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The opening scenes of Greta Gerwig's blockbuster "Barbie" feature multiple young girls, each of them dressed in drab, mid-'50s frocks, playing with baby dolls. A narrator (Helen Mirren) notes, prior to 1959, babies were the only doll option for kids, implying that little girls were being trained for their eventual expected role as housewives and mothers. Surreally, the girls are playing out in a vast, prehistorical desert, with no homes or parents anywhere to be seen. 

Then, she appears. 

Standing about 15-feet tall, Barbie (Margot Robbie) manifests in the dirt nearby. She stands there, statuesque, presenting the young girls with the next step in their playtime evolution. Baby dolls are instantly a thing of the past. Barbie, an adult doll, is now going to be the girls' whole world. The girls wander in idle awe up to Barbie, touching her leg, making sure she's real. One of the girls...

The Toronto International Film Festival is in full swing with a bevy of titles competing both for global distribution and awards prestige. The festival has had its share of lumps in the last month, losing their 28-year-sponsor, Bell Telephone, back in August, as well as being enmeshed in the on-going SAG-AFTRA/WGA duel strike. It is that strike that is the most insurmountable goal for the event, as actors and writers are unable to attend and promote their films, though some have with a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement.

And while the movie landscape is looking different, with movies switching release dates (in the wake of both the strike and Taylor Swift’s Eras tour), this year’s TIFF is showcasing what amazing movies are still being made. Here are 25 of the hottest titles to be excited for at this year’s TIFF.

Courtesy of TIFF

“Dumb Money” (Sony)

Craig Gillespie’s...

Ian McKellen is not holding back when it comes to talking about his least favorite filmmaking experience.

The “Lord of the Rings” and “X-Men” actor said in a Variety cover story that starring in Michael Mann’s 1983 horror film “The Keep” was among his worst memories as an actor. The film, which was critically panned upon release, follows a group of Nazi soldiers who unwittingly awaken an evil supernatural force in Romania during World War II.

“Michael Mann said to me, ‘You’re playing this Romanian,'” McKellen recalled. “So I went to Romania to scout it out, and I learned how to speak with a Romanian accent. Then on the first day of shooting, Michael told me he wanted me to speak with a Chicago accent. Well, I couldn’t do that, and it got worse from there.”

McKellen continued, “I would define a good director as an honest one who says,...

Sir Ian McKellen nearly missed out on the role of Gandalf in 'The Lord of the Rings'.The legendary actor has revealed that he was not the first choice to play the wizard in the fantasy franchise and only landed the part because Sir Anthony Hopkins and Sir Sean Connery rejected the opportunity.Ian told Variety: "I don't think you're ever the first choice, I certainly wasn't the first choice for Gandalf."Tony Hopkins turned it down. Sean Connery certainly did. They're all coming out of the woodwork now, and I hope they feel silly."McKellen's latest role is the acerbic theatre reviewer Jimmy Erskine in 'The Critic' and the six-time Olivier Award winner relished playing an antagonistic character.The 84-year-old star said: "Often the devil has the best tunes and the best lines, and it's fun to play an outrageous man who clearly has some emotional problems.

Ian McKellen, the renowned actor, has no plans to retire and is excited about his upcoming projects, including his role as an egotistical theater reviewer in "The Critic." McKellen takes his roles seriously and is known for his work ethic and attention to detail in preparing for his performances. Despite his success, McKellen remains humble and admits he never went to drama school, approaching each new project with a sense of fear and determination to avoid repeating past mistakes.

In an interview with Variety, acclaimed actor Ian McKellen got candid about his future projects and the possibility of retirement. McKellen has won a Tony, a Golden Globe, six Olivier Awards, and earned nominations for two Academy Awards, five Emmys, and five BAFTA Awards. He has made a name for himself as one of the greatest actors in modern theater. However, the 84-year-old actor has made it clear that he has no intentions of slowing down.

When it comes to a career that’s netted him two Oscar nominations, a Tony, six Olivier Awards and a reputation as one of the preeminent Shakespearean actors of his generation, Ian McKellen usually has critics exhausting the superlatives. But he’s not immune to the rare bruising notice, and when that happens, he calls his friends.

“The best thing is to let everyone know that I’ve read it and they needn’t pussyfoot around it,” he says. “I know that I’ve been chastised.”

For his latest role in “The Critic,” it’s McKellen who is delivering the blistering assessments as Jimmy Erskine, an acid-tongued theater reviewer who yields a corrosive influence over a struggling actress named Nina Land, played by Gemma Arterton. He’s a Mephistophelian figure — one who exchanged his moral compass for great orchestra seats.

Alfred Enoch and Ian McKellen in “The Critic”

“Often the...

Former showrunner of The Simpsons, Josh Weinstein, confirmed a callback to the series in Disenchantment season 5, episode 3. The callback references a scene from a 1994 episode of The Simpsons, co-written by Weinstein and Bill Oakley. The callback involves a reference to Hig Heisler, mentioned by Comic Book Guy to Bart Simpson in the episode "Lady Bouvier's Lover."

The Simpsons just got a callback to a joke from almost three decades ago, though it happened in another show. Given its status as one of the most influential shows of all time, the influence of The Simpsons is clear to see in other sitcoms and family comedies, like Malcolm in the Middle. But the animated staple has also built a loosely connected universe through crossovers and clever references that could just as easily fall under the radar.

Josh Weinstein, a former showrunner on The Simpsons, confirmed a callback to the series in Disenchantment.

When Matt Groening's and David X. Cohen's animated sci-fi sitcom "Futurama" was still in the earliest days of its development, voice actor Billy West was shown drawings of the characters he might be playing on the show. When he was shown a picture of Dr. Zoidberg, the impoverished lobster physician at Planet Express, West figured the arthropod's voice would sound muffled and jowly due to the tendrils of meat hanging off his face. West reached deep into his mental vault of celebrities he could imitate and came out with two obscurities: Dr. Zoidberg was a combination of George Jessel — a Vaudeville comedian and longtime Toastmaster of Ceremonies at multiple political gatherings in the '40s and '50s — and Canadian actor Lou Jacobi from "Irma la Douce" and "Arthur."

Zoidberg is a deliberately pathetic character, often full of self-pity and embarrassment. He's also a terrible doctor, often grafting...

There are no two film critics as well-known as Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. The famed hosts of At the Movies spent over twenty years together reviewing movies, advocating upcoming filmmakers, and making their own picks for the winners of the Academy Awards. They appeared on talk shows, reviewed an episode of Saturday Night Live as it was happening, and were once parodied by name in 1998's American take on Godzilla. They would turn down offers to appear in TV and movies themselves, citing a conflict of interest. In the mid-90s however, there was one exception: an animated program with ties to The Simpsons in which they were offered the chance to sing: the aptly titled cartoon The Critic.

What does it mean to be one of the “hottest” or “buzziest” titles in a film festival sales market if there’s no stars drum up that excitement? Or if there’s little likelihood of an all-night bidding war by a streamer spending in the 7-figures to land their next Oscar contender?

As we reported earlier today, those are all ways in which the strike threatens to weigh on the film markets at Venice, Telluride, and Toronto. A handful of those films are directorial debuts by famous actors-turned-filmmakers, and some even have interim agreements from SAG-AFTRA that will let them promote. But all these films should stand on their own merits and could catch the eyes of the many non-amptp distributors that need creative ways to fill out their slates.

In part because of the strikes, the Venice and TIFF slates are loaded with independent movies without U.S. distribution,...

With one announcement we got confirmations for films that will either exclusively play in Toronto or will hit either Telluride and/or Venice just prior. Among the major grabs for World Premiere status we find Craig Gillespie’s Dumb Money, Ellen Kuras’ Lee, Mahalia Belo’s The End We Start From, Grant Singer’s Reptile, Michael Winterbottom’s Shoshana, Maggie Betts’ The Burial, Anand Tucker’s The Critic, Viggo Mortensen’s The Dead Don’t Hurt, Dk & Hugh Welchman’s The Peasants, James Hawes’ One Life and Thea Sharrock’s Wicked Little Letters. Again, if the strike is still in place all these titles will be presented without that deeply appreciated red carpet glam factor.…...

Festival runs September 7-17.

The world premieres of Ellen Kuras’s biopic Lee starring Kate Winslet, Craig Gillespie’s GameStop meme craze drama Dumb Money, David Yates’s crime drama Pain Hustlers with Emily Blunt, and Michael Winterbottom’s thriller Shoshana are among Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Galas and Special Presentations.

The festival unveiled a further 60 selections on Monday after previously announcing Taikia Waititi’s Searchlight Pictures underdog football story Next Goal Wins, and Ladj Ly’s Les Indésirables, and Atom Egoyan’s Seven Veils - both of which are available for the US. XYZ Films handles world sales...

Imagine a time before 90 inch TV screens were sold at Walmart for $200 on Black Friday, a time when the family would gather around one rabbit eared black and white television to watch a show on one of the four channels they had available to them. Now imagine a world in the immediate aftermath of World War 2, when everyone needed a good laugh. In that time you may turned on your TV’s after enjoying your mother’s pot roast and carrot dinner to see young men such as Carl Reiner, Sid Caesar and Mel Brooks performing comedic routines that gave you truly guttural laughs. The premises seemed so simple, yet the genius that went into crafting these bits would soon shape the entire direction of comedy. These men would go on to become some of the most iconic figures in the history of entertainment. Sadly, as time does to us all,...

The effect of The Simpsons on pop culture can’t be overstated. In the early nineties, the show tapped into the cultural zeitgeist in a way few others had before. Indeed, no other cartoon show could reasonably emulate it- but Hollywood couldn’t help but try. Capitol Critters, Family Dog, and Fish Police were just a few of the shows that tried to be “the new Simpsons.” Still, the only one that really came close was ABC’s The Critic, starring the voice of Jon Lovitz as Jay Sherman, perhaps the world’s least-loved film critic and the subject of this Gone But Not Forgotten episode.

Unlike other wannabe animated hits, The Critic could boast a legit connection to The Simpsons, with it also being a production of James L. Brooks’ Gracie Films. At the same time, creators Al Jean and Mike Reiss had been showrunners on The Simpsons during...

Exclusive: Veteran producers William Shockley and Tom Brady have partnered with Allen Gilmer and Riki Rushing to launch Thunderbird Pictures, a new production company to have a presence in both Los Angeles and Austin, TX.

Thunderbird’s launch was teased last month at SXSW, where the company served as the official awards sponsor of the inaugural Thunderbird Rising Award, presenting prizes to first-time directors Paris Zarcilla (Raging Grace) and Brittany Snow (Parachute). The quartet will be joined at the banner by Head of Casting, Tiiu Loigu; Head of Business Development, Jason Chilton; production exec Robert Abdou; and Chief Financial Officer Aldo Waker.

Thunderbird’s initial slate of films includes the Miguel Bardem-directed drama Castro’s Daughter (fka Alina of Cuba), starring James Franco and Ana Villafane, which was produced in partnership with Mankind Entertainment, and is now in post-production; the follow-up documentary Revolution’s Daughter, directed by Thaddeus Matula,...

Exclusive: Studiocanal has acquired rights to develop Peter Cameron’s well-received 2020 novel What Happens At Night into a feature film, with Martin Scorsese aboard to produce and Oscar nominee Patrick Marber (Notes On A Scandal) adapting the screenplay.

What Happens At Night, a finalist for the LA Times‘ Book Prize for Fiction, is a dream-like story of a married American couple who travel to a small, snowy European town to adopt a baby.

The couple check into a cavernous, largely deserted hotel where they encounter an enigmatic cast of characters including a flamboyant chanteuse, a depraved businessman and a charismatic faith healer. Nothing is quite as it seems in this strange, frozen world. As the couple struggle to claim their baby, the less they seem to know about themselves and the life they’ve built together.

The Times Of London called the novel “a mystery story, even a bit of a thriller,...

Exclusive: Olga Kurylenko (Black Widow), Jenny Seagrove (The Guardian), Anna Friel (Marcella) and Ben Miles (The Crown) have wrapped production on the under-the-radar psychological thriller My Sister’s Bones, whose first-look images we can reveal today.

Bill Kenwright’s BKStudios is behind the project, adapted from Nuala Ellwood’s novel of the same name.

Supporting cast includes Harry Potter and Game of Thrones actor David Bradley, who recently voiced Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar winner Pinocchio, and Maggie Steed (Ten Percent). Shooting took place on location in Whitstable, Herne Bay, London and Morocco.

The project marks the second film from director Heidi Greensmith, whose debut feature Winter garnered three awards at the New York Film Festival, including Best Director, as well as a BIFA nomination in the Discovery Award category. The film was adapted for the screen by Naomi Gibney (Devils).

The film opens in a bleak police station where celebrated...

Exclusive: Tony Award nominees Jennifer Simard (Company) and Adam Godley (The Lehman Trilogy) have joined the cast of Broadway’s upcoming Britney Spears musical Once Upon A One More Time.

The musical, which updates various fairytales through Spears’ many hit songs, begins previews Saturday, May 13, 2023, at Broadway’s Marquis Theatre ahead of an official opening night on Thursday, June 22.

Simard will play the role of Stepmother and Godley will portray The Narrator. The castings were announced today by producers James L. Nederlander and Hunter Arnold.

Simard and Godley join the previously announced Briga Heelan as Cinderella, Justin Guarini as Prince Charming, and Aisha Jackson as Snow White. Additional cast will be announced at a later date.

Directed and Choreographed by Keone & Mari Madrid, Once Upon A One More Time features an original story written by Jon Hartmere that reimagines such fairytale icons as Cinderella, Snow White, Little Mermaid and others...

Prime Video this morning released first look at its global spy series from Anthony and Joe Russo, Citadel, which will premiere April 28 with two episodes, followed by a new episode released weekly every Friday through May 26. The images for the big-budget series, starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden, feature British actor Lesley Manville which is being revealed as a core series regular alongside previously announced Madden, Chopra Jonas and Stanley Tucci.

Lesley Manville as Dahlia Archer

She plays Dahlia Archer, the British Ambassador to the United States, whose loyalties may lie elsewhere. She’s highly cunning and ambitious, making her both a valuable asset and a formidable foe.

From Amazon Studios and the Russo Brothers’ Agbo, Citadel is executive produced by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Mike Larocca, Angela Russo-Otstot, and Scott Nemes for Agbo, with David Weil serving as showrunner and executive producer. Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, Jeff Pinkner,...

“James Bond will return in Dr. No means No.” That was a joke line from an old T.V. cartoon called The Critic that poked a little fun at the idea that, in P.C. (politically correct) times, the James Bond franchise would evolve. Being an old-school Bond fan, I personally think they’ve done so in a perfectly appropriate way. You have to change with the times, and the franchise has done that.

But, when it comes to altering previous work to reflect modern times, well, that’s an altogether stickier issue. Recently, the Roald Dahl estate came under fire when it was revealed the books had been heavily rewritten to reflect modern sensibilities. And now comes the news that Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels are being changed as well to remove outdated racial stereotyping and references.

To be sure, the changes are less extensive (or outrageous) than...

Inward investment into film and high-end television (Hetv) in the U.K. during 2022 reached a record height of £6.27 billion (7.72 billion), statistics from the BFI reveal.

This is the highest ever reported figure and is £1.83 billion higher than for the pre-pandemic year 2019.

Some 69 of the £6.27 billion spend was contributed by Hetv production with £4.30 billion, with feature film production contributing £1.97 billion.

However, spend on independent U.K. filmmaking showed a downturn with £174 million, a 31 decrease on 2021. On the other hand, coproductions with independent producers saw a 3 increase in spend with £59 million.

Of the total £4.29 billion Hetv production spend: inward investment shows contributed £3.62 billion (84 of total Hetv spend and a 3 decrease on 2022); domestic U.K. shows accounted for £632.7 million (15 of total Hetv spend and a 4 decrease on 2021) ; and coproduction spend was £36.5 million (less than 1 of total spend but a near three-fold increase on 2022).

Of the total £1.97 billion spend on film production: inward investment...

Despite his relatively short filmography, Brad Bird is one of the most influential directors working today. Bird brought a new level of respect to the art of animation. He had been a prominent staffer on game-changing animated shows from the 1990s, including "The Simpsons," "King of the Hill," and "The Critic." These shows proved that animated sitcoms could tackle adult material. He even directed the popular "The Simpsons" music video "Bart Simpson: Do The Bartman." This helped Bart join the select club of animated characters who topped the singles chart.

Bird made his feature film debut with "The Iron Giant" in 1999. Even though the film bombed...

The post Brad Bird Movies Ranked Worst to Best appeared first on /Film.

Although adult animated TV series have been around since the 1970s, starting with sitcoms such as Where's Huddles?, the genre didn't take off until the 1990s. The releases of Beavis and Butt-Head, The Critic (by Al Jean and Mike Reiss), The Simpsons, and King Of The Hill would take the genre into new heights of popularity.

Related: 15 Best Animated Movies For Adults

By the turn of the century, TV companies were producing many more adult animated series to capture the burgeoning popularity they had in the 90s. The genre, today, populates all 'greatest TV sitcoms' lists, certifying its position as a genre that resonates with audiences. For every hugely popular adult animated series, there are the lesser-known ones that add to the cultural milieu.

Humbly listed at the bottom of recent press release, Hulu revealed a rather startling viewership statistic. In the last year, more than half of Hulu subscribers had watched at least one of its adult animated programs. Further still, nearly 40 percent watch some form of adult animation every month. Based on reported figures, that’s roughly 12 million people regularly seeking out Hulu’s acquired and original animated series.

It’s no wonder the Disney-controlled streamer has invested in making more of its own animated programs, including “Solar Opposites” (the main focus of the press release), which became the No. 1 title on Hulu (animated or otherwise) during its premiere week in May. There’s a growing demand for adult animated content, and Hulu is in a prime position to capitalize. Why? A bulk of Hulu’s high-profile animated content comes from Fox, one of the streamer’s sister networks and a long-standing...

The sixth season of The Simpsons began a little bit behind the eight ball. Several show runners left to create the now cult cartoon, The Critic. Writer Conan O’Brien left to start his gig hosting Late Night. The Critic was even a sore spot for creator Matt Groening. To date, only one episode has Groening’s name removed, because it felt like shameless promotion for the aforementioned series.

Related: The Simpsons Donut And 9 Other Fictional Foods From TV And Movies We Wish Were Real

Clearly, none of that seemed to matter as the series continued to roll through what many old school fans consider one of the better seasons as the show was hitting it’s stride and even pulled off a massive cliffhanger season ending. Here are the 11 best episodes of season six, ranked according to IMDb.

Exclusive: Longtime The Simpsons executive producer/showrunner Al Jean has signed with the Gersh Agency. This represents the highest-profile new writer signing since Gersh earlier this year became the first major full-service talent agency to sign a franchise agreement with the WGA.

Jean has been on Fox’s The Simpsons since the 1989 pilot and, with brief breaks in the 1990s, for the iconic comedy’s 21-season run to date. He has been a sole showrunner since Season 13.

With The Simpsons, Jean has shared nine Animation Program Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award. He also was co-writer and producer on The Simpsons Movie, which grossed over $500 million worldwide, and on The Simpsons-themed Oscar-nominated animated short film The Longest Daycare.

In addition to his work on The Simpsons, Jean co-created series The Critic and Teen Angel and worked on It’s Garry Shandling’s Show. He also co-wrote Funny or Die’s SNL Presidential Reunion Video,...

There’s a ridiculous amount of TV content out there waiting to be streamed during your downtime — and a lot of it won’t cost you one shiny penny.

TVLine already offers a premium streaming guide, which delivers a rundown of subscription rates, original series and select library content offered by established, new and forthcoming streamers. We also publish a monthly list of TV shows and movies coming and going on Netflix.

More from TVLineThe Blacklist Creator Explains the Midseason Premiere's Glaring Absence, Teases a Major Secret for [Spoiler]American Idol Video: Will Margie Mays and Jonny West Survive the New 'Duets' Round in Hollywood Week?...

Russi Taylor, who voiced various animated characters including Disney’s Minnie Mouse, died Friday in Glendale, Calif., our sister site Deadline reports. She was 75.

Taylor brought the iconic mouse to life for more than 30 years, in TV shows, movies, theme-park attractions and other Disney endeavors. As recently as this year, she voiced the character in Mickey and the Roadster Racers and some Mickey Mouse shorts.

More from TVLineGame of Thrones Backlash: HBO Boss Says Media 'Not Responsible'TVLine Items: Denise Richards on BH90210, Ballers Premiere and MoreAHS: 1984's Stab-Happy Teaser Trailer Claims the First Victims of Season 9

“Minnie Mouse lost her...

Live Nation, The Araca Group and Ebg (Entertainment Benefits Group) are pleased to announce that iconic Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award winner Mel Brooks will take the stage on June 17 and 18 as part of the recently announced In Residence on Broadway series at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street).

Blazing Saddles. Young Frankenstein. The Producers. Mel Brooks has created some of the most iconic comedies in film history, and he is returning to the New York stage for an exclusive two-night engagement. The actor, writer, director, and producer stars in a hilarious unscripted show combining off-the-cuff comedy, unbelievable personal stories, and film clips from some of his most memorable work in Mel Brooks On Broadway. Mel Brooks On Broadway will be a very special evening of unforgettable tales and non-stop laughter.

Mel Brooks, director, producer, writer and actor, is in an elite group as one of the few entertainers...

Rich Moore, who won an Academy Award for “Zootopia,” will be joining Sony Pictures Animation to develop, produce, and direct original animated features.

Sony Pictures Animation, which made the announcement on Monday, said Moore will also be be available to act in an advisory capacity with ongoing feature film and series-based projects.

Kristine Belson, president of Sony Pictures Animation, said, “Rich is a world-class storyteller and he brings with him a wealth of experience and a unique sensibility for story, comedy, and heart. We are so excited for him to join our team of filmmakers at Sony Pictures Animation as we continue to develop a slate of animated features that are big, bold, and will take audiences by surprise.”

Moore also received Oscar nominations for “Wreck-It Ralph” and “Ralph Breaks the Internet” with fellow director Phil Johnston. He was one of the original three directors on “The Simpsons,” directing episodes...

Oscar-winning animated feature director and Disney veteran Rich Moore is jumping from Disney to Sony Pictures Animation after 10 years and will develop, produce and direct feature films for the studio.

Moore won an Oscar in 2017 for Best Animated Feature for “Zootopia.”

“Rich is a world-class storyteller and he brings with him a wealth of experience and a unique sensibility for story, comedy and heart,” Sony Pictures Animation president Kristine Belson said in a statement. “We are so excited for him to join our team of filmmakers at Sony Pictures Animation as we continue to develop a slate of animated features that are big, bold, and will take audiences by surprise.”

Also Read: Sony Pictures Television Names Marie Jacobson Head of New 'Indie Feature Film Style' Production Unit

In addition to “Zootopia,” which grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, Moore directed the Oscar-nominated “Wreck-It Ralph” and last year’s “Ralph Breaks the Internet” for Disney.

Opening today is Kelly Fremon Craig’s directorial debut The Edge of Seventeen, and it is an impressive debut that works as a coming-of-age high school comedy in a way few others have

There’s a reason why it’s being compared to everything from Juno to Clueless to Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and much of that has to do with the central character, 17-year-old Nadine, as played by Hailee Steinfeld. She’s a bit of an outcast, sure, but the words that come out of her mouth, as written by Craig, makes her an immediately compelling character, as we see her face all sorts of adversity from the death of her father to other more mundane teenage angst with such a wry sense of humor.

Craig had a great mentor-of-sorts in James L. Brooks, who signed on as a producer fairly early on in order to get the movie made.

Writer-director Brad Bird has established himself as one of the biggest names in the world of animation, starting with his work on TV shows like The Simpsons and The Critic before moving on to a string of acclaimed feature films like Ratatouille and The Incredibles. Along the way, unsurprisingly, he’s developed some pretty strong ideas about his chosen medium, and he’s not at all timid about sharing them.

Kees Van Dijkhuizen Jr., a film editor from the Netherlands, has compiled some of Bird’s opinions into an instructive video called “Insight: Brad Bird On Animation.” Here, audio from various Bird interviews has been layered over clips from his work, including those aforementioned Pixar triumphs and 1999’s The Iron Giant. Think of this as a five-minute master class on what makes a great animated movie, taught by an instructor who could not be more pumped for this.

Insight ...

With a career in film and television that now dates back fifty years, the name James L. Brooks and his Gracie Films logo have become a comfortable thing to see whenever they appear. While it will actually grace the front of Kelly Fremon Craig’s upcoming teen comedy The Edge of Seventeen (and we’ll have more on that later), they’re both better known as the coda on Fox’s long-running animated series, The Simpsons.

Lrm had a chance to talk with Brooks about finding and producing Craig’s directorial debut, but we also asked about how things were going with The Simpsons. This is what he told us:

“I’m very involved, and it’s a particular exciting year for us. We’re doing our first hour special, and we did a small virtual reality thing—we’re the first television show to do that. That was labor-intensive,...

The animation studio Film Roman announced today it has acquired an option to adapt “This Modern World by Tom Tomorrow,” the long-running, award-winning comic strip written and inked by Dan Perkins, as an episodic animated series.

The comic strip has been carried by publications across the country for more than 25 years, appearing in the New York Times, The New Yorker, Spin, Esquire, and more.

Read More: ‘The Simpsons’ Teams with Google to Enter Virtual Reality for Its 600th Episode

“We are exceptionally pleased and excited to be working with Dan to adapt his fiercely insightful and hilarious strip for television or digital,” says Steve Waterman, CEO of Film Roman. “With its large and enthusiastic following, it’s a show that could work in a broadcast, cable or streaming environment, and we’re going to explore all of those options.”

The series will be executive produced by animator Phil Roman, founder of Film Roman,...

The Simpsons is entering its 28th year, yet I still have new questions every time I see showrunner Al Jean at the Fox Television Critics Association party. Jean has been the show runner for 26 of the 28 years. He took two years to do the short-lived animated series The Critic, and may be the […]

The post Interview: ‘The Simpsons’ Showrunner Al Jean on Amy Schumer, the Hourlong Episode, and More to Come in Season 28 appeared first on /Film.

Judd Apatow made his name in television, working on “The Ben Stiller Show,” “The Larry Sanders Show,” "The Critic,” and co-creating “Freaks & Geeks” (which is a cultural touchstone now, though ignored at the time), and while “Undeclared” didn’t have the same impact, it still launched the careers of many young actors. Read More: Judd Apatow Produced 'Pee-Wee's Big Holiday' Headed To Netflix Since those TV days, Apatow has dived hard into world of movies in a big way, but he hasn’t forgotten either his TV or mentoring roots (he's an executive producer on the HBO hit "Girls," for example). And in February he's back on the small screen with his new Netflix show, “Love.” And while most of Apatow’s old crew, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, James Franco, etc. have found their own way, producing, writing and starring in their own created movies, in his no-child-left-behind way,...

Al Jean may be the only other person alive who’s seen as many Simpsons episodes as I have. As showrunner for most of the series’ 27 plus year run, he only missed two years while he ran the short lived series The Critic, but still kept up with The Simpsons. I have literally never missed […]

The post Exclusive Interview: ‘Simpsons’ Showrunner Al Jean on Harry Shearer’s Characters and 16 x 9 Cropping appeared first on /Film.

Writer-director Judd Apatow (Bridesmaids, Girls) can officially add “Simpsons scribe” to his IMDb page resumé this Sunday — and he owes it all to being a hoarder.

Sunday’s episode, in which Homer becomes Bart’s new best friend after being hypnotized into thinking he’s a 10-year-old boy, was written as a spec script by Apatow in 1990 during the show’s first season.

TVLine spoke with Apatow and Simpsons executive producer Al Jean about Sunday’s throwback episode (Sunday, 8/7c), its two-decade journey to the screen and whether it could mark the beginning of a beautiful writing partnership.

Tvline | Maybe I’m clueless,...

Christine Cavanaugh, an Annie Award-winning voice actor who brought to life such characters as Babe the Sheep Pig, Chuckie on Rugrats and the title kid in Dexter’s Laboratory, has died. She was 51. The Utah native died December 22, according to the Los Angeles Times; no cause of death was reported.

Cavanaugh started out as an actress in the late 1980s, appearing on such shows as Cheers and Empty Nest. In 1991 she landed a regular gig as the voice of Goslyn Mallard on Darkwing Duck, appearing in more than 70 episodes. Probably her most famous TV gig began that same year as she voiced Chuckie Finster, the scaredy-cat oldest baby on Nickelodeon’s Rugrats. Cavanaugh played the character for 135-plus episodes until 2002, when Nancy Cartwright took over. She also played Chuckie in The Rugrats Movie (1998).

During that time she continued working on TV, landing a regular voice role as Bunnie Rabbot in...

Christine Cavanaugh, the woman behind the voice of Chuckie on “Rugrats” and the title character in the film “Babe,” has died. She was 51.

Cavanaugh died on Dec. 22, according to the La Times. The cause of death is unknown.

See photos: Hollywood’s Notable Deaths of 2014 (Photos)

Cavanaugh was best known as the voice of the pig in the 1995 film “Babe,” Gosalyn Mallard in “Darkwing Duck” and the original voices of Chuckie Finster in Nickelodeon’s “Rugrats,” and Dexter in Cartoon Network’s “Dexter Laboratory.”

Also Read: Nickolodeon to Release ‘iCarly’ Movie

She could also be heard on “The Critic” as the voice of Marty,...

Christine Cavanaugh, an actress who voiced Rugrats‘ Chuckie and the title character in the film Babe, has died. She was 51.

Cavanaugh passed away on Dec. 22; the cause of death is unknown, TMZ.com reports.

She worked steadily throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, lending her voice to television series including The Critic, Darkwing Duck and Dexter’s Laboratory.

Cavanaugh also appeared in guest roles on The X-Files, Cheers and ER, among others.

Per an obituary in the Los Angeles Times, Cavanaugh retired from acting in 2001.

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Christine Cavanaugh -- the original voice of "Babe" the pig and Dexter from "Dexter's Laboratory" -- has died at the age of 51. Cavanaugh passed away on December 22nd ... the details surrounding her death are unclear. Christine's work is legendary ... providing the voice of countless iconic cartoon characters including Chuckie the red-headed baby from "Rugrats."She also voiced characters from "Darkwing Duck," "Aladdin," "The Critic," "The Powerpuff Girls" and "The Wild Thornberrys."Cavanaugh retired from...

Voice actress Christine Cavanaugh, who charmed generations of children and adults alike with roles in animated series such as "Rugrats," "Dexter's Laboratory," and "Darkwing Duck," passed away on December 22. She was 51.

Cavanaugh was born in 1963 and studied at Utah State University and the University of Hawaii before moving to California to pursue a career in acting. She shot to fame in the early 1990s thanks to her breakout role as Goslyn on "Darkwing Duck." Other iconic characters included neurotic toddler Chuckie Finster on "Rugrats," the titular inventor on "Dexter's Laboratory," the titular piglet in "Babe," Marty Sherman on "The Critic," and Oblina on "Aaahh!! Real Monsters."

In addition to her prolific voiceover work, Cavanaugh also appeared frequently onscreen as well, with roles on TV series including "Cheers," "Empty Nest," "Wings," "The X-Files," and "Everybody Loves Raymond." She also had a role on the big screen in the 1996 Oscar-nominated flick "Jerry Maguire.

People turns 40 this year, and we have to say, it's looking pretty good for having four decades in the spotlight. Just like any other cultural institution (the White House; The Peach Pit), the magazine has made more than a few appearances in TV and movies. Let's look at some of our favorites. Jeff Goldblum in The Big Chill Goldblum's performance as a sex-obsessed People journalist was dubbed "perhaps the Goldblummiest of Jeff Goldblum's early performances" by Slate. That said, it's not all that accurate. Not all People writers are self-loathing egomaniacs obsessed over their non-existent novel-writing careers. Just most of them - kidding!

The Simpsons' media gimmicks, crossovers and auteur couch gags have become a bigger story than the show itself over the last few years...

Warning: contains spoilers for this week's episodes of The Simpsons and Family Guy.

“It's not selling out, it's co-branding. Co-branding!”

So says Homer Simpson in the throes of a feverish nightmare at the beginning of Brick Like Me, the 550th episode of The Simpsons, which then unfolds mostly in a Lego version of Springfield.

It's a cute way to start an episode that uses an exercise in product placement to tell a story about parenting and creativity, which is mirrored at the end of that story when the episode acknowledges how The Lego Movie did the exact same thing a few months earlier.

Such meta-textual hat-tipping may be appreciated by more pernickety fans of The Simpsons, (it's also telling that the antagonist of Brick Like Me...

Rob counts down the top 50 episodes of TV's longest-running animated series, The Simpsons...

Since its debut in 1989, across 552 episodes and 25 seasons, The Simpsons has become one of the most revered and beloved TV programmes of all time. It’s a true cultural phenomenon that’s influenced not just animation, but all areas of TV comedy and sitcom. For so many of us, its quotes and catchphrases have permeated our everyday vernacular, from single words like “crisitunity” and “embiggen” to phrases “you don’t win friends with salad” and “everything’s coming up Milhouse.”

Personal opinions may vary, but for me the show’s peak years were from season 4 through to 10. They’re consistently funny, all killer and no filler runs with barely a dud episode to be found between 1992-1998. Past this point the standard becomes a little more mixed, and recent seasons have been distinctly average at best. The...

[As you probably already know, starting on Thursday, August 21, Fxx is running the Every Simpsons Ever Marathon, running through all 552 episodes of "The Simpsons," plus "The Simpsons Movie." To aid in your viewing process, Team HitFix is selecting our favorite episodes from each day, plus an episode or two that you can skip and use as a bathroom or nap break.] Somehow, despite including two different clip shows, Day 3 of Fxx's Every Simpsons Ever Marathon leads us deep into the show's Golden Years, as we finish Season 4, go through Season 5 and most of Season 6, spanning from "So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show" through "The PTA Disbands." For the second straight day, we had no trouble picking two favorites apiece and we left out a slew of great episodes including Krusty's Kancellation, Bart's rise to "I Didn't Do It!" fame, James Woods' stint at the Kwik-e-Mart, Homer's trip into space and Lisa's attempts to design a new Malibu Stacy. [The image accompanying this story is from "Marge in Chains" which, if I'm being honest, didn't come close to making our list, but it's the only official image Fxx was able to provide for the episodes airing on Saturday.] My own greatest regret is that I couldn't pick "Treehouse of Horror V," which features "The Shinning" and "Time and Punishment," which are two of my five "Treehouse" segments. However, I stand by the two episodes I chose. And guess what? Day 4 was even Harder, choosing-wise. But that's tomorrow.

All voiceover jobs begin the same way for Maurice Lamarche. “They all involve a microphone and a room with carpet on the walls,” Lamarche said Aug. 6 at a Screen Actors Guild Foundation panel honoring nominees for best animation voiceover performance at the upcoming Creative Arts Emmy Awards. “That’s where I start from.” Lamarche (“Futurama”) was joined in a two-hour conversation at the SAG Foundation Actors Center in Los Angeles by Seth Green (“Robot Chicken”) and Stephen Full (“Dog With a Blog”), as well as moderator James Arnold Taylor. The voice behind multiple characters on “Futurama,” Lamarche was asked about the difference between doing an animated series and doing commercial work. He noted an episode of the animated series “The Critic,” in which he voiced 26 characters. “I look at it as a chance to play and bounce all over the place and change vocal tensions,” Lamarche said. He contrasted that...

In the toxic slurry of aggressive reviews greeting ABC’s new singing-and-impersonating competition show, Sing Your Face Off, the New York Observer’s might’ve been the most shrill: “I hope I’m not exaggerating here, but Sing Your Face Off will lead directly to a Hunger Games–style dystopian future.” But our opinion is that anything that features Jon Lovitz hamming it up as Elton John and Pavarotti can’t be all that bad. The man’s record of humanitarian service — forged from characters like Saturday Night Live’s Master Thespian and The Critic’s Jay Sherman — has earned him the right to be showered with confetti and fanfare, not internet hatred and dismissal, even if getting upstaged by Sebastian Bach pretending to be Adam Levine is part of the deal. With Sing Your Face Off set to debut tomorrow night, Vulture talked to Lovitz about the SNL years,...