First non british artist signed by apple

BBC Media Editor and Today host Amol Rajan has been named the next University Challenge presenter, replacing Jeremy Paxman . Paxman revealed he is leaving after three decades earlier this week and Rajan, who also presents on BBC Radio 2, The One Show and has an Amol Interviews series, will take over next year in the hotseat of the ITV Studios show. He will step down as BBC Media Editor but continue his other hosting duties. Based on U.S. format College Bowl, University Challenge involves the brightest students in the country battling it out to answer incredibly difficult questions. Rajan is just the third presenter on the BBC’s longest running show, following in the footsteps of Paxman and Bamber Gascoigne. “Jeremy leaves a very big chair to fill but Amol’s experience, expertise and sense of humour makes him the perfect fit for one of Britain’s longest running and toughest quiz shows,” said BBC Director of Unscripted Kate Phillips. Rajan added: “I … [Read more...] about BBC Unveils Jeremy Paxman’s ‘University Challenge’ Replacement

Showtime and Channel 4 comedy Entitled from the production company behind Fleabag has unveiled full cast and rolled cameras in Manchester. Joining Fleabag and Stranger Things star Brett Gelman in Two Brothers Pictures’ eight-parter are Donald Sumpter ( Game of Thrones ), Brendan Patricks ( Downton Abbey ), Pippa Bennett-Warner ( Gangs of London ), Mark Quartley ( Lucky Man ), Jonathan Livingstone ( Peacock ), Charlotte Louise Arrowsmith ( This is Going to Hurt ) and Kelly Wenham (Merlin). Entitled stars Gelman as Gabe, a conniving American widower who posthumously must get to know The Beaucrofts, his British wife’s eccentric estranged family, in their crumbling gothic mansion in the English countryside. As Gabe’s search for closure and truth reveal a newly inherited fortune, each family member’s ambition comes to a head. Matt Morgan ( Mister Winner) created Entitled , which entered production in Manchester this week. Director is … [Read more...] about ‘Entitled’: Showtime & Channel 4 Comedy From ‘Fleabag’ Team Unveils Cast & Begins Production

EXCLUSIVE : More major casting is emerging for the upcoming sixth season of Black Mirror , with Under the Banner of Heaven and Signs star Rory Culkin the latest to sign up. Details are scarce on Culkin’s role and Netflix isn’t commenting but Deadline understands the deal was struck recently for the actor to appear in an episode of Netflix’s critically-acclaimed Charlie Brooker -penned anthology. Having entered production recently, the latest Black Mirror is the first from Brooker’s new Netflix-backed outfit Broke & Bones , which he runs with Black Mirror exec Annabel Jones. Culkin was most recently seen in FX’s Under the Banner of Heaven as Samuel Lafferty, starring opposite Andrew Garfield in the Dustin Lance Black show. Past TV credits include Paramount’s Waco and Netflix’s Halston. On the film side, Culkin appeared in Jonas Akerlund’s 2018 heavy metal thriller Lords of Chaos. He broke through in Signs and the Academy … [Read more...] about ‘Black Mirror’: Rory Culkin To Star In Season Six Of Netflix Anthology

Recently, during the promotions of Dobaaraa , filmmaker Anurag Kashyap opened up about India's official entry to Oscars and said that he hopes The Kashmir Files does not become India's official entry to the Academy Awards. In an interview with Galatta Plus, Anurag said, "India might actually have a nomination in the final five if RRR is the film they pick. I don't know what film anybody is going to pick. I hope not The Kashmir Files." (sic) As expected, his statement did not go down well with Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri and he slammed the Gangs Of Wasseypur director on Twitter. He tweeted, "Important: The vicious, genocide-denier lobby of Bollywood has started their campaign against #TheKashmirFiles for #Oscars, under the leadership of the maker of #Dobaaraa." (sic) Reacting to Agnihotri's tweet, a Canadian filmmaker Dylan Mohan Gray tweeted, "Yeah, actually it's (hatemongering, revisionist) garbage of no artistic merit and will be a further embarrassment … [Read more...] about Canadian Filmmaker Calls The Kashmir Files ‘Garbage’

EXCLUSIVE: Greenwich Entertainment has acquired U.S. and Canadian rights to the edge-of-your-seat documentary thriller Buried: The 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche , a “gripping account of the deadliest avalanche in U.S. ski resort history.” Greenwich plans to release the documentary — winner of the Audience Award at Telluride’s Moutainfilm festival – in theaters in New York, San Francisco and Northern California on September 23, expanding to additional markets thereafter. A 45-day exclusive theatrical window will be followed by a release on TVOD/EST (transactional video on demand/electronic sell-through) and DVD on November 8. Jared Drake and Steven Siig directed the film, which takes viewers back to the catastrophic events of March and April 1982 near Lake Tahoe, California. A massive storm had dumped huge quantities of snow onto the area beginning in late March. Then, on the afternoon of March 31, tragedy struck. “[W]ithout warning, millions of pounds of snow … [Read more...] about Greenwich Entertainment Acquires Rights To “Gripping” Doc ‘Buried: The 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche,’ On Historic Ski Resort Disaster

EXCLUSIVE: The Woodstock Film Festival will give honorary awards to Ethan Hawke , Awkwafina , Leave No Trace director Debra Granik and IFC Films president Arianna Bocco this fall. The festival’s 23rd annual edition is set to run from September 28 to October 2. The awards ceremony, a consistent industry draw over the years given the fest’s location two hours north of New York City, is also set to feature appearances by actresses Amanda Seyfried and Vera Farmiga as well as filmmaker Marina Zenovich. Hawke is receiving Woodstock’s Maverick Award, which goes to “a leader and a visionary in the film and media arts who exhibits fierce and independent spirit, strong artistic vision, and the pursuit of positive change.” The four-time Oscar nominee is also a screenwriter, director, producer, and best-selling novelist. He recently directed the well-received HBO Max docuseries The Last Movie Stars , about Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman. Hawke’s recent onscreen roles were in … [Read more...] about Woodstock Film Festival To Honor Ethan Hawke, Awkwafina, ‘Leave No Trace’ Director Debra Granik And IFC Films Chief Arianna Bocco

EXCLUSIVE : XYZ Films has acquired North American distribution rights to thriller Dash , a “one-take feature” about an adulterous rideshare driver navigating the streets of Hollywood. Written and directed by Sean Perry and starring Alexander Molina, the film follows Milly (Molina), a rideshare driver who leads a double life. Over the course of one night shift behind the wheel, he attempts to sell drugs to his unassuming passengers. As the night progresses, his life takes a turn for the worse as he desperately tries to take the secret of his nefarious double life to the grave. The film’s locations included Hollywood Boulevard with shooting taking place in real time. The deal was negotiated by XYZ ’s Executive VP of U.S. Distribution, James Emanuel Shapiro and Spam Pictures. XYZ plans to release the film domestically late this fall. Molina also serves as executive producer and is co-creator of Spam Pictures. The cast also includes Monette Moio, Paige Grimard, … [Read more...] about XYZ Acquires North American Distribution Rights To One-Take Thriller ‘Dash’

EXCLUSIVE : Two new ripped-from-the-headlines movies are planned for Lifetime in October that star Kellie Martin ( Army Wives ), Colton Haynes ( Arrow ) and more. Airing Oct. 22, Swindler Seduction features Haynes in a dual role playing crooked twin brothers. The inspired-by-true events thriller exposes the world of the romantic con artists, i.e. men who earn their living off women who they fool and steal from. It also stars Gabrielle Graham ( Twenties ). Swindler Seduction is a RAW presentation of a Muse Entertainment production. Piers Vellacott, Sara Murray and Jesse Prupas serve as Executive Producers. Jonathan Wright directs from a script written by Liz Lake. Foreign distribution is handled by Muse Distribution International. On Oct. 29, Martin will headline An Amish Sin , the story of an Amish teen who tries to escape the harshness of the 18th century lifestyle she has grew up in to find her voice and independence in a neighboring city. It also … [Read more...] about Lifetime Sets Two Ripped-From-Headlines Movies Featuring Kellie Martin, Colton Haynes & More

West Side Story Oscar winner Ariana DeBose will star in the Prime Video and Blumhouse Television psychological thriller House of Spoils , playing an ambitious chef who opens her first restaurant but has to contend with the powerful spirit of the estate’s previous owner who threatens to sabotage her at very turn. Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy are directing off their script based on their original idea. House of Spoils reteams Cole, Krudy, Secret Engine and Amazon Studios following the latter’s acquisition of Cole and Krudy’s Blow the Man Down , produced by Secret Engine, out of 2019 TIFF. Cameras will roll in the fall. The project reunites with Blumhouse with Amazon, which have made the collection of genre movies, Welcome to the Blumhouse, and the recently wrapped slasher horror-comedy film Totally Killer , directed by Nahnathcka Khan starring Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Julie Bowen, and Randall Park. Prime will stream Blumhouse’s Sundance … [Read more...] about Ariana DeBose Set For Prime Video Blumhouse Culinary Thriller ‘House Of Spoils’

TMZ.com Meek Mill is going $10M deep to prove he continues to be a big player in the music biz, and he's targeting the music execs who say his career is going downhill. The Dreamchasers rapper stepped on his Twitter soapbox and asked doubting music execs to put their money where their mouths are ... if they really believe his career is over, put down a cool $10M and see what's up. And, to hammer home his point, Meek said he was willing to put the bet in a binding contract so no one could squirm their way out. It seems some of his anger is directed at big labels ... because he said in the tweet he's going to do it independently ... as are lots of musicians these days. Meek's last album, 2021's "Expensive Pain," was widely considered a commercial and critical disappointment ... only debuting at No. 3 whereas the last LP, 2018's "Championships" debuted at No. 1. Meek recently parted ways with Jay-Z 's Roc Nation brand -- only to bounce … [Read more...] about Meek Mill Bets Music Execs $10M His Career Isn’t Over