Variety
Newport Beach Film Festival Sets 2026 Honorees: Taraji P. Henson, Jack O’Connell, McKenna Grace and More (EXCLUSIVE)
The 2026 Newport Beach Film Festival has revealed its 2026 Festival Honors, which will take place Oct. 18 at Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach, California, the third day of the festival. This year’s ...
19 minutes ago
Skydance Credit Rating Downgraded by Fitch on Massive Debt in Wake of Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger
The new Skydance’s ability to repay its massive debt following the megamerger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery is being called into question by credit rating agency Fitch. Led by CEO David Elli...
22 minutes ago
Mario Lopez, Paris Hilton, Jesse Tyler Ferguson Join Microdrama Platform aTwist’s October ‘To Die For’ Lineup (EXCLUSIVE)
Microdrama platform and studio aTwist is kicking off what they have dubbed their October “To Die For” lineup with a slate of new original series. aTwist is launching four new series over the course of...
49 minutes ago
Military Docuseries ‘The Watch: America’s Nuclear Mission’ Sets Limited Imax Release (EXCLUSIVE)
The NFN Productions docuseries “The Watch: America’s Nuclear Mission,” which follows the men and women carrying out America’s nuclear deterrence mission, is set for a limited Imax engagement starting ...
1 hour ago
Fremantle Appoints Sharon Levy as Head of Americas and Australia
Fremantle, whose shows include the “Got Talent” and “Idols” franchises, has appointed Sharon Levy as CEO of Fremantle Americas and Australia, effective from mid-January, reporting directly to Jennifer...
1 hour ago
Michelle Dockery, Genevieve O’Reilly, Quintessa Swindell Join Jessica Gunning in Netflix Jungle Drama ‘Feral’
Jessica Gunning and Michelle Dockery are set to lead a new comedic drama series for Netflix called “Feral.” Based on the novel “Savages” by Shirley Conran, the seven-part series will also feature Gene...
1 hour ago
Music Industry Moves: Thomas Rhett Strikes Label Partnership With Hybe’s Blue Highway Records
Country star Thomas Rhett and Hybe Americas’ Nashville-based label Blue Highway Records have announced a new partnership, Fifty-One/Forty-Nine Records. Described as “artist-led,” the partnership offer...
2 hours ago
Paul Mescal Boards Irish Psychological Thriller ‘Mary Is Missing’ as Exec Producer (EXCLUSIVE)
Alongside playing Paul McCartney in The Beatles films and juggling the occasional Bond rumor, Paul Mescal has lent his support to a short film from his home town. The Oscar nominee has become exec pro...
2 hours ago
France Boosts Oscar Campaign Support as Industry Sounds Alarm Over Declining Exports
France’s National Film Board (CNC) has unveiled a new strategy to boost the profile of French movies and talent navigating the Oscar race. Unveiled during a conference on film and TV exports held at t...
3 hours ago
How David Ellison Won the Battle: Timeline of Paramount’s Rocky Road to Acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery
It’s been a hell of a ride. David Ellison’s quest to control two iconic Hollywood studios has finally been completed — added a rollicking new chapter to the storied recent history of Hollywood megamer...
3 hours ago
‘All’s Fair’ Season 2 to Launch From Rome Film Festival With Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts and Sarah Paulson Attending
The second season of Ryan Murphy’s legal drama “All’s Fair” is set to have its world premiere at the upcoming Rome Film Festival with stars Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts and Sarah Paul...
3 hours ago
LL Cool J Returns to the Big Apple In CBS’ Solid and Steady ‘NCIS: New York’: TV Review
Three years after “NCIS: Los Angeles” wrapped its 14-season run, LL Cool J has returned to the franchise as Senior Special Agent Sam Hanna in CBS’ new “NCIS” spinoff, “NCIS: New York.” Created by R. S...
4 hours ago
Paramount-Warner Bros. $111 Billion Merger Officially Closes: ‘Today Is a Historic Day, Not Just for Skydance but for Our Entire Industry,’ David Elli...
It’s official: Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery are now a single company — joined together as Skydance Corp., led by chairman and CEO David Ellison. The deal, valued at $111 billion, brings togeth...
4 hours ago
Fan Bingbing, Michelle Yeoh, Charlotte Gainsbourg Dazzle as Busan Turns 31 in Style
The Busan International Film Festival marked its 31st edition Tuesday with one of its most star-laden opening ceremonies in recent memory, drawing Fan Bingbing, Michelle Yeoh, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Al...
4 hours ago
‘Carmen,’ a Carmen Miranda Bio From Esmir Filho, to Shoot Next Year in U.S. and Brazil (EXCLUSIVE)
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — “Carmen,” the Portuguese and English-language biopic of iconic Hollywood’s Golden Age Brazilian star Carmen Miranda, will shoot in the second half of 2027 in Brazil and the U....
5 hours ago
MasterClass Launches Podcast ‘Other People’s Business’ With Martha Stewart as First Guest
MasterClass is getting into the podcast business. The online learning and streaming platform has launched “Other People’s Business,” its first-ever podcast, hosted by MasterClass founder and CEO David...
6 hours ago
Darius Jabloński, Kadri Kousaar and Rodrigo Susarte Make the Cut at Tallinn TV Beats Co-Financing Market (EXCLUSIVE)
Polish film and TV luminary Darius Jabloński’s spy thriller “Fortel” and Estonia’s “Stormbird” from multi-awarded Kadri Kousaar (“Magnus,” “Mother”) feature in the lineup of Tallinn’s TV Beats Co-Fina...
10 hours ago
Michael Douglas Weighs In on ‘Nepo Baby’ Debate, Says the Title ‘Really Pisses Me Off’
Michael Douglas is wading into the “nepo baby” debate. The “Wall Street” actor, who is the son of the late Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas, opened up on a recent episode of the Smartless podcast and sai...
12 hours ago
Jon Stewart’s ‘Daily Show’ Skips David Ellison-Skydance News to Take on AI
On Sunday night, John Oliver dedicated the majority of his Emmy-winning show “Last Week Tonight” to the Secret Service’s failings in recent years while declining to address the major media news of the...
13 hours ago
Jon Stewart Takes On AI Doom and Gets a Sinister Visit from Meta’s Muse: ‘You Won’t Rid Our World of Humanity That Easily’
Jon Stewart was back behind the desk of “The Daily Show” Monday night and went all in on everybody’s favorite subject, artificial intelligence, before getting a surprise visit from Meta’s adorable new...
13 hours ago
Andrew Garfield Says OpenAI’s Sam Altman Seemed ‘F—ing Great Before Playing Him in ‘Artificial’: And Then You Learn More About a Person’
Andrew Garfield admits he was initially charmed by Sam Altman before he portrayed the controversial CEO of OpenAI in director Luca Guadagnino’s new film “Artificial.” “I remember seeing Sam testifying...
14 hours ago
Skydance to Fully Reorganize International; Kevin MacLellan Will Not Lead Key Group
Reverberations from the historic combination of Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery are now being felt overseas. Despite a Monday report claiming international executive Kevin MacLellan was close to c...
15 hours ago
‘Artificial’ First Reactions: Luca Guadagnino’s OpenAI Drama is ‘Provocative,’ ‘Downright Horrifying’ and His ‘Best Film in a Decade’
Luca Guadagnino’s “Artificial” premiered at the New York Film Festival Monday night, and early reviews have members of the film press championing the Sam Altman-centered movie as a “provocative,” “vis...
16 hours ago
Casey Bloys Signs New Multiyear Deal to Continue Overseeing HBO Max and Paramount+ As He Assumes His New Role at Skydance
Having just been named to the hefty position of co-chair and chief content officer for Skydance DTC — overseeing both HBO Max and Paramount+, Casey Bloys is staying put. Variety has confirmed that Blo...
16 hours ago
Trump Says He’ll Pay for ‘Patriotic Ads’ Himself Following Controversy Around Taxpayer-Funded TV Spots
After controversy erupted over Donald Trump’s administration buying TV ad time (with taxpayer dollars) to air advertisements endorsing the president, Trump has now said he will fund what he calls “pat...
17 hours ago
Neon Sets ‘Artificial’ Oscar Campaign With Andrew Garfield in Supporting Actor, Yura Borisov in Lead (EXCLUSIVE)
Sixteen years ago, Andrew Garfield played the Facebook co-founder who was pushed out of the company he helped create in “The Social Network” and came up short in the supporting actor race. Now, he’s p...
17 hours ago
Blippi’s Meekah and Dove Release Music Video to Promote Children’s Body Confidence (EXCLUSIVE)
Meekah, best friend of children’s entertainment and education character Blippi, has teamed up with Dove on a new music video promoting body confidence. Moonbug Entertainment and the Dove Self-Esteem P...
18 hours ago
Fox News Marks 30 Years On Air: ‘We Saw an Opportunity Nobody Else Saw’
Today’s episode of Variety‘s “Strictly Business” podcast takes a long look back at 30 years since the launch of Fox News Channel. Love it or hate it, Fox News has been an influential force in media an...
18 hours ago
‘The Voice’ Season 30 Premiere Hits 7.8 Million Viewers in Seven Days (EXCLUSIVE)
The Season 30 premiere of “The Voice” hit 7.8 million viewers in its first seven days of availability. That total comes from a combination of Nielsen’s measurements of linear viewers on NBC and NBCUni...
18 hours ago
Prime Video Debuts First Look at ‘Bloodaxe’ Series From ‘Vikings’ Creator (TV News Roundup)
Prime Video debuted first look images for “Bloodaxe,” a new original series from “Vikings” creator Michael Hirst and Horatio Hirst. “Bloodaxe” Season 1 follows the rise of Erik Bloodaxe (Xavier Molyne...
19 hours ago
André DeShields, Brandon Dirden, Jasmine Cephas Jones and Cheryl Wills Named AAFCA Goes to Broadway Honorees (EXCLUSIVE)
The African American Film Critics Association has set the lineup for its fifth AAFCA Goes to Broadway Luncheon. Tony winner André DeShields, Tony nominee Brandon Dirden and Emmy winners Jasmine Cephas...
19 hours ago
‘The Social Reckoning’ First Reactions: A ‘Solid Sequel,’ ‘Good, Just Not Great Film’ and a ‘Harsh Assessment of Zuckerberg’
Aaron Sorkin’s “The Social Reckoning” has been unveiled to members of the film press, who are calling the follow-up to “The Social Network” a “solid sequel,” “a harsh assessment of [Mark] Zuckerberg” ...
19 hours ago
‘Free Elizabeth Holmes’ Group Defends Convicted Theranos Founder at ‘You Can See Everything’ Doc Screening: She’s ‘Innocent and Needs to Be Free’
In the wild A24 documentary “You Can See Everything,” Elizabeth Holmes still maintains her innocence in her Theranos fraud case despite being sentenced to 11 years in prison. It turns out, there are a...
19 hours ago
Best Horror of October 2026: ‘Other Mommy’ Goes for the Heart, ‘Carrie’ Returns, Josh Hartnett Hunts for Sea Monsters and More
Welcome to Horror Explorer, a curated column showcasing the month’s best movies, series, books and everything else spooky worth checking out. I’m William Earl, the executive digital director of Variet...
20 hours ago
Rachel Zegler Recalls Her ‘Evita’ Audition While Starring on Broadway in ‘Romeo + Juliet’: ‘I Sang 40 Pages of Material’
Tom Felton can’t go anywhere without getting recognized as Draco Malfoy, the icy-blond villain he memorably portrayed in eight “Harry Potter” movies. The actor, who is reprising his iconic role on sta...
20 hours ago
Mark Mortimer, ‘Another World’ Soap Opera Star, Dies at 59
Mark Mortimer, best known for his role as Nick Hudson on the soap opera “Another World,” died Sept. 23 after a battle with cancer. He was 59. “Mark Mortimer lived many lives in one lifetime,” his fami...
21 hours ago
Whether Tailgating or Watching the Big Game from Home, JBL Speakers Deliver Top-Tier Sound to Keep the Party Going
As football (and tailgate) season officially kicks off, it’s essential to have all the right gear to keep the party going, whether you’re cheering on your favorite team from the comfort of your own ho...
21 hours ago
Robert Kelker-Kelly, ‘Days of Our Lives’ Actor, Dies at 62
Robert Kelker-Kelly, who played Bo Brady on “Days of Our Lives,” died on Saturday in St. Peters, Missouri. He was 62. The St. Peters Police Department said they responded for a report of an unconsciou...
21 hours ago
Slayyyter to Release ‘Brother Album’ to ‘Wor$t Girl in America’: ‘Wor$t Man in America’
Slayyyter has announced that “Wor$t Man in America,” the “brother” album to “Wor$t Girl in America,” is slated for release on December 4 via RECORDS/Columbia Records. “Wor$t Man in America” is being t...
22 hours ago
CAA Names Dasha Smith as Chief Operating Officer, Joins Agency From NFL
CAA has named Dasha Smith as the new chief operating officer, following her tenure at the National Football League. At the NFL, Smith was executive VP, chief administrative officer, working as a membe...
22 hours ago
Hollywood Unions Warn of 25-Year Decline in U.S. Production Market Share
A coalition of Hollywood unions issued a report on Monday warning that the U.S. has lost significant market share in film and TV production over the last 25 years. The report found that studios spent ...
22 hours ago
Skydance’s High-Wire Act Begins: Wall Street Scrutinizes Strategy for Juggling $80 Billion in Debt and a Three-Year Runway to Chop it Down
David Ellison moved mountains and fought off many detractors in his quest to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. Now, as the transition is set to formally close on Oct. 6, the high-wire act is about to be...
22 hours ago
‘I, Addict’ Creator Javier Giner Unpacks ‘This Solitude,’ a Film ‘About ‘Those Who Keep Functioning While Something Inside Them Is Falling Apart’
Basque director Javier Giner’s “This Solitude” (“Esta Soledad”) recently premiered at the San Sebastián Film Festival’s New Directors section on Sept. 23. Giner is the creator and co-director of the D...
23 hours ago
‘Imperfect Women’ Renewed for Season 2 at Apple TV With Kerry Washington Returning
“Imperfect Women” has been renewed for Season 2 at Apple TV, Variety has learned. Season 1 star Kerry Washington will return to lead the second season. The first season of the show is based on the boo...
23 hours ago
Iberseries Takeaways: Woody Allen on His New Film, Los Javis Pact With HBO Max, the Tales of Cachou the Brown Bear and More
When the going gets tough, the tough get going to places like Iberseries & Platino Industria. Its 6th edition, also a pre-Mipcom warm-up, ran over Sept.29-Oct. 2 at Madrid’s Matadero, its rehabili...
23 hours ago
‘The Batman 2’ Pauses Production as Director Matt Reeves Steps Away for a ‘Family Matter’
Warner Bros. and DC Studios have halted production on “The Batman Part II,” as director Matt Reeves takes a pause to deal with personal matters. “Production on ‘The Batman Part II’ has been temporaril...
23 hours ago
Tony Awards Name Nominating Committee for 2026-2027 Season Including Migdalia Cruz, Daniel K. Isaac, José Rivera and More
The Tony Awards Administration Committee has announced its Nominating Committee for the 2026-27 Broadway season, with former Washington Post chief theater critic Peter Marks and playwrights José River...
1 day ago
Chris Wayland to Succeed Valari Staab as President of NBCUniversal Local
Chris Wayland will succeed veteran Valari Staab as president of NBCUniversal’s local-media operations, elevating the head of the company’s Boston portfolio to oversee a broader array of assets, Staab ...
1 day ago
Banijay America Confirms Ben Samek as CEO, Post-Merger With All3Media
As expected, Ben Samek has been named CEO of Banijay America, the combined structure created following Banijay Entertainment’s recent merger with All3Media. Samek will report to Banijay Entertainment ...
1 day ago
Sebastian Stan Challenges Audiences to Question Their Own ‘Belief Systems’ at ‘Fjord’ Premiere: ‘There’s More to Just Simply Being Right’
Sebastian Stan stars in “Fjord” as a conservative Romanian father who faces religious discrimination after moving with his family to his wife’s (Renate Reinsve) progressive, remote Norwegian hometown....
1 day ago
English (US) 