The Reddit saga roiling Wall Street for the last two weeks has blasted a spotlight on grassroots investing efforts to rally the price of heavily shorted stocks, sending embattled names like GameStop and AMC Entertainment on rollercoaster rides as a bunch of misfit retail traders wage war on hedge funds. But as the group’s disdain
Television
Chiwetel Ejiofor has been cast in the lead role of “The Man Who Fell to Earth” series currently in the works at Paramount Plus, Variety has learned. The series is based on Walter Tevis’ 1963 novel and the 1976 Nicolas Roeg film that starred David Bowie, both of the same name. In the series version,
Piecing together home movies, court documents, police evidence and never-before-heard audio tapes, HBO is releasing docuseries “Allen v. Farrow” — which examines the decades-long story behind the sexual abuse allegations against Woody Allen involving his daughter Dylan — on Feb. 21. The series will also stream on HBO Max. The four-part HBO Documentary Films investigative
“The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” has been renewed for a second season, Bravo announced Friday. The cabler also set the dates for the three-part Season 1 reunion: It will kick off on Feb. 10 at 10 p.m. and continue in the time slot the next two consecutive Wednesdays. The latest in the “Real
Lisa Vanderpump, who departed “The Real Housewives” in 2019, is staying in the world of reality TV. The television personality and restaurateur has landed her own show on E!, called “Overserved With Lisa Vanderpump,” where she invites her famous friends over to her Beverly Hills mansion for a swanky at-home dinner party. Vanderpump will bring
In today’s Global Bulletin, Amazon begins filling 1,000 apprenticeships coming to the U.K. in 2021, ViacomCBS Networks International appoints Anna Priest as senior VP and chief marketing officer in the U.K., NL Film fills out its leadership teams and Viddsee begins streaming spoof series “AI Love K-Drama” in Singapore. APPRENTICESHIP Amazon has launched a recruitment
Olivia Colman (“The Crown”), Matt Smith (“Doctor Who”), Patricia Allison (“Sex Education”) and Rob Brydon (“The Trip” franchise) lead the voice cast of BBC animation special “Superworm.” Based on the book “Superworm,” written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, the half-hour show will air over Christmas on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The
In today’s TV news roundup, Netflix released the trailer for “Behind Her Eyes” and Peacock announced it is adding the third season of “Mr. Mercedes” next month. DATES Pluto TV will stream a special two-week sampling of the premiere episodes of the Queen Latifah-starring “The Equalizer” and “The Silence of the Lambs” sequel series “Clarice”
Rob Lowe has cut quite a path through primetime during the 20-plus years since he joined “The West Wing.” He turned down “Grey’s Anatomy,” but landed in the ensemble of “Parks and Recreation.” He sold a show about chasing Bigfoot with his sons to A&E Network. From 2003 to 2018 he was also a regular
ViacomCBS has reestablished its working relationship with Nick Cannon. The move, company insiders tell Variety, comes as a result of the steps that the performer and producer has taken to engage and partner with Jewish leaders and make amends for anti-Semitic statements he made last summer that led to ViacomCBS to cut its ties to
AT&T already a long list of “to-dos” when it comes to WarnerMedia, the big entertainment conglomerate it purchased for $85 billion in 2018. Jeff Zucker’s exit from CNN makes it even longer. Jeff Zucker’s announcement Thursday that he will exit his role as president of CNN, and, presumably, as head of Turner Sports, by the
WWE shares were down in after-hours trading Thursday after falling well short of fourth-quarter earnings and revenue forecasts. In Q4, revenue fell 26% from the prior-year quarter to $238.2 million. Net income was $13.6 million, or 16 cents per diluted share. Analysts had predicted the sports entertainment company would post per-share earnings of 30 cents
Starz has ordered the period drama series “The Serpent Queen,” based on the life of Catherine de Medici. The eight-episode series is based on the book “Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France” by Leonie Frieda. Justin Haythe will write and executive produce the series, with Francis Lawrence and Erwin Stoff also executive producing. Stacie
“Schitt’s Creek” star Emily Hampshire has signed on to star as the title character in a new, updated version of Norman Lear’s 1970s syndicated hit “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.” Hampshire will also be an executive producer on the project, and co-write the script with Jacob Tierney (“Letterkenny”), who will serve as showrunner. Sony Pictures TV
NBC has given a straight to series order to crime drama “The Thing About Pam,” with Renee Zellweger set to executive produce and star. The six-episode true-crime series from Blumhouse Television, NBC News Studios and Zellweger’s Big Picture Co. is based on the 2011 murder of Betsy Faria, which was explored on the NBC news
NBC’s “Chicago” crossover trio, which consists of the three dramas “Chicago Med,” “Chicago Fire,” and “Chicago PD,” took up the top three slots in Wednesday’s overnight primetime numbers— again. In the last two weeks, they pulled the same triumph (and in the same order), dominating total viewers and all key demos among the Big 4
Riz Ahmed, Amy Adams, Kerry Washington React to SAG Award Nominations – Variety Riz Ahmed, Amy Adams, Kerry Washington React to SAG Award Nominations – Variety ad To help keep your account secure, please log-in again. You are no longer onsite at your organization. Please log in. For assistance, contact your corporate administrator.
As usual, the SAG Awards manages to pick up what the Golden Globe nominations left off. In particular, the biggest mistake the mostly solid Globes nods made this year, in missing the boat on Michaela Coel’s stunning, heartbreaking HBO series “I May Destroy You.” Coel landed a first-ever SAG Award nom in the female actor
Netflix has ordered a new one-hour drama series from Martin Gero and Brendan Gall, Variety has learned exclusively. The six-episode series is titled “Breathe.” When a small plane crashes in the middle of the Canadian wilderness, a lone woman must battle the elements and odds to survive. Gero and Gall are co-writing and executive producing the
The impact of the ongoing pandemic on the film and television industry will change production practices, re-shape the exhibitor sector, transform distribution and expand global opportunities for European producers over the next five years, according to the latest Nostradamus Report, which forecasts trends in film and TV. Presented by author Johanna Koljonen at the Göteborg
Remember when Fox News Channel launched in 1996 with the slogan “Fair and balanced”? Believe it or not, early on, the channel at least pretended to follow that idealistic goal, providing straight news during the day and balancing conservative voices with liberal ones on primetime opinion shows. Hell, even Sean Hannity shared a show with
Kids (and children at heart), prepare to be mystified: Netflix has summoned “Daniel Spellbound,” a new CG-animated series about a young seller of rare magical goods to sorcerers and sorceresses in modern-day New York City. The show will be produced in collaboration with creator and director Matt Fernandes (“Dino Ranch,” “Remy & Boo,” “Kingdom Force”),
The U.K.’s broadcast regulator Ofcom said Thursday that it had revoked the license of CGTN, the overseas arm of China Central Television. The move is likely to increase tensions between the two already fractious countries. Ofcom explained that it had “withdrawn the license for CGTN to broadcast in the UK, after its investigation concluded that
Sony Pictures Television’s (SPT) international production division has signed a two-year exclusive first look deal with Nigeria’s EbonyLife Media for scripted content. SPT gets the first look at all new EbonyLife-controlled scripted television projects created, originated or developed by EbonyLife and intended for global audiences. The deal follows a multi-title deal EbonyLife signed in 2020
It isn’t often that Variety gets to break news to “The Crown” star and seasoned award-winning actor Gillian Anderson, but on the afternoon of Feb. 3, Anderson found herself rushing through the door after a photoshoot to get on the phone with us. She had no idea that what she had missed in the midst of getting
The family of Cicely Tyson has set an official public viewing for the late Hollywood icon, who died on Jan. 28 at the age of 96. The viewing will take place on Feb. 15 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City. COVID-19 protocols will be in
In today’s TV news roundup, OWN premiered a trailer for its new legal drama “Delilah,” and Charter Communications announced that president and chief operating officer John Bickham will retire in 2022. FIRST LOOKS OWN dropped a trailer for “Delilah,” which hails from Craig Wright. The new drama series, which is set to debut in March, follows
“The Masked Singer” host Nick Cannon has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, which means he won’t be seen in at least the first few episodes of the hit Fox reality series’ fifth season. Instead, producers have tapped actress and host Niecy Nash to fill in. Nash will take over as guest host as production
With its best drama series nominations at the Golden Globes and the WGA Awards on Wednesday, on top of its recognition as one of the top 10 TV programs of the year by the AFI, not to mention its seven Emmy Awards and 15 nominations, including for best drama, last fall, the Disney Plus series
Daniella Garcia has been cast in the upcoming ABC series “Rebel” in a recurring role, Variety has learned exclusively. The series stars as Katey Sagal as Annie “Rebel” Bello, a blue-collar legal advocate without a law degree. She’s described as a funny, messy, brilliant and fearless woman who cares desperately about the causes she fights