‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ Stars on the Netflix Show’s Feminist Themes If she had to sum up her titular character in “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” star Kiernan Shipka would describe Sabrina Spellman as a “woke witch.” The series, which premieres Oct. 26 on Netflix, is a reimagining of the famous teen witch’s story that has overt feminist themes. On the show, Sabrina is a half-witch half-mortal…
Amazon’s Jennifer Salke Defends Broadcast, Touts Upcoming Projects Despite her recent career choices, Jennifer Salke is still a believer in broadcast. “I don’t think that it’s on its deathbed,” Salke, head of Amazon Studios, said at a USC summit. “I think it is evolving quickly. But I still believe, knowing the amount of people we were reaching at NBC, that there’s a huge…
Selma Blair Says She Has Multiple Sclerosis in Heartfelt Instagram Post Actress and activist Selma Blair has revealed in an Instagram post that she has multiple sclerosis. Framing the statement around the help her “Another Life” costume designer provides while she’s dressing for the show, Blair thanked Netflix and her producers, as well as several of her friends, for standing by her during the difficult time.…
Loretta Lynn Resting at Home After Hospital Stay UPDATE: A record label spokesperson for Loretta Lynn has issued a statement on her behalf, in which the country star says she had “a brief hospital visit” but is now “enjoying a weekend of resting up at home.” Lynn’s representative also said: “Please note, Michael Lynn is not a known relative and does not speak on…
Danny Leiner, Director of ‘Dude, Where’s My Car,’ Dies at 57 Danny Leiner, a film and television director whose feature films included “Dude, Where’s My Car” and “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle,” died Thursday. He was 57. Leiner’s collaborator Ross Putman confirmed his death in a Facebook post, and described its cause as a long illness. “If there’s one thing I can say about…
‘Joy’ by Sudabeh Mortezai Wins Best Film at BFI London Film Festival Sex-trafficking drama “Joy,” from Austrian-Iranian director Sudabeh Mortezai, has won the award for Best Film at the BFI London Film Festival. “Joy” was one of 10 films in the official competition lineup, half of which were directed or co-directed by women, including Mortezai. The winning picture is a “vital, beautifully made film,” said Lenny Abrahamson, president…
‘Will & Grace’ Co-Creator Doesn’t Want to See Tim Allen Get Political on ‘Last Man Standing’ “Will and Grace” is no stranger to politics – its latest season features discussions about immigration, President Trump and a host of other topics – but that doesn’t mean show co-creator Max Mutchnick thinks every show should follow suit. “It depends on the tone – everything is about tone – and our characters are able…
‘Halloween’: 20 Inside Jokes and Easter Eggs Like “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which successfully combined fresh new material with a plethora of nostalgic nods to the past, Universal’s “Halloween” reboot manages to pick up where John Carpenter’s 1978 classic left off while paying sly homage to the original film and several of the sequels it otherwise ignores. Overflowing with inside jokes,…
London Film Review: ‘Been So Long’ Michaela Coel plays a character called Simone in Tinge Krishnan’s neon-bright urban musical “Been So Long” — and whether that’s coincidental, or intended to humor internet fan calls for the up-and-comer to headline a Nina Simone biopic, the message gets across anyway. Not that there’s anything Simone-like about the blend of perky showtunes and steamy…
Box Office: ‘Halloween’ to Hunt Down October Opening Record With $80 Million Debut “Halloween” will not only take home the box office crown in its debut weekend, but may also break “Venom’s” recently-set record for best October opening of all time. Universal’s reboot, starring Jamie Lee Curtis, is heading for an estimated $80 million from 3,928 North American locations in its first weekend. It’ll have to outpace “Venom’s”…
Ellie Kemper’s Irreverent New Book Tracks Her Missteps and Misadventures in Hollywood Ellie Kemper isn’t trying to change the world, but she’s hoping her new book will change your mind about ice cream, at the very least. The “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” actress is hitting the road this month in support of her debut work, “My Squirrel Days,” which tracks the Missouri native’s journey from awkward adolescence to…
Lumière Festival: Jane Fonda Masterclass, the Highlights At France’s 10th Lumière Film Festival, Jane Fonda received on Friday night a Lumière Award, presented by filmmaker Costa-Gavras. Earlier, she gave a masterclass to a packed house at Lyon’s Théâtre des Célestins, speaking with Institut Lumiere director and Cannes chief Thierry Frémaux. Here are some of the highlights, translated from French, which Fonda speaks…
Charles S. Cohen on the Lumière Festival, Buster Keaton, the Cinema Experience LYON, France – Attending the Lumière Film Festival in Lyon for the first time this week, Charles S. Cohen, chairman and CEO of Cohen Media Group, praised the event and its International Classic Film Market (MIFC). A producer and distributor of independent and arthouse films and the biggest distributor of French films in the U.S.,…
Malavida Looks to Event Distribution with Jerzy Skolimowski At Lyon’s Lumière Festival to present “Walkover,” and “The Departure,” Jerzy Skolimowski will be the subject of a five-film tribute at the Cinématheque Française’s Toute La Mémoire du Monde Festival as event distribution emerges ever more as one of the biggest hopes for the classic film business. Titles screening at the Toute La Mémoire du…
Wide Rolls Out Jean-Luc Godard Classics, Takes ‘Versus,’ ‘La Mala Noche’ (EXCLUSIVE) Jean-Luc Godard, the subject of a film showcase at this year’s Lumière Film Festival in Lyon that includes his latest film, “The Image Work,” remains a hot commodity for Paris-based sales group Wide. The company, which is attending the fest’s International Classic Film Market with a strong heritage film lineup, recently signed a number of…
Film Review: ‘Hunter Killer’ It’s no trick for even the most ham-fisted global action thriller to achieve a ripped-from-the-headlines “topicality.” Just throw in a terrorist from the right enemy nation, or an American president with the right haircut. So it’s a weird and musty Twilight Zone indeed that one enters to watch “Hunter Killer,” a grindingly ponderous and bombastic…
‘Luke Cage’ Canceled by Netflix Netflix has canceled “Luke Cage.” News of the cancellation comes four months after the superhero action drama from Marvel Television debuted its second season on the streaming service — and just days after Netflix pulled the plug on another Marvel show, “Iron Fist.” “Unfortunately, ‘Marvel’s Luke Cage’ will not return for a third season. Everyone…
Bruce Dern Hospitalized With Possible Hip Fracture UPDATE – Bruce Dern has suffered a possible fractured hip after collapsing while jogging in Los Angeles and has been released after being hospitalized. The news was first reported late Friday afternoon by TMZ, which reported that the incident took place at 3:45 p.m. The site posted a photo taken by a bystander of a…
DGA Accused of Bias Against Female Directing Teams by ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ Director “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” writer-producer Audrey Wauchope has accused the Directors Guild of America of bias against female directing teams. Wauchope leveled the assertions Friday in the wake of longtime partner Rachel Specter not receiving directing credit for co-directing Friday’s segment with Wauchope. The DGA had no comment Friday, citing its policy of not commenting on internal…
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ DP Newton Thomas Sigel’s Work Spans ‘X-Men,’ Indie Films and Documentaries On Nov. 2, when “Bohemian Rhapsody” — the biopic of Freddie Mercury, lead singer of British rock group Queen — debuts on U.S. screens, it will mark latest in a long string of highly diverse films lensed by cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel. The DP’s work, which goes back to the early ’80s, has encompassed war…
Britney Spears’ Strange Vegas Residency Rollout Belies a Big Raise It’s a good thing Britney Spears isn’t getting paid by the word. Her big reveal in Las Vegas Thursday night, at the end of a breathlessly narrated half-hour live stream on Ellen DeGeneres’ YouTube channel, was… the sight of Spears finally appearing amid some pyrotechnics, and then walking down to her limo without uttering a…
Zayn Malik Shuffles International Property Portfolio Zayn Malik, who rocketed to international superstardom almost a decade ago as the archetypal, tatted-up teenage “bad boy” of the preposterously popular British boy band One Direction and nowadays promotes himself professionally as just ZAYN, has spent much of 2018 releasing a second single from his not yet dropped sophomore solo album, navigating the topsy-turvy,…
Charlie Collier Named Fox Entertainment CEO; Gary Newman Exits Gary Newman will exit his role at Fox Television Group as longtime AMC exec Charlie Collier prepares to take over as head of entertainment for Fox Broadcasting. Collier has been named CEO of entertainment for Fox, Fox chief executive Lachlan Murdoch announced Friday in a company-wide memo. The surprise move puts an abrupt cap on…
TV News Roundup: Showtime Drops Official Trailer for ‘Black Monday’ In today’s TV News roundup, Showtime dropped a new trailer for its upcoming comedy “Black Monday” and Facebook Watch released a new clip from the second season of “Red Table Talk.” DATES Netflix will release “Motown Magic” on Nov. 20. The children’s series inspired by the iconic music of Motown will feature original characters in a fantastical world…
In Wake of Overtime Debate, Rockstar Tells Employees OT Not Mandatory At least one of the studios under the Rockstar Games umbrella held a meeting Friday to tell its employees that overtime work is not mandatory, Rockstar Games told Variety. While overtime at Rockstar Lincoln was not mandatory, it was requested and scheduled, Rockstar’s Jennifer Kolbe said. “Our team could let their managers know when they…
Gael Garcia Bernal’s ‘Chicuarotes’ Picked up by Cinepolis Distribution Cinepolis Distribution, the distribution arm of Mexican exhibition giant Cinepolis, has picked up all Latin American rights to “Chicuarotes,” the second feature helmed by award-winning multi hyphenate Gael Garcia Bernal. The film, described as a dark comedy, is produced by Garcia Bernal via his new shingle with partner Diego Luna, La Corriente del Golfo, along with Marta…
‘God Friended Me,’ ‘The Neighborhood,’ ‘Magnum P.I.’ Land Full-Season Orders From CBS CBS has picked up “God Friended Me,” “The Neighborhood,” “Magnum P.I.” for full seasons. “God Friended Me” is averaging more than 10 million viewers per episode. The single-camera comedy stars Brandon Micheal Hall, Violett Beane, Suraj Sharma, Javicia Leslie and Joe Morton. Steven Lilien, Bryan Wynbrandt, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Marcos Siega are executive…
Film Review: ‘Galveston’ Let’s say you come across gritty desperadoes-on-the-run thriller “Galveston,” maybe flipping channels or because you decided to take a gamble and buy the Ben Foster-Elle Fanning drama on-demand. Watching the tough, Gulf of Mexico road movie unfold — burning slow and even from Louisiana to its title Texas destination like a lit cigarette in a dead…
Experience the Cyclopean Architecture, Haunting Horror of Cthulhu If tentacled-horror and exestential dread are your brands of Halloween scares, than Cyanide Studios official adaptation of the “Call of Cthulhu” pen-and-paper role-playing game, may be just what the mysterious doctor ordered. The Preview to Madness trailer celebrates that the upcoming game has gone gold and is expected to hit the PlayStation 4, Windows PC,…
SAG-AFTRA Reaches Tentative Deal on Sound Recordings Contract SAG-AFTRA and the major record labels reached a tentative three-year agreement on a successor contract to the SAG-AFTRA National Code of Fair Practice for Sound Recordings. The deal was reached late Thursday after two days of bargaining in New Orleans. Negotiations began in April — three months after expiration of the current deal — in…
‘Halloween’ to Make a Killing With Opening Weekend in Mid-$70 Millions Jamie Lee Curtis’ “Halloween” is looking to slice up an opening weekend of as high as $75 million at 3,928 North American locations, early estimates showed Friday. Universal’s R-rated slasher film is on its way to posting the second-highest October launch of all time, bested only by the $80 million opening of Tom Hardy’s “Venom”…
‘The Talk’ Co-Host Eve Says Julie Chen’s Exit Was ‘Extremely Hard’ Following the ousting of CBS chairman-CEO Leslie Moonves over sexual misconduct allegations, his wife Julie Chen announced her exit as co-host from the network’s daytime show “The Talk” in September. Her former co-host, rapper Eve, told Variety that it has been “extremely hard” without Chen. “It was extremely hard, because of the things that we talk about,”…
Atari Releasing Wood Veneered Portable 2600 Iconic gaming brand Atari is returning with two new products in time for the holidays. The Atari Retro Handheld and Atari Plug & Play Joystick offer a selection of classic Atari games for play at home or on the go. The handheld, priced at £34.99, takes 50 classic titles and packs the into a portable…
NBC Announces Date for 2019 Billboard Music Awards Though fall has only just set in, NBC is already anticipating springtime with the announcement of The 2019 Billboard Music Awards. The network announced Friday that the awards will air live on Wednesday, May 1 on NBC. The three hour telecast will begin at 8 p.m. EST, with a delayed broadcast airing on the West…
Amazon Names James Farrell Head of International Originals Amazon Studios has named James Farrell head of international originals. Previously head of content, international expansion for the e-commerce giant’s entertainment arm, Farrell will, in his new role, lead the international original teams in Japan, India, Europe, Mexico and Brazil as well as future locations. “We’ve had significant success in this area to date and,…
Animation Is Film Review: ‘Seder-Masochism’ Animator Nina Paley’s wit and imagination provide such unique delights that it seems almost churlish to complain that her second feature feels more like a tray of hors d’oeuvres than a full meal — even if it’s inspired by the traditional ritual feast of Passover Seder. But “Seder-Masochism” plays as considerably less of an organic…
‘Battlefield V’ Pre-Release Player Gift Includes Headgear and Emblem EA DICE revealed a special gift to “Battlefield V” fans ahead of the game’s long-awaited release. In a personal video posted to Twitter, EA DICE GM Oskar Gabrielson announced a special item set available for fans as a thank you for supporting the upcoming game despite its delay. The Oscar Mike Gift will be awarded…
Turner Shuts Down Super Deluxe, Citing Duplication With Other WarnerMedia Units AT&T’s pruning of WarnerMedia continues: Turner announced that it is killing off Super Deluxe, its digital studio division. “Turner is proud of the unique brand Super Deluxe has built over the past three years, and the cutting-edge content and innovations this incredible group of very talented people has made,” the cable programmer said in a…
Veteran Showrunner Marti Noxon Renovates and Lists Studio City Contemporary (EXCLUSIVE) In addition to being an accomplished, Emmy-nominated television writer and producer, veteran showrunner Marti Noxon seems to be dipping her toe in the high-end house flipping business, listing a freshly rehabbed mid-century ranch house in the hills above Studio City, Calif., for $2.399 million. Perched along a wooded ridge with rustic, cross-canyon views near the…
‘Station 19’ Nabs Full Season Order at ABC ABC has ordered a full season of sophomore firehouse drama “Station 19.” The series, which comes from Shondaland and is a spinoff of medical drama staple “Grey’s Anatomy,” stars Jaina Lee Ortiz, Jason George, Boris Kodjoe, Grey Damon, Barrett Doss, Alberto Frezza, Jay Hayden, Okieriete Onaodowan, Danielle Savre and Miguel Sandoval. Dermot Mulroney was…
Sony Classics Buys Water Documentary ‘Aquarela’ Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all rights in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Scandinavia, South Africa, and India from Participant Media to Victor Kossakosvky’s water-themed documentary “Aquarela.” The film had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival and also screened at the London Film Festival. Sony Classics is planning to release…
Lil Peep’s Mother Gets Deep About Opioid Crisis, Posthumous Albums at Intense Listening Event NEW YORK — It’s hard to know how to experience an album by a talented, 21-year-old dead person, let alone market it. The pleasure and elation that one can feel from music is weighted down by melancholy, whether you knew the artist or not, and the traditional methods of getting people excited about a new…
Oculus to Stream NBA Games for Free in VR, Starting With Sunday’s Warriors vs. Nuggets Basketball fans just got another option to watch this season’s games for free, with a little help from Facebook’s Oculus: virtual reality live-streaming startup NextVR is going to stream a number of NBA games in Oculus Venues without the need for an NBA League Pass subscription. Oculus Venues launched as a social co-viewing app for…
‘Walter Presents’ Host Talks Challenge of Bringing Subtitled TV Shows to U.S., Italy London-based Italian TV buff Walter Iuzzolino has changed the way a significant number of Brits watch TV with his “Walter Presents” on-demand drama service, which he curates and hosts, backed by the U.K.’s Channel 4 which offers hundreds of hours of top notch non-English-language drama. His hybrid — he likes to call it “amphibious” —…
Big Machine Records Chief Scott Borchetta on His Early Days in Music Biz To date, the most significant day in the career of Big Machine Records chief Scott Borchetta was Nov. 2, 2004, when he met 14-year-old Taylor Swift, who signed with his then-fledgling label and has become one of the 21st century’s most successful and influential recording stars. But as with all “overnight” success stories, Borchetta’s preparation…
Disney Moves Dwayne Johnson’s ‘Jungle Cruise’ Back to 2020 Disney has moved Dwayne Johnson’s “Jungle Cruise” nine months back to the mid-summer of 2020. The studio announced Friday that “Jungle Cruise,” based on the Disneyland ride, would open on July 24, 2020. The previous date had been Oct. 19, 2019. Johnson also tweeted the news, with a short video featuring the film’s title. IT’S…
John ‘TotalBiscuit’ Bain To Be Inducted Into Esports Hall of Fame Late gaming personality John” TotalBiscuit” Bain will be inducted into the Esports Hall of Fame during ESL One Hamburg 2018 later this month, according to ESL Gaming. Bain died in May at the age of 33 from terminal bowel cancer. He gained a following in the gaming industry while running WoW Radio, a popular “World…
Katy Perry Praises Taylor Swift for Political Instagrams (Exclusive) Taylor Swift shocked her fans (and Washington, D.C. for that matter) when she broke her silence on politics last month when she endorsed two Tennessee democrats on Instagram. Katy Perry was one of the firsts to like the post, fueling speculation that the bad blood between the two pop megastars has finally come to an…
With War in the Rear View Mirror, Croatia Has Made Filming a Major Business Filming in Croatia all but ceased in the 90s as war raged in the region, but the newly independent country has now emerged as one of the most film-friendly in the Balkans, and international projects are bringing business back to the area. In 2012, Croatia launched an international film program that offered productions a cash…
Carly Pearce Does ‘Every Little Thing’ to Break Barrier Against Women in Country Music On this week’s “CMT Artists of the Year” show, Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild roused the crowd by using her acceptance speech to run through a list of 35 younger female country artists who are “there for you to support and play on the radio.” Not every singer on her list has found radio play…
‘Sanctorum,’ ‘Go Youth!’ ‘This Is Not Berlin’ Highlight Impulso Morelia More than 60 films were submitted to form part of the 4th Impulso Morelia, the works in progress section of the Morelia Film Festival taking place this week in the pre-Colombian Mexican city. This year’s crop of projects, as much if not more than ever before, demonstrates the reflective capabilities of Mexican filmmakers in regards…
Despite Resistance, Crunch Continues to Define the Video Game Industry Today, in the video games industry, the concept of excessive “crunch” – mandatory overtime, usually couched as part of a final push to finish a game – is decried in almost all corners, from industry whitepapers to convention panels. Yet, as article after article rolls off the presses exposing the draconian conditions that massive games…
Hulu Extends Sprint Pact to Drive Live TV Subscriptions Hulu is hoping to boost its over-the-top live TV subscriber rolls by extending a special promo to Sprint’s wireless customers. Starting Friday (Oct. 19), Sprint customers can upgrade to Hulu With Live TV, which includes 50-plus local and national networks and access to thousands of on-demand titles, from their Sprint account. The offer comes after…
Nuclear Bomb Movie in Development With ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ Producer Oscar-nominated “Hacksaw Ridge” producer David Permut has acquired the motion picture rights to Joel Dobson’s nuclear bomb thriller “The Goldsboro Broken Arrow.” Dobson’s book follows the formerly classified events that took place in 1961 when four pilots ejected out of a B-52 aircraft carrying two thermonuclear bombs at 9,000 feet after the plane was struck…
Facebook Hires U.K. Politician Nick Clegg as Head of Global Affairs, Communications Facebook has hired Nick Clegg, former U.K. deputy prime minister and head of the country’s Liberal Democrats, as VP of global affairs and communications. Clegg confirmed the move in a post Friday on Facebook. “After almost twenty years in European and British politics, this is an exciting new adventure for me,” he wrote. “Throughout my…
Oculus Quest Could Push VR Further Into Mainstream, Ship 1M Units In 2019 (Analyst) The self-contained Oculus Quest will ship a million units next year, potentially bringing virtual reality into the mainstream, analyst group SuperData predicts in its latest extended reality report. The group also believes the Quest will outsell the Oculus Rift by more than three to one during its first year. The analyst calls 2019 a “make or…
TV Review: ‘Making a Murderer Part 2’ When it landed on Netflix in 2015, the documentary series “Making a Murderer” was a near-instant sensation, with both the internet commentariat and the national media expressing strong views about the case of Steven Avery and his unfortunate nephew, Brendan Dassey, two Wisconsin men convicted of a 2005 murder. (Opinions diverged, but many viewers seemed…
Lenny Letter Shuts Down: Lena Dunham, Jenni Konner Post Farewell Note to Fans It’s official: Lenny Letter, the three-year-old digital-media startup from Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner, is dead. Following reports Thursday that Lenny Letter would shut down Oct. 19, the co-founders and editorial and creative director Molly Elizalde confirmed the closure in a farewell message to readers. The trio didn’t provide insight into the business pressures that…
Nicki Minaj, Halsey, Rosalía to Perform at 2018 MTV EMAs Hip-hop star Nicki Minaj, pop singer-songwriter Halsey and Spanish singer Rosalía are among the powerful female artists set to perform at the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards, the global music show which will air live from Spain on Nov. 4. Actors Michael Peña and Diego Luna, who co-star in Netflix’s upcoming crime drama “Narcos: Mexico,”…
Keshet Intl. Looks for Next ‘Homeland’ With $65 Million Fund Keshet Intl. CEO Alon Shtruzman discussed the company’s recently launched $65 million fund at a keynote speech in Rome on Thursday, as the company looks to ramp up its production of films and high-end dramas that could be the next “Homeland.” Appearing onstage during the MIA Market with Lorenzo De Maio, head of TV sales…
European Film Directory Presented by Commissioner Mariya Gabriel LYON, France — As part of its efforts to improve the distribution and cross-border consumption of European film, the European Commission on Thursday unveiled its new directory of European films. Presenting the project at the Lumière Film Festival in Lyon, Mariya Gabriel, the European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, said the directory was the…
Rome MIA: Cinephil Takes ‘The Rossellinis’ Doc On Film Icon’s Uneasy Family Legacy (EXCLUSIVE) Tel Aviv-based sales agent Cinephil has taken international sales rights to high-concept doc “The Rossellinis,” which will provide a tongue-in-cheek autobiographical look at the descendants living around the world of iconic Italian director Roberto Rossellini’s extended family and is being directed by his grandson, Alessandro Rossellini. “The Rossellinis,” which is being pitched at Rome’s MIA…
Rome’s MIA Market Opens For Business The curtain raised on the 4th edition of Rome’s MIA Market Thursday night with an eye-popping opening ceremony, featuring a lavish, state-of-the-art, surround-sound live show dramatizing Michelangelo’s painting of the Sistine Chapel while offering a glimpse of the growing market’s sky-high ambitions. A full house packed into the Auditorium della Conciliazione, just steps from St.…
Netflix, Bambu Roll on Gabriela Tagliavini’s ‘A pesar de todo’ Netflix has gone into production on its latest original movie in Spain, ‘A pesar de todo,’ staring Blanza Suárez, Macarena García, Amaia Salamanca and Belén Cuesta. Directed by Argentine-born Gabriela Tagliavini the comedy returns Netflix to women character-driven narratives of other productions such as “The Cable Girls,” and links it once more to one of…
KNX IoT Easily Explained Webinar … [READ MORE]
KNX Features at EuroSkills Competition 2018 in Budapest, Hungary The popularity of conventional installation methods not using bus technology is set to decline in the near future. For this reason, it is very important that apprentices and those at the beginning of their careers are familiarised with bus technology … [READ MORE]
Film Review: ‘Big Kill’ Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear — specifically, the mid-1950s to the late ’60s — when Paramount and Warner Bros. relied on producers such as A.C. Lyles and Hal Wallis, and directors like Henry Hathaway, Gordon Douglas, and Burt Kennedy, to maintain a steady flow of workmanlike Westerns for consumption by…
Film Review: ‘Reach’ Teens and their parents have a boatload of issues to deal with these days, and it seems like director Leif Rokesh wants to deal with all of them in “Reach.” Every character represents a superficial snapshot of modern strife in one form or another. Though its heart is in the right place when it comes…
Britney Spears Returns to Las Vegas for ‘Domination’ Residency Britney Spears is returning to Las Vegas for another residency. The singer’s new show, called “Domination,” will be held at Park Theater at Park MGM starting in February of next year. The news was announced on Ellen Degeneres’ YouTube channel in a half-hour reveal from the hotel during which Spears emerged to greet fans and sign…
Trump Praises Montana Congressman for Body Slamming Reporter President Trump praised Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-Montana) as “my kind of guy” for body slamming a reporter who was trying to ask him a question on the eve of a special election last year. Trump was speaking at a rally in Missoula, Mont., where the president was campaigning for a Republican challenger to Sen. Jon…
Broadway Review: ‘The Lifespan of a Fact’ Starring Daniel Radcliffe Harry Potter had no sense of humor whatsoever, but Daniel Radcliffe proves to be a master of comedy in “The Lifespan of a Fact,” the brainy Broadway play that Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell and Gordon Farrell adapted from a magazine article — better described, perhaps, as that classier literary form, the Essay — and a…
Film News Roundup: High School Football Drama ‘Till the Whistle Blows’ in the Works In today’s film news roundup, “Till the Whistle Blows” starts development, “All These Small Moments” is acquired, and End Cue invests in Greencard Pictures. DEVELOPMENT Winter State Entertainment is producing high school football drama “Till the Whistle Blows” with plans to start shooting next year in Idaho Falls, Id. The movie follows the story of…
‘All About the Washingtons’ Canceled by Netflix Netflix has canceled “All About the Washingtons.” The scripted comedy starred Joseph Simmons — Rev Run of Run DMC — and real-life wife Justine Simmons playing fictionalized versions of themselves raising a family of four kids. After Joey decides to retire from a long career as hip-hop royalty, his wife Justine takes advantage of the…
Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann List Colorful Manhattan Brownstone Married actors Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann have their swank, vividly hued townhouse just steps from Central Park on a prime, leafy block of New York City’s Upper West Side up for sale at $10.75 million. The uncommonly and unfairly attractive couple, she the Emmy and Golden Globe winning star of “Law & Order: Special…
Tiffany Haddish’s ‘Limited Partners’ Rounds Out Cast (EXCLUSIVE) Ari Graynor, Jacob Latimore, Karan Soni, Jimmy O. Yang, Natasha Rothwell, Jessica St. Clair, and Billy Porter have rounded out the ensemble of the Paramount Players comedy “Limited Partners” starring Tiffany Haddish and Rose Byrne. Miguel Arteta is directing the pic with Sam Pitman and Adam Cole-Kelly penning the script. The story centers on two…
TV Roundup: Netflix Drops ‘Narcos: Mexico’ Trailer (Watch) In today’s TV News Roundup, Netflix releases the trailer for “Narcos: Mexico,” streaming Nov. 16. FIRST LOOKS Watch the trailer for “Narcos: Mexico,” veering away from the first three seasons in Colombia to explore the origins of the drug war in Mexico. The new season streams Nov. 16 on Netflix. Emmy Winning actress and activist…
‘Daredevil’ Star and Showrunner Talk Season 3, Kingpin’s Return and Bullseye “Daredevil” Season 3 just dropped on Netflix, and fans of the Marvel series are in for a wild ride. As the season begins, Matt Murduck (Charlie Cox) is still recovering from the events at Midland Circle at the end of “The Defenders.” The trauma that he suffered in that encounter will fuel him this season,…
Judi Dench Joins Star-Studded ‘Cats’ Movie Judi Dench has joined the cast of Universal Pictures and Working Title’s film adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical “Cats.” Dench was set to play Grizabella in the original West End production in 1981, but she snapped her Achilles Tendon shortly before previews began and had to withdraw from the show. The project is based…
British Government Sets Up $78 Million Fund to Boost Children’s Content The British government has announced plans for a £60 million ($78.3 million) fund to boost production of new children’s television content. The Contestable Fund, which was announced by British culture minister Jeremy Wright on Friday, aims to halt the decline of U.K.-produced children’s content and reverse a growing trend towards airing repeats. The initiative will…
15 Women Horror Directors Jason Blum Can Add to His List Blumhouse Productions founder Jason Blum stirred up controversy Wednesday when he claimed his studio hasn’t produced a theatrical release by a woman because there weren’t “a lot of female directors period, and even less who are inclined to do horror.” Many people took to Twitter to criticize Blum’s unqualified statement, with one user saying it…
Mariah Carey Drops New Song, ‘The Distance’ (Listen) Mariah Carey today dropped “The Distance,” the third song from her forthcoming album, “Caution.” The song is a traditional midtempo Mariah groove, with a guest verse from Ty Dolla $ign. “Caution,” which will drop on Nov. 16, is Carey’s first album since 2014 and also the first release since she inked an exclusive partnership with…
Connie Britton on Her Return to ‘American Horror Story’ SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched “Return to Murder House,” the sixth episode of “American Horror Story: Apocalypse.” Connie Britton helped launch the “American Horror Story” anthology franchise in 2011 when she starred as Vivien Harmon in the “Murder House” season, and after seven years away, she made a highly anticipated…
Hollywood Tech Artists Converge on Italy for View Confab Eleven years ago, a little Italian conference called Virtuality was transformed into the View Conference, which has grown steadily in attendance and prestige ever since. Under the direction of U.S. transplant Maria Elena Gutierrez, View, an amalgam of Virtual Interactive Emerging World, has continually attracted a who’s-who of luminaries in visual effects, animation, gaming, virtual…
Hailee Steinfeld to Star in Netflix Music Drama ‘Idol’ Hailee Steinfeld is producing and starring in Netflix’s music drama “Idol,” with Matt Reeves in talks to produce through his 6th & Idaho company, sources told Variety. Netflix had no comment. The streaming service has acquired rights to the Matt King script for “Idol,” centered around a girl who becomes an assistant for a popular…
Mark Ruffalo-Led Limited Series ‘I Know This Much Is True’ Scores Production Commitment at HBO HBO has given a production commitment to the limited series “I Know This Much Is True” starring Mark Ruffalo. The six-episode series is based on Wally Lamb’s New York Times bestseller of the same name. It is described as a family saga that follows the parallel lives of identical twin brothers in an epic story of betrayal,…
‘Roblox’ Revenue Up 87% Year-Over-Year to $92 Million (Analyst) Massively multiplayer online game “Roblox” grew 87% year-over-year to $92 million in the third fiscal quarter of 2018, according to market intelligence company Sensor Tower. The game has posted annual revenue growth every quarter since Q3 2015, Sensor Tower said. “Thanks to a strong quarter and consistent growth, ‘Roblox’ has grossed an estimated $486 million…
Coldplay to Release Live Album, Concert Film Along With ‘Head Full of Dreams’ Documentary Coldplay is observing its 20th anniversary this year, and to commemorate that event, the group is releasing the documentary film “A Head Full of Dreams,” on Dec. 7. To accompany this feature, Atlantic Records announced today that two more components have been added: a live album and film from the group’s recent “Head Full of…
Drake Drops $4.5 Million on Third Hidden Hills Estate (EXCLUSIVE) Drake, who hauled in an estimated $94 million in 2017, according to the celebrity bean counters at Forbes, has solidified his property gossip status as an up-and-coming real estate baller, we first heard from real estate yenta Yolanda Yakketyyak, with the $4.5 million, off-market purchase of a remarkably unremarkable ranch style residence next door to…
FiGa Films Nets ‘Fireflies’ (EXCLUSIVE) Miami-based FiGa Films has snared all rights to “Fireflies” (“Luciernagas”), its first acquisition on the eve of the 16th Morelia Int’l Film Festival. Drama world premieres on Sunday, Oct. 21 and competes with nine others in Morelia’s official Mexican feature film category. Written and helmed by Iranian-born Mexico City resident Bani Khoshnoudi, “Fireflies” turns on a…
Double Fine and iam8bit’s 6th Annual Day of the Devs Returns This November Double Fine Productions and iam8bit’s 6th annual Day of the Devs celebration is returning on Nov. 11. The free event is scheduled to take place at The Midway in San Francisco and will welcome attendees of all ages to play over 70 unreleased games while partaking in “plentiful” food and drink. “Day of the Devs…
Ticketmaster Acquires Blockchain Ticketing Company Upgraded Blockchain is coming, whether anyone understands it or not, and the drumbeat drew a bit closer this morning when Ticketmaster, the world’s largest ticketing company and a division of Live Nation, the world’s largest live-entertainment business, announced that it has acquired Upgraded, a blockchain technology company servicing the live events industry. According to the announcement,…
With DramaFever’s Demise, Other Services Step Up to Cater to K-Drama Fans The abrupt termination of the DramaFever service this week by Warner Bros. left U.S. aficionados of Korean dramas distraught and angry — and looking for alternative streaming services to meet their K-drama fix. Services like Viki, owned by Japan’s Rakuten, and Kocowa, a streaming service from the three biggest broadcasters in Korea, offer a range of…
Annie Lennox, ‘Westside’ Team Join Variety’s Music for Screens Summit Annie Lennox has been added to Variety’s inaugural Music for Screens Summit and will take part in a keynote conversation with composer Scott Salinas. The event will be held at Neuehouse in Hollywood, Calif. on Oct. 30 Lennox, who rose to fame during the 1980s as singer and co-songwriter of Eurythmics, has released six studio albums…
Marc Maron Joins Mark Wahlberg in Netflix’s ‘Wonderland’ (EXCLUSIVE) Marc Maron and “The Leftovers” actor Michael Gaston have joined the Netflix movie “Wonderland” starring Mark Wahlberg. The cast also includes “Black Panther” breakout Winston Duke, Post Malone, Alan Arkin, and Iliza Shlesinger. Peter Berg is directing the movie, which is being adapted from Ace Atkins’ novel “Robert B. Parker’s Wonderland.” The book is part of the…
Jenn Suozzo Named Executive Producer, ‘NBC Nightly News’ NBC News producer Jenn Suozzo was named executive producer of the NBC News flagship program, “NBC Nightly News,” cementing a change in the top role at the Lester Holt-anchored program that began when she was named interim producer of the evening newscast in July. “Jenn has done a tremendous job at the helm of the…
‘Dota 2’ Treasure Update Adds New Item Bundles, Loot Odds “Dota 2” publisher Valve released an update for the popular multiplayer online battle arena game on Wednesday that adds new item bundles, loot box odds, and more. The appropriately named Treasure Update features the debut of the Treasure of the Carmine Cascade, a loot box containing item bundles for the heroes Ancient Apparition, Ember Spirit,…
Fox Business Pulls Out of Saudi Conference Amid Khashoggi Controversy Fox Business Network became the latest media outlet to cut ties with a glitzy business conference slated to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the disappearance of dissident columnist Jamal Khashoggi. The 21st Century Fox-owned cable-news outlet had been named as a media partner of the Future Investment Initiative, along with Bloomberg,…
The Lumineers’ Neyla Pekarek Exits Band Neyla Pekarek, a member of the Lumineers, has exited the band, Variety has confirmed. She will pursue a solo career and has completed a concept album inspired by Katherine McHale, known as Rattlesnake Kate, a legend of the band’s home state of Colorado, who killed 140 rattlesnakes while protecting her infant son. According to an interview…
‘Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden’ Trailer Introduces New Details A new “Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden” features interviews with developers and a few brief looks at what players can expect from the game, as well as new footage. The group of protagonists, Dux, Bormin, and Selma, explore the Ark, which essentially acts as the game’s hub. You can upgrade your weapons there, chat…
Facebook Hack Committed by Spammers, Not Spies (Report) Facebook’s recently-disclosed security incident that exposed the data of some 30 million members was committed by spammers, not nation-state actors, according to a new Wall Street Journal report. Facebook has yet to officially identify who’s behind the hack, and didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday morning. The social media giant disclosed at…
Current Rockstar Employees Speak Out About Working Conditions Since Rockstar Games’ founder Dan Houser’s comment that the studio was working 100-hour weeks to finish “Red Dead Redemption 2” resulted in an outcry on gaming industry working conditions earlier this week, multiple employees at the company are speaking out about the issue via social media. In an interview released Sunday, Houser stated that 100-hour work weeks…
All-Female ‘CMT Artists of the Year’ Gives Country Its Own One-Night Lilith Fair If a television network could say “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!,” that’s what CMT did Wednesday night in devoting its entire annual “CMT Artists of the Year” honoree slate — and nearly all of the presenter and performer slots, too — to country’s quantifiably under-served female stars. The genre seemed to be getting its…
How ‘Bumblebee’ Director Travis Knight Turned ‘Soul Crushing Rejection’ into Success Director Travis Knight was on top of the world as he accepted Variety’s Creative Leadership Award Wednesday night, though his journey hasn’t always been easy. Knight bantered comfortably with an audience of industry professionals during his acceptance speech, revealing that he wasn’t always welcome in Hollywood. In fact, the director of “Coraline” and the latest “Transformers”…
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Drops Out of Saudi Conference WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that he won’t attend an investor summit in Saudi Arabia next week amid an international furor over the Saudi regime’s potential role in the apparent killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. “Just met with @realDonaldTrump and @SecPompeo and we have decided, I will not be participating in the Future Investment…
This Is How Weapon Specializations Work in ‘Battlefield V’ With “Battlefield V” a little over a month away, developer EA DICE is talking about how weapon specializations work over on Xbox Wire. Players can modify their primary weapons by using them in battle and spending in-game currency, DICE said. This allows them to tailor their favorites to best suit their playstyles. These modifications are…
Liam Hemsworth, Vince Vaughn to Star in Drug Drama ‘Arkansas’ Liam Hemsworth and Vince Vaughn are set to star in Clark Duke’s feature directorial debut “Arkansas,” which Duke wrote and will also appear in. The film follows a pair of low level drug runners in the Dixie Mafia, portrayed by Hemsworth and Duke, who live by the orders of an Arkansas-based drug kingpin, played by…
Zayn Malik Drops New Song ‘Fingers’ (Listen) The gradual buildup to Zayn Malik’s second solo album continues with a new song dropped Thursday called “Fingers.” In it, the former One Direction star sings of being so overcome with nerves over an unrequited love that he can’t get his fingers to text. “My fingers ain’t working, but my heart is/ If you wanna…
Jonah Hill on ‘Mid90s’: ‘This Is Me Coming Out As Who I Am’ (Listen) PLAYBACK is a Variety / iHeartRadio podcast bringing you conversations with the talents behind many of today’s hottest films. New episodes air every Thursday. With 15 years in the film business behind him, 34-year-old actor Jonah Hill has made the transition to directing with “Mid90s,” a raw, personal story of his youth brought to life…
Tony Awards Set 2019 Broadcast Date on CBS The 73rd Annual Tony Awards ceremony has an official air date. The awards show will be broadcast live on CBS from Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 9, 2019 from 8-11 PM ET. The nominations for the 2019 Tony Awards will be announced on April 30. The Tony Awards, which honor theater…
Nick Jonas, Darren Criss Help Raise $400,000 for GLAAD Nick Jonas and Imagine Dragon frontman Dan Reynolds don’t just give lip service to the LGBTQ community. The singers each donated $50,000 to GLAAD during songwriter Justin Tranter’s second annual Spirit Day fundraiser on Wednesday night at Hollywood’s Sayers Club. Jonas and Reynolds reached into their wallets during Tranter’s live pledge drive. Ariadne Getty and…
#MeToo: Bollywood Takes Steps to Curb Sexual Harassment With fresh allegations of sexual harassment emerging daily from all departments in Bollywood, industry bodies, including the Producers Guild of India, the Screen Writers Association, and the Cine & TV Artists Association, have set up committees to probe the harassment issue. PGI members have been asked to implement India’s Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace…
‘Call of Duty: Black Ops IV’ Tops $500 Million Sold, Ties ‘Call of Duty: WWII’ “Call of Duty: Black Ops IV” pulled in more than $500 million worldwide in its first three days of release, which is about the same amount earned by its predecessor, “Call of Duty WWII,” during its first three days last year, Activision announced Thursday. The publisher also noted that the total number of players rose…
“Battlefield V’s ” Single-Player War Stories Provide Much Needed Context to War Game As the steady rise of battle royale and online multiplayer video games continue, one thing lost in the mix is the context of war. Stripped of even basic rationale, boiled down to a singular gameplay loop of shoot, die, repeat, the impetus for war, the cost of battle is sanded away to smooth the experience…
SoundCloud Reveals Partnerships With Native Instruments, Serato at ADE SoundCloud is on a roll. Hot on the heels of an announcement earlier this month allowing all users of the open audio platform to tap into the company’s monetization tool at no additional cost for subscribers, SoundCloud revealed more big news Thursday. The Berlin-based streaming platform has announced partnerships with Native Instruments, Serato, Virtual DJ,…
‘Elite’ Gets Netflix Season 2 Order Teen mystery series “Elite” has been renewed for a second season by Netflix, the streaming giant announced Wednesday in Spain. Netflix’s second Spanish original drama, “Elite” was released worldwide on Oct. 5, gathering positive reviews from TV critics in Spain and abroad. Offering eight episodes entirely shot in 4K, Season 2 is scheduled to launch…
Germany Expands Rebate System for VFX Sector Germany’s VFX sector is celebrating newly revamped guidelines of the country’s main subsidy program, which make it possible for big-budget animated and visual effects-heavy projects to secure rebates as high as 45% when they meet new minimum spend requirements. The new rules do away with requirements that films have to be physically shot in-country to qualify…
Japanese Mascot Character Kumamon Heads for TV Series With Tonko House A consortium of Japanese media companies is partnering with U.S. animation studio Tonko House to make an animation series starring Kumamon. The hugely popular character is the mascot of Kumamoto, a province in southern Japan. The project was announced by Kumamon creator Kundo Koyama and provincial governor Ikuo Kabashima. Koyama is a TV producer who also…
BTS Extends Contract With South Korea’s Big Hit EntertainmentK-Pop boyband BTS has extended its contract with South Korea’s Big Hit Entertainment, it was announced on Thursday, Oct. 18. The group’s members — RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook – each signs on for an additional seven years. The seven-member BTS first debuted in 2013 and has grown to become one of the most…
