Top News
Steve Albini, the noise rock pioneer with Big Black and Shellac who also helped engineer some of the greatest alternative rock albums of all time — Nirvana’s In Utero and Pixies’ Surfer Rosa among them — has died at the age of 61.
Staff at Albini’s Electrical Audio Recording confirmed to Rolling Stone that Albini died Tuesday night, with the New York Times adding that the cause of death was a heart attack. Albini’s death comes just a week after his acclaimed noise rock project Shellac was set to release To All Trains,...
Staff at Albini’s Electrical Audio Recording confirmed to Rolling Stone that Albini died Tuesday night, with the New York Times adding that the cause of death was a heart attack. Albini’s death comes just a week after his acclaimed noise rock project Shellac was set to release To All Trains,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
An HBO concert special based on Lady Gaga’s 2022 “Chromatica Ball” tour will premiere on the network on Saturday, May 25 at 8 p.m. Et/Pt and will be available to stream on Max.
stream 'chromatica ball tour' on max $9.99/Month
The special was filmed before a sold-out crowd of 52,000 people at Los Angeles’s Dodger Stadium in September of 2022 and features the Grammy and Oscar-winning artist performing such hits as “Bad Romance,” “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” “Shallow,” “Rain On Me,” “Stupid Love” and more.
The special was produced, directed and created by Lady Gaga; executive producers were her longtime manager...
stream 'chromatica ball tour' on max $9.99/Month
The special was filmed before a sold-out crowd of 52,000 people at Los Angeles’s Dodger Stadium in September of 2022 and features the Grammy and Oscar-winning artist performing such hits as “Bad Romance,” “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” “Shallow,” “Rain On Me,” “Stupid Love” and more.
The special was produced, directed and created by Lady Gaga; executive producers were her longtime manager...
- 5/8/2024
- by Jem Aswad
- Variety - TV News
New ‘The Office’ Series Picked Up at Peacock, First Plot Details Reveal Midwestern Newspaper Setting
The new iteration of “The Office” has been picked up to series at Peacock, Variety has learned.
As has been previously reported, the show is not a reboot or spinoff of “The Office,” but rather a new mockumentary show with a new cast set in the same universe. For the first time since the show was first revealed to be in the works in late 2023, plot details are now available. The official logline states:
“The documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover a dying historic Midwestern newspaper and...
As has been previously reported, the show is not a reboot or spinoff of “The Office,” but rather a new mockumentary show with a new cast set in the same universe. For the first time since the show was first revealed to be in the works in late 2023, plot details are now available. The official logline states:
“The documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover a dying historic Midwestern newspaper and...
- 5/8/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety - TV News
Travis Kelce has joined the cast of Ryan Murphy’s new horror series “Grotesquerie.”
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end has been cast opposite Niecy Nash-Betts, Courtney B. Vance and Lesley Manville in the FX series, which will premiere this fall. Although character details have not been revealed, this marks Kelce’s first major acting role.
Kelce confirmed the news in an Instagram Story featuring a video of himself and Nash-Betts.
“Guys, guess who I am working with in ‘Grotesquerie’?” Nash-Betts asks in the video before panning over to Kelce.
“Stepping into new territory with Niecy,” Kelce adds.
The NFL...
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end has been cast opposite Niecy Nash-Betts, Courtney B. Vance and Lesley Manville in the FX series, which will premiere this fall. Although character details have not been revealed, this marks Kelce’s first major acting role.
Kelce confirmed the news in an Instagram Story featuring a video of himself and Nash-Betts.
“Guys, guess who I am working with in ‘Grotesquerie’?” Nash-Betts asks in the video before panning over to Kelce.
“Stepping into new territory with Niecy,” Kelce adds.
The NFL...
- 5/8/2024
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety - TV News
Isabelle Huppert will preside over the main jury of the upcoming Venice Film Festival.
The revered French actor has a longstanding rapport with the Lido, having won Venice’s
Coppa Volpi for best actress twice, first with “Story of Women” in 1988, and subsequently with “La Cérémonie” in 1995, both directed by Claude Chabrol.
Huppert – who has made a total of eight films with Chabrol – also has a close bond with the Cannes Film Festival where in 1978 she won the best actress statuette for Chabrol’s “Violette.” In 2001, Huppert won her second best actress award at Cannes for her tour-de-force performance as a sado-masochistic music professor in Michael Haneke’s “The Piano.” In 2005, Huppert was honored by Venice with a Special Golden Lion for her titular role in “Gabrielle,” Patrice Chéreau’s costume drama about an imploded marriage.
In 2017 she gained her first Academy Award nomination for her role as a rape...
The revered French actor has a longstanding rapport with the Lido, having won Venice’s
Coppa Volpi for best actress twice, first with “Story of Women” in 1988, and subsequently with “La Cérémonie” in 1995, both directed by Claude Chabrol.
Huppert – who has made a total of eight films with Chabrol – also has a close bond with the Cannes Film Festival where in 1978 she won the best actress statuette for Chabrol’s “Violette.” In 2001, Huppert won her second best actress award at Cannes for her tour-de-force performance as a sado-masochistic music professor in Michael Haneke’s “The Piano.” In 2005, Huppert was honored by Venice with a Special Golden Lion for her titular role in “Gabrielle,” Patrice Chéreau’s costume drama about an imploded marriage.
In 2017 she gained her first Academy Award nomination for her role as a rape...
- 5/8/2024
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety - Film News
Mubi has kicked off its 2024 Cannes Film Festival early and in style, acquiring worldwide rights to one of the buzziest films set to premiere in competition.
The arthouse distributor, production banner and streamer has landed Coralie Fargeat’s body horror “The Substance,” starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley and Denis Quaid, picking up all rights for North America, U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria, Latin America and Benelux, where it will release theatrically this year. Mubi has also acquired the rights for Turkey and India. The Match Factory, owned by Mubi, is handling sales for all other territories.
Written and directed by Fargeat, who made a noise with her debut, 2017’s action-thriller “Revenge,” “The Substance” goes into Cannes with a significant amount of intrigue, having been produced by Working Title, the Brit banner best known for rom-coms and prestige dramas.
“Have you ever dreamed of a better version of yourself?” reads the...
The arthouse distributor, production banner and streamer has landed Coralie Fargeat’s body horror “The Substance,” starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley and Denis Quaid, picking up all rights for North America, U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria, Latin America and Benelux, where it will release theatrically this year. Mubi has also acquired the rights for Turkey and India. The Match Factory, owned by Mubi, is handling sales for all other territories.
Written and directed by Fargeat, who made a noise with her debut, 2017’s action-thriller “Revenge,” “The Substance” goes into Cannes with a significant amount of intrigue, having been produced by Working Title, the Brit banner best known for rom-coms and prestige dramas.
“Have you ever dreamed of a better version of yourself?” reads the...
- 5/8/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
Susan Buckner, an American actor best known for her role as Patty Simcox in the 1978 musical “Grease,” died May 2. She was 72. Her death was confirmed by her publicist.
At the age of 25, Buckner was cast in the role of the Rydell High cheerleader, joining a cast that included John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. As Simcox, Buckner played a solider of school spirit, with an iconic cheer cemented into fans’ minds: “Do the splits, give a yell! Show a little spirit for old Rydell! Way to go, red and white! Go Rydell, fight, fight, fight!”
Buckner continued working as an actor with guest credits across several television shows, including “The Love Boat,” “B.J and the Bear” and “The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.” She co-starred in the ABC series “When the Whistle Blows.” Among other notable feature credits, Buckner appeared in Wes Craven’s 1981 horror film “Deadly Blessing” opposite Sharon Stone, as...
At the age of 25, Buckner was cast in the role of the Rydell High cheerleader, joining a cast that included John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. As Simcox, Buckner played a solider of school spirit, with an iconic cheer cemented into fans’ minds: “Do the splits, give a yell! Show a little spirit for old Rydell! Way to go, red and white! Go Rydell, fight, fight, fight!”
Buckner continued working as an actor with guest credits across several television shows, including “The Love Boat,” “B.J and the Bear” and “The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.” She co-starred in the ABC series “When the Whistle Blows.” Among other notable feature credits, Buckner appeared in Wes Craven’s 1981 horror film “Deadly Blessing” opposite Sharon Stone, as...
- 5/7/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety - Film News
The “Blade Runner” series in the works at Amazon Prime Video has cast Michelle Yeoh in a lead role, Variety has learned.
The series, titled “Blade Runner 2099,” was ordered at Amazon in September 2022. It serves as a sequel to both the original “Blade Runner” film and the followup film, “Blade Runner 2049.” Exact plot details are being kept under wraps, but sources say Yeoh will play a character named Olwen, described as a replicant near the end of her life.
Amazon declined to comment on specific character details.
Yeoh won the Academy Award for best actress for “Everything Everywhere All at Once...
The series, titled “Blade Runner 2099,” was ordered at Amazon in September 2022. It serves as a sequel to both the original “Blade Runner” film and the followup film, “Blade Runner 2049.” Exact plot details are being kept under wraps, but sources say Yeoh will play a character named Olwen, described as a replicant near the end of her life.
Amazon declined to comment on specific character details.
Yeoh won the Academy Award for best actress for “Everything Everywhere All at Once...
- 5/7/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety - TV News
Some breaking news from Westeros: The Game of Thrones prequel series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has added a major talent from Black Mirror to serve as its debut season’s lead director, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Owen Harris has boarded the HBO drama as an executive producer and will also direct the first three episodes, establishing the directorial vision for the series. Harris is best known for helming two of Black Mirror‘s finest episodes — “Be Right Back” and the widely acclaimed “San Junipero.”
In addition, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ episode count has now been revealed: The first season will be six episodes, making for a tighter opener than the 10-episode first seasons of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. The run time seems appropriate given Knight is an adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s 160-page novella The Hedge Knight rather than one of his 900-page epic novels.
Owen Harris has boarded the HBO drama as an executive producer and will also direct the first three episodes, establishing the directorial vision for the series. Harris is best known for helming two of Black Mirror‘s finest episodes — “Be Right Back” and the widely acclaimed “San Junipero.”
In addition, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ episode count has now been revealed: The first season will be six episodes, making for a tighter opener than the 10-episode first seasons of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. The run time seems appropriate given Knight is an adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s 160-page novella The Hedge Knight rather than one of his 900-page epic novels.
- 5/7/2024
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Primates will rule (the box office) again!
Disney’s “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is aiming for $50 million to $55 million from 3,700 theaters in its domestic debut, which will easily be enough to tower over the box office chart. Those ticket sales are roughly even with two of the three prior installments in 20th Century’s rebooted “Planet of the Apes” franchise: 2017’s “War for the Planet of the Apes” opened to $56.2 million and 2011’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” opened to $54.8 million, while 2014’s “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” notched a series-best $72 million.
At the international box office, where “Apes” movies tend to make the bulk of their revenues, this installment is tracking to collect $80 million to $90 million. Based on those projections, the film should end up on Sunday with a solid $130 million to $140 million at the global box office.
Directed by Wes Ball,...
Disney’s “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is aiming for $50 million to $55 million from 3,700 theaters in its domestic debut, which will easily be enough to tower over the box office chart. Those ticket sales are roughly even with two of the three prior installments in 20th Century’s rebooted “Planet of the Apes” franchise: 2017’s “War for the Planet of the Apes” opened to $56.2 million and 2011’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” opened to $54.8 million, while 2014’s “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” notched a series-best $72 million.
At the international box office, where “Apes” movies tend to make the bulk of their revenues, this installment is tracking to collect $80 million to $90 million. Based on those projections, the film should end up on Sunday with a solid $130 million to $140 million at the global box office.
Directed by Wes Ball,...
- 5/7/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety - Film News
Jeremy Strong may be playing the man behind The Boss in Deliver Me From Nowhere, the Bruce Springsteen-centric film to star Jeremy Allen White. Strong is in talks to play Springsteen’s longtime manager, Jon Landau, in the Scott Cooper feature, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. The film revolves around the making of Springsteen’s classic 1982 album Nebraska.
The 20th Century and Disney movie based on the 2023 book Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska by Warren Zanes.
Strong is coming off playing Kendall Roy, the eldest son of Logan Roy, in the hit HBO drama Succession, as well as playing Roy Cohn alongside Sebastian Stan as a young Donald Trump in The Apprentice, which will premiere in Cannes.
Deliver Me From Nowhere explores the making of Nebraska, which is considered to be one the greatest albums of all time, per critics and music aficionados.
The 20th Century and Disney movie based on the 2023 book Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska by Warren Zanes.
Strong is coming off playing Kendall Roy, the eldest son of Logan Roy, in the hit HBO drama Succession, as well as playing Roy Cohn alongside Sebastian Stan as a young Donald Trump in The Apprentice, which will premiere in Cannes.
Deliver Me From Nowhere explores the making of Nebraska, which is considered to be one the greatest albums of all time, per critics and music aficionados.
- 5/8/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It seems at first like a brilliant, if unsubtle, piece of dystopian satire: Countless symbols of human creativity — books, musical instruments, artworks, arcade games — crowded onto a platform and slowly, painfully, sadistically pancaked between the massive metal jaws of a machine. An upright piano splinters and cracks. Paint gushes like blood. With its bleak industrial aesthetic, the clip mirrors the look — but inverts the point — of one of the most famous advertisements in television history: Ridley Scott’s 1984 spot for Apple, in which a colorfully dressed female Olympian tosses a hammer into a screen and shatters the televised face of an Orwellian Big Brother, breaking his authoritarian grip on society. With the release of the new Macintosh computer, the ad concluded, “You’ll see why 1984 won’t be like 1984,” suggesting that personal computing was a force of liberation.
One almost expects the new clip, titled “Crush,” to end with a rueful answer to that slogan,...
One almost expects the new clip, titled “Crush,” to end with a rueful answer to that slogan,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Julian Sancton
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Guy Nattiv’s “Harmonia” has cast Naomi Watts, Vicky Krieps, Bella Ramsey and Odessa Young as Embankment Films, Range Media Partners and CAA Media Finance launch pre-sales ahead of Cannes.
Inspired by a real-life events, the film is based on Nattiv’s grandmother and her involvement in an insidious cult.
The synopsis reads: “Set in the 1980s, Rita (Watts) is entranced by the mesmeric leader (Krieps) and renounces her family to embrace the world of the enigmatic Harmonia commune. Her daughters, Ella (Ramsey), and Jo (Young), put everything on the line to infiltrate the cult and bring their mother back home. Yet, once immersed in the commune, they find themselves inexorably drawn into the leader’s labyrinthine web of psycho-spiritual manipulation.”
Producers for the film are Julia Lebedev and Eddie Vaisman for Sight Unseen, Jaime Ray Newman for New Native Pictures, and Oren Moverman.
In a statement, Nattiv said, “I...
Inspired by a real-life events, the film is based on Nattiv’s grandmother and her involvement in an insidious cult.
The synopsis reads: “Set in the 1980s, Rita (Watts) is entranced by the mesmeric leader (Krieps) and renounces her family to embrace the world of the enigmatic Harmonia commune. Her daughters, Ella (Ramsey), and Jo (Young), put everything on the line to infiltrate the cult and bring their mother back home. Yet, once immersed in the commune, they find themselves inexorably drawn into the leader’s labyrinthine web of psycho-spiritual manipulation.”
Producers for the film are Julia Lebedev and Eddie Vaisman for Sight Unseen, Jaime Ray Newman for New Native Pictures, and Oren Moverman.
In a statement, Nattiv said, “I...
- 5/8/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety - Film News
A member of the Recording Academy who claimed Neil Portnow, former head of the Grammy Awards, drugged and raped her in a New York hotel in 2018 has asked the court to dismiss her lawsuit.
The move is a result of a looming court order that would force the woman to publicly reveal her identity.
In a letter sent to the court on Saturday, the woman said she was concerned about her privacy and safety. She also pointed to a conflict with her lawyer over communication issues and a “misrepresentation” that could have “significant implications for the case,” though he challenged Portnow’s motion to require her to use her real name just days before she voluntarily moved to dismiss the lawsuit.
On Monday, Jeffrey Anderson moved to withdraw as her lawyer in the case. He cited “irreconcilable differences” over the woman filing a letter to the court requesting dismissal of her case without his knowledge.
The move is a result of a looming court order that would force the woman to publicly reveal her identity.
In a letter sent to the court on Saturday, the woman said she was concerned about her privacy and safety. She also pointed to a conflict with her lawyer over communication issues and a “misrepresentation” that could have “significant implications for the case,” though he challenged Portnow’s motion to require her to use her real name just days before she voluntarily moved to dismiss the lawsuit.
On Monday, Jeffrey Anderson moved to withdraw as her lawyer in the case. He cited “irreconcilable differences” over the woman filing a letter to the court requesting dismissal of her case without his knowledge.
- 5/8/2024
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
For a writer, signing on to “Planet of the Apes” is less an assignment than a calling. After all, it’s the longest-running science-fiction series in film history. So when Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, the husband-and-wife screenwriting and producing team, conceived “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” in 2011, they envisioned more than a single-serving reboot. “We did see that if we played it right, there’d be at least three movies,” Jaffa tells Variety.
He wasn’t wrong: Their four-film stint culminates with “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” the franchise’s 10th installment (and the first in a reported new trilogy). Their tenure follows that of Paul Dehn, who took over screenwriting duties from Rod Serling and Pierre Boulle for the 1970s “Planet of the Apes” sequels. “Kingdom” also echoes the series’ labyrinthine internal timeline, which elapses across a millennia of circular (and occasionally contradictory) storytelling.
He wasn’t wrong: Their four-film stint culminates with “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” the franchise’s 10th installment (and the first in a reported new trilogy). Their tenure follows that of Paul Dehn, who took over screenwriting duties from Rod Serling and Pierre Boulle for the 1970s “Planet of the Apes” sequels. “Kingdom” also echoes the series’ labyrinthine internal timeline, which elapses across a millennia of circular (and occasionally contradictory) storytelling.
- 5/8/2024
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety - Film News
Tim Allen ABC Comedy Pilot ‘Shifting Gears’ Casts Froy Gutierrez, Daryl ‘Chill’ Mitchell (Exclusive)
The ABC comedy pilot “Shifting Gears” has cast Daryl “Chill” Mitchell and Froy Gutierrez, Variety has learned exclusively.
The pair join previously announced series leads Tim Allen and Kat Dennings in the multi-cam comedy, which was originally ordered to pilot at ABC back in March.
In the show, “Matt (Allen) is the stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop. When Matt’s estranged daughter Riley (Dennings) and her teenage kids move into his house, the real restoration begins,” per the official logline.
Mitchell will star as Ed, described as “a former Marine. He’s a mechanic at the...
The pair join previously announced series leads Tim Allen and Kat Dennings in the multi-cam comedy, which was originally ordered to pilot at ABC back in March.
In the show, “Matt (Allen) is the stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop. When Matt’s estranged daughter Riley (Dennings) and her teenage kids move into his house, the real restoration begins,” per the official logline.
Mitchell will star as Ed, described as “a former Marine. He’s a mechanic at the...
- 5/8/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety - TV News
Dropout has set a new series of live recorded comedy specials titled “Dropout Presents.” The series will launch on June 12 with Hank Green’s “Pissing Out Cancer,” taped at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles
Green is a YouTuber best known for the “Vlogbrothers” channel he runs alongside his brother, John Green, with whom he also produces educational shows such as “Crash Course.” He is also the author of the novels “An Absolutely Remarkable Thing” (2018) and “A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor” (2020). Green was diagnosed with cancer in May 2023 and has thoroughly documented his experiences with the illness on the internet.
“There are good parts of cancer,...
Green is a YouTuber best known for the “Vlogbrothers” channel he runs alongside his brother, John Green, with whom he also produces educational shows such as “Crash Course.” He is also the author of the novels “An Absolutely Remarkable Thing” (2018) and “A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor” (2020). Green was diagnosed with cancer in May 2023 and has thoroughly documented his experiences with the illness on the internet.
“There are good parts of cancer,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety - TV News
Indie streaming platform Dropout, formerly known as CollegeHumor, is vying for a spotlight at this year’s Primetime Emmys with an ambitious campaign to secure its first major nominations. With a passionate and niche audience, Variety has learned exclusively about Dropout’s top contenders submitted for Emmy love, including the innovative game show “Game Changer” and the unique interview series “Very Important People.”
“Game Changer,” a standout series hosted by Dropout CEO Sam Reich, turns the traditional game show format on its head. Each episode introduces a new game, but the twist is that the three comedian contestants are clueless...
“Game Changer,” a standout series hosted by Dropout CEO Sam Reich, turns the traditional game show format on its head. Each episode introduces a new game, but the twist is that the three comedian contestants are clueless...
- 5/8/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety - TV News
Glen Powell’s newfound star power continues to fuel movie projects.
The Anyone But You actor will lead a cast that includes Anthony Mackie and Laura Dern to headline Monsanto, a legal drama from writer-director John Lee Hancock.
Rocket Science, the company that has been integral to the financing and producing of movies such as All Quiet on the Western Front and Ricky Stanicky, will launch international sales out of the Cannes Film Market later this month. CAA Media Finance is handling the domestic rights.
Adam McKay and Kevin Messick are producing via their HyperObject Industries banner. Moritz Borman, Eric Kopeloff, Philip Schulz-Deyle and Jon Levin are also producing.
Per the producers, Monsanto tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell), who takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie). Johnson used the company’s best-known product,...
The Anyone But You actor will lead a cast that includes Anthony Mackie and Laura Dern to headline Monsanto, a legal drama from writer-director John Lee Hancock.
Rocket Science, the company that has been integral to the financing and producing of movies such as All Quiet on the Western Front and Ricky Stanicky, will launch international sales out of the Cannes Film Market later this month. CAA Media Finance is handling the domestic rights.
Adam McKay and Kevin Messick are producing via their HyperObject Industries banner. Moritz Borman, Eric Kopeloff, Philip Schulz-Deyle and Jon Levin are also producing.
Per the producers, Monsanto tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell), who takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie). Johnson used the company’s best-known product,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘Death on the Nile’ Star Ali Fazal Joins Cast of Kamal Haasan, Mani Ratnam’s ‘Thug Life’ (Exclusive)
Indian actor Ali Fazal has joined the cast of Mani Ratnam’s “Thug Life,” starring Kamal Haasan.
The cast also includes Trisha Krishnan, Dulquer Salmaan, Jayam Ravi, Silambarasan Rajendar, Joju George, Gautham Kartik and Aishwarya Lekshmi.
The film, which hails from the gangster genre, is written by Ratnam and Haasan and produced by Raaj Kamal Films International, Madras Talkies and Red Giant Movies. Haasan, Ratnam, R. Mahendran and Siva Ananth serve as producers. Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Grammy winning composer A.R. Rahman will provide the music. Noted cinematographer Ravi K. Chandran, who previously shot “Kannathil Muthamittal” (2002), “Aayitha Ezhuthu” and “Yuva” (both 2004) for Ratnam, is shooting the film.
Haasan and Ratnam previously teamed on gangster epic “Nayakan” (1987). The film was a watershed in both their careers. It was a box office blockbuster, won Haasan best actor at India’s National Film Awards and was the country’s entry to the 1988 Oscars.
The cast also includes Trisha Krishnan, Dulquer Salmaan, Jayam Ravi, Silambarasan Rajendar, Joju George, Gautham Kartik and Aishwarya Lekshmi.
The film, which hails from the gangster genre, is written by Ratnam and Haasan and produced by Raaj Kamal Films International, Madras Talkies and Red Giant Movies. Haasan, Ratnam, R. Mahendran and Siva Ananth serve as producers. Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Grammy winning composer A.R. Rahman will provide the music. Noted cinematographer Ravi K. Chandran, who previously shot “Kannathil Muthamittal” (2002), “Aayitha Ezhuthu” and “Yuva” (both 2004) for Ratnam, is shooting the film.
Haasan and Ratnam previously teamed on gangster epic “Nayakan” (1987). The film was a watershed in both their careers. It was a box office blockbuster, won Haasan best actor at India’s National Film Awards and was the country’s entry to the 1988 Oscars.
- 5/8/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety - Film News
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“Star Wars” is good about keeping the content churning for fans: the franchise most recently released the highly anticipated third season of “The Mandalorian” in March, with several offshoots already in the works for the coming year, including “Skeleton Crew,” “The Acolyte” and “Lando.”
All the “Star Wars” content also means that there’s always new galactic-themed merch and gadgets to gift the biggest fans in your life. Below are 33 of the most unique, fun and nerdy (in the...
“Star Wars” is good about keeping the content churning for fans: the franchise most recently released the highly anticipated third season of “The Mandalorian” in March, with several offshoots already in the works for the coming year, including “Skeleton Crew,” “The Acolyte” and “Lando.”
All the “Star Wars” content also means that there’s always new galactic-themed merch and gadgets to gift the biggest fans in your life. Below are 33 of the most unique, fun and nerdy (in the...
- 5/8/2024
- by Anna Tingley
- Variety - TV News
Apple TV+ released a new trailer for its drama “Fancy Dance” starring Lily Gladstone and Isabel Deroy-Olson.
The film follows Jax (Gladstone), who has cared for her niece Rokie (Deroy-Olson) since her sister’s disappearance by scraping by on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma. Every spare minute goes into finding her missing sister while also helping Roki prepare for an upcoming powwow. When she risks losing custody of Roki, the two hit the road and scour backcountry to track down Roki’s mother in time for the powwow.
“Fancy Dance,” a Confluential Films and Significant Productions/Aum Group production, is produced by Deidre Backs, Erica Tremblay, Heather Rae, Nina Yang Bongiovi and Tommy Oliver. Bird Runningwater, Lily Gladstone, Forest Whitaker and Charlotte Koh serve as executive producers.
Watch the trailer below.
Amazon Prime Video Celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month With Releasing Aapi-led Content
In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,...
The film follows Jax (Gladstone), who has cared for her niece Rokie (Deroy-Olson) since her sister’s disappearance by scraping by on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma. Every spare minute goes into finding her missing sister while also helping Roki prepare for an upcoming powwow. When she risks losing custody of Roki, the two hit the road and scour backcountry to track down Roki’s mother in time for the powwow.
“Fancy Dance,” a Confluential Films and Significant Productions/Aum Group production, is produced by Deidre Backs, Erica Tremblay, Heather Rae, Nina Yang Bongiovi and Tommy Oliver. Bird Runningwater, Lily Gladstone, Forest Whitaker and Charlotte Koh serve as executive producers.
Watch the trailer below.
Amazon Prime Video Celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month With Releasing Aapi-led Content
In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay, Lexi Carson and Selena Kuznikov
- Variety - Film News
It’s been a ride for “Beef” creator, writer and director Lee Sung Jin and the cast — the series dominated the Emmy Awards with five wins, and nabbed two SAG Awards for stars Ali Wong and Steven Yeun.
While a second season has yet to be announced, Lee is making good use of his Notes app, inspired by his surroundings.
Lee spoke with Variety about his year and receiving Gold House’s Icon Award.
It’s been a year since “Beef” dropped on Netflix and became this phenomenon, what have the past 12 months been like for you?
The last 12 months...
While a second season has yet to be announced, Lee is making good use of his Notes app, inspired by his surroundings.
Lee spoke with Variety about his year and receiving Gold House’s Icon Award.
It’s been a year since “Beef” dropped on Netflix and became this phenomenon, what have the past 12 months been like for you?
The last 12 months...
- 5/8/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety - TV News
When wrestling legend and WWE Hall of Famer Shawn “Heartbreak Kid” Michaels takes to social media and invites you to settle your rap rivalry in the squared circle — or Saturday Night Live takes a deep dive with a sketch — you know your quarreling is so huge it has permeated the mainstream. The musical conflict between Drake and Kendrick Lamar has escalated from a battle to an all-out hip-hop war that has the world keeping score. Each Mc has displayed a stern commitment to lyrical excellence, pettiness as well as some ingenious combat zone strategy. These are not two MCs who are satisfied with their multiple Grammys and platinum albums, they’re not rich and lazy, both are hungry and have been showing out for the culture.
The stakes are extreme. This is not just “I don’t like you, you don’t like me, let’s see who can embarrass each other the most.
The stakes are extreme. This is not just “I don’t like you, you don’t like me, let’s see who can embarrass each other the most.
- 5/8/2024
- by Shaheem Reid
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
At his “Seth Rogen Smokes the Bowl” show on Tuesday night, Rogen transformed the Hollywood Bowl into a stoner’s paradise.
The music and comedy show, which was part of the Netflix is a Joke festival, featured a star-studded lineup of performances from Snoop Dogg, Post Malone, Lil Dicky, Bill Burr, Ramy Youssef, Ronny Chieng and Abbott Elementary‘s Janelle James. The event benefited his and wife Lauren Miller’s non-profit Hilarity For Charity, which advocates for individuals and families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease.
Rogen kicked off the night by lighting a giant bong that was planted on the Bowl stage, channeling an Olympic opening ceremony as the Hollywood Chamber Orchestra played alongside him. Lil Dicky sang the national anthem (as well as a few of his hits), as Rogen returned to tell the orchestra, “I can’t imagine as you were practicing your entire lives to be amazing...
The music and comedy show, which was part of the Netflix is a Joke festival, featured a star-studded lineup of performances from Snoop Dogg, Post Malone, Lil Dicky, Bill Burr, Ramy Youssef, Ronny Chieng and Abbott Elementary‘s Janelle James. The event benefited his and wife Lauren Miller’s non-profit Hilarity For Charity, which advocates for individuals and families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease.
Rogen kicked off the night by lighting a giant bong that was planted on the Bowl stage, channeling an Olympic opening ceremony as the Hollywood Chamber Orchestra played alongside him. Lil Dicky sang the national anthem (as well as a few of his hits), as Rogen returned to tell the orchestra, “I can’t imagine as you were practicing your entire lives to be amazing...
- 5/8/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NBC is adding a new event to its coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics: Steve Kornacki in front of his big board.
Kornacki, who is known for his deft on-the-fly analysis of political campaigns and races, will turn his focus for a short period of time to athletic competition in Paris as part of a cadre of NBC News journalists who will present some coverage of the extravaganza, Willie Geist, Sam Brock, Gadi Schwartz and Anne Thompson will also participate, with Kornacki offering analysis from the U.S., and his colleagues on the ground in France. The Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympics is Friday,...
Kornacki, who is known for his deft on-the-fly analysis of political campaigns and races, will turn his focus for a short period of time to athletic competition in Paris as part of a cadre of NBC News journalists who will present some coverage of the extravaganza, Willie Geist, Sam Brock, Gadi Schwartz and Anne Thompson will also participate, with Kornacki offering analysis from the U.S., and his colleagues on the ground in France. The Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympics is Friday,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety - TV News
After revealing in her memoir Rebel Rising that she only received $3,500 for Bridesmaids, Rebel Wilson has now shared that she lost money on the film because, in addition to having to spend part of that money on joining the Screen Actors Guild, she had to buy her own outfit for the Bridesmaids premiere.
“I basically made no money,” she said. “I lost money because I had to pay to go to the premiere, like to buy my dress and everything.”
Wilson then noted that she had to wait a year after filming to receive her paycheck for the Paul Feig-helmed comedy, which made her financial situation more difficult. “That was a really skint year where I was living on $60 a week in L.A. once I’d paid my rent and my car hire,” she recalled. “I wasn’t partying or living this [movie star] life. It was basically having that...
“I basically made no money,” she said. “I lost money because I had to pay to go to the premiere, like to buy my dress and everything.”
Wilson then noted that she had to wait a year after filming to receive her paycheck for the Paul Feig-helmed comedy, which made her financial situation more difficult. “That was a really skint year where I was living on $60 a week in L.A. once I’d paid my rent and my car hire,” she recalled. “I wasn’t partying or living this [movie star] life. It was basically having that...
- 5/8/2024
- by Tatiana Tenreyro
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Michael Douglas has starred in some of the most iconic erotic thrillers ever made, from “Basic Instinct” to “Fatal Attraction,” so he knows a thing or two about crafting a memorable movie sex scene. In a new interview with The Telegraph, the actor gave his honest opinion about intimacy coordinators becoming the new normal in Hollywood when it comes to filming intimate moments on set.
“I’m past the age where I’ve got to worry about that. But it’s interesting with all the intimacy coordinators,” Douglas said when the topic of sex scenes came up during the interview. “It feels like executives taking control away from filmmakers — but there have been some terrible faux pas and harassment.”
“Sex scenes are like fight scenes, it’s all choreographed,” Douglas continued. “In my experience, you take responsibility as the man to make sure the woman is comfortable, you talk it through.
“I’m past the age where I’ve got to worry about that. But it’s interesting with all the intimacy coordinators,” Douglas said when the topic of sex scenes came up during the interview. “It feels like executives taking control away from filmmakers — but there have been some terrible faux pas and harassment.”
“Sex scenes are like fight scenes, it’s all choreographed,” Douglas continued. “In my experience, you take responsibility as the man to make sure the woman is comfortable, you talk it through.
- 5/8/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety - Film News
The Americans are back shooting films and TV series in Canada, but the knock-on impacts of the dual Hollywood writers and actors strikes and reduced spending by major streamers will be felt north of the border for years to come.
So says the latest annual economic report from the Canadian Media Producers Association, representing local indie producers, which points to a post-pandemic high water mark for Hollywood production activity in Canada reached before last year’s labor disruption in Los Angeles, and which is now fast receding amid a sharp industry slowdown.
“The numbers released in Profile 2023 today are more of a happy memory, than a reflection of the current state of the sector,” warned Cmpa president and CEO Reynolds Mastin in a statement while releasing Profile 2023: An Economic Report on the Screen-based Media Production Industry in Canada, which measured overall Canadian film and TV production for the year...
So says the latest annual economic report from the Canadian Media Producers Association, representing local indie producers, which points to a post-pandemic high water mark for Hollywood production activity in Canada reached before last year’s labor disruption in Los Angeles, and which is now fast receding amid a sharp industry slowdown.
“The numbers released in Profile 2023 today are more of a happy memory, than a reflection of the current state of the sector,” warned Cmpa president and CEO Reynolds Mastin in a statement while releasing Profile 2023: An Economic Report on the Screen-based Media Production Industry in Canada, which measured overall Canadian film and TV production for the year...
- 5/8/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Samantha Lorraine is putting on her backpack.
The actress, best known for her key role in You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, has been cast as the titular heroine in Nickelodeon Studios’ new live-action Dora the Explorer feature being made for Paramount+ and Nickelodeon.
Alberto Belli, who directed Disney+ holiday feature The Naughty Nine and episodes of Disney show Ultra Violet and Black Scorpion, is helming the new production that has a working title of Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado.
Written by J.T. Billings , the script follows as Dora, her cousin Diego and their new friends trek through perilous dangers of the Amazonian jungle in search of the ancient treasure of Sol Dorado in order to keep this powerful treasure out of enemy hands. Swiper no swiping!
Sol Dorado will be only the second time the adventurous Latina has been translated to the live-action world.
The actress, best known for her key role in You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, has been cast as the titular heroine in Nickelodeon Studios’ new live-action Dora the Explorer feature being made for Paramount+ and Nickelodeon.
Alberto Belli, who directed Disney+ holiday feature The Naughty Nine and episodes of Disney show Ultra Violet and Black Scorpion, is helming the new production that has a working title of Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado.
Written by J.T. Billings , the script follows as Dora, her cousin Diego and their new friends trek through perilous dangers of the Amazonian jungle in search of the ancient treasure of Sol Dorado in order to keep this powerful treasure out of enemy hands. Swiper no swiping!
Sol Dorado will be only the second time the adventurous Latina has been translated to the live-action world.
- 5/8/2024
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Nikki Glaser has been praised for her set during Netflix’s Tom Brady roast, but it wasn’t all smiles for her.
The comedian stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday to promote her upcoming special, Someday You’ll Die. Before chatting about the HBO project, the late night host added to the compliments for Glaser, noting that she was “fantastic.”
“The rest of the roast I got called some pretty awful things,” she said. “It makes you question your life and your looks and all that stuff.” “Does it, though? Does it really?” Jimmy Kimmel asked, to which she responded, “It does sink in.”
The two went back and forth discussing if the host and comedian is also affected by some of the comments said during a roast, and he said he is a little bit sometimes. But he pointed out that Glaser gets the “dumbest” jokes about her,...
The comedian stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday to promote her upcoming special, Someday You’ll Die. Before chatting about the HBO project, the late night host added to the compliments for Glaser, noting that she was “fantastic.”
“The rest of the roast I got called some pretty awful things,” she said. “It makes you question your life and your looks and all that stuff.” “Does it, though? Does it really?” Jimmy Kimmel asked, to which she responded, “It does sink in.”
The two went back and forth discussing if the host and comedian is also affected by some of the comments said during a roast, and he said he is a little bit sometimes. But he pointed out that Glaser gets the “dumbest” jokes about her,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Kardashian-Jenners are not holding back in the season five trailer for The Kardashians.
The upcoming season of their Hulu series, which was filmed towards the end of 2023, gives insight into the pregnancy complications Kourtney Kardsahian Barker experienced with her now 6-month-old son Rocky. The cameras appeared to be rolling at the moment where Kourtney shared with her mom Kris Jenner over FaceTime that she had to go in for emergency surgery.
“This is really crazy, so I just want Kourtney to be Ok,” says an emotional Kris to the camera.
During her confessional, Kourtney delves into the alarming situation, with cameras capturing her at the hospital. “I had to go in for fetal surgery, which was terrifying,” she explains.
As fans have learned through the trailer, Kourtney was not the only one in the family who experienced a medical scare. “I had my scan…they found a cyst and like a little tumor,...
The upcoming season of their Hulu series, which was filmed towards the end of 2023, gives insight into the pregnancy complications Kourtney Kardsahian Barker experienced with her now 6-month-old son Rocky. The cameras appeared to be rolling at the moment where Kourtney shared with her mom Kris Jenner over FaceTime that she had to go in for emergency surgery.
“This is really crazy, so I just want Kourtney to be Ok,” says an emotional Kris to the camera.
During her confessional, Kourtney delves into the alarming situation, with cameras capturing her at the hospital. “I had to go in for fetal surgery, which was terrifying,” she explains.
As fans have learned through the trailer, Kourtney was not the only one in the family who experienced a medical scare. “I had my scan…they found a cyst and like a little tumor,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Tatiana Tenreyro
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jeremy Strong could be joining Jeremy Allen White in “Deliver Me From Nowhere,” the 20th Century Studios movie about Bruce Springsteen and the making of his 1982 album, “Nebraska.”
The “Succession” star is in talks to play Springsteen’s (White) longtime manager Jon Landau in the Scott Cooper-directed feature. Cooper is also writing the film, which is based on Warren Zane’s 2023 book “Deliver Me From Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska.”
“Nebraska,” the follow-up to Springsteen’s 1980 double album “The River,” was expected to be a blockbuster rock record with the E Street Band. Instead, it was a stripped-down solo album made on a four-track recorder. The book tells the story of Springsteen’s artistic journey in the creation of the record.
Springsteen and Landau are involved in the making of the movie, which is expected to start shooting in the fall.
“It is a once-in-a-lifetime honor...
The “Succession” star is in talks to play Springsteen’s (White) longtime manager Jon Landau in the Scott Cooper-directed feature. Cooper is also writing the film, which is based on Warren Zane’s 2023 book “Deliver Me From Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska.”
“Nebraska,” the follow-up to Springsteen’s 1980 double album “The River,” was expected to be a blockbuster rock record with the E Street Band. Instead, it was a stripped-down solo album made on a four-track recorder. The book tells the story of Springsteen’s artistic journey in the creation of the record.
Springsteen and Landau are involved in the making of the movie, which is expected to start shooting in the fall.
“It is a once-in-a-lifetime honor...
- 5/8/2024
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety - Film News
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is suing his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his son, Daphne Joy Narvaez, for defamation following her public accusation in March that he raped her while the two were in a relationship more than a decade ago.
The rapper/actor/producer filed the suit in Texas on May 6 after Narvaez posted a statement that he had raped her on Instagram on March 28. That was prompted by Jackson’s reported attempts to gain sole custody of their 11-year-old son, Sire, following the bombshell lawsuit filed by producer Ronnie “Lil Rod” Jones Jr. against Sean “Diddy” Combs, which among many explosive allegations of sex trafficking and grooming, named Narvaez as a sex worker alongside Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Yung Miami.
“I am tired of upholding and protecting an image to our son that you have never even earned. Let’s put the real focus on your true evil actions of...
The rapper/actor/producer filed the suit in Texas on May 6 after Narvaez posted a statement that he had raped her on Instagram on March 28. That was prompted by Jackson’s reported attempts to gain sole custody of their 11-year-old son, Sire, following the bombshell lawsuit filed by producer Ronnie “Lil Rod” Jones Jr. against Sean “Diddy” Combs, which among many explosive allegations of sex trafficking and grooming, named Narvaez as a sex worker alongside Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Yung Miami.
“I am tired of upholding and protecting an image to our son that you have never even earned. Let’s put the real focus on your true evil actions of...
- 5/8/2024
- by Kevin Dolak
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Office follow-up series has found a home.
Peacock on Wednesday announced a formal series order for the untitled series that is set in the same universe as NBC’s former Emmy-winning Steve Carell comedy.
The series, co-created by The Office’s Greg Daniels and Nathan for You co-creator Michael Koman, will again be a mockumentary and features Domhnall Gleeson (About Time, Ex-Machina) and Sabrina Impacciatore (The White Lotus) leading the ensemble cast. Production on the show will begin in July.
“It’s been more than 10 years since the final episode of The Office aired on NBC, and the acclaimed comedy series continues to gain popularity and build new generations of fans on Peacock,” said Lisa Katz, president of NBCUniversal Entertainment. “In partnership with Universal Television and led by the creative team of Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, this new series set in the universe of Dunder Mifflin introduces a...
Peacock on Wednesday announced a formal series order for the untitled series that is set in the same universe as NBC’s former Emmy-winning Steve Carell comedy.
The series, co-created by The Office’s Greg Daniels and Nathan for You co-creator Michael Koman, will again be a mockumentary and features Domhnall Gleeson (About Time, Ex-Machina) and Sabrina Impacciatore (The White Lotus) leading the ensemble cast. Production on the show will begin in July.
“It’s been more than 10 years since the final episode of The Office aired on NBC, and the acclaimed comedy series continues to gain popularity and build new generations of fans on Peacock,” said Lisa Katz, president of NBCUniversal Entertainment. “In partnership with Universal Television and led by the creative team of Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, this new series set in the universe of Dunder Mifflin introduces a...
- 5/8/2024
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Michael Peña has joined Taylor Sheridan’s upcoming Paramount+ series “Landman” in a guest star role, Variety has learned exclusively.
Peña joins previously announced series lead Billy Bob Thornton in the show, as well as cast members Ali Larter, Michelle Randolph, Jacob Lofland, Kayla Wallace, James Jordan, Mark Collie, Paulina Chávez, and Demi Moore. Jon Hamm will appear in a recurring guest star role, while Andy Garcia will guest star.
The series is based on the “Boomtown” podcast and is set in the world of West Texas oil rigs, focusing on both those working in the oil fields and the billionaires reaping the rewards.
Peña joins previously announced series lead Billy Bob Thornton in the show, as well as cast members Ali Larter, Michelle Randolph, Jacob Lofland, Kayla Wallace, James Jordan, Mark Collie, Paulina Chávez, and Demi Moore. Jon Hamm will appear in a recurring guest star role, while Andy Garcia will guest star.
The series is based on the “Boomtown” podcast and is set in the world of West Texas oil rigs, focusing on both those working in the oil fields and the billionaires reaping the rewards.
- 5/8/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety - TV News
In “Hollywood Con Queen,” director Chris Smith chronicles one of Hollywood’s most audacious scams that involved an impostor who posed as top entertainment studio executives to swindle aspiring artists. Based on the original reporting of entertainment journalist Scott Johnson, and his book, “Hollywood Con Queen: The Hunt for an Evil Genius,” the three-part Apple TV+ docuseries features first-hand accounts and insights from Johnson, private investigator Nicole Kotsianas, the alleged con artist, Hargobind Tahilramani, and his victims.
In 2018, it was revealed that an imposter was posing as a variety of well-known female Hollywood executives and their assistants in a bid...
In 2018, it was revealed that an imposter was posing as a variety of well-known female Hollywood executives and their assistants in a bid...
- 5/8/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety - TV News
NBCUniversal’s Emmy FYC House is set to return for its third annual pop-up activation at The Aster in Los Angeles from May 16 through May 22.
Additionally, on Wednesday night, Peacock will host their official FYC event for “The Traitors,” a reality show where contestants move into a castle and compete on challenges to earn money for a prize pot. The event will take place at the Ebell in Los Angeles. The panelist list includes host/producer Alan Cumming, as well as exec producer Toni Ireland and Sam Spector, the wardrobe stylist.
At the Aster, the NBCU FYC Emmy showcase features brands including Peacock,...
Additionally, on Wednesday night, Peacock will host their official FYC event for “The Traitors,” a reality show where contestants move into a castle and compete on challenges to earn money for a prize pot. The event will take place at the Ebell in Los Angeles. The panelist list includes host/producer Alan Cumming, as well as exec producer Toni Ireland and Sam Spector, the wardrobe stylist.
At the Aster, the NBCU FYC Emmy showcase features brands including Peacock,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Lexi Carson
- Variety - TV News
Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof has been sentenced to eight years in prison, according to his lawyer.
In a post on X, the filmmaker’s lawyer Babak Paknia wrote that Iran’s Islamic Revolution Court sentenced Rasoulof to eight years of imprisonment, flogging, a fine and confiscation of property. The judgment was confirmed in a Court of Appeal and the case has now been sent for enforcement, Paknia wrote.
The lawyer added that the main reason for issuing the sentence were Rasoulof’s public statements and making films and documentaries, which in the court’s opinion, are “examples of collusion with the intention of committing a crime against the country’s security.”
The news comes in the wake of Iranian authorities exerting heavy pressure on Rasoulof to pull his latest work “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” from the Cannes Film Festival by harassing the film’s producers and actors were...
In a post on X, the filmmaker’s lawyer Babak Paknia wrote that Iran’s Islamic Revolution Court sentenced Rasoulof to eight years of imprisonment, flogging, a fine and confiscation of property. The judgment was confirmed in a Court of Appeal and the case has now been sent for enforcement, Paknia wrote.
The lawyer added that the main reason for issuing the sentence were Rasoulof’s public statements and making films and documentaries, which in the court’s opinion, are “examples of collusion with the intention of committing a crime against the country’s security.”
The news comes in the wake of Iranian authorities exerting heavy pressure on Rasoulof to pull his latest work “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” from the Cannes Film Festival by harassing the film’s producers and actors were...
- 5/8/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran and Nick Vivarelli
- Variety - Film News
Magnolia Pictures and Participant have released the trailer for “The Grab,” a new documentary from “Blackfish” director Gabriela Cowperthwaite.
“The Grab,” described as a global thriller, follows journalists from The Center for Investigative Reporting as they try to uncover the money and influence being used by countries, corporations and members of the uber elite to control the planet’s most vital resources. The film takes you “around the globe from Arizona to Zambia, to reveal one of the world’s biggest and least known threats,” per the official logline.
“’The Grab’ is a thrilling look at urgent threats to our national security and our very way of life,” said Courtney Sexton, Participant’s executive vice president, Documentary Film and Television. “We are proud to help bring this incredible film to life and are excited that it is part of our legacy.”
Last month, Variety exclusively reported that Participant was shutting down after 20 years.
“The Grab,” described as a global thriller, follows journalists from The Center for Investigative Reporting as they try to uncover the money and influence being used by countries, corporations and members of the uber elite to control the planet’s most vital resources. The film takes you “around the globe from Arizona to Zambia, to reveal one of the world’s biggest and least known threats,” per the official logline.
“’The Grab’ is a thrilling look at urgent threats to our national security and our very way of life,” said Courtney Sexton, Participant’s executive vice president, Documentary Film and Television. “We are proud to help bring this incredible film to life and are excited that it is part of our legacy.”
Last month, Variety exclusively reported that Participant was shutting down after 20 years.
- 5/8/2024
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety - Film News
Pinewood Studios has sold its minority stake in the Dominican Republic’s horizon water tank facility, which has been renamed Lantica Studios after its now sole owner, Lantica Media.
Formerly known as the Pinewood Dominican Republic Studios, Lantica Studios is undertaking the building of a fourth soundstage, measuring 16,000 sq.ft., and two additional workshop spaces of 12,000 sq. ft each, mainly dedicated to housing camera, grip and electric equipment vendors. These are set to open by the Spring of 2025.
The landmark expansion comes as the 10-year-old studio has seen record growth in international and local production, which has led to the...
Formerly known as the Pinewood Dominican Republic Studios, Lantica Studios is undertaking the building of a fourth soundstage, measuring 16,000 sq.ft., and two additional workshop spaces of 12,000 sq. ft each, mainly dedicated to housing camera, grip and electric equipment vendors. These are set to open by the Spring of 2025.
The landmark expansion comes as the 10-year-old studio has seen record growth in international and local production, which has led to the...
- 5/8/2024
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety - TV News
Pinewood Studios has sold its minority stake in the Dominican Republic’s horizon water tank facility, which has been renamed Lantica Studios after its now sole owner, Lantica Media.
Formerly known as the Pinewood Dominican Republic Studios, Lantica Studios is undertaking the building of a fourth soundstage, measuring 16,000 sq.ft., and two additional workshop spaces of 12,000 sq. ft each, mainly dedicated to housing camera, grip and electric equipment vendors. These are set to open by the Spring of 2025.
The landmark expansion comes as the 10-year-old studio has seen record growth in international and local production, which has led to the availability of more skilled crew in the Dominican Republic (Dr), either trained on the job or in regularly held workshops. “We’ve grown from hiring locals at an average rate of 400 – 500 a year to 2,000 a year,” said Albert Martinez, CEO of Lantica Studios.
With the closure last year of the Baja Film Studios in Mexico,...
Formerly known as the Pinewood Dominican Republic Studios, Lantica Studios is undertaking the building of a fourth soundstage, measuring 16,000 sq.ft., and two additional workshop spaces of 12,000 sq. ft each, mainly dedicated to housing camera, grip and electric equipment vendors. These are set to open by the Spring of 2025.
The landmark expansion comes as the 10-year-old studio has seen record growth in international and local production, which has led to the availability of more skilled crew in the Dominican Republic (Dr), either trained on the job or in regularly held workshops. “We’ve grown from hiring locals at an average rate of 400 – 500 a year to 2,000 a year,” said Albert Martinez, CEO of Lantica Studios.
With the closure last year of the Baja Film Studios in Mexico,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety - Film News
Bradley Cooper is teaming up with PBS to produce a documentary about the millions of people who provide unpaid care to family members.
The documentary, Caregiving, is in production and is set to air in 2025 on PBS stations. Weta, the public broadcasting station in Washington, is producing the film with Cooper’s Lea Pictures and Ark Media (Finding Your Roots).
The film will examine both systemic issues within the care system — where more than 50 million Americans provide unpaid care to family members — as well as tell personal stories of people who care for loved ones.
Cooper’s involvement also stems from personal experience: “When my father was diagnosed with cancer, that was a wake-up call for me, one that really opened my eyes to the world of caregiving,” the Oscar nominee said in a statement. “Everyone will end up caring for a loved one at some point in their life.
The documentary, Caregiving, is in production and is set to air in 2025 on PBS stations. Weta, the public broadcasting station in Washington, is producing the film with Cooper’s Lea Pictures and Ark Media (Finding Your Roots).
The film will examine both systemic issues within the care system — where more than 50 million Americans provide unpaid care to family members — as well as tell personal stories of people who care for loved ones.
Cooper’s involvement also stems from personal experience: “When my father was diagnosed with cancer, that was a wake-up call for me, one that really opened my eyes to the world of caregiving,” the Oscar nominee said in a statement. “Everyone will end up caring for a loved one at some point in their life.
- 5/8/2024
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Marc Summers claims that he was blindsided by the filmmakers behind “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” when he went in to be interviewed, causing him to leave. However, that’s not what happened, according to filmmakers Emma Schwartz and Mary Robertson.
“We’re clear with each participant in our project about the nature of our work,” Robertson said on the latest episode of Variety‘s “Awards Circuit” podcast. “The vast majority of our participants have left the project feeling incredibly happy.”
Schwartz added, “I also want to be clear that nobody ever walked out on set...
“We’re clear with each participant in our project about the nature of our work,” Robertson said on the latest episode of Variety‘s “Awards Circuit” podcast. “The vast majority of our participants have left the project feeling incredibly happy.”
Schwartz added, “I also want to be clear that nobody ever walked out on set...
- 5/8/2024
- by Emily Longeretta
- Variety - TV News
Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei has echoed Live Nation CFO and president Joe Berchtold in arguing against the potential breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster as part of a potential lawsuit from the Department of Justice.
“The DOJ investigation appears focused on specific business practices within divisions of the company, not the merger or the business structure. Live doesn’t believe the breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster would be a legally defensible remedy,” Maffei told analysts during a morning call on Wednesday. The CEO’s remarks amplified comments by Berchtold during a Live Nation conference call on May 2.
Live Nation is set to hold talks with senior DOJ officials to avoid a potential separation of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The original Live Nation merger with Ticketmaster that took place in 2010 was approved by the Department of Justice.
Liberty Media, the firm controlled by John Malone that owns such assets...
“The DOJ investigation appears focused on specific business practices within divisions of the company, not the merger or the business structure. Live doesn’t believe the breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster would be a legally defensible remedy,” Maffei told analysts during a morning call on Wednesday. The CEO’s remarks amplified comments by Berchtold during a Live Nation conference call on May 2.
Live Nation is set to hold talks with senior DOJ officials to avoid a potential separation of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The original Live Nation merger with Ticketmaster that took place in 2010 was approved by the Department of Justice.
Liberty Media, the firm controlled by John Malone that owns such assets...
- 5/8/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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Costume designer Jacqueline Demeterio didn’t have to look much further than her own Silver Lake-residing friends when pulling inspiration for Anne Hathaway’s Sólene in “The Idea of You.”
In the buzzy new rom-com, Hathaway stars as a 40 year-old art gallery owner and divorcee who falls in love with the 24 year-old heartthrob singer of the boy band August Moon, played by Nicholas Galitzine. Aside from the whirlwind age-gap romance, first depicted in Robinne Lee’s 2017 novel of the same name, the film’s most compelling aspects are the high-fashion ensembles worn by both Sólene and Galitizine’s Hayes. And as the pair jets from Coachella to New York to Paris, the clothes also ground their fantastical affair in reality.
“I know people that live in Silver Lake and...
Costume designer Jacqueline Demeterio didn’t have to look much further than her own Silver Lake-residing friends when pulling inspiration for Anne Hathaway’s Sólene in “The Idea of You.”
In the buzzy new rom-com, Hathaway stars as a 40 year-old art gallery owner and divorcee who falls in love with the 24 year-old heartthrob singer of the boy band August Moon, played by Nicholas Galitzine. Aside from the whirlwind age-gap romance, first depicted in Robinne Lee’s 2017 novel of the same name, the film’s most compelling aspects are the high-fashion ensembles worn by both Sólene and Galitizine’s Hayes. And as the pair jets from Coachella to New York to Paris, the clothes also ground their fantastical affair in reality.
“I know people that live in Silver Lake and...
- 5/8/2024
- by Anna Tingley
- Variety - Film News
Dissident Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof has received an eight-year prison sentence, as well as a fine, confiscation of his property and flogging, by an Iranian court, Rasoulof’s lawyer Babak Paknia announced in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Wednesday.
Paknia said the verdict was issued by 29th branch of the Islamic Revolution Court and confirmed in the 36th branch of the Aina Court of Appeals. According to Paknia, the court found that Rasoulof’s public statements, as well as his films and documentaries “were examples of collusion with the intention of committing a crime against the country’s security.”
Rasoulof’s sentencing comes ahead of the Cannes film festival, where the director’s latest feature, Seed of the Sacred Fig Tree is set to have its world premiere, screening in competition. It was already doubtful whether Iranian authorities would allow the director to travel to France for the festival.
Paknia said the verdict was issued by 29th branch of the Islamic Revolution Court and confirmed in the 36th branch of the Aina Court of Appeals. According to Paknia, the court found that Rasoulof’s public statements, as well as his films and documentaries “were examples of collusion with the intention of committing a crime against the country’s security.”
Rasoulof’s sentencing comes ahead of the Cannes film festival, where the director’s latest feature, Seed of the Sacred Fig Tree is set to have its world premiere, screening in competition. It was already doubtful whether Iranian authorities would allow the director to travel to France for the festival.
- 5/8/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The world’s largest live music contest is back. The Eurovision Song Contest, a springboard to fame for some of the biggest acts in the world – legendary Swedish band Abba, or more recently, Italian glam rock band Måneskin, for example – will return to screens on Saturday, May 11, to do what it does best: providing the most eccentric performances Europe has to offer.
From perfectly garish outfits and heartfelt ballads to synchronized dance numbers and heavy metal guitar solos, the event is set to feature the wackiest of the continent’s music scene as thousands of fans flock to the Malmö Arena.
Sweden became host after its homegrown star Loreen triumphed last year in Liverpool, England.
But this year’s Contest – like in 2023, where Ukraine was forced to pass hosting privileges onto the U.K. – is one backdropped by war. However, the threat of mass boycott has not, to the outrage of some,...
From perfectly garish outfits and heartfelt ballads to synchronized dance numbers and heavy metal guitar solos, the event is set to feature the wackiest of the continent’s music scene as thousands of fans flock to the Malmö Arena.
Sweden became host after its homegrown star Loreen triumphed last year in Liverpool, England.
But this year’s Contest – like in 2023, where Ukraine was forced to pass hosting privileges onto the U.K. – is one backdropped by war. However, the threat of mass boycott has not, to the outrage of some,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Lily Ford
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In January 2022, Casey Wilson was a guest on The Deep Dive, a podcast hosted by her longtime friends and frequent comedy collaborators June Diane Raphael and Jessica St. Clair. The episode kicked off what the pod was calling their Lifelong Learners Series, an only moderately satirical moniker for their discussions dedicated to everything from tablescaping to mixology; Wilson — known for her highly popular Real Housewives-centric podcast Bitch Sesh — was enlisted to discuss what they called The Art of Small Talk. She and St. Clair, both professed experts in chit-chat, riffed about their favorite places to approach strangers (in line at Home Goods, in an elevator) and offered a few of their well-weathered tips (keeping it light, pivoting away from so-called energy vampires).
“The response to that specific episode was pretty wild and I got all sorts of DMs from people saying they wished it was longer, that they secretly wanted...
“The response to that specific episode was pretty wild and I got all sorts of DMs from people saying they wished it was longer, that they secretly wanted...
- 5/8/2024
- by Seija Rankin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Josh Charles thought Ethan Hawke was punking him when he told him about appearing in Taylor Swift’s new music video.
During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the Dead Poets Society star reflected on his surprise role in Swift’s “Fortnight” music video, the first single of her recent album, The Tortured Poets Department.
“It was a really strange thing. Taylor knows Ethan’s daughter Maya and reached out to her. The title of the album, [is] obviously The Tortured Poets Department, and so I think it’s a little tip of the cap to Dead Poets Society, other tortured poets. She probably had this idea [that] it’d be interesting for us to be in the video,” Charles told Fallon of how his and Hawke’s appearances came to be.
But when Hawke reached out to him, Charles didn’t believe him at first: “Ethan reached out...
During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the Dead Poets Society star reflected on his surprise role in Swift’s “Fortnight” music video, the first single of her recent album, The Tortured Poets Department.
“It was a really strange thing. Taylor knows Ethan’s daughter Maya and reached out to her. The title of the album, [is] obviously The Tortured Poets Department, and so I think it’s a little tip of the cap to Dead Poets Society, other tortured poets. She probably had this idea [that] it’d be interesting for us to be in the video,” Charles told Fallon of how his and Hawke’s appearances came to be.
But when Hawke reached out to him, Charles didn’t believe him at first: “Ethan reached out...
- 5/8/2024
- by Lexy Perez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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