just had a world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival – written by client Chris Rossi and starring Untitled client Olivia Wilde. I’m heading to Cannes in May with projects that I am championing both for management clients and (in a few instances) as a producer. And of course, keeping my eyes open for exciting new writers and directors.
Jennifer Levine – Bio
Jennifer Levine, Head of Production and Literary Management at Untitled Entertainment (a top Hollywood entertainment management and production company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London), divides her time between representing a diverse group of writer, director, producer, and actor clients and shepherding a wide range of entertainment projects as a producer.
Prior to her position at Untitled, a company she helped start over sixteen years ago, Ms. Levine held positions in both feature film development and production, including stints at 20th Century Fox, Disney, and Kopelson Entertainment. In her various capacities, she has worked on dozens of studio and independent films.
Ms. Levine also spent three years based in Milan, Italy acquiring film and television rights for Italian distributor Compagnia Distribuzione Audiovisivi and participating in numerous international film markets and festivals. While in Italy, she also ran her own highly successful special events business and has been profiled in a wide range of Italian publications. Before moving to Italy, Jennifer started her career on Wall Street, working with international investment funds for Chase Manhattan Bank.
Ms. Levine holds an M.F.A. from USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program, where she was also a national finalist for the Sundance Producing Fellowship, winner of the Charles Ferguson Marketing Award, and recipient of the Ray Stark Film Grant. She has an undergraduate degree in literature from Wesleyan University and was born in New York and raised in Los Angeles.
So what is it you do?
As a manager of writers and directors for over 16 years at Untitled Entertainment (a company I helped launch), I have always been particularly interested in working with voices from around the globe and am drawn to strong, distinctive storytellers with unique points of view. I also act as a producer on a selective basis.
How do you select clients?
My roster of clients really reflects both my personal taste in storytelling and in people; coupled with my instincts about what I think the marketplace will respond to. By that I don’t mean selling a certain genre of content that I think the market will buy (though it is great when that happens), but rather introducing producers, executives, other artists and financiers to writers and/or directors with material that is fearless, exceptionally well executed and provokes an authentic emotional reaction – whatever the genre.
Do you consider yourself a “Hollywood” manager?
I have found that some of the most interesting film and television projects have emerged from the intersection of storytellers from both inside and outside the Hollywood system. I had the unforgettable experience earlier this year of seeing a team of Argentine filmmakers (Armando Bo and Nicolas Giacobone) I signed off of a Spanish language film at Sundance a few years ago, win the Academy Award for best original screenplay as the co-writers of “Birdman." That was a journey I would not have predicted three years ago and yet it is a fantastic recognition that if you bring strong, distinctive storytelling into the world, there will be an audience to appreciate it.
What do you have to do with the film currently hitting the theaters, “Black Souls”?
One of my most recent client signs is a stunningly talented Italian filmmaker named Francesco Munzi whose film “Black Souls” (his third feature) premiered at the most recent Venice and Toronto film festivals. It has always been a personal interest of mine to find an Italian filmmaker to represent as I lived in Italy for a few years and have always been drawn to the culture and speak the language. I was really captivated by the sophistication and gritty realism of Francesco’s filmmaking in “Black Souls." From both a level of craft and storytelling, as well as the intensity of the performances he captured, I felt strongly that he has the ability to speak to an international audience and wanted to help him transition into English language films.
Read More: 'Black Souls' is a Sobering and Sharply Executed Twist on the Mob Genre
Fortunately Vitagraph picked up “Black Souls” for a U.S. theatrical release and it just started rolling out across the country in April. The reviews so far have been pretty stellar. I am excited to help introduce the entertainment industry to him and his work so we can find the right English-language debut project for him.
How do you define your role in the business?
My role is not limited to representing only film and television writers and directors. I work in every and any medium that my clients want to explore (theater, books, digital content, graphic novels, video games, etc) which is part of the fun of being a manager. It also means I am constantly learning something new, which is partly why I am still challenged by my job so many years into it. For example, taking playwrights and helping them transition into successful film and television writers (two of my clients who started in the theater and continue to work actively in the theater, are seeing great success in every medium right now including current Blacklist scribe David Bar Katz who is writing films for Universal, Fox and Warner Bros and past Blacklist scribe Bess Wohl who has a network pilot in post-production for ABC and features in development for Paramount and Disney).
I am also still excited to discover someone at the very beginning of their career and have recently helped launch a young filmmaker named Steven Caple Jr. who just came out of USC film school last year with some award winning short films. I was introduced to the script for his debut feature along with a teaser he shot for it and knew that he had something to say and the vision and drive to make it happen. A year after first meeting him, we are about to head into pre-production on that feature. I also believe strongly in working with women filmmakers and am fortunate enough to work with exceptional artists like U.K. director Sophie Muller who is an internationally acclaimed music video director and award winning Canadian Ruba Nadda (“Cairo Time”, “October Gale”) who has made four features (a feat for any young filmmaker).
How did you become a manager?
I fell into management almost by accident but it turned out to be a great match for me, allowing me to evolve creatively and professionally in this changing marketplace. It is a role which requires that I utilize skills from almost every job I have ever had (from being a summer camp counselor in high school, to working in finance in NYC, film acquisitions in Italy and studio development and production experience in Hollywood) and I treasure the feeling of true partnership I go into with the artists I represent.
The flexibility and entrepreneurial nature of my role as a manager has also presented exciting producing opportunities. A recent example is the film “Meadowland” which I executive produced and which just had a world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival – written by client Chris Rossi and starring Untitled client Olivia Wilde. I’m heading to Cannes in May with projects that I am championing both for management clients and (in a few instances) as a producer. And of course, keeping my eyes open for exciting new writers and directors.
Jennifer Levine – Bio
Jennifer Levine, Head of Production and Literary Management at Untitled Entertainment (a top Hollywood entertainment management and production company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London), divides her time between representing a diverse group of writer, director, producer, and actor clients and shepherding a wide range of entertainment projects as a producer.
Prior to her position at Untitled, a company she helped start over sixteen years ago, Ms. Levine held positions in both feature film development and production, including stints at 20th Century Fox, Disney, and Kopelson Entertainment. In her various capacities, she has worked on dozens of studio and independent films.
Ms. Levine also spent three years based in Milan, Italy acquiring film and television rights for Italian distributor Compagnia Distribuzione Audiovisivi and participating in numerous international film markets and festivals. While in Italy, she also ran her own highly successful special events business and has been profiled in a wide range of Italian publications. Before moving to Italy, Jennifer started her career on Wall Street, working with international investment funds for Chase Manhattan Bank.
Ms. Levine holds an M.F.A. from USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program, where she was also a national finalist for the Sundance Producing Fellowship, winner of the Charles Ferguson Marketing Award, and recipient of the Ray Stark Film Grant. She has an undergraduate degree in literature from Wesleyan University and was born in New York and raised in Los Angeles.
- 5/5/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
I have watched Jennifer for years as she and I participate at the Sundance World Cinema networking event, speaking to international filmmakers whose films are showing at the festival. But it is only now that I have actually heard about all she does:
So what is it you do?
As a manager of writers and directors for over 16 years at Untitled Entertainment (a company I helped launch), I have always been particularly interested in working with voices from around the globe and am drawn to strong, distinctive storytellers with unique points of view. I also act as a producer on a selective basis.
How do you select clients?
My roster of clients really reflects both my personal taste in storytelling and in people; coupled with my instincts about what I think the marketplace will respond to. By that I don’t mean selling a certain genre of content that I think the market will buy (though it is great when that happens), but rather introducing producers, executives, other artists and financiers to writers and/or directors with material that is fearless, exceptionally well executed and provokes an authentic emotional reaction – whatever the genre.
Do you consider yourself a “Hollywood” manager?
I have found that some of the most interesting film and television projects have emerged from the intersection of storytellers from both inside and outside the Hollywood system. I had the unforgettable experience earlier this year of seeing a team of Argentine filmmakers (Armando Bo and Nicolas Giacobone) I signed off of a Spanish language film at Sundance a few years ago, win the Academy Award for best original screenplay as the co-writers of “Birdman." That was a journey I would not have predicted three years ago and yet it is a fantastic recognition that if you bring strong, distinctive storytelling into the world, there will be an audience to appreciate it.
What do you have to do with the film currently hitting the theaters, “Black Souls”?
One of my most recent client signs is a stunningly talented Italian filmmaker named Francesco Munzi whose film “Black Souls” (his third feature) premiered at the most recent Venice and Toronto film festivals. It has always been a personal interest of mine to find an Italian filmmaker to represent as I lived in Italy for a few years and have always been drawn to the culture and speak the language. I was really captivated by the sophistication and gritty realism of Francesco’s filmmaking in “Black Souls." From both a level of craft and storytelling, as well as the intensity of the performances he captured, I felt strongly that he has the ability to speak to an international audience and wanted to help him transition into English language films.
Read More: 'Black Souls' is a Sobering and Sharply Executed Twist on the Mob Genre
Fortunately Vitagraph picked up “Black Souls” for a U.S. theatrical release and it just started rolling out across the country in April. The reviews so far have been pretty stellar. I am excited to help introduce the entertainment industry to him and his work so we can find the right English-language debut project for him.
How do you define your role in the business?
My role is not limited to representing only film and television writers and directors. I work in every and any medium that my clients want to explore (theater, books, digital content, graphic novels, video games, etc) which is part of the fun of being a manager. It also means I am constantly learning something new, which is partly why I am still challenged by my job so many years into it. For example, taking playwrights and helping them transition into successful film and television writers (two of my clients who started in the theater and continue to work actively in the theater, are seeing great success in every medium right now including current Blacklist scribe David Bar Katz who is writing films for Universal, Fox and Warner Bros and past Blacklist scribe Bess Wohl who has a network pilot in post-production for ABC and features in development for Paramount and Disney).
I am also still excited to discover someone at the very beginning of their career and have recently helped launch a young filmmaker named Steven Caple Jr. who just came out of USC film school last year with some award winning short films. I was introduced to the script for his debut feature along with a teaser he shot for it and knew that he had something to say and the vision and drive to make it happen. A year after first meeting him, we are about to head into pre-production on that feature. I also believe strongly in working with women filmmakers and am fortunate enough to work with exceptional artists like U.K. director Sophie Muller who is an internationally acclaimed music video director and award winning Canadian Ruba Nadda (“Cairo Time”, “October Gale”) who has made four features (a feat for any young filmmaker).
How did you become a manager?
I fell into management almost by accident but it turned out to be a great match for me, allowing me to evolve creatively and professionally in this changing marketplace. It is a role which requires that I utilize skills from almost every job I have ever had (from being a summer camp counselor in high school, to working in finance in NYC, film acquisitions in Italy and studio development and production experience in Hollywood) and I treasure the feeling of true partnership I go into with the artists I represent.
The flexibility and entrepreneurial nature of my role as a manager has also presented exciting producing opportunities. A recent example is the film “Meadowland” which I executive produced and which just had a world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival – written by client Chris Rossi and starring Untitled client Olivia Wilde. I’m heading to Cannes in May with projects that I am championing both for management clients and (in a few instances) as a producer. And of course, keeping my eyes open for exciting new writers and directors.
Jennifer Levine – Bio
Jennifer Levine, Head of Production and Literary Management at Untitled Entertainment (a top Hollywood entertainment management and production company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London), divides her time between representing a diverse group of writer, director, producer, and actor clients and shepherding a wide range of entertainment projects as a producer.
Prior to her position at Untitled, a company she helped start over sixteen years ago, Ms. Levine held positions in both feature film development and production, including stints at 20th Century Fox, Disney, and Kopelson Entertainment. In her various capacities, she has worked on dozens of studio and independent films.
Ms. Levine also spent three years based in Milan, Italy acquiring film and television rights for Italian distributor Compagnia Distribuzione Audiovisivi and participating in numerous international film markets and festivals. While in Italy, she also ran her own highly successful special events business and has been profiled in a wide range of Italian publications. Before moving to Italy, Jennifer started her career on Wall Street, working with international investment funds for Chase Manhattan Bank.
Ms. Levine holds an M.F.A. from USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program, where she was also a national finalist for the Sundance Producing Fellowship, winner of the Charles Ferguson Marketing Award, and recipient of the Ray Stark Film Grant. She has an undergraduate degree in literature from Wesleyan University and was born in New York and raised in Los Angeles.
So what is it you do?
As a manager of writers and directors for over 16 years at Untitled Entertainment (a company I helped launch), I have always been particularly interested in working with voices from around the globe and am drawn to strong, distinctive storytellers with unique points of view. I also act as a producer on a selective basis.
How do you select clients?
My roster of clients really reflects both my personal taste in storytelling and in people; coupled with my instincts about what I think the marketplace will respond to. By that I don’t mean selling a certain genre of content that I think the market will buy (though it is great when that happens), but rather introducing producers, executives, other artists and financiers to writers and/or directors with material that is fearless, exceptionally well executed and provokes an authentic emotional reaction – whatever the genre.
Do you consider yourself a “Hollywood” manager?
I have found that some of the most interesting film and television projects have emerged from the intersection of storytellers from both inside and outside the Hollywood system. I had the unforgettable experience earlier this year of seeing a team of Argentine filmmakers (Armando Bo and Nicolas Giacobone) I signed off of a Spanish language film at Sundance a few years ago, win the Academy Award for best original screenplay as the co-writers of “Birdman." That was a journey I would not have predicted three years ago and yet it is a fantastic recognition that if you bring strong, distinctive storytelling into the world, there will be an audience to appreciate it.
What do you have to do with the film currently hitting the theaters, “Black Souls”?
One of my most recent client signs is a stunningly talented Italian filmmaker named Francesco Munzi whose film “Black Souls” (his third feature) premiered at the most recent Venice and Toronto film festivals. It has always been a personal interest of mine to find an Italian filmmaker to represent as I lived in Italy for a few years and have always been drawn to the culture and speak the language. I was really captivated by the sophistication and gritty realism of Francesco’s filmmaking in “Black Souls." From both a level of craft and storytelling, as well as the intensity of the performances he captured, I felt strongly that he has the ability to speak to an international audience and wanted to help him transition into English language films.
Read More: 'Black Souls' is a Sobering and Sharply Executed Twist on the Mob Genre
Fortunately Vitagraph picked up “Black Souls” for a U.S. theatrical release and it just started rolling out across the country in April. The reviews so far have been pretty stellar. I am excited to help introduce the entertainment industry to him and his work so we can find the right English-language debut project for him.
How do you define your role in the business?
My role is not limited to representing only film and television writers and directors. I work in every and any medium that my clients want to explore (theater, books, digital content, graphic novels, video games, etc) which is part of the fun of being a manager. It also means I am constantly learning something new, which is partly why I am still challenged by my job so many years into it. For example, taking playwrights and helping them transition into successful film and television writers (two of my clients who started in the theater and continue to work actively in the theater, are seeing great success in every medium right now including current Blacklist scribe David Bar Katz who is writing films for Universal, Fox and Warner Bros and past Blacklist scribe Bess Wohl who has a network pilot in post-production for ABC and features in development for Paramount and Disney).
I am also still excited to discover someone at the very beginning of their career and have recently helped launch a young filmmaker named Steven Caple Jr. who just came out of USC film school last year with some award winning short films. I was introduced to the script for his debut feature along with a teaser he shot for it and knew that he had something to say and the vision and drive to make it happen. A year after first meeting him, we are about to head into pre-production on that feature. I also believe strongly in working with women filmmakers and am fortunate enough to work with exceptional artists like U.K. director Sophie Muller who is an internationally acclaimed music video director and award winning Canadian Ruba Nadda (“Cairo Time”, “October Gale”) who has made four features (a feat for any young filmmaker).
How did you become a manager?
I fell into management almost by accident but it turned out to be a great match for me, allowing me to evolve creatively and professionally in this changing marketplace. It is a role which requires that I utilize skills from almost every job I have ever had (from being a summer camp counselor in high school, to working in finance in NYC, film acquisitions in Italy and studio development and production experience in Hollywood) and I treasure the feeling of true partnership I go into with the artists I represent.
The flexibility and entrepreneurial nature of my role as a manager has also presented exciting producing opportunities. A recent example is the film “Meadowland” which I executive produced and which just had a world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival – written by client Chris Rossi and starring Untitled client Olivia Wilde. I’m heading to Cannes in May with projects that I am championing both for management clients and (in a few instances) as a producer. And of course, keeping my eyes open for exciting new writers and directors.
Jennifer Levine – Bio
Jennifer Levine, Head of Production and Literary Management at Untitled Entertainment (a top Hollywood entertainment management and production company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London), divides her time between representing a diverse group of writer, director, producer, and actor clients and shepherding a wide range of entertainment projects as a producer.
Prior to her position at Untitled, a company she helped start over sixteen years ago, Ms. Levine held positions in both feature film development and production, including stints at 20th Century Fox, Disney, and Kopelson Entertainment. In her various capacities, she has worked on dozens of studio and independent films.
Ms. Levine also spent three years based in Milan, Italy acquiring film and television rights for Italian distributor Compagnia Distribuzione Audiovisivi and participating in numerous international film markets and festivals. While in Italy, she also ran her own highly successful special events business and has been profiled in a wide range of Italian publications. Before moving to Italy, Jennifer started her career on Wall Street, working with international investment funds for Chase Manhattan Bank.
Ms. Levine holds an M.F.A. from USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program, where she was also a national finalist for the Sundance Producing Fellowship, winner of the Charles Ferguson Marketing Award, and recipient of the Ray Stark Film Grant. She has an undergraduate degree in literature from Wesleyan University and was born in New York and raised in Los Angeles.
- 5/4/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Updated With Full List Of Scripts, Writers, And Reps: Catherine The Great, about the rise and life of the famous (sometimes notorious) 18th-Century Russian monarch, was the top vote-getter among 70 scripts chosen for the 2014 Black List of the year’s best un-produced scripts. The screenplay, by Los Angeles writer and producer Kristina Lauren Anderson, was announced as part of an hour-plus process on Twitter and YouTube this morning.
Each of the 70 screenplays on this 10th annual list was chosen by a group of 250 development executives, agents and other Hollywood insiders as among the year’s best un-produced scripts in a process overseen by Franklin Leonard of http://www.blcklst.com. Anderson’s screenplay received 51 votes.
Other notables in the list include writer/actor/director Kenneth Lonergan with Manchester-By-The-Sea, which is being produced by Matt Damon and Chris Moore. Randall Green had two scripts make the list, The Swimsuit Issue and Cartoon Girl.
Each of the 70 screenplays on this 10th annual list was chosen by a group of 250 development executives, agents and other Hollywood insiders as among the year’s best un-produced scripts in a process overseen by Franklin Leonard of http://www.blcklst.com. Anderson’s screenplay received 51 votes.
Other notables in the list include writer/actor/director Kenneth Lonergan with Manchester-By-The-Sea, which is being produced by Matt Damon and Chris Moore. Randall Green had two scripts make the list, The Swimsuit Issue and Cartoon Girl.
- 12/15/2014
- by David Bloom and Jen Yamato
- Deadline
In honor of Philip Seymour Hoffman's final film, A Most Wanted Man, hitting theaters today, we are reprinting David Browne's cover story on the actor's final days from our February 27th issue.
Slouched in the front row of the labyrinth Theater Company's performance space in New York's West Village last May, Philip Seymour Hoffman was his typical focused, superdisciplined self. In the intimate 90-seat theater, Hoffman – always dressed in one or another of his seemingly interchangeable baggy pants and sweaters – was relentlessly pushing the cast and crew of the play he was directing,...
Slouched in the front row of the labyrinth Theater Company's performance space in New York's West Village last May, Philip Seymour Hoffman was his typical focused, superdisciplined self. In the intimate 90-seat theater, Hoffman – always dressed in one or another of his seemingly interchangeable baggy pants and sweaters – was relentlessly pushing the cast and crew of the play he was directing,...
- 7/25/2014
- Rollingstone.com
Mark Ruffalo (Avengers: Age of Ultron) recently mentioned that Marvel was still considering a new standalone Hulk movie, but when asked about the chance that movie be based on the "Planet Hulk" comic Ruffalo didn't seem to think that was the best option. "'Planet Hulkc' I don't think that's the way to go yet," he said. "I think you need more Banner. The whole thing is just him as Hulk, on a planet, fighting other gladiators." MTV Jason Bateman (Bad Words) will direct and star in an untitled FBI wedding comedy for Universal Pictures. David Bar Katz wrote the latest draft of the screenplay, no plot details were reported. Variety Terminator, Rambo and Basic Instinct exec producer Mario Kassar is assembling an English-language adaptation of Audition based on the 1997 novel by Japanese author Ryu Murakami and perhaps Takashi Miike's most appreciated film. The story centers on a lonely widower...
- 6/30/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
After reigniting his career with "Arrested Development," Jason Bateman has pivoted toward being a filmmaker. Earlier this year he dropped his foul mouthed feature directorial debut "Bad Words," and he's already set to direct "The Family Fang" starring Nicole Kidman. And another project is coming that will find him both behind and in front of the camera. Over at Universal, Bateman has signed up to direct and star in "an FBI-themed wedding comedy." David Bar Katz penned the screenplay, and the reason this sentence is ending so soon, is that plot details have not been released. [La Times] "Jurassic World" got a bit bigger, adding James Dumont to the cast of Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D'Onofrio and Irrfan Khan. He'll be playing "Corporal Dooley, a Uso envoy" in the Colin Trevorrow directed movie. [THR] Famke Janssen and AnnaSophia Robb will lead "Jack Of The Red Hearts." The indie drama follows...
- 6/30/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Jack Of The Red Hearts
Famke Janssen ("X-Men") and AnnaSophia Robb ("The Carrie Diaries") have joined the cast of the indie drama "Jack Of The Red Hearts" which just began filming in New York.
Janet Grillo ("Fly Away") helms the story of a teenage con artist who tricks a desperate mother into hiring her as a live-in companion for her autistic daughter. [Source: Deadline]
Welcome to Happiness
Nick Offerman ("Parks and Recreation") has joined the cast of Oliver Thompson's metaphysical drama "Welcome to Happiness" at Minutehand Pictures. Filming is currently underway in Los Angeles.
Kyle Gallner plays a children's book author with a secret door in his closet. Offerman will play the character's father-figure and landlord. Olivia Thirlby, Molly C. Quinn, Frances Conroy, Paget Brewster, Josh Brener and Brendan Sexton III also star. [Source: Variety]
Untitled Bateman Comedy
"Bad Words" actor/director Jason Bateman will star in and direct a currently untitled FBI-themed comedy.
Famke Janssen ("X-Men") and AnnaSophia Robb ("The Carrie Diaries") have joined the cast of the indie drama "Jack Of The Red Hearts" which just began filming in New York.
Janet Grillo ("Fly Away") helms the story of a teenage con artist who tricks a desperate mother into hiring her as a live-in companion for her autistic daughter. [Source: Deadline]
Welcome to Happiness
Nick Offerman ("Parks and Recreation") has joined the cast of Oliver Thompson's metaphysical drama "Welcome to Happiness" at Minutehand Pictures. Filming is currently underway in Los Angeles.
Kyle Gallner plays a children's book author with a secret door in his closet. Offerman will play the character's father-figure and landlord. Olivia Thirlby, Molly C. Quinn, Frances Conroy, Paget Brewster, Josh Brener and Brendan Sexton III also star. [Source: Variety]
Untitled Bateman Comedy
"Bad Words" actor/director Jason Bateman will star in and direct a currently untitled FBI-themed comedy.
- 6/30/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
With one directing / starring job so far under his belt with spelling bee comedy Bad Words, Jason Bateman is already hard at work on a second. He’s now eyeing a potential third, making a deal to develop, direct and star in an untitled comedy project that apparently blends a wedding and the FBI.Universal is trying to get this one made, having been through several drafts of the script through a years-long gestation that originated with Warner Bros. Back in 2011, Universal attempted to score Steve Carell as a potential star, with Phil Alden Robinson on script duty. Since then, David Flebotte has taken a crack and the current draft bears the keyboard marks of David Bar Katz.It’s that version of the script that Bateman will develop, and hopefully announce a plotline for, as the story – sometimes described as blending My Best Friend's Wedding with Stakeout – remains shrouded in mystery.
- 6/29/2014
- EmpireOnline
Jason Bateman is to direct and star in a new Universal Pictures project.
The movie, described as an FBI wedding comedy, will be re-written by David Bar Katz and based on earlier drafts by David Flebotte and Phil Alden Robinson.
Deadline reports that the Arrested Development star will also produce the film alongside James Garavente (under their Aggregate Films banner), with Bob Cooper also taking on producing duties via his company Landscape Entertainment.
Universal's senior vice president of production Kristin Lowe and director of development Sara Scott are said to be overseeing the project.
Bateman can next be seen in comedy drama This Is Where I Leave You, which also stars Tina Fey, Adam Driver and Jane Fonda.
Watch a trailer for the September 12 release below:...
The movie, described as an FBI wedding comedy, will be re-written by David Bar Katz and based on earlier drafts by David Flebotte and Phil Alden Robinson.
Deadline reports that the Arrested Development star will also produce the film alongside James Garavente (under their Aggregate Films banner), with Bob Cooper also taking on producing duties via his company Landscape Entertainment.
Universal's senior vice president of production Kristin Lowe and director of development Sara Scott are said to be overseeing the project.
Bateman can next be seen in comedy drama This Is Where I Leave You, which also stars Tina Fey, Adam Driver and Jane Fonda.
Watch a trailer for the September 12 release below:...
- 6/28/2014
- Digital Spy
Deadline is reporting that Jason Bateman has inked a deal to star in and direct an Untitled FBI Wedding Comedy for Universal. The film will mark the actor’s third time behind the camera, after this year’s Bad Words and the upcoming The Family Fang. Plot details for the project are more or less non-existent, but we do know that David Flebotte and Phil Alden Robinson wrote the script, and David Bar Katz is now doing re-writes.
The words “FBI Wedding Comedy” don’t give us much to go on, but I think it’s safe to say that this is one to keep your eye on. Bateman is one of the most reliable and consistent comedic actors working in Hollywood, and while it’s true that he often plays the same role, he’s pretty damn good at what he does. I’ve loved him ever since his...
The words “FBI Wedding Comedy” don’t give us much to go on, but I think it’s safe to say that this is one to keep your eye on. Bateman is one of the most reliable and consistent comedic actors working in Hollywood, and while it’s true that he often plays the same role, he’s pretty damn good at what he does. I’ve loved him ever since his...
- 6/27/2014
- by Matt Joseph
- We Got This Covered
For his directorial debut Bad Words, Jason Bateman took on the raunchy underbelly of spelling bee tournaments–or, at least posited a situation where a rule-bending, middle-aged grump forced participants to the lowest common denominator. Now, the Arrested Development star has set his sights on a new project: an untitled “FBI wedding comedy” for Universal Pictures.
What that combination of words means, exactly, is unclear. There’s no logline attached to the pic at the moment, but The Pest screenwriter David Bar Katz is writing the latest draft of the script, and Bateman will once again direct and star. The...
What that combination of words means, exactly, is unclear. There’s no logline attached to the pic at the moment, but The Pest screenwriter David Bar Katz is writing the latest draft of the script, and Bateman will once again direct and star. The...
- 6/27/2014
- by Lindsey Bahr
- EW - Inside Movies
Jason Bateman has inked a deal with Universal to star in and direct the Untitled FBI Wedding Comedy, marking his third film as director after debut Bad Words and the upcoming The Family Fang. David Flebotte and Phil Alden Robinson wrote the initial script, which David Bar Katz (The Pest) has been tapped to rewrite. Bateman’s about to dive into production on Family Fang next month in New York City and stars in that pic opposite Nicole Kidman and Christopher Walken. He’ll next be seen in This Is Where I Leave You in September and Horrible Bosses 2 in November, […]...
- 6/27/2014
- Deadline
Jason Bateman will direct and star in an untitled FBI wedding comedy for Universal Pictures, TheWrap has learned. David Bar Katz will write a new take on the project, earlier drafts of which were written by David Flebotte and Phil Alden Robinson. Also read: Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn and Cast Spell Favorite ‘Bad Words’ at Film's Premiere (Video) Bateman and James Garavente will produce under their Aggregate Films banner, while Bob Cooper will produce via his company Landscape Entertainment. Universal's senior VP of production Kristin Lowe and director of development Sara Scott will oversee the project for the studio. Also read: Jason Bateman,...
- 6/27/2014
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
Universal is looking to reteam with Jason Bateman. The studio behind Bateman's feature helming debut Bad Words has put the actor-director on its untitled FBI wedding comedy. Playwright David Bar Katz is writing the new take for the project, which tells of two undercover FBI agents who pretend to fall in love and use their wedding as a law enforcement trap against the mob. List The Hollywood Reporter Reveals Hollywood's 100 Favorite Films Bateman's involvement marks the latest twist in the development of the project. It began life at Warner Bros. as a vehicle for Steve Carell. It was
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- 6/26/2014
- by Tatiana Siegel, Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The 59th Annual Village Voice Obie Awards, celebrating achievement in the Off-Broadway and off-off Broadway theater, were given out at a ceremony last night at Webster Hall in Greenwich Village. The awards ceremony was co-hosted by Tamara Tunie and Hamish Linklater. The awards were presented by Betsy Aidem, Harvey Fierstein, Lena Hall, Latanya Richardson Jackson, Andy Karl, David Bar Katz, Cristin Milioti, Kelli O'Hara, Lily Rabe and Stephen Trask. BroadwayWorld was there for the ceremony and you can check out photo coverage of the winners backstage below...
- 5/20/2014
- by Genevieve Rafter Keddy
- BroadwayWorld.com
The 59th Annual Village Voice Obie Awards, celebrating achievement in the Off-Broadway and off-off Broadway theater, were given out at a ceremony last night at Webster Hall in Greenwich Village. The awards ceremony was co-hosted by Tamara Tunie and Hamish Linklater. The awards were presented by Betsy Aidem, Harvey Fierstein, Lena Hall, Latanya Richardson Jackson, Andy Karl, David Bar Katz, Cristin Milioti, Kelli O'Hara, Lily Rabe and Stephen Trask. BroadwayWorld was there for the ceremony and you can check out backstage photo coverage below...
- 5/20/2014
- by Genevieve Rafter Keddy
- BroadwayWorld.com
The 59th Annual Village Voice Obie Awards, celebrating achievement in the Off-Broadway and off-off Broadway theater, were given out at a ceremony last night at Webster Hall in Greenwich Village. The awards ceremony was co-hosted by Tamara Tunie and Hamish Linklater. The awards were presented by Betsy Aidem, Harvey Fierstein, Lena Hall, Latanya Richardson Jackson, Andy Karl, David Bar Katz, Cristin Milioti, Kelli O'Hara, Lily Rabe and Stephen Trask.
- 5/20/2014
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
The Village Voice, the nation's largest alternative weekly newspaper, announced today that the Lifetime Achievement Award Obie will go to the esteemed Estelle Parsons. The Obie Awards Ceremony Will Be Co-hosted by Tamara Tunie and Hamish Linklater, and presented by Betsy Aidem, Harvey Fierstein, Lena Hall, Latanya Richardson Jackson, Andy Karl , David Bar Katz, Cristin Milioti , Kelli O'Hara , Lily Rabe and Stephen Trask.
- 5/13/2014
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
The David Katz who allegedly told the National Enquirer that he and Philip Seymour Hoffman were gay lovers, presumably fooling the publication into thinking it had talked to the playwright, David Bar Katz, a friend of Hoffman's who found the late actor's dead body, says he was drunk the day he talked to the tabloid and can't remember what he told them. "As the day went on, I had a bunch of beers in me,” the New Jersey-based Katz told the New York Post, which tracked down the person who talked to the Enquirer. “I don’t remember what
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- 2/27/2014
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Washington, February 27: Philip Seymour Hoffman's close friend has settled a libel lawsuit against The National Enquirer by creating a playwriting foundation to be initially funded by the tabloid.
According to the New York Post, the tabloid has sent out a one-page ad in The New York Times "responsibly acknowledged its error", which was a part of the agreement, for a story that claimed to be an exclusive interview with David Bar Katz, Fox News reported.
The Enquirer has also apologized to the playwright, who discovered Hoffman's body after he died of an apparent heroin overdose. (Ani)...
According to the New York Post, the tabloid has sent out a one-page ad in The New York Times "responsibly acknowledged its error", which was a part of the agreement, for a story that claimed to be an exclusive interview with David Bar Katz, Fox News reported.
The Enquirer has also apologized to the playwright, who discovered Hoffman's body after he died of an apparent heroin overdose. (Ani)...
- 2/27/2014
- by Smith Cox
- RealBollywood.com
The National Enquirer has issued an apology and pulled their article claiming that Philip Seymour Hoffman and longtime friend David Bar Katz were lovers. The fallen actor's pal initially slapped the publication with a $50 million defamation lawsuit. It appears that both parties have come to a settlement, but only some details have been released. What we do know is that Katz has started the American Playwriting Foundation in Hoffman's honor, which will award an annual prize of $45,000 for an unproduced play. The Enquirer and its publisher, American Media Incorporated, are going to be funding both the foundation and prize. The paper also agreed to purchase a full-page advertisement...
- 2/26/2014
- E! Online
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