Is Hollywood getting nicer?

...things are getting cuddly

Author

Lee Elliott
February 07, 2023

Hi, Movie Moochers!

After a turbulent few years, the movie industry is showing signs of rejuvenation, brimming with hope and growing optimism.

Naturally, Hollywood excess and controversies will continue, but the tide may be turning.

Prepare for an influx of new talent in 2023! Fans can also look forward to the return of their favourite film franchises, actors, and directors.

Brendan Fraser made a big comeback with his first major film since stepping away from Hollywood in the mid-2000s.

Plus, Fraser's Encino Man cohort, Ke Huy Quan, is returning to the big screen. Thanks to his performance in Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, Quan can look forward to exciting opportunities, including a potential role in the MCU.

It's heartening to see these two fan favourites resurface, and it's starting to feel like the movie industry is heading in the right direction.

So, can we believe in this redemption arc? Why not? Not everybody in showbiz is a monster.

And if you need proof, here's Kate Winslet... being Kate Winslet.

Let's get into the rest of the last fortnight's shenanigans >>>

5 showbiz stories that DESTROY my introduction:

No, honestly, it isn't all bad. ⏬

And the Award Goes to:

Spike Lee will receive the WGA East's Ian McLellan Hunter Award for Outstanding Career Achievement in Filmmaking. The award is named after the famed writer who fronted for Dalton Trumbo during the Hollywood Blacklist before being blacklisted himself. The guild describes Lee as “one of the greatest writer/directors in film history."

🦅 Legal Eagles

Cinematic battles don't just take place on the big screen. Let's take a look at some recent legal news.

⚖️ The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman and fellow executive producers have agreed to resolve their claims. While this aspect of the big profits battle is now behind closed doors, the $200 million suit filed last November by other core TWD producers stumbles on.

⚖️ An unproven report that Carole Baskin's first husband is alive has resurfaced. Jack Smith, the spokesperson for the Lewis family, tells TMZ that Don's daughters firmly believe he is dead, and it is triggering for them to deal with the fallout of a resurfaced report.  

⚖️ A federal judge ruled that if movie studios release deceptive movie trailers, they can be sued under false advertising laws. The decision was made in the case of Yesterday, a 2019 film about a world without the Beatles. In January, two Ana de Armas fans filed a lawsuit, claiming that they rented the film after seeing de Armas in the trailer, only to discover that she was cut from the finished film.

📽️ Industry News

Browse recent filmmaking issues.

The Challenges of Independent Filmmaking in China

In China, it is difficult to make films independently and without censorship from the government. Under President Xi Jinping's rule, the Chinese film industry has been censored more. Some filmmakers have chosen to leave China entirely, while others risk punishment by staying to make films about topics the government doesn’t approve of. Read more

Streaming Shakeup: Hollywood Adapts to a New Era of Storytelling

Hollywood insiders must adapt or die in the age of streaming. Volume is more important than quality in this new storytelling model. Producer Chris Moore comments that in the age of streaming, old-school methods of determining a film's worth are no longer applicable - and this has significant implications for the types of films now being produced. Read more

Robert Zemeckis' to use Generative AI tools on upcoming Miramax movie 

Metaphysic, an artificial intelligence company, has entered into a strategic partnership with CAA to develop generative AI tools and services for talent. The firm's new Metaphysic Live tool will be used extensively on Robert Zemeckis' upcoming Miramax movie Here to generate face replacements and de-ageing effects. Read more

📽️ Documentaries

"Little Richard: I Am Everything" is a rock-history bio-doc that deviates from the norm by inviting a slew of scholars, sociologists, and queer historians to tell the story of its flamboyant and chaotic subject. As writer Jason Bailey explains, Director Lisa Cortés defies convention with "Dreamscape Performances," in which contemporary musicians interpret and dramatise key moments in Little Richard's musical awakening.

Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb is an intimate look at two literary legends' remarkable fifty-year relationship. Robert Caro, now 86, and his long-time editor Robert Gottlieb, 90, are working together to complete the final volume of Caro's masterwork, The Years of Lyndon Johnson.

Blasts from the past: 

Roy Scheider was a golden boy at Universal Pictures after the success of Jaws. The studio had him under contract for three more films. Roy was initially supposed to star in The Deer Hunter but turned it down. See why.

A Goonies fan has purchased the home featured in the film to restore it to its former glory. The Kansas businessman wants to create a haven for fellow moviegoers. Zakeri intends to incorporate film elements into the home, such as a zip line used by Ke Huy Quan's character, Data.

Lunchtime Reading 📖

Anticipated Movies 2023 🔥

US Domestic Box Office January 2023 📈

♻️ Reboots and Sequels

•Eddie Murphy is returning to his role as Axel Foley in the long-awaited fourth Beverly Hills Cop film. The 61-year-old star said that the chance to collaborate with producer Jerry Bruckheimer again was a key factor in his returning to the franchise. Bruckheimer has produced blockbusters such as Top Gun and Bad Boys.

•Disney is moving forward with its third Tron film, Tron: Ares. Joachim Rønning will direct, and Jared Leto will star. Production is set to begin in August of this year in Vancouver.

•Channing Tatum has acquired the rights to remake Ghost from Paramount Pictures and intends to play Patrick Swayze's role in the new film. The original Ghost, which was released in 1990, was a critical and box-office success, grossing over $505 million worldwide

•Bryan Cranston is interested in reuniting with Malcolm in the Middle, but it may be a film rather than a TV show. Cranston has teased a possible reboot in the years since the series 2006 finale.

Tweet of the Week(s):

📺 Did you see this…?

😎 Also worth a look:

 🤹 Too Much Tuna...

You're so cool... You're so cool... You're so cool... 🥰

Adam Savage visits Prop Store to see the Batwing filming miniature from the 1989 Batman movie!

💬 You can quote me on that:

 I don’t love it that much. So no, I just did it the old-school way. And I tell you, I’ve eaten more chickens — I’m so sorry to all the world's vegans, vegetarians, and chickens. Literally, the karma is not good for me. If the deity has anything related to chickens, I’m in trouble. —

Hugh Jackman, re: queries over steroid use.

👌 Filmmaker Tips

Making a short film isn't easy. It takes dedication and skill, especially for first-time filmmakers. Before delving into the complexities of story composition, camera angles, editing, and sound design, it's critical to start small and gain confidence in the fundamentals. Here are 10 Essential Tips for First-Time Filmmakers.

 🕵️ Have you seen...?

Now available to stream on AmazonPrime Video.

And don't miss:

Ready or Not (2019) - A cracking watch, available to stream on Disney+

📖 Quick reads

Oh, just one more thing…

📅 Back soon…

That's all for now.

Thank you for taking the time to read this!

Send me a DM @screensumup if you have any articles, content, companies, products, or anything else you think is worth sharing with your fellow movie fans.

End of line.

– Lee