November 20, 2019 6:07PM PT Tomiko Iwata has been promoted to executive vice president, head of creative services at Fox Entertainment. She will be responsible for overseeing all of Fox’s creative services, including experiential marketing across divisions. In addition to overseeing her Los Angeles-based staff, she will lead a team based in New York. Her
In today’s film news roundup, Adam Driver is honored, Robocop will be reborn and Hola Mexico Film Festival and The Montalbán Theatre are teaming for a screening series for potential Oscar nominees. HONORS SFFILM has selected Adam Driver as the recipient of the SFFILM award for acting, formerly the Peter J. Owens Award. Driver, who
November 20, 2019 4:00PM PT The public impeachment hearings aren’t the only big viewing options for the politically inclined. Ten top Democratic presidential candidates will take the stage in Atlanta for the latest debate on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET, and there are plenty of ways to follow along. MSNBC and The Washington Post are
Google is tweaking its policy for political ads, which includes doing away with micro-targeting by political affiliation or voting records. The search giant also announced Wednesday that it would clarify its advertising policy to make sure that political advertisers can’t make grossly misleading statements. “We’re limiting election ads audience targeting to the following general categories:
Leila Slimani’s critically acclaimed, international bestseller “The Perfect Nanny” — aka “Chanson Douce” — is coming to the big screen. Legendary has closed a deal for Paul Downs Colaizzo to adapt and direct the English-language adaptation. Legendary will produce the pic alongside Pascal Caucheteux of Why Not Productions and Philippe Godeau of Pan-Européenne. The story
Frank Cicha, head of programming for Fox Television Stations, saw the future coming nearly a decade ago when Fox’s TV station group committed many millions to land syndication rights to “The Big Bang Theory” back in 2010. Even then, it was clear that big hits on the scale of “Big Bang” were going to be
November 20, 2019 3:30PM PT Sterling K. Brown is set to lend his voice to the upcoming Disney Plus feature documentary “One Day at Disney,” Variety has learned exclusively. “One Day at Disney” will highlight the people who work on some of Disney’s most beloved stories. The film will highlight 10 specific people and their role
Documentary film festival IDFA opened Wednesday with Iranian director Mehrdad Oskouei’s “Sunless Shadows,” the latest in a series of films about incarcerated teens in his homeland. Developed with help from the IDFA Bertha Fund, the film takes viewers inside an Iranian juvenile detention center, where a group of underage girls are serving time for very
Exclusive TMZ/Getty Composite “Entourage” star Kevin Dillon‘s ongoing divorce drama is finally over, and although he probably won’t be shouting, “VICTORY!” … it seems like a pretty good deal. According to new docs, obtained by TMZ … the judge signed off on a final judgment in Jane Stuart‘s divorce from Kevin, ending a process that
Stephen Curry’s Unanimous Media production banner, John Legend’s Get Lifted Film Co. and Sony Pictures are teaming up for the sports drama “Signing Day.” The project, which has tapped screenwriter Adam Hoff, marks one of the first films to be put into development under the NBA superstar’s first-look deal with the studio, which he signed
The weather outside may be frightful, but ABC is already planning another summer of fun and games. The network announced Wednesday that its primetime gamers “The $100,000 Pyramid,” “Card Sharks,” “Celebrity Family Feud,” “Match Game,” “Press Your Luck” and “To Tell the Truth” have all been renewed for another season, joining the previously announced second
David Cross has joined the cast of the upcoming third season of “Genius” at Nat Geo, which will focus on music legend Aretha Franklin. Cross will star as music producer Jerry Wexler. Cynthia Erivo is set to play Franklin, with Courtney B. Vance, Malcolm Barrett, Patrice Covington, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, Rebecca Naomi Jones, and Sanai
In a last-minute decision, Apple has canceled a planned gala screening of “The Banker,” one of the tech company’s flagship original films that was meant to close AFI Fest on Thursday in Hollywood. Netflix has stepped in and will screen Noah Baumbach’s acclaimed “Marriage Story” in its place. “We purchased ‘The Banker’ earlier this year
“Cats,” one of the most puzzling offerings of this holiday movie season, will likely be competing for the Golden Globes after all. Earlier reports had suggested that the film based on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1981 musical about Jellicle cats would not be vying for end-of-year awards because it isn’t done yet. But sources tell Variety
The 32nd International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) opened Wednesday with gender parity, inclusion, and young talent front and center. Twenty-one year-old Canadian-Vietnamese director Carol Nguyen — whose short “No Crying at the Dinner Table” screens at the festival — kicked off the evening, reflecting IDFA’s commitment to young talent and women filmmakers. Nguyen said
Day 3 of the impeachment hearings against President Donald Trump drew big numbers yet again across the major broadcast and news networks. An average of around 12 million total viewers tuned in across the morning and afternoon sessions, with 11.4 million watching in the morning and roughly 13 million in the afternoon. Fox News drew
Smart speaker maker Sonos is getting ready to take a more active role in voice control: Sonos announced the acquisition of Paris- and Tokyo-based voice assistant startup Snips Wednesday. Snips had been developing a platform to launch dedicated voice assistants for smart speakers and other devices. Sonos spent $37.5 million in cash on the startup,
November 20, 2019 12:45PM PT J.T. Petty is set to write and direct “Appetite,” a thriller produced by “Dark Knight” writer David S. Goyer and Keith Levine. “Appetite” follows a mother who investigates her daughter’s disappearance leading to inexplicable and terrible consequences. Casting is currently underway, and the movie is expected to start filming in
It’s the rare arena-filling band whose singer avoids the center stage and a spotlight for the entire two-hour concert. But Tool are that atypical group who manages to make a show work on their own terms, curating an experience that, on this night, began with a “no photo” policy, skipped one of their most popular
Courtesy The Knee-High Boot Everlane everlane.com $250.00 This week alone, we clocked everyone from Amal Clooney to Rosie Huntington-Whitely wearing the hottest trend of the season: knee-high boots. They have been on our wish list ever since Erica Russo, Bloomingdale’s fashion director, told us they’re they were the it-shoe of the year, but we’ve been
Vice Media Group appointed Ramin Arani, a 26-year veteran of Fidelity Investments and an early adviser to Vice, as its new chief financial officer. Arani, reporting to CEO Nancy Dubuc, will lead all financial and accounting functions for Vice Media Group. Following Vice Media Group’s recent acquisition of Refinery29, Arani will also work to unify
“Rocketman” director Dexter Fletcher is attached to direct Universal’s “Renfield,” a monster movie centered on Dracula’s henchman and based on an original pitch from Robert Kirkman. “Rick and Morty” scribe Ryan Ridley penned the script. The film will be produced by Skybound Entertainment’s film team, including Kirkman, David Alpert, Bryan Furst and Sean Furst. In
November 20, 2019 11:30AM PT Netflix has renewed the zombie thriller series “Black Summer” for a second season, Variety has learned. The second season will consist of eight episodes and will begin production next year in Alberta, Canada. Jaime King will return to star in the second season and will also serve as a producer. Cast
The Hollywood Commission on Eliminating Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality, led by Anita Hill, has launched a survey of the entertainment industry. Hill accused U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment during his Senate confirmation hearings in 1991. Since then, in addition to teaching law and policy at Brandeis University, Hill has been
Jennifer Lopez and Scarlett Johansson are set to host episodes of “Saturday Night Live” in December. Lopez, who will headline the 2020 Super Bowl Halftime Show with Shakira and whose performance in the movie “Hustlers” is generating Oscar buzz, will host the Dec. 7 episode with DaBaby making his first appearance on the show as
China’s Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival opened in the coastal city of Xiamen with the announcement that the Golden Rooster Awards will be held annually instead of biannually. The Golden Rooster Awards have been held 23 times since they were founded in 1981. The event has been held biannually since 2005, when authorities
November 20, 2019 10:56AM PT Britain’s Prince Andrew announced Wednesday that he would be stepping back from his public duties as a member of the royal family because of the controversy surrounding his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. The prince gave an interview to the BBC that was broadcast last Saturday and that roused the ire
Viacom International Media Networks has named Pierluigi Gazzolo president of OTT International and Viacom International Studios. Gazzolo, who will report to VIMN president and CEO David Lynn, was most recently president of VIMN Americas and executive vice president of Nickelodeon International. As the streaming landscape becomes increasingly competitive, the move marks an increased focus on
November 20, 2019 10:49AM PT Professional wrestling mainstay Jim Cornette has resigned his position with the National Wrestling Alliance. “Effective immediately: Jim Cornette has resigned from the National Wrestling Alliance,” the company said in a statement released Wednesday. “As an announcer on the November 19th edition of ‘NWA Power,’ Jim made remarks during a singles
“Days of our Lives” is launching a new digital series, entitled “Last Blast Reunion,” on the DOOL App Nov. 29. This streaming series will bring nine beloved characters from the 2000 season of the NBC daytime drama back together for a special Salem High class reunion. Brandon Beemer, Martha Madison, Nadia Bjorlin, Heather Lindell, Aaron