BILL & TED 3 TO HIT VOD AND SELECT CINEMAS SIMULTANEOUSLY: Bill & Ted Face the Music will skip the classic theatrical route and debut on premium VOD and in any cinemas willing to play the threequel on September 1st. Orion Pictures confirmed the move Thursday. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are set to reprise their roles as Theodore “Ted” Logan and William “Bill” S. Preston, Esq. The picture was originally set to open in theaters on August 21st.
BRIE LARSON AND NATALIE PORTMAN JOIN TIFF LINEUP: The Toronto Film Festival has unveiled new details for the virtual film show, which will be held September 10-15th. TIFF has added Barry Jenkins, Tatiana Maslany and Zachary Quinto to its roster of Festival Ambassadors, set to conduct film Q&As. Also joining TIFF's talent lineup as fest ambassadors is Brie Larson, Natalie Portman, Darren Aronofsky and Gael García Bernal. Plus, there will be virtual appearances from Carey Mulligan, Zachary Quinto, Isabella Rossellini, Wim Wenders, Olivia Wilde and Donnie Yen. They join previously announced ambassadors that include Ava Duvernay, Nicole Kidman, Jason Reitman, Martin Scorcese, Riz Ahmed, Priyanka Chopra, Alfonso Cuaron and Claire Denis. “The conference, now online, will feature a smaller lineup of talks than previous years, and will comprise master classes, dialogues, perspectives, microsessions, and spotlights. speakers will include TIFF Ambassadors in addition to other leading and emerging voices in the film industry,” the festival said.
AMC THEATRES DELAY U.S. REOPENING TO AUGUST: The largest U.S. exhibitor, AMC Theatres, says that it will postpone reopening theaters from July to mid to late August due to the coronavirus resurgence.
SEVERAL FILMS WILL MOVE TO STREAMING, THOUGH TENET WILL HIT THEATERS: On AT&T‘s quarterly earnings call Thursday, CEO John Stankey shared the strategy of the telecom’s film studio Warner Bros. He said that traditional theatrical releases continue to have an “absolutely important role,” but the pandemic means there was a need for “some adjustment in the theatrical construct.” He said “we absolutely believe” that tentpole content was “more enjoyable and better to see” in cinemas, “however, I don’t know when theaters are going to reopen.” Tenet and Wonder Woman 1984, he indicated, will be released in theaters. He also said that HBO Max has a “flawless” launch in May, with 4.1 million signups.
