The coronavirus pandemic has scuttled production of TV shows, live sports programs and in-studio audiences for late-night hosts. Now it’s threatening a new measure that might have aided a TV business worried about losing its audiences to streaming video. Nielsen was slated to add measurement of so-called “out of home” audiences to its main tally
It seems like every few years, the Television Academy reinvents the variety specials Emmy competition — and now, with an explosion in stand-up comedy on streaming platforms, it may have to rethink things once again. This year’s field of contenders in the variety special (pre-recorded) category is a hodgepodge of music showcases like Amazon Prime
Those who make television often have little time to actually watch the medium, but that changed greatly in spring when a global pandemic hit and those who usually spend almost 20 hours a day creating suddenly found themselves with many of those hours free to consume media. Faced with approximately 500 scripted series alone —
After a fierce bidding war, Sony Pictures and SK Global have acquired the film rights to bestselling author Kevin Kwan’s new novel “Sex and Vanity,” which became an instant New York Times bestseller after its release on June 30. Published by Doubleday, this is Kwan’s first novel since the release of his “Crazy Rich Asians”
An attorney for the Weinstein Co. told a judge on Thursday that he hopes to wrap up the bankruptcy case in December, pending approval of a $46.8 million settlement. The settlement, announced on June 30, resolves most of the civil litigation surrounding Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct. Under the agreement, $18.9 million would go to claimants
The Cesar Academy, which distributes France’s equivalent to the Oscars, has unveiled new rules aimed at ramping up diversity and parity within its board. The new guidelines were put together with the help of a mediator appointed by France’s National Film Board (CNC) following an industry consultation. Under those new rules, the Cesar Academy will
“Collaborating with a composer who is iconic was something else,” marvels Paul Leonard-Morgan of working with Phillip Glass on Amazon’s “Tales From the Loop.” The two composers tinkered around with musical ideas while Leonard-Morgan visited Glass in New York and “it was just an organic place from there.” The music for the series set in
Rob McElhenney is certainly no stranger to workplace comedies, having co-created “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” which launched in 2005 and whose 15th season will make it the longest-running live-action sitcom in small-screen history. But with “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet,” which bowed on Apple TV Plus earlier this year, he moved from the world of
During its six-season-and-a-movie Comedy Central run, “Reno 911” was always always known for off-the-cuff comedic riffs, and its new season on Quibi is no exception. But, bringing the law enforcement comedy back more than a decade after originally signing off, and on a digital platform, has allowed the show to take its humor to new,
Simone Missick, the star of CBS legal drama “All Rise,” received a meat mallet in the mail during quarantine. Missick doesn’t eat meat; it was a prop that her character used in the place of a gavel during the show’s virtual finale, which was shot entirely in the actors’ homes. Other shows, including Apple TV
When “The Simpsons” premiered in 1989, it was an outlier. Animated shows in primetime were by no means unprecedented — “The Flintstones” broke that barrier in the ’60s — but never before had an animated series aimed at adults resonated so powerfully or had as significant an impact on a network as “The Simpsons” did
Studio 8 has hired Jake Szymanski to direct an action comedy based on journalist Hudson Morgan’s misadventures in search of buried treasure in the Rocky Mountains. In 2010, Forrest Fenn, an art dealer in New Mexico, announced he had buried a cache of gold and jewels in the Rocky Mountains — setting off a treasure
Since its Broadway premiere in 2015, “Hamilton” has always been a smash hit with the theater crowd, but its release on Disney Plus opened it up for so many more people to enjoy. Instead of paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars to watch the hip hop musical on stage, viewers can get the best
It’s 2020 and “Love and Basketball” director Gina Prince-Bythewood has achieved a Hollywood first — she’s the first Black woman to direct an action-comic book film, and her editor, Terilyn Shropshire (“When They See Us”) has the same distinction. “It’s whack,” comments Prince-Bythewood of the historic moment. “The Old Guard,” which premieres on Netflix July
Elizabeth Debicki can keep a secret. Maybe it comes from her stint in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where she made a memorable appearance as a gold-painted alien in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.” Or from dabbling in the world of espionage in AMC’s adaptation of John le Carré’s spy thriller “The Night Manager.” Maybe
Peacock is getting its hands — or, more accurately, feet — on a big batch of the U.K.’s Premier League soccer matches. NBCUniversal’s Peacock, set to launch nationally July 15, will be the exclusive U.S. home for more than 175 Premier League matches during the 2020-21 season, available only to subscribers of the Peacock Premium
Could this be the year that the Television Academy voters finally shake up the Emmy race? Given that this is a time in our history like no other, perhaps people are in a different mindset right now — and that could very well impact how they’re choosing nominees. What that might mean is a few
The day after Matthew A. Cherry won the Oscar for animated short film, he stepped onto the set of ABC’s “Mixed-ish” to direct the pivotal first season episode “Bad Boys,” which featured themes of abuse of power and saw parents Alicia (Tika Sumpter) and Paul (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) discussing racial profiling with their young son (Ethan
Toward the end of Season 1 of “Succession,” J. Smith-Cameron and Kieran Culkin — who have known each other for years — improvised a cheeky, flirtatious banter at the conclusion of a scene. It didn’t make it into the episode, but it inspired a running Season 2 storyline in which his Roman gets turned on
Holy cinematic mystery, Batman! Last week, writer Marc Bernardin (“Castle Rock,” “Star Trek: Picard”) tweeted that he’d heard from “VERY good authority” that a 170-minute cut of the 1995 superhero blockbuster “Batman Forever” from the late director Joel Schumacher exists, but that Warner Bros. was “unsure if there’s any hunger for what was described to
The annual GLAAD Media Awards will be held virtually for the first time on July 30. The star-studded lineup includes Lil Nas X, Dolly Parton, the cast and producers of “Pose,” Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union, Olivia Wilde, Beanie Feldstein, Kaitlyn Dever, Ryan O’Connell, Brian Michael Smith, Peppermint and Lena Waithe. Cara Delevingne, who appeared
“Finally, the voice known around the world tells her own story — unrestrained.” Just in time for the 30th Anniversary of Mariah Carey’s debut album comes a first memoir by the singer, songwriter and actress who will release “The Meaning of Mariah Carey” on Sept. 29. The book, written with Michaela Angela Davis, will be
A new photo and poster effort called Bring Music Home (BMH) has been launched, in an effort to document and raise funds for the hundreds of music venues across the U.S. that have been financially devastated by the coronavirus pandemic. The funds will benefit the recently formed National Independent Venues Association (NIVA), which is working
Martha Stewart has spent her career improving homes and hearths. On Friday, July 31, executives at Discovery’s HGTV hope she will add new luster to their network with a new series, “Martha Knows Best.” Stewart will tackle a variety of outdoor projects at her home in Bedford, N.Y., and will be joined virtually by guests
Months after revealing that “The Crown” will end after season five, Netflix has said its hit show about Britain’s Royal Family will, in fact, extend to season six. The streaming giant announced the change of plans on Twitter, highlighting that creator Peter Morgan wants to do justice to the “richness and complexity” of the story.
For this year’s edition of Nespresso Talents, a competition that celebrates emerging filmmakers and innovative forms of storytelling, organizers faced an obvious challenge as the coronavirus pandemic swept across the globe, disrupting lives and rattling the global film industry. But the competition, designed for short films shot in vertical format, can claim its most successful
UPDATED: The Recording Academy announced that it has extended membership invitations to more than 2,300 established music professionals. As part of the organization’s stated drive toward greater diversity, it notes that the 2020 class of invitees is 48% female, 21% African-American or African descent, 8% Hispanic, 3% Asian-American and Pacific Islander and 5% “other.” The
Warner Music Group announced today that industry leader Eric Wong is joining the company as President & Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Warner Recorded Music, effective August 17. Wong, who is currently Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Island Records, will continue to be based in New York and will report to Max Lousada, Warner Music Group’s
The Rolling Stones have announced a deluxe edition of their 1973 album “Goats Head Soup,” a 4-CD boxed set with 10 unreleased tracks and a full concert from the same year. The set is due on Sept. 4. The unreleased tracks include the long-bootlegged outtake “Criss Cross” — which you can hear now below —
WarnerMedia has appointed Christina Sulebakk to lead HBO Europe, including the linear networks and streaming service. In her new role as general manager, HBO Europe, Sulebakk will report into Priya Dogra, president, WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks, EMEA and APAC. Sulebakk replaces Hervé Payan, who served as CEO of HBO Europe for eight years and who will