We made it to another September... 2014 to be specific. Welcome to Negromancer 2.0. This is the rebirth of Negromancer, the former movie review website as a new movie review and movie news site.
By the way, the first Negromancer debuted 13 years ago this month.
All images and text appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademark their respective owners.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Sunday, August 31, 2014
The Berkeley FILM Foundation Gives $130,000 in Grants to 16 Filmmakers for 2014
2014 Berkeley Film Foundation Awards
$130,000 in grants given to 16 East Bay filmmakers
BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Berkeley FILM Foundation (BFF) announced that it has just awarded $130,000 from its 2014 film and video grant program to 16 filmmakers, including two student filmmakers. The BFF gave this year’s $25,000 Saul Zaentz Award to Ghost Town to Havana by filmmaker Eugene Corr.
“In our six-year history, BFF has awarded nearly $800,000 to almost 90 film projects. We are extremely proud that several films funded by the BFF have found audiences at the Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca, DocuWeeks, Silver Docs, and one has garnered an Oscar nomination”
The film is an intimate portrait of two coaches and their youth baseball teams. Nicolas Reyes, a coach in Havana, Cuba, and Roscoe Bryant, a coach in Oakland, CA, mentor their boys through the toughest of circumstances.
In May of 2010, the two coaches meet and their teams get the chance to play together in Havana. It is a celebration of life, community, boyhood and baseball.
At its core, Ghost Town to Havana is a film about poverty, mentorship, sports and race.
Corr and coach Bryant have been asked to speak at the annual Berkeley FILM Foundation gala fundraiser on October 1, 2014 at The David Brower Center in Berkeley. For ticket purchase: https://bff2014gala.eventbrite.com
“More than ever, our filmmakers are relying heavily on the Berkeley FILM Foundation for financial support as funding is drying up for independent films,” said David Bergad, executive director of the BFF. “In our six-year history, BFF has awarded nearly $800,000 to almost 90 film projects. We are extremely proud that several films funded by the BFF have found audiences at the Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca, DocuWeeks, Silver Docs, and one has garnered an Oscar nomination,” he added.
The total list of 2014 BFF winners is:
Eugene Corr, Ghost Town to Havana ***Saul Zaentz Award
Amir Soltani, Dogtown Redemption: In Trash We Trust
Gregory Scharpen, Buchla
Karina Epperlein, Finding The Gold Within
Kim Anno, Water City, Berkeley
Marlene Morris, A New Color
Raymond Telles, A Photographer's Journey
Rick Goldsmith, Mind/Game: The Unquiet Journey of Chamique Holdsclaw
Rick Tejada-Flores, The Road to Chulumani
Robin Fryday, Riding My Way Back
Sarolta Cump, The Gold Fish Casino
Sheri Shuster, Child Sex Trafficking: A Story About Love
Snitow-Kaufman Productions, Do Not Track
Judy Montell/Emmy Scharlatt, In The Image
Student Grant Winners:
Dorothy Atkins, The Battle Over Thompson Divide
Leah Dubuc, Zora
The Berkeley FILM Foundation, is a 501(c)3 grant program for independent filmmakers funded by the City of Berkeley, Wareham Development, and the Saul Zaentz Company with a mission to nurture, sustain and preserve the thriving local film community while attracting the next generation of filmmakers. The BFF focuses on supporting social, historical and innovative documentary and dramatic works. Many of the BFF grant winners have gone on to screen at U.S. and international film festivals, been recognized with prestigious awards, received television broadcasts, and are making a difference around the world.
For more information on these awards and on the October 1, 2014 annual gala fundraiser, please e-mail David Bergad, Executive Director BFF at david@berkeleyfilmfoundation.org. Visit us on the web: www.berkeleyfilmfoundation.org, www.facebook.com/BerkeleyFilmFoundation and https://twitter.com/berkeleyfilmfdn
$130,000 in grants given to 16 East Bay filmmakers
BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Berkeley FILM Foundation (BFF) announced that it has just awarded $130,000 from its 2014 film and video grant program to 16 filmmakers, including two student filmmakers. The BFF gave this year’s $25,000 Saul Zaentz Award to Ghost Town to Havana by filmmaker Eugene Corr.
“In our six-year history, BFF has awarded nearly $800,000 to almost 90 film projects. We are extremely proud that several films funded by the BFF have found audiences at the Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca, DocuWeeks, Silver Docs, and one has garnered an Oscar nomination”
The film is an intimate portrait of two coaches and their youth baseball teams. Nicolas Reyes, a coach in Havana, Cuba, and Roscoe Bryant, a coach in Oakland, CA, mentor their boys through the toughest of circumstances.
In May of 2010, the two coaches meet and their teams get the chance to play together in Havana. It is a celebration of life, community, boyhood and baseball.
At its core, Ghost Town to Havana is a film about poverty, mentorship, sports and race.
Corr and coach Bryant have been asked to speak at the annual Berkeley FILM Foundation gala fundraiser on October 1, 2014 at The David Brower Center in Berkeley. For ticket purchase: https://bff2014gala.eventbrite.com
“More than ever, our filmmakers are relying heavily on the Berkeley FILM Foundation for financial support as funding is drying up for independent films,” said David Bergad, executive director of the BFF. “In our six-year history, BFF has awarded nearly $800,000 to almost 90 film projects. We are extremely proud that several films funded by the BFF have found audiences at the Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca, DocuWeeks, Silver Docs, and one has garnered an Oscar nomination,” he added.
The total list of 2014 BFF winners is:
Eugene Corr, Ghost Town to Havana ***Saul Zaentz Award
Amir Soltani, Dogtown Redemption: In Trash We Trust
Gregory Scharpen, Buchla
Karina Epperlein, Finding The Gold Within
Kim Anno, Water City, Berkeley
Marlene Morris, A New Color
Raymond Telles, A Photographer's Journey
Rick Goldsmith, Mind/Game: The Unquiet Journey of Chamique Holdsclaw
Rick Tejada-Flores, The Road to Chulumani
Robin Fryday, Riding My Way Back
Sarolta Cump, The Gold Fish Casino
Sheri Shuster, Child Sex Trafficking: A Story About Love
Snitow-Kaufman Productions, Do Not Track
Judy Montell/Emmy Scharlatt, In The Image
Student Grant Winners:
Dorothy Atkins, The Battle Over Thompson Divide
Leah Dubuc, Zora
The Berkeley FILM Foundation, is a 501(c)3 grant program for independent filmmakers funded by the City of Berkeley, Wareham Development, and the Saul Zaentz Company with a mission to nurture, sustain and preserve the thriving local film community while attracting the next generation of filmmakers. The BFF focuses on supporting social, historical and innovative documentary and dramatic works. Many of the BFF grant winners have gone on to screen at U.S. and international film festivals, been recognized with prestigious awards, received television broadcasts, and are making a difference around the world.
For more information on these awards and on the October 1, 2014 annual gala fundraiser, please e-mail David Bergad, Executive Director BFF at david@berkeleyfilmfoundation.org. Visit us on the web: www.berkeleyfilmfoundation.org, www.facebook.com/BerkeleyFilmFoundation and https://twitter.com/berkeleyfilmfdn
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Negromancer News Bits and Bites for August 24th to August 30th 2014 - Update #15
NEWS:
From TheWrap: Team behind 22 Jump Street to reboot old ABC television series, "The Greatest American Hero," for television.
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From DeadlineHollywood: A&E cancels its most popular scripted television series, "Longmire."
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From DeadlineHollywood: Emma Roberts is set for the horror-thriller "February."
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From TheHuffingtonPost: See Miley Cyrus' bathing suit for the cover of V Magazine. You can't swim with that!
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From the AP via Yahoo: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie reportedly, secretly married in the France on Saturday, August 23, 2014.
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From TheHollywoodReporter: A complete list of winners at the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards
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From the WashingtonPost: Fix the Emmys?
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From PostandCourier: Emma Stone set to make Broadway debut in "Cabaret."
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From TheTelegraph: Idris Elba and Chiwetel Ejiofor renew awards "rivalry" at tonight's (Monday, August 25, 2014) 66th Primetime Emmy Awards.
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From TheVox: "True Blood" never figured out what it wanted its vampires to be
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From YahooMusic: Amber Rose's chain-link dress at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
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From TheWrap: Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is not gone, nor is it forgotten. It stole the August 22nd to 24th, 2014 weekend box office, according to early estimates. It returns to #1 after spending two weeks at #2 behind Paramount's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot, which is at #2 for this weekend. Guardians won the box office for its debut weekend, before the Turtles returned to cinemas. Guardians is also the #1 box-office hit of the Summer 2014, moving past Transformers: Age of Extinction.
The teen-oriented, If I Stay, opens at #3, according to early estimates and could end up battling the Turtles for #2, when the finally tally comes about sometime Monday afternoon. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For," a sequel to the 2004 film, Sin City, is likely a bomb with its $6.6 million debut.
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From BleedingCool: With all the good news Marvel is getting, I thought that I'd bring back this classic bit of bad press.
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From TheWrap: Five Freaky Facts about the Fractured Summer Box Office.
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From YahooCelebrity: "Sleepy Hollow" actor, Orlando Jones, puts a powerful twist on the "ice bucket" challenge. Call it "Bullet Bucket Challenge."
STAR WARS:
From HuffingtonPost: Episode VII cast members take "ice bucket challenge," including Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford.
COMIC BOOKS - Movies and Comics:
From EW InsideMovies: Marvel still trying to talk Joaquin Phoenix into portraying the title character in their planned "Doctor Strange" film. It's a close call, apparently.
From Yahoo: Images from the set of "Avengers: Age of Ultron."
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From CinemaBlend: Rumors, spoilers, and speculation about "Captain America 3."
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From YahooMovies: See Evangeline Lilly's "wasp-y" haircut for "Ant-Man."
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From The Hollywood Reporter via YahooMovies: "Ant-Man" adds new cast members: Rapper T.I., John Slatterly, Judy Greer, and Bobby Cannavale.
OBITS:
From Variety: Actor, director, and producer, Sir Richard Attenborough died today, Sunday, August 24, 2014. He was 90 years old. In 1982, Attenborough won two Oscars for producing and directing the 1982 film, Gandhi. [Sir Ben Kingsley won the best actor for playing the title role.] Attenborough was probably best known for playing park creator John Hammond in the 1993 film, Jurassic Park, and in the sequel, The Lost World.
Attenborough's other directorial efforts included Cry Freedom, Chaplin, and Shadowlands. In the 1960s, he won a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe for his acting.
Attenborough chronicled his 20 year struggle to make Gandhi (which won 8 Oscars) in the book, In Search of Gandhi. Negromancer sends condolences to Attenborough's family and friends. R.I.P. Sir Richard.
TRAILERS AND PREVIEWS:
From 20thCenturyFox: First official trailer for Alexandre Aja's The Pyramid.
MISC:
From GMA via Yahoo: A great story about two men who were friends as boys in Ottawa, Canada, who found out six decades later that they were brothers.
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From TheVox: This pie chart GIF shows how we have paid for music over the last 30 years.
Teaser Trailer for Jason Reitman's "Men, Women and Children" Released
Discover how little you know about the people you know.
Watch the teaser trailer for Jason Reitman's MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN
http://www.menwomenchildrenmovie.com
Share your thoughts and reactions to the trailer with the Whisper App using #MWC
Starring: Kaitlyn Dever, Rosemarie DeWitt, Ansel Elgort, Jennifer Garner, Judy Greer, Dean Norris, Adam Sandler
Based on the Novel by Chad Kultgen
Screenplay by Jason Reitman & Erin Cressida Wilson
Directed by Jason Reitman
Synopsis:
MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN follows the story of a group of high school teenagers and their parents as they attempt to navigate the many ways the internet has changed their relationships, their communication, their self-image, and their love lives. The film attempts to stare down social issues such as video game culture, anorexia, infidelity, fame hunting, and the proliferation of illicit material on the internet. As each character and each relationship is tested, we are shown the variety of roads people choose - some tragic, some hopeful - as it becomes clear that no one is immune to this enormous social change that has come through our phones, our tablets, and our computers.
About Whisper:
Whisper is the best place to express yourself online. Connect with likeminded individuals, and discover the unseen world around you. With Whisper, you’re free to anonymously share your thoughts with the world, and build lasting, meaningful relationships in a community built around trust and honesty.
MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN will make its world premiere during the Toronto International Film Festival
#MWC
Official site: http://www.menwomenchildrenmovie.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/MWCmovie
Twitter: Twitter.com/MWCmovie
Instagram: Instagram.com/MWCmovie
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"If I Say" Inspired Song and YouTube Sensation Now on iTunes
WaterTower Music Announces Release of “If I Stay – Song Inspired by The Book” by Fan Abigail Wate, Discovered on YouTube
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WaterTower Music today announced the release of the digital single “If I Stay – Song Inspired by The Book” by Abigail Wate.
If I Stay author Gayle Forman, who served as an executive producer on New Line Cinema’s and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ film of the same name, found a video of Abigail singing the song on YouTube and immediately shared it by social media. WaterTower Music, who released the soundtrack for “If I Stay,” also embraced the song and has released it digitally on iTunes.
Miss Wate, an aspiring musician living in Nashville, Tennessee, stated, “Reading has been the inspiration for my songwriting for years. I read If I Stay for the first time when I was thirteen and the story was so captivating and moved me so much that I had to write a song just to get out ‘all the feels.’ While I was composing the song “If I Stay” my mind was still caught up in all the emotion of Mia and Adam’s world. It goes beyond anything I could have imagined for my first single to be a part of this amazing project.”
Released on August 29, the single for “If I Stay – Song Inspired by The Book” is now available at iTunes.
The soundtrack for the film is also now available at iTunes and Amazon.
About WaterTower Music
WaterTower Music, the in house music label for Warner Bros., has been releasing recorded music since 2001. Distributed through InGrooves Fontana, WTM has released over 150 titles, including the film soundtracks to “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Gravity,” “Man of Steel,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Game of Thrones,” “The Lego Movie,” and “If I Stay” among others.
About “If I Stay”
Gayle Forman’s best-selling novel comes to the big screen in New Line Cinema’s and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ drama “If I Stay,” starring Chloë Grace Moretz (“Carrie,” the “Kick-Ass” films), Mireille Enos (TV’s “The Killing,” “World War Z”); Joshua Leonard (“Higher Ground”); Jamie Blackley (“Snow White and the Huntsman”); and Stacy Keach (“Nebraska”).
Mia Hall (Moretz) thought the hardest decision she would ever face would be whether to pursue her musical dreams at Juilliard or follow a different path to be with the love of her life, Adam (Blackley). But what should have been a carefree family drive changes everything in an instant, and now her own life hangs in the balance. Caught between life and death for one revealing day, Mia has only one decision left, which will not only decide her future but her ultimate fate.
Also starring are Mireille Enos and Joshua Leonard as Mia’s parents, Kat and Denny, and Stacy Keach as Gramps. Rounding out the main cast are Jakob Davies as Mia’s little brother, Liana Liberato as her best friend, Gabrielle Rose as Gran, and Aisha Hinds as Nurse Ramirez.
R.J. Cutler (“The September Issue,” TV’s “Nashville”) directed the film from a screenplay by Shauna Cross (“Whip It”) based on Forman’s novel. “If I Stay” was produced by Alison Greenspan (“The Lucky One”), with Denise Di Novi, Forman and Brad Van Arragon serving as executive producers.
Cutler’s behind-the-scenes team included cinematographer John de Borman (“An Education”), production designer Brent Thomas (“The Big Year”), editor Keith Henderson (TV’s “Justified”), costume designer Monique Prudhomme (TV’s “Bates Motel,” “Juno”) and composer Heitor Pereira (the “Despicable Me” films).
New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures present a Di Novi Pictures Production, “If I Stay.” Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some sexual material, the film is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures. ifistaymovie.com
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WaterTower Music today announced the release of the digital single “If I Stay – Song Inspired by The Book” by Abigail Wate.
If I Stay author Gayle Forman, who served as an executive producer on New Line Cinema’s and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ film of the same name, found a video of Abigail singing the song on YouTube and immediately shared it by social media. WaterTower Music, who released the soundtrack for “If I Stay,” also embraced the song and has released it digitally on iTunes.
Miss Wate, an aspiring musician living in Nashville, Tennessee, stated, “Reading has been the inspiration for my songwriting for years. I read If I Stay for the first time when I was thirteen and the story was so captivating and moved me so much that I had to write a song just to get out ‘all the feels.’ While I was composing the song “If I Stay” my mind was still caught up in all the emotion of Mia and Adam’s world. It goes beyond anything I could have imagined for my first single to be a part of this amazing project.”
Released on August 29, the single for “If I Stay – Song Inspired by The Book” is now available at iTunes.
The soundtrack for the film is also now available at iTunes and Amazon.
About WaterTower Music
WaterTower Music, the in house music label for Warner Bros., has been releasing recorded music since 2001. Distributed through InGrooves Fontana, WTM has released over 150 titles, including the film soundtracks to “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Gravity,” “Man of Steel,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Game of Thrones,” “The Lego Movie,” and “If I Stay” among others.
About “If I Stay”
Gayle Forman’s best-selling novel comes to the big screen in New Line Cinema’s and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ drama “If I Stay,” starring Chloë Grace Moretz (“Carrie,” the “Kick-Ass” films), Mireille Enos (TV’s “The Killing,” “World War Z”); Joshua Leonard (“Higher Ground”); Jamie Blackley (“Snow White and the Huntsman”); and Stacy Keach (“Nebraska”).
Mia Hall (Moretz) thought the hardest decision she would ever face would be whether to pursue her musical dreams at Juilliard or follow a different path to be with the love of her life, Adam (Blackley). But what should have been a carefree family drive changes everything in an instant, and now her own life hangs in the balance. Caught between life and death for one revealing day, Mia has only one decision left, which will not only decide her future but her ultimate fate.
Also starring are Mireille Enos and Joshua Leonard as Mia’s parents, Kat and Denny, and Stacy Keach as Gramps. Rounding out the main cast are Jakob Davies as Mia’s little brother, Liana Liberato as her best friend, Gabrielle Rose as Gran, and Aisha Hinds as Nurse Ramirez.
R.J. Cutler (“The September Issue,” TV’s “Nashville”) directed the film from a screenplay by Shauna Cross (“Whip It”) based on Forman’s novel. “If I Stay” was produced by Alison Greenspan (“The Lucky One”), with Denise Di Novi, Forman and Brad Van Arragon serving as executive producers.
Cutler’s behind-the-scenes team included cinematographer John de Borman (“An Education”), production designer Brent Thomas (“The Big Year”), editor Keith Henderson (TV’s “Justified”), costume designer Monique Prudhomme (TV’s “Bates Motel,” “Juno”) and composer Heitor Pereira (the “Despicable Me” films).
New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures present a Di Novi Pictures Production, “If I Stay.” Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some sexual material, the film is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures. ifistaymovie.com
Friday, August 29, 2014
Re-Mastered Version of "The Maze Runner" Headed for IMAX Screens
PRNewswire/ -- IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX; TSX: IMX) and Twentieth Century Fox, a division of 21(st) Century Fox. (NASDAQ: NEWS), today announced that the Studio's adaptation of the epic sci-fi best-selling novel The Maze Runner will be digitally re-mastered into the immersive IMAX(®) format and released across all domestic IMAX(® )theatres for a one-week engagement on Sept. 19. The film also will be released in select international territories starting Sept. 11.
Based on the best-selling book by James Dashner, The Maze Runner follows a young man named Thomas, played by Dylan O'Brien (TV's Teen Wolf), who wakes up trapped in a massive maze with no memory of the outside world other than strange dreams about a mysterious organization known as W.C.K.D. Only by piecing together fragments of his past with clues he discovers in the maze can Thomas hope to uncover his true purpose and a way to escape.
The Maze Runner also stars Thomas Brodie-Sangster (TV's Game of Thrones), Will Poulter (We're the Millers), Kaya Scodelario (Clash of the Titans), and veteran Academy Award®-nominated actress Patricia Clarkson. Wes Ball directed, from a script by Noah Oppenheim, Grant Pierce Myers and T.S. Nowlin.
"We're thrilled to be able to present visionary director Wes Ball's The Maze Runner in the immersive IMAX experience, which will enthrall audiences world wide," commented Chris Aronson, President of Domestic Distribution, 20(th) Century Fox.
"After seeing The Maze Runner, this is an ideal and very cinematic adaptation that is ripe for IMAX moviegoers," said Greg Foster, Senior Executive Vice President, IMAX Corp. and CEO of IMAX Entertainment. "With The Maze Runner, we're not only thrilled to add this exciting and action-packed film to our Fall slate but also pleased to be in business with Fox."
The IMAX release of The Maze Runner will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience(®) with proprietary IMAX DMR(®) (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.
For more information about The Maze Runner, please visit Fox's official website at themazerunnermovie.com.
About IMAX Corporation
IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX theatres to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and, as such, IMAX's network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.
IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles, with offices in London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. As of June 30, 2014, there were 868 IMAX theaters (735 commercial multiplexes, 19 commercial destinations and 114 institutions) in 59 countries.
IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, Experience It In IMAX®, An IMAX 3D Experience®, The IMAX Experience® and IMAX Is Believing® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).
This press release contains forward looking statements that are based on IMAX management's assumptions and existing information and involve certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are discussed in IMAX's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.
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Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Peter Mayhew, Chewbacca of the "Star Wars" Film, to Attend 2014 Baltimore Comic-Con
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - The Baltimore Comic-Con, returning to the Baltimore Convention Center on Friday, September 5th through Sunday, September 7th, is privileged to announce our 2014 Media Guest of Honor. Peter Mayhew, known by fans the world over for his portrayal of Chewbacca, the Wookie co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. Peter is currently filming Star Wars Episode VII, due to be released in 2015, and will appear with us all three days of the 2014 Baltimore Comic-Con!
Mayhew was born in Barnes, England, and at the age of eight was diagnosed with giantism. While working as an orderly at London's King's College Hospital, a reporter took a photo of him which was published in a local paper, an event that would change his life.
That photo demonstrated Peter's towering 7'3" figure and giant frame. By mere chance, the producers of Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger saw this picture, which led to Peter being cast as the Minoton in his first film. Once Peter finished filming, he returned to his job at the hospital, only to be called again to audition with a gentleman by the name of George Lucas about his project, Star Wars. George walked into the room, Peter stood up to shake his hand like a proper Englishman, and the rest is history.
Peter brought the mighty wookiee Chewbacca to life in Star Wars (1977), The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978), Empire Strikes Back (1980), The Muppet Show (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983).
When the movies were finished, Peter moved to Yorkshire where he lived quietly for 14 years. As the Star Wars Special Edition movies were being released in 1997, Peter found himself in high demand on the SciFi Convention circuit, and began making personal appearances around the world. In 1999 he married and packed his bags, made the jump across the pond, and moved to Texas where he eventually became an American citizen.
Peter was again asked to reprise his role as Chewbacca in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, introducing Chewie's home planet of Kashyyyk and the world of Wookiees. In 2011, Lucasfilm flew Peter and his wife Angie out to Skywalker Ranch to consult with the animators and artists as they introduced Chewie into the Clone Wars series. After 30 years, Peter's relationship with his beloved character came full circle by having him voice Chewbacca in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Currently, he is on hiatus from filming the highly anticipated Star Wars Episode VII, which will be hitting theaters next year. Peter will be at the Baltimore Comic-Con all three days, signing autographs and taking photos at his table. He will also be doing a panel Sunday.
"We are amazingly lucky to be adding Peter as a guest this close to the show date," said Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "Chewbacca is one of the cultural icons coming out of the Star Wars series, and is recognized and loved by fans young and old. We know the Star Wars fans are going to be beside themselves with this announcement!"
The Baltimore Comic-Con will be held Friday, September 5 through Sunday, September 7, 2014, at the Baltimore Convention Center, which is located immediately across the street from the historic Camden Yards sports complex (which includes Oriole Park and Geppi's Entertainment Museum). Tickets, a full guest roster, and additional information is available on the convention's website.
Tickets
General Admission and VIP Package tickets for Weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are now on sale! Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets now!
Mark Your Calendars!
The Baltimore Comic-Con returns to Baltimore's Inner Harbor in 2015 for another three-day spectacular! Block off Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27, 2015 on your calendars now!
This year's previously confirmed guests for the show include: James Asmus (Quantum & Woody); Marty Baumann (Pixar artist); Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl); Marguerite Bennett (Batgirl); Christina Blanch (The Damnation of Charlie Wormwood); Tom Brevoort (AXIS); Harold Buchholz (Archie Comics); Mark Buckingham (Fables); Dave Bullock (Batman Black and White); Jim Calafiore (Leaving Megalapolis); Frank Cammuso (Otto's Backwards Day); Darrenn Canton (Tunnels & Trolls); Greg Capullo (Batman); Richard Case (Sandman); John Cassaday (Doc Savage); Bernard Chang (Green Lantern Corps); Jo Chen (Buffy the Vampire Slayer); Sean Chen (Amazing Spider-Man); Cliff Chiang (Wonder Woman); Frank Cho (X-Men: Battle of the Atom); Amy Chu (Girls Night Out); Richard Clark (House of Gold & Bones); Wook-Jin Clark (Adventure Time: The Flip Side); Steve Conley (Bloop); Jamie Cosley (Cody the Cavalier); Tyler Cosley (AlakaZach); Mike Curtis (Dick Tracy); Jeremy Dale (Skyward); Alan Davis (Wolverine); Todd Dezago (Tellos); Dan Didio (Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger: Futures End); Tommy Lee Edwards (Star Wars); Garth Ennis (Preacher, The Boys); Ray Fawkes (Constantine); Tom Feister (G.I. Joe); David Finch (Forever Evil); Franco (Aw Yeah Comics!); Jay Fosgitt (Bodie Troll); John Gallagher (Buzzboy); Katie Gallagher (Zoey and Ketchup): SL Gallant (GI JOE); Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (All-Star Western); Gerhard (Cerebus the Aardvark); Chris Giarrusso (G-Man); Dave Gibbons (Watchmen); Keith Giffen (The New 52: Future's End); Bryan JL Glass (Mice Templar); Michael Golden (The Ravagers); Jimmy Gownley (The Dumbest Idea Ever!); Allan Gross (Road Song); Cully Hamner (Animal Man); Dean Haspiel (The Fox); Ben Hatke (Zita the Spacegirl); Josh Hechinger (The Grave Doug Freshly); Fred Hembeck (Garfield); Marc Hempel (Sandman: The Kindly Ones); Travis Hill (Adventure Time); Andy Hirsch (Regular Show); Jason Horn (Ninjasaur); Adam Hughes (Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan); Jamal Igle (Molly Danger); Laura Innes (The Dreamer); Justin Jordan (Luther Strode, Green Lantern: New Guardians); Dan Jurgens (The New 52: Future's End); Collin Kelly (Hacktivist); Chris Kemple (Red Vengeance); Denis Kitchen (Al Capp: A Life to the Contrary); Barry Kitson (Empire); Aaron Kuder (Action Comics); Jackson Lanzing (Hacktivist); Norman Lee (Iron Man Special); Paul Levitz (World's Finest); Kevin Maguire (Guardians of the Galaxy); Mike Maihack (Cleopatra in Space); Alex Maleev (Moon Knight); Mark Mariano (The Other Side of Hugless Hill); Billy Martin (Vitriol, The Hunter); Laura Martin (Uncanny Avengers); Ron Marz (Witchblade); Mark McKenna (Banana Tail); Mike McKone (Ultimate FF); Bob McLeod (X-Men: Gold); Pop Mhan (All-New X-Factor); Al Milgrom (Marvel Fanfare); Tradd Moore (Deadpool Annual); Mark Morales (New Avengers); Michael Alan Nelson (Day Men); Jamar Nicholas (Leon: Protector of the Playground); Chris O>Matic (The Chris O>Matic Show!); Denny O'Neil (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight); Chris Otto (A Dog's Life); Dan Parent (Archie, Veronica, Kevin Keller); Missy Pena (Bee and Puppycat); Andrew Pepoy (Life with Archie); George Perez (George Perez's Sirens); David Peterson (Mouse Guard); Khoi Pham (Mighty Avengers); Cary Pietsch (Bravest Warriors); Joe Prado (Justice League); Brian Pulido (Lady Death); Ron Randall (Trekker in Dark Horse Presents); Tom Raney (Incredible Hulk); Brian Reber (Unity); Ivan Reis (Aquaman and The Others); Rafer Roberts (X-O Manowar); Budd Root (Cavewoman); Don Rosa (Donald Duck); Craig Rousseau (Perhapanauts); Joe Rubinstein (The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe); Andy Runton (Owly); Alex Saviuk (Web of Spider-Man); Gregg Schigiel (Spongebob Squarepants Comics); Jeff Schultz (Archie Comics); Gail Simone (Red Sonja); Louise Simonson (Power Pack); Walter Simonson (Thor); Andy Smith (Superman #23.1: Bizarro); Allison Sohn (sketch card artist); Charles Soule (Thunderbolts); Mark Sparacio (Omega Paradox); Jim Starlin (Thanos: The Infinity Revelation); Joe Staton (Dick Tracy); Brian Stelfreeze (Day Men); Jeff Stokely (Six-Gun Gorilla); Paul D. Storrie (Sheena, Queen of the Jungle); Karl Story (Serenity: Leaves of the Wind); Vivek J. Tiwary (The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story); Ben Taylor (A Dog's Life); Robert Tinnell (The Wicked West); Peter Tomasi (Batman and Two-Face); John Totleben (Swamp Thing); Herb Trimpe (GI Joe: A Real American Hero); Billy Tucci (Shi); Rick Veitch (Saga of the Swamp Thing); James Tynion IV (The Woods); Mike Vosburg (Lori Lovecraft); Brennan Wagner (The Shadow: Year One); Matt Wagner (Grendel); Mark Waid (Daredevil); Lee Weeks (Daredevil); Mark Wheatley (Frankenstein Mobster); Bill Willingham (Fables); Matthew Wilson (Secret Avengers); Renee Witterstaetter (Joe Jusko: Maelstrom); Mike Wolfer (Friday the 13th); Rich Woodall (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles); Kelly Yates (Amber Atoms); Thom Zahler (My Little Pony); and Mike Zeck (Secret Wars).
In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found on our website, Twitter, and Facebook pages.
Contact Information
Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:
press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution
promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications
registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations
harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com - for the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet
general@baltimorecomiccon.com - for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries
About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 14th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.
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