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The Reagans went out on a high note.

CBS is reporting that Friday’s Blue Bloods series finale averaged 6.7 million total viewers (according to VideoAmp Overnight data; Paramount is not contracted with Nielsen this TV season). That marks a Season 14 high for the family/cop drama, including the 10 episodes that aired February through May; a second straight week of growth (+11%); and a 3% increase over May’s mid-season finale.

More from TVLineWhat We Do in the Shadows: How to Watch the Series Finale's Alternate Hypnosis ScenesNCIS: Origins EP Unpacks Fall Finale's 'Big Swing,' Teases Flashbacks 'Handoff' and Reveal of...

Smart streamers know that Black Friday always brings the best deals of the year. Prime Video offers deep discounts on its channels, and most other streamers get in the game as well. But if you’re looking for a new TV or streaming device, Walmart+ is offering 50% off annual subscriptions and they throw in Paramount+ for free!

Get the Deal $4.08/ mo. walmartplus.com Get1 year for $49 (50% Off) for a limited time Black Friday Early Access

Walmart’s low prices will get even lower for Black Friday, but Walmart+ members get to buy those deals before anyone else. Sign up now and you can see all the Black Friday deals on Nov. 11 at noon Est. We expect deep discounts on devices like their onn-branded streaming sticks and VIzio TVs. Do a quick inventory of your home to see if any of your TVs need a 4K upgrade. These deals will probably beat any competitor.

Enjoy free delivery, free streaming, and discounts to stretch your family’s dollar.

As a dad, I’m always looking to save money on everything from groceries to entertainment. When it comes to streaming, the best move is usually to pay in advance for an annual plan. But there’s another way to save on streaming, gas, food, and much more: Walmart+.

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What Is Walmart+?

Walmart+ is a subscription offering deep discounts and perks for shoppers. If you like to have items delivered,...

A contentious figure during his time in American politics, movies, and TV shows have rushed to portray Ronald Reagan for years. The former president himself was active in the media, acting in Hollywood films and TV shows for over 30 years. For this reason, the public was surprised when he was initially running for office, as the public figure was considered by many to be much more of an actor than he was a politician. Nonetheless, Reagan went on to serve two terms in office and become a highly prominent conservative political figure.

While Reagan has been portrayed throughout the decades, the most recent portrayal of the former president is in the biopic Reagan. Reagan was released to theaters this past weekend on August 30, and has thus far brought in $9.2 million at the box office. Reagan's reviews aren't good thus far, garnering just an 18% score among the 44 critics who have reviewed it thus far.

Ahead of its premiere at Telluride, Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid, a new documentary on famed Democratic political consultant James Carville, has been acquired by CNN Films, Deadline can confirm.

The company specifically picked up television and SVOD rights for the U.S. and Canada. Directed by Matt Tyrnauer (Where’s My Roy Cohn?), the film will premiere on CNN at 7 p.m. Et on Saturday, Oct. 5, also streaming on Max later this fall and receiving an Oscar-qualifying theatrical release.

Carville marks CNN Films’ third acquisition this year, following Luther: Never Too Much and the anticipated Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, which the company jointly sought out with DC Studios, Warner Bros. Motion Pictures, HBO, and Max.

Hailing from Altimeter Films, Winning Is Everything, Stupid chronicles an 18-month period in which Carville spearheaded efforts to persuade President Joe Biden not to run for re-election in 2024. Carville, famously known for coining the phrase “It’s the economy,...

Dennis Quaid's new movie, Reagan, has critics and audiences very divided. Directed by Sean McNamara, with a script written by Howard Klausner based on Paul Kengor's book, The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism, the film follows the life of Ronald Reagan from his childhood to his time as president of the United States, told through a conversation between two former Kgb agents. Quaid stars as Reagan alongside Penelope Ann Miller, Robert Davi, Lesley-Anne Down, and Jon Voight in supporting roles.

Now, with reviews published and Reagan released in theaters, the film is fiercely dividing critics and audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, Reagan has a 25% score from critics and a 97% audience score, recently renamed the Popcornmeter. These scores are only based on 28 reviews from critics and 50+ verified ratings from users, so they are subject to change over time.

Related Where To Watch Reagan: Showtimes & Streaming Status

Ronald...

Presumably because movies like Joker and Cruella proved that audiences just love villain origin stories, this week we’re getting Reagan, a brand new biopic about the 40th President of the United States starring Dennis Quaid, Penelope Ann Miller and Jon Voight. Oh, and Creed frontman Scott Stapp as Frank Sinatra, because this movie is clearly some kind of collective fever dream.

But years before Quaid saddled up for the role (literally), we nearly got a movie about Ronald Reagan, also called Reagan, starring Will Ferrell. That may sound kind of odd, but it’s not like he didn’t have years of experience playing terrible presidents.

Back in 2016, it was reported that Ferrell’s production company, Gary Sanchez, had acquired Reagan, a screenplay by Mike Rosolio that appeared on the annual Black List, which collects the year’s best unproduced film scripts. Ferrell was attached to star in the...

At The Streamable, we’re always looking for a good deal, so we wanted to take a closer look at Walmart+. It’s similar to Amazon Prime, but there are some sneaky values, especially when it comes to streaming services. Let’s dig in.

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Summary

What Is Walmart+?

Walmart+ is a subscription offering deep discounts and perks for shoppers. If you like to have items delivered, it’s especially valuable. But the service offers lots of exclusive savings.

Walmart+ is not a streaming service, but it does come with Paramount+ for free.

What Does Walmart+ Cost?

The best way...

Get ready to pay more for “Tulsa King,” “1883,” “Survivor,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “Yellowjackets.” Paramount+ just announced it will increase its prices on August 20.

When the price hikes kick in, the ad-supported Paramount+ plan will go up $2 to $7.99/month. Subscribers who want Paramount+ with Showtime will pay another $1 to $12.99/month.

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Importantly, existing subscribers will be able to dodge some of the pain. Current Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers won’t see the increase until the next bill after September 20. Existing ad-supported subscribers get to keep their price of $5.99/month. So if you think you might want the service, it’s worth jumping into a free trial now to see if it’s worth keeping at the lower rate.

What Can You Watch on Paramount+?

Paramount+ leans on the world of Taylor Sheridan...

AGC Intl., the international sales arm of Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios, is launching sales in Cannes on director Matt Tyrnauer’s documentary feature “Nobu,” about world-renowned chef and hotelier Nobu Matsuhisa.

Matsuhisa’s path to success was strewn with obstacles, adversity and tragedy. His story will be uncovered by Tyrnauer, the former editor-at-large at Vanity Fair, with exclusive access to the chef, his global empire, and his key collaborators, friends and famous fans.

Tyrnauer’s films have included “Valentino: The Last Emperor,” which was shortlisted for an Academy Award for documentary feature; the Emmy-nominated multi-part series “Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons,” about the man behind the commercial empire and his hidden ties to Jeffrey Epstein; “Where’s My Roy Cohn?,” about the Svengali behind Joseph McCarthy and Donald Trump; “Studio 54,” about the famed New York City nightclub that became a cultural phenomenon; “Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood,” about...

James Brolin on Wednesday clarified he was mistakenly referring to the 1973 film “The Way We Were” in an interview with Bill Maher in which he said his wife, Barbra Streisand, was working on redoing the ending.

“The Way We Were” is, in fact, being re-released Oct. 17 on Blu-ray for its 50th anniversary, not “Funny Girl.”

Brolin released a statement of clarification to TheWrap.

“To My Wife Barbra and all her fans,” the statement said. “Drinking tequila with Bill Maher on his ‘Club Random’ podcast recently, I mistakenly mentioned the wrong film. I meant to say my wife was working on ‘The Way We Were.‘ Apologies for all the confusion … Jim Brolin.”

Original story is below:

“Funny Girl,” the smash hit that cemented Barbra Streisand’s place in Hollywood at the ripe age of 26, ended with her protagonist, Fanny Brice, separating from her husband after he was released from prison.

Fifty-five years later,...

Blue Bloods is one of the most popular and long-running shows on CBS for a reason. The series, which has completed 13 seasons so far, follows the unofficial first family of law enforcement in New York City: the Reagans. Starring Tom Selleck as Frank Reagan, the NYPD Commissioner and father to many, along with his family comprised of a detective, an assistant district attorney, a beat cop, and more. With such a wide array of professions that aren't just limited to standard police officers, the series has been able to explore a variety of different storylines and topics each season since it premiered in 2010. When it comes to the behind-the-scenes look at the show, it would be easy to assume that the action scenes would be the most difficult to film, or maybe the crime investigations and the mysteries that have to be uncovered. However, the reality is a lot less glamorous but nonetheless important,...

While making Do Revenge for Netflix, Camila Mendes felt like she was working on a theatrical, not a made-for-tv movie.

Related: ‘Hocus Pocus 2’, ‘Prey’, ‘Fire Island’ & ‘Weird: The Al Yankovic Story’ Rally Straight-To-Streaming Movies At Emmy Noms

“There was more of a priority in the art of it, you know?” says Mendes (Riverdale) of the campy film that follows a pair of high schoolers who go after each other’s bullies. Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and co-starring Stranger Things‘ Maya Hawke and Game of Thrones‘ Sophie Turner, the clever film penned by Robinson and Celeste Ballard had a “bigger budget than a lot of high school movies do.”

“There was more priority being placed in putting together these beautiful cinematic shots and making the costumes look really vibrant and character specific,” recalls Mendes. “I do think this movie is something that could have been in a theater, and...

If you’re looking to save on your streaming bill, American Express cardholders can get some great deals these days. While offers do vary by card, The Streamable confirmed these three deals are available at least on the Blue Cash Preferred card. Consult your American Express deals page to verify the deals that may be available to you.

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George R. Robertson, who played Chief Hurst (later Commissioner) in the first six Police Academy films during a half-century screen career, has died. He was 89. His family said he died January 29 at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto but did not give other details.

Robertson had been working in TV and films for nearly 15 years when he was cast as the strict but fair Chief Henry Hurst in Police Academy, the 1984 cop farce starring Steve Guttenberg. The film was a left-field hit and went on to spawn a franchise that spanned seven films during the next decade, including one a year through 1989. He appeared in the first six but not the Moscow-set final one in 1994.

Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story Oliver Stone Criticizes "Mr. Putin's Aggression In Ukraine" After Previously Saying There Was "No Proof" Russia Intended To Invade Related Story Art Metrano Dies: 'Police Academy' Actor,...

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Canadian actor George R. Robertson passed away in Toronto on February 3, 2023. He was 89. 

Robertson is perhaps best known for playing the role of Chief, then Commissioner Henry Hurst in the first six "Police Academy" movies, released yearly from 1984 to 1989. The "Police Academy" series, while not well-reviewed, were massively successful, providing a generation with a cop-themed, National Lampoon-style snobs-vs.-slobs cinematic bedrock. According to the 2010 book "George Lucas's Blockbusting: A Decade-by-Decade Survey of Timeless Movies Including Untold Secrets of Their Financial and Cultural Success" by Alex Ben Block and Lucy Autrey Wilson, the first "Police Academy" film made nearly 150 million on a 4 million budget. 

The premise of the series was simple: due to a shortage of police officers in an unnamed American city, the local police department has been ordered to accept anyone who applies for the job. This leads to a comedy of errors wherein every weirdo,...

George R. Robertson, the Canadian actor who portrayed the police chief and later police commissioner Henry Hurst in the first six Police Academy films, has died. He was 89.

Robertson died Sunday at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, his family announced.

Robertson also showed up in small roles in three films that were nominated for the best picture Oscar — Airport (1970), Norma Rae (1979) and JFK (1991) — and portrayed vice president Dick Cheney in the 2006 ABC miniseries The Path to 9/11.

Robertson appeared as Hurst in 1994 in the first Police Academy movie, directed by Hugh Wilson, and stuck around through Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (1989). His character grows more tolerant of the wacky recruits led by Commandant Lassard (George Gaynes) as the franchise moves along.

The actor did not make the trip to Moscow for the 1994 installment but was on one episode of the 1997-98 Police Academy series at CTV.

George Ross Robertson...

Trailers are an under-appreciated art form insofar that many times they’re seen as vehicles for showing footage, explaining films away, or showing their hand about what moviegoers can expect. Foreign, domestic, independent, big budget: What better way to hone your skills as a thoughtful moviegoer than by deconstructing these little pieces of advertising? This week, […]

The post This Week In Trailers: Fireball, White Noise, City Hall, Farewell Amor, The Reagans appeared first on /Film.

In today’s TV news roundup, Chris Grismer will join Fox’s “Prodigal Son” as co-executive producing director, and Audible unveiled a multi-project deal with LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s The SpringHill Company.

Dates

Apple TV Plus’ “Servant,” executive produced by M. Night Shyamalan, will return for its second season Jan. 15. Lauren Ambrose (“Six Feet Under”), Toby Kebbell, Nell Tiger Free (“Game of Thrones”) and Rupert Grint (“Harry Potter” franchise) will all reprise their roles for the new season.

Showtime announced that its new limited series “Your Honor,” starring Bryan Cranston, will premiere Dec. 6. The 10-episode legal thriller follows Michael Desiato (Cranston), a revered New Orleans judge whose teenage son Adam (Hunter Doohan) is involved in a hit-and-run. Michael Stuhlbarg stars as Jimmy Baxter, a feared crime boss, opposite Hope Davis, who plays his wife. The saga unfolds as the characters face impossible decisions amid growing lies and the pursuit of justice.

In the wake of the 2020 presidential election, Showtime will dive into an exploration of the presidential myth with a new docuseries about Ronald and Nancy Reagan’s time in the White House.

Directed by Matt Tyrnauer, the four-part series “contextualizes the legacy of Ronald and Nancy a generation later while exploring the palace intrigue of the Reagan White House years,” according to Showtime.

The series will cover Reagan’s rise from movie star to politician and tackle “his questionable record on race, the administration’s near collapse amid the Iran-Contra scandal, and inaction in the face of the HIV pandemic” via interviews with family and friends, as well as people who worked with Reagan on the campaign trail and in the White House.

“By shining a light on the truths behind the Reagan myth and critically analyzing Ronald Reagan’s quest for power, his mode of governing, the ripple effects...

AFI Fest is the surviving Hollywood film festival, a destination for late-breaking, Oscar-seeking movies such as Ava DuVernay’s “Selma,” Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln,” and Clint Eastwood’s “American Sniper.” Last year, organizers decided to move the date from November to October. If there was ever a year to launch a film festival later than usual, 2020 was it — but AFI Fest held to its planned mid-October launch.

“I did not know what to expect,” said AFI Fest director Michael Lumpkin in a phone interview. “We made a pre-pandemic decision to do October, and then in March when everything shifted we did revisit that decision.”

After analyzing the pros and cons, he concluded that it’s easier to piggyback on the same publicity tour that brings talent to the Venice, Toronto, New York and London film festivals. “We decided keep it there,” he said.

Lumpkin and his programmers also had their hands full.

As with many festivals this year, the AFI Fest, presented by Audi, will unspool virtually, but in its most important aspect, the celebration of cinematic art

is unchanged.

“How we get to it is a lot different,” says Michael Lumpkin, director of AFI Fest, running Oct. 15-22. “But the end product is very much what the festival has always been. People are getting excited about the program.”

The AFI film festival can be guaranteed to bring highly anticipated fare to eager audiences. This year’s special presentations include world premieres such as opening-night film “I’m Your Woman,” a thriller starring Rachel Brosnahan directed by Julia Hart; Kelly Oxford’s “Pink Skies Ahead”; parts one and two of Matt Tyrnauer’s four-part deep dig into “The Reagans”; drama “Really Love” from helmer Angel Kristi Williams; vibrant coming-of-age story “She Paradise” from Maya Cozier; and Lisa Rovner’s doc about the women who helped shape electronic music,...

AFI Fest said Friday that it has added Regina King’s drama One Night in Miami to its lineup as the Centerpiece Drive-in screening, the only in-person screening at this year’s otherwise virtual edition set for October 15-22.

The move comes as the movie, which bowed at this year’s Venice Film Festival, gears up for its release in select theaters on December 25 via Amazon, which launches the pic globally January 15 on Amazon Prime Video.

King’s directorial debut, an adaptation of Kemp Powers’ stage play, takes place over one night with icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown examining the civil rights movement. Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge and Leslie Odom Jr star.

AFI Fest opens pens Thursday with Julia Hart’s I’m Your Woman and closes with Errol Morris’ My Psychedelic Love Story. Special presentations include the world premieres of Pink Skies Ahead,...

Showtime is gearing up to release “American Selfie: One Nation Shoots Itself,” Alexandra Pelosi’s latest documentary that centers on the myriad of challenges the United States has faced throughout 2020.

Showtime’s synopsis for the documentary reads: “Placing viewers directly within the most consequential events of the past year, Pelosi takes the pulse of the country while capturing the fervor of this precise moment. Powerful and provocative, ‘American Selfie’ raises critical questions about the stark divisions in how Americans feel, and asks if it’s possible to ever find a way to a more perfect union. As unthinkable perils engulf the land, Pelosi bravely captures the rising tensions among warring factions that eventually spill over and erupt into protests in the streets.”

The documentary’s trailer suggests that “American Selfie: One Nation Shoots Itself” will focus on three topics: The ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the nationwide protests regarding police brutality and systemic racism,...

The American Film Institute (AFI) has today announced the full lineup of this year’s AFI Fest, including the World Cinema, New Auteurs, and Documentary sections. These titles, including buzzy festival features like “I Carry You with Me,” “Shadow in the Cloud,” “Jumbo,” “Farewell Amor,” “Wander Darkly,” “Tragic Jungle,” “Sound of Metal,” “Wolfwalkers,” “New Order,” and “Hopper/Welles,” join previously announced films, including Julia Hart’s “I’m Your Woman,” which will open the festival, and Errol Morris’ “My Psychedelic Love Story,” which will close it.

This year’s complete AFI Fest program includes 124 titles of which 53 percent are directed by women, 39 percent are directed by Bipoc, and 17 percent are directed by Lbgtq+.

“AFI Fest is committed to supporting diverse perspectives and new voices in cinema and this year is no different,” said Sarah Harris, Director of Programming, AFI Festivals, in an official statement. “While we wish we were able to be together in Hollywood,...

NewFest is hosting a reading of Ang Lee’s groundbreaking Brokeback Mountain at its New York LGBTQ Film Festival on October 18, employing an all-trans cast for the event that commemorates the film’s 15th anniversary.

The cast features Leo Sheng (The L Word) as Ennis, Brian Michael Smith (911: Lone Star) as Jack, Jen Richards (Tales of the City) as Alma, Alexandra Grey (Empire) as Lurleen and Disclosure director Sam Feder as the narrator.

The original film starred Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as Ennis and Jack, respectively, cowboys who meet in the summer of 1963 and forge an unexpected lifelong connection full of joy, complication and tragedy. It scored eight Oscar nominations and won three, including for Lee’s directing and Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana’s script.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to The NewFest Future Fund, to benefit the organization and its programs for LGBTQ+ youth, filmmaker resources,...

The 2020 AFI Fest will close with Errol Morris’ documentary “My Psychedelic Love Story,” the American Film Institute announced on Monday.

“My Psychedelic Love Story” explores the dark side of Timothy Leary, High Priest of LSD, who was known for his strong advocacy of psychedelic drugs, and his doomed relationship with British socialite Joanna Harcourt-Smith.

AFI also announced the lineup for the Special Presentations section, which will include the world premieres of “Pink Skiews Ahead” (Kelly Oxford), “The Reagans” (Matt Tyrnauer), “Really Love” (Angel Kristi Williams), “The Father” (Florian Zeller), “Fireball” (Werner Herzog and Clive Oppenheimer) and “A Suitable Boy” (Mira Nair).

“Celebrating the diversity of great cinematic storytelling, our Special Presentations offer our audience the opportunity to experience new stories and new voices at this year’s AFI Fest,” Michael Lumpkin, Director of AFI Festivals, said in a statement. “From first-time directors and established masters to fiction and nonfiction to series,...

The 34th annual AFI Fest said Monday that Showtime’s Errol Morris-directed documentary My Psychedelic Love Story will close the festival next month.

The movie follows LSD high priest Timothy Leary and how he became a narc in 1974 and abandoned the millions he urged to turn on, tune in and drop out. Was his “perfect love” Joanna Harcourt-Smith a government pawn, as suggested by Allen Ginsberg? Morris and Harcourt-Smith reexamine the Leary saga: his period of exile, reimprisonment and subsequent cooperation with the authorities.

The docu is inspired by Harcourt-Smith’s memoir Tripping the Bardo With Timothy Leary: My Psychedelic Love Story.

In addition, AFI today unveiled the festival’s Special Presentations section offering an array of non-fiction and fiction features including the world debuts of Kelly Oxford’s comedy-drama Pink Skies Ahead, Matt Tyrnauer’s Showtime docu series The Reagans, and Angel Kristi Williams’ drama Really Love. Also...

In keeping with the festival’s continuing tradition of showcasing television, AFI Fest has added filmmaker Errol Morris’ Showtime Documentary Films feature “My Psychedelic Love Story” as the virtual event’s closing night world premiere. The film explores the underbelly of LSD through the saga of Timothy Leary, and how his doomed relationship with Joanna Harcourt-Smith helped collapse the 1960s counterculture.

On the TV side, AFI also added the world premiere of Showtime’s “The Reagans,” a four-part documentary series directed by Matt Tyrnauer about President Ronald Reagan’s time in the Oval Office, and director Mira Nair’s BBC drama miniseries “A Suitable Boy,” which recently screened at TIFF and will bow on Netflix this year.

Additional world premieres will include Kelly Oxford’s mental health chronicle “Pink Skies Ahead” and Angel Kristi Williams’ romance “Really Love.” Read synopses provided by the festival below. As part of the Special Presentations lineup,...

Online event to open with world premiere of Julia Hart’s I’m Your Woman.

The world premiere of Errol Morris’ documentary My Psychedelic Love Story will close the 34th edition of AFI Fest.

The non-fiction maestro’s latest film explores the dark side of the Timothy Leary saga, and how his doomed relationship with Joanna Harcourt-Smith extinguished 1960s counterculture.

Festival heads also announced on Monday (September 21) world premieres of Kelly Oxford’s Pink Skies Ahead, Matt Tyrnauer’s The Reagans, and Angel Kristi Williams’ Really Love.

Florian Zeller’s The Father, Fireball from Werner Herzog and Clive Oppenheimer, and...

One of my fondest memories is interviewing Craig Zadan and Neil Meron while producing an honoree video reel that would play before they accepted the Vito Russo Award at the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in 2013. The interview poetically took place in the heart of the theater district at Sardi’s. Growing up as a gay man, I found community and solace in so many of the musicals that Zadan and Meron were behind so getting to sit down with the icons was a dream come true. The two recounted their favorite films and how they not only knocked down the closet door behind the scenes, but fearlessly included Lgbtq characters and storylines that reached countless audiences around the globe.

We didn’t have a presenter lined up yet to give the Vito Russo Award to Zadan and Meron when the interview took place, but Craig immediately told me not to worry.

Craig Zadan, the prolific producer known for his touch with stage, TV and film musicals including NBC’s recent return to live event productions and three Academy Awards telecasts, has died. He was 69.

Zadan died Monday night at his Hollywood Hills home of complications from a recent shoulder replacement surgery, NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt announced Tuesday.

“We are stunned that the man behind so many incredible film, theater, and television productions — several of them joyous musicals — was taken away so suddenly,” Greenblatt said. “Craig’s distinguished career as a passionate and consummate producer is eclipsed only by his genuine love for the thousands of actors, directors, writers, musicians, designers, and technicians he worked with over the years. His absence will be felt in our hearts and throughout our business.”

Zadan had a long producing partnership with Neil Meron in Storyline Entertainment, which was recently renamed Zadan/Meron Productions. The two...

“How could you not want to tackle that?” says producer Neil Meron about taking on the story of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, in the Lifetime original movie “Flint.” The film follows a “group of women who actually were the whistle-blowers” who helped expose the dangerously high levels of lead in the drinking water due to government cost-cutting. “They were soccer moms or just people with families that were economically challenged, and then having this put upon them inspired them to action.” Watch Meron discuss “Flint” in our exclusive video interview above.

Meron and his producing partner Craig Zadan have “taken on some social and political issues” in their work in the past. That includes “Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story” (1995) about a lesbian’s legal fight after being discharged from the military, and the controversial “The Reagans” (2003), about Ronald Reagan‘s family and presidency. “We do like...

When Nancy Reagan, in the late 1980s, thought her husband needed something to “liven up” the doldrums of post-White House life, she went straight to a Hollywood top gun for help.

In Movie Nights with the Reagans, being released on Feb. 27, author and former White House aide Mark Weinberg reveals that former president Ronald Reagan, a former actor, was always “bothered” by the fact that he was not given an honorary Oscar. And, as his retirement schedule was so dull, Mrs. Reagan invited Tom Cruise to her “Ronnie’s” California offices so that he could relive some of his...

 

The first thing I should point out, is that movies are almost Never shot in chronological order, or in other words, in sequence of the events as they would unfold or "script order." This is pretty common knowledge, but don't beat yourself up if you didn't know already. For Dolly Parton's first motion picture (Nine to Five), she memorized the entire script, including the other characters' lines. Apparently, after letting on that she thought movies were filmed in chronological order, co-star Lily Tomlin burst out laughing.

Movies are shot out of sequence for a number of reasons. Among these reasons are; renting out locations or studio space, lighting, weather conditions, and most importantly, the availability of an actor. All of these basically boil down to time and money. 

So with budget and time constraints almost always working against shooting a film in chronological order, what would drive a filmmaker to pursue such a course?...

Oscar 2013 producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron TV, stage, screen producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron will produce the 2013 Academy Awards ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ recently elected president Hawk Koch announced today. This will mark Zadan and Meron’s first time as Oscarcast producers. Zadan and Meron’s extensive television credits include the series Smash and the TV movies A Raisin in the Sun, Gypsy, Brian’s Song, The Music Man, The Reagans, and the upcoming Steel Magnolias, with Queen Latifah. On Broadway, they produced the Tony Award-winning revivals of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Promises, [...]...

The producers of Footloose, Chicago, Hairspray and TV’s Smash are taking on this year’s Academy Awards telecast.

Prepare to buy stock in dancing shoes — now!

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that Craig Zadan and Neil Meron would produce the 85th annual awards ceremony, set for Feb. 24.

They have never been nominated for an Oscar, though as executive producers of 2002′s Chicago, their film has won the top prize. They have shared eight Emmy nominations on such TV projects as 2008′s A Raisin in the Sun, 2003′s The Reagans, and 2001′s Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows.

Michael Fassbender in HungerDirector Steve McQueen and actor Michael Fassbender, the tandem behind 2008's critically acclaimed Hunger, will be re-teaming for the sexual drama Shame. Fassbender will play a 30-something man living in New York who is unable to manage his sex life.

While that doesn't explain much, I'd be keeping an eye out for this one regardless based on the quality of their previous collaboration. The film will be introduced to buyers at the Toronto Film Festival. [Variety]

Sylvester Stallone has been tweeting up a storm since joining the social network in a seemingly endless attempt to keep the hype machine for The Expendables running. One tweet of particular interest confirms that the director's cut of The Expendables will be out in about six months and the documentary Inferno: The Making of The Expendables will be out soon as well. Sly describes the documentary as being "hardcore - everybody's on it,...

Seven years after playing Ronald Reagan in a miniseries detractors say maligned the 40th president, James Brolin is setting the record straight.

"I thought he was a terrific guy and he was a terrific leader of the Screen Actors Guild, and he was a good governor," Brolin said of Reagan.

Brolin said he was encouraged to speak his political mind because he objected to Mark Joseph, co-producer of an upcoming feature film about Reagan, telling THR on Tuesday that Brolin "loathes" Reagan. He also believes the Showtime miniseries "The Reagans" has been mischaracterized as a hit piece on the former president.

Brolin, who has a politically liberal reputation like his wife, Barbra Streisand, says he even voted for Reagan for president once.

What kind of a job does Brolin think Reagan did?

"Look at the results. He's such an Americana attribute. He's literally our best icon in recent years. He represented America quite well.

Zac Efron may be moving from teen idol to Commander-in-Chief. The Hollywood Reporter announced that a biopic of President Ronald Reagan is in the works and it suggests the High School Musical hunk - or possibly jack-of-all-trades James Franco - should be contenders to land the presidential role. Hr also hints that Joseph Gordon-Levitt and rising star Andrew Garfield be considered for the role of Reagan. There's no official word yet from any of the suggested actors on playing the actor-turned-politician.  The Teflon President was already the subject of a 2003 miniseries, The Reagans, starring James Brolin. The film was criticized by conservatives...

Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan is set to get a $30 million biopic which will be rather reverential in tone according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Jonas McCord ("Malice," "The Body") is penning the script for "Reagan" which begins with his 1981 assassination attempt and follows his story through both flashbacks and flash-forwards that will show how the Hollywood actor became the leader of the free world. Paul Kengor's two best-selling biographies of the man will be used as the basis for the script.

Ralph Winter and Mark Joseph will produce. No actors or director have been signed a yet, though final financing is being locked down now and a late 2011 release is being planned.

CBS was slated to air the mini-series "The Reagans" in 2003, but controversy over its apparent left-wing bias pushed it to premiere on cable outlet Showtime. James Brolin starred as Reagan in that mini-series.

Film based on Paul Kengor biographies to be titled Reagan and expected to offer sympathetic portrayal of Us president

He was the Us president who oversaw the end of the cold war and the rise of the Aids epidemic, a ferocious anti-communist during the McCarthy era who nevertheless referred to his darling wife, Nancy as "Mommie". Now the story of Ronald Reagan is set to be told on the big screen for the first time, in what looks likely to be a sympathetic biopic.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film Reagan will be based on two bestselling biographies of the 40th Us president by Paul Kengor: God and Ronald Reagan and The Crusader. No casting decisions have yet been made, and there is no director on board. The project does, however, have a $30m (£19m) budget in place.

Producers have been keen to distinguish their project from the most...

Mark Joseph optioned best-selling biographies "The Crusader" and "God and Ronald Reagan" four years ago, and is now making plans for a feature film based on the life of 40th Us President Ronald Reagan. The new $30 million movie is written by Jonas McCord (Malice, The Body) and will examine Reagan's life from boyhood to Hollywood actor to leader of the free world. No actors or directors have been signed, but the film is set to be released next year. There was already a 2003 mini-series "The Reagans," which starred James Brolin as the President and was supposed to air on CBS until a controversy erupted over alleged left-wing bias and was moved to Showtime instead. "Only in Hollywood could you make an insulting, condescending movie about a much-loved historical figure, hire an actor who loathes the man, watch it flop and then somehow conclude that Americans don't want to see a movie about him,...

The newly minted Rawhide Pictures will be mounting a biopic of President Ronald Reagan, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

With a $30 million budget, Mark Joseph, Ralph Winter and Jonas McCord will produce the film based on the best-selling biographies by Paul Kengor: The Crusader and God and Ronald Reagan.

Joseph has no feature film experience, while Winter and McCord, who wrote the script, have worked as a producer on four X-Men movies, and as a development executive on The Passion of the Christ respectively.

The producers have detailed their execution of the narrative, saying the film will begin in 1981, the night John Hinckley, Jr. attempted to assassinate the president, and then tell Reagan’s story through a series of flashbacks, detailing his troubled childhood, rise to movie stardom, and move to the White House.

McCord has shown a special interest in revealing Reagan’s upbringing, calling it “a surreal Norman Rockwell...

Update: James Brolin responds: I'm a Reagan fan

Poll: Who should play Ronald Reagan?

The story of Ronald Reagan's life -- from boyhood to Hollywood actor to leader of the free world -- is about to spill out on the big screen in a way quite different from the miniseries that caused such a stir seven years ago.

The feature film, titled "Reagan" and sporting a $30 million production budget, is set for release late next year and will be based on two best-selling biographies of the 40th U.S. president by Paul Kengor: "The Crusader" and "God and Ronald Reagan."

Mark Joseph, who optioned the books four years ago, is co-producing with Ralph Winter and Jonas McCord wrote the script.

Winter's producing credits include four "X-Men" movies, two "Fantastic Four" movies and the 2001 remake of "Planet of the Apes." Joseph, a marketing and development executive, worked on "Ray," "Holes,...

By Bob Fisher

HollywoodNews.com: James Chressanthis, Asc will be traveling to Vladistock and Moscow, in Russia, and to Mongolia in September and October, where he will be screening his extraordinary documentary “No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo and Vilmos” at American embassies and other venues, including film festivals. The documentary that Chressanthis produced and directed chronicles the lives and careers of legendary cinematographers Laszlo Kovacs, Asc and Vilmos Zsigmond, Asc. The screenings are part of the American Documentary Showcase, a cooperative venture sponsored by the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State and the University Film & Video Association. Chressanthis produced and directed this remarkable documentary as an act of passion. His narrative cinematography credits include “The Ghost Whisperer” television series, and the award-winning telefilms “Four Minutes,” “Living Proof, 3: The Dale Earnheart Story,” “The Reagans” and “The Music Man.” Chressanthis met Kovacs and Zsigmond during the dawn of his career.

NEW YORK -- James Brolin is replacing James Caan in David O. Russell's Nailed, with Kirstie Alley and Olivia Crocicchia also boarding the politically charged rom-com.

Caan departed the film three weeks ago, in large part because of a spat with Russell about the proper way for his politico character to choke on a cookie. Brolin can turn to his son Josh for advice: The younger Brolin will portray George W. Bush choking on a pretzel in a scene from Oliver Stone's upcoming biopic.

Alley will play a veterinarian who fails to remove a nail from the head of her niece (Jessica Biel). The injured woman travels to Washington to fight for better health care with the help of a disgruntled youth (Crocicchia) and falls for a congressman (Jake Gyllenhaal).

Brolin played a politician in Showtime's The Reagans. Alley recently inked a deal with Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Prods. to develop TV projects.

Brolin is repped by ICM and Jeff Wald.

Craig Zadan and Neil Meron's Storyline Entertainment has signed with CAA. Zadan and Meron, who were executive producers on the Oscar-winning feature Chicago, are working on the film adaptation of the musical Hairspray as well as The Bucket List. On the TV side, their upcoming credits include ABC's adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun and the network's musical revival of Peter Pan. Among the company's TV credits, which have earned multiple Emmys and nominations, are ABC's Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows and The Music Man and Showtime's The Reagans. Storyline had been with WMA for more than a decade.

Craig Zadan and Neil Meron's Storyline Entertainment has signed with CAA. Zadan and Meron, who were executive producers on the Oscar-winning feature Chicago, are working on the film adaptation of the musical Hairspray as well as The Bucket List. On the TV side, their upcoming credits include ABC's adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun and the network's musical revival of Peter Pan. Among the company's TV credits, which have earned multiple Emmys and nominations, are ABC's Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows and The Music Man and Showtime's The Reagans. Storyline had been with WMA for more than a decade.

Embracing everything from the supernatural fantasies of Angels in America and Joan of Arcadia to the down-and-dirty politics of The Reagans and The Apprentice, voters at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences delivered an eclectic batch of nominees for the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards. The nominees parade was notable for the many fresh faces and programs that broke through in a big way this year as well as for those that didn't make the cut despite strong buzz going into Thursday's predawn nominations announcement at ATAS' headquarters in North Hollywood. HBO's adaptation of Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Angels in America led the pack with 21, including bids for director Mike Nichols and stars Al Pacino (in his first Emmy nom), Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, Mary-Louise Parker, Justin Kirk, Ben Shenkman, Patrick Wilson and Jeffrey Wright. HBO's drama series The Sopranos was a close second with 20 noms, including reigning drama actor champs James Gandolfini and Edie Falco and first-time recognition in the supporting drama actress category for Drea de Matteo.