Film News Roundup: Netflix Developing Anime Feature ‘The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf’

In today’s film news roundup, Netflix announces a spinoff feature based on “The Witcher,” Liam Neeson’s “Honest Thief” finds a home and Sheryl Main will receive the Henri Bollinger Award.

PROJECT LAUNCHED

Netflix is expanding its fantasy series “The Witcher” with an anime feature film “The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf.”

The streamer made the announcement Wednesday, a day after Netflix disclosed its best-ever results for its first-season original TV series with 76 million member households choosing to watch, according to the company’s new metric. The series stars Henry Cavill as the opponent of  supernatural beasts in the vast world of The Continent.

The anime film is from “The Witcher” series producers Lauren Schmidt Hissrich and Beau DeMayo, along with the Korean animation studio Studio Mir animation studio. Netflix provided a bare-bones description of the project, saying, “The world of ‘The Witcher’ expands in this anime film that explores a powerful new threat facing the Continent.”

RELEASE DATE

Popular on Variety

Briarcliff Entertainment has acquired U.S. distribution rights to “Honest Thief,” starring Liam Neeson and Kate Walsh.

Neeson plays a bank robber who wants to turn himself in and return stolen money after falling in love with Walsh’s character. But he’s forced to go underground when he discovers the law enforcement officers are corrupt in order to save himself and his love.

“Honest Thief” is directed by Mark Williams, who co-wrote with Steve Allrich. The film co-stars Jeffrey Donovan, Jai Courtney, Anthony Ramos and Robert Patrick.

Williams produced with Myles Nestel, Craig Chapman, Tai Duncan and Jonah Loop. The news was first reported by Deadline.

PUBLICISTS HONOR

The International Cinematographers Guild Publicists will honor veteran publicist Sheryl Main with the Henri Bollinger Award.

The honor will be presented at the 57th Annual ICG Publicists Awards Luncheon on Feb. 7 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. Main is a publicity and marketing strategist with over 25 years’ experience in both the entertainment and political arenas.

The is named after the late publicist to recognize a person who epitomizes the definition of special merit in the field of entertainment.

Main began her career in film production in New York City working on projects with John Avildsen and John Huston before relocating to Los Angeles. She worked on the television series “Moonlighting” before moving to Warner Bros. Pictures. In 2004, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger tapped Main for his communications team where she served as deputy communications director and director of foreign and specialty media for nearly four years.

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