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As it looks to reshape itself for a post-tv future, CNN has rehired a familiar name in a new C-suite role.

Amanda Wills, who departed the cable news brand in 2022 for The Wall Street Journal after a six-year run, has rejoined CNN as chief content officer, the company said on Monday.

The executive will work with the product team as it plans out its content strategy across TV, digital and streaming platforms and will report to Virginia Moseley, the executive editor of editorial. Wills’ start date will be April 14.

At the Journal, Wills held a similar title, chief content officer of video, overseeing the vertical for the News Corp. broadsheet.

While at CNN, Wills also worked on the short-lived foray into a subscription digital product, CNN+, as vp of content programming for the service that was scrapped after less than a month in between a sale of its parent company from AT&T to Discovery.

Exclusive: As Netflix’s Outer Banks is headed to its fifth and final seasons, one of the hit adventure series’ breakout stars, Drew Starkey, has joined the cast of Apple TV+’s limited series Lucky, headlined and executive produced by Anya Taylor-Joy and executive produced by Reese Witherspoon. He rounds out a star-studded main cast that also includes Annette Bening, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Timothy Olyphant.

Written by Jonathan Tropper based on Marissa Stapley’s bestselling novel and Reese’s Book Club pick of the same name, Lucky centers on a young woman (Taylor-Joy) who left behind the life of crime she was raised in years ago, but must now embrace her darker, criminal side one final time in a desperate attempt to escape her past.

In what is billed as a major recurring role, Starkey will play Cary, Lucky’s (Taylor-Joy) husband.

Hailing from Apple Studios, Lucky is co-showrun and...

Jane Fonda is urging Hollywood to confront these fraught times with empathy.

“What we, actors, create is empathy. Our job is to understand another human being so profoundly that we can touch their souls,” said Fonda, who was honored on Sunday night with SAG’s life achievement award. “And make no mistake, empathy is not weak or woke. By the way, woke just means you give a damn about other people.”

During her lively speech, Fonda made oblique references to the political environment and the Trump administration’s drive to cut federal jobs. “A whole lot of people are going to be really hurt by what is happening,” she said. “Even if they’re of a different political persuasion, we need to not judge but listen from our hearts.”

Fonda also spoke to the power of unions — like SAG-AFTRA — to protect people during unsettling moments in history. “I’m a big believer in unions.

For cinema owners, “Survive till 25” has become a mantra as one catastrophe after another has kicked their business’s recovery down the road. But the end of that long and winding road is here, so will the upcoming slate result in a true box office revival?

Over the next 11 months, Hollywood will unveil blockbuster hopefuls like “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,” “Jurassic World Rebirth,” “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “Wicked: For Good” and “Superman” with the goal of boosting the business to something resembling its pre-covid stature. With the pandemic and strikes in the rearview, domestic revenues are projected to reach $9.3 billion to $9.5 billion for the year. Those returns would rank as the best post-pandemic stretch though still down from before times, when North American ticket sales regularly climbed to $10.5 billion to $11 billion.

“We’re post Covid and post strikes. This is the new normal now,” says Shawn Robbins, Fandango’s director of movie analytics.

While Netflix is constantly adding things to its vast library, the streamer also has to get rid of things too. One can assume that Netflix has many large servers to house all the movies and series that we get to see. But maybe those servers begin to lack room, so some things have to go.

This week is not too bad for having to say goodbye to some items. The 21st is by far the saddest day. Southpaw is a fantastic film starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a boxer who must turn his life around after a tragedy occurs. It is a bit too by note at times, but the acting makes up for any lag in the story.

Book Club also leaves on that day. There is also little doubt as to the acting ability of the cast. The film features Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen.

In “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy,” the neurotic, lovelorn heroine hasn’t just swapped cigarettes for Nicorette. She’s traded the big screen for Peacock, a second-tier streaming service where the franchise’s fourth entry will debut on Feb. 13.

“[People] will watch this one at home,” says Helen Fielding, the author who created Bridget Jones. “If you’re Bridget’s generation, it will be with a bottle of wine and a tub of ice cream. If you’re Gen Z, it will be with lots of minerals, potions and slippers. But it’s a good movie to watch on the sofa.”

Relegating “Mad About the Boy” to streaming signals how far the romantic comedy has fallen in the 24 years since Bridget first captured audiences’ hearts. When “Bridget Jones’s Diary” hit theaters in 2001, the genre was at its zenith, with Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon, Sandra Bullock and of course Bridget herself,...

Prepare for a Tuesday morning brimming with anticipation and inspiration as “CBS Mornings” unveils the 56th NAACP Image Awards nominations, Oprah Winfrey’s latest Book Club pick, and a conversation with activist and poet Amanda Gorman. This January 7th episode promises a blend of entertainment, literature, and social activism. The NAACP Image Awards nominations, a significant […]

CBS Mornings Tuesday January 7, 2025: Amanda Gorman, Chloe Bailey...

Oprah Winfrey is one of the most influential women in the world. After her sensational The Oprah Winfrey Show launched her into fame, Winfrey used her fortune from television to venture into philanthropy. Coming from humble beginnings, she knew that she could help a lot of underprivileged people around the world to get the best opportunities.

Oprah Winfrey in The Oprah Winfrey Show | Credits: Wls-tv Chicago

However, the champion of women and LGBT+ rights has recently found herself in the midst of controversies. Winfrey’s alleged connections to disgraced individuals like Jeffrey Epstein, Harvey Weinstein, and Diddy have called her philanthropic work into question.

Oprah Winfrey’s philanthropy still earns her respect from audiences Oprah Winfrey in The Oprah Winfrey Show | Credits: Harpo Studios

According to Forbes, Oprah Winfrey donated nearly $400 million to educational organizations until 2012. She is one of the top African-American philanthropic individuals in America. According to the data from looktothestars.

Oprah Winfrey has launched a new podcast series that includes conversations with Oprah’s Book Club authors.

The Oprah Podcast will feature weekly conversations between Winfrey and thought leaders, cultural icons and more, as well as one conversation per month with an author from Oprah’s Book Club, in partnership with Starbucks. The podcast will be available on Oprah’s YouTube channel, with the audio versions available on all platforms.

Episodes will be released each Tuesday, kicking off on Dec. 3 with a conversation with Oprah’s Book Club author Claire Keegan on her book Small Things Like These. Each author interview will be filmed in Starbucks cafes, with the first conversation taking place at the Starbucks Reserve Empire State Building store in New York City and each book will also have an official Starbucks beverage pairing.

“Connecting with people about what matters to us in this moment, so we can...

Happy Thanksgiving! The festival that comes between two major holidays -Halloween and Christmas is all about gathering together to have some fun, a good time, and great food. The day is scheduled for family, food, and football. But after gorging on Turkey, what comes next? Well, obviously a movie marathon!

A snippet from Holidate (a Thanksgiving movie) | Credits: Netflix

Sit back with your friends and family and relax. While enjoying hot chocolate, watch some rom-coms that will ignite those butterflies and prepare you for the Christmas feeling. There’s no shortage of holiday romance flicks in this era. From cult classics to new-age romantic dramas – we have curated some recommendations in that category. Let’s dive in and take a look at the list of 10 rom-com movies with a Thanksgiving day theme that you can watch this weekend.

1. Always Be My Maybe A snippet from Always Be My Maybe | Credits:...

Women In Film has named its Board of Directors EVP Syrinthia Studer as president, the organization announced today. Her tenure, which will commence next year, picks up following Amy Baer’s 9-year term as leader of Wif’s board of directors.

“I’m now thrilled to pass the baton to an extraordinary woman, executive, and a friend, Wif’s next Board President, Syrinthia Studer,” Baer said in a statement. “A 25-year industry veteran with a career spanning from marketing to development, and from film to digital platforms production in the U.S. and globally. Syrinthia is a bold and caring leader, and Wif has already benefited from her vast and diverse experience and extraordinary leadership skills as a Board member since 2018, and most recently, Executive Vice President of the Wif Executive Committee. She has a clear-eyed, ambitious, and exciting agenda for Wif in 2025 and beyond.”

Wif CEO Kirsten Schaffer added,...

Hollywood has witnessed many an iconic pairing on the silver screen, from Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart to more recent ones like Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. But out of all these iconic pairs, one iconic couple keeps getting cast together and has worked in four movies together: Jane Fonda and Robert Redford.

Jane Fonda (M) and Robert Redford (R) in their first film together, The Chase | Credit: Columbia Pictures

The celebrated pairing of yesteryears, their romantic pairing is one of cinema’s most beloved, known for their undeniable chemistry. While Fonda certainly enjoyed working with the ever-so-dashing Redford, as per her revelation, he did not seem to have an equally good time with her or any other co-star as a matter of fact.

Jane Fonda Believes Robert Redford Has an Issue with Women Robert Redford and Jane Fonda in The Electric Horseman | Credit: Universal Pictures

Jane Fonda and Robert...

New Movie Alert: The Best Flicks Hitting Each Streamer This Spooktober Week - Main Image

Having a hard time keeping track of new film releases on popular streamers? We've got you covered! Check out this list of new movies releasing this week!

From classic films to cinematic stories hitting digital streaming platforms, this article navigates the best new flicks available for each streamer: Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, you name it!

New Movies Hitting Netflix This WeekBook Club (2018)Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)Family Pack (2024) Don't Move (2024)The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (2024)

Apart from bringing back the classic Book Club and of course, Kung Fu Panda 4 officially hitting streamers, Family Pack, Don't Move, and The Remarkable Life of Ibelin offer a variety of themes.

Family Pack has a similar storyline to Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Don't Move is for lovers of escape thrillers, while The Remarkable Life is a...

Ben Stiller returns to the world of sports with an all-star cast for a new film. Red Hour Films and Rivulet Films will re-team for the upcoming pickleball comedy, The Dink, which is set to star Jake Johnson in the leading role, with Mary Steenburgen (Book Club series) and Ed Harris (Pollock) also set to star. Ben Stiller (Zoolander) and former tennis champion Andy Roddick will have key supporting roles. Josh Greenbaum will direct the original screenplay from Sean Clements (Workaholics). Principal photography is set to begin in Los Angeles in November.

The Dink follows a washed-up tennis pro (Johnson) who, in trying to save a club in crisis and win his father’s respect, is forced to break a solemn vow and do the one thing he swore he’d never do: play pickleball.

John Lesher and Ben Stiller are producing through their Red Hour Films banner alongside Rivulet...

Former tennis champion Andy Roddick will star alongside Jake Johnson, Mary Steenburgen and Ed Harris in the upcoming pickleball comedy “The Dink.”

Josh Greenbaum, the filmmaker of “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar” and the upcoming documentary “Will & Harper,” is directing the film. Ben Stiller’s company Red Hour Films and Rivulet Films will serve as producers. Sean Clements wrote the screenplay for “The Dink,” which is set to begin principle photography this November in Los Angeles.

Johnson will play a washed-up tennis pro who is trying to save a club in crisis and win his father’s respect. But in the process, he’s forced to break a solemn vow and do the one thing he swore he’d never do: play pickleball. It’s unclear who anyone else is playing in “The Dink,” but Stiller will appear in a supporting role.

Rivulet will also be...

Exclusive: We hear that Candle Media’s Hello Sunshine has sold a film adaptation of the Alexene Farol Follmuth bestseller Twelfth Knight to Netflix, which Anyone But You scribe Ilana Wolpert will adapt.

Twelfth Knight was a Reese’s Book Club pick and spent four weeks on The New York Times bestseller list.

Twelfth Knight has a 10 Things I Hate About You meets Easy A sensibility and is a contemporary reimagining of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. The story follows 17-year-old Viola Reyes, a kick-ass gamer who has long written off football star and class president Jack Orsimi, until she discovers him playing her favorite online RPG. Sick of all the drama that comes with being a girl in the gaming world, Vi plays under the guise of a male avatar. In getting to know each other via their anonymous online personas, Jack believes he’s found a dude best...

A quarter-century ago, frustrated by Hollywood’s paucity of good roles for middle-aged women, Bette Milder renounced the industry, declaring, “Movies are over for me.” Today, at 78, with a new comedy in theaters and a handful of other flicks burbling in development, she’s obviously had second thoughts. “When did I say that?” she asks. “I must have been in the dumps. I’m often in the dumps.”

Any artist might find themselves in the dumps, and Midler, an admitted chronic tsuris sufferer, may have spent periods of her six-decade-plus career feeling down, even momentarily out of fashion, but she inevitably locates one opportunity or another to propel herself up. Because Midler can do it all — sing, act, tell jokes and hoof pretty well, too, even imprisoned onstage in a mermaid costume — her career has been marked by a kind of Whac-a-Mole movement around the industry, flourishing in one genre...

The Fabulous Four has a solid main story about friendship, but lacks depth in certain subplots and characters. The film successfully balances comedy with heartfelt moments, thanks to the cast's chemistry and genuine performances. Despite some underdeveloped elements, The Fabulous Four is an engaging and fun movie that explores the complexities of friendship.

The Fabulous Four (2024) is a very straightforward movie, though it doesnt get to the root of its problem until the end is upon us, and were lulled into the safety of a cheerful happy ending. The film contends with a strained friendship that fell apart because of a man and a lack of communication over hurt feelings. While I immediately wanted to sigh in frustration because of the reason, Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Millys script, while silly, doesnt treat it lightly. With a game and, dare I say, fabulous cast, the films at least more than its basic premise.

Earlier this summer we had to endure the misbegotten Summer Camp which was yet another attempt by Diane Keaton, joined by Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard, to mix comedy and later-in-life drama in an older female bonding flick. Keaton had great success in the first film that announced this subgenre, 2018’s Book Club, which smartly matched four veteran actresses including Jane Fonda that led to a more mixed-results sequel set in Italy. Fonda also found real success in the subgenre with the entertaining 80 For Brady with Sally Field, Rita Moreno and Lily Tomlin along for the ride. Thus it seemed natural that other beloved female stars of a certain age would also want to jump on board in this game attempt to reverse Hollywood’s youth obsession and provide a little something-something for aging boomers everywhere.

The Fabulous Four is the latest to try out the formula, and at least...

Whether they travel in groups of three or four, accomplished women of a certain age and their wacky adventures are having a movie moment. The latest entry in this subgenre is a frothy outing that sometimes falls flat, but at least The Fabulous Four doesn’t oversell its theme of friendship or its aha moments of catharsis.

Whatever the feature’s shortcomings, its title is not false advertising; there’s nothing ho-hum about the central quartet of characters, longtime friends who gather when one of them decides, on very short notice, that she’s getting married. As with Book Club, though, the fabulosity is more about the actors — in this case, two true icons (Susan Sarandon and Bette Midler) and two supreme masters of quippery (Sheryl Lee Ralph and Megan Mullally). The opening credits are a valentine to all four.

Director Jocelyn Moorhouse is no stranger to powerhouse female casts,...

There is nothing like having friends over for a good meal and conversation. That’s the basis for AMC Networks’ In the Kitchen with Harry Hamlin. The series on AMC+ and IFC shows the renowned actor, writer, and entrepreneur Harry Hamlin cooking delicious dishes with his niece and Le Cordon Bleu School-trained chef Renee Guilbault for famous guests. The pair hosted a holiday special with a similar format, which ended up being just the appetizer for what was to come. Each of the five episodes brings in another star-filled dinner party including Hamlin’s wife Lisa Rinna (Real Housewives of Beverly Hills), Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live), Ted Danson (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Mary Steenburgen (Book Club), Dean Norris (Breaking Bad), Tongayi Chirisa (Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches) and Ed Begley Jr. (Better Call Saul) to name a few. Here Guilbault shares what it was like growing up with her Uncle Harry,...

It is a sad state of affairs in Hollywood when you can have such talented actors as Diane Keaton, Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard, but the best you can do is stick them in boomer-baiting forgettable comedic contrivances like Summer Camp, the latest in a long line of movies for Keaton, who also is a producer on it, in which she is cast with female peers of similar age to mix slapschtick with attempted pathos and senior romance. It is the kind of formula you can sell with a simple pitch: Take three beloved septuagenarian Oscar winning and nominated stars and send them back to the summer camp where they bonded as kids. Hilarity and hijinks ensue, along with giving each a later-in-life regret or dead husband to add a bit of drama to the proceedings. Bingo! The mid-week matinees will be sellouts!

Sorry if that all sounds a bit...

The star hopes for some more of that Book Club magic although she’s the weakest link in a trio buoyed by Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard

The many gasps that met the $100m-plus box office total for 2018’s Book Club were not quite shared by all. The film, a frothy comedy led by four women over the age of 65, might have been an outlier at the time but it proved that once again, when smartly catered to, underserved audiences will come out en masse, a more inevitable result than many seem to think. When Bridesmaids proved this with younger women back in 2011, the industry was lethargic in its response, a wave of adjacent green lights failing to come as expected but Book Club had an instant impact, a string of grey-hued imitators in its wake.

But luck ran out a little faster than expected. Jane Fonda’s 80 for Brady...

It happens to many of us above a certain age. You wake up one day, and realize that your life involves neither your childhood besties, nor the carefree bliss you once took for granted. With that in mind, Castille Landon’s wearisome comedy “Summer Camp” ponders, what if there was a way to awaken our inner child and reestablish our priorities later in life through some fun and play? It’s surely a worthy enough premise for a good time, but one “Summer Camp” squanders through dull jokes, an uninspiring story without any real stakes and an overall phony feeling that the film can’t shake.

Indeed, “Summer Camp” often seems only as authentic as a high-end glamping site, when it unsuccessfully tries to convince the audience that it’s the real deal about the virtues of letting your hair down once in a while — a teaching that the film hammers on,...

May comes to a close with a quieter weekend full of odds and ends and nothing particularly wide in terms of studio releases. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.

After a fairly disappointing Memorial Day weekend, the month ends with a number of moderately wide releases. Since most of these new films are smaller, few theater counts have been reported, making it tougher to determine how some of them might perform, though it’s likely that only one will be getting a wide enough release to potentially break into the Top 5. Otherwise, we’re looking at a repeat of the Top 4 with the slightest chance that “The Garfield Movie” might pass “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” with few of the new releases targeting family audiences.

The one movie that has the best chance at cracking the Top 5 would probably be Crunchyroll’s latest Anime feature “Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle,...

The gender pay gap in Hollywood is one of the most surprising yet unfortunate realities in Hollywood. Over the years, many actors and actresses like Jennifer Lawrence, Ronda Rousey, and many more are some big names that have spoken out about the gap in their pay in accordance with their male co-stars. Diane Keaton was also one of the big names, that talked about the issue when she was working with Jack Nicholson in their 2003 rom-com film.

Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson in Something’s Gotta Give. Credits: Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.

Even though she was in the lead role in the film, her pay was substantially low in comparison to her co-star’s which had left her disappointed but not surprised. However, she was taken by surprise in the following years of the release of her film because she received a cheque with an enormous amount written on it.

Jack...

German distributor-producer SquareOne Entertainment, part of rising European film studio Vuelta Group, has acquired German film and TV production, distribution and licensing company Telepool, which was owned by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook.

The news was announced Wednesday by Vuelta Group chairman Jerome Levy and CEO of SquareOne and Vuelta Group Germany Al Munteanu.

Munteanu will spearhead the newly combined entity under the SquareOne banner with Michael Heyd serving as CFO/COO.

The newly combined SquareOne entity will boast a library consisting of over 1,200 titles such as “Drive,” “Intouchables,” “The Olympus Has Fallen,” “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” “Imitation Game,” “Lone Survivor,” “Book Club,” “Transporter 3,” “King Richard,” “Maurice the Tomcat” and the recently released “One Life” among others.

“For over 60 years, Telepool has been one of the leading global content houses and we are proud of the work we did with the company,” said Westbrook CEO Kosaku Yada.

Don Johnson is set to star alongside The Mighty Ducks trilogy star Joshua Jackson in Dr. Odyssey, an upcoming ABC drama series by veteran show-runner Ryan Murphy. Produced by 20th Television in collaboration with Ryan Murphy Television.

The show's premise remains shrouded in mystery. However, the title suggests a medical procedural set aboard a cruise ship. Details about Don Johnson’s character are being closely guarded. The series is written and executive produced by Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz, and Joe Baken. Paris Barclay is on board as director and executive producer. Eric Paquette, Alexis Martin Woodall, Eric Kovtun, Scott Robertson, and Nissa Diederich are also executive producers alongside Jackson.

Related Grotesquerie: Ryan Murphy Unveils New Horror Show With Dahmer's Niecy Nash-Betts American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy is producing an all-new horror drama, with Dahmers Niecy Nash-Betts attached to lead.

Don Johnson is best remembered for his iconic roles...

Paging Don Johson! Report to the set of Ryan Murphy’s new ABC drama series, Dr. Odyssey, to join Joshua Jackson on a medical emergency! That’s right, patients. Don Johnson is scrubbing up for Murphy’s mysterious new project, Dr. Odyssey, which could be a medical procedural. The 20th Century Studios series targets a fall launch, with Ryan Murphy Television leading the charge.

While details about the show remain a mystery, reports indicate it’s a medical procedural aboard a cruise ship. If we know Murphy, there’s more than ship-wide food poisoning on the menu. Details about Johnson’s character remain unknown.

Murphy will write Dr. Odyssey and executive produce with Jon Robin Baitz and Joe Baken. Paris Barclay directs and executive produces Dr. Odyssey. Eric Paquette, Alexis Martin Woodall, Eric Kovtun, Scott Robertson, and Nissa Diederich also executive produce alongside Jackson.

We’re big fans of Don Johnson in these parts,...

Exclusive: Don Johnson is set to star opposite Joshua Jackson in Dr. Odyssey, a new ABC drama series from Ryan Murphy, which is targeting a fall launch. It hails from 20th Television in association with Ryan Murphy Television.

As is the case with any Ryan Murphy series, no details about the premise are being revealed. As the title suggests, Dr. Odyssey is believed to be a medical procedural. According to sources, it is set on a cruise ship.

Details about Johnson’s character are being kept under wraps.

Dr. Odyssey is written and executive produced by Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz and Joe Baken. Paris Barclay is directing and executive producing. Eric Paquette, Alexis Martin Woodall, Eric Kovtun, Scott Robertson and Nissa Diederich also executive produce alongside Jackson.

Johnson is known for his roles as Det. Sonny Crockett on the classic 1980s NBC series Miami Vice and as the title character...

Murphy Brown was a hit in the '90s for its strong portrayal of a female reporter tackling real issues. The 2018 revival of Murphy Brown only lasted one season, likely due to its heavy focus on politics. Candice Bergen and the rest of the cast have continued with guest appearances and new projects since the show ended.

Murphy Brown was one of the biggest comedies of the 1990s. Candice Bergen's titular investigative reporter for the Fyi news magazine captured viewers' attention on CBS for ten seasons and nearly 250 episodes. That's a run that fewer and fewer shows see these days.

Murphy Brown stood out for its strong portrayal of a no-nonsense female reporter tackling significant issues of the day. The show was a hallmark of its time, so it's no surprise it was given the reboot treatment in 2018. However, this revival only lasted one season before CBS pulled the plug.

Fifth Season has promoted Christopher Slager to head of film as it expands in-house production and development and announced that Alexis Garcia is leaving to set up his own venture with backing from the company.

Slager, who has been at Fifth Season for some time, previously served as a partner and SVP of film finance and sales at Endeavor Content, and before that worked at WME.

Prior to that he was at Focus Features. Credits include The Florida Project, Mudbound, The Banker, The Peanut Butter Falcon, Pig, and the Book Club franchise.

Slager will take charge of the film studio...

Today, Apple TV+ announced a second season renewal for its gripping, hit series The Last Thing He Told Me, based on the forthcoming sequel to the acclaimed, No. 1 New York Times bestselling novel and Reese’s Book Club pick by Laura Dave.

Dave’s highly anticipated sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me novel is confirmed for publication in 2025 — from Simon & Schuster/Marysue Ricci Books in the U.S., and Penguin Random House/Century Books in the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand — ahead of the premiere of the second season of the Apple TV+ series.

Hailing from 20th Television and Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine (a part of Candle Media), The Last Thing He Told Me season two will expand the story. Stars Jennifer Garner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Angourie Rice, and David Morse will reprise their roles.

“Like so many people, I fell for Hannah on page one...

Apple TV+ has picked up a second season of The Last Thing He Told Me, which will be based on the forthcoming sequel to the bestselling novel by Laura Dave.

The sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me tome is set for publication in 2025 from Simon & Schuster/Marysue Rucci Books in the U.S. and Penguin Random House/Century Books in the UK, Australia and New Zealand – ahead of the premiere of the second season of the Apple TV+ series.

Season 2 will expand the story, with stars Jennifer Garner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Angourie Rice and David Morse set to reprise their roles. The thriller from 20th Television and Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine follows Hannah Hall (Garner), who must forge a relationship with her 16-year-old stepdaughter Bailey (Rice) in order to find the truth about why her husband has mysteriously disappeared.

The complete first season of the 2023 series is...

Exclusive: Nicholas Braun, Tommy Dewey and Nicholas Podany have joined the cast of Sony Pictures’ SNL 1975, which will be directed by Jason Reitman and based on the real-life behind-the-scenes accounts of the opening episode of Saturday Night Live.

Braun will play Jim Henson, Dewey will play Michael O’Donoghue, and Podany will play Billy Crystal. The original screenplay is by Reitman and Gil Kenan.

On October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. SNL 1975 is the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real time to the infamous words, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”

The screenplay is based on an extensive series of interviews conducted by...

Exclusive: Actor, producer and writer Tommy Dewey has signed with Anonymous Content in all areas.

Most recently, Dewey starred in and executive-produced Caroline Lindy’s romantic comedy-horror feature, Your Monster, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Dewey stars in the film as ‘Monster’ opposite Melissa Barrera.

Additional film credits include Jason Reitman’s The Front Runner, opposite Hugh Jackman, Marc Carlini’s indie dramedy She’s In Portland, and Paramount hit Book Club.

Dewey is best known for his co-lead role on Hulu’s Golden Globe-nominated original series Casual opposite Michaela Watkins. His additional TV credits include the Fox comedy series Pivoting, HBO’s Perry Mason, and his recurring role on The Mindy Project.

He continues to be represented by The Kohner Agency and Myman Greenspan, et al.

Wheel of Fortune viewers are livid and have accused host Pat Sajak of cheating a contestant out of $50,000.

While Pat Sajak finishes out his 41st and final season as the host of Wheel of Fortune, fans of the show have been more outspoken about his behavior on-air.

In recent months, many have claimed that Pat is robbing contestants of big money, either because he heard them incorrectly or he has a personal vendetta against them.

During a recent episode of Wheel of Fortune, a contestant named Tamara from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania tried her hand during the game’s Bonus Round.

The category was “What Are You Doing?” and after being supplied with the customary letters R, S, T, L, N, and E, Tamara chose her own, G, D, B, and A.

This left Tamara with a puzzle that read “_ _ _ N _ N G / A / B_ _ _ / _ L _ B.”

“Now, pay attention [to] what’s up there,...

Stars of Saturday Night Live and Shark Tank aligned in SNL’s January 27 episode as host Dakota Johnson played a book club member with an improbable million-dollar idea. And if you live for Johnson’s “That’s not the truth, Ellen” energy, the Madame Web star’s cutting wit was on full display on SNL, as you’ll see in the highlights below. In Saturday’s “Book Club” sketch, Johnson’s catty character told her fellow club members that she’s getting ready to pitch a product on Shark Tank. That product is a T-shirt that reads, “Don’t ask if I’m okay. I’m okay. But if everyone starts asking if I’m okay, I might start crying.” Confused? So were the other club members. “Is it, like, a special type of T-shirt?” Sarah Sherman’s character asks. “Or is it just a T-shirt that says that on it?...

Some actors, like Jane Fonda and Debra Winger, retire from acting but later make a comeback, sometimes after a break of 10 to 20 years. Retirement from show business is not always permanent, as many actors return to the industry for various reasons, including the desire to work with great directors or pursue new opportunities. Notable actors like Rick Moranis, Daniel Day-Lewis, Joe Pesci, Ke Huy Quan, Shelley Duvall, and Cameron Diaz have all retired from acting at some point but have since returned to the screen.

Despite "retiring" at one point in their careers, some actors returned to acting eventually. While retirement is part of any professional journey, some actors work well into their old age. However, others retire much earlier than that. Plenty of actors over the years have announced their retirement from show business and have yet to return, from Gene Hackman to Jack Nicholson, and Amanda Bynes to Portia de Rossi.

Lionsgate is in advanced discussions to purchase motion picture rights to Chandler Baker’s short story “Big Bad,” according to an insider with knowledge of the project. Additionally, the studio is in talks with director Chris Landon to produce and helm from an adaptation by Baker.

Todd Lieberman and Hidden Pictures will produce along with Landon.

Baker is the New York Times bestselling author of “Whisper Network,” a Reese’s Book Club pick from 2019.

“Big Bad” is part of Creature Feature, a collection of devilishly creepy stories that tingle the spine and twist the mind. “Big Bad” in particular focuses on werewolves preying on a family that must survive the night in an isolated farmhouse.

“Big Bad” will mark Landon’s next film following his exit from “Scream 7” late last year. The news comes after an insider revealed to TheWrap that Jenna Ortega would not return for “Scream VII...

Exclusive: We understand that Amazon Studios MGM Senior Production & Development Executive Sandino Moya-Smith was unfortunately part of the cuts made by the streaming/theatrical studio this morning.

Moya-Smith, who was involved in development and also feature physical production, was recently working on Doug Liman’s Road House starring Jake Gyllenhaal as an ex-UFC middleweight fighter who ends up working at a rowdy bar in the Florida Keys where things are not as they seem. Moya-Smith was also overseeing Wrecking Crew, the Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa buddy action comedy from Blue Beetle director Ángel Manuel Soto. The executive was part of the film teams overseen by Courtenay Valenti and Julie Rapaport.

Moya-Smith was hired during the Jonathan Glickman-run era of the MGM Motion Picture Group, and continued to work throughout the Michael De Luca-Pamela Abdy regime into the studio’s absorption by Amazon. Prior to Amazon’s takeover over MGM,...

A nearly decade-long Marvel television mystery was finally been solved after Academy Award-winning writer John Ridley finally revealed that his scrapped Marvel TV series would've been Eternals, but his comments about the Chloe Zhao movie have created controversy.

In 2015, Ridley leaked plans for a television show based on a Marvel property for the Disney-owned network ABC, in which the writer claimed to be "reinventing and existing Marvel superhero character or property" for television. Now, Ridley has finally opened up about the project, revealing that it was set to be an adaptation of Marvel's Eternals, which he described as "weird" and somewhat self-indulgent. "What’s entertaining to me is often not populist," Ridley said to the Comic Book Club podcast. "Which is great for a lot of the work I do, but this needed to be more popular.”

Related Marvel's Kevin Feige Hints At Harry Styles' MCU Return Following Eternals Cameo...

Consider the opening scene from Marvel‘s Eternals. A teenage boy picks up a power drill and switches it on. As the whirring of the motor intensifies, the boy puts the drill to his ear and slowly, methodically. pushes it in.

What? You don’t remember that scene? Probably because it comes not from the 2021 movie Eternals, but from the 2015 television show Eternals. Moreover, it comes from a treatment from writer John Ridley, who had been hired by Marvel to develop the show, which never came to fruition.

Unlike Inhumans, another unpopular Jack Kirby tale about an anti-social group of superpowered weirdos, which was announced as a movie but became a TV series, Eternals began as a television program before it transitioned to a movie. A veteran of television, movies (winner of the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for 12 Years a Slave), and comics, Ridley seemed like the perfect person...

If you’ve got a good memory, you might just recall that John Ridley (12 Years a Slave) was tapped to develop a Marvel TV series for ABC way back in 2015. The project didn’t move forward, but while speaking on the Comic Book Club podcast, Ridley revealed that it would have been an Eternals TV series.

“It’s not in the works anymore,” Ridley said. “It was a television version of The Eternals… but good.” Marvel Television was in charge of the small-screen side of the MCU at the time, but when they were folded into Marvel Studios, the project was officially scrapped. However, Ridley believes that his Eternals TV series would have been better than the movie which was released in 2021.

Related Kit Harington says Black Knight was never going to be in the Blade movie

“My version was the good version,” Ridley said. “It was so f***ing weird.

The Off Air podcast, presented by leading broadcasters Jane Garvey and Fi Glover, has exceeded 10 million listens since it was launched by The Times in October 2022.

The award-winning journalists Jane and Fi joined Times Radio in an exclusive deal to present their first daily live news show last year. Fresh from their radio show the duo keep the mics on for their podcast, to say what they really think - unencumbered and off air. They are joined by a wide-range of guests, who have included Jamie Oliver, Eddie Izzard, Lorraine Kelly, Clare Balding and more. They also launched their Book Club this year, with special bonus episodes reviewing books hand picked by listeners.

Jane Garvey said; “Thanks for being there! It’s always such a pleasure to read your emails and know that we’re all part of something daft, meandering, but supportive. It’s a global podcast community!”

Fi...

Cj Enm remains majority stakeholder and endeavor a strategic shareholder.

Fifth Season, the producer and financier formerly known as Endeavor Content, has secured a $225m from strategic investment from Toho International.

The US subsidiary of Toho Co, which just released Godzilla Minus One which has grossed $25.6m after two weekends, owns a 25% equity stake in the company.

Cj Enm remains majority stakeholder and Endeavor Group Holdings continues as strategic shareholder.

Cj Enm and Fifth Season will work with Toho to produce global film and TV and participate in content produced in Japan, while Toho’s development and production executives will team with Fifth Season.

Tonight, Lifetime will jump on the sentimental trend of reuniting veteran actresses for our giddy enjoyment by airing Ladies of the 80s: A Divas Christmas, a festive romp that stars Loni Anderson (Wkrp in Cincinnati), Morgan Fairchild (Falcon Crest), Linda Gray (Dallas), Donna Mills (Knots Landing) and Nicollette Sheridan (Knots Landing).

The holiday flick from longtime producer Larry A. Thompson (Liz & Dick) follows five soap opera divas as they reunite to shoot the final Christmas episode of their long-running sudser.

“I’ve known all these ladies all these years,” he told Deadline. “We’ve worked together, made movies together, and Donna Mills I’ve managed since Knot’s Landing and I still do. So between managing Donna and being friends with the ladies, I said it might be fun to have all these ladies in a movie. And there’s been a trend lately of older stars joining together to be in movies,...

Book Club: The Next Chapter sets up the possibility of a sequel, hinting at unresolved storylines and potential character developments for Book Club 3. The original film and its sequel were hits, making a third installment likely, with the main cast, including Jane Fonda and Diane Keaton, expected to reprise their roles. While the details of the third movie remain uncertain, the location and plot will likely continue to be influenced by the strong presence of the ensemble cast, which has been a key factor in the success of the franchise.

After the release of the 2023 sequel Book Club: The Next Chapter, the hilarious comedy series has become a franchise, but will there be a Book Club 3? The original film was released in 2018 and tells the story of a group of older women who try to spice up their love lives after reading Fifty Shades of Grey. Though Book Club was...

Exclusive: UTA Independent Film Group and CAA Media Finance are co-repping North American rights and Protagonist Pictures has come on board to handle international rights to Summer Camp. The film stars Diane Keaton and Kathy Bates along with Alfre Woodard. Rounding out the ensemble is Eugene Levy, Dennis Haysbert, Nicole Richie (Great News) and Josh Peck (Oppenheimer).

The film is currently in post-production and exclusive footage will be available to screen at AFM.

Written and directed by Castille Landon (After franchise), Summer Camp tells the story of Nora, Ginny and Mary, who have been best friends since childhood, spending their summers together at sleepaway camp. Fifty years later, a reunion at Camp Pinnacle means they’ll be back together just like old times. Their lives might not be where they’d imagine,...

Neon has hired Kristen Figeroid as their new President of International Sales and Distribution. She will also handle sales on third-party projects and will be joined by fellow studio newcomers Laurel Charnetsky and Dan Stadnicki.

Charnetsky will be VP, International Acquisitions & Operations, and Stadnicki will be Manager, International Sales and Distribution. They will be joining the studio as it plans to expand its distribution and production capabilities.

Figeroid most recently served as Managing Director and Executive Vice President of Sales & Distribution at Sierra/Affinity. While there, she handled sales for movies like “Atomic Blonde,” “Whiplash” and “Nightcrawler.” Prior to that she was SVP of International Sales & Distribution at Endeavor Content where she worked on the likes of “The Lost Daughter,” “Monkey Man,” “The Peanut Butter Falcon,” “Book Club” and “Assassination Nation.”

Prior to Neon, Charnetsky served as Director of Film Acquisitions for Sierra/Affinity. She previously held sales & acquisitions roles with WME Independent,...