| Reel Chicago – At the intersection of Chicago Advertising, Entertainment, Media and Production
Reel Chicago is a daily digital magazine that covers the news in Chicago on all aspects of advertising, film, TV, media and production. The content is original, written by industry experts and contributing Op Eds
0 Before COVID-19 shut down production last March, Chicago-born director Lana Wachowski was deep into filming the fourth, the first of a new trilogy, Matrix film for Warner Bros. Since then, the Keanu Reeves-Carrie Anne-Moss sci-fi pic has resumed production in Belgium. Sister Lilly, who identified as trans along with her sister after the films … Continue reading “Wachowski says ‘Matrix’ is transgender allegory”
2+ Even with cities and their movie theaters cautiously reopening after being shut down for three months, studios are not risking box office failure with their big tentpole films. Just shortly after delaying Wonder Woman 1984 to October 2, comes word that Warner Bros. is halting the 2021 release of the highly-anticipated fourth The Matrix … Continue reading “Warner Bros. delays ‘Matrix’ sequel until 2022”
2+ While the three original films – The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions – seemed to conclude the series – Neo and Trinity do die – there has been speculation that the world would return someday. That someday began last August when Warner Bros. officially announced that a fourth Matrix would happen. … Continue reading “Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss on returning to ‘Matrix’”
3+ Like other big budget productions, The Matrix 4, directed by Lana Wachowski, has shut down until the current Coronavirus pandemic has cleared enough for studios to feel safe to go back into production. That day seems like it will come sooner rather than later as sister outlet Reel 360 reports California will reopen for film production this Friday, June … Continue reading “Lilly Wachowski admits “rage” inspired ‘Matrix’”
2+ When the Wachowskis’ The Matrix premiered in 1999, it gave film audiences some of the most ground-breaking, jaw-dropping action sequences of the time. Who can forget in the opening minutes, Trinity (played by Carrie-Anne Moss) springing into the air, freezing and the camera spinning around her? Even if the subsequent sequels were not as … Continue reading “‘John Wick’ directors help out with ‘Matrix 4’ stunts”
2+ If rumors are to be believed a new Matrix, helmed by the Wachowskis could be filming in town as early as next year There is a new rumor making the rounds that ComicBookMovie.com caught wind of. If it is to be believed, the once successful Matrix franchise will return to the big screen sooner … Continue reading “Chatter: Is new ‘Matrix’ filming in Chicago 2020?”
3+ NOTE FROM EDITOR, BARBARA ROCHE: Although Reel Chicago primarily covers and promotes films made in Chicago while our sister publication, Reel 360 covers national news, I could not miss this opportunity to promote a Kevin Bacon film no matter where it was filmed. If you have worked in the Chicago film industry for a … Continue reading “Exclusive Look: Kevin Bacon’s YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT”
4+ Like other big budget productions, The Matrix 4, directed by Lana Wachowski, has shut down until the current Coronavirus pandemic has cleared enough for studios to feel safe to go back into production. The third sequel to 1999’s original blockbuster was co-directed by Wachowski and her sister Lilly. Lilly is not returning to the co-director’s … Continue reading “Lilly Wachowski on why she left Hollywood”
4+ Asian Americans have been a silent voice in American Media since the birth of cinema. While many other demographics have found a way to break through to mainstream markets, few filmmakers and actors of Asian descent have risen to the top. Asians currently make up the majority of the world’s population, and continue to … Continue reading “Zoom Interview: Richard Song of Eleven04”
1+ Noah Kadner, Editor-in-chief at AbelCine goes Behind the Scenes with The Slow Mo Guys. The Slow Mo Guys are creator/cinematographer Gavin Free and co-host Dan Gruchy. Free and Gruchy primarily use a Phantom Flex4K high-speed camera to capture various forms of natural and physical phenomenon in super slow motion at 1,000 frames per second. Popular episode subjects … Continue reading “High-Speed cameras and ‘The Slow Mo Guys’”
4+ Cinepocalypse — Chicago’s premiere annual genre festival, produced and presented by the Music Box Theatre — is proud to bring in the New Year with the announcement of Katie Rife as new Senior Programmer of the festival. Rife, a Senior Writer for The A.V. Club who previously helmed the festival’s shorts programming, joins ahead … Continue reading “Cinepocalypse names Katie Rife new Senior Programmer”
6+ Renetta McCann, Chief Inclusion Experience Officer, Publicis Groupe, was today named the recipient of the Chicago Advertising Federation’s 2019 Silver Medal Award. The CAF Silver Medal Award recognizes a distinguished member of the Chicago advertising community for outstanding career accomplishments in the areas of: creative ability, contributions to the general advancement of advertising, contributions … Continue reading “Renetta McCann to receive CAF’s Silver Medal Award”
2+ Optimus’ Kathryn Schade, Cutters’ Magdalena Hernandez, Another Country’s Logan Vines take first places in Graphics, Editorial, and Sound Design Camp Kuleshov, AICP’s annual trailer competition for assistants and junior-level employees at member companies, challenges entrants with re-imagining or reworking films by creating new trailers that cast the movie in a different genre than originally … Continue reading “2019 Camp Kuleshov Winners”
3+ The annual LGBTQ+ fest will screen work by Lilly Wachowski, Jesús Canchola Sánchez, Michael Cicetti, Wendy Jo Carlton, Laura Madalinski, and more Reeling, Chicago’s LGBTQ+ film festival, will host international, national and local actors and filmmakers at its 37th edition, unspooling September 19-29 at Music Box Theatre, Landmark Theatres’ Century Centre Cinema and Chicago … Continue reading “Reeling to showcase a load of Chicago-connected films”
3+ From ‘Shiny Shrimps’ to ‘Scream Queen,’ the annual Windy City tradition promises to entertain, inspire, amuse, arouse and break a few hearts Reeling, the second-oldest LGBTQ film festival in the world and a beloved Chicago cultural institution for more than 35 years, kicks off fall with an exciting slate of movies that showcases the … Continue reading “2019 Reeling LGBTQ film festival”
4+ A cornucopia of classic genre screenings, premieres, and events to take place at Chicago’s iconic Music Box Theatre. From June 21st through June 28th, a cornucopia of genre screenings and events will take place at the Music Box Theatre for its second annual Cinepocalypse. The film festival grinds together a gory cocktail … Continue reading “Cinepocalypse fest from June 21 – 28 at Music Box”
11+ Burnett celebrates the top-performing agencies in global network Last week in Chicago, Leo Burnett Worldwide hosted the 20th annual Leo Burnett “Agency of the Year.” This global celebration recognized the best agencies in the global network by reviewing what Burnett has based their credos on — creative prowess and business results. Leo Burnett Beirut … Continue reading “Latest from Leo B, McDonald’s, and the box office”
Best-selling author Marcus Sakey compounded the challenge of going from book to film long before he agreed to adapt his latest novel, Afterlife, into a screenplay for Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagination Entertainment.
“My goal is entertainment for smart people,” says the Chicago-based writer. “Stuff that’s compelling and well flushed out and feels real.”
That’s all for “The Clusters.” Netflix has canceled drama SENSE8 after two seasons.
The diverse series was created and directed by Chicagoans Lilly and Lana Wachowski (The Matrix, Speed Racer, Jupiter Rising) and filmed in Chicago and at numerous locations around the country and internationally.
“After 23 episodes, 16 cities and 13 countries, the story of the SENSE8 cluster is coming to an end,” said Cindy Holland, VP of Netflix original content.
Independent agency The Escape Pod announced today that it has promoted Leah Hattendorf to Senior Vice President, Director of Strategy. In her new role, Leah will continue to lead The Escape Pod’s Research and Strategy group, in addition to spearheading new business efforts and building out additional revenue streams for the agency.
