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As one of the most affordable streaming services currently in the field, Peacock continues to offer its subscribers a slew of great movie options. As is the case with March, the platform is slated to provide viewers with a plethora of choices. In fact, there’s even a major award winner in the mix that audiences certainly won’t want to pass on.

With a host of action films, comedy films, and horror films, there’s bound to be something for everyone, no matter what their interests might be. Whether viewers want to laugh, cry, or lose themselves in a majestic fantasy world, the streaming service has something for them. As such, Peacock has everything audiences could possibly want next month.

'A Knight’s Tale' Stream on March 1

A medieval action comedy set in 14th-century England, A Knight’s Tale follows a peasant squire named William Thatcher (Heath Ledger) who...

Jurassic World Dominion(2022) is the sixth entry in the Jurassic Park franchise and follows in the wake of the events of 2018’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. At this point in the franchise, dinosaurs have spread out across the globe and are being captured and exploited by the uber-wealthy to further genetic research. It's a good movie, and fans can check it out on streaming when it hits Peacock on March 2.

Dominion sees the return of classic Jurassic Park characters Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), and Alan Grant (Sam Neill), who team up with the Jurassic World protagonists Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard). The film was received poorly by critics but well by audiencesand will soon be coming to a streaming platform faster than Goldblum can take his shirt off.

RelatedJurassic Park 3 and Jurassic World Dominion Share the Same Big Dinosaur Flaw

Both...

Wine snobs can be some of the most insufferable people out there. This is displayed perfectly in Alexander Payne’s 2004 dramedy Sideways, if not just through the movie’s most famous line. As delivered by depressed oenophile Miles (Paul Giamatti): “If anyone orders merlot, I’m leaving. I am not drinking any f*cking merlot!” And with that, sales of merlot dropped straight into the barrel.

That sounds like it could be a story tied to the film, sort of like the unfounded rumor that sales of undershirts plummeted because Clark Gable didn’t wear one in a movie. But this is absolutely true. In a new feature marking the 20th anniversary of Sideways, winemaker Doug Margerum remembered the ripple effect that line had, saying everybody started switching to pinot noir instead of merlot. “We were having a hard time selling pinot then, but after the film came out,...

Movie Legend: An American actor was cast to play James Bond, and even signed an official studio contract!

A key aspect of the iconic film, Back to the Future, is that when Marty McFly sees his mother as a teenager, he learns that all of these rules and beliefs that she had repeated to him his whole life were mostly just hogwash, and that his mother didn't believe in any of them when she was actually his age. That is a powerful lesson about how often "traditions" weren't actually traditions until they were long divorced from the original intent.

I mention this because of the longstanding tradition that James Bond can never be played by an American actor in an "official" Eon Productions James Bond film. Bond has been played by a Scottish actor, an Irish actor, an Australian actor, and three English actors, but never an American. That has...

Blu-ray.com has just announced a number of new 4K Blu-ray releases for this December. One of the releases includes the new 4K transfer of last year’s awards darling — The Holdovers. In a rather unusual process, while Universal’s home entertainment department would oversee the original Blu-ray release and distribution of the film (as is the standard procedure for recent releases), the studio would not do their Ultra High Definition remastering of the film in-house. Instead, Universal outsourced the job to Shout! Factory, which is more of a specialty label for certain kinds of releases of older films and television shows.

The Alexander Payne-directed comedic drama stars Paul Giamatti in one of his most outstanding roles, with Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa in his feature film debut. The 4K Uhd release will hit retailers on December 17.

The description reads,

“A curmudgeonly instructor at a New England prep...

Alexander Payne doesn't want his Election sequel to go straight to Paramount+. Released in 1999, Payne's Election was a mild box office hit but earned critical acclaim, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay as well as Witherspoon landing a Golden Globe nom for Best Actress in a Comedy and Musical. In 2022, Tracy Flick Can't Win hit bookshelves, exploring what Tracy Flick had been up to since the events of the original novel. Shortly after, it was announced that Tracy Flick Can't Win would be adapted into an original film for Paramount+, with Witherspoon set to star and Payne returning to direct.

Payne has second thoughts about the film being a Paramount+ original film. While speaking with Deadline at the Sarajevo Film Festival, Payne said that he and original Election co-writer Jim Taylor are still working out the script. He added that while the film was originally conceived as a streaming release,...

Exclusive: Alexander Payne has lambasted a report from earlier this year that the script for his five-time Oscar-nominated film The Holdovers, which he directed from a script by David Hemingson, was plagiarized.

“It was the stupidest thing in the world,” Payne told us at the Sarajevo Film Festival when asked about the Variety report earlier this year, which dropped on the eve of the Oscar ceremony.

In the piece, Luca screenwriter Simon Stephenson accused The Holdovers script of being plagiarized from his 2013 Black List screenplay Frisco.

“It was irresponsible of Variety to report on that without having read the scripts and comparing them themselves,” claimed Payne. “Do you think The New York Times would have done that?”

He added: “I haven’t heard anything more about it and I wish him [Stephenson] well but there was just no merit to it. I mean, I didn’t even pay attention to...

It's been over 25 years since Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) ran for school president in Election. The black comedy directed by Alexander Payne has been previously reported to have a sequel in the works, and the filmmaker shed light on where the film is at in the development process. During his appearance at the Sarajevo Film Festival, Payne shared that he is currently conceiving the follow-up project alongside Jim Taylor, who co-wrote the original film with him. Although this means that the sequel is still in the early stages of production, he did hint at the source material him and Taylor are using for inspiration.

The director of The Holdovers, Alexander Payne, is thinking about making a western, an Election sequel or even ‘ a good car chase film.’ Is it too much to ask for all three?

How is Alexander Payne planning to follow The Holdovers, last year’s excellent period drama? It could yet go one of several ways but as it stands, a Western looks to be the likely path. Speaking at the Sarajevo Film Festival, Payne revealed that he is working on a Western with David Hemingson, the writer of The Holdovers. However, Payne also added that a sequel to his beloved 1999 comedy, Election is still in the works.

“The one genre I’ve wanted to do is a Western,” said Payne (and covered by Deadline). “So, right now while Jim [Taylor] and I are talking about a sequel to Election, with a different writer – the guy who wrote The Holdovers [David Hemingson], we have...

Alexander Payne’s Election is a movie whose reputation seems to be growing more and more each year. With a new Criterion Collection edition in stores (and the film celebrating its 25th anniversary), Payne and the film’s writer, Jim Taylor have recently been exploring a potential sequel. The original film was based on a novel by Tom Perrotta, and the sequel would be based on his most recent novel, Tracy Flick Can’t Win.

According to a recent interview in Deadline, Payne is seriously considering teaming with Payne to adapt the sequel, saying, “There is talk and Jim Taylor and I are conceding that now,” with him adding, “If there were to be a sequel to Election, what would that look like?”

The original film starred Matthew Broderick as a high school Social Studies teacher who becomes hellbent on destroying her campaign for student body president at her high school.

Two-time Academy Award winner Alexander Payne (“The Holdovers”) teased the upcoming sequel to his beloved black comedy “Election” Sunday in Sarajevo while dishing on his desire to dabble in genre, sharing more details of an upcoming Western while also expressing his hopes “to do a good car chase film.”

Payne, who’s appearing at the Sarajevo Film Festival to receive a lifetime achievement award, gave an update on the anticipated sequel to his 1999 adaptation of the novel by Tom Perrotta, starring Reese Witherspoon as the ruthless go-getter Tracy Flick.

Paramount is reported to be developing a sequel for streaming service Paramount+, “Tracy Flick Can’t Win,” based on Perrotta’s follow-up novel, published in 2022, with Witherspoon reprising her iconic role and Payne tapped to direct.

“There is talk. Jim Taylor and I are conceiving that now,” Payne said on Sunday, describing conversations with his longtime collaborator, also in attendance. “If...

Alexander Payne touched down at the Sarajevo Film Festival on Sunday where he shed some light on his next project – a Western which will reunite the writer-director with The Holdovers scribe David Hemingson.

Speaking at a masterclass at the Bosnian Cultural Center, Payne, whose last project The Holdovers earned five Oscar nominations, told the audience that he wanted to explore different genres from the types of films he has made so far.

“The one genre I’ve wanted to do is a Western,” said Payne. “So, right now while Jim [Taylor] and I are talking about a sequel to Election, with a different writer – the guy who wrote The Holdovers [David Hemingson], we have been conceiving a Western for years now.”

He added: “It would be nice to take a kind of realistic-slash-naturalistic approach to a Western and also using landscape. In as much as sense of place is important…part of my...

Alexander Payne teased post-The Holdovers projects to an audience at the Sarajevo Film Festival on Sunday (August 18), providing an update on the Election sequel and saying he wants to make “a car chase movie.”

“Jim Taylor and I are conceiving what the sequel would look like now,” said Payne of the Election sequel, which is in the works at Paramount+. Taylor is a regular collaborator with Payne, including as co-writer on Downsizing and Sideways.

The film will be based on the 2022 sequel novel Tracy Flick Can’t Win by Tom Perrotta, who wrote the first book Election on which...

Alexander Payne, whose most recent film “The Holdovers” picked up five Oscar nominations and one win, will receive the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo Award at the 30th Sarajevo Film Festival, in recognition of his “outstanding contribution to the art of film.”

Payne’s longtime collaborator Jim Taylor, with whom he shared the 2005 adapted screenplay Oscar for “Sideways,” will join him at the festival, which runs Aug. 16 to 23. Payne will present a special screening of “Sideways,” which earned five Academy Award nominations.

Payne also will hold a masterclass, which will be “an opportunity for the film enthusiasts to learn from him about film production, directing, screenwriting, and other key aspects of his career,” according to a statement from the festival.

Payne’s eight feature films have been nominated for 24 Oscars, including four times for best picture and three times for director. He has won twice for adapted screenplay, and “The Holdovers” won supporting actress this year.

Alexander Payne’s Election is making its 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray debut in time for its 25th anniversary. More details here.

Released in the midst of a glut of teen comedies at the end of the 1990s, Alexander Payne’s searing satire Election may have taken its time to find an audience, but find one it has.

As we covered on an episode of our podcast, the film came through MTV Films, and when it was release time, it wasn’t entirely clear what to do with the movie. Starring Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon, it’s also a film adaptation of a novel, that beat the novel to release. You can hear the podcast episode here.

For some reason, 2024 seems rather appropriate to celebrate the birthday of a film about elections, and Election has been the beneficiary of a 4K remaster ahead of an anniversary release on the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format.

Exclusive: Veteran literary agent David Lubliner is switching to management and has joined Untitled Entertainment. Lubliner, who starts in his new role as manager effective immediately and will be based out of Untitled’s Los Angeles office, was most recently a literary agent at UTA.

“We are thrilled that David is taking the leap into management and joining us at Untitled,” the company’s partners said in a joint statement. “He is someone we all love working with and are excited to bring into our fold.”

Lubliner has worked with such established clients as Paul Weitz (Fatherhood), Chris Weitz (The Creator), Miguel Arteta (Yes Day), Rob Letterman (Goosebumps TV series), Peter Hedges (Ben Is Back), Jim Taylor (Tracy Flick Can’t Win), Dana Stevens (The Woman King) and Karey Kirkpatrick (Peanuts). Most are expected to be joining him in his new capacity.

“Untitled has built a tremendous reputation for nurturing...

Legendary television game show host Pat Sajak has officially retired as the host of Wheel of Fortune. He has just filmed his final episode of the series, putting an end to a decades-long career that saw him on the small screen several days a week for generations.

Per Deadline, Pat Sajak filmed his final episode as the host of Wheel of Fortune on Friday. The episode will serve as a farewell show for Sajak, who will be succeeded by Ryan Seacrest. Also revealed was the air date for Sajak's final episode, which will be on Friday, June 7, 2024. The episode will be serving as the Season 41 finale.

Related Wheel of Fortune's Star Wars-Themed Week Is Seeking Contestants Fans well-versed in the galaxy far, far away can apply now to compete in a special Star Wars-themed week on the classic game show Wheel of Fortune.

"Well, the time has come,...

“Oppenheimer” is the juggernaut Oscar contender that is predicted to take home not just Best Picture but a whole bunch of other Academy Awards, too, including Best Director for Christopher Nolan and Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey Jr. However, we thought that “La La Land” had Best Picture all wrapped up in 2017 but come Oscars night, “Moonlight” swept in to claim the evening’s biggest prize in a shock win. So, is “Oppenheimer” as safe as everyone thinks?

“The Holdovers” is well-poised to pull off an upset. The movie follows Paul Giamatti as a curmudgeonly professor who is forced to look after students staying behind during the Christmas holidays. The film has been a hit with critics, audiences, and awards groups, too.

As such, it could be a major dark horse to win the Oscar for Best Picture. In the last 10 years, four movies have claimed the top prize...

Alexander Payne's collaborator, Jim Taylor, faked a backstory on Wheel of Fortune, leading to a financial windfall that helped fund his filmmaking career. Taylor's appearance on the game show unexpectedly led to him winning $30,000, which allowed him to pay off debts and attend film school in New York. The success of Taylor's appearance and subsequent film school enrollment played a role in the career paths of both Taylor and Payne, leading to critical acclaim and an Oscar for their work.

Movie Legend: Alexander Payne's roommate and collaborator, Jim Taylor, faked a backstory while competing on Wheel of Fortune for a possible short film that would use the episode, and instead made enough money to go to film school in New York and help get their first film released.

One of the interesting things about Hollywood is that for every "overnight success" that breaks in when they are, like, 23 years old,...

Alexander Payne (Adapted Screenplay Oscar wins for Sideways with Jim Taylor and The Descendants with Nat Faxon and Jim Rash) at JFK airport with Anne-Katrin Titze on the Wc Fields poster in The Holdovers: “I remember that. I had that poster in my room growing up.”

In the second instalment with Alexander Payne, director of the Golden Globe-nominated The Holdovers (screenplay by David Hemingson), starring Dominic Sessa and Golden Globe nominees Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, we start out discussing the Oscar-shortlisted score by Mark Orton after my recommendation of Wurzel-Sepp, an apothecary shop in Munich from 1887. From there we move on to the Trapp Family recordings of The Little Drummer Boy and Silent Night, plus Cat Stevens in the soundtrack; the influence of Marcel Pagnol’s Merlusse, Marlene Dietrich in Josef von Sternberg’s The Blue Angel, Robert Donat in Sam Wood’s Goodbye, Mr. Chips, and...

Paul Giamatti shines in Alexander Payne's The Holdovers, a comedy-drama with a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes and eight Critics Choice Awards nominations. The film, available on digital on Dec. 29 and on Blu-ray/DVD on Jan. 2, comes with bonus featurettes, interviews, and an alternate ending. Payne's previous work, including Sideways and The Descendants, has captivated audiences with memorable stories and endearing characters.

Paul Giamatti “has never been better” (Deadline) in acclaimed Academy Award-winning director Alexander Payne’s newest film, The Holdovers, available to own with all-new exclusive bonus featurettes on digital beginning Dec. 29, 2023, and on Blu-ray and DVD on Jan. 2, 2024 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 96% and nominated for eight Critics Choice Awards including Best Picture, The Holdovers delivers an expert balance of comedy and warmth. It's certain to garner lots of love this awards season. The release comes with a...

Focus Features’ “The Holdovers” is one of the sweetest movies of the year and is set to become a new Christmas classic. Written by David Hemingson and directed by Alexander Payne, the 1970s-set story follows Paul Giamatti as a school professor tasked with staying behind on campus to look after students not going home for Christmas. What follows is a charming, touching tale about two foes who learn to become friends. Giamatti gives a knockout performance while Da’Vine Joy Randolph is a hot contender for Best Supporting Actress for her role as a cook mourning the death of her son. The movie’s strongest point, however, is its writing.

“Whiskey Cavalier” creator and “Black-Ish” and “American Dad!” scribe David Hemingson crafted the script. He has never been nominated for an Oscar before but we expect that that he’ll win one this year. We’re predicting he will take home...

Alexander Payne and Paul Giamatti’s latest film, The Holdovers, is in the awards conversation for its tale of holiday mischief and misfits at a remote New England boarding school. In it, Giamatti plays a cranky history teacher tasked with looking after students who aren’t going home for winter break. Almost 20 years ago, Payne and Giamatti earned awards acclaim for their first collaboration: 2004’s Sideways.

For Giamatti, who had built a career as a character actor, the film marked his second as a lead (after American Splendor the year before). He plays Miles, a depressed middle-aged English teacher, unpublished writer and wine snob on a vineyard-hopping road trip through California’s Santa Ynez Valley with his friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church), a down-on-his-luck actor about to get married. Payne and co-writer Jim Taylor adapted the screenplay from Rex Pickett’s novel of the same name and filmed on location at hotels,...

The Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) is celebrating the cinematic contributions of Oscar winner Alexander Payne, including his latest film, “The Holdovers.”

The Queens-based MoMI is curating a special Payne retrospective, culminating in a screening of “The Holdovers” with Payne in attendance on January 10. The exhibit kicks off January 5 with Payne’s feature debut “Citizen Ruth,” which was released in 1996. The independent dark comedy stars Laura Dern as a pregnant woman being used on opposing ends of the abortion debate.

“Alexander Payne has always put this country’s cultural, political, and emotional realities under a microscope — while never forgetting to also make viewers laugh,” the official MoMI press statement reads. “This rare talent, coupled with an enormous skill directing actors, many of whom give career performances under his watchful eye, has carried him through all his films, psychologically acute and often poignant inquiries into the lives of taciturn American...

Alexander Payne‘s movies often fare well in the writing categories at the Oscars with four of his films so far nominated for either Best Original Screenplay or Best Adapted Screenplay.

His second movie, “Election,” was nominated for only Adapted Screenplay in 2000 after it turned Tom Perrotta’s 1998 novel of the same name into a film. Payne was nominated with his writing partner Jim Taylor, although they lost to John Irving for “The Cider House Rules.” “Sideways” then picked up five nominations in 2005 including an Adapted Screenplay bid for Payne and Taylor after they turned Rex Pickett’s 2004 novel of the same name into a hit movie. Payne and Taylor won this time around.

In 2012, “The Descendants” repeated the record of “Sideways,” matching five nominations and one Adapted Screenplay victory. This time, Payne won alongside Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. They adapted the 2007 novel of the same name from Kaui Hart Hemmings.

This article has been corrected to include Alexander Payne’s first feature film, “Citizen Ruth.”

Alexander Payne has a near-perfect record when it comes to his movies being nominated for Academy Awards. The acclaimed writer, director, and producer — one of our very best — has made eight movies so far including his latest flick “The Holdovers” and five of them have been nominated for Oscars. Here’s the breakdown.

Payne’s debut feature film was “Citizen Ruth” (“The Passion of Martin” was only 49 minutes), which follows Laura Dern as a drug-addicted pregnant woman who finds herself in the middle of an abortion debate as she weighs up her choices regarding the pregnancy. This 1996 movie was not nominated for any Oscars.

His next movie was “Election,” which stars Matthew Broderick as a high school teacher who meets his match with Reese Witherspoon‘s over-achieving student. In 2000, the film was nominated for Best...

In case you were wondering, there was no beef between Paul Giamatti and Alexander Payne. The actor and filmmaker collaborated on 2004’s “Sideways,” an art-house breakout that earned over $100 million worldwide and five Oscar nominations including Best Picture (Payne and Jim Taylor won for Adapted Screenplay). But it’s almost been 20 years since that first collaboration. Now, finally, the pair are back together with the word-of-mouth wonder, “The Holdovers.”

Read More: “The Holdovers”: David Hemingson on writing for Paul Giamatti, channeling his boarding school experiences and more [Interview]

Set mostly at a prestigious New England boarding school in 1970, the film centers on the unlikely friendship between a student abandoned by his parents over the Christmas break (newcomer Dominic Sessa), a grumpy teacher with a scandalous past (Giamatti), and the kitchen head who is still mourning the death of her son in Vietnam (Da’Vine Joy Randolph).

Continue reading Paul Giamatti Is...

Over 1,000 members of the Writers Guild of America East union have signed a petition in support of introducing ways to protect journalists from artificial intelligence. The open letter demands that they be included in the decision-making process concerning AI tools in their places of employment.

The writers signing on include WGA East members at Bdg, CBS News, Chalkbeat, CNET, Crooked Media, Fast Company, Financial Times Specialist, Frontline, Future Plc, Gimlet, G/O Media, GroupNine, Inc., The Intercept, Hearst, HuffPost, iHeartMedia Podcasts, MSNBC, Parcast, Pineapple Street Studios, Slate, The Ringer, Vice, Vox Media, and more.

Among the film and television writers signing the petition are Robert Carlock, Patricia Cornwell, Tom Fontana, Mary Harron, Soo Hugh, Natasha Lyonne, Julie Martin, Adam McKay, Stephen O’Donnell, Michael Rauch, Diana Son, Jim Taylor, and Wgae President Lisa Takeuchi Cullen.

The petition reads:

“We, the members of the Writers Guild of America East, recognize that digital...

The Writers Guild of America East is petitioning employers to ensure that protections are in place for journalists as AI technology develops.

The petition, signed by more than 1,000 members, calls for “immediate, good faith negotiations on AI,” including outside of scheduled contract bargaining, as well as “a guarantee that AI protections will be on the table in future bargaining.”

The petition also calls on employers to “publicly commit to never replacing a human worker with an AI tool,” something that has been a big concern among journalists, as well as film and TV writers in their recent strike.

President Joe Biden issued an executive order to try to establish protections for safety and security around AI, as well as an effort to mitigate its displacement of workers. But the labor provisions are limited to creating a set of best practices and principles, as further steps to preserve jobs likely would take congressional action.

Reese Witherspoon in Election (Paramount Pictures), Paul Giamatti in Sideways (Searchlight Pictures), George Clooney in The Descendants (Searchlight Pictures), Matt Damon in Downsizing (Paramount Pictures)Graphic: The A.V. Club

It’s been six years since Alexander Payne released his last film, Downsizing, to mixed reviews. Now he’s back with The Holdovers,...

Two-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Alexander Payne shared his passion for film and his thoughts on contemporary American cinema with the audience at the Lumière Film Festival in Lyon where he is premiering his eighth feature film, “The Holdovers,” under the French title “Winter Break,” on October 15th.

In a conversation skilfully led and translated by Los Angeles-based French film journalist Didier Allouch, Payne drew laughs from the Lumière crowd when he explained that the secret to making good films was “keeping your budgets low.”

“John Huston approached Luis Buñuel one day and asked him, ‘How is it that you make these wonderful films, like “Viridiana” and “The Exterminating Angel”?’ And Buñuel replied, ‘How much money do you make and how much money do you think I make?’” said Payne with a smile.

While he made no secret of his distaste for Hollywood blockbusters and said it was still possible to make movies like “Sideways,...

Election, the comedy starring Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick, is finally getting a sequel after 24 years. The sequel picks up years after the events of the original story, with Tracy now a substitute teacher and vice principal. Reese Witherspoon will also reprise another popular role in Legally Blonde 3, which is currently on hiatus due to the writers' strike.

Twenty-four years have passed since the release of Election, the comedy starring Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick, and there is finally news about its sequel. Directed by and co-written by Alexander Payne, the film is based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Tom Perrotta. The story follows Tracy Flick, an ambitious high school student who seeks to become the next student president, mounting an impressive election campaign. However, one of her teachers, Jim McAllister, does not like the idea of her being elected and decides to sabotage Tracy's plans,...

Director Alexander Payne confirms that a sequel to the comedy film Election is in the works, possibly based on Tom Perrotta's sequel novel. The potential sequel would continue the story of Tracy Flick, who becomes a single mother and works her way up to becoming a vice principal. However, it may take some time before Election 2 is released as Payne has other projects to work on first.

The possibility of a sequel to the Reese Witherspoon comedy Election has been addressed by director Alexander Payne, 24 years after the first movie was released. The comedy sees Matthew Broderick's high school government teacher, Jim McAllister, trying to sabotage the unethical Tracy Flick (Witherspoon) from winning the election for school president by backing a rival candidate. A sequel to Election was reportedly in production in 2022, with Witherspoon set to reprise her role as Tracy.

Speaking with Collider, Payne revealed that...

Dominic Sessa stars as Angus Tully and Paul Giamatti as Paul Hunham in director Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2023 Focus Features LLC

From acclaimed director Alexander Payne, The Holdovers follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually he forms an unlikely bond with one of them — a damaged, brainy troublemaker (newcomer Dominic Sessa) — and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam (Da’Vine Joy Randolph).

https://www.focusfeatures.com/the-holdovers

From this first trailer, this film looks delightful, the cast spot-on and the story will pull at your heart-strings.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph is best known for her work in Dolemite Is My Name (2019) as Lady Reed and The United States vs. Billie Holiday...

A major 2003 Oscars contender two decades ago was Alexander Payne’s “About Schmidt,” starring Jack Nicholson, Kathy Bates, Hope Davis and Dermot Mulroney. It was Payne’s first film since 1999’s “Election,” which earned him and his writing partner Jim Taylor their breakthrough Oscar nominations, and it was Nicholson’s first major Oscar player since his third Best Actor win in 1998 for “As Good As It Gets.” In addition, Bates was going for her third Oscar nom after her Best Actress win for “Misery” in 1991 and Best Supporting Actress nomination for “Primary Colors” in 1999. Going into wide release on January 3, 2003, in 816 theaters, “About Schmidt” made more than eight million dollars in its opening weekend, an excellent 10,784 per screen, before earning a strong 105 million dollars worldwide by the end of its theatrical run.

“About Schmidt,” about a recently retired man (Nicholson) who embarks on a journey to his estranged daughter’s wedding,...

Reese Witherspoon is set to reprise the role of Tracy Flick in a sequel to the 1999 film Election. The film follows government teacher Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) as he ignites a feud with overachiever student Tracy after attempting to stop her from using underhanded means to win a school election by convincing jock Paul (Chris Klein) to run against her. Although the film was not a success at the box office, it eventually developed a substantial cult following after being nominated for an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Per THR, a sequel to the original Election is being developed, based on author Tom Perrotta's 2022 sequel to his original novel, which follows Flick as an assistant principal attempting to advance in her career. The film, which will be a Paramount+ exclusive and is titled Tracy Flick Can't Win, will see Witherspoon reprising the title role. Original director Alexander Payne is set to return as well,...

Of all the characters she's played in her career, Reese Witherspoon has a few that have stuck in the brain, such as Elle Woods. But Tracy Flick is right there with her, the Type-a focus of Alexander Payne's 1999 dark comedy drama Election. It wasn't the biggest hit at the box office, but it scored awards attention and is regarded as a cult classic. A sequel is now on the way called Tracy Flick Can't Win.

With Payne and co-writer Jim Taylor returning alongside Witherspoon (who will produce the new film), this will adapt Election novelist Tom Perrotta's follow-up book, which arrived this past June.

The story will pick up Tracy in adulthood as she continues to struggle to fight her way to the top at work. Now in her 40s, she's the assistant principal at a public high school in suburban New Jersey who is gunning for her...

Hollywood is ready to “Pick Flick” again for an Election sequel starring Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show) called Tracy Flick Can’t Win. The original film’s writer and director, Alexander Payne, will return for the follow-up to Witherspoon’s 1999 cult comedy. Payne is writing the sequel with Jim Taylor, inspired by Tom Perrotta’s latest novel of the same name. The story focuses on Tracy Flick, an assistant principal at a public high school in suburban New Jersey. Despite her tenacity and thirst for power, Flick still struggles to make her mark on the world and show doubters who’s boss.

Here is the official description of Perrotta’s novel Tracy Flick Can’t Win:

Tracy Flick is a hardworking assistant principal at a public high school in suburban New Jersey. Still ambitious but feeling a little stuck and underappreciated in midlife, Tracy gets a jolt of good news when the longtime principal,...

"Election" is one of those classic movies that, unfortunately, get misinterpreted far too often. The number of times I've seen people try to argue that schoolteacher Jim (Matthew Broderick) isn't portrayed as an obsessive creep, or that the film's complex framing of high schooler Tracy (Reese Witherspoon) isn't intentional is far too many to count. At the same time, however, the fact that it is so morally grey is why it is still so interesting to watch and has garnered such a passionate following.

This exact fanbase, then, will likely be glad to hear that we'll be catching up with Tracy Flick once more in the near future. Paramount Pictures has announced that a sequel to "Election," titled "Tracy Flick Can't Win," has been greenlit for Paramount+ and will see Witherspoon reprise her famous role. She is also expected to serve as an executive producer on the film under her...

At last: some election drama we’re happy to revisit.

Reese Witherspoon will reprise her highly ambitious Election character, Tracy Flick, in a Paramount+ sequel to the 1999 film, our sister site Deadline reports.

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Tracy Flick Can’t Win will be directed by Alexander Payne, who helmed the first movie. Witherspoon also will produce.

Election is a dark comedy that stars Witherspoon as a...

Serving as a breakout for Alexander Payne following his debut Citizen Ruth, 1999’s Election followed Reese Witherspoon’s Tracy Flick as a high school student running for the student body and Matthew Broderick’s Jim McAllister as the high school teacher who gets in her way. Now, over two decades later, the satire is getting a sequel.

THR reports Tracy Flick Can’t Win is in the works, with Alexander Payne returning to direct and script alongside Jim Taylor, and Reese Witherspoon returning to star. The development isn’t entirely surprising as Tom Perrotta’s sequel novel was released earlier this year, following Flick as an assistant principal. See the synopsis below.

Tracy Flick is a hardworking assistant principal at a public high school in suburban New Jersey. Still ambitious but feeling a little stuck and underappreciated in midlife, Tracy gets a jolt of good news when the longtime principal,...

Reese Witherspoon is reprising her role as go-getter Tracy Flick in “Tracy Flick Can’t Win,” a sequel to the 1999 political comedy “Election.”

Alexander Payne, who co-wrote and directed the original film, is returning for the follow-up, which is set to debut on Paramount’s streaming service, Paramount+. In addition to directing, Payne will write the movie adaptation with Jim Taylor.

In “Election,” based on the 1998 novel by Tom Perrotta, Witherspoon portrayed an ambitious, Type-a student whose social studies teacher (played by Matthew Broderick) attempts to sabotage her campaign to become school president. Although it wasn’t a box office draw, the movie was nominated at the Oscars for best adapted screenplay, while Witherspoon landed attention at the Golden Globes in the best actress race.

The sequel, based on Perrotta’s follow-up novel that published earlier this year, picks up with Tracy in adulthood as she continues to struggle to...

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Tracy Flick is headed back to Hollywood.

Tracy Flick Can’t Win, a follow-up to the 1999 cult favorite Election, is in the work with Reese Witherspoon set to reprise her role as Tracy Flick and Alexander Payne returning the direct.

Payne, who wrote the original film, will write the film adaptation with Jim Taylor based on Tom Perrotta’s latest novel of the same name that was published in June of this year. The book finds the eponymous character, a typer-a go-getter in high school, now a hardworking assistant principal at a public high school in suburban New Jersey and still struggling to fight her way to the top.

Witherspoon will also produce the movie with Lauren Neustadter for Hello Sunshine, alongside Election producers Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa of Bona Fide Productions. Perrotta is executive producing.

The project is set for Paramount streamer Paramount+.

Reese Witherspoon will star in and produce “Election” sequel “Tracy Flick Can’t Win” at Paramount+.

The “Big Little Lies” actress will reprise her role as Tracy Flick in the adaptation based on Perrotta’s latest novel of the same name.

“Tracy Flick Can’t Win” will follow up on the beloved 1999 film that documented a high-stakes student government election as overachieving Tracy goes head-to-head with social studies teacher Jim McAllister, played by Matthew Broderick, who sabotages Tracy’s campaign.

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Published in June 2022, Perrotta’s satirical dark comedy “Tracy Flick Can’t Win” charts Tracy’s life into adulthood as she climbs her way to political power. Perrotta will also serve as executive producer for the adaptation.

“Election” director and co-writer Alexander Payne will return to direct and will write the film adaptation with Jim Taylor.

In collaboration with Hello Sunshine,...

Reese Witherspoon will reprise one of her most iconic early roles – and we’re not talking about Elle Woods. Witherspoon will star in and produce “Tracy Flick Can’t Win,” a sequel to her 1999 cult-classic film “Election” that’s set up at Paramount Pictures and intended for Paramount+.

The original film’s writer and director Alexander Payne is also back on board for the sequel, which is based on Tom Perrotta’s latest novel of the same name and was released earlier this year. Perrotta previously wrote the novel “Election,” which was adapted for the original film. Witherspoon will reprise her role as Tracy Flick, now a hard working but frustrated assistant principal at a public high school in New Jersey, where she is still fighting for the top job.

Both the book and the film have been described as biting, darkly comedic satires in the way that Payne’s original “Election” was.

Paramount Pictures has announced that Tracy Flick Can’t Win — a sequel to Alexander Payne’s cult classic 1999 comedy Election — is being made for Paramount+. Payne is returning as director, with the original film’s lead Reese Witherspoon to produce and reprise her starring role.

Based on Tom Perrotta’s 1998 novel of the same name, Election watches as the high school teacher Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) finds himself on a collision course with the over-achieving student politician, Tracy Flick (Witherspoon). The satire drawing parallels between the worlds of high school and politics was Payne’s second feature on the heels of 1996’s Citizen Ruth and proved to be his breakthrough project, netting him and his collaborators three Independent Spirit Awards, a WGA Award and an Oscar nomination, with Witherspoon landing her first Golden Globe nomination.

The Election sequel is based on a follow-up novel by Perrotta, which was published by Scribner in June.

If it’s Tuesday, this must be Election Day in a year when democracy itself is on the ballot. It’s a moment that Jefferson Smith – the naive but idealistic young senator played by Jimmy Stewart – could have appreciated in the Oscar-winning 1939 classic “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” from director Frank Capra. It tops the list of 25 movies that this Gold Derby editor singles out as exemplary staples of the political genre over the past 80-plus years. Most originated on the big screen, but a few were made-for-tv.

Why bring this to you today? Think of it as a distraction tactic at a time when so many of us are overloaded with anxiety over an especially consequential election that will determine control of Congress. The list features biopics, satires, historical dramas and journalism hybrid thrillers as well as fictitious allegories.

SEE15 Best American Political Films

Watch any of these tonight...

The next film from director Alexander Payne called “The Holdovers” and starring Paul Giamatti was acquired in a worldwide deal by Focus Features after the film screened in secret at the Toronto International Film Festival, going in the range of 30 million, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

The film, which reunites the team from Payne’s “Sideways,” screened on Sunday at TIFF but not as part of a public screening or official selection. All major streamers and studios attended the “Holdovers” screening. The deal is one of the largest of its kind out of Toronto, no less for a film not even playing as part of the festival. The deal also comes as the TIFF market has been slow — or nearly non-existent — on other major acquisitions through the first four days of the festival.

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Exclusive: The biggest deal ever made at Toronto will be on a film that is not in the Toronto Film Festival roster. I’m hearing that Focus Features is tying up a 30 million worldwide rights deal with Miramax’s Bill Block and CAA Media Finance for The Holdovers, after a discreet screening here for buyers held Sunday. Focus will give the film a theatrical release, and Middle East is the only turf not covered in the deal. The film marks the reteam between director Alexander Payne and Paul Giamatti, who teamed memorably in the 2004 wine-tasting road trip comedy Sideways, a film that won Payne and Jim Taylor Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay. David Hemingson wrote The Holdovers script and Mark Johnson, Block and Hemingson produced. Plan is to release late in 2023.

The Holdovers is a comedy, with the poignancy and grounded characters of past Payne films including Nebraska, The Descendants and Sideways.

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When Citizen Ruth was released on Dec. 13, 1996, director Alexander Payne never expected the abortion debate at the center of his feature directorial debut to remain relevant 25 years later.

Payne, who would go on to win the best screenplay Oscar for his films Sideways and The Descendants, had yet to work on a feature when he and then-roommate Jim Taylor spotted a New York Times story about a pregnant woman in North Dakota who was arrested for drug use and drew support from both sides of the abortion argument. The writing partners saw this as fodder for an acerbic comedy, and penned the script in which a tug-of-war ensues between anti-abortion and abortion-rights activists who target the titular woman — a recently impregnated addict who along with her drug arrest is charged with endangering the life of a fetus — as a means of advancing their personal causes.