News

The Writers Guild of America West has unveiled the 18 candidates running for seats on the guild’s board of directors.

The election will be held next month during a voting period that runs Sept. 5-24. Voting materials will be distributed to guild members on Aug. 30.

The candidates are 13 new contenders and five incumbent members seeking two-year terms. As per WGA West’s rules, the listing of the candidates is presented in an order determined by lot.

Courtney Lilly Deric A. Hughes (incumbent) Chris Hazzard Maggie Levin Justin Halpern (incumbent) Ron Rappaport Deborah Pratt Danny Tolli Stefanie Leder Joelle Garfinkel Melinda Hsu Jeffrey Thompson Rich Talarico Raphael Bob-Waksberg (incumbent) Thomas Mignone Travis Donnelly (incumbent) John Rogers (incumbent) Jackie Penn

The guild’s board election will be closely watched for signs of next-generation leaders emerging at the union, which went on strike for 148 days last year. Last year, veteran showrunner Meredith Stiehm...

The Writers Guild of America West unveiled the finalists for its 2024 Board of Directors election on Tuesday.

There are 18 candidates running to fill eight open seats are: Courtney Lilly, Deric A. Hughes (inc.), Chris Hazzard, Maggie Levin, Justin Halpern (inc.), Ron Rappaport, Deborah Pratt, Danny Tolli, Stefanie Leder, Joelle Garfinkel, Melinda Hsu, Jeffrey Thompson, Rich Talarico, Raphael Bob-Waksberg (inc.), Thomas Mignone, Travis Donnelly (inc.), John Rogers (inc.), Jackie Penn.

Only one candidate selected by the Wgaw Nominating Committee did not make it to the final round.

Wgaw members should receive voting materials on August 30, with the voting period from September 5 through September 24 at 12:00 p.m. Pt.

In addition to the candidates selected by the Guild’s Nominating Committee, eligible members may also be nominated by petition. Members seeking nomination for the Board of Directors must obtain 15 member signatures in support of their petitions. The deadline for submitting signed petitions...

The Writers Guild of America West Nominating Committee revealed the candidates for its 2024 board of directors on Friday.

The 19 members vying for eight open seats are: Courtney Lilly, Deric A. Hughes (inc.), Chris Hazzard, Maggie Levin, Justin Halpern (inc.), Ron Rappaport, Deborah Pratt, Danny Tolli, Stefanie Leder, Joelle Garfinkel, Melinda Hsu, Jeffrey Thompson, Juan Carlos Fernandez, Rich Talarico, Raphael Bob-Waksberg (inc.), Thomas Mignone, Travis Donnelly (inc.), John Rogers (inc.), Jackie Penn.

Voting will go through September 24 at 12 p.m. Pt, and members should expect to receive voting materials and information about candidates on August 30.

In addition to the candidates selected by the Guild’s Nominating Committee, eligible members may also be nominated by petition. Members seeking nomination for the Board of Directors must obtain 15 member signatures in support of their petitions. The deadline for submitting signed petitions to the Wgaw is July 23 at 12 p.m. Pt.

Archstone Entertainment has acquired international rights to multiple pictures produced by the Todd Slater and Brandon Evans-run Convoke Media and Brick Lane Entertainment.

They include “Succubus,” which was written and directed by R.J. Daniel Hanna (“Hard Miles”) and stars Ron Perlman and Rosanna Arquette. The film follows a new father in a failing marriage who joins a dating app and matches with a beautiful but mysterious woman. He is completely entranced by her allure until her powers of seduction and manipulation entangle him in unexpected ways. The cast also includes Brendan Bradley, Rachel Cook, Olivia Applegate, Derek Smith and Emily Kincaid. Producers are Slater, Ari Novak and Anna Elizabeth James.

Shout! Studios has secured all distribution rights in North America to “Succubus,” including theatrical, digital, video-on-demand and home entertainment for cross-platform releases.

Thomas Mignone’s “Queen of Manhattan” is a biographical drama that tells the true life story of adult star Vanessa Del Rio.

Exclusive: Annette Bening has been tapped to narrate the documentary War Unfolding from Sypher Studios, with Eliza Bennett, Rachel Bloom, Gary Cole, Abigail Cowen, Laura Dern, Monique Edwards, Michael C. Hall, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Paul Walter Hauser, Thurn Hoffman, Richard T. Jones, Jay Lee, Erick Lopez, Sandra Seacat, Wes Studi and DeWanda Wise among those set to appear in the film from director John B. Benitz.

Based on three New York Times bestselling books by historian Andrew Carroll and inspired by the stage play If All the Sky Were Paper, the film tells the story of Carroll, who travels the world to seek out the greatest war letters ever written. Over the past 25 years, he has preserved more than 200,000 correspondences from troops, veterans and their families, dating from the American Revolution to the present day. The letters, performed in filmed readings by War Unfolding’s cast, capture unvarnished stories and...

Exclusive: Ryan Phillippe (MacGruber), Mireille Enos (Hanna), Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks) and Taryn Manning (Orange Is the New Black) are the latest additions to Michelle Danner’s courtroom drama, Miranda’s Victim. They join an ensemble led by Abigail Breslin, which also includes Luke Wilson, Andy Garcia and Donald Sutherland, as previously announced.

The film will tell the true story of Trish Weir (Breslin), who in 1963 was kidnapped and brutally raped by Ernesto Miranda. Committed to putting her assailant in prison, Trish’s life is destroyed by America’s legal system as she triggers a law that transforms the nation. Her case notably results in the establishment of the Miranda rights afforded to criminal suspects taken in police custody, to ensure the admissibility of statements made during interrogation, as part of subsequent criminal proceedings.

Phillippe will play the ACLU lawyer Flynn, who successfully argues in front of the Supreme Court...

Drama explores the life of legendary adult film star Vanessa Del Rio.

LA-based TriCoast Worldwide has boarded global sales rights for Thomas Mignone’s The Latin From Manhattan.

It stars Shane West, Taryn Manning, Drea Matteo and Esai Morales, and is screening in the Cannes market.

Mignone also wrote the screenplay for the feature, which explores the life of legendary adult film star Vanessa Del Rio, set against the backdrop of mob-run Times Square in the 1970s and ’80s.

The cast includes Elizabeth Rodriguez, Vivian Lamolli, Jesse Metcalfe, Joshua Malina and Rainey Qualley.

Following its Cannes market debut, The Latin From Manhattan...

Ex-NFL defensive end Jared Odrick and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri actor Michael Aaron Milligan have joined the Sylvester Stallone-starring thriller, Samaritan, which has Overlord director Julius Avery at the helm. Other cast includes Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton, Pilou Asbæk, Dascha Polanco, Martin Starr, and Moises Arias. Currently shooting in Atlanta, the pic centers on a young boy (Walton) who is out to discover if a mythic superhero, who vanished 20 years earlier following a tragic event, is still alive. The film is based on an original idea by Bragi F. Schut, who penned the screenplay with additional writing from Mark L. Smith, Zak Penn, and Chuck MacLean. Stallone and Braden Aftergood of Balboa Productions are producing the film, the first for their company. Schut will serve as an executive producer. MGM is releasing the film on December 11 via their United Artists Releasing banner in the U.S. and outside the U.

In today’s film news roundup, Jesse Metcalfe joins “The Latin From Manhattan,” Judith Light is honored and Franklin Leonard and Hayden Schlossberg are added to the speakers list for the Produced By Conference.

Casting

Jesse Metcalfe will portray a federal agent in the independent biopic “The Latin From Manhattan,” joining Esai Morales, Drea De Matteo and Taryn Manning.

The movie, based on the life of adult film star Vanessa Del Rio, is scheduled to shoot in Los Angeles this summer. Vivian Lamolli is portraying Del Rio, the world’s first Latina adult star. The film explores Del Rio’s roller-coaster life, first as a street walker and burlesque dancer who then becomes one of the most popular sex stars of the VHS era.

The project is being produced by Yulia Safonova for Doom Incorporated and directed by Thomas Mignone, who also wrote the script. Executive producers are Edward Kahl and Nidal Kahl.

Casting update on the Vanessa del Rio biopic we've been tracking since the initial announcement in 2013... The movie will chronicle the porn star’s career set against the backdrop of NYC's then gritty organized crime-controlled Times Square, during the tumultuous 1970s & 1980s. Produced by Datari Turner, and to be directed by Thomas Mignone, best known for his previous feature film "On The Doll," as well as several award-winning music videos for bands like Slipknot, Mudvayne, System Of A Down, and Sepultura, the del Rio production will star Zulay Henao in the title role. We can now add RZA (who I'm sure you all know),...

Just Jim

Emile Hirsch ("Into the Wild," "Lone Survivor") is set to star in "Just Jim," directorial debut of "Submarine" and "Neighbors" actor Craig Roberts, which begins filming in Wales this week.

Roberts plays a teenage loser who life is turned around by the appearance of an enigmatic, handsome neighbour (Hirsch). Aneirin Hughes, Nia Roberts, Richard Harrington and Matthew Aubrey also star. [Source: Screen]

Fast and Furious 7

Rapper Iggy Azalea is set to cameo in the upcoming seventh "Fast and Furious" film at Universal Pictures. Vin Diesel revealed the news during an interview with France's Skyrock FM. Diesel said:

"Well, Iggy Azalea, I just worked with her two weeks ago. I guess you'll be the first person that knows this - we casted her in Fast & Furious 7. She has a cameo in Fast & Furious 7." [Source: Billboard]

Zoom

Gael Garcia Bernal, Jason Priestley, Mariana Ximenes and Alison Pill have joined the cast of Pedro Morelli...

A year ago, we alerted you to a Vanessa del Rio biopic that was in development at the time, titled "The Amazing Life of Vanessa del Rio," which the producers described as "Boogie Nights" meets "Taxi Driver." The movie will chronicle the porn star’s career set against the backdrop of NYC's then gritty organized crime-controlled Times Square, during the tumultuous 1970s & 1980s. To be directed by Thomas Mignone, best known for his previous feature film "On The Doll," starring Brittany Snow and James Russo, as well as several award-winning music videos for bands...

• Universal has found its last two members for the N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton directed by F. Gary Gray (The Italian Job). Aldis Hodge (Leverage) will play Mc Ren and Neil Brown Jr. (The Walking Dead) will be DJ Yella, joining previously announced stars O’Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, and Jason Mitchell as Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, and Eazy-e respectively. The film is set for a Aug. 14, 2015 release with Ice Cub and Dr. Dre serving as producers. [THR]

• Zulay Henao (The Single Moms Club) will play adult film legend Vanessa del Rio in an untitled biopic. The project...

Zulay Henao, who co-starred in Tyler Perry's The Single Moms Club, has signed on to portray Vanessa del Rio in an untitled biopic centering on the adult film legend. The indie will mark the feature directorial debut of Thomas Mignone, a music video director for such bands as Mudvayne and Slipknot. Mignone also wrote the script. Photos Hollywood's 100 Favorite Films Datari Turner (Kilimanjaro) and Arthur Sarkissian, best known for the Rush Hour movies, are producing the drama, which is eyeing a production start in October and will shoot in Los Angeles and New York. With the cheap, crime-

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