Inside The Industry

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE FOR DYING CHILD: Heroes onscreen, and for a child, heroes in real life. Fox News personality Shannon Bream sent out a request via social media in an attempt to connect a dying child with one of the actors in Marvel‘s Avengers. Need your help Twitterverse – trying to help a young boy who is dying,” Bream said. “He probably has just days and all he want[s] is a greeting from one of the Avengers. If you have a celeb connection, please let me know. Otherwise, could you help out with a RT? Thank you in advance!” Her post was retweeted more than 10,000 times and both Chris Evans (Captain America) and Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) answering the call. “I’m more of a ‘Reserve Avenger.’ But happy to help,” Reynolds said.

JEAN RENO SIGNS ON FOR WAITING FOR ANYA: Jean Reno (Leon: The Professional) is joining Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp and Anjelica Huston in the World War II drama Waiting for Anya. The film is currently being shot in France. Frederick Schmidt (Taboo), Josephine De La Baum (Madame) and Sadie Frost (Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie) have also joined.

BARBARA STONE DIES AT AGE 83: Producer, distributor and the founder of London’s Gate Cinema, Barbara Stone, has died at age 83. Stone and her late husband David worked in the film business for most of their lives, and were instrumental in distributing indie and avant-garde films during the 1970s and 1980s. Barbara developed Mel Brooks‘ The Doctor And The Devils, released in 1982, and worked on scripts from Istvan Szabo, Martin Scorsese, Emile De Antonio and Bernardo Bertolucci.

DOWNTON ABBEY PRODUCER CARNIVAL FILMS OPTIONS I STILL DREAM: Downton Abbey producer Carnival Films is developing a TV adaptation of the newly published I Still Dream. Author James Smythe has signed on to pen the script as well. The story follows a woman’s life-long relationship with artificial intelligence. Harper Collins, which has world rights and first released on March 19, calls it a “dark, moving, and ultimately hopeful examination of what it means to be human.”