February 15, 2019 2:18AM PT Turner Asia Pacific has signed an MOU to formalize a partnership with Beijing-based animation company UYoung Culture & Media to develop new IP, the company has announced. The signing occurred earlier this week at the Kidscreen Summit in Miami. Details of any new IP won’t be revealed until later in
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Vivendi’s revenues were up 11.3% to €13.93 billion ($15.7 billion) in 2018, powered by Universal Music Group, which delivered such hits as the “A Star Is Born” soundtrack and Drake’s new album. UMG’s revenues climbed by 10% to €6 billion ($6.8 billion) compared to 2017. On top of the “A Star Is Born” soundtrack, the
February 15, 2019 12:45AM PT Live Action Role-Playing is therapeutic for a woman from a troubled family in this handsome but somewhat unrevealing doc. The surprise Oscar nomination of impressionistic “Hale County This Morning, This Evening” suggested a broadening of acceptance towards documentaries well beyond standard “Just the facts, ma’am” territory. Still, juggling style and
February 14, 2019 8:43PM PT Actress Elle Winter, whose film credits include “3 Generations” (2015), “Code Red (2016)” and “The After Party” (2018), has signed with Sony Music’s RED MUSIC. The 19-year-old and New York City native will release her debut album this year. She’s managed by former Republic Records executive David Nathan and booked by
February 14, 2019 8:42PM PT A former executive producer of the NBC show “The Blacklist” has filed suit against Sony, alleging he was fired after being wrongfully blamed for a workplace scuffle. Michael Watkins is a veteran TV director and cinematographer. He was an executive producer for several seasons of “The Blacklist,” the NBC crime
Editors Guild President Alan Heim has joined the chorus of dissent to the Academy’s plans to present four Oscar categories during commercial breaks and air the moments in condensed form later in the telecast. In an email sent Thursday night to the 8,100 members of the Motion Picture Editors Guild, Heim voiced his union’s opposition
In today’s film news roundup, Miramax has set up the comedy “Silent Retreat,” sci-fi romance “Clara” and “Cold Case Hammarskjold” get distribution and Olivia Wilde is honored for directing “Booksmart.” PROJECT UNVEILED Miramax has set up the comedy “Silent Retreat” with “Isn’t It Romantic” director Todd Strauss-Schulson attached to helm from a script he co-wrote
Ryan Adams recently announced he’d have three new albums out this year, but that number looks to be rapidly shrinking. The first of his planned 2019 releases, “Big Colors,” which was to have come out April 19, has been “put on hold,” according to sources close to the situation. Retailers began reporting Thursday night that
Cinematographers opposing the decision to curtail four Oscar presentations on the telecast have blasted the Academy’s latest attempt to assuage concerns about the move. The group responded Thursday to officers of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ board of governors, sending a letter Wednesday night to its membership, asserting that no award category
February 14, 2019 5:06PM PT 20th Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment have voiced their support for “Empire” star Jussie Smollett after it was reported the actor and musician staged an attack on himself in Chicago. Chicago media had previously reported that Smollett staged the attack because he was being written off of the Fox
The 30th Annual Pollstar Awards, a night to honor the concert and touring industries, gave out the night’s biggest awards to tours by Ed Sheeran, Foo Fighters, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé & Jay-Z on Wednesday. In addition, Paradigm won booking agency of the year and Marty Diamond was named agent of the year. Founded in
UPDATED WITH POLICE STATEMENT: Chicago police are pushing back on media reports that said the alleged attack on “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett was a hoax and say the reports are “unconfirmed by case detectives.” Two Chicago media outlets reported Thursday that multiple sources told them that investigators believe the attack was staged. Police spent much of
The F.B.I. is “looking into” whether singer-songwriter Ryan Adams’ sexually explicit communications with an underage fan were criminal behavior, according to a law enforcement official cited by The New York Times. The fan, identified only as “Ava,” was between the ages of 14 and 16 when the interactions, which included nudity, took place. She was
In many ways, “Velvet Buzzsaw” never should have happened for Zawe Ashton. A literal art house movie, Dan Gilroy’s latest explores the intersection of art and commerce as members of the L.A. art scene, from Jake Gyllenhaal’s critic to Rene Russo’s gallery owner, find themselves haunted by a series of paintings. Trippy and original, with
February 14, 2019 4:01PM PT Victoria Beckham will launch her own YouTube channel in time to live-stream her London Fashion Week show on Sunday. The former Spice Girls star-turned-designer will add a range of content about her brand to the channel. Starting with her autumn-winter show, it will also feature behind-the-scenes footage of the workings
February 14, 2019 3:45PM PT Facebook and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are in negotiations over a settlement that would result in a massive fine of multiple billion dollars for privacy violations, the Washington Post reported Thursday afternoon. The fine would be the largest such penalty ever by the agency against a technology company. Facebook
February 14, 2019 3:38PM PT Skydance Animation head John Lasseter and his CEO David Ellison have named longtime executive Holly Edwards as president of the division, Variety has learned. Edwards replaces outgoing president Bill Damaschke, and will serve as Lasseter’s right hand in business dealings, as the former Pixar head sets his creative goals, an
CBS is prepared to “do what is necessary” to hang on to its NFL rights. That was the message sent by CBS acting CEO Joe Ianniello and CBS Sports chief Sean McManus Thursday during CBS’ fourth-quarter earnings call. Ianniello and McManus both talked up the virtues of having the NFL on broadcast TV, which remains
February 14, 2019 3:32PM PT In today’s TV News Roundup, watch the first trailer for season two of “Killing Eve.” FIRST LOOKS [embedded content] The first trailer for season two of “Killing Eve” has dropped, teasing new looks at Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer continuing down the path of their mutual obsession. Premiering April 7
February 14, 2019 3:32PM PT Ivanhoe Pictures, which produced “Crazy Rich Asians,” has partnered with Jeffrey Sharp and Sharp Independent Pictures to finance and co-produce “The Baccarat Queen” about Chinese gambler Cheung Yin “Kelly” Sun. The project is inspired by Michael Kaplan’s article “The Baccarat Machine,” published in Cigar Aficionado, about Sun amassing millions of
The beloved animated series “Kim Possible,” which aired for five years on the Disney Channel in the early aughts, connected with its audience because it portrayed a strong but fashion-forward young woman who fought crime and got good grades. So it only makes sense that when the network decided to reboot the story and titular
T.I. Floyd Mayweather is a ‘F**k N***a’ For Dropping $$$$ at Gucci 2/14/2019 3:14 PM PST Breaking News T.I. is ripping Floyd Mayweather a new one with a blistering diss track where he calls the boxing champ a “f**k n**ga” for continuing to spend his millions at Gucci. Tip dropped the song Thursday and, while
Tisha Campbell Drops Restraining Order Against Ex 2/14/2019 2:12 PM PST EXCLUSIVE Tisha Campbell-Martin is cutting her estranged husband, Duane Martin, a huge break, but not for his sake … TMZ has learned. Tisha and Duane were both in court Thursday for a hearing on her restraining order, and she told the judge she wanted to
February 14, 2019 3:00PM PT “Aquaman” star Jason Momoa is in negotiations to join Legendary’s “Dune” reboot. If a deal closes, he would join a cast that includes Timothee Chalamet, Javier Bardem, Rebecca Ferguson, Stellan Skarsgard, Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin, Oscar Isaac, and Zendaya. Momoa will portray Duncan Idaho, a swordmaster in the house of
Sometimes inspiration can strike in unexpected places. For writer and producer Danny Strong, watching a documentary about Amanda Knox proved to be the impetus that led to him co-creating (with David Elliot) the new Fox drama “Proven Innocent.” “Watching the documentary on her case made me want to do something on wrongful conviction, because I
February 14, 2019 3:00PM PT Caitlin McGee has been cast in one of the lead roles of the NBC drama pilot “Bluff City Law,” Variety has learned. The project is described as a character-driven legal drama that follows the lawyers of an elite Memphis law firm that specializes in the most controversial landmark civil rights cases.
Jussie Smollett Cops Questioning Him and Another ‘Empire’ Actor 2/14/2019 11:50 AM PST EXCLUSIVE Jussie Smollett is being questioned again by Chicago PD … and officers are also talking to another man, an actor who has also appeared on “Empire” … TMZ has learned. Sources connected to the case tell us the actor, not Jussie, was
Sebastian Stan is starring in Netflix’s backwoods drama “The Devil All the Time” after Chris Evans had to depart due to scheduling conflicts. Stan will appear alongside Tom Holland, Jason Clarke, Mia Wasikowska, Robert Pattinson, Riley Keough, and Bill Skarsgard. The film is an adaptation of Donald Ray Pollock’s 2011 novel and set in a
Impacted by its ongoing dispute with Dish Network, increased expenses and impairment losses, U.S. Hispanic media giant Univision reported an 8.9% decline in fourth-quarter total revenue to $688.5 million from $755.5 million in the year prior. In comparing the full year of 2018 with the previous year, total revenue fell 7.6% to $2,713.8 million from $2,937.3
February 14, 2019 1:43PM PT WASHINGTON — NBC, MSNBC, and Telemundo will air the first Democratic primary debate in June, and CNN will show the second event in July, the Democratic National Committee announced on Thursday. The DNC is planning 12 presidential primary debates over the 2020 cycle, but news networks had been vying for