News

Variety received 92 nominations from the Los Angeles Press Club during the 2024 calendar year for the organization’s annual SoCal Journalism Awards. Its reporters earned nods in 57 categories, including print journalist of the year for Daniel D’Addario, online journalist of the year for Clayton Davis, and entertainment journalist of the year for Owen Gleiberman and Chris Willman. In addition to being recognized for best traditional news organization website in the online category, the org further received kudos across magazine and entertainment journalism, video, audio, online content, and social media.

In addition to dominating the entertainment journalist category, Variety took three nominations for commentary/ analysis of TV: Jenelle Riley for “This Emmys Season, Don’t Forget About: Heidi Gardner, the Scene Stealer of ‘SNL’,” Brian Steinberg for “TV Talkers From Pat McAfee to Rachel Maddow Gain New License to Blast Bosses On-Air” and Aramide Tinubu for “Kamala Harris’ Speech Was Powerful and Heartfelt,...

Ethan Hunt could be hitting the Croisette.

Though no decision has been made, “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” is weighing a Cannes Film Festival bow, which could see Tom Cruise injecting some serious star power into the event. Paramount, which declined to comment for this article, will be releasing the movie in theaters on May 21, which falls during the second week of the festival. The film is intended to be Cruise’s last outing as the Imf spy.

Paramount has a rich history with the festival, and so does Cruise, whose last trip to Cannes — for “Top Gun: Maverick” in 2022 — was a triumph. The movie went on to gross $1.45 billion at the worldwide box office and even garnered six Oscar nominations, winning a statuette for best sound.

Some other American filmmakers also strongly tipped to bring their latest pics to the glamorous festival include Spike Lee’s highly anticipated...

The Variety & Adobe The Future of AI Filmmaking panel at the Sundance Film Festival featured a conversation by film executives about how AI is currently being used in entertainment as well as how it will shape the industry going forward.

The panel, moderated by Variety’s executive editor Brent Lang, featured Meagan Keane, director of product marketing at Adobe Pro Video, Dave Clark, The Promise co-founder and chief creative officer, writer and director Paul Trillo, who is also a partner at Asteria, Jason Zada, founder of Secret Level, and Angela Russo-Otstot, Agbo chief creative officer.

Keane explained the two different types of AI that make up this industry conversation: assistive AI and generative AI. The company is considering how AI can expedite filmmakers’ and artists’ workflow. “At Adobe, we’re still thinking about generative in ways of like, how do we remove pain points? How do we help sort of...

Variety & Audible’s Cocktails and Conversations panel at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival brought together journalist Ronan Farrow, Audible’s chief content officer Rachel Ghiazza and actors Juliette Lewis, André Holland and Mamoudou Athie to discuss storytelling for modern audiences. The panel discussion was moderated by Variety Executive Editor Brent Lang.

Farrow, who signed a deal with Audible last year and is the host of its upcoming investigative crime series “Not a Very Good Murderer,” championed long-form storytelling and urged creators not to be deterred by just how long it can take to get the story right.

“It’s an imperiled thing to put resources into stories that can take years and years to tell,” Farrow told his fellow panelists. “But sometimes complicated projects do demand that kind of time and that scale of resources, and it’s not a common thing to find people who believe in and understand both...

Josh O’Connor joined the Variety Studio presented by Audible at Sundance to discuss his new movie “Rebuilding.” He was joined by writer-director Max Walker-Silverman and his co-stars Meghann Fahy, Lily Latorre and Kali Reis. The drama stars the “Challengers” favorite as a cowboy relocated to a Fema camp after a wildfire burns down his Colorado ranch. O’Connor first met Walker-Silverman on Zoom and immediately started work on developing his midwestern accent.

“I spent a bit of time out there before we started filming, not much time but a little bit,” O’Connor told Variety’s Brent Lang. “That was just to hear some of the voices.”

“We also spent some time going through YouTube and I was looking for people from the right part of Colorado,” added Max Walker-Silverman. “For a long time I didn’t hear it. I assumed it would be good. And I remember the first...

Benedict Cumberbatch touched down at the Variety Studio presented by Audible at Sundance ahead of the world premiere of his new drama film, “The Thing With the Feathers.” Written and directed by Dylan Southern from the book “Grief Is the Thing with Feathers” by Max Porter, the movie casts Cumberbatch as a grieving father struggling to raise his two sons after the sudden loss of his wife.

During the interview with Variety’s Brent Lang, the “Doctor Strange” actor said the father he plays is perhaps the closest he’s come to seeing his real self on screen. He explained: “We’re really fucking weird creatures, us actors. We want to be in extreme situations sometimes to tell a real story. And it does tell something universal. This character is as near to me as any others I’ve played, to be honest. The middle class, the father, being in northwest London.

Soledad O’Brien stopped by the Variety Studio presented by Audible at Sundance and scolded the American press for its coverage of Donald Trump. The former CNN host was highly critical of how the press covered Trump’s first administration, and she said her position has not changed as Trump’s second administration gets underway.

“The media has done a really piss poor job, to be honest,” O’Brien told Variety’s Brent Lang. “In a couple different ways. Framing every discussion as ‘this vs this’ is a real mistake. There is lot of access journalism that has just been distressing and dismaying to watch. There are journalists I respect, but they want access. There’s a lot of countries where journalists don’t get access to their political leadership and you can actually do a good job reporting when you’re not necessarily being invited to the dinner or having a front row seat.

In September, Variety declared, “Indie Films Are Staging a Box Office Comeback,” touting the success of the films Longlegs, Thelma and Late Night with the Devil as signs of life for a segment of the industry “crushed by Covid, strikes and streaming,” as reporter Brent Lang wrote. “And while it’s a long way from the arthouse heyday of the 1990s and early aughts, the turnaround is impressive.” Maybe not that impressive. Citing the more than $100 million global gross of Longlegs, a Neon-produced wide-release serial-killer movie, as some kind of indie darling misses the point. Thelma and Late Night are […]

The post Hits & Misses 2024: Case Studies of Six Sundance 2024 Premieres first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

In September, Variety declared, “Indie Films Are Staging a Box Office Comeback,” touting the success of the films Longlegs, Thelma and Late Night with the Devil as signs of life for a segment of the industry “crushed by Covid, strikes and streaming,” as reporter Brent Lang wrote. “And while it’s a long way from the arthouse heyday of the 1990s and early aughts, the turnaround is impressive.” Maybe not that impressive. Citing the more than $100 million global gross of Longlegs, a Neon-produced wide-release serial-killer movie, as some kind of indie darling misses the point. Thelma and Late Night are […]

The post Hits & Misses 2024: Case Studies of Six Sundance 2024 Premieres first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Variety earned 14 first-place wins Sunday night at the 17th annual National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards, including trophies for print journalist of the year, film critic, investigative reporting and news photo.

Chris Willman, chief music critic and senior writer, packed a punch with four wins including print journalist of the year. Tatiana Siegel, executive editor of film and media, won two top investigative categories. The ceremony was held at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles and presented by the Los Angeles Press Club.

“We are so proud of the work produced across Variety every day. These big wins reinforce that we have the largest and strongest team of entertainment business journalists in the world,” said Cynthia Littleton and Ramin Setoodeh, co-Editors in Chief of Variety.

Here’s a rundown of Variety‘s wins:

Chris Willman’s singular voice and prolific output earned him the print journalist of the year honor.

Variety leads the field in nominations for the 17th annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards. The list includes a bid for best entertainment website, four contenders for journalist of the year honors, a photo journalist of the year mention for veteran staffer Dan Doperalski and a nonfiction book of the year nom for co-Editor in Chief Ramin Setoodeh.

Variety nominations are spread widely across the masthead, recognizing a range of journalists as well as the photography, illustration and design of the weekly print magazine and social media efforts.

Nominated for print journalist of the year are executive editor Brent Lang, Tatiana Siegel, executive editor of film and media, and Chris Willman, chief music critic and senior music writer. Clayton Davis, senior awards editor, is up for online journalist of the year. The eligibility period for the kudos administered by the Los Angeles Press Club is July 1, 2023 through June 30.

Willman is...

Francis Ford Coppola is going to the mattresses against Variety with a $15 million libel lawsuit, a nasty bit of business that’s probably more about the “Godfather” director clearing his name of misconduct allegations than anything else, legal experts tell TheWrap.

Odds are long for the case to ever make trial, let alone succeed, as California is among the toughest states for libel cases, First Amendment attorneys agree. But Coppola’s personal motivations and the media’s extreme allergy to issuing retractions will likely meet in some back-alley arena. And a settlement could involve embarrassing editorial concessions from the trade that has been better known in its 118 years for cozying up to Hollywood heavies than tearing them down.

Coppola filed his lawsuit against Variety and two of its editors last week in a California civil court, claiming the paper acted recklessly and with malice — key elements for any libel or...

Famed director Francis Ford Coppola has launched a $15 million libel lawsuit against Variety over the publication calling his behavior during the production of Megalopolis “unprofessional.”

In the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday against Variety Media LLC and other defendants and obtained by Rolling Stone, Coppola’s lawyers hail the 85-year-old as a “creative genius.” “Some people are jealous and resentful of genius,” the lawsuit says. “Those people therefore denigrate and tell knowing and reckless falsehoods about those of whom they are jealous.”

On July 26, Variety ran...

Acclaimed filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola sues Variety over Megalopolis reports.

Per Deadline, Coppola has filed a lawsuit against Variety for libel. The instance in question purportedly took place in a July 26 article from the publisher that outlined reportedly "unprofessional" behavior on Coppola's part on the set of Megalopolis, including hugging and kissing female background actors during the shoot for a massive party scene. Coppola is seeking $15 million on top of punitive damages from Variety Media LLC and journalists Brent Lang and Tatiana Siegel according to complaint filed in LA Superior Court on Tuesday, September 10.

Related 'You Can't Put a Label on It': Francis Ford Coppola Explains How Megalopolis Takes More Risks

Francis Ford Coppola has put his staple in the music industry with several masterpieces, but will he do the same with Megalopolis?

The lawsuit comes after allegations lobbed by Lauren Pagone, a background actor on Megalopolis, who reportedly sued...

Francis Ford Coppola is determined to save his reputation after salacious claims were made against him about his on-set behavior on Megalopolis. In July, Variety came out with the exclusive of crew members detailing unprofessional behavior from The Godfather director. Coppola has now sued the publication and sought $15 million in damages.

Francis Ford Coppola at Cannes Film Festival 2024 | Xfranksun, licensed under Cc By-sa 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The news outlet published videos of the director kissing young female extras while filming a nightclub scene. The article by executive editors Tatiana Segel and Brent Lang also revealed accounts from two sources who worked on the film. The report claimed to corroborate another similar report published by The Guardian.

Francis Ford Coppola Sues Variety Over False Allegations Of Inappropriate Behavior Francis Ford Coppola and Marlon Brando on the sets of The Godfather | Credits: Paramount Pictures

Francis Ford Coppola is set to fight for...

Francis Ford Coppola is taking legal action over the whole back-and-forth media debacle over his behavior on the Megalopolis set earlier this summer. On July 26, Variety published an article containing two videos that seemed to show the director "trying to kiss young female extras" while filming a scene in a nightclub.

(Updated with Coppola statement & Variety statement) Just over two weeks before Francis Ford Coppola’s passion project Megalopolis is set to be released, the director has sued Variety for libel over a July 26 article that called his behavior on the set of the sci-fi film “unprofessional,” alleging that the Oscar winner hugged and kissed female background actors participating in a party scene.

The 85-year-old filmmaker is seeking $15 million and further punitive and exemplary damages from defendants Variety Media LLC and journalists Brent Lang and Tatiana Siegel in the jury trial seeking complaint filed Tuesday in LA Superior Court.

It came two days after Megalopolis extra Lauren Pagone, who was quoted in an Aug. 2 followup Variety article about Coppola’s actions toward female background performers, sued the filmmaker and others in Georgia for civil battery, civil assault, and negligent failure to prevent sexual harassment.

The eight-page filing from Coppola does not mention that Peach State suit,...

Lionsgate has released the trailer for Mel Gibson’s high-flying action thriller “Flight Risk,” starring Mark Wahlberg.

Per an official logline, the film follows “a pilot (Wahlberg) transporting an Air Marshal (Michelle Dockery) accompanying a fugitive (Topher Grace) to trial. As they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem.”

“Flight Risk” marks the third collaboration between Gibson and Wahlberg. The first was in the 2017 comedy “Daddy’s Home 2,” followed by “Father Stu” in 2022. This will be Wahlberg’s first time acting under Gibson as a director.

A sneak peek of the “Flight Risk” trailer first debuted at Cinemacon 2024 in Las Vegas. Variety executive editor Brent Lang described Wahlberg’s character as “balding and psychotic” with a “Southern accent and flashes of a sociopathic glint in his eye.”

Gibson helms the film with a script from Jared Rosenberg. John Davis,...

Variety won eight first-place awards Sunday night at the Los Angeles Press Club’s 66th annual SoCal Journalism Awards, including a top win for executive editor Brent Lang as entertainment journalist of the year.

Variety came into the 2024 ceremony with 74 nominations, representing work published by staffers online or in the weekly print edition during the 2023 calendar year.

Lang led the list of staff wins by picking up three awards in all. Besides his entertainment journalist of the year trophy, Lang also won for personality profile/magazines for his cover story on Michael J. Fox, and he shared the award for entertainment feature/TV with Tatiana Siegel and Matt Donnelly for their story “Showstopper! Strikes Plunge Hollywood Into Chaos With Pricey Movie Delays, Pay Battles and AI Anxiety.”

Siegel was a double-winner. Besides sharing the latter award with Lang, she also won in the category of entertainment news/magazines for the story “A Fired ‘Scream’ Star,...

Apple, or at least its technology, was worried about the health and well-being of Hollywood’s greatest director.

In the middle of Steven Spielberg’s Tribeca Festival talk on Saturday, where the filmmaker was celebrating the 50th anniversary of his debut feature, “The Sugarland Express,” he was interrupted by his Apple watch with a message that read “It looks like you’ve taken a hard fall.” Spielberg jokingly said “I’m not going to press the Sos [button]” before throwing it on the ground. “I’ll pick it up later,” he said, only to retrieve it a few minutes later when it started issuing some sort of distress signal.

Before the Q&a began, a taped message from “The Sugarland Express” star Goldie Hawn appeared on the screen, thanking Spielberg and reminiscing about the pivotal moment in her career—and his. The film was released in 1974, just one year before “Jaws,...

In one of this year’s climaxes at the Tribeca Festival, Steven Spielberg showed off his first major studio theatrical release, Sugarland Express, which celebrates 50 years.

“You’re the first audience to ever see Sugarland Express in 50 years,” joked the 3x Oscar-winning filmmaker at the packed Bmcc screening in the lower west side of Manhattan.

How’s that? Spielberg said Universal pulled the movie out of theaters after two weeks as no one went to see it despite good reviews. The movie repped his first big screen release after cutting his teeth as a TV director, and it preceded his work on 1975’s Jaws, the blockbuster that would give definition to the word tentpole.

Sugarland Express failed at the box office per Spielberg, as audiences wanted to see a lighthearted Goldie Hawn in the movie, not to mention, it had a tragic ending.

Here are some of the memories Spielberg...

The film business has had to battle its way through everything from Covid shutdowns to strike-induced box office delays to steep competition from a tidal wave of high-priced streaming content over the past seven years.

The contraction in theatrical releases and the post-pandemic downturn at the box office has raised the stakes for every film release, from blockbusters to arty fare — so said a group of top theatrical marketing executives who spoke April 24 during a roundtable panel at Variety’s annual Entertainment Marketing Summit, presented by Deloitte.

“If you’re not an event movie for someone, you’re a movie for no one,” said Josh Goldstine, president of worldwide marketing for Warner Bros. Pictures Group, during the daylong, Sro event at the Beverly Hilton.

Goldstine noted the ante for theatrical films has been raised by “an extra $100 billion worth of streaming content that has entered the marketplace” since about 2017. Dwight Caines,...

Courteney Cox may be heading back to the “Scream” franchise, as sources tell Variety she is in talks to reprise the role of Gale Weathers in the seventh movie of the slasher series, to be directed by “Scream” creator and writer Kevin Williamson.

The news comes about two weeks after Neve Campbell announced she was coming back as Sidney Prescott after the actor sat out of “Scream 6” due to a salary dispute.

“Sidney Prescott is coming back!!!!” Campbell posted on Instagram March 12. “It’s always been such a blast and an honor to get to play Sidney in the ‘Scream’ movies. My appreciation for these films and for what they have meant to me, has never waned. I’m very happy and proud to say I’ve been asked, in the most respectful way, to bring Sidney back to the screen and I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

Williamson wrote on Instagram,...

Variety is returning to the Sundance Film Festival this year with its annual Interview Studio, presented by Audible, the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling. Throughout the festival, videos from the interview studio will be distributed across Variety.com as well as Variety and Audible’s social media channels.

Beginning Friday, January 19, running through Sunday, January 21, the Variety Studio, presented by Audible, will feature interviews with industry-leading directors and top talent from the films premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Confirmed talent includes Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”); Jodie Foster, Alex Hedison, Alok Vaid-Menon (“Alok”); Lionel Richie, Bao Nguyen, Julia Nottingham (“The Greatest Night in Pop”); Kerry Washington, Angela Patton, Natalie Rae (“Daughters”); June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Clark Gregg, Josh Margolin (“Thelma”); Anna Fleck, Ryan Boden, Pedro Pascal, Jay Ellis, Normani, Dominique Thorn, Ji-Young Yoo, Jack Champion (“Freaky Tales”); Richard Linklater, Glen Powell (“Hit Man”); Susanna Fogel,...

Variety won top honors Sunday at the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards, taking the trophy for best entertainment publication along with 11 other first-place wins.

The May 3 cover package “No Words: What the Writers Strike Means for Hollywood” was recognized in the category of best entertainment publication during the ceremony held at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. The kudo extends to Variety’s entire editorial staff for creating the issue on deadline, publishing barely 48 hours after the Writers Guild of America called its first strike in 15 years.

“Receiving the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award that recognizes the entirety of our staff is particularly meaningful to us after such a challenging year for the industry we cover,” said Cynthia Littleton and Ramin Setoodeh, Variety‘s co-editors in chief. “Hollywood’s season of strikes was an all-encompassing, labor-intensive story to capture. It’s gratifying to receive this recognition as well many other first,...

Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” is a sumptuous feast for the eyes according to film critics who just saw the film. The movie, detailing the life of the Emperor Napoleon (played by Joaquin Phoenix) and his relationship as both a ruler and a husband to Empress Josephine (Vanessa Kirby) is “a lot of movie” according to critic and writer William Bibbiani.

The film will premiere in a truncated two hour and 38 minute cut in theaters, while debuting a four-hour cut on Apple TV+.

Many critics cited the biggest flaw was that it felt like the time had been condensed. According to IndieWire’s David Ehrlich, “Napoleon definitely feels like a 4-hour movie that’s been cut to ribbons, but it’s So funny during the first half when it’s all about Ridley Scott just reading Napoleon for filth and laughing at how embarrassing it is to be a man with ambitions.

Netflix film chief Scott Stuber recently spilled all the tea about Greta Gerwig's upcoming Chronicles of Narnia project in a Q&a with Variety executive editor Brent Lang. Stuber shared the unexpected news that Gerwig's version of The Chronicles of Narnia will not follow the typical format of one movie per book. Instead, Gerwig is looking for ways to incorporate the whole arc into her film.

Netflix film chief Scott Stuber once ran Universal Studios – today he sometimes feels like the operator of “the AMC 6000” given the volume of movies that Netflix produces and acquires.From Greta Gerwig’s plans for Narnia adaptations to wooing Denzel Washington and Steven Spielberg, Stuber shared Netflix’s vision of film’s future in a wide-ranging Q&a with Variety executive editor Brent Lang that was held Nov. 8 as part of Variety’s Business Managers Elite Breakfast presented by City National Bank.

The event was kicked off with a speech from EVP of entertainment banking JaHan Wang. Despite talk of an impending recession, Wang sees a reason for optimism. “The summer box office reached the $4 billion milestone featuring Barbenheimer phenomena and the other notable movies,” he said. “Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour and Taylor Swift’s Eras tour are causing many economic booms each city they visit, sand now Taylor is...

Bill Block is out as CEO of Miramax.

The executive and film producer was hired in 2017. Block’s contract expired this week and was not renewed, sources said. He’s been rumored to be out for months. A representative for Miramax had no immediate comment on the matter.

Insiders said new leadership was necessary at Miramax given that Paramount Global, which owns a 49% stake in Miramax, is grappling with a volatile marketplace. Insiders believe the unit behind films like “Pulp Fiction,” “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” and “Shakespeare in Love” should be mining its own intellectual property for new projects, not acquiring finished films or snapping up distribution rights. Block is not the person to take them in that direction, as evidenced by his canning.

Miramax was founded in 1979 by disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein and his brother Bob. It became a transcendent brand and gatekeeper of independent films. Block was the...

What is The YouTube Effect? Starting on August 8, the general public has a chance to find out.

On that day, Alex Winter‘s documentary about YouTube’s culture and reach arrives on streaming platforms like iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and Vudu. The 99-minute film premiered at the 2o22 Tribeca Film Festival. A year later, it scored a distribution deal with Drafthouse Films, which brought it to select Alamo Drafthouse locations beginning in July.

The YouTube Effect features appearances from creators, execs, and reporters, all of whom offer commentary about YouTube’s massive scale and its undeniable influencer on global events. Figures who appear in the film’s trailer include Anthony Padilla (who Winter directed in a 2015 Smosh feature film), Natalie Wynn of ContraPoints, and several notable figures from YouTube’s corporate history, including Co-Founder Steven Chen and former CEO Susan Wojcicki.

Thus far, The YouTube Effect has earned generally positive reviews.

Variety won 14 first-place awards Sunday night at the Los Angeles Press Club’s 65th annual SoCal Journalism Awards, more than twice as many as any other entertainment publication.

The 14 awards represented a historic high for Variety at the SoCal Journalism Awards, topping the previous best of 12 first-place prizes the magazine earned in 2018. Variety came into Sunday’s ceremony with a record 96 nominations, representing work published online and in print during the 2022 calendar year.

The awards were handed out during a gala dinner attended by hundreds in the historic Crystal Ballroom at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

Several staffers won dual honors. Owen Gleiberman, Variety‘s chief film critic, won best obituary/appreciation for a look back at actor William Hurt, plus best online arts commentary for the column “Is ‘Tar’ Rooting for or Against Cate Blanchett’s Superstar Predator Conductor?” Chris Willman, senior writer and chief music critic,...

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards lands a role on The Holiday Exchange, an upcoming Christmas movie spotlighting LGBTQ romance. Kyle, who began her showbiz career as a child actress has starred as a main cast member of Rhobh since 2010. While her drama-filled run has been successful, her latest seasons have put her up for slaughter, especially with the departure of her girlfriend, Lisa Rinna. Despite the calls for her removal, Kyle's return to Rhobh season 13 has been confirmed, with the reality star admitting she felt excited to be filming again. Nonetheless, it isn't unusual for her to weigh other projects.

Variety recently confirmed that The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Kyle Richard has landed herself a role in the upcoming film, The Holiday Exchange. The movie described as an LGBTQ+ holiday romance, follows a successful businessman, Wilde, dealing with the aftermath of a breakup. Gearing off...

The crack of a bullwhip may soon echo around the Palais.

Fifteen years after opening the Cannes Film Festival, the world’s most famous archeologist is expected to return to the Croisette, and follow in the footsteps of 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick” as this edition’s splashy Hollywood blockbuster premiere.

The festival has invited Disney’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and it certainly boasts all the right ingredients to make for a glamorous and memorable moment.

Executive produced by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, this installment will reportedly be Harrison Ford’s last time playing the titular character. Ford stars opposite an attractive international cast, including Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen, among others. James Mangold, the director of “Logan” and “Ford vs. Ferrari,” slides behind the camera on this one. Details of the film’s plot are being kept under wraps that are tighter than those of a mummy,...

Variety has hired award-winning journalist Tatiana Siegel as executive editor, film & media. In her new post, Siegel will help guide Variety’s coverage of the film and media business, as well as write covers, features, analysis pieces and investigative stories.

Siegel, who most recently worked as a senior writer for Rolling Stone and previously served as executive film editor at The Hollywood Reporter, is best known for her hard-hitting examinations of the entertainment business. In recent years, she produced several industry-shaking exposés, one that resulted in the ouster of Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara, and another that revealed decades of bullying by film and theater producer Scott Rudin.

Siegel had a five-year stint at Variety between 2007-2012. She re-joins the magazine on Jan. 1.

“We are beyond excited to welcome Tatiana Siegel back to Variety where she belongs,” said Ramin Setoodeh and Cynthia Littleton, Variety’s co-editors-in-chief. “As one...

Bob Iger officially returned to his post as CEO of the Walt Disney Company on Monday — sealing it with a tweet and addressing a rapt audience of employees at a company-wide meeting.

“Filled with gratitude and excitement to be back,” Iger wrote on his personal Twitter account, attaching a photo of the studio lot’s Disney Legends Plaza, a building on which the seven dwarves from “Snow White” serve as pillars.

It’s been just over a week since Disney’s board of directors shocked Hollywood and global markets with news that Iger would replace Bob Chapek as chief executive. Iger’s first town hall before in-person and virtual employees saw him touch on several hot topics: a planned hiring freeze implemented by Chapek following Disney’s recent lackluster quarterly earnings report, the profitability of Disney’s streaming portfolio and the corporate giant’s stance on LGBTQ+ inclusion.

The latter...

After two years of virtual events or limited-capacity premieres, the festival returns in spectacular fashion, with more than 250 films expected to screen during the 10-day event. To break down the musts from the meh, here are nine films we’re dying to see.

“Causeway” (A24/Apple Original Films)

Though Jennifer Lawrence had a juicy supporting role in Adam McKay’s disaster comedy “Don’t Look Up” last year, we have not seen the former Katniss Everdeen in the driver’s seat of a film since the one-two punch of “Mother!” and “Red Sparrow”. She returns in earnest at TIFF with “Causeway,” about a soldier with a traumatic brain injury trying to readjust to normal life.

— Matt Donnelly

“Empire of Light” (Searchlight Pictures)

Sam Mendes crafts an ode to the power of movies with this story of a cinema ticket-taker (Olivia Colman) who finds herself drawn to a new employee (Michael Ward). Colman,...

Neon, the independent film distributor behind Oscar winners “Parasite” and “I, Tonya,” is assessing options for its financial future.

The New York-based company has tapped the investment bank Raine to explore a sale of some or all of its business. The move comes as Neon looks to expand its distribution business internationally and consider opportunities in television and streaming. The company also plans to use potential investments to bolster its production businesses.

Neon declined to comment.

Neon was receiving inquiries about mergers and acquisitions, so it hired Raine to sort through their options. Sources close to the situation say Neon hopes to find a deal that keeps the company in tact, though it would be open to a minority stake sale. There’s also talk that Neon could become a label on a prominent streaming service. Tom Quinn and Dan Friedkin are currently the majority owners.

Neon’s mission to...

Variety has promoted Elsa Keslassy to senior international film editor.

In her new role, Keslassy will continue to be based out of Paris, where she will cover the entertainment industry spanning film, TV and streamers across France, Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Israel.

She previously served as Variety‘s international correspondent. Since joining Variety in 2007, Keslassy has distinguished herself with coverage of major festivals and film markets, including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, the AFM, Mipcom, Canneseries and Series Mania. She is known for her deep industry sources and for her ability to break news. Keslassy has written investigative stories on prominent European companies such as EuropaCorp, Wild Bunch and Vivendi, as well as trend stories and analysis pieces with a particular focus on film financing and distribution. She has interviewed leading auteurs and actors such as David Cronenberg, Ruben Ostlund, Juliette Binoche and Catherine Deneuve. She has also been moderating roundtables and keynotes at Mipcom,...

Variety has been nominated for 72 Southern California Journalism Awards, including best website, two for print journalist of the year, three for entertainment journalist of the year, and six for criticism of TV, music and books.

The awards, given out by the Los Angeles Press Club, honor outstanding journalism in the region across print, digital, radio and broadcast platforms.

Executive editor Ramin Setoodeh and deputy music editor Jem Aswad are both up for print journalist of the year. TV critic Daniel D’Addario, chief film critic Owen Gleiberman and senior writer/chief music critic Chris Willman are all nominated for entertainment journalist of the year. And Variety had a whopping three nominees for music criticism including Steven Gaydos, Gleiberman and Aswad. Chief TV critic Caroline Framke and D’Addario were also both nominated for criticism of television honors.

Aswad leads all Variety staffers with 14 total nominations, followed by Willman with eight nominations.

The major entertainment studios spoke out against Georgia’s “heartbeat” abortion bill in 2019, saying they would “rethink” their production plans in the state if the law ever went into effect.

That moment appears to be approaching fast.

On Monday night, Politico reported that a Supreme Court majority has signed on to a decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 opinion protecting the right to abortion. The Georgia law — which would outlaw abortions as early as six weeks into pregnancy — has been on hold pending the outcome of that case. If the leaked draft opinion becomes final, then Georgia’s law would be allowed to take effect.

So far, no entertainment studio has said what it will do if that happens. Warner Bros. Discovery and Sony declined to comment. A Netflix representative could not be reached for comment. A Disney spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. The...

Organizers behind the Oscars are pulling out all the stops to land an iconic performance from best original song nominee Beyoncé, multiple sources close to the show told Variety.

While the superstar made nary an awards campaign stop over the past months in support of her track “Be Alive,” co-written with artist Dixson for the film “King Richard,” Beyoncé’s camp has been in deep talks with producers to mount a satellite performance of the song — one that would possibly open the show, and broadcast live from tennis courts in Compton, Calif. The concept began solidifying last Monday, three individuals with knowledge of the talks said.

The location, of course, is where sports legends Venus and Serena practiced relentless drills in their youth under the watchful eye of their father, Richard. One possible scenario would have Will Smith, who plays the titular character in the film, appear onsite with Beyoncé...

Guillermo del Toro and Jane Campion have strong thoughts about filmmaking — both in execution and exhibition — in this modern streaming age. And lucky for us, they’re not afraid to share those opinions. And that’s exactly what they did last fall, for Variety’s “Directors on Directors” issue.

Now, in case you missed that conversation between the two Oscar winners, Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast gives you another chance. In this Friday edition of the award-winning podcast, we feature the chat, as they swap stories about filmmaking in what’s already the third decade of the 21st century.

But first, our Awards Circuit Roundtable discusses the rise of “Coda” and more as we head into another awards-filled weekend, with the BAFTA, DGA and Critics Choice ceremonies. Listen below!

Last fall, right before the New York premiere of Guillermo del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley” — his big-budget remake of the noir thriller,...

Variety won 26 National Art and Entertainment Journalism Awards, including entertainment publication for its 115th anniversary issue “Gamechangers” and two journalist of the year awards: senior vice president Tim Gray for print and deputy music editor Jem Aswad for online.

The venerable entertainment publication received 98 nominations.

The awards, presented by the Los Angeles Press Club for work created from July 2020 through June 2021, were handed out virtually Feb. 17 after an in-person event scheduled for Feb. 5 was canceled due to ongoing concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic.

Aswad picked up so many awards, presenters remarked on it throughout the event. He ended up with six more awards in addition to his online journalist of the year award. He won two awards for his story “Inside the Dirty Business of Hit Songwriting,” and one each for “Jason Derulo Cracked TikTok’s Code and Resurrected His Career,” “Learning to Be Ok With the Word ‘Vinyls,’” “These...

They’re boldly going back.

Paramount is planning to enter negotiations for “Star Trek” stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho and Simon Pegg to return to the Enterprise for their fourth tour of duty in the venerable sci-fi franchise.

The announcement was made by J.J. Abrams during the Paramount Investors Day Presentation on Feb. 15.

“We are thrilled to say that we are hard at work on a new ‘Star Trek’ film that will be shooting by the end of the year that will be featuring our original cast and some new characters that I think are going to be really fun and exciting and help take ‘Star Trek’ into areas that you’ve just never seen before,” Abrams said. “We’re thrilled about this film, we have a bunch of other stories that we’re talking about that we think will be really exciting, so...

Brent Lang has been promoted to Executive Editor of Variety.

In his new role, Lang will help guide the venerable showbiz brand’s editorial operations across digital and print platforms. He will continue to oversee Variety’s film, media and theater coverage, and he serves as leader of the New York bureau.

“There’s an infinite number of words I would use to describe Brent Lang and my admiration for his breadth of genius, talent and skills as a journalist,” said Claudia Eller, Variety Editor-in-Chief. “He is also one of the most trustworthy, thoughtful and collegial people I’ve ever worked with and it’s a joy to watch him continue to flourish.”

Lang most recently served as Executive Editor of Film and Media and New York Bureau Chief. He joined Variety in 2014 as a senior film reporter. Lang will assume his new role this summer when Variety’s current Executive Editor,...

Variety has scored 98 nominations for the 2021 National Art and Entertainment Journalism awards, leading all publications.

The awards are presented yearly by the Los Angeles Press Club.

“Thank you to the Naej for recognizing the hard and wonderful work of our great team of writers and editors. We’re so honored,” said Claudia Eller, editor-in-chief of Variety.

Variety was nominated twice for print entertainment publication, for its “Hitmakers” and “Gamechangers” issues. Variety.com was nominated for entertainment website. Senior vice president Tim Gray and features editor Chris Willman both earned nominations for print journalist of the year, while deputy music editor Jem Aswad is nominated for online journalist of the year.

Variety scored six nominations across the photography and art category, including two nods for cover art, for the “Death of Cable” and “Power of Women” covers. Photo director Jennifer Dorn, former creative director Raul Aguila and photographer Sophy Holland were...

As Brent Lang and Rebecca Rubin aptly pointed out in their Dec. 30 story, the mega-success of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” — with global ticket sales of nearly $1.4 billion to date — reminds us that movie theaters “still create a kind of grand cultural happening that simply can’t be replicated on Netflix.”

While that is certainly the case, I remain personally troubled by the fact that so many other year-end releases, including “West Side Story,” “The Matrix Resurrections,” “Nightmare Alley,” “The King’s Man,” “King Richard,” “Belfast,” “C’mon C’mon,” “Spencer” and “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” among others, failed to lure crowds to multiplexes.

I adore John Fithian, leader of the National Assn. of Theatre Owners, and I have always shared his love and faith in moviegoing and its ability to survive challenging times, particularly over the past two years, when Covid-19 and the enormous popularity of streaming wreaked havoc on exhibition. However, I...

After 27 months, the Tony Awards returned on Sunday night to honor Broadway’s best. The ceremony — highlighting the shortened 2019-2020 season — served as an emotional ode to the power of live theater, as well as an elaborately produced advertisement to get audiences back to the Great White Way.

Split between streaming and live TV, viewers at home were treated to galvanic performances and moving speeches. Still, there’s plenty that cameras didn’t capture at the Winter Garden Theater in Manhattan. Here’s everything you didn’t see during the four-hour telecast.

A plea to wear masks

Broadway’s back, as audiences were reminded every few steps, and that meant pandemic-era safety protocols were in full force. Everyone had to be fully vaccinated in order to step foot in the theater, and anyone who walked the red carpet had to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken no more than 48 hours in advance.

I want to give a huge shout-out to our Herculean six-person team of editors and writers — Brent Lang, Cynthia Littleton, Gene Maddaus, Michael Schneider, Matt Donnelly and Joe Otterson — who collectively pulled off this week’s incredibly comprehensive cover story.

The piece, titled “Battle Royal,” chronicles and analyzes what Scarlett Johansson’s legal battle with Disney over her “Black Widow” compensation means for future talent deals, and it also documents and breaks news about some of the eye-popping salaries earned by Hollywood’s biggest stars of film and television.

Media companies’ priorities have radically shifted to populating their streaming platforms with as much high-profile content as possible to sign up as many subscribers as possible — profoundly altering the metrics of success and how talent gets paid in this newfound, more complex business environment.

As we know, Johansson cried foul when it came to all the money she claims she was...

Actor, producer and director Clifton Collins Jr. has signed with CAA.

Collins most recently starred in and executive produced the independent feature “Jockey.” The film premiered in competition at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, with Collins earning the Dramatic Special Jury Award for best actor.

Variety’s Peter Debruge referred to Collins’ work as a “career-best” role, writing that the actor, “walks like a jockey; he talks like a jockey; heck, he even rides like a jockey — which is a remarkable transformation for a character actor who’s been waiting far too long for such a shot in the saddle.”

To prepare to play Jackson Silva, an aging rider dealing with the physical and emotional baggage of his career, the actor shed 20 pounds to match the slender build of a professional jockey and pushed himself to embody the loner character.

“I cut myself off from the world,” Collins told...