Olivia Rodrigo Releases ‘Handmaid’s Tale’-Inspired Song, ‘Serena Joy,’ in a Tiny Run of CDs, With Digital Drop to Follow

It was already clear Olivia Rodrigo is in full feminist mode these days, with her all-female music festival, Daisy Chain Fields, set to take place in California’s Orange County next Saturday. But it’s perhaps even clearer now that Rodrigo is releasing a non-album track, “Serena Joy,” named after a prominent character in “The Handmaid’s Tale” […]

variety.com

Austrian Director Sandra Wollner’s ‘Everytime’ Wins Best Film at Sarajevo Film Festival

Sandra Wollner’s “Everytime” continued its winning streak at the Sarajevo Film Festival, where the Cannes Un Certain Regard winner took home the Heart of Sarajevo for best narrative feature film. The Austrian director’s third feature was the unanimous choice of a jury headed by two-time Academy Award nominee Emily Watson, which said in its citation: […]

variety.com

Bill Maher Puts Hunter Biden in the Hot Seat: ‘I’ve Seen You With Your Dick Out’

After enduring years of character assassinations by the right, Hunter Biden is in the throes of a chaotic media blitz that’s included Twitter-trolling, posting on Substack and appearances on a number of far-right podcasts, from Hitler worshipper Nick Fuentes and Russia stooge Tucker Carlson to conspiracy theorist Candace Owens. Is Joe Biden’s wayward son trying […]

variety.com

‘Spa Weekend’ Review: Leslie Mann and Isla Fisher in a High-Concept Comedy Without the Comic Highs

I watched "Spa Weekend" and realized that the genre it’s in — the high-concept movie with the concept in the title, the comedy that puts out a vibe of "Look, I’m crass and dumb and obvious! And that’s why you like me!" — may be entering its twilight zone.

variety.com

Paramount and State A.G. to Meet Monday to Discuss Settlement of Antitrust Case

Paramount Skydance representatives are expected to meet on Monday with the California Attorney General’s office to discuss a potential settlement of the states’ antitrust case, according to two sources familiar with the situation. Paramount has been pushing hard for a deal to allow its $111 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery to close. The deal […]

variety.com

Paramount Slams Mark Ruffalo Merger Attack as ‘Antisemitic,’ Says Company Does Not ‘Tolerate Prejudice of Any Kind’

Paramount has come out swinging against a Friday screed from Mark Ruffalo, in which the award-winning actor accused moguls David and Larry Ellison of “powering some of the most destructive and inhuman forces in the world.” A spokesperson for the David Ellison-run enterprise said the company is “troubled when antisemitic tropes are invoked in purported […]

variety.com

Emmy Overachiever Jason Bateman on Whether He Considers Himself an Actor or Director First

Jason Bateman is this year’s Emmy overachiever, nominated for lead limited series actor and limited series directing on Netflix’s “Black Rabbit,” and as both supporting actor and executive producer on another limited series, HBO Max’s “DTF St. Louis.” So where does the multi-hyphenate’s brain reside more in these days, as an actor or director? “They […]

variety.com

Secret Hollywood Group’s AI Plan Focuses on Defining How AI Is Used — While Keeping Humans in Control

A group of Hollywood filmmakers, executives and actors has spent the last three years secretly meeting with Silicon Valley executives to try to address a simmering issue in the industry: how to define where AI is useful in the context of a human-controlled creative process. The meetings were first convened in November 2023 by LucasFilm […]

variety.com

Vertical Media on Track to Generate $150 Billion in 2026 as the Booming Sector Fights Crowded Content Field and High Subscriber Acquisition Costs

There’s no doubt that 2026 will go down as a milestone year for the growth in popularity of vertical media content in the U.S. The sector is booming but still incredibly diffuse. That will change as microdramas and other formats proliferate and generate more advertising, subscription and in-app purchase revenue. Those are among the conclusions […]

variety.com

‘Harry Potter’ Star Jessie Cave Says It Was ‘Embarrassing’ to Join OnlyFans to Pay the Bills but ‘It Has Saved Me’: Lavender Brown ‘Was a Small Part 20 Years Ago’

Jessie Cave, the actor who portrayed Lavender Brown in three “Harry Potter” movies, appeared in a recent interview on the U.K. talk show “This Morning” and spoke openly about her decision to launch an OnlyFans last year to help get her out of debt. Her decision resulted in a “Potter” fan convention barring her from […]

variety.com

Chris Aronson Files $4 Million Age Discrimination Suit Over Ouster at Paramount

Chris Aronson, who was let go as Paramount’s head of domestic distribution last year, has filed a lawsuit accusing the company of reneging on an agreement to pay him $1.3 million. Aronson was fired as part of the executive shakeup that followed the Skydance merger. Shortly before the deal closed, he signed an extension that […]

variety.com

Chris Hansen Says He Refused to Sign His Rights Away in Order to Screen Robert Pattinson’s ‘Primetime’

Chris Hansen didn’t get to take a seat for the new A24 movie “Primetime.” The 66-year-old veteran journalist went to the offices of indie distributor A24 to watch the Lance Oppenheim film, in which he is played by Robert Pattinson, before it bows at the Venice Film Festival. But he left without seeing it. The […]

variety.com

Jaafar Jackson: ‘Michael’ Sequel Will Give ‘More Insight’ Into Child Abuse Allegations and ‘Let His Voice Be Heard’

Now that the second “Michael” movie is closer to starting production, star Jaafar Jackson says it will indeed address the criticisms and child abuse allegations Michael Jackson faced in the ’90s. Michael Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson says that while he doesn’t have much say in how the screenplay is written, he tells GQ Middle East […]

variety.com

Ariana Grande Blasts Trump Administration for Using ‘We Can’t Be Friends’ in Social Post: ‘Your Truth Is False’

Ariana Grande has once again spoken out against the Trump administration for using one of her songs in a post on social media, this time for setting “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love)” as the soundtrack for a post on the Team Trump TikTok account. Team Trump posted a video earlier on Thursday […]

variety.com

How ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Pulled Off That Madcap Puppet Episode

SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers for “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” Season 4 Episode 5, titled “Level Five Transporter Accident,” now streaming on Paramount+. At long last, the most anticipated event in recent “Star Trek” memory is here. No, not another movie or another series focused on a legacy character. We are of course […]

variety.com

Prime Video Unveils Landmark $2 Billion-Plus Investment in Latin American Entertainment

Prime Video has unveiled a landmark $2 billion-plus investment plan in Latin American entertainment spanning 2027 to 2030 in a concerted bid to increase viewership and engagement. The move comes in what is considered the second fastest growing region for streaming in the world, with Netflix the clear frontrunner. At an inaugural showcase event in […]

variety.com

Dave Bautista Officially Set as Kratos in ‘God of War’ TV Series

Dave Bautista is officially taking up the mantle of the “God of War.” Variety has learned that the actor is now set to lead the Amazon Prime Video TV series based on the video game franchise in the role of Kratos. It was originally reported earlier this month that Bautista was in talks to play […]

variety.com

The Hollies Officially Call It Quits, as Last Two Members of Classic 1960s Lineup Retire After Being in Band for 63 Years

The Hollies have officially called it a day. And perhaps, like many, you didn’t even realize a version of that classic rock band was still performing. Yet the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted group had endured in some form and continued to tour since 1962 — including two members who go back virtually to […]

variety.com

Lawmakers Offer Film Industry a Fix on California Tax Credit Cap

Lawmakers in Sacramento introduced a budget fix on Thursday that helps film producers by adjusting a state cap on tax credits. The agreement, first reported by Variety on Tuesday, falls short of a full carveout for film and TV tax credits from a blanket $5 million annual cap, which industry leaders have been seeking since […]

variety.com

Netflix Exec Andy Weil Jumping to Amazon as Head of Comedy

Comedy development exec Andy Weil is exiting Netflix after 11 years to join Amazon as its new head of comedy. The exec rejoins his former Netflix boss Peter Friedlander, now head of global TV at Amazon MGM Studios. Weil is a well-known comedy buff who has championed some of Netflix’s biggest laffers, including “Master of […]

variety.com

Diane Warren Adopts West Hollywood’s Runaway Pig: ‘Welcome Wilbur!’

The viral story of a runaway pig in West Hollywood turned out to have a Hollywood ending. This past weekend, a video showed a piglet running through the streets of West Hollywood. Jamaal Harrison, who filmed the video, is seen chasing the pig as he yells, “There’s a pig in West Hollywood!” He later says, […]

variety.com

TV Vet Chuck Saftler to Depart Disney and FX After Nearly 33 Years

Longtime TV exec Chuck Saftler, who helped build FX into the powerhouse it is — having joined the company in 1993, prior to its before its June 1994 launch date — is departing the company after nearly 33 years. The well-regarded Saftler most recently served as head of acquisitions for Disney networks including ABC, Freeform, […]

variety.com

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass Weighs In on Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger, Urges California AG Rob Bonta to Settle Antitrust Case: ‘This Is Not About Taking Sides’

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass urged California attorney general Rob Bonta and Paramount to resolve their differences and “urgently” find a resolution to the 12-state antitrust lawsuit that is blocking Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. Bass said at a press conference Thursday, “While there are varying perspectives on the proposed transaction, today we are […]

variety.com

Neutrogena Comments on Hayden Panettiere’s Death Amid Backlash and Says ‘We Made Her Feel Unsupported’; Actor Said the Company Nearly Fired Her for Talking About Postpartum

Neutrogena, the popular cosmetics and skin care brand, has issued a statement following the death of Hayden Panettiere, who served as a spokesperson and brand ambassador for the company for nearly a decade during the height of her career. Panettiere’s death ignited widespread backlash against Neutrogena across social media due to comments the actor made […]

variety.com

‘Lanterns’ Premiere Pulls in 9.3 Million Viewers in First Three Days on HBO Max

“Lanterns” haters are going to be green with envy. The series premiere of the DC Studios show has racked up 9.3 million views in its first three days of availability across HBO and HBO Max. That represents the biggest premiere for a DC Studios show on HBO Max to date and one of the top […]

variety.com

Sonic the Hedgehog to Headline Fortnite’s ‘Override’ Season (Gaming News Roundup)

Sonic the Hedgehog will headline Fortnite’s new “Override” season. Players will be able to play as Sonic and unlock the Tails Sidekick with the purchase of the Battle Pass for the hedgehog’s 35th anniversary. The collaboration will also feature the Tails Sprite, Rings and Sonic Power Sneakers, which allows players to Spin Dash in their […]

variety.com

Apple Music to Label AI-Made Tracks Later This Year

Apple Music will begin labeling songs on the platform derived from AI platforms, adding a “Made With AI” label to such songs later this year. In a note to its industry partners and one viewed by Variety, the service said that record labels and distributors will be required to tag songs in which “a material portion […]

variety.com

Netflix, AMC Team for ‘Bannerman’ Series Based on John R. Maxim Spy Novels, Shane Black and Craig Silverstein to Write

Netflix and AMC Studios are set to co-produce the drama series “Bannerman,” Variety has learned. The series is based on John R. Maxim’s Paul Bannerman novels, of which five were published. This marks the first Netflix/AMC Studios co-production. The show will air on AMC in the US and Canada and then become available on Netflix […]

variety.com

How an Indie Studio Convinced ‘Naruto’ Creator, TV Tokyo to Let Them Make Franchise’s First Official Digital Cards App (EXCLUSIVE)

“Naruto” fans will have access to the popular anime franchise’s first-ever official digital cards app with Thursday’s worldwide launch of “Naruto Ninja Cards.” Described as “a gamified card-collecting experience,” “Naruto Ninja Cards” lets app users collect the series’ most iconic characters in card form, uncover exclusive artworks, and enjoy real-time strategic activities with friends. While […]

variety.com

What Does Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Move Back to the U.K. Mean for the Royal Family?

The Sussexes are coming home. In a shock announcement on Wednesday, it was revealed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving back to the U.K. for an “extended period” with their two young children after six years of living in California. But after the pair’s dramatic exit from royal life in 2020, will England […]

variety.com