Film News Roundup: ‘Armstrong’ Doc Set for Release on 50th Anniversary of Moon Landing
In today’s film news roundup, a Neil Armstrong documentary and “The Invisible Man” get release dates, “Forrest Gump” and “Saving Private Ryan” get re-released and Patrick Fugit gets cast.
RELEASE DATES
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Gravitas Ventures has bought worldwide rights to the Neil Armstrong documentary “Armstrong” and will open the film on July 12 in theaters and on demand, Variety has learned exclusively.
“Armstrong,” featuring the voice of Harrison Ford, is directed by David Fairhead (“Spitfire” and “Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo”), and produced by Gareth Dodds and Keith Haviland (“The Last Man on the Moon”). The film will open eight days before the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.
“Armstrong” will include never-before-seen family home-movie footage and photos, showcasing Armstrong’s service as a fighter pilot in Korea, his test-pilot days, and the Gemini 8 and Apollo 11 missions.
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Universal Pictures has set a March 13, 2020, release date for “The Invisible Man,” starring Elisabeth Moss and Storm Reid.
The thriller will shoot in Sydney, Australia, beginning in July with Leigh Whannell directing, writing and executive producing. Whannell wrote, directed and executive produced the 2018 sci-fi thriller “Upgrade,” and wrote and produced “Insidious: The Last Key.” Producers are Jason Blum for his Blumhouse Productions and Kylie Du Fresne for Goalpost Pictures.
The original “The Invisible Man” was based on H. G. Wells’ science fiction novel. Produced by Universal Pictures, the film stars Claude Rains and Gloria Stuart. The new movie is a co-production of Goalpost Pictures Australia and Blumhouse Productions, in association with Nervous Tick, for Universal Pictures.
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Fathom Events and Paramount Pictures have scheduled June showings at over 600 North American locations for Tom Hanks titles “Saving Private Ryan” and “Forrest Gump.”
“Saving Private Ryan” plays June 2 and 5, in honor of the 75th anniversary of D-Day. “Forrest Gump” screens June 23 and 25, and celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. All presentations screen at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. local time.
“Saving Private Ryan” stars Hanks, Edward Burns, Matt Damon and Tom Sizemore. The Steven Spielberg pic — the highest-grossing film of 1998 — recreates the D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944.
“Forrest Gump,” directed by Robert Zemeckis, was the top-grossing film of 1994. Starring Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson and Sally Field, the movie won six Academy Awards, including best picture, director and actor.
CASTINGS
Patrick Fugit, Ingrid Sophie Schram and Owen Campbell have joined the cast of Jon Cuartas’ “My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To,” Variety has learned exclusively.
Principal photography began Monday in Salt Lake City. The film is executive produced by Kenny Riches and Matt Wigham, financed by Dualist, and produced by Anthony Pedone, Jesse Brown and Ian Peterson in association with Film Exchange.
The story centers on a family of recluses who will do anything to keep their sickly, younger brother (Campbell) alive. The middle-born son (Fugit), however, wants nothing more than to escape their cyclical nightmare.
Fugit was most recently seen in Damien Chazelle’s “First Man.” He first came to prominence as the star of “Almost Famous.” Schram appeared in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Phantom Thread.” Campbell recurred on FX’s “The Americans.”
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