With the holidays behind us, it’s now time to look ahead to spring. And when it comes to new beginnings, Louisiana’s entertainment industry is hopping.
First, let’s look at a few movies wrapping this month:
Daddy’s Home
Wraps Feb. 3
The latest comedy starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, “Daddy’s Home” stars Ferrell as a mild mannered radio executive who finds himself vying for the affections of his stepchildren after his wife’s ex-husband, played by Wahlberg, comes back into the picture. Wahlberg’s role was originally set to be played by Vince Vaughn.
Ferrell and Wahlberg last teamed up in another comedy – the buddy-cop flick “The Other Guys” in 2010. The movie was filmed in New York and directed by Adam McKay – one of the writers of “Daddy’s Home.”
“Daddy’s Home” was directed by John Morris and Sean Anders, the latter of whom also spent 2014 directing “Horrible Bosses 2” and co-writing “Dumb and Dumber Too”.
Principal photography began Nov. 17, 2014, and included two days of filming at Edward Hynes Charter School in late November.
Elvis & Nixon
Wraps Feb. 12
Two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey stars as President Richard Nixon alongside Michael Shannan (supporting actor nominee for 2008’s “Revolutionary Road,” starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio). Shannan is also known for his role on the HBO series “Boardwalk Empire.”
Written by actor Cary Elwes and ex-husband and wife Hanala and Joey Sagal, the film details the week surrounding the unusual pair’s 1970 meeting in the White House, which culminated in Nixon making the rock-n-roller an Honorary Federal Agent-at-Large.
Astronaut Wives Club
Wraps Feb. 17
A new TV drama for ABC based on the 2013 best-selling novel “The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story,” by Lily Koppel is designed to be limited to 10 episodes. It will follow the lives of the women behind the astronauts during the space race of the 1960s. The series will begin with the wives behind the Mercury astronauts, and gradually expand to include Gemini and Apollo. The series is expected to debut this spring.
Geostorm
Wraps Feb. 20
This science fiction flick stars Gerard Butler as a satellite designer forced to save the world when climate control satellites begin to fail – and of course there’s also a plot to assassinate the President of the United States. The film also features big names Ed Harris and Andy Garcia and will serve as the big-screen directorial debut of Dean Devlin, whose credits include co-producing the 1996 action flick “Independence Day.”
“Geostorm” is scheduled for an Oct. 21, 2016 release.
And now for the new beginnings.
Shooting is set to begin in March for the following feature films:
“The Free State of Jones”
Begins March 2
Civil War drama starring Matthew McConaughey
“The Long Night”
Begins March 30
Feature by Summit Films.
Also filming currently :
Feature film “When the Bough Breaks” – (begins Feb. 2)
CBS series “Zoo” – (shooting since Jan. 26)
“NCIS: New Orleans,” which was picked up for a second season, has been filming since July 26, 2014, and is scheduled to continue through April 30.
