When “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace” debuted on May 19, 1999, few movies before (or since) were greeted with more fevered anticipation. Not only was the movie the first new “Star Wars” movie in a generation, but it was touted as the first of a prequel trilogy charting the tragedy of Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi Knight fated to turn to the dark side as Darth Vader.
Despite the breathless build up, by the end of that summer, the near-universal consensus was that “The Phantom Menace” was, at best, a colossal disappointment and, at worst, a calamitous embarrassment. Some blamed the decision by George Lucas — directing for the first time since 1977’s “A New Hope” — to start the story with a precocious 9-year-old Anakin (Jake Lloyd). Others railed against the slapstick antics and pidgin English of Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best), hyped as the first-ever CG main character in a live-action movie.
Despite the breathless build up, by the end of that summer, the near-universal consensus was that “The Phantom Menace” was, at best, a colossal disappointment and, at worst, a calamitous embarrassment. Some blamed the decision by George Lucas — directing for the first time since 1977’s “A New Hope” — to start the story with a precocious 9-year-old Anakin (Jake Lloyd). Others railed against the slapstick antics and pidgin English of Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best), hyped as the first-ever CG main character in a live-action movie.
- 5/11/2024
- by Adam B. Vary, Angelique Jackson and Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
In October 2017, Hollywood became the story. The New York Times’ blockbuster investigation of Harvey Weinstein shook the entertainment industry, unleashing a torrent of stories about harassment, abusive bosses, and exploitative power dynamics. The vast majority of victims who came forward were women, but just three weeks into what is now known as the #MeToo era, actor Anthony Rapp (Rent, Star Trek: Discovery) spoke out against Kevin Spacey, accusing the Oscar winner of drunkenly molesting him when he was 14 years old. Rapp said he wanted to “shine another light on the...
- 5/3/2024
- by Louis Staples
- Rollingstone.com
A Variety cover story about the future of "Star Trek" includes plenty of exciting updates about the future of the series, but it's also just a trivia treasure trove for "Trek" fans -- including the ones who work on the shows. "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" stars Anson Mount and Ethan Peck both noted how surreal their jobs are, while Mount also revealed that they get to go to work on a set named after part of a starship.
"Sometimes we call it The Holodeck," Mount told Variety when describing the massive augmented reality walls (similar to those used by Industrial Light & Magic's The Volume) that turn the set into a virtual-physical hybrid space. Variety's Adam B. Vary observed that Mount "[couldn't] help but break into a boyish grin" when he talked about the Ar walls they call The Holodeck, as if it's yet another childhood dream come true. In an...
"Sometimes we call it The Holodeck," Mount told Variety when describing the massive augmented reality walls (similar to those used by Industrial Light & Magic's The Volume) that turn the set into a virtual-physical hybrid space. Variety's Adam B. Vary observed that Mount "[couldn't] help but break into a boyish grin" when he talked about the Ar walls they call The Holodeck, as if it's yet another childhood dream come true. In an...
- 4/6/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Jonathan Majors has lost a buzzy upcoming film role after his recent assault conviction.
The actor will no longer be playing controversial basketball player Dennis Rodman in a film with the working title “48 Hours In Vegas,” Variety has confirmed. CNN first reported the news.
The film is set to document the true story of the Bulls’ power forward’s notorious trip to Las Vegas in the middle of the 1998 NBA finals.
Lionsgate is also no longer involved with the project, as the studio released it back to the producers to find a new partner. Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Aditya Sood will produce for Lord Miller, and Ari Lubet, Will Allegra and Rodman will executive produce. Jordan VanDina (Hulu’s “The Binge”) is set to write the screenplay.
Majors was convicted on Dec. 18 of two misdemeanor counts of harassment and assault during a domestic dispute with his former partner, Grace Jabbari.
The actor will no longer be playing controversial basketball player Dennis Rodman in a film with the working title “48 Hours In Vegas,” Variety has confirmed. CNN first reported the news.
The film is set to document the true story of the Bulls’ power forward’s notorious trip to Las Vegas in the middle of the 1998 NBA finals.
Lionsgate is also no longer involved with the project, as the studio released it back to the producers to find a new partner. Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Aditya Sood will produce for Lord Miller, and Ari Lubet, Will Allegra and Rodman will executive produce. Jordan VanDina (Hulu’s “The Binge”) is set to write the screenplay.
Majors was convicted on Dec. 18 of two misdemeanor counts of harassment and assault during a domestic dispute with his former partner, Grace Jabbari.
- 1/12/2024
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
As part of Variety’s 100 Greatest Shows of All Time issue, we asked writers on our staff to name their favorite cult shows — series that may lack the clout, the following, or the prestige to quite notch an entry on our list, but ones for which our writers have a special fondness. Here are seven shows that are, to us, the greatest.
Alias
So the central mythology, about the mystical inventor Milo Rambaldi, came to little as the show went on. No big deal. On “Alias,” it was all about the ride. That’s meant very literally: Each week, the show crash-landed into an episode-ending cliffhanger. As played by a luminous, game, and utterly committed Jennifer Garner, superspy double agent Sydney Bristow changed her loyalties, her allies, and her wigs. The only constant in her life was chaos, into which a writing team led by J.J. Abrams thrust her week after week.
Alias
So the central mythology, about the mystical inventor Milo Rambaldi, came to little as the show went on. No big deal. On “Alias,” it was all about the ride. That’s meant very literally: Each week, the show crash-landed into an episode-ending cliffhanger. As played by a luminous, game, and utterly committed Jennifer Garner, superspy double agent Sydney Bristow changed her loyalties, her allies, and her wigs. The only constant in her life was chaos, into which a writing team led by J.J. Abrams thrust her week after week.
- 12/20/2023
- by Daniel D'Addario
- Variety Film + TV
News broke in July that Donald and Stephen Glover had been tapped by Disney and Lucasfilm to replace Justin Simien as the writers of a new “Lando” television series on Disney+. But not so fast. The project is actually being developed as a “Lando” movie, Lucasfilm confirmed to Variety. Glover debuted as a young Lando Calrissian in the 2017 “Star Wars” tentpole “Solo,” which was a notable box office disappointment for Disney and Lucasfilm.
Stephen Glover first dropped the news of a “Lando” movie on a recent appearance on the “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast, telling the host, “It’s not even a show…the idea right now is to do a movie. Right now, because of the strike, it’s kind of like telephone, all of the information.” That’s all the info Stephen could provide. Lucasfilm confirmed the news afterwards.
News first broke of a Lando Calrissian limited series...
Stephen Glover first dropped the news of a “Lando” movie on a recent appearance on the “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast, telling the host, “It’s not even a show…the idea right now is to do a movie. Right now, because of the strike, it’s kind of like telephone, all of the information.” That’s all the info Stephen could provide. Lucasfilm confirmed the news afterwards.
News first broke of a Lando Calrissian limited series...
- 9/14/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Michael Bay was a decade into his film directing career when Steven Spielberg and "Transformers" beckoned. He'd established himself as a maestro of mayhem — or, as we call it now, "Bayhem." He made the $19 million budgeted "Bad Boys" look like a $75 million action extravaganza, and the $75 million budgeted "The Rock" look like one of the most expensive action movies ever made. Had Bay arrived on the scene in the 1980s, he would've been making high-style, ultra-violent shoot-em-ups with Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Unfortunately, at the turn of the millennium, four-quadrant tentpole blockbusters were all the rage, which meant Bay had to stifle his R-rated urges and deliver PG-13 spectacle for maximum worldwide grosses. He delivered with "Armageddon," and, to a lesser degree, the distressingly bloodless "Pearl Harbor," which gave him carte blanche to make one of the most morally reprehensible (yet spectacularly entertaining) studio action movies of all time...
Unfortunately, at the turn of the millennium, four-quadrant tentpole blockbusters were all the rage, which meant Bay had to stifle his R-rated urges and deliver PG-13 spectacle for maximum worldwide grosses. He delivered with "Armageddon," and, to a lesser degree, the distressingly bloodless "Pearl Harbor," which gave him carte blanche to make one of the most morally reprehensible (yet spectacularly entertaining) studio action movies of all time...
- 8/21/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The most promising emerging talent in show business gathered on Thursday to celebrate Variety’s annual Power of Young Hollywood issue, honoring actors Sydney Sweeney and Noah Schnapp and musician Steve Lacy. Sony Electronics and Ford were the presenting and premier sponsors of the evening.
Honorees Steve Lacy, Noah Schnapp and Sydney Sweeney at Variety’s Power of Young Hollywood (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Variety via Getty Images)
High atop Sunset Blvd. at Hollywood’s NeueHouse, the evening welcomed a mix of top talent and influencers, industry figures and a light smattering of the over-30 crowd. “Never Have I Ever” stars Darren Barnet and Megan Suri, “King Richard” star Demi Singleton, “The Sex Lives of College Girls” actor Reneé Rapp, TikTokers Connor Wood and Dylan Mulvaney, Marvel actor Xochitl Gomez, “Saved by the Bell” reboot star and recent Chapman grad Josie Totah, “Barbie” star Alexandra Shipp and veteran actor Dermot Mulroney...
Honorees Steve Lacy, Noah Schnapp and Sydney Sweeney at Variety’s Power of Young Hollywood (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Variety via Getty Images)
High atop Sunset Blvd. at Hollywood’s NeueHouse, the evening welcomed a mix of top talent and influencers, industry figures and a light smattering of the over-30 crowd. “Never Have I Ever” stars Darren Barnet and Megan Suri, “King Richard” star Demi Singleton, “The Sex Lives of College Girls” actor Reneé Rapp, TikTokers Connor Wood and Dylan Mulvaney, Marvel actor Xochitl Gomez, “Saved by the Bell” reboot star and recent Chapman grad Josie Totah, “Barbie” star Alexandra Shipp and veteran actor Dermot Mulroney...
- 8/11/2023
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
“Barry” star Anthony Carrigan is having a big day — just hours after he earned his third Emmy nomination for playing NoHo Hank, it was revealed that he’ll next play a superhero in DC’s “Superman: Legacy.”
Carrigan has been cast as the classic DC character Metamorpho, whose alter ego is the archeologist Rex Mason, joining an ensemble led by David Corenswet as the Man of Steel and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane.
“It’ll certainly be a bit of a jump,” Carrigan told Variety of morphing characters. “I’m excited just to shake things up. Noho Hank is such a specific character, and I’m excited to play someone completely different and surprise people with just being unrecognizable.”
Carrigan revealed that he “dove in as much as I could in the limited time that I did have” amidst the audition process for the character.
“I was able to find...
Carrigan has been cast as the classic DC character Metamorpho, whose alter ego is the archeologist Rex Mason, joining an ensemble led by David Corenswet as the Man of Steel and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane.
“It’ll certainly be a bit of a jump,” Carrigan told Variety of morphing characters. “I’m excited just to shake things up. Noho Hank is such a specific character, and I’m excited to play someone completely different and surprise people with just being unrecognizable.”
Carrigan revealed that he “dove in as much as I could in the limited time that I did have” amidst the audition process for the character.
“I was able to find...
- 7/12/2023
- by McKinley Franklin and Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Season 5 of Netflix’s historical drama “The Crown” covers Peter Morgan’s reimaginations of some of the most polarizing experiences endured by the royal family in the ‘90s. Elizabeth Debicki, who plays the beloved Princess Diana, tells Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast that she felt the “heaviness” and “weight” of playing the late icon.
“It’s a unique experience playing a character where this tragedy is looming,” says Debicki. “It’s a strange, heavy place to exist in.” On this episode of the podcast, “The Crown” star Elizabeth Debicki talks to Adam B. Vary about playing a tragic real-life figure like Princess Diana, including the research that went into the role, and how she captured the voice of the former Princess of Wales. But first, on the Awards Circuit Roundtable, we look at the race as Emmy phase 1 voting begins. What shows benefitted from the FYC campaigns? And so much more.
“It’s a unique experience playing a character where this tragedy is looming,” says Debicki. “It’s a strange, heavy place to exist in.” On this episode of the podcast, “The Crown” star Elizabeth Debicki talks to Adam B. Vary about playing a tragic real-life figure like Princess Diana, including the research that went into the role, and how she captured the voice of the former Princess of Wales. But first, on the Awards Circuit Roundtable, we look at the race as Emmy phase 1 voting begins. What shows benefitted from the FYC campaigns? And so much more.
- 6/15/2023
- by McKinley Franklin
- Variety Film + TV
Tenoch Huerta, best known for playing the villainous Namor in Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” is firing back against a sexual assault allegation made against him by musician María Elena Ríos. In a statement sent to Variety and published on his Instagram, Huerta called Ríos’ claims “false and completely unsubstantiated,” adding, “I cannot let it go unchallenged any longer.”
“About a year ago, I dated Elena for several months,” Huerta wrote. “It was entirely consensual at all times, as countless others can attest. And throughout it was a loving, warm and mutually supportive relationship. After it ended, however, Elena began to misrepresent our interactions both privately and in front of groups of mutual friends.
“As a result, a few months ago, I engaged a legal team to commence the appropriate actions to protect my reputation and refute these irresponsible and false accusations that can cause great prejudice and damage,...
“About a year ago, I dated Elena for several months,” Huerta wrote. “It was entirely consensual at all times, as countless others can attest. And throughout it was a loving, warm and mutually supportive relationship. After it ended, however, Elena began to misrepresent our interactions both privately and in front of groups of mutual friends.
“As a result, a few months ago, I engaged a legal team to commence the appropriate actions to protect my reputation and refute these irresponsible and false accusations that can cause great prejudice and damage,...
- 6/12/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Spoiler Alert: This post contains spoilers for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” now playing in theaters.
Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” was a huge undertaking for makeup head Alexei Dmitriew and hair department head Cassie Russek, who used over 22,500 prosthetics, 500 wigs and 130 facial hairpieces to create the movie’s galactic creatures. That number broke the world record for most prosthetics used in a film, previously held by “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
From Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock to villain The High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) to the new hybrid humanimals, the duo were tasked with creating original looks as the Guardians set out on their newest mission.
It took a village of 75 makeup artists on set to complete the looks — sometimes there would be 90. “We had two people per prosthetic so we could just keep the times down,” Dmitriew says. “On this, we used 22,542 prosthetics, 117 pairs of contact lenses,...
Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” was a huge undertaking for makeup head Alexei Dmitriew and hair department head Cassie Russek, who used over 22,500 prosthetics, 500 wigs and 130 facial hairpieces to create the movie’s galactic creatures. That number broke the world record for most prosthetics used in a film, previously held by “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
From Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock to villain The High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) to the new hybrid humanimals, the duo were tasked with creating original looks as the Guardians set out on their newest mission.
It took a village of 75 makeup artists on set to complete the looks — sometimes there would be 90. “We had two people per prosthetic so we could just keep the times down,” Dmitriew says. “On this, we used 22,542 prosthetics, 117 pairs of contact lenses,...
- 5/12/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Dave Filoni and James Mangold are set to direct two new “Star Wars” movies, Lucasfilm revealed on Friday.
The directors will helm two separate films in the franchise. Meanwhile, a third movie that centers on Daisy Ridley’s Rey will be directed by Emmy- and Oscar-winning helmer Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy made the shock announcement at the studio’s showcase during London’s Star Wars Celebration, where fans were expecting the announcement of a single film and were pleasantly surprised by a trifecta of projects.
Mangold’s movie will go back to the dawn of the Jedi, while Filoni’s project will focus on the New Republic, and “close out” the interconnected stories that are told in series including “The Mandalorian,” “The Book of Boba Fett,” “Ahsoka” and other Disney+ shows.
“It’s a chance to tell the entire story of its own, the birth of the force,...
The directors will helm two separate films in the franchise. Meanwhile, a third movie that centers on Daisy Ridley’s Rey will be directed by Emmy- and Oscar-winning helmer Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy made the shock announcement at the studio’s showcase during London’s Star Wars Celebration, where fans were expecting the announcement of a single film and were pleasantly surprised by a trifecta of projects.
Mangold’s movie will go back to the dawn of the Jedi, while Filoni’s project will focus on the New Republic, and “close out” the interconnected stories that are told in series including “The Mandalorian,” “The Book of Boba Fett,” “Ahsoka” and other Disney+ shows.
“It’s a chance to tell the entire story of its own, the birth of the force,...
- 4/7/2023
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
The crack of a bullwhip may soon echo around the Palais.
Fifteen years after opening the Cannes Film Festival, the world’s most famous archeologist is expected to return to the Croisette, and follow in the footsteps of 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick” as this edition’s splashy Hollywood blockbuster premiere.
The festival has invited Disney’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and it certainly boasts all the right ingredients to make for a glamorous and memorable moment.
Executive produced by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, this installment will reportedly be Harrison Ford’s last time playing the titular character. Ford stars opposite an attractive international cast, including Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen, among others. James Mangold, the director of “Logan” and “Ford vs. Ferrari,” slides behind the camera on this one. Details of the film’s plot are being kept under wraps that are tighter than those of a mummy,...
Fifteen years after opening the Cannes Film Festival, the world’s most famous archeologist is expected to return to the Croisette, and follow in the footsteps of 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick” as this edition’s splashy Hollywood blockbuster premiere.
The festival has invited Disney’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and it certainly boasts all the right ingredients to make for a glamorous and memorable moment.
Executive produced by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, this installment will reportedly be Harrison Ford’s last time playing the titular character. Ford stars opposite an attractive international cast, including Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen, among others. James Mangold, the director of “Logan” and “Ford vs. Ferrari,” slides behind the camera on this one. Details of the film’s plot are being kept under wraps that are tighter than those of a mummy,...
- 3/27/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
HBO Max will host its own coffeehouse at SXSW this year, featuring events centered around the streamer’s popular titles like “The Last of Us” and “The White Lotus.”
The two-day activation is presented by HBO Max’s Human by Orientation and Pa’lante initiatives, which are designed to “elevate and celebrate the Lgbtqia+ and Latinx communities,” according to a press release. The coffeehouse will be open to the public on March 11 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on March 12 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The coffeehouse will host both invite-only and public events, including a HBO documentary filmmaker roundtable, “The Last of Us” fireside chat with Gabriel Luna and Variety‘s Selome Hailu, an acoustic performance by Ambar Lucid, a queer cocktail party and “The White Lotus” discussion with writer Evan Ross Katz and Variety‘s Adam B. Vary.
“We are excited to bring the HBO Max Coffeehouse to SXSW this year,...
The two-day activation is presented by HBO Max’s Human by Orientation and Pa’lante initiatives, which are designed to “elevate and celebrate the Lgbtqia+ and Latinx communities,” according to a press release. The coffeehouse will be open to the public on March 11 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on March 12 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The coffeehouse will host both invite-only and public events, including a HBO documentary filmmaker roundtable, “The Last of Us” fireside chat with Gabriel Luna and Variety‘s Selome Hailu, an acoustic performance by Ambar Lucid, a queer cocktail party and “The White Lotus” discussion with writer Evan Ross Katz and Variety‘s Adam B. Vary.
“We are excited to bring the HBO Max Coffeehouse to SXSW this year,...
- 3/3/2023
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Warner Bros. Pictures is revamping the “Lord of the Rings” film franchise.
On a Thursday earnings call, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav announced that newly-installed studio leaders Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy have brokered a deal to make “multiple” films based on the beloved J. R. R. Tolkien books. The projects will be developed through WB label New Line Cinema. The first “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, helmed by Peter Jackson, grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide; Jackson’s follow-up trilogy based on Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” matched those grosses.
No filmmakers have been attached to the projects as yet, but in a statement to Variety, Jackson and his main “Lord of the Rings” collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens said Warner Bros. and Embracer “have kept us in the loop every step of the way.”
“We look forward to speaking with them further to hear their vision for the franchise moving forward,...
On a Thursday earnings call, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav announced that newly-installed studio leaders Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy have brokered a deal to make “multiple” films based on the beloved J. R. R. Tolkien books. The projects will be developed through WB label New Line Cinema. The first “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, helmed by Peter Jackson, grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide; Jackson’s follow-up trilogy based on Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” matched those grosses.
No filmmakers have been attached to the projects as yet, but in a statement to Variety, Jackson and his main “Lord of the Rings” collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens said Warner Bros. and Embracer “have kept us in the loop every step of the way.”
“We look forward to speaking with them further to hear their vision for the franchise moving forward,...
- 2/23/2023
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Elizabeth Banks isn’t one to shy from action: the very title of her next project, Cocaine Bear, cements that. But sometimes, as she plainly admits, it’s the action that shies from her. In a new conversation with Variety’s Adam B. Vary, Banks reveals that the last project she was really excited about the possibility of…...
- 2/8/2023
- by Hattie Lindert
- avclub.com
Plans have begun to formulate for James Gunn and Peter Safran’s slate of DC Studios films, with filmmaker James Mangold in early talks to take on “Swamp Thing.”
Sources tell Variety that Mangold is a longtime fan of the DC Comics supernatural hero and approached Gunn and Safran with his idea for the forthcoming project.
Of course, Mangold is a comic book veteran after writing, directing and executive producing the R-rated superhero movie “Logan,” the third “Wolverine” film starring Hugh Jackman, which is regarded as the pinnacle of the “X-Men” movie franchise. However, the filmmaker has a particularly busy dance card, with “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” set to hit theaters in May and Searchlight’s Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” starring Timothée Chalamet, up next.
News of Mangold’s interest in “Swamp Thing” comes just 24 hours after Gunn and Safran announced the first 10 film and...
Sources tell Variety that Mangold is a longtime fan of the DC Comics supernatural hero and approached Gunn and Safran with his idea for the forthcoming project.
Of course, Mangold is a comic book veteran after writing, directing and executive producing the R-rated superhero movie “Logan,” the third “Wolverine” film starring Hugh Jackman, which is regarded as the pinnacle of the “X-Men” movie franchise. However, the filmmaker has a particularly busy dance card, with “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” set to hit theaters in May and Searchlight’s Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” starring Timothée Chalamet, up next.
News of Mangold’s interest in “Swamp Thing” comes just 24 hours after Gunn and Safran announced the first 10 film and...
- 2/1/2023
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Warner Bros. faced controversy in summer 2022 when it axed a “Batgirl” feature film despite it being nearly finished. But Peter Safran, the new co-chairperson and CEO of DC Studios alongside James Gunn, said it was the right decision at a press event on the Warner Bros. lot on Jan. 30.
“Batgirl’s a character that inevitably we will include in our story,” he said. “On the Batgirl front, it’s not about late in the process of the film getting canceled. I saw the movie, and there are a lot of incredibly talented people in front of and behind the camera on that film. But that film was not releasable, and it happens sometimes. That film was not releasable. I actually think that [president and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery David] Zaslav and the team made a very bold and courageous decision to cancel it because it would have hurt DC. It would have hurt those people involved.
“Batgirl’s a character that inevitably we will include in our story,” he said. “On the Batgirl front, it’s not about late in the process of the film getting canceled. I saw the movie, and there are a lot of incredibly talented people in front of and behind the camera on that film. But that film was not releasable, and it happens sometimes. That film was not releasable. I actually think that [president and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery David] Zaslav and the team made a very bold and courageous decision to cancel it because it would have hurt DC. It would have hurt those people involved.
- 1/31/2023
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” star Letitia Wright spoke to Variety during the Official Digital Pre-Show at the Golden Globes and discussed the anticipated third chapter of the “Black Panther” saga.
Wright spoke with Variety chief correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister, who asked, “When are we going to get ‘Black Panther 3’ greenlit?”
“I think it’s already in the works,” Wright replied. “You know, we just had a terrific two years of bringing it out and everybody coming together to support it. We need a little bit of a break, we need to regroup and [director] Ryan [Coogler] needs to get back into the lab, so it’s going to take a little while, but we’re really excited for you guys to see that.”
When pressed for more, Wright said, “I always try to do positive words and positive thinking, and I believe that good words manifest, so I’m manifesting a ‘Black Panther 3,’ why not?...
Wright spoke with Variety chief correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister, who asked, “When are we going to get ‘Black Panther 3’ greenlit?”
“I think it’s already in the works,” Wright replied. “You know, we just had a terrific two years of bringing it out and everybody coming together to support it. We need a little bit of a break, we need to regroup and [director] Ryan [Coogler] needs to get back into the lab, so it’s going to take a little while, but we’re really excited for you guys to see that.”
When pressed for more, Wright said, “I always try to do positive words and positive thinking, and I believe that good words manifest, so I’m manifesting a ‘Black Panther 3,’ why not?...
- 1/11/2023
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Bob Iger officially returned to his post as CEO of the Walt Disney Company on Monday — sealing it with a tweet and addressing a rapt audience of employees at a company-wide meeting.
“Filled with gratitude and excitement to be back,” Iger wrote on his personal Twitter account, attaching a photo of the studio lot’s Disney Legends Plaza, a building on which the seven dwarves from “Snow White” serve as pillars.
It’s been just over a week since Disney’s board of directors shocked Hollywood and global markets with news that Iger would replace Bob Chapek as chief executive. Iger’s first town hall before in-person and virtual employees saw him touch on several hot topics: a planned hiring freeze implemented by Chapek following Disney’s recent lackluster quarterly earnings report, the profitability of Disney’s streaming portfolio and the corporate giant’s stance on LGBTQ+ inclusion.
The latter...
“Filled with gratitude and excitement to be back,” Iger wrote on his personal Twitter account, attaching a photo of the studio lot’s Disney Legends Plaza, a building on which the seven dwarves from “Snow White” serve as pillars.
It’s been just over a week since Disney’s board of directors shocked Hollywood and global markets with news that Iger would replace Bob Chapek as chief executive. Iger’s first town hall before in-person and virtual employees saw him touch on several hot topics: a planned hiring freeze implemented by Chapek following Disney’s recent lackluster quarterly earnings report, the profitability of Disney’s streaming portfolio and the corporate giant’s stance on LGBTQ+ inclusion.
The latter...
- 11/28/2022
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Tom Cruise revived movie theaters with the blockbuster hit “Top Gun: Maverick,” Taylor Swift broke the internet (and Ticketmaster) with her “Midnights” album and “Eras” tour and Michelle Yeoh proved that Marvel wasn’t the only one with a multiverse up its sleeve with “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Here is what the Variety staff is thankful for in entertainment in 2022.
In a year when fabulous genre storytelling in general was everywhere on TV — “Stranger Things,” “Ms. Marvel,” “The Sandman,” “The Rings of Power,” “House of the Dragon” — I have been thankful for three sci-fi shows that have dazzled me the most. Apple TV+’s “Severance” vivisects office life through the prism of a paranoid thriller; Paramount+’s “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” captures the old magic of “Star Trek” while feeling thrilling new; and Disney+’s “Andor” transforms “Star Wars” into a platform for some of the most trenchant...
In a year when fabulous genre storytelling in general was everywhere on TV — “Stranger Things,” “Ms. Marvel,” “The Sandman,” “The Rings of Power,” “House of the Dragon” — I have been thankful for three sci-fi shows that have dazzled me the most. Apple TV+’s “Severance” vivisects office life through the prism of a paranoid thriller; Paramount+’s “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” captures the old magic of “Star Trek” while feeling thrilling new; and Disney+’s “Andor” transforms “Star Wars” into a platform for some of the most trenchant...
- 11/24/2022
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
A brief furor erupted during Kevin Spacey’s sexual misconduct trial on Wednesday after Anthony Rapp suggested on the witness stand that the Oscar-winning star had made unwanted overtures to several people.
“I came forward because I knew I wasn’t the only person that Kevin Spacey made advances to,” Rapp said, a comment which immediately drew objections from Spacey’s lawyers.
Judge Lewis A. Kaplan sustained the objection and moved to strike Rapp’s comments from the record, but the drama continued as attorneys were seen huddling at the side of the courtroom.
Rapp, who alleges that Spacey lifted him on to his bed and got on top of him in a sexually suggestive manner in 1986 when Rapp was 14 years old, is suing the actor for 40 million in damages. Spacey’s lawyers have noted inconsistencies in Rapp’s testimony, including his description of the actor’s studio apartment and...
“I came forward because I knew I wasn’t the only person that Kevin Spacey made advances to,” Rapp said, a comment which immediately drew objections from Spacey’s lawyers.
Judge Lewis A. Kaplan sustained the objection and moved to strike Rapp’s comments from the record, but the drama continued as attorneys were seen huddling at the side of the courtroom.
Rapp, who alleges that Spacey lifted him on to his bed and got on top of him in a sexually suggestive manner in 1986 when Rapp was 14 years old, is suing the actor for 40 million in damages. Spacey’s lawyers have noted inconsistencies in Rapp’s testimony, including his description of the actor’s studio apartment and...
- 10/12/2022
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Anthony Rapp said watching Kevin Spacey play a suburban dad obsessed with a teenage cheerleader in “American Beauty” was a disturbing reminder of his own traumatic experience with the Oscar-winning actor. The two men are locked in a courtroom battle over Rapp’s 40 million civil lawsuit, in which he alleges that Spacey made unwanted sexual advances when Rapp was 14 years old and Spacey was 26.
Watching Spacey as Lester Burnham ogling his high school age daughter’s best friend was “unpleasantly familiar,” Rapp said while taking the stand in New York City on Tuesday. “American Beauty” was the last film of Spacey’s that he watched. Rapp says his alleged encounter with Spacey took place in 1986, but he continued watching the actor’s films because “they were by and large very acclaimed” and he “felt it was my duty to do so.”
Their paths crossed in other professional contexts. In 1993, the...
Watching Spacey as Lester Burnham ogling his high school age daughter’s best friend was “unpleasantly familiar,” Rapp said while taking the stand in New York City on Tuesday. “American Beauty” was the last film of Spacey’s that he watched. Rapp says his alleged encounter with Spacey took place in 1986, but he continued watching the actor’s films because “they were by and large very acclaimed” and he “felt it was my duty to do so.”
Their paths crossed in other professional contexts. In 1993, the...
- 10/11/2022
- by Brent Lang and Antonio Ferme
- Variety Film + TV
Constance Wu has come forward with allegations that she was sexually harassed by a senior member of the “Fresh Off the Boat” production team.
According to the New York Times, Wu opens up about the experience in her upcoming memoir, “Making a Scene.” Though she only mentions the producer by an initial, Wu alleges that during the show’s first season in 2015, the man exhibited controlling behaviors and harassed her.
“‘Fresh Off the Boat’ was my first-ever TV show,” Wu told the Times. “I was thrown into this world. I don’t have parents in the industry. And because I was 30, people thought I knew what I was doing. It made me paranoid and embarrassed.”
According to a galley copy of the book sent to Variety, Wu alleges the producer told her to send him selfies and to run all her business decisions by him before making them. She also...
According to the New York Times, Wu opens up about the experience in her upcoming memoir, “Making a Scene.” Though she only mentions the producer by an initial, Wu alleges that during the show’s first season in 2015, the man exhibited controlling behaviors and harassed her.
“‘Fresh Off the Boat’ was my first-ever TV show,” Wu told the Times. “I was thrown into this world. I don’t have parents in the industry. And because I was 30, people thought I knew what I was doing. It made me paranoid and embarrassed.”
According to a galley copy of the book sent to Variety, Wu alleges the producer told her to send him selfies and to run all her business decisions by him before making them. She also...
- 9/23/2022
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Another chapter in the “Cloverfield” universe is coming.
“Wounds” director Babak Anvari has been tapped to helm the newest installment of the hit horror series. J.J. Abrams is producing from Bad Robot, along with Hannah Minghella and Jon Cohen. Bryan Burk, Matt Reeves and Drew Goddard will executive produce. Joe Barton, who penned the 2017 cult horror hit “The Ritual,” is set to write the script.
This next installment is currently in development at Paramount Pictures and will be the fourth chapter in the experimental sci-fi series. The first film, 2008’s “Cloverfield,” was a found footage alien invasion movie that became a sleeper hit. The second chapter, 2016’s “10 Cloverfield Lane,” modified an existing script to fit within the “Cloverfield” universe and became a commercial and critical hit, anchored by strong performances from Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Goodman. The third installment, 2018’s space thriller “The Cloverfield Paradox,” was widely panned...
“Wounds” director Babak Anvari has been tapped to helm the newest installment of the hit horror series. J.J. Abrams is producing from Bad Robot, along with Hannah Minghella and Jon Cohen. Bryan Burk, Matt Reeves and Drew Goddard will executive produce. Joe Barton, who penned the 2017 cult horror hit “The Ritual,” is set to write the script.
This next installment is currently in development at Paramount Pictures and will be the fourth chapter in the experimental sci-fi series. The first film, 2008’s “Cloverfield,” was a found footage alien invasion movie that became a sleeper hit. The second chapter, 2016’s “10 Cloverfield Lane,” modified an existing script to fit within the “Cloverfield” universe and became a commercial and critical hit, anchored by strong performances from Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Goodman. The third installment, 2018’s space thriller “The Cloverfield Paradox,” was widely panned...
- 9/23/2022
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Disney has removed “Rogue Squadron,” the “Star Wars” film from director Patty Jenkins, from its release calendar. The move comes as little surprise since the tentpole, which was scheduled for Dec. 22, 2023, was taken off the studio’s production schedule in 2021.
The announcement is more-or-less pro forma, as the window for “Rogue Squadron” to start filming in time to complete the movie by next December has very nearly closed. The next big-screen story in the space opera saga had already been delayed in November 2021, reportedly due to scheduling conflicts with Jenkins.
As part of the scheduling change, Disney set release dates for several movies, including its “Snow White” remake, starring Rachel Zegler; “Inside Out 2,” a follow-up to the emotional Pixar picture; and “The Lion King” sequel “Mufasa,” from director Barry Jenkins.
The studio also planted flags for Searchlight’s “Next Goal Wins,” an inspirational sports comedy from Taika Waititi; Disney Animation’s “Wish,...
The announcement is more-or-less pro forma, as the window for “Rogue Squadron” to start filming in time to complete the movie by next December has very nearly closed. The next big-screen story in the space opera saga had already been delayed in November 2021, reportedly due to scheduling conflicts with Jenkins.
As part of the scheduling change, Disney set release dates for several movies, including its “Snow White” remake, starring Rachel Zegler; “Inside Out 2,” a follow-up to the emotional Pixar picture; and “The Lion King” sequel “Mufasa,” from director Barry Jenkins.
The studio also planted flags for Searchlight’s “Next Goal Wins,” an inspirational sports comedy from Taika Waititi; Disney Animation’s “Wish,...
- 9/15/2022
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
It was hard not to feel a pang of frustration while scanning through the supporting and guest acting categories for this year’s Emmy nominations. As has become an increasingly alarming trend, they saw fit to reward actors from a precious few series while leaving so many fantastic other possibilities in the dust. With so many of television’s very best performances unfolding in supporting roles, and at a time when there’s more TV than ever, it remains a curious shame how few shows tend to dominate the Emmys come nomination morning.
Just like last year, “Succession” and “Ted Lasso” made their presences known. As my colleague Adam B. Vary calculated out of sheer nerdy curiosity (his words), “Ted Lasso” cast members comprise a quarter of the total comedy acting nominees, while a full 35(!) of the drama nominees belong to “Succession.” Between “Ted Lasso” and “Hacks” alone, in fact,...
Just like last year, “Succession” and “Ted Lasso” made their presences known. As my colleague Adam B. Vary calculated out of sheer nerdy curiosity (his words), “Ted Lasso” cast members comprise a quarter of the total comedy acting nominees, while a full 35(!) of the drama nominees belong to “Succession.” Between “Ted Lasso” and “Hacks” alone, in fact,...
- 7/12/2022
- by Caroline Framke
- Variety Film + TV
Mandy Moore let her disappointment known on social media about the shocking Emmy nominations snubs for the final season of her beloved NBC series, “This Is Us.” Moore earned some of the best reviews of her career for her performance in the final season, most notably in the series’ penultimate episode. Moore was viewed as a contender for actress in a drama series but didn’t make the cut.
“Do I wish our show was recognized in what I think was it’s finest hour? Sure,” Moore wrote on her Instagram story. “And Dan Fogelman’s brilliant writing for 6 seasons (hello The Train)? Ken Olin’s impeccable direction? Our insanely, wildly talented cast and crew? Yah…. But nothing can take away what our show meant to So Many (us included). That’s an incredible legacy to be a part of. I will be grateful forever.”
The beloved series only received one nomination at the 2022 Emmys,...
“Do I wish our show was recognized in what I think was it’s finest hour? Sure,” Moore wrote on her Instagram story. “And Dan Fogelman’s brilliant writing for 6 seasons (hello The Train)? Ken Olin’s impeccable direction? Our insanely, wildly talented cast and crew? Yah…. But nothing can take away what our show meant to So Many (us included). That’s an incredible legacy to be a part of. I will be grateful forever.”
The beloved series only received one nomination at the 2022 Emmys,...
- 7/12/2022
- by Carson Burton
- Variety Film + TV
The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Four has included box office blockbusters like the billion-dollar-grossing “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (942 million worldwide and counting), plus the MCU’s first foray into television with hits like “WandaVision” and “Loki.” But what Phase Four has lacked for a majority of MCU fans is a sense of narrative drive and cohesion. As Variety‘s Adam B. Vary wrote last month, “Instead of the incremental escalation of the Infinity Saga, there is no sense yet of where Phase Four is heading — if, indeed, it is heading in any single direction.”
As of now, the MCU has a handful of dangling cliffhangers that don’t appear to have any connection to one another and that don’t appear to be building toward a franchise-uniting endgame: There’s Doctor Strange teaming up with Clea to fix an incursion in the multiverse,...
As of now, the MCU has a handful of dangling cliffhangers that don’t appear to have any connection to one another and that don’t appear to be building toward a franchise-uniting endgame: There’s Doctor Strange teaming up with Clea to fix an incursion in the multiverse,...
- 6/20/2022
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Zack Snyder’s zombie action movie “Army of the Dead” won the fan-favorite Oscar, a brand new category, during Sunday night’s award show. Snyder also took home the new “Oscars Cheer Moment” award for “Zack Snyder’s Justice League.”
The Academy introduced the award as a way to honor more mainstream, popular movies and box-office hits that Academy members may have overlooked — and to attract more viewers and boost the slumping Oscars ratings. From Feb. 14 through March 3, Twitter users voted for their favorite film of 2021, even if it didn’t receive a single Oscar nomination.
In fifth place was “Tick, Tick … Boom,” followed by “Spider-Man: No Way Home” in fourth, Johnny Depp’s “Minamata” in third and “Cinderella” starring Camila Cabello in second place.
In late February, the Academy revealed the top 10 films in the running for the fan-favorite award. The other films in the running were James Wan’s horror “Malignant,...
The Academy introduced the award as a way to honor more mainstream, popular movies and box-office hits that Academy members may have overlooked — and to attract more viewers and boost the slumping Oscars ratings. From Feb. 14 through March 3, Twitter users voted for their favorite film of 2021, even if it didn’t receive a single Oscar nomination.
In fifth place was “Tick, Tick … Boom,” followed by “Spider-Man: No Way Home” in fourth, Johnny Depp’s “Minamata” in third and “Cinderella” starring Camila Cabello in second place.
In late February, the Academy revealed the top 10 films in the running for the fan-favorite award. The other films in the running were James Wan’s horror “Malignant,...
- 3/28/2022
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
“The Batman” broke the internet this week by releasing a deleted scene featuring Robert Pattinson’s Batman and Barry Keoghan’s Joker. Although Keoghan’s Joker had a brief appearance in “The Batman” theatrical release, it wasn’t until the five-minute deleted scene that fans got an extended look at this new iteration of the character. This Joker is missing most of his hair, has bloody nails and appears with facial scarring that’s far different than previous on-screen Jokers.
In an interview with Variety‘s Adam B. Vary earlier this month, “The Batman” director Matt Reeves broke down the comic book tentpole’s ending and the ambiguous Joker cameo. Reeves said at the time it was intentional for Keoghan’s Joker to break with tradition when it came to the villain’s physical appearance. This Joker did not fall into a vat of chemicals (see Jack Nicholson in Tim Burton...
In an interview with Variety‘s Adam B. Vary earlier this month, “The Batman” director Matt Reeves broke down the comic book tentpole’s ending and the ambiguous Joker cameo. Reeves said at the time it was intentional for Keoghan’s Joker to break with tradition when it came to the villain’s physical appearance. This Joker did not fall into a vat of chemicals (see Jack Nicholson in Tim Burton...
- 3/25/2022
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
The Disney employee walkouts inspired by their inaction to Florida's abhorrent Hb 1557 "Don't Say Gay" bill is well underway, with many people in the entertainment industry acting in solidarity by performing their own walkouts, or refusing to watch, stream, or promote anything owned by the House of Mouse. With the new "Moon Knight" series on Disney+ set to debut in just over a week, the series star Oscar Isaac is deep in the contractually obligated press and promotional cycle. Disney held a press junket today for "Moon Knight" where a brave soul (Adam B. Vary at Variety) asked Isaac...
The post Oscar Isaac, Rad Dude, Has Words About Disney's Response to 'Don't Say Gay' Bill appeared first on /Film.
The post Oscar Isaac, Rad Dude, Has Words About Disney's Response to 'Don't Say Gay' Bill appeared first on /Film.
- 3/23/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
CAA has signed Krystin Ver Linden, writer and director of the Sundance Film Festival selection “Alice,” for representation.
The dramatic thriller marks Ver Linden’s feature film debut. Prior to its festival launch, Roadside Attractions and Vertical Entertainment nabbed U.S. rights to the picture, starring Keke Palmer, Common and Johnny Lee Miller, in a deal made by CAA Media Finance. “Alice” will be released in theaters on Friday, March 18.
Palmer plays the titular “Alice,” an enslaved woman who escapes her plantation and finds herself in 1973 Georgia. When the filmmaker and star joined Variety‘s senior entertainment writer Adam B. Vary for the Variety Virtual Sundance Studio, alongside producer Peter Lawson, they unpacked the movie’s complex themes.
Despite the fact that she was the filmmaker’s first choice for the part, Palmer was initially hesitant to sign on due to the sensitive subject matter.
“But when I read it,...
The dramatic thriller marks Ver Linden’s feature film debut. Prior to its festival launch, Roadside Attractions and Vertical Entertainment nabbed U.S. rights to the picture, starring Keke Palmer, Common and Johnny Lee Miller, in a deal made by CAA Media Finance. “Alice” will be released in theaters on Friday, March 18.
Palmer plays the titular “Alice,” an enslaved woman who escapes her plantation and finds herself in 1973 Georgia. When the filmmaker and star joined Variety‘s senior entertainment writer Adam B. Vary for the Variety Virtual Sundance Studio, alongside producer Peter Lawson, they unpacked the movie’s complex themes.
Despite the fact that she was the filmmaker’s first choice for the part, Palmer was initially hesitant to sign on due to the sensitive subject matter.
“But when I read it,...
- 3/16/2022
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Spoiler Alert: Do not read if you have not yet watched “The Batman.”
Although Barry Keoghan is an established character actor who has put in memorable performances in several high-profile movies, such as “Dunkirk,” “Eternals” and “The Green Knight,” it’s his brief cameo at the very end of “The Batman” that could elevate him into a household name. Palling around in Arkham Asylum with The Riddler (Paul Dano), the pair have a behind-bars gab session about their criminal ideologies, which includes Keoghan’s character mentioning the word “clown” and giving a very sinister laugh. It doesn’t take the World’s Greatest Detective to figure out that this figure — although only visible in profile and referred to in the credits as “Unseen Arkham Prisoner” — will return to haunt Batman as another incarnation of the Joker.
Outside of being Batman’s most iconic foe, the role has attracted Hollywood royalty,...
Although Barry Keoghan is an established character actor who has put in memorable performances in several high-profile movies, such as “Dunkirk,” “Eternals” and “The Green Knight,” it’s his brief cameo at the very end of “The Batman” that could elevate him into a household name. Palling around in Arkham Asylum with The Riddler (Paul Dano), the pair have a behind-bars gab session about their criminal ideologies, which includes Keoghan’s character mentioning the word “clown” and giving a very sinister laugh. It doesn’t take the World’s Greatest Detective to figure out that this figure — although only visible in profile and referred to in the credits as “Unseen Arkham Prisoner” — will return to haunt Batman as another incarnation of the Joker.
Outside of being Batman’s most iconic foe, the role has attracted Hollywood royalty,...
- 3/5/2022
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix’s Marvel comic book series “Daredevil,” “Jessica Jones,” “Luke Cage,” “Iron Fist,” “The Punisher” and “The Defenders” are all leaving the platform for good at the end of February, Variety confirms. The rights to these series are reverting back to Disney, but the studio has not yet announced plans for where “Daredevil” and company will go. Streaming platforms such as Disney Plus and Hulu are possibilities. Disney had no comment when asked by Variety.
Marvel fans discovered a Netflix disclaimer on these series this week that read, “Last day to watch on Netflix: February 28,” prompting questions about what streaming platform they’ll go to next. While all of Netflix’s Marvel series were branded as “Netflix Originals” to consumers, the shows were licensed out to the streaming giant from Disney. Netflix’s licensing deal for the series has ended.
Netflix’s run of Marvel originals got its start with...
Marvel fans discovered a Netflix disclaimer on these series this week that read, “Last day to watch on Netflix: February 28,” prompting questions about what streaming platform they’ll go to next. While all of Netflix’s Marvel series were branded as “Netflix Originals” to consumers, the shows were licensed out to the streaming giant from Disney. Netflix’s licensing deal for the series has ended.
Netflix’s run of Marvel originals got its start with...
- 2/11/2022
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
The Los Angeles premiere of Sony’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home” has officially wrapped and the first reactions to the MCU’s latest entry are out in the wild. Official reviews and social media responses are beginning to pour in, with many offering euphoric praise for the multiverse mash-up featuring Tom Holland’s friendly neighborhood superhero.
Director Jon Watts returns for “No Way Home” after directing previous “Spider-Man” entries “Homecoming” and “Far From Home.” The newest installment picks up after Spider-Man’s identity as Peter Parker has been revealed to the world. Peter turns to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), who casts a spell to make the world forget that he’s the web-slinger, but the enchantment goes awry and breaks open the multiverse. The MCU is invaded by “Spider-Man” villains from alternate realities, including Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx) and the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe). Zendaya, Jacob Batalon,...
Director Jon Watts returns for “No Way Home” after directing previous “Spider-Man” entries “Homecoming” and “Far From Home.” The newest installment picks up after Spider-Man’s identity as Peter Parker has been revealed to the world. Peter turns to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), who casts a spell to make the world forget that he’s the web-slinger, but the enchantment goes awry and breaks open the multiverse. The MCU is invaded by “Spider-Man” villains from alternate realities, including Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx) and the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe). Zendaya, Jacob Batalon,...
- 12/14/2021
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
As Variety reported in August when a deal was close, Amazon has licensed “Hotel Transylvania: Transformania” from Sony Pictures Animation. The fourth (and final) installment in the blockbuster franchise will stream globally — excluding China — on Prime Video on Jan. 14, 2022. The first “Hotel Transylvania” movie was released in 2012, and the series has grossed more than $1.3 billion worldwide.
Amazon similarly licensed “Cinderella” from Sony last spring, and the Kay Cannon-directed musical premiered on Prime Video in September.
“Transformania” is directed by Derek Drymon and Jennifer Kluska from a script by Amos Vernon, Nunzio Randazzo and franchise creator/executive producer Genndy Tartakovsky. Brian Hull and Brad Abrell have replaced original stars Adam Sandler and Kevin James as Dracula and Frankenstein, respectively. The rest of the cast has returned, including Selena Gomez as Mavis, Andy Samberg as Johnny, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, Kathryn Hahn, Jim Gaffigan, Molly Shannon, Keegan-Michael Key and Fran Drescher.
Amazon similarly licensed “Cinderella” from Sony last spring, and the Kay Cannon-directed musical premiered on Prime Video in September.
“Transformania” is directed by Derek Drymon and Jennifer Kluska from a script by Amos Vernon, Nunzio Randazzo and franchise creator/executive producer Genndy Tartakovsky. Brian Hull and Brad Abrell have replaced original stars Adam Sandler and Kevin James as Dracula and Frankenstein, respectively. The rest of the cast has returned, including Selena Gomez as Mavis, Andy Samberg as Johnny, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, Kathryn Hahn, Jim Gaffigan, Molly Shannon, Keegan-Michael Key and Fran Drescher.
- 10/6/2021
- by Kate Aurthur
- Variety Film + TV
Start your engines.
Hollywood players are falling over themselves in the hopes of landing a new movie package featuring the “Ocean’s 11” team of George Clooney and Brad Pitt, who will reunite under the watchful eye of “Spider-Man: Homecoming” director Jon Watts. According to the Hollywood Reporter, which broke the news, the package has drawn interest from a cavalcade of would-be buyers including Lionsgate, Apple, Sony, Netflix, Universal, Amazon, Annapurna and Warner Bros. Phew.
It’s not hard to see why everyone is breaking out their checkbooks — two A-listers + hot director = box office winner/streaming standout. The deal calls for Watts to write, direct and produce the film with Clooney and Pitt sliding into the lead roles. Their production labels, Clooney’s Smokehouse Pictures and Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment, will produce the picture.
Plot details, scant as they are, are being guarded like the Hope Diamond. Here’s what we do know.
Hollywood players are falling over themselves in the hopes of landing a new movie package featuring the “Ocean’s 11” team of George Clooney and Brad Pitt, who will reunite under the watchful eye of “Spider-Man: Homecoming” director Jon Watts. According to the Hollywood Reporter, which broke the news, the package has drawn interest from a cavalcade of would-be buyers including Lionsgate, Apple, Sony, Netflix, Universal, Amazon, Annapurna and Warner Bros. Phew.
It’s not hard to see why everyone is breaking out their checkbooks — two A-listers + hot director = box office winner/streaming standout. The deal calls for Watts to write, direct and produce the film with Clooney and Pitt sliding into the lead roles. Their production labels, Clooney’s Smokehouse Pictures and Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment, will produce the picture.
Plot details, scant as they are, are being guarded like the Hope Diamond. Here’s what we do know.
- 9/24/2021
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Marvel Studios is searching for a Latino actor to lead an untitled Halloween special for Disney Plus, Variety has confirmed.
The special could be based on “Werewolf by Night,” which would denote two separate characters in the Marvel comic book universe. The first, Jack Russell, debuted in the comic “Marvel Spotlight #2” in February 1972. Russell has a family history of lycanthropy — or the supernatural transformation of a human into a wolf — but uses his power for good, and is able to remain aware of his transformations.
The second character, Jake Gomez, was introduced into the Marvel universe last year in the comic “Werewolf by Night (Vol. 3) #1.” Created by Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas, Scot Eaton and Benjamin Jackendoff, Gomez is described to be a descendant of the Native American tribe Hopi who has been cursed with lycanthropy, also through his lineage.
Though it is unconfirmed if the character will be based on “Werewolf by Night,...
The special could be based on “Werewolf by Night,” which would denote two separate characters in the Marvel comic book universe. The first, Jack Russell, debuted in the comic “Marvel Spotlight #2” in February 1972. Russell has a family history of lycanthropy — or the supernatural transformation of a human into a wolf — but uses his power for good, and is able to remain aware of his transformations.
The second character, Jake Gomez, was introduced into the Marvel universe last year in the comic “Werewolf by Night (Vol. 3) #1.” Created by Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas, Scot Eaton and Benjamin Jackendoff, Gomez is described to be a descendant of the Native American tribe Hopi who has been cursed with lycanthropy, also through his lineage.
Though it is unconfirmed if the character will be based on “Werewolf by Night,...
- 8/28/2021
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Variety has been nominated for 62 Southern California Journalism Awards, including two for entertainment journalist of the year, one for print journalist of the year, traditional news website, and in-house or corporate publication.
The awards, given out by the Los Angeles Press Club, honor outstanding journalism in the region across print, digital, radio and broadcast platforms.
Features editor Chris Willman and chief film critic Owen Gleiberman are both up for entertainment journalist of the year, and senior TV editor Brian Steinberg is up for print journalist of the year. Willman leads all Variety staffers with eight total nominations, followed by Gleiberman and Steinberg with five apiece.
Variety‘s “Hitmakers” issue featuring Harry Styles and “The Great Depression” issue, about the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on Hollywood, are both nominated for best single issue. “An Earth-Shattering Year,” reflecting on the industry-shaking events of 2020, is up for best in-house or corporate publication.
The awards, given out by the Los Angeles Press Club, honor outstanding journalism in the region across print, digital, radio and broadcast platforms.
Features editor Chris Willman and chief film critic Owen Gleiberman are both up for entertainment journalist of the year, and senior TV editor Brian Steinberg is up for print journalist of the year. Willman leads all Variety staffers with eight total nominations, followed by Gleiberman and Steinberg with five apiece.
Variety‘s “Hitmakers” issue featuring Harry Styles and “The Great Depression” issue, about the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on Hollywood, are both nominated for best single issue. “An Earth-Shattering Year,” reflecting on the industry-shaking events of 2020, is up for best in-house or corporate publication.
- 8/11/2021
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
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