SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not watched the Sept. 14 episode of “Bachelor in Paradise.” Brendan Morais and Pieper James made enemies last week as they rekindled their relationship on national TV. The two were accused of orchestrating a grand plan to generate followers on the beach, but left Natasha Parker as
Television
“Generation” has not been renewed for a second season at HBO Max, Variety has confirmed. The teenage-centered dramedy was created by father-daughter duo Zelda Barnz and Daniel Barnz, and premiered on the streamer on March 11. The show focuses on a group of high school students in Orange County, Calif. who explore their sexuality and
BBC chair Richard Sharp is expected to back calls for tighter regulation of the world’s major social networks and platforms to crack down on disinformation and fake news. In a speech to the Royal Television Society convention on Wednesday, Sharp will say that there are “urgent questions” that need answering as “closed media environments” have
U.K. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden is expected to set out the financial benefits that privatization could bring to British public service broadcaster Channel 4. On Tuesday, in response to a U.K. government Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) consultation on the proposed privatization, Channel 4 had warned that its public service remit would
The Guadalajara Film Festival (FICG) will close this October’s rescheduled in-person festival with the first two episodes of Netflix’s animated event series “Maya and the Three” from daytime Emmy-winning director Jorge Gutierrez (“The Book of Life,” “El Tigre”). “Having ‘Maya’ premier at my beloved FICG, in the capital of Mexican animation, is a dream come
Norm Macdonald, who has died at the age of 61, was an iconic comedian, known for his deadpan delivery and lack of fear in committing to bits that would make other comedians cringe, such as mocking fellow late night guests, letting jokes bombs for his own amusement or going clean when others were getting dirty.
Fox Corp. intends to test unvaccinated employees daily for coronavirus infections, the company disclosed in a memo. Approximately 90% of the media company’s employee base has gotten vaccinated against the contagion, according to a memo issued Tuesday by Kevin Lord, the executive who oversees human resources for Fox Corporation. The new steps come after Fox
Peacock has renewed “The Amber Ruffin Show” for a second season, which will premiere on Oct. 8 with new episodes releasing every Friday. The late night series features Ruffin’s personal and comedic takes on each week’s news. Along with hosting and writing, she executive produces the show. “We are thrilled to keep doing what we
When news broke on Tuesday that Norm Macdonald had died, comedians, actors and writers took to social media to mourn and remember the life of the famed “Saturday Night Live” alum. Macdonald died of cancer at age 61 after a private struggle with the disease. Macdonald was best known for starring on “Saturday Night Live”
Netflix announced a series order for “Grendel,” based on Matt Wagner’s Dark Horse Entertainment comic book series of the same name. Abubakr Ali will star, among others. “Grendel” follows Hunter Rose (Ali), a fencer, writer and assassin who fights organized crime in New York to avenge the death of a lost love, until he ends
Norm Macdonald, the deadpan comedian, actor, writer and “Saturday Night Live” star, has died after a private battle with cancer, Variety has confirmed. He was 61. Macdonald’s cancer diagnosis was kept secret from the public, but he battled it for nine years. The comedian got his start in showbiz as a writer on “Roseanne” in
This is the second installment in a five-part series examining the transformation of television as the industry prepares to celebrate the Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 19. There’s no aspect of scripted television development process that hasn’t fundamentally changed in the past decade. The rise of streaming has accelerated the industry’s focus from linear TV
Jennifer Aniston revealed on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” that she will not be attending the 2021 Emmys on Sunday, citing her personal safety as the pandemic continues. As part of HBO Max’s “Friends” reunion, she’s nominated in the variety special (pre-recorded) category alongside Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer and other producers.
Malachi Kirby will star in the series adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s “Anansi Boys” at Amazon, Variety has learned exclusively. Kirby will play the dual lead roles of both Charlie Nancy and his brother, Spider. The series follows Charlie, a young man who is used to being embarrassed by his estranged father, Mr. Nancy. But when
The CW has acquired the US rights to the action series “Professionals” starring Tom Welling, Brendan Fraser, and Elena Anaya. The premiere date for the show’s U.S. broadcast debut will be announced at a later date. “Professionals” follows Vincent Corbo (Welling), a top-tier security operative, who is paid to protect the interests of rich and
HBO Max announced that Season 2 of “Love Life” will premiere Oct. 28 with its first three episodes. Then, the second three episodes of the 10-episode season will stream on Nov. 4, with the final four concluding on Nov. 11. The second season of the romantic dramedy centers on Marcus Watkins (William Jackson Harper), who
Former NBC Sports host Liam McHugh will join Turner Sports as the WarnerMedia outlet prepares for its first season of NHL telecasts under a new rights deal, joining hockey great Wayne Gretzky, and a new team of analysts and sportscasters devoted to coverage of the sport. McHugh joins Turner Sports from NBC Sports, where he
Spain’s David Galán Galindo, helmer of Netflix movie “Unknown Origins,” is attached to direct comedy series project “Todo mal” (“OK Boomer”), created by TV entertainment writers Fernando Erre and Manuel Martínez March. Thesp Alberto San Juan, a double Goya Award winner — for best supporting actor on Cesc Gay’s “Sentimental” and lead actor for Félix
U.K. public service broadcaster BBC and Comcast-owned pay TV operator Sky have renewed and expanded their long-term strategic partnership to feature the BBC’s brands and services on Sky’s TV products. The agreement will ensure that the BBC’s original content will be even more prominent on Sky platforms by making it even easier for Sky customers
Spanish hip hop artist Mala Rodríguez, the first female artist to win both Best Urban Album and Best Urban Song at the Latin Grammys, will take a role in “Harem, Land of Goddesses” (“Harem, Tierra de Diosas”), a sci-fi drama series set in the land of Ellah, where women reign over men. Developed at the
Claire McArdle and Rebecca Knight, formerly senior executives at ViacomCBS International, have teamed to launch new production company Collective Media Group. Specializing in premium factual content, the privately backed company’s output will include high-end factual series, popular entertainment and podcasting – with a particular focus on storytelling around some of sport’s most iconic moments. Alongside
A new film-TV territory is emerging in Europe: Euroregion NAEN, taking in Nouvelle Aquitaine in France and the Basque Country and Navarre in Spain. It will make a high-profile industry bow on Sept. 14 at this year’s Conecta Fiction, Europe’s biggest dedicated TV co-production forum with Latin America. Euroregions have been around for decades. Nouvelle
Seven projects will be introduced to an industry audience at the first Euroregion NAEN pitch competition, held on Tuesday Sept. 14 at Pamplona’s Conecta Fiction. “Being a first edition, the projects are pretty diverse and in divergent phases of development. But behind them are innovative visions and interesting propositions,” says Ana Herrera Isasi, head of
Ranging from La Rochelle in France to near Zaragoza in the South, well into Spain, Euroregion NAEN – Nouvelle Aquitaine, Basque Country, Navarre – has extraordinary locations and a rich historical heritage. It has hosted shoots from “The Longest Day” to “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” in Nouvelle Aquitaine to “Game
Mike Richards’ first episode as host of “Jeopardy!” — one of what would end up totaling only five — taped Aug. 19 but only aired, after his ouster, on Monday night. He was introduced by longtime announcer Johnny Gilbert as “the host of ‘Jeopardy!’”; he delivered brief tributes to Gilbert and to his predecessor Alex
HBO Max is developing a series about The Penguin that will be a spinoff of “The Batman” feature, Variety has learned from sources. Colin Farrell is set to play the notorious supervillain in “The Batman.” According to sources, Farrell has been approached to star in the spinoff series but no deal is currently in place. Sources
New York Comic Con (NYCC) is taking over the city from Oct. 7 to 10, jam-packed with in-person and virtual programming. The East Coast’s largest pop culture convention, held in none other than Gotham City, will bring fandoms together and feature special guests participating in panels, autograph signings and photo tops, including Cristina Vee, David
On Friday, Amazon Prime Video dropped “LuLaRich,” a four-part docuseries that exposes the misdeeds of clothing company/pyramid scheme LuLaRoe. In “LuLaRich,” directors Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason delve into the history of the company, leading up to its implosion when LuLaRoe’s runaway growth caused quality issues and supply chain meltdowns, among myriad other problems.
Barcelona-based production-distribution outfit Filmax has sold the German-speaking Europe rights to Telepool for ‘Beyond the Summit’ by Ibon Cormenzana (“Guilt”), marking its first international deal for the adventure thriller. The film was first presented at this year’s Berlinale. Set on the awe-inspiring massif of Annapurna in Nepal’s Himalayas, the pic follows a climber who’s finally
The heart of Conecta Fiction is its pitching sessions where producers and creators bring onto the market, looking for partners and sales, projects which have often flown completely under the radar. Following, details of titles in the three main sections at Conecta Fiction: COPRO SERIES “Antonio,” (Enrique Videla, Paula del Fierro, Zumbastico Studios, Pipeline Studios, Chile)