News

After being online the past two years because of Covid, SXSW’s film festival returns with a vibrant in-person edition for its 29th edition, which will run March 11-20, 2022. The lineup revealed Wednesday includes the types of rollercoaster, Hollywood event films for which the Austin-based fest is so good at building buzz.

EXCLUSIVE: Upstart Solstice Studios has won an auction for the Toronto buzz title Good Joe Bell, the Reinaldo Marcus Green-directed drama scripted by the Oscar-winning Brokeback Mountain team of Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana. The film stars Mark Wahlberg as the title character.

Mark Wahlberg plays the father of a gay teenager, on a walk across America to draw attention to the scourge of anti-LGBTQ bullying in this true story penned by the screenwriters of 'Brokeback Mountain.'

EXCLUSIVE: Hacksaw Ridge backer Argent Pictures, Nine Days producer Mandalay Pictures and Book Club writer-director Bill Holderman are teaming up on a feature adaptation of WWII tale The Last Ridge about the 10th Mountain Division, a troop of U.S. expats-turned-soldiers who helped turn the tide against the Nazis in Europe.

Development, production and finance company Argent Pictures is on the up. Launched in 2015 by Jill and Ryan Ahrens with Ben Renzo, the company’s promo for Mark Wahlberg-starrer Good Joe Bell — which they co-financed with Hercules Film Fund — was one of the talks of the market in Toronto, and there is major buzz over martial-arts action-comedy Kung Fury 2 starring writer/director David Sandberg, Michael Fassbender and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

EXCLUSIVE: American Made and Hacksaw Ridge backer Argent Pictures, whose partners include sports stars Drew Brees and Tony Parker, and Amateur producer Mandalay Pictures begin shooting next week in Vermont on the female buddy comedy Soulmates.

EXCLUSIVE: Tayarisha Poe is set to make her directorial debut with the upcoming drama Selah and the Spades. The film will star Lovie Simone (“Greenleaf”) as ‘Selah,’ along with Celeste O’Connor (“Wetlands”) and Jharrel Jerome (“Moonlight”). Jesse Williams (Grey’s Antatomy, Random Acts of Violence) and Gina Torres (“Suits”) round out key supporting roles.

Fox Sports Films has acquired the North American rights to boxing documentary They Fight. Common and his Freedom Road Productions are behind the feature, producing alongside Argent Pictures — run by Jill Ahrens, Ryan Ahrens and Ben Renzo.

EXCLUSIVE: Film production and financing company Argent Pictures has obtained the film and television rights to Rea Frey’s forthcoming novel, Not Her Daughter, the story of a child kidnapped away from a mother who isn’t sure she wants her back. The book will be released in August via its publisher St Martin’s Griffin.

EXCLUSIVE: Hacksaw Ridge backer Argent Pictures has joined upcoming action-comedy Kung Fury 2 as a financier and producer, with shoot due to get underway in September.

From the LeBron James-Dwyane Wade-Chris Bosh Miami Heat team to the currently star-studded roster of the Golden State Warriors, the NBA (and other sports leagues) is experiencing an era of the “Super Team.”

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Ryan Ahrens has learned to trust his instincts. And it’s paid off for him. The New Mexico native is making a name for himself in the film industry.

Drew Brees, Tony Parker, Derrick Brooks and Michael Finley form a super team of producers for Argent Pictures. Four star athletes, some already part of the burgeoning ranks of sports players in the film and television world, have come together to make up part of an all-star producing roster. NFL quarterback Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints, NBA all-star guard Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs, retired NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Brooks, and retired NBA all-star Michael Finley have joined in Argent Pictures as partners.

NFL quarterback Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints, NBA point guard Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs, retired NFL linebacker Derrick Brooks, and former NBA player Michael Finley have become partners in Argent Pictures. The Los Angeles-based film production and financing outfit, founded by Jill Ahrens, Ryan Ahrens, and Ben Renzo, announced the partnership with the athletes on Thursday.