Throughout the more than 20 years of NCIS, there have been many heartbreaking departures. Sometimes it was the characters who reached their full potential on the show and needed to move on from NCIS, and other times it was the actors who wanted to pursue other opportunities.
In the case of Maria Bello, who portrayed forensic psychologist Jacqueline Sloane, it was the actress' own decision not to renew her contract. And that decision allowed her to move on to even bigger and better things.
Why Did Maria Bello Leave NCIS?
Although the actress' time on the show was short compared to the show's 21-season run, her character Jacqueline Sloane, also known as Jack, was a fan favorite in her state and is still missed by many viewers. Fortunately, there was no bad blood behind the actress' departure. She ended her NCIS journey when her contract expired.
Since her departure in 2021, the...
In the case of Maria Bello, who portrayed forensic psychologist Jacqueline Sloane, it was the actress' own decision not to renew her contract. And that decision allowed her to move on to even bigger and better things.
Why Did Maria Bello Leave NCIS?
Although the actress' time on the show was short compared to the show's 21-season run, her character Jacqueline Sloane, also known as Jack, was a fan favorite in her state and is still missed by many viewers. Fortunately, there was no bad blood behind the actress' departure. She ended her NCIS journey when her contract expired.
Since her departure in 2021, the...
- 6/8/2024
- by virginia-singh@startefacts.com (Virginia Singh)
- STartefacts.com
Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Guy Ritchie are set to reunite for the Amazon series based on a young Sherlock Holmes.
Fiennes Tiffin is set to play the lead in the eight-episode series, and Ritchie is attached to direct and executive produce.
The series is officially described as an “action-packed origin story of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved detective in an explosive re-imagining of this iconic character. At age 19, Sherlock Holmes is disgraced, raw, unfiltered, and unformed, when he finds himself caught up in a murder mystery at Oxford University which threatens his freedom. Diving into his first-ever case with a wild lack of discipline, Sherlock manages to unravel a globe-trotting conspiracy that will change his life forever.”
Also in news – Andrew Scott cast in Rian Johnson’s ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’
“In ‘Young Sherlock’ we’re going to see an exhilarating new version of the...
Fiennes Tiffin is set to play the lead in the eight-episode series, and Ritchie is attached to direct and executive produce.
The series is officially described as an “action-packed origin story of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved detective in an explosive re-imagining of this iconic character. At age 19, Sherlock Holmes is disgraced, raw, unfiltered, and unformed, when he finds himself caught up in a murder mystery at Oxford University which threatens his freedom. Diving into his first-ever case with a wild lack of discipline, Sherlock manages to unravel a globe-trotting conspiracy that will change his life forever.”
Also in news – Andrew Scott cast in Rian Johnson’s ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’
“In ‘Young Sherlock’ we’re going to see an exhilarating new version of the...
- 5/30/2024
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Guy Ritchie is now set to direct another project surrounding the iconic character Sherlock Holmes with the English actor Hero Fiennes Tiffin. The filmmaker previously directed two Sherlock Holmes films, starring Robert Downey Jr. in the lead role alongside Jude Law and Rachel McAdams. There have also been discussions surrounding a third film in the series.
Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr. in Sherlock Holmes | Credit: IMDb
And the announcement of a new TV series with Fiennes Tiffin has stirred a significant backlash, with fans expressing their desire for a third movie with Downey Jr. returning to the lead role, potentially alongside Johnny Depp as the antagonist.
Amazon Greenlit a Sherlock Holmes TV Series With Hero Fiennes Tiffin
Amazon Prime Video has recently announced an eight-episode TV series based on Andy Lane’s Young Sherlock Holmes novels with Hero Fiennes Tiffin taking on the lead role. Guy Ritchie will be...
Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr. in Sherlock Holmes | Credit: IMDb
And the announcement of a new TV series with Fiennes Tiffin has stirred a significant backlash, with fans expressing their desire for a third movie with Downey Jr. returning to the lead role, potentially alongside Johnny Depp as the antagonist.
Amazon Greenlit a Sherlock Holmes TV Series With Hero Fiennes Tiffin
Amazon Prime Video has recently announced an eight-episode TV series based on Andy Lane’s Young Sherlock Holmes novels with Hero Fiennes Tiffin taking on the lead role. Guy Ritchie will be...
- 5/30/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
Guy Ritchie Is Directing A Young Sherlock Series With Hero Fiennes Tiffin In the Lead.(Photo Credit –Instagram)
It’s time to put on our detective hats again and step into the world of Sherlock Holmes again. Amazon MGM Studios has given the green light for a Young Sherlock series. The show will take a deep dive into the life of a 19-year-old Sherlock and his beginnings. Guy Ritchie will direct and executive produce the eight-episode series. Ritchie and Tiffin, who most recently collaborated on the film The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, will be getting back together. Ritchie’s most recent endeavor is directing two previous Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes, Jude Law as Dr. Watson, and Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler.
With all the wit and charm of Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes features, Young Sherlock will be an irreverent, action-packed origin story of Sir...
It’s time to put on our detective hats again and step into the world of Sherlock Holmes again. Amazon MGM Studios has given the green light for a Young Sherlock series. The show will take a deep dive into the life of a 19-year-old Sherlock and his beginnings. Guy Ritchie will direct and executive produce the eight-episode series. Ritchie and Tiffin, who most recently collaborated on the film The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, will be getting back together. Ritchie’s most recent endeavor is directing two previous Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes, Jude Law as Dr. Watson, and Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler.
With all the wit and charm of Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes features, Young Sherlock will be an irreverent, action-packed origin story of Sir...
- 5/30/2024
- by Aayushi Hemnani
- KoiMoi
Amazon Prime Video has ordered a series based on Andy Lane’s “Young Sherlock Holmes” novels with Hero Fiennes Tiffin set for the lead role, Variety has learned.
Guy Ritchie is attached to direct and executive produce the eight-episode series. It will be a reunion for Ritchie and Tiffin, who recently worked together on the feature “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” It is also the latest Sherlock Holmes project for Ritchie, as he previously directed two films about the famous detective starring Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes, Jude Law as Dr. Watson, and Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler.
“In ‘Young Sherlock’ we’re going to see an exhilarating new version of the detective everyone thinks they know in a way they’ve never imagined before,” said Ritchie. “We’re going to crack open this enigmatic character, find out what makes him tick, and learn how he becomes the genius we all love.
Guy Ritchie is attached to direct and executive produce the eight-episode series. It will be a reunion for Ritchie and Tiffin, who recently worked together on the feature “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” It is also the latest Sherlock Holmes project for Ritchie, as he previously directed two films about the famous detective starring Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes, Jude Law as Dr. Watson, and Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler.
“In ‘Young Sherlock’ we’re going to see an exhilarating new version of the detective everyone thinks they know in a way they’ve never imagined before,” said Ritchie. “We’re going to crack open this enigmatic character, find out what makes him tick, and learn how he becomes the genius we all love.
- 5/29/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
It’s been less than two years since TV exec Matt Thunell left Netflix to become president of Skydance Television. And in that time, Thunell — who previously ran spectacle and event programming at the streamer — has completed his first major assignment from Skydance boss David Ellison and chief creative officer Dana Goldberg: doubling their TV series output.
Today, Skydance has five series in active production: Amazon’s “Reacher” and “Cross,” Netflix’s “Fubar,” Apple TV+’s’ “Foundation” and “The Big Door Prize,” as well as five new series orders setup across Amazon, Apple TV+ and Netflix, including a comedy, a YA series, an action series starring Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham, and a bull rider project led by Tim McGraw.
Skydance Television has also signed a first-look TV deal with filmmakers Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood’s Undisputed Cinema. The partners are about to sell their first series from the producing couple,...
Today, Skydance has five series in active production: Amazon’s “Reacher” and “Cross,” Netflix’s “Fubar,” Apple TV+’s’ “Foundation” and “The Big Door Prize,” as well as five new series orders setup across Amazon, Apple TV+ and Netflix, including a comedy, a YA series, an action series starring Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham, and a bull rider project led by Tim McGraw.
Skydance Television has also signed a first-look TV deal with filmmakers Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood’s Undisputed Cinema. The partners are about to sell their first series from the producing couple,...
- 5/21/2024
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Oscar-winning producer Cathy Schulman knows her way around a theatrical release. From “Crash” to “The Woman King,” the long-time Hollywood heavy-hitter has wide-ranging taste that’s earned her both a Best Picture win and millions of box office bucks. But as the theatrical landscape shifts — heck, as the entire entertainment industry shifts — Schulman is staying nimble. These days, that means something that would have sounded crazy a decade ago: a massive hit that goes straight to streaming.
That’s the case with Schulman’s latest, the Michael Showalter-directed Amazon MGM Studios smash “The Idea of You,” a sexy rom-com-dram based on Robinne Lee’s bestselling novel and starring Anne Hathaway and rising star Nicholas Galitzine. In just two weeks on Prime Video, the film has smashed up all sorts of streaming records, handily proving that people do want to watch at home, they will turn out for a streaming-only release,...
That’s the case with Schulman’s latest, the Michael Showalter-directed Amazon MGM Studios smash “The Idea of You,” a sexy rom-com-dram based on Robinne Lee’s bestselling novel and starring Anne Hathaway and rising star Nicholas Galitzine. In just two weeks on Prime Video, the film has smashed up all sorts of streaming records, handily proving that people do want to watch at home, they will turn out for a streaming-only release,...
- 5/17/2024
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Veteran literary agent David Lubliner is switching to management and has joined Untitled Entertainment. Lubliner, who starts in his new role as manager effective immediately and will be based out of Untitled’s Los Angeles office, was most recently a literary agent at UTA.
“We are thrilled that David is taking the leap into management and joining us at Untitled,” the company’s partners said in a joint statement. “He is someone we all love working with and are excited to bring into our fold.”
Lubliner has worked with such established clients as Paul Weitz (Fatherhood), Chris Weitz (The Creator), Miguel Arteta (Yes Day), Rob Letterman (Goosebumps TV series), Peter Hedges (Ben Is Back), Jim Taylor (Tracy Flick Can’t Win), Dana Stevens (The Woman King) and Karey Kirkpatrick (Peanuts). Most are expected to be joining him in his new capacity.
“Untitled has built a tremendous reputation for nurturing...
“We are thrilled that David is taking the leap into management and joining us at Untitled,” the company’s partners said in a joint statement. “He is someone we all love working with and are excited to bring into our fold.”
Lubliner has worked with such established clients as Paul Weitz (Fatherhood), Chris Weitz (The Creator), Miguel Arteta (Yes Day), Rob Letterman (Goosebumps TV series), Peter Hedges (Ben Is Back), Jim Taylor (Tracy Flick Can’t Win), Dana Stevens (The Woman King) and Karey Kirkpatrick (Peanuts). Most are expected to be joining him in his new capacity.
“Untitled has built a tremendous reputation for nurturing...
- 5/13/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Blackwater Pictures, the British indie production company behind the buzzy biopic about the life of veteran Snooker player Jimmy White, has set up what they describe as a “multi-million-pound” fund to support commercially-minded independent British films.
Helmed by Kevin Harvey and Antoine Dixon-Bellot, Blackwater Pictures will commit to supporting five projects as part of a slate focused on emerging directors. The fund will prioritize “commercial independent British films,” organizers said today.
The fund is being managed in collaboration with BAFTA-nominated producer Tiernan Hanby (The Karman Line, Summit Fever, Heavyweight) of Pin Sharp Pictures and Simon Marriott of development & production company Shout Loud Creative. Money for the fund was raised through private equity and personal funds.
The slate currently includes Antecedent, the directorial feature debut of Dan Bronzite. He is best known for his supernatural horror Long Time Dead produced for Working Title Films/Universal...
Helmed by Kevin Harvey and Antoine Dixon-Bellot, Blackwater Pictures will commit to supporting five projects as part of a slate focused on emerging directors. The fund will prioritize “commercial independent British films,” organizers said today.
The fund is being managed in collaboration with BAFTA-nominated producer Tiernan Hanby (The Karman Line, Summit Fever, Heavyweight) of Pin Sharp Pictures and Simon Marriott of development & production company Shout Loud Creative. Money for the fund was raised through private equity and personal funds.
The slate currently includes Antecedent, the directorial feature debut of Dan Bronzite. He is best known for his supernatural horror Long Time Dead produced for Working Title Films/Universal...
- 5/2/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Sony Pictures Entertainment has promoted Tahra Grant to chief communications officer in the wake of longtime leader Bob Lawson being elevated to head of corp comms for the entire Sony group.
Most recently, Grant has overseen corporate communications for the Motion Picture Group, a position she’s held for the last eight years. During that time, Grant has reported to Lawson, who will now be based in Tokyo, making for an easy transition within the company upon her taking the reins. She will now report directly to Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra.
As head of the film side’s comms team, Grant’s tenure has included PR surrounding Sony movies “Once Upon A Time in… Hollywood,” “Where The Crawdads Sing,” the “Spider-Verse” franchise, the “Jumanji” franchise, “Little Women,” “Anyone But You,” the Tom Holland-led “Spider-Man” trilogy, the “Venom” franchise, “The Woman King,” the “Ghostbusters” franchise, “The Equalizer” franchise,...
Most recently, Grant has overseen corporate communications for the Motion Picture Group, a position she’s held for the last eight years. During that time, Grant has reported to Lawson, who will now be based in Tokyo, making for an easy transition within the company upon her taking the reins. She will now report directly to Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra.
As head of the film side’s comms team, Grant’s tenure has included PR surrounding Sony movies “Once Upon A Time in… Hollywood,” “Where The Crawdads Sing,” the “Spider-Verse” franchise, the “Jumanji” franchise, “Little Women,” “Anyone But You,” the Tom Holland-led “Spider-Man” trilogy, the “Venom” franchise, “The Woman King,” the “Ghostbusters” franchise, “The Equalizer” franchise,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Sony Pictures Entertainment has promoted Tahra Grant to chief communications officer.
Serving as executive vp in the role, Grant will report to Spe CEO Tony Vinciquerra after previously leading corporate communications for the studio’s Motion Picture Group over the past eight years. She steps into the position vacated by Bob Lawson, who was promoted earlier this year to lead corporate communications for Sony Group Corporation and will be based in Tokyo. Grant and Lawson will continue to work together closely in their new roles.
In a message to Sony Pictures staff, Vinciquerra praised Grant’s work with film chief Tom Rothman and her leadership amid industry-wide challenges.
“With her strong relationships and partnership with Tom Rothman and our Mpg leadership, Tahra has strengthened the narrative around the vitality, sustainability and forward-looking strategies of our motion picture business, while navigating some of the most complicated industry events of our time,...
Serving as executive vp in the role, Grant will report to Spe CEO Tony Vinciquerra after previously leading corporate communications for the studio’s Motion Picture Group over the past eight years. She steps into the position vacated by Bob Lawson, who was promoted earlier this year to lead corporate communications for Sony Group Corporation and will be based in Tokyo. Grant and Lawson will continue to work together closely in their new roles.
In a message to Sony Pictures staff, Vinciquerra praised Grant’s work with film chief Tom Rothman and her leadership amid industry-wide challenges.
“With her strong relationships and partnership with Tom Rothman and our Mpg leadership, Tahra has strengthened the narrative around the vitality, sustainability and forward-looking strategies of our motion picture business, while navigating some of the most complicated industry events of our time,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sony’s SVP of Corporate Communications for the Motion Picture Group, Tahra Grant, has been upped to EVP, Chief Communcations Officer for Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Grant succeeds Robert Lawson in a top Corp Comm post that reports directly to Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra. As we told you back in February, Lawson was promoted to SVP, Corporate Communications for the entire Sony Group and is moving to the conglom’s HQ in Tokyo, Japan.
Grant arrived at the studio in 2016 and within a year was promoted to SVP of Media Relations. Grant worked with Lawson at New York-based PR firm Rubenstein Communications. During Grant’s run at Sony Pictures, she’s streamlined and sharpened corp comm ops, handling crisis and issues with deft skills during Covid and the double strikes, before and after. Grant is known for assessing promptly entertainment business situations as they arise, as well as advance strategizing for them.
Grant succeeds Robert Lawson in a top Corp Comm post that reports directly to Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra. As we told you back in February, Lawson was promoted to SVP, Corporate Communications for the entire Sony Group and is moving to the conglom’s HQ in Tokyo, Japan.
Grant arrived at the studio in 2016 and within a year was promoted to SVP of Media Relations. Grant worked with Lawson at New York-based PR firm Rubenstein Communications. During Grant’s run at Sony Pictures, she’s streamlined and sharpened corp comm ops, handling crisis and issues with deft skills during Covid and the double strikes, before and after. Grant is known for assessing promptly entertainment business situations as they arise, as well as advance strategizing for them.
- 4/29/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Former eOne and Pathé UK marketing executive Chris Besseling has joined True Brit Entertainment, the UK distribution company run by Zygi Kamasa.
Besseling’s official title at True Brit is Head of Theatrical Distribution, Marketing, and Publicity. He will oversee the full theatrical distribution, marketing, and publicity function for True Brit Entertainment’s slate. He will be based in London and report to True Brit Entertainment CEO Kamasa.
Besseling began his career at the Metrodome, BFI, and Optimum Releasing. Since then, he has been responsible for launching over 200 films at the UK and Irish box office. During his time at eOne and Pathé, he spearheaded the theatrical campaigns for a wide array of titles, including 1917, Suffragette, Green Book, Selma, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Amongst Thieves, Wild Rose, The Death of Stalin, The Woman King, Stan & Ollie, Clifford The Big Red Dog, The House With A Clock In Its Walls, Blinded By the Light...
Besseling’s official title at True Brit is Head of Theatrical Distribution, Marketing, and Publicity. He will oversee the full theatrical distribution, marketing, and publicity function for True Brit Entertainment’s slate. He will be based in London and report to True Brit Entertainment CEO Kamasa.
Besseling began his career at the Metrodome, BFI, and Optimum Releasing. Since then, he has been responsible for launching over 200 films at the UK and Irish box office. During his time at eOne and Pathé, he spearheaded the theatrical campaigns for a wide array of titles, including 1917, Suffragette, Green Book, Selma, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Amongst Thieves, Wild Rose, The Death of Stalin, The Woman King, Stan & Ollie, Clifford The Big Red Dog, The House With A Clock In Its Walls, Blinded By the Light...
- 4/29/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Cathy Schulman says getting into the movie business was a “bit of an accident.” It was a time before studying cinema was recognized as a fine art, so she was a playwrighting major at Yale. Then someone told her she would average about $1,500 for her plays. Concerned if she could support herself, she was advised to look into the movie business. “I said, ‘What’s that?’” Schulman, now the CEO and president of Welle Entertainment, recalls. “And the next thing you knew, I was in an interview, and I was hired to work on a set, and the rest is history.”
The movie was “Blue Steel,” and the-then 22-year-old Schulman was excited to see the film was being directed by a woman, Kathryn Bigelow. (She didn’t know it would be another 20 years before she worked with a female director.) From those humble beginnings, Schulman would go on to enormous...
The movie was “Blue Steel,” and the-then 22-year-old Schulman was excited to see the film was being directed by a woman, Kathryn Bigelow. (She didn’t know it would be another 20 years before she worked with a female director.) From those humble beginnings, Schulman would go on to enormous...
- 4/25/2024
- by Jenelle Riley
- Variety Film + TV
Viola Davis and husband Julius Tennon are getting into book publishing by launching Jvl Media.
The new venture, which includes author and publisher Lavaille Lavette at the helm, will look to champion under-represented voices in the book world. The debut titles from Jvl Media, from among a planned slate of non-fiction and fiction books, include Had to Lose to Win: The Tiki Davis Story, by popular motivational speaker Tiki Davis, and The Inclusion Leader Genius, by Dr. Johné Battle.
Davis and her JuVee Productions banner, run as well by producing partner Tennon, have already made deep inroads in film and TV production with titles like The Woman King and ABC’s How to Get Away With Murder that have highlighted underrepresented voices.
“This endeavor embodies our collective aspiration — to champion and elevate voices that resonate with authenticity and are often overlooked. Our mission is to interlace a rich mosaic of...
The new venture, which includes author and publisher Lavaille Lavette at the helm, will look to champion under-represented voices in the book world. The debut titles from Jvl Media, from among a planned slate of non-fiction and fiction books, include Had to Lose to Win: The Tiki Davis Story, by popular motivational speaker Tiki Davis, and The Inclusion Leader Genius, by Dr. Johné Battle.
Davis and her JuVee Productions banner, run as well by producing partner Tennon, have already made deep inroads in film and TV production with titles like The Woman King and ABC’s How to Get Away With Murder that have highlighted underrepresented voices.
“This endeavor embodies our collective aspiration — to champion and elevate voices that resonate with authenticity and are often overlooked. Our mission is to interlace a rich mosaic of...
- 4/18/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It has been known for a while that the new West End production of William Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, will be returning to the Duke of York’s Theatre from May 11 through August 3, with Jamie Lloyd directing. But, more importantly for some fans, it has been confirmed that Spider-Man star Tom Holland will be playing Romeo in the play, with Bad Education star Francesca Amewudah-Rivers co-starring as Juliet. And while all of this seems fine and dandy to us, some people are dissatisfied with the fact that Juliet will be played by a black actress and have taken to the Internet to express their anger in the most deplorable way.
The young actress has, thus, been the target of significant racial slander and abuse recently, which is an act that has to be condemned immediately. The producers, as well as some of Rivers’ colleagues, were quick to react,...
The young actress has, thus, been the target of significant racial slander and abuse recently, which is an act that has to be condemned immediately. The producers, as well as some of Rivers’ colleagues, were quick to react,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Fiction Horizon
Prominent Black actors including No Time to Die star Lashana Lynch and Enola Holmes’ Susan Wokoma have signed an open letter decrying the abuse faced by Francesca Amewudah-Rivers after she was cast in a West End theatre production of Romeo & Juliet.
The Jamie Lloyd Company announced last month that Amewudah-Rivers will play Juliet alongside Tom Holland’s Romeo in the staging of William Shakespeare’s tragedy, which opens at the Duke of York’s Theatre on May 23.
More than 880 people have signed the open letter, which was organized by Wokoma and writer Somalia Nonyé Seaton. Signatories include Sheila Atim (The Woman King), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Secrets & Lies), Lolly Adefope (Ghosts), Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who), Wunmi Mosaku, and Tamara Lawrance (Time).
“Too many times, Black performers – particularly Black actresses – are left to face the storm of online abuse after committing the crime of getting a job on their own,...
The Jamie Lloyd Company announced last month that Amewudah-Rivers will play Juliet alongside Tom Holland’s Romeo in the staging of William Shakespeare’s tragedy, which opens at the Duke of York’s Theatre on May 23.
More than 880 people have signed the open letter, which was organized by Wokoma and writer Somalia Nonyé Seaton. Signatories include Sheila Atim (The Woman King), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Secrets & Lies), Lolly Adefope (Ghosts), Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who), Wunmi Mosaku, and Tamara Lawrance (Time).
“Too many times, Black performers – particularly Black actresses – are left to face the storm of online abuse after committing the crime of getting a job on their own,...
- 4/10/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Lava for Good co-founders Jason Flom and Jeff Kempler, along with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gilbert King, will partner with Oscar-winning film and television producer Cathy Schulman’s Welle Entertainment and Primary Wave Music to develop and produce a multi-season scripted television series inspired by Lava for Good’s award-winning podcast Bone Valley. Veteran screenwriter and TV producer Dana Stevens will adapt.
Written and hosted by King along with producer and researcher Kelsey Decker, the show chronicles the chilling story of Leo Schofield, the Central Florida man who was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for killing his wife, Michelle. Schofield has spent over three decades in prison — even after another incarcerated man, Jeremy Scott, confessed in detail to the crime. The attention that King and the podcast have brought to the case was cited in Schofield’s most recent parole hearing in May of 2023, which resulted in Schofield being transferred to the Everglades Re-Entry Center.
Written and hosted by King along with producer and researcher Kelsey Decker, the show chronicles the chilling story of Leo Schofield, the Central Florida man who was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for killing his wife, Michelle. Schofield has spent over three decades in prison — even after another incarcerated man, Jeremy Scott, confessed in detail to the crime. The attention that King and the podcast have brought to the case was cited in Schofield’s most recent parole hearing in May of 2023, which resulted in Schofield being transferred to the Everglades Re-Entry Center.
- 4/10/2024
- Podnews.net
Exclusive: Bone Valley, the podcast that explores the innocence of Leo Schofield, who has served nearly 35 years for the murder of his wife, despite another man confessing to the crime, is set to be turned into a scripted television series.
The podcast comes from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gilbert King and Lava for Good, the company founded by record executive-turned-activist Jason Flom and Jeff Kempler.
It is now being developed as a series with Cathy Schulman’s Welle Entertainment and Primary Wave Music. Dana Stevens (The Woman King) will adapt.
Written and hosted by King along with producer and researcher Kelsey Decker, the podcast chronicles the story of Schofield, the Central Florida man who was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for killing his wife, Michelle. Schofield has spent over three decades in prison — even after another incarcerated man, Jeremy Scott, confessed in detail to the crime.
The attention that King and the...
The podcast comes from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gilbert King and Lava for Good, the company founded by record executive-turned-activist Jason Flom and Jeff Kempler.
It is now being developed as a series with Cathy Schulman’s Welle Entertainment and Primary Wave Music. Dana Stevens (The Woman King) will adapt.
Written and hosted by King along with producer and researcher Kelsey Decker, the podcast chronicles the story of Schofield, the Central Florida man who was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for killing his wife, Michelle. Schofield has spent over three decades in prison — even after another incarcerated man, Jeremy Scott, confessed in detail to the crime.
The attention that King and the...
- 4/9/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Jayme Lawson (The Batman) is the newest addition to the cast of the untitled event film, starring Michael B. Jordan, that Ryan Coogler is directing for Warner Bros.
Details as to her role are under wraps, as is the plot of the film, which has been described as a supernatural thriller. As previously announced, Jack O’Connell and Delroy Lindo are also aboard for roles. Deadline was first to tell you about Warners’ acquisition of the project, following a heated bidding war.
Bringing Jordan and Coogler back together following their collaboration on the Creed and Black Panther franchises and the acclaimed Sundance drama Fruitvale Station, the film is the second from the collaborators that Warner Bros Film Group co-chairs and CEOs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy have championed, having greenlighted the box office hit Creed III during their time at MGM.
Coogler is writing and will also produce alongside Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian.
Details as to her role are under wraps, as is the plot of the film, which has been described as a supernatural thriller. As previously announced, Jack O’Connell and Delroy Lindo are also aboard for roles. Deadline was first to tell you about Warners’ acquisition of the project, following a heated bidding war.
Bringing Jordan and Coogler back together following their collaboration on the Creed and Black Panther franchises and the acclaimed Sundance drama Fruitvale Station, the film is the second from the collaborators that Warner Bros Film Group co-chairs and CEOs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy have championed, having greenlighted the box office hit Creed III during their time at MGM.
Coogler is writing and will also produce alongside Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian.
- 4/8/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
CinemaCon kicks off today in Las Vegas, and as the official convention of the National Association of Theater Owners gets underway, organizers have added another honoree to the roster: Geena Davis.
The Oscar winner will be feted with the Viola Davis Trailblazer Award during the Big Screen Achievement Awards inside the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on April 11.
“Geena Davis exemplifies the true essence of a trailblazer in Hollywood for not only her remarkable film career, but also in her tireless advocacy championing underrepresented voices in film and other forms of media,” said CinemaCon managing director Mitch Neuhauser. The trophy will be the second to carry the name after Davis was presented with the honor ahead of the release of The Woman King in 2022.
Geena Davis will have other duties in Las Vegas. Her Bentonville Film Festival has partnered with the Coca-Cola Refreshing Films program in a shared mission of supporting next generation creative talent.
The Oscar winner will be feted with the Viola Davis Trailblazer Award during the Big Screen Achievement Awards inside the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on April 11.
“Geena Davis exemplifies the true essence of a trailblazer in Hollywood for not only her remarkable film career, but also in her tireless advocacy championing underrepresented voices in film and other forms of media,” said CinemaCon managing director Mitch Neuhauser. The trophy will be the second to carry the name after Davis was presented with the honor ahead of the release of The Woman King in 2022.
Geena Davis will have other duties in Las Vegas. Her Bentonville Film Festival has partnered with the Coca-Cola Refreshing Films program in a shared mission of supporting next generation creative talent.
- 4/8/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bill Skarsgård (It) takes over the iconic role of Eric Draven in Lionsgate’s new reboot of The Crow, and we’ve learned that the official trailer will release tomorrow, March 14.
While you wait, check out a short – and bloody – little teaser below…
The Crow reboot will release in theaters on June 7, 2024.
[Related] ‘The Crow’ Flies Onto Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD SteelBook in May
From director Rupert Sanders, Skarsgård leads the cast of The Crow as Eric Draven, with FKA Twigs co-starring. Danny Huston (30 Days of Night) also stars, alongside Laura Birn (Foundation), Sami Bouajila (A Son), and Jordan Bolger (The Woman King).
In the new movie, “Soulmates Eric Draven (Skarsgård) and Shelly Webster (FKA Twigs) are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers,...
While you wait, check out a short – and bloody – little teaser below…
The Crow reboot will release in theaters on June 7, 2024.
[Related] ‘The Crow’ Flies Onto Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD SteelBook in May
From director Rupert Sanders, Skarsgård leads the cast of The Crow as Eric Draven, with FKA Twigs co-starring. Danny Huston (30 Days of Night) also stars, alongside Laura Birn (Foundation), Sami Bouajila (A Son), and Jordan Bolger (The Woman King).
In the new movie, “Soulmates Eric Draven (Skarsgård) and Shelly Webster (FKA Twigs) are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers,...
- 3/13/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan won the Academy Award for best director, his first Oscar ever, on Sunday night.
“I have so many people to thank,” Nolan said during his acceptance speech. “The most incredible cast, Matt Damon, Robert, Emily, Florence, just so many others, all at the top of their game, led by the incredible Cillian Murphy… a crew, some of whom have been awarded tonight. I can’t say enough about the incredible crew that we got together on this film. Thank you to Chuck Roven for putting the book in my hands… The incredible Emma Thomas, producer of all our films and all of our children. I love you. To the academy, just to say movies are just a little bit over 100 years old. I mean, imagine being there 100 years into painting or theater. We don’t know where this incredible journey is going from here. But to...
“I have so many people to thank,” Nolan said during his acceptance speech. “The most incredible cast, Matt Damon, Robert, Emily, Florence, just so many others, all at the top of their game, led by the incredible Cillian Murphy… a crew, some of whom have been awarded tonight. I can’t say enough about the incredible crew that we got together on this film. Thank you to Chuck Roven for putting the book in my hands… The incredible Emma Thomas, producer of all our films and all of our children. I love you. To the academy, just to say movies are just a little bit over 100 years old. I mean, imagine being there 100 years into painting or theater. We don’t know where this incredible journey is going from here. But to...
- 3/11/2024
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With Hollywood gearing up to celebrate some of the finest work of the film industry at the 2024 Oscars, discussions have emerged, with anticipation over potential winners and the chance to set new records. Among the topics of discussion is an Oscar milestone achieved by acclaimed actors Timothée Chalamet, his Dune: Part Two co-star Austin Butler and Paul Mescal. Notably, they are the only actors born in the 1990s to secure Oscar nominations for Best Actor.
2024 Oscars (image via Twitter | @TheAcademy)
However, with the constant rise of talented actors, this record could soon be surpassed, as a number of ’90s-born actors steadily advanced towards the illustrious Best Actor Oscar trophy.
Timothée Chalamet, Austin Butler, Paul Mescal’s Unique Oscars Record
Timothee Chalamet, Austin Butler, and Paul Mescal are widely acclaimed for their on-screen performances in multiple films, including Oscar nominations for Best Actor. And the three actors have a rare record...
2024 Oscars (image via Twitter | @TheAcademy)
However, with the constant rise of talented actors, this record could soon be surpassed, as a number of ’90s-born actors steadily advanced towards the illustrious Best Actor Oscar trophy.
Timothée Chalamet, Austin Butler, Paul Mescal’s Unique Oscars Record
Timothee Chalamet, Austin Butler, and Paul Mescal are widely acclaimed for their on-screen performances in multiple films, including Oscar nominations for Best Actor. And the three actors have a rare record...
- 3/9/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
The sixth edition of the Joburg Film Festival wraps Sunday, putting a bow on a week that saw many in the host nation reflecting on South Africa’s long journey in the three decades since the end of apartheid. But among the filmmakers and executives taking part in the second Jbx content market the focus was squarely on the future, as Africa’s streaming wars and an eye toward global dealmaking highlighted how the tide has begun to shift in how the world perceives the continent. “What a time to be alive in Johannesburg,” said festival founder Timothy Mangwedi at Saturday’s award ceremony. “What a time to be alive in Africa.”
Here are five takeaways from a busy week in Johannesburg:
Streamers shift strategies but still drive growth
Amazon Prime Video’s abrupt pull-out from the African market in January has left many local producers frustrated and confused. “It...
Here are five takeaways from a busy week in Johannesburg:
Streamers shift strategies but still drive growth
Amazon Prime Video’s abrupt pull-out from the African market in January has left many local producers frustrated and confused. “It...
- 3/3/2024
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Viola Davis and Julius Tennon’s JuVee Productions, which recently wrapped the action-thriller “G20” for Amazon Studios and MRC Film in Cape Town, is planning to return to South Africa to film the true story of a young African refugee’s improbable journey to the U.S., the company’s head of film production and development, Melanie Clark, revealed this week at the Joburg Film Festival.
Developing the film with a working title of “The Refugee,” Clark said Davis and Tennon’s production banner is “actively working on [it] with some local partners and are in the process of figuring out how to shoot it” in South Africa, adding that “we do plan to shoot that here.”
The veteran production executive described the project as “the true story of a young Sierra Leonean boy who lost his mother in [the country’s civil war] and found himself alone, because no family would take him in any refugee camp.
Developing the film with a working title of “The Refugee,” Clark said Davis and Tennon’s production banner is “actively working on [it] with some local partners and are in the process of figuring out how to shoot it” in South Africa, adding that “we do plan to shoot that here.”
The veteran production executive described the project as “the true story of a young Sierra Leonean boy who lost his mother in [the country’s civil war] and found himself alone, because no family would take him in any refugee camp.
- 3/2/2024
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Lionsgate Television just eliminated more than half of its development deals, IndieWire has confirmed. The reduction comes after Lionsgate’s $375 million acquisition of eOne from Hasbro. The eOne purchase, which on the television side brought over “Yellowjackets” and other series, mixed with general industry contraction in the post-Peak TV era, rationalized the sweeping cuts.
Lionsgate executives conducted a two-months-long review of the Lionsgate Television and eOne talent rosters, which together included nearly 60 overall and first-look deals. The number is now below 30; no names have been reported on either the “stay” or “go” side of the ledger.
Deadline first reported the news. A Lionsgate rep declined comment on this story.
It is pretty common for a company to slim down ahead of acquisition — just ask Paramount — but this round was pretty drastic. It is important to remember that during last year’s writers strikes, pretty much all overall deals were put on pause.
Lionsgate executives conducted a two-months-long review of the Lionsgate Television and eOne talent rosters, which together included nearly 60 overall and first-look deals. The number is now below 30; no names have been reported on either the “stay” or “go” side of the ledger.
Deadline first reported the news. A Lionsgate rep declined comment on this story.
It is pretty common for a company to slim down ahead of acquisition — just ask Paramount — but this round was pretty drastic. It is important to remember that during last year’s writers strikes, pretty much all overall deals were put on pause.
- 2/29/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Ghana is set to introduce its first film tax incentive, with a 20% tax rebate for film production.
The law, unveiled by President Nana Akufo-Addo during a State of the Nation address on February 27, implements film financing reliefs which include exemptions on import duties for film production equipment and on port taxes plus other cash levies, and income tax benefits in addition to the 20% rebate.
In his address, Akufo-Addo said: “Government, through the National Film Authority, is committed to supporting the production of world-class content and films, as well as increasing the cinema infrastructure in Ghana and, by extension, on the continent.
The law, unveiled by President Nana Akufo-Addo during a State of the Nation address on February 27, implements film financing reliefs which include exemptions on import duties for film production equipment and on port taxes plus other cash levies, and income tax benefits in addition to the 20% rebate.
In his address, Akufo-Addo said: “Government, through the National Film Authority, is committed to supporting the production of world-class content and films, as well as increasing the cinema infrastructure in Ghana and, by extension, on the continent.
- 2/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
As Hollywood agencies and production companies increasingly turn to artificial intelligence to evaluate screenplays, a group of writers and creatives have come together to design a so-called barrier against the incursion.
Shane Black (“Iron Man 3”), Jim Herzfeld (“Meet the Parents”) and Akela Cooper (“M3GAN”) are among two dozen industryites who collaborated on the development of a new tech platform, dubbed the Gauntlet, in an effort to keep humans assessing screenplays at the gate-keeper stage rather than AI.
ScriptHop, a Hollywood tech company founded by former UTA story department head Scott Foster and tech entrepreneur Brian Austin, is launching the Gauntlet Tuesday with 30 freelance script analysts from such high-profile companies as HBO and Lucasfilm, becoming the largest organized group of professional readers in the industry.
ScriptHop advisory board member and screenwriter Herzfeld came up with the idea that sees screenwriters pay a $380 fee to run their script through a “gauntlet” of professional story analysts.
Shane Black (“Iron Man 3”), Jim Herzfeld (“Meet the Parents”) and Akela Cooper (“M3GAN”) are among two dozen industryites who collaborated on the development of a new tech platform, dubbed the Gauntlet, in an effort to keep humans assessing screenplays at the gate-keeper stage rather than AI.
ScriptHop, a Hollywood tech company founded by former UTA story department head Scott Foster and tech entrepreneur Brian Austin, is launching the Gauntlet Tuesday with 30 freelance script analysts from such high-profile companies as HBO and Lucasfilm, becoming the largest organized group of professional readers in the industry.
ScriptHop advisory board member and screenwriter Herzfeld came up with the idea that sees screenwriters pay a $380 fee to run their script through a “gauntlet” of professional story analysts.
- 2/27/2024
- by Tatiana Siegel
- Variety Film + TV
Black Bear has hired Courtney L. Cunniff as senior vice president of film. Cunniff comes to Black Bear from eOne and Hasbro, where she served as vice president of production and development & acquisitions for film titles under both of the company’s banners. Black Bear’s credits include “The Imitation Game,” “I Care A Lot” and “Nyad,” which recently earned Oscar nominations for Annette Bening and Jodie Foster.
In her new role, Cunniff will focus on the development, packaging and production of the company’s slate, which includes such upcoming projects as David Mackenzie’s “Relay” starring Riz Ahmed, Lily James and Sam Worthington; Andrew Patterson’s “The Rivals of Amziah King” starring Matthew McConaughey; and Clint Bentley’s “Train Dreams” starring Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones.
In Cunniff’s previous job at eOne and Hasbro, she sourced and assessed development material and oversaw the path to production for a...
In her new role, Cunniff will focus on the development, packaging and production of the company’s slate, which includes such upcoming projects as David Mackenzie’s “Relay” starring Riz Ahmed, Lily James and Sam Worthington; Andrew Patterson’s “The Rivals of Amziah King” starring Matthew McConaughey; and Clint Bentley’s “Train Dreams” starring Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones.
In Cunniff’s previous job at eOne and Hasbro, she sourced and assessed development material and oversaw the path to production for a...
- 2/23/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
The original movie is headed to 4K and we’ve learned tonight that Lionsgate’s brand new reboot of The Crow starring Bill Skarsgård (It) will also release in the first half of 2024.
The Crow reboot will release in theaters on June 7, 2024!
From director Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman, Ghost in the Shell), Bill Skarsgård (It) is leading the cast of The Crow as Eric Draven, with singer/actor FKA Twigs co-starring. Danny Huston (30 Days of Night) also stars, alongside Laura Birn (Foundation), Sami Bouajila (A Son), and Jordan Bolger (The Woman King).
In the new movie, “Soulmates Eric Draven (Skarsgård) and Shelly Webster (FKA Twigs) are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living...
The Crow reboot will release in theaters on June 7, 2024!
From director Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman, Ghost in the Shell), Bill Skarsgård (It) is leading the cast of The Crow as Eric Draven, with singer/actor FKA Twigs co-starring. Danny Huston (30 Days of Night) also stars, alongside Laura Birn (Foundation), Sami Bouajila (A Son), and Jordan Bolger (The Woman King).
In the new movie, “Soulmates Eric Draven (Skarsgård) and Shelly Webster (FKA Twigs) are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living...
- 2/22/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Hollywood is often criticized about the amount of follow through there is on promises for diversity and inclusivity. Yet there is much to celebrate about the films that are being made about Black life, and the 15th annual awards by the African American Film Critics Assn. will do just that on Feb. 21.
“American Fiction,” “The Color Purple” and “Origin” — named best comedy, musical and drama, respectively — all scored multiple film honors and inclusion on Aafca’s list of top 10 films of the year. Performers including Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Lily Gladstone, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Danielle Brooks will also be celebrated during the ceremony, hosted once again by Roy Wood Jr.
Aafca will follow up that event with a March 3 special achievement ceremony honoring industry figures including Jamie Foxx and Datari Turner for their work producing films such as “The Burial,” choreographer Fatima Robinson for her work on “The Color Purple...
“American Fiction,” “The Color Purple” and “Origin” — named best comedy, musical and drama, respectively — all scored multiple film honors and inclusion on Aafca’s list of top 10 films of the year. Performers including Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Lily Gladstone, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Danielle Brooks will also be celebrated during the ceremony, hosted once again by Roy Wood Jr.
Aafca will follow up that event with a March 3 special achievement ceremony honoring industry figures including Jamie Foxx and Datari Turner for their work producing films such as “The Burial,” choreographer Fatima Robinson for her work on “The Color Purple...
- 2/21/2024
- by Daric L. Cottingham
- Variety Film + TV
In November 2021, 61 years after Benin gained independence from the French empire, 26 of the many thousands of plundered national antiquities were returned by France to their African home. Inserting an inquisitive, imaginative intelligence into this key moment in the troubled timeline of post-imperial cultural politics, French-Senegalese director Mati Diop fashions her superb, short but potent hybrid doc “Dahomey” as a slim lever that cracks open the sealed crate of colonial history, sending a hundred of its associated erasures and injustices tumbling into the light.
The film takes its title from the kingdom on Benin’s Atlantic coast, that existed in formidable militarism for 300 years until 1894, and whose fabled female warriors were recently the subject of Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “The Woman King.” But “Dahomey” starts far from the pomp and grandeur of that wealthy, warlike kingdom, in the basement level of the Parisian Musée du Quai Branly, where CCTV cameras stare down at empty,...
The film takes its title from the kingdom on Benin’s Atlantic coast, that existed in formidable militarism for 300 years until 1894, and whose fabled female warriors were recently the subject of Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “The Woman King.” But “Dahomey” starts far from the pomp and grandeur of that wealthy, warlike kingdom, in the basement level of the Parisian Musée du Quai Branly, where CCTV cameras stare down at empty,...
- 2/18/2024
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
“When I heard that Emmanuel Macron had the intention to return the good that had been taken from colonial Africa, it was the very first time I realized that nothing was where it ought to be,” said Mati Diop of her documentary Dahomey, premiering at the Berlin Film Festival.
The doc tells the story of African art that was looted in the 19th century from the kingdom of Dahomey, following 26 artifacts that were taken back to Benin from France after French president Macron promised restitution in 2017. Among the returned works were statues of Dahomey’s former kings, King Glélé and King Béhanzin, and their throne. (The Kingdom of Dahomey was seen in Viola Davis’ historical epic The Woman King.)
“The question of returning these looted goods has always been at the heart of what I do as a filmmaker,” said Diop, via a translator, during a press conference in Berlin on Sunday.
The doc tells the story of African art that was looted in the 19th century from the kingdom of Dahomey, following 26 artifacts that were taken back to Benin from France after French president Macron promised restitution in 2017. Among the returned works were statues of Dahomey’s former kings, King Glélé and King Béhanzin, and their throne. (The Kingdom of Dahomey was seen in Viola Davis’ historical epic The Woman King.)
“The question of returning these looted goods has always been at the heart of what I do as a filmmaker,” said Diop, via a translator, during a press conference in Berlin on Sunday.
- 2/18/2024
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In the history of Black leading actresses at prestigious award shows, Halle Berry’s triumph for “Monster’s Ball” at the Oscars stands prominently, while the BAFTAs lack a similar honoree, and the upcoming Sunday ceremony seems unlikely to change that.
This year’s roster of lead actress nominees boasts a diverse array of talents. Vivian Oparah garnered attention for her breakthrough role in the romantic drama “Rye Lane,” alongside Fantasia Barrino’s captivating performance in the musical adaptation of “The Color Purple.” Also vying for the coveted title are Oscar nominated actresses Sandra Hüller (“Anatomy of a Fall”), Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”), with Margot Robbie (“Barbie”), who’s recognized in the best picture category as a producer. Speculation abounds among pundits and prognosticators, all anticipating a win for one of the three Oscar-nominated women, setting the stage for another year where Black actresses may find themselves overlooked.
This year’s roster of lead actress nominees boasts a diverse array of talents. Vivian Oparah garnered attention for her breakthrough role in the romantic drama “Rye Lane,” alongside Fantasia Barrino’s captivating performance in the musical adaptation of “The Color Purple.” Also vying for the coveted title are Oscar nominated actresses Sandra Hüller (“Anatomy of a Fall”), Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”), with Margot Robbie (“Barbie”), who’s recognized in the best picture category as a producer. Speculation abounds among pundits and prognosticators, all anticipating a win for one of the three Oscar-nominated women, setting the stage for another year where Black actresses may find themselves overlooked.
- 2/17/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
OpenAI has unveiled a generative artificial intelligence tool capable of creating hyper-realistic videos, marking the San Francisco startup’s first major encroachment onto Hollywood.
The system can seemingly produce videos of complex scenes with multiple characters, an array of different types of shots and mostly accurate details of subjects in relation to their backgrounds. A demonstration, rolled out Thursday, touted short videos the company said were generated in minutes in response to a text prompt of just a couple of sentences, though some had inconsistencies. It included a movie trailer of an astronaut traversing a desert planet and an animated scene of an expressive creature kneeling beside a melting red candle with shadows drifting in the background.
While similar AI video tools have been available, OpenAI’s system represents rapid growth of the tech that has the potential to undercut huge swaths of labor. It signals further mainstream adoption as...
The system can seemingly produce videos of complex scenes with multiple characters, an array of different types of shots and mostly accurate details of subjects in relation to their backgrounds. A demonstration, rolled out Thursday, touted short videos the company said were generated in minutes in response to a text prompt of just a couple of sentences, though some had inconsistencies. It included a movie trailer of an astronaut traversing a desert planet and an animated scene of an expressive creature kneeling beside a melting red candle with shadows drifting in the background.
While similar AI video tools have been available, OpenAI’s system represents rapid growth of the tech that has the potential to undercut huge swaths of labor. It signals further mainstream adoption as...
- 2/15/2024
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Lashana Lynch would have turned down her role in 'Bob Marley: One Love' if the Jamaican accents were "watered down".The 36-year-old actress stars as the wife of the late music reggae legend in the new biopic but explained that in order to portray the "special time" and place that the story is set in, all of the cast had to be allowed to be "authentic" with the way they spoke on screen. She told Collider: "There's no other way to tell this story outside of being as authentic as possible to every inch of who Bob is right now, what he was, what he represents. Jamaica, especially Jamaica in the ‘70s, it's just a special time, and a really important time in my culture's history. So to have accents that were watered down, I mean, that's one thing that I wouldn't have signed up for at all.
- 2/14/2024
- by Jordan Beck
- Bang Showbiz
Exclusive: Wanda Banda has joined the cast of Netflix’s South African teen crime drama Blood & Water.
The show’s fourth season has been shooting in South Africa over recent months and premieres on March 1. The Woman King actress Banda joins a cast also including Ama Qamata, Khosi Ngema and Thabang Molaba.
Blood & Water is set in Cape Town and follows a working-class girl who transfers to the elite Pankhurst School when she begins to suspect one of its students is her sister, who was abducted as part of a child trafficking network shortly after birth.
Season 4 was unveiled as part of Netflix’s content showcase in September last year. The show comes from writer and director Nosipho Dumisa and Gambit Films.
Banda made her film debut in Gina Prince-Bythewood’s feature The Woman King, playing a young version of Viola Davis’ lead character. She has just wrapped...
The show’s fourth season has been shooting in South Africa over recent months and premieres on March 1. The Woman King actress Banda joins a cast also including Ama Qamata, Khosi Ngema and Thabang Molaba.
Blood & Water is set in Cape Town and follows a working-class girl who transfers to the elite Pankhurst School when she begins to suspect one of its students is her sister, who was abducted as part of a child trafficking network shortly after birth.
Season 4 was unveiled as part of Netflix’s content showcase in September last year. The show comes from writer and director Nosipho Dumisa and Gambit Films.
Banda made her film debut in Gina Prince-Bythewood’s feature The Woman King, playing a young version of Viola Davis’ lead character. She has just wrapped...
- 2/9/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
In 1976, Bob Marley was the most famous person in Jamaica. He was also a marked man. The star had agreed to play a free concert dubbed “Smile Jamaica.” He’d even written a theme song for the event. Though the show was conceived as a way to quell the rising tide of violence over the island nation’s precarious political state, Marley’s involvement made many think that it was his way of tacitly endorsing the People’s National Party over the more conservative Jamaica Labour Party. Two days before the concert,...
- 2/8/2024
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
The only way to stay alive is to stay quiet.
Prequel film “A Quiet Place: Part One” captures the alien invasion that led to the John Krasinski and Emily Blunt-fronted family drama franchise. Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o leads the feature as a New York resident who escapes an alien invasion, and finds safety with fellow survivors played by “Stranger Things” star Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, and Djimon Hounsou.
The Paramount Pictures movie was made in association with Michael Bay and is a Platinum Dunes / Sunday Night production. “Transformers” franchise helmer Bay produces, along with former “A Quiet Place” director/star John Krasinski, Andrew Form, and Brad Fuller. The franchise installment is executive produced by Allyson Seeger and Vicki Dee Rock, and uses characters created by “65” directors Bryan Woods and Scott Beck, who penned the initial “A Quiet Place” screenplay.
For “A Quiet Place: Day One,” the story is by...
Prequel film “A Quiet Place: Part One” captures the alien invasion that led to the John Krasinski and Emily Blunt-fronted family drama franchise. Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o leads the feature as a New York resident who escapes an alien invasion, and finds safety with fellow survivors played by “Stranger Things” star Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, and Djimon Hounsou.
The Paramount Pictures movie was made in association with Michael Bay and is a Platinum Dunes / Sunday Night production. “Transformers” franchise helmer Bay produces, along with former “A Quiet Place” director/star John Krasinski, Andrew Form, and Brad Fuller. The franchise installment is executive produced by Allyson Seeger and Vicki Dee Rock, and uses characters created by “65” directors Bryan Woods and Scott Beck, who penned the initial “A Quiet Place” screenplay.
For “A Quiet Place: Day One,” the story is by...
- 2/7/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The winners for the 51st Saturn Award were unveiled last night, with Avatar: The Way of Water leading the winners with four awards. Barbie, Dial of Destiny and Oppenheimer took three. On the TV front, Star Trek: Picard led with four wins, while Outlander and Wednesday trailed with two apiece. In addition to these, Keanu Reeves received the inaugural Lance Reddick Legacy Award.
Check out the complete list of all Saturn Award winners across film, television and home media — which you know we love — below:
Best Science Fiction Film
Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)
The Creator (20th Century Studios)
M3GAN (Universal Pictures/Blumhouse)
Prey (20th Century Studios/Hulu)
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (Paramount/Hasbro)
Best Fantasy Film
Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Paramount Pictures/Hasbro)
Haunted Mansion (Walt Disney Studios)
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney...
Check out the complete list of all Saturn Award winners across film, television and home media — which you know we love — below:
Best Science Fiction Film
Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)
The Creator (20th Century Studios)
M3GAN (Universal Pictures/Blumhouse)
Prey (20th Century Studios/Hulu)
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (Paramount/Hasbro)
Best Fantasy Film
Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Paramount Pictures/Hasbro)
Haunted Mansion (Walt Disney Studios)
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney...
- 2/5/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Over the course of her career, Gina Prince-Bythewood has proven she can do it all. Across five films and roughly 20 years, she had made an enduring romantic sports story, a southern family drama, a pop star star-crossed romance, a superhero fantasy action film, and a feminist historical epic. And with every new genre the filmmaker has ticked off her list, Prince-Bythewood has shown a mastery for its particularities every time.
Born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Pacific Grove, California, Prince-Bythewood attended University of California in Los Angeles, where she studied film and graduated in 1991. After several years as a writer on TV shows like “A Different World” and “South Central,” her first film, 2000’s “Love and Basketball,” was released to critical acclaim. The story of two childhood best friends with a shared love for basketball — and a chronicle of their tumultuous relationship through the years as they both seek...
Born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Pacific Grove, California, Prince-Bythewood attended University of California in Los Angeles, where she studied film and graduated in 1991. After several years as a writer on TV shows like “A Different World” and “South Central,” her first film, 2000’s “Love and Basketball,” was released to critical acclaim. The story of two childhood best friends with a shared love for basketball — and a chronicle of their tumultuous relationship through the years as they both seek...
- 2/2/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Fresh off an acclaimed performance as the Chevalier de Saint-Georges in “Chevalier,” Kelvin Harrison Jr. takes on the mantle of another historic figure, Martin Luther King Jr., in the new season of “Genius.” But unlike past installments of this National Geographic anthology series which have focused on Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso and Aretha Franklin, this season centers on King and Malcolm X, played by Aaron Pierre. Watch the official trailer for “Genius: MLK/X” above; the first episodes air on February 1.
The trailer begins by showing the only time King and Malcolm X ever met, which took place in 1964 in Washington, D.C.. The eight-episode season follows the two icons from their adolescence through to their assassinations, drawing out the parallels in their journeys as they both “fight against oppression.” The show will shine a spotlight not only on their public struggles and triumphs, but also their family lives and...
The trailer begins by showing the only time King and Malcolm X ever met, which took place in 1964 in Washington, D.C.. The eight-episode season follows the two icons from their adolescence through to their assassinations, drawing out the parallels in their journeys as they both “fight against oppression.” The show will shine a spotlight not only on their public struggles and triumphs, but also their family lives and...
- 1/29/2024
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
Paramount’s musical biopic Bob Marley: One Love and Sony/Marvel’s Madame Web are expected to provide more pulse to what’s been a very dormant 2024 box office that’s -9% behind last year’s near half billion.
Bob Marley: One Love, is expected to lead over the six-day, Wednesday, Valentine’s Day through Monday, President’s Day frame with $27M-$33M; strong with Black and Hispanic audiences as well as older adults. The comps here are Sony’s The Woman King ($19M) and Paramount Elton John biopic Rocketman ($25.7M 3-day).
(L-r) Ziggy Marley and Kingsley Ben-Adir
Paramount is coming off of the very first global screening of Bob Marley: One Love in Kingston, Jamaica, Marley’s hometown. The Marley family and stars of the movie celebrated with local fans and reunited with the local cast, including a standing ovation for Rita Marley at the Carib 5 Theatre in Kingston,...
Bob Marley: One Love, is expected to lead over the six-day, Wednesday, Valentine’s Day through Monday, President’s Day frame with $27M-$33M; strong with Black and Hispanic audiences as well as older adults. The comps here are Sony’s The Woman King ($19M) and Paramount Elton John biopic Rocketman ($25.7M 3-day).
(L-r) Ziggy Marley and Kingsley Ben-Adir
Paramount is coming off of the very first global screening of Bob Marley: One Love in Kingston, Jamaica, Marley’s hometown. The Marley family and stars of the movie celebrated with local fans and reunited with the local cast, including a standing ovation for Rita Marley at the Carib 5 Theatre in Kingston,...
- 1/25/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
After roles in “The Suicide Squad” and “The Woman King,” it’s fun to see Viola Davis fully embrace her blockbuster action phase of her career. And it seems as if she’s not slowing down, as production begins on her next film, “G20,” where she is now going to be surrounded by one hell of a supporting cast.
Read More: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2024
According to Deadline, Viola Davis has found the rest of her ensemble cast to co-star with in the forthcoming thriller, “G20.” The report claims Anthony Anderson (“black-ish”), Marsai Martin (“black–ish”), Ramón Rodríguez (“Will Trent”), Antony Starr (“The Boys”), Douglas Hodge (“The Great”), Elizabeth Marvel (“The Color Purple”), Sabrina Impacciatore (“The White Lotus”), Clark Gregg (“Painkiller”), Christopher Farrar (“Home Team”), John Hoogenakker (“Waco: The Aftermath”), and MeeWha Alana Lee (“Umma”).
Continue reading ‘G20’: Anthony Anderson, Antony Starr & More Join Viola Davis In...
Read More: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2024
According to Deadline, Viola Davis has found the rest of her ensemble cast to co-star with in the forthcoming thriller, “G20.” The report claims Anthony Anderson (“black-ish”), Marsai Martin (“black–ish”), Ramón Rodríguez (“Will Trent”), Antony Starr (“The Boys”), Douglas Hodge (“The Great”), Elizabeth Marvel (“The Color Purple”), Sabrina Impacciatore (“The White Lotus”), Clark Gregg (“Painkiller”), Christopher Farrar (“Home Team”), John Hoogenakker (“Waco: The Aftermath”), and MeeWha Alana Lee (“Umma”).
Continue reading ‘G20’: Anthony Anderson, Antony Starr & More Join Viola Davis In...
- 1/23/2024
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Barbie director Greta Gerwig was notably snubbed in the best director category during the Oscar nominations on Tuesday. But following last year’s omission of any female filmmaker in the category, Anatomy of a Fall’s Justine Triet received a nomination.
Triet, Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things), Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer), Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest) and Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon) were nominated in the coveted category Tuesday morning.
Gerwig is a notable snub, as the Barbie director, throughout the awards season, received various best director nominations (the Directors Guild of America, the Golden Globes, Critics Choice) and wins (Palm Springs International Film Fest). She was also on various pundits’ prediction lists for best director, including from The Hollywood Reporter. Frontrunner Alexander Payne (The Holdovers) was also omitted.
Last year, no woman was nominated for best director. The nominees were Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin), Todd Field...
Triet, Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things), Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer), Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest) and Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon) were nominated in the coveted category Tuesday morning.
Gerwig is a notable snub, as the Barbie director, throughout the awards season, received various best director nominations (the Directors Guild of America, the Golden Globes, Critics Choice) and wins (Palm Springs International Film Fest). She was also on various pundits’ prediction lists for best director, including from The Hollywood Reporter. Frontrunner Alexander Payne (The Holdovers) was also omitted.
Last year, no woman was nominated for best director. The nominees were Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin), Todd Field...
- 1/23/2024
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Is it just me, or is this a particularly tough year to pick nominees in the buzziest of the 23 categories for the Academy Awards? This will be the 96th time they do the Oscars, and it never gets easier. Even the most experienced awards handicapper has only a slight advantage over the greenest neophyte, because at the end of the day we’re all still just guessing. And you know there will be surprises and snubs aplenty, because how could there not?
With this in mind, here are some things that are guaranteed to happen bright and early (5:30 a.m. Pt/8:30 a.m. Et) tomorrow when the 2024 Oscar nominations are announced:
These will be the 10 Best Picture nominees: “Oppenheimer,” “Poor Things,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Barbie,” “Maestro,” “American Fiction,” “The Holdovers,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “The Zone of Interest” and “Past Lives.” As much as it kills me,...
With this in mind, here are some things that are guaranteed to happen bright and early (5:30 a.m. Pt/8:30 a.m. Et) tomorrow when the 2024 Oscar nominations are announced:
These will be the 10 Best Picture nominees: “Oppenheimer,” “Poor Things,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Barbie,” “Maestro,” “American Fiction,” “The Holdovers,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “The Zone of Interest” and “Past Lives.” As much as it kills me,...
- 1/22/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
John Boyega wants to discuss the good book with you. Which book am I talking about? The Book of Eli, of course! Whispers around the watercooler imply that Boyega is prepping a prequel series based on 2010’s The Book of Eli. According to Deadline, Boyega will play a younger version of Eli, the character played by Denzel Washington in the Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes-directed film. Adding authenticity to the project is The Book of Eli writer Gary Whitta, who will create/write/executive produce the upcoming prequel series. The Book of Eli prequel series comes from Alcon Entertainment. They’ll bring the show to market to land a premium streaming venue.
In The Book of Eli, a drifter fights across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic America while protecting a sacred book that holds the secrets to humanity’s salvation. The story takes place 30 years after a nuclear catastrophe resulting in an ecocide.
In The Book of Eli, a drifter fights across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic America while protecting a sacred book that holds the secrets to humanity’s salvation. The story takes place 30 years after a nuclear catastrophe resulting in an ecocide.
- 1/22/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Exclusive: John Boyega is set to headline and executive produce The Book of Eli, a TV series prequel to the 2010 post-apocalyptic action film that starred Denzel Washington in the title role, Deadline has learned. Boyega will play younger version of Washington’s Eli in the project, which hails from the movie’s writer, Gary Whitta, creator/writer/executive producer of the potential series, and its directors, the Hughes brothers, who executive produce. The film’s producer Alcon Entertainment is the studio on the TV project, which is about to be taken out to select premium buyers, I hear.
The neo-Western Book of Eli movie takes place 30 years after a nuclear catastrophe caused an ecocide. It revolves around Eli (Washington), a nomad who fights his way across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic America while protecting a sacred book that holds the secrets to humanity’s salvation.
Details about the TV series are sketchy,...
The neo-Western Book of Eli movie takes place 30 years after a nuclear catastrophe caused an ecocide. It revolves around Eli (Washington), a nomad who fights his way across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic America while protecting a sacred book that holds the secrets to humanity’s salvation.
Details about the TV series are sketchy,...
- 1/22/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Now that the BAFTA, Critics Choice, Golden Globe, and SAG Award nominations have all been announced, it’s time to take a closer look at what they all mean. Seven lead and six supporting performers reaped bids will all four of these precursor prizes (scroll down to see who’s on that list), but can they all count on hearing their names called when the Oscar nominations are unveiled on January 23?
Since the Critics Choice Awards joined the other three precursors in publicizing official nominations in 2002, there have been 11 instances when someone nominated across the board did not go on to contend at the Oscars. Given the lack of precedent for such an occurrence until 2012, the current hopefuls are unfortunately saddled with the implications of the adjusted average of about one case per year.
Just last year, Best Actress hopeful Viola Davis (“The Woman King”) joined this group of also-rans...
Since the Critics Choice Awards joined the other three precursors in publicizing official nominations in 2002, there have been 11 instances when someone nominated across the board did not go on to contend at the Oscars. Given the lack of precedent for such an occurrence until 2012, the current hopefuls are unfortunately saddled with the implications of the adjusted average of about one case per year.
Just last year, Best Actress hopeful Viola Davis (“The Woman King”) joined this group of also-rans...
- 1/19/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
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