Streaming platform Roku said it will eliminate 200 jobs in the U.S., citing “current economic conditions,” cutting about 7% of its overall workforce. “Due to the current economic conditions in our industry, we have made the difficult decision to reduce Roku’s headcount expenses by a projected 5%, to slow down our opex growth rate,” the
Gwyneth Paltrow knows that the holidays are about bringing families together — even if that includes an ex-lover or a rival media queen. Paltrow’s 14-year-old lifestyle and wellness company Goop released a video on Wednesday promoting its annual gift guides, curated lists of the finest (and, often, most expensive and impractical) presents. Suggesting everything from
Tenerife-based Bendita Film Sales, headed by Luis Renart, has acquired Matías Bize’s “The Punishment,” (“El Castigo,”), ahead of its international premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival this Saturday. Produced by Ceneca Producciones and Leyenda Films, it is the second film to see the light in 2022 for the multi-prized director of “In the
In the wake of widespread problems around Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen tour on-sales, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, has written a letter to Ticketmaster raising concern about the lack of competition in the ticketing industry and the service it provides to consumers.
Embracer Group, the new owners of Middle Earth Enterprises — the holding company that owns the “Lord of the Rings” among other J.R.R. Tolkien titles — have given the first hint of what they may have planned for the author’s works during a presentation for their Q2 earnings report on Thursday. Among the rights Sweden-based
Well, that didn’t take long. “Neighbours” is coming back. The Australian soap has found a new home on Amazon’s AVOD service Freevee, which has picked up the rights from “Neighbours” producer and distributor Fremantle. The show will begin shooting in Oz in 2023 and air in the second half of next year. The new series
BBC Studios-owned indie Lookout Point, the shingle behind hit dramas such as “Gentleman Jack,” has appointed longtime collaborators and in-house executive producers Laura Lankester and Will Johnston as joint CEOs. “They will now drive the creative leadership of the company in its next generation, with current CEO Faith Penhale set to step down at the
ROCK ISLAND RETURNS Production is now under way at the Pinnacle Studios in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia on the second season of Network 10 and Nickelodeon kids’ mystery adventure series “Rock Island Mysteries.” The show is produced by Fremantle Australia with support by Screen Queensland and federal body Screen Australia. The 20-episode season sees teenager Taylor
New works by Palestinian docmaker Amer Shomali (“The Wanted 18”), emerging Egyptian filmmaker Sara Shazli (“Back Home”) and first-time Jordanian director Amjad Al Rasheed are among the 16 projects selected for the 9th Cairo Film Connection, the Cairo Film Festival’s co-production platform. The event features films from 10 countries, including five from the host nation,
As sweet, sticky and snappy as a candy cane, “Christmas with You” provides a refreshing, sugary boost to any Netflix subscriber’s cinematic diet. This holiday offering, centered on a burnt-out pop star searching for creative inspiration and finding love, welcomes its co-star Freddie Prinze Jr. back to rom-coms, a genre from which he’s been absent
China’s Hainan Island International Film Festival will return to operation early next month for a fourth edition. Marco Mueller, former director of the Locarno, Venice and Rome film festivals is set as its new artistic director. Mueller is now based in China and has previously advised Chinese festivals including those in Shanghai and Pingyao. The
Pakistan has reversed its ban on Saim Sadiq’s Cannes-winning Oscar contender “Joyland,” according to a senior advisor to the government. An official statement on the reversal had not been issued yet at the time of going to press. Salman Sufi, the head of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Strategic Reforms unit, who has been a
Amy Adams is weighing in on Henry Cavill’s surprise return as Superman. “Isn’t it exciting?” Adams, who played Lois Lane to the British actor’s Man of Steel, said Wednesday at the premiere of “Disenchanted” in Hollywood when I asked about Cavill reprising his superhero role. Adams said her husband, artist Darren Le Gallo, told her
It’s time to retire those “Glee” covers of “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and “People.” Lea Michele and the company of Broadway’s “Funny Girl” revival have recorded a cast album. Michele made the announcement during the curtain call of Wednesday evening’s performance. Her words were shared through the production’s Instagram account. “We have a little
Prosecutors will not call Mel Gibson to testify in Harvey Weinstein’s criminal trial, after all. Gibson would have been brought onto the stand to corroborate parts of a story from a Jane Doe in the case, who said she confided in Gibson after she was allegedly sexually assaulted by Weinstein. Jane Doe #3 was Gibson’s
Quentin Tarantino has disclosed that he has plans to step back into television, looking to shoot an eight-episode series in 2023. The film director shared news of the project Wednesday night while promoting his new book, “Cinema Speculation,” at a New York event hosted by Elvis Mitchell. The filmmaker wasn’t forthright with narrative or production
SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched the Season 8, episode 8, of “The Masked Singer,” “Comedy Roast Night,” which aired Nov. 16 on Fox. As “The Masked Singer” host Nick Cannon revealed this week that he’s expecting his 12th – yes, 12th – child, the Fox series addressed the star’s
The brand-new cast of Bravo’s “Real Housewives of New York City” was unveiled with great fanfare exactly one month ago at BravoCon — but what was once a group of seven women is now down to six. Lizzy Savetsky has parted ways with the show, a Bravo spokesperson confirmed to Variety. “After thoughtful consideration and discussion
Marco Antonio Solís has captivated the hearts and ears of many, both as the charming frontman of the Mexican Grupera band Los Bukis, and as prolific composer with a career that spans four decades of emotive soundtracks, successful tours and prestigious accolades — all in celebration of his innate ability to connect through music. Today,
Karen Bass has been elected the 43rd mayor of Los Angeles, and the first woman, the Associated Press projected on Wednesday. Businessman Rick Caruso called Bass to concede the race on Wednesday evening. “The people of Los Angeles have sent a clear message: It is time for change and it is time for urgency,” Bass
Participant has formed a people and culture department that will operate with Danice Woodley at the helm of continued efforts to facilitate an inclusive workplace and produce equitable content. The new department is a product of merging Participant’s former human resources and culture and values departments, which Woodley is being promoted to lead as executive
Lily Collins, filmmaker Charlie McDowell and notable indie producer Alex Orlovsky have formally established a production entity called Case Study Films. The trio previously collaborated on the 2021 film “Windfall,” a pot-boiler with socioeconomic undertones starring Collins, Jesse Plemons and Jason Segel, which sold to Netflix. Case Study will build film and series content financed
Nazanin Boniadi is calling on Hollywood to do more to bring attention to the political upheaval over women’s rights in Iran. The “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” star delivered an impassioned speech on Wednesday afternoon at the Academy Women’s Luncheon presented by Chanel, held at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles. “Iranian
Amazon’s Audible is releasing original audio drama “Crush Hour,” a Christmas musical podcast series headlined by Ellie Goulding and Douglas Booth. The podcast, available starting Nov. 17 exclusively on Audible worldwide, follows the stories of unknowingly connected strangers in London as they navigate love during rush hour. Various chance encounters on “tubes, taxis, trains and
Quentin Tarantino has named “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” his best movie ever made. The director was asked to pick his best by Howard Stern during a visit on the radio host’s SiriusXM show. “Hollywood” is Tarantino’s most recent directorial feature. Released in 2019, the film starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt as actors
With the release of Queen’s “The Miracle” box set — an expanded, eight-disc reissue of the 1989 album — fans not only gain access to previously unreleased tracks, but get an intimate peek into the inner workings of the iconic band. While the collector’s edition includes songs such as “Face It Alone” and “Too Much
The burns Jay Leno suffered in a car fire Saturday are more serious than was originally reported, his doctor told reporters Wednesday. “Mr. Leno underwent what’s called a surgical excision and grafting procedure to his face, his chest and his hands,” Dr. Peter Grossman told ABC7 News. Leno sustained “deep second degree and third degree
John Leguizamo is a bit critical of Universal and Illumination’s upcoming animated film “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which stars Chris Pratt and Charlie Day as Mario and Luigi, respectively. Leguizamo, who brought Luigi to life opposite Bob Hoskins’ Mario in 1993’s live-action “Super Mario Bros.,” told IndieWire the new film went “backwards” by having
Bill Treusch, an esteemed New York-based talent manager, died at the age of 80 following a long illness on Tuesday in New York City. Through Treusch’s career, he was instrumental in finding and guiding the careers of Sissy Spacek, Richard Jenkins, Melissa Leo, Christopher Walken, Tom Hulce, Diane Keaton, Eric Roberts, Tom Berenger, Peter Weller,
Horror maestros Jason Blum and James Wan are in advanced talks to merge their companies, Blumhouse Productions and Atomic Monster, into a mega house of chills and thrills. Blumhouse, known for its low-budget approach to terror, is currently under a first look deal with Universal, which would extend to Atomic Monster as long as the