Martin J.Barab: Last News

EXCLUSIVE: After hitting 300 North American theaters via The Avenue last fall, the action thriller The System, starring Tyrese Gibson, Terrence Howard, Jeremy Piven and Lil Yachty, has been set to premiere on Starz on July 1st. The film will have its linear premiere there at 12:00 p.m. ET on July 6th, also airing that night at 11:30 p.m. ET.

EXCLUSIVE: Gravitas Ventures has acquired North American rights to the horror film The Inhabitant, starring Odessa A’zion (Hulu’s Hellraiser), Leslie Bibb (Mrs. American Pie), Dermot Mulroney (Umma) and Lizze Broadway (The Rookie), slating it for release in over 100 theaters on October 7th. Highland Film Group is handling international rights, with sales being launched at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival.

EXCLUSIVE: Australian filmmaker John Hillcoat is set to helm Running Wild, an adaptation J.G. Ballard’s novella off a screenplay by David Leland.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaFernanda Urrejola and Julio Cesar Cedillo will star alongside Josh Lucas in “The Black Demon.” The survival thriller is the latest film from Adrian Grünberg, the director of “Rambo: Last Blood” and “Get the Gringo.”The film centers on an oilman who finds himself and his family stranded on a rig where he is targeted by a megalodon, a prehistoric shark.Urrejola is best known for her work in “Narcos: Mexico,” the “Party of Five” reboot and Clint Eastwood’s most recent drama, “Cry Macho.” Cedillo played the title role in “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada” and also appeared in “All the Pretty Horses,” “Cowboys & Aliens” and “Sicario.” He recently starred in Netflix’s acclaimed film “The Harder They Fall.” Also joining the cast are Jorge A. Jimenez (“Machete Kills”), Héctor Jiménez (“Nacho Libre”), Raúl Méndez (“Narcos”), Edgar Flores (“Sin Nombre”), Venus Ariel (“DMZ”) and Carlos Solórzano (“Flamin’ Hot”).Written by Boise Esquerra, the film will wrap principal photography at the end of January on location in the Dominican Republic.Developed by Mucho Mas Media and Silk Mass, “The Black Demon” is co-financed by Highland Film Group (HFG), which is representing worldwide rights to the film.

EXCLUSIVE: ZQ Entertainment has acquired rights to Black Cotton Star, a graphic novel that will be scripted by Deric Hughes & Benjamin Raab for Reginald Hudlin to direct. Hudlin will produce with Prime Universe’s Adrian Askarieh, and ZQ heads Ara Keshishian and Petr Jakl. Martin J Barab will be exec producer.

EXCLUSIVE: Dermot Mulroney and Leslie Bibb have signed on to star in The Inhabitant, an indie horror thriller about infamous ax murderer Lizzie Borden’s bloodline that runs straight through the heart of American suburbia where a series of supernatural events reveal a dark truth behind a tormented teenager.

George Clooney and Grant Heslov have teamed up Bob Dylan to adapt John Grisham’s baseball-themed novel, Calico Joe. Clooney is attached to direct the feature and will produce with Heslov via the duo’s Smokehouse Pictures banner.

Dave McNary Film ReporterGeorge Clooney and Grant Heslov are developing John Grisham’s baseball-themed novel “Calico Joe” as a movie with Clooney attached to direct.Clooney and Heslov will also produce under their Smokehouse Pictures banner alongside Bob Dylan’s Grey Water Park Productions. The script’s development is being financed by ZQ Entertainment, the newly-launched production company from former CAA agent and producer Ara Keshishian and a multi-million dollar financing and development fund managed by Petr Jakl and represented by attorney Martin J. Barab.The fund will focus on the development of high-end film and television, with the goal of 15 projects per year.

Justin Kroll Senior Film ReporterGeorge Clooney and Grant Heslov are set to give a feature adaptation of John Grisham’s baseball-themed novel Calico Joe, with Clooney attached to direct. Clooney and Heslov will also produce under their Smokehouse Pictures banner alongside Bob Dylan’s Grey Water Park Productions.The script’s development is being financed by ZQ Entertainment, the newly-launched production company from former CAA agent and producer Ara Keshishian and a multi-million dollar financing and development fund managed by Petr Jakl and represented by attorney Martin J.