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We’ve got some exciting news out of Hollywood today, courtesy of Deadline. Lizzo, the four-time Grammy winner, is set to take on a major role in a new movie about the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe. This isn’t just any project—it’s a biopic called ‘Rosetta,’ and it’s being developed by Amazon MGM Studios. I can already feel the energy this pairing is going to bring to the screen.

Tharpe, often called the ‘Godmother of Rock and Roll,’ was a gospel singer who broke barriers in the 1930s and ’40s. She mixed her faith-filled music with a guitar style that shaped rock as we know it, influencing icons like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry. The film plans to dive into a key chapter of her life, full of bold creativity and personal struggles. Picture this—she’s pushing musical limits, hiding a forbidden romance with another woman,...

Lizzo is attached to star in a biopic movie about Rosetta Tharpe.

Rosetta is currently in development at Amazon MGM Studios with a script from Natalie Chaidez (The Flight Attendant) and Kwynn Perry (Tigerbelles). A director is not yet attached.

Producers on the project include Nina Yang Bongiovi and Forest Whitaker for Significant Productions, alongside Lizzo and Kevin Beisler.

Tharpe was a gospel singer who gained prominence in the 1930s and ’40s and has been dubbed the “Godmother of rock and roll.”

The film centers on a key period in Tharpe’s life when she was receiving acclaim for her guitar sound and preparing for a major concert, marking the first-ever stadium show in music history, while also having to hide her love for another woman.

Lizzo is a four-time Grammy winner who appeared in the 2019 film Hustlers. She starred in the Emmy-winning Amazon series Watch Out for the Big...

When the mighty Marvel Comics duo of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby debuted the Hulk in 1962, the big fella was initially gray. According to Lee, this was to keep the character from being identified with any one ethnic group -- and he might've stayed that way had colorist Stan Goldberg not struggled with the gray shading. Lee could see that the color was all wrong, so, after that first issue, he decreed that the Hulk must be green, which, aside from flashbacks to the character's origin in 1984, is the way things were in the Marvel Universe until 2008. (Even reprints of the first issue now portray the Hulk as green.)

Then Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness decided to go and add a different, bolder hue to the character: red. This was not Bruce Banner's Hulk, but the laboratory-created alter-ego of Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross, who was keen to go toe-to-toe...

One of last year's biggest box office bombs has become a hit on Amazon Prime Video as the Robbie Williams biopic, Better Man - the singing anthropomorphic chimpanzee movie - hit number two in the United States and Canada. As of this writing, the film sits at numbers six and five, respectively.

The film premiered at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival last August before debuting on Christmas Day in the United States and in Australia and the UK the next day. Despite its surprisingly high 88% critical and 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, the $110 million production completely bombed at the box office. It earned a measly $20.3 million worldwide with only $1.9 million domestic. That doesn't include marketing costs and revenue sharing with theaters, which could make it one of the biggest box office bombs in history.

Better Man is the official biopic of singing sensation Robbie Williams, who got his start in the British band,...

Jon Bernthal has played the Marvel Comics character Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher, in season 2 of the Netflix Daredevil series and two seasons of his own The Punisher series, and he’s reprising the role in the Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again. Marvel Television boss Brad Winderbaum recently let it slip that Bernthal is also set to star in a The Punisher Special Presentation for Disney+ – and now, Bernthal has promised that the special is going to be dark and will tell the story the fans deserve to see.

Winderbaum told Entertainment Weekly that Bernthal is writing The Punisher Special Presentation with Reinaldo Marcus Green, who directed Bernthal in the 2022 mini-series We Own This City. Green, whose other credits include Bob Marley: One Love, King Richard, Joe Bell, and Monsters and Men, will also be directing the special. This will mark Bernthal’s first official writing credit.

Winderbaum previously said,...

French production and distribution giant Mediawan has taken a majority 51% stake in leading UK-Australian producer See-Saw Films whose credits include Apple TV+’s Slow Horses and Oscar winners The King’s Speech and The Power Of The Dog.

See-Saw founders Iain Canning and Emile Sherman will continue as joint CEOs, working alongside See-Saw’s joint managing directors Helen Gregory and Simon Gillis, and Liz Watts, the head of TV and film in Australia.

They oversee a team of eight executive producers and a staff of over 50 people across development, production, legal and business affairs, finance and marketing.

In a statement announcing the deal,...

There are many familiar faces returning to Hell's Kitchen in "Daredevil: Born Again." Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Jon Bernthal are all heading back to where it all began for more wince-inducing comic book action that we've come to expect from this particular corner of the MCU, which doesn't pull its punches and breaks plenty of bones while doing so. Besides the major players once again entangled in the affairs of the Man Without Fear, there are also some newcomers. Sneaking into the world of kings and devils is Daniel Blake, a supporter of Wilson Fisk (D'Onofrio) who's aiding the former convict's campaign for Mayor of New York. But who is this young upstart who believes the former kingpin has what it takes? Well, if anyone in the cast is familiar with the concept of maintaining a front while engaging in criminal activity, it's Michael Gandolfini.

Highlights of his career...

Exclusive: Paramount Pictures has renewed its first-look feature film deal with George L. Tillman Jr. and Robert Teitel’s State Street Pictures.

The Bob Marley: One Love production company first inked a production pact with the studio in 2020. Tillman and Teitel’s film credits include The Hate U Give, the Barbershop franchise, Men of Honor, Soul Food and Notorious among others.

State Street Pictures’ executive suite also includes Robert Prinz, Head of Television, and Lawrence Mott, Head of Film.

Said Michael Ireland, co-president, Paramount Pictures, Motion Picture Group, “George and Bob are two Chicago guys that have been telling inspiring, dynamic stories for audiences around the world for almost thirty years. We’re lucky to continue to have them on the lot and we look forward to building on the success of Bob Marley: One Love with a slate of movies that will hopefully last thirty more.”

Said Tillman Jr.

Jon Bernthal has played the Marvel Comics character Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher, in season 2 of the Netflix Daredevil series and two seasons of his own The Punisher series, and he’s reprising the role in the Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again, which is set to premiere on March 4th. Marvel Television boss Brad Winderbaum recently let it slip that Bernthal is also set to star in a The Punisher Special Presentation for Disney+ – and now, Winderbaum has revealed that Bernthal is also writing the special, crafting what’s described as “a shotgun blast of a story.”

Winderbaum told Entertainment Weekly that Bernthal is writing The Punisher Special Presentation with Reinaldo Marcus Green, who directed Bernthal in the 2022 mini-series We Own This City. Green, whose other credits include Bob Marley: One Love, King Richard, Joe Bell, and Monsters and Men, will also be directing the special. This will...

Keke Palmer took home entertainer of the year and The Six Triple Eight won two awards, including best motion picture, at the 2025 NAACP Image Awards Saturday night.

The Tyler Perry-directed Netflix film also won for best actress in a motion picture, with a truly shocked Kerry Washington accepting that prize.

“You know how on awards shows when people look surprised, I never believed that they’re really surprised, until Beyoncé at the Grammys,” Washington said. “But I’m just shocked. I’m shocked. Because the women that I’m nominated with are so extraordinary. I love you all so much. I’m honored to be in a category with you.”

She went on to thank her family and the team behind the movie as well as “most importantly,” “the women of ‘The Six Triple Eight’: the 855 women of ‘The Six Triple Eight, who proved to us how extraordinary Black women are,...

The 2025 NAACP Image Awards honored the best in Black excellence for the past year and we have the full list of winners!

The awards were given out across several nights with the main ceremony held on Saturday night (February 22) at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, Calif.

The show, hosted by Deon Cole, aired live on CBS.

Keke Palmer won the Entertainer of the Year award and Outstanding Motion Picture went to The Six Triple Eight, with the film’s star Kerry Washington also taking home the Best Actress prize.

Make sure to check out our recap of all the celebs who walked the red carpet.

Head inside to check out the complete list of winners…

Keep scrolling to see the full list of winners…

Entertainer of the Year

Cynthia Erivo

Keke Palmer – Winner

Kendrick Lamar

Kevin Hart

Shannon Sharpe

Outstanding Social Media Personality of the Year

Kai Cenat

Keith Lee...

Entertainer of the year, a hall of fame induction for the Wayans family and a special honor for former Vice President Kamala Harris promise to be the highlights at Saturday’s NAACP Image Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

Now in its 56th year, the NAACP Image Awards are focused on “celebrating Black excellence and resilience,” according to an event release provided by BET, which is airing the ceremony living beginning at 8 p.m. Et. The network also is airing a red-carpet pre-how at 7 p.m. Et. Athletes, actors, musicians and writers of color have been honored by the NAACP since the Image Awards were first presented in August 1967.

Among the stars nominated this year: Cynthia Erivo, Keke Palmer Kendrick Lamar, Kevin Hart and Shannon Sharpe are vying for entertainer of the year. The comedic juggernaut that is the Wayans family will be inducted into the NAACP Hall of Fame,...

As fans of the Game of Thrones franchise may be aware, BAFTA-nominated actor James Norton is slated to play Ormund Hightower in HBO's smash hit the Game of Thrones spin-off, House of the Dragon. Fans of the fantasy drama may want to dig into Norton's lengthy filmography as they wait for him to make his Season 3 debut.

Norton is a well-established actor on the stage and screen who has turned in plenty of enthralling performances and been a part of critically renowned films and TV shows. However, even among the spoil of riches, a few roles stand out as particularly remarkable. Norton demonstrates a talent for imbuing his characters with a sense of quiet strength and complex emotions.

Norton Plays One of Bob Marley's Closest Collaborators Bob Marley: One Love (2024)

Norton portrays Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records and record producer to the trailblazing Reggae artist Bob Marley,...

Beyoncé and her daughter Blue Ivy Carter were among the winners during Night 2 of the 2025 NAACP Image Awards preshow ceremonies.

On the heels of her record-breaking night at the Grammys earlier this month, Beyoncé was named best female artist and also won best album for Cowboy Carter. Blue Ivy, meanwhile, won the award for best character voiceover performance in a film for her role in Mufasa: The Lion King.

Three other recent Grammy winners also were honored with NAACP Image Awards on Wednesday: Kendrick Lamar won best hip-hop/rap song for “Not Like Us,” Doechii was named best new artist, and Chris Brown won best male artist and best international song for “Hmmm” feat. Davido.

Elsewhere, Wicked won for best costume design, Emilia Pérez was named best international film and Nickel Boys was recognized for its cinematography. Star Wars: The Acolyte won best score for film/TV.

Malcolm Washington won...

Disney has named former Paramount top executive Daria Cercek president of its live action theatrical division.

Cercek will oversee the studio’s live action theatrical slate, development and production of films inspired by the intellectual property stable, and champion original projects. She reports to president of Disney Live Action and 20th Century Studios David Greenbaum.

The upcoming Disney Live Action and 20th Century Studios’ slate includes the third entry in the Avatar franchise towards the end of the year, as well as Snow White, Lilo & Stitch, Tron: Ares, Predator: Badlands, The Devil Wears Prada sequel, the live-action Moana feature, and Ice Age 6.

Exclusive: Walt Disney Studios has named Daria Cercek as President, Disney Live Action – Theatrical. She will report to David Greenbaum, President of Disney Live Action and 20th Century Studios. She will leave her post as Co-President, Motion Picture Group at Paramount Pictures, where with Michael Ireland she steered the studio’s film slates.

With the impending appointment of Skydance leadership at Paramount Global, I’d heard for some time that the well-regarded Cercek was being courted for a top post at Disney, and I’m told this has now transpired with the full support of Paramount President/CEO Brian Robbins. Ireland will run the division at Paramount.

In her new role, Cercek will be responsible for spearheading all aspects of Disney Live Action’s theatrical slate, driving the development and production of films inspired by the studio’s iconic stories and characters, and championing original projects. Reporting to Cercek will be Sam Dickerman,...

While fans of Netflix's flashy spy series The Recruitwould love to see star Noah Centineo play the next James Bond, English actor James Norton is the current frontrunner. As of mid-February 2025, Oddschecker has Norton and Aaron Taylor-Johnson tied with the shortest betting odds to play 007 in Bond 26, with each given a 5/2 chance of winning the role. However, once Bond producers and casting agents see Norton in the underrated spy drama Rogue Agent, Norton's odds could increase considerably.

Released in 2022, Rogue Agent stars Norton as a conniving criminal who tricks the world into believing he is a top-ranking MI5 agent. Although he is not, Norton's performative ability to convince those around him that he's a skilled spy only bolsters his chances of proving his James Bond bona fides. Meanwhile, those drawn to The Recruit's stylish implausibility will enjoy Rogue Agent's extreme twists and turns.

Your Ratingclose10 stars9 stars...

Yet another 20th century music icon is having their life story told in a new biopic as '60s pop star, Marianne Faithfull, will be the subject of a brand-new biopic by director Zaida Bergroth (Tove). As well as piling on to the increasingly popular musical biopic genre -- 2024 saw the release of A Complete Unknown, Bob Marley: One Love, Back to Black, Maria, and Better Man -- the new biopic also features some rising talent, as the stars of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Those About to Die are set to lead the new film. Per Variety, Freya Allen will play Marianne Faithfull in the new movie, Faithfull. Allen is best known for starring in the recent Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesand her ongoing role in Netflix's The Witcher franchise. As well as being a musician in her own right, Marianne Faithful was...

James Norton has dismissed speculation suggesting he's being lined up as the next James Bond.The 'Bob Marley: One Love' star has been named as the favourite to take over the role of 007 from Daniel Craig by bookmakers Ladbrokes - with his odds of playing the superstar slashed from 10/1 to 5/2 - but James is adamant he's baffled by the gossip.Speaking to TV presenter Alex Zane at the BAFTA film awards in London on Sunday night (16.02.25), James said: "Whoever is deciding on these odds needs to get a new job. It’s so weird and bemusing ... "Yet again it's based on pure speculation. It makes for a good clickbait moment in the media but other than that, it's fun and bemusing I guess."He was also asked about a theory which surfaced on a podcast which suggested there had been a major clue about his acting future in...

Rogue Agent's arrival on Netflix called into question how much of the thriller is true.

The spy drama stars James Norton (recently seen in Bob Marley: One Love) as Robert Freegard, a conman who tricked several people into believing he was an undercover MI5 agent.

The movie flew under the radar when it was released in 2022 but earned a 72% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Read full article on The Direct.

European studio Mediawan Group has named producer Max Wiedemann as its first head of artificial intelligence with a brief to integrate AI technologies across its production and distribution activities.

“The integration of AI into film production is arguably one of the most crucial challenges our industry will face moving forward,” said Mediawan Group CEO Pierre-Antoine Capton. ”We aim to leverage its transformative and disruptive potential in a smart and efficient manner.”

Wiedemann, who co-founded The Lives Of Others and Dark producer Wiedemann & Berg Film, will continue as Leonine Studios’ chief production and chief business development officer as well as heading up Mediawan’s AI activities.

Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy is enjoying bigger advance sales a week ahead of release in UK and Ireland than was the case in summer 2023 with Barbie, according to two cinema chains that shared data with Screen.

At Odeon, by yesterday morning – one week ahead of the film’s February 13 UK and Ireland release – the multiplex chain said it had sold around 70,000 tickets, outselling Barbie in the comparative pre-sale period. Around 20% of tickets had been sold for the Thursday preview day, and around a third for Valentine’s Day (February 14).

At boutique chain Curzon, advance sales of the Universal...

Five-time Emmy winner Neil Patrick Harris, BAFTA nominee James Norton, and recent Golden Globe and Emmy winner Jessica Gunning (“Baby Reindeer”), have joined Bella Ramsey in the upcoming feature “Sunny Dancer.”

First launched in Cannes 2024 and announced by Variety, the buzzy project — the sophomore feature from rising British talent George Jaques (“Black Dog”) — is set to begin principal photography in April. The trio of new additions also join Louis Partridge and Ruby Stokes in the cast.

Embankment has currently pre-sold “Sunny Dancer” to all European and Latin American territories, with True Brit Entertainment planning a wide 2026 U.K. world premiere release. Ken Petrie is producing under his 27 Ten banner with Jaques and his Athenaeum Productions.

Pitched as a “deeply personal, coming-of-age, comedy romance,” “Sunny Dancer” follows Ivy (Ramsey), a young girl who is less than thrilled when forced to attend a summer camp for young people affected by cancer. Ivy...

Despite premiering on the same day as A Complete Unknown, the Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet, Nosferatu has outpaced its biggest competitor on its way to becoming one of the biggest movies of 2024 – and one of the most successful horror movies of all time. At the time of writing, Nosferatu has grossed $94 million at the domestic box office and $77 million internationally for a worldwide cumulative haul of $172 million. This $94 million total in the U.S. is enough to makeNosferatu one of the top 25 highest-grossing movies of 2024, pushing it past The Fall Guy (Ryan Gosling), which finished its theatrical run at $92 million. Nosferatu would need another $2 million to pass Bob Marley: One Love, another musical biopic starring Kinglsey Ben-Adir and detailing the life of the late Bob Marley.

A trio of U.K. stars have joined Guy Richie’s “Wife & Dog,” rounding out the cast of the director’s next adventure into the colourful and backstabbing world of the British upper classes (which he recently explored in “The Gentleman” film and TV series).

James Norton, Paddy Considine and Pip Torrens will star in the feature, now in production, joining the previously announced Cosmo Jarvis, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rosamund Pike and Anthony Hopkins.

“Wife & Dog” — first announced by Variety — was written by Ritchie, who also produces alongside long-time producing partner, Ivan Atkinson and Black Bear’s John Friedberg. Executive producers include Teddy Schwarzman and Michael Heimler for Black Bear, and Louise Killin. Black Bear launched sales on the title in Cannes last year, and the film marks the company’s third collaboration with Ritchie and Atkinson following “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” and “In the Grey.”

The film...

Wife & Dog, the next film from Guy Ritchie (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare), has added four to round out its principal cast: Cosmo Jarvis (Shogun), James Norton (Bob Marley: One Love), Paddy Considine (House of the Dragon) and Pip Torrens (The Crown).

Details as to the film’s plot remain under wraps, though the project is described as a “return to the colourful, back-stabbing world of the British aristocracy” explored by Ritchie in his film and TV series, The Gentlemen. As previously announced, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rosamund Pike and Anthony Hopkins lead the ensemble. Production kicked off in the UK today.

Script is by Ritchie, who is also producing alongside long-time producing partner, Ivan Atkinson, and Black Bear’s John Friedberg. Exec producers include Teddy Schwarzman and Michael Heimler for Black Bear, as well as Louise Killin. Black Bear...

Filming on the third season of HBO's Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon reportedly begins soon, and we're seeing lots of signs that things are indeed picking up. The latest comes from Variety, which reports that English actor James Norton will play the role of Ormund Hightower.

We've heard Ormund's name on the show before but have yet to see him in the flesh. Ormund is the son of Hobert Hightower, played by Steffan Rhodri in the first season of the show. Early in the first season, Hobert was the head of House Hightower and the ruler of Oldtown, but by the time the Dance of the Dragons civil war begins, that title has passed to his son Ormund.

Ormund is the nephew of Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), who was instrumental in bringing about that civil war. That also makes him the cousin of Alicent (Olivia Cooke...

James Norton has been tapped to portray Ormund Hightower in Season 3 of HBO’s House of the Dragon, Deadline has learned.

Ormund, who was referenced in Season 2 but never appeared on onscreen, is then nephew of Otto (Rhys Ifans), cousin to Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Gwayne (Freddie Fox) and the Lord of Oldtown. He is presently leading the Hightower forces in a march on King’s Landing to support his house against Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy).

Variety was first to report Norton’s casting.

Based on Martin’s Fire & Blood and set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon tells the story of House Targaryen.

In addition to Ifans, Cooke, Fox and D’Arcy, the cast also includes Matt Smith, Emma, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Fabien Frankel, Matthew Needham, Sonoya Mizuno, Tom Glynn-Carney, Ewan Mitchell, Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban and Jefferson Hall. Additional Season 2 cast includes Abubakar Salim,...

Big casting news has been revealed for the upcoming third season of House of the Dragon. Season 3 will serve as the penultimate season for the series, which was previously renewed through a fourth and final season.

Per Variety, actor James Norton has boarded the cast of House of the Dragon Season 3. He will play Ormund Hightower, a character who was referenced in Season 2 but not shown on-screen. A character description for Ormund reads, "Otto’s (Rhys Ifans) nephew, Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Gwayne’s (Freddie Fox) cousin, and the Lord of Oldtown. He is presently leading the Hightower host in a march on King’s Landing to support his house against Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy).”

Image via HBO

RelatedThe Folio Society's Fire and Blood is a Must Read for House of the Dragon Fans Who Want the Real Story

The Folio Society's Fire and Blood is the definitive take on...

“House of the Dragon” has found its Ormund Hightower.

Variety has learned exclusively that James Norton will join the HBO show’s upcoming third season as Ormund.

The official description for the character states that he is “Otto’s (Rhys Ifans) nephew, Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Gwayne’s (Freddie Fox) cousin, and the Lord of Oldtown. He is presently leading the Hightower host in a march on King’s Landing to support his house against Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy).”

The character had previously been reference during Season 2 of “House of the Dragon” but has never been seen onscreen.

Norton is perhaps best known for his roles in the British TV shows “Happy Valley” and “Grantchester,” though he has also starred in series such as “McMafia” and the 2016 miniseries adaptation of “War & Peace.” Norton also previously starred in the HBO series “The Nevers” and he received a BAFTA nomination in 2015 for his role in “Happy Valley.

Brad Pitt is to star in 'Heart of the Beast'.The 61-year-old actor is set to reteam with his 'Fury' director David Ayer for the first time since they made the 2014 World War II drama on his upcoming Paramount Pictures action adventure film, and will also produce the movie through his Plan B Entertainment company.'Heart of the Beast', which has been written and will be executive produced by Cameron Alexander, follows a former Special Forces soldier and his retired combat dog as they battle for survival following a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness.Damien Chazelle and Olivia Hamilton will also produce via their Wild Chickens Productions company under the terms of their first-look deal with the studio, with David also producing via Crave Films, along with Temple Hill Entertainment, and so will Richard Raymond.'Heart of the Beast' will be Brad's next role after he is...

Brad Pitt is set to star in Paramount Pictures’ “Heart of the Beast,” according to an insider with knowledge of the project. David Ayer is directing.

Damien Chazelle and Olivia Hamilton are producing under their Wild Chickens Productions banner as part of their first-look deal with the studio. Ayer will produce under his Crave Films banner, along with Temple Hill Entertainment and Brad Pitt through his Plan B banner.

Cameron Alexander, who penned the script, will executive produce. Richard Raymond is co-producing.

The story follows a former Army Special Forces soldier and his retired combat dog who battle for survival after a plane crash deep in the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness.

Pitt will next be seen Apple’s “F1” racing film from “Top Gun: Maverick” director Joseph Kosinski, which will be released on June 27. Meanwhile, his Apple TV+ film “Wolfs” with George Clooney became the platform’s most-watched movie after premiering...

Brad Pitt is set for his next big project with Heart of the Beast, an action-adventure film directed by David Ayer. The movie will be produced by Pitt’s company, Plan B Entertainment, and marks his first collaboration with Ayer since their successful film Fury, where Pitt played a U.S. Army sergeant during World War II.

The plot of Heart of the Beast follows a former Army Special Forces soldier and his retired combat dog who are stranded in the harsh Alaskan wilderness after a plane crash. The script was written by Cameron Alexander, who will also be an executive producer.

Along with Ayer, Damien Chazelle and Olivia Hamilton will produce the film under their Wild Chickens Productions. The project has multiple producers, including Temple Hill Entertainment and Richard Raymond, co-producing.

For Brad Pitt, this role follows his involvement in other big projects. His recent work includes F1, an upcoming sports action movie for Apple,...

Exclusive: Brad Pitt has found his next star vehicle in Heart of the Beast, David Ayer’s action adventure film for Paramount Pictures, on which we were first to report last March. He’ll also produce for his Plan B Entertainment.

Written by Cameron Alexander, who will executive produce, the film centers on a former Army Special Forces Soldier and his retired combat dog who battle for survival after a plane crash deep in the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness.

Damien Chazelle and Olivia Hamilton will also produce under their Wild Chickens Productions banner, as part of their first-look deal with the studio. Ayer produces under his Crave Films banner, along with Temple Hill Entertainment, and Pitt under his Plan B banner. Richard Raymond is co-producing.

For Pitt, Heart of the Beast marks the follow-up to F1, Apple’s anticipated, big-budget sports actioner, which Warner Bros releases in theaters on June 27. He...

Viola Davis and director Gina Prince-Bythewood on the set of The Woman King. Courtesy of Sony Pictures

Paramount Pictures today announced the principal cast of the feature film, Children of Blood and Bone. Leading the action fantasy film are Thuso Mbedu (The Woman King) as Zelie; Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give) as Amari; Damson Idris (“Snowfall”) as Inan; and Tosin Cole (“Supacell”) as Tzain.

The movie, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood, is based on the #1 New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Tomi Adeyemi.

The movie releases January 15th, 2027 in IMAX.

Also confirmed are Academy Award® winner Viola Davis as Mama Agba; Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) as Admiral Kaea; Idris Elba (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw) as Lekan; Lashana Lynch (Bob Marley: One Love) as Jumoke; and Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) as King Saran.

In negotiations are Academy Award® winner Regina King (Shirley...

With the best-selling fantasy novels Children of Blood and Bone, Children of Virtue and Vengeance, and Children of Anguish and Anarchy, author Tomi Adeyemi told readers a story known as the Legacy of the Orisha trilogy – and now it’s time for Adeyemi’s books to start getting the film adaptation treatment. Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen of Temple Hill Entertainment, along with Karen Rosenfelt of Sunswept Entertainment – the team behind the Twilight series – are producing an adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone alongside Matt Jackson of Jackson Pictures, with Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Woman King) on board to direct the film from a screenplay she wrote with Adeyemi. The project is set up at Paramount Pictures, and today the studio announced the names of several cast members: Thuso Mbedu (The Woman King) is set to play Zelie, with Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give) as Amari, Damson Idris (Snowfall) as Inan,...

Gina Prince-Bythewood’s movie adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone has found its principal cast in Thuso Mbedu (The Woman King) as Zelie, Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give) as Amari, Damson Idris (Snowfall) as Inan and Tosin Cole (Supacell) as Tzain.

Also confirmed are Academy Award winner Viola Davis as Mama Agba; Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) as Admiral Kaea; Idris Elba (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw) as Lekan; Lashana Lynch (Bob Marley: One Love) as Jumoke; and Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) as King Saran.

In negotiations are Academy Award winner Regina King (Shirley) as Queen Nehanda; Diaana Babnicova (Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot) as Folake; and Bukky Bakray (Rocks) as Binta.

The film, directed by Prince-Bythewood, is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Tomi Adeyemi. The story is set in an African fantasy kingdom...

Thuso Mbedu, Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris and Tosin Cole are taking on the lead roles in the highly-anticipated film adaptation of “Children of Blood and Bone.” Gina Prince-Bythewood is directing the action fantasy film, based on Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling novel, for Paramount Pictures.

The studio has also dated the film for release on Jan. 15, 2027 in Imax.

Mbedu, who previously starred in Prince-Bythewood’s historical epic “The Woman King,” will play Zelie, a young woman living in a fantasy African kingdom who embarks on a quest to reclaim the magic that was violently stolen from her people by the ruthless King Saran. The story follows Zelie and her older brother Tzain (Cole) as they form an alliance with the king’s daughter, Princess Amari (Stenberg) and son, Prince Inan (Idris) to fight back against his brutal rule.

“I am so honored and excited to bring Tomi’s ‘Children of Blood and Bone...

Rank Film (origin) Distributor Jan 17-19 gross Total Week 1 A Complete Unknown(US)

Disney £2.6m £2.6m 1 2 Mufasa: The Lion King (US) Disney £1.6m £26.1m 5 3 Sonic The Hedgehog 3 (US)

Paramount £1.1m £22.3m 4 4 Nosferatu (US)

Universal £1.1m £10.9m 3 5 We Live In Time (UK-Fr) Studiocanal £860,881 £6.8m 3

Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.22

Disney’s Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown opened to £2.6m this weekend across the UK-Ireland, landing in the top spot.

With just shy of 700 sites reporting, and a few still to report, the film has a location average of £3,714.

Timothee Chalamet plays the AmericanBlowin’ In The Wind singer from his early...

Rank Film (origin) Distributor Jan 17-19 gross Total Week 1 A Complete Unknown(US)

Disney £2.6m £2.6m 1 2 Mufasa: The Lion King (US) Disney £1.6m £26.1m 5 3 Sonic The Hedgehog 3 (US)

Paramount £1.1m £22.3m 4 4 Nosferatu (US)

Universal £1.1m £10.9m 3 5 We Live In Time (UK-Fr) Studiocanal £860,881 £6.8m 3

Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.22

Disney’s Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown opened to £2.6m this weekend across the UK-Ireland, landing in the top spot.

With just shy of 700 sites reporting, and a few still to report, the film has a location average of £3,714.

Timothee Chalamet plays the AmericanBlowin’ In The Wind singer from his early...

Louis Leterrier has directed the action films The Transporter, Transporter 2, Unleashed, and Fast X, the action comedies The Brothers Grimsby and The Takedown, the mystery thriller Now You See Me, the fantasy adventure Clash of the Titans, and the comic book adaptation The Incredible Hulk (not to mention the TV shows The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance and Lupin), and over the decades his films have racked up $2 billion at the box office. Last May, we learned that he’ll be directing and producing the film 11817, working from a screenplay by Matthew Robinson (The Invention of Lying), which will see him venturing into the sci-fi horror realm. That same month, it was announced that Kingsley Ben-Adir (Bob Marley: One Love) and Greta Lee (Past Lives) would be starring in the film… but now it looks like Ben-Adir has had to drop out, with Wagner Moura (Civil War) stepping in as his replacement.

Disney’sBob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown,opens wide in around 700 sites across the UK and Ireland this weekend.

Timothee Chalamet plays the US musician from 1961, when the Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door singer was an unknown 19-year-old, freshly landed in New York from Minnesota. James Mangold directs the Searchlight title, with Elle Fanning and Edward Norton also in the cast.

Music biopics have – for the most part – performed robustly at the UK-Ireland box office of late. Studiocanal’s Amy Winehouse film Back To Black opened to £2.7m in April of last year and finished on £12.3m. Paramount’s Bob Marley: One Love...

The total box office at German cinemas in 2024 fell almost 8% year-on-year, according to provisional figures from Comscore.

Overall ticket sales totalled €792.5m, down 7.8% on 2023’s € 859m, while total admissions slipped year-on-year by 7.3% from 87.2m to 80.9m.

This compared to the 23.7% year-on-year increase in box-office takings and 18.5% in admissions that had been posted between 2022 and 2023.

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Walt Disney Pictures’ Inside Out 2 was the year’s most successful new release, grossing $56.9m and garnering 5.7m admissions since its opening week on 678 screens on June 12.The performance of Inside Out 2 as well as other releases such asDeadpool & Wolverine,...

While the biopic genre is often quite hit or miss, with projects that seem to be made only to highlight a celebrity's fame, Better Man, a film about U.K. pop star Robbie Williams, is an example of one that is trying its best to be a unique experience with an intense story to tell. Unfortunately for Better Man, its great reviews aren't enough to save it from an abysmal box office performance. The movie has struggled immensely following its theatrical release, making only $1 million in its first weekend on a $110 million budget.

While biopics have never been enormous box office draws compared to the more mainstream Hollywood films, in recent years many of them have cropped up to become quite well-received, both by critics and audiences. While Better Man has fallen very short at the box office, Timothée Chalamet's Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown has done excellently...

Sundance Film Festival has announced the 16 jurors heading into the festival launch on January 23, with Critics’ Week artistic director Ava Cahen,Celine Song, and Daniel Kaluuya among those taking part.

Song, whose Oscar-nominated Past Lives premiered in Park City in 2023, joins Bob Marley: One Love director Reinaldo Marcus Green, and Iranian-born Succession actor Arian Moayed as U.S. Dramatic Competition jurors.

Serving on the corresponding documentary jury are Steven Bognar, director of Sundance 2019 selection American Factory, Higher Ground head of film and TV Vinnie Malhotra, and Marcia Smith, who is president of the non-profit Firelight Media that advocates for documentary filmmakers of colour.

The 2025 Sundance Film Festival announced its 16-member jury on Tuesday, which is set to include “Bob Marley: One Love” director Reinaldo Marcus Green, actors Daniel Kaluuya (“Judas and the Black Messiah”) and Elijah Wood (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy) and more.

Green, along with “Succession” actor Arian Moayed and “Past Lives” filmmaker Celine Song, will handle the U.S. Dramatic Competition. Oscar- and Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Steven Bognar (“American Factory”), producer Vinnie Malhotra and Marcia Smith will oversee the U.S. Documentary Competition.

Heading up the World Cinema Dramatic Competition are Ava Cahen, Wanuri Kahiu and Kaluuya. Daniela Alatorre, Laura Kim and Kevin Macdonald will oversee the World Cinema Documentary Competition.

Kaniehtiio Horn, Maggie Mackay, and Kibwe Tavares will oversee the Short Film Program Competition, while Wood will handle the Next section.

The jury for the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize deliberated ahead of the festival and awarded the prize to “Sally,...

We are living in the golden age of the rock biopic. Until very recently, films like The Doors, Ray, Walk the Line, and Love and Mercy popped up only once every few years. But in roughly the past half-decade alone, we’ve seen Bohemian Rhapsody, Bob Marley: One Love, Back to Black, Rocketman, Respect, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and Elvis. This past Christmas, we got the story of Bob Dylan, A Complete Unknown, and Better Man, in which an anthropomorphic chimpanzee “plays” Robbie Williams. And in the coming months and years,...

Music biopics are hard to master. It is easy for music biopics to fall in conventional beats, showing classic scenes such as an artist's early work, big break, first big concert, and frictions with the industry. That said, 2024 had some promising entries in the genre. The year kicked off with Bob Marley: One Love, a Valentine's Day release that reinvigorated the box office after it got a disappointing start with flops with Argylle. One Love ended up making $180.8 million worldwide, an impressive haul for a biopic.

While One Love falls more on the conventional music biopic side, there are plenty of films that have been breaking the boundaries of the genre in recent years. The Elton John-based Rocketman took a musical approach, for example, putting full-on dance numbers in the film rather than just depict actual stage performances. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story crafted a fictionalized version of the parody musicians story,...

Tune in to Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong Radio for exclusive access to the musical celebration honoring Bob Marley’s milestone 80th birthday, live from the legendary Tuff Gong Studio in Kingston, Jamaica.

Featured in the stellar line-up are Mortimer, Bugle, Kumar Fyah, Naomi Cowan, Quan Dajai, Kelly Shane, and Alexx A-Game with emcee Mutabaruka.

Uprising 80Bob Marley birthday tribute concertListen on the App

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Bob Marley: Uprising 80 How to Listen

Tune in to Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong Radio on satellite channel 19 and the SiriusXM app on January 12 to hear the tribute concert preview, with an encore presentation airing on February 6, Bob’s birthday.

Broadcast Schedule

January 12 5pm and 8pm Et February 6 5pm Et What you’ll hear

As is now customary, the “Bob Marley: Uprising 80” lineup blends experienced performers with exciting up-and-coming acts, covering a broad spectrum of popular Jamaican music styles. From the “anointed...

Netflix’s The Piano Lesson scooped up a whopping 14 nominations to lead the way for the 56th NAACP Image Awards announced Tuesday, with Peacock’s limited series Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist topping the TV categories with nine bids. The five luminaries competing for the coveted Entertainer of the Year honor are Cynthia Erivo, Keke Palmer, Kendrick Lamar, Kevin Hart, and sports-talk host Shannon Sharpe.

Based on August Wilson’s play, The Piano Lesson’s nominations include honors for Outstanding Motion Picture, director (Malcolm Washington) and actors John David Washington, Corey Hawkins, Samuel L. Jackson, and Danielle Deadwyler. In the top movied category, it’s joined by Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Bob Marley: One Love, Wicked, and The Six Triple Eight. Nominated for Best Independent Film are Albany Road, Exhibiting Forgiveness, Rob Peace, Sing Sing, and We Grown Now.

The nominees for Best International Film include El lugar de la otra,...