The film business has had to battle its way through everything from Covid shutdowns to strike-induced box office delays to steep competition from a tidal wave of high-priced streaming content over the past seven years.
The contraction in theatrical releases and the post-pandemic downturn at the box office has raised the stakes for every film release, from blockbusters to arty fare — so said a group of top theatrical marketing executives who spoke April 24 during a roundtable panel at Variety’s annual Entertainment Marketing Summit, presented by Deloitte.
“If you’re not an event movie for someone, you’re a movie for no one,” said Josh Goldstine, president of worldwide marketing for Warner Bros. Pictures Group, during the daylong, Sro event at the Beverly Hilton.
Goldstine noted the ante for theatrical films has been raised by “an extra $100 billion worth of streaming content that has entered the marketplace” since about 2017. Dwight Caines,...
The contraction in theatrical releases and the post-pandemic downturn at the box office has raised the stakes for every film release, from blockbusters to arty fare — so said a group of top theatrical marketing executives who spoke April 24 during a roundtable panel at Variety’s annual Entertainment Marketing Summit, presented by Deloitte.
“If you’re not an event movie for someone, you’re a movie for no one,” said Josh Goldstine, president of worldwide marketing for Warner Bros. Pictures Group, during the daylong, Sro event at the Beverly Hilton.
Goldstine noted the ante for theatrical films has been raised by “an extra $100 billion worth of streaming content that has entered the marketplace” since about 2017. Dwight Caines,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Courteney Cox may be heading back to the “Scream” franchise, as sources tell Variety she is in talks to reprise the role of Gale Weathers in the seventh movie of the slasher series, to be directed by “Scream” creator and writer Kevin Williamson.
The news comes about two weeks after Neve Campbell announced she was coming back as Sidney Prescott after the actor sat out of “Scream 6” due to a salary dispute.
“Sidney Prescott is coming back!!!!” Campbell posted on Instagram March 12. “It’s always been such a blast and an honor to get to play Sidney in the ‘Scream’ movies. My appreciation for these films and for what they have meant to me, has never waned. I’m very happy and proud to say I’ve been asked, in the most respectful way, to bring Sidney back to the screen and I couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Williamson wrote on Instagram,...
The news comes about two weeks after Neve Campbell announced she was coming back as Sidney Prescott after the actor sat out of “Scream 6” due to a salary dispute.
“Sidney Prescott is coming back!!!!” Campbell posted on Instagram March 12. “It’s always been such a blast and an honor to get to play Sidney in the ‘Scream’ movies. My appreciation for these films and for what they have meant to me, has never waned. I’m very happy and proud to say I’ve been asked, in the most respectful way, to bring Sidney back to the screen and I couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Williamson wrote on Instagram,...
- 3/29/2024
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Variety is returning to the Sundance Film Festival this year with its annual Interview Studio, presented by Audible, the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling. Throughout the festival, videos from the interview studio will be distributed across Variety.com as well as Variety and Audible’s social media channels.
Beginning Friday, January 19, running through Sunday, January 21, the Variety Studio, presented by Audible, will feature interviews with industry-leading directors and top talent from the films premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Confirmed talent includes Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”); Jodie Foster, Alex Hedison, Alok Vaid-Menon (“Alok”); Lionel Richie, Bao Nguyen, Julia Nottingham (“The Greatest Night in Pop”); Kerry Washington, Angela Patton, Natalie Rae (“Daughters”); June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Clark Gregg, Josh Margolin (“Thelma”); Anna Fleck, Ryan Boden, Pedro Pascal, Jay Ellis, Normani, Dominique Thorn, Ji-Young Yoo, Jack Champion (“Freaky Tales”); Richard Linklater, Glen Powell (“Hit Man”); Susanna Fogel,...
Beginning Friday, January 19, running through Sunday, January 21, the Variety Studio, presented by Audible, will feature interviews with industry-leading directors and top talent from the films premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Confirmed talent includes Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”); Jodie Foster, Alex Hedison, Alok Vaid-Menon (“Alok”); Lionel Richie, Bao Nguyen, Julia Nottingham (“The Greatest Night in Pop”); Kerry Washington, Angela Patton, Natalie Rae (“Daughters”); June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Clark Gregg, Josh Margolin (“Thelma”); Anna Fleck, Ryan Boden, Pedro Pascal, Jay Ellis, Normani, Dominique Thorn, Ji-Young Yoo, Jack Champion (“Freaky Tales”); Richard Linklater, Glen Powell (“Hit Man”); Susanna Fogel,...
- 1/17/2024
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Variety won top honors Sunday at the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards, taking the trophy for best entertainment publication along with 11 other first-place wins.
The May 3 cover package “No Words: What the Writers Strike Means for Hollywood” was recognized in the category of best entertainment publication during the ceremony held at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. The kudo extends to Variety’s entire editorial staff for creating the issue on deadline, publishing barely 48 hours after the Writers Guild of America called its first strike in 15 years.
“Receiving the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award that recognizes the entirety of our staff is particularly meaningful to us after such a challenging year for the industry we cover,” said Cynthia Littleton and Ramin Setoodeh, Variety‘s co-editors in chief. “Hollywood’s season of strikes was an all-encompassing, labor-intensive story to capture. It’s gratifying to receive this recognition as well many other first,...
The May 3 cover package “No Words: What the Writers Strike Means for Hollywood” was recognized in the category of best entertainment publication during the ceremony held at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. The kudo extends to Variety’s entire editorial staff for creating the issue on deadline, publishing barely 48 hours after the Writers Guild of America called its first strike in 15 years.
“Receiving the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award that recognizes the entirety of our staff is particularly meaningful to us after such a challenging year for the industry we cover,” said Cynthia Littleton and Ramin Setoodeh, Variety‘s co-editors in chief. “Hollywood’s season of strikes was an all-encompassing, labor-intensive story to capture. It’s gratifying to receive this recognition as well many other first,...
- 12/4/2023
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” is a sumptuous feast for the eyes according to film critics who just saw the film. The movie, detailing the life of the Emperor Napoleon (played by Joaquin Phoenix) and his relationship as both a ruler and a husband to Empress Josephine (Vanessa Kirby) is “a lot of movie” according to critic and writer William Bibbiani.
The film will premiere in a truncated two hour and 38 minute cut in theaters, while debuting a four-hour cut on Apple TV+.
Many critics cited the biggest flaw was that it felt like the time had been condensed. According to IndieWire’s David Ehrlich, “Napoleon definitely feels like a 4-hour movie that’s been cut to ribbons, but it’s So funny during the first half when it’s all about Ridley Scott just reading Napoleon for filth and laughing at how embarrassing it is to be a man with ambitions.
The film will premiere in a truncated two hour and 38 minute cut in theaters, while debuting a four-hour cut on Apple TV+.
Many critics cited the biggest flaw was that it felt like the time had been condensed. According to IndieWire’s David Ehrlich, “Napoleon definitely feels like a 4-hour movie that’s been cut to ribbons, but it’s So funny during the first half when it’s all about Ridley Scott just reading Napoleon for filth and laughing at how embarrassing it is to be a man with ambitions.
- 11/15/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
Netflix film chief Scott Stuber once ran Universal Studios – today he sometimes feels like the operator of “the AMC 6000” given the volume of movies that Netflix produces and acquires.From Greta Gerwig’s plans for Narnia adaptations to wooing Denzel Washington and Steven Spielberg, Stuber shared Netflix’s vision of film’s future in a wide-ranging Q&a with Variety executive editor Brent Lang that was held Nov. 8 as part of Variety’s Business Managers Elite Breakfast presented by City National Bank.
The event was kicked off with a speech from EVP of entertainment banking JaHan Wang. Despite talk of an impending recession, Wang sees a reason for optimism. “The summer box office reached the $4 billion milestone featuring Barbenheimer phenomena and the other notable movies,” he said. “Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour and Taylor Swift’s Eras tour are causing many economic booms each city they visit, sand now Taylor is...
The event was kicked off with a speech from EVP of entertainment banking JaHan Wang. Despite talk of an impending recession, Wang sees a reason for optimism. “The summer box office reached the $4 billion milestone featuring Barbenheimer phenomena and the other notable movies,” he said. “Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour and Taylor Swift’s Eras tour are causing many economic booms each city they visit, sand now Taylor is...
- 11/9/2023
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Bill Block is out as CEO of Miramax.
The executive and film producer was hired in 2017. Block’s contract expired this week and was not renewed, sources said. He’s been rumored to be out for months. A representative for Miramax had no immediate comment on the matter.
Insiders said new leadership was necessary at Miramax given that Paramount Global, which owns a 49% stake in Miramax, is grappling with a volatile marketplace. Insiders believe the unit behind films like “Pulp Fiction,” “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” and “Shakespeare in Love” should be mining its own intellectual property for new projects, not acquiring finished films or snapping up distribution rights. Block is not the person to take them in that direction, as evidenced by his canning.
Miramax was founded in 1979 by disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein and his brother Bob. It became a transcendent brand and gatekeeper of independent films. Block was the...
The executive and film producer was hired in 2017. Block’s contract expired this week and was not renewed, sources said. He’s been rumored to be out for months. A representative for Miramax had no immediate comment on the matter.
Insiders said new leadership was necessary at Miramax given that Paramount Global, which owns a 49% stake in Miramax, is grappling with a volatile marketplace. Insiders believe the unit behind films like “Pulp Fiction,” “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” and “Shakespeare in Love” should be mining its own intellectual property for new projects, not acquiring finished films or snapping up distribution rights. Block is not the person to take them in that direction, as evidenced by his canning.
Miramax was founded in 1979 by disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein and his brother Bob. It became a transcendent brand and gatekeeper of independent films. Block was the...
- 10/2/2023
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
What is The YouTube Effect? Starting on August 8, the general public has a chance to find out.
On that day, Alex Winter‘s documentary about YouTube’s culture and reach arrives on streaming platforms like iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and Vudu. The 99-minute film premiered at the 2o22 Tribeca Film Festival. A year later, it scored a distribution deal with Drafthouse Films, which brought it to select Alamo Drafthouse locations beginning in July.
The YouTube Effect features appearances from creators, execs, and reporters, all of whom offer commentary about YouTube’s massive scale and its undeniable influencer on global events. Figures who appear in the film’s trailer include Anthony Padilla (who Winter directed in a 2015 Smosh feature film), Natalie Wynn of ContraPoints, and several notable figures from YouTube’s corporate history, including Co-Founder Steven Chen and former CEO Susan Wojcicki.
Thus far, The YouTube Effect has earned generally positive reviews.
On that day, Alex Winter‘s documentary about YouTube’s culture and reach arrives on streaming platforms like iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and Vudu. The 99-minute film premiered at the 2o22 Tribeca Film Festival. A year later, it scored a distribution deal with Drafthouse Films, which brought it to select Alamo Drafthouse locations beginning in July.
The YouTube Effect features appearances from creators, execs, and reporters, all of whom offer commentary about YouTube’s massive scale and its undeniable influencer on global events. Figures who appear in the film’s trailer include Anthony Padilla (who Winter directed in a 2015 Smosh feature film), Natalie Wynn of ContraPoints, and several notable figures from YouTube’s corporate history, including Co-Founder Steven Chen and former CEO Susan Wojcicki.
Thus far, The YouTube Effect has earned generally positive reviews.
- 8/4/2023
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Variety won 14 first-place awards Sunday night at the Los Angeles Press Club’s 65th annual SoCal Journalism Awards, more than twice as many as any other entertainment publication.
The 14 awards represented a historic high for Variety at the SoCal Journalism Awards, topping the previous best of 12 first-place prizes the magazine earned in 2018. Variety came into Sunday’s ceremony with a record 96 nominations, representing work published online and in print during the 2022 calendar year.
The awards were handed out during a gala dinner attended by hundreds in the historic Crystal Ballroom at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
Several staffers won dual honors. Owen Gleiberman, Variety‘s chief film critic, won best obituary/appreciation for a look back at actor William Hurt, plus best online arts commentary for the column “Is ‘Tar’ Rooting for or Against Cate Blanchett’s Superstar Predator Conductor?” Chris Willman, senior writer and chief music critic,...
The 14 awards represented a historic high for Variety at the SoCal Journalism Awards, topping the previous best of 12 first-place prizes the magazine earned in 2018. Variety came into Sunday’s ceremony with a record 96 nominations, representing work published online and in print during the 2022 calendar year.
The awards were handed out during a gala dinner attended by hundreds in the historic Crystal Ballroom at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
Several staffers won dual honors. Owen Gleiberman, Variety‘s chief film critic, won best obituary/appreciation for a look back at actor William Hurt, plus best online arts commentary for the column “Is ‘Tar’ Rooting for or Against Cate Blanchett’s Superstar Predator Conductor?” Chris Willman, senior writer and chief music critic,...
- 6/26/2023
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
The crack of a bullwhip may soon echo around the Palais.
Fifteen years after opening the Cannes Film Festival, the world’s most famous archeologist is expected to return to the Croisette, and follow in the footsteps of 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick” as this edition’s splashy Hollywood blockbuster premiere.
The festival has invited Disney’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and it certainly boasts all the right ingredients to make for a glamorous and memorable moment.
Executive produced by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, this installment will reportedly be Harrison Ford’s last time playing the titular character. Ford stars opposite an attractive international cast, including Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen, among others. James Mangold, the director of “Logan” and “Ford vs. Ferrari,” slides behind the camera on this one. Details of the film’s plot are being kept under wraps that are tighter than those of a mummy,...
Fifteen years after opening the Cannes Film Festival, the world’s most famous archeologist is expected to return to the Croisette, and follow in the footsteps of 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick” as this edition’s splashy Hollywood blockbuster premiere.
The festival has invited Disney’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and it certainly boasts all the right ingredients to make for a glamorous and memorable moment.
Executive produced by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, this installment will reportedly be Harrison Ford’s last time playing the titular character. Ford stars opposite an attractive international cast, including Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen, among others. James Mangold, the director of “Logan” and “Ford vs. Ferrari,” slides behind the camera on this one. Details of the film’s plot are being kept under wraps that are tighter than those of a mummy,...
- 3/27/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Variety has hired award-winning journalist Tatiana Siegel as executive editor, film & media. In her new post, Siegel will help guide Variety’s coverage of the film and media business, as well as write covers, features, analysis pieces and investigative stories.
Siegel, who most recently worked as a senior writer for Rolling Stone and previously served as executive film editor at The Hollywood Reporter, is best known for her hard-hitting examinations of the entertainment business. In recent years, she produced several industry-shaking exposés, one that resulted in the ouster of Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara, and another that revealed decades of bullying by film and theater producer Scott Rudin.
Siegel had a five-year stint at Variety between 2007-2012. She re-joins the magazine on Jan. 1.
“We are beyond excited to welcome Tatiana Siegel back to Variety where she belongs,” said Ramin Setoodeh and Cynthia Littleton, Variety’s co-editors-in-chief. “As one...
Siegel, who most recently worked as a senior writer for Rolling Stone and previously served as executive film editor at The Hollywood Reporter, is best known for her hard-hitting examinations of the entertainment business. In recent years, she produced several industry-shaking exposés, one that resulted in the ouster of Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara, and another that revealed decades of bullying by film and theater producer Scott Rudin.
Siegel had a five-year stint at Variety between 2007-2012. She re-joins the magazine on Jan. 1.
“We are beyond excited to welcome Tatiana Siegel back to Variety where she belongs,” said Ramin Setoodeh and Cynthia Littleton, Variety’s co-editors-in-chief. “As one...
- 12/21/2022
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Bob Iger officially returned to his post as CEO of the Walt Disney Company on Monday — sealing it with a tweet and addressing a rapt audience of employees at a company-wide meeting.
“Filled with gratitude and excitement to be back,” Iger wrote on his personal Twitter account, attaching a photo of the studio lot’s Disney Legends Plaza, a building on which the seven dwarves from “Snow White” serve as pillars.
It’s been just over a week since Disney’s board of directors shocked Hollywood and global markets with news that Iger would replace Bob Chapek as chief executive. Iger’s first town hall before in-person and virtual employees saw him touch on several hot topics: a planned hiring freeze implemented by Chapek following Disney’s recent lackluster quarterly earnings report, the profitability of Disney’s streaming portfolio and the corporate giant’s stance on LGBTQ+ inclusion.
The latter...
“Filled with gratitude and excitement to be back,” Iger wrote on his personal Twitter account, attaching a photo of the studio lot’s Disney Legends Plaza, a building on which the seven dwarves from “Snow White” serve as pillars.
It’s been just over a week since Disney’s board of directors shocked Hollywood and global markets with news that Iger would replace Bob Chapek as chief executive. Iger’s first town hall before in-person and virtual employees saw him touch on several hot topics: a planned hiring freeze implemented by Chapek following Disney’s recent lackluster quarterly earnings report, the profitability of Disney’s streaming portfolio and the corporate giant’s stance on LGBTQ+ inclusion.
The latter...
- 11/28/2022
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
After two years of virtual events or limited-capacity premieres, the festival returns in spectacular fashion, with more than 250 films expected to screen during the 10-day event. To break down the musts from the meh, here are nine films we’re dying to see.
“Causeway” (A24/Apple Original Films)
Though Jennifer Lawrence had a juicy supporting role in Adam McKay’s disaster comedy “Don’t Look Up” last year, we have not seen the former Katniss Everdeen in the driver’s seat of a film since the one-two punch of “Mother!” and “Red Sparrow”. She returns in earnest at TIFF with “Causeway,” about a soldier with a traumatic brain injury trying to readjust to normal life.
— Matt Donnelly
“Empire of Light” (Searchlight Pictures)
Sam Mendes crafts an ode to the power of movies with this story of a cinema ticket-taker (Olivia Colman) who finds herself drawn to a new employee (Michael Ward). Colman,...
“Causeway” (A24/Apple Original Films)
Though Jennifer Lawrence had a juicy supporting role in Adam McKay’s disaster comedy “Don’t Look Up” last year, we have not seen the former Katniss Everdeen in the driver’s seat of a film since the one-two punch of “Mother!” and “Red Sparrow”. She returns in earnest at TIFF with “Causeway,” about a soldier with a traumatic brain injury trying to readjust to normal life.
— Matt Donnelly
“Empire of Light” (Searchlight Pictures)
Sam Mendes crafts an ode to the power of movies with this story of a cinema ticket-taker (Olivia Colman) who finds herself drawn to a new employee (Michael Ward). Colman,...
- 9/1/2022
- by Brent Lang, Clayton Davis, Matt Donnelly, Angelique Jackson and Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Neon, the independent film distributor behind Oscar winners “Parasite” and “I, Tonya,” is assessing options for its financial future.
The New York-based company has tapped the investment bank Raine to explore a sale of some or all of its business. The move comes as Neon looks to expand its distribution business internationally and consider opportunities in television and streaming. The company also plans to use potential investments to bolster its production businesses.
Neon declined to comment.
Neon was receiving inquiries about mergers and acquisitions, so it hired Raine to sort through their options. Sources close to the situation say Neon hopes to find a deal that keeps the company in tact, though it would be open to a minority stake sale. There’s also talk that Neon could become a label on a prominent streaming service. Tom Quinn and Dan Friedkin are currently the majority owners.
Neon’s mission to...
The New York-based company has tapped the investment bank Raine to explore a sale of some or all of its business. The move comes as Neon looks to expand its distribution business internationally and consider opportunities in television and streaming. The company also plans to use potential investments to bolster its production businesses.
Neon declined to comment.
Neon was receiving inquiries about mergers and acquisitions, so it hired Raine to sort through their options. Sources close to the situation say Neon hopes to find a deal that keeps the company in tact, though it would be open to a minority stake sale. There’s also talk that Neon could become a label on a prominent streaming service. Tom Quinn and Dan Friedkin are currently the majority owners.
Neon’s mission to...
- 8/3/2022
- by Angelique Jackson and Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Variety has promoted Elsa Keslassy to senior international film editor.
In her new role, Keslassy will continue to be based out of Paris, where she will cover the entertainment industry spanning film, TV and streamers across France, Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Israel.
She previously served as Variety‘s international correspondent. Since joining Variety in 2007, Keslassy has distinguished herself with coverage of major festivals and film markets, including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, the AFM, Mipcom, Canneseries and Series Mania. She is known for her deep industry sources and for her ability to break news. Keslassy has written investigative stories on prominent European companies such as EuropaCorp, Wild Bunch and Vivendi, as well as trend stories and analysis pieces with a particular focus on film financing and distribution. She has interviewed leading auteurs and actors such as David Cronenberg, Ruben Ostlund, Juliette Binoche and Catherine Deneuve. She has also been moderating roundtables and keynotes at Mipcom,...
In her new role, Keslassy will continue to be based out of Paris, where she will cover the entertainment industry spanning film, TV and streamers across France, Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Israel.
She previously served as Variety‘s international correspondent. Since joining Variety in 2007, Keslassy has distinguished herself with coverage of major festivals and film markets, including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, the AFM, Mipcom, Canneseries and Series Mania. She is known for her deep industry sources and for her ability to break news. Keslassy has written investigative stories on prominent European companies such as EuropaCorp, Wild Bunch and Vivendi, as well as trend stories and analysis pieces with a particular focus on film financing and distribution. She has interviewed leading auteurs and actors such as David Cronenberg, Ruben Ostlund, Juliette Binoche and Catherine Deneuve. She has also been moderating roundtables and keynotes at Mipcom,...
- 7/21/2022
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Variety has been nominated for 72 Southern California Journalism Awards, including best website, two for print journalist of the year, three for entertainment journalist of the year, and six for criticism of TV, music and books.
The awards, given out by the Los Angeles Press Club, honor outstanding journalism in the region across print, digital, radio and broadcast platforms.
Executive editor Ramin Setoodeh and deputy music editor Jem Aswad are both up for print journalist of the year. TV critic Daniel D’Addario, chief film critic Owen Gleiberman and senior writer/chief music critic Chris Willman are all nominated for entertainment journalist of the year. And Variety had a whopping three nominees for music criticism including Steven Gaydos, Gleiberman and Aswad. Chief TV critic Caroline Framke and D’Addario were also both nominated for criticism of television honors.
Aswad leads all Variety staffers with 14 total nominations, followed by Willman with eight nominations.
The awards, given out by the Los Angeles Press Club, honor outstanding journalism in the region across print, digital, radio and broadcast platforms.
Executive editor Ramin Setoodeh and deputy music editor Jem Aswad are both up for print journalist of the year. TV critic Daniel D’Addario, chief film critic Owen Gleiberman and senior writer/chief music critic Chris Willman are all nominated for entertainment journalist of the year. And Variety had a whopping three nominees for music criticism including Steven Gaydos, Gleiberman and Aswad. Chief TV critic Caroline Framke and D’Addario were also both nominated for criticism of television honors.
Aswad leads all Variety staffers with 14 total nominations, followed by Willman with eight nominations.
- 5/23/2022
- by Meredith Woerner
- Variety Film + TV
The major entertainment studios spoke out against Georgia’s “heartbeat” abortion bill in 2019, saying they would “rethink” their production plans in the state if the law ever went into effect.
That moment appears to be approaching fast.
On Monday night, Politico reported that a Supreme Court majority has signed on to a decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 opinion protecting the right to abortion. The Georgia law — which would outlaw abortions as early as six weeks into pregnancy — has been on hold pending the outcome of that case. If the leaked draft opinion becomes final, then Georgia’s law would be allowed to take effect.
So far, no entertainment studio has said what it will do if that happens. Warner Bros. Discovery and Sony declined to comment. A Netflix representative could not be reached for comment. A Disney spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. The...
That moment appears to be approaching fast.
On Monday night, Politico reported that a Supreme Court majority has signed on to a decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 opinion protecting the right to abortion. The Georgia law — which would outlaw abortions as early as six weeks into pregnancy — has been on hold pending the outcome of that case. If the leaked draft opinion becomes final, then Georgia’s law would be allowed to take effect.
So far, no entertainment studio has said what it will do if that happens. Warner Bros. Discovery and Sony declined to comment. A Netflix representative could not be reached for comment. A Disney spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. The...
- 5/4/2022
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety Film + TV
Organizers behind the Oscars are pulling out all the stops to land an iconic performance from best original song nominee Beyoncé, multiple sources close to the show told Variety.
While the superstar made nary an awards campaign stop over the past months in support of her track “Be Alive,” co-written with artist Dixson for the film “King Richard,” Beyoncé’s camp has been in deep talks with producers to mount a satellite performance of the song — one that would possibly open the show, and broadcast live from tennis courts in Compton, Calif. The concept began solidifying last Monday, three individuals with knowledge of the talks said.
The location, of course, is where sports legends Venus and Serena practiced relentless drills in their youth under the watchful eye of their father, Richard. One possible scenario would have Will Smith, who plays the titular character in the film, appear onsite with Beyoncé...
While the superstar made nary an awards campaign stop over the past months in support of her track “Be Alive,” co-written with artist Dixson for the film “King Richard,” Beyoncé’s camp has been in deep talks with producers to mount a satellite performance of the song — one that would possibly open the show, and broadcast live from tennis courts in Compton, Calif. The concept began solidifying last Monday, three individuals with knowledge of the talks said.
The location, of course, is where sports legends Venus and Serena practiced relentless drills in their youth under the watchful eye of their father, Richard. One possible scenario would have Will Smith, who plays the titular character in the film, appear onsite with Beyoncé...
- 3/21/2022
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Guillermo del Toro and Jane Campion have strong thoughts about filmmaking — both in execution and exhibition — in this modern streaming age. And lucky for us, they’re not afraid to share those opinions. And that’s exactly what they did last fall, for Variety’s “Directors on Directors” issue.
Now, in case you missed that conversation between the two Oscar winners, Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast gives you another chance. In this Friday edition of the award-winning podcast, we feature the chat, as they swap stories about filmmaking in what’s already the third decade of the 21st century.
But first, our Awards Circuit Roundtable discusses the rise of “Coda” and more as we head into another awards-filled weekend, with the BAFTA, DGA and Critics Choice ceremonies. Listen below!
Last fall, right before the New York premiere of Guillermo del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley” — his big-budget remake of the noir thriller,...
Now, in case you missed that conversation between the two Oscar winners, Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast gives you another chance. In this Friday edition of the award-winning podcast, we feature the chat, as they swap stories about filmmaking in what’s already the third decade of the 21st century.
But first, our Awards Circuit Roundtable discusses the rise of “Coda” and more as we head into another awards-filled weekend, with the BAFTA, DGA and Critics Choice ceremonies. Listen below!
Last fall, right before the New York premiere of Guillermo del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley” — his big-budget remake of the noir thriller,...
- 3/12/2022
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Variety won 26 National Art and Entertainment Journalism Awards, including entertainment publication for its 115th anniversary issue “Gamechangers” and two journalist of the year awards: senior vice president Tim Gray for print and deputy music editor Jem Aswad for online.
The venerable entertainment publication received 98 nominations.
The awards, presented by the Los Angeles Press Club for work created from July 2020 through June 2021, were handed out virtually Feb. 17 after an in-person event scheduled for Feb. 5 was canceled due to ongoing concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic.
Aswad picked up so many awards, presenters remarked on it throughout the event. He ended up with six more awards in addition to his online journalist of the year award. He won two awards for his story “Inside the Dirty Business of Hit Songwriting,” and one each for “Jason Derulo Cracked TikTok’s Code and Resurrected His Career,” “Learning to Be Ok With the Word ‘Vinyls,’” “These...
The venerable entertainment publication received 98 nominations.
The awards, presented by the Los Angeles Press Club for work created from July 2020 through June 2021, were handed out virtually Feb. 17 after an in-person event scheduled for Feb. 5 was canceled due to ongoing concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic.
Aswad picked up so many awards, presenters remarked on it throughout the event. He ended up with six more awards in addition to his online journalist of the year award. He won two awards for his story “Inside the Dirty Business of Hit Songwriting,” and one each for “Jason Derulo Cracked TikTok’s Code and Resurrected His Career,” “Learning to Be Ok With the Word ‘Vinyls,’” “These...
- 2/18/2022
- by Terry Flores
- Variety Film + TV
They’re boldly going back.
Paramount is planning to enter negotiations for “Star Trek” stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho and Simon Pegg to return to the Enterprise for their fourth tour of duty in the venerable sci-fi franchise.
The announcement was made by J.J. Abrams during the Paramount Investors Day Presentation on Feb. 15.
“We are thrilled to say that we are hard at work on a new ‘Star Trek’ film that will be shooting by the end of the year that will be featuring our original cast and some new characters that I think are going to be really fun and exciting and help take ‘Star Trek’ into areas that you’ve just never seen before,” Abrams said. “We’re thrilled about this film, we have a bunch of other stories that we’re talking about that we think will be really exciting, so...
Paramount is planning to enter negotiations for “Star Trek” stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho and Simon Pegg to return to the Enterprise for their fourth tour of duty in the venerable sci-fi franchise.
The announcement was made by J.J. Abrams during the Paramount Investors Day Presentation on Feb. 15.
“We are thrilled to say that we are hard at work on a new ‘Star Trek’ film that will be shooting by the end of the year that will be featuring our original cast and some new characters that I think are going to be really fun and exciting and help take ‘Star Trek’ into areas that you’ve just never seen before,” Abrams said. “We’re thrilled about this film, we have a bunch of other stories that we’re talking about that we think will be really exciting, so...
- 2/15/2022
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety Film + TV
Brent Lang has been promoted to Executive Editor of Variety.
In his new role, Lang will help guide the venerable showbiz brand’s editorial operations across digital and print platforms. He will continue to oversee Variety’s film, media and theater coverage, and he serves as leader of the New York bureau.
“There’s an infinite number of words I would use to describe Brent Lang and my admiration for his breadth of genius, talent and skills as a journalist,” said Claudia Eller, Variety Editor-in-Chief. “He is also one of the most trustworthy, thoughtful and collegial people I’ve ever worked with and it’s a joy to watch him continue to flourish.”
Lang most recently served as Executive Editor of Film and Media and New York Bureau Chief. He joined Variety in 2014 as a senior film reporter. Lang will assume his new role this summer when Variety’s current Executive Editor,...
In his new role, Lang will help guide the venerable showbiz brand’s editorial operations across digital and print platforms. He will continue to oversee Variety’s film, media and theater coverage, and he serves as leader of the New York bureau.
“There’s an infinite number of words I would use to describe Brent Lang and my admiration for his breadth of genius, talent and skills as a journalist,” said Claudia Eller, Variety Editor-in-Chief. “He is also one of the most trustworthy, thoughtful and collegial people I’ve ever worked with and it’s a joy to watch him continue to flourish.”
Lang most recently served as Executive Editor of Film and Media and New York Bureau Chief. He joined Variety in 2014 as a senior film reporter. Lang will assume his new role this summer when Variety’s current Executive Editor,...
- 2/15/2022
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Variety has scored 98 nominations for the 2021 National Art and Entertainment Journalism awards, leading all publications.
The awards are presented yearly by the Los Angeles Press Club.
“Thank you to the Naej for recognizing the hard and wonderful work of our great team of writers and editors. We’re so honored,” said Claudia Eller, editor-in-chief of Variety.
Variety was nominated twice for print entertainment publication, for its “Hitmakers” and “Gamechangers” issues. Variety.com was nominated for entertainment website. Senior vice president Tim Gray and features editor Chris Willman both earned nominations for print journalist of the year, while deputy music editor Jem Aswad is nominated for online journalist of the year.
Variety scored six nominations across the photography and art category, including two nods for cover art, for the “Death of Cable” and “Power of Women” covers. Photo director Jennifer Dorn, former creative director Raul Aguila and photographer Sophy Holland were...
The awards are presented yearly by the Los Angeles Press Club.
“Thank you to the Naej for recognizing the hard and wonderful work of our great team of writers and editors. We’re so honored,” said Claudia Eller, editor-in-chief of Variety.
Variety was nominated twice for print entertainment publication, for its “Hitmakers” and “Gamechangers” issues. Variety.com was nominated for entertainment website. Senior vice president Tim Gray and features editor Chris Willman both earned nominations for print journalist of the year, while deputy music editor Jem Aswad is nominated for online journalist of the year.
Variety scored six nominations across the photography and art category, including two nods for cover art, for the “Death of Cable” and “Power of Women” covers. Photo director Jennifer Dorn, former creative director Raul Aguila and photographer Sophy Holland were...
- 1/19/2022
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
As Brent Lang and Rebecca Rubin aptly pointed out in their Dec. 30 story, the mega-success of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” — with global ticket sales of nearly $1.4 billion to date — reminds us that movie theaters “still create a kind of grand cultural happening that simply can’t be replicated on Netflix.”
While that is certainly the case, I remain personally troubled by the fact that so many other year-end releases, including “West Side Story,” “The Matrix Resurrections,” “Nightmare Alley,” “The King’s Man,” “King Richard,” “Belfast,” “C’mon C’mon,” “Spencer” and “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” among others, failed to lure crowds to multiplexes.
I adore John Fithian, leader of the National Assn. of Theatre Owners, and I have always shared his love and faith in moviegoing and its ability to survive challenging times, particularly over the past two years, when Covid-19 and the enormous popularity of streaming wreaked havoc on exhibition. However, I...
While that is certainly the case, I remain personally troubled by the fact that so many other year-end releases, including “West Side Story,” “The Matrix Resurrections,” “Nightmare Alley,” “The King’s Man,” “King Richard,” “Belfast,” “C’mon C’mon,” “Spencer” and “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” among others, failed to lure crowds to multiplexes.
I adore John Fithian, leader of the National Assn. of Theatre Owners, and I have always shared his love and faith in moviegoing and its ability to survive challenging times, particularly over the past two years, when Covid-19 and the enormous popularity of streaming wreaked havoc on exhibition. However, I...
- 1/6/2022
- by Claudia Eller
- Variety Film + TV
After 27 months, the Tony Awards returned on Sunday night to honor Broadway’s best. The ceremony — highlighting the shortened 2019-2020 season — served as an emotional ode to the power of live theater, as well as an elaborately produced advertisement to get audiences back to the Great White Way.
Split between streaming and live TV, viewers at home were treated to galvanic performances and moving speeches. Still, there’s plenty that cameras didn’t capture at the Winter Garden Theater in Manhattan. Here’s everything you didn’t see during the four-hour telecast.
A plea to wear masks
Broadway’s back, as audiences were reminded every few steps, and that meant pandemic-era safety protocols were in full force. Everyone had to be fully vaccinated in order to step foot in the theater, and anyone who walked the red carpet had to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken no more than 48 hours in advance.
Split between streaming and live TV, viewers at home were treated to galvanic performances and moving speeches. Still, there’s plenty that cameras didn’t capture at the Winter Garden Theater in Manhattan. Here’s everything you didn’t see during the four-hour telecast.
A plea to wear masks
Broadway’s back, as audiences were reminded every few steps, and that meant pandemic-era safety protocols were in full force. Everyone had to be fully vaccinated in order to step foot in the theater, and anyone who walked the red carpet had to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken no more than 48 hours in advance.
- 9/27/2021
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
I want to give a huge shout-out to our Herculean six-person team of editors and writers — Brent Lang, Cynthia Littleton, Gene Maddaus, Michael Schneider, Matt Donnelly and Joe Otterson — who collectively pulled off this week’s incredibly comprehensive cover story.
The piece, titled “Battle Royal,” chronicles and analyzes what Scarlett Johansson’s legal battle with Disney over her “Black Widow” compensation means for future talent deals, and it also documents and breaks news about some of the eye-popping salaries earned by Hollywood’s biggest stars of film and television.
Media companies’ priorities have radically shifted to populating their streaming platforms with as much high-profile content as possible to sign up as many subscribers as possible — profoundly altering the metrics of success and how talent gets paid in this newfound, more complex business environment.
As we know, Johansson cried foul when it came to all the money she claims she was...
The piece, titled “Battle Royal,” chronicles and analyzes what Scarlett Johansson’s legal battle with Disney over her “Black Widow” compensation means for future talent deals, and it also documents and breaks news about some of the eye-popping salaries earned by Hollywood’s biggest stars of film and television.
Media companies’ priorities have radically shifted to populating their streaming platforms with as much high-profile content as possible to sign up as many subscribers as possible — profoundly altering the metrics of success and how talent gets paid in this newfound, more complex business environment.
As we know, Johansson cried foul when it came to all the money she claims she was...
- 8/18/2021
- by Claudia Eller
- Variety Film + TV
Actor, producer and director Clifton Collins Jr. has signed with CAA.
Collins most recently starred in and executive produced the independent feature “Jockey.” The film premiered in competition at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, with Collins earning the Dramatic Special Jury Award for best actor.
Variety’s Peter Debruge referred to Collins’ work as a “career-best” role, writing that the actor, “walks like a jockey; he talks like a jockey; heck, he even rides like a jockey — which is a remarkable transformation for a character actor who’s been waiting far too long for such a shot in the saddle.”
To prepare to play Jackson Silva, an aging rider dealing with the physical and emotional baggage of his career, the actor shed 20 pounds to match the slender build of a professional jockey and pushed himself to embody the loner character.
“I cut myself off from the world,” Collins told...
Collins most recently starred in and executive produced the independent feature “Jockey.” The film premiered in competition at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, with Collins earning the Dramatic Special Jury Award for best actor.
Variety’s Peter Debruge referred to Collins’ work as a “career-best” role, writing that the actor, “walks like a jockey; he talks like a jockey; heck, he even rides like a jockey — which is a remarkable transformation for a character actor who’s been waiting far too long for such a shot in the saddle.”
To prepare to play Jackson Silva, an aging rider dealing with the physical and emotional baggage of his career, the actor shed 20 pounds to match the slender build of a professional jockey and pushed himself to embody the loner character.
“I cut myself off from the world,” Collins told...
- 8/16/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Variety has been nominated for 62 Southern California Journalism Awards, including two for entertainment journalist of the year, one for print journalist of the year, traditional news website, and in-house or corporate publication.
The awards, given out by the Los Angeles Press Club, honor outstanding journalism in the region across print, digital, radio and broadcast platforms.
Features editor Chris Willman and chief film critic Owen Gleiberman are both up for entertainment journalist of the year, and senior TV editor Brian Steinberg is up for print journalist of the year. Willman leads all Variety staffers with eight total nominations, followed by Gleiberman and Steinberg with five apiece.
Variety‘s “Hitmakers” issue featuring Harry Styles and “The Great Depression” issue, about the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on Hollywood, are both nominated for best single issue. “An Earth-Shattering Year,” reflecting on the industry-shaking events of 2020, is up for best in-house or corporate publication.
The awards, given out by the Los Angeles Press Club, honor outstanding journalism in the region across print, digital, radio and broadcast platforms.
Features editor Chris Willman and chief film critic Owen Gleiberman are both up for entertainment journalist of the year, and senior TV editor Brian Steinberg is up for print journalist of the year. Willman leads all Variety staffers with eight total nominations, followed by Gleiberman and Steinberg with five apiece.
Variety‘s “Hitmakers” issue featuring Harry Styles and “The Great Depression” issue, about the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on Hollywood, are both nominated for best single issue. “An Earth-Shattering Year,” reflecting on the industry-shaking events of 2020, is up for best in-house or corporate publication.
- 8/11/2021
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
Calling Alan Horn! As the nasty war between Scarlett Johansson and Disney continues to escalate and rage on in the public eye, might it not be beneficial for someone within the not-so-Magic Kingdom — such as Horn — to intervene and help diffuse the hostilities?
A highly respected industry statesman who’s always been a voice of reason, Horn should step in and try to get Disney to dial down the vitriol that is alienating some of its own movie fans, angering talent reps and women’s activist groups.
Lest we forget: Horn was the seasoned executive who was hired at Disney by leader Bob Iger back in 2012 to help steady the ship after it was rocked by the tumultuous regime of Rich Ross and a string of costly box office flops.
“I fully expect to be a stabilizing force,” Horn said at the time in an interview with Brent Lang, who...
A highly respected industry statesman who’s always been a voice of reason, Horn should step in and try to get Disney to dial down the vitriol that is alienating some of its own movie fans, angering talent reps and women’s activist groups.
Lest we forget: Horn was the seasoned executive who was hired at Disney by leader Bob Iger back in 2012 to help steady the ship after it was rocked by the tumultuous regime of Rich Ross and a string of costly box office flops.
“I fully expect to be a stabilizing force,” Horn said at the time in an interview with Brent Lang, who...
- 8/4/2021
- by Claudia Eller
- Variety Film + TV
I spent last week in New York having face-to-face business meetings with entertainment executives after not being able to make direct contact over the past 15 months. Last time I was in Manhattan was February 2020, right before Covid-19 began wreaking havoc on my favorite city away from home, and of course on the entire country.
There were residual signs of pandemic fallout: A number of restaurants long favored by industry folks had shuttered for good. But New Yorkers were nonetheless out in force, and it was heartening to hear those whom I and New York bureau chief Brent Lang met with talk about just how resilient their companies were during the height of the health crisis.
“At the start of the pandemic, we knew we needed to do everything possible to accelerate, rather than halt, production,” FilmNation founder Glen Basner told us.
“We collaborated with an amazing group of filmmakers to...
There were residual signs of pandemic fallout: A number of restaurants long favored by industry folks had shuttered for good. But New Yorkers were nonetheless out in force, and it was heartening to hear those whom I and New York bureau chief Brent Lang met with talk about just how resilient their companies were during the height of the health crisis.
“At the start of the pandemic, we knew we needed to do everything possible to accelerate, rather than halt, production,” FilmNation founder Glen Basner told us.
“We collaborated with an amazing group of filmmakers to...
- 7/28/2021
- by Claudia Eller
- Variety Film + TV
The Venice Film Festival is gearing up to take place as a full-fledged physical event in September with a back-to-normal atmosphere and what could be a high-profile selection of films.
While the Toronto Film Festival, which runs Sept. 9-18, is sticking with a combination of digital and in-person screenings, as is Sundance 2022, Venice’s upcoming Sept. 1-11 edition is on track, barring complications, to run as a completely in-person celebration of cinema with hundreds of journalists and dozens of film delegations expected to make the trek to the Lido from all over the world.
That’s the scenario the fest’s parent org, the Venice Biennale, is looking to pull off for its upcoming Architecture Biennale which has the timely theme of “How Will We Live Together?” and opens in Venice on May 22.
Delegations representing more than 100 Architecture Biennale projects are expected to soon arrive in Venice from 46 countries, along with more than 400 international journalists.
While the Toronto Film Festival, which runs Sept. 9-18, is sticking with a combination of digital and in-person screenings, as is Sundance 2022, Venice’s upcoming Sept. 1-11 edition is on track, barring complications, to run as a completely in-person celebration of cinema with hundreds of journalists and dozens of film delegations expected to make the trek to the Lido from all over the world.
That’s the scenario the fest’s parent org, the Venice Biennale, is looking to pull off for its upcoming Architecture Biennale which has the timely theme of “How Will We Live Together?” and opens in Venice on May 22.
Delegations representing more than 100 Architecture Biennale projects are expected to soon arrive in Venice from 46 countries, along with more than 400 international journalists.
- 5/14/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
After the massively successful debut of “Godzilla vs. Kong,” the film’s director, Adam Wingard, is in talks for a new movie in Legendary’s MonsterVerse franchise.
Since its launch in theaters on March 31, “Godzilla vs. Kong” has topped $400 million at the box office, marking the highest grossing release of the pandemic era. The film debuted simultaneously on HBO Max, as part of Warner Bros.’ multi-platform release strategy for the studio’s 2021 slate.
In 2014, Legendary kicked off their MonsterVerse plans, after partnering with Japan’s Toho Studios for 2014’s “Godzilla.” “Godzilla Vs. Kong” is the fourth movie in the franchise, after 2017’s “Kong Skull Island” (the franchise’s current box office leader with more than $566 million in worldwide ticket sales) and 2019’s “Godzilla: King of the Monsters.” Wingard would be the first director to return to fold for a second film. Gareth Edwards (“Godzilla”), Jordan Vogt-Roberts (“Kong Skull Island”) and...
Since its launch in theaters on March 31, “Godzilla vs. Kong” has topped $400 million at the box office, marking the highest grossing release of the pandemic era. The film debuted simultaneously on HBO Max, as part of Warner Bros.’ multi-platform release strategy for the studio’s 2021 slate.
In 2014, Legendary kicked off their MonsterVerse plans, after partnering with Japan’s Toho Studios for 2014’s “Godzilla.” “Godzilla Vs. Kong” is the fourth movie in the franchise, after 2017’s “Kong Skull Island” (the franchise’s current box office leader with more than $566 million in worldwide ticket sales) and 2019’s “Godzilla: King of the Monsters.” Wingard would be the first director to return to fold for a second film. Gareth Edwards (“Godzilla”), Jordan Vogt-Roberts (“Kong Skull Island”) and...
- 4/27/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Variety took home 20 top honors at Friday’s National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards, including the wins for best entertainment website, podcast host, best headline and for music and theater criticism.
The virtual ceremony was hosted by comedian Alonzo Bodden. This year’s Veritas Award for film from the Los Angeles Press Club went to Netflix’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7.”
Variety was nominated for a record 99 National Arts and Entertainment Journalism awards. Organizers noted that total submissions for the awards topped more than 1,000 for the first time.
Variety‘s wins demonstrated the range of coverage offered by the global entertainment news source over a turbulent year.
The music criticism victory went to deputy music editor Jem Aswad for “Phoebe Bridgers’ ‘Punisher,’ ‘Grammy Salute to Prince.'”
Aswad also won for arts feature under 1,000 words for “What’s Next for Lockdown Live Music?” And Aswad shared a third win with Shirley Halperin,...
The virtual ceremony was hosted by comedian Alonzo Bodden. This year’s Veritas Award for film from the Los Angeles Press Club went to Netflix’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7.”
Variety was nominated for a record 99 National Arts and Entertainment Journalism awards. Organizers noted that total submissions for the awards topped more than 1,000 for the first time.
Variety‘s wins demonstrated the range of coverage offered by the global entertainment news source over a turbulent year.
The music criticism victory went to deputy music editor Jem Aswad for “Phoebe Bridgers’ ‘Punisher,’ ‘Grammy Salute to Prince.'”
Aswad also won for arts feature under 1,000 words for “What’s Next for Lockdown Live Music?” And Aswad shared a third win with Shirley Halperin,...
- 4/10/2021
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
With vaccinations rising and Covid restrictions easing, movie theaters are slowly getting their grove back. This weekend saw the debut of the first pandemic-era hit in “Godzilla vs. Kong,” a sign that people are ready, even eager to return to their local multiplexes after a year spent streaming movies at home. But there are still challenges facing theaters, many of which are teetering on the brink of financial ruin after twelve months without much in the way of ticket sales. Can movie theaters come back stronger than before or will coronavirus hasten the Netflix-ification of the entertainment landscape in a way that makes cinemas feel outmoded? Brent Lang, Variety’s executive editor of film and media, and chief film critics, Peter Debruge and Owen Gleiberman, discuss what the future holds for movie theaters.
Peter Debruge: This time last year, so many of our conversations were about when things would go back to “normal,...
Peter Debruge: This time last year, so many of our conversations were about when things would go back to “normal,...
- 4/4/2021
- by Brent Lang, Owen Gleiberman and Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Actor Ray Fisher has been quite content of late on social media, promoting the HBO Max feature Zack Snyder’s Justice League cut. But that changed tonight as he spoke out about WarnerMedia Studios CEO Ann Sarnoff regarding her recent statements in a Variety interview about the studio’s investigation into Joss Whedon’s alleged misconduct during production on the DC film four years ago.
Sarnoff was asked by Variety‘s Brent Lang whether the studio’s investigation into Whedon corroborated any of Fisher’s claims of racism on behalf of the studios’ employees. Fisher made his initial accusations on social media against Whedon last July, accusing the filmmaker who replaced Snyder of “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable” behavior. Fisher also went to great lengths to point a finger at Justice League producers Geoff Johns and Jon Berg, who he says enabled Whedon. WarnerMedia conducted an internal probe late...
Sarnoff was asked by Variety‘s Brent Lang whether the studio’s investigation into Whedon corroborated any of Fisher’s claims of racism on behalf of the studios’ employees. Fisher made his initial accusations on social media against Whedon last July, accusing the filmmaker who replaced Snyder of “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable” behavior. Fisher also went to great lengths to point a finger at Justice League producers Geoff Johns and Jon Berg, who he says enabled Whedon. WarnerMedia conducted an internal probe late...
- 3/23/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Variety has been nominated for 99 National Art and Entertainment Journalism awards, a record-breaking number of nominations for the publication.
“This is an amazing achievement by our stellar team of journalists, accomplished during the most challenging year any of us have ever experienced,” said Claudia Eller, editor-in-chief of Variety.
Variety was nominated for print entertainment publication for its April 29 issue, “The Great Depression,” as well as entertainment website for Variety.com. Features editor Chris Willman was nominated for print journalist of the year, while deputy music editor Jem Aswad and senior correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister both earned nods for online journalist of the year.
Variety‘s art department earned two nominations for illustration and one for cover art. Deputy art director Haley Kluge, creative director Raul Aguila and Mercedes DeBellard earned a nod for their “Jennifer Aniston” illustration, and Kluge, Aguila and Jen Mann also received an illustration nomination for “Sandra Oh.
“This is an amazing achievement by our stellar team of journalists, accomplished during the most challenging year any of us have ever experienced,” said Claudia Eller, editor-in-chief of Variety.
Variety was nominated for print entertainment publication for its April 29 issue, “The Great Depression,” as well as entertainment website for Variety.com. Features editor Chris Willman was nominated for print journalist of the year, while deputy music editor Jem Aswad and senior correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister both earned nods for online journalist of the year.
Variety‘s art department earned two nominations for illustration and one for cover art. Deputy art director Haley Kluge, creative director Raul Aguila and Mercedes DeBellard earned a nod for their “Jennifer Aniston” illustration, and Kluge, Aguila and Jen Mann also received an illustration nomination for “Sandra Oh.
- 2/15/2021
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Variety has promoted writers Matt Donnelly and Elaine Low and editor Jazz Tangcay.
The promotions come as Variety is expanding the scope of its multiplatform editorial operations to better capture all aspects of the global entertainment business. Donnelly, Low and Tangcay are part of a growing team around the world delivering breaking news, analysis, data and deep dives to guide the industry through a period of unprecedented transformation.
“There is nothing more gratifying than to see our reporters and editors continuing to push themselves and grow their knowledge of this swiftly evolving media universe,” said Claudia Eller, Editor-in-Chief of Variety. “We are incredibly proud to work with Matt, Elaine and Jazz, all of whom are so talented and devoted to their work.”
Donnelly has advanced to Senior Entertainment and Media Writer. He will focus on news and analysis about the film and TV industries, particularly the inner workings of the Hollywood creative community.
The promotions come as Variety is expanding the scope of its multiplatform editorial operations to better capture all aspects of the global entertainment business. Donnelly, Low and Tangcay are part of a growing team around the world delivering breaking news, analysis, data and deep dives to guide the industry through a period of unprecedented transformation.
“There is nothing more gratifying than to see our reporters and editors continuing to push themselves and grow their knowledge of this swiftly evolving media universe,” said Claudia Eller, Editor-in-Chief of Variety. “We are incredibly proud to work with Matt, Elaine and Jazz, all of whom are so talented and devoted to their work.”
Donnelly has advanced to Senior Entertainment and Media Writer. He will focus on news and analysis about the film and TV industries, particularly the inner workings of the Hollywood creative community.
- 2/9/2021
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Movie theaters have been brought low by coronavirus and even the promise of a vaccine may not be enough to rescue them from financial ruin. With film studios putting upcoming blockbusters like “Wonder Woman: 1984,” “Dune” and “Soul” on streaming services and major exhibitors teetering on the edge of insolvency, will the big screen experience be able to outlast the pandemic? Brent Lang, Variety’s executive editor of film and media, and its two chief film critics, Peter Debruge and Owen Gleiberman, discuss what the HBO Max news means for the theatrical landscape and whether movie theaters are an endangered species.
Owen Gleiberman: The arrival of a Covid vaccine offers the first concrete hope that we may, relatively soon, be glimpsing the light at the end of the tunnel of this pandemic. So what does that mean for movies, and for the battered landscape of movie theaters? Pretend it’s three years from now.
Owen Gleiberman: The arrival of a Covid vaccine offers the first concrete hope that we may, relatively soon, be glimpsing the light at the end of the tunnel of this pandemic. So what does that mean for movies, and for the battered landscape of movie theaters? Pretend it’s three years from now.
- 12/9/2020
- by Brent Lang, Owen Gleiberman and Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
The top distribution executive at Neon, which handled best picture winner “Parasite,” has expressed guarded optimism that audiences will return when the Covid-19 crisis begins abating.
“People truly want to get out of the house,” said distribution president Elissa Federoff during Monday’s Future of Film Conference at the start of the virtual American Film Market.
She was interviewed by Brent Lang, executive editor of film and media for Variety, a few hours after pharmaceutical company Pfizer said early data from its coronavirus vaccine shows it is more than 90% effective. The news jolted the stock market with the Dow Jones Industrial Average gaining more than 800 points.
“We know that audiences will come back to movie theaters, that the theatrical landscape will be vibrant again,” Federoff said. “This is very exciting news about the vaccine because potentially it makes the span of time a little shorter.”
“We’ve always projected we...
“People truly want to get out of the house,” said distribution president Elissa Federoff during Monday’s Future of Film Conference at the start of the virtual American Film Market.
She was interviewed by Brent Lang, executive editor of film and media for Variety, a few hours after pharmaceutical company Pfizer said early data from its coronavirus vaccine shows it is more than 90% effective. The news jolted the stock market with the Dow Jones Industrial Average gaining more than 800 points.
“We know that audiences will come back to movie theaters, that the theatrical landscape will be vibrant again,” Federoff said. “This is very exciting news about the vaccine because potentially it makes the span of time a little shorter.”
“We’ve always projected we...
- 11/9/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
In the last six months, the coronavirus has decimated the business of American movies. People continue to watch new films on streaming services and, to a limited degree, in theaters, but the exhibition business is currently a shadow of its former self. The question is: Can it come back — and if so, how? Brent Lang, Variety’s executive editor of film and media, and its two chief film critics, Peter Debruge and Owen Gleiberman, discuss what the future holds for movie theaters.
Brent Lang: It’s a very, very bad time to own a movie theater. Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” was viewed by many as a potential cinematic savior, but the reviews were meh and the box office, domestically at least, uninspired. “Tenet” was supposed to kick off a moviegoing revival. Instead, it served as a textbook example of the difficulty of opening a blockbuster during coronavirus. With “No Time to Die...
Brent Lang: It’s a very, very bad time to own a movie theater. Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” was viewed by many as a potential cinematic savior, but the reviews were meh and the box office, domestically at least, uninspired. “Tenet” was supposed to kick off a moviegoing revival. Instead, it served as a textbook example of the difficulty of opening a blockbuster during coronavirus. With “No Time to Die...
- 10/8/2020
- by Brent Lang, Owen Gleiberman and Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Rebecca Rubin has been promoted to film and media reporter at Variety.
In her new role, Rubin will cover the rapidly changing world of theatrical exhibition, as well as focus on the competition between streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney Plus. Rubin will also cover the major Hollywood studios and their indie film counterparts. She will contribute profiles, trend pieces, and entertainment industry analysis to Variety’s magazine and its website.
Rubin will be based in New York City and will report to Brent Lang, Variety’s executive editor of film and media.
“Rebecca is an incredibly hard worker, who has been a fantastic addition to Variety since joining us just a few years ago,” said Lang. “Her box office stories have become incisive, must-reads for entertainment executives and industry observers, and are notable both for their wit and their deep understanding of the movie business. I...
In her new role, Rubin will cover the rapidly changing world of theatrical exhibition, as well as focus on the competition between streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney Plus. Rubin will also cover the major Hollywood studios and their indie film counterparts. She will contribute profiles, trend pieces, and entertainment industry analysis to Variety’s magazine and its website.
Rubin will be based in New York City and will report to Brent Lang, Variety’s executive editor of film and media.
“Rebecca is an incredibly hard worker, who has been a fantastic addition to Variety since joining us just a few years ago,” said Lang. “Her box office stories have become incisive, must-reads for entertainment executives and industry observers, and are notable both for their wit and their deep understanding of the movie business. I...
- 9/29/2020
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Covid-19 and its long-term affects on film marketing took center stage at the Keynote Marketing Roundtable event on Wednesday, as part of Variety‘s Entertainment Marketing Summit.
Brent Lang, Variety‘s executive editor of film and media, moderated the panel conversation, which featured various professionals from the marketing side of the film industry. Participants included Paul Noble, co-president of global marketing at Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sumyi Antonson, senior vice president of marketing and distribution at Neon, Rebecca Kearey, president of Searchlight Pictures International, Dwight Caines, co-president of marketing at Universal Pictures, Jason Cassidy, vice chairman of Focus Features, and Christian Davin, global head of movie marketing at Amazon Studios.
Throughout the event, they discussed the need to be flexible during the pandemic, new technological approaches to advertising, and the durability of the exhibition business, which has been hit hard by coronavirus closures.
“In the old days so to speak, we...
Brent Lang, Variety‘s executive editor of film and media, moderated the panel conversation, which featured various professionals from the marketing side of the film industry. Participants included Paul Noble, co-president of global marketing at Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sumyi Antonson, senior vice president of marketing and distribution at Neon, Rebecca Kearey, president of Searchlight Pictures International, Dwight Caines, co-president of marketing at Universal Pictures, Jason Cassidy, vice chairman of Focus Features, and Christian Davin, global head of movie marketing at Amazon Studios.
Throughout the event, they discussed the need to be flexible during the pandemic, new technological approaches to advertising, and the durability of the exhibition business, which has been hit hard by coronavirus closures.
“In the old days so to speak, we...
- 8/31/2020
- by Eli Countryman
- Variety Film + TV
Universal and AMC Theaters have recently announced a multi-year agreement that will allow the largest theater chain in the U.S. to screen Universal titles for 17 days, whereupon these can hit Premium Video on Demand (PVOD) platforms. It’s a game-changing deal that further shrinks the theatrical window—traditionally spanning 90 days—that allows films to show in cinemas before they can be released to VOD services. This isn’t just a move that will change the future of two entertainment giants, but one that’s poised to reshape our movie-going habits: how exactly will it change the kind of films we may expect to watch on a big screen?Admittedly, the debate over shorter theatrical windows has been raging for years, with cinemas notoriously cautious about trimming runs on their screens. Back in March, as theatres began to shut in response to the pandemic, Universal made the then-unprecedented decision to...
- 8/18/2020
- MUBI
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSThis year, Mubi is proud to be partnering with the Locarno Film Festival to unveil A Journey in the Festival's History, a selection of 20 classic films from previous editions of the event, each hand-picked by past alumni. Directors including Lucrecia Martel, Lav Diaz, Miguel Gomes, and many others have chosen individual films from the festival’s rich history, from Michael Haneke’s haunting debut feature, The Seventh Continent to Kidlat Tahimik's The Perfumed Nightmare and Marguerite Duras' India Song. The Opening Night film of the New York Film Festival is Steve McQueen's Lover's Rock, one of five films McQueen directed for his Small Axe anthology. The festival will also be premiering two additional Small Axe films, Mangrove and Red, White and Blue. And at the top: The official poster for Wong Kar-wai's Blossoms Shanghai,...
- 8/5/2020
- MUBI
Variety has promoted Angelique Jackson to film and media reporter. In her new role, Jackson will cover the major Hollywood studios and streaming services, as well as the indie film scene. She will also contribute in-depth interviews and profiles of the industry’s top decision-makers and creative talent for print, online, and video.
Jackson joined the trade publication in 2019 as an events and lifestyle producer. In that capacity, she covered awards shows, premieres, and film festivals. But Jackson’s contributions extended beyond the red carpet. She recently co-wrote a cover story on Black representation in Hollywood with senior TV writer Elaine Low, which examined the entertainment business’s legacy of exclusion in the wake of calls for it to diversify.
“Since my desire to pursue a career in entertainment journalism stemmed from reading Variety magazine at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, it’s a true honor to join this acclaimed film team,...
Jackson joined the trade publication in 2019 as an events and lifestyle producer. In that capacity, she covered awards shows, premieres, and film festivals. But Jackson’s contributions extended beyond the red carpet. She recently co-wrote a cover story on Black representation in Hollywood with senior TV writer Elaine Low, which examined the entertainment business’s legacy of exclusion in the wake of calls for it to diversify.
“Since my desire to pursue a career in entertainment journalism stemmed from reading Variety magazine at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, it’s a true honor to join this acclaimed film team,...
- 7/31/2020
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Update: Mystery solved! The unidentified man who briefly gatecrashed today’s virtual Cannes talk with Neon was none other than the father of Brent Lang, exec editor at our sister publication Variety.
Lang just tweeted: “This is hilarious. I was supposed to moderate this panel, but technical problems got the best of me. The amazing Quentin Carbonell from Cannes subbed. My poor father inadvertently logged into the talk and a digital star was born. Dad is available for bookings.”
Previously, 11:34Am Full credit to organizers of the Cannes virtual Marche (June 22-26), who by and large pulled off with relative smoothness day one of what will be a technically challenging and largely unprecedented event.
There were a few hitches here and there, however, which caused scattered moments of frustration and, in one particularly bizarre incident, some hilarity among delegates.
Earlier today, Neon aces Tom Quinn and Elissa Federoff logged...
Lang just tweeted: “This is hilarious. I was supposed to moderate this panel, but technical problems got the best of me. The amazing Quentin Carbonell from Cannes subbed. My poor father inadvertently logged into the talk and a digital star was born. Dad is available for bookings.”
Previously, 11:34Am Full credit to organizers of the Cannes virtual Marche (June 22-26), who by and large pulled off with relative smoothness day one of what will be a technically challenging and largely unprecedented event.
There were a few hitches here and there, however, which caused scattered moments of frustration and, in one particularly bizarre incident, some hilarity among delegates.
Earlier today, Neon aces Tom Quinn and Elissa Federoff logged...
- 6/22/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
For two months, Variety’s writers, editors and photographers have worked on putting together our annual Pride issue. Given the nationwide outcry and widespread protests in response to police brutality and the senseless death of George Floyd, we considered postponing the edition.
But as we discussed it among our staff, we were reminded that Pride and activism go hand in hand. The Lgbtq rights movement was born out of the June 28, 1969 Stonewall riots. After New York police raided the Greenwich Village gay bar, arresting and assaulting its patrons —- many of whom were queer people of color — thousands of members of the Lgbtq community took to the streets to protest discrimination. The riots became a rallying call for equality.
Too often, the stories and voices of members of the Black queer community have gone unheard. In our issue, Daniel D’Addario profiles “Pose” star Indya Moore about how they’ve been...
But as we discussed it among our staff, we were reminded that Pride and activism go hand in hand. The Lgbtq rights movement was born out of the June 28, 1969 Stonewall riots. After New York police raided the Greenwich Village gay bar, arresting and assaulting its patrons —- many of whom were queer people of color — thousands of members of the Lgbtq community took to the streets to protest discrimination. The riots became a rallying call for equality.
Too often, the stories and voices of members of the Black queer community have gone unheard. In our issue, Daniel D’Addario profiles “Pose” star Indya Moore about how they’ve been...
- 6/3/2020
- by Claudia Eller
- Variety Film + TV
Variety Streaming Room: Film, TV Executives on Adapting to New Production Challenges During Pandemic
When Covid-19 forced television studios to close their doors, long-running late-night shows such as “Conan” were faced with a dilemma. Was it possible to keep being funny and lifting audiences’s spirits from home? So, Conan O’Brien and his team set out to recreate their particular brand of comedy via Zoom.
“We had no choice,” Jeff Ross, executive producer at Conan and CEO of Team Coco, said during the third episode of the Variety Streaming Room weekly series “Rebooting the Entertainment Industry.” “We went through it during the writer’s strike, after 9/11 — we realized we could do a show. Now, it’s Conan at home alone with an iPhone and a laptop, Zooming interviews and shooting comedy alone and uploading media from his phone, which can’t last that much longer…I think the audience gets it and I think the audience kind of appreciates it.”
Ross and O’Brien aren’t alone.
“We had no choice,” Jeff Ross, executive producer at Conan and CEO of Team Coco, said during the third episode of the Variety Streaming Room weekly series “Rebooting the Entertainment Industry.” “We went through it during the writer’s strike, after 9/11 — we realized we could do a show. Now, it’s Conan at home alone with an iPhone and a laptop, Zooming interviews and shooting comedy alone and uploading media from his phone, which can’t last that much longer…I think the audience gets it and I think the audience kind of appreciates it.”
Ross and O’Brien aren’t alone.
- 5/27/2020
- by Klaritza Rico
- Variety Film + TV
Lynn Shelton had an unrivaled allegiance to the Seattle film community and to Washington state. Most people trying to make their way in independent film would move their ass down to Los Angeles, but Lynn never forgot where she came from. She would drive down in her Kia Soul and stay in our guesthouse or at a friend’s in order to direct TV shows and get the money she needed to go back to Seattle to make the movies she wanted to make.
When she pitched me “Humpday,” I was married and had a young child. I wanted to stay in L.A. and shoot, but she was steadfast that we should make it in Seattle. And she was right. Being there, she had all these creative people around her, and it elevated the film. When my brother, Jay, worked with her on “Outside In,” I told him, “Go...
When she pitched me “Humpday,” I was married and had a young child. I wanted to stay in L.A. and shoot, but she was steadfast that we should make it in Seattle. And she was right. Being there, she had all these creative people around her, and it elevated the film. When my brother, Jay, worked with her on “Outside In,” I told him, “Go...
- 5/20/2020
- by Mark Duplass
- Variety Film + TV
Good news for “Mad Max” fans: A new report from Variety claims writer-director George Miller is actively in development on his long-in-the-works “Mad Max” spinoff movie centered on Furiosa, the breakout action heroine played by Charlize Theron in “Fury Road.” Variety’s Justin Kroll and Brent Lang report: “Director George Miller has been meeting with names including Anya Taylor-Joy for his ‘Furiosa’ spin-off, which he hopes to start shooting in 2021. Of course, Miller is making concessions — those auditions have taken place via Skype.”
The Variety report should not come as a major surprise, as Miller has been vocal for a couple years now about wanting to make a proper “Mad Max: Fury Road” sequel and a Furiosa spinoff movie. “Fury Road,” a six-time Oscar winner and Best Picture nominee, was widely celebrated as one of the best films of the last decade. The film starred Tom Hardy in the title role and grossed $374 million worldwide.
The Variety report should not come as a major surprise, as Miller has been vocal for a couple years now about wanting to make a proper “Mad Max: Fury Road” sequel and a Furiosa spinoff movie. “Fury Road,” a six-time Oscar winner and Best Picture nominee, was widely celebrated as one of the best films of the last decade. The film starred Tom Hardy in the title role and grossed $374 million worldwide.
- 3/26/2020
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
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