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There is no TV show quite like HBO's "The Wire." Co-creators David Simon and Ed Burns drew on their respective backgrounds as a newspaper reporter and a homicide detective to bring the city of Baltimore to cable TV, warts and all. Across the show's five seasons, "The Wire" managed to turn what could have been an elevated take on a cop show into a deeply felt and nuanced tableau of life in America, where the War on Drugs has turned our streets into a war zone.

Building off their success with the dark NBC procedural "Homicide: Life on the Streets," the series strived to blur the line between real life and "The Wire." They went so far as to create characters like Avon Barksdale, who were inspired by real criminals running the Baltimore drug trade, and then cast their real-world counterparts in the show. Then there's Felicia "Snoop" Pearson, who...

A Major Character From The Wire Was Based On Real People! (Photo Credit – Prime Video)

HBO’s The Wire told some of the most shocking and realistic drug mafia stories. The show ran for five years and was created by writer and former police reporter David Simon and former homicide detective and public school teacher Ed Burns. It stars Idris Elba in the lead as Stringer Bell, who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s in Baltimore, US.

Dominic West played detective James Mc Nutty, who, with his team, tried to eradicate the drug mafia from the city. The show aired from 2002 to 2008, delivering some of the most memorable early-year performances by the cast, long before they found global success with shows like.

Which Character From The Wire Was Inspired By Real-Life Drug Lords?

Idris Elba’s character was based on not one but two real-life people. According to The Guardian,...

The longstanding murmur in Hollywood has been that Christopher Nolan is a creative genius who doesn’t believe in mortal distractions like cellphones. Surprisingly, however, he is not disconnected from humanity!

As it happens, the Oscar-winning filmmaker does carry something similar to a cellphone (not exactly so), if and when need arises. Nevertheless, the British-born director admitted once that this lifestyle choice did not come impromptu, but rather he got inspired by one of Dominic West’s cult classics that premiered more than two decades ago.

The show the Oppenheimer director was referencing was, of course, the popular crime drama that caused a storm on television screens when it first premiered – The Wire.

Christopher Nolan admitted to using ‘dumb phones’ to maintain secrecy

As Christopher Nolan was busy doing the promotional tour for his Oscar-winning Oppenheimer, the 54-year-old director stopped by the sets of Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Alexander SKARSGÅRD has always been drawn towards anarchy: disruptive characters who turn worlds upside down. Now, as he plays a rogue android in Murderbot, we meet him to discover what pushes his buttons

“Is there blood in my hair?”, asked Alexander Skarsgård’s Eric Northman, having just killed, dismembered and feasted upon some unlucky soul in HBO’s vampire saga True Blood. For many, the show was their first exposure to Skarsgård, who was starting as he meant to go on: anarchic, provocative, and unafraid to play characters with an unhealthy moral compass.

True Blood wasn’t *quite* the start. The son of Stellan Skarsgård, he acted in a few things as a child in Sweden before jacking it in, then appeared in 2001’s Zoolander, playing a model, Meekus, who gets blown up in a petrol station. After spending a few years in the Hollywood wilderness, Skarsgård finally broke through...

The HBO limited series "Band of Brothers" was the most expensive television miniseries at the time, recreating the American military unit Easy Company's European activities during World War II. Executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, the series provided an expansive and factually grounded account of American combat involvement in Western Europe during the war. Like Spielberg and Hanks' previous collaboration, the award-winning "Saving Private Ryan," "Band of Brothers" was praised for its stellar cast, realistic action, and expert attention towards historical authenticity. The series still sets the bar of quality for military shows, of any conflict, though there are a number of similar shows fans should check out next.

Whether it's other HBO television productions examining various harrowing wars or long-running shows where wartime skirmishes punctuate every episode, there are countless military shows available. The best in the genre strive towards the same level of quality and...

TV is firmly in its reboot, revival, and reunion era. Shows such as Frasier and Sex and the City have been revisited, with varying degrees of success. Some of these exploits, like the newsmaking Fresh Prince reunion, have added valuable perspective to the original show.

But with all the nostalgia floating around Hollywood, it’s surprising that HBO’s The Wire, a prescient, innovative chronicle of urban blight in America, told through intersecting characters in Baltimore, hasn’t had a large-scale reunion. In the 23 years since the show’s debut,...

HBO’s The Wire is widely celebrated as one of the best TV shows ever made. Spanning five seasons, the show, created by David Simon, offered a deep dive into Baltimore’s complexities. It explored themes like the drug trade, labor unions, political corruption, public schools, and the media, all while showing the intertwined systems within the city.

The Wire | Credit: HBO

When The Wire premiered on June 2, 2002, critics praised it, but it didn’t immediately gain a large audience. Over time, however, the show found its footing, eventually becoming a beloved favorite and even launching the careers of several prominent actors.

At the start of the series, the cast featured well-known names like Dominic West, Sonja Sohn, and Lance Reddick. As the show progressed, it introduced rising talents who would later become Hollywood stars. Michael B. Jordan, Idris Elba, and Tristan Wilds are now recognized as some of the...

The Wire hit televisions across America on Sunday, June 2, 2002. This landmark series by HBO would launch the careers of Idris Elba, Dominic West, and a young Michael B. Jordan. Over the next six years and across four more seasons, The Wire went on to become one of the most memorable police procedurals in history. Introducing audiences to the occupants of Baltimore Pd, starting with Detective James Jimmy McNulty, before moving downtown and revealing his adversaries Russell Stringer Bell, and Avon Barksdale. This two-man crew controlled The Projects, and they were intent on building their own drug-trafficking empire one brick at a time.

From those foundations, co-creators David Simon and Ed Burns forged a television legacy that outlasted both The Wire's original run and TV's heaviest hitters of the time. Effortlessly unstructured, yet scripted to the smallest degree, The Wire Season 1 brought audiences to a world of harsh realities and painfully human cops and criminals,...

John Turturro is an actor who has been at the core of American films for the last forty years, whether working independently or in Hollywood. Turturro has never shied away from trying on roles that bring him challenges. For the past four decades in the industry, Turturro has managed to bring all his characters to life. Apart from intense roles, he has always showcased and proved his acting capabilities, even in comedies.

Turturro’s passion for acting and the depth that he brings to all his roles has earned him global fame and accolades for his work. Let’s take a look at some of the films and TV shows featuring John Turturro!

5 Movies/TV Shows Featuring John Turturro 1. The Big Lebowski (1998)

Written by the Coen brothers and directed by Joel Coen, The Big Lebowski, follows the life of an underachieving Californian jobless man within a few days after he...

Quick Links What Is Saving Private Ryan About? How Was Matt Damon Cast In Saving Private Ryan? How did Steven Spielberg Create Tension Between Matt Damon and the Rest of the Cast?

In 1998, director Steven Spielberg created one of the most critically acclaimed and beloved war films of all time, Saving Private Ryan. The movie tells the story of an American platoon charged with finding a lone soldier in the midst of a devastated European continent to send him home following the tragic death of all three of his brothers. Led by Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks), this squad of men is the only hope that James Ryan has to make it back to his heartbroken mother; then, jealousy rears its ugly head.

Wandering across a landscape littered with death, destruction, and sacrifice, it's easy to understand why the soldiers charged with getting Private Ryan home might come to resent the nature of their mission.

The 2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards is looking to a familiar face to celebrate its 40th anniversary: “SNL” alum Aidy Bryant.

The “Shrill” star returns to host the 2025 Spirit Awards after being the master of ceremonies in 2024. Bryant got some big laughs doing a “roast” of the honorees like Natalie Portman, Sterling K. Brown, and Charles Melton.

“We couldn’t ask for a better host for our 40th anniversary!” Josh Welsh, President of Film Independent, said in a press statement. “As we prepare to celebrate this incredible milestone honoring the outstanding achievements and contributions within the independent world, we welcome Aidy back with open arms. After her unforgettable turn last year, we can once again anticipate an evening filled with laughter, inspiration, and recognition of excellence.”

The 2025 nominees will be announced on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, with winners being revealed at the awards show on Saturday, February 22, 2025. The show will be streamed live...

After a successful run hosting last year’s Spirit Awards, former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Aidy Bryant is returning for the event’s 40th anniversary. Now four decades strong, the awards have become a key fundraiser for Film Independent’s year-round initiatives.

“We couldn’t ask for a better host for our 40th anniversary! As we prepare to celebrate this incredible milestone honoring the outstanding achievements and contributions within the independent world, we welcome Aidy back with open arms. After her unforgettable turn last year, we can once again anticipate an evening filled with laughter, inspiration, and recognition of excellence,” said Josh Welsh, president of Film Independent.

Bryant was on “SNL” for 10 years, earning three Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including two for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She also co-created and starred in the Hulu show “Shrill,” for which she earned an Emmy nomination in 2021 for Outstanding...

Back in 2002, series creator David Simon created and released an iconic show titled The Wire. Starring actors like Michael K Williams, Dominic West, and, Lance Reddick in leading roles, the series found worldwide fame and love.

A still from David Simon’s The Wire | Credits: HBO

Having a strong story to tell about detectives, drug lords, and agencies that might connect them, The Wire went down in history as one of the best shows of all time. When David Simon was asked about it, he explained what the show essentially meant.

David Simon Explained The Idea of The Wire

It started in the city of Baltimore when Detective James McNulty and his team investigated and solved crimes. Being an American drama series, the stakes heightened as more seasons were released until the finale in 2008 with season 5.

A still from The Wire | Credits: HBO

The Wire received critical acclaim and worldwide...

HBO never promised something it couldn’t deliver. The premium cable network has held itself to a higher esteem as compared to the rest of its contemporaries since the day of its launch. In this postmodern generation of genre television, HBO may be the last remaining pillar of true entertainment dedicated to the artistic medium of original storytelling.

Euphoria [Credit: HBO]

However, if the 21st century can make the network seem so genre-defining with its body of work, it is because of streamers that treat projects like focus group experiments whose survival is contingent on popularity and rate of viewership. Due to streamers lowering the bar of expectation, HBO comes off unscathed in the eyes of the public when it sanctions shows like Euphoria to take a deeper look into the merits and demerits of the human condition.

HBO Takes a Plunge From Its 90s-Era Pedestal

The reign of HBO has been...

Oprah Winfrey’s imprimatur has made many an author’s career. Now, she’s wielding her literary star power to help anoint a new bookstore, co-founded by former WME literary agent Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, who previously led Winfrey’s “The Life You Want” arena tour in 2014. After a decades-long career of working with some of the world’s best-selling authors including Tom Clancy and Brené Brown, Walsh launched the new endeavor, Godmothers, on a tony strip in the seaside hamlet of Summerland, California, last weekend alongside her co-founder, philanthropist and cosmetics industry pioneer, Victoria Jackson.

“It’s really been stirring to the soul,” Walsh tells The Hollywood Reporter. “Victoria and I truly made manifest exactly what we dreamed of. Godmothers is a cathedral to us. It’s a home.”

Godmothers Interior

Walsh, who in 2019 transitioned away from her leadership role as WME’s global head of literary, lectures and conferences,...

With the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) just around the corner, were thrilled to announce that Collider Media Studio will be returning to the Toronto International for another round of exciting interviews with support from Range Rover Canada. This year we have one of our bigger line-ups ever with scheduled talks with the top talent of the festival including Bobby Carnavale, Tom Hiddleston, Karen Gilian, Cobie Smulders, Ben Foster, Olympic Gold Medal Boxer Claressa Shields, Chlo Sevigny, Henry Golding, Beatrice Grann, David Gordon Green, Pamela Anderson, Max Minghella, Orlando Bloom, John Turturro, Caitrona Balfe, Soul Rasheed, Brett Goldstein, Imogen Poots, Jee Young Han, Dakota Johnson, Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Paul Rudd, Kate Mara, Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Ron Howard, Ana De Armas, Isabella Rosellini, Ed Burns, Shamier Anderson, Minnie Driver, Brenda Song, Kiernan Shipka, Ryoo Seung-wan, Sandra Oh, Haley Joel Osment, and...

Pachinko is a sweeping historical drama series created by Soo Hugh. Based on a 2017 novel of the same name by author Min Jin Lee, the Apple TV+ series follows four generations of a Korean family, beginning with Sunja as she leaves her family in Korea under Japanese rule to move to Koreatown, Osaka to start a new life but struggles with discrimination in Japanese society. Pachinko stars Youn Yuh-jung, Soji Arai, Kim Min-ha, Yu-na, Jin Ha, Han Jun-woo, Jeong In-ji, Jung Eun-chae, Lee Min-ho, Kaho Minami, Steve Sang-Hyun Noh, Anna Sawai, Jimmi Simpson, and Kim Sung-kyu. So, if you loved the historical drama, epic romantic stories, and complex characters in Pachinko, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Little America (Apple TV+) Credit – Apple TV+

Little America is an anthology drama series developed by Lee Eisenberg, Emily V. Gordon, and Kumail Nanjiani. Based on true stories of...

Evan Wright, a writer and journalist whose 2004 book on the Iraq War, Generation Kill, was adapted into an HBO miniseries, died July 12 in Los Angeles by suicide, his family confirmed.

Born in Ohio, Wright earned a degree from Vassar College before entering journalism. In the mid-‘90s, Wright worked for Hustler, serving as entertainment editor and reviewer. He later wrote for Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone, developing a knack for immersion journalism, spending long periods with people or a subculture to gather information.

Wright covered Neo-Nazis, organized crime figures, and others, but his best-known work came as a result of his military reporting. Embedded with the U.S. Marines during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, his accounts of the war for Rolling Stone earned Wright a National Magazine Award for Reporting.

It also led to his book, Generation Kill, a chronicle of a small group of soldiers’ experience in the invasion. The...

Evan Wright, the National Magazine Award-winning journalist and longtime Rolling Stone contributor whose reporting on the Iraq War served as the basis for the book and television series Generation Kill, has died at the age of 59. Wright’s wife confirmed his death to Rolling Stone. The cause of death was suicide.

As a writer for Rolling Stone, Wright journeyed to war zones like Afghanistan and Iraq, delivering harrowing first-person reporting from the battlefields. Wright’s series of articles on Iraq — where he was embedded with a U.S. Marine Corps. battalion...

The Wire is a critically acclaimed television series that aired from 2002 to 2008. The show is known for its realistic portrayal of the drug trade, politics, and education system in Baltimore, Maryland. Each season of The Wire builds on the previous one, creating a more complete image of the city and its interconnected systems. Season 1, which aired in 2002, got the show off to a promising start. It follows the Baltimore police and the Barksdale crime family, with the police forming a special task force to take down the Barksdale organization. The season ends with a wiretap being introduced, setting the stage for future seasons. Season 2, which aired in 2003, expanded the scope of the show by introducing new characters and focusing on the workers at the Port of Baltimore. This season also brings back the Barksdale crew, who are dealing with the aftermath of the events of Season 1.

The Wire is widely...

Despite what you may think, Memorial Day isn’t just a day off work or an occasion for a good storewide mattress sale. The ostensible purpose of this federal holiday, of course, is to remember the sacrifice of those who have died while serving in our country’s five armed services branches: the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy—all of which continue to suffer great losses performing their duties around the globe.

The experiences of servicemen and servicewomen have served as the basis of countless movies and TV shows over the years, in all sorts of different forms. But the most powerful of these are the ones based upon actual journalistic accounts from real-life soldiers. So in advance of Memorial Day on Monday, here are five military-themed indies we love…

Generation Kill

Year: 2008

Directors: Susanna White, Simon Cellan Jones

Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, James Ransone, Lee Tergesen,...

Quick Links What Is Generation Kill About? The Gritty Realism Was Too Close for Comfort Expensive Production Costs What the Creators Had to Say About the Cancelation

Released in July 2008, Generation Kill is one of HBO's most acclaimed TV miniseries. Adapted by The Wire's David Simon and Ed Burns from the Evan Wright book of the same name, the shockingly realistic war drama follows U.S. Marines during the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. The expensive production emphasized gritty realism and visceral immersion as a means of putting viewers into the boots of soldiers on the ground in Iraq following the events of 9/11. As a result, the harrowing war drama stunned viewers to the core during its initial run and left a numbing effect for years to come.

Despite lasting just seven weeks on the air, Generation Kill won three Primetime Emmy Awards and launched the careers of several actors, including Alexander Skarsgard.

First announced in early January, CBS has given a series order for “NCIS: Origins,” which takes place in 1991, years before the events of “NCIS” and follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs (narrated by Mark Harmon) through his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office, where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks. Playing a young Gibbs will be Austin Stowell, the network announced today.

​​Stowell’s television credits include “A Friend of the Family,” “The Hating Game” opposite Lucy Hale, and “Breathe.” He also starred opposite George Clooney, Chris Abbott and Hugh Laurie in the limited series “Catch 22,” the Steven Spielberg anthology series “Amazing Stories,” and “Public Morals,” which was also executive produced by Spielberg and Ed Burns.

Sowell’s feature film credits include “Battle of the Sexes” alongside Emma Stone, “Bridge of Spies” with Tom Hanks,...

The ever-expanding universe of NCIS has found the young version of the man who started it all -- Jethro Gibbs.

With as much as we know about Gibbs at this point, it's exciting to imagine how he became the man he is today.

Casting the part is as important as writing it, and now we know who will be playing the young Jethro.

CBS announced today that Austin Stowell has been cast as young Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the new drama NCIS: Origins.

The show has previously been ordered to series for the 2024-2025 broadcast season.

NCIS: Origins, produced by CBS Studios, is the newest chapter in the NCIS franchise, exploring Gibbs’ early years.

Narrated by Mark Harmon, the new series begins in 1991, years prior to the events of NCIS, and follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

In the series, Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent...

War miniseries Generation Kill is praised for near-perfect accuracy by Iraq War veteran. Insightful authenticity is crucial in crafting emotionally resonant war stories for audiences. Realism in war movies and shows, like Generation Kill, attracts and resonates with viewers, especially veterans who know what warfare is like.

Generation Kill, an HBO war miniseries from the creators of The Wire, has received a near-perfect accuracy rating from Iraq War veteran Jay Dorleus. The show is based on the real-life experiences of reporter Evan Wright during his time with the US Marine Corps in 2003's invasion of Iraq. It received positive reviews upon release, praised for not falling into tropes and for the way it displayed the war.

In a video from Insider analyzing the accuracy of war movies and shows, Dorleus gave the Generation Kill miniseries a high accuracy rating for its presentation.

At 19:00, the veteran compares combat and travel...

Get ready for an action-packed revenge thriller in Due Justice, directed by Javier Reyna and starring Kellan Lutz. Max, played by Lutz, seeks bloody justice after the brutal murder of his wife and daughter. Lutz, known for his role in Twilight, has successfully transitioned into an action hero with films like Extraction and Speed Kills. He brings his action abilities and intensity to his role in Due Justice. Before Twilight, Lutz delivered an impressive performance in the HBO series Generation Kill, showcasing his acting skills.

We have a clip from the upcoming action thriller Due Justice, a double entendre that assures viewers there is some bloody, vengeful justice to be had. The film is written and directed by Javier Reyna and stars Kellan Lutz, Jeff Fahey, and Efren Ramirez. You can watch the action-packed clip above and get a sense of Lutz's character.

The official synopsis for Due Justice reads...

The Rolling Stones are back with Hackney Diamonds, their first new album in over 18 years, and to help them kick off their new era is none other than their recent collaborator, Lady Gaga, who joined the Brit rock legends on stage at their album release show in New York City on Thursday night. Watch video of the performance below.

Performing at an intimate club party several hours before Hackney Diamonds officially dropped, the Stones’ Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood delivered a seven-song set of tracks from the new album, including the lead single “Angry.” To close things out, Gaga hopped onstage for the encore: a live rendition of Consequence’s Song of the Week “Sweet Sounds of Heaven,” which features contributions from Gaga and Stevie Wonder on the studio recording.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, others who were in attendance at the star-studded release show include: Daniel Craig,...

The Rolling Stones celebrated the release of their new album with an intimate club performance in New York City, closing the show with a rousing duet with Lady Gaga as Daniel Craig, Chris Rock, Mary-Kate Olsen and more cheered on.

The rock icons performed songs from Hackney Diamonds — including the Gaga-featured “Sweet Sounds of Heaven,” first single “Angry,” “Whole Wide World” and “Bite My Head Off” — hours before the album was released Friday morning. The Stones’ seven-track set also included well-known songs like “Tumbling Dice,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “Shattered.”

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood played like old friends onstage, enjoying every second of the short performance while the audience watched in awe. Attendees included Trevor Noah, Jimmy Fallon, Elvis Costello, Diana Krall, Taylor Hill, Rachel Weisz, Christie Brinkley, Ed Burns, Keegan-Michael Key, Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds, Minka Kelly, Christy Turlington and Questlove, who deejayed sets before and after the Stones performed.

Christy Turlington’s daughter Grace Burns, 19, made her debut at Milan Fashion Week on Wednesday.

Dressed in a sheer one-shouldered dress, she walked down the runway of the Alberta Ferretti spring 2024 show. Her dress was light pink with a floral design in various colors of muted green and maroon. Burns wore her hair long and straight, tucked behind her ears, as she made her way down the runway through the historic Castello Sforzesco.

She later posted an Instagram Reel of her runway moment, captioned, “@albertaferretti thank you thank you thank you for having me in your show… in a castleeeeee!!!!! So so so honored to be a part of this beautiful collection.”

Milan Fashion Week follows Burns’ first runway show ever in June, where she walked the British Vogue x LuisaVia Roma show in Florence. She wore a white Victoria Beckham dress with black lace gloves and stockings to match.

Like mother, like daughter.

Christy Turlington’s 19-year-old daughter, Grace Burns, celebrated a modelling first on Wednesday as she made her Milan Fashion Week debut.

Grace — who is the daughter of Turlington and Ed Burns — walked the runway at the Alberta Ferretti spring 2024 show, held at the historic Castello Sforzesco.

The teenager donned a pretty one-shoulder pink floral dress as she did the honours.

Grace Burns walks the runway at the Alberta Ferretti fashion show during the Milan Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2024 on September 20, 2023 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Daniele Venturelli/WireImage/Getty)

Read More: Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington And Linda Evangelista Reunite On The Runway For London Fashion Week

Grace took to social media afterwards to thank the designer for giving her such an amazing opportunity.

She wrote alongside a clip, “@albertaferretti thank you thank you thank you for having me in your show… in a castleeeeee!

Théo Jollet's Meet Doug is now showing exclusively on Mubi starting July 12, 2023, in the series Brief Encounters.I've always been fascinated by the spaces where I grew up, wedged between the average town and the countryside. I spent my teenage years around municipal football pitches, snack bars and other multi-purpose halls. The way that these human traces, concreted and poorly maintained, come in direct contact with forests, rivers, and peat bogs, all form the ground that nurtures the imagination of my films. Later on, I met Martin Maire and Thomas Trichet, with whom I still work actively on a number of projects, including Meet Doug. Together we discovered works such as Nicolas Winding Refn's Pusher trilogy, and shows such as The Wire by David Simon and Ed Burns, or The Sopranos by David Chase. These early inspirations gave rise to Doug, a young loser, delinquent through petty crime,...

Grace Burns, the daughter of supermodel Christy Turlington, made her runway debut at just 19 years old.

She walked the runway in Florence, Italy at the British Vogue x LuisaViaRoma show.

She modeled a white Victoria Beckham dress that almost reached her feet. The dress featured a ruched waist and short sleeves. The outfit was paired with black lace opera gloves and lace tights made of the same material as the gloves. She also adorned a black clutch, which is a Beckham signature, and classic black peep-toe heels.

After the show, Burns posted a series of photos and videos on Instagram. The first three were of her walking the runway and the rest were various photos of her getting ready.

She captioned the post, “Thank you thank you thank you @edward_enninful @britishvogue @luisaviaroma @piergiorgio for putting the biggest smile on my face!!!!! I feel so grateful to have had this...

TV critic and former president Barack Obama cites Omar Little as his favorite character from The Wire, calling him “fascinating,” and remarking on his combination of unusual qualities. He’s violent but moral, smart but trollish, openly gay, refers to himself in the third person, and carries a shotgun. A composite of multiple real-life figures, Omar makes a living by raiding the corners and stash houses controlled by criminal organizations like the Barksdales and later the Stanfields. His arrival in the first season of The Wire is a disruption of the already non-traditional battle between police and drug dealers. Created by David Simon and Ed Burns, The Wire was consciously written as HBO’s police procedural: no weekly cases and reliable convictions, no black-and-white morality. The titular wire, a phone tap, is only achieved by mountains of paperwork and backroom dealing, and it comes with a time limit. “Catching the...

Stephen King takes to Twitter to endorse The Wire 15 years after it ended. King is one of the most prolific authors of all time whose works have been a favorite in Hollywood ever since 1976's Carrie, also making him the most adapted author alive. When he isn't writing his latest story, King is an avid consumer of modern movies and television who frequently shares his recommendations on social media, including some recent hidden gems like the movies I Came By and Fall, and the TV show From.

King is back with another endorsement, and this time it falls outside his preferred genre, though it just so happens to be one of the greatest TV shows of all time – The Wire.

The Wire, man. Nothing better. — Stephen King (@StephenKing) May 28, 2023

On Twitter, King simply said, "The Wire, man. Nothing better," giving his highly-coveted endorsement to the acclaimed HBO drama that ended 15 years ago.

If a modern-day story focused on a descendant of “Blood Countess” Elizabeth Bathory sounds up your alley, then you’ll want to read on for the early details of a TV adaptation of bestselling author Tosca Lee’s The Progeny. Edward Burns’… Continue Reading →

The post Elizabeth Bathory-Based Novel The Progeny Heading to TV appeared first on Dread Central.

AMC has put in development Gang Leader for a Day, a drama series from Hand of God creator Ben Watkins, Ed Burns and Radar. Written by Watkins based on Sudhir Venkatesh's best-selling book, with Burns set to executive produce and act in a supporting role, Gang Leader for a Day centers on Sudhir, a wide-eyed, ambitious young grad student who enters the nation's largest public housing project to conduct a survey on what it means to be "black and poor in America.” He's taken…...

Emmy nominations are out, and they largely went as expected for “The Leftovers”: No nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, nothing for leads Justin Theroux or Carrie Coon (though the latter omission was stunning), nothing for writers Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta (or any of the talented staff), no nod for the gorgeous work of director Mimi Leder, and very nearly nothing across the board.

Save for one glorious exception: Ann Dowd.

Up for her turn on “The Handmaid’s Tale” as a supporting actress, Dowd snagged her second nomination of the morning as a guest actress on “The Leftovers.” To say this came as exciting news would be an understatement. The level of respect and adoration heaped upon Dowd by her fellow cast members, the writers, and Leder is unparalleled; to see the industry follow suit is the kind of things that keeps us invested in the Emmys. Dowd...

Anthony Ramos, who appeared in the original Broadway production of Hamilton, has joined the indie film Summertime, a coming-of-age drama from Edward Burns. He rounds out the cast of male leads joining Pico Alexander, Amadeus Serafini, and Jon Rudnitsky. The pic follows a group of working-class young adults as they work their summer jobs, loves, and wrestle with what the future holds. Ramos will play Frankie, who has never been able to find love since getting his heart…...

Welcome to Career Watch, a vocational checkup of top actors and directors. In this edition we tackle Alexander Skarsgård, who’s advancing his career with a canny combo of studio movies, indie films, and premium television.

Bottom Line: You never know where you stand with Skarsgård, who has the complexity of a character actor beneath the leading-man looks that launched a thousand memes. (Reads one: “Research shows that if you’re afraid of spiders, you are more likely to find one in your bedroom… I’m really afraid of Alexander Skarsgård.”)

His muscular swagger and danger is on display in “The Legend of Tarzan,” but his tender attentions to wife Jane (Margot Robbie) were that film’s throbbing heart. And in the hugely popular and topical HBO drama series “Big Little Lies,” he holds his own with an ensemble of powerful women including executive producer Nicole Kidman, who performs an...

Welcome to Career Watch, a vocational checkup of top actors and directors. In this edition we tackle Alexander Skarsgård, who’s advancing his career with a canny combo of studio movies, indie films, and premium television.

Bottom Line: You never know where you stand with Skarsgård, who has the complexity of a character actor beneath the leading-man looks that launched a thousand memes. (Reads one: “Research shows that if you’re afraid of spiders, you are more likely to find one in your bedroom… I’m really afraid of Alexander Skarsgård.”)

His muscular swagger and danger is on display in “The Legend of Tarzan,” but his tender attentions to wife Jane (Margot Robbie) were that film’s throbbing heart. And in the hugely popular and topical HBO drama series “Big Little Lies,” he holds his own with an ensemble of powerful women including executive producer Nicole Kidman, who performs an...

Exclusive: Pico Alexander, Amadeus Serafini, and Jon Rudnitsky have been added as leads in the young adult ensemble indie comedy Summertime, written and directed by Edward Burns. Carly Brooke (TV Land’s Younger) has also snagged a supporting role in the film, which is set to begin production this month in New York. The story follows a group of teenagers and 20-somethings as they work their summer jobs, fall in and out of love, and wrestle with what the future holds when…...

Exclusive: Caitlin Stasey, Lindsey Morgan and Zoe Levin are set to co-star in Edward Burns coming-of-age film Summertime, which will begin shooting next month in New York. The pic, set in summer 1983 on the south shore of Long Island, follows a group of working-class young people as they work their summer jobs, fall in and out of love and wrestle with what the future holds when the summer ends and the real world beckons. Burns and Aaron Lubin are producing the project…...

Exclusive: Rita Volk, who starred for three seasons on MTV’s Faking It, will co-star in Summertime, an ensemble coming-of-age film written and directed by Edward Burns. The pic, which Burns will produce with longtime producing partner Aaron Lubin, is scheduled to go in front of the cameras next month in New York. Set on the south shore of Long Island in the summer of 1983, the film follows a group of working-class teenagers and 20-somethings as they work their summer…...

Today, Amazon Studios announced it has signed an exclusive first-look deal with indie powerhouses Bona Fide Productions (“Little Miss Sunshine”), Le Grisbi Productions (“Birdman”) and Killer Films (“Boys Don’t Cry”). Amazon is already doing business with all three entities – it’s about to unveil “Wonderstruck” (Killer) and “The Only Living Boy in New York” (Bona Fide) at Cannes – and the news is yet another sign that the company will continue to finance high-quality independent filmmaking from some of the most revered American directors out there. But it also signals a key reunion of major figures from an earlier period — the nineties indie film boom.

Read More: 7 Filmmakers Turning Amazon Into An Art House Cinema Powerhouse

By formally reuniting New York indie film icons – head of motion picture production at Amazon Studios Ted Hope and Killers Films founder Christine Vachon – Amazon is almost singlehandedly using its deep pockets to reignite...

[caption id="attachment_48134" align="aligncenter" width="384"] Image via Barnes & Noble./caption]

The Wire and Treme creator, David Simon, talked to Variety about a potential Legacy of Ashes TV series. From Ed Burns and Dan Fesperman, and based on Tim Weiner's non-fiction CIA history account of the same name, Legacy of Ashes is currently in development at the BBC. It looks like the Beeb might bring HBO on as its American partner.Read More…...

Though "The Wire" creator David Simon's next project is the 1970s porn drama "The Deuce" starring James Franco, it seems the acclaimed TV showrunner already has another major project in the works.

Simon tells Variety he's working on an adaptation of Tim Weiner's Pulitzer Prize winning novel "Legacy Of Ashes" for both the BBC and HBO. The series will take a hard look at the institutional problems in the CIA, and how it weakens national security. Speaking about the series he says:

"[Writers] Ed Burns and Dan Fesperman have taken that. It's in turnaround at the BBC. They want to do the show. They acquired the scripts from HBO and they are doing the show. We are taking another pass at the scripts because they want us to add a certain amount of U.K. stuff. A certain amount of MI6 along with CIA.

The reason HBO was gracious...

Melvin Williams, the former West Baltimore drug kingpin who helped inspire both the character of Avon Barksdale on "The Wire" and the creative partnership that led to the series, and who later had a recurring role on the show, died this morning at 73, according to the Baltimore Sun. "Wire" co-creators David Simon (a Sun reporter at the time) and Ed Burns (then a Baltimore homicide detective) first met in the aftermath of a sprawling joint DEA taskforce investigation into Williams' organization that Burns had worked. Simon was inspired by the case to make it and Williams the subjects of his first big Sunday profile. While Simon reported the story (here's a Pdf of the whole thing), he and Burns hit it off well enough that Burns would become a frequent source for Simon, and later his collaborator on the classic HBO drama. Williams served many years in federal prison, and...

It’s holiday gift book time, and our list of must-reads includes weighty coffee table books on two iconic film franchises, some video store nostalgia, the mysteries of David Lynch, a bit of pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens reading, and the brilliance of Terry Gilliam. Check out the recommendations below and see more here.

Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History by Michael Klastorin with Randal Atamaniuk (Harper Design)

Even as a fan of the Back to the Future trilogy, I was a bit taken aback by the hype surrounding October 21, 2015, a.k.a., the date Marty McFly and Doc Brown arrived in the Hill Valley of the future in Back to the Future II. It is only fitting, then, that part of the hype includes the wildly entertaining Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History. Featuring the participation of, well, everyone involved, from...

There is a saying in Baltimore that crabs may be prepared in fifty ways and that all of them are good. • H.L. Mencken

“There is only so far that you can push people into a corner… We’re frustrated and that’s why we’re out there in the streets.” • Charles, Member of the Crips gang

“I would never want to live anywhere but Baltimore. You can look far and wide, but you’ll never discover a stranger city with such extreme style. It’s as if every eccentric in the South decided to move north, ran out of gas in Baltimore, and decided to stay.” • John Waters, Filmmaker and Writer

“This is a skewed portrayal of the protests; it is what the media chose to portray – the media that consumers bewilderingly seem to want. The real revolution is thousands of people across America standing in solidarity against police brutality.

“Is there life after death?” is a question TNT’s Proof may itself now be wondering.

RelatedTNT Sets Premiere Dates for Legends, Librarians, Sharon Stone’s Agent X

The freshman drama, which starred Jennifer Beals as a surgeon enlisted by Matthew Modine’s eccentric billionaire to investigate — nay, find proof of — the existence of an afterlife, has been cancelled after one 10-episode season.

TVLine’s hand-crafted Cable Renewal Scorecard has thusly been updated.

Proof debuted in June to 2.7 million total viewers and a 0.4 rating, and come finale time was pulling 2.1 mil/0.3. But even with DVR playback bumps, the numbers simply skewed too old.