Studios and guilds have officially extended COVID protocols until Sept. 30. The Directors Guild of America, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, Teamsters and the AMPTP issued a new statement extending the film and TV COVID protocols. The statement said, “The Agreement keeps in place the workplace protocols and protections that have allowed for a sustained and successful return
Movies
Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” topped $100 million at the domestic box office on Friday, becoming one of the rare films without superheroes or dinosaurs to reach that mark. Globally, the Warner Bros. film has made over $170 million, an impressive result for this kind of material. To be fair, “Elvis” was expensive. The movie which looks
The joy of achieving a certain je ne sais quoi gleams in Anthony Fabian’s heartwarming “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,” in theaters July 15, about a widowed ’50s-era cleaning lady—Lesley Manville’s affable Ada Harris — as she travels from London to Paris to purchase a Christian Dior gown. Designing the intricate costumes with exact Dior
Hungarian director András Fésős is in post-production with his sophomore feature “Rise Up and Walk,” starring Romania’s Bogdan Dumitrache, who won best actor prizes at Locarno with “Best Intentions” and San Sebastian with “Pororoca,” Film New Europe reports. The film tells the story of a father and son’s difficult reunion, and involves several spectacular firefighter
“Every big story is made of little stories,” a novice Egyptian newsreel director patiently explains to those who question his footage in the epic historical drama “Image of Victory.” It’s also a truism that pithily describes veteran Israeli helmer Avi Nesher’s engrossing 19th feature, which highlights young people during a dramatic time of history and
When cinematographer Polly Morgan and director Olivia Newman were brought on to adapt Delia Owens’ bestselling novel, “Where the Crawdads Sing,” the story spoke to them on a natural level. The Sony Pictures film of the same name, in theaters July 15, tells the tale of Kya (Daisy Edgar- Jones), a young woman raising herself
In 1974, Mel Brooks’ Western comedy “Blazing Saddles” shook up the game, sending up themes of racism that were pervasive in Hollywood, the Western genre and American culture as a whole. Now, “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank” is attempting to keep its legacy alive in a fresh new story for a family audience.
Vulture marked the 20th anniversary of “Austin Powers in Goldmember” with an oral history devoted to Beyoncé’s role in the blockbuster comedy as Foxxy Cleopatra. One of the biggest revelations comes courtesy of the film’s makeup artist Kate Biscoe, who revealed that Beyoncé called out the marketing team for changing her appearance on one of
Just a few days after landing an Emmy nomination for Apple TV+’s hit drama “Severance,” Adam Scott is joining the cast of Sony’s superhero film “Madame Web.” The movie stars Dakota Johnson as Madame Web, a clairvoyant whose psychic abilities allow her to see within the spider world itself. The movie will be an origin
After dominating the box office last weekend, “Thor: Love and Thunder” has two challengers standing in its way: “Where the Crawdads Sing” and “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank.” Luckily for Thor, these two should be easier opponents than Loki, Thanos or Gorr the God Butcher. Both films open this weekend, with Sony’s “Where
“Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down,” an inspirational story about the former Arizona congresswoman’s fight to recover from an assassination attempt in 2011 and lobby for greater gun safety laws, arrives in theaters July 15 amid a troubling surge in mass shootings across the country, underscoring the scope of her challenge. But Giffords, who struggles to
Julia Roberts will receive an Academy Museum Gala Icon Award from the Academy this fall. The Oscar-winning actor will receive her award at the Museum’s second annual gala on Oct. 15. Roberts joins three previously announced honorees at the gala: Miky Lee, who will receive the Pillar Award; Tilda Swinton, who will receive the Visionary
Pema Tseden, whose last three films have all appeared at the Venice Film Festival, has finished lensing his latest effort “Snow Leopard.” The film is a drama about how humans and animals end up getting along, despite their occasional conflicts. While Tibet is a source of controversy between China and the international community, ethnically Tibetan
Julianne Moore will preside over the main jury of the Venice Film Festival’s upcoming 79th edition. The Oscar-winning U.S. actor, who most recently starred in A24’s “When You Finish Saving the World,” directed by Jesse Eisenberg, and will next appear in Benjamin Caron-directed “Sharper,” alongside Sebastian Stan and John Lithgow, also from A24, is a
PROJECT FUNDING The Asian Cinema Fund, a bursary scheme for film and documentary projects operated alongside the Busan International Film Festival, has announced six Korean recipients and seven hailing from elsewhere in Asia. The fund was put on hiatus during the two years of COVID, which also reduced the festival in size and turned the
Fernando Franco’s coming of age drama “The Rite of Spring” and Mikel Gurrea’s rural drama “Suro” will vie for the top Golden Seashell at September’s 70th San Sebastian Festival, the highest-profile film event in the Spanish-speaking world. Also making the cut are Jaime Rosales’s female emancipation tale “Wild Flowers” and Pilar Palomero’s teen motherhood story
The Goran Stolevski-directed horror-drama “You Won’t Be Alone,” was Thursday named the best film at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Korea’s leading genre film event. The Australia-U.K.-Serbia co-production is set in Macedonia and stars Noomi Rapace in a 19th century tale about a young girl who is transformed into a witch. It premiered at
Kelsa, the protagonist of Billy Porter’s “Anything’s Possible,” played by Eva Reign, has already dealt with most of the tough obstacles to claiming her identity as a trans girl: She admitted it to herself, she told her mom (a ferociously supportive Renée Elise Goldsberry), she took the blockers and the hormones, and she went back
In true Billy Porter fashion, the multi-hyphenate superstar didn’t hold back while delivering a politically-charged speech Thursday night at the opening of this year’s Outfest. “Fuck SCOTUS!” he said while accepting the Outfest Achievement Award. His words were met with applause and cheers from the crowd gathered at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.
In 1980, the auspiciously named first baseman Willie Mays Aikens made baseball history when he hit two home runs in two World Series games, a feat that wasn’t repeated until 2009. That year, the Kansas City Royals player was second in home runs and RBIs only to teammate, friend and future Hall of Famer, George
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent Dobbs decision overturning abortion rights that were established under Roe v. Wade in 1973, Hollywood creatives and bean counters have a new calculus to consider when determining where to shoot movies and TV shows: Do they accept tax incentives to film in states where abortion is banned
Colman Domingo says his younger brother gave him the best compliment about his new autobiographical animated short, “New Moon.” “He was overcome,” Domingo tells me on this week’s episode of the “Just for Variety” podcast. “He said, ‘More than anything, you brought the feeling of mom back.’” “New Moon” tells the story of a little
Dean Fleischer Camp, the filmmaker behind A24’s charming indie comedy “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” will step in for Jon M. Chu as director of Disney’s live-action “Lilo & Stitch” remake. Chu was attached to the project in 2020, but his deal was never finalized. The movie is still in early stages and has
Lee Daniels has tapped Omar Epps, Demi Singleton, Miss Lawrence and Anthony B. Jenkins to join the cast of his upcoming exorcism thriller “The Deliverance” for Netflix. The group joins previously announced stars Andra Day, Glenn Close, Mo’Nique, Aunjanue Ellis, Caleb McLaughlin and Tasha Smith in the film, which is inspired by a terrifying true
Wednesday night was the premiere of “The Gray Man,” the Russo Brothers’ ambitious action thriller that, with a budget of $200 million, is the most expensive movie Netflix has ever made. On Thursday, the review embargo for the film lifted, bringing with it a generally underwhelmed response from critics. The film stars Ryan Gosling and
Greg Berlanti will replace Jason Bateman as the director of “Project Artemis,” while Channing Tatum is finalizing a deal to step into a role that once belonged to Chris Evans. The Apple Original Films production has suffered a bit of musical chairs since the streaming giant swept in and landed the package for a reported
Vertical Entertainment has picked up North American distribution rights to the action thriller “No Way Out,” directed by Azi Rahman, who is making his feature film debut. The film turns on a Los Angeles couple embroiled in a passionate relationship fueled by sex, drugs and risk that quickly reaches a boiling point, leading to “drastic
Hillman Grad, the multi-platform entertainment company founded by actor, producer and Emmy-winning writer Lena Waithe, has bolstered its executive ranks with a new round of promotions: Naomi Funabashi has been named president of film and television at Hillman Grad Productions, with Justin Riley as vice president of operations and business development; Lacy Lew Nguyen Wright
European cinema giant Vue will see its lenders take full ownership of the company in a £1 billion ($1.18 billion) takeover as the exhibitor battles back following the pandemic. Vue confirmed on Thursday that its first-lien lenders will take 100% equity ownership of the business. Under the new deal, around £465 million ($548 million) of
Welcome to this week’s “Just for Variety.” Taylor Kitsch thinks a reboot or revival of “Friday Night Lights” could happen. “You may see it, but I will not be a part of it,” the actor, who played Tim Riggins on the beloved NBC series, tells me. “I’m done. I’m good. I want to keep growing