Obviously we don’t have any release dates yet since filming isn’t slated to commence until June/July 2015.  We do, however, know of a few distributors, so I’ll keep you up to date with which countries have distributors thanks to IMDbPro unless otherwise stated.  I’ll also post this information on our “Lost City of Z” page under our “Films” tab if you want to bookmark.

Update 18/4/15:  Italy & South Korea

Distributors:

• Australia: Studio Canal:  Australia (this was confirmed to RPAU last year)
• France:  Studio Canal via Allocine
  
• Germany:  Studio Canal via Cinando
  
• Italy:  Eagle Pictures via Cinando
  
• Malaysia:  GSC Movies via Cinando
• New Zealand Studio Canal included in 2016 releases
  
• South Korea: Eagle Pictures via Cinando
• Switzerland:  Ascot Elite Group
• Taiwan:  CatchPlay via
• Thailand:  IPA Asia Pacific
  
• Turkey:  Chantier Films via Cinando
• United States: Paramount Pictures
  
• United Kingdom Studio Canal via Cinando

This post will update and I will tweet as and when more information comes to hand.  New entries will be highlighted in blue. Prays to God we see them on set soon.

 

The Playlist spoke to James Gray about The Immigrant, diving into TV and his own favourite films, during which The Lost City of Z was mentioned:

“I presume that with “The Lost City Of Z” coming up, things are a bit more upbeat than they were in “Red Road”?
Well yeah, it’s a very different kettle of fish. I mean, obviously that’s me directing and I have creative control and that’s a very different circumstance.

How is the project coming?
I’m extremely excited. I’m very, very nervous, you know. I’m extremely nervous, but I’m excited.

I’m guessing it’s probably the biggest film you’ve made in terms of scale?
Oh, by far. And it’s you know that is a very, very complicated production and the story is amazing, but it’s a complicated story. And you want to get it right. It’s a very, very scary proposition to go into the jungle and all that. But at the same time it’s terrific. It’s why you make movies.

 

*Twirls* I clearly could feel the vibes for Lost City of Z last night when I posted the distributors update.  Award Circuit spoke to James Gray in the lead up to The Immigrant being released on DVD/Blu-ray and he gave us this great little nugget:

“On if the long developing project The Lost City of Z is finally next for him

JG – Yeah, that’s going into preproduction in a matter of four weeks or five weeks now, before I have to go off and do that. I’m very excited, it’s hopefully the movie that, you know, bridges the step between the films I’ve made which are very personal and small, and what will be a different chapter in my life, because it’s a much bigger film.”

And if that’s not getting you excited, The Film Stage also got in on the act and gave us this information:

“Before things wrap up here, very quick: Lost City of Z is as close as we’re hearing?

Z? Yes, absolutely. I’ve been on a scout. Pre-production should start sometime in the first week of June. I’m extremely excited about it. It’s very different from anything I’ve done — and yet, of course, the same. I have very, very high hopes for it. Principal photography, I believe, will start on August 8, although it depends on when Charlie Hunnam will finish King Arthur, which is what he’s doing now; if that finishes on schedule, that’s when I will begin. It shoots in the U.K. and Columbia, probably.

What feeling do you have when on the cusp of starting a production? Is there a lot of anxiety, or is it mostly pure anticipation?

Well, it’s almost exclusively terror. It’s funny: I don’t actually derive much pleasure from making a movie. I derive a lot of pleasure from having made a film. I’m very excited; it’s going to be a huge challenge. But I’m very scared, and I’m under no illusions that I’m going to go to the jungle and have a great time and it’s going to have a party. I mean, it’s going to be an epic struggle, and I’m going to try and do my very best. I have many, many ideas. The project’s been gestating for a long time, and, in some respects, that’s a challenge in and of itself, because you have many, many ideas, and you want to make sure the project has a unity and a singularity and a uniqueness and a consistency. So, if it’s gestating for a long time, you worry that you won’t have that.

Well, we’ll see. But, judging by your track record, I’m not too worried.

I’m glad you’re not.”

8 August you say – c’mon Guy Ritchie you’re already shooting King Arthur it can’t POSSIBLY take you 5 months to make that film.

What do we know so far about this film, other than James Gray adapted the screenplay from David Grann’s novel, it’s been in gestation for quite some time and Brad Pitt was originally slated to star.  I thought I would piece together some sort of timeline given the period that has elapsed since we first heard about Rob’s involvement in 2013 to what is happening now.  I’m still praying that it actually starts filming in a few months:

• Rob plays the role of Henry Costin (assistant to Col. Percival Fawcett);
• Col. Percival Fawcett:  originally Brad Pitt (20o8); then Benedict Cumberbatch (2013) and now Charlie Hunnam (2015);
• Sienna Miller will play Nina Fawcett (Percy’s wife);
• The film was originally optioned in 2008, script pre-sold in Cannes in 2010; development unknown in December 2010; script resufarced to be sold at American Film Market in 2013 and has been in pre-production since December 2014;
• Financing this film was going to be difficult, MICA Entertainment has now taken over financing and is coproducing;
• Shoot is likely to be in Colombia and Belfast (see note below in Trivia);
• According to Variety back in December 2008 ““This is a terrific opportunity to do something entirely different for me,” Gray said. “It is a story that will be told with an epic scale, with a main character who is larger than life.””;
• Supposedly filming “summer” hopefully meaning some time between June-August 2015 *fingerstightlycrossed*

From director, James Gray:

The Playlist:

“The movie is being produced by Brad Pitt‘s shingle Plan B (he was going to star in a previous iteration of the film before it fell apart at Paramount). The film is an adaptation of David Grann‘s book, telling the story of English soldier-turned-explorer Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett, whose obsession with the Amazon and belief that an ancient civilization resided there led him on many expeditions where he narrowly escaped death. After financing eventually dried up, Fawcett self-funded one last adventure into the Amazon with his son, from which neither returned. We presume Cumberbatch will play Fawcett, and while there’s no word yet on Pattinson’s role, perhaps he’ll play the son?

As for the tone of the picture, Gray had said to us he’s aiming for the epic scale of David Lean but with a “slightly more hallucinogenic feel. Because [the protagonist] went to the jungle and sorta went mad.” (Nov 2013)

Not that we need any more proof, but I just wanted another reason to post a pic of Rob and Charlie.  IMDbPro has been pretty quick in updating with a 2016 release.  I guess they’re as excited as moi.

Oh and The Childhood of A Leader is now officially listed as “Filming” as at 3 February 2015.  You’ll see that Lost City of Z is the only upcoming film for Rob this year at this stage.  Nothing more on Hold On To Me since it’s still listed as “Development Unknown”.  Idol’s Eye feels like it was a dream or more like a tease and no reference to a Harmony Korine film.  Although some of you might still be holding out hope since Benecio Del Toro and Jamie Foxx are the only cast listed.  Anyway I have a gut feeling we will be hearing about something very soon …

 

Update 6 February 2015:

Life now had it’s production status changed to “released” and it’s moved out of films in production to past films

Note:  This list updated frequently – new extracts will always be added to bottom of this post

 

Remember back on 9 December 2014 we mentioned that Little White Lies listed “LIFE” as a must see in 2015.  I’ve seen a couple more “must see” lists and thought I’d put them all in one post:

Little White Lies:

 “LIFE
Directed by Anton Corbijn
Released 25 September, 2015

We still shiver when recollecting the luscious monochrome of Corbijn’s Ian Curtis pic, Control. Interim efforts may not have packed so intense a punch but the legacy of his debut lives on. The Dutch photographer created the effect of characters moving through a world so textured that it seemed to have its own pulse. For Life — the story of a photographer and his relationship with James Dean, Dane DeHaan plays the original rebel without a cause opposite reformed heartthrob, Robert Pattinson. Let’s see what he makes of them.”

DAZED (Films to Watch out for in 2015):

“LIFE

Ex-photographer and Control helmer Anton Corbijn seems like the perfect person to direct Life. That’s basically because it’s based on the real-life bromance between Life magazine photographer Dennis Stock and icon of cool James Dean. Robert Pattinson plays Stock, Dane DeHaan is James Dean, and they head up a cast that includes Ben Kingsley as tough-talking studio head Jack Warner, and Joel Edgerton as picture editor/photography pioneer John G Morris. Expect this one to clean up when awards season comes around in 2016.

TBC, 2015″