Amazon studios

EXCLUSIVE: The Santa Barbara Film Festival will be getting a touch of Lucy and Desi by way of honoring another pair of major stars. Oscar winners Javier Bardem and Nicole Kidman will be honored with the prestigious Maltin Modern Master Award at the 37th annual edition of the fest on Thursday, March 10 when they will engage with veteran film historian and critic Leonard Maltin for an in-person conversation about their careers leading up to this year’s performances as Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball in Aaron Sorkin’s Being the Ricardos from Amazon Studios. They both recently received individual Lead Actor SAG Award nominations. Bardem and Kidman, who have never before worked together, previously won Oscars for No Country for Old Men (2007) and The Hours (2002), respectively. Each have a long career of acclaimed performances. “Nicole Kidman continues to challenge and reinvent herself year after year. Javier Bardem’s talent is a gift to the world. Only in Hollywood … [Read more...] about ‘Being The Ricardos’ Stars Javier Bardem And Nicole Kidman To Receive Maltin Master Award At Santa Barbara Film Festival

A Very British Scandal producer Blueprint Television has hired Poldark exec Karen Thrussell as Head of Television. Thrussell also exec produced a number of Sarah Phelps’ BBC One Agatha Christie adaptations including And Then There Were None, Ordeal By Innocence and Witness for the Prosecution. She will oversee the Sony -backed outfit’s development and production of all TV series, having most recently been behind BBC One/ Amazon Christmas hit A Very British Scandal and 2018’s double-BAFTA-winning A Very English Scandal. She replaces Dominic Treadwell-Collins, who left in 2019 to launch his own ITV Studios-backed label Happy Prince. Thrussell said: “Blueprint Pictures work with some of the greatest talent from around the globe and produce beautiful, top quality film and TV so the opportunity of joining the team seemed too good to miss.” Blueprint Television is sister company to Blueprint Pictures, which is run by Graham Broadbent and Pete Czernin. … [Read more...] about ‘A Very British Scandal’ Producer Blueprint Television Signs ‘Poldark’ Exec Karen Thrussell

EXCLUSIVE: Lucifer , a drama that debuted on the Fox broadcast network before becoming a Netflix show in 2018, topped Nielsen ’s list of the most-streamed original series of 2021 in the U.S. (See the full charts below, with the top 15 original, acquired and movie titles.) The 93 total episodes of the series netted more than 18.3 billion minutes of streaming during the year, according to the measurement firm’s year-end report. That put it well in front of Squid Game ‘s 16.4 billion, but the Korean phenomenon had only nine episodes on Netflix in 2021. Roughly 15% of viewership was tallied by U.S. viewers of the Korean-language, subtitled version, Nielsen estimated, with the rest in an English dubbed one. Lucifer ‘s sixth and final season arrived on Netflix last September. The show was produced by Warner Bros Television in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television. In saving the show after it was canceled by Fox, Netflix established a precedent that it has … [Read more...] about ‘Lucifer’ Tops ‘Squid Game’ On Nielsen 2021 Original Series Chart In U.S., ‘Luca’ Is No. 1 Movie

After setting its recent films Without Remorse, The Tomorrow War and The Old Guard at streamers, David Ellison ’s Skydance Media has made a multi-year agreement with Apple to develop and produce an annual slate of live-action global-minded movies that will be released through Apple Original Films. This further expands a fast-growing relationship between the producer-financier and the streamer. Apple already has a multi-year partnership for animated films and series that includes the Peggy Holmes-directed Luck and the Vicky Jenson-directed Spellbound with score from Alan Menken, the animated series The Search for Wondla and the short film Blush ., AppleTV+ has the Skydance-produced David S. Goyer drama Foundation — the Isaac Asimov novel adaptation has been renewed for a second season — and The Big Door Prize from Schitt’s Creek Emmy winner David West Read. On the film front, Skydance and Apple have the The Greatest Beer Run Ever , director Peter … [Read more...] about Apple, Skydance Media Make Multi-Year Live Action Film Slate Deal

Where better than Washington Heights to meet local hero Lin-Manuel Miranda , the Manhattan neighborhood’s most vociferous supporter? How about at the United Palace Theater, an old movie palace Miranda has been supporting for years, and in whose rehearsal rooms the cast of his debut feature Tick, Tick… BOOM! assembled to read through his adaptation of Rent creator Jonathan Larson’s heartfelt autobiographical musical? The story covers Larson’s life in the period immediately before he created Rent , when Broadway success felt impossible, but the drive to try would not abate. Larson died on the night of Rent ’s first off-Broadway preview. DEADLINE: Jonathan Larson’s work had a foundational impact on you. What’s your history with Rent and Tick, Tick… BOOM! ? LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA : It starts with seeing Rent on my 17 th birthday with my high-school girlfriend, Meredith Sommerville, who got me tickets for my birthday. Rent was the most contemporary … [Read more...] about ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ Director Lin-Manuel Miranda On Honoring Jonathan Larson’s Legacy With Support From Stephen Sondheim

EXCLUSIVE: The Publicists Guild is out with the film nominees for its 2022 ICG Publicists Awards , which will be handed out in March. Films in the running for the Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign are the individuals and teams behind Dune (Warner Bros and Legendary), F9: The Fast Saga (Universal), The Harder They Fall (Netflix), A Quiet Place Part II (Paramount), Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony/Marvel) and West Side Story (20th Century Studios/Walt Disney Studios). “This year’s list of nominees is impressive, and we are proud to honor the creative and innovative work of the Local 600 publicists who coordinated and implemented these successful campaigns during a very difficult time,” said Sheryl Main, who made the announcement with her fellow ICG Publicists Awards Chair Tim Menke. The Maxwell Weinberg Award honors active members working on motion pictures whose achievements in publicity and promotion during the previous calendar … [Read more...] about ICG Publicists Awards Reveals Film Nominations

Sony Pictures Classics has taken North America, Latin America, Middle East, Scandinavia, Australia/New Zealand, Turkey, India, South Africa, Southeast Asia, Japan, Thailand rights and global airlines to Alex Helfrecht’s animated movie A Winter’s Journey. Set in Bavaria in 1812, A Winter’s Journey follows an itinerant lovelorn poet who undertakes a hazardous walk across mountains, ice, and snow – a journey which will bring either death or a new life. Painted by the animation artists behind the Oscar-nominated Loving Vincent, A Winter’s Journey is a romantic and epic tale which blends live action with CG and painted animation. The world of the film is the first to be built using PlayStation’s “Dreams”, developed by PlayStation Studios’ multiple-BAFTA-winning games studio Media Molecule. The pic is an adaptation of Franz Schubert’s timeless masterpiece “Winterreise”, the most performed classical song cycle in the world. The cast includes John Malkovich, Jason … [Read more...] about Sony Pictures Classics Picks Up Alex Helfrecht Animated Movie ‘A Winter’s Journey’

EXCLUSIVE: Disney ’s No. 1 show, Big City Greens , is getting a movie musical spinoff for both Disney Channel and Disney+, while also receiving a fourth-season renewal from Disney Channel. Season 3 premieres February 12. With the fourth season, the series from creators Chris and Shane Houghton will tally more than 100 episodes, the show already being a Daytime Emmy-winning and Annie Award-nominated comedy. Said Ayo Davis, PResident of Disney Branded Television: “Chris, Shane and their crew made this decision an easy one because they consistently turn their wellspring of bold ideas into entertainment that connects with kids and families, and appeals to fans of animation everywhere. They’re an important part of our TV animation studio which, guided by Meredith Roberts and her outstanding team, is key to our group’s creative footprint and success. Whether I’m at work or at home with my family, I join the millions of viewers around the world who are looking forward to all … [Read more...] about ‘Big City Greens’ Tunes Up With Disney Channel & Disney+ Movie Musical; Animated Series Lands Season 4 Order

Peacock ’s prowling along with its limited series about now-jailed Tiger King star Joe Exotic , which is set to make its debut in March. The series hails from showrunner, executive producer and writer Etan Frankel. Now titled Joe vs. Carole , the upcoming Peacock series stars John Cameron Mitchell as Joe Exotic and Kate McKinnon as Carole Baskin. Premiering in its entirety on Thursday, March 3 Joe vs. Carole is based on the Wondery podcast Joe Exotic, hosted and reported by Robert Moor. The limited series will center on Baskin, a big-cat enthusiast who learns that fellow exotic-animal lover Joe “Exotic” Schreibvogel is breeding and using his big cats for profit. She sets out to shut down his venture, inciting a quickly escalating rivalry. But Carole has a checkered past of her own, and when the claws come out, Joe will stop at nothing to expose what he sees as her hypocrisy. The results prove dangerous. The series also features Kyle MacLachlan, Brian Van … [Read more...] about Peacock’s ‘Joe Exotic’ Limited Series With John Cameron Mitchell & Kate McKinnon Gets New Title, Premiere Date & Teaser

EXCLUSIVE: The 2022 Humanitas Prizes will be bestowed during a planned in-person ceremony September 9 at the Beverly Hilton, organizers said Friday, with submissions now open for its New Voices Fellowship and College Awards. Humanitas didn’t give out its full awards for what would have been the 46th annual ceremony in 2021 because of the pandemic. The Humanitas Prizes honor film and television writers whose work explores the human condition, with recipients receiving a trophy and a cash prize (submissions page here ). Winners of the most recent awards in 2020 included When They See Us, Veep , Jojo Rabbit and Frozen 2 among others. “At an especially important time to uplift the writers who challenge, inspire, and entertain us, we are thrilled to be opening the Humanitas Prizes, New Voices Fellowship, and College Screenwriting Awards for submissions,” said executive director Michelle Franke, who was hired in the position in October. “For 2022, we’re excited to … [Read more...] about Humanitas Prize Returning In 2022 With In-Person Awards Ceremony; Submissions Now Open