Legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate Wednesday would impose new restrictions and requirements on Apple’s App Store and Google Play — designed to end the two tech giants’ virtual monopoly control over the app ecosystem. Companies like Spotify and Epic Games have been rallying against the big app stores for years, calling for change to
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Establishing itself as the most consistent buyers of top titles at Fantasia, Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, has acquired period horror feature “The Last Thing Mary Saw” ahead of its Aug. 15 world premiere at the Canadian genre fest. Directed by Edoardo Vitaletti, “The Last Thing Mary Saw”
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Variety has been nominated for 62 Southern California Journalism Awards, including two for entertainment journalist of the year, one for print journalist of the year, traditional news website, and in-house or corporate publication. The awards, given out by the Los Angeles Press Club, honor outstanding journalism in the region across print, digital, radio and broadcast
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Los Angeles appears likely to join New York in requiring that private venues, including restaurants and movie theaters, ensure that patrons are vaccinated against COVID-19. The Los Angeles City Council voted 13-0 on Wednesday to direct the city attorney to draft an ordinance that will mandate vaccines in indoor public settings, including restaurants, gyms, retail
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To re-create iconic looks for Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect,” which opens in theaters Aug. 13, Tony award-winning costume designer Clint Ramos immersed himself in books about the Queen of Soul. There were very few photos of Franklin in her early years, but he read how singing in church shaped her life. Unlike Diane Ross or
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Cargo Film & Releasing has revealed the trailer for documentary “The Conservation Game,” directed and produced by Michael Webber (“The Elephant in the Living Room”) via his Nightfly Entertainment banner. The film explores the largely unregulated U.S. trade in exotic animals, especially big cats like lions, tigers, and leopards and their connection to celebrity conservationists.
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Netflix and nonprofit organization Ghetto Film School (GFS) announced ten finalists chosen for its year-long nonfiction and directing fellowship.  The selected fellows will be placed on unscripted and documentary series in production at Netflix while participating in networking opportunities provided by the program.  The ten fellows are Ashley O’Shay, Eloise King, Eric Seals, Maya Cueva,
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Andre Braugher has joined the cast of “She Said,” the film retelling of the investigation into sexual assault and harassment perpetrated by Harvey Weinstein. Braugher will play New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet, who oversaw groundbreaking reporting from journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. Their 2017 probe led to Hollywood mogul Weinstein’s disgrace and
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Koch Media has acquired German and Italian VOD rights to Russian filmmaker Anna Zaytseva’s feature debut “#Blue_Whale” ahead of its Aug. 17 world premiere at the 25th Fantasia Int’l Film Festival. “Searching” and “Profile” creator and Screenlife format pioneer Timur Bekmambetov is a co-producer of “#Blue_Whale.” The cautionary tale is inspired by a news story Zaytseva
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Instagram announced a series of features designed to protect users — particularly celebrities and high-profile creators — from hateful comments posted by users who are not among their regular followers. The Facebook-owned app is launching Limits, a new feature that will automatically hide comments and direct-message requests from people who don’t follow you or who
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For the 2021 Power of Young Hollywood Issue, Variety profiled three young stars making an impact in the entertainment industry. For more, click here.  Criticism doesn’t scare Olivia Rodrigo. If anything, the 18-year-old — whose platinum-certified debut, “Sour,” captured the biggest U.S. opening week sales for an album in 2021 so far — fully embraces
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PRODUCTION Shooting kicked off in Dublin on Monday for ITV and BBC streamer BritBox’s latest commission, a new dramedy series titled “The Dry” to be produced by Element Pictures (“Normal People,” “The Favourite”) in association with Screen Ireland and ITV Studios. Irish broadcaster RTÉ is also partnering on production. Roisin Gallagher (“The Fall”) Ciarán Hinds
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Indonesian film director Edwin, a festival darling whose films have been the trump card for Berlinale and Rotterdam, returns to the circuit with a new gem. “Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash,” which just had its world premiere in Locarno’s International Competition, is a genre-bending portrayal of an angry impotent young man stuck in
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Swiss-based sales outfit First Hand Films has added major territories to Tribeca and Haugesund entry “A-ha: The Movie” doc, helmed by Thomas Robsahm (“Modern Slavery,” “Punx”) together with Aslaug Holm (“Generation Utøya”). Lighthouse Entertainment has snapped rights for the U.S., Modern Films for the U.K., A Contracorriente for Spain, Periscoop for Benelux, Pannania for Hungary
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