VARIETY: Michael Caine, Lena Headey to Star in Modern-Day Version of ‘Oliver Twist’

05 May 2020

Oct 16th, 2019: Michael Caine, Lena Headey and pop star Rita Ora are to star in “Twist,” a modern-day, gender-bending film interpretation of Charles Dickens’ classic novel “Oliver Twist” for Sky, which will release the film day and date in theaters and on its pay-TV platform.

The title role of Oliver is played by Jude Law’s son Raff Law. In this version, Oliver is reinvented as a streetwise artist living on the streets of modern-day London.

A chance encounter with a gang of grifters led by the charismatic Dodge, played by Ora, propels Twist into a high-stakes heist to steal a priceless painting for master thief Fagin, portrayed by Caine, and his psychopathic business partner, Sikes, played by Headey. Franz Drameh, Sophie Simnett and David Walliams also star.

The film goes into production in London this fall, and will be available on the Sky Cinema pay-TV service on the same day as its theatrical release.

“Twist” is directed by Martin Owen, whose credits include “Killers Anonymous” and “The Intergalactic Adventures of Max Cloud,” and produced by Unstoppable Film and TV, Posterity Pictures and Puregrass Films.

It is written by John Wrathall, whose credits include “The Liability,” with additional writing by Sally Collett and Martin Owen.

The producers are Matt Williams, Ben Grass, Jason Maza and Noel Clarke. Financiers include MEP Capital, Blue Rider, Lipsync Productions and Arclight Films, which is also handling worldwide sales.

Two-time Academy Award winner Caine said: “Fagin is such an infamous character, it’s going to be great fun playing him. I’m really looking forward to working with Lena, Raff and the rest of the cast in London when we start shooting.”

Sarah Wright, director of Sky Cinema and acquisitions at Sky UK & Ireland, said: “‘Twist’ is Dickens’ classic tale as you’ve never seen it before. Daring, modern and packed full of the greatest British talent, this co-production demonstrates Sky’s ambition for original films.”

INDIEWIRE: Jesse Owens Biopic ‘Race’ gets a release date

08 Oct 2014

‘Race’ is off to a good start, with William Hurt, Jeremy Irons, Jason Sudeikis and Carice van Houten joining the cast, Germany’s Square On and Canada’s Entertainment One (eOne) jumping on-board to co-produce, and Focus Features attached to release Stateside, announcing today a release date of the drama for April 8, 2016.

“Race” will be directed by Stephen Hopkins (“The Life and Death of Peter Sellers”), from a script penned by Anna Waterhouse and Joe Shrapnel.

The project will…

… focus on how Owens, the son of an Alabama sharecropper, shattered Adolf Hitler’s myth of Aryan supremacy at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by winning a record four gold medals in the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, the long jump and the 400-meter relay. Owens’ victories are considered among the greatest atlhetic feats of all time.

It’s a project that has the backing of the Jesse Owens Foundation and the Jesse Owens Trust.

By Tambay A. Obenson on Shadow and Act for Indiewire

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER: William Hurt cast in Jesse Owens Biopic ‘Race’

08 Oct 2014

William Hurt has joined the cast of the Jesse Owens biopic ‘Race’, which stars Stephan James as the famous track and field athlete.

Also starring Jeremy Irons, Jason Sudeikis, and Carice van Houten, ‘Race’ is directed by Stephen Hopkins and is filming in Montreal and on location at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, where Owens won his record-breaking four gold medals in 1936.

Hurt will play Jeremiah Mahoney, president of the Amateur Athletic Union, who led efforts to boycott the 1936 Olympics.

‘Race’ is produced by Jean Charles Lévy, Luc Dayan, Kate Garwood, Hopkins, Louis-Philippe Rochon, Dominique Séguin, Karsten Brünig and Thierry Potok. Executive producers are Christophe Charlier, Ben Grass, Scott Kennedy, Bonnie Timmermann, George Acogny, Nicolas Manuel, Jonathan Bronfman and Al Munteanu.

By Rebecca Ford for Hollywood Reporter

VARIETY: William Hurt joins Jesse Owens Biopic ‘Race’

08 Oct 2014

William Hurt has joined Jesse Owens Biopic “Race” opposite Jeremy Irons, Jason Sudeikis, Carice van Houten and Stephan James.

“Race,” directed by Stephen Hopkins from a script by Anna Waterhouse and Joe Shrapnel, is currently being filmed in Montreal and at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. The stadium is where Owens won four Olympic gold medals in 1936 in a repudiation of Adolf Hitler’s vision of Aryan supremacy.

Hurt will portray Jeremiah Mahoney, president of the Amateur Athletic Union, who led efforts to boycott the 1936 Olympics. 

By Dave McNary from Variety

VARIETY: Stephen Hawking Develops Cartoon Series Aimed at Kids

02 May 2014

Nerd Corps Entertainment has begun development on a children’s computer-animated TV series based on the “George Greenby” book series, the New York Times bestselling series by Stephen Hawking, above, and his daughter, Lucy Hawking.

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KIDSCREEN: Nerd Corps partners with Lucy and Stephen Hawking on new TV series

01 May 2014

Vancouver, Canada-based Nerd Corps Entertainment has joined forces with world-renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and his daughter, author Lucy Hawking, to bring their bestselling George Greenby children’s book series to TV screens.

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