One of the Netflix original movies, that was currently released, and immediately praised by both the critics and the audience, was the “News of the World”.
Let’s find out more about the movie!
- News of the World is a 2020 American Western drama film.
- It was directed by Paul Greengrass.
- It was co-written by Paul Greengrass, Luke Davies, and Paulette Jiles.
- Actually, the movie was based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Paulette Jiles.
- Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel are the lead actors.
- The film follows a Civil War veteran who must return a young girl who was taken in by the Kiowa as a little girl to her last remaining family.
- News of the World was released theatrically by Universal Pictures in the United States on December 25, 2020.
- Later, it was released by Netflix in other international territories on February 10, 2021.
- It received positive reviews from critics who praised Hanks and Zengel’s performances as well as the cinematography, musical score, and Greengrass’ direction.
- At the 93rd Academy Awards, the film received nominations for Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Sound.
- Zengel’s performance received nominations for Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes.
- It also received nominations at Screen Actors Guild Awards.
- In May 2017, Fox 2000 Pictures bought distribution rights to an adaptation of the Paulette Jiles novel with Luke Davies writing the screenplay and Tom Hanks set to star.
- In February 2019, Paul Greengrass was announced as director.
- As a result of the Disney/Fox merger, the film was transferred to Universal Pictures.
- In August, Helena Zengel, Michael Covino, and Fred Hechinger were added to the cast, and Thomas Francis Murphy joined in September.
- Filming commenced on September 2, 2019, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
- In November 2020, Netflix bought the international distribution rights (excluding the United States) to the film.
- In the United States, News of the World, released alongside Wonder Woman 1984, Promising Young Woman, and Pinocchio, was projected to gross around $4 million from 1,900 theaters in its opening weekend.
- The film made $1.05 million on its first day.
- It went on to debut to $2.3 million.
- It finishes second at the box office behind Wonder Woman 1984.
- 70% of the audience was over the age of 35.
- The film fell 25% in its second weekend, grossing $1.7 million, then made $1.24 million in its third weekend.
- Helena Zengel said she had never heard of Tom Hanks before she had been cast in the role, that “I think I’d seen Da Vinci Code(2006) before, but I didn’t know who he was. I thought it was just some actor”, according to an article in the New York Times on 12/30/2020.
- Even after landing the role of Johanna in this film, German actress Helena Zengel still didn’t know who Tom Hanks was until after the actual film shoot began and she was in the makeup trailer when Tom walked in and introduced himself. Thereafter the pair got on incredibly well and became such good friends over the course of the production, they continued to correspond after the film wrapped.
- It’s the English language debut film for German actress Helena Zengel.
- One of very few movies to show the effect of recoil upon stacking dimes in shotgun shell. A 3.5″ brass shell can hold approximately 16 dimes, at nearly fifty percent more than the weight of a standard slug. Recoil is a function of the weight of the projectile and the gases discharged, so a heavier projectile produces notably greater recoil. Kidd is knocked back noticeably, and Johanna is almost knocked off her feet by the recoil.
- Pre-production underwent six weeks of preparation in New Mexico, including three weeks training in Kiowa language and customs for newcomer Helena Zengel.
- One skill Helena did not have to master, however, was horse riding as she’d been doing that since age four.
