Film News Roundup: James Wan’s Horror Thriller ‘Malignant’ Gets August Release

Dave McNary

Click here to read the full article.

In today’s film news roundup, James Wan’s “Malignant” gets a late-summer release, a Rita Hayworth documentary is shooting and Women in Animation have announced diversity awards winners.

RELEASE DATE

More from Variety

Warner Bros. has set an Aug. 14 release date for James Wan’s horror thriller “Malignant.”

Wan will direct the movie, based on a story by Wan and Ingrid Bisu. It will shoot in Los Angeles and has been selected for a state tax credit by the California Film Commission.

The film will star Bisou, Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, George Young, Michole Briana White, Jake Abel and Jacqueline McKenzie. Wan and Michael Clear will produce via their Atomic Monster banner. Starlight Media and Midas Innovation will provide financing.

Wan’s directing credits include “Saw,” “The Conjuring,” “The Conjuring 2,” “Furious 7,” and “Aquaman.”

HAYWORTH DOCUMENTARY

Bremedia Produktion GmbH has started filming a documentary on Rita Hayworth from Katja Runge and Henning van Lil.

The film, titled “Rita / Gilda: Glamour & Tragedy of a Hollywood Legend,” is set to include interviews with Robert Wagner, Edward James Olmos, Diane Baker, Millie Perkins, France Nuyen, Constance Towers and Peter Ford. Budd Burton Moss, Hayworth’s last agent, will produce for Bremedia Produktion.

Hayworth’s most famous film was 1946’s “Gilda.” Hayworth made 61 films up until 1972, before she disappeared from the spotlight due to her Alzheimer’s disease. The film will be broadcast for the first time in the second half of 2020 on the German- French cultural channel ARTE.

DIVERSITY AWARDS

Women in Animation will present its diversity awards to Sony Pictures Animation, Netflix’s Melissa Cobb and filmmaker Brenda Lopez for her short film “Abeo.”

The awards will be presented by WIA President Marge Dean on opening night of Spark Animation 2019, which runs Oct. 24-27 in Vancouver.

Sony Pictures Animation is being honored for its support of diverse characters in such films as the Academy Award-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and Matthew A. Cherry’s short film “Hair Love.” Cobb has been chosen as a recipient for her work supporting female creators at Netflix in her role as Netflix’s vice president of original animation.

“Abeo” centers on two immigrants who risked their lives to cross the Arizona desert in search of a better life.

 

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.