News

Takashi Yamazaki, the director of Godzilla Minus One, is set to make his English-language debut with Grandgear. Sony Pictures has chosen him to lead the project, marking an exciting moment for Hollywood and international filmmaking.

Yamazaki gained worldwide recognition for Godzilla Minus One, which became one of the most successful Kaiju films ever. He not only directed the movie but also wrote the script and worked on the visual effects. His ability to mix thrilling action with deep storytelling made the film a huge hit.

After the success of Godzilla Minus One, fans hoped he would get a chance to direct a Hollywood movie. Their wish came true when Sony Pictures won a bidding war for Grandgear. The movie will be produced by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot and Glen Zipper, showing that Hollywood is eager to work with Yamazaki.

Details about the movie are still a secret, but based on Yamazaki’s past work,...

The film industry has spewed several ‘Kaiju’ films over the last few decades, but only a handful of them have achieved everlasting success. Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus One is among the said few, which ended up being one of the most surprising Kaiju films of all time.

Following the success of the Oscar-winning film, fans were campaigning for the ‘one-man army’ behind the Japanese epic, Yamazaki, to be given his own English-language film to direct. Well, this came true last year when he was handed the film Grandgear at Sony Pictures, and we can’t thank Sony enough for this!

Takashi Yamazaki | Credit: Dick Thomas Johnson/Cca-2.0-sa/Wikimedia Commons Godzilla Minus One filmmaker Takashi Yamazaki to make his English-language debut Godzilla Minus One | Credit: Toho Co., Ltd.

Takashi Yamazaki wrote, directed, and did the visual effects of Godzilla Minus One. Blending themes of Kaiju epic with social commentary,...

After helming one of the best Godzilla films in recent memory, Godzilla Minus One, director Takashi Yamazaki is joining forces with Sony Pictures and Bad Robot for his next project, Grandgear. Yamazaki’s next endeavor became the subject of a heated bidding war, with Sony stomping all over the competition to land the deal. Yamazaki directs Grandgear from his original script, with the Godzilla Minus One creative also producing. J.J. Abrams’s Bad Robot joins the production effort with Glen Zipper.

Takashi Yamazaki shot Godzilla Minus One for a shocking $10-15 million. The compelling and dramatic action film roared in theaters with $113.6M+, making the return amount bigger than some of Godzilla’s Kaiju foes. Studios know Yamazaki can make a blockbuster on a modest budget, and considering how much it costs to make tentpole films nowadays, he could be the studio’s golden goose. Grandgear is Takashi Yamazaki’s first English-language film,...

Just two weeks after it was announced that Godzilla Minus One director Takashi Yamazaki will also be directing the next Godzilla movie from Toho, news of another upcoming project from the Oscar-winning Japanese filmmaker has been revealed by Deadline this afternoon.

Being produced by J.J. Abrams and his company Bad Robot, a mysterious feature film project titled Grandgear will mark Takashi Yamazaki’s English language movie debut.

Sony Pictures has landed Grandgear amid a “competitive bidding war.” Deadline reports, “Following the massive success of Godzilla Minus One, the industry has been clamoring to get in business with Yamazaki and once word was out that he had his first English language pic on the market, bids came in fast. Sony would ultimately land the rights, beating out a number of bids and sources say multiple factors came into play, which included the studio commitment to theatrical as well as Sony’s...

Exclusive: Following a competitive bidding war, Sony Pictures has landed the project Grandgear from Godzilla Minus One director Takashi Yamazaki and Bad Robot. The studio has greenlit the pic with Yamazaki writing original screenplay, directing and producing. Bad Robot’s J.J. Abrams will also produce along with Glen Zipper. The film will mark Yamazaki’s first English language pic with plot details being kept under wraps.

Following the massive success of Godzilla Minus One, the industry has been clamoring to get in business with Yamazaki and once word was out that he had his first English language pic on the market, bids came in fast. Sony would ultimately land the rights, beating out a number of bids and sources say multiple factors came into play, which included the studio commitment to theatrical as well as Sony’s close Japanese ties through its parent company, which had its own relationship with...

MGM+ has unveiled Beyond: UFOs and the Unknown, a new four-episode series premiering on October 27, 2024, at 10 p.m. Et/Pt.

Following revelations in 2017 of a secret government program studying UFOs buried deep within the Pentagon, many scientists, academics, and government officials stopped wondering whether UFOs were real and started asking: “What are they?”

This journey led them far beyond machines in the sky, taking them down a rabbit hole of alien encounters, near-death experiences, remote viewing, and other seemingly unrelated paranormal phenomena. Using the most sophisticated techniques and searching for only credible evidence, they discovered frightening, perplexing, and eye-opening realities buried just beneath the surface of everyday life.

The answers they brought back promise not only to rewrite our conception of UFOs but to change everything we thought we knew about human consciousness, the afterlife, and our place in the universe.

Beyond: UFOs and the Unknown features Jacques Vallée (Computer Scientist and Astronomer), Whitley Strieber,...

Elizabeth Taylor’s iconography as a Hollywood starlet, activist, and sex symbol is narrated by the late, legendary actress herself in documentary “Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes.”

The HBO original film is directed by Nanette Burstein. The feature had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and screened at Tribeca 2024.

Taylor’s 1964 interview with journalist Richard Meryman is the crux of the documentary. The film uses 40 hours of the newly unearthed audio and has access to personal photos, home movies, archival interviews, and news footage. “The Lost Tapes” is billed as the “most intimate portrait of the actress to date,” as Taylor charts her own filmography from her debut in 1943’s “Lassie Come Home” to “Giant,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “Butterfield 8,” and “Cleopatra.”

Taylor’s personal life is also discussed, with her fifth marriage to Richard Burton a centerpiece of the documentary.

The synopsis reads: “The...

The HBO Original documentary Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes, directed by award-winning filmmaker Nanette Burstein, debuts Saturday, August 3 (8:00 p.m.–9:45 p.m. Et/Pt) on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. An official selection of the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, the film had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes allows Elizabeth Taylor’s own voice to narrate her story, inviting audiences to rediscover not just a megastar of Hollywood’s Golden Age but a complex woman who navigated lifelong fame, personal identity, and public scrutiny on a global stage from early childhood.

Photo Courtesy of HBO

Through newly recovered interviews with Taylor and unprecedented access to the movie star’s personal archive, the film reveals the complex inner life and vulnerability of the Hollywood legend while also challenging audiences to recontextualize her achievements and her legacy.

In 1964, at the height of her fame,...

Oscar-winning filmmaker Ron Howard is just back from the Cannes Film Festival, where he premiered his latest film, Jim Henson Idea Man. Ahead of the documentary’s launch Friday on Disney+, the director stops by Deadline’s Doc Talk podcast to share insights into his exploration of the Muppets creator, filmmaker and creative genius.

Howard tells us how his film went over in Cannes and what got the biggest laughs at a screening just a few days ago in Los Angeles.

Related: ‘Jim Henson Idea Man’ Review: Ron Howard Paints Moving Portrait Of Muppets Creator As Restless Innovator – Cannes Film Festival

He also recalls the unusual circumstances of his one face-to-face encounter with Henson decades ago, and he shares what George Lucas thought of the groundbreaking puppet master (Henson helped design...

Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds has shared a touching tribute in memory of the late comedian and Home Alone star, John Candy. Known for his memorable roles in iconic films such as Splash, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, and Uncle Buck, the actor was celebrated for his impeccable timing, versatility, and ability to bring warmth and humor to every character he portrayed.

John Candy in Uncle Buck | Credit: Universal Pictures

His untimely death in 1994 at the age of 43 was met with an outpouring of grief from fans around the world, who fondly remember the comedic genius. Reynolds, among those who admired Candy, recently took to Instagram to share how much he misses the late actor.

Ryan Reynolds’ Heartfelt Tribute to Late Comedian John Candy

Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds is deeply remembering the late actor-comedian John Candy, as he expressed recently on his Instagram. The actor shared an Instagram post by @retrorewind80s honoring the late Hollywood icon.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.

“The Beach Boys,” a documentary about the iconic band, is now streaming Disney+.

The doc is described as “a celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come.”

Stream 'The Beach Boys' On Disney+ $9.99/Month

“The Beach Boys” includes never-before-seen footage and new interviews with band members Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks and Bruce Johnston, as well as music stars like Lindsey Buckingham, Janelle Monáe, Ryan Tedder and Don Was. Former members Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar are also participating, and the late Carl and Dennis Wilson will be heard from in archival interviews.

Directed by Frank Marshall and Thom Zimny, “The Beach Boys” was...

Enter this contest by following the link at the bottom of this page for your chance to win passes to attend an advance “virtual” screening of Blue Angels. These passes will be activated on Monday, May 20th at 6:00pm and will be available for your use for thirty-six (36) hours.

Synopsis: The Blue Angels have been enthralling people, across the country and around the globe, for more than 75 years. Now, Amazon MGM Studios and IMAX bring a brand new documentary – The Blue Angels – that will take audiences soaring with the Navy’s elite Flight Demonstration Squadron as never before. Filmed for IMAX, the immersive footage puts you in the cockpit for a firsthand view of the Blue Angels’ precision flying, while the aerial shots deliver a spectacular showcase of the breathtaking maneuvers that have made them the world’s premier jet team.

About The Film

Genre: Documentary Director: Paul Crowder Producer: Glen Powell,...

Cannes is not lacking for glamor this year, even in the documentary lineup.

Among the films premiering at the festival is Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes, an HBO feature documentary directed by Nanette Burstein and produced by J.J. Abrams, Glen Zipper, Sean M. Stuart, and Bill Gerber. The documentary draws on conversations with the star recorded decades ago for an autobiography.

“Entirely through the efforts of the [Taylor] estate, they were able to track those tapes down and reclaim them,” Zipper explained in an interview just before he flew to Cannes. “I remember getting an email from one of the trustees of the estate of a picture of the tapes in a box on a private jet on their way back to Los Angeles, strapped in with a seatbelt.”

Director Nanette Burstein

Zipper tells Deadline his production company, Zipper Bros Films, brought Burstein onto the project, a filmmaker known for Hulu’s 2020 docuseries about Hillary Clinton,...

The 2024 Tribeca Festival has added 11 new feature films to its lineup — including a Hannah Einbinder standup special from Max — and has also set a world premiere of Michael Sarnoski’s A Quiet Place: Day One on June 26 in partnership with Paramount Pictures and Imax just ahead of the film’s theatrical release. The red carpet event is for Tribeca members as part of the organization’s push into year-round programming. It’s after the festival, which runs June 5-16.

Hannah Einbinder: Everything Must Go, features the actress and comedian best known for her role as Ava Daniels in the HBO hit Hacks with Jean Smart.

Other new word premieres include sports documentaries Federer: Twelve Final Days, directed by Asif Kapadia and Joe Sabia — a behind-the-scenes film of the 20-time Grand Slam tennis champion Roger Federer and his emotional decision to retire from the sport — as well as Power of the Dream,...

The 2024 Tribeca Festival has just unveiled new additions to its already star-studded lineup.

IndieWire can confirm that the New York premiere of “A Quiet Place: Day One” will take place as part of the festival, which runs June 5 through 16. The film will have a special screening June 26 in partnership with Paramount Pictures in IMAX.

The festival, presented by Okx, announced the addition of 11 new feature films, including eight world premieres. Documentaries “Federer: Twelve Final Days” and “Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes,” produced by J.J. Abrams, are among the highlights, plus Dawn Porter’s “Power of the Dream.”

Hannah Einbinder’s first-ever stand-up comedy special “Hannah Einbinder: Everything Must Go” will also have its world premiere at the festival.

“At our core, we are an activist festival, united by the belief that art can inspire change,” Tribeca Co-Founder and CEO Jane Rosenthal. “We’re excited to add 11 new films to our Festival lineup,...

Disney+ has debuted the trailer for the documentary on the iconic group ‘The Beach Boys’.

The doc is a celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music, and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come.

It traces the band from humble family beginnings and features never-before-seen footage and all-new interviews with The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks, Bruce Johnston, plus other luminaries in the music business, including Lindsey Buckingham, Janelle Monáe, Ryan Tedder, and Don Was.

Viewers will also hear from the group’s Carl and Dennis Wilson in their own words, plus view a new interview with Blondie Chaplin and hear audio from Ricky Fataar.

Directed by Frank Marshall and Thom Zimny and written by Mark Monroe. The film is produced by Frank Marshall, Irving Azoff, Nicholas Ferrall, Jeanne Elfant Festa,...

Get ready for some fun, fun, fun! Disney+ has released the trailer for its “The Beach Boys” documentary, which is set to stream on the platform May 24.

The trailer features clips from interviews with original band members, rock and roll historian Josh Kun, music star Janelle Monáe and more. The film is a celebration of the band that encapsulated the California dream in their revolutionary pop music. It features never-before-seen footage and all-new interviews with The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks, Bruce Johnston and other artists including Lindsey Buckingham, Monáe, Ryan Tedder and Don Was. Viewers will also hear from former members Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar, and the late Carl and Dennis Wilson will be featured in archival interviews.

“I’m super happy with the way the documentary turned out, they did an amazing job,” Wilson said in a statement. “It really brought me...

Disney+ has revealed the official trailer and key art for The Beach Boys, an all-new documentary that will begin streaming on May 24, 2024.

The Beach Boys is a celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come.

The documentary traces the band’s humble family beginnings and features never-before-seen footage and all-new interviews with Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks, and Bruce Johnston, plus other luminaries in the music business, including Lindsey Buckingham, Janelle Monáe, Ryan Tedder, and Don Was.

Disney+ viewers will also hear from the group’s Carl and Dennis Wilson in their own words, plus view a new interview with Blondie Chaplin and hear audio from Ricky Fataar.

The Beach Boys is a Kennedy/Marshall and White Horse Pictures Production directed by Frank Marshall and Thom Zimny...

Disney announced on Tuesday that its new documentary The Beach Boys, on the iconic California band of the same name, will begin streaming on Disney+ on May 24.

Directed by Frank Marshall and Thom Zimny, the film is described as a celebration of the band that revolutionized pop music, and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations to come. The documentary traces the band from humble family beginnings and features never-before-seen footage and all-new interviews with The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks and Bruce Johnston, plus other luminaries in the music business, including Lindsey Buckingham, Janelle Monáe, Ryan Tedder, and Don Was.

Viewers will also hear from the group’s Carl and Dennis Wilson in their own words, plus view a new interview with Blondie Chaplin and hear audio from Ricky Fataar.

Founded in Hawthorne, California in 1961, The...

The official trailer for the new IMAX documentary from Amazon MGM Studios titled The Blue Angels has been released. The film will be exclusively in IMAX theaters for one-week only beginning Friday, May 17, 2024!

The Blue Angels have been enthralling people, across the country and around the globe, for more than 75 years. Now, Amazon MGM Studios and IMAX bring a brand new documentary – The Blue Angels – that will take audiences soaring with the Navy’s elite Flight Demonstration Squadron as never before. Filmed for IMAX, the immersive footage puts you in the cockpit for a firsthand view of the Blue Angels’ precision flying, while the aerial shots deliver a spectacular showcase of the breathtaking maneuvers that have made them the world’s premier jet team.

The Blue Angels also takes audiences behind the scenes for a revealing, in-depth look at what it takes to become a Blue Angel — from the careful...

The Blue Angels have been enthralling people across the country and around the globe for more than 75 years. Now, Amazon MGM Studios and IMAX bring a brand new documentary – The Blue Angels – that will take audiences soaring with the Navy’s elite Flight Demonstration Squadron as never before.

Filmed for IMAX, the immersive footage puts you in the cockpit for a firsthand view of the Squadron’s precision flying, while the aerial shots deliver a spectacular showcase of the breathtaking maneuvers that have made them the world’s premier jet team.

The Blue Angels also takes audiences behind the scenes for a revealing, in-depth look at what it takes to become a Blue Angel—from the careful selection process to the challenging training regimen and on through the demanding eight-month show season.

The film is a fitting tribute to the extraordinary teamwork, passion, and pride of the hundreds of outstanding...

Exclusive: Moviegoers who catch Alex Winter’s new documentary The YouTube Effect can expect a cinematic bonus: We can reveal the film is preceded by a short documentary for the National Courtwatch Network narrated by Fiona Apple, with original music by the singer-songwriter.

The four-and-a-half minute long short, which also features narration from actor Jesse Williams and Dr. Carmen Johnson of Courtwatch PG, examines a growing movement to bring accountability to the judicial system by training court watchers to observe judicial proceedings “and report their findings to the public.”

The movement picked up steam during the pandemic when many court proceedings were made available online, allowing Courtwatch volunteers around the country to monitor arraignments, bond hearings and other judicial matters that might otherwise go unwitnessed by members of the public.

“This principle of courts open to the public was inscribed in the Constitution by the nation’s founders who themselves...

Drafthouse Films has acquired three films that it will release theatrically in U.S. theaters followed by digital releases across major streaming platforms.

They include “Mister Organ,” a documentary from journalist and filmmaker David Farrier, whose 2016 film “Tickled” explored the dark underbelly of “competitive endurance tickling,” will be released in theaters this fall. As he turns his camera on another stranger than fiction story, Farrier finds himself caught in an increasingly dangerous game of cat and mouse with a mysterious character who expertly manipulates the lives of anyone who dares to expose his secrets. The film, Produced by Ant Timpson and Firefly Films’ Emma Slade and Alex Reed, was a critical and audience favorite at Fantastic Fest 2022, and has become a box office hit in Farrier’s native New Zealand.

“I am incredibly happy to be working with Drafthouse Films,” said Farrier “Watching this funny, disturbing, and deeply weird documentary...

Amazon Studios has landed worldwide rights to the U.S. naval aviation documentary “The Blue Angels,” which is backed by production companies of J.J. Abrams and “Top Gun: Maverick” star Glen Powell.

The film, shot with Imax cameras, chronicles a year in the cockpit with one of the world’s top aviator teams, the Navy and Marine Corps flight squadron, through their intense training and aerial touring show. Abrams’ Bad Robot, Powell’s Barnstorm Productions, Zipper Bros Films and Dolphin Entertainment produced the project.

“This fascinating and layered documentary is wholly representative of the kind of work ethic, teamwork, and perseverance that goes into being a Blue Angel,” said Brianna Oh, Amazon’s head of documentary features. “We are incredibly honored to join this talented filmmaking team in bringing their story to audiences around the world.”

The film will play in theaters on a yet-to-be determined date before landing on Amazon Prime Video.

Amazon Studios has acquired worldwide rights to the Imax Original Documentary, “The Blue Angels,” the company announced on Monday.

Bad Robot, Glen Powell’s Barnstorm Productions, Zipper Bros Films, and Dolphin Entertainment produced the project that chronicles a year in the cockpit with one of the most exclusive aviator teams in the world, filmed with Imax cameras.

“The Blue Angels” follows the newest class of the storied Navy and Marine Corps flight squadron through intense training and into a season of heart-stopping aerial artistry, and the veterans on the team who, this year, will take their final flights.

The documentary marks the first time the iconic blue and yellow F/A-18 Super Hornets will be featured in Imax. The film also captures the spectacle of this traveling air show through key members of the support staff on the ground, as well as from loved ones left at home.

Also Read:...

Amazon Studios is going airborne with a spectacular squadron of the U.S. military.

The production-distribution company today announced it has acquired worldwide rights to the Imax Original Documentary The Blue Angels, directed and edited by Paul Crowder and filmed aloft with “awe-inspiring Imax cameras.” Bad Robot, Glen Powell’s Barnstorm Productions, Zipper Bros Films, and Dolphin Entertainment produced the documentary.

“The Blue Angels follows the newest class of the storied Navy and Marine Corps flight squadron through intense training and into a season of heart-stopping aerial artistry, and the veterans on the team who, this year, will take their final flights,” according to a description of the project. “It marks the first time the iconic blue and yellow F/A-18 Super Hornets will be featured in Imax. The film also captures the spectacle of this traveling air show through key members of the support staff on the ground, as...

The Blue Angels, a feature documentary from J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions and Imax about the storied U.S. Navy and Marine Corps flight squadron from the cockpit, has landed at Amazon Studios.

The documentary, also from Glen Powell’s Barnstorm Productions, Zipper Bros Films and Dolphin Entertainment, has not yet set its release plans after Amazon Studios picked up the worldwide rights. But The Blue Angels will screen in Imax theaters at some point, while the doc is also expected to get play on Amazon’s Prime Video.

The Blue Angels uses Imax cameras to follow a year in the life of the Blue Angels from training through their touring show season. Imax got its start in making films for museums, science centers and other institutional partners before the Canadian-based company branched out into digitally remastering and screening Hollywood tentpoles on its large format screens after they were often shot using its proprietary cameras.

Howard Bragman, a decades-long veteran of entertainment PR, has died of leukemia, according to a journal entry by his boyfriend Mike Maimone. He was 66.

“The enormity of our shared loss can’t be overstated — Howard was a constant in so many of our lives and the brightest star in his wide constellation of friends and family,” Maimone wrote.

The news, which initially arrived via social media tributes late on Saturday, Feb. 11, comes as a shock to the community of journalists and public relations professionals who worked closely with Bragman in his many different capacities. Bragman worked in PR for over 40 years, co-founding the firm Bnc (Bragman Nyman Cafarelli), which was later merged with Pmk, and then his own Fifteen Minutes PR and, later in life, Labrea Media.

His clients have included Cameron Diaz, Paula Abdul, Stevie Wonder, Sharon Osbourne, Monica Lewinsky, Joe Manganiello, Anna Kendrick, Terrence Howard, Ricki Lake and Melissa Rivers,...

Amazon’s Prime Video is in negotiations to acquire a John Candy documentary from Colin Hanks and Ryan Reynolds, TheWrap has confirmed.

Hanks, son of Tom Hanks and star of “Life in Pieces,” “Orange County” and “A Friend of the Family,” will direct the project while Reynolds, star of “Deadpool,” “Free Guy” and “The Adam Project,” will produce alongside George Dewey via his Maximum Effort production company.

The documentary feature will explore John Candy’s life and career, including starring roles in “The Great Outdoors,” “Spaceballs,” “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” “Uncle Buck” and “Cool Runnings.” The actor was on the verge of establishing himself as a comic actor who could also handle dramatic roles in weightier fare like “Only the Lonely” and Oliver Stone’s “JFK” when he died in 1994 of a heart attack at the age of 43.

Also Read:

Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham Soccer Team Just Had Another Fa Cup...

The late comedian John Candy is getting the documentary treatment from Colin Hanks and Ryan Reynolds.

Amazon’s Prime Video is in negotiations to acquire an untitled film that Hanks has been quietly directing. Reynolds — who, like Candy, hails from Canada — is producing alongside George Dewey via his Maximum Effort production company.

The film will explore the life and legacy of the iconic funnyman Candy, who died of a heart attack in 1994 at the age of 43. But insiders say the film will go beyond the persona and delve into the inner life that Candy kept private off-screen. With the full support of Candy’s widow, Rose, and their two children, Jen and Chris, Hanks will utilize never-before-seen home videos, archives and interviews with the family to explore the man behind the movie star. Candy became one of the most in-demand comic stars of the 1980s and early ’90s, appearing in...

Say Hey, Willie Mays!, the Nelson George documentary that explores the life and career of Major League Baseball icon Willie Mays, will debut Wed., Nov. 8 at 9 p.m. Et/Pt on HBO and HBO Max.

Directed by George, the HBO Sports doc includes exclusive interviews with Mays and his family. The film will have its world premiere at the 2022 UrbanWorld Film Festival on October 27.

“Over the years,” Mays said in a statement, “the fans have given me so much joy, and I am excited to express my thanks again through this wonderful documentary and its telling of the story of my career and life. I have worked hard and been fortunate to do many amazing things over the course of my life, and I am excited and proud that the people who see this film, including younger fans who never saw me play, will have the chance to relive this...

Click here to read the full article.

One of baseball’s greatest players will be the subject of an HBO documentary debuting in November.

The premium cabler has set a Nov. 8 airdate for Say Hey, Willie Mays!, a feature documentary tracing Mays’ life and Hall of Fame career. The film, directed by author and filmmaker Nelson George (The Announcement, A Ballerina’s Tale), will have its world premiere Oct. 27 at the UrbanWorld Film Festival in New York — a day before the 2022 World Series begins.

HBO’s announcement of the premiere date coincides with the 68th anniversary of perhaps Mays’ most famous moment on the diamond: The Catch, an astounding, over-the-shoulder chasedown of a deep fly ball in game one of the 1954 World Series.

“Over the years, the fans have given me so much joy, and I am excited to express my thanks again through this wonderful documentary and its telling...

The “Bridgerton” literary universe is expanding. Original series writer Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes, the executive producer of the romance series’ Netflix adaptation, are set to cowrite a new prequel novel set in the world of “Bridgerton.”

Currently untitled, the new book series is based on the universe of the TV series, and is an adaptation of the upcoming Netflix “Bridgerton” spinoff about a young Queen Charlotte. The book will tell the story of how Charlotte met and married King George, with a focus on how their love lead to a social shift that created the racially inclusive world seen in the television series.

“Queen Charlotte has been such a moving character to write and now having the opportunity to work with Julia to adapt this story into a book is such an exciting opportunity,” Rhimes said in a statement. “I can’t wait for fans of this universe to...

Exclusive: In a deal announced today in Cannes, IMAX Corporation and Dolphin Entertainment signed a multi-year agreement to co-finance development and production of a slate of feature-length documentaries for global release.

The first film under the partnership will be The Blue Angels, the recently-announced documentary from Bad Robot Productions and Zipper Bros Films that follows the endeavors of the U.S. military’s famed aerial demonstration squadron. The project is currently being shot with “state of the art IMAX cameras,” according to a joint announcement from IMAX and Dolphin Entertainment. It’s expected to hit IMAX screens next year.

The film, directed by Paul Crowder, centers on the latest class of pilots entering the Blue Angels program, as well as “sharing the emotional stories of the veterans on the team who, this year, will take their final flights. It will mark the first time the iconic blue and yellow F...

Imax Corporation and Bad Robot Productions, together with Glen Powell, Zipper Bros Films, and Dolphin Entertainment, have commenced production on “The Blue Angels”, a documentary project chronicling a year in the cockpit with one of the most exclusive aviator teams in the world, the companies announced on Friday.

The logline for the documentary is as follows: “The Blue Angels” will follow the newest class of the storied Navy and Marine Corps flight squadron through intense training and into a season of heart-stopping aerial artistry, and the veterans on the team who, this year, will take their final flights. It will mark the first time the iconic blue and yellow F/A-18 Super Hornets will be featured in Imax. The film will also capture the globe-spanning spectacle of this traveling air show through key members of the support staff on the ground, as well as from loved ones left at home.

Exclusive: Jake Carter and Travis Tammero have joined UTA as agents in the Independent Film Group division.

Carter will be based in the agency’s New York office, with Tammero working out of its headquarters in Los Angeles. Both will report to Jim Meenaghan and Rena Ronson, Partners and Co-Heads of the Independent Film Group.

“Rena, Jim and I are thrilled to welcome these highly regarded agents to our industry-leading Independent Film team,” said UTA Co-President, David Kramer. “Their broad experience will augment the team in a variety of ways and is especially key in helping to expand our rapidly growing documentary business.”

Carter comes to UTA from 30West, where he served as Vice President, overseeing production on critically acclaimed films including The Mauritanian, Destroyer, Late Night, Ben is Back, Some Kind of Heaven, and the upcoming Chris Pine thriller The Contractor. Prior to 30West, Carter worked at Black Bear Pictures,...

It’s never too early to relive one of the few comical moments from the final, chaotic months of the Trump presidency.

“Four Seasons Total Documentary,” a film centering around Rudy Giuliani’s botched attempt to contest the 2020 election results, is airing on MSNBC on Nov. 7 — exactly one year after the infamous debacle.

The documentary is less about the then-president’s lawyer accidentally booking a press conference outside a local landscaping company instead of the lavish Four Seasons Hotel, and instead focuses on a small business in Philadelphia that was unexpectedly thrust into the national spotlight when it agreed to host a political event in the middle of the presidential election.

MSNBC Films acquired rights to “Four Seasons Total Documentary” as part of the cable news channel’s attempt to bolster its presence in the documentary space. MSNBC Films is a new unit from the NBCUniversal-backed outlet that will...

"UFO", directed by Mark Monroe and Paul Crowder, is a new four-part doc-series that looks at the phenomenon of mysterious objects in the sky and "...what clandestine influence the American government, lucrative private companies and the military may have in shielding the truth behind extraterrestrial phenomena to further their own agendas...” now airing on Showtime:

"...the series will explore unsettling theories of a subject that recently reached national headlines...

"... and has historically been the focus of powerful politicians and CEOs, while average citizens pursuing the very same truth have been ridiculed and ostracized.

"The series examines the history of the phenomenon through cultural and political touchpoints, including shocking testimony from eyewitnesses across the country. As the conversation grows more bizarre and reaches the mainstream by virtue of credible investigations into alien encounters, ‘UFO’ confronts the most enigmatic questions of all: what is the elusive truth beyond this decades long mystery?...

"UFO", directed by Mark Monroe and Paul Crowder, is a new four-part doc-series that will look at the phenomenon of mysterious objects in the sky and "...what clandestine influence the American government, lucrative private companies and the military may have in shielding the truth behind extraterrestrial phenomena to further their own agendas...", airing August 8, 2021 on Showtime:

"...the series will explore unsettling theories of a subject that recently reached national headlines...

"... and has historically been the focus of powerful politicians and CEOs, while average citizens pursuing the very same truth have been ridiculed and ostracized.

"The series examines the history of the phenomenon through cultural and political touchpoints, including shocking testimony from eyewitnesses across the country. As the conversation grows more bizarre and reaches the mainstream by virtue of credible investigations into alien encounters, ‘UFO’ confronts the most enigmatic questions of all: what is the elusive truth beyond this decades long mystery?...

The Hatfields versus the McCoys. Thomas Edison versus Nikola Telsa. DC versus Marvel. Dogs versus cats. … Well, maybe dog people versus cat people.

Great rivalries can inspire creative competition, breed history-making moments and teach those watching the rivalry play out a lot about themselves in the process. All too often, they also cause people to “pick a side” and declare themselves on one team or the other.

Take Netflix’s dueling docuseries “Dogs” and “Cat People,” for example: Launching on July 7, the second season of the former features four episodes dedicated to remarkable dogs (and their pet parents) from Butler University’s mascot Butler Blue to NASA astronaut Leland Melvin’s viral Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Meanwhile, also launching on July 7, the latter series debuts with six episodes focused on felines and their not-as-furry human companions, including rapper Moshow, Wakuneco artist Sachi and trainer Samantha Martin of the Amazing Acro-Cats. While both...

After streaming giant Netflix premiered its new docuseries “Dogs” in 2018, executive producer Glen Zipper recalls receiving a lot of love on social media from canine moms and dads — but he was also on the receiving end of irate tweets pressing for a companion show about cats. Three years later, as he prepares to launch the long-awaited second season of “Dogs” alongside the debut of new docuseries “Cat People,” Zipper hopes there will be balance and peace among pet parents.

“Our message [is], ‘Why can’t we love both?'” Zipper tells Variety.

Still, it was a long and often uneven road to get these series ready to stream. While the first season of “Dogs” was proof of concept for Zipper and executive producer Amy Berg, who wanted to lean into “happy” tales (no pun intended) about man’s (and woman’s) best friend, the outcry of interest in a show about...

Key Art for UFO. Photo credit: Courtesy of Showtime.

Showtime announced it will air UFO, a four-part docu-series from J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot and Glen Zipper exploring our fascination with unidentified flying objects, and what clandestine influence the American government, lucrative private companies and the military may have in shielding the truth behind extraterrestrial phenomena to further their own agendas. Directed by Mark Monroe (Icarus) and Paul Crowder (Riding Giants), the seriesexplores unsettling theories of a subject that recently reached national headlines, and has historically been the focus of powerful politicians and CEOs, while average citizens pursuing the very same truth have been ridiculed and ostracized. The series is a co-production by Bad Robot and Zipper Bros Films.

Showtime will release all four episodes of the new series UFO to its subscribers at midnight on Sunday, August 8, prior to its on-air debut that night at 9 p.m. Et/Pt.

The world of UFOs has been ignited by a recent report that the U.S. government is taking the phenomenon seriously. Now, J.J. Abrams is getting in on the act and is exec producing a four-part documentary series on our fascination with unidentified flying objects for Showtime.

The ViacomCBS premium cable network will premiere UFO on August 8. It will drop all four episodes at midnight ahead of its linear TX at 9pm.

The series will look at what clandestine influence the American government, lucrative private companies and the military may have in shielding the truth behind extraterrestrial phenomena to further their own agendas.

It comes after reporting from the New York Times in 2017 and the New Yorker more recently, which highlighted how the Pentagon began taking the existence of UFOs seriously after footage emerged that navy pilots had been seeing unidentified objects in the sky.

Directed by Mark Monroe (Icarus) and...

J.J. Abrams is ready to get to the bottom of unidentified flying objects, and Showtime is giving him the platform to do just that. Abrams’ Bad Robot and Glen Zipper are behind “UFO,” a four-part docu-series that will look at the phenomenon of mysterious objects in the sky and “what clandestine influence the American government, lucrative private companies and the military may have in shielding the truth behind extraterrestrial phenomena to further their own agendas.”

Mark Monroe (“Icarus”) and Paul Crowder (“Riding Giants”) will direct the series, which comes as new attention is placed on what the government knows about UFOs, and what it may or may not be telling us. The series comes in the wake of a 2017 New York Times article that revealed that the Pentagon had been secretly tracking UFOs for years.

The Pentagon has even declassified some footage of events like the time in 2015 that U.S. Navy...

Last Year was a big one for actor turned filmmaker Alex Winter. Not only did he make his triumphant return as wannabe rock star William S. Preston, Esquire in the long-awaited comedy sequel Bill & Ted Face the Music, but he also directed two documentaries that saw release in 2020, with the Hollywood child actor expose Showbiz Kids followed by Zappa, which took a deep dive into the life of the icon musician. A moviemaking machine, Alex Winter has now announced his next directorial project with Mass Effect: The Story of YouTube.

Valhalla Entertainment and Trouper Productions have officially commenced production on the upcoming documentary, Mass Effect: The Story Of YouTube. Directed by Alex Winter, the feature documentary takes the viewer on a gripping journey from the humble beginnings of YouTube, starting with its creation in the attic of a pizzeria to its explosion onto the world stage, becoming the largest...

Valhalla Entertainment, Trouper Productions and Zipper Bros. Films have kicked off production on upcoming documentary Mass Effect: The Story of YouTube, Deadline hears.

Directed and produced by Alex Winter, with Gale Anne Hurd and Glen Zipper also on board as producers, Mass Effect will be a gripping, frightening and, at times, hilarious look at the video-streaming platform, examining its humble origins within a pizzeria attic, and how it went on to become the largest media platform in history.

While looking at cultural phenomena like cat videos, the doc will also dig into weighty issues associated with YouTube. Offering access to key players in technology, business, media and politics, it will specifically tackle such subjects as surveillance, algorithmic capitalism, online radicalization, and the spread of fake news.

“I’m very excited to be partnering with Gale Anne Hurd and my long-time producing partner Glen Zipper on this film,...

Alex Winter, who directed the documentary “Zappa” and recently reprised his role in the “Bill & Ted” franchise, has set his next project: a doc about the history of YouTube and the video platform’s impact on society.

“Mass Effect: The Story of YouTube” is Winter’s return to films about the tech space after he got his start in documentaries with 2013’s “Downloaded,” about the rise and fall of Napster, and 2015’s “Deep Web,” a look into the hidden dark web. His new documentary explores the humble beginnings of YouTube in the attic of a pizzeria to its explosion on the world stage; the platform brought in $5 billion in revenue in the third quarter of 2020 alone, with more than 30 million music and premium paid subscribers.

The film will also examine YouTube’s role in shaping the cultural and political discourse, examining present issues such as radicalization, surveillance, algorithmic capitalism, the...

A documentary is in the works about the Philadelphia company Four Seasons Total Landscaping and how that small company got thrust into the 2020 election aftermath when Rudy Giuliani hosted an inexplicable press conference in front of it.

The film called “Four Seasons Total Documentary” is directed by Christopher Stoudt (“Camp Alec”) and will document the ensuing roller coaster of media and public attention one well-meaning small business in Philly (the one that’s nearby a crematorium and a sex shop) went through when they agreed to host the bizarre Trump-related press conference on November 7, four days after the presidential election.

The documentary will also feature interviews with some of the key executives at the company, including owner Marie Siravo and director of sales Sean Middleton as they explain what they were thinking leading up to the press conference. The film intends to be apolitical and have a feel-good tone.

Four...

Four Seasons Total Landscaping, the innocuous small business in Pennsylvania that shot to prominence when it became the unlikely stage for a press conference fronted by Rudy Giuliani four days after the U.S. presidential election, will be the subject of a feature doc giving a first-hand account of the rollercoaster series of events.

The project – Four Seasons Total Documentary – comes from Christopher Stoudt (Camp Alec) who is teaming with producers Glen Zipper (Undefeated) and Sean Stuart (What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali). Chris Paonessa and Kevin Lincoln are also producers.

The doc promises to give a first-hand account of the bizarre sequence of events that saw the company become the stage for a key moment in the explosive aftermath of the election, which saw Donald Trump’s team make unfounded accusations of electoral fraud. There was speculation that the Trump campaign had accidentally booked the venue, mistaking it for the nearby Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia,...

Director Christopher Stoudt is making a documentary about Four Seasons Total Landscaping, a small business in Philadelphia that was unexpectedly thrust into the national spotlight after Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani accidentally hosted a press conference outside the company’s garage door instead of the Four Seasons Hotel.

Described as “apolitical” with a “feel-good tone,” “Four Seasons Total Documentary” will give a firsthand account of the rollercoaster journey that one business went through when it agreed to host a political press conference in the middle of the presidential election.

At the time, the landscaping company capitalized on the attention by selling T-shirts and other merchandise. It was also featured in a Super Bowl ad on Sunday night for Fiverr, an online marketplace for freelance services.

In the documentary, key executives of Four Seasons Total Landscaping, including owner Marie Siravo and director of sales Sean Middleton, attempt to explain the events...