Jon M. Chu Moves First-Look Film and TV Deal to Paramount
Jon M. Chu is taking his talents to Paramount Skydance. The “Wicked” director has inked a multi-year first-look film and TV deal with the David Ellison-led studio. Though Chu most recently…
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Lifestyle
Trump Pardons Sports Exec Tim Leiweke in Texas Bid-Rigging Case
President Trump has granted a pardon to Tim Leiweke, the live entertainment executive accused of rigging a bid to build an arena on the campus of the University of Texas. In a proclamation…
Hong Kong Fire Remembrance Sets Poignant Tone at Hainan Film Festival Launch
Amidst the pomp and spectacle of the opening ceremony of the Hainan Island International Film Festival (HIIFF), a quiet remembrance stole the show. Xing Bo, VP of China Media Group,…
Phil Upchurch, Guitarist and Composer for Michael Jackson and Curtis Mayfield, Dies at 84
Phil Upchurch, a guitarist who played with Quincy Jones, Donny Hathaway and Michael Jackson, died on Nov. 23 in Los Angeles. He was 84. During his career, Upchurch recorded nearly 30…
DIRECTV Adds Seven New Multiview ‘Mix Channels’ to Elevate Home Streaming
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. DIRECTV is serving up even more ways for customers…
‘The Challenge’ Star Olivia Kaiser on Running the Season 41 Final While Seven Weeks Pregnant and When She Found Out She Was Expecting
“The Challenge” Season 41 comes to an end on Dec. 3 and one outcome has already been spoiled: Olivia Kaiser was pregnant during filming. The “Love Island” alum welcomed her first child,…
Scarlett Johansson in Talks for ‘The Batman 2’
Scarlett Johansson is in negotiations to join the cast of “The Batman 2,” starring opposite Robert Pattinson. The move is the latest major franchise deal for Johansson, who recently…
WME Signs Author and ‘Woman Evolve’ Founder Sarah Jakes Roberts (EXCLUSIVE)
WME has signed spiritual leader, author and “Woman Evolve” founder Sarah Jakes Roberts for representation. The agency will collaborate with Jakes Roberts to expand her presence and mission…
‘Boston Blue,’ ‘Sheriff Country’ Earn Speedy Season 2 Renewals at CBS
Both “Boston Blue” and “Sheriff Country” have been renewed for Season 2 at CBS, Variety has learned. Both shows are spinoffs of other CBS series — “Blue Bloods” and “Fire Country”…
Netflix Sells ‘Cozy Grove’ and ‘Spirit Crossing’ Video Game Studio Spry Fox Back to Original Owners
Netflix is once again reconfiguring its video-game business strategy by selling Spry Fox, the developer behind “Cozy Grove” and the upcoming “Spirit Crossing,” back to the studio’s…
HBO Max Sets March Launch in U.K., Ireland
HBO Max has confirmed it is set to roll-out in the U.K. and Ireland in March next year. Earlier on Wednesday the streamer confirmed it is coming to Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland,…
Richard Gere on Dalai Lama Documentary ‘Wisdom of Happiness,’ His 20-Year Oscar Ban and Donald Trump: ‘I Don’t Know How You Explain What He Has Done to This Country’
Richard Gere is more than just an executive producer by name on “Wisdom of Happiness,” a documentary about his longtime friend the Dalai Lama. “I’ve never worked this hard to get a film…
Tig Notaro Says She’s Writing a ‘Hot Lesbian Action’ Movie With Zack Snyder
Tig Notaro is planning another splashy collaboration with Zack Snyder. The actor and comedian was on the Dec. 1 episode of the podcast “On With Kara Swisher,” where she spoke about her…
Audience-Controlled Interactive Slasher Movie ‘Slay Day’ Sets Fall 2026 Theatrical Run, Followed by Gaming Console Release (EXCLUSIVE)
Interactive slasher film “Slay Day” will debut in theaters next fall from Kino Industries’ CtrlMovie. Per CtrlMovie, “Slay Day” will ask audiences to “collectively vote on each critical…
Director Gustavo Hernández Unpacks AFM Sales Hit ‘The Whisper,’ From the Producers of ‘When Evil Lurks,’ ‘Lobo Feroz’
BUENOS AIRES — Pushing out sales in Germany, the U.S., South Korea, Poland and Thailand and with distribution in Latin America set with Moving Pics, Gustavo Hernández’s “The Whisper,” the…
Quirino Awards Return to Tenerife With Record 273 Submissions, Unveil New Two-Pillar Structure (EXCLUSIVE)
The Ibero-American Animation Quirino Awards organization has set a new benchmark in its ninth edition, announcing a record 273 submissions — the largest pool in its history — while…
‘Harry Potter’ Series Is ‘Such a Delightful Adaptation,’ HBO Max Exec Says: ‘When People Watch It’ They Will Think, ‘These Are the Books’
HBO‘s upcoming “Harry Potter” series is shaping up to be “such a delightful adaptation” of J.K. Rowling’s books, according to HBO Max head of original content Sarah Aubrey. Speaking on a…
Singapore Launches $154 Million Program to Boost Film and TV Talent
Singapore‘s Infocomm Media Development Authority has launched a three-year, SGD200 million ($154 million) initiative designed to develop the country’s film and television talent and…
Manoj Bajpayee’s ‘The Family Man’ Season 3 Becomes Prime Video India’s Most-Watched Series of 2025 (EXCLUSIVE)
“The Family Man” Season 3 has shattered records to become Prime Video India’s most-watched series of 2025 in its first week, the streamer has revealed. The spy-action thriller, which…
‘Sandokan: The Pirate Prince’ Leads Fremantle’s Scripted Sales Across Asia – ATF
Fremantle has locked in a series of scripted sales throughout Asia, led by action-adventure series “Sandokan: The Pirate Prince.” The Lux Vide-produced “Sandokan,” adapted from Emilio…
‘Mr. Men Little Miss’ Movie in the Works From ‘Paddington’ Producers Studiocanal and Heyday (EXCLUSIVE)
Studiocanal and Heyday Films, who last teamed on the hugely successful “Paddington” franchise, are partnering up again on another prestige British family IP with blockbuster potential,…
Laurence Fishburne Has Sore Memories of ‘The Matrix’: ‘I Was in Pain All the Time’
Laurence Fishburne has plenty of sore memories from his time in “The Matrix.” “We were essentially the first Western actors to work in the Hong Kong style,” he says of himself and co-stars…
From Premium Polos to the Latest Smart Gadgets, These are the Best Gifts for Golfers this Year
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Shopping for a golfer can feel oddly high-stakes.…
George Clooney ‘Annoyed’ He Lost ‘Thelma & Louise’ Role to ‘Motherf—er’ Brad Pitt: ‘I Didn’t Watch’ That Movie ‘For Years’
George Clooney told The Sunday Times that he’s still upset about losing the role of J.D. in Ridley Scott’s 1991 film “Thelma & Louise” to longtime friend and collaborator Brad Pitt. “I got…