Hiddleston as Hank/Payne's Next Gig?/Now Waitful for The Hateful

Good Monday morning everyone,

HIDDLESTON AS HANK

We got word this week that Sony Pictures Classics has acquired the rights to distribute the Hank Williams biopic "I Saw the Light".  The film stars Tom Hiddleston as the as the country music legend.  It was written and directed by Marc Abraham.

The SPC acquisition sets "I Saw the Light" up as a possible Telluride film.  As regular readers of this blog are aware, SPC is usually a substantial presence at TFF.  Last year the fest programmed: "Mr. Turner", "Red Army", "Wild Tales", "Foxcatcher", "The Salt of the Earth"and "Leviathan" from the SPC stable so you have to think that this latest move means at least a chance that it will play.

Additionally, Abraham's only other feature film directing credit, 2008's "Flash of Genius" played the fest.  Also, SPC's tank isn't terribly full at the moment.  Looking at their list of films at IMDb, it seems that, at the moment the only other T-ride possible from them is "Elser" a film that played well at the Berlin fest a couple of months ago.

I have included three posts/stories about the SPC buy below:


http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/tom-hiddleston-enters-the-awards-season-race-as-sony-classics-takes-i-saw-the-light

http://www.thewrap.com/tom-hiddlestons-hank-williams-biopic-acquired-by-sony-pictures-classics/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/tom-hiddlestons-hank-williams-biopic-lands-at-sony-pictures-classics-20150402



PAYNE'S NEXT GIG?

Telluride regular Alexander Payne seems to be circling a new directing job.  Reports this week indicate that he has an interest in directing "Septillion to One" a romance set against the improbable true story of a multiple winner of the Texas lottery.

It has been thought that Payne's next film would be "Downsizing" but that seems uncertain in light of this latest set of stories.

Check these notes from The Playlist and The Wrap:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/alexander-payne-may-bet-on-septillion-to-one-odds-20150402

http://www.thewrap.com/oddlot-wins-heated-auction-for-septillion-to-one-alexander-payne-circling-to-direct-exclusive/


NOW WAITFUL FOR THE HATEFUL

The Cortez Journal (.com) reported this week in a feature story that Quentin Tarantino's :The Hateful Eight" which has been filming near Telluride has had an unsurprisingly positive effect on Southwest Colorado area businesses.  Almost unnoticed in the story is the note that Tarantino's film (which had some delays due to weather issues) has wrapped.  As a result, we can begin to seriously speculate about the possibility that the film might be presented as a part of the TFF #42 lineup.  Keep a good thought.  The Cortez Journal article is here:


http://www.cortezjournal.com/article/20150402/LIVING/150409934/A-slice-of-%E2%80%98Hateful-Eight%E2%80%99


More on Thursday...