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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kevin Costner's Lawyer Cries 'Shakedown' As Stuntwoman Slams Star & ‘Horizon' Franchise Over 'Violent Unscripted' Rape Scene
Kevin Costner and his Horizon: An American Saga franchise are already facing legal action from New Line over a cofinancing deal, and now the star/director of the Western series has been hit with a sexual harassment suit by a veteran stuntwoman over an unscheduled, unrehearsed 'violent unscripted' rape scene. Costner's longtime attorney Marty Singer has bluntly called 'shakedown' on the unspecified damages jury trial seeking complaint from Devyn LaBella. More from Deadline 'Kevin Costner's The West' Gets History Channel Premiere Date & Trailer The Best 7 New Movies To Watch On Netflix In April 2025 Ice Cube Sets 'Friday' Sequel At Warner Bros. & New Line Cinema Represented by lawyers at Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai and Valli Kane & Vagnini, SAG-AFTRA member and Barbie alum LaBella says she is filing 'this action not only for the damages she has sustained, but to address the continued failures at the highest levels of Hollywood production companies to comprehend and address the impacts of performing in sexually explicit and violent 'scenes' and the need for intimacy coordination.' Here's what's uncontested: Reunited with Horizon 2 Stunt Coordinator and Second Unit Director Wade Allen, LaBella was hired under a guild contract on the still unreleased Horizon 2 to be 'a lead stunt double for the series' lead actor Ella Hunt.' Most of the filming for LaBella on the Western sequel, the second in four Horizon films Costner has planned, took place in Utah. Following a previous filing late last year with the California Civil Rights department, the plaintiff's document in the the LA Superior Court docket Tuesday claims that 'on may (sic) 2, 2023, plaintiff Devyn LaBella, a female stunt performer, was the victim of a violent unscripted, unscheduled rape scene directed by Kevin Costner ('Mr. Costner'), owner, chief Executive officer and Secretary of Horizon Series, Inc.' Stressing a clear violation of SAG-AFTRA on set protocols, the sexual harassment, sexual discrimination and retaliation complaint goes on to say: 'The impact of this impromptu work demand on Ms. Labella has been profound, not only upending a career Ms. Labella spent years building but leaving her with permanent trauma that she will be required to address for years to come.' What the nine claim complaint also says is that Saturday Night cast member Hunt was thrown by Costner's sudden addition of a rape scene. 'Due to the ad hoc and violent nature of the sudden script change request, along with the failure to secure a contractually required intimacy coordinator for the scene, Ms. Hunt became visibly upset and walked off the set, refusing to do the scene,' the filing says, noting that LaBella knew nothing about this until much later. Having had nothing but a professional and above board experience so far on the film, LaBella took to the task when she says Costner asked her to 'stand in' for the departed Hunt to 'line up [a] shot.' Then, on a far from closed set and with no intimacy coordinator, a modern underwear wearing LeBella was attacked by Roger Ivens' Birke character 'over and over as Defendant Costner experimented with different takes of the rape action,' the 28-page complaint alleges. Not only did Costner seek different takes, but the Oscar winner seems to have wanted to increase the violence in the assault with little concern for LaBella, at least according to her filing: As Defendant Costner directed Mr. Ivens to carry out the violent assault over and over and over again, Ms. LaBella felt the air pour over her intimate parts as her personal undergarments were exposed, even though to Ms. LaBella's knowledge, costume underwear is typically worn in planned intimate shots. This exposure was especially humiliating to Ms. LaBella as she was menstruating at the time, compounded by the fact that between takes, Mr. Ivens' hands rested on top of the bundled-up skirt above her vagina. Wardrobe immediately sewed up Ms. LaBella's bloomers after the scene as she requested. It should have been done prior to the scene, but the departments were not prepared or informed that the scene would be happening. There was no escaping the situation, and all Ms. LaBella could do was wait for the nightmare to end. With New Line Cinema (who are battling Costner in that cofinancing action) and Territory Pictures, Inc., among the other defendants, LaBella's suit starkly asserts that 'the conduct of Defendants and their Managing Agent Mr. Costner demonstrates a callous indifference for the law and Ms. La Bella's rights.' LaBella also says she was 'blacklisted from subsequent employment opportunities on the Horizon series,' after she told 'multiple individuals, including the Intimacy Coordinator and her stunt supervisors' what happened on May 2, 2023. On the other side, the pugnacious Marty Singer is giving no quarter for the accusations against Costner In an emoji pepper statement to Deadline based in part on alleged texts from LaBella, the Tinseltown lawyer says: Our client Kevin Costner always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously. However, this claim by Devyn LaBella has absolutely no merit, and it is completely contradicted by her own actions – and the LaBella is a serial accuser of people in the entertainment industry and has worked with the same lawyer on past claims. But those shakedown tactics won't work in this a stunt performer on Horizon 2, the scene in question was explained to Ms. LaBella, and after she performed the rehearsal in character with another actor, she gave her Stunt Coordinator supervisor a 'thumbs up' and indicated her willingness to then shoot the scene, if needed (which she was not).That night, Ms. LaBella had dinner with her supervisor, the stunt coordinator, and with the assistant stunt coordinator, and she was in good spirits and made no complaints to them. She continued to work on the movie for a few more weeks until her wrap date, and she took the stunt coordinator to a thank-you dinner. She also sent him a cordial thank you text illustrated with happy heart emojis (copy attached) saying:'Thank you for these wonderful weeks! I so appreciate you! I learned so much and thank you again. I'm really happy it worked out the way it did to.' Singer concluded: 'The facts are clear and we are beyond confident that Kevin will prevail.' One of LaBella's lawyers sees it very differently, obviously. 'This case is a clear example of male-dominated, sexist Hollywood movie production,' says Kate McFarlane to Deadline this afternoon. 'Our client was subjected to brutal sexual conduct completely unprotected from the obvious harm. This happened despite the fact that there exists standards of conduct and behavior specifically designed to protect people like Devyn LaBella.' As this case now percolates in the courts, what is clear is that after the disappointing box office results of Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 last summer, the August 2024 release date for Chapter 2 was shelved. Receiving mixed reviews, the Costner helmed and co-written flick had its world premiere in Venice in September 2024. As of yet, the sequel has no big screen or even streamer launch on the books. Which means, if not settled, LeBella's lawsuit could go to trial before Horizon 2 is out and a long time before Horizon 4 eventually finishes up the of Deadline 'Hacks' Season 4 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out? Everything We Know About 'Hacks' Season 4 So Far 'The Last Of Us': Differences Between HBO Series & Video Game Across Seasons 1 And 2
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan & Tandi Wright Join New ‘Evil Dead' Film
EXCLUSIVE: Hunter Doohan (Your Honor), Luciane Buchanan (The Night Agent), and Tandi Wright (Pearl) are set to star opposite Souheila Yacoub in the next Evil Dead film, co-financed by New Line and Sony Pictures. Character details are under wraps. Sébastien Vaniček, the filmmaker behind haunting spider flick Infested, is directing from his script written with Florent Bernard. The film will be produced by franchise veteran Rob Tapert and series creator Sam Raimi. Romel Adam, Jose Canas, and Lee Cronin will exec produce alongside Bruce Campbell, the cult icon known for his starring role as Ash in various Evil Dead projects, beginning with Raimi's iconic 1981 film The Evil Dead. More from Deadline Patrick Gibson Latest To Join Jaume Collet-Serra's 'Play Dead' Missi Pyle, William Jackson Harper & Elizabeth Marvel Among New Additions To Tim Blake Nelson's 'The Life And Deaths Of Wilson Shedd' New Line & Sony Set 'Evil Dead' Sequel With Souheila Yacoub; Lands Summer 2026 Release New Line will distribute the film domestically through Warner Bros. Pictures on July 24, 2026. Sony will distribute internationally with StudioCanal distributing in the UK and Metropolitan distributing in France. Best known for starring opposite Bryan Cranston on Showtime's Your Honor, Doohan has also appeared on the shows Daredevil: Born Again and Truth Be Told. Upcoming, he'll be seen in the second season of Netflix's juggernaut Wednesday. He is repped by McCaffrey Talent Management, WME, and attorney Jeff Bernstein. Buchanan stars alongside Jason Momoa a in the upcoming Apple TV+ series Chief of War and can currently be seen in Netflix's The Night Agent opposite Gabriel Basso. She is repped by WME, Entertainment 360, Gail Cowan Management, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman. The New Zealand-based Wright can be seen in Ti West's A24 pic Pearl and the series Creamerie, currently streaming on Hulu in the U.S. Other notable credits include Jack the Giant Slayer, Love and Monsters, and The Wilds, to name just a few. She is repped by Johnson and Laird Management and Lisa Mann Creative Management. Best of Deadline 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More Men of Steel: Every Actor Who Has Played Superman - Photo Gallery 'Michael' Cast: Who's Who In The Michael Jackson Biopic
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Box Office: ‘Final Destination Bloodlines' Scares Up $51 Million Debut, The Weeknd's ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow' Misfires With $3.3 Million
'Final Destination Bloodlines,' the sixth installment in the long-running horror property in which people die in increasingly insane incidents, collected a bloody-good $51 million in its opening weekend. The Warner Bros. and New Line film towered over domestic box office charts, overtaking the No. 1 spot from reigning champion, Marvel's 'Thunderbolts*,' and trouncing fellow newcomer, the Weeknd's 'Hurry Up Tomorrow,' which crash-landed in sixth place. More from Variety Box Office: 'Final Destination Bloodlines' Logs Franchise-Best $21 Million Opening Day, 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' Slow Down in Sixth 'Final Destination Bloodlines' Directors on Adding Gore After Test Screenings, Tony Todd's Goodbye to Fans and How They Got the Job by Turning an Exec Zoom Call Into a Bloodbath Box Office: 'Final Destination Bloodlines' Makes $5.5 Million in Previews Buoyed by positive word-of-mouth and the best reviews of the series, the R-rated 'Final Destination Bloodlines' shattered the benchmark for the franchise's biggest debut, outstripping the record held by 2009's 'The Final Destination' with $27 million. It's been 14 years since the latest 'Final Destination' nightmare, 2011's 'Final Destination 5,' opened in theaters. 'Final Destination Bloodlines' earned another $51 million from 74 overseas territories for a remarkable global start of $102 million. The film, directed by Adam Stein and Zach Lipovsky, cost roughly $50 million to produce. 'Bloodlines' centers on a family who starts dying off one by one because their matriarch was never supposed to survive a horrific event from 50 years ago. Moviegoers granted the movie a 'B+' grade on CinemaScore exit polls, which is high praise for such a gruesome, stomach-churning series of on-screen events. Meanwhile, 'Bloodlines' boasts a stellar 93% average on Rotten Tomatoes. 'This is a sensational opening for the sixth episode of a horror series,' says analyst David A. Gross of movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. 'Critic's reviews are sensational, and the audience score is excellent for horror.' 'Final Destination Bloodlines' is the third consecutive theatrical hit for Warner Bros after April's blockbusters 'A Minecraft Movie' and 'Sinners.' It's a welcome change of pace for the studio following a string of commercial flops, including 'Mickey 17,' 'The Alto Knights' and 'Joker: Folie à Deux.' Over the weekend, Warner Bros. impressively had three films in the top five. 'Sinners' landed in third place with $15.4 million from 3,518 theaters in its fifth weekend of release. The R-rated vampire thriller has generated a mighty $240.8 million domestically and $76 million internationally for a global tally of $316 million to date. At No. 4, 'A Minecraft Movie' added $5.9 million from 3,357 venues in its seventh frame. The PG video game adaptation has grossed $416 million in North America and $501 million overseas, bringing its worldwide haul to a mammoth $928 million. 'Hurry Up Tomorrow,' this weekend's other new release, from Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye, wasn't in danger of cracking the top five on domestic box office charts. Unable to overcome terrible reviews and bad buzz, 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' misfired with $3.3 million from 2,020 cinemas. The movie was saddled with a lousy 14% Rotten Tomatoes average and terrible 'C-' grade on CinemaScore. Lionsgate released the $15 million-budgeted film in exchange for a distribution fee. The film, a roman à clef thriller and companion piece to the singer's studio album of the same name, stars as a fictionalized version of himself, an insomniac musician on the verge of a mental breakdown as he's pulled into an existential odyssey. Trey Edward Shults ('Waves') directed 'Hurry Up Tomorrow,' which co-stars Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan. 'Thunderbolts*' slid to second place with $16.5 million from 3,523 theaters in its third weekend, declining 50% from its prior outing. The comic book adventure has grossed $155.4 million domestically and $325 million globally. Despite enjoying far better reviews than most recent Marvel entries, 'Thunderbolts*' looks like it'll still struggle to get out of the red. That's because theater owners get to keep half of ticket sales, and the tentpole cost a hefty $180 million to produce and roughly $100 million to market. So far, May releases have improved upon last year in terms of ticket sales but have yet to match pre-pandemic times. Domestic revenues are 15% ahead of 2024 though still more than 32% behind 2019, according to Comscore. A counter-programming play of Disney's 'Lilo & Stitch' and Paramount's 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning' should continue to shrink the pre-COVID deficit and heat up the box office over the upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend. 'Projections are huge,' Gross says in terms of the expected debuts for 'Lilo' and 'Mission.' 'That's going to jolt the 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
New York Post
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Final Destination' producer reveals which film in the franchise he thinks ‘sucks'
Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination. And for producer Craig Perry, creating the fourth film in the 'Final Destination' franchise might have been a good time, but the movie, which he thought would be their final flick, wasn't his favorite. 'I figured that we're done,' Perry shared, per an exclusive excerpt from Clark Collis' 'Screaming and Conjuring: The Resurrection and Unstoppable Rise of the Modern Horror Movie,' per Entertainment Weekly. 'Then, lo and behold, opening weekend, we're like, 'Uh, okay, here we go.'' Advertisement 5 Craig Perry attends the World Premiere of Warner Bros 'Final Destination Bloodlines' at TCL Chinese Theatre on May 12, 2025 in Hollywood, California. FilmMagic 'I don't think the fourth one is good at all, actually it sucks,' admitted the producer. 'But it was successful enough to give us a chance to redeem ourselves with 5.' The horror series started in 2000 with 'Final Destination,' then 'Final Destination 2' (2003), 'Final Destination 3' (2006), 'The Final Destination' in 2009, 'Final Destination 5' in 2011 and the sixth film, 'Final Destination Bloodlines,' which hit theaters on Friday. Advertisement Collis, a former Entertainment Weekly reporter, explores the horror genre in his upcoming book, which hits stands Sept. 2, 2025. 5 Screaming and Conjuring: The Resurrection and Unstoppable Rise of the Modern Horror Movie. 1984 Publishing The book 'reveals the challenging and often chaotic production stories behind these films, offering readers an inside look at the creative turbulence and triumphs that brought these landmark movies to life,' per an official synopsis. ''Final Destination' starred Devon Sawa as a New York high school student named Alex who receives a premonition that the Paris-bound plane he has just boarded will catch fire in the air. After Alex, some of his classmates, and a teacher disembark, the plane does indeed explode,' an excerpt from the book read. 'During the days that follow, the survivors start passing away and Alex realizes they are being murdered by the Grim Reaper.' Advertisement The original film was created by Jeffrey Reddick, who shared, 'The original idea came from an article I read about a woman who was on vacation and her mother told her to switch flights because she had a bad feeling. The woman switched planes and the plane she was scheduled to be on crashed. So that idea stuck with me.' 5 'The Final Destination,' 2009. New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock 5 Haley Webb, and Nick Zano in 2009's 'The Final Destination.' New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock The creator, 55, was always a big fan of horror — especially Wes Craven's 'A Nightmare on Elm Street.' Advertisement 'I saw it in a double feature at a drive-in with 'Alone in the Dark,'' Reddick shared, per Collis' book. 'It just scared the hell out of me.' Diving into what led the journalist to write the publication, Collis told People on Tuesday, 'There are a lot of books about horror films from the '70s and '80s and I felt this period, too, deserved its own properly-researched history.' 5 Director David R. Ellis, actress Shantel VanSanten, actor Bobby Campo, writer Eric Bress, actress Haley Webb, executive producer Craig Perry and actor Nick Zano arrive on the red carpet of the Los Angeles premiere of 'The Final Destination' at the Mann Village Theatre on August 27, 2009 in Westwood, Los Angeles, California. WireImage 'I've taken a bird's-eye view of the whole horror film scene, from the release of the genre-reviving 'Scream' to the 2013 debut of 'The Conjuring,' which inaugurated the first multi-billion dollar horror movie franchise.'
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Final Destination: Bloodlines' eyes record-breaking $50 million opening as the Weeknd and Jenna Ortega fizzle in ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow'
Expect Warner Bros.' box-office hot streak to continues this weekend thanks to Final Destination: Bloodlines. Directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, the sixth installment of New Line's R-rated horror franchise is poised for a franchise-record $50 million debut. The film raked in an impressive $5 million from Thursday previews, according to Deadline, matching the preview earnings of Ryan Coogler's Sinners last month, which went onto a $48 million opening weekend. Bloodlines marks the first Final Destination film in more than a decade — since 2011's Final Destination 5 opened to $18 million. The franchise, which debuted in 2000, has grossed $665 million worldwide. More from GoldDerby 'Buena Vista Social Club' director Saheem Ali and writer Marco Ramirez on creating 'a joyful experience' out of the 'beautiful' Cuban record 'Forever' star Michael Cooper Jr. admits he was 'petrified' going into his first big acting gig Consider this: 'Deli Boys' star Asif Ali deserves to bring some South Asian flavor to the Comedy Supporting Actor Emmy race The success of Final Destination: Bloodlines is bolstered by strong reviews and a stellar 92 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. This release cements Warner Bros.' fourth No. 1 debut of the year following Mickey 17, A Minecraft Movie, and Sinners. Meanwhile, audiences are in no rush to see Hurry Up Tomorrow, the new psychological thriller starring Abel Tesfaye (better known multiplatinum recording artist the Weeknd), Jenna Ortega, and Barry Keoghan. Serving as a companion piece to the Weeknd's sixth studio album of the same name, the film was panned by critics and has struggled to generate hype, despite its star power. Gold Derby readers predict that Final Destination: Bloodlines will win the May 16-18 weekend with between $25 million and $50 million domestically. Thunderbolts is the runner-up selection of our oddsmakers. NEW RELEASES Director: Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein Distributor: Warner Bros. Plagued by a recurring violent nightmare, a college student returns home to find the one person who can break the cycle and save her family from the horrific fate that inevitably awaits them. The horror flick, starring Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, and the late Tony Todd, has a running time of one hour, 50 minutes, and is rated R. Final Destination: Bloodlines is certified "fresh" with a 92 percent score per the aggregated critic reviews at Rotten Tomatoes; "generally favorable" reviews compiled by Metacritic resulted in an overall score of 75 percent. Director: Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein Distributor: Lionsgate An insomniac musician encounters a mysterious stranger, leading to a journey that challenges everything he knows about himself. The psychological thriller, starring Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd), Jenna Ortega, and Barry Keoghan, has a running time of one hour, 45 minutes, and is rated R. Hurry Up Tomorrow is certified "rotten" with a 15 percent score per the aggregated critic reviews at Rotten Tomatoes; "generally unfavorable" reviews compiled by Metacritic resulted in an overall score of 29 percent. BOX-OFFICE PREDICTIONS Buoyed by glowing reviews and franchise nostalgia, Final Destination: Bloodlines is expected to dominate the weekend, grossing between $45 million and $50 million. Disney/Marvel's Thunderbolts and Warner Bros.' Sinners will battle it out for second place — both tracking toward $15 million in ticket sales. A Minecraft Movie will hold on to fourth place with $6 million, while the critically panned Hurry Up Tomorrow debuts in fifth with just $5 million. Here are Gold Derby's predictions box-office rankings for the top five: 1. Final Destination: Bloodlines 2. Thunderbolts 3. Sinners 4. A Minecraft Movie 5. Hurry Up Tomorrow Do you agree or disagree with those rankings? Make your predictions right now — it's fun and easy! Join the box-office discussion in our forums. Best of GoldDerby Who needs an Oscar to reach EGOT? 18 best Oscar-winning actress mother performances ranked Dennis Hopper movies: 15 greatest films ranked worst to best Click here to read the full article.
