THE FRONT RUNNER

[jo]

That's speculative as nothing as been announced by BRON/Reitman. Also, there is no news yet that the movie has been completed ( post-production) as Reitman is now busy promoting his movie TULLY ( which was shown at Sundance) with Charlize Theron. Toronto and Telluride and Venice do not announce their lineups till fairly close to festival time. In this case, all three festival dates coincide at some point in the first week of September.

It is also possible that even if domestic distribution talks are already underway, it may be up to the distributor if they want to show it in Toronto.

One thing though that may favor showing in Toronto is the fact that BRON ( major producer of the film) is domiciled in Canada.


Jo

[jo]

Film buffs seem more interested in how Jason Reitman ( who was twice-nominated for an Oscar director award) can deliver this time after some disappointing movies from him.

Jeff Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere shares part of his impressions of Reitman's current movie up for release, TULLY, with some speculations on THE FRONT RUNNER --

And that’s as far as I can go. The ending of Tully is interesting but not, I have to say, altogether satisfying. The plot strands don’t entirely mesh. Remember the old film-school lesson about how every story starts with an inciting incident, and how this incident should ideally arrive between page 25 and 30? Well, Tully doesn’t have a big inciting incident. Things just move along on a beat-by-beat, nudge-by-nudge basis. I was asking myself “is anything going to happen here or what?” And then something finally does in Act Three.

Tully isn’t Reitman’s comeback but a reminder that he’s better than his last couple of films. It’s less angsty and dysfunctional than Young Adult but is generally on a similar level. But it’s not as good as Thank You For Smoking or Up In The Air. Not even close.

I’m presuming that Reitman’s The Front Runner, a drama about Gary Hart‘s campaign meltdown in 1988 that will open later this year, will connect in a bigger way than Tully. But who knows? Hugh Jackman will play Hart with Vera Farmiga, Sara Paxton, J. K. Simmons, Molly Ephraim and Kevin Pollak costarring.

[jo]

Jeff Wells, like other movie press columnists, is also starting to speculate on Best Picture possibilities.

hollywood-elsewhere.com/2018/03/likeliest-18-best-picture-contenders/

Likeliest ’18 Best Picture Contenders

I’ve been spitballing 2018 releases for several weeks, but now I’m attempting to focus on films that will probably stand out in terms of great reviews, Best Picture nominations and award campaigns.

It’s now March 6th — less than six months away from the start of the ’18/’19 award season. And right now (stop me if you’ve read this before) eight films are the leading Best Picture hotties — Martin Scorsese‘s The Irishman, Adam McKay‘s Back Seat, Damien Chazelle‘s First Man, Barry Jenkins‘ If Beale Street Could Talk, Bryan Singer‘s Bohemian Rhapsody, Bjorn Runge‘s The Wife, Mimi Leder‘s On The Basis of Sex, and Josie Rourke and Beau Willimon‘s Mary, Queen of Scots. (8)


Tell me which others should be included….please. Richard Linklater‘s Where’d You Go, Bernadatte? Terrence Malick‘s Radegund? Jason Reitman‘s The Front Runner? Felix von Groeningen‘s Beautiful Boy? Yorgos Lanthimos‘ The Favourite (reign of Queen Anne in early 17th Century)? Joel Edgerton‘s Boy Erased starring Lucas Hedges? (6)

Please scroll down further for more of his "spitballing" at this time of year.

As he says, he is mainly guessing at this point. He is speculating mostly on the basis of the past reputation of film auteurs/directors and in some cases on the film's central theme/subject.

Still a long way to go.


Jo

[jo]

Posted a day ago --

http://instagram.com/p/Bf_-hq-Hnqq

Let's hope he also entertains questions about THE FRONT RUNNER.


Jo

[jo]

I missed sending a question on time...I am hoping he replies to a late message/question and about THE FRONT RUNNER.

In the meantime, this was one of the questions he answered --

He liked LOGAN!


Jo

[jo]

At least The Front Runner is in the conversation, including speculations about a possible festival appearance with many others.

www.vulture.com/2018/03/what-will-be-nominated-at-the-oscars-next-year.html?mid=googlenews

[jo]

Official site of BRON for THE FRONT RUNNER --

bronstudios.com/productions/the-front-runner/


The movie is listed as "In Post Production"

[jo]

Found this message on HJ Facebook Page --

Sheila Fenton New Gary Hart Documentary this Friday Night on MSNBC Cable News 10PM est..It is called "Sex, Lies, and The Candidate."

We were a little apprehensive when we learned earlier that PTBarnum will be portrayed earlier by Billy Zane (and not in a good way ) in another TV series before the movie was released. But that may have even increased the publicity for the movie musical.

[carouselkathy]

I'm guessing that the program focus tonight is on the difference between the way Hart's behavior & Trump's behavior influenced public perception of them as Presidential candidates,

[jo]

Kathy,

If you have a chance to watch it -- could you share your impressions? Thanks

JO

[jo]

[jo]

www.msnbc.com/documentaries/watch/msnbc-looks-back-at-gary-hart-scandal-1182215747804?cid=sm_npd_ms_tw_ma


Will this help build up the publicity for THE FRONT RUNNER?

Is the issue of politicians and their private lives stoke interest in a movie that focuses on the scandal that broke presidential ambitions and the role of media in his downfall? Regardless of personalities and time periods, is this a subject matter that is as timely as it was then? Sometimes in many countries of the world, too? Remember the Profumo scandal in the UK ( ALWebber even wrote a musical about it)?




Jo

[carouselkathy]

Prior to the Hart scandal, public figures had affairs and the press stayed away. The Washington Post made the decision that changed that practice (and history). Instead of ignoring indiscretions, they followed Gary Hart and took photos. After first dropping out, Hart later re-entered the race. However, important issues were secondary to the new tabloid-like press. This changed the political landscape. Hart once again dropped out of the race. The press had forever changed candidate coverage. Private lives of candidates were no longer off limits. There was no specific mention of today's political climate.

How has Reitman approached this story in THE FRONT RUNNER? Supposedly, the film is a satire. Certainly the mainstream press has become more tabloid than before. We can certainly see the beginnings of that with their coverage of Gary Hart. How would history have changed if the Washington Post had covered FDR (World War !!) or JFK (Cuban Missile Crisis) in the same way they covered Gary Hart? I wonder what motivated Ben Bradley to change the policy in regards to covering private lives? Was it because Hart dared them to follow him around? How will Reitman approach this as a satire? Can't wait to find out!

[israruth]

I am not sure if this has already been mentioned but 'The Frontrunner' is based on the 2015 book by Matt Bai entitled "All the Truth is Out:The Week Politics went Tabloid.

[jo]

Yes, in the early discussions on the film project, it was mentioned as such. The author Matt Bai is also included in the team which wrote the screenplay, together with Jason Reitman and Jay Carson.

The film is based on Bai’s 2014 book All the Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid, and Bai co-wrote the script with Reitman and former Hillary Clinton spokesman Jay Carson, who is also a producer on House of Cards.

In director Jason Reitman's The Front Runner, Hugh Jackman will star as '80s presidential candidate Sen. Gary Hart, in what the filmmaker describes as "a political comedy about the moment in our history when tabloid journalism and political journalism drove into the same lane."

[jo]

Thanks to JackmansLanding for the link --

[jo]

At the Miami Film Festival where TULLY was shown --
from a very authoritative source, if this is what Jason Reitman actually said re premiere date of The Front Runner ...or...if it is simply the speculation of the writer (Anne Thompson) :

www.indiewire.com/2018/03/miami-film-festival-2018-moviepass-arthouse-1201940984/

At the “Tully” (Focus Features) opening night after-party, director Jason Reitman was already looking forward to his second 2018 feature, “The Front Runner,” likely debuting at the fall festivals, starring Hugh Jackman as Senator Gary Hart, who was making a strong run for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination when he was sidelined by his publicized extra-marital affair with Donna Rice — marking a new normal for press coverage. Needless to say, Reitman turned to veteran Hart campaign advisor Warren Beatty for background, and the Bron Studio-backed indie looks more timely than ever

[jo]

From a business viewpoint, how important or interesting are politics-based movies ?

This article was written in November 2017.

www.marketwatch.com/story/how-trump-has-influenced-the-new-boom-in-political-genre-movies-in-hollywood-2017-10-31

How Trump has influenced the new boom in political-genre movies in Hollywood
By Tom Teodorczuk
Published: Nov 8, 2017 10:34 a.m. ET


Steven Spielberg just released his trailer for “The Post,” a timely movie about journalism and the government

MarketWatch photo illustration/Everett Collection

At such a politically charged time, Hollywood is experiencing a boom in politically-themed movies.
“Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House,” in which Liam Neeson played secret Watergate source Deep Throat, recently opened in theaters. Rob Reiner’s “LBJ,” a biopic featuring Woody Harrelson as the 36th president, will be released later this week.

The notorious 1969 incident, when Senator Ted Kennedy drove a car off a bridge which resulted in the death of political staffer Mary Jo Kopechne, is dramatized in a new movie. “Chappaquiddick” recently premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and opens next April.

Half a decade after Steven Spielberg made “Lincoln,” his new movie “The Post” chronicling the Washington Post’s fight to publish the Pentagon Papers in 1971, starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, is being released just before Christmas.
The trailer for “The Post” has just been unveiled. The film had a relatively rapid development period — the project was announced last March and was filmed in the summer. It’s one of the first significant political movies of the Trump era. Streep, Hanks and Spielberg are all high-profile Democrats.

2018 will mark the release of an irreverent biopic of Dick Cheney directed by Adam McKay (“The Big Short”), starring Christian Bale as the former vice president. There’s also “The Front Runner,” currently filming in Atlanta in which Hugh Jackman plays Gary Hart, the 1988 Democrat presidential favorite whose political dreams were extinguished by an alleged extramarital affair with model Donna Rice.


And let’s not forget Martin Scorsese has a biopic of Theodore Roosevelt in development with Leonardo DiCaprio slated to play the 26th U.S. president.

“Cinema has always dramatized politics dating back to the silent movie era in France when a big hit was the dramatization of the Dreyfus Affair,” says Daniel Loria, editorial director at movie-tracking service Box Office Media. “But the number of political films now being made based on recent events seems more than usual.”



The Era of Trump

Whereas during the era of Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, politically-themed movies such as Warren Beatty’s “Bulworth,” Rob Reiner’s “The American President,” Rod Lurie’s “The Contender” and Steven Zallian’s “All the Kings Men” served up tales of fictional intrigue in the corridors of power, the slate of recent and upcoming biopics testifies real life has now gate-crashed the political movie genre.

Rod Lurie, who as well as directing “The Contender” also made 2008’s “Nothing But The Truth,” loosely based on the Valerie Plame-Scooter Libby case, is currently adapting for the screen “The Last of the President’s Men,” a Watergate history based on a 2015 book comprised of interviews with Nixon aide Alexander Butterfield written by Bob Woodward, who co-authored “All the President’s Men,” which went on to become the most celebrated political movie of all time upon its 1976 release.


Lurie said the political movie is ripping from the front page more than ever partially as a way of interpreting the turbulent era we’re living in. “The political films out there have everything to do with what is happening right now,” Lurie said. “There seems to be an interest in connecting the history of the past to the present and asking whether things have really changed. Films like “The Contender” and “Bulworth” seem quaint compared with Trump!”

While the riveting news agenda serves as the pathway for more political movies, the overlapping of news and entertainment presents a growing challenge for how films can cut through the noise. “You can’t compete with the insanity going on in government right now,” said Oscar-winning director and screenwriter Paul Haggis. “If you try to compete with the news, Trump is going to beat you every week!”


But Australian actor Jason Clarke, who plays Senator Edward Kennedy in “Chappaquiddick” and previously acted in Kathryn Bigelow’s Iraq movie “Zero Dark Thirty” and Showtime political drama “Brotherhood,” insists motion pictures about politics are more enduring than the latest headline or social media sensation.

“You obviously hope the film will be politically relevant — the whole point of “Chappaquiddick” lies in its similarities to the modern arena,” he said. “But art is lasting. A movie touches you on an emotional and human level whereas a tweet you fire off to make money for your brand can’t.”

Some actors seem drawn to political movies as a way of embracing issues they care about without getting drawn into political controversies that might arise if they openly express liberal viewpoints that risk inflaming conservative cinemagoers.

“I’m not interested in being political,” said Richard Jenkins, who has appeared in “LBJ” and the 2015 Sandra Bullock political-consulting drama “Our Brand is Crisis” as well as Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming politically-tinged fantasy movie, “The Shape of Water.” “I have political views but I don’t like to talk about them. I love people who do but maybe I’m not smart enough to wax eloquent about what I believe. The way I express it is through performing,” Jenkins said.
The polarized political environment has already derailed some movie projects. 18 months ago, Will Ferrell dropped out of playing Ronald Reagan in a new comedy after it emerged that “Reagan” would focus on his Alzheimer’s-induced dementia in the second term of his presidency, resulting in a right-wing backlash.

Other movies have had to compromise. An earlier script draft of “Chappaquiddick”, written by Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan, seen by MarketWatch, contained a love scene between Ted Kennedy (Clarke) and Mary Jo Kopechne (played by Kate Mara).

“They kiss gently at first,” the scene direction stated. “Then hungrily.” The scene subsequently cut to “Ted Kennedy stand[ing] unsteadily, weaving from drink. He slips himself into his back brace. Mary Jo pulls on her pants, without bothering with her panties.” Yet that love scene between the pair, whose romantic history has always remained ambiguous, was missing in the final cut of the movie that screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.


Will they make money?

Political films have historically endured a hard time getting high audience turnout. While “Lincoln” grossed $182 million domestically and “All the President’s Men” made $70 million, most others struggle at the box office. “Our Brand is Crisis” made just $7 million, “W” $25 million and “Frost/Nixon” $18 million.

[Jo : CHART is shown comparing various movies - please check from link]


“Are they guaranteed home runs? Not exactly,” said Loria of Box Office Media. “But the expectation for them to be huge hits isn’t there — you don’t have Batman helping LBJ through its crises. They’re made for more adult audiences.”
Some political movies go to increasing lengths to stand out as a result. MarketWatch understands Adam McKay’s Dick Cheney movie will feature an extravagant song and dance number choreographed by “Hamilton” choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler.

For a political movie, timing is often key. Loria notes that Joe Wright’s upcoming Winston Churchill WWII biopic “Darkest Hour” might get a box office boost from supplying the flip side of the same historical period as Christopher Nolan’s summer hit “Dunkirk.”

Paul Haggis’s “In the Valley of Elah,” starring Charlize Theron and Tommy Lee Jones, was one of a number of Iraq War movies that happened to be released in 2007. A decade ago they all flopped. “The Iraq War was still popular when I made the film,” he said. “Even liberals against the war just didn’t want to hear about it. Then two years later “The Hurt Locker” won at the Oscars. My agent’s advice, who I probably should have listened to, was to wait a year or two.”
For now, the shadow of President Trump looms large on the political movie. “We’ve moved from films about nobility in politics like “The American President” to examining films that deal with abuse of power,” says Lurie. “We’re connecting everything to Trump right now.”

Director-writer Paul Schrader, whose political movies include “The Walker” and “Patty Hearst,” emphasizes the dramatic shift the genre has undergone in the last decade. “There’s one kind of political film not being made right now,” he noted. “That’s the film about the decent, well-meaning president. You can’t get that one financed. Morgan Freeman for president no longer works.”

[jo]

www.tracking-board.com/hugh-jackman-in-talks-for-bad-education-with-thoroughbreds-cory-finley-to-direct/

Excerpts :

Represented by WME, Hugh Jackman is coming off a huge 2017 where he had back-to-back hits in Logan and The Greatest Showman, which grossed a billion worldwide between them, and he recently finished playing Senator Gary Hart in Jason Reitman’s The Front Runner. Hart was running for President in 1988 when he was caught having an affair on his wife, pretty much killing his campaign. One expects the movie to appear sometime during the fall festival season, possibly at the Toronto International Film Festival, a long time Reitman booster.

[jo]

From stand-up comedian Bill Burr who worked in the movie --

pittnews.com/article/130239/arts-and-entertainment/comedian-bill-burr-walks-his-way-out-to-pittsburgh/

And then I did a movie called “Front Runner” that stars Hugh Jackman, directed by Jason Reitman, which is a really cool movie.

[jo]

Some "Oscarlogists" ( as Goldderby people like to call their calling ) are beginning early.

www.awardscircuit.com/2018/04/12/2018-awards-profile-jason-reitmans-the-front-runner/

Nothing much is said ... but the previous reputation of Jason Reitman for excellent filmmaking ( although spotty of late) and Hugh Jackman being in the spotlight for his versatility gives THE FRONT RUNNER some awards possibility.

But --

*The film has not been picked up for distribution rights yet

*Nothing is known about any early reports from filming.


So, the writeup is really not much... but the mention is worth noting.


Jo

[jo]

Anne Thompson ( who writes for Indiewire) makes an early forecast of potential Oscar contenders --

www.indiewire.com/2018/04/2019-oscars-best-picture-predictions-1201954918/


Excerpts --

2019 Oscars: Best Picture Predictions
At this early stage, Marvel's "Black Panther" is poised to continue to make history.

Anne Thompson
8 hours ago
@akstanwyck

Frontrunner:
“Black Panther” (Ryan Coogler)


Contenders:
“Backseat” (Adam McKay)
“BlacKkKlansman” (Spike Lee)
“First Man” (Damien Chazelle)
“If Beale Street Could Talk” (Barry Jenkins)
“Mary Queen of Scots” (Josie Rourke)
“On the Basis of Sex” (Mimi Leder)
“A Star is Born” (Bradley Cooper)
“Where’d You Go, Bernadette?” (Richard Linklater)
“Widows” (Steve McQueen)


Long Shots:
“Beautiful Boy” (Felix Von Groeningen)
“Boy Erased” (Joel Edgerton)
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?” (Marielle Heller)
“The Favourite” (Yorgos Lanthimos)
“The Front Runner” (Jason Reitman)
“The Old Man and the Gun” (David Lowery)
“Peterloo” (Mike Leigh)
“Roma” (Alfonso Cuaron)
“The Sisters Brothers” (Jacques Audiard)


This Article is related to: Awards and tagged Academy Awards, Best Picture, Oscars

[hughmanity]

This site is optimistic about The Frontrunner.  But when will it be picked up for distribution and a release date set?
www.hollywoodnews.com/2018/04/20/updated-oscar-predictions-for-april/

[jo]

Maybe during the fall festivals? Film festivals are not just to exhibit new movies but is also the marketplace for negotiating script and/or production deals, and distribution deals. Maybe Toronto? And will they also consider the small but very well-respected Telluride Film Fesitval ( arguably the most well-regarded of festivals in the USA, together with Sundance)? I think Venice will be a long shot -- btw, the 2018 festivals of Toronto/Telluride/Venice overlap for a particular week.

I understand that Jason Reitman is a darling with the festival people ...and many are hopeful, despite the slump in his career in recent years, that he will come up with a winner again. He has 4 Oscar nods to his belt ( 2 for direction - Juno & Up in the Air... and 2 for screenplay). I think the TIFF ( Toronto) loves him. Also, it was in Toronto that PRISONERS with Hugh and native son Denis Villeneuve debuted...where it was voted the 2nd most popular movie among so many, many entrants. There are no other awards in Toronto except for the popular vote from the audience.

The recent popularity of Hugh because of Logan and Greatest Showman could be the major button to push the movie for distribution pickup. I am hoping that big indies distributors like FOX Searchlight ( conceded as the most successful because of their impressive Oscar wins) or Focus Features ( which is a subsidiary of Universal) will pick it up. Jason Reitman's latest movie TULLY with Charlize Theron was picked up by Focus Features.

I am hopeful that veteran movie press Anne Thompson has The Front Runner in her Oscar sights, even if it is only a long-shot possibility ( maybe because its chances at the moment comes mostly from Reitman's and Jackman's own reputations, and not because it has been seen by any...the only word so far was from Deadline which said that there was terrific buzz about the footage shown in one of the European CinemaCons for theater distributors).

We'll see...


Jo

[mamaleh]

Apr 20, 2018 2:47:17 GMT -5 jo said:

Anne Thompson ( who writes for Indiewire) makes an early forecast of potential Oscar contenders --

www.indiewire.com/2018/04/2019-oscars-best-picture-predictions-1201954918/


Excerpts --

2019 Oscars: Best Picture Predictions
At this early stage, Marvel's "Black Panther" is poised to continue to make history.

Anne Thompson
8 hours ago
@akstanwyck

Frontrunner:
“Black Panther” (Ryan Coogler)


Contenders:
“Backseat” (Adam McKay)
“BlacKkKlansman” (Spike Lee)
“First Man” (Damien Chazelle)
“If Beale Street Could Talk” (Barry Jenkins)
“Mary Queen of Scots” (Josie Rourke)
“On the Basis of Sex” (Mimi Leder)
“A Star is Born” (Bradley Cooper)
“Where’d You Go, Bernadette?” (Richard Linklater)
“Widows” (Steve McQueen)


Long Shots:
“Beautiful Boy” (Felix Von Groeningen)
“Boy Erased” (Joel Edgerton)
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?” (Marielle Heller)
“The Favourite” (Yorgos Lanthimos)
“The Front Runner” (Jason Reitman)
“The Old Man and the Gun” (David Lowery)
“Peterloo” (Mike Leigh)
“Roma” (Alfonso Cuaron)
“The Sisters Brothers” (Jacques Audiard)


This Article is related to: Awards and tagged Academy Awards, Best Picture, Oscars

I enjoyed BLACK PANTHER as an exciting superhero movie with fine acting and some imaginative special effects. Its commendable uplifting social and empowerment messages aside, I don't think it was a better-quality film than LOGAN, which did not even make the list of nominees for Best Picture, let alone emerge as the "frontrunner." LOGAN, excellent in every respect, should have made the cut last year. If BLACK PANTHER does this year, more power to it. But I hope (naively?) that would be solely for perceived excellence in filmmaking.

Ellen