Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has found the secret ingredient of turning films into blockbusters and he says it is "inclusion".
Feige believes with examples such as "Black Panther", it is for everyone to see that the more representative the sample that is making decisions about a project, the better the film will eventually be.
At The Hollywood Reporter's Producer Roundtable, the Marvel boss was asked what he feels about putting up an inclusion rider in the contract.
To this Feige first replied with a question: "Should people be forced to do it? And maybe the answer is yes, maybe the answer is no."
He explained further, saying, "If you're in a position of power and you're the one doing the hiring, we have learned - on our last number of movies and a number of movies that haven't come out or haven't been announced - that the more diverse the group of people around the table, the better the movie."
Feige recalled "Black Panther" director Ryan Coogler asking him if he had any ...

More diverse the group of people around the table, the better the movie: Marvel's Kevin Feige

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Letitia Wright has bagged her next project, the American remake of French comedy-drama "Le Brio".
According to Variety, the project is being produced by John Legend's Get Lifted banner.
The original film was directed by Yval Attal and narrated the story of a young French-Arab woman (played by Camelia Jordana) who enrols in a university to pursue law, only to face racism-tainted humiliation from her controversial professor (essayed by Daniel Auteuil), who then becomes her mentor.
The "Black Panther" star will step into Jordana's shoes for the remake.
French producer Dimitri Rassam has teamed with Legend on the project, which will be co-financed by Endeavor Content.
A director will soon be attached to the project. The film goes on floors next year.
Rassam is also developing the German and Italian remakes of "Le Brio".

Letitia Wright to lead John Legend's 'Le Brio' remake

Hollywood veteran Jane Fonda has compared US President Donald Trump and his policies to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich.
The actor's remarks come days after Trump labelled the press "the true enemy of people", Variety reported.
"If you've read anything about the rise of the Third Reich and Adolf Hitler, you will see the parallels. Attacking the media is the first step in the move towards fascism.
"The cornerstone to democracy is an independent, democratic media," Fonda said at the Women's Media Awards.
The actor called for the people to cast their vote in the upcoming midterms and said in the wake continued attacks on the news media by the POTUS voting has "never been more important".
"And we don't have to take it anymore. Voting is the way to stop it. Everybody has to vote," Fonda said, adding "civility" was also being targeted.
Other honorees included Gloria Steinem, Maxine Waters, Lisa Borders, Abigail Disney, Fatima Goss Graves, Maria Teresa Kumar and Congresswoman ...

Jane Fonda likens Trump to Hitler

Lena Heady's next is immigration drama "The Flood" and the actor hopes the film makes the world more compassionate and understanding.
The actor, best known for playing Cersei Lannister in HBO's hit "Game of Thrones", plays Wendy in the film, a British immigration officer deciding the fate of an asylum seeker.
"What I hope, personally, is we change 10 minds, or people reconsider how they feel about someone who has lost everything. Or maybe it will grow a bit more compassion, understanding, curiosity or bravery," Headey told Variety.
The film's script has been penned by Helen Kingston who drew material from real-life stories after she, producer Luke Healy and director Anthony Woodley spent time volunteering in Calais, France, a refugee hotspot.
Headey said Kingston's work is "a really smart take on what's happening", adding the film deals with the widespread refugee crisis without preaching or being overtly political.
"I think it's a very quiet, strong bit of cinema and it's really ...

Hope 'The Flood' helps cultivate compassion amid refugee crisis, says Lena Headey

Director Devashish Makhija, best known for his short film "Taandav" and feature "Ajji", says it is hard to make a project which shows the audience the dark reality of life.
The filmmaker, whose latest venture "Bhonsle" was screened at the Dharamshala International Film Festival on Friday, believes audience in India still prefers watching life-affirming stories.
"I believe when you are not operating in the mainstream and when you are not entertaining people or giving them life-affirmation, it's always hard to make a film. I am trying to show them the mirror but they are not showing me the money.
"It is a good sign that a film like 'Andhadhun' is making money or smaller films are making money, but again they are all entertaining and life-affirming films. A dark film, which is trying to hold up a mirror, for a better word, is not going to find money or audience," Devashish told PTI in an interview here.
The director adds that the audience does not want to be reminded of the harsh ...

Hard to make film which doesn't give audience life-affirmation: Devashish Makhija

Before the country recognised the talent of AR Rahman, the celebrated composer says there was a phase in his life where he felt like a failure and thought about ending his life almost every day.
The Oscar-winning composer says the initial low phase of his career eventually helped him emerge braver.
"Up until 25, I used to think about suicide. Most of us feel they are not good enough. Because I lost my father, there was this void... There were so many things happening.
"(But) that in a way made me more fearless. Death is a permanent thing for everyone. Since everything created has an expiry date, so why be afraid of anything?" Rahman told PTI.
The turnaround for the 51-year-old composer came when he built his recording studio Panchathan Record Inn in his backyard in hometown Chennai.
"Before that, things were dormant so may be it (the feeling) manifested then. Because of my father's death and the way he was working, I didn't do many movies. I got 35 movies and I did two.
"Everyone ...

Had suicidal till 25 years of age, says AR Rahman

Pete Davidson took a sincere and strong approach to address his split with Ariana Grande on "Saturday Night Live".
The comic, who closed out his Weekend Update segment on this week's "SNL", touched upon his break-up with the singer, saying it was okay how the relationship did not work out.
"I know some of you are curious about the breakup. The truth is it's nobody's business and sometimes things just don't work out and that's ok.
"She's a wonderful, strong person and I genuinely wish her all the happiness in the world," Davidson said.
Less than an hour before the episode, Grande released a new single thanking her exes - called "Thank you, next" - in which she mentions Davidson, their engagement, and the fallout.
She also named former boyfriends Big Sean, Ricky Alvarez and Mac Miller, who died of a suspected drug overdose in September.
Davidson previously alluded to his break-up on the late night show where he mock-proposed to the episode's musical guest, Maggie Rogers, in a promotion .

Pete Davidson addresses Ariana Grande break-up on 'SNL'

Charlize Theron lauded the Time's Up movement, saying the campaign has stirred up conversation about gender dynamics, which was long overdue.
The 43-year-old actor, who is a vocal supporter of #MeToo, said she has noticed the shift in the film industry firsthand.
"Since Time's Up, I've been in meetings and on set and there's not a moment that there isn't a conversation happening. We've recognised that it's going to get ugly and now it's about who has the tenacity to see it through.
"We're in pre-production on a film right now and we've worked really hard to make everyone very aware that the industry needs to change," Theron told Elle magazine.
The "Mad Max: Fury Road" star emphasised on evolving with times and providing greater opportunities, irrespective of gender.
"We need to start hiring differently and we need to create opportunities for a gender-neutral set," she added.

Charlize Theron praises Time's Up movement

Rejection at the National School of Drama made him suicidal, but after over two decades in the film industry Manoj Bajpayee says he has started enjoying the "insult" of listening to the word 'no'.
The 49-year-old actor believes the initial rejections he faced have made him practical and motivated him to work harder.
"I have realised that rejection is nothing but a sign that one needs to work hard. Rejection is not negative it makes you look at things very realistically and practically. I have started enjoying the rejection, misery and the whole insult of hearing 'no' from people.
"It gives me strength to knock the door harder next time. I believe it depends how you look at it. I won't say you are not suppose to feel sad or dejected, but what matters is how better you come out of it," Bajpayee told PTI.
The critically-acclaimed actor adds that while he is a "hardcore optimist", he feels dejected at times.
"When you fall there is pain, but how quickly you get over that pain and move ...

I have started enjoying rejection and misery: Manoj Bajpayee

A 23-year-old actor from Kolkata is the only Indian in an international ensemble cast of a unique immersive theatre experience which is attracting rave reviews in London.
Ninad Samaddar, who recently completed a Master's course in acting at Central Saint Martins in London, takes audiences on an unusual tour around the British capital as part of 'The Curious Voyage'.
The murder mystery meets treasure hunt performance, complete with a surprise musical, is created as a cross-continental experience, which began in Barrie, Canada, and concludes in London on November 10.
"This play is a promenade immersive experience, which essentially means that the stage is not a particular building but a given area such as a town, city or neighbourhood," explains Samaddar.
"This play is designed to be a three-day immersive experience for a Canadian audience.  The last day is set in London, thus open to a one-day London immersive experience for Londoners. The audience are requested to participate in a lot 

Kolkata actor joins international cast of unique play in UK

American trumpet player Roy Hargrove, a precocious talent and a frequent performer at European jazz festivals, died Friday at age 49, his Facebook page announced Saturday.
The page quoted his longtime manager Larry Clothier as saying Hargrove died in New York from cardiac arrest following complications from a battle with kidney disease.
"One of the most respected and loved musicians in our New York City community and the world at large, the trailblazing multiple Grammy Award-winning trumpeter was known just as intensely for his brimming fire and fury as he was for his gorgeous, signature balladry," the post read.
"Over and over, his sound attested to and sanctified his deep love for music. His unselfish timbre covered the waterfront of every musical landscape. Owning his music, his sound, Roy inspired generations of musicians."
The Texas-born musician, discovered at his Dallas performing arts high school during a visit by legendary trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, developed his talents ...

US jazz trumpet player Roy Hargrove dies at 49

Amid tight security, the maiden stage performance by Bollywood actor Sunny Leone in the city concluded without any hindrance.
Police had tightened the security in and around the venue fearing that the members of a fringe group, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Yuva Sene (KRVYS), would disrupt the show.
The pro-Kannada outfit had threatened to disrupt the event. Around 200 policemen in civil dress were deployed at the venue.
The KRVYS, an offshoot of pro-Kannada organisation Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, has been opposing the event for two reasons - first, the event would spoil the culture of Bengaluru and second, Sunny Leone was playing the lead role in a multi-lingual movie Veera Mahadevi, a period drama portraying a warrior.
KRVYS state president R Harish said the agitation was called off as they had inputs that their rival group was planning to stage a parallel agitation only to defame them.
"We wanted a peaceful agitation. Our intention was never to create a commotion. Hence we backed off," 

Sunny Leone stages maiden performance in Bengaluru

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh  Khan's birthday bash at a restaurant in suburban Mumbai was  stopped by police in the early hours of Saturday for allegedly  breaching the time limit.
A police official said that restaurants in the city  can not operate beyond 1 am, but the party was continuing well  after that.
Khan had reportedly called his close friends in the  tinsel town for his53rd birthday celebrations at the swanky  restaurant in Bandra.
Loud music was playing when police came visiting, the  official claimed.
No case has been registered in this regard, he said.

Cops halt Shah Rukh's birthday party

The 24th Kolkata International  Film Festival (KIFF) beginning November 10 will showcase 171  feature films and 150 shorts and docus from 70 countries,  organisers said Saturday.
'Antony Firingee', the 1967 Bengali classic, will be  the inaugural movie of the eight-day extravaganza that has  Australia as the 'focus country'.
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan will inaugurate the festival  and celebrated Iranian director Majid Majidi and Australian  film makers Philip Noyce, Jill Bilcock and Simon Baker will be  the guests of honour.
Shah Rukh Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Jaya Bachchan, Wahida  Rehman, Nandita Das and others would form the Bollywood star  brigade at the inaugural programme at the Netaji Indoor  Stadium, state minister and KIFF Chief Advisor Arup Biswas  told a press meet here.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would  preside over the programme.
Giving special accent on the 100 years of Bengali  cinema in this edition of the KIFF, Sunil Banerjee directed  'Antony Firingee', ...

171 feature films of 70 countries to be screened in KIFF

Actors Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus are all set to play the leads in Fox Searchlight's "Downhill".
The film is an official remake of Swedish director Ruben Ostlund's critically acclaimed feature "Force Majeure".
The 2014 film featured Johannes Kuhnke, Lisa Loven Kongsli, and Kristofer Hivju in the lead.
Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, best known for co-writing "The Descendants", will direct the remake for the studio, reported Deadline.
Jesse Armstrong, who wrote the film "Four Lions" and created the HBO series "Succession", has penned the screenplay.
The film's story follows a husband and wife who take their family for a vacation at a ski lodge, only for things to go south quickly.
Louis-Dreyfus will also produce the film. Stefanie Azpiazu, Ostlund and Erik Hemmendorff will serve as the executive producers.

Will Ferrell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus to star in 'Force Majeure' remake

Superstar Rajinikanth says he is confident that his upcoming film "2.0", a sequel to 2010 blockbuster "Enthiran", will be a "super duper" hit as everyone will connect with its message.
Braving rains on Saturday morning, scores of Rajinikanth fans gathered at Sathyam cinema in Chennai, the hometown of the 67-year-old actor, to get a glimpse of the superstar.
As he arrived on the stage during the trailer launch of S Shankar-directed film, Rajinikanth received a thunderous applause from the crowd.
"I am telling you today, take my words, it is going to be a super duper hit film," he told the crowd.
"My first congratulations to producer Subaskaran, director S Shankar. I would like to give credit to Subaskaran, who has come forward to invest nearly Rs 600 crore on this project, by not trusting on Rajinikanth or Akshay Kumar or anyone else but in one man, Shankar."
The superstar, who has collaborated with the filmmaker on a number of projects, said the director never fails to entertain the ..

'2.0' will be a super duper hit, says Rajinikanth

Katrina Kaif, who is essaying the role of an actor in "Zero", credits director Aanand L Rai for taking her on an unexpected journey.
In the director's next "Zero", Katrina plays the role of an actor and she says the character is nothing what she is in real life.
"The profession is the same, I am playing an actor in the film and I am actor in real life. The personality and the character is not at all like me. I am a very behaved and sensible person and this character's name is Babita in the film," she said at the film's trailer launch on Friday.
This is the first time Katrina has teamed up with Rai and she said she had an incredible experience working with him.
"The journey he me took on was really unexpected for and mostly importantly new for me. Everyday I felt I am learning something new. Everyday I felt I was scared and what are we doing, what is Aanand sir doing with me? And do I trust him or not trust him? At least he was there with me.
"We were trying to create something new, ...

Aanand L Rai took me on unexpected journey with 'Zero', says Katrina

HBO has expressed its displeasure over US President Donald Trump's usage of the slogan for its hit show "Game of Thrones".
Trump on Friday tweeted a meme with the words, "Sanctions are coming - November 5", written in text reminiscent of the "Game of Thrones" title font.
The meme's slogan apparently resembled to "Game of Thrones" original catchphrase "Winter is Coming".
Trump posted it to indicate that his administration will be reinstating all US sanctions on Iran which were removed under the 2015 nuclear deal.
In a brief statement, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, HBO said it wants political parties to refrain from "misappropriating" the show's slogan ahead of US midterm polls, to be held on November 6.
"We were not aware of this messaging and would prefer our trademark not be misappropriated for political purposes," it said.
The studio had earlier responded to the meme with a tweet, saying, "How do you say trademark misuse in Dothraki?" referencing one of the languages in the ...

HBO irked over Donald Trump's use of 'Game of Thrones' slogan

Filmmaker Aijaz Khan, whose next feature "Hamid" is about an eight-year-old boy and his desire to speak to God, says fundamentalists not the believers are the reason for the communal conflict in the world.
Set in Kashmir, "Hamid" revolves around the little boy, Hamid, whose father has gone missing and according to his mother he has gone to Allah. When his teacher tells him that 786 is God's number, he decides to call God with his father's old mobile phone. He gets in touch with Abhay, a CRPF officer, and the two unknowingly change each other's lives.
Aijaz says while he has full faith in the religion, the way fundamentalists hijack the God bothers him.
"I have full faith in religion. I practise my religion and I am proud of it. I wish I could speak to the God. Communal conflict doesn't happen because of the belief in the God. It happens because of the fundamentalists and they are in every religion and they cause problem.
"I wish there were a few people who had called me and had said ..

Fundamentalists cause communal conflict not believers: Aijaz Khan

He may have started his career with films such as "Iqbal" and "Dil Dosti Etc" but Shreyas Talpade seems to have found a niche in comedy, a genre he really enjoys.
The actor said though there are drawbacks of being attached to a particular genre, he has no plans to move away from comedy.
"I don't want to move away from comedy. People interpret that if I take up some serious roles, I won't do comedy. That is not the case. I am often asked about not doing films like 'Iqbal'. But comedy is something that I really enjoy and I can never get bored of it," Talpade told PTI in an interview.
Stereotyping is also a form of acceptance, said Talpade.
"When you become a little more popular in a particular genre, then you automatically start getting roles that belong to that genre. Typecasting is bound to happen. You do films like 'Golmaal' which is watched by the entire country and if your character gets popular, then it's quite obvious that people relate you with comedy," he said.
He has become a .

I can never get bored of doing comedy: Shreyas Talpade

Actor Dakota Fanning has been cast as the lead in immigrant drama "Sweetness in the Belly".
The feature, being directed by Zeresenay Berhane Mehari from a script by Laura Phillips, is an adaptation of Camilla Gibb's bestselling novel.
The story follows the life of an immigrant from the unique perspective of being orphaned in Africa as a child, escaping to England as a refugee, embracing the immigrant community in London, and attempting to reunite people with their scattered families  while dealing with a passionate lost love affair with a doctor.
Actor Saoirse Ronan was earlier attached to the project but after her departure, Fanning was roped in.
The 24-year-old actor will be joined by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Wunmi Mosaku and Kunal Nayyar in the cast, reported Deadline.
The project was developed by Sienna Films, and is being produced by Jennifer Kawaja and Julia Sereny along with Alan Moloney and Susan Mullen.
Shooting for the film has started in Ireland and will later shift to ...

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