Manolo Caro’s pan-Latin American version of movie franchise hit “Perfect Strangers” is set for a Dec. 25 release in Mexico by its producer-distributor Cinepolis, followed by a Jan. 11 U.S. bow from Pantelion. Variety has been given exclusive access to the dark ensemble comedy’s official U.S. trailer and poster. “Perfect Strangers” revolves around a circle
Movies
Licensing is more complex than ever, as studios and networks compete for increasingly distracted consumers. But Star Wars; Overwatch League; and Snoop Dogg’s marijuana products are among the content creators inventing products consumers covet. Here are six companies, stars or shows showing the way. Nickelodeon Shells Out New Take on Turtles Network pulled back merchandise
A day after saying it stood by the story, Playboy in Germany acknowledged Tuesday that its published interview with Ennio Morricone had “reproduced incorrectly” some of the quotes attributed to the legendary Italian composer. The magazine did not specify whether the incorrect quotes included comments in which Morricone appeared to disparage Quentin Tarantino as “a
November 13, 2018 6:58AM PT It’s been 12 years since “The Lives of Others” earned critical raves and captured the Oscar for best foreign film, but director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck is back in the awards hunt. The German writer and director’s latest, “Never Look Away,” opens in limited release on Nov. 30. It is
Screen Yorkshire has launched a plan to turn its part of northern England into an international film and TV hub capable of attracting the next “Game of Thrones.” The agency has opened a new Film Office, which will be the driver of its international push, and talks are underway about a new studio complex in
Prominent Egyptian producer Mohamed Hefzy in March was appointed president of the Cairo Film Festival by Egyptian Culture Minister Ines Abdel-Dayem with a mandate to revamp and relaunch the prominent Arab fest, which had been losing luster due to political turbulence. Hefzy, 43, is the youngest president in the event’s 40-edition history and the first
When it comes to the movie “Jaws,” there’s a myth so often repeated that hardly anyone stops to question it anymore: The story goes that because Spielberg couldn’t get his giant mechanical shark to work, he was forced to shoot around it, resulting in a more effective film. That’s true up to a point. Sharks
An ample assortment of new Arab cinema will be on display at the revived Cairo Film Connection where new projects by established helmers including Egypt’s Osama Fawzy (“I Love Cinema”), Iraq’s Koutaiba Al-Janabi (“Leaving Baghdad”), and Syria’s Soudade Kaadan (“The Day I Lost My Shadow”) will be vying for more than $100,000 in prizes with
The Cairo Film Festival, for its 40th edition, is reinventing itself. With Egyptian producer Mohamed Hefzy at the helm who, at 43, is its youngest president, the oldest fest in the Arab and African worlds is undergoing a radical revamp in a major effort to get its mojo back after a decade of decline due
November 12, 2018 11:52PM PT Camsing International, the Chinese company that last year bought Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment, has joined in the mourning of the legendary comic book creator, who died Monday, and said it would press on with development of Lee’s intellectual properties. Calling Lee “the father of superheroes,” Camsing said in a statement:
Sony Pictures Imageworks is to provide the animation on “Over the Moon,” the Chinese-themed animated feature stemming from China’s Pearl Studio and Netflix. The film is being directed by Glen Keane, who has numerous credits on Pocahontas, Tarzan and Beauty and the Beast, and won an Oscar as director of short film “Dear Basketball.” The
Stan Lee. Where do you even start? Seriously. Growing up as a kid in the 1970s, Stan Lee’s name was in every Marvel comic book I pulled off the Spinner Rack. “Stan Lee Presents…” was at the forefront of every dynamic splash page that opened any Marvel publication. He was a larger-than-life presence, his image
Stan Lee was a God to fans of comic books and superhero movies around the world, and many viewed Lee’s short-but-sweet cameos as the best parts of Marvel films. As a tribute to the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics, who died at age 95 on Monday, we’ve compiled a list of all his
In today’s film news roundup, the “Toy Story 4” writer signs for abortion movie “This Is Jane,” Viggo Mortensen-Masershala Ali’s “Green Book” is honored in Denver and the WGA West names its feature access honorees. WRITING DEAL Amazon Studios is moving ahead with its Michelle Williams underground abortion movie “This Is Jane,” and has signed
Todd McFarlane first met Stan Lee at a comicbook convention. All of 16 years old, the teenage McFarlane was several decades removed from creating Spawn and Venom. In contrast, Lee was already a legend, having ushered in Marvel’s golden age by cooking up Spider-Man, Iron Man, and other iconic superheroes. But despite the vast gap
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige represents something of a super-fan in a global community of followers devoted to Stan Lee — the comicbook creator who died Monday at 95 following complications from a medical emergency. Feige spoke with Variety shortly after the news sent Twitter and an army of movie stars into tribute mode, where
The movie script for “Five Nights at Freddy’s” was wrapped up and greenlit by both Jason Blum and Chris Columbus, but game creator Scott Cawthon decided to “toss it” because it didn’t match his vision for the movie adaptation, Cawthon posted on the forum for the game Monday. A film adaptation of “Five Nights at
November 12, 2018 1:11PM PT Alcon Entertainment is moving forward on its “Garfield” animated feature project with Mark Dindal on board to direct. Dindal’s credits include “The Emperor’s New Groove” and “Chicken Little.” He’s directing from a screenplay by the writing team of Paul Kaplan and Mark Torgove. Pre-production is set to begin next month
BELIZE CITY, Belize – Mexican films and shorts dominated the winners of the 13th Belize Intl. Film Festival on Sunday in a brisk closing ceremony punctuated by pulsing reggae music performances by the likes of Ras Indio & Boss Lady, Ernestine Carballo and Jah Art. The event was broadcast live on local television station, Channel 5.
Variety celebrated the 2018 class of 10 Actors to Watch on Sunday with a brunch and panel discussion in partnership with Newport Beach Film Festival at the Resort at Pelican Hill. NBFF also presented honors to several artists, including Topher Grace, Colman Domingo, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who were all recognized with artist of distinction
Superheroes and Hollywood figures alike took to social media on Monday to pay tribute to comic book legend Stan Lee, who died on Monday at age 95. Lee co-created iconic Marvel superheroes including Black Panther, Thor, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and X-Men. Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger said, “Stan Lee was as extraordinary as
November 12, 2018 12:00PM PT Orion Pictures will release the reboot of “Child’s Play,” starring Aubrey Plaza, Brian Tyree Henry, and Gabriel Bateman, on June 21, 2019. Plaza will portray the mother who gives her son a toy doll for his birthday, unaware of its more sinister nature. Henry will play the role of a
As the Woolsey fire continues to rage, Netflix has canceled another red carpet out of respect for the victims and first responders of the deadly inferno. The streaming giant announced that the carpet for Monday’s AFI Fest gala screening of Sandra Bullock’s latest film “Bird Box” has been called off. “Our hearts are with the victims,
Playboy magazine in Germany defended its story in which Ennio Morricone called Quentin Tarantino “a cretin” whose movies are “trash,” saying Monday that the comments were made by the legendary Italian composer in an interview at the end of June. Morricone had said over the weekend that he had not spoken to Playboy and that
Sam Worthington is set to star in Brad Anderson’s next film for Netflix, sources tell Variety. The currently untitled project follows a man, played by Worthington, who must find his courage and hold onto his sanity when his wife and daughter disappear in the middle of an ER visit. Alan B. McElroy writing the script, and
LOS CABOS, Mexico — Paula Amor, the former head of communications of Mexico’s Morelia Festival, now has one of the most exciting jobs in Mexico, running La Corriente del Golfo, the new film-TV production shingle launched by Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna in April. An inevitable major production force, it also marks a pivot
LOS CABOS, Mexico — “Days of Winter” (“Días de invierno”) begins with 22-year-old Nestor slumbering on a bus returning from his night-shift at a restaurant in a wane dawn. When he gets off the bus, in full plain daylight, the mountain rear behind him, like the Alps or Rockies. Several scenes later, Nestor and his
Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, and crew are back in the first teaser trailer for Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4.” The footage released Monday also featured Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, Rex the Dinosaur, Hamm the Piggy Bank, and Slinky the Dog as the characters held hands as Judy Collins’ cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Both
Craig Zadan was looking forward to Thespians Go Hollywood, the Educational Theatre Foundation’s gala that was held on Sunday night. He and his producing partner Neil Meron were set to receive the inaugural Theater for Life Award, which supports theater programs in underserved schools. When Zadan unexpectedly died on Aug. 31 after complications of a shoulder
LOS CABOS, Mexico — This year’s Los Cabos Festival couldn’t have gone much better for editor-producer Fernanda de la Peza. Two films she is producing participated in the Works in Development section, Amat Escalante’s “Estado del Imperio” and Joaquín del Paso’s “The Hole in the Fence,” the former winning the CTT Exp & Rentals post-production