Film News Roundup: Adrian Grenier, Mya Taylor Joining Drama-Comedy ‘Stage Mother’

In today’s film news roundup, Adrian Grenier and Mya Taylor join “Stage Mother,” Steve Coogan teams up with Michael Winterbottom and Kandoo Releasing launches.

CASTINGS
Film Mode Entertainment and Branded Pictures Entertainment have added Adrian Grenier and Mya Taylor (“Tangerine”) to the cast of the drama-comedy “Stage Mother.”
Jacki Weaver and Lucy Liu have been previously announced as starring in “Stage Mother,” set in the drag world of San Francisco. The film is set to go into production on Sept. 14 with much of the filming to take place in Nova Scotia. Rights for the film are for sale at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Film Mode Entertainment’s Clay Epstein and Branded Pictures Entertainment founder and producer J. Todd Harris announced the project at the Cannes Film Festival.

Grenier is best known for his starring role in “Entourage.” Taylor won the Gotham Award for “Breakthrough Actor” for her performance in “Tangerine” and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for the film, making her the first openly transgender actor to win a Spirit award.

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Steve Coogan and David Mitchell have been cast in Michael Winterbottom’s untitled comedy, with portraying a clothing billionaire and Mitchell as a journalist hired to tell the rich man’s life story.
Sony Pictures International Productions and Film4 are producing the movie and planning on a fall shoot. Melissa Parmenter is producing for Revolution Films with Damian Jones of DJ Films.

Winterbottom and Parmenter have collaborated on the British TV series “The Trip,” “The Trip to Italy” and “The Trip to Spain,” which stars Coogan with Rob Brydon. The three series, all which feature the actors doing Michael Caine impresssions, have been edited into feature films.

Coogan will next be seen in the Laurel and Hardy biopic “Stan and Ollie” with John C. Reilly. Winterbottom’s “The Wedding guest,” starring Dev Patel, is premiering at the Toronto Film Festival.

DISTRIBUTOR LAUNCH
Kandoo Films, which focuses on emerging new artists, is launching its distribution arm Kandoo Releasing, founded by producer Howard Barish.
Kandoo Releasing will strategically distribute its slate of films from emerging and diverse artists into day and date theatrical and VOD/digital releases for audiences worldwide.
“Our goal is to create a more direct connection from filmmaker to viewer, providing audiences with the unfiltered film viewing experiences they crave,” said Barish. “By focusing on this niche market, Kandoo Releasing will foster a home for passionate rising filmmakers and help quality independent films find their audience. Our boutique agency approach will allow our team to deliver the attention and personal touch each film deserves.”

The first feature film release has been set for Dec. 7 for “Hospitality,” written and directed by Nick Chakwin and David Guglielmo with Emmanuelle Chriqui starring as a mother with a checkered past who must protect her son when a dangerous man (Sam Trammell) checks in to her isolated bed and breakfast.

Future releases from Kandoo Releasing include “Skin in the Game,” from first time director Adisa. Starring Erica Ash, Elisabeth Harnois, Angelica Celaya, and Sammi Hanratty, “Skin in the Game” centers on the abduction of a 15-year-old girl who finds herself trapped in the horrific underground world of human trafficking.

View this article at Variety.