Movies

Not every performance or project is going to be a home run, and that has certainly been the case for the likes of Viola Davis, Nicole Kidman, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, Jake Gyllenhaal and more. All of these actors have gone on record criticizing their own work, whether for giving a

According to Stephen Schwartz, nothing can follow “Defying Gravity.” And for the “Wicked” songwriter, that’s one key reason why the movie version of his blockbuster Broadway musical has to be split into two parts. It’s not just about overall length, the composer is saying — it’s about the audience needing a breather after one of

Had “Solo: A Star Wars Story” not disappointed at the box office in 2018, then “Obi-Wan Kenobi” might’ve been a full-fledged movie trilogy instead of a six-episode Disney+ limited series. Screenwriter Stuart Beattie has “story by” and/or writing credits on multiple “Obi-Wan” episodes, but he recently told The Direct that he had no involvement with

Embattled Walt Disney Company chief Bob Chapek got a critical endorsement after the entertainment giant’s board of directors voted unanimously on Tuesday to extend his contract for three years. The move comes as Chapek’s future has been hotly debated around Hollywood and media circles. After taking the reins from his charismatic predecessor Bob Iger, Chapek

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Alanna Nash’s 2010 biography on Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley has become a No. 1 bestseller on Amazon following Baz Luhrmann’s new “Elvis” biopic that premiered this past weekend. While Luhrmann claims that

RLJE Films and Shudder have acquired Nyla Innuksuk’s “Slash/Back,” an alien invasion thriller that premiered to raves at this year’s SXSW. The two companies are business units of AMC Networks. The film is expected to be released in theaters and on VOD/Digital before streaming on Shudder later this year. Shudder is focused on horror, thriller

Ukonwa Ojo has stepped down as chief marketing officer of Amazon’s Prime Video and Amazon Studios, the company announced to staff on Tuesday. During her time at the streamer, Ojo led the marketing campaigns for movies like “Coming 2 America” and “Being the Ricardos,” as well as the series “The Boys,” “Wheel of Time” and

Anya Taylor-Joy, Billie Eilish, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Caitríona Balfe, Jamie Dornan and Disney exec Dana Walden are among the 397 artists and executives invited to join the membership of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. If all of this year’s invitees accept membership, it will bring the total number of Academy members to 10,665,

“Why are they coming after me?” Chris Pratt recently asked in a new Men’s Health magazine profile. The “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Jurassic World” star was referring to social media users who continue to troll his every move. Pratt connected the hatred he gets on social media to a public misconception about his religious

Horror-thriller “The Retaliators,” which features music from Mötley Crue and Papa Roach, has sold into CineLife and Trafalgar Releasing for North America. The Better Noise Films-produced movie will be released in the U.S. and Canada by CineLife Entertainment, and via Trafalgar Releasing for the rest of the world. A worldwide theatrical release is planned for

Bob Iger is set to pen his second nonfiction work. Random House has acquired the rights to an upcoming book from the former Walt Disney Company CEO, the publishing imprint announced on Tuesday. Currently untitled, the new work is described as a “playbook on leading in times of crisis and disruption that takes readers behind

Ethan Hawke has signed on to star in Pedro Almodóvar’s next film, “Strange Way of Life,” (“Extraña forma de vida”), a half-hour Western. The Spanish director will shoot the short before making his English-language feature debut, “A Manual for Cleaning Women,” with Cate Blanchett. Hawke stars opposite Chile’s Pedro Pascal, who portrayed Oberyn Martell in

Dubai-based distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment has acquired all rights to upcoming high-octane Saudi thriller “Route 10,” starring rising local stars Fatima Al Banawi (“Al Shak”) and Baraa Alem (“The Book of Sun”). A wide pan-regional release has been planned for July 28 via Front Row Arabia, the company’s joint-venture with leading Saudi exhibitor Muvi

A24, the indie studio behind TV shows and movies like “Euphoria,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Minari,” “Moonlight” and “Lady Bird,” signed a first-look deal with Pushkin Industries, Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Weisberg’s audio production company. Under the new deal, A24 has the right of first refusal to develop film and TV projects based on

The last time the witches of “Hocus Pocus” were revived, it took three centuries. This time around, it’s only been about three decades. The Sanderson sisters — Winifred (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mary (Kathy Najimy) — are almost back, and the first teaser trailer for “Hocus Pocus 2” has been released, giving

Though it’s been consistently overshadowed by more dramatic breaking news stories, few issues have dealt 21st-century U.S. society such a crippling blow as the opioid crisis. There have been documentaries about afflicted communities, irresponsible pharmaceutical manufacturers and misguided or corrupt prescribing physicians, as well as fictive depictions and bestselling print exposés like Patrick Redden Keefe’s

Ana-Maria Comănescu’s debut feature “Horia” starts shooting in Romania on Wednesday. The film is a Romanian/Bulgarian/Serbian coproduction, produced by Carla Fotea and Ada Solomon through Romania’s MicroFILM, in coproduction with Rossitsa Valkanova through Bulgaria’s Klas Film, and Nikolina Vučetić-Zečević through Serbia’s Biberche Productions, Film New Europe reports. The script, written by Comănescu, follows Horia, a

Tomasz Wasilewski’s “Fools” (Głupcy) has debuted its trailer ahead of its world premiere at Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Proxima Competition. World sales are being handled by Jan Naszewski’s New Europe Film Sales. Wasilewski won the best script award for “United States of Love” at the Berlin Film Festival in 2016, and the East

Leading entertainment marketing and content production company Trailer Park Group is continuing its Asia Pacific expansion drive with the hiring of two key executives. The company, which recently acquired Mumbai-based boutique creative agency White Turtle Studios, has appointed Tamagna Ghosh as APAC MD, and Gina Grosso as senior VP of global production, both reporting into

Claudia Eller has taken a temporary medical leave from her role as Editor-in-Chief of Variety. Eller expressed her gratitude to the Variety staff for the concern and support they have expressed after she suffered a minor stroke earlier this month. “Two weeks ago I felt unsteady on my feet and wobbly and ended up in

Mary Mara, the actor best known for her recurring roles in “ER” and “Law & Order,” died in Cape Vincent, N.Y. Sunday from an apparent drowning. She was 61. In a report published Monday, the New York State Police confirmed that Mara was discovered in the St. Lawrence River in Cape Vincent around 8:10 p.m.

Four years after she was first elected to run the Producers Guild of America with Lucy Fisher, Gail Berman is ready to fully dig back into her day job. Like many in show business, she didn’t initially think she had the time to serve as guild president in 2018 — but was assured the role

Manolo Cardona, one of Colombia’s top actors who has starred in such Netflix hits as “Narcos” and “Who Killed Sara?,” is now filming his directorial debut, “One Must Die,” for Paramount+. Cardona also stars in the suspense thriller and is joined by Spain’s Maribel Verdu, who starred in “Pan’s Labyrinth,” “Belle Epoque” and “Y Tu

Director Paul Haggis, now under house arrest on sexual assault charges in Italy, has gotten a trial date for his rape lawsuit in New York. The trial is set to begin on Oct. 11, before Judge Sabrina Kraus in Manhattan. A film publicist, Haleigh Breest, sued Haggis in December 2017, alleging that he raped her

The American Black Film Festival has announced this year’s Best of ABFF award winners, with “Our Father, the Devil” and “Feel Like Ghosts” among the top honorees. After two years of virtual programing, ABFF returned to Miami Beach for its 26th edition, with live events held June 15-19. The 2022 winners were announced by Emmy

Adam Venit, who was formerly a top Hollywood agent at WME and was accused of groping client Terry Crews, has been sued by his  estranged wife, Trina Venit, for alleged assault, sexual battery, domestic violence, false imprisonment, stalking and defamation. Triva Venit filed a lawsuit, obtained by Variety, in federal court in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Natalie Portman wants to team up with Captain Marvel. The Oscar winner revealed her dream superhero cross over when I caught up with her at the “Thor: Love and Thunder” world premiere. “I love Captain Marvel,” Portman said. “Brie [Larson] is a dear friend so that would be a fun one. That would be cool.”

The BET Awards are officially a celebration of “Black excellence,” and Sunday night’s show featured blockbuster performances from Lizzo, Mariah Carey, Latto, Jack Harlow (who was joined by Brandy and Lil Wayne) and an elaborate tribute to Lifetime Achievement honoree Sean “Diddy” Combs that included an unannounced in-person speech from Kanye West. But for the

Award winning actor Scoot McNairy will star opposite Amy Adams in the forthcoming adaptation of the best-selling book “Nightbitch.” Mounted by Searchlight Pictures and Annapurna, the film will tell of a suburban mom thrown into the stay-at-home routine of raising a toddler. As she embraces the feral power deeply rooted in motherhood, she becomes increasingly aware of

The Maui Film Festival has announced the slate of films and honorees for its 22nd annual edition. The 2022 festival will feature the Maui premieres of 13 feature films, including “McCurry: The Pursuit of Color,” “Gratitude Revealed,” “Facing Monsters,” “The Story of Everything,” “Pretty Problems,” “Kapo,” “Tango Shalom” and “Pe’Ahi.” The festival opener will be