Latest news with #It'sNeverOver
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Magnolia Pictures Acquires U.S. Rights To ‘It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley,' Amy Berg's Documentary On Late Ethereal-Voiced Musician
EXCLUSIVE: Magnolia Pictures has landed U.S. rights to It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Amy Berg's portrait of the late musician who developed an adoring fan base before his untimely death at the age of 30. Magnolia plans to release the film theatrically (available in Dolby Atmos) on August 8. The documentary, which enjoys a 100 percent critics approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, will premiere on HBO and stream on HBO Max this winter, as part of the Music Box series created by Bill Simmons. More from Deadline Director Amy Berg On Her Jeff Buckley Documentary: Late Singer-Songwriter 'Brought So Much Love And Authenticity To His Music' – Sundance Studio 'The Case Against Adnan Syed' Director Amy Berg Strikes First-Look Deal With Fremantle New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern Docu 'Prime Minister' Acquired By Magnolia, HBO Docu Films & CNN Films After Prize-Winning Sundance Bow 'Told through never-before-seen footage from Buckley's archives and intimate accounts from his mother Mary Guibert, former partners Rebecca Moore and Joan Wasser, Jeff's former bandmates, including Michael Tighe and Parker Kindred, and luminaries like Ben Harper and Aimee Mann, It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley illuminates one of modern music's most influential and enigmatic figures,' notes a release. 'His only studio album, Grace, was released to astounding reviews and challenged conventional ideas of genre and gender. His intimate and influential cover of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' further catapulted him to fame. Still, under pressure to produce his second album, he retreated to Memphis to escape the spotlight and the ever-growing glare of the public eye. In a tragic accident, Buckley drowned in the Wolf River in Memphis in 1997, leaving behind an unfinished second album and a legion of devastated family, friends and fans.' Magnolia Pictures co-CEOs Eamonn Bowles and Dori Begley said in a statement, 'With only one studio album, Jeff Buckley became a legend. Amy Berg has captured his brilliance and complexity in this incandescent film that no true fan can miss.' Berg's credits include the Academy Award-nominated Deliver Us From Evil (2006); West of Memphis (2012); Prophet's Prey (2015); the Emmy-nominated docuseries The Case Against Adnan Syed (2019), and Janis: Little Girl Blue, her 2015 documentary about iconic singer Janis Joplin. 'I've spent practically my entire career trying to make this film which takes a very intimate look at one of the greatest singers and songwriters of all time,' Berg commented. 'I'm so excited Magnolia and HBO have come onboard to share this film with the world and give old fans and new audiences a chance to experience Jeff from this unique vantage point. I couldn't imagine a better team to roll this into the world!' A Topic Studios and Fremantle Film, It's Never Over: Jeff Buckley is produced by Ryan Heller (A Real Pain), Christine Connor (Nuclear Family), Mandy Chang (The Mona Lisa Curse), Matthew Roozen (A Mouthful Of Air), Jennie Bedusa (The Space Within) and Amy Berg. Executive producers are Mary Guibert, Alison Raykovich, Brian A. Kates, Michael Bloom, Jennifer Westin, Maria Zuckerman, Brad Pitt, and Ian Stratford. 'Working with Amy on this labor of love has been a gift,' said Topic Studios' Ryan Heller and Christine Connor. 'And we are delighted that our friends at Magnolia and HBO are joining us to help ensure that Jeff's remarkable story reaches the widest possible audience.' Mark Reynolds, Global Head of Documentaries & Factual, Fremantle, noted, 'We are delighted to have partnered with Amy Berg and Topic Studios on this deeply human and beautifully made film – with such intimate recollections of an artist who continues to inspire – honoring Jeff's legacy with the care and reverence it deserves. We're equally excited to be collaborating with Magnolia as our North American distributor to help share this powerful story with audiences.' The acquisition deal was negotiated by Magnolia Pictures SVP of Acquisitions John Von Thaden, with Submarine's Josh Braun, Dan Braun and Matt Burke on behalf of the filmmakers. It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to screen at festivals around the world including CPH:DOX in Copenhagen, the Sydney Film Festival in Australia, the Provincetown International Film Festival and Nantucket Film Festival – both in Massachusetts. Musician Ben Harper, who as noted above appears in the documentary, became friends with Buckley after they met at a rock festival in France. In an interview with Deadline at Sundance, he told us about the power of Buckley's voice. 'You just hadn't heard anything like it until he came along. It was as singular an instrument as has existed in the world of sound. As powerful and raw, it was equally as vulnerable and fragile. And to have those two counterpoints all within the same instrument was just something unheard of… To be that raw, but that elegant at the same time, and to be that powerful yet that fragile at the same time was just shocking.' At Sundance, Berg shared more about her long effort to make the Buckley documentary. 'I finally met up with Mary [Guibert, Jeff Buckley's mom] in 2010, but she didn't give me the rights for another nine years,' she told Deadline. 'But every time I finished a film, I would reach out to Mary. She did share the archive with me back then, and I was blown away by the voicemail messages and the DAT recordings and his candor, and I just kept at it. I always wanted to tell a love story about Jeff because he brought so much love and authenticity to his music. So, I chose people that had a real deep connection with him to be in the film. It's a love story that simply transcends time. ' Best of Deadline List Of Hollywood & Media Layoffs From Paramount To Warner Bros Discovery To CNN & More 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Revealing Jeff Buckley Doc, ‘It's Never Over,' to Arrive This Summer
A new documentary, It's Never Over: Jeff Buckley, which examines the life of the late singer-songwriter, will open in movie theaters on Aug. 8. An HBO premiere will follow this winter. The film, by director Amy Berg (Phoenix Rising, West of Memphis), features never-before-seen footage from Buckley's archives. His mother, Mary Culbert, and former partners Rebecca Moore and Joan Wasser gave new interviews for the picture. It also includes commentary from Buckley's former bandmates, Michael Tighe and Parker Kindred, as well as singer-songwriters Ben Harper and Aimee Mann. More from Rolling Stone 'It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley' Pays Tribute to One of the Greatest Singers Ever Jeff Buckley's Mom Finally Explains Why That Brad Pitt Biopic Never Happened Questlove's Sly Stone Documentary to Premiere at 2025 Sundance 'I've spent practically my entire career trying to make this film, which takes a very intimate look at one of the greatest singers and songwriters of all time,' Berg said in a statement. 'I'm so excited Magnolia and HBO have come on board to share this film with the world and give old fans and new audiences a chance to experience Jeff from this unique vantage point.' The film looks at how he followed in the footsteps of his father, singer-songwriter Tim Buckley — who died at age 28 when Jeff was 8 — and launched his own music career, signing to Columbia Records. A concert recording, Live at Sin-é, came out in 1993, and Buckley's sole studio album, Grace, came out in August 1994, three years before his death at age 30. His own legacy has grown ever since. When the film premiered at Sundance in January, Rolling Stone wrote that the picture 'does justice to [Buckley's] legacy.' 'Buckley's mother, Mary Guibert, has been extremely protective over her son and his songs, but she's opened up the vaults for Berg's film,' the review said. 'There are pictures of Buckley as a chubby, smiling baby, and rocking a metalhead shag mullet as a teen; clips of him playing in high school bands, glimpses into notebooks filled with an elegant scrawl that you can only describe as Buckleyesque. Music from every phase of his career, in both rough-demo and finished form, plays over the soundtrack, along with voicemail messages — including the last one he left his mom — and recording session banter. Rarities abound, which makes this feel as much like an archive tour as a movable scrapbook.' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Axios
08-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
5 Sundance Film Festival flicks we loved this year
It's a wrap on the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and we're highlighting our favorite films. How to watch: A few of these films will soon hit theaters or streaming platforms. " The Alabama Solution" The harrowing documentary details allegations of horrifying conditions in Alabama's state prison system. Inmates risked their lives to secretly capture footage, working with the film's directors, Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman. What they're saying:"What we learned in making the film is just how secretive the prison system is," Jarecki told a Salt Lake City audience. "We're hoping the film pulls back the veil of secrecy." What's next: The documentary will stream on Max. " Together" Screams, laughter and gasps filled the theater during this romantic horror and comedy starring real-life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie. The intrigue: The gory movie follows a couple on the rocks who move to a quiet town and encounter a supernatural force that takes control of their bodies. By the numbers: The film's worldwide rights sold to Neon for over $15 million after an aggressive bidding war, Deadline reported. " Omaha" Filmed in Utah by local director Cole Webley, the family drama centers around a father who takes his two children on an unexpected road trip amid tragedy. " It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley" The documentary explores the life of the late, angel-voiced musician Jeff Buckley, recounted by the women who loved him. Trigger warning: It will be difficult to keep your eyes dry by the end of the film. " Didn't Die" The black and white dry horror-comedy is told from the perspective of a podcaster and her family who survive a zombie apocalypse. What they're saying: "Writer-director Meera Menon's low-budget thriller is an homage to zombie pioneer George Romero and a moving drama about the emotional toll of living through civilizational crisis," per the film's description.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brad Pitt Wanted to Play Jeff Buckley in a Biopic but the Musician's Mom Nixed It — Here's Why
Brad Pitt once explored the possibility of starring in a biopic about Jeff Buckley, a talented and promising musician who died in 1997 at the age of 30. Buckley's mother, Mary Guibert, has revealed that the Wolfs star, 61, asked her for permission to create the biopic after inviting her to his 2000 wedding to Jennifer Aniston, which she quickly granted. 'If there's 20 people calling you, and Brad Pitt is one of them, who are you gonna pick to go see?' Guibert told Variety with a laugh, though she admitted that she was still hesitant to go through with the movie. ''We're going to dye your hair, put brown contact lenses on those baby blues, and you're going to open your mouth and Jeff's voice is going to come out?' she recalled asking Pitt. Related: Michael Jackson Biopic Needs Major Reshoots After Discovery of Past Legal Agreement with Molestation Accuser: Report Guibert said the pair stayed in touch over the years — even after she ultimately made the decision to not go ahead with the biopic idea and instead make a documentary to honor the life of her only son, who is best known for his cover of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' and the 1994 album Grace. During the process of making the documentary, Guibert said she had Pitt's support, as he helped to preserve all of Buckley's belongings and bring it to a digital space. He even became a producer on the film, called It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley, per Variety. She also had the help of director Amy Berg — best-known for her documentary work on West of Memphis — who took on the project. She told Variety that she shared Guibert's vision for the film. 'Once I started listening to his voicemail messages and his DAP player and demos and reading his journals, I just couldn't imagine it being anything but a documentary,' Berg explained. 'I just didn't know how you could kind of replicate Jeff in that scripted sense.' Related: Paying Tribute to the Celebrities Who Have Died in 2024 One of the things the new documentary will shed light on is Buckley's death. Berg told Variety that there was an idea that 'Jeff probably overdosed, which was far from the truth,' noting that his death was attributed to drowning in a Memphis river. She said the late singer's legacy is one which transcends time. 'One of the great things about Jeff Buckley is you discover him when you're meant to discover him,' Berg said. 'He has definitely made a big impact on TikTok, where I was surprised to see that he has more followers on the Jeff Buckley hashtag than even Bob Dylan. He's definitely having another moment in pop culture history.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 24. Read the original article on People
The Independent
27-01-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Brad Pitt wanted to play Jeff Buckley in biopic but the musician's mother said no
Jeff Buckley 's mother has revealed Brad Pitt once approached her about starring in a biopic about her son. The musician died in 1997 before his second album was complete. He was recording Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk, which would be released posthumously in 1998, when a swimming accident took his life. He was 30-years-old. Pitt, 61, asked Buckley's mother, Mary Guibert, for permission to create the biopic in 2000 after inviting her to his wedding to Jennifer Aniston, a request she initially granted before later changing her mind. Speaking to Variety, Guibert joked: 'If there's 20 people calling you, and Brad Pitt is one of them, who are you gonna pick to go see?' However, the musician's mother admitted she became reluctant to go through with the project, later asking the actor: ''We're going to dye your hair, put brown contact lenses on those baby blues, and you're going to open your mouth and Jeff's voice is going to come out?' Guibert said she and Pitt remained in touch even after she made the decision not to go ahead with the film. The Fight Club star subsequently acted as executive producer on Amy Berg's forthcoming Buckley documentary It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival last week. Of her decision to make a documentary rather than a narrative feature about Buckley, Berg said: 'Once I started listening to his voicemail messages and his DAP player and demos and reading his journals, I just couldn't imagine it being anything but a documentary. 'I just didn't know how you could kind of replicate Jeff in that scripted sense,' she added. In recent years, Buckley has gained fans from younger generations on TikTok. His song 'Lover, You Should've Come Over' is particularly popular and has been used in thousands of videos on the platform. 'One of the great things about Jeff Buckley is you discover him when you're meant to discover him,' Berg said. 'He's definitely having another moment in pop culture history.' Back in 2016, Guibert told The Independent what she thinks the world could have expected from her son if he had not passed away so prematurely. 'If Jeff had lived, he would now be on a level with Bono,' she said. 'He would have toured the world and had a lifelong career, and at the end of it, he would have been that guy sitting in a wheelchair with the microphone specially lowered six inches, so that we could all hear him sing 'Hallelujah' one more time.'
