Sony & SK Global acquire Kevin Kwan’s Sex and Vanity

Following a heated bidding war, the film rights to Crazy Rich Asians trilogy author Kevin Kwan’s latest novel, New York Times bestseller Sex and Vanity, have been acquired by Sony Pictures and SK Global, according to Variety.

RELATED: Crazy Rich Asians Sequels To Film Back-To-Back

The novel, Kwan’s first since his Crazy Rich trilogy concluded in 2017, was published by Doubleday on June 30 and became a smash hit upon release, instantly shooting to the NY Times Bestseller list and garnering rave reviews from critics and fans. The official synopsis reads as follows:

On her very first morning on the jewel-like island of Capri, Lucie Churchill sets eyes on George Zao and she instantly can’t stand him. She can’t stand it when he gallantly offers to trade hotel rooms with her so that she can have a view of the Tyrrhenian Sea, she can’t stand that he knows more about Casa Malaparte than she does, and she really can’t stand it when he kisses her in the darkness of the ancient ruins of a Roman villa and they are caught by her snobbish, disapproving cousin Charlotte. “Your mother is Chinese so it’s no surprise you’d be attracted to someone like him,” Charlotte teases. The daughter of an American-born Chinese mother and a blue-blooded New York father, Lucie has always sublimated the Asian side of herself in favor of the white side, and she adamantly denies having feelings for George. But several years later, when George unexpectedly appears in East Hampton, where Lucie is weekending with her new fiancé, Lucie finds herself drawn to George again. Soon, Lucie is spinning a web of deceit that involves her family, her fiancé, the co-op board of her Fifth Avenue apartment building, and ultimately herself as she tries mightily to deny George entry into her world–and her heart. Moving between summer playgrounds of privilege, peppered with decadent food and extravagant fashion, Sex and Vanity is a truly modern love story, a daring homage to A Room with a View, and a brilliantly funny comedy of manners set between two cultures.

Purchase your copy of the novel here!

“I am overjoyed to be embarking on this cinematic adventure with Sony Pictures and SK Global,” Kwan said in a statement. “Sony Pictures has produced so many of my favorite films over the years, and I am thrilled by Sanford Panitch’s vision for this project. I’m also very excited to be working again with my great friend John Penotti, who responded immediately and passionately to the world I created in Sex and Vanity.”

RELATED: Crazy Rich Asians’ Constance Wu to Star in Rom-Com for Screen Gems

The film adaptation is set to be produced by Kwan and SK Global’s John Penotti, with SK executive Xian Li overseeing the project for the banner while Jiao Chen is the Sony Pictures exec who will oversee the title for the studio.

“Seven years ago Kevin entrusted us (and our producing partners) with his ground-breaking Crazy Rich Asians bestseller, and ever since working with him has been a creative dream,” Penotti said. “With Sex and Vanity he’s once again created a work of magic, crafting a riveting story about love and identity. We instantly fell in love with its heart and humor and are thrilled to partner with him again, as well as with our collaborators at Sony Pictures. Sanford and the team love the book as much as we do, and we are all committed to bringing this story to a global audience.”

SK Global previously worked with Kwan to bring Crazy Rich Asians to life on the big screen in 2018 at Warner Bros., which became a global smash, grossing nearly $240 million on a $30 million budget and receiving rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, garnering two Golden Globe nominations. The studio is currently developing adaptations of the latter installments in the novel trilogy.

(Photo by Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

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The Honeymoon Phase Trailer & Poster From Phillip G. Carroll Jr.

Dark Sky Films has released the official trailer for the sci-fi thriller The Honeymoon Phase from writer and director Phillip G. Carroll Jr. You can check out the trailer in the player below as well as the new poster!

RELATED: Max Minghella to Helm Shell at HBO Max

Down on their luck and needing some quick cash, struggling young lovers Tom and Eve lie about their relationship in order to enter THE MILLENNIUM PROJECT, an experiment for married couples run by the mysterious Director and Handler. With the promise of $50,000, Tom and Eve must survive 30-days isolated together in a futuristic smart home, while the researchers attempt to determine why couples fall out of love. Over the course of their stay, Eve begins a violent descent into madness as she questions if her lover really is the man she thinks he is.

A paranoid sci-fi thriller about the nature of trust in relationships, The Honeymoon Phase is as much classic Twilight Zone as contemporary Black Mirror, and an all-too-terrifying answer to the question, “How well can you ever really know someone?”

The movie stars Jim Schubin (Boardwalk Empire), Chloe Carroll, with Tara Westwood (The Grudge 2020) and Francois Chau (Lost, The Expanse).

RELATED: Tomie Horror Series Adaptation Greenlit at Quibi, Adeline Rudolph to Star

The Honeymoon Phase is produced by Phillip G. Carroll Jr., John G. Carroll, Chloe Carroll, and Jess Weiss and will release in theaters and Digital on August 21.

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Max Minghella to Helm Shell at HBO Max

After making his directorial debut in 2018 with the well-received musical drama Teen Spirit, Max Minghella (The Social Network) is ready to return behind the camera for Jack Stanley’s spec script Shell at HBO Max, according to Deadline.

RELATED: Oscar-Winning Short Film Hair Love Gets Series Order at HBO Max

Though the plot details are currently being kept under wraps, the film is being described as a “satirical horror tale with sci-fi elements set in the health and beauty industry.” The project is going to be produced by Automatik’s Fred Berger (La La Land, Teen Spirit) and Alicia Van Couvering alongside Minghella via his Blank Tape production banner.

In addition to Berger, Couvering and Minghella, the film will also be executive produced by Jamie Bell (Rocketman) and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (In the Shadow of the Moon), who both previously worked with Minghella as executive producers on Teen Spirit.

RELATED: When Katie Met Cassidy: HBO Max Adapting Rom-Com Novel into Film

Stanley most recently helped revise the script for Netflix and Bad Robot’s upcoming thriller Lou starring Allison Janney (I, Tonya) and currently has two scripts on The Black List, Sweetheart and Possession: A Love Story. At one point he was attached to pen the script for a sequel to Josh Trank’s Chronicle in 2014, though that project never materialized.

(Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Bleecker Street)

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Universal’s Nobody Starring Bob Odenkirk Release Date Moved Up

Universal Pictures’ upcoming thriller Nobody starring Emmy winner Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad) will now release in theaters on Friday, February 19, 2021, moving up a week from its February 26, 2021 release date.

RELATED: New Halloween Kills Teaser Released by John Carpenter!

Odenkirk stars as Hutch Mansell, an underestimated and overlooked dad and husband, taking life’s indignities on the chin and never pushing back. A nobody.

When two thieves break into his suburban home one night, Hutch declines to defend himself or his family, hoping to prevent serious violence. His teenage son, Blake (Gage Munroe, The Shack), is disappointed in him and his wife, Becca (Connie Nielsen, Wonder Woman), seems to pull only further away.

The aftermath of the incident strikes a match to Hutch’s long-simmering rage, triggering dormant instincts and propelling him on a brutal path that will surface dark secrets and lethal skills. In a barrage of fists, gunfire and squealing tires, Hutch must save his family from a dangerous adversary (famed Russian actor Aleksey Serebryakov, Amazon’s McMafia)—and ensure that he will never be underestimated as a nobody again.

Nobody is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry), from a script by Derek Kolstad, the narrative architect of the John Wick franchise, and co-stars legendary Emmy winner Christopher Lloyd as Hutch’s father and multi-hyphenate musician-actor RZA as Hutch’s brother, whose own hidden talents aid Hutch in his quest for vengeance.

RELATED: Universal Sets New Release Dates for Candyman, Halloween Kills & More

The film is produced by Kelly McCormick and David Leitch, the filmmakers of Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Deadpool 2, and Atomic Blonde, for their company 87North, by Braden Aftergood (Hell or High Water, Wind River) for his Eighty Two Films, and by Bob Odenkirk and Marc Provissiero (Hulu’s PEN15) for Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment. The film is executive produced by Derek Kolstad, Marc S. Fischer, and Tobey Maguire.

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When Katie Met Cassidy: HBO Max adapting rom-com novel into film

HBO Max has officially acquired the rights to author Camille Perri’s romantic-comedy novel titled When Katie Met Cassidy which is being described as a celebratory queer love story. The streaming service is currently developing a film adaptation of the LGBTQ novel with Perri also signing on to pen the screenplay.

“I’m thrilled to be working with 42 and HBO Max to bring this celebratory queer love story to a mainstream audience,” Perri said in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter). “At a time when popular culture has begun to embrace women taking charge of their sexuality and gender roles, I envision this film capturing the hearts and minds of straight and queer viewers alike.” 

RELATED: HBO Max Renews Legendary for Second Season!

First published in 2018, When Katie Met Cassidy will follow the story of a successful 28-year-old New York City lawyer named Katie Daniels as she tries to mend a broken heart after her fiancé suddenly dumps her. Her life is turned upside down when she meets Cassidy Price, a sexy and self-assured woman. Their undeniable connection makes each of them question everything they thought they knew about sex and love.

Pick up a copy of the book here!

The novel’s official synopsis reads: “At first neither of them knows what to make of the other, but soon their undeniable connection will bring into question everything each of them thought they knew about sex and love.

When Katie Met Cassidy is a romantic comedy about gender and sexuality, and the importance of figuring out who we are in order to go after what we truly want. It’s also a portrait of a high-drama subculture where barrooms may as well be bedrooms, and loyal friends fill in the spaces absent families leave behind. Katie’s glimpse into this wild yet fiercely tightknit community begins to alter not only how she sees the larger world, but also where exactly she fits in.”

The film will be produced by Ben Pugh and Charlie Morrison through their 42 banner. It will also be executive produced by Claudia Shin.

RELATED: New SparkShorts Teaser Previews Pixar’s First LGBTQ+ Lead Character

HBO Max is offering an impressive direct-to-consumer experience with 10,000 hours of premium content including Max Originals, the entire HBO service, together with beloved franchises, titles past and present from WarnerMedia’s deep library of fan favorites including motion picture and TV series from Warner Bros.’ 100-year content collection, New Line, library titles from DC, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, Looney Tunes, a selection of classic films curated in partnership with TCM, and more.

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Sponge on the Run Soundtrack To Be Released by NEON16/Interscope Records

Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon have partnered with NEON16 to bring to life the music from the upcoming animated film The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The Run, with the soundtrack set to be released by NEON16/Interscope Records next year. You can check out a brief tease of the new single out today from the soundtrack, Tainy & J. Balvin’s “Agua,” in the player below!

RELATED: SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run Forgoing Theatrical Release

The film’s soundtrack will include songs by Tyga, Swae Lee, Lil Mosey, Weezer, Snoop Dogg, The Flaming Lips, Kenny G, Cyndi Lauper and more! Spearheaded and executive produced by award-winning producers Tainy and Lex Borrero, NEON16 has curated the official film soundtrack for the next installment in the SpongeBob franchise by bringing together some of the industry’s most prolific and innovative artists to collaborate. NEON16 is a groundbreaking multimedia company and talent incubator that was founded in 2019, by Tainy and Lex, which has experienced immense success within the Latin music and multimedia market.

The film, previously titled It’s a Wonderful Sponge, will be the first 3D computer-animated SpongeBob movie, which is being described as a love letter to SpongeBob’s original creator Steven Hillenburg, who passed away last November, as well as the fans of the show, not to mention the fictional residents of Bikini Bottom.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run will feature a score by Hans Zimmer and original songs by Ali Dee. The film will also be featuring the voices of Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians) and Reggie Watts (Tuca & Bertie). In addtion, pop star legend Cyndi Lauper and co-writer Rob Hyman are working on original songs for the film. It is being produced by Paramount Animation in collaboration with Nickelodeon Movies and United Plankton Pictures.

RELATED: Kamp Koral: SpongeBob SquarePants Spinoff Greenlit by Nickelodeon

Since its debut in 1999, SpongeBob SquarePants has become the most widely distributed property in Viacom International Media Networks history, seen in more than 208 countries and territories, translated in 55+ languages, and averaging more than 100 million total viewers every quarter. This marks the third feature-length Spongebob adventure, after 2004’s The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie, and 2015’s Sponge Out of Water.

The project is being directed by Tim Hill and produced by Ryan Harris with choreography by Mia Michaels and will first debut on VOD and digital platforms in early 2021 followed by exclusive streaming on CBS All Access.

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Let Him Go: Kevin Costner & Diane Lane-led film gets release date

According to Deadline, Focus Features has officially set a new release date for Thomas Bezucha’s forthcoming crime drama film titled Let Him Go. Originally scheduled for an August 21 release, the Kevin Costner and Diane Lane-led movie will now be making its theatrical debut on November 6, 2020. The new release date will see Let Him Go going up against a high-profile competition in the form of Marvel Studios’ Black Widow.

RELATED: Armageddon Time: Focus Features Nearing World Rights Deal for Star-Studded Film

Following the loss of their son, retired sheriff George Blackledge and his wife Margaret leave their Montana ranch to rescue their young grandson from the clutches of a dangerous family living off the grid in the Dakotas, headed by matriarch Blanche Weboy. When they discover the Weboys have no intention of letting the child go, George and Margaret are left with no choice but to fight for their family.

Pick up a copy of the book here!

Let Him Go will be led by two-time Oscar winner Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves) and Oscar nominee Diane Lane (Unfaithful), who first appeared together as Jonathan and Martha Kent in Zack Snyder’s 2013 Man of Steel. It will also feature Lesley Manville, Will Brittain, Jeffrey Donovan, Kayli Carter, and Booboo Stewart.

RELATED: Ben Schnetzer is the New Star of FX’s Y: The Last Man Adaptation

Based on the novel of the same name by Larry Watson, the film is written and directed by Thomas Bezucha (The Family Stone)  Paula Mazur and Mitchell Kaplan of The Mazur Kaplan Company will produce alongside Thomas Bezucha. Kimi Armstrong Stein, Jeffrey Lampert, Kevin Costner, and Rod Lake will executive produce.

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Rating: 

8.5/10

Cast:

Liana Liberato as Emily

Noah Le Gros as Randall

Jake Weber as Mitch

Maryann Nagel as Jane

Written & Directed by Jeffrey A. Brown

Click here to watch The Beach House on Shudder!

The Beach House Review:

It seems easy enough now to look at any film that deals with horrors in the ocean or the cosmic nature of things as purely Lovecraftian but when a film can one-up those elements and become something more disturbing and nerve-wracking, both in tone and sights, that’s when it shows it has the possibility of breaking free of its genre conventions and Jeffrey A. Brown’s The Beach House definitely takes multiple steps in that original direction.

Escaping to his family’s beach house to reconnect, Emily and Randall find their off-season trip interrupted by Mitch and Jane Turner, an older couple acquainted with Randall’s estranged father. Unexpected bonds form as the couples let loose and enjoy the isolation, but it all takes an ominous turn as increasingly strange environmental phenomena begin to warp their peaceful evening. As the effects of an infection become evident, Emily struggles to make sense of the contagion before it’s too late.

Though we’ve seen variations on the central character tropes in other films before, there’s a certain sense of originality regarding their relationships with one another, especially in Emily and Randall. Very rarely does a film, especially in the horror genre, see its twenty-something young characters actually having meaningful lives or problematic relationships, typically showing them as endlessly horny and party-seeking airheads, but Emily and Randall feel like well-written and nicely unique personas for their demographic. The two are not very lovey dovey with each other, noting a few times they’ve been estranged following Randall’s sudden departure from college, even when things get bad they show care for one another, but not in an affectionate sense and more just trying to help their fellow human being survive.

Mitch and Jane are, unfortunately, two of the weaker characters in the film as though they help ramp up the tension in a number of scenes, the writing for them is not nearly as fresh or original as Emily and Randall. The two feel like every out-of-date older person whose eyes got big and whose jaws drop when the prospect of trying edible marijuana is floated to them by the couple they were just drinking wine and eating dinner with moments prior. Jane especially feels too similar to the “aging old white woman” trope on display in far too many horror films of late, simply feeling like her sole existence is to confuse the younger characters as to whether her strange behavior is a side effect of her 200 pill bottles or something far more sinister. While Natalie Erika James’ Relic found a poignant thematic reason to utilize this trope, here it feels like a miscalculated and fairly unoriginal effort.

Minor character criticisms aside, the tension and atmosphere Brown brings to the screen is incredibly palpable, even from the opening moments of the couple silently driving up to the titular locale to the final seconds before cutting to the credits. Though Roly Porter’s score is a nice and chilling affair, Brown expertly keeps it an an underlying element to the film rather than one that scenes are reliant upon to amp up the tension, proving them to be plenty creepy and terrifying on their own.

The scares themselves are a work of art thanks to Brown’s magnetic direction alongside the chilling practical effect work for both the fully-transformed beings and those suffering early on. Though what is seen is not something known to exist, the effects work put into the various organisms feels so unique and authentic it’s as though the filmmakers truly discovered these beings and plucked them from the ocean to terrify the actors. Speaking of actors, the performers all do a relatively good job of keeping their characters as believable and grounded as possible, with Liberato proving to be a plenty compelling and enjoyable protagonist, whose craftiness and ingenuity harken back to that of Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley.

While some of its characters may feel a little unoriginal, The Beach House finds a way to magnificently balance Lovecraftian terror with Lynchian body horror and tense quarantine thrills to create a shocking and mesmerizing outing that also proves Brown to be a talent to watch after this impressive feature debut.

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CS Video: Irresistible interview with writer/director Jon Stewart

ComingSoon.net got the opportunity to chat with five-time Peabody Award winner and 22-time Emmy winner Jon Stewart (The Daily Show) to discuss his latest feature writer/directorial effort Irresistible starring Steve Carrell (Space Force) and Rose Byrne (Mrs. America). Our interview can be viewed in the player below!

RELATED: CS Video: Irresistible Interview with Chris Cooper & Mackenzie Davis!

From writer/director Emmy winner Jon Stewart (Rosewater, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report) comes the comedy of a Democrat political consultant (Steve Carell) who helps a retired ex-Marine colonel (Chris Cooper) run for mayor in a small Wisconsin town.

Click here to rent Irresistible on Premium VOD now!

Irresistible stars Academy Award nominee Steve Carell (Foxcatcher, The Office, Battle of the Sexes), Golden Globe nominee Rose Byrne (Damages, Mrs. America, Spy), Academy Award winner Chris Cooper (Adaptation., August: Osage County, Homecoming), Topher Grace (BlacKkKlansman, Under the Silver Lake, The Hot Zone), Golden Globe nominee Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll, Orange Is the New Black, American Pie), and Mackenzie Davis (Halt and Catch Fire, Terminator: Dark Fate, The Turning).

RELATED: CS Video: Irresistible Interview with Rose Byrne

The movie is produced by Plan B Entertainment, Stewart, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Lila Yacoub and is available on digital platforms now!

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