HBO is developing a limited series based on the Gillian Flynn novel “Dark Places,” Variety has learned exclusively. Flynn will serve as co-creator, writer, and co-showrunner on the project and holds the rights to the novel. Brett Johnson will also serve as co-showrunner, co-creator and writer, with Guerrin Gardner also credited as co-creator and writer.
Only in 2024 could a chart-topping country singer’s relationship with a star football player be viewed by major news outlets as a mission to control Americans. In the U.S., Taylor Swift is nothing if not monoculture, regularly breaking records with her juggernaut “Eras Tour,” the theatrical version of the show and her records, all of
Andre 3000 knows a thing or two about breaking molds: Over the course of his career, the man also known as half of the pioneering hip-hop duo OutKast has been known for furry Hammer pants, scoring a global hit single (“Hey Ya!”) by singing instead of rapping, and following that song and Grammy-winning album’s success
Is there anything Olivia Colman cannot do? The British chameleon has been taken on an array of roles across film and television for over 25 years, assembling a resume only the most established actors can dream of. Her extraordinary range of performances in various genres, periods, and settings has made her one of her generation’s
Bosnian-Dutch writer and director Ena Sendijarević has signed with Black Bear‘s management arm. Sendijarević’s second feature “Sweet Dreams” was selected as the official Dutch submission for this year’s Academy Awards and deemed a “startlingly accomplished sophomore film” by Variety. She was also one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch for 2024. Sendijarević’s feature debut, “Take Me Somewhere Nice,”
France-based sales agency Lightdox has acquired the international rights to feature documentary “As the Tide Comes In” by Basque director Juan Palacios, co-directed with Sofie Husum Johannesen, ahead of its Nordic premiere at the 47th edition of Göteborg Film Festival. The film is competing for the Dragon Award as part of the Nordic Documentary Competition.
Wendie Malick, Nico Santos, Rob Corddry, Tommy Martinez, Lidia Porto, Annie O’Donnell, Jesse Garcia, and Cedric Yarbrough are joining the cast in guest roles on ABC’s “Not Dead Yet,” which returns for its Season 2 on Wednesday, February 7 at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC (and streaming the next day on Hulu). The comedy, based
“Power Play” – a scathing, scabrous chronicle of Gro Harlem Brundtland unlikely climb to power as Norway and Scandinavia’s first woman prime minister – won the 2024 Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize for best drama series screenwriting at Sweden’s Göteborg Film Festival Tuesday night. Awarded at the fest’s TV Drama Vision, the prize went
Joni Mitchell has announced her “Joni Jam” concert to take place at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl on October 19. The performance, featuring frequent collaborator Brandi Carlile, marks the singer-songwriter’s first official performance in L.A. since 2000. It comes on the heels of news that the 80-year-old will have another first: a performance at this Sunday’s
Warner Chappell Music (WCM) has signed Coco Jones to an exclusive publishing agreement. The R&B artist is up for five Grammy awards, including best new artist, at the upcoming 66th Annual Awards after receiving widespread acclaim for her EP, “What I Didn’t Tell You.” Born in South Carolina and raised in Tennessee, Jones started her
When it came to casting the new Supergirl, DC Studios exec James Gunn went above and beyond before honing in on Milly Alcock to star in the upcoming film “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.” Sources say Gunn and co-CEO Peter Safran flew multiple actors, including Meg Donnelly, to Atlanta for old-fashioned, onscreen auditions on the “Superman:
Ridley Scott has said he would never hurt an animal, and in his latest film, “Napoleon,” he made good on that promise. He pulled off those gory battle scenes with the help of horse wranglers and visual effects artists. Over 100 real-life horses were used for the film’s epic combat sequences, but when it came
Barbara Rupik’s “Cherub” was awarded the Eurimages New Lab Awards for Innovation at CineMart, the co-production market arm of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, with Lilian Hess’ “Duchampiana” taking home the Eurimart New Lab Award for Outreach. Rupik’s project follows the titular creatures, shape-shifting angelic beings with human heads and birdlike wings, as they descend
Natalie Rae and Angela Patton’s “Daughters,” an acclaimed documentary about a program that allows young girls to participate in a special dance with their incarcerated fathers, is finalizing a sale to Netflix. If the deal closes, it is expected to be in the seven-figure range. It was a competitive situation with at least three companies
Angelica Ross has teamed with Crossover Media Group to launch her own podcast, Variety has learned. “N.O.W – No Opportunity Wasted with Angelica Ross” will see Ross conduct interviews with celebrities and everyday people. Guests for the show will include Billy Porter, Dawn Richard, Sara Ramirez, Marianne Williamson, and R.K Russell. “Everything I have ever
Since the first season of “Abbott Elementary,” a portion of the show’s marketing budget has gone towards initiatives supporting teachers and students in need. Ahead of its Season 3 premiere, the ABC sitcom is hitting the road to visit Title 1 schools across the country. On Feb. 1, the “Lunch Break with Abbott Elementary National
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Season 11 of “Vanderpump Rules” — which became a sensation earlier this year during its 10th season because of the #Scandoval, a cheating scandal within the cast — will premiere on Jan. 30. The premiere will
Victoria Monét has partnered with the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) to launch the BMAC x Victoria Monét Music Maker Grant. The grant, which will be officially announced at BMAC’s Grammy Week Music Maker Dinner on January 31, will reward Black emerging artists with $5,000 to boost economic empowerment. In addition to the monetary grant,
Production has begun on “Star Trek: Section 31,” the Paramount+ movie starring Michelle Yeoh. As previously announced, Yeoh will reprise the role of Emperor Philippa Georgiou in the film, having originated the character in the first season of “Star Trek: Discovery.” Georgiou, after crossing over from the Mirror Universe, now works as an agent for
What do Burning Man, Alcoholics Anonymous, Hasidic Judaism, deaf culture, raves and stand-up comedy have in common? They comprise the six most important chapters of Moshe Kasher’s life, and, in turn, of his new book, “Subculture Vulture: A Memoir in Six Scenes.” In it, the stand-up comedian and recent Emmy winner presents essayistic histories of
BMG is to part ways with Roger Waters, the Pink Floyd co-founder whose inflammatory comments about Israel, Ukraine and the United States have caused no shortage of controversy, Variety has learned. The German-based company signed a publishing agreement with the musician in 2016 and was scheduled to release a newly recorded version of Pink Floyd’s
Michael Showalter’s “The Idea of You” will close out this year’s South by Southwest Film & TV Festival. The film stars Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine and centers on Solène, a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with the 24-year-old lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet. Showalter
Film critic and Variety alum Justin Chang is leaving The Los Angeles Times for The New Yorker. He will join the publication as a film critic on Feb. 12. David Remnick, the editor of The New Yorker, made the announcement on Tuesday morning. Chang, who is based in Los Angeles, will visit New York “from time
Rachael Ray is going to serve up a huge platter of shows for A+E Networks. A+E Networks has acquired a 50% equity stake in Ray’s Free Food Studios, which the TV personality and author formed last year with longtime collaborators Brian Flanagan, Anthony Amoia and Sean Lee of production house Intentional Content. Financial terms of
Larry David is hitting the road ahead of the series finale of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” to discuss “Seinfeld,” “Curb” and everything in between at a pair of live tour dates. David will join a mystery moderator in Washington, D.C., on March 29 at The Anthem, and in Boston on April 1 at the MGM Music
The University of Southern California Annenberg Inclusion Initiative has crunched the numbers for 2023 to reveal its annual findings on inclusion and diversity in the recording studio. The results this year are strikingly more positive than what has been a consistent result of previous years: women producers and singer-songwriters are drastically underrepresented. Though gains are
Jeff Ryan, Scott Cohen, Katerina Tannenbaum, Geneva Carr and Will Chase will star in “Mooch.” The crime comedy was also written and directed by Ryan, whose credits include “Mean Spirited” and “YouthMin.” The filmmakers received an interim agreement to work on this independent production during last year’s SAG-AFRTRA strike. It recently wrapped production in Lexington, Mass. The
Megan Thee Stallion is going on tour this summer. During an appearance on “Good Morning America,” the rapper confirmed that she’ll be hitting the road soon in support of her forthcoming third album. “Oh, we’re having the tour this year. The Hot Girl Summer tour is going to be 2024, summertime,” she said. “I feel
Lewis Howes is aiming to turn his popular podcast “The School of Greatness” into a full-fledged media venture. Howes, a bestselling author, entrepreneur, former pro football player and podcast host, has formed Greatness, touted as a “first-of-its-kind podcast and media network that will bring emerging and established inspirational voices” to audio, video, TV and live
A documentary about Celine Dion has been acquired by Amazon MGM. The film, titled “I Am: Celine Dion,” will be available to stream on Prime Video at a yet-to-be-determined date. It’s not an expansive look at the life and times of the iconic pop singer, instead capturing a snapshot of a pivotal time in her