Film News Roundup: Charles Roven’s Atlas Entertainment Launches Literary Division
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In today’s film news roundup, Atlas Literary is born, Emily Tosta is cast in Nicolas Cage’s “Wally’s Wonderland” and Netflix confirms it’s closed a deal for Radha Blank’s “The 40-Year-Old Version.”
DIVISION LAUNCH
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Atlas Entertainment is expanding into literary management with the acquisition of HertzbergMedia and launch of Atlas Literary.
Atlas chief Charles Roven and Alex Hertzberg made the announcement Wednesday. Hertzberg will lead the new division as CEO as they focus on literary creators with unique artistic identities and brands.
“Atlas Entertainment has since its inception had the good fortune to manage some of the world’s most talented creative voices both in front of the camera and musically,” Roven said. “These relationships have always enhanced Atlas’ content creation in the motion picture, television and music mediums. We are excited to establish similar relationships in the literary arena. We are thrilled to have Alex, with his depth of experience and stellar clients, as our partner in this new venture. This division is the perfect companion to Atlas Entertainment and Atlas Artists and our unified ability to create holistic content”
Roven’s producing credits include “The Dark Knight” trilogy and “Suicide Squad.”
Atlas Literary’s client list includes Pamela Ribon (“Moana,” “Ralph Breaks the Internet”), Mike Kelley (“Revenge,” “What/If”), Bryan Bertino (“The Blackcoat’s Daughter,” “The Strangers”), Randi Mayem Singer (“Mad About You,” “Mrs. Doubtfire”), Adria Lang (“You,” “American Gods”), Diane Ademu-John (“Haunting of Bly Manor,” “Empire”), Caryn Lucas (“Country Comfort,” “Miss Congeniality”), Linda Mendoza (“Harlem,” “Blackish”) and Katherine Fugate (“Christy Martin,” “Army Wives”).
CASTING
Emily Tosta (“Party of Five,” “Mayans M.C.”) has been cast as the rebellious teenage lead in Nicolas Cage’s upcoming feature “Wally’s Wonderland,” directed by Kevin Lewis.
Tosta’s character Liv joins Cage’s character The Janitor in their bid to survive a hellish night trapped inside an abandoned family entertainment center populated by possessed animatronics. Rounding out the cast are Beth Grant, Ric Reitz and Chris Warner (“Machete”).
Production is underway in Atlanta. Foresight Unlimited is handling worldwide sales and will present the film at the European Film Market later this month.
“I’m so excited to be working with Nicolas Cage, who has always been one of my favorite actors, in this totally fun and unique feature film,” said Tosta.
Landmark Studio Group has joined Landafar Entertainment, JD Entertainment, Saturn Films and Screen Media Ventures to produce the film in association with Baffin Media Limited with the support of Great Point Media.
ACQUISITION
Netflix has acquired worldwide rights to Radha Blank’s “The 40-Year-Old Version,” which won the Sundance Film Festival directing award in the U.S. Dramatic competition.
Blank portrays a frustrated playwright who becomes a rapper alter-ego named RadhaMUSprime. The project marks Blank’s feature film directorial debut
“The 40-Year-Old Version” will be in theaters and on Netflix later this year. Netflix did not confirm reports last week that it was in talks to buy the film.
“It took years of trying to get this film made,” Blank said. “It’s my love letter to NY and its struggling artists as well as the NY artistic institutions that raised me — Hip Hop and Theater. I made this film in the spirit of the great NY auteurs who came before me but from an angle not often seen. I’m so very proud of the artisans, many from New York, who helped me craft this movie with such loving and capable hands. As a new member of the Netflix family, I’m excited about the global audience that this film will reach.”
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