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Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus’ Godmother, had some opinions about her 2023 hit single, “Used to Be Young.”

In a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Cyrus discussed “Used to Be Young,” and how vulnerable it is to listen to the song now. While she’s happy to have released the song, she noted that Parton was a little shocked when she first heard it. “She goes, ‘I don’t know if I like that new “Used to Be Young” song because it’s not fair that you’re singing about not being young when you’re young and beautiful. And here I am — I’m like 80 — and I’m like, That should have been my song!’”

Cyrus is still struck by the song’s openness today. “I actually listened to that song yesterday, and I was asking myself, ‘Did I really need to put this out?’,” Cyrus said. “It was one...

Paul Engelen, the British makeup designer who earned two Emmys and two Oscar nominations in a fabulous career that included work on Reds, Batman, The Phantom Menace, Gladiator and Game of Thrones, has died. He was 75.

Engelen died Nov. 3 of cancer at his home in West Sussex, England, his son-in-law (and fellow makeup designer) Daniel Lawson Johnston told The Hollywood Reporter.

Engelen also did makeup for three James Bonds — Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig — on the 007 films The Man With the Golden Gun (1974), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), Die Another Day (2002), Casino Royale (2006) and Quantum of Solace (2008).

He teamed with Blake Edwards on Victor/Victoria (1982), Trail of the Pink Panther (1982) and Curse of the Pink Panther (1983), with Steven Spielberg on Empire of the Sun (1987) and Munich (2005) and with Ridley Scott on Gladiator (2000), Kingdom of Heaven (2005) and Robin Hood (2010).

Engelen shared his first Academy Award nom with Rick Baker...

In honor of 'Veterans Day'/'Remembrance Day', take a look at director Joseph Sargent's 1998 TV movie "The Wall" and the segment titled "The Badge":

"...there are 58,183 names on the 'Vietnam Veterans Memorial'. The lives they touched tell their stories. This is the story of 3 brave men who never made it home, told in three short, unique segments.

"In 'The Pencil Holder', Edward James Olmos plays a tough 'Colonel' struggling to raise his young son on an American military base surrounded by the brutality of battle. 

"In 'The Player', starring Frank Whaley & Michael DeLorenzo, a selfless squad leader must confront a hustler who's getting rich off the spoils of war..." 

"In 'The Badge', actress Ruby Dee reveals the pain a grandmother feels as she sends her beloved grandson overseas, then confronted by a long-haired vet , while searching for her grandson's name on the wall..."

Click the images to enlarge.

Amid a pullback in TV spending, unscripted production companies Fulwell 73, behind Hulu reality hit “The Kardashians,” and SpringHill Co., founded by NBA superstar LeBron James and Maverick Carter, are in talks to combine forces.

The companies have been discussing a potential merger for several months, two sources confirmed to Variety. Execs at both companies see the tie-up as a merger of equals, not one party acquiring the other. The teams at SpringHill and Fulwell 73, whose partners include James Corden, are looking at what’s happening in the media and entertainment sector and believe that consolidation would create a stronger entity rather than leaving each separately, one source said. The merger talks were first reported by Bloomberg.

The two companies are different enough in their content focus that they think such a combination could help each other grow their businesses, per a source familiar with the talks. In addition, SpringHill...

Saturday Night Live episode promos are often about 20 seconds in length and feature little more than the host, the musical guest, a cast member or two, and a very lame joke that fades from memory about 12 seconds after you hear it, at best. But leave it to John Mulaney to put together a nearly two-minute promo that’s funnier than just about anything that’s aired on the actual show this season, as much as we’ve enjoyed Dana Carvey’s brilliant Joe Biden impersonation.

It begins with Mulaney reading from a cue card.

Exclusive: America’s Got Talent is losing one of its longest-tenured talents.

Jason Raff, who has served as showrunner of the long-running NBC hit for 19 seasons, has left the show.

After 482 original episodes including 140 hours of live episodes, Raff told Deadline that he was informed that he was being let go the day after season 19 finished at the end of September due to budget cuts.

Raff also developed and served as showrunner for all of the show’s spinoffs including America’s Got Talent: The Champions, AGT: Extreme, America’s Got Talent: All-Stars and America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League.

Sam Donnelly, who has served as showrunner alongside Raff, will continue as solo showrunner on Season 20 show, which is produced by Fremantle and Syco Entertainment, and will likely air in May 2025.

Raff told Deadline that nearly 20 years ago, he was handed a DVD of a presentation for British broadcaster ITV called Paul’s O’Grady’s Got Talent.

Nearly half of small businesses in the United States are family businesses–and, more often than not, founders’ significant others play key roles in those companies. In the creator industry, it’s no different: there are millions of content creators whose partners are involved in sharing the workload of their channels, either as onscreen co-stars or as offscreen camerapeople, producers, and managers.

So what happens if they break up?

Well, legally speaking, it all gets very messy very quickly. That’s according to longtime creator lawyer Jonathan Katz, who has represented a number of clients in this exact situation.

The first thing to think about, he says, is who actually owns the rights to the channel’s content. You may look at a channel where one person is its entire onscreen presence, and the channel is named after them, and there has never been another person present on camera with them,...

Hit format Lego Masters is building out its universe.

Distributor Banijay has struck deals for three European versions of a spin-off that will for the first time take the show beyond the confines of a studio.

Lego Masters: Out of the Box will see teams of skilled builders embark on a road trip through their country, constructing Lego masterpieces inspired by unique locations. Each challenge is intrinsically tied to the iconic surroundings — delivering builds that become a part of that environment.

The spin-offs have been greenlit on Rtl in the Netherlands, Nelonen in Finland and Tvn in Poland.

Originated by UK indie Tuesday’s Child, Lego Masters has landed 20 global commissions including on Fox, for which it has so far had a successful four-season run. In the UK it aired for one season and a Christmas special on Channel 4, marking a rare example of a show that has performed...

Oxford Road and Veritone One, two leading audio and creator-based advertising agencies, announced their plans to form the world's largest podcast group and leading creator-based media entity. The deal, facilitated by Insignia Capital Group, positions the companies to transform how brands leverage audio and creator-led content to drive measurable results. Both businesses will continue to operate independently in the near term, with future designs for a unified lead brand.

The transaction unites Oxford Road's international traction and industry innovation with Veritone One's advanced technology stack, data capabilities, and creator-led video and influencer expertise. This union addresses a critical gap in the market, offering brands unparalleled access to and performance in podcasting, streaming audio, radio, and creator-based video channels.

"Brands have been missing out on the full power of audio and creator-led content because these highly fragmented channels are challenging for firms without deep subject matter expertise," said Dan Granger, CEO of the newly combined organization.

Exclusive: The Wall is getting a big international push here at MIPCOM with plans afoot for a new European production hub and fresh international deals for the gameshow format in the offing.

Season 6 has just wrapped in the U.S. and is in post before airing on NBC. Andrew Glassman, who had the original idea for the show, and Toby Gorman, Universal Television Alternative Studios President (Utas), have broken down their plans to boost the show’s profile outside the U.S.

“We feel like now is the time to bring it back, not just in one country, but multiple at the same time,” Gorman said about the format.

“There are territories where it’s done really well, and for whatever reason it’s had a break, and we believe there is an opportunity to bring it back. Whether it’s bigger, whether it’s a daytime strip, we’re looking at everywhere individually,...

Chick-Fil-a has revealed more details about its move into the entertainment business.

Earlier this summer, Deadline broke the news that the fast-food company had started commissioning original content.

The chicken firm is launching Chick-Fil-a Play on November 18. It said that the service was “designed for parents and kids to share and experience together whether they’re enjoying a meal at home, in the drive-thru, or anywhere in- between”.

It will launch with a number of original animated shows, including Evergreen Hills and Chick-fil-A Cows, scripted podcasts including Hidden Island, a handful of cooking shows and interactive stories.

“Hospitality and fun have always been at the core of the Chick-fil-a family experience, whether inside our Restaurants and play areas, or through our Kids Meals,” said Dustin Britt, executive director of brand strategy. “The Chick-fil-a Play App is a digital extension of that experience and another way we’re reimagining play for our guests,...

During the Big Brother 26 finale, host Julie Chen Moonves announced that the show would return for Big Brother 27, and there's a lot to know about the much-anticipated new season. Big Brother 27 follows Big Brother 26, in which Chelsie Baham was crowned the victor by the jury of seven and won the $750,000 grand prize after a unanimous vote, and Makensy Manbeck took home the $75,000 second place prize. Fans voted Tucker Des Lauriers as America's Favorite Houseguest, and he received $50,000.

Big Brother 26 was a wild ride of a season, with the Power of Veto being used a record-breaking 12 times in a row, including twice during double eviction week, and 13 out of 14 times total. The season featured many twists thanks to the A.I. entity Ainsley, including the Deepfake Hoh, America's Veto, the Bb A.I. Arena, the A.I. Instigator, and Jankie World, featuring another A.I. creation named Jankie. It also included many iconic competitions,...

There hasn't been a surer big screen bet in Hollywood over the last 30-plus years than James Cameron -- though he doesn't always make it easy on the studio footing the bill for his latest film on the way to the multiplex. Since recovering from his only true box office disappointment in 1989's "The Abyss" (which also happens to be his best movie), Cameron has been on the hook for The Most Expensive Movie Ever Made at least three times. Studio heads try their mightiest to never wind up holding that bag, but they also don't want to be the clown that said no to Cameron only to watch the maestro take his nine-figure "gamble" across town, where it becomes The Highest Grossing Movie Ever Made (a peak Cameron has summited twice) for their competitor.

Given the exorbitant price tags of his movies, Cameron places additional pressure on the studio...

Beginning later this month, David Gilmour will play a limited run of shows in the US in support of his new album, Luck and Strange. Marking his first American performances in eight years, the former Pink Floyd member will take the stage for multiple nights at both the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and Madison Square Garden in New York City. He’ll also play a one-off concert at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

In anticipation, a limited number of tickets for Gilmour’s shows at Madison Square Garden have been released by Ticketmaster. The concerts are set for November 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, and 10th.

Get David Gilmour Tickets Here

At his US concerts, Gilmour will be joined a live band that includes Guy Pratt, bass and background vocals; Greg Phillinganes, keyboards; Rob Gentry, keyboards; Adam Betts, drums; Ben Worsley, guitar; Louise Marshall, background vocals; Hattie Webb, background vocals; and Charlie Webb,...

A new report from The Wall Street Journal reveals that Jeffrey Epstein’s private calendar showed scheduled meetings with some prominent individuals, including the current CIA Director William Burns, Obama White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, and Bard College president Leon Botstein. According to the documents, all of the scheduled meetings were planned after Epstein was jailed […]

The post Jeffrey Epstein’s Private Calendar Reveals Meetings with Current CIA Director, Obama Administration Attorney and College President appeared first on Shockya.com.

Exclusive: Danny Dyer’s new short film Stepping Stone will launch on UK streamer Itvx during next month’s Mental Health Awareness Week.

We got the first images of Dyer (EastEnders) in the film, which comes from teenage filmmaker and actor Noah Caplan, who wrote the script aged 15 after a family tragedy. Itvx has swooped to pick up the film and will launch in next month. You can watch the trailer below.

Stepping Stone follows four completely different characters from different walks of life and on various points on the mental health spectrum. Each one takes a journey to seek help, with the first, all-important step being speaking to someone.

Dyer, who hosts The Wall for BBC One and is set to appear opposite David Tennant and Aidan Turner in Disney+ series Rivals, stars alongside Cush Berlyn (Trust), David ‘Sideman’ Whitely, Caplan and Georgia Moncur. The project, from Million Youth Media,...

Tuesday night found several shows hitting season/series lows; for some, it couldn't come at a worse time.

9-1-1: Lone Star (read post-mortem and/or review) came down to 3.2 million viewers and a 0.3 rating in the demo, posting season lows.

The 9-1-1 spinoff has not yet secured a renewal for Season 5, and while the chances are that it will be back, it could be in trouble if these numbers are the norm for the spring.

Accused, which was recently renewed for Season 2, was steady at 1.7 million viewers and a 0.2 rating.

Over on ABC, it was a down night for all three dramas.

The Rookie (3.4 million/0.3 rating), The Rookie: Feds (2.4 million/0.2 rating), and Will Trent (2.6 million/0.2 rating).

Feds has yet to be renewed at ABC, and it's likely the latest crossover event was a test to see how these shows would perform by having connective tissue between episodes.

In the latest TV show ratings, there was a four-way tie for the nightly demo win, while CBS’ FBI copped Tuesday’s biggest audience.

ABC | The Rookie (with 3.4 million total viewers and a 0.3 rating) and the still-on-the-bubble Feds (2.4 mil/0.2) both dipped in the demo to match their series lows. The recently renewed Will Trent (2.6 mil/0.2) similarly hit a demo low, with quite an eventful episode.

More from TVLine9-1-1: Lone Star's Gina Torres Unpacks Tommy's Scathing Sermon -- Plus, Brett's Murder Mystery Is Solved!9-1-1: Lone Star's Murder Mystery Takes a Dark Turn: Is [Spoiler] the Real Killer?...

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo altered the findings of a 2022 Covid-19 vaccine study to present the risk of adverse cardiac events in vaccinated males as being higher than it actually was, according to documents obtained by Politico.

In a draft of the study, Ladapo, a vocal vaccine skeptic associated with the anti-vaccine group America’s Frontline Doctors, personally edited the language of the study to indicate that it “suggests mRNA vaccination may be driving the increased risk in males, especially among males aged 18-39,” and that “the risk associated with...

Will Power’s Fetch Clay, Make Man is coming to Culver City thanks to LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill Company and Center Theatre Group.

The play, focused on the unlikely friendship of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali and Hollywood icon Stepin Fetchit, will hit the stage at the Kirk Douglas Theatre from June 25-July 16 with Debbie Allen at the helm in her Ctg directorial debut. Opening night is set for June 25.

The story explores the bond that formed when the two met in the days leading up to one of Ali’s most anticipated fights, with one described as “a vibrant and audacious youth, the other a resentful and widely resented relic — each fighting to form their public personas and shape their legacies amidst the struggle of the Civil Rights Movement of the mid-1960s.”

Fetch Clay, Make Man has been produced in regional companies including the McCarter Theater,...

Ever since the time of Disney classics and Hannah-Barbara shows, animation has often been associated with children’s cartoons, but there are just as many R-rated animated movies today. This can be in terms of excessive violence, nudity, disturbing imagery, profane language, or just tragic content that might scare younger viewers. Some R-rated animated movies have a cult following and sometimes draw immense critical acclaim, even in the face of family-friendly Pixar, Disney, and Dreamworks films which continue to break box-office records.

Over the years, R-rated animated movies broke new ground and helped redefine what the genre meant. No longer was animation the stuff of children's games, and after many of these movies came onto the scene, they changed the game for everything else going forward. Adults could get in on the fun as well now, with stories definitely ill-suited for the kids but full of engaging subject matter and...

In the latest TV show ratings, there was a four-way tie for the Tuesday demo win, while CBS’ FBI easily copped the night’s biggest audience.

CBS | FBI (with 6.5 million total viewers and a 0.4 demo rating) and International flavour (5.1 mil/0.3) both dipped — with the latter marking series lows — while Most Wanted (4.9 mil/0.4) held steady. (Get CBS finale spoilers!)

More from TVLineAmerican Auto Boss Talks Finale's Sadie and Jack Development: Their Obstacle Didn't 'Feel Real' AnymoreTuesday Ratings: Gotham Knights Audience Slips in Week 2American Auto Video: Ben Feldman Is 'Embarrassingly Obnoxious' Tech Bro in Mini Superstore Reunion -- Watch

Fox | 9-...

Will anyone win more than a million dollars in the fifth season of the The Wall TV show on NBC? As we all know, Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether a TV show like The Wall is cancelled or renewed for season six. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustrated when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we invite you to rate all of the fifth season episodes of The Wall here.

An NBC game show, The Wall TV series is hosted by Chris Hardwick. The competition series follows pairs of players as they pursue a cash prize of up to $12 million. When a team answers a trivia question correctly, a green ball drops from the top of the grid-like wall and bounces randomly toward the bottom...

Ike Perlmutter, who is generally someone who keeps a low profile, has made a rare public show of his dissatisfaction with Disney.

The former chairman of Marvel Entertainment and largest individual shareholder in Disney went public with his complaints about the company’s direction, saying it should “sadden” investors in the company that he is gone. Since selling Marvel to Disney in 2009, Perlmutter had become an increasingly marginal figure in the day-to-day management of Marvel, most recently overseeing its consumer products operations as Kevin Feige continues to lead Marvel Studios.

The investor released a statement, in which he claims he was fired over his “fixation on fiscal disciple” and support for activist shareholder Nelson Peltz. The Trian CEO had waged a proxy fight in pursuit of a board seat and other considerations, but withdrew earlier this year after CEO Bob Iger unveiled plans to cut $5.5 billion in costs.

Perlmutter’s...

Succession decided to take a direct page out of the Murdoch playbook in its latest episode.

The acclaimed HBO drama is said to be loosely based on the business magnate whose empire includes The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post and Fox News in the US and The Sun and The Times in the UK.

In its fourth season’s latest episode, “Rehearsal”, the irascible patriarch and media mogul Logan Roy (Brian Cox) climbs atop paper boxes to address his staff at Atn – a fictional equivalent to Fox News.

He proceeds to give a rousing speech to his employees, yelling that he couldn’t care less about growth statistics as long as “we’re killing the opposition”.

“Our rivals should be checking in, out the back of their chauffeured cars because they can’t believe what we did,” Logan shouts.

Following the episode’s premiere, journalist Bill Grueskin shared...

Succession decided to take a direct page out of the Murdoch playbook in its latest episode.

The acclaimed HBO drama is said to be loosely based on the business magnate whose empire includes The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post and Fox News in the US and The Sun and The Times in the UK.

In its fourth season’s latest episode, “Rehearsal”, the irascible patriarch and media mogul Logan Roy (Brian Cox) climbs atop paper boxes to address his staff at Atn – a fictional equivalent to Fox News.

He proceeds to give a rousing speech to his employees, yelling that he couldn’t care less about growth statistics as long as “we’re killing the opposition”.

“Our rivals should be checking in, out the back of their chauffeured cars because they can’t believe what we did,” Logan shouts.

Following the episode’s premiere, journalist Bill Grueskin shared...

San Francisco, March 22 (Ians) Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of Chinese short-form video platform, which faces a nationwide ban in the US, has warned users as he prepares to appear before the US Congress on March 23.

In a minute-long video on TikTok, Chew thanked the TikTok community of 150 million Americans ahead of his congressional hearing.

“That’s almost half of the US coming to TikTok, including 5 million US businesses. The majority of these are small and medium businesses,” he mentioned.

TikTok has about 7,000 employees in the US, reports The Verge.

“Some politicians have started talking about banning TikTok,” Chew said. “Now this could take TikTok away from all 150 million of you.”

The Joe Biden administration has reportedly demanded that China-based ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, must sell its stake in the short-video making app or face a possible ban.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the White House’s threat...

Michael Winterbottom has devoted much of his filmmaking career to revisiting real-life events through works blurring the boundaries between documentary and drama to various degrees.

The filmmaker shed light on his approach in a recent Doha Film Institute (Dfi) masterclass, going behind the scenes of Welcome To Sarajevo, 24 Hour Party People, In This World, The Road To Guantanamo, A Might Heart and Eleven Days In May.

“It’s a continuum, even if you’re filming a fantasy film in a studio on a green screen there is an element of document to that. You’re recording that moment of the act of performance,” he said when quizzed on his attitude towards documentary versus fiction.

“Equally, even in a documentary like Eleven Days… you’re trying to shape that story, so it’s a continuum,” he added, referring to the 2022 documentary commemorating 68 children killed in Israeli bombing raids over Gaza...

This article contains spoilers for Ted Lasso season 3 episode 1.

Before we get started, a disclaimer: however thin you think the premise of this headline might be, let me just assure you … it’s somehow even thinner than that. But stick with me here anyway as we both just might learn something about Nate Shelley, Ted Lasso, Apple TV+, and the healing magic of television.

As Ted Lasso season 3 episode 1 “Smells Like Mean Spirit” confirms, this happy-go-lucky show about an American optimist in London now has an arch villain. And his name is Nathan “Nate the Great” Shelley (Nick Mohammed). Despite some growing pains here and there, Nate has adapted to his role as manager of West Ham United under villainous owner Rupert Mannion (Anthony Head) quite comfortably. It all culminates in a cruel pre-season press conference where “The Wonder Kid” (though Nate himself prefers “Wunderkind”) has nothing but mean things...

Vulture Watch

Is this show a winner? Has The Wall TV show been cancelled or renewed for a fifth season on NBC? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of The Wall, season five. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?  

What's This TV Show About?

Airing on the NBC television network, The Wall TV show is hosted by Chris Hardwick. The game follows pairs of players as they pursue a cash prize of up to $12 million. When a team answers a trivia question correctly, a green ball drops from the top of the grid-like wall and bounces randomly toward the bottom of the four-stories high structure. At the bottom of the wall, the ball...

Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon was announced in 1973 at a press conference held at the London Planetarium, a spectral site which mirrored the album cover’s beam of light refracted through a triangle into a rainbow. Perhaps the iconic prismatic image provided the initial idea for fans to sync the classic film The Wizard of Oz (1939) to the album’s rock soundscape.

The band’s history with movies is vast and varied. They scored films in the aftermath of the demise and departure of the band’s founder, Syd Barrett. The success of Dark Side of the Moon also helped the group become motion picture producers, investing in the 1975 comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The Wall, directed by Alan Parker and starring Bob Geldof, pushed boundaries and redefined a rock opera on film. And while the bassist/vocalist/songwriter Roger Waters didn’t let Stanley Kubrick...

Exclusive: Endeavor is putting its money into non-scripted television. The company, which owns WME, Img and UFC, has made a strategic investment in Asylum Entertainment Group, the unscripted production company led by Steve Michaels, with plans to “supercharge” its footprint with a major M&a drive.

Deadline understands that through its investment, Endeavor planning to invest millions into the company in order to give it the financing and resources to buy up a number of non-scripted production companies and build it into a major non-fiction group.

We’ve heard that Michaels has already been scouting out potential acquisitions and is in talks for a nine-figure deal.

It becomes the latest major Hollywood player plotting to roll up non-scripted producers in order to give it size and scale; Sony has been on a drive since it acquired Industrial Media, the company behind American Idol and 90 Day Fiancé, in a $350M deal last...

Get ready for new episodes of The Wall (season five) and Weakest Link (season three). NBC has announced premiere dates for the game shows' respective new seasons.

Chris Hardwick hosts The Wall, the competition series in which pairs of contestants answer questions to try to build to a large cash prize. Jane Lynch hosts the Weakest Link revival, featuring a group of contestants answering trivia questions as they try to "bank" as much money as possible and avoid being voted out. The peacock network ordered 20 episodes for season three.

Read More…...

Jenna Fischer has raised a mean girl.

The Office vet will play Cady Heron’s mom in Paramount+’s movie musical Mean Girls, based off the 2017 Tony-nominated Broadway production, our sister site Deadline reports. The role was portrayed by Ana Gasteyer in the 2004 movie.

More from TVLineTVLine Items: Pokémon Series, Santa Clauses Casts 'Kris Kringle' and MoreDid Magnum's Baywatch Strut Sizzle? Is The Conners Making a Mistake? Was Way Home Montage All That? More Qs!Ratings: Svu Tops Thursday, Grey's Flat With Meredith's 'C-' Goodbye Episode

Fischer will join Reneé Rapp (The Sex Lives of College Girls), Angourie Rice (Mare of Easttown...

When it comes to dramatic storytelling, few shows do it better than Showtime's "Billions." Premiering in 2016, the series initially followed U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) and hedge fund CEO Bobby "Axe" Axelrod (Damian Lewis) in a cat-and-mouse game involving financial crimes, determined (and oft-corrupt) government officials, dysfunctional families, obsession, and tested loyalties. While taking some license to push the narrative and give each character a unique personality, "Billions" also highlights the real worlds of federal prosecutors and high finance. The first season and its two main characters were allegedly loosely inspired by the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara's case against Sac Capital Advisors founder Steven Cohen for insider trading.

As The Wall Street Journal reports, depicting these complicated worlds as accurately as possible was important to "Billions" co-creators and writers Andrew Ross Sorkin, Brian Koppelman, and David Levien, who...

Kristin Dolan, the wife of AMC Networks interim executive chairman and owner James Dolan, has been named the entertainment giant’s new chief executive officer.

Mr. Dolan said, “Kristin is a proven executive and operational leader with a track record driving organizational change, a history managing subscription-based businesses, and a deep understanding of audience engagement and advertising. These are areas of critical importance as we transform our company and monetize our high-quality content. With her considerable experience and knowledge of the company, Kristin is the ideal person to lead AMC Networks into its next chapter as we navigate this transformative period in the industry.”

“It’s a privilege to join a company with a long legacy of engaging audiences with excellent storytelling and world-class brands,” said Ms. Dolan. “It’s also where I started my career in the industry. I look forward to bringing my broad experience—across programming, cable operations,...

Big Brother season 25 is nearly here, and the show should debut new competitions as it reaches this key milestone. It is exciting to watch new houseguests compete in the classic games of memory, logic, speed, and endurance. However, after so many years, it is also becoming predictable. Some of the most popular Big Brother competitions, including The Wall, Otev, Bb Comics, Slippery Slope, Dizzy Discs, and Roll it Down are also the most anticipated by the houseguests. When they win them, they wear their victories like badges of honor.

However, as Big Brother live feeders know, many of the houseguests spend the entire season anticipating when certain competitions will happen. This is because they are superfans of the show, and have been preparing for them for many years. During Big Brother 24, Alyssa Snider shared that she used to practice The Wall competition as a child, in a makeshift version that she and her mom created.

Springhill, the production, consumer product and brand consultancy company founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, is cutting some staffers while saying it’s poised to expand its total number of employees this year.

“This was an internal reorganization,” a spokesperson for the Los Angeles-based entertainment firm said. “10 positions were eliminated, and we are hiring 24 more people. The positions were largely administrative, and we are building in sales and creative.” The company has about 200 employees currently.

CEO Carter informed staffers of the layoffs and reorganization on Monday. The Springhill Company, founded in 2020 with a reported 100 million in backing from investors, rolls up multiple entertainment firms backed by James and Carter.

Those three divisions include the namesake production company, Springhill Entertainment (originally founded in 2015), which backs projects like Warner Bros.’ Space Jam: A New Legacy and the House Party revival, Adam Sandler’s basketball film Hustle on Netflix, game show The Wall...

BBC Studios Makes Pair Of European Hires

BBC Studios has appointed Fiona Wassenberg as the Head of BBC Studios Benelux Production and Isabel Durán as Format Sales Director for Iberia and Latin America. Based in Amsterdam, Wassenberg oversee BBC Studios’ formats and production business across Benelux. She’ll work closely with BBC Studios’ local unscripted format partner Fremantle, and commissioners and producers in the region. She previously spent 16 years with Dutch public broadcaster Omroep Max, most recently as Commissioning Editor and Content Acquisitions. Durán has 20 years’ experience in international TV for the likes of Eyeworks (now part of Warner Bros Discovery), Atresmedia and Buendia Estudios.

Guinness World Records Launches Production Arm

Guinness World Records (Gwr) is preparing to launch a content production arm, Gwr Studios. The unit will oversee creative development, production and content output for the global records brand. It sit within the TV and digital division of Gwr,...

Click here to read the full article.

PBS has picked up U.S. rights to Marie Antoinette, a new historic epic from Canal+ on the life of the iconic French queen.

Banijay Rights, which is handling international sales for the series, announced the deal ahead of the international TV market MIPCOM Cannes, which kicks off Monday.

German actress Emilia Schüle stars as Antoinette in this historic drama created and written by The Favourite screenwriter Deborah Davis. The series depicts the queen, who left Austria at a young age to marry the Dauphin of France, as an incredibly modern and avant-garde figure for her time. Louise Ironside (The Split), Avril E. Russell (All on a Summer’s Day) and Chloë Moss (Run Sister Run) co-wrote the series, which is directed by Pete Travis (Bloodlands) and Geoffrey Enthoven (Children of Love).

Claude Chelli and Margaux Balsan of Capa Drama, Stéphanie Chartreux of...

Exclusive: Mercury Studios has completed work on a documentary about the co-founder of one of the greatest rock n’ roll bands of all time.

Have You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd explores the enigmatic Barrett, who wrote Pink Floyd’s first two hits and even came up with the band’s name (a mashup of obscure blues players Pink Anderson and Floyd Council). In 1968, only a few years after the group’s founding, Barrett was forced out of Pink Floyd when his bandmates became alarmed about his mental stability and use of psychedelic drugs.

Barrett recorded a couple of solo albums before exiting the business.

Musician-artist Syd Barrett, co-founder of Pink Floyd

“Barrett dropped out of music, returning home to Cambridge for the last 30 years of his life and his first love of painting,” according to a release about the documentary. “Poignantly, some of...