James Wan and Gary Dauberman Collaborating on Stephen King’s ‘Salem’s Lot”

By Creative Media Times

Stephen King’s 1975 horror novel is said to be getting a big screen treatment, with James Wan and Gary Dauberman collaborating on the project.

Salem’s Lot tells the story of a writer named Ben Mears who returns to the titular town of his youth, only to find out that its residents have become vampires.

The vampire novel is King’s second published novel, and one of his most popular. Surprisingly, the novel never received a big-screen adaptation. It was adapted in a TV series in 1979, and was updated in a mini-series in 2014 which aired on TNT.

Wan and Dauberman have worked together on The Conjuring Universe horror films, including Annabelle and The Nun, which were written by Dauberman.

Dauberman will also pen as well as executive produce Salem’s Lot, while Wan will serve as producer together with Roy Lee and Mark Wolper.

Wan was responsible for kick-starting the Conjuring Universe in 2013 with its first entry The Conjuring as well as its 2016 sequel The Conjuring 2. He also recently helmed DC’s Aquaman film for Warner Bros.

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Writers Guild Awards Nominees Include “Roma, “Black Panther,” “Green Book”

By Creative Media Times

Universal Pictures

The Writers Guild of America officially joins the awards circuit, announcing its list of 2019 nominees for Best Screenplays.

Among those receiving nominations for original screenplay are Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma,” Nick Vallelonga & Brian Currie & Peter Farrelly’s “Green Book” and Adam McKay’s “Vice”, along with Bryan Woods & Scott Beck and John Krasinski for “A Quiet Place” and Bo Burnham for “Eighth Grade”.

The Adapted Screenplay category include titles such as “BlackKklansman”, “Black Panther”, “If Beale Street Could Talk”, “A Star is Born” and “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”

Conspicuously missing are The National Society of Film Critics’ screenplay runner up “The Favorite” and National Board of Review screenplay winner “First Reformed.”

Writers Guild Awards will be held on February 17 at dual ceremonies at the Edison Ballroom in New York and the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Here’s the full list of nominees:

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Eighth Grade, Written by Bo Burnham

Green Book, Written by Nick Vallelonga & Brian Currie & Peter Farrelly

A Quiet Place, Screenplay by Bryan Woods & Scott Beck and John Krasinski, Story by Bryan Woods & Scott Beck

Roma, Written by Alfonso Cuarón

Vice, Written by Adam McKay

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

BlacKkKlansman, Written by Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee (Based on the book by Ron Stallworth)

Black Panther, Written by Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole (Based on the Marvel Comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)

Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Screenplay by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty (Based on the book by Lee Israel)

If Beale Street Could Talk, Screenplay by Barry Jenkins (Based on the novel by James Baldwin)

A Star Is Born, Screenplay by Eric Roth and Bradley Cooper & Will Fetters (Based on the 1954 screenplay by Moss Hart and the 1976 screenplay by John Gregory Dunne & Joan Didion and Frank Pierson)

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

Bathtubs Over Broadway, written by Ozzy Inguanzo & Dava Whisenant

Fahrenheit 11/9, written by Michael Moore

Generation Wealth, written by Lauren Greenfield

In Search Of Greatness, written by Gabe Polsky

VIDEO GAME WRITING

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Associate Narrative Directors Matthew Zagurak, Joel Janisse, James Richard Mittag; Narrative Director Melissa MacCoubrey; Story by Jonathan Dumont, Melissa MacCoubrey, Hugo Giard; Scriptwriters Madeleine Hart, Betty Robertson, Jesse Scoble, Diana Sherman, Kelly Bender, Jojo Chia, Ian Fun, Zachary M. Parris, Ken Williamson, Daniel Bingham, Jordan Lemos, Simon Mackenzie, Katelyn MacMullin, Susan Patrick, Alissa Ralph, Stephen Rhodes; Team Lead Writer Sam Gill; AI Writers Jonathan Flieger, Kimberly Ann Sparks; Ubisoft Quebec

Batman: The Enemy Within, Episode 5-Same Stitch, Lead Writer James Windeler; Written by Meghan Thornton, Ross Beeley, Lauren Mee; Story by Meghan Thornton, Michael Kirkbride; Telltale Games

God of War, written by Matt Sophos, Richard Zangrande Gaubert, Cory Barlog; Story and Narrative Design Lead Matt Sophos; Story and Narrative Design Richard Zangrande Gaubert; Narrative Design Orion Walker, Adam Dolin; Sony Interactive Entertainment

Marvel’s Spider-Man, Story Lead Jon Paquette; Writers Benjamin Arfmann, Kelsey Beachum; Co-Written by Christos Gage; Additional Story Contributions by Dan Slott; Insomniac Games & Sony Interactive Entertainment

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, Narrative Designers Alex Scokel, Eric Fenstermaker, Kate Dollarhyde, Megan Starks, Olivia Veras, Paul Kirsch; Additional Writing Tony Evans, John Schmautz, Casey Hollingshead, Nitai Poddar; Narrative Design Leads Carrie Patel, Josh Sawyer; Obsidian Entertainment

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Golden Globes 2019 Winners And Surprises

By Creative Media Times

20th Century Fox

The 76th Golden Globe Awards, the year’s first major awards ceremony leading up the to the Oscars has just concluded, and it was “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Green Book” that emerged victorious, winning Best Motion Picture Drama and Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy respectively.

Rhapsody’s win was slightly a surprise: in spite of the fact that the film was a massive boxoffice hit, so far grossing $743 million worldwide, and Rami Malek’s bravura performance earning near universal praise, the film itself was not as beloved by film critics.

It was also a good night for another leading oscar contender, “Roma” which won Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language and Best Director and Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron.

Netflix is sure to have an increase in subscription after having had a great showing in Sunday night’s awards show: in addition to Roma’s trophies, it also won for Chuck Lorre’s comedy “The Kominsky Method.”

Altogether, there were a total of 14 trophies in film categories and 11 in television that were handed out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which comprised of voting 93 members.

Here is the full list of winners and nominees.

Best Motion Picture – Drama
“Bohemian Rhapsody”

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
“Green Book”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Glenn Close (“The Wife”)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Rami Malek (“Bohemian Rhapsody”)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Olivia Colman (“The Favourite”)

Best Director
Alfonso Cuaron (“Roma”)
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The Last Kingdom Season 3 Premieres on Netflix


Today, Netflix debuts all 10 episodes of the third season of The Last Kingdom. The new season will see King Alfred consider his legacy, as his dream of uniting the kingdoms of England is jeopardized by incessant Danish attacks.

Alfred knows that the only man with the power to crush the uprising and secure the Wessex dynasty is the great warrior and hero Uhtred, but when their volatile relationship reaches breaking point, Uhtred must confront the difficult truth: if he deserts Alfred’s cause, everything he has fought for will be forever changed.

Produced by the award-winning Carnival Films, the ten-part season is adapted by BAFTA-nominated and RTS award-winning writer Stephen Butchard, who also serves as executive producer. The executive producers for Carnival Films are Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant. Chrissy Skinns is series producer and Cait Collins is producer.

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Chiwetel Ejiofor’s ‘Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’ Headed To Netflix

By Creative Media Times

Puffin Books / Amazon

“The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,” Chiwetel Ejiofor’s directorial debut has been picked up for global distribution by Netflix.

Based on the bestselling book by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, the movie is set for release in select U.S. and U.K. theaters as well as launch on the streaming platform.

The incredible story follows 13-year-old boy William Kamkwamba, thrown out of school due for lack of money, finds a way to build a windmill which saved his village in Malawi from famine.

Newcomer actor Maxwell Simba is set to play William, while Ejiofor plays his father Trywell. Ejiofor in his directorial debut also wrote the screenplay. Ejiofor previously received an academy award best actor nomination for “12 Years a Slave” in 2014.

Also in the film are Aïssa Maïga (Anything for Alice), Lily Banda, Lemogang Tsipa (Eye in the Sky), Philbert Falakeza, with Joseph Marcell (“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”) and Noma Dumezweni (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child).

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Comic Book Icon Stan Lee Dies at 95

By Creative Media times

Legendary comic-book writer, editor, film executive producer, actor, and publisher passed away at the age of 95, various sources are reporting this morning.

An ambulance was reportedly called to his home at the Hollywood Hills this morning and was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Stan Lee’s daughter broke the news about her father’s passing to TMZ.

Lee started as an assistant in 1939 at Timely Comics, the earliest comic book arm of American publisher Martin Goodman. The entity would later be known as Marvel Comics in the 1960s.

Throughout this period, together with other great comic book artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he would create iconic comic book characters such as Spider Man, The Fantastic Four, Daredevil, Black Panther, the X-Men, The Incredible Hulk among many others.

Lee received a National Medal of Arts in 2008 and was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 1994.

He has also made cameo appearances in every Marvel movie.

Stan Lee is survived by his daughter Joan Celia “J. C.” Lee.

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First Look At Henry Cavill In “The Witcher”

By Creative Media Times

As Netflix’s The Witcher series began filming, a first look at its lead Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia has been released.

The 23 second screen test clip features Cavill in character costume looking serious and intense, sporting long, white hair that is partly pony-tailed on the back, and then eventually sipping from a potion bottle.

The news that Cavill will be playing the lead role of Geralt of Rivia was revealed last September. “The Witcher” is a fantasy series by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski.

Geralt is the titular Witcher in the short stories, novels and video games which takes place in medieval fantasy setting. He is one of the last witchers, a trained monster slayer for hire to slay deadly monstrous beasts.

Cavill recently played a CIA assassin in this summer’s blockbuster hit Mission: Impossible – Fallout starting Tom Cruise. He also portrayed Superman in WB/DC Comics’, Batman v Superman and Justice League.

“The Witcher” is expected to premiere in 2019 on Netflix.

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Netflix Announces Season 3 Premiere of The Last Kingdom

By Creative Media Times

Netflix

The third season of The Last Kingdom, based on Bernard Cornwell’s best-selling books, will launch on Netflix in the US and UK on November 19th.

For the first time, all ten episodes of The Last Kingdom will premiere simultaneously on Netflix, and will feature a host of new characters including Ola Rapace (Skyfall) as Danish warrior Bloodhair, Thea Sofie Loch Næss (One Night in Oslo) as the dangerous seer Skade, Timothy Innes (Harlots) as King Alfred’s heir, Edward, and Magnus Bruun (Sprinter Galore, The Bridge) as Cnut.

The new season will see King Alfred consider his legacy, as his dream of uniting the kingdoms of England is jeopardised by incessant Danish attacks. Alfred knows that the only man with the power to crush the uprising and secure the Wessex dynasty is the great warrior and hero Uhtred, but when their volatile relationship reaches breaking point, Uhtred must confront the difficult truth: if he deserts Alfred’s cause, everything he has fought for will be forever changed.

Produced by the award-winning Carnival Films, the ten-part season is adapted by BAFTA-nominated and RTS award-winning writer Stephen Butchard, who also serves as executive producer. The executive producers for Carnival are Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant. Chrissy Skinns is series producer and Cait Collins is producer.

The Last Kingdom Season 3 will launch on Netflix US and UK on November 19, and will be released at a later date across Africa, Belgium, China, Greece, Israel, Italy, the Middle East, the Netherlands, the Nordics and Poland. The series is distributed worldwide by NBCUniversal International Distribution.

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Sandra Bullock In Thrilling “Bird Box” Trailer

By Armando

Netflix enlists its own Hollywood A-lister for its post-apocalyptic horror film “Bird Box.” Set for release later this year, the film sees Sandra Bullock trying keep her kids out of danger while also blindfolded.

“If you hear something in the woods, you tell me. If you hear something in the water, you tell me. But under no circumstances are you allowed to take off your blindfold,” Bullock’s Malorie tells her children.

Already, many are comparing its premise to the blockbuster hit “A Quiet Place” from earlier this year: the world’s population is being annihilated and a mysterious force is responsible for it. This time, the protagonists have to avoid seeing it to save their lives as they take a harrowing journey to safety.

However, “Bird Box” is in fact based on a 2014 eponymous novel from Josh Malerman (lead singer of The High Strung), the film rights of which was bought by Universal Studios in 2013, back when Andy Muschietti was attached to helm. Muschietti has since directed the colossal boxoffice horror hit “It.”

This should not diminish the potential of “Bird Box”. The film, seemingly taking place across different time periods, looks genuinely thrilling and Bullock is always solid. The comparisons to the John Krasinski-directed film may, in fact, only increase its visibility. No pun.

Also in the film are Sarah Paulson, Rosa Salazar, Danielle Macdonald and John Malkovich. Directed by Susanne Bier. Its also set to make its world-premiere on November 12 at AFI Fest where many films take a dive into awards contention.

“Bird Box” will hit Netflix and select theaters Dec. 21.

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Gal Gadot To Join Kenneth Branagh’s “Death on the Nile”

By Armando

Gal Gadot, 2018 SDCC
Photo: aiphotoimaging.com

Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot is “in negotiations” to star in director Kenneth Branagh’s upcoming film “Death on the Nile,” various sources are reporting today.

“Death on the Nile” is an adaptation of British writer Agatha Christie’s detective fiction book of the same name. This would be Branagh’s follow-up to his other Christie adaptation from last year, “Murder on the Orient Express.” That 20th Century Fox film was somewhat an unexpected blockbuster, grossing $351 million worldwide.

Gadot is set to take on the role of Linnet Ridgeway Doyle, a wealthy heiress seeking the help of famed Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in dealing with a stalker.

The original 1937 novel story is set on the Nile River in Egypt, with the investigation taking place on a luxurious cruise where he investigates a group of suspects.

Many should recall that the novel has already been successfully adapted once into a 1978 film which featured a star-studded cast including Bette Davis, Mia Farrow and Maggie Smith with Peter Ustinov playing the role of Poirot.

Gadot is best known for her performance as Diana Prince in 2017’s Warner Bros. superhero hit “Wonder Woman.” She is currently shooting a sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, which is scheduled for release on November 1, 2019 with Patty Jenkins returning as director. She also recently joined the cast of “Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2.”

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