News

Voltage Pictures has taken a majority stake in fellow international sales and finance company The Exchange as it continues to expand operations.

Under the new structure, Brian O’Shea will remain CEO of The Exchange and focus on creative strategy and expanding the slate of projects.Financial terms were not disclosed.

Voltage COO Sarah Dunn will oversee day-to-day operations, and Alexandra Cocean has been promoted to president of global sales and distribution, working across both companies to integrate their films.

Screenunderstands worldwide sales and distribution presidentNat McCormick has left The Exchange.

Voltage CEO Nicolas Chartier announced the development and said the...

Exclusive: Oscar winning producer and distributor Voltage Pictures has taken a major step in its expansion strategy by acquiring a controlling interest in the international sales and finance company The Exchange.

Under the new structure, Brian O’Shea will remain CEO of The Exchange, focusing on creative strategy and expanding the slate of projects, while Sarah Dunn, Voltage’s COO, will oversee day-to-day operations. In addition, Alexandra Cocean has been promoted to President of Global Sales and Distribution, working across both entities to integrate their various films.

Nicolas Chartier, CEO of Voltage Pictures said: “Brian and I have been friends for years, and we’re thrilled to finally collaborate in a meaningful way. By bringing Voltage’s operational strength and production expertise together with The Exchange’s entrepreneurial acumen, we’re creating a unique platform to empower filmmakers and grow our global footprint. This partnership allows us to supercharge The Exchange,...

Exclusive: Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) and Billy Magnussen (Roadhouse) have been set to star in Steve Pink’s out-there horse racing comedy Chariot.

This sounds a fun one. The synopsis reads: “Paul Rovia, an oversized jockey, seeks redemption after causing a major racing accident that gets him suspended from the sport for two years. Desperate to compete in the Grand National again, Paul teams up with Kate O’Leary and her wild Centaur named Chariot. Paul and Chariot clash at first but eventually form an unstoppable duo, taking the racing world by storm.”

Pink is known for writing Grosse Pointe Blank and High Fidelity and directed Hot Tub Time Machine, About Last Night and most recently The Wheel.

The Exchange is launching worldwide sales on the movie at the upcoming American Film Market. The sales deal was negotiated by Brian O’Shea on behalf of The Exchange and by Lastine Entertainment Lawon behalf of the filmmakers.

Exclusive: Eric Paquette’s Meridian Pictures is readying survival-thriller The Edge and has set Danish filmmaker Kasper Torsting to direct.

Written by Jordan Barber and produced by Aaron Barnett, Jessica Postigo, Eric Paquette, and The Exchange’s Brian O’Shea, the film will tell the story of a romantic escape that turns deadly when a bus plunges off a mountain road. Faced with a harrowing decision, a woman whose partner has been killed must save herself and a ten-year-old boy while battling unforgiving terrain, brutal weather, and the grief of losing her love.

The Exchange will handle worldwide sales and arrange financing on the movie, which is in development.

A graduate of the National Danish Film School, Torsting is known for debut narrative feature In Love & War (2018), the war-drama which won both the Nordic Competition and the Audience Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. He also directed documentary Rocket Brothers,...

Jeopardy! has itself a new champion after Wednesday night (May 29), but it came at the expense of another contestant who fell into the trap of a “brutal” Daily Double clue. On Wednesday’s episode, one-day champion Abby Mann, a digital scholarship librarian from Normal, Illinois, returned to the Alex Trebek Stage to take on Adriana Harmeyer, an archivist from West Lafayette, Indiana, and Brian O’Shea, a gifted specialist & teacher from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The game started pretty tight in the Jeopardy round, with the scores relatively close heading into Double Jeopardy. Mann led with $4,800, O’Shea followed closely with $4,600, and Harmeyer trailed with $3,800. Things changed in Double Jeopardy, especially thanks to the two Daily Doubles. Harmeyer landed the first Daily Double, bumping up her total by $4,000 and giving her a solid lead. Meanwhile, O’Shea found the second Daily Double but ended up losing $6,000 after falling for some tricky wording. Under the “White House Weddings” category,...

The Wednesday May 29 episode of Jeopardy! featured an exciting contest between Brian O’Shea, a gifted specialist and teacher from Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Adriana Harmeyer, an archivist from West Lafayette, Indiana; and Abby Mann, a digital scholarship librarian from Normal, Illinois. Entering the game, Abby already had a one-day champion status under her belt with […]

Jeopardy! Wednesday May 29, 2024, Recap, Winner and Final Answer...

Exclusive: Venezuelan Filmmaker Jonathan Jakubowicz, best known for Resistance and Hands of Stone, has signed on to direct the feature Cottonwood for Eric Paquette’s Meridian Pictures.

The film will be produced by Paquette, Aaron Barnett, and The Exchange’s Brian O’Shea, with Claudine Jakubowicz serving as executive producer. The Exchange will be handling worldwide sales and arranging financing.

The story follows a single dad who left his troubled past behind but must confront his dark history when his former mentor, a dangerous gangster, resurfaces. As the mentor’s loyalty to him is tested, he becomes the target of the gangster’s own bloodthirsty son, forcing him to protect his 13-year-old son from a relentless killer.

Jakubowicz was the winner of the German Film Peace Prize 2020 for his film Resistance. His film Secuestro Express was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the British Independent Film Awards, and Hands of Stone premiered at Cannes.

Exclusive: Oscar winner Octavia Spencer (The Help) is joining Rose Byrne, Ariana DeBose, Dominic Sessa and Demi Lovato in Stephanie Laing’s feature Tow, which is now in production.

As we first revealed, Tow charts the true story of Amanda Ogle, a homeless Seattle woman who fought her way out of tow-company hell to reclaim her life and the car that held it all together after receiving a tow bill for $21,634. Ogle also serves as an executive producer on the film.

The original screenplay is written by Jonathan Keasey, Brant Boivin, and Annie Weisman. The Exchange is handling international sales and CAA Media Finance is repping domestic.

Producers are Byrne, Laing, via her newly launched Cake or Death Pictures, Brent Stiefel and Justin Lothrop of Votiv Films and Brian O’Shea and Danyelle Foord of The Exchange. Executive producers include DeBose, Jonathan Keasey, Jonathan Tropper, Ogle, Josh Ricks, and Danny Gusman,...

Ariana DeBose has joined Rose Byrne, Dominic Sessa and Demi Lovato in Stephanie Laing’s Tow, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

The drama will center on a real-life unhoused woman, Amanda Ogle (Byrne), who fought her way out of tow-company hell in Seattle through the courts to reclaim her old car and life after receiving a tow bill for $21,634. Ogle also serves as an executive producer on the film, which has The Exchange handling international sales and CAA Media Finance representing the U.S. rights.

The Tow screenplay is written by Jonathan Keasey, Brant Boivin and Annie Weisman. The project marks a reunion for Byrne, Weisman and Laing, who worked together on Apple TV’s Physical.

DeBose’s feature film slate for 2024 includes Kraven the Hunter and Blumhouse’s House of Spoils. She won an Oscar for West Side Story, received a Tony nomination for her role in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical,...

Peacock has landed the rights to stream “The Independent,” a political thriller that stars John Cena, “Succession’s” Brian Cox, Ann Dowd (“The Handmaid’s Tale”), and Jodie Turner-Smith (“Queen & Slim”). The film from Relativity Media and director Amy Rice will skip theaters and stream exclusively on Peacock beginning next week on November 2, just ahead of midterm elections.

“The Independent” follows a young journalist (Turner-Smith) who discovers a conspiracy involving a U.S. Presidential candidate that could change the election and the fate of the country in an election in which America would be poised to elect either its first female president or its first viable independent candidate (Cena). Turner-Smith’s character teams up with a legendary journalist (Cox) to unravel the political conspiracy surrounding the election.

Rice directed the film from a script by Evan Parter. Executive producing “The Independent” are Laura Grange, Julia Stuart, Brian Cox, Jodie Turner-Smith, John Cena,...

Exclusive: Trace Lysette (Hustlers), Oscar nominee Patricia Clarkson (Sharp Objects), Oscar winner Anna Paquin (The Piano) and Oscar nominee Adriana Barraza (Babel) are attached to star in the feature film Monica, from Italian filmmaker Andrea Pallaoro.

The Exchange is launching world sales during the Toronto Film Festival on the drama, which will chart the story of a transgender woman (Lysette) who returns home to the Midwest to care for her dying mother (Clarkson). The tale of a fractured family is said to explore themes of abandonment, ageing, acceptance and redemption.

Pallaoro’s 2017 sophomore feature Hannah played at Toronto and Venice, where it won Charlotte Rampling the festival’s best actress prize. His first film, Medeas, also premiered in competition on the Lido.

From an original screenplay by the director and Orlando Tirado (Hannah), the film will be produced by Christina Dow (Hannah), Eleonora Granata (Medeas), Marina Marzotto (5 Is The Perfect Number...

A restart for film and television is bearing down but looming uncertainty around Covid-19 insurance has the business on edge.

Pandemic insurance disappeared in March. Three months later there’s still no viable alternative to put many independent producers back on a path to completion bond backed financing. It’s pressing, as interrupted productions restart mostly covered by preexisting insurance, while new projects may remain in limbo.

“Right now there is no insurance for [Covid] at all, at any price,” said Steven Ransohoff, CEO of Film Finances, at a recent panel hosted by Cinetic Media.

A few insurers are exploring limited policies that are very costly, between 10%-15% of total budget by some accounts. “Ridiculously expensive,” said one film executive. “It’s really not even like having insurance.”

These policies, said another, “will be limited to a couple of million dollars – maybe $2 [million], maybe $5 [million]. But what’s going to happen if you...

Titles include Us box office hit ‘Becky’ and Sundance title ‘Spree’, starring Joe Keery of ‘Stranger Things’.

Australasia’s Rialto Distribution has acquired a raft of new features, including recent Us box office hit Becky and Sundance social media satire Spree.

Nine titles were co-acquired by Rialto and the UK’s Vertigo Releasing, as part of a partnership forged earlier this year, and were closed during the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown. The films will receive a mix of theatrical and digital debuts in Australia and New Zealand across the second half of 2020.

They include action thriller Becky, starring Lulu Wilson and Kevin James,...

Drama on track to be delivered for 2020 holiday season release.

The Exchange has closed key territories on Cannes virtual market screening A Gift From Bob starring Luke Treadaway, led by deals with Lionsgate UK, Leonine for Germany, and DDDream for China.

Brian O’Shea and his team have closed further sales in: Japan (Comstick), France (Ab), Italy (Notorious), Cis (Exponenta), Middle East (Selim Ramia & Co), Hong Kong (Lark), and Taiwan (CaiChang).

The film marks the sequel to 2016 release A Streecat Named Bob and is on track to complete post production at Twickenham Studios in time for a 2020 December holiday season release.

Drama on track to be delivered for 2020 holiday season release.

The Exchange has closed key territories on Cannes virtual market screening A Gift From Bob starring Luke Treadaway, led by deals with Lionsgate UK, Leonine for Germany, and DDDream for China.

Brian O’Shea and his team have closed further sales in: Japan (Comstick), France (Ab), Italy (Notorious), Cis (Exponenta), Middle East (Selim Ramia & Co), Hong Kong (Lark), and Taiwan (CaiChang).

The film marks the sequel to 2016 release A Streecat Named Bob and is on track to be delivered for a 2020 holiday season release.

The story returns to the life of James Bowen,...

Exclusive: Star Wars star Daisy Ridley and Brit national treasure Stephen Fry have boarded the voice cast of The Inventor, a feature stop-motion animation about Leonardo da Vinci written and directed by Jim Capobianco, the Oscar-nominated scribe of Ratatouille.

Fry will voice da Vinci and Ridley will be the French Princess Marguerite. Pic will follow the life of the insatiably curious and headstrong inventor as he leaves Italy to join the French court, where he can experiment freely, inventing flying contraptions, incredible machines, and studying the human body. There, joined by the princess, he looks to answer the ultimate question – what is the meaning of it all?

Deadline can also reveal a first look at the movie below.

French major mk2 films is handling international rights with The Exchange overseeing the U.S. sale; the film will take part in next week’s Cannes Marche.

The $10M project is being...

Olivia Munn is producing and starring in the upcoming science-fiction action movie “Replay” for Dark Castle Entertainment.

“Replay” will be introduced to international buyers at the upcoming virtual Cannes Film Market by The Exchange. CAA Media Finance is representing the domestic sales rights.

The film, currently in pre-production, is written and directed by Jimmy Loweree. Munn stars as the wife of a man who has been kidnapped and murdered. Armed with illegal, bleeding-edge technology and a desperate plan, she must do everything in her power to change the past and save him.

Munn is producing alongside Ethan Erwin and Hal Sadoff of Dark Castle Entertainment. Robert Bell of Dark Castle is co-producing.

“We are very excited to announce Olivia Munn’s attachment to ‘Replay,” said Brian O’Shea of The Exchange. “She not only is a wonderful actress, but also well known to our buyers which will help make this strong...

rCAA Media Finance represents Us rights.

Olivia Munn is attached to star in action feature and virtual Cannes market sales title Replay for Dark Castle and The Exchange.

Brian O’Shea’s The Exchange will introduce the project to buyers later this month, and CAA Media Finance represents Us rights.

Jimmy Loweree wrote and will direct the story of Erin Staffer, who arms herself with cutting edge technology after her husband is kidnapped and murdered in order to change the past and save him.

Munn is producing with Ethan Erwin and Hal Sadoff of Dark Castle Entertainment. Robert Bell of Dark Castle is co-producing.

The Dark And The Wicked, IFC Midnight title Rent-a-Pal, horror thriller Stoker Hills starring Candyman’s Tony Todd on slate.

Heading into the Cannes virtual market, The Exchange has picked up a trio of new genre titles including The Dark And The Wicked from The Strangers director Bryan Bertino.

Also new to the slate are retro thriller Rent-a-Pal, and horror thriller Stoker Hills starring Tony Todd from the Candyman franchise.

The Dark And The Wicked was due to receive its world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival in the Midnight selection before the event was postponed.

Marin Ireland and Michael Abbott Jr....

With the independent film world working through the pandemic crisis, filmmakers, sales agents and festivals are grappling with unorthodox solutions as they plan for a return to a new normal in the fall.

“I think the best thing about independents is their resilience and their creativity and their ability to be flexible with opportunity because they don’t have such established set tracks,” says Brian O’Shea, CEO of sales agency the Exchange. “They can move and adjust accordingly.”

The Cannes Marché du Film will bow a virtual market June 22-28, spurred by the major U.S. talent agencies, with sales agents and distributors signing on to participate in this unprecedented event.

But while the indie community and film festivals, which work hand-in-hand, are putting virtual screenings and markets into place, opinions vary on what the global film market will look like in the third and fourth quarters.

It’s “full...

“We need a market in June regardless of Cannes being there just to give us direction.”

As uncertainty continued on Tuesday (April 14) around the fate of this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Us buyers and sellers remained committed to a robust corridor of summer market activity that is increasingly looking like it will take place in late June regardless of when the postponed festival may take place.

While ongoing disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed a Cannes reboot originally set for end of June / early July to beyond mid-July with talk of a possible autumn berth, Screen understands...

Steady market trade, mixed response to festival films.

Heading into the second week of a rainy Berlin lacking Asian buyers due to Coronavirus fears, there has been a mixed response to the inaugural festival selections of Carlo Chatrian, and a steady stream of Efm deal-making with at least one spectacular Us acquisition understood to be in the works.

Occurring later than usual due to the Academy’s decision to bring the Oscars forward this year, Berlin kicked off 17 days after Sundance Film Festival. That offered some comfort to sales agents in their annual scramble with producers and agents to lock in talent.

In today’s film news roundup, Kumail Nanjiani has been cast as a journalist, Daisy Ridley boards Imax’s “Asteroid Hunters,” “Best Summer Ever” leads off a festival, Shelley Duvall gets an honor and “Dark Harvest” lands at MGM.

Project Launch

Kumail Nanjiani will star in the political thriller “The Independent,” which is being introduced to buyers by The Exchange at the Berlin Film Festival.

He will portray a journalist who uncovers a conspiracy, which places the fate of the election in his hands with America’s first viable independent presidential candidate poised for victory.

“Kumail is a great actor with global recognition and he serves as the cornerstone for an incredible ensemble cast that we are excited to announce shortly,” said Brian O’Shea of The Exchange.

Amy Rice, who was nominated for an Emmy for “By the People: The Election of Barack Obama,” is directing “The Independent” from a script by Evan Parter.

Kumail Nanjiani is set to take on a dramatic role in the political thriller “The Independent,” which is being presented to buyers at the European Film Market by The Exchange, the sales agent’s CEO Brian O’Shea announced Friday.

“The Big Sick” and “Silicon Valley” star will play an idealistic young journalist covering America’s presidential election and the first viable independent candidate poised for a victory. But he soon uncovers a conspiracy that places the fate of the election and the country in his hands.

Amy Rice (“By the People: The Election of Barack Obama”) is directing the thriller that comes from a script that appeared on the Black List by Evan Parter.

Also Read: Kumail Nanjiani Eats Cake and Pizza for First Time Since Getting Ripped for Marvel's 'The Eternals' (Video)

Parter will also produce the film alongside Sam Bisbee and Theodora Dunlap of Park Pictures and Anonymous Content’s Ryan Cunningham.

“It could bring new energy to the market.”

As the Berlinale and Efm kick off one week later than usual today there are growing calls from within the industry for future editions of the festival and market to stick to an end-of-February slot.

Sales agents and producers canvassed by Screen approved of this year’s later start in Berlin, which runs from February 20-March 1 and will not clash with the Oscars after the awards show took place on an uncharacteristically early February 9 slot.

Berlin’s dates created a wider gap between itself and Sundance Film Festival and opened up more...

“It could bring new energy to the market.”

As the Berlinale and Efm kick off one week later than usual today there are growing calls from within the industry for future editions of the festival and market to stick to an end-of-February slot.

Sales agents and producers canvassed by Screen approved of this year’s later start in Berlin, which runs from February 20-March 1 and will not clash with the Oscars after the awards show took place on an uncharacteristically early February 9 slot.

Berlin’s dates created a wider gap between itself and Sundance Film Festival and opened up more...