Warner Bros. Discovery’s plans to merge streaming services HBO Max and Discovery Plus in the U.S. is likely to be adopted overseas, and a clearer picture is emerging of what the platform will look like in key markets. Sources tell Variety that Discovery and AT&T’s WarnerMedia — which are expected to merge in the next
Hulu has ordered the comedy pilot “Bammas” written by and starring Opeyemi Olagbaju and Biniam Bizuneh, Variety has learned. The show follows a pair of young Ethiopian- and Nigerian-American best friends as they struggle to overcome their loser reputations in a magical realist version of Washington DC. Olagbaju and Bizuneh serve as executive producers in addition
SXSW got off to an uncharacteristically chilly start last week. As the annual ode to movies, music and tech kicked off on March 11 in Austin, the Texas winds blew a cold front into the downtown streets. Between screenings and musical acts, many attendees lamented that they hadn’t packed a heavy winter jacket. But by
Warner Bros.’ “The Batman” continued its sway over the U.K. and Ireland box office for the second weekend in a row with £7.4 million ($9.6 million), according to numbers released by Comscore. The dark brooder starring Robert Pattinson and Zoë Kravitz now has a total of £26.5 million. In second place, Sony’s “Uncharted” collected £1.05
Writer-director Lawrence Kasdan, a four-time Oscar nominee, worked with Oscar winner William Hurt, who died March 13 at age 71, on “Body Heat” (1981), “The Big Chill” (1983), “The Accidental Tourist” (1988) and “I Love You to Death” (1990). William Hurt and I came into the movies together, and Bill had a huge impact on
Denis Villeneuve is planning to go even bigger in “Dune: Part 2” than he did in the 2021 first installment. Speaking to Collider, the director confirmed that the screenplay for his anticipated “Dune” sequel is “mostly” finished. Villeneuve and cinematographer Greig Fraser shot several sequences in “Dune” using IMAX cameras, and they will do so
Though it’s often been lauded as a golden age for documentary filmmaking, a host of challenges still face independent docmakers in Europe, who struggle with everything from dwindling budgets at public broadcasters to opaque funding decisions at streaming networks to convoluted legal frameworks for collaborating with international partners. The question of how the continent’s documentary
Check out the Official Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Trailer starring Antonio Banderas! ► Sign up for a Fandango FanALERT for Puss in Boots: The Last Wish: https://www.fandango.com/puss-in-boots-the-last-wish-2022-227301/movie-overview?cmp=MCYT_YouTube_Desc Want to be notified of all the latest movie trailers? Subscribe to the channel and click the bell icon to stay up to date. US Release
Check out the Official Watcher Teaser Trailer starring Maika Monroe! Let us know what you think in the comments below. ► Sign up for a Fandango FanALERT for Watcher: https://www.fandango.com/watcher-2022-227271/movie-overview?cmp=MCYT_YouTube_Desc Want to be notified of all the latest movie trailers? Subscribe to the channel and click the bell icon to stay up to date. US
Apple has ordered a Spanish-language series inspired by the documentary “Midnight Family” (“Familia de Medianoche”). The series will be Apple’s first series produced entirely in Spanish. “Midnight Family” follows Marigaby Tamayo (Renata Vaca), an ambitious and gifted medical student by day, who spends her nights saving lives throughout a sprawling, contrasted and fascinating Mexico City
Pierre Zakrzewski, a cameraman for Fox News, was killed in Ukraine on Monday, Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott told staff in a company-wide memo on Tuesday morning. He was 55. Zakrzewski and Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall were reporting in Horenka, outside of Kyvi, Ukraine, when their vehicle came under fire. Hall remains hospitalized in
Ray Alba and Nathan Sheppard have been named senior vice presidents of marketing for Capitol Records, the flagship label of Capitol Music Group, it was announced today by CMG President Arjun Pulijal, to whom the pair reports. In their new roles, Alba and Sheppard will co-lead the label’s marketing department, overseeing the design and execution
Starting Tuesday, broadcasters are required to disclose foreign government-sponsored programming. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously adopted the foreign sponsorship identification rules in April 2021, today announcing a March 15 compliance date. The rule is meant to increase transparency, notifying the American public when a foreign government or its representatives are attempting to persuade them.
Paramount president and CEO Bob Bakish has revealed further steps to pause operations in Russia following its invasion of Ukraine and has announced a $1 million donation to support humanitarian relief. In an internal memo to staff on Tuesday, seen by Variety, Bakish wrote: “Like many of you, I am closely following the devastating, unprovoked
Canadian animation studio Mercury Filmworks has appointed Guillaume Dubois as their new vice president of production. Dubois, who will report to Mercury Filmworks’ founder and CEO Clint Eland, will manage current and future productions including work-for-hire and original IP. Among the projects he will be overseeing are “Octicorn” and “Bad Jelly the Witch.” Dubois will work
Since its inaugural edition at the 60th Thessaloniki Film Festival in 2019, the Meet the Future program has offered a look ahead to the next generation of emerging film talents set to make waves in Greece, the wider Mediterranean region and beyond. After training the spotlight on up-and-coming documentary filmmakers from Serbia, who presented five
Jussie Smollett is out of the psych ward at Cook County Jail … something his brother believes only happened because fans applied public pressure. Jocqui Smollett thanked people Monday night on social media for their support in the “Free Jussie” movement. He says Jussie’s removal from the psych ward is a big step forward …
In 2013, Marvel Comics introduced Kamala Khan, a Pakistani American teenager from New Jersey who idolizes Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel. By 2014, Kamala had superhuman abilities, her own solo series and her own superhero moniker — Ms. Marvel — making her the first Muslim superhero to headline a Marvel comic. Nine years later, Kamala
Fox hopes to greet a big audience with its new small-town docu-comedy “Welcome to Flatch” when the Paul Feig and Jenny Bicks-produced show launches later this week. But if “Flatch” doesn’t bring in the viewers with its linear premiere on Thursday at 9:30 p.m., Fox execs won’t be talking about cutting the mockumentary from the
REBRANDING Germany’s Leonine Studios has rebranded its television subsidiary Odeon Entertainment as Madame Zheng Production to reflect its primary focus of “equality and diversity in every aspect of the production business, both in front of and behind the camera.” Tina Wagner, previously producer and executive producer at RedSeven Entertainment, and Nina Etspüler, co-head of entertainment
The state of the art for emerging Black performers in country music will be the subject of a feature-length documentary that has been produced by Amazon Music, titled “For Love & Country,” which was announced Tuesday morning as having a premiere date set for the music streaming service and Prime Video on April 7. The
During an interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” this week, Brian Cox expressed some regret over calling Johnny Depp “overrated” and “overblown” in his recently released memoir “Putting the Rabbit in the Hat.” Cox revealed in the book that he turned down the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise because he was being offered “the most thankless
The Canadian Intl. Documentary Festival, better known as Hot Docs, has revealed its first slate of Special Presentation films for this year’s festival, running April 28 to May 8 in Toronto and streaming online. World premieres include “The Talented Mr. Rosenberg,” a lurid look into the story of infamous Toronto con man Albert Rosenberg, a.k.a.
BBC Content has advertised for the high powered role of commissioning director, BBC Film and Storyville, a position formerly held by Rose Garnett under the title director of BBC Film. BBC Film is the feature film-making arm of the BBC, co-producing some 15 films a year. Recent successes include the BAFTA and Critics Choice awards
Aton Ben-Horin is extending his tenure at Warner Music Group with a new title and just-announced publishing partnership. Although he’s been in the position for some time, it was made official today by Atlantic Records Group, which announced Ben-Horin’s promotion to executive VP, global A&R. Covering Atlantic, Elektra Music Group, Big Beat and other subsidiary
The Recording Academy has announced the first slate of artists to perform at this year’s show: Taking the stage on Music’s proverbial Biggest Night will be current nominees Brothers Osborne, BTS, Brandi Carlile, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow, and Olivia Rodrigo. Taking place live from the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas
Christina Aguilera will headline the L.A. Pride 2022’s music event — L.A. Pride in the Park — with more artists to be announced, Christopher Street West, the 501(c)3 nonprofit that produces the event, has announced. The multi-stage event will return Saturday, June 11, after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic and move to Los
Netflix has set the launch date for “Borgen – Power & Glory,” the new version of the hit Danish political drama, for April 14 across the Nordics and on June 2 in the rest of the world. Directed by Per Fly, “Borgen – Power & Glory” brings back Birgitte Nyborg (Sidse Babett Knudsen) who has
“Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down” begins with the former Arizona representative placing flowers in memorial vases for victims of gun violence. With a voiceover rife with potent pauses, her cadence sounds for a moment like a spoken word poem. While her rhythm is indeed intentional and meaningful, it’s not out of a sense of artistry.
Free Stone Productions has added a quartet of new Japanese film titles to its sales slate for this week’s virtual edition of Hong Kong FilMart. The female-led company is selling romance “Leave in Summer” and drama film “Yes, I Can’t Swim” both of which will release later this year. Directed by Igashi Aya, “Leave in