Film News Roundup: Ryan Reynolds’ Michael Bay Film ‘6 Underground’ Wraps Production
In today’s film news roundup, shooting has wrapped on Ryan Reynolds’ “6 Underground,” BAFTA LA names new board members, and the WGA East honors longtime exec Randall Jasta.
PRODUCTION
Michael Bay’s Ryan Reynolds-starrer “6 Underground” has wrapped production.
Netflix and Skydance Media completed principal photography in Abu Dhabi on the action-adventure, which reportedly carries a $125 million budget. The film also stars Mélanie Laurent, Corey Hawkins, Adria Arjona, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ben Hardy, Lior Raz, Payman Maadi, and Dave Franco.
The movie is being produced by Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger, along with Bay and Ian Bryce. It’s based on an original idea from “Deadpool” writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Details of the plot have been kept under wraps.
“Making this movie was an experience I will never forget,” Reynolds said on Tuesday. “I was impressed with the local crew and artisans we’ve met throughout our journey. Together we’ve made an exciting movie with equal parts action and humor that will appeal to a diverse audience.”
The film is currently in post-production in the United States and is slated for release on Netflix in 2019.
BOARD APPOINTMENTS
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has elected members to its board of directors in Los Angeles, with Sony TV executive Kathryn Busby named chair of BAFTA Los Angeles.
Busby will succeed Kieran Breen, president of international marketing for 20th Century Fox International, who has reached his term limit. Karl Stewart, president and co-founder of 1TwentyFour, will take on Busby’s previous role of deputy chair.
Joining the board in 2019 are entertainment strategist Louise Chater, actor and producer Alexa Jago, WME agent Melissa Myers, and Netflix’s Nina Wolarsky. They will join current board members Phil Cross (treasurer), Gary Goldberger (secretary), Adam Bialow, Tara Halloran, Sandro Monetti, and Roy Taylor.
AWARDS
The Writers Guild of America East has selected Randall Jansta as the recipient of its Richard B. Jablow Award for devoted service to the guild.
He will be honored at the 71st Annual Writers Guild Awards on Feb. 17. The Jablow Award was established in 1978 to recognize dedicated service in honor of Richard B. Jablow, who helped found the WGA East, authored its constitution, and served as its first counsel. Past recipients include Michael Winship, Warren Leight, and James Schamus.
Jansta began work at the WGA West in 1980, and became an assistant administrator and production manager of the publication Written By. He joined the staff of the WGA East in 1999 as a dues administrator before accepting the position of audit and collections administrator.
“I learned from my late father-in-law, Oliver Crawford, one of the few blacklisted writers whose career was able to recover, about the financial difficulties of screen and television writers,” Jansta said. “With a compassion for their craft, and the support of the executives, especially here in the East, I was able to help so many writers with the financial process while having the pleasure of hearing their personal stories.”
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