Tag: King Richard
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The Williams Sisters Drive ‘King Richard,’ but It’s Also the Story of Two Brothers, Now Oscar-Bound
“King Richard,” the true saga of how Richard Williams (Will Smith) turned his athletic daughters into tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, started off as an idea from Tim White, who co-founded Star Thrower Entertainment with his filmmaker brother, Trevor. Once they decided to pursue the Williams family’s story, the Whites proceeded to do just…
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‘King Richard’: How Director Reinaldo Marcus Green Impressed Will Smith and Scored a Dream Gig
The fairy tale version of the story behind “King Richard” goes like this: Jada Pinkett Smith was on the U.S. Dramatic Competition jury for the 2018 Sundance Film Festival when she saw director Reinaldo Marcus Green’s first feature, “Monsters and Men.” The tough but ultimately rousing look at police brutality and communal activism left her…
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Will Smith Says Press Was ‘Vicious’ to His Son Over ‘After Earth’ Failure: I Led Him into ‘Public Mauling’
It’s a great time to be Will Smith. The actor is a frontrunner to land an Oscar nomination for his performance in “King Richard,” opening in theaters and streaming on HBO Max beginning November 19, and he has a new memoir titled “Will” that’s generating a ton of buzz and is now available for purchase.…
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Will Smith Gave Money to ‘King Richard’ Co-Stars After Warners Shifted to Day-and-Date
“King Richard” star and Oscar contender Will Smith opened up his wallet for his cast members amid a reported $40-million payday, The Hollywood Reporter says. Smith produces and stars in the film as the father of Venus and Serena Williams, and per reports, after WarnerMedia shifted its Warner Bros. slate to day-and-date for 2021, he…
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Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Ends Sales Talks With Mayer-Staggs Media Venture, Other Buyers Circling (Exclusive)
Westbrook Inc., the entertainment company founded by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, has ended talks to sell to a new media venture backed by Blackstone Group and executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, sources tell Variety.The two parties began discussions in mid-September, Variety previously reported, with the former Walt Disney Co. honchos looking to…
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King Richard Trailer: Venus And Serena Beat The Odds
“Everything to go from prodigy to pro.” Today Warner Bros. dropped the second official trailer for “King Richard,” the upcoming biopic about the rise of living tennis legends, Venus and Serena Williams and the lengths their parents, namely their father Richard, went in order to foster the remarkable talent of the Williams sisters. Will Smith…
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The Oscar Race Gets Clearer After the Toronto International Film Festival
No question there’s more to learn from a live film festival than a virtual one. In 2021, live Cannes and Telluride events provided scads of intel on how movies played for audiences and media. Participants were on solid ground. You feel it in a room when a movie plays, from Cannes Palme d’Or-winner “Titane” to…
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Meet Your New Oscar Contenders: Will Smith, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and So Many More
“King Richard” is ruling Telluride. Reinaldo Marcus Green’s Warner Bros. biopic about Richard Williams, the hard-driving father of straight-outta-Compton tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, played to a packed house Friday afternoon, building Best Actor buzz for its star and producer, Will Smith. He held the rights to the tennis duo’s story, but it was…
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Telluride 2021 Lineup Includes ‘King Richard,’ ‘C’mon C’mon,’ ‘Louis Wain’ & More
It really is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the fall film festival season. It would seem, with the announcement of each festival lineup, that these events are just completely jam-packed with high-profile films. And this year’s Telluride Film Festival is definitely no exception.The organizers of Telluride have unveiled the lineup of films…
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Michael B. Jordan to Make Directorial Debut With ‘Creed III,’ Set for Thanksgiving 2022 Release
Michael B. Jordan will pull double duty on the newest “Creed” installment, starring in and directing “Creed III.”MGM announced today that Jordan will make his directorial debut with the new film, which is set to be released in theaters on Nov. 23, 2022. Tessa Thompson and Phylicia Rashad are expected to return for the third…