A short-lived sense of security from plummeting coronavirus cases prompted several global-facing projects in the U.K. to restart over the summer, but as the threat of new COVID-19 restrictions looms large, the industry is rushing to crank out film and TV productions this fall, in what could be the last gasp for production in 2020.
“The West Wing” is back – and its opening credits look a little different, thanks to a spoof on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” Fans of “The West Wing” rejoiced on Thursday when it was announced that cast members Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff and Bradley Whitford
Conspiracao, Brazil’s multi-Emmy nominated powerhouse indie, is poised to make “Pas de Deux,” a drama series about Bethania Gomes, the first Brazilian prima ballerina of the Harlem Dance Theatre and a current dance instructor there. Story pivots around the relationship and lives of Gomes and her mother Maria Beatriz Nascimento, a controversial historian and forerunner
Save The Music, which is partnered with ViacomCBS and supports efforts to teach music in schools, particularly in economically challenged districts, has announced a new music industry advisory board led by Elena Diaz, senior vice president of talent and content development at ViacomCBS Entertainment & Youth Group, Leslie Fram, svp of music and talent at
Shooting black-and-white still photography has long been a passion for “Clemency” cinematographer Eric Branco. So it seemed serendipitous when he received an inbox message that included a script for Radha Blank’s “The-Forty-Year-Old Version” with a title page that read, “A New York tale in black and white.” Blank, a writer-producer on Spike Lee’s Netflix series
Thriller series “Red Light” world premieres Sunday as part of the competition section of Canneseries. Variety spoke to its stars and co-creators Halina Reijn and Carice van Houten, and writer Esther Gerritsen. In the show, Van Houten, who played Melisandre in “Game of Thrones,” plays Sylvia, a brothel madam in Antwerp’s red light district. Reijn
Screening Monday as part of the competition pack at Canneseries, which runs Oct. 9-14, is “Top Dog.” The Stockholm-set crime thriller is produced by Sweden’s Filmlance, the team behind acclaimed series “Bron” (known in many territories as “The Bridge”), which sold to more than 180 countries. In “Top Dog,” middle-aged crime-gang member Teddy from Södertälje,
On World Mental Health Day, Saturday, October 10, MusiCares is launching a new Wellness in Music survey. According to the announcement, this new annual survey will help the organization to assess the music community’s mental health and wellness to better inform MusiCares of the needs facing their clients. “As we settle into month seven of the
In today’s Mipcom Roundup, the English Premier League announces a pay-per-view plan for games, while Spanish-language producers Ánima and Touché Films team up, the BBC and Prince William back new Silverback Films series and ITV partners with Charter Spectrum to order a new Two Brothers Pictures series. SPORTS Britain’s English Premier League (EPL), the world’s
Exclusive Phil Collins is booting his ex-wife out of her crib … because he says he owns it, and he’s tired of her B.S. Sources close to the famous drummer and singer-songwriter tell TMZ … his long, rocky relationship with Orianne Cevey is officially over … after all, she remarried in August, and he wants
APC (About Premium Content) has scored key territories sales on “Man in Room 301,” the anticipated Finnish thriller drama which is playing in competition at Canneseries. The gripping series, written by U.K. actor-turned-screenwriter Kate Ashfield (“Born to Kill”), opens in summer 2007 with the Kurtti family spending their holidays in cabin chalets in the land
Gabriele M. Walther’s Munich-based Caligari Film, the company behind ARD’s hit remake of Czechoslovakian kids’ series “Pan Tau,” is producing a new 3D/CGI animated title about a group of crime-fighting mice inspired by “The Three Musketeers.” “The Muscleteers” follows four daring mice who band together to help those in need and fight crime in the
The Berlin Festival’s Finnish Shooting Star 2015 Emmi Parviainen (“Shadow Lines”), seasoned actor Maria Heiskanen (“Everlasting Moments”), Pirkko Hämäläinen (“Devil’s Bride”) and Belgian actor Geert van Rampelberg (“De Infiltrant”) are headlining the eight-part TV show “Transport.” Prix Europa winner Auli Mantila (“Silver Stars”, “The Geography of Fear”) will serve as its showrunner. Lensing the show
A limited series about a deadly virus that decimates the majority of the population may not seem like purely escapist entertainment during a year when a very real pandemic ravaged the globe, forcing production and other businesses to shut down and pushing events, such as Mipcom, online only. Yet, it is the very combination of
If all had gone according to plan, a pilot episode for “Walker,” the upcoming “reimagining” of the 1990s, Chuck Norris-led drama “Walker, Texas Ranger,” would have shot in the spring of 2020, and the production team would have been able to make adjustments to characters, plot points or even casting after seeing what worked in
Whether it is their “wholesome sexiness,” their clever original concepts or top-notch production values and scripts, Korean TV shows are generating a lot of talk — among audiences in Asia especially, where in many cases Korean show rate highest after local content. There are also significant pockets of fans in North and South America, and
With Mipcom cancelled as a physical event, one might think that British distributors would be fearful about the business impact of not travelling to Cannes for their busiest TV show market of the year. Far from it. While Brit distributors lament not being able to meet with clients over a glass of French rosé in
“Following an investigation based on complaints of bullying behavior by Brent Smith, WME and Brent have mutually decided to part ways,” the agency has announced. The news comes after Smith’s Sept. 22 suspension for “behavioral issues,” first reported by Deadline. Smith has represented a handful of high-profile musicians, including Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Kid Cudi, Childish
John David Washington has joined Christian Bale and Margot Robbie in David O. Russell’s untitled new film at New Regency. Russell will direct from his own script. Plot details are being kept under wraps. Executive are planning to start production in Los Angeles in January. Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki will serve as cinematographer. The film will be distributed via
It took filmmaker Diane Paragas 15 years to bring “Yellow Rose” to the big screen. She kept hearing that no one wanted to see a story about a Filipino immigrant growing up in Texas. Paragas changed her screenplay a few times, and almost gave up until an encounter with filmmaker Mira Nair at the Toronto
In today’s TV news roundup, Nickelodeon announced a premiere date for “The Astronauts,” and Starz released a teaser for the third season of “American Gods.” RENEWALS Netflix renewed “Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous” for a second season, set to premiere in 2021. The animated series follows a group of stranded teenagers, struggling to survive on an
Stevie Nicks wrote the lyrics for her new single, “Show Them the Way,” exactly three election cycles ago. But in the Cameron Crowe-directed video for the song, when someone is pictured holding up a sign that says “November is coming,” it’s clear that it’s this year’s election that’s weighing heavy on her mind. “I did
“Mosul,” an action film that plunges viewers into the fight between a renegade police unit and the ISIS fighters who have destroyed their homes, has been purchased by Netflix. The deal comes over a year after “Mosul” made its debut at the 2019 edition of the Venice Film Festival. That’s partly a testament to how
On its face, it seems that the upcoming awards season is built for the streamers to take by storm. Netflix looks to have a minimum of 16 awards players in various categories while Amazon is fielding a half-dozen. Apple TV Plus and Hulu are also bulking up for a big push as well. With Walt
Movie theater chain Alamo Drafthouse has temporarily closed all six locations in Dallas and two venues in Omaha, citing the lack of new major movies to draw crowds. “Due to a lack of upcoming major studio films, some of our franchise locations have opted to temporarily close until a consistent schedule of new releases resumes.
Disney is developing a live-action “Space Mountain” movie as part of the studio’s latest effort to expand its universe of films about its venerable theme park rides. The studio has tapped Joby Harold, whose credits include “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” and Zack Snyder’s upcoming “Army of the Dead,” to write the script and
In the wake of a decision to cancel a second presidential debate, NBC News is among the news outlets exploring the possibility of holding a town-hall event with President Donald Trump that would take place on the same night — Oct. 15 — when the event had been planned, according to three people familiar with
Although Linkin Park’s 2000 debut “Hybrid Theory” is the best-selling debut album of the twenty-first century — diamond-certified by the RIAA for 10 million sales and spawned four hit singles including “In The End” and “One Step Closer,” the band’s Mike Shinoda and Joe Hahn both admit they were reluctant at first to release the
Much as we love having music as an escape, like last week’s stellar socially relevant song from Maren Morris, we’re starting this Fri 5 with a song that couldn’t be more important: Jhene Aiko’s “Vote,” from last and this weekend’s voting-themed episode of “Black-ish.” Like the show, the song’s lyrics deal with real-life issues affecting
Rapper Tory Lanez, who was charged with assault on Thursday in connection with the July 12 incident in which Megan Thee Stallion suffered gunshot wounds to her feet, responded on social media Friday afternoon. “[Time] will [tell],” he tweeted, using emojis. “And the truth will come to the light … I have all faith in