Film News Roundup: Benedict Cumberbatch’s ‘Current War’ Set for August Release
In today’s film news roundup, the long-stalled “Current War” gets a release, Todd Rundgren makes his feature film debut and AMC’s Adam Aron saw a pay hike last year.
ACQUISITION
Related stories
Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth Join Sam Mendes World War I Drama '1917'
'Traitors' Producer 42 Hires Literary Manager Eugenie Furniss
David Glasser’s 101 Studios has bought North American distribution to the long-shelved “The Current War,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Shannon.
The film, which premiered at the 2017 Toronto Film Festival, was to be distributed later that year by The Weinstein Company but was shelved following the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations. 101 Studios bought the rights from Lantern Entertainment, which handled the TWC assets, and is planning an August release.
The film presents the story of the “war of the currents” between Edison and Westinghouse over which electrical system would power the modern world. Cumberbatch stars as Thomas Edison while Shannon portrays George Westinghouse. Nicholas Hoult stars as Nicola Tesla.
Director Gomez-Rejon has added five additional scenes and cut 10 minutes from the version that premiered in Toronto. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.
RELEASE DATE
Cleopatra Entertainment has set an April 23 VOD release for its production, “The 27 Club,” a supernatural rock ’n roll horror-thriller.
Patrick Fogarty directed from a script he wrote with Joe Flanders and Michael Lynn. The film features Todd Rundgren in his feature film debut alongside Maddisyn Carter, John Hennigan, Eugene Henderson, Zach Paul Brown, and Gogo Lomo-David.
The film explores why Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Kurt Cobain all died at the age of 27 as an aspiring singer and a journalism student find themselves trapped in an evil underworld that takes artists’ souls as payment for eternal fame.
AMC SALARY
AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron received a 27% hike in compensation to $9.5 million in 2018, up from $7.4 million in 2017.
The figures were disclosed Tuesday in the company’s proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Aron received $5.5 million in stock awards last year and a base salary of $1.1 million. He received $2.9 million in incentive plan compensation last year, up from $726,000 in 2017.
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
