Television

Kevin Hart is ready for his Oscar close-up. And now the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president John Bailey tells Variety that he’s “very excited” to see what the funny man will do when he makes his hosting debut next year. “First of all, he’s a very kind of warm and loving and

December 4, 2018 9:20PM PT Global streaming giant, Netflix has acquired worldwide rights to Hong Kong-set horror-comedy series “Demon’s Path,” from Malaysia’s Astro group. The show is set to air from Dec. 22. The series follows a forensic pathologist who has the ability to see the last 10-seconds of life of the dead. Working together

Leslie Moonves is alleged to have misled investigators working on behalf of CBS Corp. and attempted to obstruct a probe into claims of sexual harassment during his time at and before he was employed by the company, according to a report in The New York Times. The Times says it has reviewed a draft of

Jazz musician, television actor and developmental research psychologist Roger V. Burton died Nov. 30 at his home in Santa Monica. He was 90 years old. Burton began as a professional jazz trombonist at the age of 11, playing in big bands and on studio film soundtracks. Earning himself the nickname “Schoolboy” for doing homework between

December 4, 2018 4:06PM PT After reports emerged that he was under consideration, Kevin Hart confirmed that he’s hosting the 2019 Oscars with a post on Instagram Tuesday evening. The show is set to air on ABC on Feb. 24. Jimmy Kimmel hosted the show for the past two years, but previously said he will

December 4, 2018 4:04PM PT Global producer and distributor, Fremantle has completed a deal with leading Philippines broadcaster ABS-CBN for the Fremantle and 19 Entertainment co-owned format “Idols.” The show is the world’s most successful search for a solo pop superstar. ABS-CBN is currently partner with Fremantle in the region on “Pilipinas Got Talent.” It

In Tuesday’s roundup, the official trailer is out for Ellen DeGeneres’ first stand-up act in 15 years, and Netflix sets the premiere date for “Sex Education,” a coming-of-age teen dramedy. FIRST LOOKS The first official trailer has been released for “Ellen DeGeneres: Relatable.” The special marks DeGeneres’ return to stand-up after a 15-year hiatus, and

December 4, 2018 3:30PM PT Toby Kebbell has been cast in a main role in the upcoming M. Night Shyamalan thriller series at Apple, Variety has learned. The exact details of the plot are being kept under wraps, but sources say the show follows a married couple that hires a young woman to serve as the nanny

Top broadcasters from the Philippines gathered at the Asia TV Forum and market on Tuesday to discuss the state of the industry. The Philippines is the country in focus at this year’s Singapore Media Festival. Participating in the discussion, moderated by HOOQ CEO Peter Bithos, were Vincent Reyes, CEO of TV5, Guido Xavier R. Zaballero,

NBC has ordered a fourth season of “The Good Place.” The otherworldly comedy series stars Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Ted Danson, Jameela Jamil, D’Arcy Carden, and Manny Jacinto. Mike Schur created the series and serves as executive producer along with David Miner, Morgan Sackett, and Drew Goddard. Schur is also the showrunner. The series is produced by

Much has changed at CBS Corp. in recent months, but one thing will not: its focus on producing video content. Speaking at an investor conference Tuesday, CBS Corp. Chief Creative Officer David Nevins – who was named to the role in October after running Showtime for several years – articulated a strategy that is much

Oprah Winfrey has released her annual list of “Favorite Things,” and this year’s edition includes gift ideas for travelers, aspiring chefs, and those who want to focus on self-care. What began in 2002 as a giveaway on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” is now practically a holiday tradition, with millions of fans waiting to see the

NBC News is taking another step to make the third hour of its venerable “Today” look more like the first two in the wake of Megyn Kelly’s exit from the franchise. The third hour of “Today,” which has been broadcast from Studio 6A since Kelly began hosting the time slot in the fall of 2017,

December 4, 2018 10:16AM PT As head of one of the six major studios’ home entertainment divisions, Bob Buchi has seen content distribution channels proliferate. The president of worldwide home media distribution for Paramount Pictures also is on the front lines of Hollywood’s push to boost digital movie sales and rentals while at the same

Apple has ordered the planned drama series based on the early life of basketball star Kevin Durant to series, Variety has learned. Titled “Swagger,” the series is inspired by Durant’s youth basketball experiences. It explores the world of AAU basketball in the nation’s capital, and the players, their families and coaches who walk the fine line

Uber-producer Ryan Murphy has made small screen stars out of A-listers and fresh faces alike. Angela Bassett (pictured above)Bassett starred in four seasons of “American Horror Story” (starting with “Coven” and continuing onto “Freak Show,” “Hotel” and “Roanoke”), earning two Emmy nominations. She helmed two episodes as a director, the first during her final season

In the kaleidoscope of business models and formats that make up the home entertainment business, there are some brighter lights. To those not familiar with the home entertainment business, 4K UHD with HDR and EST may be alphabet soup, but they are the industry stars for those in the know. EST, or electronic sell-through, is

The only thing surprising about Ryan Murphy getting a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame Dec. 4 is that he doesn’t already have one. “It’s about time!” exclaims Sarah Paulson, a frequent Murphy collaborator who’s worked with him on multiple projects since 2004, including every incarnation of “American Horror Story.” “I’m surprised people haven’t been

Yang Weidong, president of Alibaba’s video-streaming platform, Youku, has been fired and is under police investigation for corruption, the company confirmed Tuesday. Alibaba Pictures chairman and CEO Fan Luyuan will take over running China’s equivalent of YouTube, while also continuing in his current capacity. Yang, who also served as head of Alibaba Digital Media and Entertainment

Bestselling South African author Deon Meyer’s “Trackers” is being adapted for TV after African pay-TV heavyweight Multichoice teamed with German pubcaster ZDF to bring the thriller to the small screen. “Trackers” interweaves three story strands into a thriller spanning the length and breadth of South Africa and involving organized crime, smuggled diamonds, state security, black

Japan’s Nippon Television Network has sold the scripted format rights to its one-hour drama series “Abandoned” to leading Thai production house JSL Global Media. The deal is the first time that a Nippon TV scripted format is being adapted in Southeast Asia. It is also the first format deal for “Abandoned.” “Abandoned” is a touching drama seen

In Today’s TV News Roundup, Netflix announced the premiere dates for part two of the “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” and season five of “Grace and Frankie.” DATES The fifth season of Netflix’s hit comedy series “Grace and Frankie” is set to premiere Jan. 18. In “Grace and Frankie,” Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin star as enemies turned friends

December 3, 2018 3:04PM PT Rupert Wyatt has stepped down as the director and executive producer of the “Halo” series currently in the works at Showtime. “It’s with great disappointment that changes to the production schedule of ‘Halo’ prevent me from continuing in my role as a director on the series,” Wyatt said in a

December 3, 2018 3:00PM PT “Jane the Virgin” could be sticking around the CW — sort of. Variety has learned that the network is developing a spinoff of the critically acclaimed series with original series writer and co-executive producer Valentina Garza onboard to write and executive produce the new project. Garza has been with the

December 3, 2018 2:57PM PT It was a good week for broadcast TV. In the week of Nov. 12, week 8 of the broadcast season, 18 series doubled in the key adults 18-49 demographic in the Nielsen Live+7 ratings. Top gainers included “Manifest” (1.1 rating to a 2.7) with 145% lift, “New Amsterdam” (1.1 to

Tamron Hall’s new syndicated talk-show has been cleared to reach 50% of U.S. TV households, thanks to a new deal struck between the program’s producer, Disney, and Hearst Television. Hearst agreed to run the new program, slated to appear in 2019, in 24 different markets.  The television stations include WCVB-TV Boston, WMOR-TV Tampa, WESH-TV Orlando,

Issa Rae and Laura Dern are teaming up to star in a limited series called “The Dolls” currently in development at HBO. Inspired by true events, the series recounts the aftermath of Christmas Eve riots in two small Arkansas towns in 1983, riots which erupted over Cabbage Patch Dolls. The series explores class, race, privilege

Samantha Bee usually crafts pieces of content that are just minutes long, all in the name of crafting segments for her TBS program, “Full Frontal.” Now she’s getting into longform. Bee has formed a new production company, Swimsuit Competition, that will look to release “narrative and documentary” works. Kristen Everman, a producer who worked on

As the first awards show of the calendar year, the Golden Globes is often an opportunity to honor a series or star for the first time. The voting committee of the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. often seems to pride itself on celebrating the unexpected and putting fresh faces on the kudos map. While that is

Nexstar Media Group CEO Perry Sook is taking a friendly approach to the FCC and other regulators as he begins the PR effort to secure federal approval of the Texas-based broadcaster’s $6.4 billion acquisition of Tribune Media. The deal unveiled Monday morning will make Nexstar the nation’s largest owner of TV stations by total volume,