The Cannes Film Festival kicked off on May 11, and each day brings word of new projects and acquisitions. Cannes isn’t just a forum to screen prestigious films — it’s an industry hub where major deals are being negotiated. We’re getting word about what’s on the horizon for major stars such as Helen Mirren and Ellen Page.
Hot off her box-office and critical success “Eye in the Sky” comes the news that Mirren will star in another weapon-related thriller, “Winchester,” directed by Michael and Peter Spierig (“Daybreakers”). The Oscar-winner will play the titular character in the supernatural feature, the millionaire heiress to the Winchester Arms fortune.
Deadline reports that the story is “based on the world famous Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA. Winchester’s husband and child died suddenly, and she became convinced she had been cursed by the legal legacy of the ‘gun that won the West.’ A medium sent her to San Jose in 1884 to begin a massive 38-year 24/7 construction of a 24,000-square foot, 160-room Gothic mansion.” “Winchester” will shoot in the actual home, which has been described by Time as one of the “Most Haunted Places in the World.” Financing has already been secured — territories are being sold at the Cannes market.
“Freeheld” star Ellen Page is also entering spooky terrain — she’ll star in “The Third Wave,” a psychological horror film. “The Third Wave” takes place in the aftermath of zombie epidemic. According to ScreenDaily, “A cure has been found but society is divided into those who were once infected, and committed terrible violent acts, and those who never contracted the virus. In the backdrop, the rise of a terrorist movement, fueled by the deep divisions, threatens to plunge the region into chaos again.” David Freyne will direct. Page said the film “brings an entire new perspective to the zombie genre.” She’ll produce “The Third Wave” alongside Rachael O’Kane and Rory Dungan. Page also produced the upcoming drama “Into the Forest,” which she stars in with Evan Rachel Wood (“The Ides of March,” “True Blood”).
One of our favorite actresses from the small-screen, Elisabeth Moss of “Top of the Lake” and “Mad Men,” has been inked to star in “The Square,” a dark comedy set in the international art world. The film will be helmed by the director of Cannes’ Un Certain Regard Jury Prize-winner and Golden Globe nominee “Force Majeure,” Ruben Ostlund.
Entertainment One has secured the rights to “Finding Your Feet,” a rom-com starring Imelda Staunton (“Another Year”) as a woman whose retirement is far from picturesque — instead of slowing and settling down, her life is turned upside down. Richard Loncraine (“Richard III”) is directing a script by Meg Leonard and Nick Moorcroft (“Urban Hymn”). Film rights for the U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are being sold in Cannes.
As for new women-directed projects being buzzed about at Cannes, Jenny Slate (“Girls,” “Parks and Recreation”) will reunite with the team behind her 2014 abortion romantic comedy “Obvious Child.” She’ll star in “Landline,” a comedy set in 1995 Manhattan from the writers of “Obvious Child,” Gillian Robespierre and Elisabeth Holm. As was the case with “Obvious Child,” Robespierre will direct.
The Hollywood Reporter writes that the film follows “three women in one family having lots of sex, drugs, and Japanese food. Navigating monogamy, honesty, and a long-lost New York, the Jacobs family lives in the last days when people still didn’t have cell phones and still did smoke inside. Teenager Ali (Abby Quinn, “The Sisterhood of Night”) discovers her dad (John Turturro) is having an affair. Older sister Dana (Slate) uncovers her own wild side. And their mother Pat (Edie Falco) grapples with the truth that she can’t have it all, but her family still has each other.” Producers on the project include Holm and Gigi Pritzker (“Drive,” “Rabbit Hole”). Rachel Shane (“Divergent”) will EP with Stacey Keppler (“Unearthed”) co-producing.
Back in 2014, Robespierre told Women and Hollywood that the biggest challenge making “Obvious Child” as a first-time director was “finding [her] own voice, and how [she] wanted to interact with the cast and crew.” She made a deal for her second project— “Landline” — before “Obvious Child” was released. She revealed that she was writing a part specifically for Slate.
Actress Joely Fisher (“Ellen,” “Last Man Standing”) will make her feature directorial debut for Benetone Films with “Oliver Storm,” a family adventure. The film is “centered on introverted whiz kid Oliver Storm and his self-absorbed sister River,” reports Deadline. “The pair embarks on an adventure through the streets of Bangkok and the jungles of Thailand to find their missing scientist parents.”
Cannes runs until May 22.
