Superprime Films has signed director Mark Romanek. This marks his first signing since joining Satellite Films in 1990, which was a division of Propaganda Films that later evolved into Anonymous Content. Superprime will represent Romanek in the U.S. market, extending to the U.K. and Amsterdam through ProdCo.
A luminary in the film, music video, and commercial realms, Romanek has garnered widespread acclaim for his distinctive storytelling and visionary approach. Notably, he wrote and directed the feature films One Hour Photo (2002), starring Robin Williams, and the 2010 adaptation of Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro’s beloved novel, “Never Let Me Go” starring Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, and Keira Knightley.
Romanek’s influence extends deeply into the music world, having collaborated with artists such as Jay-Z, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, and Lady Gaga. His music videos have earned him a collection of awards, including 20 MTV Music Video Awards and three Grammy Awards for Best Short Form Music Video.
Beyond his work in music and film, Romanek’s contributions to television include HBO’s Vinyl (produced by Mick Jagger and Martin Scorsese) and the pilot for Amazon Prime’s 2020 series Tales From The Loop, featuring Rebecca Hall and Jonathan Pryce.
His body of work also includes over three dozen TV spots and films for Apple, as well as ads for brands like Tiffany & Co, Calvin Klein, and Nike.
“Mark’s unparalleled body of film-work has impacted people all over the world for nearly three decades. We are beyond thrilled to start this new journey with him,” said Michelle Ross, managing director at Superprime Films.
Romanek shared, “Saying goodbye to my close friends at Anonymous Content was far from a causal decision, mainly because of the love and respect I have for David Levine, Eric Stern, SueEllen Clair and all the great people there, who’ve worked so hard on my behalf–and for so many years. And yet, sometimes it’s simply time for a change–a fresh start with new collaborators. Of all the possible places to land, Superprime was my first and only choice, not only because I’ve known Rebecca Skinner since my days back at Propaganda/Satellite Films (which has made this made this transition very comfortable), but because I feel so honored to be included on a roster of both legendary filmmakers (many of whom are personal heroes) and exemplars of a new generation of visual storytellers. I am excited to continue evolving my craft and sensibilities there, so that we can create even more daring and more sincere work going forward.”
James Earl Jones, Lauded Actor and Voice of Darth Vader, Dies At 93
James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen — eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, "The Lion King" and Darth Vader — has died. He was 93.
His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Monday morning at home in New York's Hudson Valley region. The cause was not immediately clear.
The pioneering Jones, who was one of the first African American actors in a continuing role on a daytime drama and worked deep into his 80s, won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors and was given an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. In 2022, a Broadway theater was renamed in his honor.
He cut an elegant figure late in life, with a wry sense of humor and a ferocious work habit. In 2015, he arrived at rehearsals for a Broadway run of "The Gin Game" having already memorized the play and with notebooks filled with comments from the creative team. He said he was always in service of the work.
"The need to storytell has always been with us," he told The Associated Press then. "I think it first happened around campfires when the man came home and told his family he got the bear, the bear didn't get him."
Jones created such memorable film roles as the reclusive writer coaxed back into the spotlight in "Field of Dreams," the boxer Jack Johnson in the stage and screen hit "The Great White Hope," the writer Alex Haley in "Roots: The Next Generation" and a South African minister in "Cry, the Beloved Country."
He was also a sought-after voice actor, expressing the villainy of Darth Vader ("No, I am your father," commonly misremembered as "Luke, I am your father"), as... Read More