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Sean Baker sees the world differently. He found a magic kingdom in the pastel purple of The Florida Project’s multi-storey inn. Made a washed-up porn star an avatar for the American Dream in Red Rocket. Set Tangerine’s frenzied tale of a transgender woman’s revenge against the glittering backdrop of Christmas Eve. And now in Anora, his Palme d’Or-winning odyssey, turns Take That’s ‘Greatest Day’ — a song largely adored by a mum demographic — into a sex-worker anthem.

It makes for one hell of an opening sequence: Gary Barlow and co’s hopeful lyrics about shared vitality (remixed to a club beat) scoring a line-up of athletic strippers, their customers barely visible beneath them. “Watch the world come alive tonight… Stay close to me.” At the end of the undulating chorus line twirls Mikey Madison’s Ani (short for Anora), smiling serenely, long, dark hair cascading around her,...

Jennifer Lopez experienced another highlight in her career when she starred in the 2019 feature Hustlers. Both Lopez and the film enjoyed near-unanimous praise after its release. But additionally, the feature was seen as a kind of celebration for the veteran star. ‘Hustlers’ celebrated 50-year-old Jennifer Lopez

How ‘Hustlers’ made turning 50 even better for Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lopez | James Devaney/Gc Images

Hustlers saw Lopez explore a bit of new territory. The actor generated a lot of buzz playing the role of a veteran stripper taking another younger dancer under her wing. Lopez turned 50 at the time, and had already starred in a wide variety of films. But even with all of her experience, Hustlers still managed to take Lopez out of her comfort zone.

“I’m used to being on stage in sexy costumes, but I have three layers of tights and fishnets and a bodysuit,” Lopez once said in an interview with Standard.

Gen Z social media star Quenlin Blackwell has signed with CAA.

Also known as Quen Blackwell, she has 16 million followers across platforms, including 2.4 million followers on Instagram and another 10.6 million on TikTok. CAA will focus on boosting strategic brand partnerships and strategy around new intellectual property and business ventures for Blackwell, especially as an online influencer.

Having got her start with comedy skits on Vine, Blackwell was recently cast to guest star in Shiva Baby star Rachel Sennott’s upcoming HBO comedy pilot. The untitled series follows a group of codependent friends who reunite after some time apart, navigating how the separation, ambition, and new relationships have changed them.

Sennott wrote the show’s pilot and executive produced it with Emma Barrie, Aida Rodgers (both alums of Barry) and director Lorene Scafaria (Succession).

Blackwell also appeared in Charli Xcx’ music video “360” and others like “90s Baby” by Jt and...

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It’s What’s Inside is a sci-fi comedy horror film written and directed by Greg Jardin. The Netflix film revolves around a group of college friends who reunite before one of them gets married but the arrival of an uninvited guest with a mysterious suitcase starts to tear the group apart. It’s What’s Inside stars Alycia Debnam-Carey, Gavin Leatherwood, James Morosini, Reina Hardesty, David W. Thompson, Madison Davenport, Nina Bloomgarden, Hailee Keanna Lautenbach, and Brittany O’Grady. So, if you loved the thrilling suspense, compelling characters, and an intensely dramatic story with a tinge of comedy in It’s What’s Inside here are some similar movies you should check out next.

Talk To Me (Paramount+ & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – A24

Talk To Me is a supernatural horror thriller film directed by Danny and Michael Philippou from a screenplay...

Exclusive: Boots Riley looks to have found his next project and has landed quite the ensemble, as sources tell Deadline he is partnering with Neon on his film I Love Boosters. Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Lakeith Stanfield and Demi Moore are set to star, with additional casting underway. Principal photography set to begin this fall.

Aaron Ryder and Andrew Swett are producing on behalf of Ryder Picture Company along with Savage Rose Films’ Allison Rose Carter and Jon Read. Mike Jackman, Gus Deardoff, Ken Kao, Josh Rosenbaum, Annapurna and Neon will serve as executive producers. Neon is financing the film with Waypoint Entertainment and will handle the worldwide rights.

The film centers on a ring of enterprising boosters who take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven. Additional plot details are under wraps.

Riley is a multihyphenate working across film and music as a director, producer and screenwriter.

Jennifer Lopez got a bit too into character while working with her co-star Constance Wu in Hustlers. So much so that Lopez worried she might’ve given Wu a deep injury.

How Jennifer Lopez made Constance Wu bleed Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez | Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/Gc Images

Lopez took Wu under her wing both in front of the camera and behind the scenes in Hustlers. In the film, Lopez played a veteran stripper guiding Wu’s character through their shady industry. Upon meeting her co-star, the American Idol host wasted no time making Wu feel at home.

“The minute I saw Constance, I put my arms out and took her under my wing and put her in my coat like, ‘I got you,’” Lopez said according to Refinery 29. “I said, ‘I’m going to take care of you and I’m going to show you the ropes.'...

Jennifer Lopez famously played the veteran pole dancer Ramona Vega in the 2019 movie Hustlers. She had a good feeling about the project as soon as she laid her eyes on its script — so much so that she was willing to take a massive pay cut to help see the project come to fruition.

Jennifer Lopez banked on herself for ‘Hustlers’ Jennifer Lopez | Amy Sussman / Getty Images

Lopez often commands high salaries for her starring roles. Reports indicate that she rakes in tens of millions of dollars per movie, which contributes to her massive net worth. However, Lopez experienced several occasions where she willingly lowered her pay significantly for a project she was passionate about. When she did Hustlers, landing her role in the movie may have been the true reward for the actor.

“I do things because I love them. I didn’t get paid a whole bunch of money for Hustlers,...

Gloria Gloria, now streaming on Mubi

The camera barely leaves star Paulina Garcia's Gloria as she puts in a magnetic performance at the heart of Sebastián Lelio's drama. With divorce a decade behind her, at 58, she's looking for a fresh start in romance and wonders if the more recently single Rodolfo (Sergio Hernandez) might provide it. Though this might sound like a familiar tale, the Chilean writer/director avoids sentimentality and cliche to serve up a slice of feminist drama that acknowledges the challenges faced by its protagonist and celebrates her strengths, without resorting to cheap gimmicks or easy resolutions.

Hustlers, Film4, 11.30pm, Thursday, September 19

Although she did receive a Golden Globe nomination, Jennifer Lopez should easily have snagged an Oscar nod for her role in Lorene Scafaria's well-written adaptation of a New Yorker story charting a complex scam orchestrated by a group of strippers. Lopez plays the brassy Ramona,...

HBO has ordered a new comedy series starring, written, and executive produced by Rachel Sennott, the breakout star of the critically acclaimed “Shiva Baby”. Sennott also received praise for her work in the summer hit “Bottoms”, which she co-wrote and executive produced. The pilot episode was directed by Lorene Scafaria (HBO’s “Succession”) and executive produced […]

HBO Orders Rachel Sennott Comedy Series...

HBO is moving ahead with a comedy series from Bottoms and Shiva Baby star Rachel Sennott.

The premium cabler has picked up the untitled show, which Sennott created and will star in. The series follows a group of codependent friends who reunite after some time apart, navigating how the separation, ambition, and new relationships have changed them.

Sennott wrote the show’s pilot and executive produced it with Emma Barrie, Aida Rodgers (both alums of Barry) and director Lorene Scafaria (Succession).

“Rachel is as hilarious as she is charming. With Lorene and Emma, she has captured the comedy and the beauty that happens when friendships collide with our best laid plans,” said Amy Gravitt, executive vp HBO and Max comedy programming. “We’re thrilled to be continuing our collaboration with this talented team and this exquisite cast.”

Said Sennott, “I’m so grateful to Amy and HBO for the opportunity...

Rachel Sennott’s untitled comedy has been picked up to series at HBO, Variety has learned.

The show was ordered to pilot at the premium cabler back in March. Sennott created and stars in the series and also serves as an executive producer. Emma Barrie, Aida Rodgers, and Lorene Scafaria also executive produce, with Scafaria having directed the pilot.

“Rachel is as hilarious as she is charming,” said Amy Gravitt, executive vice president of HBO and Max comedy programming. “With Lorene and Emma, she has captured the comedy and the beauty that happens when friendships collide with our best laid plans. We’re thrilled to be continuing our collaboration with this talented team and this exquisite cast.”

The official logline for the series states, “A codependent friend group reunites, navigating how the time apart, ambition, and new relationships have changed them.” Along with Sennott, the cast includes Odessa A’zion, Jordan Firstman,...

HBO has given a series order to a new untitled comedy from Rachel Sennott.

The project, which stars and is written and executive produced by the “Shiva Baby” actress, follows a codependent friend group that reunites, navigating how the time apart, ambition, and new relationships have changed them.

In addition to Sennott, the show’s cast includes Odessa A’zion, Jordan Firstman, Miles Robbins and True Whitaker (“Godfather of Harlem”).

The half-hour pilot, which received an order from the network back in March, is executive produced by Sennott, Emma Barrie (“Barry”), Aida Rodgers (“Barry”), and Lorene Scafaria (“Succession”), who directed.

“Rachel is as hilarious as she is charming,” HBO and Max Comedy programming executive vice president Amy Gravitt said in a statement. “With Lorene and Emma, she has captured the comedy and the beauty that happens when friendships collide with our best laid plans. We’re thrilled to be continuing our...

HBO has ordered an ensemble comedy series starring, written and executive produced by Rachel Sennott.

The project, about a codependent friend group that reunites, navigating how the time apart, ambition, and new relationships have changed them, originated as a pilot, which Sennott executive produced with Emma Barrie (HBO’s Barry), Aida Rodgers (HBO’s Barry), and Lorene Scafaria (HBO’s Succession), who directed it.

“Rachel is as hilarious as she is charming,” said Amy Gravitt, EVP HBO and Max Comedy Programming. “With Lorene and Emma, she has captured the comedy and the beauty that happens when friendships collide with our best laid plans. We’re thrilled to be continuing our collaboration with this talented team and this exquisite cast.”

Sennott stars alongside Odessa A’zion (Sitting in Bars with Cake), Jordan Firstman (Rotting in the Sun), Miles Robbins (Blockers) and True Whitaker (Godfather of Harlem). Just like it was at the pilot stage,...

Exclusive: Screen Gems and PlayStation Productions’ feature adaptation of the PlayStation game Until Dawn has set an ensemble of rising stars as Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Ji-young Yoo and Odessa A’zion have been cast in the upcoming pic. David F. Sandberg is set to direct.

“At PlayStation Productions, we are always looking to find creative and authentic ways to adapt our beloved games that our fans will enjoy,” said Asad Qizilbash, Head of PlayStation Productions, Head of Product for PlayStation Studios, Sony Interactive Entertainment. “Alongside Screen Gems, we’ve assembled a fantastic cast of new characters that builds upon our already stellar filmmaking team and their vision for the adaptation. We’re excited to reveal more about the movie soon.”

The logline is under wraps but the pic is being described as an R-rated and terrifying love letter to the horror genre, centering on an ensemble cast.

Gary Dauberman wrote...

Rachel Sennott’s upcoming HBO comedy pilot has added four cast members, Variety has learned.

Odessa A’zion, Jordan Firstman, Miles Robbins, and True Whitaker (“Godfather of Harlem”) are all set to star in project, which was picked up to pilot at HBO in March. Sennot will also star in the series.

The official logline states, “A codependent friend group reunites, navigating how the time apart, ambition, and new relationships have changed them.”

A’zion has also appeared in multiple episodes of the CBS comedy “Ghosts” as well as shows like “Fam” and features such as 2022’s “Hellraiser.” Firstman recently appeared in the Marvel series “Ms. Marvel” at Disney+. Robbins appeared in multiple episodes of the award-winning Amazon series “Mozart in the Jungle.” Whitaker appeared alongside her father, Academy Award winner Forrest Whitaker, in “Godfather of Harlem.”

A’zion is repped by UTA, Luber Roklin, Granderson Des Rochers. Firstman is repped by UTA and Frankfurt Kurnit.

Odessa A’zion (Sitting in Bars with Cake), Jordan Firstman (Rotting in the Sun), Miles Robbins (Blockers) and True Whitaker (Godfather of Harlem) have joined HBO’s Untitled Rachel Sennott Comedy Pilot.

In the untitled project, a codependent friend group reunites, navigating how the time apart, ambition and new relationships have changed them.

HBO ordered the pilot in March to star and be written and executive produced by Sennott. She executive produces alongside Emma Barrie, Aida Rodgers and Lorene Scafaria, who will also direct the pilot.

A’zion can most recently be seen in Netflix’s Grand Army in the role of Joey Del Marco and Prime Video’s Sitting In Bars With Cake as Corinne. She is represented by UTA, Luber Roklin, Granderson Des Rochers.

Firstman can most recently be seen in FX’s Dave and the Disney+/Marvel series Ms. Marvel. He is represented by UTA and Frankfurt Kurnit.

A decade ago, director James Ward Byrkit brought us a surreal, Twilight Zone-ish sci-fi thriller called Coherence (watch it Here), which JoBlo’s own Eric Walkuski gave an 8/10 review you can read at This Link. Now Deadline has revealed that Byrkit and It’s What’s Inside producer Kate Andrews are teaming up to develop a follow-up of some sort to Coherence! As Deadline notes, “Plot details are being kept under lock and key — including whether the new film will be a prequel, sequel, or a different story entirely.”

Byrkit crafted the story for the first film with Alex Manugian, coming up with the following set-up: Eight friends at a dinner party experience a troubling chain of events due to the malevolent influence of a passing comet.

Coherence starred Emily Foxler, who now goes by Emily Baldoni (Five Feet Apart), Maury Sterling (Smokin’ Aces), Nicholas Brendon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Seeking a Friend for the End of the World...

10 Best Women-Led Heist Movies To Watch, If You Enjoyed Kareena Kapoor, Kriti Sanon And Tabu’s Crew On Netflix(Photo Credit –IMDb)

Who says women cannot pull off a masterfully planned heist? Rajesh A Krishnan’s directed comedy-drama Crew is proof of that. The film, starring Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kriti Sanon, and Tabu as Jasmine, Divya Rana, and Geeta Sethi, was recently released on Netflix after its successful run in theatres. The story revolves around the crew of the bankrupt Kohinoor Airlines, who struggle to make ends meet. The three crewmates Geeta, Jasmine, and Divya are fed up with their endless hustle and decide to get down to the business of gold smuggling to end their misery.

While the three got richer, their other colleagues suffered as their months of salaries were unpaid. Finally, Geeta, Jasmine, and Divya hatch a plan to rob their boss, chairman of Kohinoor Airlines, Vijay Walia...

The other night, I had a hankering to watch a good high-concept movie I'd never seen before. I saw 2014's "Coherence" on a few lists, and being almost wholly unfamiliar with it, I decided to fire it up and give it a shot. Thankfully, this film gave me exactly what I was looking for.

Emily Baldoni, Maury Sterling, Nicholas Brendon, Elizabeth Gracen, Alex Manugian, Lauren Maher, Hugo Armstrong, and eventual "Hustlers" director Lorene Scafaria star in this ultra-low budget brain melter about a group of friends gathering for a dinner party while a comet passes by overhead. When the power goes out, a couple of them trek up the street to a neighboring house with the lights on -- only to discover something that shakes them to their core. I won't get into the specifics here, but the film has an incredible conceit, and director James Ward Byrkit, who shot...

Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas will headline Power Ballad, a musical comedy from Once director John Carney. It’s in production now.

Once director John Carney’s next film is Power Ballad, a musical comedy which will follow “the story of a wedding singer (Paul Rudd), a rock star (Nick Jonas), and the song that comes between them.”

Carney will direct from a screenplay he wrote with Peter McDonald.

Carney said, in a statement to Deadline, “I’m delighted to be working with so many great people. I’ve been working on this script with my buddy Peter for years, and now Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas are in my kitchen.”

The film is set to be one of the main attractions at the market at this year’s Cannes film festival. Carney was attached to direct a biopic of The Bee Gees, he stepped back and was replaced by Lorene Scafaria.

Exclusive: Emmy-nominated Succession director Lorene Scafaria is back at HBO to direct and executive produce the network’s half-hour comedy pilot starring, written and executive produced by Rachel Sennott.

In the untitled project, a codependent friend group reunites, navigating how the time apart, ambition and new relationships have changed them.

Scafaria directed the Succession episodes “Too Much Birthday”, “Living+”, and “Honeymoon States,” the first two of which earned her Emmy nominations in the Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series category.

This marks Scafaria’s return to comedy; she previously directed multiple episodes of Fox’s New Girl. Additionally, she wrote and directed the 2019 feature Hustlers. Scafaria is repped by UTA and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.

Exclusive: Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy), Billy Campbell (Troll), and Rhys Coiro (Hustlers) have joined Sophie Turner in the psychological thriller Trust for Twisted Pictures and Republic Pictures.

Details as to their roles are under wraps. Other new additions set to round out the cast include Peter Mensah (Gladiator 2), Forrest Goodluck (The Revenant), and Gianni Paolo (Power).

In Trust, Turner plays a Hollywood starlet who seeks refuge in a secluded Airbnb following a high-profile scandal, only to find herself at the mercy of hardened criminals on the hunt for a score.

Carlson Young (The Blazing World) is directing from a script by Gigi Levangie (Stepmom), with Twisted Pictures’ Oren Koules producing alongside Miles Koules of Koulest Productions. The film stems from a new multi-picture distribution deal between Twisted Pictures, producer of the Saw franchise, and Republic Pictures. Production commences in Mexico later this month.

Currently starring on ABC’s The Conners,...

Los Angeles, Feb 17 (Ians) Filmmaker Ridley Scott is in talks to direct a film on the music group Bee Gees.

The Bee Gees were a band formed in 1958 by brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. Barry Gibb, the last surviving brother, will executive produce. Siblings Maurice and Robin died in 2003 and 2012, respectively.

Scott will produce the currently-untitled film alongside Graham King for Gk Films, Stacey Snider, and Michael Pruss for Scott Free. John Logan, who wrote Scott’s 2000 epic ‘Gladiator’, will pen the script.

It’s been a long road to tell the Bee Gees’ story on the big screen – Kenneth Branagh was previously tapped to direct a biopic film for Paramount in 2021. John Carney stepped in as director in March 2022, but departed due to scheduling conflicts, reports variety.com.

He was replaced by ‘Hustlers’ director Lorene Scafaria in December 2022.

The story of the Gibb brothers’ legendary trio was most...

Ridley Scott is in talks to direct Paramount’s Bee Gees film.

Scott will produce the currently-untitled film alongside Graham King for Gk Films, Stacey Snider, and Michael Pruss for Scott Free. John Logan, who wrote Scott’s 2000 epic “Gladiator,” will pen the script.

Paramount Pictures is distributing the film worldwide with Amblin and Sister having the right to co-finance. Barry Gibb, the last surviving brother, will executive produce. Siblings Maurice and Robin died in 2003 and 2012, respectively.

It’s been a long road to tell the Bee Gees’ story on the big screen – Kenneth Branagh was previously tapped to direct a biopic film for Paramount in 2021. John Carney stepped in as director in March 2022, but departed due to scheduling conflicts. He was replaced by “Hustlers” director Lorene Scafaria in December 2022.

The story of the Gibb brothers’ legendary trio was most recently depicted in 2020 documentary series “The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.

The 75th Primetime Emmys offer the biggest night in television, as the stars and creators of entertainment on the small screen gather to celebrate each other. Anthony Anderson hosted the 2024 Emmys broadcast, which honored the finest in drama and comedy on television, as well as some love for limited series, variety shows, and even reality television.

"Succession" came away as the big winner with the trophy for Drama Series, as well as a couple of major acting awards for Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook. On the comedy side, "The Bear" won the top Comedy Series prize, while stars Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach all won acting awards too. Finally, in the limited series category, "Beef" walked away with the major award for Limited Series, with Steven Yeun and Ali Wong taking home acting awards. Plus, the directors and writers for all of those shows took home trophies too.

Because the Primetime Emmys and the DGA Awards are operating on two different schedules, nominations often have little overlap. However, with the Director Guild of America (DGA) coincidentally releasing the TV nominations for its DGA Awards the same week as the postponed 75th Primetime Emmys, it’s become even more noticeable the ways in which the two awards bodies aligned and differed on shows from 2023.

For instance, DGA Awards favorite “Succession” once again dominates the Drama Series category, receiving four nominations (one less than the last time the show was eligible). While the guild was on the same page about honoring directors Andrij Parekh and Mark Mylod (a past winner) for their work on the fourth and final season of the HBO awards juggernaut, DGA voters opted to recognize Becky Martin and duo Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman for their “Succession” Season 4 episodes over Lorene Scafaria, the show’s...

When “Monica” premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September 2022, the response was immediate: The movie received a standing ovation that clocked in at 11-and-a-half minutes. Andrea Pallaoro’s powerful tale of a woman returning home to care for her ailing mother who hasn’t seen her since before her gender transition had already made history by being the first film to feature a trans lead to play the fest. Praise was heaped on star Trace Lysette in the title role and Patricia Clarkson, who portrays her mother, Eugenia.

Still, it wasn’t until November when IFC Films, whose parent company is AMC Networks, picked up North American distribution rights. “‘Monica’ is a terrifically textured film anchored by multiple riveting performances,” says Scott Shooman, head of AMC Networks Film Group. “We really responded to Andrea’s vision and felt that it is the type of boundary-pushing, auteur filmmaking we always seek to be associated with.

Jennifer Lopez will be playing Aurora, the titular Spider Woman, in Bill Condon’s Broadway adaptation.

Musicals seem to be having a bit of a moment, despite studios trying to hide the songs in their trailers for films like Wonka and Mean Girls. Jon M Chu is busy working on his adaptation of Wicked and Blitz Bazawule’s The Color Purple is garnering rave reviews ahead of the awards season. And more are on the way, it seems…

Variety reports that Jennifer Lopez has signed on for Bill Condon’s film adaptation of Kiss Of The Spider Woman, which premiered on Broadway in 1993. It’s based on a novel by Manuel Puig and 1985 independent film adaptation of the novel. John Kander and Fred Ebb were in charge of the music.

Lopez is reportedly playing the role of Aurora, the titular Spider Woman. The story is set in an Argentinian prison in 1981. A man,...

If You Were the Last is a sci-fi romantic comedy film directed by Kristian Mercado, from a screenplay by Angela Bourassa. The Peacock original film revolves around two best friends adrift in a broken down space shuttle with no chance of rescue as they argue over whether they should stay friends or become something more in their remaining days. The film stars Anthony Mackie and Zoe Chao in leading roles with Natalie Morales and Geoff Stults starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the sci-fi rom-com film here are some similar movies you could watch next.

Passengers (Starz & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Sony Pictures

Synopsis: Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt star in a high-stakes adventure about two passengers, Aurora and Jim, onboard a spaceship transporting them to a new life on another planet. The trip takes a deadly turn when their hibernation pods mysteriously wake them 90 years before they reach their destination.

Films can be interesting time capsules of historical moments or can at least represent what movie studios think an audience is interested in. Right now, there seems to be a belief that we really want to know how the opioid crisis, which kill 136 Americans a day, came to be. Netflix, most recently, came out with the series “Painkiller,” looking at the topic and, in October, will release “Pain Hustlers,” a fictionalized exploration of a drug company that foisted opioids on doctors for personal gain.

“Pain Hustlers” is a weird look into the topic, with long-time “Harry Potter” director David Yates at the helm to tell a story with heavy shades of Martin Scorsese’s “Wolf of Wall Street” and Craig Gillespie’s “I, Tonya.” Those are certainly great movies to lift tones from but in the case of “Pain Hustlers” its never gels and, coupled with Wells Tower’s simplistic script,...

Pop a bottle of Prosecco and get ready to shake your money-maker because Lionsgate is partnering with STX to develop scripted TV series inspired by Jennifer Lopez’s Hustlers and the raunchy 2016 comedy Bad Moms. The plan to put both projects into development is part of a new distribution deal between STXfilms and Lionsgate, the companies announced on Wednesday.

The Hustlers and Bad Moms TV series projects are in the early stages of development, and there is no word if the original cast or crew members will return for the episodic versions of either property.

Released in 2016, Bad Moms stars Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Kathryn Hahn as three overworked and under-appreciated moms pushed beyond their limits. After succumbing to exhaustion, they ditch their conventional responsibilities for a jolt of long-overdue freedom, fun, and comedic self-indulgence. A sequel, A Bad Moms Christmas, was released in 2017. Both movies were received well by audiences,...

This story about “Succession” first appeared in the Down to the Wire: Drama and Limited Series issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.

Well, “Succession” picked the right time to end its four-year run on HBO. As final Emmy voting draws nigh, Hollywood is rife with drama and backbiting, raucous picket lines and dark rumors of back-channel negotiations. Rich CEOs trade insults with writers and actors as an entire industry wonders when and if it can get back to work. In that climate, the entertainment industry itself is generating juicy headlines at a pace to rival anything the Roy family managed to manufacture during their illustrious if imaginary tenure on the Emmy juggernaut “Succession,” which leads all programs this year with 27 nominations.

Given the hubris, spite and chaos that has consumed the industry, do we even need creator Jesse Armstrong’s indelible fictional characters providing riveting but uncomfortable entertainment? Sure we do.

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys

2023 Emmy Predictions:

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

Weekly Commentary: Official commentary coming soon.

The final Emmy voting rounds open on Aug. 17 at 9 a.m. Pt and close on Aug. 28 at 10 p.m. Pst.

Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Creative Arts predictions in all categories.

2022 category...

Succession has made Emmy history with its final season.

Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin are nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, marking the first time ever that the Lead Actor category has seen three actors from the same series simultaneously receive a nod.

Succession raked in an impressive 27 nods for its fourth and final season on Wednesday morning when nominations for the 75th annual Emmy Awards were announced by Yvette Nicole Brown and Television Academy Chair Frank Scherma. The series received 14 acting nominations, as well as Outstanding Drama Series.

Creator Jesse Armstrong was also recognized for writing “Connor’s Wedding,” and Mark Mylod, Lorene Scafaria, and Andrij Parekh all received nominations for directing.

Succession already has 13 Emmys including Best Drama Series wins for its Season 2 and Season 3, the latter of which premiered in 2021. Both Cox and Strong have already competed in this category twice. Strong...

Not one, not two but three shows topped Friday’s 39th Television Critics Association nominations with five bids each: “Succession,” “The Last of Us” and “The Bear.”

All three series are up for Program of the Year alongside reigning champ “Abbott Elementary,” “Andor,” “Better Call Saul,” “The Other Two,” “Poker Face” and “The White Lotus.”

A two-time winner for drama series, “Succession” will seek a third win in the category for its fourth and final season, which would tie it with “The Americans,” “Homicide: Life on the Street,” “Lost” and “Mad Men” (“The Sopranos” holds the record with four wins). It’s up against its HBO mates “The Last of Us” and “The White Lotus,” in addition to “Andor,” 2019 winner “Better Call Saul,” “The Good Fight,” “Interview with the Vampire” and “Yellowjackets.”

Performers from “Succession” and “The Last of Us” occupy five of the nine spots in Individual Achievement in Drama,...

When Kieran Culkin confirmed in late April that he will submit in Best Drama Actor at the Emmys for the fourth and final season of “Succession” after two supporting bids, it set off a flurry of reactions. One was that it’s the correct call, given the increased focus on Roman (Culkin), Kendall (Jeremy Strong) and Shiv (Sarah Snook) this season in the wake of Logan’s (Brian Cox) death in the third episode. Another was that he would split the vote with Strong, the 2020 champ, and Cox, who later confirmed he was staying in lead, paving the way for someone else to triumph. But if either Culkin or Cox pulls out the win, though the latter seems less likely, “Succession” will join rarefied air as one of just two series to win the category for two different people.

Eleven dramas have nabbed multiple wins in the Best Drama Actor category,...

Spoilers are in this article and video for the series finale.

Filmmaker Lorene Scafaria isn’t just the director of two of the best “Succession” episodes from its just-finished final season – “Honeymoon States” and “Living+” – she’s also a major fan of the show itself who is more than happy to discuss the series finale.

“We could talk about that forever if you want. It’s a perfect episode. It’s a perfect ending,” Scafaria – an Emmy Award nominee for the “Succession” Season 3 episode “Too Much Birthday” – tells Gold Derby in an exclusive video interview about the final episode. “I don’t know how they did it. It’s a show that aims quite high for referencing everything from ‘The Godfather’ to ‘King Lear.’ But I think it achieves it. It was so satisfying, in a way. It wasn’t as steeped in the same sort of tear-jerking emotion as other episodes.

We probably sound like a broken record at this point, but it is always worth pointing out when a TV show truly capitalizes on the fact that it’s a TV show. The concept of an episode has been diluted over the years, with so many shows seeing a runtime as a means to an end or just another hour to fill on the way to an ending. “Succession” has become one of the all-time TV greats by understanding that each individual piece of the puzzle can be a hand-crafted, standalone work of its own.

So picking out the best episodes of “Succession” is both a challenging and rewarding idea. They’re defined by moments in a “Friends”-esque way — The One Where Tom Throws Water Bottles; The One Where Tom Flips a Desk Over; The One Where Tom Steals Logan’s Chicken — or an “Always Sunny”-esque way — The...

“The Mother” remains Netflix’s biggest opening weekend of 2023 with 83.71 million hours viewed since its premiere. One of the shining moments in the Netflix action thriller is the largescale hallway fight The Mother (Jennifer Lopez) embarks on in the Mexican compound of baddie Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal). To the tune of Massive Attack’s “Angel,” Lopez goes from room to room, offing bad guys while trying to rescue her daughter.

The song was always a part of director Niki Caro’s extended vision for the movie. “The thing about that sequence was I designed it to that song,” she told TheWrap. “I always had that song playing in my head. I sent the song to the second unit director and stunt coordinator with the storyboards and I’m like, ‘This is the song.'” That meant that the trip hop band would have to allow Caro to use the song which,...

[This story contains spoilers for the seventh episode of Succession season four, “Tailgate Party.”]

With three episodes left in the series, Succession ended its latest episode with a major blowup.

After dancing a strategic waltz around the status of their relationship all season long, Shiv Roy (Sarah Snook) and Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen) finally decided to confront one another and clear the air. Shiv, who hasn’t yet told her estranged husband that she is pregnant (likely with his baby), provoked Tom to air out all of his grievances while the pair were co-hosting the Election Eve tailgate party during the seventh episode of the HBO drama’s final season.

“Tailgate Party” followed an episode that had suggested the pair were pausing their divorce and rekindling — director Lorene Scafaria told The Hollywood Reporter last week of their honest conversation in “Living+”: “Their love is messed up. There’s something pure, but it’s messed up. … And it kind...

Wes Anderson and Martin Scorsese are in a pickle at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The directors of “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “Asteroid City” have contractual obligations to promote their movies; however, both are WGA members with writing credits on their latest work, and the WGA’s strike regulations prohibit members from promoting new projects. Neither the WGA nor the DGA responded when I asked for clarification on these competing policies, though I’m told the DGA is leaving this one up to the writers, while sources working on both movies say they’re assuming the filmmakers will be cleared to do their work because, quite simply, the writer-director has a different role than screenwriting on its own: They’re auteurs.

Therein lies the rub. The confluence of Cannes and the writers strike illuminates a key factor in the latest work stoppage that differentiates it from the ones that came before.

In the world of “Succession,” the relationship between Lukas Matsson and Shiv Roy is only days old but it’s already one of the most compelling on the whole show. Already this season, Matsson has confessed to Shiv his penchant for sending literal bags of blood to former romantic partners and been open about his hostility toward the Waystar Royco brand, her deceased father, and her Ce-Bro siblings, Kendall and Connor.

But during the early stages of Sunday’s episode, “Living+,” Matsson perhaps even surprised Shiv with his casualness: While their private jets were stopped alongside each other on the tarmac, Matsson exited his plane while barefoot and walked right onto Shiv’s transport.

“It wasn’t really planned,” Matsson actor Alexander Skarsgard told Vanity Fair about the shoeless moment. In fact, the idea came from the fact that Skarsgard himself wears slides or sandals to the set.

“I was...

The fourth and final season of "Succession" is no stranger to completely upending the status quo. We've been a mix of shocked, devastated, and terrified for the past six episodes, never knowing which one of the Roy siblings is next to self-destruct or what business development would arise next to decimate their plans. As Kendall (Jeremy Strong) would say, it's been a "tightrope on a razor blade."

If you wanted to pick the wildest moment of the season, you'd have plenty to choose from: the death of family patriarch Logan Roy? Potential Waystar buyer Lukas Matsson admitting that he mailed an employee several bricks of his blood? So far, my personal favorite comes from the compilation of nervous breakdowns that is "Living+": it's when Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) and Shiv (Sarah Snook) roll down their sleeves and play a fascinating round of Bitey, chomping down on each other's arms as...

The following post contains spoilers about “Succession” Season 4, Episode 6, “Living+”

Logan Roy returned – at least on video.

At the start of Sunday’s episode of “Succession,” the deceased Roy family patriarch appeared via previously unseen footage produced to launch the new Waystar Royco initiative Living+, a Waystar-branded retirement community that sought to bring the synergy of the company’s cruise, parks, news, and content divisions into the lives of the elderly. The twist allowed “Succession” star Brian Cox to return to the show for the fourth time this season. (Logan died in the season’s third episode.)

Speaking in interviews published after Sunday’s broadcast, the episode’s director, Lorene Scafaria, said it was a real treat to get to bring Cox back to “Succession.”

“As you can imagine, after episode three, I did not think I would be working with Brian again. And then suddenly at the table read,...

Note: The following story contains spoilers from “Succession” Season 4, Episode 6

The latest episode of “Succession” was crowded with standout moments, from the posthumous return of Logan Roy (Brian Cox) to a flirtatious reunion between Tom (Matthew McFadyen) and Shiv (Sarah Snook) to an almost-cringe Investor Day presentation from Kendall (Jeremy Strong).

The episode, titled “Living+,” marks the third time behind the camera for director Lorene Scafaria, who previously directed “Too Much Birthday” in Season 3 and “Honeymoon States” in Season 4. She told TheWrap that working with Cox on the pre-taped videos for Waystar’s Investor Day presentation offered a massive and nerve-wracking opportunity to collaborate with him one last time on the HBO drama series.

“As you can imagine after Episode 3, I didn’t imagine I’d be working with Brian again. And suddenly at the table read there was that opening scene,” she said. “So that was so thrilling to...

The Roy siblings come down from the Norwegian mountains and go Hollywood in “Living+,” Episode 6 of “Succession’s” fourth and final season.

With a very attractive offer from Scandinavian online goliath GoJo to buy their media empire Waystar in play, Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin) and Siobhan (Sarah Snook) want to fix their money-bleeding movie studio while preparing to host a shareholder’s presentation at the glamorous location. Will the lame-duck corporate leaders be able (or really want) to sell their investors on not only the merger points, but an ambitious new real estate venture their dad and Waystar’s founder Logan Roy (Brian Cox) was preparing before his sudden death?

The answers involve high drama and copious comic cringe.

Also Read:

‘Succession’ Star Peter Friedman on Episode 5’s Merger Kill List: ‘It’s a Different Generation’ Will You Be My Valentine?

The episode opens with a video of...

[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for “Succession” Season 4, Episode 6, “Living+.”]

Shiv is sitting in the chair. It’s not where she wanted to sit, nor is she at the head of the conference table opposite Roman (Kieran Culkin) — the only person perched in the typical seat of power — but that only makes Shiv’s framing all the more telling. Episode 6 director Lorene Scafaria positions her camera directly behind Sarah Snook’s shrewd sister. She’s not hunched over, like Logan (Brain Cox) in the opening credits, but the images share an intimation: Here sits the person in charge. And Shiv is very much in charge of that meeting, that day, and, with the exception of one bomb-dropping, bomber-jacketed bro, she’s in charge of Waystar Royco’s future.

Not formally, of course. She’s not in the captain’s chair — just backseat driving. For now, at least.

Like its suggestive early shot, Episode 6, “Living+,” creates and...

Spoiler Alert: This interview contains spoilers from Season 4, Episode 6 of “Succession,” now streaming on HBO Max.

Director Lorene Scafaria first entered the world of HBO’s “Succession” with the Season 3 episode “Too Much Birthday,” in which Kendall (Jeremy Strong) attempts to throw an elaborate party for himself, and ends the night having an emotional breakdown. She followed that up two weeks ago with Season 4’s “Honeymoon States,” the first episode after Logan’s (Brian Cox) death. Now, in Sunday night’s new episode, she “resurrected” Logan in a bizarre promo video for Living+, Waystar Royco’s new cash-grab product that combines real estate, healthcare and, naturally, IP integration.

As in “Too Much Birthday,” Scafaria’s episode showcases Kendall’s love for extravagant theatricality, and it throws several curveballs in his quest to lead Waystar as co-ceo with Roman (Kieran Culkin). Kendall spends much of the episode worrying about the flashy Living+ investor launch,...

[This story contains spoilers for Succession season four episode six, “Living+.”]

Big, big shoes. Big shoes. Big… nervous breakdown? Not so fast.

In the latest episode of Succession, the sixth hour of the final season, the Roys went to Hollywood. Waystar Royco’s Investor Day brought new co-CEOs Kendall (Jeremy Strong) and Roman Roy (Kieran Culkin), along with sister Shiv (Sarah Snook) and the entire executive team, out to the company’s Los Angeles headquarters for the annual presentation where all eyes end up fixated on Kendall as he steps up to fill the big, big shoes left to him (either in an underlined or crossed-out manner) by his late father, Logan Roy (Brian Cox).

Despite expressed concerns heading into his presentation — and the major hiccup of Waystar’s likely acquirer Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård) comparing Kendall’s pitch to the Nazis in a viral but later-deleted tweet — Kendall ends up pulling off a very...

Actress Lili Reinhart aka ‘Betty Cooper’ in the “Archie” Comics TV series “Riverdale”, is the new ‘ambassador’ for the French fashion brand “Lancel”, posing for the company’s 2023 handbag line, photographed by Peter Ash Lee:

“…’Betty Cooper’, is the lead guitarist, percussionist and one of the three singers of ‘The Archies’, created by Bob Montana and John L. Goldwater…

“…debuting in “Pep Comics” #22 (1941), on the first page of the first ‘Archie’ story, serving as a love interest to ‘Archie Andrews’.

“Betty is in love with Archie, which drives her attempts to win his affections by whatever means possible…

“…and her rivalry with her best friend, vocalist/keyboardist ‘Veronica Lodge’, have been among the longest-running themes in the comics…”

Lili Reinhart is known for portraying ‘Betty Cooper’ on The CW teen drama series “Riverdale” (2017–present) and ‘Annabelle’ in Lorene Scafaria's black comedy crime drama film “Hustlers” (2019).

In 2020, she portrayed ‘Grace...