News

FX has picked up the new workplace comedy pilot Movers, from creators and executive producers Robert Ben Garant and Cathy Shim. Garant co-created Comedy Central’s Reno 911!, in which Shim also starred. That mockumentary’s executive producers, Stacey Sher and Peter Principato, will EP the pilot with Jonny Shipes (Bmf: The Rise and Fall of a Hip-Hop Drug Empire).

Garant and Shim will also star in the 20th Television-produced project alongside Maz Jobrani (Friday After Next), Darius Homayoun (Sex/Life), Tanael “Tj” Joachim, Manny Montana (Ironheart) and WWE’s Becky Lynch (real name Rebecca Quin) co-starring.

Movers is an improvised workplace comedy revolving around the erratic and codependent lives of a crew of movers.

Reno 911! is a mockumentary comedy series that parodies law enforcement and premiered on Comedy Central in 2003. Garant co-created the series alongside Thomas Lennon and Kerri Kenney-Silver.

Garant most recently co-produced the TruTV Pilot Seoul Hunters,...

Prime Cruz’s supernatural horror feature “The Sacrifice” has wrapped principal photography in the Philippines and revealed its complete cast lineup.

The production has unveiled the full cast joining acclaimed filmmaker Lav Diaz in a rare acting appearance. Leading the ensemble are Lovi Poe, Enchong Dee and Timothy Granaderos.

The newly revealed supporting cast includes Max Collins, Louie Chapman, Pokwang, and Tommy Alejandrino.

The film, scripted by Jerrold Tarog, follows a group of vloggers who venture into a remote Philippine village in search of a mysterious substance harvested only once a decade. Their content-driven expedition transforms into a nightmare as they become entangled in sacred rites and face off against an ancient entity from Filipino folklore.

Cruz previously helmed “Sleepless” and “The Other Wife.”

Montgomery Blencowe and Mark Stewart (“Escape Plan”) are producing under C’est Lovi Productions and Kind Hearts Entertainment, with Cmb Film Services also on board. Jaime G. Baltazar...

SeriesFest, the event held in Denver, Colorado, has unveiled its latest pilot competition lineup.

The event, which runs April 29 to May 4, has revealed its Independent Pilot Competition, which features projects across drama, comedy, unscripted digital shorts and late-night.

This year’s crop features titles that star the likes of Mary Steenburgen, Harvey Guillén, Omar Epps, Ann-Margret, Roy Wood Jr., Shari Belafonte, Michael Kosta and Eric Roberts.

Other stars include Tauheed “2 Chainz” Epps, Barry Bostwick, Rutina Wesley, Joanna Leeds, Kate Burton, Jackie Hoffman, Emil Wakim, Vella Lovell, Alysia Reiner, Milana Vayntrub and Martin Kove.

SeriesFest has been the launch pad for over a dozen independent projects that have secured mainstream distribution including Cooper’s Bar, which landed at AMC, Generation Por Que, which was acquired by HBO and Everyone Is Doing Great, picked up by Hulu.

As Deadline covered last year, independent pilots are having a moment.

“We believe this year’s...

The upcoming Peacock crime thriller series “M.I.A.” has added three series regulars, Variety has learned.

Shannon Gisela (“Chasers”), Brittany Adebumola and Dylan Jackson are all set to star in the series, which was originally picked up back in August 2024 with a straight-to-series order.

Per the official logline, “Running drugs is a family affair for Etta Tiger Jonze (Gisela), but when the family business is threatened, Etta is thrust into a life she never expected, forcing her to use her wits to survive as she navigates Miami’s criminal underground.”

Adebumola will play Lovely, while Jackson will play Stanley.

Gisela is repped by Brs/Gage and Power Entertainment Group. Adebumola is repped by Cesd Talent Agency, Authentic Talent and Literary Management and Schreck Rose. Jackson is repped by TCA and Link Entertainment.

“M.I.A.” hails from writer and executive producer Bill Dubuque, who previously co-created the Emmy-winning Netflix series “Ozark.” Karen Campbell...

What can I say about Sundance this year that hasn’t already been said?

Yes, the line-up lacked commercial offerings, and was filled with small films from first time directors. Yes, the festival felt subdued with less star power than years past. Yes, there was still inexplicably an hour-and-a-half wait for the most subpar avocado toast you have ever had in your life. And, yes, it still cost you $40, even though your boss warned you to keep expenses down.

As compared to years past, this year’s Sundance felt like a turning point, with a collective acceptance that the festival’s time in Park City has run its course.

During last year’s fest, then-ceo Joana Vicente first floated that the festival could (would) be moving after its contract was up with Park City in 2026. At the time, there was the requisite gnashing of teeth. “What is Sundance without Park City?...

On Thursday, January 23, 2025, at 6:00 Pm, ITV will air an exciting new episode of “The Chase,” Season 17, Episode 130, with Bradley Walsh hosting once again. This time, four contestants – Jake from Newark, Laura from Stockport, Leila from Cardiff, and Frank from Glenrothes – team up to take on the formidable Chaser in the hopes of winning a life-changing cash prize.

As always, the stakes are high, and the tension is palpable as these four hopefuls pool their knowledge to try and outwit one of the show’s Chasers. Each contestant brings their own unique strengths to the table, but the Chaser’s quick thinking and vast knowledge stand as a constant challenge. Will their collective effort be enough to beat the Chaser and take home the prize money?

With plenty of drama, fast-paced rounds, and the usual mix of intense moments and lighthearted banter, this episode promises to deliver an hour of thrilling television.

Erin Brown Thomas is speaking from the heart with “Chasers,” an official entry in Sundance 2025‘s Episodic Pilot competition premiering at the festival in Park City, Utah later this month. Watch the trailer debut above.

Co-written by the director and lead actress Ciarra Krohne (A24’s “Waves”), this 31-minute one-shot follows a girl named Sophia through a Los Angeles house party. Evocative of a poppier “Euphoria” with a more satirical feel, at least going by the first-look, what began as a short film expanded into a series after the screenwriters fell in love with their complex characters, all navigating near-kaleidoscopic emotion.

The pilot will also screen in February as part of Slamdance 2025 — making it the rare “double dance” in a circuit that previously prevented competition in both festivals. “Chasers” aims to deliver a vibrant and self-reflective thesis from the filmmaker on the cost of paying your dues in an industry...

Exclusive: Independent producers Floriane Andersen, Marianne Bourg, Yessi Sanchez, and Nina Seul have announced the launch of Artak Pictures, a new U.S.-based production company committed to fostering fresh voices and innovation in today’s entertainment landscape.

With roots in France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Germany, the producing quartet are part of the next wave of European talent with ambitions to make a global impact. Their company is set to debut three feature films in 2025, all from first-time female directors: Julia Stiles’ romantic drama Wish You Were Here, on which Bourg is EP; Julie Pacino’s psychological thriller I Live Here Now; and Perfect from music video maestro Millicent Hailes.

A romantic drama based on Renée Carlino’s bestselling novel of the same name, Wish You Were Here will be released by Lionsgate on January 17. Isabelle Fuhrman, Mena Massoud, Jennifer Grey, and Kelsey Grammer star. Utopia is handling worldwide sales...

Any fan of Baywatch will be quick to remember Erika Eleniak, the Playboy beauty who stole hearts during three seasons of the show. She later pursued a film career and landed roles in Under Siege, Chasers, and Girl in the Cadillac. In Under Siege, she played a Playboy model who becomes the sidekick to Steven Seagal’s chief petty officer Casey Ryback.

Steven Seagal and Erika Eleniak in a still from Under Siege | Credits: Warner Bros.

Eleniak is now 55 years old and looks different from her younger self. Her most recent pic comes from Halloween of this year when she dressed up as a witch. Last year, she was seen in a rare outing where she showed off her impressive tattoos. While she’s not the model you once saw on Baywatch, she is still a real beauty.

Under Siege Actress Erika Eleniak Looks Gorgeous At 55 Erika Eleniak’s latest...

This Friday at 6:00 Pm, The Chase returns to ITV with a thrilling new episode, hosted by Bradley Walsh. In Season 16, Episode 117, four contestants—Phil from Wigan, Jessie from Ross-on-Wye, Denise from Liverpool, and Ben from Stevenage—come together as a team to face one of the show’s infamous Chasers. The stakes are high as the contestants work to outsmart the Chaser and take home a cash prize, but it’s not going to be easy.

The team will need to put their heads together, answering questions across a range of topics to build their prize pot. But with a Chaser hot on their heels, they must keep their cool and avoid being caught. As always, Bradley Walsh brings his signature wit and energy, guiding the contestants through the nerve-wracking rounds.

With the team facing off against a Chaser who will stop at nothing to win, this episode promises plenty of tense moments,...

Paul Sinha of the British game show The Chase has had a difficult year health-wise, and while things are looking up, it's still a long road to recovery. The Chase is a long-running TV game show that premiered in 2009 and has been hosted by Bradley Walsh since its inception. It's such a popular show that a board game was even made for The Chase. In the show, three contestants work together to answer questions, first as a team, then against a specially selected expert known as the "Chaser".

There have been several Chasers over the course of the series, including Paul Sinha, a stand-up comedian who had previously studied to be a professional doctor. Paul eventually forwent his schooling and pivoted to entertainment, appearing on radio programs before gaining a reputation in the quiz show world on series like The Weakest Link and Brain of Britain. In 2011, he joined The...

Gear up for a star-studded showdown on “Beat the Chasers” as Season 5 Episode 6 brings you a special celebrity edition, airing at 9:00 Pm on January 12, 2024, on ITV. This time, the Chasers face a formidable lineup including Nish Kumar, Chris McCausland, Mary Earps, and Alexander Armstrong.

In this episode, the celebrities step up to the challenge, ready to take on the formidable Chasers in a battle of wits and knowledge. Comedian Nish Kumar, comedian and blind performer Chris McCausland, professional footballer Mary Earps, and actor and presenter Alexander Armstrong bring their unique skills to the quiz arena, adding an extra layer of excitement to the show.

Whether you’re a quiz enthusiast or just a fan of these celebrities, “Celebrity Special” on “Beat the Chasers” promises an entertaining and competitive episode. Tune in at 9:00 Pm on ITV to witness the star-studded clash as Nish, Chris, Mary, and Alexander try to...

The history behind the making of Quentin Tarantino's 1994 movie "Pulp Fiction" is almost as winding and complex as the movie itself, as the young director fought to get his sophomore film made in spite of what seemed like insurmountable odds. Among the difficulties facing Tarantino was the fact that his script was hand-written and barely legible, which isn't exactly the kind of thing that inspires faith in investors. Thankfully, he had the help of typist and photographer Julie Chen, who took Tarantino's handwritten script and typed it up, making it readable for executives. She also let him crash at her place and worked for free, which makes Chen the unsung Mvp of "Pulp Fiction," but someone else got a shout-out in the movie instead: her dead pet rabbit.

In an interview with CBS News in 2014, Chen revealed her full involvement in the creation of "Pulp Fiction" and shared some...

Exclusive: Korean American comedian, writer and producer Cathy Shim is the latest to join the cast of the film K-Pops! from first-time director and eight-time Grammy winner Anderson .Paak (who also stars). She will play Diamond, the energetic iconic host of a K-pop competition show in Seoul, and .Paak’s hard-to-please boss.

K-Pops! follows a washed-up musician from Los Angeles who attempts to reinvigorate his career by joining a band for a K-Pop competition show in Seoul and discovers that his long-lost son has the chance to front one of the country’s hottest new groups. He jumps at the opportunity to capitalize on his son’s stardom for his renaissance but ultimately learns that fatherhood is much more fulfilling and meaningful.

Scripted by .Paak and Khaila Amazan, K-Pops!‘ producers are Greg Silverman and Jon Berg on behalf of Stampede Ventures, Jaeson Ma on behalf of Est Studios, Park on behalf of Big Dummie,...

Frederic Forrest, the resilient character actor best remembered for his performance as the high-strung Chef Hicks in Apocalypse Now and for his Academy Award-nominated turn as Huston Dyer, the Awol army sergeant who captured Bette Midler’s heart in The Rose, has died. He was 86.

Forrest died Friday at his home in Santa Monica after a long illness, his friend, actor Barry Primus, told The Hollywood Reporter.

On Twitter, Midler called Forrest “a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life. He was at peace.”

The great and beloved Frederic Forrest has died. Thank you to all of his fans and friends for all their support these last few months. He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life. He was at peace.”

— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) June 24, 2023

The first of two...

The London Action Festival has revealed a packed program for its second edition.

Highlights of the first round of programming that has been unveiled include:

Anatomy Of A Set Piece where The Raid franchise creator Gareth Evans and others to be announced will break down chosen set pieces from their works; a screening of “The Raid 2” + Q&a with Evans; The Showrunner’s Story, where, in association with World Productions, “Bodyguard” and ‘Line of Duty” Jed Mercurio creator will explore the work of a showrunner in the creation and production of shows; and The Villains of John Wick, in association with Lionsgate, where Mark Dacascos (Zero in “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum”) and Scott Adkins (Killa in “John Wick: Chapter 4”) – two of the most memorable villains from across the John Wick franchise will discuss their work.

Cry Havoc – The Making of a Battle, courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery,...

Exclusive: TruTV has handed a pilot order to Seoul Hunters, a sketch comedy show from Cathy Shim (Reno 911!) and Robert Ben Garant, Big Breakfast and Ben Silverman and Howard T. Owen’s Propagate. Shim and Garant also star, along with up-and-coming comic Peter Kim (Fairfax) and popular Korean comedian and trot artist Kim Young-chul (Knowing Bros).

Co-written by Shim, Garant and Kevin Healy and directed by Garant, Seoul Hunters is described as a cutting-edge comedy hybrid set in the world of a paranormal Korean ghost-hunting show, featuring both Korean-American and South Korean comedians in single-camera sketch pranks.

Shim and Garant executive produce with Big Breakfast’s Luke Kelly-Clyne and Healey, along with Propagate’s Silverman, Owens, and Drew Buckley. Mills Presents’ Mike Mills and Mat Baxt and David Regal also serve as executive producers.

Shim and Garant most recently co-created and produced the Comedy Central pilot Chasers,...

Brad Rutter may be one of the greatest “Jeopardy!” contestants of all time, but the quiz show maven also has plenty of experience in broadcasting — dating as far back as the original 2012 pilot for “The Chase,” the U.K. quiz show import he’s starring on again nine years later.

“So it’s more than just the money that ‘Jeopardy’s’ given me,” Rutter said with a laugh in an interview with TheWrap.

Set to premiere on ABC Thursday night, “The Chase” is a game show which pits trivia fans against pros. Rutter will star as one of the so-called “Chasers” looking to crush contestants’ hopes and dreams alongside fellow “Jeopardy!” G.O.A.T.s Ken Jennings and James Holzhauer. “The View’s” Sara Haines serves as host.

Rutter says his natural on-camera ability made him a good fit for TV work post-“Jeopardy!”, but he gives credit to...

‘The Chase’.

The Seven Network has commissioned Beat the Chasers, a spin-off of game show The Chase that will see contestants taking on four Chasers at once – The Supernerd, Goliath, The Tiger Mum and The Shark – for a prize pool of over $500,000.

To be produced by ITV Studios Australia and hosted by Andrew O’Keefe, the show is based on a UK format created by Potato, part of and distributed by ITV Studios.

Seven Network programming director Angus Ross said: “The Chase has proven unbeatable at 5.00pm, so we can’t wait to supersize it with Beat The Chasers. The prize money is bigger than ever before in each round, and it builds to a thrilling, high-stakes finale.”

“We’re excited to see some of the country’s best brains test themselves against a formidable line-up of Chasers, with all the fun, tension and play-along we love – but dialed up to eleven.

Konami Digital Entertainment has revealed a new series of Yu-Gi-Oh! Ccg releases that are set to debut throughout the spring.

It starts with the release of the Structure Deck: Mechanized Madness deck. Here’s what Konami has to say about the strategy and design of this new deck.

“Machina Gearframe and Machina Fortress once stood at the center of grand Machine armies, bolstering classic tournament themes like Gadgets and Geargia,” says Konami Digital Entertainment via a recent press release. “Shaking off the rust and ready to shine again, the Machina are back in Structure Deck: Mechanized Madness! Gearframe and Fortress return, but this time there’s a new commander calling the shots: Machina Citadel! Unleash it by first placing it in your Graveyard, then revive it with its effect: whenever an Earth Machine under your control is destroyed, you can Special Summon Machina Citadel to the field. From there, its...

“Chasers,” a half-hour scripted comedy starring Rob Huebel, has been given a pilot order from Comedy Central, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to TheWrap.

The pilot hails from Robert Ben Garant and Cathy Shim of “Reno 911!” and Propagate’s Kevin Healey. Shim will co-star and also co-write with Garant and Healey.

“Chasers” is described as being “set in the world of the after dark, independent news video hunters of Los Angeles. While these ‘independent filmmakers’ are considered just a notch below the paparazzi on the food chain, they have even less shame and nothing will stop them in their quest to hawk shocking footage to news outlets. There’s not a car crash, police chase, celebrity DUI, convenience store smash and grab, baby bear in a swimming pool, or taco truck fire they won’t race to. Every night out on the streets, there are winners and losers.

Exclusive: Comedy Central has given a pilot order to Chasers, a half-hour scripted comedy starring Childrens Hospital alum Rob Huebel from Reno 911’s Robert Ben Garant and Cathy Shim, who co-stars and Ben Silverman and Howard Owens’ Propagate, sources tell Deadline.

Co-written by Garant, Shim and Propagate’s Kevin Healey, Chasers is set in the world of the after dark, independent news video hunters of Los Angeles. While these “independent filmmakers” are considered just a notch below the paparazzi on the food chain, they have even less shame and nothing will stop them in their quest to hawk shocking footage to news outlets. There’s not a car crash, police chase, celebrity DUI, convenience store smash and grab, baby bear in a swimming pool, or taco truck fire they won’t race to. Every night out on the streets, there are winners and losers. But, mostly losers. And this is their story.

Jake Gyllenhaal is about to learn that all art is dangerous. He has re-teamed with his Nightcrawler director for something entirely frightening and original. Netflix invites you to watch Velvet Buzzsaw, which exclusively hits the streaming service on February 1, 2019.

Velvet Buzzsaw is a thriller set in the contemporary art world scene of Los Angeles where big money artists and mega-collectors pay a high price when art collides with commerce. Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Toni Collette, Zawe Ashton, Tom Sturridge, Natalia Dyer, Daveed Diggs, Billy Magnussen, and John Malkovich star in the new mind-bending film written and directed by Dan Gilroy.

Velvet Buzzsaw is a new Netflix satirical thriller that embeds itself in the world of Art as seen through the eyes of a Los Angeles critic and collector. Things will never be the same as high priced masterpieces clash with the commerce side of the industry.

Directed and Written By Dan Gilroy,...

Larry Michie, a former television editor at Variety, died Nov. 7 at an assisted living facility in Hadley, Mass., after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 77.

Born in Chicago, he was raised by two aunts in Racine, Wis. He met his wife of 56 years at Valparaiso University.

Michie began his journalism career in Washington D.C. as a reporter for trade journal Broadcasting Magazine. He later came to cover Washington news for Variety exclusively in the late 1960s. He went on to succeed Les Brown as Variety’s television editor. Then based in New York, Michie was one of a triumvirate of television editors who had great influence over the burgeoning broadcast market, in an era when Variety was often the main source of information about the inner workings of the entertainment industry. After leaving his post as television editor, he continued to freelance for Variety, covering foreign show businesses in Korea,...

Starz is developing P-Town, a drama series with a lesbian lead that touches on the current opioid epidemic. The project hails from former Gotham writer-producer Rebecca Cutter, Power executive producer Gary Lennon and Jerry Bruckheimer TV.

Written and executive produced by Cambridge, Ma-born Cutter, with Lennon on board as showrunner, P-Town centers on Jackie Quinones, a hard-partying lesbian in Provincetown, Ma, aka P-Town; a federal Fishery Service Agent who uses her gun and badge to seduce tourist chicks. She’s none-too-enthusiastically putting in her time until she can draw a federal pension – but everything changes when she discovers a body in Cape Cod Bay, and finds herself at the center of the Cape’s gruesome heroin epidemic.

As opiate-related overdose deaths have skyrocketed in the U.S. since 2001, Massachusetts’ has been hit hard, with more than 1,250 deaths from heroin overdose in 2014. The 2015 HBO documentary Heroin: Cape Cod, USA, depicted the...

Greg Ellwood recaps a recent Q&A that he moderated with Julianne Moore, the Best Actress frontrunner for "Still Alice." "The recent Cannes winner revealed that early on she told co-directors Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer that she wasn't going to perform anything she hadn't actually witnessed. 'I feel like even if I've read it about it and haven't seen it I don't know how to be completely accurate,' Moore says. 'All the behaviors in the movie were things I had seen or things had discussed with me.'" HitFix -Break-  Updated: Experts' Oscars predictions in 24 categories In his intro to an in-depth interview with "Nightcrawler" writer/director Dan Gilroy, Pete Hammond writes: "After spending his career as a writer of such screenplays as 'The Bourne Legacy,' 'Chasers,' 'Real Steel' and many others, Gilroy, in his fifties, finally made his debut behind the c.

The City Shines Brightest At Night... Whoa, this is definitely must watch! Open Road Films has debuted the first official teaser trailer to follow-up that viral teaser for Nightcrawler, a new indie drama starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a young man who "stumbles" upon the underground world of freelance crime journalism in Los Angeles. This trailer builds to a riveting crescendo with some gruesome footage and excellent shots throughout. Bill Paxton and Rene Russo appear briefly, but it's all about Gyllenhaal this time, who looks like he's still at the top of his game. Looking forward to catching this in the fall movie season. Give it a look. Here's the first full teaser trailer for Dan Gilroy's Nightcrawler, uploaded directly to YouTube: The only brief synopsis currently available says: A young man stumbles upon the underground world of L.A. freelance crime journalism. Nightcrawler is written and directed by Dan Gilroy,...

Open Road Films, like most studios or producers, are wasting no time. After yesterday’s Toronto International Film Festival announcement, the trailers and press materials for each film have come pouring in fast and furious. And so that means, the first trailer for “Nightcrawler” has arrived starring Jake Gyllenhaal. The movie is the directorial debut of Dan Gilroy, the brother Tony Gilroy and co-writer “The Bourne Legacy,” but a screenwriter and producer who’s had a long and rich career in Hollywood for more than two decades (he co-wrote the Dennis Hopper-directed comedy “Chasers,” the 1992 thriller “Freejack” and Gilroy was also one of the many writers to contribute to unmade Superman film “Superman Lives.” The movie is a thriller set in the underground world of crime reporting in Los Angeles. A viral teaser with a gaunt and unemployed Gyllenhaal surfaced over the weekend. Here’s the official synopsis. Synopsis:...

You may remember earlier this year seeing a rather rail-thin Jake Gyllenhaal at red carpets and other public appearances. You may also remember reports that the actor had gone to the hospital because he had badly cut his hand with glass after punching a mirror. No, this wasn’t the sign of Hollywood excess or a troubled actor in a downward spiral— it was all for a role in a new movie. Titled “Nightcrawler,” the crime thriller is the directorial debut of screenwriter Dan Gilroy, the writer of “Freejack” and “Chasers,” the co-writer of "The Bourne Legacy" and brother of Tony Gilroy (the screenwriter behind the ‘Bourne’ series, “Michael Clayton” among many others). “Nightcrawler” is about an out of work man (Gyllenhaal) who man stumbles upon the underground world of L.A. freelance crime journalism. A new viral clip has emerged and it hints at the desperation in unemployment that...

Jake Gyllenhaal has signed on to star alongside Rene Russo in the crime drama Nightcrawler for Bold Films.

The story follows a young man who gets drawn into the unusual world of freelance crime journalism in Los Angeles. Jake Gyllenhaal will play the reporter, although no character details were given for Rene Russo's role.

Screenwriter Dan Gilroy is making his directorial debut from his own screenplay. The writer-director's brother, Tony Gilroy (The Bourne Legacy), is producing alongside Jake Gyllenhaal, Jennifer Fox, Michel Litvak, and David Lancaster.

Dan Gilroy's previous screenplay credits include Freejack, Chasers, Two For the Money, The Fall, Real Steel, and last year's The Bourne Legacy, which he co-wrote with his brother Tony Gilroy.

Jake Gyllenhaal recently starred in last year's critically-acclaimed End of Watch, and will next be seen in Prisoners, alongside Hugh Jackman.

The new edition of the Indie Spotlight contains the latest independent horror news sent our way. In this week’s feature, we have the first information on this year’s CineMayhem Film Festival, details on Return to Nuke ‘Em High Vol. I & II, the first photos from Warhouse, and much more:

CineMayhem Film Festival Announced: “Created as a way to pay homage to and celebrate the spirit of independent filmmaking and those unafraid to take risks with their storytelling, CineMayhem’s diverse line-up includes advanced screenings of two highly anticipated genre projects including Magnet Releasing’s visceral horror anthology The ABC’s Of Death and Breaking Glass Pictures’ mindbending drama K-11 directed by Jules Stewart (Crank: High Voltage, Mortal Kombat).

CineMayhem is also thrilled to announce that it will also be hosting the World Premieres of Roadside directed by Eric England (Madison County) and the latest short film from Ryan Spindell...

Chicago – One of the great events in Chicago to interact with celebrity favorites is at the “Hollywood Celebrities and Memorabilia Show.” In 2011, the autumn event took place on October 1st and 2nd, and featured the “Happy Days” TV gang Henry Winkler, Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams, plus Barry Bostwick and Patricia Quinn from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

The latest Hollywood Celebrities and Memorabilia Show was the last such event for founders Ray and Sharon McCourt, as they headed for retirement. The show will go on, however, as new ownership will bring “The Hollywood Show” to Chicago in March, 2012.

HollywoodChicago.com photographer Joe Arce was at the October show, and recorded the following slideshow of celebrities that participated. Click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through the slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All images © Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com.

Celebrities1: Dominique Swain,...

Hell-raising actor and director who created memorable roles in films from Easy Rider to Blue Velvet

Dennis Hopper, who has died of cancer aged 74, was one of Hollywood's great modern outlaws. His persona, on and off the screen, signified the lost idealism of the 1960s. There were stages in Hopper's career when he was deemed unemployable because of his reputation as a hell-raiser and his substance abuse. However, he made spectacular comebacks and managed to kick his dependence on alcohol and cocaine.

Born in Dodge City, Kansas, Hopper, whose father was a post-office manager and mother a lifeguard instructor, expressed an interest in painting and acting at a young age. While still in his teens, he appeared in repertory at Pasadena Playhouse, California, and studied acting with Dorothy McGuire and John Swope at the Old Globe theatre, San Diego.

The year of his 19th birthday, 1955, was extraordinary. Not only did...

Dennis Hopper, the high-flying Hollywood wild man whose memorable and erratic career included an early turn in "Rebel Without a Cause," an improbable smash with "Easy Rider" and a classic character role in "Blue Velvet," has died. He was 74.Hopper died Saturday at his home in the Los Angeles beach community of Venice, surrounded by family and friends, family friend Alex Hitz said. Hopper's manager announced in October 2009 that the actor-director had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.The success of "Easy Rider" and the spectacular failure of his next film, "The Last Movie," fit the pattern for the talented but sometimes uncontrollable Hopper, who also had parts in such favorites as "Apocalypse Now" and "Hoosiers." He was a two-time Academy Award nominee and in March was honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.Tributes...

Dennis Hopper dead at 74 During a sad memorial day weekend that has already claimed the life of sitcom star Gary Coleman, another acting legend has passed away. Sixties icon Dennis Hopper died earlier today due to complications from prostate cancer. The Hollywood iconoclast is perhaps best known for his role in Easy Rider, but his eclectic and wild career has spanned six decades, giving us some of the most memorable performances in the history of both television and cinema. The actor was 74.

Hopper died at 8:15 a.m. inside his Los Angeles home near Venice Beach, California, surrounded by friends and family. The actor had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in September of 2009. Dennis was a two-time Academy Award nominee for his producing work on Easy Rider as well as his acting work in Hoosiers, and was awarded a star on Hollywood's Walk of fame this past March. The actor...

'Easy Rider' star died of prostate cancer Saturday.

By Kelley L. Carter and Jem Aswad

Dennis Hopper

Photo: George Rose/Getty Images

Actor Dennis Hopper — star of "Easy Rider," "Blue Velvet," "Giant" and many other films — died Saturday of prostate cancer at his Los Angeles-area home, according to The Associated Press. He was 74.

The two-time Academy Award nominee, who announced through a manager in the fall of 2009 that he had been diagnosed with the disease, was surrounded by family and friends at the time of his death, friend Alex Hitz told the AP.

The actor directed, co-wrote and starred in directed 1969's "Easy Rider," perhaps the most memorable film of his wildly erratic, nearly six-decade-long career. In that classic, generation-defining film — which also established Jack Nicholson as a major star — he and Peter Fonda played motorcycle-riding hippies "in search of America." The film was a Hollywood success story...

'Easy Rider' star died of prostate cancer Saturday.

By Kelley L. Carter and Jem Aswad

Dennis Hopper

Photo: George Rose/Getty Images

Actor Dennis Hopper — star of "Easy Rider," "Blue Velvet," "Giant" and many other films — died Saturday of prostate cancer at his Los Angeles-area home, according to The Associated Press. He was 74.

The two-time Academy Award nominee, who announced through a manager in the fall of 2009 that he had been diagnosed with the disease, was surrounded by family and friends at the time of his death, friend Alex Hitz told the AP.

The actor directed, co-wrote and starred in directed 1969's "Easy Rider," perhaps the most memorable film of his wildly erratic, nearly six-decade-long career. In that classic, generation-defining film — which also established Jack Nicholson as a major star — he and Peter Fonda played motorcycle-riding hippies "in search of America." The film was a Hollywood success story...

Dennis Hopper's recent announcement of terminal cancer jump-started a long-overdue appreciation of his art and life. He got a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame last month (finally), and newspaper and blog appreciations are starting to pop up, focusing mainly on Hopper the performer. That makes sense: Hopper's career spanned a half-century's worth of theater, cinema, TV and recorded music; his list of collaborators stretches from Elizabeth Taylor and John Wayne through Kiefer Sutherland and Gorillaz.

Still, one hopes descriptions of Hopper's directorial career don't start and end with "Easy Rider." Hopper's 1969 debut is notable for its alternately ecstatic and lacerating portrait of the counterculture, the then-unusual use of pre-existing pop songs for its soundtrack, adventurous editing and its status as the first independently financed feature to become a mainstream smash. But there's more to his directorial résumé than philosophical bikers.

Although he directed just seven features ("Easy Rider,...

Following a 10-year break, Dennis Hopper is back in the director's seat with a new road movie, A Night in Old Mexico, being produced by David Valdes (Unforgiven). United Artists is looking at boarding the project, which stars Robert Duvall as an aging man who travels to Mexico with his grandson. The film was written by Bill Wittliff (Legends of the Fall). Televisa Cine, the film arm of Mexican media behemoth Televisa, has signed on as an executive producer of the project and also will reportedly serve as a line producer. Hopper last directed Chasers in 1994. His other directing credits include The Hot Spot, Colors, Out of the Blue, The Last Movie and Easy Rider. As an actor, he's involved a list of projects, including Closing the Ring, Legacy, Americano, The Last Ride, House of 9 and Wicked Prayer. Hopper is repped by ICM.

Following a 10-year break, Dennis Hopper is back in the director's seat with a new road movie, A Night in Old Mexico, being produced by David Valdes (Unforgiven). United Artists is looking at boarding the project, which stars Robert Duvall as an aging man who travels to Mexico with his grandson. The film was written by Bill Wittliff (Legends of the Fall). Televisa Cine, the film arm of Mexican media behemoth Televisa, has signed on as an executive producer of the project and also will reportedly serve as a line producer. Hopper last directed Chasers in 1994. His other directing credits include The Hot Spot, Colors, Out of the Blue, The Last Movie and Easy Rider. As an actor, he's involved a list of projects, including Closing the Ring, Legacy, Americano, The Last Ride, House of 9 and Wicked Prayer. Hopper is repped by ICM.