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Warner Bros. may have had a rocky end to 2024 and start to 2025, but boy, has the studio managed to turn things around. Director Zach Cregger's acclaimed horror film only "Weapons" barely topped the box office with just shy of $72 million globally, which includes a better-than-expected $43.5 million opening domestically. With that, WB just became the first Hollywood studio in history to have its last six movies open to at least $40 million in North America. That's what we call a hot streak, folks.

Along with "Weapons," the studio's streak also includes "A Minecraft Movie" ($162.7 million), "Sinners" ($48 million), "Final Destination Bloodlines" ($51.6 million), "F1" ($57 million), and "Superman" ($125 million). "F1" is an Apple Originals production, admittedly, but Warner Bros. is handling distribution. That panned out, as "F1" is the highest-grossing original movie of 2025 with $571 million and counting to its name thus far. In light of the studio's recent track record, it appears that Apple picked the right studio partner.

“Secrets of the Penguins” continues to explore the fascinating lives of these remarkable birds in its second episode, titled “Survival of the Smartest.” This episode promises to take viewers on an exciting journey to some of the most unexpected places where penguins make their homes. Airing at 9:02 Pm on Sunday, April 20, 2025, on National Geographic, it aims to reveal how these clever creatures adapt to various environments, including deserts, tropics, and even urban areas.

In “Survival of the Smartest,” the spotlight will be on the unique intelligence of penguins. The episode showcases how these birds use their wits to thrive in challenging conditions. From navigating harsh climates to finding food amidst human activity, penguins demonstrate remarkable problem-solving skills that often go unnoticed. The insights shared will highlight their ability to adapt and survive, proving that intelligence plays a crucial role in their daily lives.

As the episode unfolds, viewers can...

The documentary begins streaming just in time to celebrate National Pet Day.

The director of “Dads” is back to celebrate another kind of love. In honor of National Pet Day, which is April 11, Bryce Dallas Howard brings animal lovers a touching new documentary, “Pets.” The family-friendly doc follows pets and their owners, detailing the close relationships they share. No matter what types of animals are in your life, you’re sure to find joy in these special clips and stories. You can enjoy the heartwarming documentary with a subscription to Disney+ beginning on Friday, April 11.

How to watch ‘Pets’ When: Friday, April 11 at 3:01 a.m. Et TV: Disney+ Stream: Watch with a subscription to Disney+. From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a Vpn. What you should know about ‘Pets’

How to watch the documentary

What time does it premiere?

Why we recommend watching on Disney+

Can you stream it for free?...

Animal Control presents an unexpected mix of workplace antics and absurd circumstances, set against the urban backdrop of Seattle. The series situates its narrative within a hectic animal control unit, where the collision of professional duty and offbeat mishaps yields a kind of controlled pandemonium.

The premise recalls historical episodes of organized chaos—think of the industrial age’s frantic energy—where structure and unpredictability interweave. (One might call this a “comedic paradox” in motion.)

Season 3 introduces fresh narrative twists that provoke both laughter and reflection. The characters experience nuanced transformations, with each interaction hinting at deeper personal conflicts and a subtle commentary on modern societal shifts. The evolution in storytelling suggests a shift toward more introspective moments, yet retains a sharp, ironic wit that occasionally borders on dry humor.

The narrative itself serves as a microcosm of urban life’s unpredictable nature, echoing the social dynamics observed in historical...

Disney’s one of the major releases during its post-animation renaissance was the animated 2002 film, Lilo & Stitch. Filmmaker Chris Sanders conceived the idea for the genetically engineered alien creature Stitch in 1985. The film was a huge success and spawned several direct-to-video films and television series. In 2025, the popular franchise will be receiving a live-action/CGI adaptation.

The release poster of Lilo & Stitch (2025) | Credits: Walt Disney Studios

Sanders will be returning to the film in a voice-acting capacity, alongside newcomer child artist Maia Kealoha. The film will be directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, known for his Oscar-nominated animated film Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.

Lilo & Stitch release date: When will the live-action adaptation of the 2002 film hit theaters? Chris Sanders voices Stitch in Lilo & Stitch (2025) | Credits: Walt Disney Pictures

Lilo & Stitch will be released in the United States on May 23, 2025. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures will be distributing the film in theaters.

There are not enough shows or films centered around the mothers of persons with disabilities, and that is precisely why The Mothers of Penguins is a compelling watch. While shows such as Atypical (available on Netflix) or films such as Margarita With A Straw address the daily challenges faced by such individuals, the anxiety of the mothers or the primary caregivers is often not the main premise. The Polish series blends themes of personal identity, family dynamics, and the often difficult intersection of mental health and social expectations. The series began with an Mma fighter discovering that her son was neurodivergent. As someone raised by a strict father, Kama initially assumed disciplining her son would help correct his behavior. It took her a long while to come to terms with Jas’ condition, because she was afraid that the world would see her son as a weak individual.

The title of...

The Penguin scored a strong debut on HBO and Max last week, both in viewership and reviews, but it seems that one industry veteran has put all of that in perspective, and proven that broadcast television is not dead yet, to boot. Kathy Bates returned to screens on Sunday in her new, and most likely final, role of Matlock in a reboot of the classic legal drama of the same name. The debut episode became a huge hit for CBS, and it dwarfed the opening numbers for The Penguins arrival.

The Penguin brings Colin Farrell to the small screen in a continuation of Matt Reeves The Batman universe. With that movie having grossed almost $800 million on its release in 2022, it seemed like there was no way the spin-off series was going to be a failure, and so it proved as the premiere drew in $3.2 million views in its first four days between the two platforms.

Penguins can’t fly but Hall H was soaring with news and behind-the-scenes stories related to DC’s upcoming series centered around Oz Cobb aka Gotham’s Penguin. Spin-offs can be hit and miss, but as it turns out, Matt Reeves found the perfect way to ensure that “Oz” could breathe outside of a traditional sequel. And if you don’t believe him, maybe the official trailer for The Penguin will convince you.

In the trailer for The Penguin, we see Colin Farrell’s Oz (note the name change) comforting his mother (Deirdre O’Connell), assuring her he will find a better life. Of course, this “American Dream” is a “hustle”. But The Penguin is up to the task, positioning himself as the face of Gotham. We also get a better idea of just what sort of role Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Falcone – daughter of the late Carmine, he did Skype...

Exclusive: Scott Foley (Scandal) has signed on to star in La Dolce Villa, a new romantic comedy for Netflix. Others cast in the film, from director Mark Waters (Mean Girls), include Violante Placido (The American), Maia Reficco (Do Revenge) and Giuseppe Futia.

La Dolce Villa follows successful businessman Eric (Foley) as he travels to Italy to stop his daydreaming daughter Olivia (Reficco) from blowing her life savings on restoring a crumbling villa she purchased for €1. Italy, however, has different plans for him as it delivers on its legendary promise of beauty, magic, and romance.

Script was written by Elizabeth Hackett & Hilary Galanoy. Pic’s producers are Robyn Snyder, Deborah Evans, and Nicola Rosada. Hackett & Galanoy are serving as executive producers.

Best known for roles on shows like Scandal, Scrubs, Whiskey Cavalier and The Big Leap, Foley will next be seen on the Max political...

In Jon Favreau's 2008 film "Iron Man," the title hero (Robert Downey Jr.) was assisted in his high-tech superhero lab by an artificially intelligent butler-like presence named J.A.R.V.I.S. Iron Man's digital butler not only wrangled the hero's complicated engineering projects, but also controlled the even-higher-tech devices in his lab. When Iron Man went out on patrol, J.A.R.V.I.S.'s voice could be heard inside his helmet. J.A.R.V.I.S. was voiced by Paul Bettany. As the Marvel Cinematic Universe continued to grow, so too did Iron Man's computerized friend. Eventually, J.A.R.V.I.S. was shunted into an indestructible android body and renamed Vision (also Bettany). 

When Vision became sentient and autonomous, that meant Tony Stark had to program a new computer helper, and invented F.R.I.D.A.Y. (voiced by Kerry Condon...

Oscar-winning French director Luc Jacquet (“March of the Penguins”) will be honored by the Locarno Film Festival with its Locarno Kids Award celebrating a film personality who has brought the magic of movies to younger audiences.

“Luc Jacquet’s gaze has followed the perspective of the plant and animal kingdoms through his many voyages to the Antarctic or into forests both remote and close to home,” the Swiss festival dedicated to indie cinema said in a statement. It pointed out that this year’s prize “goes to a filmmaker who has consistently conveyed a powerful ecological message to younger generations of cinema lovers.”

The French biologist and filmmaker has made hugely popular nature documentaries such as “Penguins,” watched by more than 25 million people worldwide since its 2006 release, and “Once Upon a Forest” in 2013 and “Ice and the Sky” (2015). He also helmed a fiction feature “The Fox & the Child” (2007).

Jacquet...

Goodfellas spends its first minutes following a young Henry Hill as he started to get involved with the mob, and it was during those young years that he met Tommy DeVito, and here’s who plays young Tommy and what he has done since Goodfellas. Based on the book Wiseguy, by Nicholas Pileggi, Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas chronicles the rise and fall of mob associate Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), from his days as a teenager running errands for Paul Vario (Paul Sorvino) and his crew to his full involvement with the Lucchese crime family, ending with his decision to cooperate with the FBI, which led to the arrest of many of his former friends and colleagues.

During his time working for Paulie and his people when he was still a teenager, Henry not only delivered messages and served sandwiches and drinks at parties, but he also slowly became involved in various criminal activities,...

Each year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences attempts to award Oscars to the “best” film or artist in each category that year, and each year it fails at least a few times.

There is always room for disagreement on what constitutes “best”: how can we possibly compare Toy Story 3, Inception and The King’s Speech? And yet voters did just that in 2010.

It is similarly impossible to nail down all the egregious choices in academy history, but here are a few of the most glaring errors, with just days to go until the 2023 ceremony. Starting with the granddaddy of them all...

How Green Was My Valley

Beat: Citizen Kane to Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography in 1941

It takes a bit of searching these days to find someone who has a) seen John Ford’s Welsh melodrama How Green Was My Valley and b...

Each year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences attempts to award Oscars to the “best” film or artist in each category that year, and each year it fails at least a few times.

There is always room for disagreement on what constitutes “best”: how can we possibly compare Toy Story 3, Inception and The King’s Speech? And yet voters did just that in 2010.

It is similarly impossible to nail down all the egregious choices in academy history, but here are a few of the most glaring errors. Starting with the granddaddy of them all...

How Green Was My Valley

Beat: Citizen Kane to Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography in 1941

It takes a bit of searching these days to find someone who has a) seen John Ford’s Welsh melodrama How Green Was My Valley and b) did not do so out of a morbid curiosity...

The entertainment industry might be run by grown-ups, but sometimes, kids are the best collaborators. Celebrated author Neil Gaiman took a cue from his young daughter, Holly when writing his deeply unsettling novella "Coraline," and if it weren't for Edward Berger's teenage daughter, we might not have the latest on-screen adaptation of "All Quiet on the Western Front." A young Kurt Russell shouldn't be left off the list, either. According to the actor, his feedback on an early cut of "Mary Poppins" led to Dick Van Dyke eventually dancing around with animated penguins.

In a 2016 conversation with GQ, Russell revealed that he actually had a close relationship with Walt Disney as a young teen. As such, Disney would ask for his thoughts on upcoming films (it probably didn't hurt that the actor fit squarely into the studio's target demographic). When Disney eventually asked about "Mary Poppins," Russell admitted that...

Click here to read the full article.

Universal Production Music, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Universal Music Publishing Group that produces and licenses production music for the entertainment industry, has teamed with prolific film and TV composer Harry Gregson-Williams for a new U.K.-based joint venture.

Gregson-Williams’ impressive list of credits includes all four installments of Shrek, the first of which landed him a BAFTA nomination. Meanwhile, he received Golden Globe and Grammy nominations for his score for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, and an Emmy nod for an episode of Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams. More recent film and TV projects include The Last Duel and House of Gucci, Disney’s live-action Mulan, Disneynature’s Penguins and Polar Bear, HBO’s The Gilded Age and the Netflix documentary Return to Space.

The newly-launched label, Scored By: Harry Gregson-Williams, will feature albums composed by Gregson-Williams and his team,...

Matthew Wood has probably played more "Star Wars" characters than any other actor. Thanks to his involvement in feature films, TV shows, video games, and ancillary shorts, Wood has played Kylo Ren, Anakin Skywalker, General Grievous, Bib Fortuna, various Battle Droids, Ig-88, D-o, Darth Maul, C3-po, and Magaloof. His voice work, however, is done in addition to his career as a sound designer, a line of work that began for Wood in the early 1990s with the film "Soap Dish" and the series "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles." Wood had since worked on notable blockbusters like "The Rock," "Mission: Impossible," "Volcano,"...

The post How Attack of the Clones Got Help from a Fruit Bat and Mating Penguins appeared first on /Film.

Ed Sheeran is releasing a new “tour edition” of his latest album, =. Pronounced Equals, the Fall 2021 release gets a refresh with the addition of nine tracks. Two songs from the expanded edition — “I Will Remember You” and “Welcome to the World” — are brand new, while two tracks come from the 2019 film, Yesterday, in which the singer also starred. Those tracks, “One Life” and “Penguins,” have never been officially released.

The “tour edition” of the album also includes loosie “Afterglow,” and previously released collaborations, including “The Joker and the Queen” featuring...

For a company as renowned for its family friendly product as Disney, it has a history of scenes or sequences that are horrifying (if not outright depressing) – Mufasa getting trampled by the wildebeests, Bambi’s mother disappearing into the forest and pretty much everything that happens in “Pinocchio.” (Not to mention live-action atrocities like the end of “Old Yeller” and the beginning of “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.”) But nothing can prepare you for how sobering and deeply unsettling Disneynature’s “Polar Bear” is.

“Polar Bear” is very much like other Disneynature entries that came before it (things like “Dolphin Reef” or “Penguins”) – it’s beautifully shot, featuring moments you never thought you’d seen (like when a beached whale becomes an unlikely polar bear pool party) and has top notch narration (this time courtesy of Catherine Keener). But in other ways it’s more somber and introspective; the narration is first-person,...

Each year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences attempts to award Oscars to the “best” film or artist in each category that year, and each year it fails at least a few times.

There is always room for disagreement on what constitutes “best”: how can we possibly compare Toy Story 3, Inception and The King’s Speech? And yet voters did just that in 2010.

It is similarly impossible to nail down all the egregious choices in academy history, but here are a few of the most glaring errors. Starting with the granddaddy of them all...

How Green Was My Valley

Beat:Citizen Kane to Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography in 1941

It takes a bit of searching these days to find someone who has a) seen John Ford’s Welsh melodrama How Green Was My Valley and b) did not do so out of a morbid curiosity...

Penguins are perfect. Sardine-saturated floaties with ridiculous flappers and leather toes, the flightless birds are God’s most beautiful mistake.

That’s undoubtedly why the tuxedo bois have become a fixture of nature documentaries, starring in full-length features like March of the Penguins and Disney’s Penguins. Now Netflix’s new docuseries Penguin Town, narrated by Patton Oswalt, is betting on the unshakable fact that pop culture can never have too many penguins. Penguin Town bets correctly.

“They’re incredibly clumsy because they’ve got short little legs,” Penguin Town field producer Cayley Christos says. “They’re almost like bouncing balls. They’ll walk along in a line and several of them will make the same fall and stumble, which is hysterical to watch.”

It’s never a bad time for penguins. But after the rough year that was, now might really be the time for nature’s unwitting comedians to shine.

Penguins are arguably the kings of the nature documentary. Monkeys may have a shot at the title, and sharks have a whole week to themselves, but penguins and their little waddling bodies have been a source of fascination — especially in megahits like 2005’s March of the Penguins. Now with Netflix’s latest docuseries, Penguin Town, a gang […]

The post ‘Penguin Town’ Trailer: Patton Oswalt Narrates the Exploits of South Africa’s Adorable Penguins appeared first on /Film.

While it’s just over a year or so old, Disney Plus has picked up a significant number of subscribers as it heads into 2021. Although the big release this month will be WandaVision, the Mouse House are continuing to flesh out the library of content and added eight new movies and television shows on January 1st.

After being removed from Disney+ only a few months ago, The Wolverine is back, presumably as the result of a new licensing deal being agreed upon. The James Mangold-directed picture is one of the stronger entries in the Fox X-Men franchise, and sees Hugh Jackman’s character travel to Japan in an adaptation of a popular 1980s comic story. Although it’ll still be some time before we can watch Logan and company all in one place, we’d expect more Marvel-related films to start appearing on the service in the first half of the year.

Look, it’s understandable if you’re still watching or rewatching season 2 of The Mandalorian. That outrageously awesome final episode was truly something, right? However, a new month is approaching, and that means Disney Plus is gearing up to launch more content for you to dive into. And hard as it may be to pull yourself away from the adventures of Baby Yoda and Mando, you might be excited to hear that some underrated comedies are on their way from one of Hollywood’s funniest guys.

Two Jim Carrey efforts are landing on Disney Plus this week, both of which will make for excellent family movie nights due to their wide reaching appeal to all audiences. So, if you’re a fan of penguins, Dr. Seuss, or just Carrey’s ridiculous antics in general, you won’t want to sleep on these.

First up is Mr. Popper’s Penguins, which...

Disney Plus is adding a bunch of new titles this January 1st, including two great Jim Carrey family movies that the Mouse House has inherited from 20th Century Fox. Going up on the site on New Year’s Day are a couple of well-received entries in Carrey’s filmography from roughly a decade ago that have nonetheless kind of been forgotten about. Namely, they’re 2008’s Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! and 2011’s Mr. Popper’s Penguins.

Horton Hears a Who! is an animated adaptation of the classic Dr. Seuss children’s book and stars the actor as Horton, an eccentric elephant living in the jungle who discovers that Whoville exists on a tiny dust speck. He fights to keep the people of the town – led by Mayor Ned McDodd (Steve Carrell) – safe, though his efforts lead to much upheaval. The terrific cast also includes Seth Rogen, Will Arnett, Selena Gomez and Amy Poehler,...

2020 has turned out to be a pretty big year for Disney Plus, what with many major releases going up on streaming instead of dropping in theaters. However, the pandemic’s also held a lot back until 2021, too, which means that next year is going to be an even bigger one for the Mouse House’s platform. And things will kick off right out of the gate, as January is a major month when it comes to new additions.

New Year’s Day delivers a bunch of movies and National Geographic documentaries for subscribers to enjoy. Suffice it to say, if you love sharks, it’s going to be a good January 1st for you. For everyone else, a trio of films inherited from Fox are added to D+’s library the same day. Namely, animated flick Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who, Jim Carrey comedy Mr. Popper’s Penguins and X-Men spinoff The Wolverine,...

Production and distribution powerhouse All3Media has acquired leading natural history producer Silverback Films.

Founded in 2012 by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey (right), Silverback Films is the U.K.’s top natural history producer outside of the BBC Natural History Unit, and creates wildlife content for film and TV. Recent credits include the documentary “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet”, which had a worldwide theatrical release at the end of September before launching on Netflix.

The deal is a tremendous coup for All3Media, which has been on the market for more production acquisitions in the last two years. The company’s portfolio spans 28 companies around the world, with key titles including “Fleabag,” “Call the Midwife” and “Liar.” While All3Media has a number of reputable unscripted production outfits in its wheelhouse, the acquisition of Silverback puts it firmly in the natural history space as a major contender going forward.

Welcome to this week’s All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have more from Tony Khan’s weekly drug trip. Also, there are a shit-load of perverts who have been allegedly revealed, including Jim Cornette & Synn, Dave Lagana, Jordan Devlin & numerous others in Nxt UK and David Starr (along with Alberto Del Rio a few months back and Jay Lethal numerous times over the years). The stories are horrifying and include male and female victims. If you are reading this and have ever been abused, don’t hold that sh*t in. Say that sh*t so everybody can see it and it can’t be hidden anymore. Every time someone gets away with a crime, that leaves them available to hurt more people. Hell, if anyone ever felt like I had ever done anything to them, I’d want them...

In Digital Shorts we review some of the latest video games that are only available digitally (at least in the UK), in a short-form review format. In this edition we take a look at not one but Two new indie games, Ghost Sweeper and Fledgling Heroes, both of which are now available on the Nintendo Switch.

Ghost Sweeper

Ghost Sweeper is a puzzle-platformer set in a cartoon fantasy world, and sees you play as the titular sweepers, noble warriors armed with weapons (there’s two of them to choose from: one has a vacuum which can suck in ghosts and the other that has a fire ball gun – neither of which are really key to completing any level) that let them create and destroy blocks, as well as suck up any supernatural spirits. Players must manipulate each stage’s architecture as they search for coins, keys, and other goodies while...

Updated: Networks and streamers are setting special programming to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22. We’ll be updating as more information comes in, so refresh for the latest.

National Geographic has programmed an entire day of special Earth Day programming on April 22, culminating with two Nat Geo specials.

More from Deadline'The Story Of Plastic' Documentary To Premiere On Discovery Channel In Honor Of Earth DayRon Howard And Brian Grazer Set Nat Geo Docu Following Chef José Andrés And World Central KitchenApple Releases IPhone Se, A $399 Device For Uncertain Economic Times

Jane Goodall: The Hope, featuring the legendary Dr. Jane Goodall, follows her throughout her travels, capturing her commitment and determination to spread a message of hope. Premiering April 22, at 9/8c on Nat Geo and Nat Geo Wild. Born Wild: The Next Generation is produced in tandem with ABC News and hosted by Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts.

Over the last dozen years, Disneynature, Disney’s nature documentary wing, has churned out a wide variety of films that cover all manner of the animal kingdom and its attendant environs. Some have been huge hits, like wide-ranging smashes “Earth” and “Oceans” or the beloved animal-centric offerings “Chimpanzee” and “African Cats,” while others have fizzled (remember “Ghost of the Mountains”? maybe “Penguins”?). Along the way, the dozen-strong film lineup has shored up a predictable formula that combines on-the-ground insight with a cutesy, anthropomorphized look at some of the wild’s most majestic creatures.

And when it works, it really works. Mark Linfield’s “Elephant,” the first of two new Disneynature docs pushed directly to Disney’s fledgling streaming service Disney+, is one that works. Linfield, who previously co-directed sterling Disneynature offerings “Earth” and “Chimpanzee” alongside Alastair Fothergill, is now armed with a new partner: co-director Vanessa Berlowitz, a long-time producer...

It’s about wild animals. It’s narrated by Meghan Markle. And it’s one of the first Disneynature films to be released as a Disney+ exclusive. That ought to be enough give “Elephant” a shot of pop-culture currency rare for a nature documentary, and attract some curious viewers who’d otherwise be interested in “Tiger King” or “The Mandalorian.”

Make no mistake, though: “Elephant,” premiering on April 3 on Disney+ alongside another Disneynature doc, “Dolphin Reef,” does not have the train-wreck appeal of “Tiger King.” It’s got some big cats who briefly threaten our plucky pachyderms, but no crazy people around them. And Markle, who is listed in the credits as “Meghan, Duchess of Sussex” and who came on board in return for a hefty Disney donation to the Elephants Without Borders charity she supports, is a nondescript narrator who mostly stays out of the way; if you didn’t know it was her,...

In recognition of Earth Month, Disney+ announced today the Disneynature film Elephant, narrated by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, will premiere on April 3 alongside previously announced Dolphin Reef with narration by Academy Award&#174-winning actress Natalie Portman. Following its theatrical release last year, the Disneynature film "Penguins" will also make it's Disney+ debut on April 3.

The Earth Month collection on Disney+ will also contain additional Disneynature titles premiering on the service on April 3 including In the Footsteps of Elephant, A Life on the Edge and Diving with Dolphins which give viewers behind-the-scenes access into the unique filmmaking process of all three films.

These captivating films will join an already robust collection of animal and nature titles highlighted throughout the month including National Geographic's America's National Parks, Wild Yellowstone, The Flood, Jane, Before the Floods, Planet of the Birds, Sea of Hope: America's Underwater Treasures, Kingdom of the White Wolf, Tree Climbing Lions,...

Actress and Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle will be narrating the Disneynature documentary "Elephants".

The show will debut on April 3 on Disney Plus, the studio announced Thursday.

This will be Meghan's first project for Markle in show business after she and her husband, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, officially step away from their roles within the British Royal Family on March 31, reports variety.com.

In support of "Elephants," Disneynature and the Disney Conservation Fund are donating to Elephants Without Borders, an organisation working to protect the elephants living in Botswana.

Earlier this year, news broke that Markle had partnered with Disney on an unspecified project after she and her husband revealed they would be stepping back from their royal duties.

In the announcement, Disneynature's credits Markle as "Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex", rather than including her previous royal title of "Hrh". "Elephant" will premiere on Disney Plus the same day...

In recognition of Earth Month, Disney+ announced today the Disneynature film Elephant, narrated by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, will premiere on April 3rd alongside previously announced Dolphin Reef, with narration by Academy Award-winning actress Natalie Portman. Following its theatrical release last year, the Disneynature film Penguins will also make it’s Disney+ debut on April 3rd. The Earth Month collection on Disney+ will also contain additional Disneynature titles premiering on the service on April 3rd including In the Footsteps of Elephant, A Life on the Edge and Diving with Dolphins, which give viewers behind-the-scenes access into …...

Deals for both titles were signed at last month’s European Film Market.

Genre specialist Devilworks has signed Us distribution deals for two titles, with exploitation film distributor Artsploitation Films.

The first is Welcome To The Circle, a directorial debut for writer David Fowler, whose previous writing credits include wildlife documentaries Penguins, Born In China and Gowing Up Wild for Disney.

The film tells the story of a young girl and her father who fall prey to a secluded, madman-worshipping cult situation deep in the woods. The title premiered at Fantasporto Fantastic Festival in Portugal earlier this month; Michael Khazen produces for High Deaf Productions,...

The streaming space is a crowded one. Between Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Apple TV+ and the 2020 launches of NBCUniversal’s Peacock and WarnerMedia’s HBO Max, the competition for your money and attention is fierce.

Now Disney has made the splashiest entrance into the streaming landscape with Disney+. The service’s library features Disney live-action and animated classics, and content from Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and National Geographic.

Disney+ is more than just the greatest hits from the House of Mouse. The service is set to roll out original feature films, TV shows, and documentaries. For instance, more episodes of The Clone Wars season 7 are set to arrive this month.

Grab a Free Trial of Disney+, on us, right here!

Below we have details on the new content that will be available to stream this April 2020. We’ll continue to update this article each month when Disney+ announces its new programming slate.

Though it’s yet to launch in the UK and other parts of Europe, Disney+ has already proven itself to be a major player in North America – thanks in large part to its suite of digital content, which ranges from Marvel Studios to Star Wars and everything in between.

And much like its online peers, Disney+ is still to roll out a fresh wave of content for April 2020, beginning with Doctor Dolittle on April 1st – not to be confused with the recent remake starring McU mainstay Robert Downey Jr.

What’s more, April marks Earth Month, so you can expect plenty of eco-friendly documentaries to air via National Geographic. Indeed, it’s fair to say that the Disney+ lineup has fast become one of the most diverse on the market. From new episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars to age-old classics like Doctor Dolittle, there’s really something for everyone.

Any parent hoping to watch a David Lynch movie with the whole family is in luck starting in April. Disney+ has announced Lynch’s 1999 Disney movie “The Straight Story” will be available to stream next month, which is exciting news as the movie has been hard to come by in recent years on streaming. “The Straight Story” is available to purchase on YouTube and Amazon, but Disney+ subscribers will be able to stream the biographical drama as part of their membership staring April 3.

“The Straight Story” is an outlier in Lynch’s challenging and experimental filmography, with the majority of his movies only be suitable for adult viewers. Co-written by John Roach and Mary Sweeney, “The Straight Story” tells the true story of Alvin Straight, who made headlines in 1994 for journeying across Iowa and Wisconsin on a lawn mower. The cast includes Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek, and regular Lynch collaborator Harry Dean Stanton.

A bright spot in the middle of this dark month, Alison Reid’s unabashedly sincere documentary offers gentle comfort even when it brushes up against tough subjects. “The Woman Who Loves Giraffes” is Dr. Anne Innis Dagg, though a more accurate — if admittedly impractical — title might be “The Woman Who Once Loved Giraffes, Then Lost Them, and Finally Found Them Again.”

The movie traces the length of her remarkable journey beginning in 1936, when her mother took her to the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. Just three years old, she gazed at a group of giraffes — what she now calls “a symphony of perfection” — and knew that she wanted to dedicate her life to them.

And so she did, at least at first. Dagg made her way to Africa for the rigorous study of wild animals in their native habitat years before Jane Goodall or Dian Fossey or many other peers who earned greater renown.

Our year in review party begins. A different list each day. Here's Glenn Dunks...

The documentary box office of 2018 was always going to be hard to beat - impossible, even. Last year we had five documentaries reach totals greater than $10mil. This year, unfortunately, we had none, although one of those five, Peter Jackson's colorized war doc They Shall Not Grow Old made the bulk of its money in the new year so there's that, as did Oscar winner Free Solo.

Nevertheless, the realm of non-fiction more or less thrived in cinemas across America. Where indie flicks with big names faultered, sputtered and got chewed up by the markets divergance towards streaming, documentaries continued to post solid numbers for their boutique distributors. The clear winner for 2019 was Apollo 11, which capitalized on the 50th anniversary of man's first walk on the moon as well as being marketed as an event movie in IMAX.

Disney for the third time in both the studio and the motion picture film industry, will click past the $3 billion mark at the domestic box office either today, most likely tomorrow with the opening of Frozen 2 this weekend. This doesn’t include any B.O. from Fox or Fox Searchlight which is around $463.9M, and it’s 100% more than the 2nd ranking major studio, Warner Bros, which will count north of $1.5B. The Burbank studio will be passing this threshold sooner than they did last year, which was in mid December and wound up being an industry record with $3.09B.

Prior to that, Disney hit $3 billion for the first time in the year-end 2016 domestic box office.

Current running box office for Disney in U.S/Canada is $2.946 billion per Comscore and Deadline calculations, which includes last...

Disney Music Group, in association with Treefort Media, will debut “For Scores,” a new podcast series featuring interviews with film and television composers from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox.

Set to launch this week, the podcast is hosted by Variety contributor Jon Burlingame and “will give voice to award-winning visionary composers, exploring the challenges and emotional journeys of these musical storytellers,” reads an announcement by Dmg.

Burlingame, who has written about film music for Variety since 1997, is the author of four books on the subject (including the best-selling “The Music of James Bond”), teaches film-music history at USC, and has produced and hosted a series of movie-music specials for Classical Kusc in Los Angeles.

Composers featured in the first four episodes include:

— Alan Silvestri. Silvestri talks about his work on four Marvel movies, including “Avengers: Endgame.” He reveals the emotional process he goes through, how it has...

One April weekend in 1964, the Beatles achieved the impossible when they notched the top five spots on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. That achievement — never accomplished before or since — erased any remaining doubts about their dominance. Marvel’s three-hour “Avengers: Endgame” (Disney) was expected to set a record as the biggest domestic opener ever. But Disney accomplished more than one record-breaking film this week. The now mammoth studio made film business history.

Since Thursday night, “Endgame” has notched an estimated $350 million domestic gross. Worldwide it has already reached $1.2 billion (Russia is the sole major market not included; it opens Monday). Those numbers alone are a big story. Here are some significant box office achievements included in this massive result.

Records broken

All-time opening records are no rarity: this is the third time in under 3.5 years after “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and “Avengers: Infinity War.” What is staggering is that new...

Warner Bros./New Line’s “The Curse of La Llorona” has beaten box office expectations this weekend with a $26.5 million opening against a $9 million budget. But while the horror film will find profit for New Line, the anticipation for “Avengers: Endgame” has depressed overall grosses for the Easter box office, leading to the lowest total for the holiday weekend in 14 years.

Overall, the domestic box office grossed an estimated $103 million this weekend, down 22% from last year’s Easter weekend. With “Avengers” expected to dominate the global box office next weekend, most studios have steered clear of releasing a movie this weekend to avoid getting ignored by audiences who can’t wait to see how the Marvel superheroes take down Thanos. The last time an Easter weekend was this low was in 2005, when the Sony comedy “Guess Who” opened to $20 million and the overall box office only reached $99 million.

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Warner Bros. and New Line’s “The Curse of La Llorona” ascended to the top of domestic box office charts, conjuring $26.5 million when it opened in 3,372 North American theaters.

“La Llorona” is the latest horror movie to outperform expectations, further cementing the genre as one of the most reliable box office draws. Even so, “La Llorona” and other new releases “Breakthrough” and “Penguins” couldn’t salvage movie theaters from suffering the worst Easter weekend showing in almost 15 years. This weekend’s offerings amassed a combined $112 million in ticket sales, the lowest haul since 2005, according to Comscore. The decline in sales is likely because the rest of Hollywood avoided opening a big movie ahead of Disney and Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame,” which is expected to crush records when it debuts on April 26.

“The Curse of La Llorona” also launched this weekend in 71 international markets, where it collected $30 million for a global start of $56.5 million.

In this week’s edition of the Variety Movie Commercial Tracker, powered by the TV ad measurement and attribution company iSpot.tv, Annapurna Pictures claims the top spot in spending for the second week in a row with “Missing Link.”

Ads placed for the animated film had an estimated media value of $5.91 million through Sunday for 1,852 national ad airings on 41 networks. (Spend figures are based on estimates generated from April 8-14. Estimates may be updated after the chart is posted as new information becomes available.) Annapurna Pictures prioritized spend across networks including Nick, NBC and CBS, and during programming such as “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “The Loud House.”

Just behind “Missing Link” in second place: Lionsgate’s “Long Shot,” which saw 489 national ad airings across 29 networks, with an estimated media value of $3.54 million.

TV ad placements for Lionsgate’s “Hellboy” (Emv: $3.43 million), Warner Bros.’ “Pokémon Detective Pikachu...

“The Curse of La Llorona,” Warner Bros. and New Line’s horror film from the producers of “The Conjuring” movies, earned $2.75 million in Thursday box office previews.

Both Fox’s “Breakthrough” and Disneynature’s “Penguins” opened early as part of the Easter holiday weekend, making “La Llorona” the sole weekend release. All three are hoping to compete with Warner Bros. and DC’s tongue-in-cheek superhero film “Shazam!” for the top spot, and “La Llorona” is looking at a three-day opening between $17-20 million. New Line’s “Conjuring” spinoff film “The Nun” opened in September last year and made $5.4 million at the Thursday box office ahead of a $53.8 million opening.

For other more recent comparisons, “Pet Sematary” from earlier this month made $2.3 million in its Thursday previews opening against “Shazam!” and made $24.5 million in its opening weekend. January’s “Escape Room” also made $2.3 million from Thursday previews and made $18.2 million when it opened.

“The Curse of La Llorona,” the latest entry in Warner Bros. and New Line’s “Conjuring” universe, conjured $2.75 million from Thursday preview showings, while “Breakthrough,” a faith-based offering from Fox-Disney, brought in $1.5 million from its second day of screenings.

“La Llorona’s” haul tops recent horror counterparts “Pet Sematary” and “Escape Room,” which each took in $2.3 million in previews.

The two films are hoping to dominate the Easter and Passover holiday box office, but they face stiff competition from “Shazam!,” the tongue-in-cheek superhero flick that has topped charts for two weekends in a row. The domestic haul of “Shazam!” stands at $104 million.

“Breakthrough,” which is the first 20th Century Fox film to be released by Disney since it wrapped its deal to buy most of the studio’s assets, already got a jump on the weekend, opening on Wednesday. It is expected to earn between $13 million to $20 million from 2,700 theaters...

Warner Bros. and New Line have been enjoying a couple of weeks of great success as Shazam! has further cemented the DC brand as strong and no longer in danger. Last week, the superhero flick won its second weekend in a row, bringing in $24.4 million and besting Hellboy. This weekend will see the hot streak continue for Warner Bros./New Line as The Curse of La Llorona looks to scare away the competition over Easter weekend. Elsewhere, Fox 2000's faith-based Breakthrough and Disney Nature's Penguins are both set to open as well.

The Curse of La Llorona, which made its debut last month at SXSW, is the latest chapter in The Conjuring universe. The studio has hit the jackpot with this franchise, which is showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. The Nun, which hit theaters last fall, set a new franchise record. This entry, which is based on a...