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Beginning April 10, Netflix will stream a reimagined version of the beloved internet series Pop the Balloon. Pop the Balloon Live is the same show fans know and love, but with even higher stakes, fresh twists, and celebrity surprises, all unfolding in real time.

For those who are just now … popping in, Pop the Balloonis a speed dating–style online show created by Bolia Matundu (Bm) and Arlette Amuli, who also serve as executive producers of the new Netflix iteration of the YouTube series. In the show, participants line up, and others “pop the balloon” of those they’re not interested in, essentially eliminating them from the dating pool. As connections form and tensions rise, one thing is certain: When your balloon pops, so, alas, does your shot at love on the show. The live version will bring eliminations, unpredictable dilemmas, and unfiltered romance straight to viewers.

Plus, alongside everyday contestants,...

Luffy may be one of anime's most beloved protagonists, but even after decades in the spotlight, he remains full of surprises. While his carefree nature, insatiable appetite and boundless optimism are widely recognized, some of his most intriguing traits are often overlooked. From bizarre abilities to unusual quirks, Luffy’s character is far more complex than his bright personality lets on.

What makes Luffy especially fascinating is how unique he is, both within One Piece and across anime as a whole. Some of his powers are rare even in his own world, while others are entirely one-of-a-kind. After over 20 years of development, Eiichiro Oda has layered Luffy with countless oddities that set him apart from typical shonen anime leads — making him a character fans can’t help but love.

Luffy Is 1 of the Few Characters With the Will of D. However, Gol D. Roger Is the Only One Piece Character...

Momentum is gaining on A24’s live-action Barney movie from Mattel Films and Daniel Kaluuya’s 59% Productions, as the companies have set Emmy and Golden Globe winner Ayo Edebiri to write the screenplay and also have her in talks to star.

First announced in 2019, the film’s plot is being kept under wraps. Kevin McKeon and Andrew Scannell are overseeing for Mattel Films, with Robbie Brenner producing for Mattel, along with A24, as well as Kaluuya and Rowan Riley for 59% Productions.

A purple dinosaur who has been a staple of children’s television for decades, Barney was first introduced to the world via direct-to-video series Barney & the Backyard Gang in 1988, breaking out as a global sensation with the series Barney & Friends, which aired for 14 seasons on PBS between 1992 and 2010.

In a July 2023 interview with The New Yorker, Mattel exec Kevin McKeon revealed that the live-action Barnie would be adult-oriented and “surrealistic,...

Hulu's original series "Tell Me Lies" became a huge and somewhat unexpected hit after its first season released in 2022, and that's probably because its story of a deeply toxic college relationship is just so universal. Based on Carola Lovering's book of the same name and adapted by Meaghan Oppenheimer (who previously worked on "Fear the Walking Dead" and "Queen America"), "Tell Me Lies" splits its timeline in two, telling the twisted "love" story of Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White), who meet at Baird College in upstate New York and carry on an on-again, off-again relationship that ends up creating plenty of collateral damage. In 2008, Stephen and Lucy are carefree students at Baird, but in 2015, they're trapped together at a wedding ... and it's clear that things aren't quite finished between them.

Van Patten, like her co-star White, comes from a Hollywood family (White is...

Thanksgiving is traditionally a holiday that people celebrate with their families, over a heavy turkey dinner. But, for the people in America, the holiday season kicks off with the iconic— Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. With its massive balloons, vibrant floats, and captivating performances, the parade leaves the audience enchanted each year.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade | Credit: Image by John Prato licensed under Cc-By-sa 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

However, not every year has been smooth sailing and there have been quite a few mishaps that resulted in everything from a plane crash to Barney the Dinosaur being stabbed to ‘death.’

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Its Awful Fiascos Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade | Credit: Image by Anthony Quintano licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

For years, Thanksgiving for many Americans, has been watching the colorful and wonderful Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Now more of a tradition than a spectacle,...

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Call me if you get tickets!

Tyler, the Creator has returned with his first album in years, the critically acclaimed Chromakopia. Now the Grammy-winning star is set to take fans deeper into the Chromakopia world with a global trek, slated to kick off in North America next February. Tickets for Tyler, the Creator’s Chromakopia Tour go on sale today (though stubs could sell out fast).

At a Glance: How to Buy Tyler,...

Tyler, the Creator occupies a rarefied space within mainstream music as a multi-hyphenated, critically acclaimed hip-hop artist in the mold of idols Pharrell Williams and Kanye West. His bona fides have been well established through a series of carefully constructed projects, but he continues to raise the stakes, ostensibly driven by an inherent need to prove his artistry, his eclecticism, or his relentless urge to push any and all boundaries.

Tyler’s eighth studio album, Chromakopia, is another intentionally messy exploration of tumultuous emotions, this time grappling with the complexities of an early midlife crisis in the public spotlight. The key phrase here is “intentionally messy,” a recurring trait in Tyler’s discography that serves as a convenient shield against criticisms that his lyrical content is, at times, a bit half-baked—such as his painfully simplistic and patronizing perspective on “middle-class” rappers pretending to be from the hood on “Take Your Mask Off.

Tyler, the Creator’s life is a movie. Or, at least, that’s the impression he’s given us over the course of nearly 15 years. His debut mixtape, 2009’s Bastard, introduced us to its cast of characters — from Tyler’s pitched-down voice, serving as his therapist, Dr. Tc, to Wolf Haley, or Ace. From the start, his origin story has followed the hallmarks of the so-called trauma plot, where a central emotional fissure is essential to our main character’s struggles. Bastard’s focus, Tyler’s turbulent home life (most...

Tyler, The Creator’s newest studio album Chromakopia is finally here and fans are blessed with new hip-hop/rap music to listen to. The 14-track project that clocks in at almost an hour boasts of massive collaborations with only the greatest artists in the industry such as Doechii, Lil Wayne, Childish Gambino, and Daniel Caesar, to name a few.

Credits: Tyler, The Creator via SpringHill

Chromakopia marks the musician’s eighth studio album, a passion project that he worked on silently, even hinting that he wouldn’t be releasing anything new for the year. More than a week ago, he revealed the album along with a teaser of the first track, exciting fans for what’s to come their way.

Tyler, The Creator Surprises Fans With an All-New Album Chromakopia

At the last-minute listening party held at Los Angeles Dome on Sunday night, Tyler, The Creator told the crowd that...

Tyler, the Creator has released his new album, Chromakopia.

First announced with a teaser video earlier this month, Chromakopia is Tyler’s first full-length release since 2021’s Call Me If You Get Lost. Released via Columbia, the new album was preceded by the single “Noid,” which dropped alongside an Ayo Edebiri-starring music video earlier this week.

Get Tyler the Creator Tickets Here

Now, Chromakopia has arrived in its entirety — and bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, at that, being released at 6:00 a.m. Et on Monday morning. Spanning 14 tracks, the album contains collaborations with ScHoolboy Q, GloRilla, Doechii, Childish Gambino, Lil Wayne, Teezo Touchdown, and more. Stream the album below.

Up next, Tyler’s annual festival, Camp Flog Gnaw, is set to go down in Los Angeles on November 16th and 17th, with performances by himself, André 3000, Erykah Badu, Mustard, Playboi Carti, Earl Sweatshirt, and more (get tickets).

Then, in February,...

This week on The Anime Effect: To celebrate 10 years of The Book of Life , filmmaker Jorge R. Gutierrez joins the show to talk about his love for anime, including how Spirited Away inspired his celebrated film and the surprising place he first watched Akira . Plus, the latest news on One Piece , SK8 the Infinity and much, much more, including recommendations from our resident anime experts! Episode 36 of The Anime Effect is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere else you listen to your podcasts! If you're waiting to watch the video episode, it'll be live on Crunchyroll and YouTube at 7 p.m. Et. Listen or Watch on: Episode 36 Summary In this week's episode, LeAlec, Nick, and returning guest host Josellie Rios chat about their Fall 2024 anime watchlist so far, a new Goku balloon gets ready to debut in New York City, and we chat about My Hero Academia announcing its final season.

This week on “Tamron Hall,” host Tamron Hall kicks off Season 6 as she welcomes guests Erica Campbell, Kelly Bensimon, Lish Steiling, Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams, Marvin Sapp and Fred Hammond, among others.

Guest Lineup Monday, September 2, 2024– You’re Invited to the Cookout!: Today, a daytime TV first! An epic performance as DJ Cassidy brings his “Pass the Mic Live!” Las Vegas residency to the Tam Fam cookout, with rap legends Ja Rule, Fat Joe and Doug E. Fresh! Plus, R&b queens 702, Kameelah Williams Lemisha Fields , get the cookout started with their mega-hit “Where My Girls At?” Then, renowned chef Joseph Burton from Baltimore’s Rooted Rotisserie takes over the grill to serve his incredible burgers and parmesan truffle fries. Plus, Tamron shows off delicious snacks from her forthcoming cookbook, “Confident Cook,” along with co-author and James Beard-winning culinary producer Lish Steiling Lish Steiling. And, the second annual Potato Salad Showdown!

In 1993, Jim Carrey was still just that white guy on In Living Color, but by the end of 1994, he was king of the world. In one year, Carrey had three hit comedies that topped the box office: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective in February, The Mask in July and Dumb and Dumber in December. Each is great and nostalgic in its own right, but given the fact that The Mask turns 30 this week, we caught up with the film’s director, Chuck Russell, to talk about the film’s 30 greatest moments.

30 The Loaner

“There’s a Stanley Ipkiss inside all of us,” says Russell, referring to Carrey’s character in The Mask. “That was the beauty of the character. Life treats us like shit and humiliates us and seeing it through Stanley’s character is funny and charming the way Jim portrayed it. The loaner car he gets is an example of that.

Andrew Bird has announced his latest album, Sunday Morning Put-On, due out May 24th via Loma Vista Recordings. Recorded alongside the artist’s Andrew Bird Trio project, today’s announcement comes accompanied by two songs from the record, “I Fall in Love Too Easily” and “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face.”

Bird has billed Sunday Morning Put-On as a tribute to mid-century, small group jazz, with the tracklist featuring compositions by musicians like Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Rodgers and Heart, and more. Drummer Ted Poor and bassist Alan Hampton join bird on the recordings, with additional contributions coming from Jeff Parker and Larry Goldings.

Get Andrew Bird Tickets Here

“Most Saturday nights [in my 20s], I’d stay up listening to a radio show called ‘Blues Before Sunrise’ on Wbez from 12:00 to 4:00 a.m,” the artist said of the album’s inspiration. “The DJ, Steve Cushing, played old, rare 78rpm records of blues,...

Mattel Films, ShadowMachine, Jennifer Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions and Anthony Ramos are teaming up to develop an animated, feature-length film based on Bob the Builder, the long-running and beloved animated children’s series.

Imagined as an inventive international story for today’s audiences, the film will star Ramos, who also produces alongside Alex Bulkley and Corey Campodonico of the Academy Award-winning animation and production studio ShadowMachine. Jennifer Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina for Nuyorican Productions also have joined to co-produce.

Felipe Vargas is attached to write. The film will be overseen by Kevin McKeon, Ivan Sanchez and Arturo Thur De Koós for Mattel and Natalie Haack Flores for Nuyorican.

The film follows Roberto aka Bob (Ramos), who travels to the enchanting Island of Puerto Rico for a major construction job, takes on issues affecting the island and digs deeper into what it means to build. Bob’s journey will...

German theater owners got some good news Thursday night with mini-major Constantin Film unveiling that it has greenlit a sequel to Manitou’s Shoe, the blockbuster comedy Western from Michael “Bully” Herbig and one of the most successful German movies of all time.

Herbig broke the news to an industry crowd at the Munich Filmweek Thursday night, confirming he was returning to direct and star in The Canoe of Manitou, the sequel to his 2001 hit. He also posted a confirmation on his Instagram feed, noting that the movie will hit theaters next year.

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A post shared by Michael Bully Herbig (@bullyherbig)

Herbig will reprise his role as Apache chief Abahachi, with the original co-stars from the first movie, Christian Tramitz and Rick Kavanian returning to play Ranger and Dimitri.

Manitou’s Shoe is a parody of the Winnetou Westerns of the 1960s, European-shot movies inspired by the writings of Karl May,...

Tennant's build in Reverse: 1999 acts as both a shielder and a sub-dps, giving her some good versatility in various team comps. Tennant can cast a sturdy Shield over all allies for one round, lowering their Dmg Taken. Meanwhile, she has a useful attack Incantation and an Ultimate that helps reduce enemy Reality Def.

Tennant can be quite AP-greedy as she gains enough Moxie for her Ultimate and then takes advantage of its special status, Diamond Bullet, for two more actions. When she spends a stack of Diamond Bullet to attack an enemy, that enemy gets a Reality Def debuff, opening them to more Reality attacks. Tennant can be the best shielder in the game if you balance her AP needs.

Related: Reverse 1999: The Best Balloon Party Build (Psychubes & Team Comp)

The Best Psychubes For Tennant

Like most survival characters in Reverse: 1999, Tennant's shield scales off her Atk. When you...

Everyone knows Paramount+ is one of the best ways to stream live soccer. The service carries UEFA Champions League, Serie A and many other soccer matches, and this week fans can stream the presentation for one of soccer’s most prestigious global awards: the Ballon d’Or. The ceremony begins Monday, Oct. 30 at 3:45 p.m. Et on Paramount+, and you can stream it at no cost with a Subscription to Paramount Plus.

How to Watch 2023 Ballon d’Or Ceremony When: Monday, Oct. 30 at 3:45 p.m. Et TV: Paramount+ Stream: Watch with a Subscription to Paramount Plus. Save $20 Now $5.99+ / month paramountplus.com

For a Limited Time, Get 1 Month of Paramount+ With Code: Wantmore

About 2023 Ballon d’Or

The Ballon d’Or is one of the most highly regarded personal honors in the sport of soccer. It is awarded to the best male soccer player from the previous year, and...

The upcoming Five Nights at Freddy's movie has an enigmatic character that is shrouded in mystery, adding to the suspense and anticipation for avid fans and newcomers alike. The film will delve into the eerie experiences of a young man working as a security guard at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, where dark secrets lurk within seemingly innocent animatronics. The movie hints at expanding the lore of the game and offers multiple pathways for the story, with speculation on whether the secretive character is of animatronic or human origin, leading to potential plot twists and surprising revelations.

An unsuspected character shadows the upcoming Five Nights at Freddy's movie, securing its place in the hearts of horror aficionados. With suspense encapsulating its pre-release period, Blumhouse has cleverly elevated the anticipation for this adaptation of Scott Cawthon's horrifyingly successful video game franchise. With an unseen character clandestinely veiled by the movie’s marketing,...

Distributor, Day for Night has acquired a trio of Asian titles for U.K. and Ireland at the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Contents and Film Market.

Day for Night is acquiring the late Pema Tseden’s “Snow Leopard” from Rediance. Pema Tseden, the Tibetan art house film director known for “Jinpa” and “Balloon,” died at 53 earlier this year. The film explores the complicated coexistence of animals and people on the Tibetan plateau. After a snow leopard kills nine rams owned by a herder, a bitter conflict ensues between the herder who wants to kill the snow leopard and the father who wants to release it.

“Snow Leopard” world premiered at Venice and subsequently played Toronto and will next be at Tokyo.

“Next Sohee” by Korean filmmaker July Jung (“A Girl at My Door”), which premiered at Cannes’ Critics Week in 2022 and played at Busan and London, has been...

Following the massive success of its live-action Barbie, Mattel Films has tapped Robbie Brenner as President. She had been Executive Producer of Mattel Films since 2018.

“Robbie joined the company five years ago to bring the vision of Mattel Films to life, collaborating with leading filmmakers to make standout quality movies based on our iconic brands that will resonate in culture and appeal to global audiences,” Ynon Kreiz, Mattel’s chairman and CEO, said Wednesday. “She has done exactly that and so much more, positioning Mattel Films as a key partner for innovative creators, world-class talent, award winning producers, and major studios.”

“Under Robbie’s leadership, we look forward to continue growing Mattel Films and bringing more exciting stories with cultural impact to the big screen to the delight of fans around the world.”

Brenner produced the multiple record-breaking Barbie movie, which was released worldwide on July 21 by Warner Bros. The...

Fall Out Boy, a band that almost certainly didn’t start the fire, lit things up at the MTV Video Music Awards Tuesday night with a performance of, well, their version of “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” It marked the third time the group performed at the awards show, following their 2005 rendition of “Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down” and their 2007 “suite” concert which included recitals of “Thnks fr th Mmrs” and “Shut Up and Drive” with Rihanna.

Patrick Stump led the group in recounting defining pop culture moments from...

by Cláudio Alves

Vast wild landscapes dominated the latter half of my second day at TIFF. First came Nikolaj Arcel’s The Promised Land, fresh off its Venice premiere and inflated by high expectations. Then, it was time for Snow Leopard, the last completed film of Pema Tseden, the remarkable Tibetan director who dedicated himself to expressing his country’s specificities on the big screen. He died in May at 53, leaving behind a body of work that felt like it was just entering its golden age with titles like Jinpa and Balloon. And so, an air of mournfulness enveloped the screening of his leopard-loving film, a poem of snowy peaks and the beasts that share them...

The Tibetan-language film will premiere out of competition.

Beijing-based Rediance has acquired worldwide rights to Snow Leopard, the final film completed by late Tibetan director Pema Tseden, ahead of its premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival.

The company has also secured worldwide rights to Short Story, a short film from Absence director Wu Lang, which will play in Venice’s Horizons Short Films Competition.

Snow Leopard will screen Out of Competition and centres on an argument between a father and son after a snow leopard breaks into the sheep pen of a nomad and kills nine rams. The...

Overall, Fuse has proved to be an immensely useful new ability in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but there are some weapon combinations that are more funny than they are functional. The new power - which lets Link stick various materials to his weapons, shields, and arrows - is a clever solution to Breath of the Wild's weapon durability system, which saw weapons constantly breaking to no avail. Indeed, the durability system still exists in Totk - but with a near infinite number of weapon combinations to test, it's nowhere near as frustrating as it was before.

Fuse isn't even the extent of creative liberty that players receive in the newest Zelda title. Ultrahand, which allows Link to build almost anything he can put his mind to, has proved to be the main avenue of experimentation. The Kingdom of Hyrule has seen the invention of everything from...

Covenant House, the largest charity in the Americas helping youth facing homelessness and survivors of trafficking, will hold its annual Night of Covenant House Stars Gala on Monday, May 22 at 6 p.m. at the Javits Center Rooftop Pavilion and Terrace in New York City.

Night of Covenant House Stars will feature Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner and Covenant House International Board Member Rachel Brosnahan; Academy and Golden Globe Award winner and Covenant House International Board member Ariana DeBose; news anchor, best-selling author, and Covenant House International Board member John Dickerson; Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner and Covenant House International Board Member Audra McDonald; actor and producer Jason Ralph; and host of MSNBC’s The 11th Hour Stephanie Ruhle.

“The funds and awareness we will raise on May 22 will help Covenant House provide high-quality care to the thousands of youth who will come through our doors this year, and...

Pema Tseden, a Tibetan filmmaker of Chinese citizenship whose films regularly played at Venice film festival, has died aged 53. His death was reported by Chinese media today. No cause of death was given but unverified Chinese media reports said he had a heart attack.

Widely regarded as China’s leading filmmaker working in the Tibetan language, Tseden’s credits include Jinpa, produced by Wong Kar Wai, which won best screenplay when it premiered in the Horizons section of Venice in 2018.

Tseden was working on two films at the time of his death: Snow Leopard, which is in post-production after being filmed last year in the Three-River Source National Nature Reserve, and another film that he was in the process of shooting.

Born in 1969, in the the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of China’s Qinghai Province, Tseden studied at Beijing Film Academy and made his directing debut in 2005 with The Silent Holy Stones.

NBA stars like Russell Westbrook and James Harden have become famous for wearing over-the-top outfits as they walk from the locker room to the court. When you make millions each year, it’s easy to dress to the nines, but is it possible to style yourself like an NBA star without signing a professional sports contract?

Chime says yes. The fintech company is behind Ball on a Budget, a YouTube series that challenges basketball players to recreate their signature looks without breaking the bank. The show’s guests join stylist Courtney Mays to embark on sartorial adventures that bring NBA fashion to the masses.

The first athlete to show up on Ball on a Budget is Tim Hardaway, Jr. of the Dallas Mavericks. With $300 in his pocket, Hardaway, Jr. heads to a local thrift shop, where he and Mays assemble an outfit that is trendy but not spendy. The clip...

Indie film sales agents from mainland China remain notably scarce for a market of such immense size. The reasons behind this reality are many: The still-developing state of China’s industry, a markedly domestic focus among most local studios, and a censorship and regulatory regime that adds risk to an already commercially challenging sector of the movie business.

Beijing-based sales and production company Rediance has made an outsized impact despite the odds. The company was founded in 2017 by former film curator Meng Xing with a mission to serve the growing international needs of a cohort of young, accomplished Chinese arthouse filmmakers. The outfit found its stride with impressive speed, representing European festival award winners like Cai Chengjie’s The Widow Witch (2017), Hu Bo’s Elephant Sitting Still (2018) and Li Cheng’s José (2018). The company also has expanded into financing arthouse titles from both emerging and established arthouse names from China and afar,...

Now that’s China’s surveillance balloon has been shot down by the U.S., “The View” host Ana Navarro has a suggestion on which balloon we should send to get shot down by them. And yes, it involves twice-impeached former president Donald Trump.

The destruction of the spy balloon led the women’s Hot Topics discussion on Monday, with the hosts getting into their thoughts on whether the balloon was shot down too late. For those who missed it, here’s the timeline of the balloon saga.

On Wednesday, defense officials announced that what appeared to be a surveillance balloon the size of three buses originating from China had been spotted floating in the stratosphere 31 miles above Montana, well above commercial air traffic, and contained some kind of “technology bay” (meaning it had electronic equipment). Shortly thereafter, President Biden ordered it to be shot down but doing so was...

Mattel is making room in the backseat of its Hot Wheels movie for writers Dalton Leeb and Nicholas Jacobson-Larson. The duo is responsible for writing the toys-to-screen adaptation based on the time-honored Mattel franchise, hailing from Warner Bros. and Bad Robot. The toy-making company is exploring several projects based on popular toylines, including American Girl, Barney, Magic 8 Ball, Major Matt Mason, Matchbox, Masters of the Universe, Polly Pocket, Rock’ Em Sock’ Em Robots, Thomas & Friends, Uno, View-Master, and Wish Bone. In addition to the properties mentioned above, Mattel is also developing Christmas Balloon and Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.

According to The Npd Group retail tracking service, Hot Wheels are the #1 selling toy worldwide, with over 8 billion vehicles sold. As many of us played with the tiny cars at some point in our lives, that number isn’t a huge surprise. While we don’t...

Burna Boy earned his metaphorical flowers — and his very literal bras — as he ripped through a majestic two-hour set at New York’s Madison Square Garden, the first Nigerian headliner to do so at the famed venue. The first fire-engine red bra was thrust onstage at the beloved Afro-fusionist early in his set as he performed “Rock Your Body,” from his breakthrough album, 2018’s Outside. By the end of the night, no less than six more had been flung at him — at one point, he hung several around his waistline like a utility belt.

J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot will produce a live-action Hot Wheels film in the works at Mattel Films and Warner Bros. Pictures, the companies announced today.

Hot Wheels is Mattel’s 54-year-old brand of toy cars, which is billed as the world’s leading vehicle franchise, representing and uniting all segments of car culture. The upcoming feature based on the beloved IP is described as a high-throttle actioner, which will showcase some of the world’s hottest and sleekest cars, monster trucks and motorcycles.

Hot Wheels is No. 1 selling toy in the world, according to The Npd Group/Retail Tracking Service, with over 8 billion vehicles sold. The brand also has proved its influence in automotive and pop culture over the years via collaborations with global leaders in automotive, streetwear, fashion, luxury, entertainment, gaming, action sports and motorsports. Vice President Kevin McKeon and Creative Executive Andrew Scannell will lead the film project for Mattel Films,...

The live-action “Hot Wheels” movie based on the toy racing cars is speeding up, as J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot has come aboard the project to produce for Mattel Films and Warner Bros, the companies announced Monday.

The “Hot Wheels” film is an action movie based on the 54-year-old toy brand franchise, and it will showcase the world’s hottest and sleekest cars, monster trucks and motorcycles. Screenwriting duo Neil Widener and Gavin James were attached to write the script back in 2020. Other details about the project are under wraps.

Robbie Brenner is executive producing for Mattel films.

Kevin McKeon, Vice President and Andrew Scannell, Creative Executive will lead the project for Mattel Films. Peter Dodd will lead the project for Warner Bros. Pictures. Hannah Minghella and Jon Cohen will oversee for Bad Robot.

“As the global leader in car culture, Hot Wheels has been igniting the challenger spirit in auto enthusiasts for generations,...

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) announced on Wednesday that “Drive My Car” has won its 2022 Aacta Award for Best Asian Film.

This is the first Aacta Award for director Ryusuke Hamaguchi, adding to the movie’s impressive haul of international accolades to date, including three awards at last year’s Cannes Film Festival and four Oscar nominations — for Best Picture, Best Director (the first ever for a Japanese film), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best International Feature.

Adapted from a short story of the same name by author Haruki Murakami, “Drive My Car” centers on two characters struggling with grief and loss, who connect while working on a new stage production of “Uncle Vanya” in the city of Hiroshima.

See Nominees and winners for the Australian Academy International Awards

In presenting the award, Aacta CEO Damian Trewhella proclaimed that “while all nominees for our Best Asian film have great strengths,...

Berlin-based sales agency Picture Tree Intl. has added to its European Film Market slate “Love Thing,” starring top German actor Elyas M’Barek, whose credits include “The Collini Case.” Also on the slate is “Soul of a Beast,” which debuts its trailer below.

Despite the virtual nature of the EFM, the company has taken additional office space at the Marriott Hotel in Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz.

“Love Thing,” which also stars Lucie Heinze, Peri Baumeister and Alexandra Maria Lara, is directed and written by Anika Decker, whose last feature “High Society” sold widely. Decker scripted box office successes like “Rabbit Without Ears,” which grossed $85 million.

“Love Thing” is produced by German production-distribution powerhouse Constantin Film, which has set its release for July 7. The producers are Rüdiger Böss and Philipp Reuter; the co-producers are Anika Decker and Jan Decker; and the executive producer is Martin Moszkowicz. Picture Tree will present a first teaser trailer to select buyers.

Paris, Jan 6 (Ians) Lionel Messi has tested negative for Covid-19 and will be back in training with the team in the coming days, Paris Saint-Germain confirmed on Wednesday. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was contaminated by the virus last week in Argentina, which forced him to have missed Psg’s 4-0 French Cup win over […]...

Mattel is developing the live-action family drama Christmas Balloon, which will be written by Gabriela Revilla Lugo (A Million Little Things) based off a true story.

The film follows a young girl, Dáyami, living in a Mexican border town who tries to send her Christmas list to Santa tied to a balloon. The balloon is found by Randy and Marcella Heiss, a couple in Arizona grieving the loss of their own child, who make it their mission to fulfill the girl’s touching Christmas wishes. Mattel worked with the couple and donated toys to fulfill Dáyami’s wish towards a brighter future.

“Much like Dáyami’s balloon itself, the journey of this touching story and Mattel’s direct role in fulfilling her real-life wishes made it a must-do for us,” said Kevin McKeon, VP of Mattel Films. “We were immediately struck by this little girl’s spirit and the story’s positive message.

Munich-based sales agency Global Screen has sold crime drama “Dark Woods” to streaming service Walter Presents for the U.K., where it’ll be shown on Channel 4’s All 4 platform, and across the Nordic Region, via C More.

The drama, which was produced by ConradFilm and Bavaria Fiction on behalf of Ndr and Ard Degeto for Das Erste, was the most-watched show on Ard’s catch-up service in Germany this year, and was the German TV Award winner.

Julia Weber, head of acquisitions and sales at Global Screen, said: “We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of this highly original and sought-after series, across Scandinavia and in the U.K., where crime drama has proved to be a key genre and is hugely popular with viewers of all ages.”

The show, inspired by real-life-events, starts out in the summer of 1989, when the sister of high-ranking Hamburg police officer Thomas...

The only thing frostier than the snowbound forest landscape of Tibetan director Jigme Trinley’s impressively lean yet woozy thriller debut is the air of mutual hostility and suspicion that exists between its four duplicitous, taciturn characters. “One and Four” may be produced by leading Tibetan auteur Pema Tseden, and may provide yet another great showcase for the befuddled expressivity and shambling physicality of Tseden’s recent go-to star Jinpa. But , albeit one whose stylistic reach might, for the moment, slightly exceed his thematic grasp.

Forest ranger Sanggye (Jinpa), cutting a bulky silhouette in his bedraggled, bearlike sheepskin, wakes up from a drunken stupor in his tiny isolated cabin in the woods. A transistor radio crackles static. His breath fogs in the air. And though he is alone, a bag hanging from the rafters squeaks on its chain as though someone has just moved past it. Already, Wang Jue’s erratic score,...

Four intruders disrupt the wallowing isolation of a forest ranger in debuting Tibetan director Jigme Trinley’s One and Four, an efficient and visually engaging, if slightly familiar, tale of modern encroachment on the natural world and the violence it can bring.

Executive producer Pema Tseden (Trinley’s dad) is easily Tibet’s most prominent filmmaker, having burst on the scene with The Silent Holy Stones in 2005, and star Jinpa is Tseden’s acting equivalent, featured in the director’s Jinpa and Balloon. One and Four is a lightly metaphoric drama about the nature of man as explored through a mistaken-identity pseudo-mystery that could easily come from Tseden’s filmography....

Four intruders disrupt the wallowing isolation of a forest ranger in debuting Tibetan director Jigme Trinley’s One and Four, an efficient and visually engaging, if slightly familiar, tale of modern encroachment on the natural world and the violence it can bring.

Executive producer Pema Tseden (Trinley’s dad) is easily Tibet’s most prominent filmmaker, having burst on the scene with The Silent Holy Stones in 2005, and star Jinpa is Tseden’s acting equivalent, featured in the director’s Jinpa and Balloon. One and Four is a lightly metaphoric drama about the nature of man as explored through a mistaken-identity pseudo-mystery that could easily come from Tseden’s filmography....

It was a week of holdovers as Disney titles “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and “Free Guy” continued their reign over the U.K. and Ireland box office.

“Shang-Chi” retained the top spot with a weekend gross of £2.32 million ($3.26 million) and has now has a cumulative total of £15.8 million in its third week of release, per numbers provided by Comscore.

“Free Guy” was the runner up with £677,000 and has collected £15.3 million in six weeks.

A pair of Universal titles brought up the third and fourth positions at the box office. “Respect” collected £377,395 in its second weekend for a cumulative total of £1.1 million while “Candyman,” took £323,350 over its fourth weekend for a total of £4.3 million.

Rounding off the top five was “Paw Patrol: The Movie” with £263,167 over its sixth weekend for a total of £7.6 million.

The summer hits continued to score at the box office. “Jungle Cruise” now has a total of £12.2 million,...

Chinese censors have approved the next feature from Tibetan director Pema Tseden, a Venice International Film Festival regular and one of the most influential filmmakers working in the Tibetan language.

The film’s Chinese name translates to “Stranger.” It is an adaptation of a short story he wrote of the same name, which he has publicly said as far back as 2013 that he hoped one day to adapt into a film.

Authorities have approved the script Tseden wrote for the project, allowing it to now move forward with production, according to an official filing with China’s National Film Bureau.

The plot of the film is described as: “One day, a man riding a Harley motorcycle comes to a very small Tibetan village. The man says that according to legend, this is the home to the Bodhisattva Tara of the [traditional prayer] ‘Praises to the 21 Taras,’ so he wants to find a woman named Tara.

Dukar Tserang is the best known as one of the most influential score composers and sound guys of the Tibetan cinema scene, with a dozen credits to his name, including the work on Pema Tseden’s “Jinpa” (2018). For Dukar, “A Song for You” is a step towards the unknown waters of filmmaking and directing, so it should not raise many eyebrows that he has picked up a topic that concerns his primary field. The film premiered at Pingyao International Film Festival last year, and was also screened at Osaka Asian Film Festival and the virtual June edition of International Film Festival Rotterdam, where we caught it in Harbour programme. The names of its producer (Jia Zhangke) and executive producer (Pema Tseden) should secure it more festival bookings in the near future.

Only the Winds is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam

The story follows Ngawang (Damtin Tserang), a young folk...

This number will increase as Cannes, Venice and other summer festival titles are added to the mix alongside studio releases.

French cinemas reopen this Wednesday (May 19) after lying dark for six months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the country’s 100-plus distributors rushing to set theatrical dates for an estimated backlog of 400 stalled films.

As a result, French cinemagoers will have access to the richest and most diverse offering of films in the world over the coming months, spanning festival titles, local mainstream comedies and dramas, world cinema and studio blockbuster fare, as the summer advances.

As of May...

Berlin-based Flare Film is ramping up series production with two new high-concept projects in development while currently producing the eight-part “Paradiso” for Sky Deutschland, the first project from the company’s recently launched Flare Entertainment division.

Flare Entertainment is partnering with Beta Film and Deutsche Telekom streaming platform MagentaTV on “The Daughter,” created by Pola Beck and the writing trio known locally as the HaRiBos, Hanno Hackfort, Richard Kropf and Bob Konrad, with Beck and Kropf serving as showrunners.

The series tells the fact-based story of Tinka, a directionless teenager forced to grow up overnight when her wealthy parents are arrested for running the biggest cocaine ring in Berlin. As she works to free them from jail, she uncovers their secret lives and delves ever deeper into the family business.

Described as “Breaking Bad” meets French cinema, the eight-part family drama examines the shifting power dynamics between a daughter and...

International distributor Global Screen, part of Will Smith’s Telepool, has sold crime thriller miniseries “Dark Woods” to U.S., Canada, Spain and France, following its stellar ratings success in Germany.

Inspired by a true crime, unsolved for almost 30 years, the six-part show centers on a high-ranking police officer’s desperate search for his sister, and the family’s suffering. Starring Matthias Brandt (“Babylon Berlin”) and Karoline Schuch (“Balloon”), “Dark Woods” was directed by Sven Bohse, written by International Emmy Award winner Stefan Kolditz (“Generation War”) and produced by ConradFilm’s Marc Conrad, and Bavaria Fiction’s Maren Knieling and Jan S. Kaiser.

Each episode was the most watched show in the primetime schedule on its respective day of broadcast in Germany, and reached up to 20.2% market share in December. The miniseries is also the most-watched show in the Ard-Mediathek in 2020, with more than 10.7 million streams.

Canal Plus Group, French leading pay TV group,...

The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (Hkiffs) today announces a series of special in-theatre screenings to mark the reopening of cinemas in Hong Kong.

The CineFest series will feature films from the previously cancelled 44th Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF44) and Cine Fan programmes, including this year’s Firebird Award winners.

Supported by Create Hong Kong and the Film Development Fund, all screenings will take place daily for five weeks from 30 September at K11 Art House in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Hkiffs Executive Director Albert Lee said Hkiffs would announce weekly line-ups and screening schedules starting today.

“Despite this year’s cancellations and disruptions, we have not stopped anticipating ways to re-engage Hong Kong’s film-lovers and to share our choices and discoveries with them once the situation returns to normal,” Mr Lee said.

To ensure public safety, Hkiffs will continue to comply with every in-theatre health measure mandated...

Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning “Parasite” leads the race of this year’s Asian Film Awards, which will be hosted in his home country South Korea for the first time since the prize ceremony’s inception in 2007. The acclaimed drama picked up 10 nominations, including best film, best director and best screenplay.

“Parasite” was closely followed by Wang Xiaoshuai’s drama “So Long, My Son” from mainland China, and Taiwan drama “A Sun” by Chung Mong-hong. They each scored seven nominations including best film and best director, organizers of the 14th Asian Film Awards announced on Wednesday. A total of 39 films from 11 countries and regions are competing for the awards.

Founded by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, the AFAs have been staged in Hong Kong and Macau since their launch. In 2013, three major film festivals in Asia — Busan, Hong Kong and Tokyo — joined hands to launch the non-profit Afa Academy,...