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Vampire Hunter D is a 1985 anime film based on the novel series of the same name written by Hideyuki Kikuchi and illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano. The series' first film was also the first dark fantasy anime for an adult audience. Its anime sequel, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, is even more revered as a dark fantasy film.

Vampire Hunter D is a staple of anime, fantasy novels, and manga. As fans look forward to Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust's remastered theatrical release, they can spend their wait watching similar dark fantasy series and films. Vampire and grimdark series often follow, and sometimes subvert, the standards Vampire Hunter D helped popularize in anime.

The Case Study of Vanitas Gives Vampires the Steampunk Treatment Stream The Case Study of Vanitas on CrunchyrollImage via Studio Bones

The Case Study of Vanitas is a steampunk historical series about vampires. Similarly, Vampire Hunter D takes place...

For over a decade now, no genre, for better or worse, has dominated anime quite like the isekai genre. While it had always existed in some form, isekai didnt start being recognized as its own thing until the 2010s, and thanks in large part to the escapist elements of the genre, its become a mainstay of the medium with dozens of new anime produced every year.

As isekai began growing in popularity, it also started becoming contentious among fans and critics because of how so many stories come across as different takes on escapist power fantasies revolving around uninteresting leads and their rapidly growing harems of girls. That being said, there are plenty of isekai anime that break away from those cliches, and because of that, plenty of great isekai anime have heroes who come off as being far cooler and more entertaining than the average isekai anime protagonist. A...

European Film Promotion, which gives a boost to films and talent from Europe, has revealed the jury for the 28th edition of European Shooting Stars, which showcases actors from the continent.

The jury is comprised of five film professionals who will select 10 actors. They will then take part in a program at the Berlin Film Festival, which runs Feb. 13 – 23. The jury will select the actors from candidates who have been nominated by their national film promotion institutes and film centers.

The jury includes former European Shooting Star Ludivine Sagnier, an actor best known for her roles in films by François Ozon. She starred in, among others, “Water Drops on Burning Rocks” (2000), “8 Women” (2002) and “Swimming Pool” (2003), and she will also appear in Ozon’s latest film, “Quand vient l’automne” (2024). Sagnier has also worked with directors such as P.J. Hogan, Lee Tamahori, Paolo Sorrentino, Hirokazu Koreeda and Ridley Scott.

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The Eminence in Shadow is a hilarious isekai series about a character who finally gets his wish fulfilled. While most isekai protagonists go to their new world confused, upset, and missing home, Shadow couldn't have been happier. He's finally able to be the titular Eminence in Shadow himself, leading a covert group of warriors to do his mysterious bidding. It's a hilarious show and one of the funniest isekai series around, and it also features incredible fights and top-tier action sequences that make the show a must-watch.

To be a good isekai series like The Eminence in Shadow, there are a few key traits a show needs to have. It needs to have either a ridiculously powerful main character, a hilarious cast of side characters, or just general themes of hilarity. Not many shows can compare to The Eminence in Shadow, especially when they're narrowed down to just isekai, but...

Historical isekai can be an excellent way of learning about the past, even if that past is not presented entirely accurately. Some historical isekai anime feature creatures such as vampires, while others tell a more straightforward tale of days past. Through these shows, viewers are invited into immersive worlds that evoke ancient history, creating moments that are, in turn, educational and entertaining.

From Sengoku Night Blood to Drifters, viewers will find a variety of stories told in these historical isekai anime. Many of these shows have essential and powerful lessons to teach as viewers look back to yesteryear. All of them will serve to entertain viewers and encourage them to contemplate history through a new lens.

Fushigi Yuugi Satisfies Modern Isekai Fans Despite Its Age Early Historical Isekai Still Manages to Entertain

Fushigi Yuugi is a true classic of the isekai genre, appearing 17 years before such popular shows as Sword Art Online.

Hellsing, the ultimate vampire anime, has stolen the hearts of Dracula lovers for decades. It received a 13-episode anime adaptation by Studio Gonzo in 2001 and then a 10-episode Ova in 2006. But fans still can’t have enough of Alucard.

In all honesty, can you ever have enough of Alucard? His sharp grin, paired with an even sharper tongue, creates a menacing image, and his Op abilities make him the strongest vampire in existence. This leads to the good news: prepare to have Hellsing-flavored adrenaline injected directly into your bloodstream soon.

Rumors Dicatate that Hellsing Might Receive an Anime Remake Hellsing | Credits: Gonzo Studio

The original Hellsing anime by Studio Gonzo lacked in many aspects. It began by adapting the manga but then veered off into an entirely different plotline. Hellsing Ultimate, on the other hand, is applauded for its perfect representation of the original material. The difference between Hellsing and...

Kouta Hirano is a celebrated manga artist who created Hellsing and Drifters, both incredibly popular and critically acclaimed in the anime world. The underrated success of these two is unmatched and this was the man behind them. The mangaka has an estimated net worth of $1 million to $5 million.

The Hellsing author’s wealth stems from the popularity of these two manga series, which have been adapted into successful anime series, and naturally, their associated merchandise. His rise in the manga industry started with Hellsing, which quickly gained a global following and secured his place among the elite manga creators.

How Did Hellsing and Drifters Become Massive Hits? Hellsing by Hirano Kouta. [Credit: Gonzo]

Hellsing includes 10 volumes of fantasy, action and gothic brilliance. It revolves around the Hellsing Organisation, led by Sir Integra Hellsing, who defend England from supernatural threats, specifically vampires. Sir Integra Hellsing is based on the fictional character from the gothic novel,...

Drifters is a dark fantasy anime that turns isekai norms upside down with a violent approach to the genre. Unique for bringing historical figures into a battle of good versus evil, this series is not a power fantasy. Drifters demonstrates the true horrors of war and the impact historical figures can have in a grim new world.

Drifters is an anime that turns the tables on the norms of isekai, and one of the best hidden gems currently available on Crunchyroll. The series was created by Kouta Hirano, best known for the Hellsing franchise, and it was originally published as a manga in 2010, gaining an anime adaptation in 2016. Drifters is a dark fantasy to its core, as it distances itself from the normal tropes that fans see in isekai with a much more of a violent approach to the genre.

Every anime fan is looking for a new hidden gem...

So many shojo anime titles were really popular in their day for a reason. Many set the standard for other series to follow, like Miaka's magical girl story in the historical fantasy world of Fushigi Yugi. Some viewers may assume that more vintage shojo was popular solely because they followed trends of the time, but there's far more to them than once-trending shojo tropes.

There are many shojo tropes that are just as popular today as they were ten or more years ago, too, like the tsundere love interest who's surly to everyone but their love interest. While some titles should fall out of favor for a reason, there are many that endure the test of time. Whether it's ten or twenty years past their initial release, these series are just as engaging for audiences today as they were before.

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In writing, it is a commonly accepted truth that every famous story needs a great villain. A good villain sets the tone, establishes the stakes, and gives the hero someone to chase after. Because of this, many heroes become defined by their villains, be they Batman and the Joker or Goku and Frieza.

The isekai genre is no exception, as over the years, many stories have captured anime fans' imaginations by featuring one or more impressive villains. These villains cover a vast range of character archetypes, from massive monsters that crave destruction to regular humans who opt to walk a dark path. But even in this crowded field, some villains stand out from the pack, standing head and shoulders above the ones found in other shows.

Related 10 Best Isekai Anime With Female Protagonists, Ranked The isekai genre is full of excellent female-led series, but which is the best? Apocalymon Turns...

New manga series by famous and new mangaka are receiving English print releases throughout 2024, including classics making their way to English audiences for the first time in decades. Viz Media is publishing Julietta Suzuki's Otaku Vampire's Love Bite and other anticipated manga, like Alley: Junji Ito Story Collection, offering diverse genres for readers. English fans can finally enjoy Initial D and Drifters due to renewed licensing and print releases.

The anime and manga community in the West has grown exponentially over the last decade, which has allowed English publishers to license and produce print copies of fans' favorite series, even if they're a bit more niche or abstract compared to other, more popular series currently releasing.

2024 has been a huge year for new manga announcements, boasting brand-new series from famous mangaka, burgening works from new creators that have been quickly gaining traction among readers, as well as a healthy...

Exclusive: The Sea Beyond stars Giacomo Giorgio and Serena de Ferrari are among several Italian actors who have boarded Rai’s ambitious opera drama Bel Canto, which went into production this week.

Notably, Caterina Ferioli (The Tearsmith) and Adriana Savarese have landed the key roles as teenage sisters Carolina and Antonia, whose close friendship is tested by desires to become Italian opera singers.

Vincenzo Ferrera, another The Sea Beyond actor, has also joined the cast, alongside Andrea Bosca, Nicolo Pasetti, Carmine Ricarno (Loose Cannons), and Antonio Gerardi.

The series is among the highest profile drama series coming to of Europe this year. Production on the €15M ($16.3M) budget series began yesterday, with filming set to to take place in Naples, Rome and other parts of Italy such as the town of Pavia in Lombardia. France...

As much as anime fans enjoy watching historical war anime series, there aren't many decent ones apart from a scant few, including Dororo, Vinland Saga, and Drifters. While many of these anime shows bring historical figures to life by using the events that transpired during Feudal Japan, others, like Kingdom, give us an outlook of how the Warring States period in China influenced the history of the world.

Kingdom is a popular anime series based on a successful manga of the same name. The manga started publication in 2006 and has so far released 69 volumes. Furthermore, an anime series has been airing for more than a decade now, with four seasons totaling 129 episodes.

With the fifth season of Kingdom on the horizon, fans of the anime and manga are eager to see what kind of adventure awaits them. With that in mind, here's everything we know so far about Kingdom season...

Gordon Lightfoot died on May 1 at the age of 84, but the legendary Canadian singer-songwriter left behind one final album, set to be posthumously released this summer.

At Royal Albert Hall was recorded live in concert at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall on May 24, 2016, with the double album set described as “an unembellished live mix of that night’s performance, without edits, overdubs, remixing, or re-sequencing.”

Featuring every song performed in the order they were played, including the encore, Lightfoot is joined by his longtime band: Rick Haynes on bass, Barry Keane on drums, Mike Heffernan on keys, and Carter Lancaster on guitar.

Listeners will experience a journey through Lightfoot’s best-known hits in addition to some songs that have never appeared on any of his previous live albums, including “The Watchman’s Gone”, “Sea of Tranquility”, “Now And Then”, “All The Lovely Ladies”, “Drifters”, “Beautiful”, “Did She Mention My...

A live album by prolific Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot, who died on May 1 at age 84, will be released July 14.

At Royal Albert Hall is being billed as his final album, and was recorded at Lightfoot’s seventh appearance at London’s treasured venue in 2016. The double album includes many of his biggest hits, including “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Early Morning Rain,” “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” and more. Songs that have never appeared on previous live records, including “Beautiful” and “Don Quixote” are also featured, with performances by Rick Haynes on bass,...

Charlie Thomas, who is best known for his work in The Drifters, has died aged 85.

Thomas died on 31 January after suffering with liver cancer, his friend Peter Lemongello Jr told the New York Times.

"He was ageing, but he was active almost every weekend. Unfortunately, he went from being active to being at home and he started going downhill,” said Lemongello, confirming that the musician died at his residence in Bowie, Maryland.

Thomas was the lead singer for The Drifters on hits such as “There Goes My Baby”, “Under the Boardwalk” and “Sweets for my Sweet”.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 as a member of the band.

He also received a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1999.

Thomas joined the band after playing with his previous group, The Five Crowns, in 1958 at the Apollo Theatre.

According to music historian Marv Goldberg,...

Charlie Thomas, who as part of The Drifters kept alive such hits as “There Goes My Baby” and “Under the Boardwalk” for new generations, died on Jan. 31 at his home in Bowie, Md. He was 85.

His friend, singer Peter Lemongello Jr., said the cause was liver cancer.

Thomas was a Drifter for more than 60 years, touring with the group until the pandemic closed the nightclub and concert circuit. Thomas, a tenor, was an integral part of the group as they churned out such hits as “There Goes My Baby,” “Under The Boardwalk,” “Up on the Roof,” and “Saturday Night at the Movies,” among others. “Save The Last Dance For Me” reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts, the group’s only chart-topper.

Thomas sang lead on lead on “Sweets for My Sweet,” which reached No. 16 on the Hot 100 in 1961, and “When My Little Girl Is Smiling,” which peaked at No. 28 the next year.

Lashay Anderson (Rebel Cheer Squad) and Faith Alabi (Industry) have been cast as series regulars opposite Adrienne Warren, Mia Isaac and Ashley Thomas in Hulu drama series Black Cake, from Marissa Jo Cerar, Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films, and Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment. Additionally, Ahmed Elhaj (Grantchester) has been tapped for a recurring role in the project.

Based on the book by Charmaine Wilkerson, Black Cake is a family drama wrapped in a murder mystery. Cerar wrote the adaptation and serves as showrunner on the series, which spans decades.

In the late 1960s, a runaway bride named Covey (Isaac) disappears into the surf off the coast of Jamaica and is feared drowned or a fugitive on the run for her husband’s murder. Fifty years later in California, a widow named Eleanor Bennett loses her battle with cancer, leaving her two estranged children, Byron and Benny, with a flash...

How far can immaculate eyebrows and a whole host of talent get you in life? Well, if Ted Lasso star Brett Goldstein is any indication, the answer is pretty freaking far!

When Ted Lasso first premiered on Apple TV+ in August 2020, it immediately made waves for having a deep bench of compelling supporting players to act opposite lead Jason Sudeikis. But with the utmost respect to Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, and everyone else in the AFC Richmond football team’s orbit, it was Brett Goldstein’s Roy Kent who jumped off the screen in particular.

Loosely inspired by the real life footballer Roy Keane, Roy Kent is a veteran at the tail end of his career whose gruff exterior (including multiple profanities and damn near monosyllabic speech patterns) neatly cover up a vibrant inner sensitivity. In embodying the surprisingly deep Kent, Goldstein won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting...

Emmy winner Brett Goldstein, who plays the hot-tempered but bookish star-player-turned-coach Roy Kent on Ted Lasso and also serves as writer and co-executive producer on the series, has signed with WME for representation.

Goldstein’s performance as Roy Kent won him the 2021 Emmy Award and 2022 Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, along with a 2022 SAG Award alongside his castmates for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. He also won two WGA Awards as part of the show’s writing team and received nominations for a 2022 Golden Globe Award and 2022 SAG Awards in their respective supporting actor categories.

As a creator, Goldstein is writing and executive producing the upcoming Apple TV+ comedy series Shrinking alongside Bill Lawrence and Jason Segal, who will star. He previously created and executive produced with Will Bridges the critically acclaimed AMC limited anthology series Soulmates.

Goldstein also starred...

Brett Goldstein has signed with WME for representation, Variety has learned. He continues to be repped by Mosaic and Hansen Jacobson in the US, as well as B-Side Management and Lark in the UK.

Goldstein is best known to American audiences for his breakout role as veteran footballer turned coach Roy Kent in the Apple sports comedy series “Ted Lasso.” He won the Emmy Award for best supporting actor in a comedy for his work on the show’s first season, with Season 2 also expected to pick up nominations when they are announced next week.

Goldstein is also a writer on the show and won two WGA Awards along with the rest of the writing team on the series. The show began filming its third season earlier this year, with no premiere date set at the time of this publishing.

Goldstein is also currently working with “Ted Lasso” co-creator and...

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Brett Goldstein, the Emmy-winning star and writer on Ted Lasso, has signed with WME.

The signing with the Hollywood talent agency follows the actor, creator, writer and producer signing an overall deal with Warner Bros. TV. Goldstein is a series regular, writer and co-executive producer on Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso comedy.

His performance as Roy Kent earned him the 2021 Emmy Award and 2022 Critics Choice Award for best support actor in a comedy. Goldstein recently secured a big raise for his role on the popular comedy and, having penned multiple episodes of the series, he also secured a raise for his writing services.

As a creator, Goldstein is writing and executive producing the upcoming Apple TV+ comedy series Shrinking, alongside Bill Lawrence and Jason Segal, who will star. This follows the AMC limited anthology series Soulmates, which Goldstein created and executive produced with Will Bridges.

“Ted Lasso” star Brett Goldstein has signed with WME, the agency announced on Tuesday.

Goldstein is a series regular, writer and co-executive producer on Apple TV+’s award-winning comedy series “Ted Lasso.”

Goldstein’s breakout performance as Roy Kent won him the 2021 Emmy Award and 2022 Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series; plus a 2022 SAG Award alongside his castmates for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. Goldstein also won two WGA Awards as part of the show’s writing team and received nominations for a 2022 Golden Globe Award and 2022 SAG Awards in their respective supporting actor categories.

Also Read:

‘Ted Lasso’ to End After Season 3, Says Brett Goldstein

As a creator, Goldstein is writing and executive producing the upcoming Apple TV+ comedy series “Shrinking” alongside Bill Lawrence and Jason Segal, who will star. This follows the success of his critically acclaimed AMC limited anthology series,...

Whoaaaa! This looks awesome. There's a badass new project in the works from the two talented filmmakers Zeek Earl & Chris Caldwell, best known for turning their short into a feature film called Prospect. Their latest idea is called The Fringe, and it's essentially a new "sci-fi, cinematic universe" set in space following scavengers or freelancers called Drifters: miners, engineers, bounty hunters, trappers, mercenaries, gastrotechs. They've decided to dip into NFTs to try "new model of film financing that will put full creative control back into the hands of the film's artistic team." The Nft collection will be comprised of in-world characters called Drifters. "The Nft project will be an immersive narrative experience that will introduce fans to the universe in novel ways, creating a portal into the world’s lore via the art and other integrated mediums like an in-world compendium." Sounds cool. There's a teaser out for The...

Roy Kent is staying with Warner Bros. Fc.

Ted Lasso star, writer and co-exec producer Brett Goldstein has struck an overall deal with Warner Bros. Television.

The Brit, best known for his on-screen role as the hardman of AFC Richmond, will develop and produce new series with the studio as part of the multi-year agreement. The deal, which covers writing, development and producing rather than acting, marks Goldstein’s first overall pact.

It comes as he is in hot demand. Goldstein is currently working on season three of the Apple TV comedy, which is set to start production soon, and recently set up Jason Segal-fronted therapist comedy series Shrinking at Apple, which gave it a ten-episode order, alongside his Ted Lasso boss Bill Lawrence.

Goldstein, who won the 2021 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, previously created and exec produced AMC anthology series Soulmates with Will Bridges.

Last week The Shed, a cultural center in Hudson Yards, hosted their second fall gala.

The gala honored board members Misty Copeland, principal dancer for American Ballet Theatre, and Monica and Frank McCourt, founding Board members of The Shed. The night also featured appearances from Bruce Springsteen, Cecily Strong and Darren Walker.

The evening kicked off with an immersive performance of Drifters, followed by a brief program recognizing the honorees that featured some pretty notable speakers. Misty Copeland was introduced by the President of the Ford Foundation, Darren Walker, and Frank and Monica McCourt were introduced by the legendary singer-songwriter, Bruce Springsteen. The program ended with a speech from comedian and actress Cecily Strong, who will be making her NYC theatre debut with the Shed in December.

In total, the fall gala raised over $4 million and Dan Doctoroff, The Shed’s Board Chairman, announced that the McCourt’s along with...

Roy Kent arrived at the exact right moment in Brett Goldstein’s life.

It’s already become a legendary bit of modern showbiz lore. The British actor, 41, was originally hired as a writer on Apple TV+’s breakout hit series Ted Lasso. After the writers room wrapped on the first season, however, Goldstein found himself struck by one of the characters — specifically, Roy Kent, the intimidating veteran forward of the show’s British premier league soccer team AFC Richmond. He felt such a kinship with this stoic tough guy, in fact,...

Video Version of this Article Photo/Video: Phoebe Waller-Bridge at Cannes Film Festival/Andrea Raffin/Hollywood Insider YouTube Channel There are a lot of well-written television shows available nowadays. There are many well-directed television shows available. There are a lot of well-acted shows, too. But rarely do you find a show that is both well-written, well-directed, and well-acted by the same person. Very few people in the entertainment industry can do this, but there is one individual who does this spectacularly: Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Related article: Oscars 2021 Winners: The 93rd Show With Record-Breaking Historic Successes, Shocks and Surprises Related article: A Tribute To The Academy Awards: All Best Actor/Actress Speeches From The Beginning Of Oscars 1929-2019 | From Rami Malek, Leonardo DiCaprio To Marlon Brando & Beyond | From Olivia Colman, Meryl Streep To Bette Davis & Beyond The Winning Aspects of Phoebe Waller-Bridge: Her Writing Phoebe Waller-Bridge is probably best known for the...

In today’s Global Bulletin, Iceland lays out plans to grow its film and TV industries over the next decade, HBO Europe announces two major premiere dates, Cineflix Rights hires former Miramax and BBC exec Tom Misselbrook and the Smithsonian Channel and Terra Mater Studios co-commission a new U.K. wildlife special.

Policy

Iceland’s minister of education and culture Lilja D. Alfreðsdóttir has outlined a new 10-point action plan to create and maintain a sustainable film and TV sector for the island nation over the next decade.

The paper, titled “Film Policy Until 2030 – An Art Form at a Crossroads,” was organized with input from local industry professionals with four specific goals in mind: create a film culture, offer a more diverse film education, strengthen competitiveness, and strengthen Iceland’s brand as a filmmaking nation.

In the paper, plans to further develop existing tax incentive and reimbursement systems are laid out,...

Bob Geldof has organized some of the most incredible all-star shows in rock history, including the original Live Aid in 1985 and its follow-up, Live 8, in 2005. But even the man that reunited Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and the Who seemed stunned by what he was seeing near the end of the 30th-anniversary celebration of Sting and Trudie Styler’s Rainforest Fund benefit at New York’s Beacon Theater on Monday evening. The Eurthymics had just wrapped up an extremely rare reunion set when Bruce Springsteen came onto the stage and called...

The International Film Festival & Awards Macau (Iffam) on Sunday announced that veteran Hong Kong filmmaker Peter Chan (The Warlords, The Love Letter, Perhaps Love) will serve as chair of its jury this year.

Hong Kong actress Carina Lau (Detective Dee franchise, Bends) will serve as talent ambassador for the event in the casino enclave that is a Chinese special administrative region.

In addition, Indian director Karan Johar (Raazi), South Korean helmer Kim Yong-hwa (Take Off) and Chinese filmmaker Wang Xiaoshuai (Beijing Bicycle, Drifters) will serve as ambassadors for the fest.

Organizers revealed the news during an event on the sidelines of the Shanghai ...

The International Film Festival & Awards Macau (Iffam) on Sunday announced that veteran Hong Kong filmmaker Peter Chan (The Warlords, The Love Letter, Perhaps Love) will serve as chair of its jury this year.

Hong Kong actress Carina Lau (Detective Dee franchise, Bends) will serve as talent ambassador for the event in the casino enclave that is a Chinese special administrative region.

In addition, Indian director Karan Johar (Raazi), South Korean helmer Kim Yong-hwa (Take Off) and Chinese filmmaker Wang Xiaoshuai (Beijing Bicycle, Drifters) will serve as ambassadors for the fest.

Organizers revealed the news during an event on the sidelines of the Shanghai ...

HBO Europe has greenlit the Swedish original miniseries “Beartown,” which will be directed by Peter Grönlund and is adapted from Fredrik Backman’s (“A Man Called Ove”) bestselling novel of the same name.

The series, five episodes of an hour each, is being produced by Filmlance International, a company owned by Endemol Shine Group.

Written by Anders Weidemann, Antonia Pyk and Linn Gottfridsson, “Beartown” revolves around a Swedish forest town and its people who have put all their hopes in the junior ice-hockey team competing in the national semifinals.

The heavy burden resting on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys culminates in a violent act which leaves a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. “Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected,” HBO Europe said in a statement.

Ulf Stenberg and Aliette Opheim will star in the miniseries,...

HBO Europe has greenlit a Swedish-language series adaptation of Beartown, the best-selling novel by Fredrik Backman, author of A Man Called Ove.

Set in a small, hockey-obsessed town in the Swedish wilderness whose community is torn apart by a violent act, Beartown will be turned into a five-episode drama by director Peter Gronlund (Drifters, Goliath), from a script by Anders Weidemann, Antonia Pyk and Linn Gottfridsson. Ulf Stenberg and Aliette Opheim star.

Filmlance International, part of Endemol Shine Group, will produce the series for HBO Europe. Bonnie Skoog Feeney and Mattias Arehn will produce, with Backman as executive producer, alongside HBO Europe's Hanne ...

MerleFest, presented by Window World, is proud to announce the initial lineup for MerleFest 2018, which will be held April 26 – 29.

The annual homecoming of musicians and music fans returns to the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The complete lineup for MerleFest 2018 will be announced over the next few months. Today’s lineup announcement includes legendary artist Kris Kristofferson, Jamey Johnson, Robert Earl Keen, The Devil Makes Three, Balsam Range and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra Ensemble, “Mission Temple Fireworks Revival” featuring Paul Thorn & Band, the Blind Boys of Alabama and the McCrary Sisters, and many more. The 2018 Midnight Jam presented by The Bluegrass Situation on Saturday, April 28th will start at 10:30 p.m. and run well past midnight, with special hosts Town Mountain and Jim Lauderdale. This very popular after-hours hootenanny gathers many performers from the festival for impromptu...

Author: Josh Wilding

More Han Solo casting news has surfaced today as we’ve learned that Phoebe Waller-Bridge looks set to be the latest addition to the all-star cast of the highly anticipated 2018 release.

As per usual, specific details are being kept under wraps, though it has been revealed that the actress will be taking part in a “CGI-driven performance.” Despite that, she’s expected to be a significant part of the ensemble in the same way that Chewbacca and C-3Po were in earlier Star Wars movies, and a good comparison would probably be Rogue One’s K2SO.

With Disney shifting the focus to Star Wars: The Last Jedi in April to coincide with this year’s Celebration, chances are that it will be a very long time until we see anything official from Han Solo. However, the start of production was actually released online not too long ago.

Louisa Mellor Jul 26, 2016

E4’s new comedy, starting tonight, about a group of West Country 20-somethings boasts a star turn from Sean Bean…

Looking back now, the most outlandish part of brilliantly inventive 1999 sitcom Spaced isn’t a movie parody, cutaway gag or eccentric character, but the idea that you could rent a fully furnished two-bedroom flat in Zone Two for ninety quid a week. If Tim Bisley and Daisy Steiner were house-hunting in London today, they’d be forced to pack up their Gillian Anderson posters and typewriter and head back to their respective hometowns to crash on a mate’s sofa.

That’s the fate of Kent (Dylan Edwards) in the first episode of Wasted, a new UK comedy series starting tonight on E4.

Having failed to make it as a Bristol-based DJ, Kent goes back to the village of Neston Berry and to the bosom of his...

A brand new comedy series Wasted is coming to E4 which combines a gang of four twenty-something wasters, one West Country village and the ex-Lord of Winterfell!

Danny Kirrane (represented by Gordon & French) stars as the lovable fantasy fanatic Morpheus,who manages a bong shop, (Stoned Henge). A 25-year-old virgin, he’s massively into fantasy – Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, computers. He’s in love with one of his best friends, Alison, and has been since the age of about 5, he’s a bit of a loser, but he’s also got an inner strength.

Rose Reynolds (represented by Conway van Gelder Grant) plays his neurotic sister Sarah. Of the four she seems to be the one that is most likely to leave her hometown. At the beginning we find her planning to go away to India and then Kent arrives back from uni and that puts a...

E4 comedy Drifters will return to screens later this year.

The series tells the raucous tale of three female friends living in Leeds, who are struggling to find their way in life.

Creator and lead writer Jessica Knappett will be back as Meg, with Lydia Rose Bewley and Lauren O'Rourke returning as Bunny and Laura, according to the Radio Times.

On the show's renewal, Knappett said: "I'm absolutely delighted we've got a new series because I've had my eye on a really nice new jumper.

"It seems people are really enjoying the series and it's great to have the backing of E4 in pushing the boundaries for soft porn comedy. Aside from the fact that it's great to know I am employed for another year, I really feel we have momentum with Drifters now.

"It's a joy to write this filthy silliness knowing I'll get to perform it with two...

Line of Duty, Casualty and Harry Enfield & Paul Whitehouse have won at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards 2013-2014.

The event - which honours excellence across all genres of television programming - took place at London's Grosvenor House Hotel on Tuesday (March 17), hosted by John Sergeant.

Line of Duty picked up Best Drama Series, Best Actress went to Happy Valley's Sarah Lancashire and Best Actor was won by Tom Hollander (A Poet in New York).

Casualty beat Coronation Street and EastEnders to claim Best Soap, while comedy Harry & Paul's Story of the Twos received two awards from its three nominations.

Strictly Come Dancing's Claudia Winkleman also took home Entertainment Performance, The Graham Norton Show won for Entertainment Programme and The Island With Bear Grylls triumphed in the Popular, Factual and Features category.

Sky Sports' Gary Neville collected Best Sports Commentator for the second year running, and the Lifetime...

Jessica Knappett doesn't feel the need to defend E4's Drifters from its critics ("The ratings speak for themselves"), but the young actress/writer/producer is keen to hit back at accusations that the sitcom - returning for a second series this week - is unrealistic.

"There's a whole episode in the first series that is honestly almost entirely drawn from my real life - and that is the one that people have commented is the least plausible!" she says.

Drifters - the raucous tale of three female friends struggling to find their way in life - earned an average audience of over 500k last year, and while Knappett's more than happy with its performance, she adds that series two "has moved on slightly".

"It's matured, it's more confident. We've taken all the things that we liked about the first series and run with that, and made it bigger and better,...

Drifters has been renewed for a second series.

The broadcaster's chief creative officer Jay Hunt announced at this year's annual report that the sitcom was part of the channel's aim to "foreground female voices".

Chief executive David Abraham also named the comedy as one of his "standout moments" of 2013.

Jessica Knappett's show debuted in October last year, attracting around 500,000 viewers on average. Lydia Rose Bewley and Lauren O'Rourke also starred.

Head of comedy Phil Clarke said of Knappett: "Her writing gets stronger and stronger, and she was a different writer at the end of that series than she had been at the beginning."

Inbetweeners Movie star Knappett previously confirmed that she was writing a second series back in January.

She said: "I'm tempting fate a bit, but I've started writing it just in case. It's looking good and I want to be ahead of the game if it happens.

Filming has begun on a fourth series of ITV's Scott & Bailey.

Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharp will return for a fourth run of the crime drama, which is expected to air later in 2014.

The series is shooting in Oldham and Manchester for eight new episodes, which will see both characters vying for promotion to Detective Sergeant.

Amelia Bullmore will also return as Dci Gill Murray, while she will write four of the scripts as well.

Former Coronation Street star Lee Warburton will write two episodes, and Emily Ballou (Case Histories) will write the remaining episodes.

Danny Webb (Locke) has joined the cast as DC Chris Crowley, while Danny Miller returns as DS Rob Waddington.

Co-creator and writer Sally Wainwright will executive produce along with Red Production Company's Nicola Shindler and former producer Tom Sherry.

It will be produced by Juliet Charlesworth, while Simon Delaney (Drifters) will direct with Noreen Kershaw...

Like twerking, 'Blurred Lines' and the Harlem Shake, poring over the pages of listings magazines in a desperate search for confirmed UK air-dates and plot scoop is so last year.

All the cool kids know the place to be is the Tube Talk Q&A - hang out with us hip cats for all the latest on Drifters, Marvel's Agents of Shield and more...

So happy that Marvel's Agents of Shield is back on Channel 4 - do you have any teasers for what's coming up?

Us too - it felt like Coulson and co were gone for an age, but thanks to a similar hiatus on the other side of the pond, we're actually only a few episodes behind our Us cousins! As for teasers, remember Dr Franklin Hall (Ian Hart), the physicist who suffered a nasty accident back in 'The Asset'...?

Well, we have it on good authority...

Digital Spy has been in a charitable mood this festive season and has already selected its top TV shows of the year, but now we're in that post-Christmas lull, it's time to put the foul mood brought on by our hangover to good use and give some of 2013's worst telly a tongue-lashing...

Here's our picks for the top 10 TV Turkeys of 2013

Warning: This list contains scenes of a sexual nature, jokes about poo and Micky Flanagan.

The Wright Way

It's becoming harder and harder to remember the days when Ben Elton was funny - his latest comedic misfire was thankfully axed after a single series, with the BBC's controller of comedy commissioning Shane Allen blaming Twitter for "crucifying" the show.

What Shane forgot is that Twitter is full of people - it was people that hated The Wright Way. All of the people.

Father Figure

There's a long and...

Fresh Meat star Charlotte Ritchie has landed the lead role in a new sitcom.

Ritchie - who currently stars as Oregon Shawcross in the Channel 4 comedy - has signed up to play Hannah in new BBC Three project Siblings.

Hannah and her brother Dan (Tom Stourton) are described as "a pair of obnoxious, lazy, self-centred, underachieving, incompetent and occasionally depraved siblings who cause chaos and disaster wherever they go".

Penned by Fresh Meat writer Keith Akushie, the six-part comedy is directed by Pramface's Dan Zeff and executive produced by Drifters's Simon Wilson.

Wilson said: "We couldn't have wished for two more brilliantly gifted comic performers than Charlotte and Tom to bring Keith Akushie's hilarious creations to life."

BBC commissioning executive Chris Sussman added: "The cast are brilliant. The scripts are very funny. The director is great. I couldn't be more excited about this project."

Guest stars...

Drifters is a brand new six-part comedy series coming to E4 this autumn, about three best friends living in Leeds who’ve graduated, had a year out and are struggling to find a job that doesn't suck, a place to live that is half decent and a boyfriend they actually like.

Initially billed as a female Inbetweeners, the show explores the very funny, very humiliating experiences of Meg, her eccentric cousin Bunny and their friend Laura, as they discover that life might just be a bit tougher than they had imagined…

From demeaning Promotions jobs complete with mad outfits (well, have you ever dressed as a mobile phone to pay the rent?) to pursuing the men of their dreams - yet dating the men of their nightmares - the girls face #Fml-worthy disasters in both their work and personal lives.

Comedy writer and actress Jessica Knappett (represented by United Agents...