South African producers are demanding an “urgent all-industry response” to the threat posed by coronavirus, with a leading industry body calling for a coordinated plan from broadcasters and government agencies to address the potential economic fallout of the global pandemic on the local film and TV biz. The Independent Producers Organization (IPO) sounded the alarm
Australian director Baz Luhrmann says that now is not the moment to be resuming production on his untitled “Elvis” project. The film was halted since last week, when actor Tom Hanks was diagnosed with the corovavirus. In a tweet on Friday afternoon Luhrmann said: “I’m sure it will come as no surprise that this is
Longtime TV and film editor Susan Kesler died Thursday, March 19, following a brief battle with ovarian peritoneal cancer. She was 60. Kesler started out in the business as an apprentice editor on “The Love Boat” and “Dynasty,” two of the most popular TV shows in the late 1980s. Her career blossomed to include working
March 19, 2020 11:37PM PT An innovative veterinarian practicing integrative care sets out to revolutionize his industry’s practices in this satisfying documentary. Terminally ill pets and their desperate, distressed caretakers are those that seek Dr. Marty Goldstein’s miraculous help. Yet his unconventional philosophies and radical therapeutic methods are shown in a fairly conventional, albeit deeply
SAG-AFTRA’s national headquarters in Los Angeles has been closed due to minimize the risk of exposure to the coronavirus. Gabrielle Cartereis, president of SAG-AFTRA, notified the 160,000 members of the performers union of the closure of the offices in the mid-Wilshire district in a message sent Friday night. “The safety of our members and staff
March 19, 2020 11:57PM PT The Taiwan International Documentary Festival, one of the leading documentary film festivals in East Asia has been called off for this year. Organizers blamed the coronavirus outbreak. Its 12th edition had been scheduled to take place May 1-10, 2020. Organizers said that it would be “Postponed to Spring 2021.” “Under
When it comes to film festivals, everyone follows Cannes’ lead, which is why it’s curious that the influential French event, originally scheduled to unspool from May 12-23 this year, waited more than a full week after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic — and two weeks after the French government banned
(Editor’s note: The interview with Cedric the Entertainer took place at the production offices of his sitcom “The Neighborhood” several days before social distancing and self-quarantine became the norm. Less than a week later, CBS TV Studios and producers shut down production of season 2 of the show. There were only two days left of
The coronavirus crisis may have found an unlikely hero in Kylie Jenner. Jenner usually uses her Instagram to influence her 166 million followers to buy her products from her billion dollar cosmetic company, but in the wake of the global pandemic, the young mogul is using her mega platform to urge her followers to buy
As the nation’s movie theaters continue to shutter due to the coronavirus pandemic, Warner Bros. has given Ben Affleck’s drama “The Way Back” an early video on demand release on March 24. The studio announced the move late Thursday afternoon with a $19.99 price. “The Way Back” is the seventh title that was in current
In today’s film news roundup, Oscilloscope Laboratories and Kino Lorber are offering digital viewing alternatives in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and the DGA Health Plan has announced that participants won’t be charged for telemedicine/telepsychology visits. DIGITAL VIEWING Oscilloscope Laboratories has unveiled a 10-film promotion — dubbed Circle of Quarantine — in order to offer
California residents have been ordered to stay at home, except to get food or other essential services, in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the order in a press conference on Thursday night, saying it will remain in place until further notice. The order mirrors one announced shortly beforehand
Kevin Ryder wasn’t planning on saying anything after being fired from KROQ after more than 30 years in the show’s morning drive time slot. But then he found out that the station also unceremoniously pink slipped his entire team — including the hourly part-time workers who could have easily been reassigned elsewhere. And they did
Over the last 73 years, the Cannes Film Festival has often been billed as the world’s biggest and most glamorous celebration of the movies. But this year, it was poised to make history. Director and activist Spike Lee had been selected as the first black president of the festival’s jury. Several of Lee’s films —
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences will postpone the 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, which had been scheduled for June. “Given our concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, we have decided that we will not be staging the 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Pasadena this coming June,” NATAS chairman Terry O’Reilly said in
Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon are pros at staying cooped up inside — and now they want to share their tips for how to make the best of homebound life in the midst of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The married Hollywood couple launched a new limited-series weekly podcast, “Staying In with Emily and Kumail,”
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In today’s TV news roundup, Showtime released a trailer for “Billions” Season 5, and Netflix announced a number of April premiere dates, including “Never Have I Ever” and “#BlackAF.” DATES Netflix has announced the premiere dates and returns of several shows and specials coming in April. “The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show” is premiering April 1.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is hunkering down to figure out what’s next for the Oscars in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. “The Academy is focused on helping our staff, our members, and the industry safely navigate through this global health and economic crisis,” an Academy spokesperson said in a statement
In order to stop the spread of coronavirus, millions of Americans are following the advice, or orders, of public health authorities and staying home. We don’t know how long this crisis will last, but we know that if we stay home and slow the spread of the virus, we can avert the worst outcomes that
March 19, 2020 2:00PM PT As movie theaters continue to shutter due to the coronavirus pandemic, Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company will release the faith-based drama “I Still Believe” on premium VOD early, beginning on March 27. “The theatrical experience is core to our business, and exhibitors are our integral partners and allies,” Lionsgate Motion
U.K. media businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic can expect no relief from insurance companies unless the disease is specifically covered in their contracts. The U.K. government’s failure to issue a diktat to businesses — including cinemas and theaters — to shut down, and instead advising people to simply “avoid” social venues, has caused widespread
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads across the United States, the entertainment industry is entering uncharted waters. On Tuesday, AMC Theatres, the largest cinema chain in the United States, announced that it would be closing its doors for the next six to 12 weeks, joining Regal Cinemas in its decision to cease operations in response to
The coronavirus crisis is expected to delay the start of contract negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that were originally scheduled to begin next week. Insiders at the WGA and AMPTP have been trying to sort out how to adjust the negotiations schedule in light of
Today’s music live-streams include live performances from Niall Horan, Common, Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol, the Indigo Girls, Kalie Shorr, Ashley McBryde, Rachel Wammack, Janiva Magness and Grant-Lee Phillips. More than that, there’s an entire festival that’s been taken online: the Luck Family Reunion, previously scheduled to take its annual bow at Willie Nelson’s place
March 19, 2020 12:30PM PT Amazon is developing a limited series based on the New York Magazine story “The Stolen Kids of Sarah Lawrence,” Variety has learned exclusively. In addition, Reed Morano is attached to direct. The New York Magazine story, written by Ezra Marcus and James D. Walsh, told the true story of a group
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The Cannes Film Festival has been postponed. Organizers confirmed Thursday evening that the film festival will no longer take place during the scheduled dates of May 12-23, and several options are now being considered, including postponing the event until the end of June through to the beginning of July. The festival press conference, originally scheduled
“Mulan” star Tzi Ma is frequently recognized for his many film and television roles, including in last year’s indie hit “The Farewell” and the “Rush Hour” films. But it was an encounter weeks ago that has stayed with him. Ma had visited a Whole Foods grocery store in Pasadena, Calif., when a car approached him
Few imaginable things could impact the live-entertainment business as much as a global pandemic, and not surprisingly, Live Nation, the world’s largest concert promoter, has taken a beating on the stock market over the past two weeks. On a particularly rough Wednesday, its share price dropped 33% at one point in the afternoon — down