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Ladies Night: Trailer for “The 355” Is Here, with Jessica Chastain, Penelope Cruz Heading All Star Cast of Female Spies

Roger Friedman
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Ladies Night: Trailer for “The 355” Is Here, with Jessica Chastain, Penelope Cruz Heading All Star Cast of Female Spies

When Jessica Chastain was organizing this film, I knew she was determined to pull off a big studio blockbuster with women in charge. And from the looks of the trailer for “The 355,” she’s done it. This is some gang, too: Penelope Cruz, Diane Kruger, Lupita Nyong’o, Bingbing Fan, plus Sebastian Stan and Edgar Ramirez. Directed by Simon Kinberg, who knows how to do these things. From Universal Pictures, one day, when we can see it on a big screen. Although this movie looks like it could have a great life on drive in screens!

Congrats to Jessica, who is a powerhouse, and was completely overlooked for “Molly’s Game.” She’s our future in this movie world!

Here’s the press release:

When a top-secret weapon falls into mercenary hands, wild card CIA agent Mason “Mace” Brown (Oscar®-nominated actress Jessica Chastain) will need to join forces with rival badass German agent Marie (Diane Kruger, In the Fade), former MI6 ally and cutting-edge computer specialist Khadijah (Oscar® winner Lupita Nyong’o), and skilled Colombian psychologist Graciela (Oscar® winner Penélope Cruz) on a lethal, breakneck mission to retrieve it, while also staying one-step ahead of a mysterious woman, Lin Mi Sheng (Bingbing Fan, X-Men: Days of Future Past), who is tracking their every move.

As the action rockets around the globe from the cafes of Paris to the markets of Morocco to the wealth and glamour of Shanghai, the quartet of women will forge a tenuous loyalty that could protect the world—or get them killed.

The film also stars Sebastian Stan (Avengers: Endgame) and Edgar Ramírez (The Girl on the Train).

The 355 is directed by genre-defying filmmaker Simon Kinberg (writer-director-producer of Dark Phoenix, producer of Deadpool and The Martian and writer-producer of the X-Men films), from a script by Theresa Rebeck (NBC’s Smash, Trouble) and Kinberg, and is produced by Chastain and Kelly Carmichael for Chastain’s Freckle Films and by Kinberg for his Genre Films. The film is executive produced by Richard Hewitt (Bohemian Rhapsody).

Mondadori Owned Italian Magazine Giant Grazia Arrives in the US Courtesy of a Former Tabloid Editor Reborn

Roger Friedman
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Mondadori Owned Italian Magazine Giant Grazia Arrives in the US Courtesy of a Former Tabloid Editor Reborn

Dylan Howard is back. The one time editor of the National Enquirer, and former chief exec to David Pecker at the languished American Media, is reborn. And this time, it’s a good thing.

Howard has licensed Grazia, the famous and glossy Italian celebrity-fashion magazine, from Italian heavyweight publisher Mondadori. The website is up. Quarterly print magazines are coming.

And they’re not kidding around: Kim Kardashian is on the cover of the first digital issue. In the celebrity world right now, she’s the main “get,” no?

“The arrival of Grazia in the United States is a highly significant event, the first time an all-Italian fashion magazine lands on the US market with a formula that gives a perfect answer to the new needs of readers, users and businesses. In today’s historical juncture, it bears witness to the strength of a brand that has always stood at the forefront, becoming an icon of international renown, leveraging on its authoritative content and incomparable identity,” said Ernesto Mauri, CEO of the Mondadori Group.”

For Howard, this is the biggest comeback since Lazarus. With Pecker he was involved in the Jeff Bezos scandal and also the catch-and-kill efforts involving Playboy model Karen McDougal. He was named in a variety of lawsuits. But upon leaving AMI, Howard produced a series of tabloid-style books about tabloidy subjects like Michael Jackson, Jeffrey Epstein, Princess Diana and so on all which garnered tons of headlines and publicity. A full pivot followed.

So, welcome Grazia, which looks pretty classy and elegant and is bound to shake things up in a very changing world of celebrity publishing. And that Mondadori name– take it seriously, kids. They are loaded.

 

Trump, High on Steroids, Returns to White House from Hospital and Sounds Crazy: “Maybe I’m Immune, I Don’t Know”

Roger Friedman
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Trump, High on Steroids, Returns to White House from Hospital and Sounds Crazy: “Maybe I’m Immune, I Don’t Know”

This is a man high on steroids, making no sense. Donald Trump returned to the White House from the hospital tonight, hopped up on steroids. He declared: “Maybe I’m immune, I don’t know.”

He is NOT immune. He was hospitalized Friday night in an emergency. He is COVID positive. He’s fighting a deadly virus. Doctors have him on extraordinarily strong drugs. His behavior is an AFFRONT to anyone who lost close friends and family this year to COVID.

Tellingly, his own wife didn’t come to the hospital to get him or meet him when he arrived. Not one family member was in evidence. On top of that, Trump — who is highly contagious– removed his mask once he got to the White House.He has no respect for the people around. About 20 have already contracted the virus. He’s a miserable SOB.

 

Exclusive: Grammys Pandemic Pivot as Show Won’t Have An Audience, MusiCares Person of the Year Goes Digital

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Grammys Pandemic Pivot as Show Won’t Have An Audience, MusiCares Person of the Year Goes Digital

No one’s having an easy time of it in showbiz, least of all the various groups that have to put on awards shows.

I spoke to Harvey Mason Jr. tonight, he’s the acting head of the Recording Academy while a search committee convenes to find a permanent chief after surviving the Deborah Dugan debacle last winter. The Academy is having its own woes.

Mason is like King George VI after his brother King Edward suddenly abdicated. And like George, he’s had his challenges. A few days ago the Academy laid off 13 full time staffers, including some top people. Nine were from the Academy itself, four from MusiCares, the Grammys’ charitable arm. It wasn’t easy.

Mason told me, “It was very hard to part ways with long time members of the Academy.” But he had to do it as part of a reorganization that’s been going on all year. For one thing, it will also make things easier for a new CEO to start with a pared down group. (It sounds like the search committee is making progress.)

The bigger news from the Grammys is harder to swallow for the public and for music lovers, but reality bites this year. The obvious headline is that the Grammys, set for January 31st on CBS, will be presented without a live audience. “That seems to be the track we’re on,” Mason said, because of restrictions at the Staples Center and in Los Angeles. Another track might be to have the show somewhere else, but really, no arena will be inviting in 15,000 strangers this winter. We have to accept what we cannot change.

Also considerably altered will be the MusiCares Person of the Year dinner. A gala for 3,000 people at the Los Angeles Convention Center isn’t possible or feasible. But somehow the event will be presented, probably in a virtual/digital form, because the revenue from it is so important. MusiCares takes care of musicians in need of medical help, financial assistance, a wide variety of things. With the pandemic destroying incomes this year, MusiCares must raise as much money as possible. Mason did not tell me who the honoree might be this year. But whoever it is, MusiCares can still put on one of its amazing tribute shows without anyone getting sick.

(Harvey didn’t ask me, but why not get a few past recipients to be People of the Year this time around? Sting, Bono, Stevie Wonder, Dolly Parton, Aerosmith, The Eagles, Elton John, Paul McCartney. Just an idea.)

I’m not worried about the Grammys. The new Executive Producer is Ben Winston, who produces James Corden’s lively and entertaining nightly late night talk show. Winston knows how to make performances pop in this new format. The Grammys and all its ancillary events will soldier on. And the return in 2022 will be all the sweeter.

Meantime, circle your calendar for October 16th on PBS for “Grammy Salute to Legends,” which I’m told is sensational.

Oscars 2020: “Ammonite” is the Festival Non Festival Movie No One Wants Us to See Until It’s Too Late

Roger Friedman
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Oscars 2020: “Ammonite” is the Festival Non Festival Movie No One Wants Us to See Until It’s Too Late

As the very odd little 2021 Oscar race continues to look for entries, one film is the weirdest of them all: Francis Lee’s “Ammonite.”

What’s with this “Ammonite”? We know Saoirse Ronan and Kate Winslet have a sex scene. It’s practically been painted for us in day glo colors.

“Ammonite” has 30 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, so someone’s seen it, and rating of 80%. Neon Films is releasing it and hoping for Oscar nominations for Ronan and Winslet and maybe Fiona Shaw. With the scarcity of films, and roles for actresses, “Ammonite” would seem like a good candidate to supply those categories.

The Lee film was also put into festivals, like Toronto and this weekend’s Hamptons Film Festival. But the movie has become sort of the non-entry. In each case, press is not allowed to access the film digitally. You were either in Toronto (impossible thanks to border issues) or you’re supposed to be in a car at a drive in in the Hamptons this Friday. Otherwise, we’ll have to wait and see it when (and if) it’s released next month.

This is very unusual. You wonder if there had been regular press at the festivals if “Ammonite” would have been available  at all. And what’s the big fuss? The lesbian scene? Been there, done that.

In Best Actress, “Ammonite” will not be a piece of cake. We already have Frances McDormand in the lead, Jennifer Hudson as a strong hopeful, and maybe Halle Berry. I’d include Olivia Colman from “The Father.” So Neon will have to choose between its leading ladies for lead and supporting. I’d guess Kate Winslet, who won an Oscar for “The Reader,” will go in the former, and Saoirse will go in supporting.

 

Movies Moved Again: “Dune” Not Soon, Warner Bros. Moving Another Blockbuster From This Christmas to 2021

Roger Friedman
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Movies Moved Again: “Dune” Not Soon, Warner Bros. Moving Another Blockbuster From This Christmas to 2021

We won’t see “Dune” soon.

Denis Villeneuve’s blockbuster remake of David Lynch’s “Dune” is moving from December 2020 to October 2021.

There are almost no movies left for Christmas season. This is why Regal Theaters have thrown in the paper towel.

What’s next? We don’t have much left for the Oscars, and even the films that are still on schedules for January are looking precarious. Can we have an awards season with so few candidates?

Stay tuned…

 

(Teaser) Bruce Springsteen’s New “Letter to You” Album will Be Accompanied by Black and White Documentary

Roger Friedman
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(Teaser) Bruce Springsteen’s New “Letter to You” Album will Be Accompanied by Black and White Documentary

Bruce Springsteen’s “Letter to You” album drops on October 23rd with a documentary. Directed by Thom Zimny, who did the western album, too — the black and white doc will show how they made an album in four days. Looks good!

Report: Kayleigh McEnany, Lying Press Secretary Who Mocked Masks and Virus, Is COVID Positive Along with 2 Assistants

Roger Friedman
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Report: Kayleigh McEnany, Lying Press Secretary Who Mocked Masks and Virus, Is COVID Positive Along with 2 Assistants

Kayleigh McEnemy, who lied and mocked, has been tested COVID positive. So have two of her assistants, according to CNN. Shrill and stupid, McEnany has for months made fun of people wearing masks, lied about the virus, proclaimed all kinds of lies about Obama and Biden, ridiculed science and scientists, says she’s “asymptomatic” so far, but hold on because Karma is a bitch.

CNN says that McEnany’s assistants have it, too. So there’s now a long list starting with Trump, his wife, senators, Kellyanne Conway (who gave it to her 15 year old daughter), journalists, etc who are positive because Trump lied about when he was ill.

Donald Trump on Steroids in Hospital: 16 Tweets Between 6 and 7am, All in CAPS, None Make Sense, And He Has the Nuclear Football

Roger Friedman
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Donald Trump on Steroids in Hospital: 16 Tweets Between 6 and 7am, All in CAPS, None Make Sense, And He Has the Nuclear Football

This is your president on steroids. Sixteen tweets between 6 and 7 am. More since. And he has the nuclear football. I know I feel safe. No one is in charge. Make American Goofy Again.

Regal Theatres Royal Pain, Finally Admit They’re Shutting Down Until Further Notice Starting Thursday

Roger Friedman
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Regal Theatres Royal Pain, Finally Admit They’re Shutting Down Until Further Notice Starting Thursday

Over the weekend, the Times of London reported that Regal Theaters, via their company Cineworld, were shutting down.

At first the company hemmed and hawed and said they were “considering” the move. But the reality was, the Times was right, and they were closing their doors, lowering their projectors, and unpopping the popcorn.

Today they announced it’s all over. Regal had been closed from mid March through July, then re-opened. So it’s not like their closing is a surprise, just how badly they handled it. In all 536 theaters in the US will close, 127 in the UK. Total jobs gone: 45,000.

But they have few movies to show. And when “No Time to Die” was moved to next April, they were finished. “We are like a grocery shop that doesn’t have vegetables, fruit, meat,” Cineworld CEO Moshe “Mooky” Greidinger said in an interview. “We cannot operate for a long time without a product.”

My thanks to all the Regal execs in Knoxville and Chattanooga who refused to return calls or emails on Friday night. It’s unclear if they’re losing their jobs.

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