Pablo Larraín & His Brother’s Fabula Productions Renews First-Look Partnership with Freemantle

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Pablo Larraín and his brother are extending their Freemantle deal…

The 47-year-old Chilean filmmaker and Juan de Dios Larraín’s Fabula Productions has renewed its their first-look partnership with Freemantle.

The agreement will reportedly result in the Larrain brothers working even more closely to develop a fresh slate of original dramas and films.

Under the accord, Fremantle’s international sales wing, FMI, will distribute the drama projects worldwide.

Global production and distribution company Fremantle and the Larraín’s Santiago, Chile-based banner Fabula struck their original first-look deal in 2019.

Under the accord, Fabula has produced prize-winning series La Jauría and Señorita 89 as well as the upcoming Midnight Family for Apple TV+, a 10-episode medical drama inspired by the award-winning documentary of the same name.

On the feature film front, Fabula and Fremantle have just wrapped production on Sebastián Lelio’s film musical The Wave, in partnership with Participant Media.

The drama tells the story of the mass university rallies that took place during Chile’s so-called “Feminist May” in 2018.

Further upcoming feature collaborations include Pablo Larraín’s upcoming bio-film Maria starring Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas, produced alongside Komplizen Film.

The partners said in a statement that the Fabula team would continue to work closely with Fremantle’s CEO, Global Drama, Christian Vesper and Seb Shorr, COO, Global Drama.

“Pablo and Juan encapsulate the bold and inventive filmmaking we proudly support at Fremantle and I am delighted that that our renewed deal means working even closer with them. Fabula is such an exciting company creating original, passionate film and drama titles, and we are thrilled to have them as our valued partners,” said Vesper.

Pablo and Juan de Dios Larraín, CCO and CEO of Fabula respectively said the past five years had been a period of “great collaboration” and “mutual growth on many levels.”

“Fremantle has given us many tools to understand the industry and how to move forward. They have been wonderful travel companions with fantastic taste. We are more than happy to go deeper into our partnership with them in the upcoming years.”

Pablo Larraín to Direct Angelina Jolie in Biopic About Opera Legend Maria Callas

Posted on October 21, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Pablo Larraín has lined up his next biopic…

The 46-year-old Chilean filmmaker will direct Maria, a biopic about the life of American-born Greek soprano Maria Callas as his next feature, and he’s locked in Academy Award-winner Angelina Jolie in the starring role.

Based on true accounts, the film will tell the tumultuous, beautiful and tragic story of the world’s greatest opera singer, relived and reimagined during her final days in 1970s Paris.

The film was written by Oscar-nominee Steven Knight, who wrote Larraín’s Princess Diana biopic Spencer. The filmmaker’s brother and creative partner Juan de Dios Larraín will produce for Fabula Pictures, alongside Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartment Pictures, a Fremantle Company, and Jonas Dornbach for Komlizen Film.

“Having the chance to combine my two most deep and personal passions, cinema and opera, has been a long-awaited dream,” said Larraín. “To do this with Angelina, a supremely brave and curious artist, is a fascinating opportunity. A true gift.”

“I take very seriously the responsibility to Maria’s life and legacy. I will give all I can to meet the challenge,” added Jolie. “Pablo Larraín is a director I have long admired. To be allowed the chance to tell more of Maria’s story with him, and with a script by Steven Knight, is a dream.”

Larraín is best known for features including Spencer, starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, and Jackie, which had Natalie Portman portraying Jackie Kennedy.

He also directed and executive produced the Apple series Liseys’ Story, based on the Stephen King novel. Other notable directorial credits include Ema, Neruda, The Club and No.

Rapace to Star in the Sci-Fi Thriller “Rupture”

Posted on May 30, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Noomi Rapace had been enruptured…

The 35-year-old half-Spanish actress will star opposite Michael Chiklis in the Steven Shainberg-directed sci-fi thriller Rupture.

The film centers on a single mother (Rapace) struggling to raise her 12-year-old son alone who is abducted by a mysterious organization. Tied up in their lab, they question her about her medical history, eventually revealing that she has a genetic abnormality that her worst fear can cause her to “rupture” — causing her own alien nature to be released.

It’s based on a story by Shainberg and Brian Nelson, and Nelson (Hard Candy, 30 Days Of Night) wrote the screenplay.

Chiklis will play The Bald Man, the entity’s powerful point man who directs the mother’s violent capture.

Principal photography begins next month.

Rapace, who recently signed on to star as Maria Callas in a biopic about the opera legend, most recently appeared in the Daniel Espinosa-directed Child 44.

Rapace to Star as Maria Callas in Biopic About the Opera Singer

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

There’s a legendary role in Noomi Rapace’s future …

The 35-year-old half-Spanish actress has signed on to portray iconic opera singer Maria Callas in the feature biopic Callas.

Niki Caro is attached to direct the film from a screenplay she adapted from Alfonso Signorini’s biography Too Proud, Too Fragile.

The biopic focuses on the passionate relationship between the diva and Aristotle Onassis, which spanned almost two decades.

This is a long-gestating project that resurfaced at the Cannes Film Festival last year, before Rapace and Content’s involvement.

Rapace, who most recently joined SND’s What Happened To Monday?, is the latest Latina actress to portray the opera singer.

Spanish actress Paz Vega appeared as Callas in 2014’s Grace of Monaco, starring Nicole Kidman.

Vega Stuns as Maria Callas in the New Trailer for Nicole Kidman’s “Grace of Monaco”

Posted on March 9, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Nicole Kidman may star as Grace Kelly in Grace of Monaco, but Paz Vega shines bright as late opera legend Maria Callas.

In the just-released extended trailer for the Olivier Dahan-directed film, the 38-year-old Spanish actress briefly (and stunningly) appears as the legendary soprano singer, considered one of the most renowned and influential opera singers of the 20th century.

Set in 1962, six years after her celebrated Wedding of the Century, “Grace of Monaco” is an intimate snapshot of a year in the life of the twentieth century’s most iconic Princess – Grace Kelly – as she strived to reconcile her past and her present, a yearning for a return to the big screen with her newfound role as a mother of two, monarch of a European principality and wife to Prince Ranier III.

Grace of Monaco, set in 1962, is an intimate snapshot of a year in the life of the twentieth century’s most iconic princess as she strived to reconcile her past and her present, a yearning for a return to the big screen with her newfound role as a mother of two, monarch of a European principality and wife to Prince Ranier III (portrayed by Tim Roth).

The trailer shows some of the struggles the former Hollywood star faced over her role as Princess Grace.

Along with Kidman, Vega and Roth, the film also stars Frank Langella, Derek Jacobi, Parker Posey and Milo Ventimiglia.

The movie will have its world premiere as the opening-night film at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14. It also gets released in France on that same day.

Warner Bros. releases in the United Kingdom on June 6. The Weinstein Company will release the film in the U.S.

Vega to Star in “Kill the Messenger”

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Don’t blame Paz Vega if she kills the messenger…

The 37-year-old Spanish actress has joined the cast of Kill the Messenger, Focus Features’ adaptation of the true-life drama book by Nick Schou.

Vega, who makes a cameo appearance in Pedro Almodóvar’s highly anticipated comedy I’m So Excited, is joining Jeremy Renner in the film.

Michael Cuesta, who has helmed episodes of Homeland and Dexter, is directing.

Messenger tells the true story of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Gary Webb who through his reporting exposed the CIA’s involvement in helping Nicaragua’s Contra rebels import cocaine into California during the 1980s. The agency then tried to discredit him, which ultimately led to his “committing suicide,” though with two bullets to his head.

Vega will play the girlfriend of a wealthy dealer who is in jail and hopes that Webb can get him out.

Production is expected to start in Atlanta this August.

Vega will appear in Grace of Monaco as legendary opera singer Maria Callas opposite Nicole Kidman and recently wrapped Paul W.S. Anderson‘s historical drama Pompeii.

Vega to Portray Maria Callas in “Grace of Monaco”

Posted on August 2, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Paz Vega will soon be having an operatic Hollywood moment…

The 36-year-old Spanish actress will appear as the tempestuous opera singer Maria Callas in Grace of Monaco, who stars Nicole Kidman as Hollywood-actress-turned-princess Grace Kelly.

Directed by Olivier Dahan—who helmed the Edith Piaf biopic La vie en rose, which earned Marion Cotillard an Oscar— the film focuses on a six-month period in 1962 when Monaco was in a dispute with France and Princess Grace worked behind the scenes to prevent a coup. At the time, Grace came to know Callas, who was having an affair with Greek millionaire Aristotle Onassis.

It’s Vega’s latest high-profile film project. She’s also set to appear in Pedro Almodovar’s upcoming, re-titled comedy, I’m So Excited.

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