Variety

Director of Haugesund Closing Film ‘The Murder of Benjamin’ Says the Infamous Neo-Nazi Killing Was a ‘Wake-Up Call for the Whole Nation’ – But ‘They A...

Norwegian director Ingvild Søderlind says that the 2001 killing of Benjamin Hermansen was a “wake-up call for the whole nation.” Hermansen, a teenager born to a Norwegian mother and a Ghanaian father,...

33 minutes ago

Matthew McConaughey Starrer ‘The Rivals of Amziah King’ Wins at Haugesund – but the Ship From ‘The Odyssey’ Threatens to Steal the Show

“The Rivals of Amziah King,” “Butterfly” and “Pressure” walked away with prizes at the 54th Norwegian International Film Festival Haugesund. The Matthew McConaughey starrer was awarded the Ray of Suns...

45 minutes ago

‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood’ Season 2 Trailer: Scottish Uprising Threatens ‘Outlander’ Prequel

Starz has released the trailer for “Outlander: Blood of My Blood” Season 2. Claire and Jamie’s parents are once again separated in the trailer for Season 2 of the “Outlander” prequel, as the Jacobite...

57 minutes ago

Remembering the 2006 Emmys, When the Clock Ran Out for Network TV

Let’s flashback 20 years to Aug. 27, 2006, and the 58th Primetime Emmys, held back then at the Shrine Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles. NBC aired the ceremony that year, which is why it was so early...

1 hour ago

‘The View’ Host Sunny Hostin Licenses Her Likeness to AI Studio: ‘A New Art Form’

“The View” co-host Sunny Hostin has licensed her name and likeness to the AI startup Fountain 0, becoming one of the most high-profile figures to provide her image for use in AI-generated films and te...

1 hour ago

FilmQuest Announces 2026 Lineup: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lizzy Caplan and Rhea Seehorn Among Stars of Genre Films at Utah Festival (EXCLUSIVE)

FilmQuest has returned with a fresh crop of ambitious and mind-bending films. The Provo, Utah-based genre festival is gearing up for its newest installment, set to take place Oct. 22-31. “FilmQuest ha...

1 hour ago

‘Tangles,’ Hand-Drawn Cannes Standout, Lands at Independent Film Company for Oscar-Qualifying Run (EXCLUSIVE)

A new animated film has entered the Oscar race. Independent Film Company (formerly branded IFC) and Sapan Studio have acquired North American rights to “Tangles,” the hand-drawn animated feature and d...

2 hours ago

Dolby Laboratories Hires Meta, Amazon and Xbox Alum Marc Whitten as CEO, as Kevin Yeaman Retires

Dolby Laboratories has hired veteran tech exec Marc Whitten as president and CEO. He takes over the position from Kevin Yeaman, who is stepping down as chief executive of the audio and video technolog...

2 hours ago

Utopai Studios Unifies Asia-Pacific Operations, Taps Hyun Park to Lead Region (EXCLUSIVE)

Utopai Studios has completed the integration of its Asia-Pacific joint venture Utopai East into its global operations, naming veteran media executive Hyun Park president of Utopai Studios APAC region....

2 hours ago

PodcastOne Inks Ad and Distribution Deal for Show From ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ Actors Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes

PodcastOne has acquired exclusive sales and distribution rights to “Dropping Names… and Other Things,” an interview podcast co-hosted by Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes, longtime friends who starred ...

2 hours ago

Peter Cullen, Voice of Optimus Prime in ‘Transformers,’ Dies at 85

Peter Cullen, the voice actor behind the Autobots leader Optimus Prime in “Transformers” and the mopey Eeyore in several “Winnie-the-Pooh” projects, died on Wednesday, his agent Kevin Motley confirmed...

3 hours ago

Celebrating Tim Curry’s Career in Camp: From ‘Rocky Horror’ to ‘Clue’ to ‘It,’ He Proved You Could Be Serious About Unserious Acting

As an admittedly elder millennial, my first encounter with Tim Curry was not his defining role — not for most people, at least. His delicious, lascivious Dr. Frank N. Furter in “The Rocky Horror Pictu...

3 hours ago

Lando Norris Docuseries Set at Prime Video

A docuseries about reigning F1 world champion Lando Norris is in the works at Prime Video. The three-part “Lando” (working title) will offer a “never-before-seen look” at the 26-year-old Brit, “a man ...

4 hours ago

BBC Motoring Show ‘Top Gear,’ Whose Hosts Have Included Jeremy Clarkson and Matt LeBlanc, to Return

The BBC has confirmed that its veteran motoring show “Top Gear,” whose former hosts have included Jeremy Clarkson and “Friends” star Matt LeBlanc, will return. The series, which began in 1977 and beca...

4 hours ago

‘Toy Story 5’ Sets Disney+ Streaming Release Date After Making $1 Billion at the Box Office

In “Toy Story 5,” the Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang face an existential crisis after technology takes priority over playtime. Now that the film has set its Disney+ premiere date for Sept. 23, i...

4 hours ago

Olivia Rodrigo Exhibit Coming to Grammy Museum, With Launch Including an On-Stage Cameron Crowe Q&A (EXCLUSIVE)

Olivia Rodrigo’s “The Cure” music video only came out three months ago, but it’s already a museum piece. An exhibit titled “Olivia Rodrigo: The Cure Unraveled” will open at the Grammy Museum in downto...

4 hours ago

James Cameron’s ‘Terminator 2,’ Michael Mann’s ‘Manhunter’ and Jacques Tati Retrospective Anchor Studiocanal’s New Classics Label

Studiocanal has launched Studiocanal Classics, a new worldwide catalogue label, drawing on a library of more than 18,000 titles the company describes as the largest outside the U.S. The library spans ...

4 hours ago

‘Married at First Sight’ Scandal Being Taken ‘Very Seriously’ Says Channel 4 Exec as Contributor Welfare Takes Spotlight

Channel 4 is taking the “Married at First Sight” scandal “very seriously,” says a senior exec, although she declined to comment on the prospect of the hit reality show being axed for good. “‘MAFS’ is ...

5 hours ago

Sister Group Inks Production and Distribution Deal With ‘University Challenge’ Host Amol Rajan

Sister Group has signed a production and distribution deal with “University Challenge” host Amol Rajan. The news was announced at the Edinburgh TV Festival, where Rajan, formerly the BBC’s media edito...

5 hours ago

Patrick Holland to Remain Chair and CEO of Banijay U.K. Following All3Media Merger

Patrick Holland is set to stay in place as executive chairman and CEO of Banijay U.K. following the company’s merger with All3Media. He will report to Banijay Entertainment CEO Marco Bassetti. The $8 ...

5 hours ago

Channel 5 Boss Ben Frow on Why He Would Never Have Commissioned a Sarah Everard Drama: ‘There Are Some Things I Just Wouldn’t Do’

Channel 5 boss Ben Frow said he would never have commissioned a drama about Sarah Everard for his network. Jeff Pope is penning a drama about the investigation into Everard’s 2021 murder for the BBC. ...

7 hours ago

‘Nanny McPhee’ Musical Written by Emma Thompson to Open in London Next Summer

“Nanny McPhee” is coming to the West End. A new musical, penned by Emma Thompson — who starred as the title character and wrote the screenplay for the beloved 2005 film and its sequel — is set to worl...

8 hours ago

Sting to Narrate Documentary About ‘The Godfather’ Composer Nino Rota, Premiering at Venice Film Festival (EXCLUSIVE)

Musician and songwriter Sting will narrate Walter Fasano’s documentary “Nino – A Film About Nino Rota,” which is a portrait of “The Godfather” composer Nino Rota. The film will have its world premiere...

8 hours ago

‘Harry Potter’ Back to Hogwarts Initiative to Donate Over 200,000 Books to Schools and Hospitals (EXCLUSIVE)

With Back to Hogwarts Day – the annual Sept. 1 celebration of all things “Harry Potter” — right around the corner, publishers are introducing a new generation to the magic of reading by donating over ...

8 hours ago

Emmy-Winning Baobab Studios Lands Naver Ventures Investment, Sets ‘Shine’ as Flagship Title (EXCLUSIVE)

Baobab Studios has secured a strategic investment from Naver Ventures, the U.S.-based venture investment arm of Naver Corporation, the 10-time Emmy-winning transmedia animation studio has revealed. Na...

10 hours ago

Miyu Distribution Acquires Fernanda Salgado’s ‘Ana, en Passant’ Starring Lauded Brazilian Actress Zezé Motta (EXCLUSIVE)

Global indie animation powerhouse Miyu Distribution has acquired international rights to Fernanda Salgado’s “Ana, en Passant” ahead of its world premiere at the Brasília Brazilian Film Festival and in...

10 hours ago

‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Behind-the-Scenes Clip Unveiled by Toho and Gkids

Toho and Gkids have released a new behind-the-scenes clip for “Godzilla Minus Zero,” the follow-up to Yamazaki Takashi’s Academy Award-winning “Godzilla Minus One,” ahead of the film’s North American ...

11 hours ago

Venice Horizons Best Director Winner Anuparna Roy’s ‘Lovers in the Blue Night’ Boarded by Parallax (EXCLUSIVE)

Parallax has acquired international sales rights to Anuparna Roy’s “Lovers in the Blue Night,” which will have its world premiere in the Horizons competition at the Venice Film Festival. The film brin...

11 hours ago

Manoj Bajpayee’s ‘Last Man in Tower’ Sets September Indian Release From Rana Daggubati’s Spirit Media, Unveils Teaser (EXCLUSIVE)

“Last Man in Tower,” the Aravind Adiga adaptation starring Manoj Bajpayee, is headed to Indian theaters this September and has unveiled its first teaser. The film, directed by Ben Rekhi and produced b...

12 hours ago

‘Who Has Time to Watch All This Crap?’: Inside 10 Anonymous Emmy Ballots as Voting Officially Closes

Emmy voting is now closed, and not a moment too soon. Every year, more than 27,000 members of the Television Academy — actors and editors, showrunners and composers, the people who actually make telev...

12 hours ago

‘Coyote vs. Acme’ Cast and Crew Held a ‘Funeral Screening’ After the Movie Was Shelved: ‘Was Emotional in So Many Ways’

What do you do when you think your movie will never see the light of day? Have a “funeral screening,” of course. That’s exactly what the team behind “Coyote vs. Acme” did when they feared the live-act...

14 hours ago

Harry Styles Pays Tribute to Dolly Parton, Completely Revamps Setlist at Madison Square Garden Opening Night: Concert Review

Apart from the special show he performed with an orchestra in London, Harry Styles has played basically the same set since his “Together, Together” tour opened in Amsterdam 33 shows and nearly three m...

14 hours ago

COL Group, Virtue Asia and V47 Entertainment Launch Inside Microdramas, Vertical Entertainment Upfront

COL Group, Virtue Asia and V47 Entertainment have unveiled Inside Microdramas, billed as the first upfront event built around microdramas and the broader vertical entertainment business. The event wil...

16 hours ago

Dolly Parton Has One Last Song Buried in a Time Capsule: ‘My Place In History’

Country queen and national treasure Dolly Parton may have physically left the world on Tuesday, but her indelible mark on the world and the industry will never be forgotten. And luckily, she’s not don...

17 hours ago

‘The Sandlot’ Cast Reunites for ‘Dugout Dads’ Comedy Series, Chris Paul Signs on to Executive Produce

“Dugout Dads,” the nine-episode series streaming on YouTube, is seeking a bigger playing field. The short-form series, created by Patrick Renna and Kyle Howard’s Hambino Media, reunites the cast of 19...

18 hours ago

Leah Remini Joins ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Season 16

Season 16 of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” has a new marquee star: The Bravo show has landed actor/anti-Scientology activist Leah Remini as a full-time cast member. Remini won’t be the only n...

19 hours ago

Beyoncé Announces $1 Million Donation for Earthquake Relief Efforts in Colombia

Beyoncé has announced that she will make a personal donation of $1 million to support relief efforts in Colombia following the country’s recent earthquake. According to a release from Parkwood Enterta...

19 hours ago

‘The Witcher’ Co-Producer Rae Benjamin to Receive Starz #TakeTheLead Award at Humanitas Event, Presented by Russell T Davies

“The Witcher” Season 5 co-producer Rae Benjamin, who is also the cowriter of the animated feature “The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep,” has been selected to receive this year’s Starz #TakeTheLead award a...

19 hours ago

James Gunn Says ‘Superman: Man of Tomorrow’ Has Wrapped Filming: ‘I Have Immense Gratitude’

“Superman: Man of Tomorrow” is one step closer to soaring into theaters. Writer and director James Gunn revealed on Threads that “Superman: Man of Tomorrow” has officially wrapped filming. “That’s a...

19 hours ago

Jon Stewart, Bruce Springsteen and Hasan Minhaj to Perform at New York’s Stand Up for Heroes Event

Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart and Hasan Minhaj will headline the 20th annual Stand Up for Heroes event in New York City. The variety show, taking place at Lincoln Center on Nov. 9 as part of the New ...

20 hours ago

X Launches ‘NFL Gametime,’ a Football Feed Placed Alongside ‘For You’ and ‘Following’

X will really mark the spot for NFL content. The social-media outlet is launching “NFL Gametime,” a new project that offers an NFL feed weaving data, news and creators into the overall user experience...

20 hours ago

Dolly Parton Streams Surge on Spotify With 2,320% Increase in the United States

Dolly Parton’s music has significantly surged on Spotify following her death on Tuesday, with total streams increasing over 1,260% globally and 2,320% in the United States compared to the prior seven-...

21 hours ago

Why Lionsgate Vet’s Saudi Arabia-Backed Game Studio Picked ‘1,001 Arabian Nights’ Adaptation as Its Debut Title

When it comes to picking IP that’s prime for adaptation, it’s hard to find a story — or rather, stories — with more staying power than “One Thousand and One Nights.” During video game trade event Game...

21 hours ago

‘Love Island USA’ Renewed for Season 9 With Ariana Madix Returning as Host, Peacock Drops Season 8 Reunion Sneak Peak

Peacock has renewed “Love Island USA” for Season 9, with Ariana Madix set to return as host following a record-breaking eighth season. To accompany the news, Peacock has also released a sneak peak at...

21 hours ago

5 Things About Dolly Parton You Didn’t Know: From Producing ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ to the COVID Vaccine

The inimitable, irreplaceable Dolly Parton passed away on Tuesday after a brief battle with cancer. She was 80. The country legend and cultural icon was perhaps our last universally beloved celebrity,...

22 hours ago

Jaye P. Morgan, Singer, Actress and Game Show Panelist, Dies at 94

Jaye P. Morgan, a singer, actress and frequent game show panelist in the 1970s, died Monday in Washington. Her family announced her death and said she resided in Castle Rock, Washington. Morgan’s sin...

22 hours ago

Ridley Scott Says He’s Planning a Third ‘Alien’ Prequel Centering on Michael Fassbender’s Character

Ridley Scott does not seem to be thinking of retiring anytime soon. Not only does the director, 88, have Jacob Elordi starrer “The Dog Stars” opening Friday, he’s planning to put his own stamp on “Tre...

22 hours ago

Dolly Parton’s 30 Greatest Songs

How do we count the ways in which we will always love her — do we go from 9 to 5,000? Here’s a compromise: We’ve selected 30 of Dolly Parton’s greatest songs, from among hundreds. This task is taken.....

23 hours ago

‘Not Suitable for Work’: Five Unresolved Cliffhangers From Mindy Kaling’s Canceled Hulu Series

It’s a golden age for television about teens and twentysomethings right now, and there is no shortage of shows about the epic highs and lows of high school and early adulthood. Yet none of them have n...

23 hours ago

‘Survivor 51’: Meet the 21 New Castaways, Including a ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Actor, the Voice of Strawberry Shortcake, a Pro Wrestler and a Yankees Exec

After its landmark 50th season, explored at length in a Variety cover story, “Survivor” is back for another round. CBS kicked off a new phase of the popular competition series, titled “The Open Era,” ...

23 hours ago