Ava DuVernay’s Wings of Fire, an animated series adaptation of the family fantasy books which had been in development at Netflix since 2021, is the latest victim of animation cuts at the streamer, sources close to the project confirm to Deadline. We hear several other projects are not moving forward as well. DuVernay’s Wings of […]
EXCLUSIVE: The Juneteenth comedy Block Party is set for a wide theatrical release via Iconic Events Releasing on June 8, also having been picked up for linear and streaming by BET and BET+ starting June 16. The film from director Dawn Wilkinson centers on Keke McQueen (Antoinette Robertson), a recent Harvard grad who is eager […]
Jeffrey Katzenberg has donated $600,000 to an independent committee backing Karen Bass for Los Angeles mayor, as polls show the California congresswoman facing a tight race against billionaire developer Rick Caruso. The contribution was made earlier this month to Communities United for Bass for Mayor 2022. Katzenberg was among the initial donors to the committee, […]
A little more than a week before Disney’s Star Wars Celebration fan event, LucasFilm primed the pump in a lengthy Vanity Fair cover story revealing details about the constellation of Star Wars projects headed for Disney+. Possibly the most intriguing bit of news in the piece is confirmation of a mystery series from Spider-Man: Homecoming […]
Disney CEO Bob Chapek opened Disney’s upfront in New York by telling a crowd of several hundred advertisers that the company “the most powerful force in the industry” and “the most enduring and beloved name in entertainment.” After a bumpy start to 2022, at least in terms of public perception, the company has delivered some […]
Archewell has named public relations vet Ashley Momtaheni as EVP of Global Communications. She starts May 30. Momtaheni will oversee all communications efforts for the various divisions of the organization which was founded by Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2020. Momtaheni joins Archewell from Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, where […]
EXCLUSIVE: Radar Pictures—the independent film and television production company founded by Emmy winner Ted Field, known for its work on the Jumanji and Riddick franchises—has signed with Buchwald for representation. Field founded Radar in 1999 and heads up the company as CEO. Radar has thus far produced more than 60 features—including The Amityville Horror, The […]
Originally planned to open the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year before the worsening Covid situation forced the festival to again go virtual, Oscar-winning writer-director Michel Hazanavicius made the right decision in insisting his comedy Final Cut (Coupez!), about the making of a low-budget bad zombie movie, should be presented with a full house in […]
In the wake of the racially motivated mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, NY, the IATSE Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee is urging Congress and the Joe Biden administration “to take decisive federal action to combat the rise of racial violence in America.” “The IATSE and entire labor movement is completely shattered by the […]
Last week’s Tony Award nominations translated into box office sales for at least some of the contenders, with A Strange Loop seeing the biggest boost. The musical, which topped the Tony list with 11 nominations, saw a $213,871 increase in its weekly grosses, taking in $690,668 for the week ending May 15. Overall, the 35 […]
EXCLUSIVE: Patricia Velasquez (The Mummy), Gian Franco Rodriguez (Halston), Rumer Willis (Sorority Row), Billy Budinich (Frank and Penelope) and newcomer Isabella Feliciana will star in the social impact film Maya from director Julia Verdin (Angie: Lost Girls), which has entered production in Los Angeles. The film written by Verdin looks to raise awareness on key issues […]
The cast keeps getting better and better in the Yellowstone universe. Paramount+ announced today that Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford will star in 1932 (working title), the next installment of the Dutton origin story. The streamer offered no additional information on who Mirren and Ford will play in the latest Taylor Sheridan joint, other than […]
Top Gun: Maverick’s Cannes Film Festival premiere marks another high point in the movie star career of Tom Cruise. The actor turns 60 on July 3, and unlike most leading men of that age who become quicker to call for the stunt double, Cruise shows little evidence of slowing down after 43 films. If anything, […]
If the jury press conference for the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival is anything to go by, we’re in for a pretty punchy ride on the Croisette the next few weeks. Iranian director Asghar Fahradi spoke for the first time of a plagiarism suit that was filed against him from his former film […]
SAG Award-nominee Alexandra Billings (Transparent) will star in, and executive produce the upcoming trans revolutionary indie feature, Queen Tut. Fae Pictures is financing and producing the film in association with Hawkeye Pictures with the participation of Telefilm Canada and Ontario Creates. The producing team will be attending the Cannes Market meeting with international sales prospects. Queen Tut will be directed […]
Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs’ Candle Media have struck again, announcing the purchase ATTN, a social media storytelling company for Gen Z and Millennials. Candle said today it will help provide scale, capital and expertise to accelerate ATTN’s growth as it continues “to create original content for Gen Z and Millennials across social media, network […]
EXCLUSIVE: “Things have changed a little bit,” Omar Sy admits about life after Lupin. He laughs. “My parents do know what I do now.” That’s how the actor and his family like it. Low key. The Frenchman’s move to LA a decade ago was in part driven by a desire for more anonymity. In his […]
Cannes Film Festival chief Thierry Frémaux took part in a ‘meet the press’ session with journalists in Cannes yesterday afternoon. The long-time chief was asked multiple questions about the festival’s stance towards Russia and about Deadline’s censorship story from yesterday. Given that the festival has a ban on Russian journalists from pro-Putin publications and on […]
Shares of Paramount popped higher in early trading after Berkshire Hathaway, the company of legendary investor Warren Buffett, disclosed late yesterday that it acquired a chunky stake in the company. Paramount shares are up more than 10% at nearly $31 at market open morning, following a 1% dip yesterday. They stock is still well off […]
Roku Originals has tied with UK network Channel 4 for the first time on Tempting Fortune, in which a group of 12 strangers will spend 19 days in paradise but have to resist the temptation to spend money, while Channel 4 has also greenlit an Apprentice-style politics competition format. The show from UK indie Voltage will […]
Bleecker Street acquired U.S. rights to Emily, the directing debut of Frances O’Connor that tells of Emily Bronte’s own romantic story in the lead up to her novel Wuthering Heights. Plan is for 2023 theatrical release. Warner Bros already had UK rights. Emma Mackey heads a cast that includes Fionn Whitehead, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Alexandra Dowling […]
Elon Musk said overnight that his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter can’t move ahead unless the company backs up statements about the number of fake accounts on the platform, which the company has put at under 5%. It’s something he’s been picking at for days but made explicit in a tweet early Tuesday as some […]
Visual effects and animation firm DNEG has extended its deal with Netflix through 2025. Film and TV titles produced under the partnership include Stranger Things and The Adam Project. The non-exclusive pact is worth $350 million, according to an SEC filing. DNEG’s ReDefine division will also supply VFX services and top-end creative supervision for select […]
EXCLUSIVE: Here’s a first look image from supernatural horror-mystery The Queen Mary, starring Alice Eve and Joel Fry. The title, which is from The Woman In Black outfit White Horse Pictures, is directed by Dracula Untold helmer Gary Shore. Rocket Science is shopping the title at the Cannes market this week and will show a […]
HBO Max has commissioned a six-part Spanish-language teen road trip drama, How To Screw It All Up. The series, from emerging Spanish talents Jaime Olías and Pablo Sanhermelando, follows a a group of friends who take a directionless road trip, but end up finding themselves. Boomerang — the Spanish producer behind Los Misters de Laura, which NBC remade […]
