Vince Gilligan Returns
If you were Vince Gilligan after Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, you’d likely enjoy filming in New Mexico, too, which is probably why the one-time writer for The X Files is back in his old stomping grounds with a new untitled project starring Saul alum Rhea Seehorn. Titles aside, said project will reportedly employ 1,400 New Mexicans across 500 or more crew jobs, 100 some-odd principal actors and more than 800 background actors (which some might call extras). Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is pretty pumped on the prospect of having Gilligan back around here and said in a statement that, “We are committed to ensuring the success of any production this creative and talented ensemble brings to New Mexico.” Not to be outdone, Gilligan had his own thoughts in that same statement: “I’m thrilled to be working in New Mexico again,” he said. “Story-wise, this new show could have been set anywhere in the United States. However, I keep returning to the Land of Enchantment for the beautifully cinematic landscape and to continue working with the best crew ever.” Awww, cute! New Mexico likes you, too, Vince!
Happy Birthday, Center for Contemporary Arts!
It’s kind of hard to believe we all thought the Center for Contemporary Arts would close forever just one year ago when the board voted to shut them doors—especially since programming at the cinema/arts center has been on fire lately. Yet here we are. Part of the new mission over there on Old Pecos Trail is partnerships with organizations like po-mo theater company Exodus Ensemble and contempo chamber music outfit Chatter, but let’s not forget, too, that the upcoming lineup of films are an indie lover’s dream. This week, you can catch Evil Does Not Exist, and CCA will soon host the much-ballyhooed Vera Drew fever dream The People’s Joker, as well as the Rachel Sennott-led I Used to Be Funny about a former nanny grappling with a stalled stand-up career and a missing former charge. Check out Sennott in Shiva Baby real quick to see why that’s a big deal.
Finger on the Pulse
Streaming giant Netflix is getting into the medical procedural game with Pulse, a new show from television vets Zoe Robyn (The Equalizer) and Carlton Cuse (Lost) that will film in and around Albuquerque through August. Set in Miami (yet filmed here, weirdly), the show follows a trauma center staff that grapples with medical emergencies and such. And though it’s hard to say for sure just yet, if the entire history of television has taught us anything, there will likely be some sort of love story, too. Maybe a triangle? Maybe a will-they/won’t-they sort of thing? Who’s in Pulse? Willa Fitzgerald (The Fall of the House of Usher), Colin Woodell (The Continental: From the World of John Wick), Jack Bannon (Pennyworth) and, probably, a bunch of other people, too.