The International Union of Cinemas (UNIC), the body that represents European movie theater owners, is calling on governments across the continent to do everything in their power to ensure that cinemas are able to overcome the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement issued Tuesday, UNIC sounded the alarm for an industry in
Eros Now, the streaming arm of Indian film giant Eros International, is to add an English-language layer as part of a partnership with NBC Universal. The English track is part of the streamer’s soon-to-launch upgrade Eros Now Prime, which will also encompass short video service Quickie. The deal, covering some 2,000 hours of NBCU content,
“More than Blue,” the Taiwanese romantic film that was a surprise hit in China and across Asia, is to be adapted as a TV series. Singapore’s mm2 is producing in association with Taiwan’s Goodfilm Workshop. The 10-part series will serve as an origin story and probe the student days of star-crossed characters Chang Che-Kai (K)
Noah Media Group, a specialist in feature-length sports documentaries, has acquired international sales rights to feature documentary “The Australian Dream,” about the Australian Football League star Adam Goodes. The deal excludes rights to Australia, Canada, the U.K. and airlines. Noah will sell the film through its international sales and distribution arm Noah X. This marks
In the wake of a leaked tape reigniting public fascination with the 2016 feud between Taylor Swift and Kanye West, Kim Kardashian West has taken to Twitter to lay into Taylor Swift, writing Monday night that the singer “has chosen to reignite an old exchange” that “feels very self-serving given the suffering millions of real
Kim Kardashian West says Taylor Swift has left her no choice but to set the record straight about the phone call between Kanye and Taylor that led to years of conflict. Over the weekend, unseen footage from the 2016 call leaked online. In the call, Kanye tells Taylor about a song he’s working on —
We haven’t seen the last of Rosie O’Donnell — as a talk show host, that is. The funny lady tells Variety that the one-night-only return of “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” on Sunday may have just been the beginning of her talk show comeback. The stand-alone show, broadcast on Broadway.com and the website’s YouTube channel, raised
Eric Weissberg, half of the duo that recorded “Dueling Banjos” for the film “Deliverance” in 1973, resulting in an unlikely smash hit single and album, has died at 80. Family members and friends said Weissberg had been suffering from Alzheimer’s for years. Weissberg was a fixture on the New York folk scene before being enlisted
A federal judge ruled in favor of Netflix and director Ava DuVernay on Monday, throwing out a defamation suit over a their miniseries about the Central Park jogger case. John E. Reid and Associates, a police training firm, filed the suit last fall, alleging that the series had falsely portrayed the “Reid Technique,” its widely
March 23, 2020 5:59PM PT Find out why tonight’s episode of “Better Call Saul,” “changes it all” for main character Saul Goodman, played by Bob Odenkirk, in an in-depth, live interview with the series star on the “Variety After-Show.” After the episode premieres (7 pm PST, 10 pm EST) head over to Variety’s Instagram for
In today’s film news roundup, Frank Grillo and Luke Wilson join the cast of “Cosmic Sin,” the interrupted Miami Film Festival unveils its winners and the BAMcinemaFest and Provincetown festivals call off their events. CASTINGS Frank Grillo, Luke Wilson and Adelaide Kane have joined Bruce Willis in the independent science-fiction action movie “Cosmic Sin.” The
Bon Jovi founding member and keyboardist David Bryan revealed on Saturday (March 21) that he has tested positive for the coronavirus. Less than a week earlier, he was home in New Jersey when, on March 15, he started to feel sick. “The first symptoms were flu-like, with a low level fever around 100 with body
Check out the official The Willoughbys Trailer starring Maya Rudolph! Let us know what you think in the comments below. Want to be notified of all the latest movie trailers? Subscribe to the channel and click the bell icon to stay up to date. US Release Date: April 22, 2020 Starring: Will Forte, Martin Short,
March 23, 2020 3:13PM PT The WGA is evaluating its options for conducting contract talks with Hollywood’s major studios that were to have started today until coronavirus prevention measures made it untenable for the sides to hold a face-to-face bargaining session. “Nothing has been worked out as of yet,” a spokesman for the Writers Guild
In today’s TV news roundup, Quibi released the trailer of “Survive” starring Sophie Turner, and “The Walking Dead: World Beyond” will no longer debut on April 12. CANCELLATIONS The Banff World Media Festival has announced they are canceling this year’s event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are not able to gather in person this
As a preface to urging fans to donate to the World Health Organization and Feeding America, Taylor Swift stepped into a very different fray Monday afternoon, addressing the video footage that leaked over the weekend of the phone call she had with Kanye West in 2016 to say that its release completely vindicated the position
March 23, 2020 2:01PM PT Liz Claman is the latest Fox Business Network anchor to go into self-quarantine as a result of the coronavirus epidemic. Claman appeared briefly on her usual hour, the 3 p.m. “Claman Countdown,” to tell viewers she was six days in to a quarantine process. “I miss you guys,” she said.
As France surpasses one full week in lockdown mode, TV audiences have jumped by 30% on French public broadcaster France Televisions. However, while production on newscasts and select talk shows continues despite restrictions on contact, one question begins to emerge — is there enough to go around? French shoots have been halted for new drama
A reporter who works at the White House is believed to have the novel coronavirus, the White House Correspondents’ Association said on Monday. In a memo to its members, the WHCA said the reporter was at the White House four times in the last two weeks: on March 9, 11, 16 and 18. “We encourage
Hollywood, we need your help. The shows you make and the movies you produce often shine a light on the events around us. They help us make sense of the world and they highlight those moments of heroism and hope that lift our spirits during the darkest of times. But right now, we need more
United Talent Agency has implemented a company-wide salary cut, multiple people familiar with the decision told Variety, as Hollywood deals with a near-shutdown in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. “Like companies across the industry and our country, UTA is taking some immediate and painful steps to ensure we get through the current public health
Music fans took notice in a big way Friday when the online retailer Bandcamp announced it was waiving its share of proceeds for one day to pass that money on to struggling artists during the coronavirus crisis. The site reported Monday that customers spent $4.3 million on music and merchandise Friday. That amounted to nearly 800,000
U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson has declared a partial lockdown of the country, effective immediately. In an address broadcast to the nation on Monday evening, Johnson urged Britons to stay home to save lives. The prime minister forbade leaving home for anything apart from shopping for basic necessities like food and medicines, medical needs, one
Twitter said it expects to miss first quarter 2020 financial expectations because of the COVID-19 pandemic, although the company also said the crisis has significantly expanded its average daily user base — with a net gain of 12 million so far in the current period. The social network said it currently expects Q1 revenue to
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Paradigm Talent Agency has signed a new franchise agreement with the Writers Guild of America, allowing the agency to resume representation of its WGA-represented clients for the first time in nearly a year. Paradigm noted that the deal makes it the first major talent agency engaged in television packaging to sign a new franchise agreement
MADRID — Never has a TV Festival re-launched in such extraordinary circumstances, or using such novel means. France’s Series Mania, one of Europe’s two or three most reputed TV events, confirmed on March 11 that it was canceling 2020’s March 20-28 edition, amid inescapable fears of COVID-19 contagion. Six days later, it announced it was
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Streaming online via video presentations from March 25, Series Mania’s experimental Digital Forum will make or break on the quality of its centerpiece, its Co-Pro Pitching Sessions. This year’s lineup, at least on paper, looks particularly strong. Following, a break-down on the 16 originally selected projects: “The Abduction of Yossele Shuchmacher” (Israel) Co-created and to
As the entire country reels in the wake of the rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic, the music industry is just one business that has been devastatingly affected. While many organizations and musicians have found ways to raise money to help and embrace online performances, there hasn’t been much talk about how we all cope with this