Fredrik Backman’s bestselling novel “Anxious People” is set to be adapted into a feature film by “The Little Mermaid” screenwriter David Magee.
Fredrik Wikström Nicastro’s Hope Studios is producing the project.
“’Anxious People’ is a heartwarming and uplifting comedy about a group of strangers that get caught up in an unusual hostage situation on Thanksgiving,” reads the logline. “A story about compassion, connection, second chances, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined.”
The book, published by Atria Books/S&s, is a number one New York Times bestseller.
Magee and Nicastro previously collaborated on a screen adaptation of another Backman novel, “A Man Called Ove,” which was turned into the feature “A Man Called Otto” starring Tom Hanks.
Backman and Neda Backman will executive produce “Anxious People” alongside Magee.
“Fredrik Backman has a gift for deeply human stories that are poignant,...
Fredrik Wikström Nicastro’s Hope Studios is producing the project.
“’Anxious People’ is a heartwarming and uplifting comedy about a group of strangers that get caught up in an unusual hostage situation on Thanksgiving,” reads the logline. “A story about compassion, connection, second chances, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined.”
The book, published by Atria Books/S&s, is a number one New York Times bestseller.
Magee and Nicastro previously collaborated on a screen adaptation of another Backman novel, “A Man Called Ove,” which was turned into the feature “A Man Called Otto” starring Tom Hanks.
Backman and Neda Backman will executive produce “Anxious People” alongside Magee.
“Fredrik Backman has a gift for deeply human stories that are poignant,...
- 2/29/2024
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Highly active Copenhagen-based sales outfit REinvent has acquired rights to the Danish pic “Rome,” officially selected as the Göteborg Film Festival’s closing movie.
The life-affirming romantic drama marks the sophomore feature from established Danish choreographer Niclas Bendixen, behind Mads Mikkelsen’s famous dance scene in the Oscar-winning “Another Round.” Toplining the cast are Rolf Lassgård (“A Man Called Ove”), Bodil Jørgensen (“The Kingdom”), and Kristian Halken (“A Perfectly Normal Family”), who shares the writing credits with Bendixen and Christian Torpe (“Silent Heart”).
“‘Rome’ stands out as a heart-warming film which makes you think about life, love and values. We are proud to represent and showcase ‘Rome’ to an international audience in Göteborg. I am confident that the film will find a home in the hearts of distributors in countries worldwide,” said Helene Aurø, REinvent’s sales and marketing director.
Based on Halken’s idea, the pic turns on Gerda...
The life-affirming romantic drama marks the sophomore feature from established Danish choreographer Niclas Bendixen, behind Mads Mikkelsen’s famous dance scene in the Oscar-winning “Another Round.” Toplining the cast are Rolf Lassgård (“A Man Called Ove”), Bodil Jørgensen (“The Kingdom”), and Kristian Halken (“A Perfectly Normal Family”), who shares the writing credits with Bendixen and Christian Torpe (“Silent Heart”).
“‘Rome’ stands out as a heart-warming film which makes you think about life, love and values. We are proud to represent and showcase ‘Rome’ to an international audience in Göteborg. I am confident that the film will find a home in the hearts of distributors in countries worldwide,” said Helene Aurø, REinvent’s sales and marketing director.
Based on Halken’s idea, the pic turns on Gerda...
- 1/19/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Longtime Sf Studios executive and Scandinavian producer Fredrik Wikström Nicastro is launching Hope Studios, which will develop, finance, produce and sell international films and TV for the global market with backing from a group of private equity financiers and banks.
Nicastro has spent 18 years at Nordic powerhouse Sf Studios where he produced recent Sony pic A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks, the remake of Swedish Oscar nominee and box office hit A Man Called Ove, on which he was an executive producer.
Hope Studios will develop original content but focus primarily on adaptations of fiction and non-fiction novels and projects inspired by true stories.
The company has offices in Stockholm and London and, according to Nicastro, will be able to fully finance projects up to $50M. It has also secured an overall deal with Black Bear, which will partner with the company on international sales and distribution.
During his tenure at Sf Studios,...
Nicastro has spent 18 years at Nordic powerhouse Sf Studios where he produced recent Sony pic A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks, the remake of Swedish Oscar nominee and box office hit A Man Called Ove, on which he was an executive producer.
Hope Studios will develop original content but focus primarily on adaptations of fiction and non-fiction novels and projects inspired by true stories.
The company has offices in Stockholm and London and, according to Nicastro, will be able to fully finance projects up to $50M. It has also secured an overall deal with Black Bear, which will partner with the company on international sales and distribution.
During his tenure at Sf Studios,...
- 11/15/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Joins Nordic production and distribution giant from Swedish production company Jarowskij
Iréne Lindblad has been appointed CEO of Nordic production and distribution giant Sf Studios.
Lindblad has been the CEO of Swedish production company Jarowskij for eleven years and was previously programme director at Mtg. She joins Sf Studios on October 16.
She replaces Michael Porseryd who left in January after six years as CEO. Sf Studios’ chairman of the board, Jan Bernhardsson, has been acting CEO since then.
Sf Studios’ international films include A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks, which it produced with Playtone and fully financed. The film directed by Mark Foster,...
Iréne Lindblad has been appointed CEO of Nordic production and distribution giant Sf Studios.
Lindblad has been the CEO of Swedish production company Jarowskij for eleven years and was previously programme director at Mtg. She joins Sf Studios on October 16.
She replaces Michael Porseryd who left in January after six years as CEO. Sf Studios’ chairman of the board, Jan Bernhardsson, has been acting CEO since then.
Sf Studios’ international films include A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks, which it produced with Playtone and fully financed. The film directed by Mark Foster,...
- 8/14/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
Hopefully, those May flowers will start blooming soon after the many April (and previous months’) showers. But whatever the weather, Netflix has a solid selection of new movies to watch this month.
Netflix’s May lineup has several bright and joyful animated films as well as more serious stories with light at the end of the tunnel. Tom Hanks’ latest theatrical release “A Man Called Otto” arrives on the streaming service, adapted from Frederick Backman’s book “A Man Called Ove” and following the story of a grumpy old man who struggles to find purpose in life after the death of his wife.
Animated adventures for the whole family include “The Croods” and “The Tale of Desperaux” which teach lessons of bravery in their own ways. For those in the mood for slightly quirkier stories, Jason Moore’s “Pitch Perfect” and “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” should do the trick.
Netflix’s May lineup has several bright and joyful animated films as well as more serious stories with light at the end of the tunnel. Tom Hanks’ latest theatrical release “A Man Called Otto” arrives on the streaming service, adapted from Frederick Backman’s book “A Man Called Ove” and following the story of a grumpy old man who struggles to find purpose in life after the death of his wife.
Animated adventures for the whole family include “The Croods” and “The Tale of Desperaux” which teach lessons of bravery in their own ways. For those in the mood for slightly quirkier stories, Jason Moore’s “Pitch Perfect” and “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” should do the trick.
- 5/14/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
The start of any month brings with it batches of movies added to streaming services’ libraries. As of this week, Netflix has “Girl, Interrupted,” “Steel Magnolias” and “Traffic,” HBO Max has “Blue Valentine,” “Hustle & Flow” and “Parasite,” and Hulu has “Atonement” and “Boogie Nights.” A handful of newer titles are also premiering digitally. First up is a spellbinding thriller featuring some of Hollywood’s hottest young actors.
The contender to watch this week: “How to Blow Up a Pipeline”
Neon picked up this eco-thriller out of last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, after which it won raves for its gripping portrait of young DIY environmental activists who band together to destroy oil pipes in West Texas. Based on Andreas Malm‘s nonfiction book of the same name, “How to Blow Up a Pipeline” stars Ariela Barer (“Runaways”), Sasha Lane (“American Honey”), Lukas Gage (“The White Lotus”), Marcus Scribner...
The contender to watch this week: “How to Blow Up a Pipeline”
Neon picked up this eco-thriller out of last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, after which it won raves for its gripping portrait of young DIY environmental activists who band together to destroy oil pipes in West Texas. Based on Andreas Malm‘s nonfiction book of the same name, “How to Blow Up a Pipeline” stars Ariela Barer (“Runaways”), Sasha Lane (“American Honey”), Lukas Gage (“The White Lotus”), Marcus Scribner...
- 5/6/2023
- by Matthew Jacobs
- Gold Derby
Drama stands at $104.5m worldwide.
Columbia Pictures’ A Man Called Otto has been given the go-ahead by Chinese authorities and will open in the country on March 24.
The Tom Hanks drama has amassed $104.5m worldwide at time of writing, of which $42m hails from international markets and $6.5m from North America.
Marc Forster directs Hanks in the remake of Scandinavian hit A Man Called Ove. Hanks plays a neighbourhood curmudgeon who no longer has the will to live after the death of his wife. His heart softens when a family moves in next door and he strikes up a friendship with quick-witted Marisol.
Columbia Pictures’ A Man Called Otto has been given the go-ahead by Chinese authorities and will open in the country on March 24.
The Tom Hanks drama has amassed $104.5m worldwide at time of writing, of which $42m hails from international markets and $6.5m from North America.
Marc Forster directs Hanks in the remake of Scandinavian hit A Man Called Ove. Hanks plays a neighbourhood curmudgeon who no longer has the will to live after the death of his wife. His heart softens when a family moves in next door and he strikes up a friendship with quick-witted Marisol.
- 3/3/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Jan Naszewski’s Warsaw-based sales outlet New Europe Film Sales has sold North American distribution rights for its Berlinale-selected drama “Delegation” to Greenwich Entertainment.
“Delegation” is a story of three Israeli high school friends who take part in a class trip visiting Holocaust sites in Poland – their last time together before going to the army. During the trip, shy boy Frisch, aspiring artist Nitzan and class heartthrob Ido deal with issues of love, friendship and politics against the backdrop of concentration camps and memorial sites. The journey will change them forever.
The deal for the film, which had its premiere in the Generation 14Plus competition, was negotiated by Naszewski and Greenwich co-president Edward Arentz.
“While it appeared in Gen14 and its main characters are teenagers, this is not what you would think of as a typical YA film or typical YA filmmaking, nor will the audience be limited to young adults.
“Delegation” is a story of three Israeli high school friends who take part in a class trip visiting Holocaust sites in Poland – their last time together before going to the army. During the trip, shy boy Frisch, aspiring artist Nitzan and class heartthrob Ido deal with issues of love, friendship and politics against the backdrop of concentration camps and memorial sites. The journey will change them forever.
The deal for the film, which had its premiere in the Generation 14Plus competition, was negotiated by Naszewski and Greenwich co-president Edward Arentz.
“While it appeared in Gen14 and its main characters are teenagers, this is not what you would think of as a typical YA film or typical YA filmmaking, nor will the audience be limited to young adults.
- 2/23/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
“A Man Called Otto,” a heartfelt drama starring Tom Hanks as a cranky widower, has notched an important box office milestone, crossing $100 million globally.
The film’s tally stands at $100.4 million, including $61.2 million in North America and $39.2 million internationally. Overseas, the top-selling markets are the United Kingdom ($6.28 million), Australia ($5.17 million), Mexico ($5.06 million), Spain ($2.6 million) and Germany ($2.5 million).
In pandemic times, the $100 million benchmark is notable because only a few movies aimed at older audiences, such as Baz Luhrmann’s kaleidoscopic biopic “Elvis,” Tom Cruise’s sequel “Top Gun: Maverick,” and Brad Pitt’s action-comedy “Bullet Train,” have managed to bring audiences to theaters.
Sony initially planned to premiere the $50 million-budgeted “A Man Called Otto” around Christmas, but the studio decided to open the film in limited release theaters on Dec. 30 before expanding it nationwide on Jan. 13. By waiting until the new year, which is usually a slower time at the box office,...
The film’s tally stands at $100.4 million, including $61.2 million in North America and $39.2 million internationally. Overseas, the top-selling markets are the United Kingdom ($6.28 million), Australia ($5.17 million), Mexico ($5.06 million), Spain ($2.6 million) and Germany ($2.5 million).
In pandemic times, the $100 million benchmark is notable because only a few movies aimed at older audiences, such as Baz Luhrmann’s kaleidoscopic biopic “Elvis,” Tom Cruise’s sequel “Top Gun: Maverick,” and Brad Pitt’s action-comedy “Bullet Train,” have managed to bring audiences to theaters.
Sony initially planned to premiere the $50 million-budgeted “A Man Called Otto” around Christmas, but the studio decided to open the film in limited release theaters on Dec. 30 before expanding it nationwide on Jan. 13. By waiting until the new year, which is usually a slower time at the box office,...
- 2/22/2023
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Nordic programmer Viaplay has launched a streaming service in the U.S., delivering subscribers thousands of hours of programming for $5.99 a month.
So-called “Nordic noir” series like Trom, Furia, Threesome and Exit are among the marquee originals available on the platform. Trom is a crime drama starring Ulrich Thomsen, Furia is a Norwegian thriller and Threesome is a Swedish drama co-starring Lucien Laviscount, who is best known for Emily in Paris.
Upcoming originals ticketed for Viaplay include biopic The Dreamer – Becoming Karen Blixen starring Connie Nielsen; Hilma, directed by Academy Award nominee Lasse Hallström; and English-Swedish drama series Cell 8.
Viaplay had previously had a U.S. presence via Comcast’s Xfinity broadband and TV outlets, but the new service is its first direct-to-consumer offering here. Subtitles will be provided for the series, films and documentaries on the platform, and new subscribers will be eligible for a 7-day free trial.
So-called “Nordic noir” series like Trom, Furia, Threesome and Exit are among the marquee originals available on the platform. Trom is a crime drama starring Ulrich Thomsen, Furia is a Norwegian thriller and Threesome is a Swedish drama co-starring Lucien Laviscount, who is best known for Emily in Paris.
Upcoming originals ticketed for Viaplay include biopic The Dreamer – Becoming Karen Blixen starring Connie Nielsen; Hilma, directed by Academy Award nominee Lasse Hallström; and English-Swedish drama series Cell 8.
Viaplay had previously had a U.S. presence via Comcast’s Xfinity broadband and TV outlets, but the new service is its first direct-to-consumer offering here. Subtitles will be provided for the series, films and documentaries on the platform, and new subscribers will be eligible for a 7-day free trial.
- 2/22/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Viaplay, the Nordic streamer that is a big producer of original programming, has launched its service in the U.S., promising consumers Nordic Noir hit content and “premium Scandinavian storytelling” for $5.99 per month.
U.S. customers can sign up with a seven-day free trial, the company said on Wednesday, Feb. 22. Series available exclusively on Viaplay include Danish crime drama Trom, starring Ulrich Thomsen, Norway’s Furia, which explores the world of right-wing extremism, London-set Swedish relationship drama Threesome with Lucien Laviscount and financial drama Exit, one of Norway’s most streamed series. (The streamer’s film and TV content is all available subtitled in English.)
Film titles include A Man Called Ove, which was recently remade as A Man Called Otto with Tom Hanks, Academy Award-winning dark comedy Another Round starring Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale), as well as all three original films from the Millennium/The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo trilogy.
U.S. customers can sign up with a seven-day free trial, the company said on Wednesday, Feb. 22. Series available exclusively on Viaplay include Danish crime drama Trom, starring Ulrich Thomsen, Norway’s Furia, which explores the world of right-wing extremism, London-set Swedish relationship drama Threesome with Lucien Laviscount and financial drama Exit, one of Norway’s most streamed series. (The streamer’s film and TV content is all available subtitled in English.)
Film titles include A Man Called Ove, which was recently remade as A Man Called Otto with Tom Hanks, Academy Award-winning dark comedy Another Round starring Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale), as well as all three original films from the Millennium/The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo trilogy.
- 2/22/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After a couple of lean years, Berlin is ready to feast.
Its European Film Market kicks off on Thursday, Feb. 16 with hundreds of finished films and scores of new packages and projects for every cinematic taste and budget. Even as sellers are still setting up their stands at the EFM’s Martin Gropius Bau headquarters, new packages continue to come thick and fast.
Black Bear International, which helped close a deal with Lionsgate (for domestic) and Amazon (for multiple international territories) for Guy Ritchie’s World War II actioner The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare on the eve of Berlin, added the buzzy musical project Fred & Ginger, about Hollywood dance legends Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, played by Jamie Bell and Margaret Qualley, to its EFM slate. Black Bear will handle international sales of the project, previously at Amazon, with UTA Independent Film Group and 30West co-repping the U.S.
Its European Film Market kicks off on Thursday, Feb. 16 with hundreds of finished films and scores of new packages and projects for every cinematic taste and budget. Even as sellers are still setting up their stands at the EFM’s Martin Gropius Bau headquarters, new packages continue to come thick and fast.
Black Bear International, which helped close a deal with Lionsgate (for domestic) and Amazon (for multiple international territories) for Guy Ritchie’s World War II actioner The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare on the eve of Berlin, added the buzzy musical project Fred & Ginger, about Hollywood dance legends Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, played by Jamie Bell and Margaret Qualley, to its EFM slate. Black Bear will handle international sales of the project, previously at Amazon, with UTA Independent Film Group and 30West co-repping the U.S.
- 2/15/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A Man Called Otto is a ‘large hearted’ romantic-comedy-drama story directed by Marc Forster from a screenplay by David Magee. It is the 2nd film adaptation of the 2012 novel ‘A Man Called Ove’ by Fredrik Backman after the 2015 Swedish film of the same name. The film stars Tom Hanks as Anderson Otto, with Mariana Treviño, Rachel Keller, and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in key characters.
Story
Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), is an old eccentric widower. Why eccentric? After retiring from a steel company, he plans suicide for having lost his wife Sonya, a schoolteacher, six months back. Otto had met Sonya on a train after returning a dropped book to her.
In the opening scene that sets the tone of Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks)’s character, he is shown intending to buy a specific measurement of rope at a hardware store, only to learn that the store’s pricing policies won’t...
Story
Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), is an old eccentric widower. Why eccentric? After retiring from a steel company, he plans suicide for having lost his wife Sonya, a schoolteacher, six months back. Otto had met Sonya on a train after returning a dropped book to her.
In the opening scene that sets the tone of Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks)’s character, he is shown intending to buy a specific measurement of rope at a hardware store, only to learn that the store’s pricing policies won’t...
- 2/8/2023
- by Nitin Jain
- GlamSham
The Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling is particularly tough to predict early on because of the complicated system by which the nominees are determined in two stages. First, upwards of 15 members of the branch who attend special screenings cast preferential ballots with the top 10 vote-getters moving on to the second stage (it was a lucky seven till 2021). Those members from the first stage and any other members who either attend screenings of excerpts from these semi-finalists or attest that they have seen them cast preferential ballots and the top five films are nominated; that is up from three in years past. (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2023 Oscars Best Makeup and Hairstyling predictions.).
As a result of being well-received at these screenings, titles that had not been part of the conversation in the first few months of awards season end up as nominees. For example, the Swedish films “A Man Called Ove...
As a result of being well-received at these screenings, titles that had not been part of the conversation in the first few months of awards season end up as nominees. For example, the Swedish films “A Man Called Ove...
- 2/6/2023
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Marc Forster's "A Man Called Otto" is a dark comedy and a star vehicle for the undeniable Tom Hanks. In the movie, Hanks plays Otto, a grumpy curmudgeon who is starting to lose faith in his community in the aftermath of his widow's death. When a young family moves in next door, Otto's rough walls come down and he begins to open up his heart to his new neighbors and realize that there's still always more in store to live for. A mid-budget, tear-jerking dramedy sounds exactly like something that's been missing from Hollywood lately, but that's because "A Man Called Otto" is actually an import — as it's a remake of a Swedish film, "A Man Called Ove" and a novel of the same name.
There's an unfortunate tradition of Hollywood making Americanized remakes of foreign films and repackaging them for mainstream audiences. Not only does this lead to rather uninspired works,...
There's an unfortunate tradition of Hollywood making Americanized remakes of foreign films and repackaging them for mainstream audiences. Not only does this lead to rather uninspired works,...
- 2/3/2023
- by Tyler Llewyn Taing
- Slash Film
Marc Forster, who directed “A Man Called Otto,” built his American version of the Swedish story with different creative elements from three Hanks family members, including Tom Hanks starring as the central character and his son Truman portraying the younger version of Otto.
“Ultimately when you’re dealing with flashbacks, the ins and outs [need to] feel very seamless and feel like you’re still in present-day with Otto, with Tom Hanks. When you go into the flashback with Truman and Sonya (Rachel Keller), it [needs to feel] like you’re not being taken out of the movie,” he said. “So I always wanted to connect Tom into those scenes and feel like you’re almost still in present day, but you’re with him on this journey [where]he’s going into his memories, but then you emotionally don’t detach.”
“A Man Called Otto” the adaptation of the best-selling book “A Man Called Ove” by Frederik Backman,...
“Ultimately when you’re dealing with flashbacks, the ins and outs [need to] feel very seamless and feel like you’re still in present-day with Otto, with Tom Hanks. When you go into the flashback with Truman and Sonya (Rachel Keller), it [needs to feel] like you’re not being taken out of the movie,” he said. “So I always wanted to connect Tom into those scenes and feel like you’re almost still in present day, but you’re with him on this journey [where]he’s going into his memories, but then you emotionally don’t detach.”
“A Man Called Otto” the adaptation of the best-selling book “A Man Called Ove” by Frederik Backman,...
- 1/22/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Numbers are beginning to roll in for this weekend’s box office, and with no real competition, Avatar: The Way of Water will retain the top spot for an impressive sixth week in a row with over 20 million added to its till. That will put the James Cameron sequel right around the 600 million domestic mark as it sets its sights on taking over the number eight spot on the all-time domestic charts, which is currently occupied by The Incredibles 2 with 608.5 million.
In my predictions from Thursday, I noticed in the comments that some people thought my assessment that Avatar: The Way of Water might not make enough to surpass the 653.4 million that Jurassic World made to make it the ninth highest-grossing film of all time. I was basing that on the fact that the film is slowing down at the box office. With only a few weeks before Avatar...
In my predictions from Thursday, I noticed in the comments that some people thought my assessment that Avatar: The Way of Water might not make enough to surpass the 653.4 million that Jurassic World made to make it the ninth highest-grossing film of all time. I was basing that on the fact that the film is slowing down at the box office. With only a few weeks before Avatar...
- 1/21/2023
- by Brad Hamerly
- JoBlo.com
Stockholm, Sweden – December 13, 2022: Tom Hanks and producer Rita Wilson at the Premiere for Columbia Pictures A Man Called Otto, at Filmstaden Rigoletto. A Man Called Otto started its life as a Swedish novel (A Man Called Ove), followed by a Swedish film adaptation. Rita Wilson saw the potential for the story as an American film, and her production company secured the rights. Of course, it helped that Wilson had a pretty big star she could easily attach to the project: her husband (and one of her production partners), Tom Hanks. The project has been in the works for more than five years; now that it’s done and on the big screen, Wilson told us she knew it was going to be something special from the very first day of shooting. (Click on the media bar below to hear Rita Wilson) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Rita_Wilson...
- 1/19/2023
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Michael Porseryd is stepping down as the CEO of Sf Studios, the Nordic production and distribution powerhouse behind the recent Tom Hanks-starring drama A Man Called Otto.
The company said in a statement posted on its website on Thursday that the board of Sf Studios and Michael Porseryd had jointly agreed that Porseryd would leave his position as CEO after six years.
“To ensure a smooth transition”, it said, Sf Studio’s board chairman Jan Bernhardsson will take over as acting CEO. The board is now starting the process of recruiting a new regular CEO.
“I want to thank Michael Porseryd who, during his six years as CEO of Sf Studios, drove the development by changing from being a company focused on distribution to also strengthening its production operations,” said Jan Bernhardsson.
“The changeover has been successful and was recently crowned by the premiere of A man Called Otto,...
The company said in a statement posted on its website on Thursday that the board of Sf Studios and Michael Porseryd had jointly agreed that Porseryd would leave his position as CEO after six years.
“To ensure a smooth transition”, it said, Sf Studio’s board chairman Jan Bernhardsson will take over as acting CEO. The board is now starting the process of recruiting a new regular CEO.
“I want to thank Michael Porseryd who, during his six years as CEO of Sf Studios, drove the development by changing from being a company focused on distribution to also strengthening its production operations,” said Jan Bernhardsson.
“The changeover has been successful and was recently crowned by the premiere of A man Called Otto,...
- 1/19/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Board chairman Jan Bernhardsson to be acting CEO while replacement sought.
Michael Porseryd has stepped down from his role as CEO of Nordic production and distribution giant Sf Studios.
In a statement this morning, Sf Studios said its board of directors and Porseryd “have jointly agreed that Michael Porseryd will, after six years as CEO, leave his position.”
Sf Studios’ chairman of the board, Jan Bernhardsson, will assume the role of acting CEO, and the company is now starting the process of recruiting a new permanent CEO.
Sf Studios’ international films include recent release A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks,...
Michael Porseryd has stepped down from his role as CEO of Nordic production and distribution giant Sf Studios.
In a statement this morning, Sf Studios said its board of directors and Porseryd “have jointly agreed that Michael Porseryd will, after six years as CEO, leave his position.”
Sf Studios’ chairman of the board, Jan Bernhardsson, will assume the role of acting CEO, and the company is now starting the process of recruiting a new permanent CEO.
Sf Studios’ international films include recent release A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks,...
- 1/19/2023
- ScreenDaily
Michael Porseryd is set to exit Sf Studios, the Nordic powerhouse behind Tom Hanks starrer “A Man Called Otto,” as CEO.
News comes as a shock to everyone as Porseryd recently spoke to Variety about the company’s involvement in “A Man Called Otto,” following a successful press launch of the film with Hanks and Rita Wilson who were on hand in Stockholm.
Sf Studios’ chairman of the board, Jan Bernhardsson, will assume the role as acting CEO in the interim. Sf Studios’ board of directors are now starting the process of recruiting a new permanent CEO.
During Porseryd’s six-year tenure as CEO, the company developed a bigger presence in the local and international production landscape, notably with “Horizon Lines” and most recently with “A Man Called Otto,” as well as some big-budgeted upscale period movies such as Erik Poppe’s “The Emigrants” and Björn Runge’s “Burn All My Letters.
News comes as a shock to everyone as Porseryd recently spoke to Variety about the company’s involvement in “A Man Called Otto,” following a successful press launch of the film with Hanks and Rita Wilson who were on hand in Stockholm.
Sf Studios’ chairman of the board, Jan Bernhardsson, will assume the role as acting CEO in the interim. Sf Studios’ board of directors are now starting the process of recruiting a new permanent CEO.
During Porseryd’s six-year tenure as CEO, the company developed a bigger presence in the local and international production landscape, notably with “Horizon Lines” and most recently with “A Man Called Otto,” as well as some big-budgeted upscale period movies such as Erik Poppe’s “The Emigrants” and Björn Runge’s “Burn All My Letters.
- 1/19/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Updated With 4-day Numbers:
With today being a Martin Luther King Jr Day in America, where most Government offices and schools are closed, we have some updated numbers for the 4-day holiday weekend. Remaining in first place is Avatar: The Way of Water with an estimated Monday take of 8.2 million and a 4-day haul of 40.6 million as the film closes in on Spider-Man: No Way Home on the all time worldwide charts with 1.901 billion against Spider-Man’s 1.916 billion.
The hit horror film M3GAN looks to add an additional 3.4 million to its box office bringing the killer doll to a respectable running total of 60.2 million after just two weeks of release. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish added a cool 4.6 million to its cash box, pulling the animated feline to a solid 112 million while the Tom Hanks remake A Man Called Otto is adding an additional 2.5 million in Monday grosses to bring its total to 21.5 million.
With today being a Martin Luther King Jr Day in America, where most Government offices and schools are closed, we have some updated numbers for the 4-day holiday weekend. Remaining in first place is Avatar: The Way of Water with an estimated Monday take of 8.2 million and a 4-day haul of 40.6 million as the film closes in on Spider-Man: No Way Home on the all time worldwide charts with 1.901 billion against Spider-Man’s 1.916 billion.
The hit horror film M3GAN looks to add an additional 3.4 million to its box office bringing the killer doll to a respectable running total of 60.2 million after just two weeks of release. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish added a cool 4.6 million to its cash box, pulling the animated feline to a solid 112 million while the Tom Hanks remake A Man Called Otto is adding an additional 2.5 million in Monday grosses to bring its total to 21.5 million.
- 1/16/2023
- by Brad Hamerly
- JoBlo.com
"A Man Called Otto" Tom Hanks stars in the American remake of the 2015 Swedish film “A Man Called Ove” which was based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Fredrik Backman. Is the movie worth your time and money? "Plane" Gerard Butler flies the unfriendly skies in “Plane.” Should we just
The post Movie Reviews: A Man Called Otto & Plane appeared first on Manny the Movie Guy.
The post Movie Reviews: A Man Called Otto & Plane appeared first on Manny the Movie Guy.
- 1/16/2023
- by manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
New year, new Netflix! January 2023’s slate can keep viewers entertained amidst all the gray skies and rainstorms, with new original films like “Dog Gone” starring Rob Lowe to classics like “Forrest Gump” starring Tom Hanks. Those who can’t get enough of the adrenaline of “Top Gun: Maverick” can stream the original film on Netflix now, too.
Other genres well-represented in the batch of new titles on Netflix in January include the whodunnit and rom-com, with several options like “The Pale Blue Eye” and “You People” landing as Netflix originals. For those in a more serious mood, “Brokeback Mountain” is now available. “Minions: The Rise of Gru” promises fun for the whole family with Illumination animation, child-favorite characters and a throwback to songs of the seventies for parents.
Here are some of the best new movies to watch on Netflix in January 2023:
Also Read:
The 25 Best New Movies...
Other genres well-represented in the batch of new titles on Netflix in January include the whodunnit and rom-com, with several options like “The Pale Blue Eye” and “You People” landing as Netflix originals. For those in a more serious mood, “Brokeback Mountain” is now available. “Minions: The Rise of Gru” promises fun for the whole family with Illumination animation, child-favorite characters and a throwback to songs of the seventies for parents.
Here are some of the best new movies to watch on Netflix in January 2023:
Also Read:
The 25 Best New Movies...
- 1/15/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Disney/20th Century’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” maintains its No. 1 spot at the box office this Martin Luther King Jr. weekend with 31 million in its fifth weekend and is expected to extend that total to 39 million over four days to bring its domestic cume to 570 million.
Through Sunday, the film will have a total of 1.89 billion with a 3-day global weekend total of 119 million. With Monday’s domestic grosses, “Avatar 2” will pass the 1.9 billion mark, putting it on the threshold of passing the 1.91 billion of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and becoming the highest-grossing film of the pandemic era.
Behind it, Universal’s “M3GAN” and “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” are both showing strong numbers. “M3GAN,” an Atomic Monster/Blumhouse co-production, has only dropped 41 from its 30.4 million opening weekend for a 17.9 million 3-day/21.2 million 4-day second weekend. That will give the 12 million horror film a total of...
Through Sunday, the film will have a total of 1.89 billion with a 3-day global weekend total of 119 million. With Monday’s domestic grosses, “Avatar 2” will pass the 1.9 billion mark, putting it on the threshold of passing the 1.91 billion of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and becoming the highest-grossing film of the pandemic era.
Behind it, Universal’s “M3GAN” and “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” are both showing strong numbers. “M3GAN,” an Atomic Monster/Blumhouse co-production, has only dropped 41 from its 30.4 million opening weekend for a 17.9 million 3-day/21.2 million 4-day second weekend. That will give the 12 million horror film a total of...
- 1/15/2023
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
In A Man Called Otto, Tom Hanks stars as a grunty older man named Otto, who’s sort of a dick. He’s a little bit of a busybody. He lives on a quiet street in suburban Pittsburgh where everybody seems to know each other and where you need a parking permit in your window to park your car, otherwise somebody (Otto) will notice. The older residents, Otto among them, have a bit of history. This does not prevent Otto from believing that everybody in his midst is something of an idiot.
- 1/15/2023
- by K. Austin Collins
- Rollingstone.com
“A Man Called Otto” star Tom Hanks did not take the responsibility of portraying his character’s suicide attempts lightly.
“A Man Called Otto,” adapted from the best-selling novel “A Man Called Ove” by Frederik Backman and also based on the Swedish feature film, follows Otto (Hanks), a grumpy old man who clings to rules and order to prevent unnecessary chaos. Deep down, he misses his late wife Sonja (Rachel Keller), who challenged his black-and-white thinking with her colorful, sweet personality.
Otto wants nothing more than to join Sonya in the afterlife, a desire that drives him to multiple suicide attempts in different ways.
“Because it was firmly rooted in both the novel in the original movie, it is part of what the story has to be. The responsibility that comes along with that, we did not take that lightly at all,” Hanks said in an interview with TheWrap. “Because on one hand,...
“A Man Called Otto,” adapted from the best-selling novel “A Man Called Ove” by Frederik Backman and also based on the Swedish feature film, follows Otto (Hanks), a grumpy old man who clings to rules and order to prevent unnecessary chaos. Deep down, he misses his late wife Sonja (Rachel Keller), who challenged his black-and-white thinking with her colorful, sweet personality.
Otto wants nothing more than to join Sonya in the afterlife, a desire that drives him to multiple suicide attempts in different ways.
“Because it was firmly rooted in both the novel in the original movie, it is part of what the story has to be. The responsibility that comes along with that, we did not take that lightly at all,” Hanks said in an interview with TheWrap. “Because on one hand,...
- 1/14/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
A version of this story about Mariana Treviño and “A Man Called Otto” first appeared in the Awards Preview issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
When Mexican actress Mariana Treviño first auditioned for the role of Marisol in Marc Forster’s “A Man Called Otto,” she was by herself in a hotel room in Spain, isolated and depressed because of the pandemic. She had nobody to help her put two scenes on tape, so she shot the scenes in her hotel room playing all the characters herself.
And Forster saw something in that one-woman show that made sense for the role of a young, pregnant, frazzled but indomitable mother of two who finds a way to carry on and doesn’t have time for the dramas of Tom Hanks’ Otto, whose perpetual crankiness turns out to be a way of compensating for suicidal depression after the death of his wife.
When Mexican actress Mariana Treviño first auditioned for the role of Marisol in Marc Forster’s “A Man Called Otto,” she was by herself in a hotel room in Spain, isolated and depressed because of the pandemic. She had nobody to help her put two scenes on tape, so she shot the scenes in her hotel room playing all the characters herself.
And Forster saw something in that one-woman show that made sense for the role of a young, pregnant, frazzled but indomitable mother of two who finds a way to carry on and doesn’t have time for the dramas of Tom Hanks’ Otto, whose perpetual crankiness turns out to be a way of compensating for suicidal depression after the death of his wife.
- 1/13/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Photo: ‘A Man Called Otto’ Now, having expanded to theaters around the nation after an exclusive release in four theaters in Los Angeles and New York on December 30, 2022, ‘A Man Called Otto’ is available for Tom Hanks fans around the country. In his second film of 2022 (following ‘Elvis’ with Austin Butler), Tom Hanks leads the title role in ‘A Man Called Otto,’ a film adapted from the ‘New York Times’-bestselling Swedish novel titled ‘A Man Called Ove’ by Fredrick Backman. Although published in English in 2013, the novel did not pick up in popularity until 18 months after its English publication, then stayed on the ‘New York Times’ bestseller list for over ten months. Things to do: Subscribe to The Hollywood Insider’s YouTube Channel, by clicking here. Limited Time Offer – Free Subscription to The Hollywood Insider Click here to read more on The Hollywood Insider’s vision, values and mission...
- 1/13/2023
- by Nino Vongphachanh
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
Editor’s note: Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series debuts and celebrates the scripts of films that will factor in this year’s movie awards races.
David Magee had two pieces of source material to work from for A Man Called Otto, the Marc Forster-directed Columbia Pictures remake of the hit Swedish film A Man Called Ove. That original pic, which scored two Oscar nominations in 2017, was written and directed by Hannes Holm and based on Fredrik Backman’s 2014 New York Times bestselling novel.
In all instances, the plot centers on a curmudgeonly man — in the latest case played by Tom Hanks as Otto, not Ove, and in this case in Pittsburgh, not a small Swedish town. Otto is in deep mourning after the loss of his wife to cancer; he has given up on being happy and kind to others and would mostly prefer greatly to join his beloved in the great beyond.
David Magee had two pieces of source material to work from for A Man Called Otto, the Marc Forster-directed Columbia Pictures remake of the hit Swedish film A Man Called Ove. That original pic, which scored two Oscar nominations in 2017, was written and directed by Hannes Holm and based on Fredrik Backman’s 2014 New York Times bestselling novel.
In all instances, the plot centers on a curmudgeonly man — in the latest case played by Tom Hanks as Otto, not Ove, and in this case in Pittsburgh, not a small Swedish town. Otto is in deep mourning after the loss of his wife to cancer; he has given up on being happy and kind to others and would mostly prefer greatly to join his beloved in the great beyond.
- 1/13/2023
- by Destiny Jackson
- Deadline Film + TV
Tom Hanks has worked his high-wattage, regular-guy-hero amiability for so long that he was bound to experiment with a year like 2022 eventually. In the summer, he gave us an oily, flesh-packed Colonel Tom Parker with that strange barbed-wire accent in “Elvis,” then he took on Geppetto in the year’s other, forgettable “Pinocchio,” and now he’s been fitted for grumpypants, frown lines, and a self-made noose as a suicidal sourpuss in “A Man Called Otto.”
But we know Hanks by now, and what kind of curmudgeon he’d want to play, which means you don’t have to be familiar with the source material of “Otto” to guess within the first few minutes — when he’s being obnoxious to a perfectly kind hardware store cashier, but in that isn’t-it-cute-how-mean-he-is way — that this is one of those movies typically described in terms of “surrendering” to “charms,” and “winning you over.
But we know Hanks by now, and what kind of curmudgeon he’d want to play, which means you don’t have to be familiar with the source material of “Otto” to guess within the first few minutes — when he’s being obnoxious to a perfectly kind hardware store cashier, but in that isn’t-it-cute-how-mean-he-is way — that this is one of those movies typically described in terms of “surrendering” to “charms,” and “winning you over.
- 1/12/2023
- by Robert Abele
- The Wrap
We began the year on a strong note with the hold for “Avatar: The Way of Water” (Disney) and a 30 million start for the low-budget horror film “M3EGAN” (Universal). Now we have the Martin Luther King weekend, historically one of the strongest before May. This time, it faces some impediments — a lack of holdovers, few awards releases going wide, and no top-flight opener. Pre-Covid MLK debuts like”Bad Boys for Life,” “American Sniper,” “Glass,” and “Ride Along” opened to more than 40 million.
Between 2018-2020, the three-day MLK weekend totaled 130 million-166 million (not calculating a 20 percent+ increase in ticket prices). This year will be closer to 100 million. Still, that would be a significant improvement over last year (72 million) and continue the early-year surge.
This weekend offers multiple possibilities to encourage long-term optimism and suggest that better times are ahead in 2023. Here is what insiders will look at:
Is the market expanding?...
Between 2018-2020, the three-day MLK weekend totaled 130 million-166 million (not calculating a 20 percent+ increase in ticket prices). This year will be closer to 100 million. Still, that would be a significant improvement over last year (72 million) and continue the early-year surge.
This weekend offers multiple possibilities to encourage long-term optimism and suggest that better times are ahead in 2023. Here is what insiders will look at:
Is the market expanding?...
- 1/12/2023
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
After a great start to the New Year, the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend offers another four-day weekend, which has often been the best week in the month of January to have a substantial hit. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.
Three years ago, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reunited for “Bad Boys for Life,” a movie that opened with 73 million over the four-day weekend. Two months later, Covid hit and movie theaters shut down, allowing that buddy comedy to become the biggest hit of 2020 with just 204.5 million in North America.
Even before that, this holiday weekend has seen sizable hits, including Clint Eastwood’s “American Sniper” in 2015 and the original “Ride Along,” starring Ice Cube and Kevin Hart, a year earlier.
Going into the weekend, most may just have to accept that “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “M3GAN” will likely remain the #1 and 2 movies,...
Three years ago, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reunited for “Bad Boys for Life,” a movie that opened with 73 million over the four-day weekend. Two months later, Covid hit and movie theaters shut down, allowing that buddy comedy to become the biggest hit of 2020 with just 204.5 million in North America.
Even before that, this holiday weekend has seen sizable hits, including Clint Eastwood’s “American Sniper” in 2015 and the original “Ride Along,” starring Ice Cube and Kevin Hart, a year earlier.
Going into the weekend, most may just have to accept that “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “M3GAN” will likely remain the #1 and 2 movies,...
- 1/11/2023
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
Tom Hanks is opening up about an important new co-worker.
During a post-screening Q&a for “A Man Called Otto”, the Oscar-winner spoke about working with his son Truman, who plays a younger version of him in the movie.
“Without a doubt, it’s special because, you know, I changed his diapers,” he shared, via People. “But you get past that right away because you gotta show up, and you gotta hit the marks, and you gotta do it on time, and you gotta be right there.”
Read More: Tom Hanks Weighs In On ‘Nepo Baby’ Debate, Says Acting Is ‘Family Business’
He praised his son as well for his professional attitude, and that they were both taking the role seriously.
“I know what that takes, and he does too. It’s a little different when it’s the whole shebang. He was cast for a very specific reason. We resemble each other,...
During a post-screening Q&a for “A Man Called Otto”, the Oscar-winner spoke about working with his son Truman, who plays a younger version of him in the movie.
“Without a doubt, it’s special because, you know, I changed his diapers,” he shared, via People. “But you get past that right away because you gotta show up, and you gotta hit the marks, and you gotta do it on time, and you gotta be right there.”
Read More: Tom Hanks Weighs In On ‘Nepo Baby’ Debate, Says Acting Is ‘Family Business’
He praised his son as well for his professional attitude, and that they were both taking the role seriously.
“I know what that takes, and he does too. It’s a little different when it’s the whole shebang. He was cast for a very specific reason. We resemble each other,...
- 1/10/2023
- by Anita Tai
- ET Canada
Is Tom Hanks ever going to retire?
At 66, the actor has appeared in almost 80 feature films during his four-decade tenure in Hollywood. At the New York premiere of his newest film, “A Man Called Otto,” Hanks cast doubt on the prospect of retirement.
“No, I don’t have any desire [to retire],” Hanks told Variety on Monday night. “I’m not working for the sake of working. I’m in a very lucky position. It’s got to be fabulous. Rita and I talk about it all the time, which is there’s only two reasons go to work: It’ll be good or it’ll be fun. And if it’s neither one of those, I’ll stay home until the cows come on. I don’t need to do anything.”
The circumstances were much different for Otto, the character Hanks plays in the reboot of the Swedish film “A Man Called Ove.
At 66, the actor has appeared in almost 80 feature films during his four-decade tenure in Hollywood. At the New York premiere of his newest film, “A Man Called Otto,” Hanks cast doubt on the prospect of retirement.
“No, I don’t have any desire [to retire],” Hanks told Variety on Monday night. “I’m not working for the sake of working. I’m in a very lucky position. It’s got to be fabulous. Rita and I talk about it all the time, which is there’s only two reasons go to work: It’ll be good or it’ll be fun. And if it’s neither one of those, I’ll stay home until the cows come on. I don’t need to do anything.”
The circumstances were much different for Otto, the character Hanks plays in the reboot of the Swedish film “A Man Called Ove.
- 1/10/2023
- by Antonio Ferme
- Variety Film + TV
Tom Hanks has quite the history with his latest film co-star, his son, Truman, 27, who plays a younger version of his dad’s crotchety character in ‘A Man Called Otto’. To be widely released on January 13, the film is based on Fredrik Backman’s 2012 novel ‘A Man Called Ove’, reports ‘People’ magazine.
During a post-screening Q&a, Tom told ‘People’ magazine what it was like working with his son, whom he shares with wife Rita Wilson.
“Without a doubt, it’s special because, you know, I changed his diapers,” said Tom. “But you get past that right away because you gotta show up, and you gotta hit the marks, and you gotta do it on time, and you gotta be right there.”
He continued: “I know what that takes, and he does too. It’s a little different when it’s the whole shebang. He was cast for a very specific reason.
During a post-screening Q&a, Tom told ‘People’ magazine what it was like working with his son, whom he shares with wife Rita Wilson.
“Without a doubt, it’s special because, you know, I changed his diapers,” said Tom. “But you get past that right away because you gotta show up, and you gotta hit the marks, and you gotta do it on time, and you gotta be right there.”
He continued: “I know what that takes, and he does too. It’s a little different when it’s the whole shebang. He was cast for a very specific reason.
- 1/10/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
Numbers are beginning to roll in for this first weekend of 2023 and they are quite promising. Coming as no surprise James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water is continuing its domination of the marketplace pulling in another 10 million on Friday for what is looking like a close to 40 million weekend. That will put the film over the half a billion mark stateside and notches it above The Avengers to become the ninth highest grossing film of all time at the worldwide box office. James Cameron now lays claim to three of the top ten highest grossing films ever made. I guess he truly is the king of the world.
Not to be counted out however is this weekend’s second place finisher: the James Wan/ Blumhouse production M3GAN which secured a solid 3 million in Thursday previews, which rolled into its 11.4 million Friday on its way to a projected opening weekend around 27 million.
Not to be counted out however is this weekend’s second place finisher: the James Wan/ Blumhouse production M3GAN which secured a solid 3 million in Thursday previews, which rolled into its 11.4 million Friday on its way to a projected opening weekend around 27 million.
- 1/7/2023
- by Brad Hamerly
- JoBlo.com
The first box office weekend of 2023 has brought the first hit of 2023 as Universal/Blumhouse’s campy killer doll horror film “M3GAN” is riding strong critics’ reviews to a 27 million opening while Disney/20th Century’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” stays No. 1 and crosses the 500 million mark in North America.
Made on a 12 million budget before marketing costs, “M3GAN” was projected for an opening weekend of 17-22 million from 3,509 locations and is now beating those expectations after critics praised the film for its self-aware dark humor, giving it a 94 Rotten Tomatoes score. Audience metrics haven’t been quite as strong with a B on CinemaScore and a 79 audience Rt rating, though it is rare for any horror film to have exceptionally high metrics.
As the only horror film in theaters, “M3GAN” now has a chance to leg out with younger audiences after becoming the first movie released on the...
Made on a 12 million budget before marketing costs, “M3GAN” was projected for an opening weekend of 17-22 million from 3,509 locations and is now beating those expectations after critics praised the film for its self-aware dark humor, giving it a 94 Rotten Tomatoes score. Audience metrics haven’t been quite as strong with a B on CinemaScore and a 79 audience Rt rating, though it is rare for any horror film to have exceptionally high metrics.
As the only horror film in theaters, “M3GAN” now has a chance to leg out with younger audiences after becoming the first movie released on the...
- 1/7/2023
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Whether he's playing a toy cowboy, a stranded FedEx worker, or a child in an adult's body, Tom Hanks has long been one of the most reliable actors in the industry. When was the last time you heard anyone say anything against him? He possesses an inherently lovable screen presence, and can switch from portraying a drunken baseball coach ("A League of Their Own") to Mr. Rogers ("A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood") without blinking. As the window to becoming a traditional movie star closes each day, Hanks continues to hold onto his star power. His latest film, "A Man Called Otto," which is itself the second screen adaptation of Fredrik Bachman's 2012 novel "A Man Called Ove," shows the actor successfully tapping into his inner grump.
While promoting the film on the Great Creators with Guy Raz podcast, Hanks waded into the conversation about how an actor sees their performance.
While promoting the film on the Great Creators with Guy Raz podcast, Hanks waded into the conversation about how an actor sees their performance.
- 1/6/2023
- by Matthew Bilodeau
- Slash Film
Mubi is opening Berlinale Golden Bear winner ‘Alcarràs’.
A new cinema year gets underway this weekend with Chinonye Chukwu’s historical race drama Till, and Tom Hanks comedy A Man Called Otto opening across the UK and Ireland.
Released by Universal in 424 cinemas, Till tells the true story of Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old American boy who was murdered in a racially-motivated attack in 1955. In the film, Mamie vows to expose the racism behind the attack while working to have those involved brought to justice.
Till launched at New York Film Festival in October last year,...
A new cinema year gets underway this weekend with Chinonye Chukwu’s historical race drama Till, and Tom Hanks comedy A Man Called Otto opening across the UK and Ireland.
Released by Universal in 424 cinemas, Till tells the true story of Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old American boy who was murdered in a racially-motivated attack in 1955. In the film, Mamie vows to expose the racism behind the attack while working to have those involved brought to justice.
Till launched at New York Film Festival in October last year,...
- 1/6/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Tom Hanks is trying to channel his inner Clint Eastwood for this US adaptation of Fredrik Bachman’s Swedish best-seller - the problem is, he simply isn’t grouchy enough. Previously adapted in Sweden as A Man Called Ove back in 2015, if anything Marc Forster’s film, scripted by David Magee, leans even more heavily into the story’s misty-eyed backstory even if Otto (Hanks) himself prefers regiment over sentiment.
Each day Otto patrols his small slice of the neighbourhood, grousing at those who let their dogs pee where they shouldn’t and resorting the recycling bins with a grabber. What isn’t immediately obvious, is that he is deeply grieving after the death of his wife - but plans for his own death do not run smoothly.
Just like the original Ove, Otto has a uniform unpleasantness that is unaffected by creed, colour or sexual orientation - he isn...
Each day Otto patrols his small slice of the neighbourhood, grousing at those who let their dogs pee where they shouldn’t and resorting the recycling bins with a grabber. What isn’t immediately obvious, is that he is deeply grieving after the death of his wife - but plans for his own death do not run smoothly.
Just like the original Ove, Otto has a uniform unpleasantness that is unaffected by creed, colour or sexual orientation - he isn...
- 1/5/2023
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Tom Hanks is Otto Anderson in Columbia Pictures A Man Called Otto. Photo by: Niko Tavernise
So, we’re almost a week into 2023 and all that holiday cheer is so…last year. What a perfect time for a film centering around an older fella’ who’s…well, a human version of the grinch, sans green fur and the larceny. And who’s taken on this role? It’s none other than the movie’s “Mr. Nice Guy’ himself, “America’s dad” (perhaps grandpa; now), and two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks. Hey. we all need to “shake things up” a bit, and get out of our “comfort zone”. But are his filmgoing fans ready to accept him as a real grouch Aka A Man Called Otto? Btw, this has no connection to A Fish Called Wanda or The Man Called Flintstone, in case you’re wondering.
When we first encounter Otto...
So, we’re almost a week into 2023 and all that holiday cheer is so…last year. What a perfect time for a film centering around an older fella’ who’s…well, a human version of the grinch, sans green fur and the larceny. And who’s taken on this role? It’s none other than the movie’s “Mr. Nice Guy’ himself, “America’s dad” (perhaps grandpa; now), and two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks. Hey. we all need to “shake things up” a bit, and get out of our “comfort zone”. But are his filmgoing fans ready to accept him as a real grouch Aka A Man Called Otto? Btw, this has no connection to A Fish Called Wanda or The Man Called Flintstone, in case you’re wondering.
When we first encounter Otto...
- 1/4/2023
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
There is something rather ironic about the fact that Hollywood’s nicest man (now confirmed) is playing such a miserable old fart in Marc Forster’s A Man Called Otto, a remake of the 2015 Swedish drama A Man Called Ove.
Everyone always says Hanks is a delight to work with, and so we questioned those who have done just that, as we spoke to the director Forster as well as the affable Mexican actress Mariana Trevino, who takes a starring role in this touching production. It’s not just Hanks we discussed of course, as we chat about the tonality of the film, the art in remaking and adapting popular art, and we speak about food – of the Swiss and Mexican variety. You can watch both interviews in their entirety below.
Marc Forster
Mariana Trevino
Synopsis
When a lively young family moves in next door, grumpy widower Otto Anderson meets his match in a quick-witted,...
Everyone always says Hanks is a delight to work with, and so we questioned those who have done just that, as we spoke to the director Forster as well as the affable Mexican actress Mariana Trevino, who takes a starring role in this touching production. It’s not just Hanks we discussed of course, as we chat about the tonality of the film, the art in remaking and adapting popular art, and we speak about food – of the Swiss and Mexican variety. You can watch both interviews in their entirety below.
Marc Forster
Mariana Trevino
Synopsis
When a lively young family moves in next door, grumpy widower Otto Anderson meets his match in a quick-witted,...
- 1/3/2023
- by Stefan Pape
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Plot: A curmudgeonly widower named Otto (Tom Hanks) becomes entwined in the lives of his needy neighbors, much to his (initial) dismay.
Review: Early on in A Man Called Otto, there’s a scene where Tom Hanks, as the cantankerous Otto, visits a home hardware store to buy himself some rope. He plans to go home and hang himself, but once he gets to the cash, he has a long argument about how they’re charging him for more rope than he needs. This scene is depicted as “wacky,” and it just about sums up all of the issues I have with the film. In it, Tom Hanks’s character is so depressed that we’re supposed to believe that once he gets home with this rope, he will kill himself. The way Marc Forster directs this scene and Hanks acts it, this sequence feels like something out of a sitcom,...
Review: Early on in A Man Called Otto, there’s a scene where Tom Hanks, as the cantankerous Otto, visits a home hardware store to buy himself some rope. He plans to go home and hang himself, but once he gets to the cash, he has a long argument about how they’re charging him for more rope than he needs. This scene is depicted as “wacky,” and it just about sums up all of the issues I have with the film. In it, Tom Hanks’s character is so depressed that we’re supposed to believe that once he gets home with this rope, he will kill himself. The way Marc Forster directs this scene and Hanks acts it, this sequence feels like something out of a sitcom,...
- 12/30/2022
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
New movies from Martin Scorsese, Wes Anderson, Sam Mendes, Greta Gerwig and Florian Zeller, among others, mean there’s a feast of cinema in the coming months
More from the 2023 culture previewThe best of 2022 in culture
A bittersweet heartwarmer remade from a Swedish film called A Man Called Ove, starring Tom Hanks as a grumpy old bore who, after his wife dies, sees no reason to carry on. His repeated attempts at taking his own life are farcically interrupted and then a new friendship looks as it if will change things.
• 6 January...
More from the 2023 culture previewThe best of 2022 in culture
A bittersweet heartwarmer remade from a Swedish film called A Man Called Ove, starring Tom Hanks as a grumpy old bore who, after his wife dies, sees no reason to carry on. His repeated attempts at taking his own life are farcically interrupted and then a new friendship looks as it if will change things.
• 6 January...
- 12/30/2022
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
As we head into the new year, Avatar: The Way of Water continues its dominance with no sign of slowing down yet. It crossed $1 billion worldwide this week, making it one of just six films ever to hit the ten digits in the first two weeks of its release, and at $1.03 billion it is already the year’s second highest grossing film and the third highest grossing of the 2020s. On the domestic front, the 12 day cume is $317 million, and though the extreme weather and low-grossing Christmas Eve holiday took a chunk out of the second weekend gross, the final numbers actually grew considerably from the estimates reported Sunday. It’s still too early to say whether the box office on The Way of Water will, like James Cameron’s last two films Avatar and Titanic, be another one for the record books, but the strong performance through the holidays...
- 12/29/2022
- by Sam Mendelsohn <mail@boxofficemojo.com>
- Box Office Mojo
By Christopher James
The practice of remaking international films for an English language audience is a lazy process. Though we sometimes get a stray hit like Scorsese’s The Departed, too often we see a film’s teeth and charm whittled down to nothing. A Man Called Otto isn't an abject artistic failure like some of those, but it doesn't bring anything new to its Swedish counterpart, A Man Called Ove. It doesn't feel quite like a Google translate job (most of the American-ized changes work), but definitely only exists because it feels US audiences are unlikely to seek out the Swedish original.
You may think you’ve seen a curmudgeon before, but you haven’t met Otto (Tom Hanks). Every morning he makes his rounds, which includes cleaning up his small neighborhood development, closing the gate on his street and sneering at every smiling “idiot” he comes into contact with.
The practice of remaking international films for an English language audience is a lazy process. Though we sometimes get a stray hit like Scorsese’s The Departed, too often we see a film’s teeth and charm whittled down to nothing. A Man Called Otto isn't an abject artistic failure like some of those, but it doesn't bring anything new to its Swedish counterpart, A Man Called Ove. It doesn't feel quite like a Google translate job (most of the American-ized changes work), but definitely only exists because it feels US audiences are unlikely to seek out the Swedish original.
You may think you’ve seen a curmudgeon before, but you haven’t met Otto (Tom Hanks). Every morning he makes his rounds, which includes cleaning up his small neighborhood development, closing the gate on his street and sneering at every smiling “idiot” he comes into contact with.
- 12/28/2022
- by Christopher James
- FilmExperience
When you have an international best seller that was on the Nyt list for 42 weeks and then made into a multi-Oscar-nominated Swedish film that became the third-most successful in the history of that country Ingmar Bergman called home, you might wonder what the need was for an English-language American remake. The answer is a chance to give Tom Hanks a role he can run with and, more important, to bring a very human, often funny, character-driven story back to light in a time that needs it more than ever.
Related Story 2023 Domestic Box Office To Hit 9 Billion Fueled By 33 Tentpoles, But How Does Hollywood Prevent Original Adult Pics From Falling Into Further Jeopardy? Related Story Rita Wilson Talks Oscar-Qualifying 'A Man Called Otto' Song, Plans For New Production Company Artistic Films, First Collaboration With Wes Anderson On 'Asteroid City' & More Related Story Tom Hanks Talks Working...
Related Story 2023 Domestic Box Office To Hit 9 Billion Fueled By 33 Tentpoles, But How Does Hollywood Prevent Original Adult Pics From Falling Into Further Jeopardy? Related Story Rita Wilson Talks Oscar-Qualifying 'A Man Called Otto' Song, Plans For New Production Company Artistic Films, First Collaboration With Wes Anderson On 'Asteroid City' & More Related Story Tom Hanks Talks Working...
- 12/28/2022
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Warning: This review contains spoilers for "A Man Called Otto," as well as sensitive, potentially triggering content.
In Tom Hanks' wildly varied film career, he's played everything from a lawyer dying of AIDS ("Philadelphia") to a shopkeeper in love ("Sleepless In Seattle") to an unlikely influencer of history ("Forrest Gump"). He's even starred in a very informal plane crash trilogy, as a pilot stuck landing a crashing plane ("Sully"), a man stuck on an island after a plane crash ("Cast Away"), and a man stuck in an airport after a plane landing ("The Terminal"). In "A Man Called Otto," based on the 2012 Fredrik Backman novel "A Man Called Ove" and the 2015 Swedish film of that same title, Tom Hanks takes on his least characteristic role yet: that of a grumpy old widower.
It's an interesting project to save the least, given its dedicated attempt to land charming, family-friendly vibes against...
In Tom Hanks' wildly varied film career, he's played everything from a lawyer dying of AIDS ("Philadelphia") to a shopkeeper in love ("Sleepless In Seattle") to an unlikely influencer of history ("Forrest Gump"). He's even starred in a very informal plane crash trilogy, as a pilot stuck landing a crashing plane ("Sully"), a man stuck on an island after a plane crash ("Cast Away"), and a man stuck in an airport after a plane landing ("The Terminal"). In "A Man Called Otto," based on the 2012 Fredrik Backman novel "A Man Called Ove" and the 2015 Swedish film of that same title, Tom Hanks takes on his least characteristic role yet: that of a grumpy old widower.
It's an interesting project to save the least, given its dedicated attempt to land charming, family-friendly vibes against...
- 12/28/2022
- by Jeff Ewing
- Slash Film
Neither the comedy nor the inherently lovable Hanks are dark enough to bring this remake of an odd redemption story to life
Seven years ago, a frankly peculiar, quirky dramedy-heartwarmer from Sweden appeared: A Man Called Ove, based on the bestselling novel by Fredrik Backman. It was about a grumpy old widower who snaps at everyone on his street – officiously enforcing the Neighbourhood-Watch-type rules about parking and recycling – and keeps on trying to take his own life. These attempts are continually thwarted when he spots some local outside his house breaking some bylaw and Ove can’t resist rushing out to remonstrate. But a nerdy, sweet-natured young couple move in next door and insist on befriending Ove, and their artless friendship relieves Ove’s repressed sadness and affords him redemption. Ove was played in the original by Rolf Lassgård (Wallander on Swedish TV) and now by Tom Hanks – renamed Otto...
Seven years ago, a frankly peculiar, quirky dramedy-heartwarmer from Sweden appeared: A Man Called Ove, based on the bestselling novel by Fredrik Backman. It was about a grumpy old widower who snaps at everyone on his street – officiously enforcing the Neighbourhood-Watch-type rules about parking and recycling – and keeps on trying to take his own life. These attempts are continually thwarted when he spots some local outside his house breaking some bylaw and Ove can’t resist rushing out to remonstrate. But a nerdy, sweet-natured young couple move in next door and insist on befriending Ove, and their artless friendship relieves Ove’s repressed sadness and affords him redemption. Ove was played in the original by Rolf Lassgård (Wallander on Swedish TV) and now by Tom Hanks – renamed Otto...
- 12/28/2022
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
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