Among the documentaries premiering at this year’s TriBeCa Film Festival is Stacey Lee’s debut feature-length project, “Underplayed,” about the gender inequality in electronic music. No stranger to the festival, Lee’s documentary short, “Live Fast, Draw Yung,” about a seven-year-old rap portrait artist and his relationship with his father, premiered at TriBeCa in 2015. “Underplayed” was
UPDATED: A contract dispute between Megan Thee Stallion and her label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, broke into the open over the weekend when the rapper said the label is preventing her from releasing new music. Fans have been waiting for her forthcoming album, “Suga,” along with many other releases such as the “Cash Shit” (featuring DaBaby)
After three months in beta-testing phase, TikTok makers ByteDance officially launched their Resso app in India earlier today, joining a crowded field of streaming services in the country that includes Gaana, JioSaavn, Apple Music and Spotify. However, Resso includes other features: Marrying social media functions with music, Resso’s main features include sharing customizable lyric posters,
Late in the run of an episode of “Little Fires Everywhere,” Hulu’s new literary adaptation, our attention is divided between two women in different situations, both of them precarious and pushing each past frustration and into something like rage. Suddenly, music swells, and a high-dudgeon, piano-driven, choir-backed cover of a pop song kicks in to
Colin Callender’s production company Playground has optioned the screen rights to C.K. McDonnell’s novel “The Stranger Times,” one of the most sought after titles in the publishing world. The project was brought in by Playground’s VP production and development, Elyse Dolbec, and is being developed as a returning series for the global market. “The Stranger
One month ahead of commercial launch, Quibi said it closed $750 million in second-round funding, which the premium mobile-subscription player believes will take it to the point of profitability. Led by founder Jeffrey Katzenberg and CEO Meg Whitman, the company has now banked $1.75 billion to date. Earlier this year, Quibi said it had raised
Red Bull Media House on Wednesday launched “The Cut,” a new music competition show featuring 18 promising artists battling it out for a major prize, on its Red Bull Music YouTube Channel. “The Cut” is executive produced by George Levendis, former head of international for Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment, where he oversaw all aspects of
Netflix and UN Women have launched the “Because She Watched” collection of series, documentaries, and films created for the upcoming International Women’s Day. The collection, which will be available all year, is curated by female creators from behind and in front of the camera, including Sophia Loren, Salma Hayek, Yalitza Aparicio, Millie Bobby Brown, Laurie
The BFI London Film Festival is expanding its scope with a new emphasis on episodic content and virtual and augmented reality. While LFF has previously screened series such as BBC One and AMC co-production “The Little Drummer Girl,” it will further expand its TV focus, premiering new series for digital platforms and international broadcasters. A
MADRID — Filming has begun in Spain on “Competencia Oficial” (“Official Competition”) starring Penelope Cruz, Antonio Banderas’ and Oscar Martínez, and one of the biggest Spanish-language features to go into production this year. Argentina’s Martínez, though less well known abroad, is one of the grand talents of Latin American cinema and theater, winning a best
In its first original commission, U.K. SVOD service BritBox has ordered a new version of the award-winning satirical puppet show “Spitting Image.” The show is set to premiere this fall, with Spitting Image co-creator Roger Law leading the creative team. London-based Avalon is producing the series and development of the puppets is already underway, with
Iranian film director Mohammad Rasoulof has been summoned to serve a prison sentence in Iran, three days after his film “There is no Evil” won the Berlin Film Festival’s Golden Bear, according to his lawyer and a report by London-based Iran International TV. The dissident director’s lawyer Nasser Zarafshan told The Associated Press that Rasoulof on
The London Book Fair has been canceled amid growing concerns around the spread of coronavirus in the U.K. Organizer Reed Exhibitions — the parent group of MipTV operator Reed Midem — announced Wednesday that the event, which was set to take place March 10-12, has been called off following the “escalation” of COVID-19 in Europe.
Viacom Intl. Studios has signed a deal with German broadcaster RTL’s TV Now SVOD service for a local adaptation of dating gameshow format “Are You the One?” It’s Viacom’s second format deal with RTL exclusively for TV Now after last year’s sale of the dating show “Finding Prince Charming,” which has already been renewed for
All3Media-owned Little Dot Studios has acquired London-based production company Wing. The move marks Little Dot’s first acquisition as part of its planned growth strategy. The digital content creator and distributor, which has offices in London, Munich, Berlin and Los Angeles, is aiming to expand operations both organically and through further acquisitions. Little Dot said its
Woody Harrelson, Agnieszka Holland and Hirokazu Kore-eda are among the industry figures headlining the 27th edition of the Prague International Film Festival, which is set to go ahead despite fears around the coronavirus. Harrelson will appear alongside Oren Moverman, who is receiving a Kristián award for his contributions to global cinema, to present the L.A.
Amazon Studios will no longer be going to SXSW, Variety has learned. The two screenings and panels planned for “Tales of the Loop” and “Upload,” in addition to a consumer marketing activation, have been canceled amid concerns over the spread of coronavirus. So far, 11 cases of the respiratory illness have been confirmed in Texas,
Ronan Farrow blasted his publisher, Hachette, on Tuesday over its acquisition of Woody Allen memoir “Apropos of Nothing” and announced he’ll no longer work with the company. Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group, announced Monday that it had acquired the memoir a year ago and will release it on April 7. “The
Those hungry for more of the East/West culture-clash terrain of “Crazy Rich Asians” and “The Farewell” may savor the slightly downsized pleasures of “Go Back to China,” which offers up some of the first film’s lifestyle glamour plus the second’s more earnest family drama. Emily Ting’s second scripted feature is essentially a freely fictionalized revamp
Never mind the so-called “Bernie bro” phenomenon: Bernie Bands are one factor that distinguishes Bernie Sanders from the competition, with the other Democratic candidates getting not even a fraction of the support the 78-year-old senator from Vermont has picked up from name musicians. This year, as with his first presidential campaign in 2016, Sanders has transformed
In today’s film news roundup, three-time Oscar winner Emmanuel Lubezki will shoot David O. Russell’s movie, “The Woman Who Ran” finds a home, Entertainment Partners buys We Got POP and Clark Backo is starring in “Confession.” DEVELOPMENT Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki has boarded David O. Russell’s untitled New Regency movie, starring Christian Bale, Michael B. Jordan
Former Vice President Joe Biden was projected to win Virginia as soon as polls closed there on Tuesday night. Sen. Bernie Sanders was declared the winner in his home state of Vermont by several news networks. Fourteen states are voting on Tuesday, with some 1,344 delegates at stake — more than a third of the
In today’s TV news roundup, BET Plus has announced the premiere date of “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless” and Usher has joined new series “The Sauce” on Quibi. DATES BET Plus has announced “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless” will premiere March 19. The new original drama from Tyler Perry is a spinoff of the television series “Tyler Perry’s The
Harry Styles got personal during his first-ever interview with “The Howard Stern Show” on Monday (March 2), opening up about Zayn Malik leaving One Direction, his ex Taylor Swift and getting robbed at knifepoint over Valentine’s Day. The British singer-songwriter sat down with Stern at the SiriusXM studios in New York City and was asked
A senior member of the main U.S. union that represents opera performers resigned on Monday, accusing the organization’s leadership of a cover-up in its investigation into accusations of sexual misconduct against singer Plácido Domingo, according to the Associated Press. Samuel Schultz, vice president of the American Guild of Musical Artists, provided complete results of the
March 3, 2020 2:30PM PT Multiple members of the production team behind ABC’s “Fresh Off the Boat” are developing the comedy series “Asian Descent” at Freeform, Variety has learned exclusively. “Fresh Off the Boat” executive producers Melvin Mar and Jake Kasdan are both onboard the project, along with series writer and co-producer Cindy Fang. “Asian Descent”
Emily Hampshire, best known for playing the motel clerk in “Schitt’s Creek,” has been cast in a forthcoming Epix series. She will join Adrien Brody in “Jerusalem’s Lot,” a drama based on the Stephen King story set in the 1850s, which received a series order late last year. “Jerusalem’s Lot” follows Captain Charles Boone (Brody),
March 3, 2020 2:51PM PT It looks like Genesis will be announcing a reunion tour tomorrow morning — according to teaser social-media posts, a premature announcement from London’s O2 arena, and a report in England’s The Sun. According to the report, the group will perform in arenas in the UK in November and December, with
March 3, 2020 2:56PM PT Chance the Rapper is in negotiations to join Anne Hathaway in Warner Bros.’ live-action adaptation of “Sesame Street.” “Portlandia” director and co-creator Jonathan Krisel is helming the musical, co-financed by Warner Bros. and MGM. “Eight Grade” director Bo Burnham is contributing songs to the new film, which will hit theaters
Two brothers race against the clock to bring their father back to life with a magic spell. A troubled former basketball star gets a second chance as the coach of his high school team. Will you see ‘Onward’ or ‘The Way Back’ in theaters this weekend? ► Buy Your Tickets Now: https://www.fandango.com?cmp=MCYT_YouTube_Desc ► Buy or