Sizzling Samachar: Release of Jeff Nichols' ‘The Bikeriders’ Postponed Amid SAG-AFTRA Strike; Seeking Truth in the Shadows: Clooney Foundation documents the Ukraine War Crimes

Welcome to another episode of your daily entertainment news podcast, I'm your host Nikhil. Hollywood news first.

Release of Jeff Nichols' ‘The Bikeriders’ Postponed Amid SAG-AFTRA Strike

Due to the ongoing strike by SAG-AFTRA, the release of Jeff Nichols' film The Bikeriders, featuring Tom Hardy, Austin Butler, and Killing Eve star Jodie Comer, has been delayed. Originally scheduled for a December release this year, New Regency Productions has decided to postpone it. However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, there is still hope that the movie's release will be pushed for the awards season next year. The Bikeriders is based on the 1968 book of black-and-white photographs by Danny Lyon, which captures authentic biker portraits. The film immerses viewers in the lives of the Vandals, a fictional biker gang in 1965 Chicago, and the extended cast includes Michael Shannon, Boyd Holbrook, and Norman Reedus. The movie is a collaboration between Regency Enterprises, Tri-State Pictures, and 20th Century Studios, with Sarah Green, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, and Arnon Milchan as the producers.

Seeking Truth in the Shadows: Clooney Foundation documents the Ukraine War Crimes

HiddenLight Productions, co-founded by Hillary Clinton, Sam Branson, and Chelsea Clinton, is supporting a new documentary about the Clooney Foundation for Justice's efforts to investigate Russian war crimes in Ukraine. The documentary, tentatively titled The Swallows Will Return, will focus on the work of Anya Neistat, a prominent war crimes investigator at the foundation. Neistat and her team aim to uncover human rights violations by Russian forces and bring the perpetrators to justice using the principle of "universal jurisdiction." This principle allows war crimes to be prosecuted as crimes against humanity anywhere in the world. The film, directed by Laura Warner, a senior producer for Channel 4's Unreported World, will follow Neistat and her team as they enter the Ukrainian war zone to locate survivors willing to testify against those responsible for heinous crimes such as rape, torture, and murder. Evan Williams is producing and executive producing, with HiddenLight's co-creative directors Siobhan Sinnerton and Amy Flanagan, and actor Liev Schreiber. The documentary is expected to be released in 2024 and offers a unique perspective on the Ukraine conflict.

Kareena Kapoor's Film ‘The Buckingham Murders’ to Debut at Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival

The Buckingham Murders, starring Kareena Kapoor Khan, is set to grace the opening night of The Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, taking place between October 27 to November 5. The film had a successful World Premiere at the 67th BFI London Film Festival and will now have its International Premiere on Friday, October 27 at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre. The film's plot revolves around Kareena Kapoor Khan’s character Jasmeet Bhamra, a cop and single mother, who lost her child in a crossfire. She is soon thrust into a case involving a missing child. The cast includes notable names such as Bodyguard star Ash Tandon, MasterChef India’s Ranveer Brar, and Kingsman: The Golden Circle actor Keith Allen. Directed by Hansal Mehta and written by Aseem Arrora, Kashyap Kapoor, and Raghav Raj Kakker.

Star-Studded Western ‘Unholy Trinity’ in Production Amid Strike

A star-studded Western film titled Unholy Trinity is currently in production in Montana, featuring Samuel L. Jackson, Pierce Brosnan, and Brandon Lessard. The movie has successfully secured a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement despite the ongoing strike. This film is shaping up to be a gripping tale of vengeance, concealed secrets, and hidden riches. Set against the tumultuous backdrop of 1870s Montana, the storyline follows Henry, portrayed by Brandon Lessard, who embarks on a mission assigned by his estranged father, Isaac Broadway. His task is to eliminate the man responsible for unjustly framing his father for a crime. As Henry enters the remote town of Trinity, he finds himself ensnared in a conflict involving the town's sheriff, Gabriel Dove, played by Pierce Brosnan, and a mysterious character known as St. Christopher, portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson. Helmed by Richard Gray, Unholy Trinity does not yet have a confirmed release date.

Intriguing Glimpse of Evil: ‘The Zone of Interest’ trailer debut

A24 has unveiled the first trailer for The Zone of Interest, a thought-provoking narrative that delves into the everyday ordinariness of evil. Directed by acclaimed British filmmaker Jonathan Glazer, the film made its debut at this year's Cannes Film Festival, where it clinched both the Grand Prix and the FIPRESCI Prize. It has also been chosen as the official U.K. entry for the Best International Feature category at the upcoming Oscars. The film employs a striking narrative technique, characterized by long, unchanging shots, to portray the mundane activities of an ostensibly typical German family. Unbeknownst to most, the head of this family is Rudolf Höss, the notorious Nazi commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. The trailer, while only a minute long, masterfully contrasts seemingly innocent scenes of people going about their daily lives – sharing meals, tending gardens, and swimming – with the unspeakable atrocities that occurred just beyond the frame. The Zone of Interest features Christian Friedel as Höss and Sandra Hüller, whose powerful performance in Anatomy of a Fall is generating Oscars buzz. This film marks Glazer's return to filmmaking after a decade, and early reviews suggest it might be his most accomplished work yet. With a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is scheduled for a limited theatrical release on December 15.

Hayao Miyazaki's ‘The Boy and the Heron’ Unveils Star-Studded English Cast

GKIDS, the North American distributor for Studio Ghibli, has announced the English voice cast for Hayao Miyazaki's forthcoming animated feature, The Boy and the Heron. The film, having already made its rounds at various film festivals, is set for select theatrical releases in November and a wider distribution in December. The English cast features renowned actors including Christian Bale, Robert Pattinson, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Gemma Chan, and Luca Padovan among others. The Boy and the Heron is a semi-autobiographical story, and it marks a significant return to animation for Miyazaki, with Toshio Suzuki as producer and Joe Hisaishi composing the music. The film will offer early previews in both Japanese and English on November 22, followed by a theatrical release on December 8.

Kumail Nanjiani and Sam Rockwell to Star in Dark Comedy ‘A Guy Walks Into a Bar’

A forthcoming dark comedy, A Guy Walks Into a Bar, will see Kumail Nanjiani and Sam Rockwell in lead roles. The film has secured a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement and is scheduled to begin filming later this year. Nanjiani plays a mild-mannered new father who encounters a mysterious stranger portrayed by Rockwell. Their friendship takes an unexpected turn as Nanjiani becomes suspicious, believing that Rockwell may be hiding a dangerous secret. The film, directed by Gary Fleder, marks his return to feature film direction after a substantial hiatus. Scott Rosenberg, who penned notable scripts such as Con Air and Venom, will handle the screenplay. Production is set to take place in New Jersey.

Well that's all we got for today's episode, until the next time it's your host Nikhil signing out.

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• Written by Apurva Dutta

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