Critical note on the evolution of british novel

EXCLUSIVE : Novel , the growing British podcast studio behind the likes of The Superhero Complex, has made one its most significant hires yet, bringing in PRX and Radiotopia exec Julie Shapiro as Executive Creative Director. Shapiro will steer Novel’s creative output, coming a few weeks after the outfit hired The Daily Senior Audio Producer Austin Mitchell as Creative Director, Production and Today in Focus ‘ Joint Exec Mythili Rao as Managing Editor. Shapiro has spent the past six years overseeing the growth and evolution of independent podcast studio Radiotopia, where she was instrumental in developing Peabody-nominated and Pulitzer-finalist Ear Hustle. She also co-founded the Third Coast International Audio Festival in 2000 and has been a vocal advocate of women in the podcast and radio industries. She said she is “deeply impressed by [Novel’s] creative ambitions and dedication to craft,” adding: “ I’m keen to bring my experience and artistic vision … [Read more...] about British Podcast Studio Novel Continues Hiring Spree By Signing PRX & Radiotopia Exec Julie Shapiro As Executive Creative Director

5th UPDATE Monday, 2:49 PM: As expected, Sunday’s NFL championship games prior to the big Super Bowl negatively impacted box office , as did the continuing woes on the East Coast, where theaters reopened among several inches (and in some cases feet) of snow. The many hopeful estimates the studios made yesterday just didn’t come to pass. Box office was off 8%-12% across the board, observers noted. The winter doldrums at the box office will be lifted in a big way next weekend with the return of the beloved franchise in Kung Fu Panda 3 , with the third installment of the DreamWorks Animation family film playing in 3D. The way things look right now, it could have an opening of about $45M. Also in wide release will be spoof comedy Fifty Shades Of Black , written by and starring Marlon Wayans and released by Open Road, as well as Disney’s The Finest Hours . The maritime drama, which contains visuals along the lines of A Perfect Storm, will be bolstered by its … [Read more...] about ‘The Revenant’ Leads Box Office Through Historic 2016 Snowstorm

Riley Cote ’s journey to enlightenment began in earnest when a hulking man punched him in the face. Cote, now 40 and retired from professional hockey, remembers the moment with a dark laugh. He’d gotten into this particular bust-up one night during the 2009 season with one of the NHL ’s most vicious fighters, and took the worst of it, waking the next day with his left eye blackened shut. “What,” he asked himself, “am I doing?” He drove to the Philadelphia Flyers training facility and got into the shower. Feeling congested, he reached for a tissue. He didn’t realize he’d suffered a cracked sinus, so what happened next was physics. When he blew his nose, the air — rather than coming out of his nostrils — inflated his face. The pressure surged instantly behind his good eye and closed it tight. Team trainer Derek Settlemyre heard Cote scream. “His whole face had swollen up,” Settlemyre recalls. “We tell them, if they think they have a fracture, ‘Don’t blow your nose’ — and he … [Read more...] about How an NHL Enforcer Broke His Body — and Turned to Psychedelics to Heal His Brain

EXCLUSIVE : WME has signed Eric Warren Singer , one of the screenwriters behind Paramount’s summer smash Top Gun: Maverick . The Tom Cruise sequel nearly 30 years in the making hit theaters on May 27 and has thus far grossed over $907 million worldwide, registering as the highest grossing film of 2022. Singer shares screenplay credit on the Navy aviator action-drama with Ehren Kruger and Christopher McQuarrie, having worked from a story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks, which was based on characters created by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. Singer came to Top: Gun Maverick after collaborating with its director Joseph Kosinski on the critically acclaimed drama Only the Brave , based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, which starred Josh Brolin, Miles Teller and Jeff Bridges. He co-wrote that film, based on Sean Flynn’s GQ article “No Exit”, with Ken Nolan. The screenwriter’s first script, The Sky Is Falling , sold to Sony and cemented him as as … [Read more...] about ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ And ‘American Hustle’ Scribe Eric Warren Singer Signs With WME

5th Update Sunday AM FINAL writethru w/chart after Saturday 10:41PM : In the back and forth for No. 1 between Disney/ 20th Century Studios ’ The Call of the Wild and Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog , the blue critter is back on top. Paramount is reporting this morning a $26.3M 3-day (-55%) after a Saturday of $12.1M , +89% over Friday. That will bring Sonic to a 10-day gross of $106.6M . worldwide at $203.1M , Sonic is the clear global winner for the second weekend in a row with a deafening roar of $64.6M, powering over The Call of the Wild . In weekend 2 exits, Sonic remains a great 4 stars with general audiences, parents, and kids under 12. Sonic ‘s Saturday was higher than the feature adaptation of the Jack London novel, which is estimated to have made $10M yesterday, +24% over Friday, for a 3-day of $24.8M . Disney sees those exact numbers this morning as well, with an overall $40M global in 40 material markets, including … [Read more...] about ‘Hedgehog’ Bites Back At ‘Wild’ Dog As ‘Sonic’ Speeds To No. 1 With $26M+; $203M+ WW – Sunday AM Update

UK LGBTQ +-focused distributor Peccadillo Pictures has claimed that Amazon Prime Video UK is refusing to make Canadian artist and filmmaker Bruce LaBruce’s provocative dark comedy Saint-Narcisse available on its online store. Company MD Tom Abell said its request to list the title on Amazon’s UK online offering had been turned down without explanation. The comic, psycho-sexual thriller – which was the closing film of Venice parallel section Giornate degli Autori (Venice Days) in 2020 – revolves around a narcissistic young man who discovers he has an identical twin. This unknown brother has been raised in captivity by a wicked priest. When destiny brings the pair together they embark on an incestuous web of revenge and redemption. Abell said: “We are totally mystified as to why Amazon Prime Video is refusing to make the critically acclaimed Saint-Narcisse available to its customers, both here in the UK and internationally.” “When their system originally refused … [Read more...] about UK’s Peccadillo Pictures Says Amazon Is Refusing To List Bruce LaBruce’s LGBTQ+ Title ‘Saint-Narcisse’

Despite an emotional plea by Ukraine ’s political leaders and support for them by the UK government, next year’s Eurovision Song Contest will definitely not take place in the beleaguered European country. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has doubled down on its decision to move next year’s competition from its traditional venue of previous winner’s country, and instead to have it take place in the country of the runner-up, meaning the UK. This announcement last week was met with distress by Ukrainian politicians who asked for negotiations to continue. Leading British politicians including Prime Minister Boris Johnson added their support to the belief that the Contest should take place in the winning country. Now, the EBU says it “understands the disappointment” but has other responsibilities in allotting the venue to a country where infrastructure for the enormous event is more stable. In a statement, it said: “The decision was guided by the EBU’s … [Read more...] about Eurovision 2023: Organisers Stand Firm On Decision To Host Contest In UK, Not Ukraine