Film News Roundup: Taraji P. Henson Comedy ‘What Men Want’ Moves to February

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – In today’s film news roundup, Paramount has moved “What Men Want” back four weeks, a short film will be screened ahead of John Cho’s “Searching” and coming-of-age drama “Runt” rounds out its cast.

RELEASE DATE

Paramount Pictures has moved back its Taraji P. Henson comedy “” back a month from Jan. 11 to Feb. 8.

The move came a week after Lionsgate vacated the February date by moving its Seth Rogen-Charlize Theron comedy “Flarsky” to the summer season.

“What Men Want” is a remake of the Mel Gibson comedy “What Women Want.” Henson stars as sports agent who, after being passed up for a well-deserved promotion, gains the ability to hear men’s thoughts. The movie, directed by Adam Shankman, also stars Aldis Hodge and Tracy Morgan.

“What Women Want,” directed by Nancy Meyers, was a major hit for Paramount with $374 million in worldwide grosses.

YOUTUBE CONTEST

Aneesh Chaganty, director of Screen Gems’ “Searching,” will announce the winner of his YouTube Space Director’s Lab on Thursday from five short films with the winner then being screened ahead of the movie.

The shorts will be screened ahead of a preview showing of “Searching,” starring John Cho. The participants are Sarah Rotella and Adriana DiLonardo from “Unsolicited Project,” Tony E. Valenzuela from “BlackBoxTV,” Shae-Lee Shackleford from “SketchShe,” Tim Hautekiet from “TimH Films” and Mikey Murphy from “Mikey Murphy.”

The participants met with Chaganty and discussed the making of movies, the future of storytelling and Chaganty’s personal process before being tasked to create an original short film inspired by “Searching” and focusing on the overall themes of technology and “we are what we hide.” The original shorts are live on each filmmaker’s YouTube channel, at the film website at searching.movie/shorts, and via the Sony Pictures Entertainment YouTube channel.

“I’m honored to have hosted this workshop and to be part of these incredibly talented filmmakers’ bright journeys. They all bring different skill sets and ideas to the table, so choosing just one short out of the five is going to be tough,” said Chaganty. “But I’m really excited for everyone to be able to watch all of them, regardless of which one makes it to the big screen.”

CASTINGS

Seth Lee (“The Accountant”), Cyrus Arnold, Carson Boatman and Javier Bolanos have been cast in the teenage thriller “Runt,” Variety has learned exclusively.

Previously announced cast members include Nicole Elizabeth Berger, Cameron Boyce, Jason Patric, Brianna Hildebrand, Tichina Arnold and Aramis Knight.

The film is directed by William Coakley and produced by Carl Rumbaugh (“A Raisin in the Sun”) and Gregory Thomas (“Tragedy Girls”) and is a production of Wagging Tails Productions. “Runt” is Coakley’s first feature as a director.

“Runt” is written by Christian van Gregg, Armand Constantine with Coakley. It’s set to shoot in Los Angeles later this month.

“Runt” is a coming-of-age, haunting story that follows high-school teenagers with Boyce’s character becoming fed up with getting bullied a group of goons and jocks. The film explores how a lack of adult guidance or intervention from grown-ups who are absent or lacking in moral compass can readily devolve into pain, abuse, self-destruction and violence.

Lee is repped by Paradigm and 23 Management Group. Arnold is repped by APA, Boatman is repped by 23 Management Group and Bolanos is repped by KMR Talent