Big Gay Picture Show

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema and more

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema & more

Felicity Jones To Star In Swan Lake Movie For Universal

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Having starred in the billion dollar grossing Rogue One, Felicity Jones’ star has jumped massively in the last few months. Now THR reports that she’s set to star in a movie based on Swan Lake, which Universal has just picked up the rights to (beating out the likes of Paramount and TriStar who were also interested).

There’s not too much info on the plot, but it’s based upon a pitch from writer Kristina Lauren Anderson, based on Tchaikovsky’s ballet about ‘Odette, a princess that is turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer’s curse’. The film itself won’t be a ballet, but is being set-up as a major tentpole movie inspired by the story.

Luca Guadagnino is attached to direct the movie. He’s expected to have a crossover success later this year with the gay-themed Call Me by Your Name, starring Armie Hammer, which was hailed as one of the standout films at Sundance.

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Benedict Cumberbatch & Jake Gyllenhaal Are Headed To Rio

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A Bigger Splash helmer Luca Guadagnino got massive plaudits and talk of a breakout hit at Sundance when his gay-themed movie Call Me By Your Name debuted. He’s also finishing up the long-gestating remake of Suspiria.

However, for his next film, it looks like he’s heading to South America with Benedict Cumberbatch and Jake Gyllenhaal, as Variety reports they’re in talks to star in Guadagnino’s Rio. The movie is about, ‘a financial reporter (Gyllenhaal) who travels to Rio de Janeiro to visit a wealthy friend (Cumberbatch), only to get sucked into a plot to fake his friend’s death.’

It’s not clear when the movie will shoot, but the film will be looking for buyers at Cannes. As Guadagnino’s Suspiria isn’t released until 2017, don’t expect it until 2018 at least.

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Call Me By Your Name Director Explains Why He Cast Straight Actors In Gay Roles

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While there has been a lot of controversy about casting cisgender actors in transgender roles, there’s generally less talk about whether straight actors should play gay roles. However, there are certainly some out there who think it would be better to cast gay actors (although at least we seem to have gotten past the time when straight actors are described as ‘brave’ for playing a gay part).

The gay-themed Call Me By Your Name found much acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival, although the two main actors, Armie Hammer and TImothee Chalamet, are both straight. In the film, Hammer plays a 24-year old American scholar spending the summer of 1983 in Northern Italy, where he attracts the attention of a 17-year-old Jewish-American boy (Chalamet).

Now the movie’s director, Luca Guadagnino, has been chatting to THR about why he didn’t specifically look for gay men to play those roles. He says, “This film is about the blossoming of love and desire, no matter where it comes from and toward what. So I couldn’t have ever thought of casting with any sort of gender agenda. I think people are so beautiful and complex as creatures that as much as I am fascinated with gender theory — I’ve studied [American gender theorist] Judith Butler for so long — I prefer much more never to investigate or label my performers in any way. I only cast the actors and actresses I fall in love with — truly having an emotion for them, an anticipation and enthusiasm when seeing them — and I believe that my emotional confidence in them blends into chemistry. It’s always been like that, and I hope I won’t be wrong in the future.”

He also spoke about why he didn’t include explicit sex in the movie, saying, “I wasn’t interested at all. The tone would’ve been very different from what I was looking for. I wanted the audience to completely rely on the emotional travel of these people and feel first love. I didn’t want the audience to find any difference or discrimination toward these characters. It was important to me to create this powerful universality, because the whole idea of the movie is that the other person makes you beautiful – enlightens you, elevates you. The other is often confronted with rejection, fear or a sense of dread, but the welcoming of the other is a fantastic thing to do, particularly in this historical moment.”

Call Me By You Name will be in cinemas later this year.

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Armie Hammer Massages Timothee Chalamet In First Clip From Gay-Themed Call Me By Your Name

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Call Me By Your Name gained a lot of buzz and glowing review at Sundance, with some suggesting that Luca Guadagnino’s gay-themed movie could be a bit of a breakout hit. Now we can get our first taste, as a clipe has been released.

In it young Elio (Timothee Chalamet) is playing a game, and ends up getting a massage from the slightly older Oliver (Armie Hammer). Initially Elio seems uncertain, but considering what happens between them in the actual movie, he can’t mind that much!

The movie  is based on Andre Aciman’s novel of the same name and stars Armie Hammer as a 24-year old American scholar spending the summer of 1983 in Northern Italy, where he attracts the attention of a 17-year-old Jewish-American boy, played by Timothee Chalamet. Michael Stuhlbarg rounds out the cast as the boy’s father.

It sounds a bit Brokeback meet Death In Venice, but the reviews have suggested it’s very much its own beast – and that a very, sexy scene featuring a peach might cause a bit of a stir. Take a look at the clip below. [Read more…]

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Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet & More Discuss Their Gay-Themed Movie Call Me By Your Name & Its Peach Scene

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The signs were looking good for the gay-themed movie Call Me By Your Name even before it premiered as Sundance, as Sony Classics bought worldwide distribution rights before the fest even started. The reviews coming out of Sundance suggest Sony had good reason to snap it up, as most have said it’s a great film, with the potential for crossover mainstream success.

The movie  is based on Andre Aciman’s novel of the same name and stars Armie Hammer as a 24-year old American scholar spending the summer of 1983 in Northern Italy, where he attracts the attention of a 17-year-old Jewish-American boy, played by Timothee Chalamet. Michael Stuhlbarg rounds out the cast as the boy’s father.

Hammer, Chalamet, Stuhlbarg and director Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love, A Bigger Splash) caught up with THR at Sundance, and you can take a look at what they had to say about the movie below. Guadagnino also took the time to talk separately about a scene that#s already becoming quite buzzed about, involving an encounter between Hammer and Chalamet’s characters which involves a peach and the two getting down and dirty. It’s a beloved scene in the book and many wondered whether its frank depiction of someone making love to the fruit would make it to the screen. It does, and the director talks about what he was trying to get across.

No release date has been set yet, but expect to see it later this year.

Take a look at the video below to find out more. [Read more…]

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Gay-Themed Armie Hammer Movie Call Me By Your Name Gets Distribution Deal

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Normally movies premiering at the Sundance Film Festival have to wait until the fest actually kicks off before they can talk about getting distribution deals. It’s exceedingly encouraging for Call Me By Your Name then that a few weeks before Sundance starts, it’s already been been picked up by Sony Pictures Classics, which has bought the worldwide rights, according to THR.

The movie ‘based on Andre Aciman’s novel of the same name and stars Armie Hammer as a 24-year old American scholar spending the summer of 1983 in Northern Italy, where he attracts the attention of a 17-year-old Jewish-American boy, played by Timothee Chalamet. Michael Stuhlbarg rounds out the cast as the boy’s father.’

The plot sounds as if it has echoes of Death In Venice. Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love, A Bigger Splash) directs the movie, which debuts at Sundance’s Premieres section on January 22nd. As Sony Pictures Classics has picked it up early, don’t be surprised if they’re looking at it as an Oscar contender for next year, so it may not get a release until the end of 2017.

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