Steven Soderbergh: Last News

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer By modern standards, Paul Verhoeven’s 1992 sex noir “Basic Instinct” might not seem that scandalous. It was a much different story when the film first premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, star Michael Douglas said. Considered genre-defining or high camp depending on who you ask, Douglas said the project was “unique, even for France,” during a conversation in Cannes on Wednesday. “Seeing a lot of those sex scenes on the Grand Palais’ huge screen, it was a little overwhelming for a lot of people. We had a very quiet dinner afterwards, everyone was sort of digesting it,” he remembered (the cast included Sharon Stone and Jeanne Tripplehorn).

Nearly one year after Goodfellas and Field of Dreams star Ray Liotta’s sudden passing, his cause of death has been released. It has been attributed to heart and respiratory issues, according to documents obtained by TMZ.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Michael Douglas will receive the Honorary Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Cannes revealed on Tuesday that the “Basic Instinct” star will return to the Croisette this month for the festival, and will be honored as part of the May 16 opening ceremony. Douglas’ first time in Cannes was the 32nd edition of the festival in 1979, with James Bridges’ “The China Syndrome.” He returned for “Basic Instinct” in 1992 and again in 1993 for “Falling Down.” He was most recently in Cannes for Steven Soderbergh’s “Behind the Candelabra.”

Michael Douglas is to receive the Honorary Palme d’or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

The 2023 Tribeca Festival has announced its lineup of world premieres of new and returning television, including the world premieres of Steven Soderbergh’s Max series Full Circle about a botched kidnapping that reveals long-held secrets in present-day New York City, Prime Video’s Sweeney Todd-inspired The Horror of Dolores Roach and BET+’s Diarra From Detroit, a dark comedy executive produced by Kenya Barris that centers on a divorcing school teacher.

George Clooney confirmed “some very famous people,” including Mark Wahlberg and Johnny Depp, turned down the chance to star in the 2001 hit “Ocean’s Eleven”.

George Clooney has joked Mark Wahlberg and Johnny Depp now "regret" turning down the chance to star in Ocean's Eleven. During an appearance alongside director Steven Soderbergh at the 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival over the weekend, the Hollywood star confirmed Wahlberg and Depp had both been approached for the part of pickpocket Linus Caldwell in the 2001 heist comedy. Ultimately, the role went to Matt Damon.

George Clooney's list of regrets,  is not one of them.During a candid interview at the 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival, Clooney and director Steven Soderbergh dropped a few nuggets about the 2001 film and its star-studded cast — including the famous actors who now regret not joining Danny Ocean and his band of brothers for the remake of the 1960s Rat Pack classic.Clooney revealed that Mark Wahlberg and Johnny Depp were in talks to play Linus, the role that ultimately went to Matt Damon.«Steven had just done  and , and he was nominated for directing both films,» Clooney said at the event. «So, people really wanted to work with Steven.»Despite wanting to work with the director, both Wahlberg and Depp turned down the offer to join Clooney on the film.«Some very famous people told us to f**k right off....» he revealed.«Mark Wahlberg's one of 'em. He said it,» TCM host Ben Mankiewicz interjected.«Johnny Depp.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Steven Soderbergh’s beloved 2001 heist comedy “Ocean’s Eleven” remains one of the director’s most star-studded affairs thanks to an ensemble that included George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Don Cheadle and more. It turns out the group wanted even more star power, as Clooney recently confirmed reports that both Mark Wahlberg and Johnny Depp were approached to star in the movie (via Entertainment Weekly). “Steven had just done ‘Erin Brockovich’ and ‘Traffic,’ and he was nominated for [an Oscar for] directing both films,” Clooney said during a discussion with Soderbergh at the TCM Film Festival. “So, people really wanted to work with Steven.”

George Clooney blasted Hollywood actors Johnny Depp and Mark Wahlberg for rejecting roles in "Ocean’s Eleven." The 61-year-old actor revealed that both Depp and Wahlberg turned down the role of Linus Caldwell after being approached for the gig.The role ended up going to Matt Damon. "Some very famous people told us to f--- right off.

George Clooney is talking about some of the Hollywood stars that turned down starring in Ocean’s Eleven.

Benicio del Toro will be recognized with the Platino Honorary Award. The award celebrates Ibero-American filmmaking, being one of the few recognitions that considers Latin American and Spanish talent.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic If the 14th annual TCM Classic Film Festival had an official focus, it was on the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros., from the opening night premiere selection of a restoration of “Rio Bravo” to a celebration of the 50th anniversary of “The Exorcist.” Almost equal in emphasis, though, by virtue of the guests brought in, was a celebration of the ingenues-turned-leading-ladies of the 1960s, who now represent the elder guard of a Hollywood golden age — Angie Dickinson, Ann-Margret and Shirley Jones. Dickinson had the highest profile of any star at the festival, being the belle of the ball at the Thursday screening of “Rio Bravo” in the big house at the TCL Chinese Theatres, where most of the screenings were held. But there was just as much outpouring of affection for Ann-Margret, who turned up for a Q&A (and birthday cake) following “Bye Bye Birdie” on Saturday, and Jones, who was joined by her son Shaun Cassidy and a slew of grandchildren after a showing of 1962’s “The Music Man” as the festival neared its end Sunday.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Writer and director He Shuming has signed with Sugar23, the multimedia and management company founded by Oscar-winning producer, manager and entrepreneur Michael Sugar. The signing comes following He’s breakout debut feature “Ajoomma,” about a widow obsessed with Korean soap operas who travels abroad for the first time to Seoul, finding more than she had bargained for in the process. That movie collected several nominations and prizes on the film festival circuit. It premiered at the 2022 Busan International Film Festival in the New Currents section; was nominated at the Palm Springs International Film Festival for the FIPRESCI Prize for Best International Film; received four nominations at the Golden Horse Awards in Taipei, including Best New Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Leading Actress and Best Supporting Actor; and won the Film AIUla Audience Award for Best Film at the Red Sea International Film Festival.

2023 Oscars on Sunday.Will Smith didn’t return to violently clobber Chris Rock. He couldn’t.

This year, instead of hiring a movie industry stalwart like recent Oscar show producers Steven Soderbergh and Will Packer who separately oversaw Academy Awards broadcasts over the past couple of years that were, shall we say, memorable for all the wrong reasons, the Academy has turned to awards show and live TV veterans Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner and gone for experience rather than take a chance on someone who is not known for putting together a massive television production for Hollywood’s biggest night of the year. In going the safer route AMPAS returned to the days of Gil Cates who reliably produced 14 Oscar shows and could be counted on to try new things, but also uphold tradition.

Japanese streamer U-Next has renewed its content deal with Warner Bros Discovery, under which it will continue to be the SVOD streaming home of HBO programming in Japan. 

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Warner Bros. Discovery and Japan’s U-Next have announced an extension of their relationship with a renewed deal to supply content to the SVOD platform. The agreement sees U-Next continue as the streaming home of HBO in Japan. Featuring exclusive content rights for HBO, HBO Original and HBO Max Original series, the strengthened agreement includes: current and future seasons of HBO’s “House of the Dragon,” “The Last of Us” and “Succession” as well as returning HBO Original and HBO Max Original series “True Detective: Night Country,” “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” and “And Just Like That…”

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Utopia and Sumerian have acquired worldwide rights to Eddie Alcazar’s Sundance-premiering “Divinity.” The film had a memorable premiere in Park City, where there was a medical incident (unrelated to the movie) during its world premiere at the Egyptian Theater. Guests in attendance — who received zines and VHS boxes upon arrival — were also treated to writer-director Alcazar showing up to the event in a terrifying mask. Executive produced by Steven Soderbergh and starring Stephen Dorff, the experimental film is set in an otherworldly human existence, where the creation of a groundbreaking immortality serum named “Divinity” is wreaking havoc.

Todd Gilchrist editor Back in 2012 when Steven Soderbergh directed the first “Magic Mike” based loosely upon star Channing Tatum’s experiences in Tampa, FL, no one could have anticipated the actual empire that the film would inspire: two more films, the latest of which, “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” opened February 10, a live revue in Vegas, a stage musical in London, and a short-lived reality competition series for HBO Max. What’s interesting is the way that all of those ventures seemed to overlap and inspire one another, leading to “Last Dance” focusing on the staging of a musical in London, in some cases transplanting similar routines from that theatrical production to the silver screen.

The world of Magic Mike movies moves fast and changes constantly. An unfettered life for Channing Tatum’s tender-hearted hunk of a stripper-promoter-construction worker-furniture designer-entrepreneur has meant a shifting stream of old and new friends, new loves, and new towns as he rides his “Pony” from film to film, starting with the 2012 hit Magic Mike and ending, presumably, with Magic Mike’s Last Dance (★★ ☆ ☆ ☆).The original — a good-vibes backstage melodrama directed by Steven Soderbergh, who also directed Last Dance — introduced enterprising exotic dancer Mike Lane (Tatum), his crew of dance-challenged stripper buddies, and his journey as a hardbodied, hard-working Florida lug who’s just looking for his shot.Produced for well under ten million dollars, the film went on to gross nearly $170 million worldwide, and of course begat a sequel, the 2015 road movie Magic Mike XXL, which was considerably less successful both at the box office and as a compelling story.That breezily entertaining follow-up, directed by Gregory Jacobs, showed the Magic Mike train already wobbling on its rails, burying the erotic appeal of hot guys stripping under a heap of treacly, trendy, self-help speak about making women feel like queens.Seemingly, the studio’s market research had divined Mike’s true purpose, not as a sexy single stud but as a fantasy boyfriend, who would patiently listen to his lady pour out her feelings, before flipping her onto a table and pounding her to ecstasy.