Television

In 2017, Oscar-nominated “Sound of Metal” actor Riz Ahmed gave a rousing speech to the House of Commons warning that the U.K. could lose its Muslim youth to extremism unless they see themselves represented on screen as something other than problematic stereotypes. “We are going to start losing British teenagers to the story that the

When Jason Sudeikis called Mumford & Sons lead singer Marcus Mumford, it took the artist six weeks to get back to him because he kept two cellphones — a U.S one and his usual U.K number. Sudeikis had rang the former, a phone he rarely checked. As it turned out, the actor and EP was

Casey Bloys has had a long stretch of happy Mondays. The steady growth of viewership and buzz for “Mare of Easttown” over its seven-week run on Sunday nights has been welcome news for the chief content officer of HBO and HBO Max. The Kate Winslet murder-mystery made its mark just as HBO’s parent company was

Drake Bell, who starred as Drake in the hit Nickelodeon series “Drake and Josh,” has been charged with attempted endangering children and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. According to court documents, Cleveland Police arrested Bell, 34, who pleaded not guilty in Cuyahoga County Court on June 3. Bell, whose real name is Jared Drake Bell,

All products and services featured by Variety are independently selected by Variety editors. However, Variety may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Grab some popcorn, get comfy and prepare for some serious hate-watching this weekend. Yes, you guessed correctly: Youtube

Peacock is developing a drama script from “Pose” star Billy Porter and Dan McCabe that explores a Black family’s multi-generational imprint in Hollywood. “Fruits of Thy Labor” also comes from Berlanti Productions. Warner Bros. TV, where Berlanti Prods. is based, is the studio. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and David Madden will also executive produce, while

“El Señor de los Cielos” star Rafael Amaya has inked a multi-project deal with Telemundo Global Studios, committing to starring in various original productions. The Mexican entertainer’s first project is slated to premiere later this year. Amaya, a telenovela veteran, is one of the best-known actors in Spanish-language media. “This deal reaffirms Telemundo’s commitment to

Endeavor Content, Jeff Friday Media and Layne Eskridge’s POV Entertainment will partner to develop and produce premium scripted television series by Black and brown creators, accelerating exposure and opportunity for BIPOC writers and producers. To expand the range of television from creatives of color in the current marketplace, the three companies will be collaborating closely

Last week, as I do every year, I published a ranker of the 2020-21 TV season’s most-watched series on broadcast and cable — you know, the legacy outlets now referred to in the industry, with a touch of derision, as “linear TV.” No surprise, the ratings continue their downward slope: The most-watched show of the

Netflix has lately been met with varying degrees of success with pure genre serial storytelling — shows that dig deep into surreality and find within it some level of heart. These are shows less like “Stranger Things,” which is built to have a broad, near-universally-understandable appeal, than like “The Umbrella Academy,” unapologetically niche. Within this

THEATRE The U.K.’s National Theatre has revealed a robust return to normal programming services with a host of plays and films scheduled through 2022, as the country limps back to normalcy post-pandemic. Highlights include National Theatre director Rufus Norris’ new musical “Hex,” based on “Sleeping Beauty” which opens this Christmas in the Olivier Theatre, and

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched “Someone Saved My Life,” the Season 17 finale of “Grey’s Anatomy.” “Grey’s Anatomy’s” Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) survived COVID-19 and returned to work within the 17th season of the ABC drama. But unlike every other patient on the show who received a congratulatory clap

Variety Intelligence Platform recently held a VIP+ Exchange webinar between AEW CEO, GM and head of Creative Tony Khan and VIP Senior Media Analyst Gavin Bridge. Khan is also the Chief Football Strategy Officer of the Jacksonville Jaguars and GM/Sporting Director of English soccer team Fulham F.C., bringing credible amounts of sports knowledge to the

Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Emmys ceremonies from film awards editor Clayton Davis. Following history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Emmy predictions are updated regularly with the current year's list of contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year

Netflix head of global TV Bela Bajaria has picked her head of U.S./Canada scripted series, promoting longtime creative exec Peter Friedlander to the role. Brian Wright, Netflix’s head of overall deals who had overseen shows including “Stranger Things,” is leaving the company. Friedlander, most recently head of spectacle and event TV programming, is assuming oversight

A look at the world building through the eyes of production designers. David Willson (“Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist”), Martin Childs (“The Crown”) and Mark Friedberg (“The Underground Railroad”) break down how they crafted sets for their shows. “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” Production designer David Willson’s first season on “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” was the NBC musical comedy’s second.

All products and services featured by Variety are independently selected by Variety editors. However, Variety may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. In an anticipated return to normalcy, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will now occur in 2021 after being

Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo didn’t meet Cristina Ortiz Rodríguez, also known as “La Veneno,” in her best light. They often saw the prolific trans performer and bombastic media personality — by then in poor health — quietly eating a sandwich and sitting on a curb with her friends from her sex worker days. Nary

In today’s Global Bulletin, Netflix reveals first look images from “Money Heist” Part Five; the second season of BritBox U.K.’s “The Beast Must Die” is being developed; Key Buyers Event: Digital introduces co-production forum; Entertainment One’s Kate Morton to join BBC Children’s; and free streamer Pluto TV expands deal with LG Electronics. Netflix has released

In a television landscape riddled with reboots, sequels and revivals, audiences are primed for stories that pick up where another tale has left off. Figuring out how to continue the narrative of a longtime franchise or beloved character isn’t always easy, but when done well, can translate to loyal fans — and even Emmy attention,

Dennis Quaid will play Rick Kirkham in the upcoming Peacock series “Joe Exotic.” Kirkham, an American journalist based in Norway, was the “Tiger King’s” reality show producer. Quaid joins previously announced series leads Kate McKinnon, who will play Carole Baskin, and John Cameron Mitchell, who will play Joe Exotic. It was also recently announced that

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched “Testimony,” the eighth episode of “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 4, streaming now on Hulu. When Elisabeth Moss chose the third episode of “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 4 to mark her directorial debut, she did so because she wanted the challenge of taking characters she

News and sports will definitely have a place in the world of streaming, but may require new formats and programming concepts to make them fit the needs of modern audiences, according to the executive who oversees WarnerMedia’s HBO Max. News and sports programming are a significant factor in keeping consumers tethered to cable and satellite

Paramount Plus is gearing up to debut a less-expensive version of the streaming service that includes ads — but the cheaper package will not include access to local CBS stations. On Monday, June 7, ViacomCBS will introduce Paramount Plus Essential, lowering the entry-level price to $4.99 per month. That’s one dollar less than the predecessor

Back when Steven Canals was working on the first season of “Pose,” he and Misha Green had a conversation at a bar about the importance of using their voices as storytellers to make material for their communities. “Pose,” now wrapping up its third and final season, is an example of that, as Canals centered LGBTQIA+

Jamie Lee Curtis’ production banner Comet Pictures and Blumhouse Television are developing a one-hour series based on Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta character, a forensic pathologist at the center of 24 crime thrillers, with Cornwell, Curtis, Jason Blum, Blumhouse Television president Chris McCumber and Jeremy Gold serving as executive producers. Comet Pictures and Blumhouse have secured

Amazon inked a deal with Moonbug Entertainment, a big producer and distributor of digital kids’ programming, to create content for Amazon Kids Plus. The first joint project centers on an original production of “Arpo Robot Babysitter,” based on Moonbug’s YouTube show Arpo, and encompasses long-form specials. The Arpo original content is slated to premiere exclusively

Andy Cohen’s late-night Bravo talk show, “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen,” will again welcome audiences into the show’s studio for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. A solo Cohen returned to his Manhattan studio, called “the clubhouse,” last fall, but his guests and the show’s audience have remained

Netflix is in the works on an adaptation of former Vanity Fair journalist William Langewiesche’s acclaimed non-fiction book “The Atomic Bazaar,” which centers on the world of nuclear trafficking. Published in 2007, “The Atomic Bazaar: Dispatches from the Underground World of Nuclear Trafficking” looks at the global trade in nuclear weapons production and state-sponsored nuclear

The United States Football League, that mid-1980s counterpart to NFL play, is returning. The league will relaunch in the spring of 2022, with Fox Sports signing on as a broadcast partner and minority stakeholder in the company that owns the new sports entity. Longtime sports fans may recall an era when the New Jersey Generals,