THE FRONT RUNNER

[jo]

Sites like the DAILY MAIL help movies like THE FRONT RUNNER get mass appeal -- Hugh is a regular feature on the site. The comment section also provides an early indication if the movie will be an interesting offering in the cinema.

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-5716841/Hugh-Jackman-dark-comedy-Gary-Harts-1988-presidential-bid-coming-fall-Sony-Pictures.html

It also features a few photos of Senator Hart earlier on in his career...and later on in his life.

[jo]

Translated from Italian by
Microsoft

Sony buys the international distribution rights for Jason Reitman's The Front Runner starring a Hugh Jackman in the smell of Oscar nomination. Here's what the political drama will talk about: www.awardstoday.it/2018/05/the-front-runner-la-sony-acquista-i.html?spref=fb …

No harm with any early talk about awards honors


Jo

[jo]

For once, The Daily Mail did its homework in digging up more info on the life of Senator Hart and the many people around him. There is also a matching of roles with the actors who will give life to the characters, in addition to Hugh portraying Senator Hart.

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-5716841/Hugh-Jackman-dark-comedy-Gary-Harts-1988-presidential-bid-coming-fall-Sony-Pictures.html#newcomment

Hugh Jackman stars in the film as Hart in a role that could lead to awards recognition for the actor when the film is released this fall

What I find personally fascinating is for the former Senator to have allowed this new intrusion into his privacy. Although he did return to public roles ( via work on homeland security and as special envoy to Nothern Ireland)... Maybe there are some aspects that can bear watching in the movie such as clarifying certain elements of the scandal which got lost in the mire?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Hart


Jo

[jo]

Interesting footnote to the story of one of the most devastating terror attacks in fairly recent times --

Hart gave a speech before the American international law firm Coudert Brothers on September 4, 2001, exactly one week before the September 11 attacks, warning that within the next 25 years a terrorist attack would lead to mass deaths in the United States. Hart met with aviation executives in Montreal, Canada, on September 5, 2001, to warn of airborne terrorist attacks. The Montreal Gazette reported the story the following day with a headline, “Thousands Will Die, Ex-Presidential Hopeful Says.”[67] On September 6, 2001, Hart met with National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice to urge, "You must move more quickly on homeland security. An attack is going to happen."[68] In a subsequent interview with Salon.com, Hart accused President George W. Bush and other administration officials of ignoring his warnings.[66]

The movie is likely touching only on that aspect of his life that had to deal with his failed run for the presidency?

[jo]

Right along PAGE SIX alley -- gossip and scandal

Sorry, just kidding

pagesix.com/2018/05/11/hugh-jackman-to-star-as-gary-hart-in-the-frontrunner/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[carouselkathy]

May 11, 2018 8:49:29 GMT -5 jo said:

Interesting footnote to the story of one of the most devastating terror attacks in fairly recent times --

Hart gave a speech before the American international law firm Coudert Brothers on September 4, 2001, exactly one week before the September 11 attacks, warning that within the next 25 years a terrorist attack would lead to mass deaths in the United States. Hart met with aviation executives in Montreal, Canada, on September 5, 2001, to warn of airborne terrorist attacks. The Montreal Gazette reported the story the following day with a headline, “Thousands Will Die, Ex-Presidential Hopeful Says.”[67] On September 6, 2001, Hart met with National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice to urge, "You must move more quickly on homeland security. An attack is going to happen."[68] In a subsequent interview with Salon.com, Hart accused President George W. Bush and other administration officials of ignoring his warnings.[66]

The movie is likely touching only on that aspect of his life that had to deal with his failed run for the presidency?

Wow. I've always followed politics, but I didn't know this. I wonder where he got his information?

[jo]

There seems to be so much depth to him than what more popular articles on his failed presidency indicated.

Here are the Wikipedia notes on him ( especially interesting is the section on LATER CAREER) --

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Hart

There's this bit of summary on his other involvements, but the entire page is worth reading. I have a feeling Hugh ( who we know is a well-read person) must have read up on Senator Hart a lot - on his early life and even beyond his failed presidency bid. The Senator seemed to be also an intellectual on certain aspects of political interest. Hmm...Hugh's barrister-brother Ian went to Oxford as a Rhodes scholar... I wonder if Hugh also found interesting the fact that Senator Hart earned his doctorate in politics at Oxford after his failed political bid? It seems Hugh met with the Senator in Colorado before they started filming. I think that was why he happened to be in nearby Telluride (famous for its film festival) at around that time and even uploaded a selfie.

Hart returned to private practice after the 1988 election and served in a variety of public roles. He co-chaired the Hart-Rudman Task Force on Homeland Security, served on the Homeland Security Advisory Council, and was the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland. He earned a doctorate in politics from the University of Oxford and has written for outlets such as the Huffington Post. He has also written several books, including a biography of President James Monroe.

[jo]

Given the Hart failed presidency bid happened a while ago, some people question the appeal and the worth of this kind of role for Hugh Jackman. Here is someone who raised the issue...and someone else who gave a very fine reply -- both are from the USA and presumably are aware of past political history. From the feedback section of the DAILY MAIL feature on Hugh Jackman's THE FRONT RUNNER being picked up by SONY for worldwide distribution.

WestTX, Lubbock, United States, about 13 hours ago

Why would Hugh Jackman do such a dumb role like this?
ReplyNew




Nina, Los Angeles, about 12 hours ago

For the same reason that Gary Oldman accepted Churchill's role, Daniel Day Lewis accepted Lincoln's role and Zack Efron accepted the role of the serial killer Ted Bundy .... actors are interested in developing characters, much better if they are really existing people who, in one way or another, have been part of history and news. The art of acting, being actors, consists in this, you can be who you want and tell stories. No role is stupid if the intent is to give different perspectives and other points of view to a lived life story, surely it is something more logical and interesting than the usual CGI special effects, indistinguishable from a videogame.

To add to that --

*Hugh Jackman is known for his preference for variety and originality of the work he likes to do on film and on stage. He was also a graduate of journalism/mass communications and the subject of politics and media intertwined in an interesting story must have added to the appeal of the subject. Hugh is also known to like working with excellent directors and Jason Reitman is an Oscar twice-nominated director and screenwriter.

*Based on how Jason Reitman described the movie, it is supposed to be a political comedy! It is not simply a historical retelling of that phase of American history. Plus the book by Matt Bai, on which the film is based, explores the advent of journalism into the more contemporary role of media ( aka bordering on tabloid journalism) -- which could add to the overall appeal of this story.

*Those who have followed the career of Hugh Jackman for a long time now has been rewarded with such diversity of roles that Hugh has taken on both film and stage, two mediums that he has conquered so easily. More recently, he went from a peacock-preening pirate villain to an embittered and aging mutant, to a great dreamer and founder of the circus and showbusiness. Earlier than that, he was a trifecta character spanning over 1500 years, to a magician who sought public adulation by whatever means, to a loner-drover in faraway land down under, to the portrayal of a monumental literary figure who bounded from poverty to prominence yet beset by problems of his identity in 18th century France, to a father-provider who lost his bearing when his daughter was kidnapped, to a former boxer who found bonding with a lost son not too easily. And as a keynote to his film career - his near-2 decade development of the character of a badass mutant full of angst, ending with a critically-acclaimed portrayal of the beloved Wolverine.

Meanwhile on stage, beyond the musicals ( of which a biopic musical from Australia and a remake of the landmark American musical were the most prominent), he was an alpha male who fell into a physical, mental, and emotional abyss because of a family tragedy, and more lately as a poetic man who could not quite find true love!



So, it is so strange that he has now chosen a role that is another step in a new direction? It is also significant that after LOGAN and his departure from his known film persona, that he is moving towards even newer acting choices as if he is now testing the waters even further as to where his talent ( now recognized universally for its quality and diversity) may now take his acting career.



Jo

[jo]

Also --

Picking up the worldwide distribution rights for THE FRONT RUNNER by SONY ( formerly Columbia) implies that a major studio like SONY has likely seen the movie and has assessed its appeal to audiences, in America and overseas. While the current political and cultural picture in America is probably more divisive and at the same time more aware of social justice issues, plus the presence of a much stronger and more outspoken mainstream media, as well as emerging social media participants -- there could be great appeal in looking at a time in recent history when the seeds of part of what currently besets the American political and cultural scene might have started sprouting. We also do not know how strong and appealing ( both dramatic and comedic aspects) the script for the movie is and how strong the character portrayals are -- and SONY presumably has assessed all the factors that contribute to the commercial and critical success of the movie.

It is also very true that the events in America are also replicating in many political and cultural settings all over the world, in different degrees. So, the appeal could also provoke interest worldwide. Maybe the key would be how the movie would be promoted, i,e., the kind of publicity material to promote the movie ( especially if this is meant to coincide with the election cycle in America). Also, presumably a major part of it would be the role of Hugh Jackman ( who is coming from 2 recent very successful movies) in handling the media tour publicity.

An interesting question -- would parties on both sides of the political fence ( and even those outside it) be interested enough to see the movie and maybe provoke some discussions on the relevance of such a film?

[jo]

It looks like this image will be the iconic one of Hugh Jackman as Gary Hart.

http://instagram.com/p/BipcNjngII4

[jo]

Speculation on whether Jason Reitman will be back in OSCAR's graces for this coming awards season.


www.nextbestpicture.com/latest/will-tully-the-front-runner-bring-jason-reitman-back-to-the-oscars

[jo]

From Awards Circuit ( Clayton Davis site) --

www.awardscircuit.com/2018/05/11/sony-acquires-jason-reitmans-gary-hart-film-the-front-runner-starring-hugh-jackman/

Sony Acquires Jason Reitman’s Gary Hart Film ‘The Front Runner’ Starring Hugh Jackman
By Joey Magidson -
May 11, 2018


Jason Reitman is poised to have a hell of a 2018. After a few years of mixed reviews, the filmmaker is back in the good graces of pundits. Just last week, he had “Tully” open to strong notices, after a buzz worthy debut at the Sundance Film Festival as the “Secret Screening.” However, that’s only half of the story for him. About a month ago, we did an Awards Profile for the other Reitman movie coming out this year. It was for “The Front Runner,” which at the time was without distribution. Well, that’s no longer the case for the Gary Hart pseudo biopic, as a studio has come forward and opened their check book.


According to Variety, Sony Pictures has bought “The Front Runner” and will be planning a fall release for awards consideration. Co-written and directed by Reitman, the film stars Hugh Jackman as Hart, the former Democratic Senator from Colorado and seemingly inevitable future President of the United States. The movie depicts Hart’s downfall during a Presidential campaign, essentially setting up the kind of political coverage about a candidate’s personal life that we see all the time these days. In addition to Jackman, Kaitlyn Dever, Vera Farmiga, Ari Graynor, Sara Paxton, Kevin Pollak, and J.K. Simmons co-star. Suffice to say, there’s some top notch talent involved here.


Here is a bit from the article:

Sony Pictures has acquired worldwide rights to Jason Reitman’s “The Front Runner,” starring Hugh Jackman as presidential candidate Gary Hart, along with Vera Farmiga and J.K. Simmons.
The studio, which made the announcement Thursday, said it plans a fall release timed to coincide with award season and election coverage.

“The Front Runner” chronicles the rise and fall of Hart, a charismatic U.S. Senator from Colorado, who was considered the frontrunner for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination when his campaign was sidelined by the story of an extramarital relationship with Donna Rice. In what may have been the first merger of tabloid journalism and political journalism, Hart was forced to drop out of the race.

As we wrote in the aforementioned Awards Profile, “The Front Runner” could definitely turn out to be a big Oscar player. Sony doesn’t currently have any real prestige pictures to push, so this should get their full attention. A debut at the Telluride Film Festival, where Reitman frequents, is all but a foregone conclusion. More on “The Front Runner” will be coming in the next few months, so stay tuned…

Hugh Jackman visited Senator Hart at his place in Colorado (which is near Telluride) before filming for the movie started.

telluridefilmfestival.org/show


Jo

[jo]

japantoday.com/category/entertainment/sony-to-release-gary-hart-drama-starring-hugh-jackman

At first I did not pay particular attention that the Associated Press news was also picked up by Japan media. Until I realized that SONY is one of the top Japanese multinational corporations! Hopefully, the movie will be publicized and supported in a big way in Japan.

Japan was supportive of Hugh's WOLVERINE films ( one of which was partly filmed there) -- they even created the special Wolverine rose ... and he was presented an honorary plaque in one of the places there. They also supported THE GREATEST SHOWMAN in a big way ( currently, about $ 46.5 million in box office receipts, second only to the UK's $ 63.4 million grosses).

And Hugh returns the love for the place -- he has even gone there for his 40th birthday celebration with males buddies. He loves Japanese cuisine, too!

Jo

[hu4601]

May 12, 2018 21:27:57 GMT -5 jo said:

japantoday.com/category/entertainment/sony-to-release-gary-hart-drama-starring-hugh-jackman

At first I did not pay particular attention that the Associated Press news was also picked up by Japan media. Until I realized that SONY is one of the top Japanese multinational corporations! Hopefully, the movie will be publicized and supported in a big way in Japan.

Japan was very supportive of Hugh's WOLVERINE films ( one of which was partly filmed there) -- they even created the special Wolverine rose ... and he was presented an honorary plaque in one of the places there. They also supported THE GREATEST SHOWMAN in a big way ( currently, about $ 46.5 million in box office receipts, second only to the UK's $ 63.4 million grosses).

And Hugh returns the love for the place -- he has even gone there for his 40th birthday celebration with males buddies. He loves Japanese cuisine, too!

Jo

   
    From memory, he spent his 40th birthday in Sydney where Deb threw a surprise party. The Japan thing was for a mate's birhday.

www.google.com.au/search?source=hp&ei=Zrv3WvbsOcal8AW7_pqoDg&q=hugh+jackman+40th+birthday&oq=hugh+jackman+40th+birthday&gs_l=psy-ab.12...1188.16070.0.17811.29.22.0.6.6.0.283.3589.0j12j6.18.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..5.23.3438.0..0j0i131k1j0i22i30k1j33i21k1j33i160k1j33i22i29i30k1j33i13i21k1.0.mvJ24rrx7F8

[jo]

Maybe I should have worded it differently

I didn't mean the surprise 40th birthday celebration on a yacht off Sydney Harbour. I meant the time when he and his mates who were all celebrating their 40th birthdays that year ( they had been friends since when they were fairly young) decided to go to Japan to celebrate as a group. It was an all-male group

[jo]

It looks like the acquisition by SONY of the worldwide distribution rights to THE FRONT RUNNER was a rare feat for an independently-produced movie!

www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-market-heats-up-at-midpoint-1111345

Cannes Market Heats Up at the Midpoint
9:30 PM PDT 5/12/2018 by Tatiana Siegel , Scott Roxborough
'

One of the most significant developments was Netflix’s muted presence.


All was relatively quiet on the Cannes market front until Saturday morning, when Universal closed a $20 million deal for U.S. rights to the female-fronted action film 355.


Just two days earlier, the film’s stars Jessica Chastain, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Fan Bingbing and Lupita Nyong'o created the festival’s best photo op during their presentation to U.S. and foreign buyers at the Majestic. The ensuing fanfare did the trick with 355 landing a wide release commitment, still the holy grail for independently financed films.

Hours after the 355 deal was sealed, Donald Tang’s upstart Global Road Entertainment made waves of its own by nabbing North American rights to the Colin Firth star vehicle The Secret Garden, the latest adaption of the classic children’s book.

Whether the twin deals mean the floodgates will swing open remains to be seen. Another major deal is brewing for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights, whose rights were recently extricated from The Weinstein Co. Sources say the suitors include major studios (Universal once had big-screen rights to the adaptation of the Tony-winning musical).

But the only other Cannes deal involving a major studio was for the Gary Hart biopic The Front Runner. Sony Pictures acquired worldwide rights to Jason Reitman-helmed drama that stars Hugh Jackman as the disgraced presidential candidate.

At the midway mark, a number of films playing in the festival have found homes like the Mads Mikkelsen starrer Arctic (Bleecker Street), the Swedish horror film Border (Neon), Lebanese helmer Nadine Labaki’s Capernaum (Sony Pictures Classics) and opening night drama Everybody Knows (Focus).

Non-festival finished films landing domestic distribution included Saban Films picking up a pair of finished films: the Gerard Butler starrer Keepers and the Keanu Reeves-led Siberia.

But perhaps the most significant development of the market was Netflix’s muted presence. The streaming giant, which has been locked in a battle with the festival over its films being banned from competition, has closed just one deal, buying the animated pic Next Gen. Though the price tag eclipsed 355’s by $10 million, it generated far less buzz given that the film’s voice cast -- headed up by Charlyne Yi and Jason Sudeiki -- is lesser known, and the project itself was not considered high profile. Amazon has made even less noise this market, buying nothing to date.


IFC Films/Sundance Selects CEO Jonathan Sehring says the streamers increasingly are moving away from acquisitions.
“I think that’s the case more and more with Netflix and Amazon,” he says. “It’s a transition period for the industry yet again in terms of acquisition versus original production and what’s available. Our whole business seems to be constantly in flux.”

On the international front, fewer films, fewer deals and a lot less buzz made for a more subdued Cannes market, with most buyers packing up shop by Sunday.

“We put in a few bids but there wasn't much to buy,” says one major European buyer. “There wasn't much on offer this year, especially in the commercial space.”

Only a handful of projects -- like FilmNation’s 355, AGC Studios' Roland Emmerich epic Midway, Sierra/Affinity’s Guillermo del Toro-produced Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Lionsgate's fantasy pic The Kingkiller Chronicle (which has Miranda attached as a creative producer) -- attracted the interest of major international distributors and many were cautious, noting that neither Kingkiller Chronicle nor 355 yet had a script. France's SND picked up 355, the first and only foreign deal for the film to date.


"The pre-sales business as we knew it is pretty much over,” notes Martin Moszkowicz of German mini-major Constantin Film, which picked up Voltage Pictures' would-be franchise After, based on Anna Todd's best-seller, but otherwise had a quiet Cannes. “You can see when a man like Patrick Wachsberger leaves Lionsgate that it’s the end of an era. But the industry will adjust and find new ways to get movies made. There are fewer big commercial projects available, and it's rare now that a studio will only take domestic rights. They usually take big chunks of the rest of the world too."

Adds Phil Hunt, co-managing director of U.K.-based film financing group Head Gear: “The market is only buying small budget films. It’s either the really big John Wick-style stuff or very small, niche titles.”

Based on the above report from THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, THE FRONT RUNNER was the only film whose worldwide distribution rights were acquired by a major Hollywood studio. The others landed wide releases but only for the USA market.

It probably helped that the movie is probably already completed or nearing completion and gave SONY PICTURES execs a chance to view the basic movie, unlike some projects which are on pre-sales basis.


Hugh Jackman, who has had two major box office successes in the past season ( LOGAN & THE GREATEST SHOWMAN), must have been the major drawing card for the movie.  Reitman is a returning director, who has 2 Oscar nominations for directing in the past but has had a spotty record -- it is doubtful that it was his name that pushed the purchase ( TULLY was picked up by FOCUS FEATURES, a subsidiary of Universal which specializes in smaller-budget movies usually classified as "indie"). But the two working together must have been a very attractive combination for the execs at SONY PICTURES.
 

It is also likely that the subject was interesting enough -- not just the story of the failed presidential bid of Sen Gary Hart but also the story of how media moved on to a new role ( bordering on tabloid journalism, as described in some of the publicity material). And the intention to release the movie in time for the USA election cycle and the awards season must have been a major reason. Someone pointed out that as of this time, SONY has not acquired or produced a prestige movie for the year, so this could be a project that they may want on their lineup.

And I am guessing that Tom Rothman, SONY's President/CEO ( and formerly of FOX) fully appreciates the box office draw and the talent & capability of Hugh Jackman to lead a movie. Hugh is also known for the amount and quality of his publicity work during the promotion of his movies.


Jo

[jo]

[jo]

Film bloggers appreciate that the movie is more than just a retelling of the scandalous aspect of Hart's run for the presidency --

www.slashfilm.com/jason-reitmans-new-movie/

Excerpts --

Juno and Up in the Air director Jason Reitman‘s new movie Tully hit theaters only about a week ago, but the director has already locked down worldwide distribution for his next movie, a political drama called The Front Runner that stars Hugh Jackman...


The Front Runner

Deadline relayed the news about Sony picking up The Front Runner, Reitman’s movie about former Senator Gary Hart. Jackman plays the lead role of Hart, who served in the U.S. Senate and ran for president in 1984 and 1988. He was widely considered to be the front runner during the ’88 primary campaign, but word came out out he was having an affair, and “as tabloid journalism and political journalism merged for the first time, the senator was forced to drop out of the race.”

Hart initially denied accusations that he was involved in an affair, famously telling The New York Times, “Follow me around. I don’t care. I’m serious. If anybody wants to put a tail on me, go ahead. They’ll be very bored.” Photos soon surfaced of Hart with a woman named Donna Rice, and he ultimately decided to abandon his campaign. (Remember when that was all it took to essentially end someone’s political career? Simpler times.) This movie sounds like a fascinating way to engage with the evolution of political reporting.

It’s got a hell of a cast, too: Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air), J.K. Simmons (Whiplash), Kevin Pollak (The Usual Suspects), Mamoudou Athie (The Detour), Josh Brener (Silicon Valley), Kaitlyn Dever (Short Term 12), Tommy Dewey (Justified), Molly Ephraim (Last Man Standing), Spencer Garrett (Thank You for Smoking), Ari Graynor (The Disaster Artist), Toby Huss (Halt and Catch Fire), Alex Karpovsky (Girls) Sara Paxton (Murder in the First), and Steve Zissis (Togetherness). Silicon Valley and Beavis & Butthead creator Mike Judge will appear in the flesh playing a role here too, which is a rarity because much of his acting consists of voiceover work.

No offense meant -- but I am not too sure that this movie was picked up by SONY PICTURES for worldwide distribution based mainly on Reitman's reputation.

While TULLY was praised by critics, its box office results were considered disappointing to-date.

I think it was more of Hugh Jackman's box office draw and acting reputation which sold the bill to SONY PICTURES...coupled with the subject/plotline and the creative & acting talent involved.

[jo]

Before the announcement that SONY PICTURES secured the worldwide distribution rights for THE FRONT RUNNER, I ordered the book :

ALL THE TRUTH IS OUT by Matt Bai

to get a more meaningful idea of what to expect in the movie. I am hoping that Amazon is delivering it halfway across the world in two weeks or less. I have also started to read the reviews from readers ... and I am discovering that there might be a lot more to the historical account than what media has reported and sensationalized re l'affaire Hart! SONY PICTURES did not make a throwaway decision to front for the movie -- it must have been based on an excellent movie that chronicles what actually happened and the thoughts and conversations that the incident provoked. Maybe the public might even see a more truthful appreciation of the debacle that brought down a promising political career?

PS: I am liking the way Hugh Jackman's career choices have also led me onto new and interesting discovery paths


Jo

[jo]

The UPI. another news agency like the Associated Press, picks up the news report. That increases the number of news affiliates to help spread the announcement.

www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Movies/2018/05/14/Sony-to-release-Hugh-Jackmans-Gary-Hart-biopic-this-fall/9711526339666/?spt=su&or=btn_tw

Essentially the same content as other news reports.

Hope this last line was not correctly punctuated --

The Front Runner is scheduled for a fall, theatrical release.

Better off as " The Front Runner is scheduled for a fall theatrical release."

LOL!

[jo]

Is this shaping up as the competition for Oscar Director and Best Actor honors?

If THE FRONT RUNNER is excellent, there is a good chance that Oscar twice-nominated director Jason Reitman may also be in the mix!

[jo]

Presumably the acquisition by SONY PICTURES of the worldwide distribution rights for THE FRONT RUNNER has significantly enhanced its perceived chances for OSCAR glory based on one site. This May update on Oscar potential contenders has it on the list for Best Picture/Best Actor/Best Director/Best Supporting Actress/Best Adapted Screenplay!


www.hollywoodnews.com/2018/05/18/blackkklansman-oscar-predictions-for-may/


At this point it is all educated guesses ( based on past reputations and buzz about unseen movies, save for those already released). Hopefully, a first trailer will be released for THE FRONT RUNNER to support the speculations on its Oscar chances.


It is important however that a narrative about the movie, its acting strengths, and its other qualities, has an early build-up...and sustained as the movie is released and as the competition is sized up.


I wonder if Hugh Jackman, given his past artistic/dramatic successes, is now one of the narratives which worked for others, one saying that " he is due one now!"


Jo

[jo]

It looks like the acquisition of the worldwide distribution rights by SONY enhanced the chances of the film for recognition!

awardswatch.com/2018/05/23/2019-oscar-predictions-best-actor-may-bradley-coopers-star-rises/

Some movement this month in Best Actor – with the exception of the #1 and #2 spots as Oscar winner and three-time nominee Christian Bale (Backseat) and two-time Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling (First Man) still hold onto those.

But a lot of shakeup elsewhere. Oscar nominee Steve Carell moves up to #3 with Beautiful Boy. The first look at the October release from Amazon with Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet hit last week, with a full trailer on the way soon. With BlacKkKlansman‘s huge Cannes success, star John David Washington moves up in the rankings as well and Oscar nominee Lucas Hedges (Boy Erased) finds himself back in the top 5. Both Washington and Hedges are from Focus Features and have earlier than usual release dates (August and September, respectively) but I think they can both find a way in – Focus did a superb job doing just that this last Oscar season with Gary Oldman and Daniel Day-Lewis.

The big move is Bradley Cooper in A Star Is Born. He debuts this month at #6 on the strength of the great word of mouth his directorial debut is getting. He’s already a four-time Oscar nominee and clearly well-liked within the Academy. He’s also a producer and writer on A Star Is Born so we could be looking at a George Clooney-esque run with this film.

With Sony Pictures Classics picking up Jason Reitman’s Gary Hart sex scandal drama The Front Runner, Hugh Jackman could be adding a second Best Actor nomination to his list.

All of this movement bumped two-time Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe (At Eternity’s Gate) down quite a bit. Although his Julian Schnabel-directed biopic of Vincent Van Gogh got picked up during Cannes, it was by CBS Films which might struggle with this. They previously had Hell or High Water, which got them Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor nominations but that film was also a late summer sleeper hit. They’ll have to work hard for Dafoe here as the Best Actor field gets deeper and deeper. With the first trailer for Bohemian Rhapsody dropping last week, Rami Malek hangs on to the #10 spot.


Here are my predictions for Best Actor as of May 23, 2018.

1. Christian Bale – Backseat
2. Ryan Gosling – First Man
3. Steve Carell – Beautiful Boy
4. John David Washington – BlacKkKlansman
5. Lucas Hedges – Boy Erased

6. Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born
7. Hugh Jackman – The Front Runner
8. Willem Dafoe – At Eternity’s Gate
9. Brad Pitt – Ad Astra
10. Rami Malek – Bohemian Rhapsody

NEXT UP

Steve Carell – The Women of Marwen
Rory Kinnear – Peterloo
Viggo Mortensen – Green Book
Robert Redford – Old Man and the Gun
John C. Reilly – The Sisters Brothers

OTHER CONTENDERS

Javier Bardem – Everybody Knows
Chadwick Boseman – Black Panther
Timothée Chalamet – Beautiful Boy
John Cho – Search
Jesse Eisenberg – The Hummingbird Project
Colin Firth – The Mercy
Ben Foster – Leave No Trace
Garrett Hedlund – Burden
John Huston – The Other Side of the Wind
Oscar Isaac – Operation Finale
Roman Kolinka – Maya
George MacKay – The True History of the Kelly Gang
Jack O’Connell – Trial by Fire
Nick Offerman – Hearts Beat Loud
Robert Pattinson – High Life
Joaquin Phoenix – The Sisters Brothers
Joaquin Phoenix – You Were Never Really Here
Chris Pine – Outlaw King
Jonathan Pryce – The Wife
John C. Reilly – Stan and Ollie
Paul Rudd – The Catcher Was a Spy
Toni Servillo – Loro
Alexander Skarsgård – The Hummingbird Project
Christoph Waltz – Georgetown



Erik thanks his mother for his love of all things Oscar, having watched the Academy Awards together since he was in the single digits; making lists, rankings and predictions throughout the show. This led him down the path to obsessing about awards. Much later, he found himself at GoldDerby, led by Tom O’Neill and then migrated over to Oscarwatch (now AwardsDaily), headed up by Sasha Stone before breaking off to create AwardsWatch. He is a member of the International Cinephile Society, GALECA (The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics), the International Press Academy and is the founder/owner of AwardsWatch.

*The pick-up is likely viewed that since a major studio is willing to distribute the movie worldwide, that it may have already seen a cut of the movie and may have assessed its artistic and commercial potential.

*There was speculation that SONY will also support its awards potentials because this seems to be the only prestige film at the moment that will be part of their studio lineup for the rest of the year.

*It is likely viewed that the support of a major studio can help tremendously in the promotion of the film, and if the film has good awards potential, may also get its full support in any campaign for awards consideration.

Hopefully, a first trailer will be out soon. It is likely that SONY is now mapping out the promotion strategy for the movie.

[jo]

SONY PICTURES presents initial publicity for THE FRONT RUNNER at the convention of European theater distributors in Barcelona --


www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sony-previews-venom-frontrunner-quentin-tarantinos-manson-thriller-at-cineeurope-1119057

Claire Foy, Jason Reitman and Yann Demange hit the stage, while several big names - including Hugh Jackman and Quentin Tarantino – recorded special messages for the Barcelona crowd.

Sony wheeled out a few big guns to support its presentation at the CineEurope trade show on Monday.

Among the special guests on stage were The Crown star Claire Foy to help introduce a preview of The Girl in the Spider's Web, in which she plays the iconic anti-hero Lisbeth Salander, while Jason Reitman made an appearance to discuss his film The Frontrunner, starring Hugh Jackman as former Republican presidential candidate Gary Hart.

The director praised his leading man, who he said had given "one of his most nuanced performances," while Jackman, via a video message, revealed he was "hugely proud" of the film. "If you're anything like me and you might find yourself looking a politics today and wondering how we got here, this film helps explain it," Jackman said.

It looks like the reporter at Hollywood Reporter mistook the political affiliation of Gary Hart ( he was a leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination race).


Jo

[jo]

Deadline reports that a clip and a teaser were included in the CineEurope presentation by SONY/Reiteman --

deadline.com/2018/06/sony-the-front-runner-hugh-jackman-jason-reitman-quentin-tarantino-venom-spider-man-cineeurope-1202408090/

Jason Reitman’s ‘The Front Runner’, Quentin Tarantino & More In Sony Spotlight – CineEurope

by Nancy Tartaglione

June 11, 2018 2:53pm


Gary Hart, Venom, Spider-Man, The Equalizer and Lisbeth Salander were some of the characters in the spotlight during Sony Pictures’ presentation today at CineEurope.

Hart is the subject of Jason Reitman’s Hugh Jackman-starrer The Front Runner which is based on the true story of the presidential hopeful’s 1988 campaign which was swiftly derailed by reports of an extramarital relationship with Donna Rice. Sony acquired worldwide distribution rights at Cannes and is planning a fall release to coincide with awards season as well as the fall election cycle.

Reitman was in Barcelona today and said the events of 1988 were the first time “political journalism and tabloids drove into the same lane.” He suggested the story may hold answers to “what the hell is happening in American politics today.” Jackman, in a taped message, said it “may give some insight into how we got here” before introducing a clip and a teaser.

Hope we get a first trailer/teaser soon.