MARY MAGDALENE | April 12 2019 | Gareth Davis | Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Chiwetel Ejiofor

[SLAM!]

29 minutes ago, filmlover said:

Sony got the US release rights.

 

Phew...

 

I'm mostly happy for director Garth Davis. Lion is excellent and perhaps underrated, and he deserves an ongoing career.

[tonytr87]

1 hour ago, Joel M said:

This feels like something that will die in limited release. I'll watch it for Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix.

 

Feels stupid to hogtie a film about Jesus around Easter when it has such a better pedigree than crap like God's Not Dead and Miracles from Heaven. If they put some marketing muscle behind it and push it with churches it could do 100 mil. This is the first Bible film since Passion of the Christ with any talent behind or in front of the camera. 

[Napoleon]

Rooney Mara is a fantastic actress.

[That One Girl]

http://deadline.com/2018/01/weinstein-company-release-date-war-with-grandpa-upside-mary-magdalene-1202263517/

 

 

[Jonwo]

My money's on Focus Features picking it up as Universal already has OS rights

[stephanos13]

They had one job...

[dudalb]

I wonder if what happened with "Samson"  will make other companies less then excited to pick up Magadalen.

Faith films are weird;those with modern settings are successful, but those with an actual bibilical setting don't do as well.

[SLAM!]

17 hours ago, dudalb said:

I wonder if what happened with "Samson"  will make other companies less then excited to pick up Magadalen.

Faith films are weird;those with modern settings are successful, but those with an actual bibilical setting don't do as well.

 

I think Samson ended up being too small of a release to convince companies one way or another. Samson's quality further limited Pure Flix's already-small ability to advertise it legitimately so that people could actually know it was coming out, whereas Mary Magdalene has palpable quality, meaning that whoever acquires distribution rights can freely advertise the film without fearing the possible alienation of moviegoers who care about quality, leading to the film being made known to audiences and the suddenly-possible 'click' of the audiences who turned God's Not Dead and War Room into successes. In other words, Pure Flix's marketing strategy is a set-up for failure to begin with because they have a seeming lack of an ability to display their films in an adequate manner. My challenge to you is this: see how the Apostle Paul film does in the coming weeks, and then you'll be able to really generalize the current state of the biblical story genre.

 

I do agree that faith-based films about modern-day situations have recently been doing better than the biblical films. I think it's because the real-life ones are more immediately relatable to the majority of audiences. A film about Samson isn't sought after because there is more of a feeling of 'pledge-driving', or seeing the film for the sole reason that one is a Christian. But with stuff like War Room and Miracles from Heaven, there is more legitimacy because creative minds are being applied to original content. I think there may be many Christians who don't want to rush to see Samson because they remember being burned out by Noah and would rather read the Bible for the most accurate depiction, and because they want to ride waves of buzz so that they are not alone in seeing the film- which would be a weird reason for a Christian to have, but perhaps a plausible one.

Edited March 1, 2018 by slambros

[Wonder Midget]

We've yet to see if this is the kind of film that will appeal to the faith based community. It could be a revisionist take on the material, and that would keep religious folks away. It looks like a real movie, and not an amateur production like The God is Not Dead films. Real actors, good director, top notch talent behind the scenes. But if strays from Scripture and Tradition, it won't do well and will probably be relegated to the art house circuit. Most of you are probably too young to remember the controversy surrounding The Last Temptation of Christ. The movie garnered so much protest that a major theater chain at the time(General Cinema Corporation) refused to show it, and Blockbuster didn't carry it. The movie did not make any money at the box office. So MM may be in for some trouble if it displeases Christian audiences.

 

P.S. Full disclosure: I believe in Jesus and His teachings, and I love Last Temptation. Ironically, it's one of the few religious films that takes the message of Christ seriously, and understands the Triumph of the Cross.

[Eric Atreides]

https://deadline.com/2019/03/mary-magdalene-movie-release-date-rooney-mara-and-joaquin-phoenix-ifc-films-1202578739/

 

Quote

IFC Films has acquired U.S. rights to Mary Magdalene, the biopic from Lion director Garth Davis that had been in the clutches of The Weinstein Company in the midst of its collapse and eventual sale. Now the pic starring Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix and Chiwetel Ejiofor joins the likes of Hotel Mumbai as a former TWC pic that has found a new home, and IFC has set an April 12 theatrical release date for it.

 

About time I guess. Now, I'm pretty sure that only leaves The War with Grandpa and The Current War as the only Weinstein movies left to release.

[filmlover]

10 hours ago, CoolEric258 said:

https://deadline.com/2019/03/mary-magdalene-movie-release-date-rooney-mara-and-joaquin-phoenix-ifc-films-1202578739/

 

 

About time I guess. Now, I'm pretty sure that only leaves The War with Grandpa and The Current War as the only Weinstein movies left to release.

Polaroid is still sitting on the shelf too.

[Eric Atreides]

 

Also @grim22 @aabattery main thread I guess?

[TMP]

Cashing in on Phoenix's soon-to-be-status of blockbuster boy when Joaquer makes bank

[SLAM!]

Well, I've just seen IFC's new trailer for the film. Excellent! I don't mind if it's limited, I'm just happy that this is finally being released! Maybe I'll be able to see it!