Latest news with #JustPlayDead
New Indian Express
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Samuel L Jackson and Eva Green on board Just Play Dead
Samuel L Jackson is teaming up with Eva Green for Just Play Dead, reports Variety. The thriller also stars Maria Pedraza in a starring role. Just Play Dead centres around a wealthy criminal, Jack Wolfe, and his wife, Nora. Jack plans to claim the insurance payout that he will get after faking his death, as he is cornered by US Federal Agents. He plans to frame Nora's lover Chad for his murder, while Nora plans to kill Jack and frame Chad for his murder so that she can keep the money for herself. Samuel L Jackson is known for his role as Nick Fury in various projects in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He also starred in Pulp Fiction and Die Hard With a Vengeance. Eva Green starred as Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale, which was Daniel Craig's first outing as James Bond. Maria Pedraza is known for her roles in Money Heist and Elite. Gary Fleder directs Just Play Dead, which is written by Dan Gordon. Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier are serving as executive producers for the film, under the Highland Films Group banner. Moshe Diamant, Sagiv Diamant, Valentin Dimitrov, Phil Hunt, and Gaby Whyte Hart are the producers on the film. Just Play Dead is backed by Head Gear Films and Gemstones Films.
Geek Tyrant
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Green and Maria Pedraza to Star in Thriller Feature JUST PLAY DEAD Set to Sell at Cannes — GeekTyrant
Actors Samuel L. Jackson ( Pulp Fiction , The Avengers ), Eva Green ( Casino Royale ), and Maria Pedraza ( Money Heist ) have been hired to star in the upcoming thriller Just Play Dead . The film is being directed by Gary Fleder ( Homefront , Runaway Jury , Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead ) and written by Dan Gordon ( Rambo: Last Blood , The Hurricane ). Highland Film Group is handling international sales rights and launching the film in Cannes. In Just Play Dead , when wealthy criminal mastermind Jack Wolfe (Jackson) is cornered by the Feds, he plans to fake his own death and claim the $30 million life insurance payout with his 'grieving' wife Nora (Green), while framing her surfer lover Chad for his murder. But Nora is cooking up a scheme of her own: kill Jack for real, frame Chad and keep the fortune for herself. As lies unravel, Nora and Jack scramble to outsmart one another, leaving one burning question: who will come out on top in this twisted game of life and death? Stay tuned for updates on the film. via: Variety
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
First Look: Milla Jovovich in Action Thriller 'Protector'
Highland Film Group has released the first image of 'Protector,' starring Milla Jovovich as Nikki, a former war hero who thought she'd left her violent past behind for a peaceful life with her daughter, Chloe. In the film, Nikki's quiet life is shattered when she wakes up in an abandoned factory, only to discover that Chloe has been kidnapped. After she quickly escapes, Nikki plunges into the city's criminal underworld and in her quest to find Chloe. As she desperately searches for her daughter, she draws the attention of both the police and the military, shooting her to the top of the most wanted list. As she goes deeper, she uncovers a shocking truth that threatens everything she's fighting for. In this high-stakes race against time, Nikki must find the strength she thought she left behind to restore the hero her daughter desperately needs. More from Variety Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Green and Maria Pedraza Team for Thriller 'Just Play Dead,' Highland Film Group Selling in Cannes Paul W.S. Anderson on Bringing George R.R. Martin's 'In the Lost Lands' to Life and How to Make a Blue Screen Film That Actually Looks Good 'In the Lost Lands' Review: Dave Bautista and Milla Jovovich Take a Dystopian-Future Road Trip Starring alongside Jovovich, star of the hit 'Resident Evil' franchise, is Matthew Modine and Isabel Myers ('Mixed-ish'). Production has recently wrapped in New Mexico. The action thriller was directed by Adrian Grünberg ('Rambo: Last Blood,' 'Get the Gringo'), and written by Bong-Seeb Munby. 'Protector' was produced by Kenneth Kim, Ho-Sung Pak, Bong-Seeb Mun for Aanaxion Studio, Ceasar Richbow and Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier for Highland Film Group. Highland Film Group is handling sales at the Cannes market. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Green & Maria Pedraza To Star In Thriller ‘Just Play Dead' — Cannes Market
Oscar-nominee Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction), Eva Green (Casino Royale), and Maria Pedraza (Money Heist) are set to star in the thriller Just Play Dead, we can reveal. The film will be directed by Gary Fleder (Homefront) and is written by Dan Gordon (Rambo: Last Blood). More from Deadline Cannes Opening Night: Festival Workers Briefly Protest Red Carpet, Deadline Shut Down From Filming Standing Ovations At Cannes: How We Clock Those Claps, Which Movie Holds The Record & Why The Industry Loves To Hate The Ritual Elizabeth Olsen Joins Kristen Stewart & Oscar Isaac In Hedonistic '80s Vampire Thriller 'Flesh Of The Gods' - Cannes Market The synopsis reads: 'When wealthy criminal mastermind Jack Wolfe (Samuel L. Jackson) is cornered by the Feds, he plans to fake his own death and claim the $30 million life insurance payout with his 'grieving' wife Nora (Eva Green), while framing her surfer lover Chad for his murder. But Nora is cooking up a scheme of her own: kill Jack for real, frame Chad and keep the fortune for herself. As lies unravel, Nora and Jack scramble to outsmart one another, leaving one burning question: who will come out on top in this twisted game of life and death?' Pic is a European co-production spearheaded by Head Gear Films' Phil Hunt who produces alongside Gemstone Films' Valentin Dimitrov, Sagiv Diamant, Moshe Diamant and Gaby Whyte Hart, who also serves as the casting director. It is executive produced by Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier for Highland Film Group. Highland Film Group is co-financing the film and handling international rights, with CAA Media Finance overseeing domestic rights at the Cannes market. Production is set to begin this fall in the Canary Islands. 'Working with such incredible talents as Samuel L. Jackson and Eva Green is truly an honor. Eva Green will deliver a captivating performance as the cunning and seductive wife to Samuel L. Jackson's powerful kingpin in this intoxicating thriller,' said Highland Film Group CEO Arianne Fraser. 'Dan Gordon has crafted a complex tale of lies, deceit and betrayal and Gary Fleder is the ideal director to bring this enticing and suspenseful project to life, which is already attracting buyers worldwide,' added Highland Film Group COO Delphine Perrier. 'I've always been drawn to stories that defy categorization, that live somewhere between genres and challenge audiences to stay on their toes. With Just Play Dead, written by the immensely talented Dan Gordon, and starring Samuel L. Jackson and Eva Green, I have the chance to return to that same rich, unpredictable territory. This film is provocative, sexy, and original—a perfect mix of clever storytelling and thrilling twists,' commented director Gary Fleder. Best of Deadline TV Show Book Adaptations Arriving In 2025 So Far Book-To-Movie Adaptations Coming Out In 2025 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Robert De Niro Slams Trump In Cannes Honorary Palme d'Or Speech: 'We Are Fighting Like Hell For The Democracy We Once Took For Granted'
The 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival got off to both a politically charged and Hollywood start on Tuesday evening as Robert De Niro was presented with an honorary Palme d'Or by Leonardo DiCaprio. An impassioned De Niro used his acceptance speech to address issues he said are facing the artistic community and threatening democracy under the presidency of Donald Trump. More from Deadline Cannes Film Festival 2025 In Photos: Opening Ceremony, 'Leave One Day' Premiere & Palme d'Or Honoree Robert De Niro Standing Ovations At Cannes: How We Clock Those Claps, Which Movie Holds The Record & Why The Industry Loves To Hate The Ritual Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Green & Maria Pedraza To Star In Thriller 'Just Play Dead' - Cannes Market 'In my country, we are fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted. That affects all of us here because the arts are democratic. Art is inclusive, it brings people together. Art embraces diversity and that's why art is a threat, that's why we are a threat to autocrats and fascists,' he said. 'America's philistine president has had himself appointed head of one of our premier cultural institutions. He has cut funding and support to the arts, humanities and education. And now he has announced a 100% tariff on films produced outside of the U.S.,' he continued. 'Let that sink in … You can't put a price on creativity, but apparently you can put a tariff on it. De Niro said Trump's actions were not a uniquely U.S. issue. 'This is not just an American problem, it's a global one. We can't all just sit back and watch. We have to act and we have to act now, not with violence but with great passion and determination. It's time for everyone who cares about liberty to organize, to protest — and when there are elections, of course, to vote. Tonight and for the next 11 days we show our strength and commitment by celebrating art in this glorious festival. Libérté, égalité, fraternité.' DiCaprio, who arrived on stage to rousing applause, highlighted the role played De Niro in his early career. 'Growing up in Los Angeles, every young actor I knew watched De Niro's work. We studied him, trying to understand how he immersed himself so completely in his characters. He created the blueprint. He wasn't just another great actor, he was the actor,' said DiCaprio. DiCaprio recalled how he had gotten his first big movie break playing opposite De Niro in This Boy's Life. 'The audition process was a tough one. Lots of competition. None of us knew who would get the part… at 15 or 16 years old, I did the only thing I couldn't think to stand. I screamed at him at the top of my lungs,' recounted DiCaprio. The room burst into laughing. Later that day, as the story goes, Bob was getting on his plane with a producer. Art Linson asked who do you want to play the part? And in classic De Niro fashion, he replied, second kid from the last. Luckily, that second kid was me, and that moment changed my life forever, started my entire career in the world of cinema. A montage of De Niro's films was played kicking off with the explosion in Casino and including the famous 'you talkin' to me' scene in Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver. The honor came closes to 50 years after De Niro first attended Cannes with Bernardo Bertolucci's 1900 and Taxi Driver, which won the Palme d'Or. In between times, he has been a regular guest at the festival with movies including Scorsese's The King of Comedy, which opened the festival in 1983; Sergio Leone's last film Once Upon a Time in America, Roland Joffé's The Mission, which also won the Palme d'Or. Most recently, he was at the festival with Scorsese's Killer s of the Flower Moon which played Out of Competition in 2023. The ceremony preceded the world premiere of feel-good musical French film Leave One Day by Amélie Bonnin, which made Cannes history as the first debut feature to open the festival. Mixing drama with pop songs and classics of the La Chanson Francaise, the tale of a talented top chef who returns to her small provincial film to help out in the family roadside diner after her father suffers a heart attack, was expected to down well with the predominantly French opening night crowd. On a more somber note, the ceremony was dedicated to the late Émilie Dequenne, the Belgian actress who first achieved fame with her 1999 Cannes d'Or-winning, big screen debut in Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne's drama Rosetta. Dequenne died in March this year at the age 43 after battling a rare adrenal gland cancer. The opening ceremony also featured an impassioned speech from Jury President Juliette Binoche, who paid tribute to Gaza artist and photojournalist Fatima Hassouna. The young woman who had been invited to attend this year's edition as the subject of a documentary playing in the parallel ACID section but was killed in an Israeli airstrike just 24 hours of the film's selection was announced. Binoche was joined on stage by her jury members Halle Berry, Payal Kapadia, Alba Rohrwacher, Leïla Slimani, Dieudo Hamadi, Hong Sangsoo, Carlos Reygadas and Jeremy Strong. They will watch and vote on 22 films in the running for the Palme d'Or including Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme, Ari Aster's Eddington, Julia Ducournau's Alpha, Hafsia Herzi's La Petite Dernière and Richard Linklater's Nouvelle Vague. The honor of declaring the festival open went to Quentin Tarantino who is at the festival this year as guest of honor of Cannes Classics this year with a special tribute devoted to late low-budget westerns director George Sherman. 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