Helen Lee-Kim has extended her contract as president of international for Lionsgate‘s Motion Picture Group. Lee-Kim has generated nearly $1 billion in sales since rejoining the company in December 2017, according to the company. She will continue to head the international licensing of Lionsgate’s movies in theaters and on digital platforms. Lee-Kim and her team’s
Month: November 2023
Taylor Swift will be taking her “Eras Tour” to Vancouver next December. The singer has added three dates at the BC Place in British Columbia on Dec. 6, 7, and 8, with Gracie Abrams standing as the opening act. Prior to making this announcement, Swift had already announced dates in Toronto, Ontario — six dates
On Oct. 4, Sam Wineman filed a sensational lawsuit, detailing a hostile work environment on the set of the AMC-produced docuseries “Queer for Fear,” where he allegedly endured bullying, discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault and retaliation. At the heart of the producer’s complaint is Wineman’s allegation that Bryan Fuller — the creator of shows like “Hannibal” and “Pushing Daisies” and
Marv Studios CEO Zygi Kamasa is stepping down to launch his own theatrical distribution company, True Brit Entertainment. True Brit is set to ramp up its team in 2024 but is already working on investing in films, including funding P&A, and acquiring U.K. rights to projects. The plan is to invest in and release 4-8
MK2 Films has boarded Bernhard Wenger’s feature debut, “Peacock,” a tragicomedy headlined by Albrecht Schuch, the German actor who starred in “All Quiet on the Western Front” and “System Crasher.” An up-and-coming Austrian director, Wenger developed the script at the Cannes Film Festival’s Cinefondation residency and was part of Berlinale Talents in 2020. His shorts,
If life were a superhero movie, one of the major characters would be Ray Halbritter. That’s because the Oneida Indian Nation member has traveled a true superhero journey, using his connections and power not only to raise the visibility and elevate the prosperity of Native Americans, but to change the very culture of the country.
A&E Ole Networks has acquired a seven-pic Christmas package from Argentine-based EO Media Distribution. The Xmas-themed TV movies produced by Nicely Entertainment will be airing on Lifetime Latin America and the Caribbean during the holiday season. The new pact, signed between A&E Ole Networks and EO Media CEO Ezequiel Olzanski, comprises “Cloudy with a Chance
Ava DuVernay’s untitled drama, starring and executive produced by Joshua Jackson and Lauren Ridloff, is not moving forward at Starz, Variety has confirmed. The series had begun filming in Wilmington, N.C., in March but was paused in May due to the WGA strike. Starz decided not to move forward with the series following DuVernay’s decision
“Futurama” has been renewed for two more new seasons at Hulu, Variety has learned. The revival of the beloved adult animated series has been picked up for an additional 20 episodes at the streaming service. Hulu had picked the show up for 20 episodes back in February 2022, the first 10 of which were released
“Euphoria” Season 3 has been slated for 2025, HBO boss Casey Bloys announced at a press event Thursday morning. The Sam Levinson series’ title was shown in a sizzle reel that said “Coming in 2025” alongside “The Last of Us” Season 2, “The White Lotus” Season 3 and the “It” prequel series “Welcome to Derry.”
Picking up several years after the events of 2017’s “War for the Planet of the Apes,” the 20th Century Studios franchise is back with a trailer for its newest chapter, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” set to premiere May 24, 2024. With Caesar dying at the end of the last film, the fourth
Ryan Gosling hits the crash pad in the all-new trailer for David Leitch’s thriller “The Fall Guy.” Based on Glen A. Larson’s 1980s television series of the same name, the film stars Gosling as Colt, a stuntman on the hunt for a missing movie star he once doubled for. The film also stars Emily Blunt
It’s not homework, it’s “American Fiction.” At first glance, writer-director Cord Jefferson’s satire about the exploitation of Black people in media might seem like another “message” movie offering difficult conversations around politics and race. Well, it is that — but it’s also funny. So funny, it just might be this year’s Oscar best picture winner.
“There’s Still Tomorrow,” a dramedy inspired by Italy’s Pink Neorealism genre that follows the plight of an abused housewife in post-war Rome, is scoring record-breaking numbers at Italy’s box office. After winning three prizes – including the audience award – at the Rome Film Festival, the black-and-white film, which marks the directorial debut of popular
“House of the Dragon” Season 2 will premiere in “early summer” 2024 on HBO, network chief Casey Bloys announced during a press event in New York on Thursday. At the media presentation, the first trailer for the second season screened exclusively for reporters, but details about the contents of the footage were kept under an
Chip and Joanna Gaines‘ Magnolia Network is producing four unscripted series with a family-friendly focus for Max, including one called “Human vs Hamster” that, aptly, pits humans against hamsters in challenges. The unscripted projects, which are set to debut in 2024, are described as “ambitious large-scale competitions” and “out-of-the-box social experiments” that are intended to
Fans of “The White Lotus” and anyone looking forward to the “It’ prequel series at HBO and Max will likely have to wait a while longer for new episodes. HBO and Max chairman/CEO Casey Bloys revealed the revised scheduling plans for both shows, when asked by reporters on Thursday how both the writers’ strike and
“The Last of Us” Season 2 will enter production in early 2024, announced HBO boss Casey Bloys at a press conference Thursday morning. The CEO noted that the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes had delayed production of the hit show’s sophomore season. “The Last of Us” was not on the network’s 2024 slate presentation, meaning it
With all the hoopla around “Now and Then” — which has been officially billed as “The Last Beatles Song” and erroneously described as the legendary group’s “first new song in 50 years” — some reality-checking is in order. Yes, it is a “new” Beatles song in that all four members, including the late John Lennon and
Isabela Merced and Christopher Briney star in “Influencer,” an Audible original YA psychological thriller about a murderous social-media personality. “Influencer,” which premieres Nov. 2 (available at this link), is the first audio project under a multi-project deal Audible inked with production house Temple Hill Entertainment, whose films have included the Twilight Saga, the Maze Runner
Marina Larroudé is on a roll with creating shoes that hit the ultimate sweet spot for every high heel lover: affordable, well-made, timeless, and above all, wearable. Her collaborations have expanded her universe, including two with jewelry designer Jennifer Fisher, to include people she loves who allow her to see shoemaking in a new way.
ACQUISITION Banijay U.K. have acquired “Becoming Elizabeth” producer The Forge. The terms of the agreement include a first look deal for Banijay Rights. The Forge was founded by managing director George Faber and the senior creative team is comprised of Faber, EP and head of business affair Mark Pybus, EP Beth Willis and EP George
Feature debutant Raine Allen-Miller’s “Rye Lane” led the nominations at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) with 16 nods. “Scrapper” by debutant Charlotte Regan and veteran Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers” scored 14 nominations each while Molly Manning Walker’s “How to Have Sex” had 13, Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping’s “Femme” 11 and
Richard Linklater’s action comedy “Hit Man” is set to open the Marrakech International Film Festival, which has announced its lineup of more than 70 films mixing known titles and fresh fare. The fest is forging ahead with its 20th edition, which will run Nov. 24- Dec.2 in the ancient Moroccan city despite the Israel-Hamas conflict that
When the Thessaloniki Intl. Film Festival kicks off its 64th edition on Nov. 2, the organizers will unveil a host of changes while renewing their commitment to serving audiences at one of Europe’s longest-running film events — all at a time of almost unprecedented uncertainty over the future of cinema and even the very purpose
There is an ample tradition of historical dramas set in Interwar Poland, but there’s rarely one made by a woman director. Anna Jadowska wants to fill in this gap with her new project, “Tethys Ocean,” which will be presented at Thessaloniki Film Festival’s Agora Crossroads Co-production Forum next week. The story unfolds in 1938, as
What if a new Messiah appeared today, but his supernatural power was to release people’s intimate videos unprompted? Such a beguiling premise shapes Armenian Vilnius-based director Marat Sargsyan’s sophomore feature, “The Grand Inquisitor.” In it, the omnipotent creature is an AI that looks like a human being and has a human name, Vermis. Soon, his
Adam Driver, star of Michael Mann’s “Ferrari,” will travel to Camerimage, the cinematography-oriented film festival, to accept Special EnergaCamerimage Award for an Actor. He will also introduce the film, one of the entries in the Camerimage Main Competition and a prominent awards contender this season. The fest will run in Toruń. Poland, from Nov. 11-18.
With climate change and pollution making environmental concerns more urgent than ever, studios and productions are taking a lead role in incorporating sustainability into the workplace. And in some cases, it’s a necessity. As New York City experiences a boom in studio construction, for example, recent legislation requires most buildings that exceed 25,000-gross-square-feet to to
Archstone Entertainment has acquired worldwide sales rights to “Don Q,” a comedic tribute to mafia movies that stars Armand Assante, no stranger to the genre from his work in HBO’s “Gotti” and “American Gangster.” It was written and directed by Claudio Bellante. Sales for the film kicked off this week at AFM. The film follows