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Nicole Kidman has found her next television role. After delighting audiences with her performance as Greer Garrison Winbury in The Perfect Couple, the acclaimed actress will be seen in Girls and Their Horses — a thrilling Prime Video television adaptation based on a novel written by Eliza Jane Brazier. The premise of the book is set in the competitive world of showjumping, where an ambitious family will be quickly immersed in the trade of the sport. Unfortunately for everyone involved, controversy and even an unexpected death with enter the picture, sending the Parker family into a desperate quest to find out the truth.

Eliza Jane Brazier, who wrote the book that will inspire the Girls and Their Horses series, will write the pilot of the adaptation. The author has also been recruited as an executive producer for the project. Jenna Lamia has been recruited by Prime Video to work as the showrunner of the series.

The Sundance Institute has added four to its Board of Trustees: Veteran television executive and producer David Nevins, screenwriter Scott Frank, author and academic Greg Sarris and marketing exec Blair Ligelis Stein.

“As the Institute evolves to meet the ever-changing landscape of independent film and media, the expertise of our board members is paramount,” said Amanda Kelso, Sundance Institute acting CEO.

Added Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute board chair, “Their diverse backgrounds and remarkable achievements in their respective fields will bring invaluable perspectives to our work. Greg’s deep understanding of storytelling rooted in his Native American heritage and literary accomplishments, David’s producing and industry expertise, Scott’s acclaimed career as a screenwriter and director, and Blair’s extensive experience in global marketing and brand strategy will be crucial as we continue to support and champion independent artists.”

“The Sundance Institute has long been a champion for distinctive voices and compelling narratives,...

Nicole Kidman has touched down at the Cannes Film Festival, where she is set to receive the Woman in Motion Award from Kering chairman and CEO François-Henri Pinault, Cannes president Iris Knobloch and festival director Thierry Fremaux. Ahead of the awards dinner, Kidman joined Variety’s Angelique Jackson for a Kering Woman in Motion talk in which the Oscar winner spoke passionately about her commitment to uplifting female directors.

It was in 2017 when Kidman made a public vow to work with a woman director every 18 months. She had no idea if that would even be possible, but she was determined to see it through. And see it through she has. In the last eight years, plus factoring in her current projects in development, Kidman has teamed up with 27 female directors across her her various film and television projects.

“I was going to make it possible,” Kidman said during the Kering talk about her vow.

The indie film world is betting on 1-2 Special.

The spanking new U.S. theatrical distributor has closed its first round of equity financing, securing backing from a group of private investors led by Alex Lo’s Cinema Inutile. Anita Gou’s Kindred Spirit, Chris Quintos Cathcart and Tyler Boehm’s Unapologetic Projects, and Bill and Mary Way’s Fit Via Vi are also first-round investors in New York-based 1-2.

Launched by former Sideshow executive Jason Hellerstein in February, 1-2 Special is set up as a theatrical-first, all rights distributor, dedicated to “acquiring and releasing exceptional films from top-tier domestic and international festivals.” 1-2 picked up its first feature, Kontinental ’25, from acclaimed Romanian director Radu Jude (Bad Luck Banging, Or Looney Porn) out of the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival. With its coffers full of Pe cash, we expect 1-2 will be an active buyer in Cannes.

1-2 Special Logo...

Netflix’s latest heartfelt drama, The Life List, is already making waves. Directed by Adam Brooks, this touching film follows Sofia Carson as Alex Rose, a woman who, after receiving unexpected news, creates a bucket list of dreams she never pursued. Along the way, she reconnects with her estranged sibling, finds a surprising romance, and learns to embrace life’s unpredictability. The film is a moving blend of humor, grief, love, and self-discovery, making it a perfect pick for anyone looking for a deeply emotional yet uplifting watch. If The Life List left you feeling inspired, some films explore similar themes of love, loss, and second chances.

1. The Bucket List (2007) – Directed by Rob Reiner Jack Nicholson stars as Edward and Morgan Freeman stars as Carter in Warner Bros. Pictures’ comedy drama “The Bucket List.”

Photographs To Be Used Solely For Advertising, Promotion, Publicity Or Reviews Of This Specific Motion Picture...

Barry Jenkins, the mastermind behind Moonlight, is officially married! And his lucky partner? None other than Lulu Wang, the genius behind The Farewell. Together, they’re making waves in the film world with stories that hit you right in the feels.

Barry Jenkins (Credits: Instagram/@barryjenkins)

But here’s the catch: they’re super private, sharing only crumbs of their lives. So, what’s the real deal with their love story? Let’s dig in and see how these filmmaker powerhouses found each other.

When did Barry Jenkins and Lulu Wang first cross paths? Lulu Wang (Credits: Instagram/@thumbelulu)

Nobody knows exactly when Barry Jenkins and Lulu Wang first met—it’s a mystery. What do we know? Their shared love for filmmaking brought them together. With both crushing it in the industry, it’s no surprise sparks flew!

When news broke in 2020 that Jenkins would be directing Mufasa: The Lion King,...

The Gotham Film & Media Institute handed out nominations to Adolescence, The Pitt and The Studio as well as performances by Kathy Bates, Sterling K. Brown, Ted Danson, Linda Lavin, Cristin Milioti and Michelle Williams for its second annual Gotham Television Awards.

The 2025 event set noms in twelve categories with Netflix’ high-profile series Adolescence topping at four and The Pitt, Matlock and Dying For Sex with three each. A number had double hitters including The Studio, Overcompensating, Penelope, Fantasmas, Deli Boys, Forever, English Teacher and Paradise.

“Building on the success of last year’s inaugural ceremony, the Gotham Television Awards returns with new categories, expanded tributes, and a larger stage to celebrate the creators and artists making their mark on today’s television landscape,” said Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of The Gotham. “As the first awards show of the new television season, we are proud to bring together the industry’s most exciting new voices,...

The Gotham Television Awards are recognizing the buzziest series of the year. IndieWire can announce the 2025 nominees, including “Adolescence,” “The Pitt,” and “The Studio.” The Gotham Television Awards ceremony will take place Monday, June 2 in New York City at Cipriani Wall Street.

“Building on the success of last year’s inaugural ceremony, the Gotham Television Awards returns with new categories, expanded tributes, and a larger stage to celebrate the creators and artists making their mark on today’s television landscape,” Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of The Gotham, said. “As the first awards show of the new television season, we are proud to bring together the industry’s most exciting new voices, celebrate breakthrough achievements, and deepen our commitment to supporting the creative community.”

Kathy Bates, Sterling K. Brown, Ted Danson, Linda Lavin, Cristin Milioti, and Michelle Williams are among the actors recognized in the genderless categories. The second annual awards...

Over the past half-decade, a subtle revolution in cinema has shifted coming-of-age filmmaking. Whereas past decades had made significant advances toward making the face of the cinema population more representative, recent movies have stepped further than just representation into investigating the complicated dynamics of cultural identity and between-generation connection. “Aftersun,” “Past Lives,” and “The Farewell” are films that speak to a new artistic direction—where richly personal narratives are used to develop universally accessible emotional resonance in an insistence on situatedness in specific cultural locales.

This new generation of filmmakers eschews the didactic or performative aspects that sometimes defined previous efforts at diversity on screen. Rather, filmmakers such as Charlotte Wells, Celine Song, and Lulu Wang tap into autobiographical sources to produce work that is less statement about identity and more glimpse into the lived-in experience. Their movies don’t so much explain cultural difference as ask viewers to occupy it.

Filmmaker Barry Jenkins, director of Disney's Mufasa: The Lion King as well as the Oscar-winning Moonlight, will be teaming up with the highly sought-after Glen Powell, star of Twisters and Top Gun: Maverick, for a big-budget science fiction thriller. The project, titled The Natural Order, will be released by Universal, with Jenkins set to direct the picture and Powell set to produce and star.

The Natural Order is an adaptation of an as-yet-unpublished novel by Matt Aldrich, who will co-write the script with Jenkins. Aldrich previously co-wrote Coco for Disney, as well as the drama Spinning Man in 2018. The Natural Order will be his debut novel, which is said to be a high-concept sci-fi thriller about the pursuit of eternal life. More in-depth plot details are being kept under wraps for now.

The film will mark the first production of Powell and Dan Cohen's company Barnstorm, whose first-look deal with Universal began last month.

Exclusive: Sarah Dodge has joined Redefine Entertainment as a manager.

She joins the company with over 12 years of experience at Industry Entertainment. Before her career in management, she served as a development executive at Dimension Films. A graduate of Emerson College, Dodge began her career at The William Morris Agency and HBO.

Her clients joining her at Redefine include Charlott Ahlin, writer on AMC’s upcoming untitled Jonathan Glatzer Silicon Valley series, Karni Arieli & Saul Freed, who directed and produced the film short Wild Summon, Sarah Carbiener, EP on Prime Video’s Criminal, Fox’s Krapopolis, Owen Dennis, creator of the series Infinity Train and Among Us, Meg Favreau, screenwriter of the The Twits, Ryan Finnerty, Jesse Gordon, Kari Granlund, Jenny Lynn, co-ep on FX’s Mayans, M.C., ABC’s The Rookie, Gustin Nash, Angela Petrella, Laura Pollak, co-producer on the Paramount+ series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, Fairfax), Erica Rosbe, co-ep on King of the Hill reboot, and EP of Prime Video’s Gen V, and Eva Sørhaug, director Showtime’s Yellowjackets, Max’s Tokyo Vice, and the film 90 Minutes.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sarah to the Redefine Entertainment team. Her client list exemplifies the kind of highly curated artists that Redefine was founded to support. She operates with a level of empathy that we find to be rare in our business. Her curiosity and her commitment to excellence are unmatched. We look forward to supporting her growth in the coming years,” shared partners Jairo Alvarado, Max Goldfarb, Tony Gil an Michael Botti in a joint statement.

“The moment I met with Redefine, I knew I had found my people,” Dodge shared. “They are a company with a clear vision. Their commitment to their clients and values of empathy, excellence, curation, and transparency is well-known and well-respected in the industry. I am incredibly excited and proud to join the team,” she added.

Redefine Entertainment, founded in 2021, focuses on representing cultural thought leaders in the literary space. The firm represents creators such as Lulu Wang, Malcolm Spellman, Angel Soto, Vivienne Medrano, Dalan Musson, John Swetnam, Erika Lippoldt & Bo Yeon Kim, Jingyi Shao, Juel Taylor & Tony Rettenmaier, Abi Demaris Corbin, Ken Kobayashi, & Kwame Kwei-Armah...

Nicole Kidman sees her life as a perfect teacher and homemaker in Holland, Michigan, unravel in the official trailer for Holland, which dropped on Tuesday.

The Amazon MGM Studios thriller sees the prolific actor and producer in the role of Nancy Vandergroot, a Stepford wife-like character in a tulip and windmill-filled town who has a community pillar husband, played by Matthew Macfadyen, and Jude Hill (Belfast) as her son.

But the Hitchcock-like tale has Nancy and her friendly colleague, played by Gael García Bernal, begin to suspect the Michigan town has a secret, only to discover nothing in their lives is what it seems. “It’s like, you know, you should leave this scab alone. Picking at it, you’re only going to hurt yourself, but you do it anyways,” Nancy says at one point in a trailer voiceover.

Mimi Cave directed Holland, originally titled Holland, Michigan, with Andrew Sodroski having penned the screenplay.

Brian Tee has been an actor for years, playing a villain in “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” and with roles on “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Entourage,” and “Chicago Med.” One of his most challenging roles to date, however, was Clarke, the husband of Nicole Kidman’s character on Prime Video’s “Expats.” (Follow the full list of Film Independent Spirit Award winners here.)

The Lulu Wang-directed series, an adaptation of Janice Y.K. Lee’s novel “The Expatriates,” centered on a couple, played by Tee and Kidman, living in Hong Kong whose toddler son vanishes in a crowded marketplace. Clearly, he was abducted. It’s a harrowing moment — the absolute worst fear a parent could ever have — but remarkably, it was the very first scene Tee shot opposite Kidman for the show.

“I loved the project from inception, and Lulu Wang was kind of the genius and brainchild behind it...

Nicole Kidman made a vow in 2017 to work with a woman director every 18 months. To say she has made good on that promise would be an understatement. The Oscar winner has teamed up with a women director either as a producer or as an actor 19 times over the last eight years, with more female-directed projects already in the pipeline.

Speaking in a new interview with Time magazine, Kidman explained that one of her reasons behind making the vow is a double standard that women directors face. These filmmakers are under pressure to “be perfect” when their movies get funded and there’s no room for error. Whereas male directors are more likely to get a chance to rebound, female directors are knocked down if they don’t deliver a perfect movie.

“It can be changed,” Kidman said, “but it can only be changed by actually being in the films of women.

IndieWire is excited to announce the dates for the 2025 editions of IndieWire Honors, the awards event unlike any other. Past Honorees include Jennifer Lopez, Pamela Anderson, Selena Gomez, Denis Villeneuve, Steve McQueen, Carol Burnett, Lee Sung Jin, Greta Gerwig, John Mulaney, and Lulu Wang.

Both events will take place in Los Angeles, with a TV-focused IndieWire Honors on Thursday, June 5, and a film-focused IndieWire Honors on Thursday, December 4.

IndieWire Honors has become a key stepstone in both the TV and film awards seasons, with many IndieWire Honorees becoming Emmy and Oscar nominees and winners.

On the TV side, IndieWire Honorees who went on to earn Emmy nominations include Carol Burnett (“Palm Royale”), Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”), Dakota Fanning (“Ripley”), Matt Bomer (“Fellow Travelers”), Issa López (“True Detective: Night Country”), and Francesca Sloane (“Mr. and Mrs. Smith”), with the host of the June 2024 IndieWire Honors event, Alex Edelman, winning an Emmy...

Quick LinksWhat is The Farewell About?The Farewell is Based on a True StoryThe Farewell Was a Critical and Financial Hit

Dedicated movie lovers and frequent theater visitors often fall in love with a specific filmmaker. As fans watch more films and refine their taste, they find the voices that speak to them the most and continuously return to see their work in the future. Typically, this fanatical, almost parasocial, relationship is reserved for actors, writers, or directors, but in recent years, fandom has evolved. Production companies, which were previously just the logos and names that popped up prior to the opening scene, have become personified by fans. Blockbuster Hollywood fare from the likes of Pixar, Marvel Studios, and Dreamworks have long been identified by their production company label, but all of a sudden, indie films are in the same boat. A24, seemingly out of nowhere, has seeped into popular...

At its heart, Sundance is about discovery. Some of our brightest, biggest filmmaking stars — we’re talking Steven Soderbergh, Richard Linklater, Ava DuVernay, Paul Thomas Anderson, Lulu Wang, Ryan Coogler, Aubrey Plaza, Catherine Hardwicke, Todd Haynes, Tessa Thompson, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Eggers, the Duplass brothers, Michael B. Jordan, Amy Adams, Elizabeth Olsen, Brie Larson, Lakeith Stanfield, Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, and many, many more — first rose to acclaim by bringing their work to Sundance.

In 2025, a year that was long-heralded as one all about new discoveries, that tradition only continued. While this year’s lineup included a number of returning names, like Ira Sachs, Amy Berg, Andrew Ahn, Justin Lin, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Cooper Raiff, Kahlil Joseph, Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady, David France, Jesse Short Bull, Ryan White, Sophie Hyde, Jesse Moss & Amanda McBaine, Meera Menon, and Clint Bentley, there were also a hefty number of newbies joining those filmmaking ranks.

DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter, Fifth Season head Graham Taylor and producer Brad Fuller were among the many industry leaders who lost their homes in the catastrophic Los Angeles wildfires this past week.

They join a growing list of celebrities and Hollywood heavyweights who are picking up the pieces after the fires devastated swaths of the city — Billy Crystal, Anthony Hopkins and Miles Teller among them.

Below is a list of prominent producers, writers, music insiders and others who confirmed to TheWrap that they, too, experienced a total loss in the unfolding disaster:

Graham Taylor, co-President of Fifth Season, and British film producer Lynette Howell Taylor: Taylor and co-ceo Chris Rice helped lead the rebrand of Endeavor Content into Fifth Season in 2023 following its acquisition by South Korea’s Cj Enm. Lynette Howell Taylor was co-nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture for producing 2018’s “A Star Is Born,...

When moviegoers think of Barry Jenkins, what first comes to mind is probably "director" and Moonlight. But let's not forget he won his sole Academy Award for writing, having adapted Tarell Alvin McCraney's renowned play for the screen. He quickly followed that up with the acclaimed 2018 film If Beale Street Could Talk, but that was the last feature film we'd see from Jenkins (though his 10-part TV series The Underground Railroad is a masterpiece). That is, until this month, with two of Jenkins' films being released in as many weeks.

Jenkins penned the script for the new sports drama The Fire Inside, but someone else directed his script for the first time — Rachel Morrison, the first woman to be nominated for the Best Cinematography Oscar (for Mudbound). She was the Dp for Black Panther, Fruitvale Station, and other acclaimed films. On the flip side, Jenkins is directing (but did not write) the new film,...

Best episodes lists often tend to be dominated, these days, by the flashy, format-breaking standalone installments that most great prestige programs seem to unveil once or twice per season.

Our list does, indeed, include a couple of those. We’ve got flashbacks, tonal detours and feature-length episodes that reframe everything we thought we understood about the season or the shows themselves. But we also have some a couple of premieres, a finale or two and just some darned good regular episodes representing the best that the shows have to offer, rather than trying out something new or different. We’ve got animation, documentary and foreign television, plus some comedies, some dramas and whatever The Bear is.

Please note that no matter what the headline here says, this isn’t precisely a “best episodes” list at all. If a show made either of our respective Top 10 lists, we deemed it ineligible...

As we celebrate our 40th year, we continue to support filmmakers in our Artist Development Programs. Project Involve, the Og Artist Development program is in its 32nd year where it’s fostered the careers of over 1000 filmmakers. And this year Pi has 31 new Fellows joining as part of its 2025 cohort.

They’ll join the likes of Andrew Ahn (Bridgerton), Thembi Banks (Young. Wild. Free.), Effie T. Brown (The Inspection), Linda Yvette Chávez (Flamin’ Hot), Jon M. Chu (Wicked), Jomo Fray (Nickel Boys), Rachel Goldberg (Agatha All Along), Hank Jones (Will Trent), Mako Kamitsuna (All Day and a Night), Marvin Lemus (Gentefied), Latoya Morgan (Splinter), Lulu Wang (Expats), Harry Yoon (The Fire Inside), Kim Yutani and many more.

With Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group as the Lead Sponsor, Film Independent continues to advance its mission to support diversity and inclusion in the film industry. “2025 marks my 20th year with Project Involve,...

In the article series Sound and Vision we take a look at music videos from notable directors. This week: two music videos for Vintage Trouble directed by Lulu Wang. The push and pull between authenticity and performativity is central to Lulu Wang's break-out feature The Farewell and her two music videos. In The Farewell a young Chinese-American woman named Billie clashes culturally with her Chinese family who are deliberately leaving her grandma in the dark about grandma's cancer. The Farewell is a story about the search for one's identity authentically. And about the performativity of social niceties and cultural constructs. It is a film that is in its own words "Based on a true lie" as it is a semi-autobiographical film for Lulu Wang. Again...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Somehow, in between launching Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King with red carpet hullabaloo in Los Angeles and in London, Barry Jenkins found time to marry his longtime filmmaking partner Lulu Wang.

The Oscar-winning director introduced his Mufasa voice cast at the Cineworld theater complex in the West End and apologized for running on empty, having had “about two hours” sleep in 48 hours. Almost as an aside, he announced, ”Oh, yeah I got married” on Saturday.

The audience cheered as he led his company of actors off stage and repeated the news in a neighbouring auditorium.

Jenkins certainly had a spring in his step when he walked the red carpet, but he gave no hint that nuptials had taken place over the weekend.

Mufasa is a prequel to 1994’s much-loved animated film The Lion King and explores what caused the rift between Mufasa and Scar. In the new movie, Scar...

Barry Jenkins has confirmed he and Lulu Wang just got married!

The 45-year-old Mufasa: The Lion King director unveiled the exciting news last week while attending the premiere of the upcoming Disney movie.

Barry and Lulu just tied the knot this past weekend, and made their red carpet debut as a married couple at the Mufasa premiere on Monday (December 9).

Keep reading to find out more…

“It feels good, man,” he told People at the premiere. “You know, we’ve been together for quite some time. We do the same thing, and when I started this project she was very heavily involved. You know, and then sort of, like, convincing me to at least consider reading the script.”

“And so it’s really wonderful. I think the presentation of this film and what happened this weekend, it feels like the completion of a cycle for us,” he added.

Barry also...

The cast of the new movie Mufasa: The Lion King stepped out for the film’s world premiere in Los Angeles!

Aaron Pierre and Tiffany Boone were among the stars who joined icon Beyonce and her daughter Blue Ivy Carter on the red carpet on Monday night (December 9) at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

The new film calls on Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.

Blue Ivy voices...

Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” begins with the voice of James Earl Jones, followed by a title card that reads, “In Remembrance.”

Jones, who died in September at 93 years old, originated the voice of King Mufasa in the 1994 Oscar-winning animated feature “The Lion King,” its direct-to-video sequels and the 2019 live-action remake. Jones did not return for the prequel, which opens in theaters on Dec. 20.

Barry Jenkins, who helmed “Mufasa,” tells Variety why he decided to open the movie with a tribute to the late actor. “When I think about what James Earl Jones means, not even just to me, but to global audiences — people know this — I grew up without a father figure, and you go in and you watch this art, you watch these films, sometimes these fathers in these movies become a stand-in for that,” he says. “They become these father figures.”

So, when Jones died, Jenkins explains,...

Barry Jenkins has no plans to return to all-digital filmmaking after working on 'Mufasa: The Lion King'.The 45-year-old filmmaker has helmed the photorealistically animated picture that serves as both a prequel and sequel to the 2019 remake of 'The Lion King' and found it strange working on a movie where no sets or costumes were required.In an interview with Vulture, Jenkins said of the process: "It is not my thing. "It is not my thing. I want to work the other way again, where I want to physically get everything there. I always believe that what is here is enough, and let me just figure out what is the chemistry to make alchemy?"How can these people, this light, this environment, come together to create an image that is moving, that is beautiful, that creates a text that is deep enough, dense enough, rich enough to speak to someone?...

Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel to Disney’s live-action The Lion King. The movie will explore Mufasa’s early years, though the full plot is still under wraps. It’s expected to dive deeper into the tense relationship between Mufasa and Scar. Timon and Pumbaa will also return, with Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen reprising their roles.

Director Barry Jenkins recently shared that he’s not keen on returning to the CGI technology used for the film.

“When I took this job, the idea was ‘What does Barry Jenkins know about visual effects? Why the hell would he do this movie? Why would he be making The Lion King?”

“I think part of that I found very invigorating. People make these things, you know, with computers. So anybody should be able to do this. Anybody, right? There’s nothing physically that says I am incapable of doing this.

Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel to Disney’s live-action version of The Lion King. The movie will focus on Mufasa’s early life, though the full story hasn’t been revealed yet. It’s expected to show more about Mufasa and Scar’s relationship and how it became so tense. Timon and Pumbaa will also be back, with Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen playing their roles again.

Barry Jenkins, the director, recently revealed that he isn’t eager to dive back into the CGI technology used for the movie.

“When I took this job, the idea was ‘What does Barry Jenkins know about visual effects? Why the hell would he do this movie? Why would he be making The Lion King?”

“I think part of that I found very invigorating. People make these things, you know, with computers. So anybody should be able to do this. Anybody, right?...

Barry Jenkins isn’t itching to return to the CGI technology behind his upcoming Mufasa: The Lion King.

Set for release Dec. 20, Mufasa: The Lion King is a follow-up to 2019’s The Lion King, a “live action” remake of Disney Animation’s 1994 film of the same name. Like its predecessor, Mufasa is entirely CGI, and relies on photorealistic animation to bring the safari characters to life.

“When I took this job, the idea was ‘What does Barry Jenkins know about visual effects? Why the hell would he do this movie?’” Jenkins recalled in an interview with Vulture. He also knew people would ask, “Why would he be making The Lion King?”

“I think part of that I found very invigorating,” Jenkins continued. “People make these things, you know, with computers. So anybody should be able to do this. Anybody, right? There’s nothing physically that says I am incapable of doing this.

Barry Jenkins almost didn’t make it into the Disney family.

The Oscar winner told Vulture that he assumed he would turn down directing “The Lion King” prequel “Mufasa.” Yet, it was the strength of screenwriter Jeff Nathanson’s script that inspired Jenkins to helm his first virtual production.

“My thought was, ‘Oh, I’ll just give this a few days and I’ll call my agent and tell them I’ve read it and I’m not going to do this project,’” Jenkins said about receiving the offer to direct in 2020. However, after reading the first 50 pages of the script, Jenkins said to his partner, fellow director Lulu Wang, “Holy shit, this is good.”

And then came the backlash to the esteemed auteur turning to Disney.

“On what planet do I, Mr. ‘Moonlight,’ make a prequel to ‘The Lion King’? When I took this job, the idea was ‘What...

Nicole Kidman’s new film, Babygirl, opens with a scene moviegoers may think they have seen many times before — an actress having a very pretty orgasm. For a global movie star with five Oscar nominations and two Emmys, you might even consider the opening risqué. But it’s what follows that reveals Kidman to be in fresh cinematic territory and why she calls this role “a calling.” In subsequent scenes, director Halina Reijn divulges that the intended audience for the opening breathy performance had been the character’s handsome, loving husband (Antonio Banderas) — and Kidman delivers other, much more feral climaxes without him. In the A24 movie, a gender-flipped love letter to erotic thrillers like 9½ Weeks and Basic Instinct, Kidman plays a powerful CEO, wife and mother whose attraction to a brazen young male intern (Harris Dickinson) threatens to blow up her Instagram-perfect life.

It’s a bracingly vulnerable performance,...

A lot of fans were surprised when Academy Award-winning director Barry Jenkins signed on to helm Mufasa: The Lion King. Interestingly, the filmmaker recently admitted that he was also taken aback by the studio's offer.

Speaking to GamesRadar+, Jenkins revealed that he almost turned down the job because he thought it was an odd fit, but had a change of heart after reading the script. "I definitely thought that when it first came my way," he explained. "I got a call from my agent saying, 'Disney has sent over this project – a prequel for The Lion King.' And I said, 'Yeah, that's not going to happen.' "But without even reading the thing!"

Related Mufasa: The Lion King Breaks a Problematic Disney Trend

The latest Lion King movie is a massive step forward for Disney's live-action remake slate and could redefine how the studio approaches other films.

Just before...

If you thought it was strange that Oscar-winning director/writer Barry Jenkins — the man behind smaller-scale dramas such as Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk — took on directing duties for Mufasa: The Lion King, you'd be in good company. Even Jenkins thought he was a strange choice for the Mouse House to make: so strange he nearly turned down directing the film without even reading the screenplay.

During a chat with GamesRadar+, Jenkins revealed that even he thought he was an odd choice to direct the prequel to Disney's live-action/photo-realistic remake of the 1994 animated film of the same name. "I definitely thought that when it first came my way," the director quipped. "I got a call from my agent saying, 'Disney has sent over this project, a prequel for The Lion King.' And I said, 'Yeah, that's not going to happen.' But without even reading the thing!

The annual Sundance Film Festival gala fundraiser has unveiled its 2025 honorees. Known as “Celebrating Sundance Institute,” presented by Google TV, the gala will bestow the Vanguard Awards to “Dìdi” writer/director Sean Wang, and “Sugarcane” co-directors Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie. Both features premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

“Dìdi” won the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award and a Special Jury Prize for Best Ensemble Cast, before being acquired by Focus Features.

“For over a decade, Sundance has been my north star, symbolizing artistic excellence and bold, distinct voices,” Wang said of the honor. “It has since also become a community of artists, an unwavering support system, and a creative home for both myself and my first feature, ‘Dìdi (弟弟)’. As the recipient of several Sundance Institute artist development programs — Ignite, Taaf, and the Screenwriters and Directors Labs — I know firsthand how deeply transformative that support can be for emerging storytellers.

The Sundance Institute announced today that Michelle Satter, Founding Senior Director of Artist Programs at Sundance Institute, will be honored at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival gala fundraiser, taking place at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley in Utah on January 24, 2025.

The event, dubbed Celebrating Sundance Institute, will see Satter recognized for her decades-long commitment to nurturing artists and cultivating independent film through the Sundance Labs, where artists convene to develop groundbreaking projects through an in-depth creative process.

Other honorees will include Dìdi filmmaker Sean Wang, as well as the Sugarcane duo of Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, who debuted their latest films at this past year’s festival and will respectively receive the Vanguard Awards for Fiction and NonFiction.

The Vanguard Award recognizes emerging artists whose work highlights the art of storytelling and creative independence. Past recipients have included Celine Song, Maite Alberdi, W. Kamau Bell, Nikyatu Jusu, Ryan Coogler,...

Demi Moore, Denis Villeneuve, Malcolm Washington and Jason Reitman were announced as this year’s honorees of the Sffilm Awards Night.

The awards night, which “honors exemplary achievement in film craft and is a fundraiser with proceeds from the event supporting the organization’s mission to discover, nurture and showcase the next generation of film artists,” according to the organization, will take place Dec. 9 at San Francisco’s Gateway Pavilion at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture.

“We are so proud to honor this group of individuals as we close out 2024,” says Sffilm Director of Programming Jessie Fairbanks. “Their crafts and artistry elevates the cinematic experience and reminds us why we collectively love the power of film. Denis, Demi, Malcolm and Jason are all intrepid, tenacious and imaginative creatives. We look forward to honoring their work at Sffilm’s annual fundraiser.”

Villeneuve (director of Dune: Part Two) will receive the Irving M.

The Hollywood Reporter said Tuesday that Nicole Kidman will receive this year’s prestigious Sherry Lansing Leadership Award during THR’s annual Women in Entertainment breakfast gala, set for Dec. 4 in Los Angeles.

Attended by 600 industry leaders and VIPs, the invite-only gala coincides with the release of The Hollywood Reporter’s highly anticipated Women in Entertainment issue, which highlights the Power 100, a list of the most powerful female executives and talent in entertainment.

“Over the course of her illustrious career, Nicole Kidman has dazzled audiences through her dynamic performances,” THR co-editors-in-chief Nekesa Mumbi Moody and Maer Roshan said. “While her award-winning work as an actress and producer speaks for itself, she has also had a significant impact on countless women and children through her philanthropic work. She truly embodies the spirit of our Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, and we are beyond thrilled to honor her at this year’s Women in Entertainment gala.

Hollywood, Health & Society, a program of the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center, unveiled its winners for this year’s Sentinel Awards on Wednesday, ahead of its celebratory ceremony on Oct. 24.

Hh&s has presented the Sentinel Awards for nearly 25 years, recognizing some of the best TV storylines that responsibly inform audiences on critical topics, including climate change, racism, abortion and addiction.

The ceremony, held at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, will be hosted by comedian and Saturday Night Live veteran Laraine Newman, with presenters including Sarayu Blue from Expats, Matt Shively and Selenis Leyva of Lopez vs Lopez and Yeardley Smith from The Simpsons.

“Television has the power to affect audiences’ perceptions and influence how they view and engage with the world. While entertainment is vital, it should never compromise accuracy, especially when addressing important topics — a hallmark of Norman Lear’s legacy. Thoughtful and responsible storytelling can educate,...

The 2024 Sentinel Awards has unveiled its winners ahead of next week’s ceremony, when awards will be handed out at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills to honor TV series including Grey’s Anatomy, The Morning Show, Abbott Elementary and Hacks.

Presented by Hollywood, Health & Society at the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center, the Sentinel Awards recognize writers for meaningful and accurate portrayals onscreen on such timely topics as abortion, systemic racism, climate change and mental health. Laraine Newman is set to host the upcoming October 24 ceremony.

Hh&s has presented the Sentinel Awards for nearly 25 years, aiming to recognize some of the past year’s best TV that “responsibly informs audiences on critical topics.”

“Television has the power to affect audiences’ perceptions and influence how they view and engage with the world. While entertainment is vital, it should never compromise accuracy, especially when addressing important topics — a hallmark of Norman Lear’s legacy,...

ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” is set to be honored next week with a Sentinel Award, which will recognize the series’ entire body of work over the past 20 seasons (and heading into Season 21) when it comes to promoting the culture of health. That’s one of eleven awards set to be given out on Thursday, October 24, as the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center’s Hollywood, Health & Society program recognizes series that make a difference in informing viewers about important issues.

Other shows set to be honored include Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show,” for its discussion on abortion, NBC’s “Lopez vs. Lopez” for tackling addiction, Fox’s “The Simpsons” for looking at wealth disparity, Max’s “Hacks” for touching on the climate crisis, AMC’s “Dark Winds” for its story focus on racism in healthcare, ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” on taking on the dangers of smoking and vaping, and more.

“Abbott Elementary,” “The Morning Show,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Hacks” are among the 11 television shows that will be honored at the Sentinel Awards, which are determined by USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center’s Hollywood, Health & Society program.

“The Simpsons,” “Feud: Capote vs. the Swans,” “Expats,” “Lopez vs Lopez,” “Gen V,” “The Big Cigar” and “Dark Winds” have also been tapped to receive awards at the ceremony, which is set to take place Thursday, Oct. 24 at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, California.

Programs are recognized for creating television storylines that responsibly informs audiences on various critical topics and have made an impact.

“Grey’s Anatomy” will be feted for its overall depiction of healthcare over the course of its two-decade run. “The Morning Show” is being lauded for its portrayal of abortion in the Season 3 episode, “The Kármán Line,” while “Abbott Elementary” is being honored for its depiction of smoking and vaping in the Season 3 episode,...

The winners of the 2024 Sentinel Awards, organized by Hollywood, Health & Society (Hh&s), a program of the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center, were just announced in advance of the ceremony that will take place on Thursday, October 24 at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, CA.

Made in order to recognize some of the past year’s best TV entertainment that responsibly informs audiences on critical topics, this year’s list of Sentinel Award winners include “The Morning Show,” “Abbott Elementary,” and “Hacks,” for the shows’ approach toward tackling important subjects like the abortion, smoking, and climate consciousness, respectively. Last year, the ceremony took place the evening after Norman Lear’s passing, giving the industry their first chance to mourn the TV giant, and cementing the event as a celebration of his life and impact as well.

Comedian, writer, “SNL” alum, and The Groundlings founding member Laraine Newman will...

Kelly Marie Tran, Benedict Wong and Jimmy O. Yang have been set to star in Rock Springs, a new film written and to be directed by Two Sentence Horror Stories creator and Expats scribe Vera Miao.

The plot of the drama centers on a grieving young girl who, along with her mother and grandmother, moves to Rock Springs, Wy after the death of her father, only to discover there is something monstrous hidden in the town’s history and the woods behind their new house.

Vera Miao

Aria Kim (Whisper) and Fiona Fu (Tigertail) also star in the pic, from Macro Film Studios, Juniper Productions, Mandalay Pictures, Counterculture and Gold House. Macro, Juniper and Gold House are co-financing.

Miao, whose Two Sentence Horror Stories ran for three seasons on the CW, originated the idea for Rock Springs and it was developed by Counterculture, which brought on Macro to produce and finance.

Writer/Director Lulu Wang has been shooting film and TV overseas since her debut feature Posthumous (2014). The American-German co-production tells the story of a Berlin-based artist who finally finds his audience when the media mistakenly reports him dead. Wang then shot her sophomore hit, The Farewell (2019), between New York and Changchun. The themes and plot of that film—in which the obstinate individualism of a Chinese-American writer (Awkwafina) abrades her family’s collective sense of responsibility when she reunites with them in northern China—is reflected in the film’s co-production model, for which an American and Chinese cast and crew converged. These […]

The post The Gotham Pages: Lulu Wang on Creating Storytelling Ecosystems Abroad first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Writer/Director Lulu Wang has been shooting film and TV overseas since her debut feature Posthumous (2014). The American-German co-production tells the story of a Berlin-based artist who finally finds his audience when the media mistakenly reports him dead. Wang then shot her sophomore hit, The Farewell (2019), between New York and Changchun. The themes and plot of that film—in which the obstinate individualism of a Chinese-American writer (Awkwafina) abrades her family’s collective sense of responsibility when she reunites with them in northern China—is reflected in the film’s co-production model, for which an American and Chinese cast and crew converged. These […]

The post The Gotham Pages: Lulu Wang on Creating Storytelling Ecosystems Abroad first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

The 62nd New York Film Festival (September 27-October 14) got underway Friday with “Nickel Boys”, rookie feature director RaMell Ross’ daring screen adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s novel. The film spawned strong applause as well as ardent debate on its challenging mise-en-scène from the attendees at Alice Tully Hall. One thing they agreed on was “King Richard” Oscar nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor’s inevitable second Supporting Actress nod.

At the ritual after-party at Tavern on the Green, an annual celebration for the New York film community, Ellis-Taylor admitted she couldn’t watch herself and ran from the theater. She provides the beating heart for this extraordinary and divisive movie. “Every year we spend months talking about what opening night will be,” said NYFF director Dennis Lim at the after-party, “because it sets the tone for the festival. RaMell is a filmmaker we’ve loved and believed in since ‘Hale County [This Morning, This Evening].’ [‘Nickel Boys’] is not a feel-good movie.

Brian Tee has joined the cast of Kathryn Bigelow’s next film. The project, which is cloaked in secrecy, has aligned an impressive ensemble, with Rebecca Ferguson, Idris Elba, Jared Harris, Greta Lee, Anthony Ramos, Tracy Letts, Moses Ingram and Gabriel Basso all set to appear in the movie. The plot is being kept under wraps, and Netflix, which is backing Bigelow’s latest project, has yet to reveal a title, but it reportedly is set at the White House during a national security crisis. The film marks Bigelow’s first feature since 2017’s “Detroit.” Her other notable credits include “Zero Dark Thirty” and “The Hurt Locker,” for which she won an Oscar for best director.

It’s been a busy period for Tee, who recently played the lead villain in the third season of Amazon Prime’s “Reacher.” This year, he also starred opposite Nicole Kidman in the prestige limited series “Expats,...

Exclusive: Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon have launched Winter Coat Films, which has signed a first-look deal with Sony Pictures Television to produce scripted series for streaming and cable platforms. The Oscar-nominated husband-and-wife duo have partnered with producer Dani Melia, who will serve as president of Winter Coat Films.

“Kumail and Emily are a dream team – artists who bring humanity, humor and authenticity to everything they explore,” said Katherine Pope, President Sony Pictures Television Studios. “We couldn’t be happier to support them and their newly formed production company, which we know will be hugely successful.”

Nanjiani and Gordon most recently served as executive producers on Hulu limited series Welcome to Chippendales, which earned Nanjiani an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. They also executive produced and wrote the praised Apple TV+ anthology series Little America, which ran for two seasons.

Exclusive: Brian Tee is set to lead the voice cast of Adult Swim’s Get Jiro!, a TV series based on the New York Times bestselling DC/Vertigo graphic novels from writers Anthony Bourdain and Joel Rose, with artwork by Langdon Foss and Alé Garza.

The half-hour animated series is set in a not-too-distant future L.A. where master chefs rule the town and people literally kill for a seat at the best restaurants. A mysterious sushi master named Jiro enters a bloody culinary war and begins to craft his recipe for revenge.

The Get Jiro! TV series is created by Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka and is produced for Adult Swim by Warner Bros Animation. The project received a series order in June.

Tee recently wrapped shooting as the lead villain in Prime Video’s Reacher for Season 3. Before that, he starred opposite Nicole Kidman...