Variety

Zhang Disha’s Sci-Fi ‘The Decisive Moment’ to Close Shanghai Film Festival

“The Decisive Moment,” a sci-fi feature directed by Zhang Disha and produced by Huang Jianxin, will world premiere as the closing film of the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival on June 21, scre...

19 minutes ago

DGA Responds to Production Slump by Limiting TV Actors From Taking Director Jobs

The Directors Guild of America has secured a provision in its new contract that limits actors on TV series from directing episodes, as it seeks to preserve jobs for career TV directors. The provision ...

8 hours ago

Viral ‘Open Door’ YouTube Short to be Adapted Into Feature, Earns Six-Figure Development Deal (EXCLUSIVE)

“Open Door,” Kevin Cate’s viral sci-fi short with nearly 15 million views across YouTube shorts, TikTok and Instagram, will be adapted into a feature-length film through a six-figure development deal....

8 hours ago

‘The Furious’: Inside the Balletic and Brutal Fight Scenes, From Mixing Martial Art Styles to Taking 18 Days to Shoot the Insane Final Showdown

While the premise of “The Furious” is simple — a father named Wang Wei (Xie Miao) must find his daughter after she is kidnapped by a child trafficking ring — it’s the springboard for a nonstop flurry ...

8 hours ago

‘Blue Film’ Star Kieron Moore Says Movie’s Kink and Taboo Subjects Were ‘Never a Shock’ to Him Because He Has ‘Super Sex Positive’ Friends

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains significant details about “Blue Film,” now available on VOD. Kieron Moore hopes that people don’t know much about “Blue Film” before they watch the movie. “I think i...

9 hours ago

‘Lilo & Stitch 2’: Chris Sanders, Who Voices Stitch, Set to Direct Live-Action Sequel

“Lilo & Stitch” co-creator Chris Sanders, who also voices Stitch, will take the reins and direct the forthcoming live-action sequel. Last year, Disney’s live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch” d...

9 hours ago

Aardman Founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton Knighted in King Charles’ Birthday Honors

Arise Sir Peter Lord and Sir David Sproxton, but very slowly, just a little bit at a time. The founders of Aardman Animations, the legendary stop-motion pioneers behind “Wallace and Gromit,” “Shaun th...

9 hours ago

Veteran PR Executive Adam Keen Launches Agenda Collective

Amazon MGM Studios and Warner Bros. veteran Adam Keen has founded Agenda Collective, a new full-service entertainment PR firm, designed to support across film, TV, corporate and awards campaigns. Agen...

10 hours ago

‘Stop That Train’ Producers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato on Their Silly Disaster Spoof: ‘It’s Not Just Fun. It’s Healing’

This weekend, the “Drag Race” universe is expanding and getting ready to slay moviegoers with “Stop That Train.” The disaster movie parody comes via Bleecker Street Films and World of Wonder, deliveri...

10 hours ago

‘Jinsei’ Review: An Eerie Philosophy of Fame is Fine-Lined in a Spellbindingly Strange Anime Debut

It is oddly encouraging that a film like Ryuya Suzuki’s “Jinsei” — not that there are many films like Ryuya Suzuki’s “Jinsei” — should be released within weeks of “The Odyssey” and “Disclosure Day.” T...

10 hours ago

What Taylor Swift’s Big Week With ‘Toy Story 5,’ Steven Spielberg and the New York Knicks Says About Her Next Era

What do Buzz Lightyear, Steven Spielberg and the New York Knicks have in common? The answer is Taylor Swift. The pop star has been everywhere this week: On Monday, she made a surprise appearance at th...

11 hours ago

Justice Department Approves Paramount’s Warner Bros. Discovery Takeover Without Any Strings Attached

David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance has reportedly cleared a big regulatory hurdle in advancing toward completing its $111 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. The Justice Department’s Antitrust...

11 hours ago

Roku Stock Jumps 20% on Report It’s in Sales Talks With a U.S. Media Company

Shares of Roku hit a 52-week high Friday on a report that the streaming platform company is in talks to sell itself. Roku’s stock closed at $143.66/share Friday, up 20% for the day, pushing its market...

12 hours ago

Ronnie Schell, ‘Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.’ and ‘That Girl’ Actor, Dies at 94

Ronnie Schell, the versatile actor known for his comedic work in “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” and “That Girl,” died Friday in Los Angeles of natural causes, his publicist confirmed to Variety. He was 94. Kn...

12 hours ago

Jason Bateman on Five Possible Emmy Noms, a ‘Game Night’ Sequel, AI and His Spielberg-Size Studio Dream

Jason Bateman is living dangerously. The actor-director enters this Emmy cycle with a problem most performers would envy: two acclaimed limited series, two wildly different roles and a directing-produ...

13 hours ago

Aaron Sorkin Tried to Get Jesse Eisenberg Back as Mark Zuckerberg for ‘Social Reckoning,’ but the Actor Doesn’t ‘Want to Be Conflated’ With the Facebo...

Jeremy Strong’s take on Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg officially debuted with the launch of the first trailer for Aaron Sorkin’s “The Social Reckoning,” a follow-up to 2010’s “The Social Network.” ...

13 hours ago

Ariana Grande Expands Philanthropic Efforts With Launch of Brighter Days Ahead Foundation

Ariana Grande is expanding her philanthropic efforts with the launch of the Brighter Days Ahead Foundation, focusing on youth mental health, arts education and community support causes. The Brighter D...

13 hours ago

Joe Negri, Guitar Player and Handyman on ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,’ Dies at 99

Joe Negri, the musician best known for his work as the guitar-playing handyman on “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” died May 30 in Pittsburgh. He was 99. Negri’s death was announced by his family. Negri ...

13 hours ago

Spencer Pratt Concedes in L.A. Mayor Race: ‘You Have No Idea How Bad Things Are About to Get’

Spencer Pratt conceded defeat in the race for Los Angeles mayor on Friday, painting a bleak picture of the city’s future under either of his opponents and vowing to continue to “expose this corrupt ma...

13 hours ago

A ‘Fool’s’ Tune: How an Elton John Introduction Sparked Michael Stipe and Andrew Watt’s ‘Rooster’ Theme Song

Singer-songwriter Michael Stipe has known Elton John for more than 35 years. In all that time, he had never once given Stipe’s personal phone number to anyone, especially a musician. Then he decided t...

14 hours ago

Jimmi Simpson Joins Elisabeth Moss in Hulu Drama ‘Conviction’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Jimmi Simpson has joined the upcoming Hulu drama series “Conviction,” Variety has learned exclusively. Simpson will star alongside previously announced lead Elisabeth Moss and fellow cast members Seba...

14 hours ago

Tonies and Hasbro Team Up to Reinvent Classic Board Games — Including ‘Monopoly’, ‘Game of Life’ and ‘Guess Who’

Families looking for a new way to enjoy game night may want to clear a spot on the shelf. Tonies has teamed up with Hasbro Games to launch the new Tonieplay Hasbro Collection, a screen-free gaming exp...

14 hours ago

Tom Cruise Reunites with Spielberg Co-Stars Colin Farrell, Dakota Fanning (and a Popcorn Bucket of the Director’s Head) for ‘Disclosure Day’ Screening...

Tom Cruise had an all-star Steven Spielberg reunion to support the director’s new alien thriller, “Disclosure Day.” He was joined by his “Minority Report” co-star Colin Farrell and “War of the Worlds”...

14 hours ago

Jacob Soboroff Aims to ‘Connect’ New MS NOW Weekend Show With Social-Media Energy

Jacob Soboroff says he was doing creator media before creator media became cool. In some views, the 43-year-old MS NOW correspondent has finally made it. After years of doing what can sometimes be int...

15 hours ago

Kathryn Newton Joins Cooper Hoffman in Hulu Pilot ‘Durango’

Kathryn Newton will star opposite Cooper Hoffman in the Hulu drama pilot “Durango.” The project follows Mikey (Hoffman), a ski bum townie chasing a buzz, who meets Bunny (Newton), a homeschooled runaw...

15 hours ago

Wanda Sykes Turned Down Kevin Hart’s Netflix Roast and Says ‘Thank God’: It’s ‘Lazy Writing’ With ‘Recycled Sexist, Racist, Gay Jokes’

Wanda Sykes abstained from Netflix’s high-profile Kevin Hart roast in May, and the comedian is quite pleased with her decision. Asked by Vulture if she was asked to participate in the live telecast, S...

15 hours ago

Sofia Coppola Is Rooting for the Knicks and Fighting for Women’s Rights: ‘Everyone Needs to Focus on Being Vocal’

“It’s just so outrageous,” offers Sofia Coppola. The Academy Award-winning filmmaker is seated across from me inside No Matter What, an immersive art installation from Planned Parenthood in Greenwich ...

15 hours ago

‘Heated Rivalry,’ ‘Industry,’ ‘Widow’s Bay’ Lead 2026 TCA Awards Nominations

Crave/HBO Max’s “Heated Rivalry,” HBO’s “Industry” and Apple TV’s “Widow’s Bay” led the nominations for the Television Critics Association’s 42nd Annual TCA Awards, announced Friday. As part of the re...

16 hours ago

NBC Hosting Private Comedy Showcase to Put Rising Talent in Front of Casting, Development and Late-Night Execs (EXCLUSIVE)

NBCUniversal is hosting an invite-only comedy showcase at 30 Rock on Friday, putting a select group of up-and-coming talent in front of industry leaders including NBCU casting and development executiv...

16 hours ago

Elon Musk Becomes First Trillionaire With SpaceX IPO: Company’s Stock Opens Up 11% in Biggest-Ever Public Offering

Elon Musk is officially the world’s first trillionaire after his SpaceX tech company debuted Friday at $150/share, 11% higher than the company’s IPO pricing. SpaceX — rocket manufacturer, satellite in...

16 hours ago

‘The Beatles’ Movies Casts ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Star Ben Schwartz

Ben Schwartz has joined the cast of “The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event.” Schwartz’s role is unspecified, but photographers captured the actor on the films’ set this week. He joins an ensemble ...

16 hours ago

Ron Howard Thinks Audiences Will Decide Whether AI Films Succeed: ‘What Are We Invested In?’

Ron Howard believes there’s a chance AI-generated films could succeed — but only if movie audiences decide they’re worth watching. Howard spoke during a fireside chat at the Runway AI Festival, the AI...

17 hours ago

Alec Baldwin and Dana Carvey Trade Tips on Impersonating Biden, Bush and Playing a ‘Mean and Nasty’ Donald Trump

Dana Carvey is no stranger to meeting the men he has lampooned on “SNL” and in his stand-up act, but so far, he’s just missed running into Joe Biden. It turns out the 46th president is a frequent visi...

17 hours ago

Asghar Farhadi’s Cannes Film ‘Parallel Tales’ Sells Across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Canada Through Charades (EXCLUSIVE)

Asghar Farhadi’s star-studded drama “Parallel Tales” has secured a raft of international sales following its world premiere in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, underscoring strong global deman...

17 hours ago

Box Office: ‘Disclosure Day’ Makes $6.5 Million in Previews

Director Steven Spielberg is back at the box office with an original alien thriller, “Disclosure Day.” It has made $6.5 million at the box office in Thursday previews. The Universal film is expected t...

18 hours ago

Italian Director Ludovica Rampoldi’s Clandestine Romance ‘A Brief Affair’ Scores U.S. Distribution Deal With Breaking Glass Pictures (EXCLUSIVE)

Italian writer-turned-director Ludovica Rampoldi’s clandestine romance “A Brief Affair” — which features a stellar local cast including Pilar Fogliati (“Madly”), Adriano Giannini (“Supersex”) and Vale...

18 hours ago

CBS News Names Trevor Phillips Senior Global Affairs Correspondent

Trevor Phillips, a longtime British writer and anchor and former U.K. politician, has been named senior global affairs correspondent at CBS News, where Bari Weiss, the unit’s editor in chief, has arti...

18 hours ago

Netflix Smash ‘The Platform’ and Iciar Bollaín’s ‘Rosa’s Wedding’ Set to Pitch at Spain’s Shanghai Market Remakes Showcase

Netflix mega-hit “The Platform” and “Rosa’s Wedding,” from top Spanish auteur Iciar Bollaín will be pitched June 21 at the Shanghai Film & TV Market during an event focused on one of the key growt...

18 hours ago

‘House of Guinness’ Renewed for Season 2 by Netflix (EXCLUSIVE)

“House of Guinness,” Netflix’s boozy period drama based on the famed Irish brewing family, is coming back for another round. Variety understands that a second season of the show, created by Stephen Kn...

19 hours ago

Sombr Covers Two Taylor Swift Songs as Steven Spielberg Compares Her to Lennon-McCartney at Songwriters Hall of Fame Ceremony

As we say every year, the annual Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony is a combination of an awards show and a family reunion — an annual gathering of superstars virtually everyone recognizes, iconic beh...

19 hours ago

The Weeknd Tops 3 Million Tickets Sold in 2026 Alone as ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ Tour Kicks Off U.K. and European Legs

As the Weeknd kicked off the 2026 Europe and U.K. leg of his years-long “After Hours Til Dawn” stadium tour with a sold-out performance at Etihad Stadium in Manchester on Thursday night, he celebrated...

20 hours ago

Pawan Kalyan Confirms ‘They Call Him OG 2,’ Shoot Set to Begin After November

Indian actor-politician Pawan Kalyan’s “They Call Him OG 2” is officially happening. Pawan Kalyan Creative Works confirmed to Variety that the the sequel is in active development, with the shoot expec...

20 hours ago

Inside Why ‘Home Improvement’ Is Not Coming Back Anytime Soon

Sorry, “Home Improvement” fans. A reboot of the massively popular sitcom — which ran from 1991 for eight seasons and starred Tim Allen as a goofy, fun loving dad to three sons — is not coming out of t...

1 day ago

‘Tribeca 25,’ Documentary From ‘Valentino: The Last Emperor’ Director Matt Tyrnauer and Tribeca Studios, Will Look at Festival’s History (EXCLUSIVE)

Tribeca Studios will look back at the history of the film festival with a new documentary, “Tribeca 25,” from “Valentino: The Last Emperor” and “Studio 54” director Matt Tyrnauer. The film will cover ...

1 day ago

Emmy Voting Begins: First Look at Submission Tallies and More

Greetings from Variety Awards Headquarters! Today is June 11, 2026, which means nominations-round voting begins TODAY; it’s then 11 days until nominations-round voting ends on June 22 at 10 p.m.; and ...

1 day ago

Spotify Reverts iPhone App Icon to Original Version, Dropping Controversial Disco-Ball Logo

Our long international nightmare is over: Spotify has quietly restored the original 2D app icon for the iPhone after about a month-long takeover by a disco-ball-ified version of the logo, which many u...

1 day ago

Universal Destinations & Experiences Taps Donna Mirus Bates Global Franchise Strategy Officer as Parks Continue to See Strong Success

Universal Destinations & Experiences (UDX) has appointed Donna Mirus Bates as global franchise strategy officer, overseeing UDX franchise management and strategic partnerships Bates will report to...

1 day ago

‘The Furious’ Review: Dopey Dialogue and Dubbing Don’t Matter in an Aptly Titled, Stunningly Choreographed Martial Arts Spectacular

A quartet of screenwriters is credited in Kenji Tanigaki’s “The Furious,” but just a single action choreographer: If you’ve ever doubted the adage that two heads (or indeed four) are better than one, ...

1 day ago

Ariana Grande Slams Trump’s White House for Using Her Song to Promote ICE Deportations: ‘Barbaric, Inhumane, Heinous Nonsense’

Ariana Grande has blasted the White House for using a version of her 2024 song “Bye” in a TikTok post that depicted ICE agents arresting and handcuffing people. Grande commented on the TikTok post fro...

1 day ago

Mariska Hargitay on Being Courtside for Knicks Game 4 Win: ‘Honored’ and ‘Grateful’ to Say ‘I Was There’

Mariska Hargitay arrived at Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden after matinee and evening performances of “Every Brilliant Thing” at the n...

1 day ago