Redbear Films has signed director Alan Tudyk for his first-ever U.S. commercial representation. Tudyk, an actor with memorable roles in films I, Robot, Knocked Up and Frozen, and TV shows Arrested Development, Young Justice, Suburgatory, Firefly and many more, has hit the ground running helming a new campaign for Slickdeals produced direct-to-client. Tudyk will also be directing a scripted series, Con Man, produced by Redbear founder PJ Haarsma and actor/producer Nathan Fillion (Castle, Serenity). Con Man will star Tudyk, Fillion and others soon to be announced.
Tudyk said, “I enjoyed directing the Slickdeals spots for Redbear and look forward to doing more. I have known PJ Haarsma for many years and have recently been collaborating on several original projects. I have been lucky enough to work with some amazing directors over the past 20 years. My directing style is borrowed from them all. Imagine if Frank Oz, Mike Nichols, Joss Whedon, Curtis Hanson, Judd Apatow, Brian Helgeland, Jay Roach, Tom Shadyac, and Michael Bay all had sex to produce a director baby, I aspire to be that baby.”
Tudyk has appeared in myriad television shows and over 20 feature films. His talents traverse drama and comedy, and he is appearing in the upcoming, Welcome to Me, with Kristin Wiig. He is currently shooting the Jay Roach feature, Trumbo, opposite Bryan Cranston, Dianne Lane, Helen Mirren, John Goodman, Louie CK and Michael Stulbarg.
Tudyk’s role in Disney’s hit animated feature, Wreck it Ralph, garnered him an Annie Award for his role of King Candy. He has also been nominated for an MTV Movie Award and SAG Award for his roles in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story and 3:10 to Yuma, respectively.
Review: Writer-Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood’s “Heretic”
"Heretic" opens with an unusual table setter: Two young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are discussing condoms and why some are labeled as large even though they're all pretty much a standard size. "What else do we believe because of marketing?" one asks the other.
That line will echo through the movie, a stimulating discussion of religion that emerges from a horror movie wrapper. Despite a second-half slide and feeling unbalanced, this is the rare movie that combines lots of squirting blood and elevated discussion of the ancient Egyptian god Horus.
Our two church members — played fiercely by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East — are wandering around trying to covert souls when they knock on the door of a sweet-looking cottage. Its owner, Mr. Reed, offers a hearty "Good afternoon!" He welcomes them in, brings them drinks and promises a blueberry pie. He's also interested in learning more about the church. So far, so good.
Mr. Reed is, of course, if you've seen the poster, the baddie and he's played by Hugh Grant, who doesn't go the snarling, dead-eyed Hannibal Lecter route in "Heretic." Grant is the slightly bumbling, bashful and self-mocking character we fell in love with in "Four Weddings and a Funeral," but with a smear of menace. He gradually reveals that he actually knows quite a bit about the Mormon religion — and all religions.
"It's good to be religious," he says jauntily and promises his wife will join them soon, a requirement for the church. Homey touches in his home include a framed "Bless This Mess" needlepoint on a wall, but there are also oddities, like his lights are on a timer and there's metal in the walls and ceilings.
Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood — who also... Read More