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In his acidic 1931 satire, Black No More, the writer George Schuyler imagines a world where Black people can undergo an experimental surgery to become white. The depigmentation procedure, invented by an oily scientist, becomes extremely popular. People are eager to escape discrimination and reap the benefits of whiteness. The novel tested theories about assimilation and the color line. If everyone was of the same race, racism and its attendant violence would be eliminated, right?

I couldn’t stop thinking of Schuyler’s novel while watching Amy Wang’s assured directorial debut Slanted. The film, which premiered at SXSW and won the narrative feature competition, has a similar premise. It follows Joan Huang (Shirley Chen of Sundance darling Didi), a Chinese-American teenager desperate to be prom queen. She lives in a kind of Anywhere, U.S.A., a surrealist version of Main Street cleverly conjured by Wang and her production designer Ying-Te Julie Chen.

The 2025 SXSW Film and TV Festival announced its award winners on Wednesday night, with Slanted from Amy Wang chosen as this year’s narrative feature winner.

“This unflinching satirical thriller examines racial identity in a bold and skin-tingling new way. Featuring simmering performances by the cast, this film is both specific to the fractured identity of Asian Americans and universally relatable in its theme of desperately needing to belong,” said narrative feature jury members Clayton Davis (Variety), Rebecca Ford (Vanity Fair), and Ryan Lattanzio (Indiewire) in a joint statement. “The director’s vulnerability in mining her personal experience combined with her delicate and daring filmmaking create a haunting piece that lingers long after the credits roll.”

The narrative feature jury also awarded special honors to Annapurna Sriram for her film F--ktoys and actress Amanda Peet (Fantasy Life).

“Annapurna Sriram is a visionary force, a rare artist whose work is as daring as it is singular.

With Zoë Saldaña winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at the Dolby Theater on Sunday, the Avatarand Star Trekactress has finally received the Oscar nod she deserves. In the shoes of her character Rita in Emilia Pérez, Saldaña not only sang and danced but also proved to everyone who witnessed the actress dance her heart out in "El Mal" why she was a frontrunner in the 2025 Oscars race through a compelling and memorable performance. It's not, however, Saldaña's first time capturing the fascination of the audience in a career that has spanned 25 years. In fact, long before the actress showcased her acting and dancing chops in the Jacques Audiard film, she stole the show in one of her most emotional performances in the Netflix drama series From Scratch. As an aspiring artist who falls in love with an Italian chef, Saldaña lives and breathes her character in From Scratch–...

Quick Links'From Scratch' Is Based on the Heart-Wrenching True Story'From Scratch' Is a Journey of Healing and Accepting Grief'From Scratch' Is Different From 'La Dolce Villa,' So Be Prepared

After its Valentine's Day release, Netflix's latest rom-com, La Dolce Villa, took the number one spot on the streaming service's Top 10 movies. The film, which translates to "The Sweet Villa," stars Scandal actor Scott Foley as Eric Field, who rushes to Tuscany, Italy, after his daughter, Olivia Field (Maia Reficco), decides to purchase a crumbling villa to restore it herself. The two have an estranged relationship, and Eric isn't thrilled by Olivia's impulsive purchase, so he decides to leave his busy life and follow her to Italy to stop this rash decision. His plans, however, didn't account for a potential romance blossoming as he found himself falling for the town's mayor, Francesca (Violante Placido). It's a beautiful film...

Years after The Office wrapped up, it’s still as popular as ever. Whether it’s streaming on Netflix, inside jokes between friends, or viral clips on social media, the iconic series never really went away. It’s the kind of show people just keep coming back to. Of course, having it easily available on streaming has helped, but Steve Carell aka the legendary Michael Scott thinks there’s more to it than that.

Steve Carell in a still from The Office | Credits: NBC

Whether it’s the characters, the humor, or something less obvious, The Office has found a way to connect with generation after generation. According to Carell, that’s why it continues to stand the test of time.

Steve Carell on the timeless appeal of The Office Steve Carell in a still from The Office | Credits: NBC

More than a decade after The Office ended in 2013, it...

Danielle Deadwyler has joined the upcoming college comedy series at HBO starring Steve Carell, Variety has learned.

The untitled show was originally picked up in May 2024 at the premium cabler. Along with Carell, “Ted Lasso” alum Phil Dunster and Charly Clive also star. HBO has commissioned 10 half-hour episodes. The official logline for the show describes it as “a single-camera comedy set on a college campus, centering on an author’s (Carell) complicated relationship with his daughter (Clive).”

Details on Deadwyler’s character are currently being kept under wraps.

Deadwyler’s recent TV credits include fellow Wbd shows “Watchmen” and “Station Eleven,” as well as shows like “P-Valley” at Starz and “From Scratch” at Netflix. She is primarily known for her film work, having exhibited breakout performances in features such as “Till,” “The Harder They Fall,” and “The Piano Lesson.”

She is repped by Paradigm, Play Management, and Ziffren Brittenham.

Bill Lawrence...

Sometimes there’s nothing more rewarding than escaping into a long series, and other times you’re just not in the mood to get invested in a show with multiple seasons — that’s the life of the TV lover. Luckily, there’s a whole world of television out there for anyone who likes their shows short and sweet but still wants to watch something absorbing. Whether you’re looking for a narrative that tells a complete story in a succinct number of episodes or you’re on the hunt for something to keep you company over the weekend, you’ve come to the right place.

From dark comedies like Beef to legal dramas like Anatomy of a Scandal to sweeping romances like From Scratch, there’s plenty of variety on our list of limited series to check out right now. What all these shows have in common is how fast you can finish them.

Netflix's miniseries From Scratch is one of the most emotional and poignant series the streaming giant has produced. The story follows Amy, an American art student (Zoe Saldaña), who falls in love with Sicilian chef Lino (Eugenio Mastrandrea), while living in Italy. From Scratch resonated with Netflix viewers worldwide and became an instant hit. While the love story drew audiences in, it was the show's exploration of the couple's hardships that made it special. After Lino is diagnosed with cancer, the couple struggles with his health issues, navigates the culture clash between their judgmental families, and eventually adopts a child.

Many viewers were surprised to learn that the limited series is based on a true story. Series creators and real-life sisters Tembi and Attica Locke drew inspiration from Tembi's memoir, From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home. While some details of their lives were altered for the series,...

Zoe Saldaña starred in a Netflix drama, From Scratch, that flew under most people's radars and now viewers may be wondering if it's worth returning to. From Scratch is a 2022 Netflix show that stars Saldaña as Amy Wheeler, a Georgetown law student who takes a break from her studies to travel to Italy. While she's there, she falls in love with a free-spirited chef, Lino (Eugenio Mastrandrea), and begins to realize that maybe there is more to life than just what she planned for herself. In only eight episodes, From Scratch explores the ups and downs of new romance.

The series premiered in October 2022, and it's not correct to say that it caught Zoe Saldaña in the middle of her hot streak, because it hasn't been so much a streak as an entire career. Since 2009, with her dual roles in Avatar and Star Trek, Saldaña has been one of the...

Despite having some of the biggest brand names attached to her resume, Zoe Saldaña is not happy about suffering through a creative slump in her career. The MCU star has not only been one of the most successful artists that Hollywood has ever known but also brought in four of the most critically and commercially hit films to the industry to date.

Zoe Saldaña as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 [Credit: Marvel Studios]

Zoe Saldaña’s reputation as an artist as such stays intact although her artistic vulnerabilities have been struggling to burrow a way out into the open. The actress has not only been critical of herself but also the industry that has pigeonholed her into a stereotypical face of the big franchise IPs, whether it be Avengers or Avatar.

Zoe Saldaña sets a major record in Hollywood

Very few actors in the industry have enjoyed a wildly successful,...

Exclusive: Bulgarian actress Irmena Chichikova, seen recently in SXSW 2024 breakout The Black Sea, has signed with L.A.-based boutique management and production company Rewind.

Chichikova appeared opposite Derrick B. Harden in his critically acclaimed American-Bulgarian comedy The Black Sea, co-directed with Crystal Moselle, revolving around a charismatic dreamer from Brooklyn who inadvertently ends up as the only Black person in a small town on the Black Sea in Eastern Europe.

The film was acquired by Metrograph Pictures for the U.S. shortly after its SXSW run and has just opened in L.A. on December 13.

Chichikova previously made her U.S. debut in 2023 in a recurring role in Marvel’s miniseries Secret Invasion, alongside Samuel L. Jackson and Emilia Clarke.

She also starred in the drama Viktoria, which made its debut in the World Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival, and won the Golden Rose National Film Festival...

Following the rollout of their more traditional holiday fare, Netflix is heading into “Die Hard” territory with the release of their Christmas-set action movie “Carry-On” — and it’s got a cast full of familiar faces.

Directed by “The Shallows” and “Non-Stop” filmmaker Jaume Collet-Serra, the film follows a Tsa agent and wannabe cop who gets his chance to bring down the bad guys when a mysterious traveler blackmails him to get a dangerous package through airport security.

Here’s a handy guide to the “Carry-On” cast and where you might have seen them before.

Carry-On. Taron Egerton as Ethan Kopek in Carry-On. Cr. Netflix © 2024. Taron Egerton as Ethan Kopek

Taron Egerton plays Tsa agent Ethan Kopek, who gets blackmailed into helping a criminal sneak a mystery bag onto a plane. Egerton’s best-known roles include Eggsy in the “Kingsman” films, Elton John in “Rocketman” and the voice of Johnny in the animated “Sing” movies.

David Moscow’s travel and culinary show From Scratch is getting another season.

The show, hosted by actor and adventurer Moscow, is set to return to the Tastemade streaming channel in April with new episodes that explore locations around the world, from Sweden to Kansas City, Missouri. It gives viewers “an inside look into the planet’s complex and interconnected food supply, how it is sourced, who is involved in the process and why it matters.”

The show finds Moscow — who is also known for his roles as the young version of Tom Hanks’ Big character and as Davey in Newsies — presented with a meal that he learns to source from scratch. He works with local food producers to harvest, hunt, fish, forage and grow each ingredient in the recipe and brings those back to the chef, with whom he works to re-create the original dish.

This season will feature world-renowned chefs,...

Nava Mau earned an Emmy nomination (in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie category) for her breakthrough performance as the lead character’s love interest Teri in the hit Netflix series Baby Reindeer, and was named as a 2024 BAFTA Breakthrough cohort. We’ve previously heard that she will be following up her Baby Reindeer success with a role on the final season of the Netflix series You, and now Deadline has broken the news that she’s set to star in the comedic thriller The Dregs – which has something to do with a cursed wine bottle.

Before appearing on Baby Reindeer, Mau played the role of Ana on 16 episodes of the Max streaming series Generation. (16 episodes also happens to have been the show’s full run.)

Set in Tuscany, The Dregs will mark the directorial debut of writer Connor Martin. Filming is expected to begin in Italy next March.

Exclusive: Fresh off of being named to BAFTA Breakthrough’s 2024 cohort, Baby Reindeer breakout has come aboard to star in The Dregs, a Tuscany-set comedic thriller marking the directorial debut of writer Connor Martin.

Shooting in Italy in March, The Dregs centers on a friends’ trip to Tuscany that gets derailed by old wounds and a cursed bottle of Vin Santo.

Others in the cast include Benjamin Norris (Never Have I Ever), Marta Pozzan (From Scratch), Maria Grazia Cucinotta (Il Postino), and Zach Tinker (American Horror Story), who acts as executive producer.

Mike Stern developed the project and will produce through Astral Plane, with Alessandro Bertolucci serving as co-producer via Dublab It. Co-EPs include Pozzan, Jeremy O’Keefe, Marco Allegri, and Austin Aronson. O’Keefe handled casting via Jok Casting.

Stated Stern on the addition of Mau, “Nava was incredible on Baby Reindeer, and we...

Like a fine mole, magical realism requires incredible complexity to yield something that is then perceived as quite simple. Fifty different types of chilies become something broadly described as a chocolaty sauce. Sentiment, whimsy, romance, the supernatural and some measure of grounding combine into a mix that even your friendly neighborhood culture critic might only be able to say works or doesn’t. And two people perceiving an identical mélange of elements might respond to the flavor profiles in wholly different ways.

Take, for a purely hypothetical example, Alfonso Arau’s 1992 adaptation of Laura Esquivel’s

Like Water for Chocolate. Already a beloved hit in its day, affection for the movie seems only to have grown since. It’s impossible to quibble with Arau’s tonal commitment, or with the sumptuous cinematography from Steven Bernstein and, in one of his earliest films, Emmanuel Lubezki. But by tipping its magical realism so firmly toward “magical,...

Netflixs From Scratch is one of the most poignant and heartbreaking series Ive ever seen. I dont typically go for romance entertainment, as I generally prefer to be surprised with a solid relationship in the midst of a larger, more unassuming story like that of Midge and Lenny Bruce amid The Marvelous Mrs. Maisels overarching female comic success story, for example. But From Scratchs clearly romance-driven story struck me as intriguing because it was specific and intricate, and because the drama was sold by all-around dedicated performances.

Reese Witherspoon has added author to her already multi-hyphenate resume.

The actress revealed on Instagram that she and best-selling author Harlan Coben are collaborating on a thriller book, and the novel is set to release in the fall of 2025.

“As a massive fan of Harlan’s work, I can’t believe he agreed to co-author a novel with me. I’m either the most persuasive person alive or the idea of this book is just Too Good! Maybe both ??...

Reese Witherspoon is adding “published author” to her résumé.

Ben Sevier, president & publisher of Grand Central Publishing, announced Wednesday the acquisition of a new suspense novel by Witherspoon and best-selling author and TV creator Harlan Coben.

The novel is Witherspoon’s debut and is based on her original idea. In addition to writing and publishing the novel, a screen adaptation is also in development.

Witherspoon said in a statement, “To say I am a fan of Harlan’s body of work is a massive understatement … the fact that he found my idea for this thriller intriguing enough to want to partner with me on it as co-author is a dream becoming a reality. Scheming with Harlan on how to thrill audiences with mysterious characters and complex narrative twists and turns has already been more fun than I can describe. I can’t wait for everyone to read what we have been imagining.

Exclusive: Colby Holt and Sam Probst, the Chicago-based filmmakers behind the indie horror thriller Ganymede, have signed with Rewind for management.

Released earlier this month through Kino and Vmi Releasing, Ganymede follows Lee Fletcher IV (Jordan Doww), a high school wrestler who develops a crush on his openly gay classmate Kyle (Pablo Castelblanco). Suddenly, Lee finds he is being haunted by a creature that not only lives in his bedroom closet, but also has the ability to invade his thoughts. Joe Chrest and David Koechner also star.

The directing team’s first feature, Pig Hag, premiered in Narrative Feature Competition at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival. Co-founders of Neighborhood Pictures, a production company dedicated to creating queer, diverse, and heartfelt stories for film and television, the pair worked together on the award-winning comedy series Gayborhood and drama series Down Home for the LGBTQ global streaming network Revry. Their spoken word and...

Danielle Deadwyler is set to receive the Mill Valley Film Festival (Mvff) award for acting at a special screening of her latest film, Netflix’s “The Piano Lesson,” during the 47th edition of the festival.

The California Film Institute (Cafilm) makes the presentation as part of the Mvff Spotlight program, which is dedicated to celebrating exceptional work by film artists in their current roles. With the award, Deadwyler joins the ranks of past honorees including Nikyatu Jusu, Regina King, Denis Villeneuve, Robert Pattinson, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Brie Larson and Steve McQueen.

In “The Piano Lesson,” adapted from August Wilson’s renowned play and directed by Malcolm Washington, Deadwyler stars as Berniece Charles, a woman battling with her brother (John David Washington) over their family heirloom piano. He plans to sell the instrument and build his fortune by buying the land their family toiled, while she is determined to preserve their family history.

The supernatural horror film The Well will arrive in select theaters on August 9th and On Digital and On Demand on September 3rd, 2024 via Uncork’d Entertainment.

On behalf of her father, a young American art restorer travels to a remote Italian village to bring a medieval painting back to its former glory. There she meets a beautiful but aging duchess and her troubled young daughter who warns her that the painting is cursed and that she must leave before she falls prey to an evil witch who drinks the blood of tourists to achieve eternal life.

Starring Lauren Lavera from Terrifier 2 & 3, The Well is a gothic horror that embraces gore and practical effects. The Well was directed by Italian pop star Federico Zampaglione, who co-wrote the script with Stefano Masi. Starring alongside Lavera is Claudia Gerini, Giovanni Lombardo Radice (City of the Living Dead), Taylor Zaudtke (Sadistic Intentions), Linda Zampaglione...

Evil has new depths in Federico Zampaglione‘s upcoming horror movie The Well, which puts Terrifier 2 and Terrifier 3 star Lauren Lavera into another bloody battle for survival.

The Well is arriving in select theaters on August 9 and On Digital and On Demand September 3, 2024 via Uncork’d Entertainment. Exclusively watch the official trailer below.

The Well stars Lauren Lavera (Terrifier 2), as Lisa Gray, a budding art restorer, who travels to a small Italian village to bring a medieval painting back to its former glory, unaware of the danger from an evil curse and a monster born of myth and brutal pain.

Here’s the full official synopsis:

“On behalf of her father, a young American art restorer travels to a remote Italian village to bring a medieval painting back to its former glory. There she meets a beautiful but aging duchess and her troubled young daughter who warns her that the painting...

Exclusive: Tiye and Keisha Mennefee’s audiobook Rifts and Refrains from the latter’s Honey Magnolia Media is being adapted for TV by Attica Locke and Tembi Locke for Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Rifts and Refrains centers on an aspiring Black female writer and musician who discovers a hidden legacy of love, betrayal and music in her estranged grandfather’s past, leading her on a journey of self-discovery and unexpected romance in the heart of Nashville’s country music scene and Memphis, the home of the blues.

“We grew up listening to Charley Pride and Muddy Waters in our grandmother’s house in Texas, and have playlists full of Rhiannon Giddens, Mickey Guyton, Yola, and Brittany Spencer. We know the twin sounds of blues and country and could not be more excited to explore a story that highlights the crosscurrents of these two sounds and cultural institutions in American life.

Tini Younger, a talented chef, gained TikTok fame with her mouth-watering recipes, including her viral mac and cheese. With 7.7 million followers and 270 million likes, Tini's popularity led to brand partnerships and long-term content collaborations. Tini's journey to culinary success began in tech school, where she discovered her passion for cooking and turned her life around.

TikTok is the major social media platform for young creators, and since it's inception, the public has witnessed a number of popular names emerge from the app.

One such name is Tini Younger, a brilliant chef who has made a name for herself by crafting unbelievable dishes in her kitchen. Tini is no joke when it comes to cooking and baking, and the TikTok superstar is currently sporting a following of 7.7 million people.

Now, people know Tini from the app, but her journey to TikTok fame is one that featured everything from a life-changing moment in school,...

The concept of the limited series swept the TV world recently, and it felt like it happened overnight.

It is not an entirely new idea, as miniseries have existed since the time of radio dramas.

However, people lost interest in them at some point, and the era seemed to come to an end.

So much so that in 1991, the Emmy Awards merged Outstanding Miniseries with Outstanding TV Movie.

After numerous name changes to the category, the concept suddenly resurged -- the limited series was born.

With the popularity of American Horror Story, in 2015 they changed the category to Outstanding Limited Series.

TV Shows Should Make Stars, Not Depend On Them

But now, the idea carries almost no weight due to networks and streamers renewing the popular limited series and turning them into plain old series.

HBO is one of the biggest offenders of this, literally winning awards in the limited...

Exclusive: Tideline, the recently launched production label of Fox Entertainment, and Mountain Top Pictures have greenlighted Slanted, a satirical drama from writer-director Amy Wang (Crazy Rich Asians 2).

Cast for the pic, due to begin production in Atlanta next month, includes Shirley Chen (Dìdi), Emmy nominee McKenna Grace (The Handmaid’s Tale), Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Never Have I Ever), Amelie Zilber (Grown-ish), Vivian Wu (The Afterparty) and Fang Du (The Haves and the Have Nots).

Slanted centers on Joan Huang (Chen), a desperate to fit in, insecure Chinese American teenager who undergoes experimental trans-racial surgery to become white and secure her chances of being named Prom Queen and winning the acceptance of her peers. Wang, Mark Ankner and Trevor Wall (Ponyboi) will produce, with Fernando Szew, Pillemer, Tony Vassiliadis and Ani Kevork serving as executive producers.

“I am so excited to be able to bring this movie to life with the...

Exclusive: In a competitive situation, Netflix has landed for development Forever, Interrupted, a limited series based on the 2013 bestselling novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, sources tell Deadline. Laura Dern and Margaret Qualley are set to star in and executive produce the project, from A24 and company-based producer Jessica Rhoades. Julia Bicknell is writing the adaptation and will serve as showrunner. Netflix declined comment.

In Forever, Interrupted, Elsie (Qualley) and Ben’s whirlwind romance is electric – within months they’re married and living happily ever after – when Ben’s unexpected death forces Elsie to come face to face with Susan (Dern), the mother-in-law who doesn’t know that she exists. Told through a dual timeline, the series recounts Elsie and Ben’s once-in-a-lifetime love, intercut with Elsie and Susan’s unexpected journey as their at first turbulent connection ultimately brings both women cathartic new beginnings.

Executive producing are Rhoades and Alison Mo Massey for Pacesetter Productions,...

Tom Arnold has joined the cast of writer, producer, and director Rohit Karn Batra’s drama “The Gun on Second Street.”

The film, for which Storyboard Media launched international sales during last year’s Cannes Film Market, is produced by Guy J. Louthan of Ransom Films with Rikin Shah serving as one of the executive producers.

An allegory of the gun crisis in the United States, “The Gun on Second Street” follows two Pittsburgh police partners and best friends who are called to an uneventful domestic violence dispute on Second Street. This quickly escalates to a violent scuffle as Officer Tj Meadows III accidentally shoots and kills his partner, Officer Kevin Cooper, with his backup gun. Years later, no longer a cop and still traumatized, Tj moves back to Pittsburgh and finds his way to Kevin’s widow, Kacie. Arnold will take on the role of Police Chief Richard “Dick” Steinberger,...

Nzingha Stewart is attached to direct the first episode of the upcoming Amazon Prime Video series adaptation of “We Were Liars,” Variety has learned exclusively.

The series was originally picked up at Prime Video in March 2023. It is based on the E. Lockhart YA novel of the same name. The series is described as “a tragic love story and an amnesia thriller set on a privately owned island off the coast of Massachusetts.” Mamie Gummer, Caitlin FitzGerald, and Candice King will star.

Stewart previously served as an executive producer and director on the Prime Video series “Daisy Jones and the Six” as well as on the upcoming Prime Video series “Cross,” based on the Alex Cross novels by James Patterson. Her other TV directing credits include “Little Fires Everywhere,” “From Scratch,” “Inventing Anna,” “Maid,” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” In film, she directed the popular Netflix film “Tall Girl” and is attached...

Exclusive: Priyanka Chopra Jonas is set to star in The Bluff, the Agbo Studios and Amazon MGM Studios movie being directed by Frank E. Flowers. Prime Video’s The Boys Karl Urban is in talks to star.

Flowers, who also co-wrote The Bluff, is hot off writing this past two weeks’ No. 1 hit Bob Marley: One Love, which shot past $120 million worldwide.

Set in the 19th century Caribbean, The Bluff follows a former female pirate (Chopra Jonas) who must protect her family when the mysterious sins of her past catch up to her.

The film, which is targeting a spring production start in Australia and will be available to stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide, will further solidify the relationships among Amazon MGM Studios, Agbo and Chopra Jonas following last year’s debut of the global franchise Citadel. Following its April 28 release, the spy thriller...

Exclusive: Malcolm D. Lee’s Blackmaled Productions, is helming a new drama series in development with Peacock titled, Drunk on Love. This latest venture is part of Lee’s first-look deal with Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, and marks a step in amplifying the voices of creatives of color within the industry.

Drunk on Love is based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Jasmine Guillory, of the same name and follows Margot Noble, whose life is turned upside-down when she inherits a struggling vineyard in Napa Valley along with her estranged brother, Elliot. Yanked back to the small town she thought she’d escaped from, Margot meets Luke Williams, whose life has also recently been upended by his mysterious departure from the tech company he founded. When the two of them lock eyes at a late-night tasting room, sparks fly. It’s an encounter that...

Will Smith has been cast in the action thriller ‘Sugar Bandits,’ which is based on the Chuck Hogan book ‘Devils in Exile.’

The story centres on an Iraq War veteran who teams up with a crew of fellow vets to target the drug trade in Boston.

Hogan’s writing credits include ‘The Town’ and ‘The Strain’ (which he co-wrote with Guillermo del Toro) — wrote the screenplay.

Also in news – Leo Woodall & Quintessa Swindell set for conspiracy thriller ‘Prime Target’

Smith and Jon Mone will produce through Westbrook Studios with Ryan Shimazaki overseeing; Stuart Ford will produce for AGC Studios, which is fully financing the film; and Richard Abate will produce for 3 Arts Entertainment.

Smith’s upcoming movies include the untitled fourth ‘Bad Boys’ film, which is still in production, alongside the upcoming sequel to Zombie hit ‘I Am Legend,’ which is set to co-star Michael B. Jordan and see...

Los Angeles, Feb 15 (Ians) Hollywood star Will Smith will be seen in the upcoming high-octane actioner ‘Sugar Bandits’, where he will play an Iraq war veteran.

Based on the Chuck Hogan book ‘Devils in Exile’, the thriller centres on an Iraq war veteran who teams up with a crew of fellow vets to target the drug trade in Boston.

Hogan, whose writing credits include ‘The Town’ and ‘The Strain’ (which he co-wrote with Guillermo del Toro), penned the screenplay, reports Variety.

Smith and Jon Mone will produce through Westbrook Studios with Ryan Shimazaki overseeing; Stuart Ford will produce for AGC Studios, which is fully financing the film; and Richard Abate will produce for 3 Arts Entertainment.

‘Sugar Bandits’ marks the latest film for Smith, whose last major feature and the first since his infamous Oscars slap was Antoine Fuqua’s ‘Emancipation’, which sold to Apple TV+ in Cannes for a market record deal of $120 million,...

Will Smith has lined up another hot title to his list of upcoming projects, having signed up to lead the cast of high-octane action thriller “Sugar Bandits.”

Based on the Chuck Hogan book “Devils in Exile,” the thriller centres on an Iraq War veteran who teams up with a crew of fellow vets to target the drug trade in Boston. Hogan — whose writing credits include “The Town” and “The Strain” (which he co-wrote with Guillermo del Toro) — penned the screenplay.

AGC International and CAA Media Finance represent the film’s worldwide distribution rights and will introduce the film to buyers at the upcoming EFM.

Smith and Jon Mone will produce through Westbrook Studios with Ryan Shimazaki overseeing; Stuart Ford will produce for AGC Studios, which is fully financing the film; and Richard Abate will produce for 3 Arts Entertainment.

“Sugar Bandits” marks the latest film for Smith, whose last major...

Blumhouse has set Black Adam filmmaker Jaume Collet-Serra as director, and Danielle Deadwyler as star and EP on The Woman in the Yard.

The project reteams Collet-Serra and Deadwyler, who recently collaborated on the Netflix thriller pic, Carry On.

The pic, which has a plot line under wraps, is set for theatrical release on Jan. 10, 2025.

“I’ve been trying to find the right project to work on with Jaume, in our system, for over a decade. The Woman in the Yard is the perfect match, a film that’s ambitious in scope but modest in budget that combines Jaume’s vision with the incomparable Danielle Deadwyler. Together with my friend Stephanie Allain, this is a real dream team and I’m excited to collaborate with them on the film,” said Blumhouse Boss Jason Blum.

The Woman in the Yard is written by Sam Stefanak. Blum and Stephanie Allain are producers on the film.

Despite being marketed as the final chapter, a surprise fourth installment of The Equalizer franchise is in very early development. The success of The Equalizer 3 at the box office makes the idea of a fourth movie less surprising. Writer Richard Wenk is tasked with figuring out how the franchise can continue.

Last year’s action sequel The Equalizer 3 was marketed as the final chapter in director Antoine Fuqua and star Denzel Washington’s saga, but writer Richard Wenk, who has written all three installments in The Equalizer franchise, has now hinted that a surprise fourth movie could be on the cards. In a recent interview with Empire Magazine, Wenk explained that, while he felt that the third outing was the last and provided closure, he has now been “tasked” with finding out how the franchise could continue...

“I felt it was over. It felt like the final chapter for this guy.

Exclusive: Fox Entertainment and its in-house studio division MarVista Entertainment are launching Tideline Entertainment, a production label that will focus on creating impactful and meaningful content with unique perspectives from differentiated storytellers, voices and creators worldwide.

Under the leadership of Hannah Pillemer, MarVista’s EVP and Head of Creative & Production, Tideline projects will range from movies and indie films to limited series, made-for-platform content and other cross-genre formats based on what best supports each creative vision.

The first project under Tideline is the Esteban Arango-directed Ponyboi, which is being produced and sold by Mark Ankner in partnership with 30Kft out of Sundance; the pic premieres Saturday in the fest’s U.S. Dramatic Competition section. The movie, written by River Gallo and starring Teen Wolf‘s Dylan O’Brien, follows a young intersex sex worker forced to confront their past while running from the mob after a drug deal goes sideways.

Attica and Tembi Locke are re-teaming for another TV series.

The siblings, who already adapted Tembi’s memoir as the Netflix series From Scratch, have signed an overall deal with Universal Television and set up their first project under the pact: an adaptation of Attica’s novel Bluebird, Bluebird.

The drama, which does not yet have a network/platform attached, revolves around Darren Mathews, a Black Texas Ranger who is deeply ambivalent about growing up Black in the lone star state and was the first in his family to get as far away from Texas as he could — until duty called him home.

The Lockes will co-write and exec produce the series alongside Richard Abate, Jermaine Johnson and Will Rowbotham for 3 Arts Entertainment.

“From our first meeting with Universal Television, we felt instant creative alignment,” said Attica and Tembi Locke. “As authors, we understand storytelling across different formats and platforms.

Hello, and welcome to the Scene 2 Seen Podcast. I am Valerie Complex, an associate editor and film writer at Deadline.

Today, for the final episode of 2023 (!), we’re talking to director-writer Cord Jefferson and producer Jermaine Johnson about their latest project American Fiction, which won the TIFF Audience Award. The film stars Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown, Erika Alexander and John Ortiz.

American Fiction follows Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Wright), a respected author and professor of English literature. But his impatience with his students’ cultural sensitivities is threatening his academic standing, while his latest novel is failing to attract publishers; they claim Monk’s writing “isn’t Black enough.” One night, in a fit of spite, Monk concocts a pseudonymous novel embodying every Black cliché he can imagine. His agent submits it to a major publisher who immediately offers the biggest advance Monk’s ever seen.

Jon M. Chu's 2018 romantic comedy "Crazy Rich Asians" -- based on the novel by Kevin Kwan -- was a massive, massive hit. Made for only $30 million, Chu's lightweight puffball grossed $239 million worldwide. It follows the adventures of a young economics professor named Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) who has been enjoying her romantic relationship with the dash-handsome Nick Young (Henry Golding). Nick is called back to his home country of Singapore to attend a wedding, and Rachel is reluctantly invited along. Reluctantly, because Nick has been trying to keep his vast wealth hidden from Rachel. It seems his family is practically royalty in Singapore, inviting new conversations about honesty and their inescapable class divide into their relationship. Also, Nick's family doesn't necessarily approve of a middle-class woman dating one of their own, and some of them accuse Rachel of being a golddigger. 

Oh yes, and Nick fully intends to...

The CW has ordered two new scripted dramas, the crime procedural “Wild Cards” and the detective drama “Sight Unseen.”

“Wild Cards” will see the return of CW stars Vanessa Morgan, known for her work on “Riverdale,” and Giacomo Gianniotti, known for “Reign,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “From Scratch.” As for “Sight Unseen,” the drama will star newcomer Dolly Lewis, “Dmz” star Agam Darshi, “The 100” star Jarod Joseph and Daniel Gillies, known for his work on “Virgin River” and “The Vampire Diaries.”

“’Wild Cards’ and ‘Sight Unseen’ are two unique, binge-worthy shows that reflect The CW’s commitment to compelling, top-tier storytelling that will appeal to our loyal fans and attract a wide range of new viewers,” head of scripted programming for The CW, Liz Wise Lyall, said in a statement.

Wise Lyall also noted that the network is “thrilled” to collaborate with Blink49 Studios, Front Street Pictures and Piller/Segan...

Iperuranio Film is excited to announce that Screamfest LA will host the October 12th 2023 North American Premiere of The Well, director Federico Zampaglione’s latest film, a graphic supernatural horror. The Well will make its World Premiere at the Sitges Film Festival before heading to Los Angeles.

The Well stars Lauren Lavera (Terrifier 2), as Lisa Gray, a budding art restorer, who travels to a small Italian village to bring a medieval painting back to its former glory, unaware of the danger that she may unleash. Starring alongside Lavera is Claudia Gerini, Giovanni Lombardo Radice (City of the Living Dead), Taylor Zaudtke (Sadistic Intentions), Linda Zampaglione (Time Is Up), Jonathan Dylan King (From Scratch), Lorenzo Renzi (Romanzo Criminale), Gianluigi Calvani (The New Pope), Yassine Fadel (FBI: International), Melanie Gaydos, Stefano Martinelli and newcomer Courage Oviawe.

The Well is an Iperuranio Film production, directed by Federico Zampaglione, written by Zampaglione and Stefano Masi,...

“The Morning Show” is back for Season 3 on Apple TV+, introducing new faces to its star-studded cast. Co-produced by Michael Ellenberg’s Media Res and Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, the drama series promises new frontiers for the harrowed Uba news network, which has struggled from the stains of its past with Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell) and the toxic culture he promoted. Returning power players include Witherspoon’s Bradley Jackson, Jennifer Aniston’s Alex Levy, Billy Crudup’s Cory Ellison, Karen Pittman’s Mia Jordan and more.

One new face is tech titan Paul Marks (Jon Hamm), who promises all kinds of shakeups and challenges for Uba. Mark Duplass’ Chip Black, Nestor Carbonell’s Yanko Flores, Greta Lee’s Stella Bak and other staple characters at Uba will experience their own microcosmic shifts as a result of Ellison’s bromance with Paul Marks.

Here are the cast and characters of...

The Well: "Iperuranio Film is excited to announce that Screamfest LA will host the October 12th North American Premiere of The Well, director Federico Zampaglione's latest film, a graphic supernatural horror. The Well will make its World Premiere at the Sitges Film Festival before heading to Los Angeles.

The Well stars Lauren Lavera (Terrifier 2), as Lisa Gray, a budding art restorer, who travels to a small Italian village to bring a medieval painting back to its former glory, unaware of the danger that she may unleash. Starring alongside Lavera is Claudia Gerini, Giovanni Lombardo Radice (City of the Living Dead), Taylor Zaudtke (Sadistic Intentions), Linda Zampaglione (Time Is Up), Jonathan Dylan King (From Scratch), Lorenzo Renzi (Romanzo Criminale), Gianluigi Calvani (The New Pope), Yassine Fadel (FBI: International), Melanie Gaydos, Stefano Martinelli and newcomer Courage Oviawe.

The Well is an Iperuranio Film production, directed by Federico Zampaglione, written by Zampaglione and Stefano Masi,...

Evil has new depths in Federico Zampaglione‘s dark supernatural thriller The Well, which puts Terrifier 2 star Lauren Lavera into another bloody battle for survival.

Screamfest LA will host the October 12th North American Premiere of The Well, which will make its World Premiere at the Sitges Film Festival before heading to Los Angeles.

The Well at Screamfest:

Tcl Chinese Theatre, Screen 4

Thursday, October 12, 9:00 Pm Pst

Check out a bloody gallery of Not-safe-for-work first look images below, along with the official poster for The Well, the latter of which is being debuted by Bd this morning.

The Well stars Lauren Lavera (Terrifier 2), as Lisa Gray, a budding art restorer, who travels to a small Italian village to bring a medieval painting back to its former glory, unaware of the danger from an evil curse and a monster born of myth and brutal pain.

Starring alongside Lavera is Claudia Gerini,...

Seasons 3 and 4 of David Moscow’s travel and food show “From Scratch” will premiere on Tastemade, set to release on the streaming platform on Oct. 18.

In “From Scratch,” actor David Moscow is presented with a recipe from a chef and he subsequently hunts, dives, forages and grows every ingredient to create the meal. He aims to reveal how much effort goes into bringing common ingredients into kitchens.

According to the show’s description, “In an effort to help us reconnect with the food that sustains our lives, Moscow has spent four years traveling the world, meeting with rock-star chefs, and sourcing ingredients within local food ecosystems.”

This journey has taken him to several different countries where he helps source a wide range of ingredients. The description continues to explain that Moscow has these experiences in “20+ countries that include milking a water buffalo to make mozzarella for pizza in Italy; harvesting...

Denzel Washington reflects on his action hero past as he discusses The Equalizer 3. The upcoming threequel will have a different feel from the first two films, and will see Robert McCall taking on the Mafia in Southern Italy. The Equalizer 3 will be the last time Washington portrays the mysterious avenger, with director Antoine Fuqua confirming it as the final chapter.

Hollywood icon and Academy Award winner Denzel Washington reflects on his action hero past in a new behind-the-scenes featurette for The Equalizer 3. Released courtesy of Sony Pictures, the footage allows fans to “Relive Robert McCall's journey before seeing Denzel Washington in the final chapter,” and finds Washington and returning director Antoine Fuqua discussing why the action franchise has become so popular with audiences. Check out this behind-the-scenes look at The Equalizer 3 below.

It’s time to catch up with the Goat. ⌚ Relive Robert McCall's journey before...

Academy Award winner and Hollywood icon Denzel Washington is ready to hang up his aged action hero franchise The Equalizer in the upcoming sequel, The Equalizer 3. Speaking with Empire Magazine (who have also released a new image of the actor in action), Washington believes that this will be last time he plays the mysterious, redemption-seeking assassin Robert McCall on the big screen. Check out what the acclaimed actor had to say below.

“I don’t want to say he’s found happiness, and I don’t want to give it all away, but he meets someone lovely, he’s in a lovely town and he seems to be at peace. That seems to be a good place to stop.”

Washington first played McCall, and thus rebooted the 1980s TV series of the same name, almost a decade ago in 2014. And for Washington, he had no idea he would still be...

You know the saying: "It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt." It's something parents used to tell us when we were kids and roughhoused too hard, but in the context of the upcoming horror thriller "All Fun and Games," the adage sounds more like a promise than a warning. The film follows a group of teens whose night of fun turns very high stakes when a demon gets involved, forcing them to play life-or-death versions of the kids' games that many of us love. Fan-favorite actors like Natalia Dyer and Asa Butterfield are among the cast, and the Russo brothers' production company is on board.

In a press release, Vertical Partner Peter Jarowey called the movie "a gripping debut film based on a high concept idea that caught, and held, our attention immediately." There's no trailer or "All Fun and Games" yet, but the movie does have a...