Movies

“Barbie” screenwriters Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach joined one another for a “60 Minutes” interview in which they were asked about the surprising “anti-man” backlash to their blockbuster comedy. Several conservative figures blasted “Barbie” after it opened in theaters over the summer for its patriarchy jokes, which they perceived as being anti-man. Bill Maher even

Every fan of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (1971) loves the scene where Gene Wilder, as the mystical candy maker, takes his guests on a psychedelic tunnel ride, zooming through the bowels of the Chocolate Factory as he chants a little verse (“There’s no earthly way of knowing, which direction we are going…”), getting

France-based multinational Studiocanal has launched Cultivator Films to facilitate local co-productions in Australia and will kick off with book-to-film adaptation “Kangaroo.” “Kangaroo” is scripted by Harry Cripps (“The Dry,” “Penguin Bloom”) and directed by Kate Woods (“The Lincoln Lawyer,” “The Umbrella Academy,” “The Good Lord Bird,” “Looking for Alibrandi”). Eastern Arrernte emerging director Samantha Laughton

Disney Animation Studios’ chief creative officer Jennifer Lee had not yet written the script for “Wish” when Grammy nominated songwriter Julia Michaels wrote the demo for “This Wish” in 2020. But that demo, Lee says, “defined the whole movie; it became our North Star.” Celebrating 100 years of storytelling at Disney, “Wish” pays homage to

WASHINGTON — The Kennedy Center Honors was a decidedly tuneful affair, with musical talents representing four of its five recipients – vocalists and/or songwriters Dionne Warwick, Renee Fleming, Queen Latifah and Barry Gibb — along with actor/comedian/filmmaker Billy Crystal. The program, in its 46th year, followed the traditional format that showcases tributes to each honoree

The 30th Slamdance Film Festival has announced its complete 2024 lineup, including 32 features, 75 shorts and five episodic titles. Slamdance will take place in-person at Yarrow Hotel in Park City and in Salt Lake City, Utah from Jan. 19-25, and online screenings will be offered on the Slamdance Channel from Jan. 22-28. Oscar-winner Carol

“She blended in — there was no ‘Kitty’s world,’” “Oppenheimer” production designer Ruth De Jong says of the woman portrayed by Emily Blunt in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster. Kitty is a scientist with her own ambitions when she meets J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), the man who led the atomic bomb project. Her career takes a

“Barbie” will soon be available to stream on Max from your own Dreamhouse (or Mojo Dojo Casa House). Max announced that Greta Gerwig’s sparkly pink fantasy comedy will hit the streamer on Dec. 15, a few months after “Barbie’s” July 21 theatrical release date. There will also be an American Sign Language version available. Earning

Opening statements began on Monday in the criminal trial against actor Jonathan Majors, who has been accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend. He arrived at New York City Criminal Court around 9:30 a.m. wearing a long coat and beret. He entered the lower Manhattan courtroom at 10:05 a.m. with a bible in hand. He greeted friends and

A Pakistani film that challenges regional cultural stereotypes of women and trans-people is to get a local theatrical release following its world premiere at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival. “Wakhri: One of a Kind” by Los Angeles-based, Pakistan-born writer-director Iram Parveen Bilal, has been passed by government censors in Islamabad and is due to

Nicolas Cage teased in a recent interview with Uproxx that he is seriously considering retiring from film acting. The Oscar winner has appeared in well over 100 movies over the course of his career and thinks he has “pretty much said what I’ve had to say with cinema.” He noted he has signed offers already

Meg Ryan doesn’t want to hear anyone calling her son, actor Jack Quaid, a “nepo baby.” In a recent interview with Glamour magazine following the release of her latest directorial and acting effort “What Happens Later,” Ryan said it’s “dismissive” to say that Jack’s career exists only because of his connection to her and his

Growing up, Kris Bowers felt like he was an outsider trying to fit in. These days, he is anything but that in Hollywood. The Oscar-nominated composer has scored a wide array of projects in the past five years, ranging from “Green Book” to “When They See Us,” and worked with Ava DuVernay and Shonda Rhimes

Some of the most powerful figures in Saudi film gathered at the Ritz Carlton in Jeddah for a cocktail party hosted by Film AlUla and Stampede Ventures in partnership with Variety last night. Figures such as Saudi producer and film industry pioneer Faisal Baltyuor and Egyptian producer Mohamed Hefzy were spotted along with Zeinab Abu

Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo first met 28 years ago, through their girlfriends at the time, before hunting a serial killer in David Fincher’s “Zodiac,” and well before battling Thanos in Marvel’s “Avengers” movies. The milage on their friendship shows in their shared enthusiasm for their electrifying performances this year: Downey in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer”

Young Saudi director Meshal Al Jaser, who springs from the country’s vibrant YouTube scene, is making a splash with his madcap feature debut “Naga,” in which a young woman named Sara goes on a date and takes drugs in the desert. She then must overcome various obstacles, including a rabid camel, to get home before the

The first edition of the Alternativa Film Project wrapped with an award ceremony this weekend in Almaty, the cultural capital of Kazakhstan, with filmmakers from Central Asia and the wider Asia-Pacific region being feted as part of a new initiative launched by the California-based tech company inDrive, best known for its ride-hailing app. The event

Negotiations are under way to secure a December or more likely an early January release for “Taylor Swift: “The Eras Tour” movie in mainland China cinemas. The film, which has grossed some $250 million worldwide since debuting on Oct. 13, is currently being reviewed by Chinese authorities. Separate bodies must approve the import of foreign

Ridley Scott’s historical epic “Napoleon” was cruelly defeated at the mainland Chinese box office, where it opened in only fifth place on its opening weekend. Chinese crime thriller “Across the Furious Sea” headed the mainland China charts for a second weekend, earning $20.0 million (RMB142 million), according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway. “Napoleon” earned

Political drama thriller “12.12: The Day” dominated the South Korean box office for a second weekend with a $13 million haul. Its second weekend outing topped its first session, when it earned $11.2 million, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). And the film (aka “Seoul Spring”)

Sandeep Vanga Reddy’s blood-soaked Bollywood epic “Animal,” starring Ranbir Kapoor, emerged as the No. 1 film globally with $42.1 million, according to data published by ComScore. “Animal” released across 38 global territories. The worldwide gross total includes $6.1 million in North America where it released across 850 locations and opened at No. 7. In India,

“Full River Red,” the Zhang Yimou-directed period comedy-drama that released in January this year has earned its producer Huanxi Media Beijing the 2023 Asia Pacific Box Office Achievement Award at the CineAsia convention. The convention gets under way Monday in Bangkok and will run till Thursday (Dec. 4-7). The prize will be presented at a

“Oppenheimer” director Christopher Nolan is being accorded a BFI Fellowship, the highest honor bestowed by the British Film Institute. “The fellowship recognizes Nolan’s extraordinary achievements and enormous contribution to cinema as one of the world’s most successful and influential film directors, constantly pushing the limits of what large-scale filmmaking can be whilst retaining a reverence

Robert Downey Jr. will not be returning as Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, according to Kevin Feige. In a recent Vanity Fair cover story about Downey Jr., the president of Marvel Studios addressed whether or not they would resurrect Iron Man/Tony Stark after his death in “Avengers: Endgame.” “We are going to keep

Former Monty Python member, animator and visionary director Terry Gilliam told Variety at the Red Sea Film Festival on Sunday that he wants Johnny Depp to play Satan in his new film “Carnival at the End of Days.” Gilliam summarized the plot as: “God wipes out humanity and the only character who wants to save

Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers” was the big winner at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) with seven wins. “All of Us Strangers” won best British independent film, Haigh won best director and best screenplay and Paul Mescal won best supporting performance, adding to its three craft awards, announced in November, for cinematography,

Freida Pinto took a break from her jury duties at the Red Sea Film Festival to talk to Variety about her career and her hopes for the future. The Indian actor shot to world fame for her starring role in Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008) and remains committed to the breadth of cinema. “I’ve always

The MonsterVerse returns for its fifth installment with the new trailer of “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.” The film comes after Legendary Pictures’ 2021 feature “Godzilla vs. Kong” helmed by Adam Wingard, who returns to direct this upcoming monster movie. Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry and Kaylee Hottle reprise their 2021 roles as Dr.

There’s nothing heroic about the final box office performance of “The Marvels.” The superhero sequel is officially the lowest-grossing installment in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After four weeks on the big screen, the comic book tentpole is running out of steam with $80 million in North America and $197 million globally. There

While introducing the Middle East and North Africa premiere of John Woo’s “Silent Night” at the Red Sea Film Festival, actor Joel Kinnaman emphasized the rare opportunity to have “everyone in the world watching the same film.” The actor is referring to the fact that Woo’s first U.S. film in 20 years features no language