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Antonio Banderas to co-star in Chilean miner film "Los 33"

2013/03/13 at 12:00am

Antonio Banderas to co-star in Chilean miner film "Los 33"

03.13.2013 | By Mariana Dussan |

In 2010 an underground story was unearthed when the world found out that 33 Chilean miners were trapped 2,200 feet below the ground for 69 days. While rescuers thought of ways to bring the miners safe and sound to their families, Hollywood thought of ways to bring the story to the big screen.

“The 33” will be produced by veteran Mike Medavoy who is putting Mexican director Patricia Riggen behind wheel.

During an interview with the Daily Star, Riggen who directed “Under The Same Moon,” revealed that Antonio Banderas will star in the film although she did not reveal the Spanish actor’s role. Read More

Danny Trejo to star in a movie called ‘Pendejo’

By Mack Chico

2011/03/16 at 12:00am

Movies

Danny Trejo to star in a movie called ‘Pendejo’

03.16.2011 | By Mack Chico |

Danny Trejo has joined the cast of “Pendejo,” a romantic comedy by writer/director Jairaj Walia, of Gr8 Dane Films.

Trejo (“Grindhouse,” “Machete,” “xXx”) plays the role of Pedro, the gangster father of the main character’s love interest, Jenny.

“Pendejo” which the filmmakers translate as “idiot,” but is far more vulgar, is about a spoiled party boy whose wealthy father orders to either take a low-level position at the family company or lose his inheritance.

Walia said that the movie addresses both the Indian and Latin cultures.

The cast includes Raja Fenske (Nickelodeon’s “Unfabulous”), Fernanda Romero (“The Eye”), Laksh Singh (“Little Fockers”), Marissa Caprielian (“Entourage”), Darlene Vazquetelles (“Kings of South Beach”) and Sevier Crespo (“Fast Lane”).

Bob Walia and Kim Walia are producing through Gr8 Dane. Crespo is producing through New Slant Productions.

Sony Pictures talks up Hispanic movie audiences

By Jack Rico

2010/07/23 at 12:00am

Movies

Sony Pictures talks up Hispanic movie audiences

07.23.2010 | By Jack Rico |

TheWrap.com’s editor-in-chief Sharon Waxman had a chance to sit for a big in-depth interview with Sony Pictures Entertainment co-Chairman Amy Pascal about the business of movies. In the middle of the interview, Ms. Waxman asked Pascal about Hispanic movie audiences. Below is the excerpt and I couldn’t agree more with it!

Sharon Waxman: Let’s take a step back and look at the movie landscape. Is the 13-year-old to whatever it is 24-year-old boy still your central focus in the movie industry?

Amy Pascal: Well, it depends on the movie that you’re making and what you’re looking for. The opening weekend is now made up of an ethnically rich population, not just the 13-year-old boys. The Latino audience has become huge for movies as they have become a bigger part of the population. I don’t think we just rely on that 13- to 18-year-old boy as the only way to make a hit.

SW: When you’re talking about the Hispanic audience, are we talking about adolescent boys, or families?

AP: They are a big component in the success of family movies. With movies costing what they do, you can’t rely on any one demographic unless you’re making a very targeted movie. When you’re making “Pineapple Express” or “Get Him to The Greek” or whatever.

SW: But you’re not still thinking about that when you look at your slate, X number of tentpoles in a year.

AP: If you’re making a tentpole movie, you’d better make sure that you don’t have one demographic. You’ve gotta have general audience movies for everybody — national, domestic, young, old, everything.

SW: With greater ethnic diversity among moviegoers, does that mean you’re thinking about making more movies that will appeal to that audience?

AP: No, I wouldn’t do it that way. I think you make movies about authentic human experiences and then people find themselves in it. I would never segment movies that way.

SW: But I would think that that would be a logical thing to do, although I have noted that Hollywood has tried over the past 10 years and they have not been particularly successful when they tried to do niche movies.

AP: I really think people go to movies where they can recognize humanity and characters they relate to, and I think segmenting a movie for a certain demographic is not good to do.

Amy Pascal, Co-President of Sony Pictures