Theodore Melfi: Last News

Writer/Producer/Director Theodore Melfi has a different take than those who think independent filmmaking is becoming an endangered species, and in fact he tells me right now we are in “a golden age of independent film”. That may be one of the reasons he is bullish about both films he has at this week’s Tribeca Festival in New York City – independently produced movies he is helping shepherd along. On Corner Office which stars Jon Hamm he is an Executive Producer, and on American Dreamer he is the screenwriter as well as a producer of the comedy that stars Peter Dinklage, Shirley MacLaine, and Matt Dillon. Both are for sale and the bottom line is Melfi truly believes the audience will dictate whatever the perfect form of distribution is, whether it be theatrical, streaming, digital VOD, or a combination of all three.

It’s gonna take more than a few kidney stones to keep Kevin Costner down.

Glen Powell has revealed that he “puked in the bushes” after his first viewing of Hidden Figures because he thought he’d “ruined” the film.The US actor played real-life astronaut and former US senator John Glenn in Theodore Melfi’s Oscar-nominated film about the three African-American mathematicians – played by Octavia Spencer, Taraji P Henson and Janelle Monáe – who were pivotal in his historic launch into space back in 1962.Speaking on a recent episode of Therapuss with Jake Shane, the actor admitted that he had seen Top Gun: Maverick, in which he played pilot Hangman, four times.When host Shane reacted with surprise that the star was able to watch his performances back, Powell responded that “it does get in your own head”, adding: “People forget that when you’re watching a rough cut of a movie, it’s probably like watching the footage of yourself that you’re having to edit. So you sit there and you’re like, ‘I hate myself.’”The Anyone But You star then recalled his experience seeing the first cut of the 2016 film.

Glen Powell thought he ruined Hidden Figures.

American Dreamer deserves better than it has gotten. Shot three years ago during the pandemic this delirously black comedy premiered at Tribeca 2022 and got lost in the crowd. The filmmakers including first time feature director Paul Dektor and screenwriter/producer Theodore Melfi (Hidden Figures, St. Vincent) decided to then hold it back and recut and tighten it eliminating 10 minutes of the original running time. In early 2023 it turned up at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, still largely ignored, and then its distribution hunt was further delayed by the Hollywood strikes. Finally Vertical has wisely picked it up and it will be opening in theatres and VOD Friday.

EXCLUSIVE: Laura Harrier (White Men Can’t Jump) has been tapped for a major role opposite Bill Skarsgård and Nicolas Cage in Lords of War, the sequel to 2005 crime thriller Lord of War, which Andrew Niccol (Anon) wrote and is directing for Vendôme Pictures (CODA), sources tell Deadline.

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