News

Judy Counihan joins as scripted creative director.

London-based Pulse Films has brought in Archery Pictures executive Judy Counihan as scripted creative director.

The renowned Counihan, who has 25 years’ experience working in international TV and film, will help grow Pulse’s scripted slate, which includes recently recommissioned Sky/AMC series Gangs Of London, An Olive Grove In Ends adapted from by Moses McKenzie from his novel, Anna Friel-fronted The Perfect Girlfriend, and an upcoming as-yet-untitled Lewis Capaldi feature documnetary, being sold by UK outfit Independent Entertainment.

As Archery’s creative director, Counihan has worked across all drama series and feature films which includes series Riviera,...

Exclusive: Award-winning actor Dev Patel (The Green Knight) has signed with CAA for representation.

Patel found his breakout big-screen role in Danny Boyle’s 2008 drama Slumdog Millionaire, which won eight Academy Awards including Best Picture. The actor notched his first Oscar and Golden Globe nominations and won a BAFTA Award in 2017 for his starring turn opposite Nicole Kidman in Garth Davis’ Lion, and scored his first Emmy nom three years later for a guest part on Prime Video’s Modern Love.

Other notable credits for the actor include Hotel Mumbai, which he exec produced; David Lowery’s The Green Knight for A24; John Madden’s acclaimed dramedy The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel; Aaron Sorkin’s Emmy-winning HBO drama series The Newsroom; and Armando Iannucci’s The Personal History of David Copperfield, for which he garnered his second Golden Globe nomination.

Patel will next make his feature directorial debut with the...

Wasserman has acquired The Montag Group, a sports agency known for repping the late NFL coach and color commentator John Madden and hundreds of other broadcasters and athletes.

As part of the deal, the agency will continue to operate as The Montag Group, with Sandy Montag, Maury Gostfrand and their staff joining Wasserman. If Management, headed by Steve Herz, is also embarking on a strategic partnership with Wasserman and The Montag Group that will see the companies work closely together.

Montag, Gostfrand and their employees will continue to be based in White Plains, NY and New York City.

“This acquisition adds world-class executives, agents, and services to support Wasserman’s clients across all stages of their careers,” said Jason Ranne, EVP and COO of talent representation at Wasserman. “The Montag Group will provide industry-best media representation to the many current and retired athletes, coaches, front office executives, broadcasters, and influencers that we represent.

The world of football paid its respects to John Madden on the first Sunday following the NFL icon’s death. Both Fox and CBS aired separate tribute video packages honoring the Super Bowl-winning coach turned legendary broadcaster. Meanwhile, stadiums across the country observed a moment of silence before Sunday’s NFL games kicked off. “All around the league, we mourn the loss of the iconic John Madden: coach, broadcaster, and so much more, whose legacy will live forever,” announcer Kenny Albert said on Fox’s broadcast of the Las Vegas Raiders-Indianapolis Colts game (via People). CBS’s tribute included a section from Madden’s speech at the 2006 Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony. “Some of us think maybe we will be immortal, that we’ll live forever. But when you really think about it, we’re not going to be,” Madden says in the clip. “But I...

Fox remembered former NFL coach, broadcaster and video game namesake John Madden by airing its documentary All Madden, which originally premiered on Christmas Day.

The documentary which charts Madden’s rise to one of the sports world’s most notable personalities, was one of Thursday night’s top-rated programs. Earning a 0.4 rating in the 18-49 demo and 1.88 million viewers, All Madden tied with a repeat of Young Sheldon on CBS to rule Thursday’s demo. All Madden was released just three days before Madden died. He was 85 years old.

Young Sheldon was the most-watched program of Thursdsay evening. All Madden and Young Sheldon topped ABC’s showing of Frozen, repeats of Law & Order: Svu on NBC and more.

NBC’s Thursday evening peaked with Law & Order: Svu in the 9 p.m. hour, outperforming Ghosts, B Positive, and Call Me Kat which followed All Madden on Fox. CW...

It was another Year of Covid in 2021, and the sadness extended to many beloved and groundbreaking people in the show business and media worlds who died during the past 12 months.

Scroll through a photo gallery above.

The acting world lost such giants as Betty White who died on New Year’s Eve eve, Ed Asner, Cicely Tyson, Charles Grodin, Jessica Walter, Christopher Plummer, Michael K. Williams, Hal Holbrook, George Segal, Yaphet Kotto, Jane Powell and Ned Beatty.

We also pay tribute to filmmakers including Melvin Van Peebles, Jean-Marc Vallée, Bertrand Travernier, Richard Donner, Michael Apted and Roger Michell.

The executive and producing worlds lost the likes of Jamie Tarses, Chuck Fries and public television’s Pete Noyes and Bill Kobin.

Musicians who left us this past year include Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, Don Everly, Vicente Fernandez, Dmx, Chick Corea, Biz Markie, B.J. Thomas, the Monkees’ Mike Nesmith, the Supremes’ Mary Wilson,...

Retrospective special The Price Is Right Celebrates 50 Years on CBS was the big winner of the final Wednesday primetime of 2021.

Earning a 0.6 rating in the 18-49 demo and 4.95 million viewers, the repeat airing of the CBS special led the pack as the night’s highest-rated and most-watched program. Not too shabby for a rerun, considering that previous repeat broadcasts haven’t earned beyond a 0.5 demo rating since the primetime holiday break started. This is the second week in a row that CBS has won Wednesday primetime with The Price Is Right-related content. Last week, CBS ruled Wednesday with The Price Is Right at Night.

That said, other networks’ repeat-filled primetime slates on Wednesday didn’t perform as well. Following its black-ish marathon on Tuesday, ABC’s Wednesday schedule thrust The Wonder Years into the spotlight. At the top of Wednesday’s six-episode marathon, The Wonder Years earned a...

When the founder of Electronic Arts boarded an Amtrak train back in 1984 for a meeting with legendary coach-turned-commentator John Madden, there was no way of knowing it at the time, but they were about to change the world of video games forever. EA’s Madden Football franchise, with new releases every year since its debut […]

The post Boom! John Madden On How He Helped Make Video Game History appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.

The sports world is still mourning the tragic loss of NFL Hall of Fame coach and broadcaster John Madden, who passed away at 85 on December 28. Madden had a significant impact on the game of football, from his Super Bowl-winning coaching of the Oakland Raiders to his memorable commentary that saw him become the voice of the NFL. His infectious, larger-than-life personality made him a beloved figure both on and off the field. Below are some of Madden’s greatest moments from his legendary career. (Credit: ©Fox / courtesy Everett Collection) Whack! Boom! Doink! Madden’s commentary brought extra life to the game, keeping fans entertained for three decades. And it was his catchy soundbites, such as “Whack!,” “Boom!,” and “Doink!,” that made his time in the broadcast booth so memorable. The Turducken Thanksgiving Day football with Madden on the call became a much-beloved tradition. An odd but brilliant part of that...

The sports world and beyond is paying tribute to John Madden, the NFL Hall of Fame coach and broadcaster who died on Tuesday morning. He was 85. Madden’s passing was confirmed by the National Football League on Tuesday afternoon, who said that the broadcast booth legend died unexpectedly. A cause of death has not yet been revealed publicly. “Nobody loved football more than Coach,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “He was football. He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will be forever indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.” (Credit: Dennis Desprois/Getty Images) Madden served as head coach of the Oakland Raiders for 10 seasons, his gridiron tactics leading the team to a Super Bowl victory in 1976. Following his retirement from coaching in 1979, Madden began his broadcasting career,...

NFL players and teams, colleagues, friends and others are mourning John Madden, the Hall of Fame NFL coach-turned-broadcaster who died today at 85. Here are some of their tributes from social media:

A statement on the passing of the great John Madden from CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus. pic.twitter.com/gyPhF91NGy

— NFL on CBS...

John Madden, the legendary NFL coach and broadcaster with a popular video game named after him, has died at age 85, the NFL announced.

The NFL said Madden died “unexpectedly” on Tuesday morning. The cause of death has not been disclosed.

“On behalf of the entire NFL family, we extend our condolences to Virginia, Mike, Joe and their families,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We all know him as the Hall of Fame coach of the Oakland Raiders and broadcaster who worked for every major network, but more than anything,...

John Madden died Tuesday at 85. The passing of the exuberant, Hall of Fame former Oakland Raiders coach who retired that post after a decade and then became a broadcast-booth legend, a popular pitchman and later the wildly successful Madden NFL video game franchise, was announced by the National Football League, which said he died unexpectedly Tuesday morning. If you were a football watcher when Madden worked a game, you might agree there will never be another like him.

“Nobody loved football more than Coach,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday. “He was football. He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will be forever indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”

Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery

His death came close on the heels...

John Madden, the legendary football coach, broadcaster and namesake of the popular video game franchise, died on Tuesday morning. He was 85.

The National Football League announced his death on Tuesday afternoon in a press release, writing that Madden died unexpectedly. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed.

“On behalf of the entire NFL family, we extend our condolences to Virginia, Mike, Joe and their families,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We all know him as the Hall of Fame coach of the Oakland Raiders and broadcaster who worked for every major network, but more than anything, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football. He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make...

by Cláudio Alves

It's time to wish a happy anniversary to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. John Madden's unlikely box-office juggernaut was first screened ten years ago on the Sorrento Incontro Internazionale del Cinema. Truth be told, it's not a fantastic flick, adapting a Deborah Moggach novel into a toothless feel-good comedy that reeks of good intentions corroded by colonialist condescension. Where it triumphs, however, is in casting. Madden managed to gather a remarkable ensemble, made up of charismatic British thespians who could deliver great performances with their eyes closed and a hand tied behind their back: Judi Dench! Maggie Smith! Bill Nighy! Penelope Wilton! Tom Wilkinson! And more.

Indeed, their collective work singlehandedly makes the movie into a middlebrow delight. From that collection of beloved British entertainers, Maggie Smith probably came closest to an Oscar nomination…...

It’s the 20th anniversary of “Shakespeare in Love,” which premiered in New York on Dec. 3, 1998, defying expectations and making Oscar history. On Oct. 23, 1992, Variety reported that Universal and Savoy Pictures had “indefinitely shelved” the $20 million production with Julia Roberts and director Ed Zwick when Daniel Day-Lewis dropped out. It went into turnaround, then froze until Miramax finally revived it in 1998.

The film was a hit, earning $289 million worldwide and winning seven Oscars. When it was named best picture, five producers trooped onstage to accept, an all-time high. Academy honchos soon set a maximum of three. The AMPAS move was partly made to combat Hollywood’s proliferation of producer credits, and partly to rebuke Miramax execs. Still, the “Shakespeare” quintet pales compared with the 50-plus individuals who went onstage at this year’s Tonys when “The Band’s Visit” won the award for best musical.

“Shakespeare in Love” writer Marc Norman...

In 1887, a 24-year-old Indian man named Abdul Karim traveled from his home country to England, to be a servant for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Karim made such an impression on the monarch that she handpicked him to become her tutor in the ways of his home country, and even teach her Urdu. The two developed a close friendship that scandalized the Royal Household and would go on until the time of the Queen’s death in 1901. Karim’s story remained mostly unknown until the release of a book by Shrabani Basu which recounted his years in the Queen’s court. Basu’s book was used as the inspiration for Victoria & Abdul, a film by Stephen Frears. Speaking from the Toronto Film Festival, Frears expressed he wanted to tell the story because of its provocative elements and to show the Queen was “more interesting than those statues of her.” “She...

Grab your beer, set your lineups and welcome the new football season! Yes, thats right! The 2017-2018 NFL season is here and to help kickoff this season I’ve decided to do a top five dedicated to films about the sport. I have always loved the sport since I was a kid. From playing “Tecmo Bowl”, “Madden” just about every year and NFL Blitz to playing the real thing for a number of years. I love the sport almost as much as I love movies. When you put the two together you can get some really memorable films. Here’s my picks for top five football films.

Little Giants

It seems like each sport has at least one film made for children. Baseball has Sandlot, hockey has Mighty Ducks, basketball has Space Jam and so on. Well when it comes to football that film is Little Giants. The Little Giants...

Stephen Frears’ “Victoria & Abdul” is an otherwise benignly toothless, pleasantly glossy affair, but it does force us to confront one tricky question: When treating a subject as fraught as British imperial rule, when does a film’s benign inoffensiveness become offensive in and of itself? Still, that’s about the only food for thought in what is at once a breezy, lion-in-winter vehicle for Judi Dench in queen-mode and a “Lifestyles of the Rich and Noble” bit of wealth porn, and not much more.

Dench is back as Queen Victoria, returning to a role she had previously played in John Madden’s “Mrs. Brown,” a film that must have not only inspired Frears and screenwriter Lee Hall, but acted as their foundational text. Little is known about the very real relationship that existed between the aging monarch and her advisor Abdul Karim, and so Hall has essentially grafted their story...

Judi Dench knows the weight of carrying the crown, having played Queen Victoria twenty years ago in John Madden‘s “Mrs. Brown.” Now, the Oscar winning actress is back on the throne to play the royal role again in “Victoria And Abdul,” and awards season chatter is already buzzing about her performance. And today we have an exclusive clip from the film.

Directed by Stephen Frears, who previously worked with Dench on “Philomena,” “Mrs.

Continue reading ‘Victoria And Abdul’ Exclusive Clip: Judi Dench Learns Urdu at The Playlist.

As we wait for NBA 2K18 to drop on the shelves next month, we thought we’d take a little trip down memory lane. Here’s our selection of the top five best-selling sports franchises ever made.

1. FIFA

EA Sports – it’s in the game. How many times have you heard that line as you load up FIFA? First released back in 1993, the best-selling sports franchise in history has shipped over 100 million copies. From the pixelated limits of the first version right through to the slick graphics, in-depth tactics and popular Ultimate Team on the latest ones, this is a game that’s captured many a heart around the world. If you want to put your money where your football knowledge mouth is, it’s a great sport to bet on. Otherwise, check out the best casino bonus offers to try and spin up some cash in online casinos.

2. Madden...

[[tmz:video id="0_hpxy9ap3"]] Serena Williams is getting hilariously loopy in her pregnancy ... like, laugh out loud funny. With the baby due in roughly 2 weeks (or less) ... a very pregnant Serena used a Sharpie pen to draw on her stomach for a sports-style breakdown of how the birth is gonna go.  It's almost like if John Madden had to draw up and break down the delivery. After that, Serena honed in on her baby daddy, Alexis Ohanian -- and...

Donald Trump has had plenty of volatile exchanges with the press since he announced his candidacy, but he's saved some of his most searing personal attacks for Morning Joe co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. In the course of the campaign, Trump went from promoting his many appearances on the show – and having off-the-record phone calls with the hosts – to calling Brzezinski "a neurotic and not very bright mess" and suggesting she "had a mental breakdown while talking about me" last summer.

But Trump unleashed one of his more vicious...

Ed Kegenof Jun 16, 2017

As The Evil Within 2‘s announced, we take a look at what happens when urban myths and legends collide with the realm of gaming...

Most people can cite at least a couple of urban legends or conspiracy theories. Paul McCartney isn't really Paul McCartney. A ghost haunts a single shot in the 80s comedy hit Three Men And A Baby. Blowing on Nintendo cartridges makes them work better.

With the advent of the internet, we might be forgiven for thinking that outlandish claims and tall tales would be chased away by the might of Google or a website like Snopes, where myth-busting facts are but a search term or click away. Instead, the web has allowed creepy stories and urban legends to travel more quickly than ever, as they’re copied and pasted in forums, emails and social media posts - hence the oft-used term 'creepypasta', used to describe these strange,...

John Madden says Marshawn Lynch could be a game changer for the Oakland Raiders -- and kinda took a shot at Pete Carroll in the process! The NFL legend and former Raiders coach was asked why bringing Beast Mode to the Silver and Black would be a big deal. Here's what he said: "One of the worst things in pro football now is short-yardage and goal line offense," John said. "Teams can’t get 1st...

Up until a few years ago, Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India, was the longest reigning monarch. That is until Queen Elizabeth II, her great-great granddaughter surpassed her in September 2015. Elizabeth has been Queen since 1952.

With a reign of 63 years, seven months and two days, Victoria was the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning queen regnant in world history.

Focus Features has released the first poster and trailer for the upcoming Victoria & Abdul, from director Stephen Frears (The Queen,” “Philomena,” “Mrs. Henderson Presents”). The cast features Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Adeel Akhtar, Simon Callow, Eddie Izzard, Ruth McCabe, Tim Pigott-Smith, Julian Wadham, Olivia Williams, Fenella Woolgar and Michael Gambon.

Many fans of the 1997’s Mrs. Brown wanted more of the story of a bereaved Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and her relationship with a Scottish servant, John Brown (Billy Connolly), and the subsequent uproar it provoked.

The actor shines as a tough Washington lobbyist in this murky political thriller

Currently Hollywood’s go-to girl for steely fembot careerist roles, Jessica Chastain does her luridly lipsticked best with the character of Washington lobbyist Elizabeth Sloane. It’s a towering, armour-plated performance. The only chink of weakness we glimpse is the twitch of her left eye when control temporarily slips out of her manicured grasp. But a great lobbyist, as Elizabeth breaks the fourth wall to tell us, is always one step ahead. And the slippery screenplay contrives to keep it that way, tying itself in knots as it goes. Director John Madden shoots this murky political thriller through layers of glass and reflective surfaces – the set is markedly more transparent than the smoke-and-mirrors plotting. Amid all the machinations and dubious morals, Gugu Mbatha-Raw provides a much-needed anchor to the closest thing that passes for decency on Capitol Hill.

Prince Harry has completed a course in helping those with mental health difficulties as he, Prince William and Princess Kate step up their work for those facing challenges.

Harry underwent two days of training in how to help sufferers when he volunteered at the British Army’s Personal Recovery Unit last year. “It ran through the range of options that veterans face,” says a royal source.

Along with Harry, William and Kate have also been increasing their expertise in the area. Through his employment as a pilot with East Anglian Air Ambulance, William has seen first-hand the importance of professional mental health support,...

Thanksgiving weekend usually launches a few of the top specialized releases of the year in New York and Los Angeles.

This year boasts two long-shot awards contenders, Weinstein Co’s “Lion” starring Dev Patel and EuropaCorp’s Jessica Chastain vehicle “Miss Sloane.” Both fell short of past high-end initial results, but showed sufficient strength to justify their respective strategies.

They enter a field of established specialty titles led by “Manchester by the Sea” (Roadside Attractions), “Nocturnal Animals” and “Loving” (Focus Features) as well as “Moonlight” (A24).

Opening

“Lion” (Weinstein) – Metacritic: 64; Festivals include: Toronto, Hamptons, AFI 2016

$128,368 in 4 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $32,092

Getting the full Weinstein treatment — prime holiday release date, top New York/Los Angeles initial theaters, major ad support aiming at not only specialized but eventual crossover audiences — this Australia-produced India family reunion story opened to respectable initial numbers. While “Lion” lacks the high-end reviews that buoyed past...

It’s never been easy to put filmmaker Edward Zwick into a box. The multi-hyphenate has long eschewed sticking to just one genre and even one medium. He helped launch seminal television series like “Thirtysomething” (which he co-created alongside long-time partner Marshall Herskovitz) and “My So-Called Life” (which the pair executive produced) to the small screen, while also directing historical epics like “Glory” and “Defiance,” modern classics like “Courage Under Fire” and “Blood Diamond” and even the odd romantic comedy — or two: Zwick helmed “Love & Other Drugs” and the original “About Last Night…” feature.

Zwick has done it all, but with his latest film, “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back,” he’s managed to do something new: Try his hand at a bone-breaking action sequel, featuring America’s ass-kicking sweetheart in the title role. Zwick and Tom Cruise have worked together before, thanks to the 2003’s epic “The Last Samurai,” and...

The war between foliage and the living dead rages on in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, a new video game from Electronic Arts Inc. and PopCap Games that can now be downloaded on both the App Store and Google Play.

Press Release: Redwood City, Calif.--(Business Wire)--Today, Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq: EA) and PopCap Games announced that Plants vs. Zombies™ Heroes, the next great PvZ adventure that takes you beyond the backyard, is now available worldwide.

Watch the Plants vs. Zombies Heroes launch trailer and download the game free* from the App Store or Google Play now.

Plants vs. Zombies Heroes is an all-new collectible card game from the makers of the beloved Plants vs. Zombies franchise that, for the first time on mobile, lets players choose their favorite super-powered plant or zombie hero and assemble a team to battle against friends and foes. Players can collect hundreds of new and familiar PvZ characters,...

Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation by Cecil Beaton

This week marks the 90th birthday of her majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in 1926. The Queen celebrates two birthdays each year: her actual birthday on the 21st of April and her official birthday on the second Saturday in June. (Trooping of the Colours)

She is the world’s oldest reigning monarch as well as Britain’s longest-lived. In 2015, she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, to become the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning queen regent in world history.

Looking to celebrate her Majesty’s birthday? First, everyone rise for the national anthem of the United Kingdom.

God save our gracious Queen!

Long live our noble Queen!

God save the Queen!

Send her victorious,

Happy and glorious,

Long to reign over us:

God save the Queen!

For more on the Queen’s schedule, visit the official site: www.

The battle between foliage and the living dead will continue when Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 comes out on February 23rd from Electronic Arts Inc., even earlier than the spring 2016 debut gamers were expecting. Celebrating the release date reveal is a new gameplay trailer.

Press Release: Vancouver, British Columbia -- Spring comes early when zombies take over! PopCap Vancouver, creator of some of the world’s most beloved video game franchises and a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq: EA), today announced that Plants vs. ZombiesTM Garden Warfare 2 will be in stores February 23, 2016, arriving ahead of the expected spring launch. Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 drops you into an all-out battle where for the first time in franchise history, zombies have conquered Suburbia and plants are on the attack. Players who pre-order will get immediate access to the new Grass Effect Z7-Mech when they start the game. Inspired by...

EuropaCorp has partnered with FilmNation to produce the political thriller Miss Sloane, which John Madden will direct and Jessica Chastain will star in. The topic is hot button stuff, the issue of gun control. Script is by Jonathan Perera. Pic shoots in March. Ben Browning will produce for FilmNation and Patrick Chu will be the executive producer. EuropaCorp will fully finance the film and handle worldwide distribution. The company just launched its distribution pipeline…...

Bugs Bunny officially turns 75 today. The snickering rabbit made his first credited appearance in Tex Avery's 1940 animated short "A Wild Hare," and he remains a cultural icon three quarters of a century later. Here's why he could still use more respect.  1. He's an Academy Award winner. Not only was Bugs Oscar-nominated for his official debut in "A Wild Hare," but he picked up an Academy Award for 1958's "Knighty Knight Bugs" in the category of Best Cartoon Short Subject. Look, he even received it from Tony Curtis and his first wife (of six) Janet Leigh. 2. He stars in one of the great sports video games of the '90s. The Super Nintendo gave us plenty of classic sports games, including John Madden's football cartridges and the yearly NBA/NHL/Mlb releases. "Looney Tunes B-Ball," meanwhile, was one of the few fantastic video games not associated with a major sports organization.

Director of successful films about Indian retirement hotel says another film not on the horizon, citing age of principal cast as major factor

Despite the success of the first and second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel films, director John Madden has confirmed there will be no third instalment in the series, it has been reported.

The Sydney Confidential column of the Daily Telegraph has quoted Madden as saying “I would douse any expectations of [a third film] right now”, stating that he hadn’t even expected to direct a sequel. Madden also pointed out that his aging cast was making future films difficult.

Continue reading...

Despite the success of the first and second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel films, director John Madden has confirmed there will be no third installment in the series, it has been reported.

The Sydney Confidential column of the Daily Telegraph has quoted Madden as saying “I would douse any expectations of [a third film] right now”, stating that he hadn’t even expected to direct a sequel. Madden also pointed out that his aging cast was making future films difficult.

Continue reading...

Fifteen candidates selected from 250 scheme applicants; previous mentees include Laura Hastings-Smith.

A total of 15 candidates have been selected from 250 applicants to take part in the seventh iteration of UK mentoring scheme Guiding Lights.

This year’s line up includes directing pair James Spinney and Peter Middleton, who have begun production on their feature film Notes on Blindness, as well as Aneil Karia, Emily Greenwood, Mahdi Fleifel, director of A World Not Ours, and Billy Lumby, whose short won the Pears Short Film prize.

Writers include Jennifer Majka, who wrote the screenplay for BAFTA-winning short The Bigger Picture, Matthew Orton, and Hannah Patterson.

Brian Falconer, producer of Oscar-nominated Boogaloo and Graham, made the cut alongside producers Daisy Allsop, Michael Ford, and Chi Thai.

The final two candidates were exhibitors Sophie Easterbrook, who programmed Farnham Maltings, a creative arts centre in the South East, and Carmen Slijpen, who is developing a new community cinema in East Sussex.

Mentors for the...

Disney’s current run of adapting their animated classics as live action has been gaining steam as of late, with the likes of Maleficent and Cinderella already under their belts, and The Jungle Book, Winnie the Pooh, Beauty and the Beast, and Mulan all on the horizon. Now, the House of Mouse are looking to add a Prince Charming movie to their live action slate, with the studio acquiring a spec script from Matt Folger that is said to provide a comedic take on the character. It’s incredibly early days on the project at the moment, and with the character appearing across multiple fairy tales and contemporary adaptions, there is no no idea what version of the character will appear (John Madden already played the character in Cinderella, but it’s unlikely he’ll reprise the role). Rumours even suggest that the movie will concern itself with Charming’s...

Exec to take on production and acquisitions role.

Katie Goodson-Thomas has named director of production and acquisitions Fox Searchlight (UK) in London.

The announcement was made by Fox Searchlight Pictures president of production Claudia Lewis, to whom Goodson-Thomas will report. She will also work closely with director of production Richard Gold.

In her current role, Goodson-Thomas has overseen the production of UK period drama Far From The Madding Crowd and built slate of projects including Roger Michell’s adaptation of My Cousin Rachel; the adaptation of Renee Knight’s debut best-selling novel Disclaimer; and Susan, based on the life of talent show winner Susan Boyle.

Lewis said Goodson-Thomas brought “an unfailing vision and passion for independent film”.

Goodson-Thomas started her career in 1996, working with Graham Broadbent and Damian Jones at Dragon Pictures where she was an associate producer. She has worked on more than 22 film and television productions with directors including Thomas Vinterberg, John Madden, [link...

The NY Knicks must have done something terrible to someone in a past life, 'cause they're more cursed than the John Madden cover ... so says "Inside the NBA" star Kenny Smith.  Of course, Smith's reacting to the Knicks getting the #4 pick at Tuesday night's NBA Draft lottery ... after getting beat out by Minnesota (#1), the Lakers (#2) and Philadelphia (#3).  Fyi -- the way the lottery works, the teams with the worst record have the best odds to...

Gwyneth Paltrow silver dress on the Oscars' Red Carpet Gwyneth Paltrow at the Academy Awards Donning a shining silver dress, Gwyneth Paltrow arrives at the 2011 Academy Awards held on Feb. 27 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. Paltrow's latest movie, Country Strong, was up for a Best Song Oscar. It lost to the Toy Story 3 ditty "We Belong Together," by Randy Newman. More than a decade ago, Gwyneth Paltrow took home the Best Actress Oscar for John Madden's Shakespeare in Love (1998), a romantic comedy-drama also featuring Joseph Fiennes (as William Shakespeare), Judi Dench, Geoffrey Rush, and this year's Best Actor Oscar winner, Colin Firth (The King's Speech). Paltrow's (moderately) gender-bending Shakespeare in Love heroine remains her only Oscar-nominated performance to date. Directed by Shana Feste, Country Strong fared decently at the U.S. box office, but not as well as some had expected. Besides Gwyneth Paltrow, the cast includes...

Darth Vader, zombies, and Riverdale's Archie are featured in our latest round-up, in which we take a look at the first trailer and release details for Star Wars Battlefront, the Wizard World Minneapolis variant cover for The Walking Dead #1, and release details for the Archie vs. Sharknado one-shot.

Star Wars Battlefront: The long-awaited Star Wars Battlefront will be released on November 17th, about one month before the debut of Star Wars: The Force Awakens:

Press Release -- "Redwood City, Calif.--(Business Wire)--Dice™, an Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq:ea) studio, and Lucasfilm announced today that Star Wars™ Battlefront™ will be released beginning November 17, 2015 in North America (November 19 in Europe) as the first full-length trailer for this highly anticipated title premiered to thousands of fans at Star Wars™ Celebration. Combining an unprecedented collaboration with Lucasfilm and the award-winning Frostbite™ game engine, Star Wars Battlefront will deliver an incredibly authentic and...

Boom!!!! John Madden just Went Off on Will Ferrell -- ripping the guy over his Mlb Spring Training stunt ... saying it was disrespectful and insulting to the game of baseball ... and yes, he's being serious.  The NFL legend called in to Kcbs Morning Newswatch right before Ferrell took the field with 10 Mlb teams in Arizona yesterday ... and essentially said the stunt robbed real players of Real opportunities and made a mockery of the game.  "I hate it,...

Neill Blomkamp's "Chappie" got a polarizing reaction from critics and moviegoers appear unsure of the final product as well.  The Sci-Fi flick opened to just $4.5 million on Friday for what could be a $13-14 million weekend.  That was enough for it to take the top spot at the box office, but considering initial pre-release polling had the film debuting over $20 million that has to be a major disappointment for distributor Sony Pictures.  "Chappie" is on track to be Hugh Jackman's worst opening since "Australia" in 2008 and Blomkamp's worst ever after "District 9" debuted to $37 million and "Elysium" found $29.8 million in its first frame. Last weekend's top film, "Focus," dropped to no. 2 with another $2.8 million and $27.4 million to date. The Will Smith and Margot Robbie hustle looks like it will eventually tap out around $50 million. Debuting at no. 3 in just 1,573 screens (under half of the number for "Chappie...

Two big films for you this weekend! First, we have .Chappie. from .District 9. writer/director Neill Blomkamp. This one.s about artificial intelligence and it stars Hugh Jackman, Dev Patel, and Sigourney Weaver. Sharlto Copley voices Chappie and even Anderson Cooper stars as.himself! Is this better than the last Blomkamp movie, the half-baked .Elysium?. And is this worthy of praise ala .District 9?.

And then, we have .The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.. The whole gang, including director John Madden, return for the sequel. But, do we really need another .Best Exotic Marigold Hotel?. This one stars Patel as well where he plays Sonny and this time, he wants to open another Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Is this as good as the first one?

See my thoughts on the new .Chappie. and .The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel..

It’s sentimental, silly and stereotypical, but this later-life comedy sequel grows on you, and the thespian firepower of Smith, Imrie, Nighy, Dench – and now Gere – is redoubtable

Considering the quality of most sequels, it was bold, or rash, to put the words “second best” in the title. But though still treacly, still exasperatingly sentimental and stereotypical, this follow-up to the first Exotic Marigold Hotel turns out to be rather better. By bringing back the story of Brit retirees at a chaotic Indian hotel, director John Madden and his writer, Ol Parker, have given it the air of an unassuming BBC1 sitcom that grows on you. It’s a daft, good-natured Arcadian comedy of late-life yearnings with the same formidable cast, plus some newcomers. Maggie Smith’s cockney accent is still unconvincing, but there’s no doubt that her screen presence and sheer thespian firepower lend heft to this film,...

Terry Crews might play a tough guy in The Expendables and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but deep down he just likes to giggle at cat videos.

Crews, 46, has added another line to his packed résumé: host of Fox's new viral-video show World's Funniest Fails, premiering Friday night.

Crews has been obsessing over Internet videos since his daughter Tera, 16, showed him "Scarlet Takes a Tumble" on YouTube. "What happens is, you get in a rabbit hole," he tells People. "All of a sudden, two hours later, you're watching all these videos."

When Fox approached him about hosting Fails, Crews said he realized the...

Terry Crews might play a tough guy in The Expendables and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but deep down he just likes to giggle at cat videos. Crews, 46, has added another line to his packed résumé: host of Fox's new viral-video show World's Funniest Fails, premiering Friday night. Crews has been obsessing over Internet videos since his daughter Tera, 16, showed him "Scarlet Takes a Tumble" on YouTube. "What happens is, you get in a rabbit hole," he tells People. "All of a sudden, two hours later, you're watching all these videos." When Fox approached him about hosting Fails, Crews said he realized the...

Remember a few weeks ago on The Walking Dead, how well Rick’s plan to get the drop on Gareth and his man-eating sidekicks worked? This week’s plan didn’t go off like that. Like, at all. As a result, our heroes’ attempt to bust Beth and Carol out of Grady began to look less like a rescue mission and more like a suicide mission. Why? Read on…

What A Holy S—! | Even before Rick, Daryl, Noah, Tyreese and a still-very-much-grief-stricken Sasha set off for the hospital, Gabriel was reminding us of what a whiny bastard he is. (Honestly,...