Ryan Suffern: Celebs Rumors

K.J. Yossman “Lord of the Dance” star Michael Flatley is set to be the subject of a new in-depth feature documentary titled “The Billion Dollar Dancer.” Following Flatley’s life and career from his humble beginnings as the son of Irish immigrants in Chicago to becoming one of the world’s most famous dancers, it will cover everything from bullying to boxing — plus his love of fast cars and his battle with cancer — through archive footage and interviews with the dancing sensation himself.

Joe Leydon Film CriticLet’s not mince words: “Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story” is a high-stepping, hand-waving, spirit-lifting gas. Co-directors Frank Marshall and Ryan Suffern, with the invaluable assistance of editor Martin Singer, have fashioned an infectiously exuberant overview of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the Big Easy’s unique and enormous celebration of its music, cuisine and multiculturalism, by combining their own footage of performances and interviews at the 50th iteration of the star-studded annual event — the last before COVID-19 forced cancelation of the 2000 and 2001 editions — and archival footage dating back to the festival’s earliest days.Those days might have begun earlier, fest co-founder George Wein reveals during an interview conducted before his 2021 passing, if he had accepted a 1962 invitation by locals to establish the New Orleans equivalent of his Newport Jazz Festival.

No American city is as steeped in native musical lore and legacy as is New Orleans and you get a good feeling for how that came about in Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story. It’s a documentary overflowing with performers and music that still barely begins to scratch the surface of what’s gone on musically for ages in the fabled, oft-distressed city. Music fans of assorted persuasions will be delighted with the samples served up here, although the subject is so vast and varied that something like a six or ten-hour miniseries would be required to begin to do it justice. With Sony Pictures Classics handling the U.S. release starting May 13 after it SXSW bow, the film is certain to get a nice lift-off and extensive exposure on home tubes is assured.

Sony Pictures Classics announced today that its feature documentary Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story, co-directed by five-time Oscar nominee Frank Marshall (The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart) and Ryan Suffern (Mr. A & Mr. M: The Story of A&M Records), will hit theaters in New York and Los Angeles on May 13, before expanding to additional markets in the following weeks. It will open against IFC Films’ horror-thriller The Innocents, Roadside Attractions’ comedy Family Camp and Universal’s horror-thriller Firestarter starring Zac Efron and more.

Chris Willman Music WriterSheryl Crow, Nick Cave, King Crimson, Dio, XXXTentacion, Tanya Tucker, Chumbawamba, Courtney Barnett, Cesária Évora and Mojo Nixon — together again for the first time: These are some of the highly diverse subjects of a slate of music documentaries (or, in the case of Tierra Whack, a fictional film) set to unspool at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin March 11-20.The 16 movies represented in the “24 Beats Per Second” lineup are nearly all world premieres, in a film festival that skews toward SXSW’s original roots as a pure music festival by always carving out a special category for features that chronicle musicians or music scenes.The music doc coming into the festival with probably the highest level of fan anticipation is , which promises to have director Sabaah Folayan offering “a sensitive portrayal” of a precocious, highly controversial, Soundcloud-based rapper “whose acts of violence, raw musical talent and open struggles with mental health left an indelible mark on his generation before his death at the age of 20.” While many of the festival entries are looking for a sale from their exposure at SXSW, “Look at Me!” is already set to stream on Hulu this summer. Joining the artist profiles in the film lineup are documentaries about the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, “Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story,” by co-directors Frank Marshall and Ryan Suffern, and rubber bridge guitars, in “Really Good Rejects,” a film that will have producer Aaron Dessner talking about using them on Taylor Swift’s recent folkier albums.Some of the films promise to be complete life and career chronicles, like those devoted to Crow, Barnett and Dio.

Epix is digging into the story behind iconic A&M Records. The network has set a December premiere date for music docuseries Mr. A & Mr. M: The Story of A&M Records, from Laurel Canyon producers Frank Marshall and Ryan Suffern, Kennedy/Marshall Company, Polygram Entertainment, Interscope Films and Universal Music Publishing Group. The two-part docuseries will premiere December 5 and conclude December 12 at 10 pm.

Ethan Shanfeld Hulu released a trailer for “McCartney 3,2,1,” premiering on July 16.The six-episode series features an intimate conversation between Paul McCartney and legendary producer Rick Rubin, who explore McCartney’s music and life from The Beatles to Wings to his over 50-year career as a solo artist.In the trailer, McCartney and Rubin discuss the stories behind iconic songs including “Come Together,” “All My Loving,” “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds,” “With A Little Help From My Friends,” “Maybe I’m Amazed” and more.“McCartney 3,2,1” is directed by Zachary Heinzerling and executive produced by McCartney, Rubin, Scott Rodger, Peter Berg, Matthew Goldberg, Brandon Carroll, Jeff Pollack, Frank Marshall and Ryan Suffern with Leila

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all worldwide rights to the documentary “Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story” which is co-directed by five-time Academy Award nominee Frank Marshall and Ryan Suffern, the studio announced on Thursday.The documentary is produced by Marshall, Suffern and Sean Stuart (“The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash”), executive produced by Quint Davis and Jimmy Buffett and features artists Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Buffett, Katy Perry, Earth, Wind & Fire, and many others.“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Sony Pictures Classics to bring ‘Jazz Fest’ to the big screen,” Marshall said in a statement.

EXCLUSIVE: Sony Pictures Classics has taken all global rights to the documentary Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story co-directed by five-time Oscar nominee Frank Marshall and Ryan Suffern (Finding Oscar). Marshall recently directed the HBO documentary The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart which is in consideration for this Emmy season.

Also Read: 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Writer Anthony McCarten in Talks to Write Bee Gees Biopic“How Can You Mend a Broken Hearts” is a Polygram Entertainment presentation and is produced by Kennedy/Marshall and White Horse Pictures production in association with Diamond Docs. Marshall also produces alongside Nigel Sinclair and Jeanne Elfant Festa, as well as Mark Monroe.The film is executive produced by David Blackman, Jody Gerson, Steve Barnett, Nicholas Ferrall, Cassidy Hartmann and Ryan Suffern.