Australia’s federal government on Wednesday unveiled a package of financial relief measures intended to help the film and television industries weather the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. The measures have a cash value of $57.7 million (A$91 million). Free-to-air TV and radio channels are to receive $26 million (A$41 million) of benefits as the government
Marité Ugás’ Tribeca international narrative competition entry “Contactado” now has a first teaser-trailer, dropped by sales agent FiGa Films, which captures the main emotional crux and hints at the main story line of a psychological thriller. Set in Lima, its local market and dramatic hinterland of sacred Inca sites, wave-pounded beaches, huge cliffs and dusty
Toward the end of the first season of “#blackAF,” a new series on Netflix, Kenya Barris (as played by Kenya Barris) realizes he may have gone too far. He’s on a vacation with his family in Fiji that he’s done his best to spoil by throwing a tantrum over his wife’s attempt to start a
China’s Dalian Wanda has dismissed talk of the imminent bankruptcy of AMC Theaters as “pure rumors.” The coronavirus outbreak has kept all North American cinemas closed since March. The Chinese property conglomerate has seen its entertainment investments slashed since 2018. But it remains publicly-traded AMC’s largest single shareholder. Contacted by Variety on Tuesday, Wanda offered
All the members of the IT team at Billboard and Hollywood Reporter have been laid off, according to a scathing post seemingly published by the fired IT staff on Billboard’s website. The post was published on Tuesday night by a user with a byline titled “devops,” and it was quickly deleted. The announcement came with
Selena Gomez has filed a $10 million lawsuit against the makers of a mobile game, alleging that it rips off her likeness and those of other celebrities. “Clothes Forever — Styling Game” is available for download in Apple’s App Store. It allows users to buy “diamonds” for prices ranging from $.99 up to $99.99, and
China’s top administrative body has officially “recommended” that cinemas and other entertainment venues remain closed for the foreseeable future due to coronavirus concerns. That spells continued trouble for Chinese cinemas, even as other business sectors get back to work. China’s cabinet, the State Council, singled out enclosed entertainment venues like cinemas in a new announcement
Entertainment conglomerate Endeavor’s mixed martial arts business took a hit last week with the cancellation of the UFC 249 pay-per-view and all other upcoming fight cards due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. However, UFC president Dana White says that the company has found a way to move forward with its live promotions. “We built the
Paul McCartney blamed Chinese wet markets for the spread of coronavirus and said they have “medieval practices” in a call to Howard Stern’s radio show on Tuesday. Some people believe that COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, China, specifically in the wet markets where fresh meat, produce and sometimes live animals are kept, though the theory is
Deirdre Dod, longtime talent producer at CBS daytime show “The Talk,” has left her position to join SiriusXM as senior director of talent relations. Based out of the satellite giant’s new Los Angeles complex, she will lead the talent department for SiriusXM’s west coast studios and the shows that broadcast from there. Dod will report
Supernatural horror film “Encircled” looks set to go into production in Australia, at a time when almost all other movie shoots are suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak. Australia’s nationwide lockdown is set to be in place for many more months, but the “Encircled” producers have no intention of breaking the country’s stay-at-home directives. Rather
In today’s film news roundup, Ava DuVernay starts a grant program, “Valley Girl” gets a digital release, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s “The Silencing” gets a U.S. release and Edward James Olmos announces a retrospective. ARRAY GRANTS Ava DuVernay’s non-profit foundation Array Alliance has launched a $250,000 funding initiative for organizations and individuals dedicated to narrative change by
Netflix is benefiting from Wall Street enthusiasm in the time of “quarantine and chill.” Shares of the streaming leader rallied to approach their all-time high Tuesday, as investors have elevated expectations for how the COVID-19 pandemic has likely increased Netflix’s subscriber signups at the tail end of the first quarter. Netflix’s stock closed Tuesday at
Endeavor Content and production company Keller/Noll launched “Factorious” on Tuesday, a game show podcast led by television host Matt Iseman. The trivia series offers contestants clues and relevant facts to win cash prizes, with guidance from Iseman, of “American Ninja Warrior,” and a previous winner himself of “The Celebrity Apprentice.” He’s a four-time Emmy nominee,
A+E Networks’ canine competition show “Top Dog” has been optioned for both the U.K. and Irish markets by Scottish production company Two Rivers Media. Created by MGM’s Big Fish Entertainment and broadcast as “America’s Top Dog” on A+E Networks’ A&E channel Stateside, the format sees teams of dogs and their owners tested on their speed,
The Directors Guild of America-Producers Pension and Health Plans have approved allowing emergency loans to members from the supplemental benefit plan for the next three months starting on May 1 through July 31. The Board of Trustees announced Tuesday that it had voted unanimously to approve the initiative to assist participants experiencing financial hardship during
In today’s TV News Roundup, Netflix unveiled a trailer for The Eddy,” and Starz released a trailer for its new crime drama “Hightown.” DATES Lifetime will air its “I Was Lorena Bobbitt” on May 25 at 8 p.m, the cabler announced. Part of the network’s “Ripped from the Headlines” series of programming, the new original
“The Innocence Files” is Netflix’s latest true crime offering and, according to executive producers — and documentary powerhouses — Liz Garbus, Alex Gibney and Roger Ross Williams, it could change how Americans view a wildly unequal criminal justice system. The nine-episode series premieres on April 15 and focuses on the work of the Innocence Project,
Newly launched Capacitor Studios is fast-tracking development of a television/streaming series with Cosmic Kids, the YouTube channel whose yoga and meditation exercises have become exceedingly popular with parents of small children during the coronavirus-induced lockdown. Variety has learned that the new project, a mix of live action and animation, will “take kids on exciting yoga
A little-known Washington state group raised eyebrows earlier this month when it filed a lawsuit calling for a judge to keep Fox News from airing false information about the coronavirus pandemic. Now it has raised some hackles, too: Fox News has moved to dismiss the legal proceeding. The Fox News Media motion, filed Tuesday, asks
Comcast and NBCUniversal are pushing Peacock out of the nest starting Wednesday, April 15, promising to unfurl a rich plume of 15,000-plus hours of streaming content, first for the cable giant’s own TV and internet customers. Peacock is then slated to be available across the U.S. on July 15 — while NBCU is mulling the
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay will be among the first guests on Fox’s “The Masked Singer: After the Mask,” which launches next week. Ramsay is set to appear on the second week of the show, airing on April 29, following his stint as a guest panelist on that night’s edition of “The Masked Singer.” As part
Miley Cyrus is switching up her daily Instagram show “Bright Minded” for a one-week special to honor the heroes working the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, celebrities have been creating their own content from the comfort of their homes –– including Cyrus. The 27-year-old, who started her instagram show in March,
The world cinema festival circuit will never want for moody coming-of-age stories covering slow summers and restless desires: It takes either a harder touch or an extraordinarily delicate one to stand out amid the sultry languor of the genre. Uruguayan writer-director Lucia Garibaldi’s debut feature “The Sharks” somehow aims for both in its portrayal of
The Tour de France, the world’s most famous bike race, will be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The new dates for the event are now Aug. 29-Sept. 20, according to the French news outlets Franceinfo and BFM. It’s the latest in a string of high-profile sports event that been rescheduled, such as the French
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that mass gatherings are not likely to be allowed for many months, as he outlined preconditions for a slow reopening of the state’s economy. Newsom was asked in a press conference about how he envisions the summer months, and traditional holiday celebrations like July Fourth and Memorial Day. “The
The search for a superstar must continue. After taking some time to make the decision on how to proceed with “American Idol” as it heads into what should have been its live, shiny floor studio portion of the season, ABC has confirmed that it will continue via remote performances. As of Sunday, April 26, “American
Layoffs have begun at Valence Media, the conglomerate that owns editorial operations like The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard, and content shops like Dick Clark Productions and Media Rights Capital. Senior writers and editors at Billboard and Vibe magazines were pink slipped early Tuesday, employees tweeted. Cuts at THR are also expected to begin on Tuesday,
The postponed Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival has unveiled its lineup of 226 films but has not yet set dates for the festival. The 26th edition of the Toronto-based festival had been slated for April 30-May 10 with the lineup announcement coming on March 24. The event was postponed on March 13 due to
Play video content Exclusive TMZ.com Timbaland says his virtual rap battle show — featuring the likes of RZA and Lil Jon — is catching the eyes of entertainment bigwigs … but he and Swizz Beatz ain’t ready to sell out just yet!!! The mega-producer joined us Tuesday on “TMZ Live” and gave us the lowdown