Adam Aron, CEO of the nation’s largest movie theater chain AMC Theatres, refuses to hide his optimism.
After a wild year of bankruptcy speculation, debt repayment extensions, revised credit ratings and a few billion dollars in box office earnings, the eternal theatrical optimist was ready to celebrate at Variety‘s annual Entertainment and Technology Summit in West Hollywood on Thursday.
“I’m a relieved human being,” said Aron during his keynote conversation at the thought leadership conference sponsored by City National Bank, referring to the five-year extension he won from lenders this summer. “In July, we were able to announce that we’d worked agreements with 150 different lending institutions that will refinance most of our long-term debt and push our maturities.”
AMC’s credit rating was raised by S&P Global in August, but analysts are still wary of the economic headwinds facing the movie theater business – and the...
After a wild year of bankruptcy speculation, debt repayment extensions, revised credit ratings and a few billion dollars in box office earnings, the eternal theatrical optimist was ready to celebrate at Variety‘s annual Entertainment and Technology Summit in West Hollywood on Thursday.
“I’m a relieved human being,” said Aron during his keynote conversation at the thought leadership conference sponsored by City National Bank, referring to the five-year extension he won from lenders this summer. “In July, we were able to announce that we’d worked agreements with 150 different lending institutions that will refinance most of our long-term debt and push our maturities.”
AMC’s credit rating was raised by S&P Global in August, but analysts are still wary of the economic headwinds facing the movie theater business – and the...
- 9/26/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
New York City Center chooses a beloved musical to present as part of a two-week star-studded gala concert production each year and 2024′s selection is Ragtime!
It was previously announced that the cast would feature Colin Donnell as Father, Joshua Henry as Coalhouse Walker Jr., Caissie Levy as Mother, Ben Levi Ross as Younger Brother, Shaina Taub as Emma Goldman, and Brandon Uranowitz as Tateh.
Now, we know more cast members!
Tony winner Joaquina Kalukango is stepping into the role of Sarah, taking over for Joy Woods who had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.
Loot actress Stephanie Styles, who was last seen on Broadway in the acclaimed Kiss Me Kate revival, will take on the role of Evelyn Nesbitt.
Keep reading to find out more…
Also cast are John Clay III as Booker T. Washington, Rodd Cyrus as Harry Houdini, Matthew Lamb as the Little Boy, and Tabitha Lawing as the Little Girl.
It was previously announced that the cast would feature Colin Donnell as Father, Joshua Henry as Coalhouse Walker Jr., Caissie Levy as Mother, Ben Levi Ross as Younger Brother, Shaina Taub as Emma Goldman, and Brandon Uranowitz as Tateh.
Now, we know more cast members!
Tony winner Joaquina Kalukango is stepping into the role of Sarah, taking over for Joy Woods who had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.
Loot actress Stephanie Styles, who was last seen on Broadway in the acclaimed Kiss Me Kate revival, will take on the role of Evelyn Nesbitt.
Keep reading to find out more…
Also cast are John Clay III as Booker T. Washington, Rodd Cyrus as Harry Houdini, Matthew Lamb as the Little Boy, and Tabitha Lawing as the Little Girl.
- 9/20/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Were one to look back at the history of alleged psychics and those who sought to challenge such claimants, it won’t take long before stumbling across the plans of Harry Houdini, legendary escape artist, illusionist, and debunker of many a supernatural event, as he once made a pact with his wife Bess that, were the magician to uncover a method by which to communicate with his spouse following his own passing, he would pass along a message to Bess meaningful to only these two.
Continue reading ‘Look Into My Eyes’ Review: Therapy Takes The Form Of Mediumship In This Simple, Touching Documentary at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Look Into My Eyes’ Review: Therapy Takes The Form Of Mediumship In This Simple, Touching Documentary at The Playlist.
- 9/6/2024
- by Brian Farvour
- The Playlist
A hundred years later, the sequence still radiates an otherworldly aura: a man wearing a porkpie hat walks down the aisle of a movie theater, steps up onto the stage, and slips into the motion picture screen. The film we have been watching — a conventional enough story of a boy who loses his girl due to a dumb misunderstanding — flows fluidly into another cinematic realm, where the boy is a brilliant detective who outwits the bad guys, solves the crime, and gets the girl. One Hollywood fantasy is switched for a more beguiling Hollywood fantasy.
The film, of course, is Sherlock Jr. (1924), directed by and starring Buster Keaton, the greatest of all silent film comedian-auteurs. (Team Chaplin is welcome to dissent.) It is the usual Keaton concoction of ingenious gags, trick photography and jaw-dropping stunt work, but the film, true to its name, is also an investigation into the role...
The film, of course, is Sherlock Jr. (1924), directed by and starring Buster Keaton, the greatest of all silent film comedian-auteurs. (Team Chaplin is welcome to dissent.) It is the usual Keaton concoction of ingenious gags, trick photography and jaw-dropping stunt work, but the film, true to its name, is also an investigation into the role...
- 8/29/2024
- by Thomas Doherty
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s the year 1907 in London and Professor Patrick Moore finds himself faced with a paranormal predicament. As the head of a university department dedicated to investigating metaphysical matters, Patrick’s work studying life after death has come under threat. His colleague Nelson Ward has vanished along with a sizable donation meant for their research. Now the dean has given Patrick just three days to prove the existence of ghosts. If he fails, the whole department will be shut down.
Patrick sets out on a frenzied search for answers, exploring the rich spiritualist culture of turn-of-the-century Britain. He questions scholars and amateur enthusiasts alike, trying to piece together where Ward has gone. Guiding Patrick is medium Beatrice Shaw, who offers her unusual insights. Even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle lends a hand, bringing perspectives from both his paranormal pursuits and detective fiction.
Their hunt takes Patrick from the hallowed halls of...
Patrick sets out on a frenzied search for answers, exploring the rich spiritualist culture of turn-of-the-century Britain. He questions scholars and amateur enthusiasts alike, trying to piece together where Ward has gone. Guiding Patrick is medium Beatrice Shaw, who offers her unusual insights. Even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle lends a hand, bringing perspectives from both his paranormal pursuits and detective fiction.
Their hunt takes Patrick from the hallowed halls of...
- 8/4/2024
- by Naser Nahandian
- Gazettely
Doctor Who Makes History With First Romantic Same-Sex Kiss Featuring Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor - Spoilers
This weekend's episode of Doctor Who, "Rogue," is generating a lot of discussion online. Why? Well, it features the franchise's first romantic same-sex kiss...and the Doctor is the one doing the smooching!
Ncuti Gatwa is the first queer actor to play the iconic sci-fi character and, with queer TV writer Russell T Davies back in charge of the series, we'd expected a trailblazing moment like this to make it into an episode sooner rather than later.
Now, it's finally happened as we see the Doctor fall in love with a man; gay actor Jonathan Groff's enigmatic Rogue.
As we first explained on SFFGazette.com, it begins with the Doctor and Ruby Sunday arriving at a Bridgerton-like ball, only for it to become clear there are alien shapeshifters causing chaos. Rogue, who many fans theorised could be the new Captain Jack (he isn't), is a bounty hunter tasked with bringing them in and,...
Ncuti Gatwa is the first queer actor to play the iconic sci-fi character and, with queer TV writer Russell T Davies back in charge of the series, we'd expected a trailblazing moment like this to make it into an episode sooner rather than later.
Now, it's finally happened as we see the Doctor fall in love with a man; gay actor Jonathan Groff's enigmatic Rogue.
As we first explained on SFFGazette.com, it begins with the Doctor and Ruby Sunday arriving at a Bridgerton-like ball, only for it to become clear there are alien shapeshifters causing chaos. Rogue, who many fans theorised could be the new Captain Jack (he isn't), is a bounty hunter tasked with bringing them in and,...
- 6/9/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
If Eminem’s catchy new single “Houdini” has you Googling Sherri Papini, well, allow Hulu to act as a second source of information.
The Disney streamer is diving into the Papini case with a three-part docuseries titled “Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini” from filmmakers Erin Lee Carr, Michael Beach Nichols, and executive producers Rob Ford, Allison Berkley and Joseph Freed of Marwar Junction Productions.
The basics of the case are well known: In November 2016, Sherri Papini went for a jog and vanished from the northern California neighborhood where she lived with her husband Keith. This triggered a frenzied search and worldwide headlines.
But as “Houdini” spoils for you, her “kid-nappin’/never did happen.”
Papini was found alive on a Sacramento Highway 22 days later, claiming that she was abducted and tortured by two Hispanic women. She had some brutal-looking injuries she said she received at the hands of her kidnappers,...
The Disney streamer is diving into the Papini case with a three-part docuseries titled “Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini” from filmmakers Erin Lee Carr, Michael Beach Nichols, and executive producers Rob Ford, Allison Berkley and Joseph Freed of Marwar Junction Productions.
The basics of the case are well known: In November 2016, Sherri Papini went for a jog and vanished from the northern California neighborhood where she lived with her husband Keith. This triggered a frenzied search and worldwide headlines.
But as “Houdini” spoils for you, her “kid-nappin’/never did happen.”
Papini was found alive on a Sacramento Highway 22 days later, claiming that she was abducted and tortured by two Hispanic women. She had some brutal-looking injuries she said she received at the hands of her kidnappers,...
- 6/6/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
All sober-minded pop culture fans adhere to one important maxim: everything’s better with Nicolas Cage. And sure enough, Cage was a stand-out in the wonderful animated movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, as the comically hardboiled Spider-Man Noir. Every time Cage spit out a line about drinking egg creams and punching Nazis, audiences couldn’t help but cheer However, Cage isn’t the only thing that makes Spider-Verse‘s comedic take on Spider-Man Noir work. It also works because it’s limited, appearing in just a few scenes and making room for Miles Morales to be the far more dynamic heart of the piece. So as much as we love Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man Noir, the recently-announced Spider-Man Noir live-action series sounds potentially ill-fated, especially if Cage’s character ends up being the same gag from the animated movies.
If there must be a Spider-Man Noir television show, Amazon Prime...
If there must be a Spider-Man Noir television show, Amazon Prime...
- 5/20/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
The stunt took weeks of preparation. Building a tank. Training with freedivers and magicians. Developing the filming schedule.
The end result of the effort, a new episode of YouTube star Michelle Khare’s series Challenge Accepted in which she attempted to recreate Harry Houdini’s deadliest trick, has since garnered more than 4.5 million views on YouTube.
The final product has a production quality that would rival what’s on “traditional” TV (in fact, magician David Blaine attempted a similar stunt for a 2006 primetime ABC special), but Khare produced the episode herself, for her YouTube audience.
“For Challenge Accepted because we release very infrequently — unlike a normal season of television, it’s about 10 to 15 episodes a year — and within each of those episodes, we are representing a unique community,” Khare says in an interview. “So for example, in the video where I attempted Harry Houdini’s deadliest magic trick, we’re...
The end result of the effort, a new episode of YouTube star Michelle Khare’s series Challenge Accepted in which she attempted to recreate Harry Houdini’s deadliest trick, has since garnered more than 4.5 million views on YouTube.
The final product has a production quality that would rival what’s on “traditional” TV (in fact, magician David Blaine attempted a similar stunt for a 2006 primetime ABC special), but Khare produced the episode herself, for her YouTube audience.
“For Challenge Accepted because we release very infrequently — unlike a normal season of television, it’s about 10 to 15 episodes a year — and within each of those episodes, we are representing a unique community,” Khare says in an interview. “So for example, in the video where I attempted Harry Houdini’s deadliest magic trick, we’re...
- 5/10/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The best music videos take inspiration from unexpected places. For example, Dua Lipa’s “New Rules” video was partly inspired by iconic model Naomi Campbell. Lipa saw a deeper meaning in one of Campbell’s advertising campaigns and she incorporated some of its imagery into the “New Rules” clip. Lipa’s choreographer revealed how “New Rules” was meant to empower women.
Dua Lipa felt a Naomi Campbell ad showed female strength
What makes the “New Rules” clip so fascinating is its choreography. The music video depicts Lipa surrounded by female friends. Through a choreographed dance routine, Lipa’s friends prevent her from returning to a bad ex-boyfriend. In a music landscape where fewer and fewer superstars know how to dance well, the “Hotter than Hell” singer did a routine on a par with Michael Jackson at his best.
During a 2019 interview with The Cut, the “Cold Heart” singer discussed the idea behind “New Rules.
Dua Lipa felt a Naomi Campbell ad showed female strength
What makes the “New Rules” clip so fascinating is its choreography. The music video depicts Lipa surrounded by female friends. Through a choreographed dance routine, Lipa’s friends prevent her from returning to a bad ex-boyfriend. In a music landscape where fewer and fewer superstars know how to dance well, the “Hotter than Hell” singer did a routine on a par with Michael Jackson at his best.
During a 2019 interview with The Cut, the “Cold Heart” singer discussed the idea behind “New Rules.
- 5/8/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Celebrities have unusual ways of harkening back to the past. Harry Houdini had nothing to do with Dua Lipa until Lipa released her song “Houdini” from her album Radical Optimism. Still, referencing a stage magician from a century ago is an odd move for a pop singer. Lipa explained why she referenced an icon from another era in her song and what she is trying to accomplish with Radical Optimism.
Dua Lipa used Harry Houdini’s name as a metaphor
During a 2023 interview with Sleek, Lipa opened up about “Houdini.” “Houdini is an escape artist, and the whole idea behind this song is essentially about knowing where you stand, understanding what you deserve, and recognizing when to stay or execute a disappearing act, like Houdini,” she said. “It’s a bit tongue-in-cheek in terms of the metaphor, but fundamentally, it’s about knowing your worth.”
Houdini, one of the most famous illusionists who ever lived,...
Dua Lipa used Harry Houdini’s name as a metaphor
During a 2023 interview with Sleek, Lipa opened up about “Houdini.” “Houdini is an escape artist, and the whole idea behind this song is essentially about knowing where you stand, understanding what you deserve, and recognizing when to stay or execute a disappearing act, like Houdini,” she said. “It’s a bit tongue-in-cheek in terms of the metaphor, but fundamentally, it’s about knowing your worth.”
Houdini, one of the most famous illusionists who ever lived,...
- 5/3/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When Ncuti Gatwa makes his first appearance as the 15th Doctor in the science-fiction series “Doctor Who,” he isn’t wearing any pants.
In a 60th-anniversary special released in December, the previous Doctor — played by series icon David Tennant — subverts the show’s long-standing practice of regeneration: Instead of simply transforming into the next Doctor, he literally splits in half, bringing Gatwa’s Doctor into the world alongside him. In the process, the two divide the clothes of Tennant’s Doctor between them, leaving Gatwa in nothing but a dress shirt and a pair of tighty-whities.
“Oh, my God, that first costume fitting!” Gatwa says, bursting into an infectious fit of laughter. It’s a frequent occurrence as he speaks with Variety on a chilly March day over lemon ginger tea at the Langham hotel in London. “I was like, ‘Are you joking?!’ They showed me a pair of [underwear] and...
In a 60th-anniversary special released in December, the previous Doctor — played by series icon David Tennant — subverts the show’s long-standing practice of regeneration: Instead of simply transforming into the next Doctor, he literally splits in half, bringing Gatwa’s Doctor into the world alongside him. In the process, the two divide the clothes of Tennant’s Doctor between them, leaving Gatwa in nothing but a dress shirt and a pair of tighty-whities.
“Oh, my God, that first costume fitting!” Gatwa says, bursting into an infectious fit of laughter. It’s a frequent occurrence as he speaks with Variety on a chilly March day over lemon ginger tea at the Langham hotel in London. “I was like, ‘Are you joking?!’ They showed me a pair of [underwear] and...
- 4/25/2024
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
The season of the very first sign of the zodiac is here, and that’s exactly why being a leader comes so easy for Aries folks.
And that’s no joke, Aries really don’t know what else to be but a boss, CEO or innovator, because they’d rather play by their own rules. They march to the beat of their own drum and rarely ever need anyone to play backup instrumentals. Their charm, playful personality and great sense of humor make up for their impulsiveness and sometimes hot-temper, and there’s absolutely no other sign who will keep it all the way real with you like an Aries does, even if it’s something you don’t want to hear. They tell it like it is, as dishonesty goes against their entire m.o.
As ambitious as they are — known for being some of the greatest to ever...
And that’s no joke, Aries really don’t know what else to be but a boss, CEO or innovator, because they’d rather play by their own rules. They march to the beat of their own drum and rarely ever need anyone to play backup instrumentals. Their charm, playful personality and great sense of humor make up for their impulsiveness and sometimes hot-temper, and there’s absolutely no other sign who will keep it all the way real with you like an Aries does, even if it’s something you don’t want to hear. They tell it like it is, as dishonesty goes against their entire m.o.
As ambitious as they are — known for being some of the greatest to ever...
- 3/30/2024
- by Raquel 'Rocky' Harris
- The Wrap
Buster Keaton was one of the most prolific filmmakers of the silent era, comparable only to his contemporaries Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd. Unlike Lloyd with his distinctive spectacles or Chaplin with his signature stache, Keaton was identified by the emotionless expression he wore while enduring some of the most painful, dangerous, and hilarious bits of physical comedy the world has ever seen.
The filmmaker grew up as a vaudeville actor and took the stage as early as age four, where he first honed his slapstick skills in an act with his father. He was always known for taking hard falls without so much as a wince, which is how he earned his nickname, Buster, as an infant. As Keaton told it, legendary illusionist Harry Houdini gave him the nickname after an infant Keaton fell down a full flight of stairs without crying (a "buster" was a slang term for...
The filmmaker grew up as a vaudeville actor and took the stage as early as age four, where he first honed his slapstick skills in an act with his father. He was always known for taking hard falls without so much as a wince, which is how he earned his nickname, Buster, as an infant. As Keaton told it, legendary illusionist Harry Houdini gave him the nickname after an infant Keaton fell down a full flight of stairs without crying (a "buster" was a slang term for...
- 2/11/2024
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
On Monday, it was Dua Lipa’s turn to join Seth Meyers on the latest edition of “Day Drinking” on the Late Night show. The host’s past drinking buddies have included Lizzo, Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Lorde, Post Malone and Seth’s mother.
The two met up at Studio 151 in New York and started their session by making shots disappear, in honor of Lipa’s new single, “Houdini.” The inaugural shots were followed by drinks inspired by the legendary magician, Harry Houdini, including the “Houtini,” which Lipa ascertained “smells,” and...
The two met up at Studio 151 in New York and started their session by making shots disappear, in honor of Lipa’s new single, “Houdini.” The inaugural shots were followed by drinks inspired by the legendary magician, Harry Houdini, including the “Houtini,” which Lipa ascertained “smells,” and...
- 12/12/2023
- by Carita Rizzo
- Rollingstone.com
Dua Lipa has kicked off the rollout for her next album. The pop star has announced her new single, “Houdini,” out on November 9th via Warner. Pre-orders are ongoing.
Leading up to the announcement, Lipa left a trail of breadcrumbs on social media for fans to piece together. In a snippet posted on October 31st, the following numbers flash onscreen: 4 8 9 9 14 15 21. Matching the numbers with the corresponding letters of the English alphabet yields the result “dhiinou,” which can, in turn, be rearranged to read the name Houdini.
As it turns out, October 31st also marks the anniversary of the day that Harry Houdini died in 1926. Continuing the reference, Lipa also puts a golden key hanging on a necklace in her mouth. One of Houdini’s escape methods was to receive the handcuff key in his mouth from his wife, who passed it along as they kissed.
Lipa isn’t the first...
Leading up to the announcement, Lipa left a trail of breadcrumbs on social media for fans to piece together. In a snippet posted on October 31st, the following numbers flash onscreen: 4 8 9 9 14 15 21. Matching the numbers with the corresponding letters of the English alphabet yields the result “dhiinou,” which can, in turn, be rearranged to read the name Houdini.
As it turns out, October 31st also marks the anniversary of the day that Harry Houdini died in 1926. Continuing the reference, Lipa also puts a golden key hanging on a necklace in her mouth. One of Houdini’s escape methods was to receive the handcuff key in his mouth from his wife, who passed it along as they kissed.
Lipa isn’t the first...
- 11/1/2023
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Music
When you tell folks you’re going to interview legendary magicians Penn & Teller, someone is liable to ask: “How are you going to do that? Does Teller even talk?”
If you have more than a passing knowledge of the pair — who have been hosting the magic game show Fool Us since 2011 — you’ll know what’s a silly question. Although, as part of their act, Teller keeps mum, in person the two are your classic goofball and straight man. Penn Jillette carries running jokes to their breaking point, in this...
If you have more than a passing knowledge of the pair — who have been hosting the magic game show Fool Us since 2011 — you’ll know what’s a silly question. Although, as part of their act, Teller keeps mum, in person the two are your classic goofball and straight man. Penn Jillette carries running jokes to their breaking point, in this...
- 10/1/2023
- by Brenna Ehrlich
- Rollingstone.com
“Thank You Very Much” is a documentary about Andy Kaufman that does just what you want it to do. It details Kaufman’s life and career, showcasing all the stage bits he became famous for (and including rare footage of performances and offstage antics that even Kaufman fanatics have never seen). But more than that, the movie understands him. It explores the depths of what Andy Kaufman was about — though that doesn’t mean that we’re subjected to a bunch of talking heads discussing how “conceptual” and punk-the-audience weird he was, and who was the real Andy, anyway?
I mean, there’s some of that. But Alex Braverman, the director of “Thank You Very Much,” grasps the fundamental truth of Andy Kaufman: that what he was up to, in his defiant and Dada screwball way, was showbiz. It was theater. He wanted to tickle you, to make you giggle and squirm,...
I mean, there’s some of that. But Alex Braverman, the director of “Thank You Very Much,” grasps the fundamental truth of Andy Kaufman: that what he was up to, in his defiant and Dada screwball way, was showbiz. It was theater. He wanted to tickle you, to make you giggle and squirm,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Jerome Coopersmith, who received a Tony nomination for writing a 1965 Sherlock Holmes musical and penned more than two dozen episodes of the original Hawaii Five-o during the series’ first nine seasons, has died. He was 97.
Coopersmith died peacefully Friday in Rochester, New York, his family announced.
After earning a Purple Heart for his service during World War II, Coopersmith broke into television writing for quiz shows and historical programs. In the early 1950s, he and Horton Foote worked on the kids-focused Gabby Hayes Show and Johnny Jupiter, and the future Pulitzer Prize and Oscar winner behind To Kill a Mockingbird would become his mentor.
Coopersmith wrote 30 regular installments and two feature-length episodes of CBS’ Hawaii Five-o from 1968-76. Among those was the notable 1975 eighth-season installment Retire in Sunny Hawaii … Forever, which featured Helen Hayes in an Emmy-nominated guest-starring stint as the aunt of her real-life son, James MacArthur.
He then...
Coopersmith died peacefully Friday in Rochester, New York, his family announced.
After earning a Purple Heart for his service during World War II, Coopersmith broke into television writing for quiz shows and historical programs. In the early 1950s, he and Horton Foote worked on the kids-focused Gabby Hayes Show and Johnny Jupiter, and the future Pulitzer Prize and Oscar winner behind To Kill a Mockingbird would become his mentor.
Coopersmith wrote 30 regular installments and two feature-length episodes of CBS’ Hawaii Five-o from 1968-76. Among those was the notable 1975 eighth-season installment Retire in Sunny Hawaii … Forever, which featured Helen Hayes in an Emmy-nominated guest-starring stint as the aunt of her real-life son, James MacArthur.
He then...
- 7/27/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
For those fancying a return to old-school point-and-click adventure titles, Postmodern Adventures’ An English Haunting looks to fill that niche. No relation to the Charlie Steeds film of the same name, the game is inspired by the works of horror authors such as M.R. James, Algernon Blackwood, and Arthur Machen, and is currently in development for release on Steam.
An English Haunting sees an enthusiasm for spiritualism gripping 1907 London. Séances and theatrical shows where spirits make contact with their living families are all the rage, and there are a legion of investigators trying to discover the secrets of the supernatural. Among them is Professor Patrick Moore, who is faced with a dilemma: he’s got 72 hours to prove the existence of the Great Beyond, or else his Metapsychic Investigations Department will be shut down forever.
Racing against the clock, with the help of a fake medium named Beatrice Shaw, he...
An English Haunting sees an enthusiasm for spiritualism gripping 1907 London. Séances and theatrical shows where spirits make contact with their living families are all the rage, and there are a legion of investigators trying to discover the secrets of the supernatural. Among them is Professor Patrick Moore, who is faced with a dilemma: he’s got 72 hours to prove the existence of the Great Beyond, or else his Metapsychic Investigations Department will be shut down forever.
Racing against the clock, with the help of a fake medium named Beatrice Shaw, he...
- 7/14/2023
- by Mike Wilson
- bloody-disgusting.com
Exclusive: The skies are cloudy over LA and still thick over NYC today, but for over 1,000 studio and “struck companies” staffers their Black List membership just went dark.
In support of the Writers Guild of America’s over one-month long strike, the Franklin Leonard founded platform has suspended the access that approximately 1,300 have to its services. In addition, the nearly 20-year-old script curation organization has slashed material fees for writers until their battle with the studios and streamers is resolved with a new deal.
“Writers remain the most undervalued constituents of the film and television ecosystem, and it should be unsurprising that the Black List backs them in their pursuit of equitable pay and protections reflecting their vital and economically significant contributions to the industry,” Leonard told Deadline today. “When writers win, the entire industry wins.”
The move to cut costs for scribes from $30 to $20 a month as well as...
In support of the Writers Guild of America’s over one-month long strike, the Franklin Leonard founded platform has suspended the access that approximately 1,300 have to its services. In addition, the nearly 20-year-old script curation organization has slashed material fees for writers until their battle with the studios and streamers is resolved with a new deal.
“Writers remain the most undervalued constituents of the film and television ecosystem, and it should be unsurprising that the Black List backs them in their pursuit of equitable pay and protections reflecting their vital and economically significant contributions to the industry,” Leonard told Deadline today. “When writers win, the entire industry wins.”
The move to cut costs for scribes from $30 to $20 a month as well as...
- 6/9/2023
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Amid an industry overwhelmed by an ongoing writers’ strike and a push to streaming, the notion of genuine independent cinema is as fragile as ever.
With the streamers cutting costs and focusing on content that large swathes of viewers might actually watch, the content for content’s sake spending booms that allowed indie cinema to temporarily flourish seems to have come to an end. Is all hope lost?
In a recent panel hosted exclusively by TheWrap, titled “The State of Independent Filmmaking,” Franklin Leonard argued that while investing in independent film if widely considered a financial risk or act of altruism, his work as founder of The Black List has proven that the opposite is true. The best screenplay is the best business plan.
“I think there is an assumption that when you work in the indie space, or you’re seeking out writers from outside the traditional system, that...
With the streamers cutting costs and focusing on content that large swathes of viewers might actually watch, the content for content’s sake spending booms that allowed indie cinema to temporarily flourish seems to have come to an end. Is all hope lost?
In a recent panel hosted exclusively by TheWrap, titled “The State of Independent Filmmaking,” Franklin Leonard argued that while investing in independent film if widely considered a financial risk or act of altruism, his work as founder of The Black List has proven that the opposite is true. The best screenplay is the best business plan.
“I think there is an assumption that when you work in the indie space, or you’re seeking out writers from outside the traditional system, that...
- 5/10/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Harry Houdini in Haldane Of The Secret Service Image: Harry Houdini Pictures While a lot of people are looking ahead to the movies that are coming in 2023 (we’ve done it too), The A.V. Club thought this would also be a good moment to take a look back. Way, way back.
- 2/4/2023
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
The 2022 edition of the Black List, the annual collection of Hollywood insiders’ favorite unproduced screenplays, this year features films about a low-level worker saving his workplace crush while on a spaceship run by a dark god, an interracial couple dealing with an apparent encounter with UFOs and a day-in-the-life dramedy about the employees of the Four Seasons Total Landscaping on Nov. 7, 2020.
The Black List, now in its 18th annual edition, is a list of Hollywood’s “most liked” unproduced scripts. It’s not a list of the “best” screenplays floating around town but the ones that were most “liked” or recommended by executives across film financiers and production companies.
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Bryce Dallas Howard to Star in ‘Witch Mountain’ Pilot for Disney+
The Black List was compiled from the suggestions of more than 300 film executives, each of whom contributed the names of up to 10 favorite feature film screenplays that were...
The Black List, now in its 18th annual edition, is a list of Hollywood’s “most liked” unproduced scripts. It’s not a list of the “best” screenplays floating around town but the ones that were most “liked” or recommended by executives across film financiers and production companies.
Also Read:
Bryce Dallas Howard to Star in ‘Witch Mountain’ Pilot for Disney+
The Black List was compiled from the suggestions of more than 300 film executives, each of whom contributed the names of up to 10 favorite feature film screenplays that were...
- 12/12/2022
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Screenwriter Catherine Schetina has topped the 2022 Black List — the annual roundup of Hollywood’s most-liked unproduced screenplays — with her script, Pure.
Unveiled on Monday morning, the 2022 Black List consists of 74 scripts by 80 writers, which were selected by 300+ film executives. Among the titles selected are films on such notable figures as John Madden, alleged alien abductees Barney and Betty Hill, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, country icon Dolly Parton, escape artist Harry Houdini, GOP strategist Lee Atwater, It’s a Wonderful Life collaborators Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart, tabloid talk show host Jerry Springer, and pop star Britney Spears .
Related Story The Black List 2022 Scorecard: CAA, Bellevue Productions Top Agency And Management Lists Related Story Sony Pictures Animation and The Black List Announces Fredrick Leach As Inaugural Writers Program Fellow Related Story Alex Liu Receives Blind Feature Film Script Deal Through MGM & The Black List Partnership
The synopsis for Pure, which led the list with 25 votes,...
Unveiled on Monday morning, the 2022 Black List consists of 74 scripts by 80 writers, which were selected by 300+ film executives. Among the titles selected are films on such notable figures as John Madden, alleged alien abductees Barney and Betty Hill, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, country icon Dolly Parton, escape artist Harry Houdini, GOP strategist Lee Atwater, It’s a Wonderful Life collaborators Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart, tabloid talk show host Jerry Springer, and pop star Britney Spears .
Related Story The Black List 2022 Scorecard: CAA, Bellevue Productions Top Agency And Management Lists Related Story Sony Pictures Animation and The Black List Announces Fredrick Leach As Inaugural Writers Program Fellow Related Story Alex Liu Receives Blind Feature Film Script Deal Through MGM & The Black List Partnership
The synopsis for Pure, which led the list with 25 votes,...
- 12/12/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Awards season is firmly and inescapably upon us, with a packed field of contenders vying for attention from moviegoers and various voting bodies alike. But the Best Actor race feels to be all but a lock at this point thanks to "The Whale," the latest from A24, which features a career-redefining performance from Brendan Fraser. After months of merely reading about his transformative performance as a 600-pound man, the world at large will finally get to see the film for themselves very soon.
The movie was directed by Darren Aronofsky, of "Black Swan" and "Requiem for a Dream" fame, based on the play by Samuel Hunter. The story centers on a reclusive English teacher (Fraser) who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter (Sadie Sink). It's a simple premise, but it provides a showcase for the talents of those in the cast. Aronofsky had been trying to make the film for years,...
The movie was directed by Darren Aronofsky, of "Black Swan" and "Requiem for a Dream" fame, based on the play by Samuel Hunter. The story centers on a reclusive English teacher (Fraser) who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter (Sadie Sink). It's a simple premise, but it provides a showcase for the talents of those in the cast. Aronofsky had been trying to make the film for years,...
- 12/8/2022
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
In its best moments, Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead’s corny, enjoyable Something in the Dirt is as noisy, spooky, and sense-tingling as a piece of haunted house gothic. Only it’s not set in a haunted house. It’s set in a pair of modest apartments in Laurel Canyon. Helicopters and planes fly low over this place. A forest fire rages in the background. The movie was shot and largely conceived during the pandemic (they began to work on it only a few months into the first lockdown) and...
- 11/4/2022
- by K. Austin Collins
- Rollingstone.com
Kesha is a singer, songwriter, global pop superstar, paranormal investigator, and explorer of the unexplained. Though she is perhaps better known for her multiplatinum musical success, it is her fascination with the unknown that propels her pursuits these days. To put it simply, in her own words, Kesha is “totally addicted to ghosts.”
And in the Conjuring Kesha unscripted paranormal series, which she stars in and executive produces — currently airing on Travel Channel during the network’s seasonal “Ghostober” event, following its premiere on the discovery+ streaming service last summer — the artist has found a “reinvigorated lust for life” in the afterlife.
In a recent interview for my Talking Strange paranormal pop culture podcast, Kesha spoke to me about her six-episode series, which is touted as a journey into haunted hospitals, prisons with a demonic force, secret societies, a sasquatch hunt, and a home potentially occupied by Harry Houdini’s specter.
And in the Conjuring Kesha unscripted paranormal series, which she stars in and executive produces — currently airing on Travel Channel during the network’s seasonal “Ghostober” event, following its premiere on the discovery+ streaming service last summer — the artist has found a “reinvigorated lust for life” in the afterlife.
In a recent interview for my Talking Strange paranormal pop culture podcast, Kesha spoke to me about her six-episode series, which is touted as a journey into haunted hospitals, prisons with a demonic force, secret societies, a sasquatch hunt, and a home potentially occupied by Harry Houdini’s specter.
- 10/21/2022
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Buster Keaton was one of the biggest names in early cinema, famous for his physical comedy. He thrived on an ability to improvise these gags; Keaton grew up as a vaudeville performer, and spent his childhood improvising slapstick routines with his father onstage. As a Hollywood filmmaker, Keaton continued to rely on improvisation for his comedy — but this required him to follow one simple rule.
Keaton got his start as an entertainer traveling in a company alongside Harry Houdini. It was here that he learned to improvise fluidly and hilariously. His first time in front of a camera was in Fatty Arbuckle's "The Butcher Boy." "[Arbuckle] only had to turn me loose in the set and I'd have material in two minutes, because I'd been doing it all my life," Keaton explained (via A Hard Act to Follow).
When it came to his own films, Keaton made sure there was...
Keaton got his start as an entertainer traveling in a company alongside Harry Houdini. It was here that he learned to improvise fluidly and hilariously. His first time in front of a camera was in Fatty Arbuckle's "The Butcher Boy." "[Arbuckle] only had to turn me loose in the set and I'd have material in two minutes, because I'd been doing it all my life," Keaton explained (via A Hard Act to Follow).
When it came to his own films, Keaton made sure there was...
- 9/4/2022
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
Silent film star Buster Keaton was bred for the spotlight. He was the son of traveling vaudeville performers, who were the stars and co-owners of the Keaton Houdini Medicine Show Company with legendary magician Harry Houdini. Keaton joined his parents' act at the tender age of three, and was frequently tossed around the stage by his father for comedic effect. Here, the actor learned how to take falls without suffering the bruises and breaks of mere mortals and perfected the sullen, deadpan expression that became his trademark. In 1917, Keaton moved his act from the stage to celluloid, and won over audiences with his amazing...
The post How TV Breathed New Life Into Buster Keaton's Career appeared first on /Film.
The post How TV Breathed New Life Into Buster Keaton's Career appeared first on /Film.
- 8/7/2022
- by Christian Gainey
- Slash Film
The animated series “Xavier Riddle and The Secret Museum” shares the misadventures of Xavier Riddle and his two best friends. The PBS Kids’ show follows the trio as they tackle the everyday problems that children tend to face by traveling back in time to learn from real-life icons and inspirational people.
The show, which is based on the “Ordinary People Change the World” book series by author Brad Meltzer, has been popular among children five to eight years old since it first aired in 2019.
This story will walk you through everything you need to know about the show and its key characters.
Who Are the Main Characters of “Xavier Riddle and The Secret Museum?”
Let’s meet the show’s main characters:
Xavier Riddle:
Voiced by Aidan Vissers, Xavier is the show’s namesake and the leader of his friend group, which includes his younger sister, Yadina, and their friend Brad.
The show, which is based on the “Ordinary People Change the World” book series by author Brad Meltzer, has been popular among children five to eight years old since it first aired in 2019.
This story will walk you through everything you need to know about the show and its key characters.
Who Are the Main Characters of “Xavier Riddle and The Secret Museum?”
Let’s meet the show’s main characters:
Xavier Riddle:
Voiced by Aidan Vissers, Xavier is the show’s namesake and the leader of his friend group, which includes his younger sister, Yadina, and their friend Brad.
- 8/2/2022
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
Buster Keaton was one of the biggest silent film stars in Hollywood. Nicknamed "The Great Stone Face," he was known for his trademark stoicism and expressive physical comedy. His fascinating career sadly fizzled out with the invention of talkies. Keaton was so used to telling his stories through action that words escaped his grasp. Still, he remains an undisputed legend of the silver screen.
Keaton first got his nickname, Buster, from none other than Harry Houdini. The silent film star fell down a full flight of stairs at six months old and didn't cry. "Houdini said 'that was sure a buster,' meaning...
The post What Happened To Buster Keaton? His Hollywood Rise, Fall, and Revival Explained appeared first on /Film.
Keaton first got his nickname, Buster, from none other than Harry Houdini. The silent film star fell down a full flight of stairs at six months old and didn't cry. "Houdini said 'that was sure a buster,' meaning...
The post What Happened To Buster Keaton? His Hollywood Rise, Fall, and Revival Explained appeared first on /Film.
- 7/20/2022
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
Outer Range has captured audiences’ imaginations with its engrossing twists and turns, outlandish science fiction elements, and genre-bending action. Set predominantly in Wyoming, the location itself very much plays an important part of the story, almost as if it is another character within the show. Without the Western motif of the beautiful plains, mountains, and prairie; the small town feel of the show would not be as successful.
Outer Range follows a rancher, Royal Abbott (Josh Brolin), fighting for his land and keeping his family together. Royal eventually stumbles upon a mysterious black void in a pasture on his property, coinciding with the arrival of Autumn (Imogen Poots), a strange drifter with some sort of spiritual connection to Abbott’s ranch. While the Abbott family copes with the disappearance of their daughter-in-law Rebecca, they are pushed further to the brink when a rival family, the Tillersons, try to take over their land.
Outer Range follows a rancher, Royal Abbott (Josh Brolin), fighting for his land and keeping his family together. Royal eventually stumbles upon a mysterious black void in a pasture on his property, coinciding with the arrival of Autumn (Imogen Poots), a strange drifter with some sort of spiritual connection to Abbott’s ranch. While the Abbott family copes with the disappearance of their daughter-in-law Rebecca, they are pushed further to the brink when a rival family, the Tillersons, try to take over their land.
- 5/2/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Have you ever been mesmerized by a magician on the big screen? Magic has always been a popular topic for movies, and there have been some great ones.
Hollywood has always been fascinated by the world of magic and illusion. From the early days of cinema, magicians have been appearing on the silver screen, performing their tricks for the amusement of moviegoers.
13 Movies About Twins You Can’t Miss
In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in magic in movies, with several films exploring the theme of magic and its place in the modern world.
These movies offer a unique perspective on the world of magic and provide audiences with an insight into the fascinating world of magicians.
They are also entertaining and often humorous, providing viewers with an enjoyable way to escape from the everyday world. Whether you are interested in the history of magic or want...
Hollywood has always been fascinated by the world of magic and illusion. From the early days of cinema, magicians have been appearing on the silver screen, performing their tricks for the amusement of moviegoers.
13 Movies About Twins You Can’t Miss
In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in magic in movies, with several films exploring the theme of magic and its place in the modern world.
These movies offer a unique perspective on the world of magic and provide audiences with an insight into the fascinating world of magicians.
They are also entertaining and often humorous, providing viewers with an enjoyable way to escape from the everyday world. Whether you are interested in the history of magic or want...
- 4/4/2022
- by Israr
- buddytv.com
The world-famous escape artist and illusionist Harry Houdini is set to get yet another cinematic treatment, this time from "Transformers" producers Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian for Paramount. No plot details have been revealed and the project is still untitled, but there have been rumblings around the industry that the film will be a period piece and share a similar tone to "Sherlock Holmes," treating Houdini as somewhat of a human superhero. Makes sense considering for a while it looked like Dan Trachtenberg was going to make a Houdini film featuring Ben Affleck in a supporting role and based on the book "The Secret...
The post Harry Houdini Movie in the Works From Transformers Producers appeared first on /Film.
The post Harry Houdini Movie in the Works From Transformers Producers appeared first on /Film.
- 3/3/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Exclusive: Transformers duo Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian are producing a movie about iconic escape artist and illusionist Harry Houdini for Paramount.
Plot details are being kept under wraps on the untitled development project but we understand it will be set of its time in the early 20th Century and have a Sherlock Holmes tone, dealing as it does with a human superhero type.
Script is being written by Neil Weidener and Gavin James who are also working with the studio on Jerry Bruckheimer’s Beyblade project we revealed last week.
Houdini (born Erik Weisz) was the Hungarian-American stunt performer and mysteriarch, noted for his escape acts and his rags-to-riches immigrant story. He first attracted notice in vaudeville in the US and then as “Harry ‘Handcuff’ Houdini” on a tour of Europe, where he challenged police forces to keep him locked up. Soon he extended his repertoire to include chains,...
Plot details are being kept under wraps on the untitled development project but we understand it will be set of its time in the early 20th Century and have a Sherlock Holmes tone, dealing as it does with a human superhero type.
Script is being written by Neil Weidener and Gavin James who are also working with the studio on Jerry Bruckheimer’s Beyblade project we revealed last week.
Houdini (born Erik Weisz) was the Hungarian-American stunt performer and mysteriarch, noted for his escape acts and his rags-to-riches immigrant story. He first attracted notice in vaudeville in the US and then as “Harry ‘Handcuff’ Houdini” on a tour of Europe, where he challenged police forces to keep him locked up. Soon he extended his repertoire to include chains,...
- 3/2/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
One of Las Vegas’ under-the-radar treasures is famed illusionist David Copperfield’s private magic museum, located in a warehouse off the Strip, which has been visited over the years by the likes of Taylor Swift, Guillermo del Toro, Hugh Jackman and producer Jason Blum.
Now, Copperfield has published a book that documents his immense trove of memorabilia, from Harry Houdini’s Water Torture Cell and Richiardi Jr.’s rotating buzz saw to the rifle that killed magician Chung Ling Soo after a failed attempt to do his famous bullet-catching feat.
In David Copperfield’s History of Magic (Simon & Schuster,...
Now, Copperfield has published a book that documents his immense trove of memorabilia, from Harry Houdini’s Water Torture Cell and Richiardi Jr.’s rotating buzz saw to the rifle that killed magician Chung Ling Soo after a failed attempt to do his famous bullet-catching feat.
In David Copperfield’s History of Magic (Simon & Schuster,...
- 11/27/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
One of Las Vegas’ under-the-radar treasures is famed illusionist David Copperfield’s private magic museum, located in a warehouse off the Strip, which has been visited over the years by the likes of Taylor Swift, Guillermo del Toro, Hugh Jackman and producer Jason Blum.
Now, Copperfield has published a book that documents his immense trove of memorabilia, from Harry Houdini’s Water Torture Cell and Richiardi Jr.’s rotating buzz saw to the rifle that killed magician Chung Ling Soo after a failed attempt to do his famous bullet-catching feat.
In David Copperfield’s History of Magic (Simon & Schuster,...
Now, Copperfield has published a book that documents his immense trove of memorabilia, from Harry Houdini’s Water Torture Cell and Richiardi Jr.’s rotating buzz saw to the rifle that killed magician Chung Ling Soo after a failed attempt to do his famous bullet-catching feat.
In David Copperfield’s History of Magic (Simon & Schuster,...
- 11/27/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A major question about Adam McKay’s untitled Lakers series for HBO — who will play Pat Riley — has been answered. Oscar winner Adrien Brody has been tapped to star as the former Los Angeles Lakers head coach in the drama series based on Jeff Pearlman’s book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s. McKay’s Hyperobject Industries is producing.
Written by Max Borenstein, the Untitled Lakers Project is a fast-break series chronicling the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties — a team that defined its era, both on and off the court.
Brody’s Pat Riley, head coach of the Showtime era, led the Lakers to four NBA championships – and unprecedented superstardom. His iconic style, confidence and fast-break offense defined ’80s basketball and influenced pop culture at large.
Brody joins a cast that includes...
Written by Max Borenstein, the Untitled Lakers Project is a fast-break series chronicling the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties — a team that defined its era, both on and off the court.
Brody’s Pat Riley, head coach of the Showtime era, led the Lakers to four NBA championships – and unprecedented superstardom. His iconic style, confidence and fast-break offense defined ’80s basketball and influenced pop culture at large.
Brody joins a cast that includes...
- 3/16/2021
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
From Harry Houdini to David Blaine, magicians have never ceased to hold audiences enraptured, turn the impossible into possible and spark the pervading question: “How did they do that?” The latter—however—is not solely a part of spectator speculation after a performance. A magician like the late James Randi utilized his craft to demonstrate how charlatans such as Uri Geller, Peter Popoff, and James Hydrick successfully duped individuals into believing they possessed psychic powers.
Continue reading ‘In & of Itself’ Trailer: The Line Between Magic And Philosophy Is Blurred In Frank Oz’s Hulu Doc at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘In & of Itself’ Trailer: The Line Between Magic And Philosophy Is Blurred In Frank Oz’s Hulu Doc at The Playlist.
- 1/8/2021
- by Andrew Hrip
- The Playlist
Ben Affleck has been roped in to feature in Disney's Harry Houdini movie.
The 48-year-old Hollywood star, who will be reprising his role as Batman for the upcoming movie version of 'The Flash', has been reportedly confirmed to star in the upcoming film, based on the life of America’s most acclaimed magician and escape artist Harry Houdini, per Wion.
The project has been in development for several years and now new reports suggest that Ben Affleck will not play the titular role. Instead, he will appear as “a supporting character who is some kind of agent.” An official confirmation about his involvement with the film is awaited.
Based on William Kalush and Larry Sloman‘s novel 'The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero', the film revolves around the legendary illusionist's life and career who passed away in 1962.
'10 Cloverfield Lane' and '...
The 48-year-old Hollywood star, who will be reprising his role as Batman for the upcoming movie version of 'The Flash', has been reportedly confirmed to star in the upcoming film, based on the life of America’s most acclaimed magician and escape artist Harry Houdini, per Wion.
The project has been in development for several years and now new reports suggest that Ben Affleck will not play the titular role. Instead, he will appear as “a supporting character who is some kind of agent.” An official confirmation about his involvement with the film is awaited.
Based on William Kalush and Larry Sloman‘s novel 'The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero', the film revolves around the legendary illusionist's life and career who passed away in 1962.
'10 Cloverfield Lane' and '...
- 12/16/2020
- by Omkar Padte
- GlamSham
The vicious legal battle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard took a decisive turn last month when a British judge ruled that her allegations were credible and that it wasn’t libellous for The Sun newspaper to describe Depp as a “wife beater.” Since then, his fortunes have fallen.
He was almost immediately booted off Fantastic Beasts 3, his indie movie Minamata was removed from film festival lineups, he’s apparently lost the role of Harry Houdini in a prestige TV show and is now described as “radioactive” by industry insiders. Heard, on the other hand, has seen her star rise.
A fan campaign to get her fired from Aquaman 2 has amounted to nothing, she’s reportedly being offered parts in other major franchises, and next week will be seen playing a key role in CBS’ adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand. Now, she’s got another nice money-spinner...
He was almost immediately booted off Fantastic Beasts 3, his indie movie Minamata was removed from film festival lineups, he’s apparently lost the role of Harry Houdini in a prestige TV show and is now described as “radioactive” by industry insiders. Heard, on the other hand, has seen her star rise.
A fan campaign to get her fired from Aquaman 2 has amounted to nothing, she’s reportedly being offered parts in other major franchises, and next week will be seen playing a key role in CBS’ adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand. Now, she’s got another nice money-spinner...
- 12/15/2020
- by David James
- We Got This Covered
Ben Affleck has joined the cast of Disney's upcoming Harry Houdini movie, but don't expect him to appear as the legendary escape artist. According to a report by SlashFilm, Affleck will play "a supporting character who is some kind of agent" and may travel in the same circles as Houdini. Based on William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s…...
- 12/14/2020
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Ben Affleck is reportedly set to appear in a Harry Houdini movie about the world-famous magician and escape artist. A new report says former Warner Bros. executive and current film producer Jeff Robinov has set up a Houdini movie at Disney with 10 Cloverfield Lane and Black Mirror director Dan Trachtenberg behind the camera. The project is […]
The post Dan Trachtenberg’s Houdini Movie Casts Ben Affleck, But Not as Houdini appeared first on /Film.
The post Dan Trachtenberg’s Houdini Movie Casts Ben Affleck, But Not as Houdini appeared first on /Film.
- 12/14/2020
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Throughout Johnny Depp‘s bitter split from ex-wife Amber Heard and the subsequent legal battles that followed, fans have always vociferously supported the actor, and their unwavering loyalty has only intensified since he was dumped from Fantastic Beasts 3. Hardly a day goes by when the former Pirates of the Caribbean star isn’t trending for one reason or another, but an incendiary new article has now painted him in an entirely different light.
As well as offering up a series of revelations that include some expletive-ridden tirades about Heard and the fact that he picked up a massive $16 million payday for shooting one scene as Grindelwald on the Wizarding World prequel, the report provides details on yet another high profile gig that the 57 year-old now looks set to miss out on.
Depp was attached to star as Harry Houdini in a prestige TV drama to be produced by Jerry Bruckheimer,...
As well as offering up a series of revelations that include some expletive-ridden tirades about Heard and the fact that he picked up a massive $16 million payday for shooting one scene as Grindelwald on the Wizarding World prequel, the report provides details on yet another high profile gig that the 57 year-old now looks set to miss out on.
Depp was attached to star as Harry Houdini in a prestige TV drama to be produced by Jerry Bruckheimer,...
- 12/10/2020
- by Scott Campbell
- We Got This Covered
We’re now over a month out from Johnny Depp‘s high profile libel defeat and it’s set to have a major effect on his career. The judge concluded that The Sun newspaper was not being libellous when it referred to him as a “wife beater,” a decision that Depp’s legal team dubbed “as perverse as it is bewildering.” He’s since lodged an appeal, but already has taken some hard knocks.
Warner Bros. booted him off Fantastic Beasts 3, his film Minamata was removed from festival schedules, and he lost out on the lead role in a Harry Houdini TV project. But now, The Hollywood Reporter has published a bombshell article interviewing several industry insiders who agree that the actor is effectively unemployable at this point.
One studio head, who remains unnamed, said the following about Depp:
“You simply can’t work with him now. He’s radioactive.
Warner Bros. booted him off Fantastic Beasts 3, his film Minamata was removed from festival schedules, and he lost out on the lead role in a Harry Houdini TV project. But now, The Hollywood Reporter has published a bombshell article interviewing several industry insiders who agree that the actor is effectively unemployable at this point.
One studio head, who remains unnamed, said the following about Depp:
“You simply can’t work with him now. He’s radioactive.
- 12/10/2020
- by David James
- We Got This Covered
Although the swearing-in of President-elect Joe Biden is just about six weeks away, President Donald Trump has still been dominating the news, most recently with a hearing regarding allegations of fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Naturally, for “Saturday Night Live’s” first show back after a few week hiatus, the late-night sketch comedy series led with a satirization of that televised event, featuring Kate McKinnon as Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani, Cecily Strong as “star witness” Melissa Carone and Chloe Fineman as “Nicole Kidman’s character from ‘The Undoing'” (aka Grace Fraser).
McKinnon began the sketch, which you can watch above, by saying it was exciting to “just be in a courtroom where I’m not the defendant.” Planning to “prove” that the election was stolen “with a level of trickery” not seen since Harry Houdini, McKinnon’s Giuliani was interrupted by fart noises that the character claimed “wasn...
McKinnon began the sketch, which you can watch above, by saying it was exciting to “just be in a courtroom where I’m not the defendant.” Planning to “prove” that the election was stolen “with a level of trickery” not seen since Harry Houdini, McKinnon’s Giuliani was interrupted by fart noises that the character claimed “wasn...
- 12/6/2020
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
Smithsonian Channel will mix forensics, true crime, and well-known names in its new series The Curious Life and Death of… Hosted by famed medical historian Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris, the show performs post-mortem examinations on some of the most puzzling deaths in history. The six-part series will premiere on Sunday, Sept. 6 at 9 p.m. Et.
“Whether its 90s icon Brittany Murphy, Rolling Stone founder Brian Jones, or axe-murderess Lizzie Borden, the lives of these fascinating individuals are revealed through tests, investigation and autopsies as medical historian, Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris provides a curious and sometimes macabre glimpse into a biography from the morgue,” according to the press statement.
Over the run of the season, a revolving cast of experts, including Scotland Yard detectives, medical examiners, and weapons gurus will probe the mysterious death of Harry Houdini and the infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar. The team will also attempt to identify a tiny body,...
“Whether its 90s icon Brittany Murphy, Rolling Stone founder Brian Jones, or axe-murderess Lizzie Borden, the lives of these fascinating individuals are revealed through tests, investigation and autopsies as medical historian, Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris provides a curious and sometimes macabre glimpse into a biography from the morgue,” according to the press statement.
Over the run of the season, a revolving cast of experts, including Scotland Yard detectives, medical examiners, and weapons gurus will probe the mysterious death of Harry Houdini and the infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar. The team will also attempt to identify a tiny body,...
- 9/3/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Women seeking the vote had already become comic fodder by the time Variety began publishing in 1905. But gags about suffrage gave way to showbiz support as the women’s vote crept closer to reality. The 19th amendment was finally signed into law Aug. 26, 1920, 78 years after the first women’s rights convention in this country and 144 years after the Declaration of Independence asserted that all men are created equal.
Looking back on this 100th year anniversary, there was plenty of resistance to the notion of women voting, and those tensions animated the entertainment community along with the rest of society.
Around the time that Variety began publishing Stateside, U.K. media coined the term suffragette, and the lighter, more dismissive sobriquet quickly gained traction in entertainment circles. In 1908, Harry Houdini employed suffragettes in his stage act, Variety reported. And early film star Charlie Chaplin donned drag for the first time on...
Looking back on this 100th year anniversary, there was plenty of resistance to the notion of women voting, and those tensions animated the entertainment community along with the rest of society.
Around the time that Variety began publishing Stateside, U.K. media coined the term suffragette, and the lighter, more dismissive sobriquet quickly gained traction in entertainment circles. In 1908, Harry Houdini employed suffragettes in his stage act, Variety reported. And early film star Charlie Chaplin donned drag for the first time on...
- 8/19/2020
- by Diane Garrett
- Variety Film + TV
Los Angeles landmark Magic Castle has laid off almost all of its staff, as the spread of coronavirus affects businesses nationwide, Variety has learned.
The members-only club pink slipped 189 employees on Saturday, insiders said, and will operate on a skeletal staff of nine to maintain the historic Hollywood clubhouse, which sits just behind the Dolby Theater on Franklin Avenue.
The club offers dinner and a rotating roster of headlining magic acts for guests. Showman Neil Patrick Harris is a former president the board of directors, and the venue has been featured in scripted content like Judd Apatow’s Netflix original “Love.” The chateau-style building was declared a cultural monument in 1989, and is run by a group called the Academy of Magical Arts.
“Amid these extraordinary circumstances, amid this disappointing and unsettling time, the Board of Directors has decided that we must lay off most of our employees due to the necessary closures,...
The members-only club pink slipped 189 employees on Saturday, insiders said, and will operate on a skeletal staff of nine to maintain the historic Hollywood clubhouse, which sits just behind the Dolby Theater on Franklin Avenue.
The club offers dinner and a rotating roster of headlining magic acts for guests. Showman Neil Patrick Harris is a former president the board of directors, and the venue has been featured in scripted content like Judd Apatow’s Netflix original “Love.” The chateau-style building was declared a cultural monument in 1989, and is run by a group called the Academy of Magical Arts.
“Amid these extraordinary circumstances, amid this disappointing and unsettling time, the Board of Directors has decided that we must lay off most of our employees due to the necessary closures,...
- 3/22/2020
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
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