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Back in the 1990s, sketch comedy was mostly dominated by "Saturday Night Live." After a rough patch in the 1980s, the series rose to prominence again thanks to the talents of "Wayne's World" stars Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Cheri Oteri, Molly Shannon, and more. But during this time, there were also a series of worthy, alternative sketch comedy competitors that offered a nice change of pace from the mainstream network laughs of "SNL."

From the delightfully Canadian comedy of "Kids in the Hall," to the diverse hilarity of "In Living Color," the short-lived but brilliant "The Dana Carvey Show," to the madness of "Upright Citizens Brigade," there was a sketch comedy show for everyone. But perhaps the series that would go on to have the biggest impact in pop culture's future was MTV's "The State," named after the comedy troupe of the same name.

The MTV sketch comedy show The State ran for a mere 24 episodes between January 1994 and August 1995. And if you weren’t a teenager or young adult during that narrow window of time, odds are high you’ve never even heard of it. But the show left an enormous cultural footprint and launched the careers of some of the greatest comedic minds working today, including Thomas Lennon, Michael Showalter, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Ken Marino, David Wain, Ben Garant, and Kevin Allison, and ultimately led to Wet Hot American Summer, Reno 911!, Children’s Hospital,...

Psychological horror Alma and the Wolf is set to arrive in select cinemas and on digital platforms from 20 June, courtesy of Paramount. Directed by Michael Patrick Jann and written by Abigail Miller, the film unfolds in a fictional Oregon community destabilised by a violent animal attack and a string of inexplicable events. Ethan Embry stars as a small-town deputy whose personal loss drives him to uncover a threat that may not be fully grounded in reality.

The film had its world premiere at the Boston Underground Film Festival in March and was shot on location in Pacific City, Oregon. It marks Jann’s return to feature directing following 2023’s Organ Trail, and continues his gradual shift from comedy and satire into darker, more atmospheric material. Republic Pictures holds distribution rights.

Set in the isolated town of Spiral Creek, Alma and the Wolf opens with the discovery of a local man wandering bloodied through backroads,...

He who is greedy is always in want, so says the trailer for Alma & the Wolf.

A unique blend of psychological horror and supernatural mystery with hints of folk horror and body horror, the film will be released in select theaters and on Digital June 20 via Republic Pictures.

Ethan Embry (Empire Records), Li Jun Li (Sinners), Jeremie Harris (“Legion”), Lukas Jann (Organ Trail), Beth Malone (“BrainDead”), Kevin Allison (“The State”), Alexandra Doke (“City on Fire”), and Mather Zickel (“Reno 911”) star.

After a violent animal attack, paranoia spreads through Spiral Creek. But when Deputy Ren Accord (Embry) gets too close, his son vanishes, and reality begins to fracture.

Michael Patrick Jann directs from a script by actress Abby Miller.

I wrote in my review out of Boston Underground Film Festival, “Continually reinventing itself, the film subverts expectations and turns conventions on their head throughout. The efficacy of the buildup make...

This article contains some spoilers for the Netflix series The Four Seasons.

When Kerri Kenney-Silver went to audition for one of the lead roles in The Four Seasons, she figured she had absolutely no shot. It wasn’t because she lacked the experience or acting chops. Kenney-Silver is a member of the iconic Nineties sketch comedy troupe the State, logged two decades as the dunderheaded Trudy Wiegel on Reno 911!, and has had recurring roles on Superstore, 2 Broke Girls, Love, and countless other sitcoms and cartoons.

But this was a...

Jon Hamm and John Slattery will work together again on David Wain and Ken Marino’s new R-rated comedy that currently remains untitled, but I bet they have someone on the team who can come up with something marketable.

Early on in their careers, Wain and Marino had a habit of turning relatively-to-completely unknown actors into massive stars through projects like their cult-hit comedy Wet Hot American Summer. Between Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler alone, the veterans of the massively influential sketch comedy group The State are some of the most important kingmakers in the history of comedy, TV and film, and their breakthrough hit parody of 1980s teen sex comedies spawned both a prequel and a sequel series on Netflix that attracted big-name talent.

For Wain and Marino’s next project, they’re returning to the R-rated sex comedy format, only, instead of turning their actors into Emmy-worthy A-listers,...

Grab a pack of Lucky Strikes, and pour yourself some Canadian Club rye because a Mad Men reunion (of sorts) is on the horizon. According to Variety, Jon Hamm and John Slattery will star alongside Zoey Deutch for an untitled R-rated comedy from Wet Hot American Summer and Childrens Hospital director David Wain.

The project, which has a placeholder title of Untitled Celebrity Pass Movie, is described as an “off-the-rails odyssey through modern day Hollywood.” David Wain directs the film from a script he co-wrote with Ken Marino, who also stars in the comedy with Sabrina Impacciatore, Ben Wang, and Miles Gutierrez-Riley.

In the untitled film, “a Midwestern bride-to-be, Gail Daughtry (Deutch), has a celebrity hall pass agreement with her fiancé… who uses it. With their relationship in crisis, Gail sets out on an epic journey through Hollywood to even the scales.”

“I have been excited about working with David...

Jon Hamm, John Slattery and Zoey Deutch will star in a new R-rated comedy set against the backdrop of the entertainment industry. The film, which has the placeholder title of Untitled Celebrity Pass Movie, will be directed by David Wain, who is best known for his work behind the camera on “Role Models” and “Wet Hot American Summer.” Sabrina Impacciatore, Ben Wang, Miles Gutierrez-Riley and Ken Marino round out the heavyweight ensemble.

Described as an “off-the-rails odyssey through modern day Hollywood,” the film was written by Wain and Marino. The pair previously collaborated on “Wanderlust,” “Childrens Hospital,” and “The State,” as well as “Role Models.” It shot on location in Los Angeles, and was a recipient of the California Film & Television Tax Credit program.

In the film, a Midwestern bride-to-be, Gail Daughtry (Deutch), has a celebrity hall pass agreement with her fiancé… who uses it. Their relationship in crisis, Gail...

Netflix’s mini comedy series “The Four Seasons,” has officially landed on the streamer and it boasts a star-studded cast of longtime actors and comedians.

“The Four Seasons,” which was written by Tina Fey, Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield, comes as a remake of Alan Alda’s 1981 film. The series follows three couples on their journey through the good, the bad and the ugly of relationships.

Unlike the film, the series has introduced a new character to “The Four Seasons” story. Check out the cast guide below to see everyone who stars in the series, as well as the newbie in the group.

“The Four Seasons” (Netflix) Tina Fey as Kate

Tina Fey stars Kate, the wife of Jack. The pair were the only couple from their original college friend group that decided to get hitched. She’s the heart of the gang. However, in the midst of their friend gathering,...

Tina Fey’s comedy style is well established by now: rapid-fire dialogue filled with pop culture references and surreal cutaways. Her new Netflix show The Four Seasons, though, is nothing like that. More cozy than frantic, The Four Seasons — now streaming; I’ve seen all eight episodes — is a warm, laid-back relationship comedy that offers a cast of comedy all-stars, gorgeous locations and a unique look at people facing the middle chapters of life. It may not be as laugh-out-loud funny as 30 Rock at its best, but it’s an enjoyable watch that feels like catching up with old friends.

In the series premiere of 30 Rock, created by Tina Fey, TV showrunner Liz Lemon (Fey) meets Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin), Ge’s new Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming and, thus, her new boss. Most of the time, the humor of their relationship derives from the gap between Liz’s quasi-adolescent mess of a life and Jack’s suave self-assurance. Liz is the one who can (for instance) eat a foot-long sandwich in a few gigantic bites rather than abandon it at a Tsa checkpoint, whereas Jack is the one who’ll change into a full tuxedo after 6 p.m. on an average weekday because he’s not “a farmer.”

But Jack can get up to nonsense too: picking up an Eastern European sex worker and bringing her to ruin one of his stars’ Valentine’s Day plans; bringing a seemingly catatonic patient on a...

You’re used to laughing with Kerri Kenney-Silver in Reno 911! — the Emmy-nominated comedy she co-created — or in The State, the ’90s sketch comedy series from the group she co-founded — or in sitcoms like Superstore and 2 Broke Girls. But in The Four Seasonsshe’ll break your heart as Anne, an unsuspecting divorcée — and put it back together again by the time the finale cuts to black. “She thought she was set ’til the day she died. When she finds out that is not the case, she becomes completely untethered,” says Kenney-Silver. “You see her go through the four seasons of emotion and grief.”

Kenney-Silver portrays a kaleidoscopic range of emotions and pathos as Anne navigates the ups and downs of divorce, and its rippling effects on their close-knit friend group. Take co-star Colman Domingo’s word for it: “She’s just incredible. I feel like she can do anything,...

Once upon a time, MTV stood for Music Television and played nothing but music videos around the clock. At a time when 24-hour programming in any form was still novel, there was something comforting about being able to switch on the tube at 3am and watch a Split Enz video. MTV was the only channel within the rapidly expanding cable expanse offering this then-novel service, so no one was clamoring for it to air, say, reruns of "The Monkees."

When MTV became a pop cultural phenomenon, the company got ambitious and began trying out non-music-video programming. In 1985, they really did begin airing reruns of "The Monkees," but that same year they also brought the brilliant BBC punk-rock sitcom "The Young Ones" to American viewers. They eventually got into original programming in 1987 with the game show "Remote Control," which introduced Gen X-ers to comedic talents like Ken Ober, Colin Quinn, and...

The 2025 Tribeca Festival has revealed its feature-film lineup for this year’s event.

Among the highlights, this year’s festival will feature the world premiere of Miley Cyrus’ Something Beautiful film, the visual companion to her album of the same name, which drops on May 30. After the screening of the film directed by Cyrus, Jacob Bixenman and Brendan Walter will be followed by a conversation with Cyrus.

The festival, which previously revealed its opening night film would be the Billy Joel documentary And So It Goes, will close with the Leonardo DiCaprio-produced Yanuni, directed by Richard Ladkani. The documentary that serves as both a love story and call to action follows Indigenous chief Juma Xipaia as she works to defend her people’s land alongside her husband, Hugo Loss, a Special Forces Unit ranger.

“Tribeca has always been more than a festival—it’s a home for artists navigating...

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In their invaluable book "Writing Movies for Fun and Profit," authors Thomas Lennon and Ben Garant (former members of "The State" and writers of hit films like "Night at the Museum" and "Herbie: Fully Loaded") had a few pieces of immutable advice for aspiring screenwriters hoping to make a living in Hollywood. Importantly, they advised that writers should never hang all your dreams on a single screenplay, and they should be able to toss aside a script if it gets turned down. They also advised that writers say, "Yes, I can do that," to every single studio note, no matter how ridiculous. They wanted to ensure that an ambitious should churn out as much work as possible, and worry more about "entertainment" than "art." 

Perhaps most crucially, an aspiring screenwriter should watch "Die Hard" over and over and over again.

If you want to watch a Gen-Xer get wistful, just ask them about MTV in the 1980s and '90s. MTV wasn't just an endless repository for music videos and short films (which would have made the network significant on its own); it also dictated a great deal of the generation's cultural attitudes. There was a punkish, puckish outlook in the '80s as punk, New Wave, and Hip-Hop all rose to the fore, gleefully tearing down old music traditions and setting up something that could be intense, playful, or sometimes just plain silly. The 1990s adopted a great deal of angst, as the disaffection grunge generation and poetic alternative rock came into prominence. In 1994, it wouldn't be strange to see a Hip-Hop music video, a suicidally dark industrial music video, a tender ballad, a heavy metal music video, Nirvana, and a weird novelty act like Green Jellÿ all in a row.

The 25th annual Boston Underground Film Festival took place at The Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, Ma from March 19-23 with a genre-blending lineup that included premieres, festival favorites, anticipated titles, short film blocks, special guests, after parties, and more.

Here’s what I saw at this year’s event…

The Surfer

Like a wave, there’s no stopping the pure energy of Nicolas Cage. The Academy Award winner never phones in a performance, regardless of budget or subject matter, but not every filmmaker can harness his signature eccentricities. Lorcan Finnegan (Vivarium) joins the ranks of those who possess such an abiloity, delivering a sun-baked descent into delirium with The Surfer.

Cage stars as The Surfer, a white collar man who wants to ride the waves with his son on the Australian coast where he grew up. But his paradise is lost thanks to a cult-like gang of local surfers, led by the enigmatic Scally,...

Fans of the biblical series House of David, behold, as the tale continues in a newly greenlit second season. Deadline is now reporting that the show, which is a reimagining of the David & Goliath tale, is going to return at Prime Video. The series drew a big number with 22 million viewers in its first 17 days and has become one of the streamer’s Top 10 new series debuts in the U.S. to date. New episodes of this premiere season are still being released weekly, leading up to the year’s finale on April 3.

The official description of the show reads,

“House Of David tells the story of the ascent of the biblical figure, David, who eventually becomes the most renowned and celebrated king of Israel. The series follows the once-mighty King Saul as he falls victim to his own pride. At the direction of God, the prophet Samuel anoints an unlikely,...

Prime Video has revealed the official trailer and key art for its epic House of David series, which will premiere on February 27 with the first three episodes. One episode will debut weekly thereafter in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

House of David tells the story of the ascent of the biblical figure, David, who eventually becomes the most renowned and celebrated king of Israel. The series follows the once-mighty King Saul as he falls victim to his own pride.

At the direction of God, the prophet Samuel anoints an unlikely, outcast teenager as the new king. As Saul loses his power over his kingdom, David finds himself on a journey to discover and fulfill his destiny, navigating love, loss, and violence in the court of the very man he’s destined to replace. As one leader falls, another must rise.

The series is based on an idea by Jon Erwin...

It’s perhaps the greatest underdog story next to Rocky. Heck, it’s used as a phrase to describe a match-up that seems so unevenly matched. The David and Goliath tale is one of the most popular stories in the Bible. It tells of a normal man who went up against the fiercest warrior in the land in the biggest size difference imaginable. Amazon’s House of David is a series that will retell the story in eight epic episodes. Three episodes will premiere on February 27, with one episode weekly thereafter. The trailer has just been released.

The official description reads,

“House Of David tells the story of the ascent of the biblical figure, David, who eventually becomes the most renowned and celebrated king of Israel. The series follows the once-mighty King Saul as he falls victim to his own pride. At the direction of God, the prophet Samuel anoints an unlikely,...

Simu Liu's Shang-Chi would make a great addition to the McU's Spider-Man 4 in Phase 6, and a Tom Holland voicemail proves it. Little is known about the McU's Spider-Man 4 beyond its potential 2026 release date and the high likelihood of Tom Holland's Spider-Man starring in a story that balances street-level conflict with a multiversal theme. Spider-Man: No Way Home's ending left Peter Parker in a difficult financial situation and with no connections to any of his loved ones and acquaintances, including the Avengers. Spider-Man 4 will likely be released right in between the multiverse-themed Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Meanwhile, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' post-credits scene teased a huge mystery for the titular weapons, as Carol Danvers, Bruce Banner, and Wong learned that the Ten Rings are sending a signal to a seemingly extraterrestrial receiver. This post-credits scene may need to be tweaked...

Ken Marino's career as an actor, writer, and director has been largely defined by two things: comedy and collaboration. After establishing himself via the MTV sketch comedy series "The State" with the comedy troupe of the same name (comprised of his closest friends and creative confidants), he went on to work on some of the funniest, most brilliant, and underrated TV and film projects to come out of Hollywood in the last two decades.

Much of his work is the result either of his own creative will or that of his former troupe-mates, the group having spread through the industry to wreak hilarious havoc. They often explore absurd angles on popular genres such as medical dramas and reality dating shows. At the same time, he's a familiar face on a smorgasbord of network sitcoms, as well as a few audacious dramedies you'll certainly want to add to your watch list.

Today, Prime Video announced the premiere date for the upcoming biblical drama series, House of David, and revealed eight first-look images. House of David comes from visionary filmmakers Jon Erwin and Jon Gunn (Ordinary Angels).

The series will premiere on February 27, 2025, on Prime Video with three episodes and one episode weekly thereafter in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

The series stars Michael Iskander as David, who was cast following a four-month international search and is fresh off his role in the Tony Award-winning musical, Kimberly Akimbo.

House of David also stars Ali Suliman as King Saul, Ayelet Zurer as Queen Ahinoam, Saul’s trusted wife, Stephen Lang as Samuel, and Martyn Ford as Goliath.

House of David tells the story of the ascent of the biblical figure, David, who eventually becomes the most renowned and celebrated king of Israel. The series follows the once-mighty King Saul as he falls victim to his own pride.

How does it feel — to be feted for A Complete Unknown?

The Palm Springs Film Festival said today that Timothée Chalamet will receive its 2025 Chairman’s Award for his performance as Bob Dylan in James Mangold’s biopic about rock’s most celebrated songwriter.

“Timothée Chalamet embodies one of the most iconic figures in music history with his extraordinary performance as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown,” said Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “Timothée showcases both his physical and vocal talents as he brings depth and nuance to this role that is certain to receive award recognition.”

A Complete Unknown begins amid the vibrant music scene in 1961 New York, where an enigmatic 19-year-old from Minnesota arrives with his guitar and revolutionary talent, destined to change the course of American music. Dylan forges intimate relationships with music icons of Greenwich Village on his meteoric rise, culminating in a groundbreaking and controversial...

NBC’s newest sitcom, St. Denis Medical, is still about a week away from its two-episode premiere, but if you’ve been watching literally any programming on the network, you’ve already been barraged with commercials that may have put you in the mood for a comedy that revolves around sick people and the professionals who look after them. While you kill time in the waiting room, here’s a selection of the best medical sitcoms you can stream instead. Doing so in a paper gown is optional.

[subtitle]1Childrens Hospital and Medical Police (Tied) [/subtitle]

Grey’s Anatomy was one of TV’s buzziest dramas when ex-Daily Show correspondent Rob Corddry created Childrens Hospital, a broad spoof of shows in which sexy young doctors work out their interpersonal issues while barely paying attention to their patients. Corddry stars as Dr. Blake Downs, who is clearly aiming for a Patch Adams-esque...

“This Cultural Life” is set to air on BBC Four at 11:00 Pm on Sunday, November 10, 2024. This episode features Peter Kosminsky, a prominent figure in television drama known for his powerful storytelling. Kosminsky’s background as a current affairs journalist shines through in his work, as he tackles contemporary social and political issues.

Viewers will get a chance to explore Kosminsky’s notable projects, including “Warriors,” which delves into the experiences of British soldiers in Bosnia. The program also highlights “The Government Inspector,” which focuses on the tragic events surrounding the death of Dr. David Kelly. Another significant work, “The State,” examines the radicalization of British Islamists, showcasing Kosminsky’s ability to address complex themes with sensitivity and depth.

Additionally, Kosminsky’s acclaimed adaptations of Hilary Mantel’s “Wolf Hall” trilogy will be discussed, revealing his talent for bringing historical narratives to life. This episode promises to offer insights into...

We spoke with comedic actor Thomas Lennon amid the release of Chosen Family, his new movie from writer-director Heather Graham who also leads the cast. Lennon steals his scenes as Matt, the hilarious but supportive friend of Ann (Graham), a single yoga instructor trying in vain to connect with her new boyfriend's devilish seven-year-old daughter. It's the latest laugh-out-loud project in a long line of similarly comedic ones from Lennon, whom Comedy Central fans might remember best from the acclaimed mockumentary series, Reno 911! And it sounds like another reunion between its beloved cast is not exactly out of the question down the line.

"I can't imagine we wouldn't do more Reno 911! because we already have all the outfits, which is basically the hardest part," Lennon told MovieWeb. "You can tell that we don't really overthink it when we do it. If anything, we really underthink it quite a bit." He...

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The iconic comedian Thomas Lennon speaks to MovieWeb's Will Sayre about his role in Chosen Family, a rom-com written and directed by Heather Graham, who stars with Lennon (and Julia Stiles). He also runs through the legacy of Reno 911! and other titles in his long career.

In Chosen Family, yoga teacher Ann cannot escape her manic family, miserable dating life and inability to say no, leaving her constantly trying to fix everyone else's problems.

Thomas Lennon reunites with Heather Graham on her return to the director's chair with Chosen Family. Having gotten his start in the iconic comedy troupe The State, Lennon is perhaps best known for his work as the co-creator and star of the Reno 911! franchise alongside his State collaborators Robert Ben Garant and Kerri Kenney-Silver. Beyond the improv police comedy show, Lennon has found success both in front of and behind the camera, co-writing the first two Night at the Museum movies with Garant, while also starring in everything from I Love You, Man to Bob's Burgers and The Odd Couple reboot.

Lennon stars in Chosen Family as Max, one of a group of close friends of Graham's Ann, and a chef gearing up to open a new restaurant with his wife, Frances. The movie primarily follows Ann as she looks to finally break her trend of dating lackluster men, striking...

Exclusive: Amber Ruffin (The Amber Ruffin Show) and Michael Ian Black (Wet Hot American Summer) are set for the team captain roles on Have I Got News For You, CNN’s forthcoming American adaptation of the long-running BBC comedy panel series.

A British institution produced by Hat Trick Productions since 1990, Have I Got News for You will be hosted in the States by The Daily Show alum Roy Wood Jr., as we were first to report. The series will deliver comic observations, from the satirical to the surreal, through the lens of a news quiz show, serving up a smart and edgy take on the news of the week.

Together with Wood, Ruffin and Black will guide a rotating collection of guests including notable entertainers, political figures and comedians through an array of comic games and quick-witted panel conversations that test their knowledge of current events.

Produced by Hat Trick Productions for CNN Originals,...

Without hyperbole, Michael Patrick Jann ("The State") and Lona Williams' ("Sugar & Spice") mockumentary comedy film about a small-town Minnesota beauty pageant is my favorite comedy film, ever. As a former teenage Midwest beauty queen myself, "Drop Dead Gorgeous" speaks to me on a religious level. My blood is not red, it is Mount Rose, and I am an American Teen Princess Pageant girl for life. "Drop Dead Gorgeous" turns 25 this year — one of the many teen girl masterpieces released in 1999 — but is still criminally underseen due to the film's poor box office performance at the time of release and subsequent years of physical releases being out of print. It's a shame because the cast includes Kirsten Dunst, Ellen Barkin, Allison Janney, Kirstie Alley, Denise Richards, Brittany Murphy, Amy Adams (her debut role!), Alexandra Holden, Nora Dunn, Mo Gaffney, Will Sasso, Matt Malloy, Mike McShane, Mindy Sterling, Sam McMurray, and...

Brooklyn Nine-Nine boasts a stellar main cast of comic actors like Andy Samberg and Terry Crews, alongside memorable guest stars. Guest appearances from acclaimed actors in cop shows like Jimmy Smits add authenticity and depth to the show's comedic storyline. Stars like Zooey Deschanel and Craig Robinson make unexpected but enjoyable appearances, enriching the show's universe.

With a never-ending list of guests and recurring stars, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has featured some iconic actors in its plot with recurring appearances and amusing cameos. Whether the show casts them due to their dramatic or comedic talents, each one of these stars contributes some additional flavor to a show that is already rich with content and star power. Premiering in 2013 and running for eight seasons, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a comedic police procedural featuring seven NYPD detectives dealing with a new commanding officer.

The main Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast was a fantastic list of comic actors,...

Niva (The National Independent Venue Association) will hold its third annual conference in New Orleans from June 3rd-5th, 2024.

This year’s event promises a diverse range of panels and discussions covering timely topics impacting the live music and entertainment space, including ticketing, marketing, sponsorships, advocacy, the state of journalism, and much more. A full list of panels can be found below.

Also of importance at this year’s conference, the National Independent Venue Foundation (Nivf) will offer a certified harassment training workshop, delivered in partnership with Calling All Crows and Spotify Plus 1.

In the evening, Niva will host a variety of events, including an opening party at Tipitina’s featuring Goerge Porter Jr. and Niva Gras featuring Tank and the Bangs and Rebirth Brass Band.

Registration for Niva ’24 is now ongoing.

Consequence is a proud partner of Niva ’24.

Niva ’24 Conference Programming

– Agent vs Promoter? Help Us Help You

– Artistic...

Pierce Brosnan will star with Amir El-Masry in the sports drama “Giant,” based on the true-life story of British-Yemeni boxer Prince Naseem “Naz” Hamed and his rags to riches ascent to a world championship under the tutelage of his Irish-born boxing trainer Brendan Ingle.

El-Masry will play Naz and Brosnan is set to portray Ingle. The film will be written and directed by Rowan Athale, and produced by Mark Lane of Tea Shop Productions and Kevin Sampson of White Star Productions. AGC chairman and CEO Stuart Ford will also produce.

AGC Studios and BondIt Media Capital are financing the film.

On board to executive produce are Sylvester Stallone and Braden Aftergood of Balboa Productions, AGC Studios’ Miguel Palos, Zach Garrett and Anant Tamirisa, BondIt’s Matthew Helderman, Luke Taylor and Tyler Gould, Michael Ewing and True Brit’s Zygi Kamasa.

Kamasa’s True Brit Entertainment has taken U.K. distribution...

The BBC and Masterpiece PBS have revealed a first look at ‘Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light’, based on the final novel in Hilary Mantel’s multi-award-winning trilogy, as filming comes to a close.

The new pictures show Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell, Damian Lewis as King Henry VIII, Kate Phillips as Jane Seymour, Lilit Lesser as Princess Mary, Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey, Harriet Walter as Lady Margaret Pole, Harry Melling as Thomas Wriothesley, Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Rafe Sadler, Timothy Spall as the Duke of Norfolk, Alex Jennings as Stephen Gardiner and Charlie Rowe as Gregory Cromwell.

Eagerly awaited and years in the making, the series will trace the final four years of Cromwell’s life, completing his journey from a self-made man to the most feared, influential figure of his time. Cromwell is as complex as he is unforgettable: a politician and a fixer, a diplomat and a father,...

Masterpiece PBS and the BBC have released first-look photos from Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, an adaptation of the final novel in Hilary Mantel’s award-winning trilogy.

Mark Rylance is reprising his role as Thomas Cromwell, while Damian Lewis is back as King Henry VIII. Also returning are Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey, Kate Phillips as Henry VIII’s third wife Jane Seymour and Lilit Lesser as Princess Mary, the daughter of Henry and his first wife Catherine of Aragon.

The drama also stars Harry Melling as Thomas Wriothesley, Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Rafe Sadler, Timothy Spall as the Duke of Norfolk, Alex Jennings as Stephen Gardiner and Charlie Rowe as Gregory Cromwell.

Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light will trace the final four years of Cromwell’s life, completing his journey from self-made man to the most feared, influential figure of his time.

Mantel died in 2022 at...

Exclusive: Ethan Embry (Blindspotting) and Li Jun Li (Babylon) have signed on to star in Alma and the Wolf, a new feature from director Michael Patrick Jann (Drop Dead Gorgeous) and writer Abigail Miller.

In the psychological horror-mystery, set on the wild Oregon coast, Embry plays Ren Accord, a troubled police officer who must pull himself together when, while investigating a mysterious wolf attack, his estranged son goes missing.

Others set to star in the pic include Jeremie Harris (Legion), Lukas Jann (Organ Trail), Kevin Allison (The State), Mather Zickel (Organ Trail), Beth Malone (Fun Home), Alexandra Doke (City on Fire), and Dana Millican (Soft & Quiet).

Jann and David Codron are producing following their collaboration on the cult favorite Drop Dead Gorgeous, starring Kirsten Dunst, Denise Richards and Ellen Barkin, and the horror Western Organ Trail. Ali Jazayeri, David Gendron, and Viviana Zarragoitia are exec producing through Tpc (formerly...

Melissa Moore’s autobiography Shattered Silence inspired the podcast Happy Face, and now the podcast is getting a Paramount+ streaming series adaptation! Annaleigh Ashford – whose credits include B Positive, American Crime Story, and Masters of Sex – has signed on to star in the series, with Michael Showalter on board to direct the first episode.

I mainly know Showalter from an actor in projects like The State and Wet Hot American Summer, but his TV directing credits include episodes of Search Party, Love, Grace and Frankie, In the Dark, The Shrink Next Door, The Dropout, and I Love That for You. He has also directed the feature films Spoiler Alert, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, The Lovebirds, The Big Sick; Hello, My Name Is Doris; and The Baxter.

Happy Face will see Ashford taking on the role of Melissa, who at age 15, discovered that her beloved father was the prolific serial killer known as “Happy Face.

Masterpiece PBS and the BBC are set to begin production on Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, an adaptation of the final novel in Hilary Mantel’s award-winning trilogy.

Mark Rylance will reprise his role as Thomas Cromwell, while Damian Lewis will return as King Henry VIII. Also returning are Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey, Kate Phillips as Henry VIII’s third wife Jane Seymour and Lilit Lesser as Princess Mary, the daughter of Henry and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light will trace the final four years of Cromwell’s life, completing his journey from self-made man to the most feared, influential figure of his time. Further returning and new cast members will be announced at a later date.

Mantel died last year aged 70 and at that point director Peter Kosminsky said The Mirror and the Light would proceed as a...

Over the past three decades, sketch comedy group The State has created an MTV series, a comedy album, a book, and a CBS special in addition to several spinoff projects like Reno 911!, Viva Variety, Stella, Wet Hot American Summer, Risk!, and Children’s Hospital. But the logistics of bringing the large troupe back together for a tour were always too daunting to even consider until just a few months ago when the SAG strike cleared off their calendars for the foreseeable future.

“We’re trying to make some lemonade,...

Wet Hot American Summer took comedy to a new level in 2001. We Hot American Summer provided several popular comedy actors with a launch pad. Wet Hot American Summer has a legacy that any comedy would want.

With summer winding down, it's the perfect time to look back at the quintessential "last day of summer camp" movie -- Wet Hot American Summer. Whas may not have gotten the reception the filmmakers were hoping for upon its release in 2001 -- with just 38 percent on Rotten Tomatoes -- but time has been very kind to the irreverent comedy. Not only does it feature one of the most star-studded casts, but it also features a comedy style that has only become more of a staple in the nearly two decades since the film's release.

Director David Wain has carved out quite a career for himself. From working with frequent collaborators Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black...

After doing a lot of work in the comedy genre – Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The State, Viva Variety, Upright Citizens Brigade, Wet Hot American Summer, Reno 911!, Superbad, Pineapple Express, Paul, Role Models, Wanderlust, I Love You, Man… the list is long – Joe Lo Truglio has decided to make his feature directorial debut with a horror film called Outpost. Gravitas Ventures gave the film a theatrical and VOD release in the US back in May (you can find it on Amazon at This Link), and now Lightbulb Film Distribution has announced that they’ll be bringing Outpost to the UK and Ireland on September 11th with a digital and VOD release. The movie will then be given the same sort of release in Australia and New Zealand on September 13th.

Also scripted by Lo Truglio, Outpost has the following synopsis: After a violent assault, a woman asks her best friend for help escaping an abusive ex.

Joe Lo Truglio is best known for his comedy work. He has been in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The State, Viva Variety, Upright Citizens Brigade, Wet Hot American Summer, Reno 911!, Superbad, Pineapple Express, Paul, Role Models, Wanderlust, I Love You, Man… the list is long. But he’s also a horror fan, and for his feature directorial debut he decided to make a horror movie. His horror movie is called Outpost, and it has received a theatrical and VOD release today, May 19th, courtesy of Gravitas Ventures. A trailer for the film can be seen in the embed above. The movie can be rented or purchased on Amazon at This Link.

Also scripted by Lo Truglio, Outpost has the following synopsis: After a violent assault, a woman asks her best friend for help escaping an abusive ex. She’s given a job as a fire lookout in the mountains of northern Idaho,...

Laughter is an eternal antidote for sadness, and television is able to indulge in comedy through many different subgenres, including the attractive format of sketch comedy series. Sketch comedy typically foregoes a narrative plot in favor of disconnected gags that can tackle infinitely random ideas or decide to narrow in on a specific focus.

Related: 10 Best Dark Comedy Series

Sketch comedy can be treated like a mainstream equalizer for laughter, but there’s frequently a punk rock sensibility around sketch series that encourage jokes to explore dark and controversial material. Saturday Night Live occasionally attacks edgy material, but there are many sketch comedy series that routinely visit dark places.

I Think You Should Leave 3 Seasons, 18 Episodes (Ongoing)

Tim Robinson spent a brief tenure on Saturday Night Live, but it was clear his comedic sensibilities were a little too unconventional for the mainstream series. Netflix's I Think You Should Leave...

There are several forgotten 90s TV shows that people in that decade loved, even if they only lived for a short time. While it seems very few people today talk about the shows, they remain worth the time to seek out and catch up on, whether watching them again or discovering them for the first time. Not only were there forgotten 90s TV shows that people today might not know about, but some of them were connected in one way or another to more popular shows that might not match up to the forgotten gems.

Millennium was a spin-off of The X-Files, and it barely lives in the shadow of the paranormal hit. Living Single was the show that Friends copied to great success, while the original remains a cult favorite instead of the smash hit that it deserved to be. Even shows like MTV's The State spawned other...

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Travis Barker is baring it all, and we don’t just mean on the stage. While the legendary drummer is fresh off a surprise set with Blink-182 at Coachella, and an equally surprisingly headliner slot closing off the fest after Frank Ocean dropped out of performing Weekend 2, he’s getting particularly personal with this latest venture. And no, we don’t mean the premiere of his wedding special with Kourtney Kardashian on Hulu,...

Charlotte Moore, chief content officer at the BBC, has defended the decision of screenwriter Steven Knight, best known for “Peaky Blinders,” to spice up Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations” in his television adaptation, now airing on the British broadcaster, and streaming on Hulu in the U.S.

Referring to a sadomasochism scene in the show, in which a naked Mr. Pumblechook (played by Matt Berry) is seen being whipped by housewife-turned-dominatrix Mrs. Gargery (played by Hayley Squires), Moore said that Knight “believes absolutely everything [in the show] comes from what was alluded to” by Dickens in the novel.

Moore, speaking Thursday to the Broadcasting Press Guild in London, added that “you have to really understanding what [Dickens] would have felt able to write about [in the Victorian era] and read between the lines.”

Another of Knight’s embellishments in the show is that Miss Havisham, played by Olivia Colman, is portrayed as a sadistic opium addict.

In an interview with the BBC last month,...

The Brooklyn 99 cast is full of great actors, both established stars and promising up-and-coming talent, playing a wide array of delightfully wacky characters populating the eponymous NYPD precinct. Each episode of Brooklyn 99’s eight seasons is shot and structured like a classical police procedural, with its detectives tackling a different case, but with an absurdist sense of humor. From the deadpan captain to the yogurt-loving sergeant to the immature detective to the pair of wildly incompetent veteran cops, the titular precinct in Brooklyn 99 is full of hilarious comedic personalities.

Throughout its entire run, Brooklyn 99 was a hit with critics and audiences alike. A huge part of the show’s appeal was the palpable on-screen chemistry shared by its cast. The Brooklyn 99 cast was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2014, but lost to the...

Steve McQueen has warned that people may be “disturbed” by his new film, Grenfell, which will be shown at London’s Serpentine Gallery next month.

The 12 Years a Slave director made the 24-minute film six months after the June 2017 fire at Grenfell Tower in North Kensington, in which 72 people died.

After garnering the support of the bereaved, survivors and other locals, McQueen took off in a helicopter from the north-west in December of that year and flew towards the tower, directing the whole piece in a single shot.

The film sees McQueen’s camera repeatedly circle the council block, offering viewers a look inside rooms where people died. Forensic investigators can be seen in the footage, sifting through the site.

Speaking to The Guardian about the film, McQueen said: “You must understand that the violence that was inflicted on that community was no joke. I didn’t want to let people off the hook.

Yabba-Dabba-Doo! Fox is rocking and rolling with The Flintstones spinoff Bedrock! According to Deadline, Fox is ordering a pilot presentation of the animated series, with an all-star cast set to take the Stone Age by storm! Being fitted for loincloths are Elizabeth Banks as Pebbles, the adult daughter of Fred and Wilma, Stephen Root as Fred, Amy Sedaris as Wilma, Nicole Byer as Betty, Jo Lo Truglio as Barney, and Manny Jacinto as Bam Bam. News about Fox’s Bedrock animated series dropped two years ago!

Designed for primetime, the Bedrock animated series is an adult comedy continuing the story of the Stone Age family. Deadline writes that Bedrock “catches up with the Flintstone family two decades later, with Fred on the brink of retirement and 20-something Pebbles embarking on her own career. As the Stone Age gives way to a shiny and enlightened new Bronze Age, the residents of...