Nancy Lesser, HBO’s long-serving head of entertainment PR and talent relations, is leaving the TV powerhouse that she helped build as the steward of campaigns for “The Sopranos,” “Game of Thrones,” “Angels in America” and many other indelible programs. For industryites, Lesser has become synonymous with HBO, given her wide-ranging role at the company. Lesser
October 2, 2019 11:43AM PT Netflix has ordered a sketch show from comedian Iliza Shlesinger, Variety has confirmed. The order is for six half-hour episodes, which will see the comedian delve into a secret world filled with absurd characters, insight into the female experience, and “irreverent social commentary.” “The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show” hails from Avalon Television
After months of talks, Vice Media sealed an agreement to acquire Refinery29, a bet by the two digital-centric media companies they can create a stronger union together to reach youth-skewing audiences. The value of the pact, expected to close before the end of 2019, isn’t being disclosed. In the transaction, Vice is issuing mostly stock
October 2, 2019 11:30AM PT Lisa Cholodenko, known for her directorial work on the “Olive Kitteridge” miniseries at HBO and the 2010 feature “The Kids Are All Right,” has been tapped to helm a Showtime pilot. The project in question is “Rita,” an hour-long dramedy which is set to star “Game of Thrones” actress Lena
Check out the official The Good Liar trailer starring Ian McKellen! Let us know what you think in the comments below. ► Sign up for a Fandango FanAlert for The Good Liar: https://www.fandango.com/the-good-liar-219273/movie-overview?cmp=MCYT_YouTube_Desc Want to be notified of all the latest movie trailers? Subscribe to the channel and click the bell icon to stay up
Randall Park, the star of “Fresh Off the Boat” and “Always Be My Maybe,” has formed a production company with longtime friends and creative partners Michael Golamco and Hieu Ho, with the aim of developing “comedy-forward stories from Asian American perspectives for all audiences,” according to the company. “Our immigrant parents came to America with
October 2, 2019 11:00AM PT Lionsgate has signed a first-look film development and production deal with producer, entrepreneur and author Stephen “Dr.” Love. Lionsgate recently bought “Shadow Force,” starring Kerry Washington and Sterling K. Brown, which Love is producing through his Made With Love Media company. He’s also producing Juel Taylor’s “They Cloned Tyrone” for
If there’s a common thread that runs through the many different projects Jon Favreau has directed in recent years, it’s the state-of-the-art visual effects he’s deployed every time. Whether it’s the photorealistic computer animation of his latest film, “The Lion King,” or the way gaming engines make real-time rendering possible in his upcoming Disney Plus
HBO’s pilot based on the Showtime Lakers of the 1980s continues to build out its cast. Variety has learned that Gaby Hoffmann has been cast as Claire Rothman, while Hadley Robinson has been cast as Jeanie Buss. Rothman is the general manager of the Forum — the first and only female manager of any major
’70s Knee High Knee-high boots do not get enough love, but this season nothing is chicer than cool cognac. The classic style goes great with almost any daytime look, so explore boot options in tanned chestnut, faux croc, and more. Left to right: Tory Burch, Saint Laurent, Max Mara
October 2, 2019 10:41AM PT Netflix’s first big swing at airing a reality competition show weekly should pay off. Streaming networks, for all their creative upsides, have trouble staying timely. Releasing worthy shows every week makes it hard for many to stay in the spotlight for too long, and anything remotely centered on the news
October 2, 2019 10:36AM PT Variety has been given exclusive access to the trailer for “Sunburned,” which has been selected to premiere at the Rome Film Festival as part of the Alice Nelle Città lineup. The film, being sold by Picture Tree International, is director Carolina Hellsgard’s follow-up to her zombie horror movie “Endzeit –
Matthew McConaughey is back in the weed business in Guy Ritchie’s star-studded, action-packed crime-comedy “The Gentlemen.” The trailer, released by STX Entertainment on Wednesday, shows McConaughey as a London-based crime lord. His character Mickey Pearson is on the verge of retiring, thereby sparking a battle for his empire. Hugh Grant (who plays Fletcher) and Charlie
October 2, 2019 10:20AM PT Michael Stipe will release his first solo single since R.E.M.’s 2011 split this weekend, he announced on his website. The song, which he’s been playing at concerts in recent months, is called “Your Capricious Soul” and will be released on his website, MichaelStipe.com, with the 77-cent download price to benefit
Newly-minted Oscar winner Kristine Belson has signed a new deal to remain president of Sony Pictures Animation, and will expand her purview to television. Belson, who reports to Sony motion picture group chairman Tom Rothman, has been on the Culver City lot since 2015, and is largely credited with reviving the division thanks to hits
Get ready to return to Winchester University for one final ride. Netflix has renewed “Dear White People” for a fourth and final season, with creator Justin Simien returning as co-showrunner for the 10-episode send-off. Yvette Lee Bowser will continue as co-showrunner and executive producer. Set against the backdrop of a predominantly white Ivy League university
Most of those who have earned the honor of VES Fellow in the past decade have been recognized by the Visual Effects Society for on-screen innovation. But this year’s honoree, Susan Zwerman, is equally distinguished by her off-screen accomplishments. Zwerman is the studio executive producer for Exceptional Minds, a visual effects and animation school for
Check out the official The Personal History of David Copperfield starring Dev Patel! Let us know what you think in the comments below. ► Sign up for a Fandango FanAlert for The Personal History of David Copperfield: https://www.fandango.com/the-personal-history-of-david-copperfield-220120/movie-overview?cmp=MCYT_YouTube_Desc Want to be notified of all the latest movie trailers? Subscribe to the channel and click the
YouTube is letting users set their accounts to automatically clear the list of videos they’ve watched and search for after preset time periods, as part of several new privacy and security features Google has launched. YouTube users have been able to clear their history manually, but with the new controls they can set that data
When you ask Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig for a short list of favorite haunts in his native New York City, he’s at a loss for a few moments. He may be the leader of arguably the most celebrated New York band of the decade, but the creator of the recent “Father of the Bride” album
Executives from Alazraki Entertainment, Cinema 226, Cinépolis, Lemon Studios, Perro Azul and VCS Capital will attend CDMX Film Pitchbox, a new movie project pitching forum that will take place in Mexico City on Nov. 29, organizer Filmarket Hub announced on Wednesday, opening a call for applications. Focusing on Mexican fiction feature projects, CDMX Film Pitchbox
Having built up the longest-running scripted show for the Oprah Winfrey Network, “The Haves and the Have Nots,” Tyler Perry’s latest venture with Viacom and BET offers fans a chance to fall in love with a different part of the Perry universe. He’s slated to launch a slew of shows on BET and its new
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s recently launched digital content studio is hitting the driving range. The couple’s Westbrook Media is teaming up with Topgolf Studios, a unit of golf-venue chain Topgolf Entertainment Group, to produce original entertainment projects. Productions under the pact will be designed to “further engage and grow Topgolf communities around the
Senator Bernie Sanders was hospitalized Wednesday and treated for an artery blockage after suffering from chest pains, his campaign confirmed. The presidential hopeful is canceling forthcoming events and appearances until further notice. “During a campaign event yesterday evening, Sen. Sanders experienced some chest discomfort. Following medical evaluation and testing he was found to have a
As a college student, Aaron Tveit camped outside the stage door of his favorite Broadway musicals like any other fan. When he saw 2002’s “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” he stuck around with the crowds to ask Sutton Foster for an autograph. “And I remember being struck that all these people were going crazy for her,” Tveit
The French hit comedy “Intouchables” is set for an Arabic remake from production outfit Yalla Yalla, the joint venture formed recently by Dubai-based distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment and London’s Rocket Science. The Arabic remake of the 2011 French original produced by Gaumont, which grossed over $426 million globally, is being set up as a
Kasi Lemmons’ new film, “Harriet,” depicts Harriet Tubman — the leader of the Underground Railroad and freer of slaves — as all that, but with an extra element. As played by Cynthia Erivo in an action-heavy role, she’s close to a superhero. And Lemmons intended it that way. “That was the mission,” she says. “Adventure
Check out the official The Gentlemen Trailer starring Matthew McConaughey! Let us know what you think in the comments below. ► Sign up for a Fandango FanAlert for The Gentlemen: https://www.fandango.com/the-gentlemen-220521/movie-overview?cmp=MCYT_YouTube_Desc Want to be notified of all the latest movie trailers? Subscribe to the channel and click the bell icon to stay up to date.
October 2, 2019 7:55AM PT The Library of Congress has set Garth Brooks as a 2020 recipient of its Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, to be awarded at an all-star tribute concert in Washington D.C. in March 2020 for airing on PBS later in the spring. The award goes to venerable enough musicians that Brooks,
Thom Yorke is one of the last world-famous musicians one might expect to be interviewed on a late-night talk show, but then again, Stephen Colbert is no ordinary late-night talk show host. Radiohead appeared in an entire episode of his show a few years back, and Yorke returned Tuesday night for a chat with Colbert