VENICE FILM FESTIVAL OUTLINES NEW STRUCTURE: The Venice Film Festival has announced that the 77th edition will go forward from September 2-12th with changes to sanitary protocols to respect public health guidelines during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Films will be reduced to about 50-55 numbers, with competitive sections Venezia 77 and Horizons maintaining their usual procedures and format, as will the Out of Competition section, and Biennale College Cinema, Deadline reports. Safety measures to allow social distancing will also be implemented.
BRAD PITT TO STAR IN BULLET TRAIN: Brad Pitt is set to lead Sony‘s action pic Bullet Train, with David Leitch in the director’s chair. The film is based on the Japanese book Maria Beetle by Kotaro Isaka, and focuses on a group of assassins on a train in Tokyo. Shooting will begin this fall, barring any coronavirus restrictions.
TIKTOK TO STOP OPERATIONS IN HONG KONG: The popular social media platform TikTok will exit Hong Kong following an introduction of China’s new national security law. A TikTok rep told Reuters that the decision to exit Hong Kong was made “in light of recent events” and would take place “within days”. TikTok has been downloaded 2 billion+ times and allows users to share short videos.
SKY SCOOPS UP BAKE OFF: The Comcast-owned Sky has taken full ownership of Love Productions, behind the wildly popular The Great British Bake Off. Sky has owned a 70% stake in the company since 2014. Financial details on the deal weren’t disclosed.