Exclusive: Ali Afshar’s Esx Entertainment is entering into the horror space with the feature The Necklace starring sisters Madeleine & Violet McGraw, each of whom have garnered widespread acclaim for
gripping performances in M3GAN and 2021’s The Black Phone respectively. Cameras will roll this summer.
Afshar produced the Netflix streaming hit A California Christmas and I Believe in Santa along with the hit HBO Max original A Christmas Mystery, both of which starred Violet McGraw.
The screenplay was written specifically with the McGraw sisters in mind by Afshar collaborator John Ducey . The pic is being directed by Chilean filmmaker Juan Pablo Arias Muñoz, who helmed Pumpkinhole and HBO’s Perry Mason.
Said Afshar, “Madeleine and Violet are among the brightest lights of this generation of young actors, and an absolute joy to work with. Each brings a unique energy to the screen and, together,...
gripping performances in M3GAN and 2021’s The Black Phone respectively. Cameras will roll this summer.
Afshar produced the Netflix streaming hit A California Christmas and I Believe in Santa along with the hit HBO Max original A Christmas Mystery, both of which starred Violet McGraw.
The screenplay was written specifically with the McGraw sisters in mind by Afshar collaborator John Ducey . The pic is being directed by Chilean filmmaker Juan Pablo Arias Muñoz, who helmed Pumpkinhole and HBO’s Perry Mason.
Said Afshar, “Madeleine and Violet are among the brightest lights of this generation of young actors, and an absolute joy to work with. Each brings a unique energy to the screen and, together,...
- 5/3/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Venk Potula has been confirmed for The Black List fellow Nerris Nevarez-Nassiri’s upcoming indie musical Key Change.
The announcement follows the securing of an SAG-AFTRA interim agreement for the project, which has allowed the producers to push on with casting.
Potula previously made waves with his lead performance in Ravi Kapoor’s buzzy Tribeca 2022 selection and IFC and Hulu-acquired comedy Four Samosas.
The new project is described as a semi-autobiographical tale taking inspiration from the Mexican and Indian heritage of creators and writers Nassiri and Potula.
Potula will play a struggling, ambitious music producer who finds himself juggling dreams and newfound responsibilities when a long-lost half-sister walks into his life as he prepares a career-defining showcase.
The film will feature four original songs written by Nassiri, who makes his directorial debut.
Producers are Briana Frapart, Arjun Yadav for Rsa Endeavors, Potula for Khrisp Entertainment, and Nassiri.
The announcement follows the securing of an SAG-AFTRA interim agreement for the project, which has allowed the producers to push on with casting.
Potula previously made waves with his lead performance in Ravi Kapoor’s buzzy Tribeca 2022 selection and IFC and Hulu-acquired comedy Four Samosas.
The new project is described as a semi-autobiographical tale taking inspiration from the Mexican and Indian heritage of creators and writers Nassiri and Potula.
Potula will play a struggling, ambitious music producer who finds himself juggling dreams and newfound responsibilities when a long-lost half-sister walks into his life as he prepares a career-defining showcase.
The film will feature four original songs written by Nassiri, who makes his directorial debut.
Producers are Briana Frapart, Arjun Yadav for Rsa Endeavors, Potula for Khrisp Entertainment, and Nassiri.
- 11/8/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Goodbye HBO Max, hello Max. Warner Bros. Discovery announced several weeks back that the company was dropping the "HBO" from the name of its flagship streaming service, and that day has come. What does that mean for you, the subscriber? For one, it means a lot more movies and TV shows will be streaming in 4K, and the list of initial titles is pretty impressive. There are, however, a few caveats.
Those who wish to watch movies like "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Argo" in Ultra HD will need to be subscribed to the new tier offered by Max called "Ultimate Ad-Free." This goes for $19.99 per month and includes access to the service's library of 4K movies and TV shows. There is also a plan with ads for $9.99 per month and a regular ad-free plan for $15.99 per month. Sudheer Sirivara, Global Technology Platform for Warner Bros. Discovery, had this to...
Those who wish to watch movies like "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Argo" in Ultra HD will need to be subscribed to the new tier offered by Max called "Ultimate Ad-Free." This goes for $19.99 per month and includes access to the service's library of 4K movies and TV shows. There is also a plan with ads for $9.99 per month and a regular ad-free plan for $15.99 per month. Sudheer Sirivara, Global Technology Platform for Warner Bros. Discovery, had this to...
- 5/23/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
HBO Max is dead. Long live Max.
The new combined streaming service launched on Tuesday, and in addition to housing all of HBO Max and Discovery+’s content in one place, Max also plays host to a robust library of movies and TV shows streaming in 4K Uhd. At launch, more than 1,000 hours of programming are available in 4K, and Max says more will be added in the coming months.
Right now, you can stream all the “Harry Potter” movies, the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” trilogies, the “Dark Knight” trilogy, the “Matrix” films, “Dune,” “Joker” and even “The Wizard of Oz” and “Goodfellas” in 4K. Additionally, acclaimed (and cinematic) HBO series like “House of the Dragon,” “Barry” and “Succession” are also streaming in 4K, with additional shows (and seasons) to come.
Plus, all Warner Bros. movies released this year and going forward will be streaming in 4K Uhd...
The new combined streaming service launched on Tuesday, and in addition to housing all of HBO Max and Discovery+’s content in one place, Max also plays host to a robust library of movies and TV shows streaming in 4K Uhd. At launch, more than 1,000 hours of programming are available in 4K, and Max says more will be added in the coming months.
Right now, you can stream all the “Harry Potter” movies, the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” trilogies, the “Dark Knight” trilogy, the “Matrix” films, “Dune,” “Joker” and even “The Wizard of Oz” and “Goodfellas” in 4K. Additionally, acclaimed (and cinematic) HBO series like “House of the Dragon,” “Barry” and “Succession” are also streaming in 4K, with additional shows (and seasons) to come.
Plus, all Warner Bros. movies released this year and going forward will be streaming in 4K Uhd...
- 5/23/2023
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
As HBO Max fades in favor of its revamped cousin — Max — subscribers with a little extra cash to spend can get a sharper image. Subscribers to the “ultimate” tier ($19.99/month) will have access to more than 1,000 4K Uhd titles.
7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com
Get 20% Off Your Next Year of Max When Pre-Paid Annually
The 4K library will include “The Last of Us,” “Game of Thrones,” “The House of the Dragon,” the Harry Potter films, “Dune,” The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Dark Knight trilogy, and more. Strangely, the list includes “Superman,” but not the beloved “Superman II.” You can stream “It: Chapter Two” in 4K, but not the original. Only half of “Barry” is available in 4K. The company reports it plans to add more 4K titles each month.
The ultimate tier also offers four concurrent streams, up to 100 offline downloads and Dolby Atmos and Vision...
7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com
Get 20% Off Your Next Year of Max When Pre-Paid Annually
The 4K library will include “The Last of Us,” “Game of Thrones,” “The House of the Dragon,” the Harry Potter films, “Dune,” The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Dark Knight trilogy, and more. Strangely, the list includes “Superman,” but not the beloved “Superman II.” You can stream “It: Chapter Two” in 4K, but not the original. Only half of “Barry” is available in 4K. The company reports it plans to add more 4K titles each month.
The ultimate tier also offers four concurrent streams, up to 100 offline downloads and Dolby Atmos and Vision...
- 5/22/2023
- by Ben Bowman
- The Streamable
With HBO Max turning into Max, Warner Bros. Discovery is introducing a higher-priced plan — $19.99 per month — with an expanded bouquet of 4K Ultra HD content aimed at pushing customers to the pricier package.
On Monday, the company announced that the 4K tier will feature more than 1,000 films and episodes in 4K Uhd, an increase of nearly eightfold over what has been available in HBO Max.
The 4K Uhd content on Max will include “Game of Thrones,” “The House of the Dragon,” “The Last of Us,” the Harry Potter films, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Dark Knight trilogy, the Matrix films and more. Additionally, all Warner Bros. movies released this year and going forward will be available in 4K Uhd when they arrive on Max following their theatrical windows.
Max’s new Ultimate Ad-Free tier also will offer four concurrent streams, up to 100 offline downloads and Dolby Atmos and...
On Monday, the company announced that the 4K tier will feature more than 1,000 films and episodes in 4K Uhd, an increase of nearly eightfold over what has been available in HBO Max.
The 4K Uhd content on Max will include “Game of Thrones,” “The House of the Dragon,” “The Last of Us,” the Harry Potter films, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Dark Knight trilogy, the Matrix films and more. Additionally, all Warner Bros. movies released this year and going forward will be available in 4K Uhd when they arrive on Max following their theatrical windows.
Max’s new Ultimate Ad-Free tier also will offer four concurrent streams, up to 100 offline downloads and Dolby Atmos and...
- 5/22/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
May 23 is, according to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, “our rendezvous with destiny.” That’s because the company has finally dropped the HBO from streaming service HBO Max and become just Max.
For those of us just figuring that out, below is a rundown of pricing, programs, how the service differs from sister streamer Discovery+ and also what to do if you’re an HBO cable subscriber to wants to access Max.
What Is Max, Exactly?
Max combines programming from HBO Max and Discovery. It is the streaming destination for Max and HBO originals, Warner Bros. films, the DC universe, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and kids content, along with programming across food, home, reality, lifestyle and documentaries from leading brands including HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, TLC, ID and more. You can find it at Max.com.
See the list of programming discussed today and Max product features below.
For those of us just figuring that out, below is a rundown of pricing, programs, how the service differs from sister streamer Discovery+ and also what to do if you’re an HBO cable subscriber to wants to access Max.
What Is Max, Exactly?
Max combines programming from HBO Max and Discovery. It is the streaming destination for Max and HBO originals, Warner Bros. films, the DC universe, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and kids content, along with programming across food, home, reality, lifestyle and documentaries from leading brands including HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, TLC, ID and more. You can find it at Max.com.
See the list of programming discussed today and Max product features below.
- 5/22/2023
- by Erik Pedersen and Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
For quite some time now, Christmas has come every day for Ali Afshar.
The actor, producer and former race car driver is founder and president of Esx Entertainment, a prolific indie film and TV production company that’s made its name in recent years pumping Yuletide content to streamers amid the pandemic.
The projects are modestly budgeted and shot efficiently and safely, mostly due to Afshar’s commandeering of his hometown — a sleepy Sonoma County village called Petaluma, where he built a soundstage from a converted barn and mines below-the-line crew from local residents. Titles include Netflix’s “A California Christmas” and its sequel “City Lights,” and the HBO Max originals “A Christmas Mystery,” “A Hollywood Christmas” and “Holiday Harmony.”
Afshar’s well-oiled Christmas machine functions at such a level that, during a recent conversation with Variety, he revealed he was in the middle of shooting another film — “A Wine Country Christmas.
The actor, producer and former race car driver is founder and president of Esx Entertainment, a prolific indie film and TV production company that’s made its name in recent years pumping Yuletide content to streamers amid the pandemic.
The projects are modestly budgeted and shot efficiently and safely, mostly due to Afshar’s commandeering of his hometown — a sleepy Sonoma County village called Petaluma, where he built a soundstage from a converted barn and mines below-the-line crew from local residents. Titles include Netflix’s “A California Christmas” and its sequel “City Lights,” and the HBO Max originals “A Christmas Mystery,” “A Hollywood Christmas” and “Holiday Harmony.”
Afshar’s well-oiled Christmas machine functions at such a level that, during a recent conversation with Variety, he revealed he was in the middle of shooting another film — “A Wine Country Christmas.
- 3/17/2023
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
The new comedy feature "A Hollywood Christmas", directed by Alex Ranarivelo, stars Jessika Van, Josh Swickard, Anissa Borrego, Riley Dandy, Zak Steiner, Tom Williamson and Missi Pyle, now streaming on HBO Max:
"...'Jessica' (Jessika Van) is a young, up-and-coming filmmaker in Hollywood who has made a name for herself directing Christmas movies. But when network executive 'Christopher' (Josh Swickard) shows up threatening to halt production on her latest movie, Jessica’s assistant, 'Reena' (Anissa Borrego), points out the irony: Jessica isn’t just trying to save her Christmas movie, she’s actually living in one!
"Jessica must now juggle all the classic tropes—actors falling in and out of love, a wayward elf dog and her own stirring romantic feelings for her perceived nemesis—in order to get her movie and her life to their happy endings. Is there enough Christmas magic to pull it off? In...
"...'Jessica' (Jessika Van) is a young, up-and-coming filmmaker in Hollywood who has made a name for herself directing Christmas movies. But when network executive 'Christopher' (Josh Swickard) shows up threatening to halt production on her latest movie, Jessica’s assistant, 'Reena' (Anissa Borrego), points out the irony: Jessica isn’t just trying to save her Christmas movie, she’s actually living in one!
"Jessica must now juggle all the classic tropes—actors falling in and out of love, a wayward elf dog and her own stirring romantic feelings for her perceived nemesis—in order to get her movie and her life to their happy endings. Is there enough Christmas magic to pull it off? In...
- 12/24/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
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