Behind the Scenes Buzz With The Kingmaker and the Joker

PEDRO ALMODOVAR & ANTONIO BANDERAS ON MILESTONES & HEALTH SCARES: Pedro Almodovar is celebrating his 70^th birthday at the New York Film Festival premiere of his film Pain and Glory. He told Variety: “I feel at home here. I was born at film festivals. It is a part of me.” Antonio Banderas, who stars in the film and has collaborated with Almodovar on eight projects says that their partnership and even Banderas’ recent heart attack in 2017 have proved to “blessings” for both of them. Banderas said: “When Pedro called me, he knew that there was a change in me. He said he would love for me to use it for the character; don’t hide it. And I knew exactly what he was talking about. He opened for me the door to see me on the screen in a completely different way. In a metaphorical way, I got the opportunity with this movie to kill Antonio Banderas, the Antonio Banderas that everybody knows.”

SIEGRIED & ROY BIOPIC IN THE WORKS: Michael Bully Herbig has signed on to direct a biopic about magicians and entertainers Siegfried and Roy. The film will tell the story of Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Uwe Horn, who met on a cruise ship and bonded over their passions for magic and illusion. They rose to international fame in Monte Carlo in the 1960s.

THE KINGMAKER TO GET THEATRICAL RUN: Showtime‘s documentary The Kingmaker, the first doc to earn Venice Film Festival, TIFF and Telluride screenings, will be released in U.S. theaters via Greenwich Entertainment. The film focuses on Imelda Marcos, and her family’s rise to power in the Philippines. The limited run will bow on November 8^th in L.A. and NYC.

JOKER TO ‘SPEAK FOR ITSELF’: Acknowledging the increased media attention his film Joker is receiving, filmmaker Todd Phillips is now opting to nix red carpet interviews with stars Joaquin Phoenix and Zazie Beetz. “Enjoy the movie. Tell a friend, I feel like we have not gotten enough press and the word hasn’t gotten out about this film,” Phillips said to laughs, before going on to praise Phoenix’s work as the DC villain. “He gave it his all, and I just want to thank him one more time.” Some critics have voiced concern that Joker will inspire violence. Joker opens nationwide October 4^th.