Daniel Espinosa to Direct the Film Adaptation of Clinton Romesha’s “Red Platoon: A True Story of American Valor”

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Daniel Espinosa is seeing Red…

Sony Pictures has selected the 40-year-old Chilean filmmaker to direct an adaptation of Clinton Romesha’s book Red Platoon: A True Story of American Valor.

George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures will produce the film. Sony optioned the book last year., with Suicide Squad 2‘s Adam Cozad penning the script.

Medal of Honor winner Romesha was part of Red Platoon and the Black Knight Troop , which in 2009 prepared to shut down Command Outpost Keating. The outpost was the most remote and inaccessible in a string of bases built by the U.S. military in Nuristan and Kunar to keep Taliban insurgents from commuting between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It took three years for military to understand what was instantly clear to the men guarding it: The outpost was too isolated and dangerous to defend. After a series of smaller attacks, the Taliban came with everything it had, on October 3, 2009. While Romesha and his compatriots beat back the assault after 14 hours, they lost eight men in the balance. Romesha spearheaded both the defense of the outpost and the counterattack that drove the Taliban back.

The deal puts Espinosa back in business with Sony Pictures, which released the sci-fi thriller Life. Red Platoon potentially falls right into the filmmaker’s wheelhouse, and could follow in the footsteps of great war films like Black Hawk Down and We Were Soldiers.

Espinosa’s credits include Safe House, Child 44 and Easy Money.

Hayek Receives Olive Medal of Peace from Pope Francis

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Salma Hayek has been extended a new olive medal…

Pope Francis has honored the 49-year-old Mexican actress, awarding her the Olive Medal of Peace at a Vatican event to promote the Scholas Occurrentes foundation.

In addition to Hayek, Richard Gere and George Clooney and Salma Hayek with the Olive Medal of Peace in an event.

Hayek and her fellow honorees have agreed to work as ambassadors for the foundation’s arts projects, said The Hollywood Reporter.

According to its website, Scholas is an International Organization founded in 2013 and operating under the auspices of the Vatican, which “connects technology with arts and sports in order to promote social integration and the culture of encounter for peace.”

Hayek was joined by husband Francois-Henri Pinault and daughter Valentina.

“Important values can be transmitted by celebrities,” said Lorena Bianchetti, an organizer of the event.

Huizar to Host Fundraising Event for Hillary Clinton

Posted on April 24, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Jose Huizar is ready to play host…

The Mexican politican, who currently served as a member of the Los Angeles City Council, will host a fundraising event for Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton during her return trip to Southern California on Cinco de Mayo (May 5).

Clinton was in Los Angeles last weekend for a series of events, including a campaign speech at Los Angeles Southwest College and a series of fundraisers.

The highest profile was a gathering at the Studio City home of George and Amal Clooney, with the money raised going to the Hillary Victory Fund. That is a joint fundraising committee that splits proceeds between the Clinton campaign, the Democratic National Committee and state party committees.

Huizar was elected to the Los Angeles City Council’s 14th District in 2005 and re-elected in 2007, 2011 and in what will be his final term, 2015.

George Clooney’s Smokehouse Pictures Acquires Film Rights to Navarro’s “Three Minutes to Doomsday”

Posted on April 12, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a special three minutes for Joe Navarro…

George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures has acquired the film rights to the Cuban author, public speaker and former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent’s book Three Minutes to Doomsday.

The deal was brokered by Abrams Artists Agency, after Scribner bought the book’s North American rights.

Written by Navarro and Howard Means, Three Minutes to Doomsday recounts efforts by Navarro, during his career the FBI’s leading body-language expert, to track down Clyde Lee Conrad, an Army officer who sold secrets to Hungary during the Cold War. The book focuses on Navarro’s relationship and interviews with Rod Ramsey, who knew of Conrad’s crime.

Co-author Means has collaborated on multiple bestsellers, including the Robert Baer books See No Evil and Sleeping with the Devil that led to Clooney’s movie Syriana, for which he received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Baer these days is a frequent national-security commentator on CNN and elsewhere.

Smokehouse Pictures’ next film is Our Brand Is Crisis, a comedy set during the 2002 Bolivian presidential election and based on the true story of Democratic political consultants Greenberg Carville Shrum as they bring U.S. campaign techniques to South America. It’s directed by David Gordon Green and set for release in 2016.

Navarro is represented through Abrams Artists Agency by Steve Ross and Paul Weitzman.

Spanish-Language Adaptation of “ER” Heading to Colombian TV

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s ER time for the people of Colombia…

Warner Bros. International Television Production has announced the first Latin American format deal for the critically acclaimed series ER, which aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009.

RCN, Fox International Channels and TC have commissioned a local-language version for Colombia with a 60-episode order.

Colombia’s Resonant is producing the medical series, with plans to air the program this spring.

Originally produced in the U.S. by Constant c Productions and Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Television, the series ran for 15 seasons.

It’s the most Emmy-nominated series in history with 124 and notably helped kick-start the careers of George Clooney and Julianna Margulies.

“Even though ER is a fundamental American series, its characters and situations are so strong, moving and universal that will surely find a place in the hearts of Latin American audiences,” said Fernando Gaitan, RCN’s VP Content and Production. “We are eager to have it on our screen.”

Cuarón Named One of Entertainment Weekly’s Entertainers of the Year

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

There’s no denying Alfonso Cuarón has had a gravity-defying year… And now he’s being honored for his remarkable year.

Entertainment Weekly has named the 52-year-old Mexican filmmaker as one of its 2013 Entertainers of the Year, which celebrates the year’s standouts in the entertainment industry.

Cuarón is being feted for the remarkable worldwide success of his latest film Gravity.

The 3D science fiction thriller and space drama, starring fellow honoree Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, has earned more than $615 million dollars worldwide, making it the second biggest hit of his career behind only Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. And the film is still going strong at the global box office.

So what was Cuarón’s most memorable day of 2013?

”I wish I could tell you that it’s about Gravity — something that was great and cool, like the premiere in Venice. But actually it was one day in the summer when I was traveling with my kids and my girlfriend and her kids. We were in this tributary of the Amazon in this little boat, and it started to rain right after sunset. We were making our way back to the big boat, and all the kids suddenly started to sing ‘We Are Young’ by fun. in the middle of nowhere. At the top of their lungs. It was very sweet. If I remember one moment, it’s that one.”

Entertainment Weekly’s other honorees include twerking girl Miley Cyrus and Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence.

Cuarón’s “Gravity” Blasts Past the $400 Million Mark Worldwide

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Gravity isn’t holding Alfonso Cuarón’s latest project down…

The 51-year-old Mexican director’s critically acclaimed film Gravity has orbited past the $400 million mark worldwide.

Through Sunday, the Warner Bros. film has grossed $219.2 million in North America and $207.5 million overseas, an impressive achievement considering older moviegoers are fueling the film’s success.

In addition, Gravity — starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney — is now the biggest live-action October release of all time, not accounting for inflation, surpassing the $376.1 million worldwide earned by Taken 2 (the top October release is Puss in Boots, which took in $555 million globally in 2011).

And Gravity is already the top-grossing October film of all time in North America, besting the $166.2 million earned by Meet the Parents in 2000.

Over the weekend, Gravity placed No. 5 in North America in its fifth weekend, grossing $13.1 million.

Internationally, it continues to gain momentum, it took in $27.1 million from 55 markets.

Gravity is a huge hit in France, where it has now earned $27.1 million. Korea follows with $20.7 million.

Box office observers now agree that Gravity will ultimately earn $550 million to $600 million worldwide, boosting the film’s awards chances.

Gravity has yet to open in the U.K. (Nov. 8), China (Nov. 20) and Japan (Dec. 13).

First Official Trailer Released for Cuarón’s “Gravity,” Starring Sandra Bullock

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Sandra Bullock hurtles through space in the official trailer for Alfonso Cuarón’s sci-fi thriller Gravity…

The gripping, anxiety-inducing new clip for the 51-year-old Mexican director’s latest film centers on Bullock’s character, medical engineer Dr. Ryan Stone as she takes part in her first Space Shuttle mission accompanied by veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney), who is commanding his final expedition.

During a spacewalk, debris from a satellite crashes into the space shuttle Explorer, leaving it mostly destroyed, and stranding them in space with limited air. Without means of communication with Earth, they must cooperate to survive.

Gravity wowed audiences at the Venice Film Festival and Telluride Film Festival. It next hits the Toronto Film Fest before arriving in theaters on October 4.

Cuarón Sci-Fi Film “Gravity” Headed to the Zurich International Film Festival

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Alfonso Cuarón is bringing a little gravity to Switzerland…

The 51-year-old Mexican filmmaker’s highly anticipated new film Gravity will be screened at this year’s Zurich International Film Festival.

Cuarón’s new sci-fi film, which was written by him and his son Jonás Cuarón, will get a gala premiere at the festival.

The film centers on Dr. Stone (Sandra Bullock), a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney). But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone—tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they’ve lost any link to Earth… and any chance for rescue.

The full Zurich Festival line-up will be announced by September 12. The 9th Zurich International Film Festival runs from September 26- October 6.

Gravity is scheduled to hit theaters in IMAX and 3D on October 4th.

Cuarón’s previous credits include Great Expectations, Y tu mamá también, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Children of Men.

Cuarón Releases Riveting Promo Clip for the Deep Space Thriller “Gravity”

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Alfonso Cuarón is sending Sandra Bullock into a black abyss…

Following the revelation of new footage at Comic-Con of the 51-year-old Mexican filmmaker’s 3D deep space thriller Gravity, Warner Bros. has released a new thrilling promo.

The clip depicts the panic and dread that mounts over the course of two minutes as well as any traditional trailer.

Gravity, which stars Bullock and George Clooney, will open the Venice Film Festival in August.

Gravity will be released in theaters nationwide on October 4.

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