James Schamus News

Two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law captains the cast of BLACK SEA, the suspenseful adventure thriller being directed by Academy Award winner Kevin Macdonald

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB, currently in post-production, has been acquired by Focus Features for domestic theatrical release in the second half of 2013. The company has also acquired Latin American rights to the feature.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center is set to honor Christopher Plummer at a gala event tonight, April 15th in New York City. The 13th Annual Monte Cristo Award will be presented to Mr. Plummer by fellow stage and film legend Kevin Spacey. Mr. Spacey was the recipient of the Monte Cristo Award in 2009. Red carpet and cocktails begin at 6:30pm at the Edison Ballroom on West 47th Street, followed by dinner, and a program celebrating the honoree.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center is set to honor Christopher Plummer at a gala event Monday evening, April 15th in New York City. The 13th Annual Monte Cristo Award will be presented to Mr. Plummer by fellow stage and film legend Kevin Spacey. Mr. Spacey was the recipient of the Monte Cristo Award in 2009. Red carpet and cocktails begin at 6:30pm at the Edison Ballroom on West 47th Street, followed by dinner, and a program celebrating the honoree.

Marking their third project together, LAIKA and Focus Features, the two companies behind the current Academy Award-nominated animated feature ParaNorman, announced today that LAIKA has begun production on THE BOXTROLLS.

TALES OF THE NIGHT, a stunning new feature film by French filmmaker Michel Ocelot ("Kiriko and the Sorceress;" "Azur & Asmar"), will now be available to audiences of all ages at home. Through an agreement with the film's theatrical distributor, GKIDS, Cinedigm Entertainment Group (CEG) will release the English-language version of TALES OF THE NIGHT on January 29 on DVD/Blu-ray, preceded by an early cable VOD and digital release on January 8.

Universal Pictures and Focus Features today announced that Kelly Marcel will write the screenplay to the highly anticipated film adaptation of "Fifty Shades of Grey." Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti will produce the film based on E L James' #1 Bestselling book, alongside James. The announcement was made by Universal Pictures Co-Chairman, Donna Langley and Focus Features' Chief Executive Officer, James Schamus.

Highlights will include a conversation about the making of LIFE OF PI with Tom Rothman, as well as talks with NYFF filmmakers Lee Daniels (THE PAPERBOY), Barry Levinson (THE BAY), Cristian Mungiu (BEYOND THE HILLS), Sally Potter (GINGER AND ROSA), actors Gael Garcia Bernal (NO) and Greta Gerwig (FRANCES HA).

The upcoming film adaptation of the best-selling novel 50 SHADES OF GREY, coming from Universal Pictures and Focus Features will be produced by Mike De Luca and Dana Brunetti, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Museum of Modern Art has announced its ongoing and upcoming screenings and discussions through the end of May. See details below.

On Monday night, April 16, 2012, The Point Foundation honored Edward Albee and Focus Features at their fifth annual New York Gala. BroadwayWorld.com was on hand at Pier Sixty to capture the event honoring current and future champions of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community.

The 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards will be held tonight, March 24, 2012 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square and can be streamed live online beginning at 4:30pm.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation's lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today announced it will honor film and television producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Chicago, Hairspray, Smash), writer and producer Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Scandal), financial services company Wells Fargo and Facebook at the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards presented by Ketel One and Wells Fargo.

CHICO & RITA, set in the jazz worlds of Havana, New York, and Europe, opens its US theatrical run on February 10 at NYC's Angelika Film Center (18 W. Houston St., 212-995-2570) before expanding nationally. The film by Academy Award® winning director Fernando Trueba (Belle Epoque) won Best Animated Feature at the 2011 European Film Awards as well as Spain's Goya Awards, has been nominated for an Annie Award, and is vying for an Academy Award® in the Best Animated Feature category. CHICO & RITA has been released internationally to wide critical acclaim and is currently 95% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, the highest rated film in the current Animated Oscar® race.

Welcome to BroadwayWorld's newest feature, and first-ever talk show, BACKSTAGE WITH RICHARD RIDGE. Follow Richard as he visits Broadway's best and brightest in their Broadway dressing rooms to talk about their lives, careers and all of the things you don't know, but want to know. You've seen Richard chat with Sipdey lovebirds Reeve Carney and Jennifer Damiano, and visit with UK's First Lady of musical Theatre, Elaine Paige. Today, Richard takes you downtown to the beloved West Village staple, the smokey Lucille Lortel Theatre, where he met up with everyone's favorite leading man, Jonathan Groff. Currently starring in MCC's THE SUBMISSION, Groff opens up about his BFF Lea Michele, getting comfortable in his role as working actor and 'pseudo' celebrity, playing a jerk, and why you REALLY should go see THE SUBMISSION.

The espionage thriller The Debt will be distributed for Miramax by Focus Features and Universal Pictures International (UPI).

Focus Features and LAIKA, the two companies behind the Academy Award-nominated animated feature Coraline are reteaming for LAIKA's next two projects.

BEGINNERS writer/director Mike Mills and his stars Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer and Mélanie Laurent, producers Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech, Miranda de Pencier, Jay Van Hoy and Lars Knudsen attended a special screening of their Beginners film yesterday, May 24. Guests included Julianna Margulies, Samantha Mathis, Miranda July, Mike Diamond, Kate Spade, Justin Vivian Bond, Pam Ann, Tom Sachs, Cristina Martinez, Jon Spencer; Focus Features' James Schamus and Andrew Karpen and more. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the starry red carpet and brings you photo coverage below.

Focus Features will accept entries for its Africa First Program - entering its fourth year - beginning Monday, May 16th and continuing through Monday, August 22nd. Focus CEO James Schamus made the announcement today.