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Maya da Costa and Myra Molloy have been cast to star in “Girls Like Girls,” Focus Features’ upcoming LGBT drama from debuting director Hayley Kiyoko based on her 2015 viral music video.

Kiyoko announced the casting on Tuesday morning on Instagram to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the music video’s release.

The music video, which has 159 million views on YouTube, follows a girl named Coley who goes to visit her closest friend Sonya at her house and realizes that their relationship goes deeper than either of them thought. The music video was adapted by Kiyoko into a 2023 novel, with the screenplay for this film written by Kiyoko alongside Stefanie Scott, who played Coley in the original music video.

Marc Platt, Katie McNicol, Adam Siegel, and Dee Best are producing for Marc Platt Productions, Michael Philip and Jason Moring are producing alongside BuzzFeed Studios’ Richard Alan Reid.

Maya da Costa is...

Maya da Costa and Myra Molloy have nabbed lead roles in pop star Hayley Kiyoko’s movie Girls Like Girls, based on her 2015 hit song of the same name and viral music video.

The coming-of-age film about a young girl falling for another girl will see da Costa play Coley, who explores her attraction to other women. She’s especially attracted to Sonya (Molloy) as they navigate a summer romance.

A logline from the film’s producers adds: “Based on Kiyoko’s breakthrough hit song and viral music video of the same name, the film tells the universal story of falling in love for the first time and learning to accept yourself along the way.”

da Costa is best known for her recurring role as Maya Longette in Under the Bridge for Hulu, while Thai actress Molloy has credits that include He’s All That, Halfworlds and The Bold Type.

Girls Like Girls...

Multi-hyphenate Hayley Kiyoko unveiled on Instagram today that her directorial debut Girls Like Girls at Focus Features will star Maya da Costa (Under The Bridge) and Myra Molloy (He’s All That).

The movie is based on Kiyoko’s hit song and viral music video of the same name. da Costa will play Coley while Myra will portray Sonya. The feature “tells the universal story of falling in love for the first time and learning to accept yourself along the way” per the press release this Am.

Today’s announcement coincides with the 10th anniversary of the Girls Like Girls music video which dropped on June 24, 2015 and garnered north of 145M views. In 2023, Kiyoko released the New York Times Best Selling novel Girls Like Girls, which expanded upon the characters from her music video. In 2019, Billboard included the ditty in its list of the “30 Lesbian Love Songs”.

The music video follows...

Emma Roberts and Matt Rife are joining forces!

The 34-year-old actress and the 29-year-old comedian have signed on for a new romantic comedy movie titled Marriage Material. Trish Sie is set to direct the film from Buzzfeed Studios, and the screenplay is by Ben Agron and Brandon Feldman.

The movie will tell the story of “a founder of a dating app, whose deadbeat husband’s alimony payments are bleeding her dry, so she must use it to find him a new wife before her company goes public.”

Keep reading to find out more…

“Marriage Material is a fresh, fiercely funny romantic comedy with an undeniable heart. Emma and Matt are a comedy duo that audiences worldwide will enjoy,” president of Buzzfeed Studios Richard Alan Reid said, per Variety.

If you didn’t see, this week, it was confirmed that Matt will star in another comedy movie.

Emma Roberts and comedian Matt Rife are set to star in the romantic comedy “Marriage Material,” from BuzzFeed Studios, with Capstone Global launching worldwide sales in Cannes.

Trish Sie, whose credits include “Pitch Perfect 3,” “The Sleepover” and “Players,” is set to direct from a screenplay written by Ben Agron and Brandon Feldman.

“Marriage Material” follows the founder of a dating app, whose deadbeat husband’s alimony payments are bleeding her dry, so she must use it to find him a new wife before her company goes public.

The film is produced by Capstone Studios and Buzzfeed Studios. The producers are Richard Alan Reid, Jason Moring, Michael Philip and Dan Scheinkman (BuzzFeed Studios), Christian Mercuri (Capstone Studios) and David Sweeney and Peter Edwards (Sweeney Entertainment). Roberts (Belletrist), Rife, Christina Shams, John Dunne (Independent Artists Media) and David Haring and Roman Viaris (Capstone Studios) serve as executive producers.

“ ‘Marriage Material’ is a fresh,...

BuzzFeed is still buzzing.

The company, which was founded in 2006 and rose to prominence because of quizzes, personality tests and listicles, has gone through a number of phases (remember when it was investing in hard-charging news?) and now, with BuzzFeed Studios, has been producing a staggering amount of long- and short-form content – everything from YouTube videos to feature-length motion pictures.

It’s latest really-for-real movie is “F Marry Kill,” which is in select theaters and on demand this week, thanks to a partnership with Lionsgate. It’s a romantic horror comedy starring Lucy Hale, who recently partnered with BuzzFeed on another feature project, the dog-centered rom-com “Puppy Love.”

TheWrap spoke to Richard Alan Reid, producer of the film and president of BuzzFeed Studios, who told us how AI is informing not only the kinds of content they are investing in but also actual content, how Purina-sponsored branded content turned...

Vertical has acquired North American rights to Home Sweet Home: Rebirth, the live-action adaptation of the hit video game from directors Alexander Kiesl and Steffen Hacker. The film is set to release this April.

The cast includes Michele Morrone, William Moseley, Thai-Norwegian actress Yaya Urassaya Sperbund, and K-Pop/K-Drama star Alexander Lee.

Home Sweet Home Rebirth follows Jake (Moseley), a cop thrust into an alternate realm called “The Hindrance” during a deadly mall shooting. With the help of a mysterious Novice Monk (Lee), Jake must race the clock to save his wife, Prang (Sperbund), and stop an evil occultist, Mek (Morrone), from opening the Gates of Hell.

The film is based on the hit survival thriller video game Home Sweet Home by Thai gaming company YGGDrazil, which has sold over 1 million units worldwide and has become a breakout on YouTube and Twitch, with streamers raking in more than 370 million views of gameplay across both platforms.

Exclusive: Vertical has acquired North American rights to Home Sweet Home: Rebirth, the live-action adaptation of the video game from directors Alexander Kiesl and Steffen Hacker.

Starring Michele Morrone (365 Days), William Moseley (The Chronicles of Narnia saga), Thai-Norwegian actress Yaya Urassaya Sperbund (Brother of the Year), and K-Pop/K-Drama star Alexander Lee (Moorin School: Saga of the Brave), the film is set for release this April. Below is a first look image.

Home Sweet Home Rebirth follows Jake (Moseley), a cop thrust into an alternate realm called “The Hindrance” during a deadly mall shooting. With the help of a mysterious Novice Monk (Lee), Jake must race the clock to save his wife, Prang (Sperbund), and stop an evil occultist, Mek (Morrone), from opening the Gates of Hell.

The film is based on the survival thriller video game Home Sweet Home by Thai gaming company YGGDrazil, which has sold more...

Exclusive: Lionsgate’s Lucy Hale comedy-mystery F*** Marry Kill hit digital store shelves and PVOD this past Friday, December 6 — then disappeared a few hours later. We heard all the noise from genre fans.

What went on here? Is Lionsgate’s AI to blame? No, not at all.

Apparently, the R-rated Laura Murphy-directed title originally was scheduled for a December 6 drop, and fans were expecting it. But the release date changed a few weeks ago, and that message clearly didn’t get through to the PVOD platforms, hence the glitch.

Lionsgate isn’t burying or short-changing the movie, which is coming out via its theatrical day-and-date release label Lionsgate Premiere Releasing. The release-date change is an effort to align the movie with its international roll\out in March. We’re told that a recent screening, the filmmaker announced to attendees that they could expect to see F*** Marry Kill in March.

Hayley Kiyoko will make her directorial debut with an adaptation of her own book (itself based on her hit single), Girls Like Girls.

One of Hayley Kiyoko’s first starring roles was as Velma in a series of straight to DVD Scooby Doo films from 2009 to 2011. She also had a very successful stint on the Disney Channel, appearing in Wizards Of Waverly Place and playing one of the main characters in arguably one of the best Disney Channel Original Movies, Lemonade Mouth, in which she also sang and played guitar. This led to Kiyoko releasing several albums, and that builds us towards this particular story.

One of the most successful singles was Girls Like Girls. The music video went viral in 2015, it depicted a friendship between two girls that developed into romance. She then adapted the story of the song into a young adult novel, which was published in 2023.

According to Deadline,...

Hayley Kiyoko is making a movie based on her song “Girls Like Girls“!

The 33-year-old entertainer is set to make her feature film directorial and screenwriting debut with the project, which has been picked up by Focus Features, according to Deadline.

Wicked producer Marc Platt and BuzzFeed Studios’ Richard Alan Reid are among the producers on the upcoming film.

Keep reading to find out more…

Girls Like Girls, the movie, will follow the same theme of telling “the universal story of falling in love for the first time and learning to accept yourself along the way.”

Hayley will co-write the script alongside her longtime friend and co-star Stefanie Scott, who starred in the “Girls Like Girls” music video nearly 10 years ago with Yellowstone‘s Kelsey Asbille. All three of them starred in Disney Channel projects in the early 2010s.

In addition to “Girls Like Girls,” Hayley and Stefanie co-starred in...

Exclusive: Focus Features has acquired worldwide rights to Girls Like Girls, a film that will mark the feature directing and screenwriting debut of pop star, actress, and novelist Hayley Kiyoko.

Based on Kiyoko’s breakthrough hit song and viral music video of the same name, the film tells the universal story of falling in love for the first time and learning to accept yourself along the way.

The multi-hyphenate artist debuted her song, “Girls Like Girls,” in February 2015, followed by a music video release in June 2015 which marked her first experience as a director. The video quickly went viral for its sensitive portrayal of a friendship between two young women evolving into romantic feelings. To date, the song has amassed 140.7M downloads on Spotify and 157.5M video views on YouTube. Kiyoko published a YA novel drawing on characters from her music video in 2023 and saw it debut at #1 on the...

Gravitas Ventures has acquired worldwide distribution rights to BuzzFeed Studios’ documentary “Brother Orange.”

The doc follows the story of Matt Stopera, a BuzzFeed founding editor, whose life takes an unexpected turn when his stolen phone becomes the catalyst for a 2015 BuzzFeed article that went viral. The film chronicles how Stopera tracks down ‘Brother Orange,’ a.k.a. Li Hongjun, who’s selfies taken next to orange trees begin appearing on the reporter’s ‘ iCloud feed a year after his phone was stolen.

Hongjun, who lives in China, ended up with Stopera’s stolen phone. The story received over 100 million views on social media, including over 70 million shares on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform.

In 2016, Variety reported that Jim Parsons was in talks to star as Stopera in the Warner Bros. narrative adaptation of the “Brother Orange” article, which never came to fruition.

The doc, directed and executive-produced by Abe Forman-Greenwald,...

Grant Gustin’s run as The Scarlet Speedster ended in 2023 with the conclusion of the Arrowverse. Since then, the actor seems to have taken a hiatus from the big sets of the film industry and has been happily spending his time on the stage on Broadway. While he is as busy as ever, he did do one film after the end of The Flash, which is Puppy Love.

Puppy Love (2023) | Credit: Amazon Freevee

Known for his charismatic persona and natural charm, the actor’s latest film was a romantic comedy full of unexpected twists and turns of life and relationships. Blending elements like romance, comedy, and heartfelt moments into one, some have found it an honest portrayal of how difficult relationships are to navigate, others feel it has missed its mark.

But is the film, whose title seems a lighthearted one attracting younger viewers, safe to watch for children? Even...

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Puppy Love is a romantic comedy film directed by Nick Fabiano and Richard Alan Reid from a screenplay co-written by Greg Glienna, Peter Stass, and Kristen Guenther. The rom-com film stars Grant Gustin and Lucy Hale in the lead roles of Max and Nicole. Puppy Love follows the two after a horrible first date but Max’s dog gets pregnant by Nicole’s dog and this starts a cutesy and anxiety-filled love story. So, if you loved the romance, comedy, and charming characters in Puppy Love here are some similar movies you should check out next.

Rescued by Ruby (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Rescued by Ruby is a biographical comedy-drama film directed by Katt Shea from a screenplay by Karen Janszen. Based on a true story, the 2022 film follows the story of State Trooper Daniel O’Neil who dreams of...

Exclusive: Media industry veteran Karolina Waclawiak has been appointed to serve as Head of Documentary at BuzzFeed Studios.

She comes to the role after serving as Editor in Chief and Executive Editor of Culture at BuzzFeed News for more than seven years and will now oversee the development and production of docuseries and documentary features on behalf of BuzzFeed Studios, advancing the creation of impactful nonfiction narratives that align with the company’s commitment to investigative journalism.

As part of her new role, Waclawiak will also oversee both scripted and documentary development for the BuzzFeed News archive, HuffPost, and other company properties. Currently, she’s in production on a multi-part investigation based on original reporting from BuzzFeed and HuffPost with Maxine Productions, which produced the Emmy-nominated Quiet on Set.

Stated BuzzFeed Studios President Richard Alan Reid on the appointment, “BuzzFeed Studios is thrilled to welcome Karolina Waclawiak as Head of Documentary,...

Exclusive: The live-action adaptation of hit the video game franchise Home Sweet Home Rebirth is debuting for world sales at the TIFF market with Diamond Media.

The completed film stars Michele Morrone (365 Days), William Moseley (The Chronicles Of Narnia), Thai-Norwegian model and actress Urassaya Sperbund (Brother Of The Year) and K-Pop/K-drama star Alexander Lee (Moorin School: Saga Of The Brave).

Filmmaking duo Alexander Kiesl and Steffen Hacker directed, with visuals coming from their German visual effects house Unexpected. The film was produced by Dean Altit under his Altit Media Group banner, and Pakin Maliwan, under Thailand-based Film Frame Productions.

Pic follows Jake (Moseley), a cop thrust into an alternate realm called ‘The Hindrance’ during a deadly mall shooting. With the help of a mysterious Novice Monk (Lee), Jake must race the clock to save his wife, Prang (Yaya), and stop an evil occultist, Mek (Morrone), from opening the Gates of Hell.

BuzzFeed has promoted executive vice president Richard Alan Reid to studio president as BuzzFeed Studios is set to absorb the video division of its parent company.

Reid has served as EVP, Head of Studio & International since 2021, negotiating long-term partnerships with Lionsgate, Universal Television, Acast Studios, and The Independent, among others. Among the films co-produced by BuzzFeed Studios under his tenure are the Freevee romcom “Puppy Love,” which Reid co-directed, and the Lionsgate thriller “Fall.”

Under Reid, BuzzFeed Studios will combine all of the company’s video arms, including BuzzFeed Celeb, BuzzFeed Video, Unsolved Network, and the BuzzFeed Animation Lab, into a single entity.

Reid’s role will now oversee all of the expanded studio encompassing digital video, distribution and premium programming across film, television, documentary, audio, Fast and licensing for BuzzFeed, HuffPost, Hot Ones and Tasty. As president, he will also lead all business and content operations across the company...

BuzzFeed has promoted Richard Alan Reid to the role of President of Studio, the digital media company announced on Thursday. This comes following three and a half years in which he’s served as EVP, Head of Studio & International.

As part of Reid’s promotion, BuzzFeed Studios is absorbing and refocusing the video arm of BuzzFeed, Inc., which is home to fan-favorite channels like BuzzFeed Celeb, BuzzFeed Video, Unsolved Network, and the BuzzFeed Animation Lab, into one combined entity. His role will now oversee all of the expanded studio encompassing digital video, distribution and premium programming across film, television, documentary, audio, Fast and licensing for BuzzFeed, HuffPost, Hot Ones and Tasty. As President, he will also lead all business and content operations across the company’s international portfolio of editions and partnerships around the world.

Through the continuation of digital content, Reid and the Studios team will look to tailor...

Puppy Love is a romantic comedy starring Lucy Hale, Grant Gustin and Jane Seymour. It is directed by Nick Fabiano and Richard Alan Reid.

It’s one of those movies where, despite the ice cream tub beside the bed, the girl wakes up even skinnier than before, almost made up, and spectacularly beautiful. He’s a guy whose biggest problem might just be that he’s too nice and nerdy. She’s a mess, and he suffers from something called post-covid social anxiety. Can you imagine the existential drama of these two attractive but lonely characters in life and love?

Yes, they’re already charming, good-looking, and friendly, but wait – there’s more! She comes across an adorable puppy and he has to take care of an equally adorable female dog to alleviate his anxiety. Can you imagine anything more adorable than this?

You’re not going to believe it,...

What do you get when you pit one of TV’s top Queen B’s against a hunk known for being as funny as he is foine over the course of one wild Christmas? Well, we get a whole lot of merry and Santa’s naughty list gets two new entries! In Freevee‘s fantastically offbeat comedy EXmas, Gossip Girl icon Leighton Meester and Upload‘s Robbie Amell bring their A-games as a quarrelsome former couple that is forced to spend the holidays. “It’s a great lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers situation,” producer Richard Alan Reid told TV Insider last month. Paulina Stevens/Exmas Film Inc. In the Yuletide tale, Los Angeles game designer Graham (Amell) receives the worst present ever when he surprises his family in Minnesota at Christmas: Thinking he’d choose work over them as usual, they’ve invited his ex-fiancée, Ali (Meester), to join their gathering. Worse yet, his...

Lucy Hale has signed up to star in action - comedy movie 'F*** Mary Kill'.The 34-year-old actress will star alongside Virginia Gardner, Jedidiah Goodacre, Brendan Moran, Samer Salem, Brooke Nevin, and Bethany Brown in the new movie from Lionsgate and BuzzFeed Studios.Directed by Laura Murphy and written by Ivan Diaz and Meghan Brown, the film follows Lucy's character, a true-crime fan in Colorado, who is torn between three guys.According to The Hollywood Reporter, she must figure out which of the three men is "her f***boy, which is marriage material, and which is the Swipe Right Killer who wants to murder her".Lauren Bixby, senior vp acquisitions and co-productions for Lionsgate, said: "BuzzFeed Studios are the experts at delivering movies for their audience, and there are few stars like Lucy Hale who can move between comedy and thriller as effortlessly as she does. In 'F*** Marry Kill',...

Lucy Hale is set to star in F*** Mary Kill, an action-comedy and the latest feature from Lionsgate and BuzzFeed Studios.

Directed by Laura Murphy and written by Ivan Diaz and Meghan Brown, the film follows a true-crime junkie in Boulder, Colo. who must determine which of the three guys she’s dating is her f*ckboy, which is marriage material, and which is the Swipe Right Killer who has been terrorizing the city and wants to murder her.

Alongside Hale, the film, which wrapped pre-strike, also stars Virginia Gardner, Jedidiah Goodacre, Brendan Moran, Samer Salem, Brooke Nevin, and Bethany Brown.

F*** Mary Kill — which Lionsgate is selling at the AFM — is produced by BuzzFeed Inc.’s Richard Alan Reid, Michael Philip, and Jason Moring, and builds on the success Lionsgate, BuzzFeed Studios and Hale had with Puppy Love, which was released on Amazon Freevee earlier this summer.

“BuzzFeed Studios...

Leighton Meester and Robbie Amell discover coming home for Christmas can be just a little stressful when they star in the Amazon Freevee original romantic comedy EXmas from BuzzFeed Studios, set to premiere on Nov. 17.

Amell plays Graham, who decides to surprise his family by traveling home for the holidays, only to encounter an unexpected guest of honor, Ali (Meester), who also happens to be his ex-fiancée. The two exes battle it out to see who the family will pick to stay through Christmas Day, and who must go.

EXmas is directed by Jonah Feingold and written by Dan Steele. The film will launch exclusively on the free streamer Freevee in the U.S., U.K., Germany and Austria, while also playing on Prime Video in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Amazon owns and operates Freevee alongside its more premium Prime Video offering, and uses the free streamer...

Leighton Meester and Robbie Amell are battling it out for the title of best ex in Amazon Freevee’s new Chrismas movie.

“EXmas,” which premieres Nov. 17 on the streamer, stars Meester and Amell as ex-fiancés Ali and Graham, whose break up leads to a halt in communication between the former lovers. What Graham doesn’t know is that Ali has kept in close touch with his family — close enough to visit them for the holidays.

The official logline is as follows: “When Graham decides to surprise his family by traveling home for Christmas, he is shocked to discover them already celebrating with an unexpected guest of honor — Ali, who also happens to be his ex-fiancée. The two exes battle it out to see who the family will pick to stay through Christmas Day, and who must go.”

“My family will get up the courage to ask you to leave before Christmas morning,...

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

The Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) and Robbie Amell (Upload)-original rom-com EXmas will premiere exclusively on Amazon Freevee in the U.S., UK, Germany, and Austria on November 17.

The holiday film follows former fiances, Graham (Amell) and Ali (Meester), who are unexpectedly reunited during Christmas. Ali shows up at Graham’s family house to spend the holidays together thinking Graham would not be making the trip. The pair battle it out to see who the family will pick to stay through Christmas Day, and who must go.

The film also stars Michael Hitchcock (Puppy Love) and Kathryn Greenwood (Whose Line Is It Anyway?) as Graham’s parents, Dennis and Jeannie; Veronika Slowikowska (What We Do in the Shadows) as Graham’s sister, Mindy; and Steven Huy (Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies) as Graham’s brother, Elliott.

EXmas is produced by...

Back in 2017, BuzzFeed writer Adam Ellis wrote out a ghost story (which he swears is completely true) on Twitter, and that story caught so much attention that there was soon talk of a movie adaptation. The project, titled Dear David, was first set up at New Line Cinema in 2018, then made its way over to Lionsgate. Now Lionsgate is gearing up to give Dear David a theatrical, digital, and VOD release on October 13th – and to promote the release, a clip from the movie has arrived online. You can watch it in the embed above.

Anna and the Apocalypse‘s John McPhail has directed the film from a screenplay by Mike Van Waes. The cast of Dear David is headed up by Augustus Prew (Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series), Justin Long (Tusk), Rene Escobar Jr. (Heartland), Cameron Nicoll (Stolen by Their Father), and Andrea Bang (A Million Little Things...

Puppy Love falls short in its execution despite having a winning premise, lacking in both romance and comedy. Grant Gustin shines in his role, offering an engaging performance, but Lucy Hale's character falls into a familiar archetype. The writing is lacking in depth and the film fails to build a passionate and believable romance, making it a dull and forgettable entry in the rom-com genre.

Editor's note: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn't exist.

Aria from Pretty Little Liars and Barry Allen from The Flash meet and fall in love in Freevee’s romantic-comedy Puppy Love. The general conceit of Puppy Love is fine. Many people love dogs and are primed for a rom-com about dogs playing matchmakers. It’s happened before, so the formula is easy to deploy.

Grant Gustin and Lucy Hale star in Puppy Love, a romantic comedy about two people with opposing personalities who are brought together by their dogs' love for each toehr. Puppy Love is directed by Nick Fabiano and Richard Alan Reid, and features a talented cast including Jane Seymour and Corey Woods. The film's lighthearted romance, combined with the natural charisma of Gustin and Hale, makes it an enjoyable experience for viewers, who will also fall in love with the adorable dogs in the film.

Grant Gustin and Lucy Hale are back on fans' screens in Puppy Love, which is available to stream now on Freevee. In the animal-friendly romantic comedy, Gustin plays the socially anxious Max, who adopts a dog in order to overcome his own struggles. Hale, on the other hand, is the workaholic Nicole, who can't find time for love or niceties. When she winds up with a dog of her own,...

The idea must have sounded great on paper. Cull from popular Buzzfeed videos dubbed Puppyhood — cute yet manipulative — and make a film about an unlikely couple whom fate has drawn together. Make that two dogs. Let the tail-wagging begin. Thing is, in Amazon Freevee’s new doggy rom-com, Puppy Love, there’s not much to wag about. You want there to be, but alas, this dog has already been put to pasture 15 minutes in. The premise — one that has been used before countless times — could have worked if the story offered more than just a quirky meet cute that becomes incredibly predictable.

Still, if you’re craving something sweet (to the point of inducing cavities) that feels plucked out of the 1990s rom-com cellar, then take this pup for a walk. In the meantime, let’s see what went wrong (and the few things this film got right).

Dogs Fix...

Puppy Love is a romantic comedy film directed by Nick Fabiano and Richard Alan Reid from a screenplay by Greg Glienna, Peter Stass, and Kristen Guenther. The rom-com film stars Grant Gustin and Lucy Hale in the lead roles of Max and Nicole. Puppy Love follows the two after a horrible first date but Max’s dog gets pregnant by Nicole’s dog and this starts a cutesy and anxiety-filled love story. So, if you loved Puppy Love here are some similar movies you could watch next.

Rescued by Ruby (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Synopsis: State trooper Dan (Grant Gustin) dreams of joining the K-9 Search & Rescue team, but no one will give him the chance. Shelter dog Ruby dreams of having a home, but is running out of hope. When fate brings Dan and Ruby together, it’s their unshakable bond that helps them face their toughest challenge yet. Based on a true story.

Back in 2017, BuzzFeed writer Adam Ellis wrote out a ghost story (which he swears is completely true) on Twitter, and that story caught so much attention that there was soon talk of a movie adaptation. The project, titled Dear David, was first set up at New Line Cinema in 2018, then made its way over to Lionsgate. Now Lionsgate has announced that they’ll be giving Dear David a theatrical, digital, and VOD release on October 13th – and along with that announcement comes the unveiling of a trailer, which you can watch in the embed above.

Anna and the Apocalypse‘s John McPhail having directed the film from a screenplay by Mike Van Waes. The cast of Dear David is headed up by Augustus Prew (Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series), Justin Long (Tusk), Rene Escobar Jr. (Heartland), Cameron Nicoll (Stolen by Their Father), and Andrea Bang (A Million Little Things...

Going viral is a nightmare in the first trailer for the upcoming horror movie, Dear David. Coming courtesy of Lionsgate, Dear David is the long-awaited adaptation of a Twitter thread created by BuzzFeed writer Adam Ellis, in which he documented his experiences with the ghost of a boy that was haunting him. You can check out the first trailer for Dear David below.

“After responding to Internet trolls, a man becomes haunted by the ghost of a dead child named David,” the official synopsis for Dear David reads. “Based on the viral Twitter thread by BuzzFeed comic artist Adam Ellis.”

The horror outing will be led by The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and The Morning Show star Augustus Prew as Adam Ellis, with the supporting cast including Rene Escobar Jr., Cameron Nicoll (Slumberland), Andrea Bang (Kim's Convenience), Rachel Wilson (In the Tall Grass), Ethan Hwang (Riceboy...

Exclusive: Amazon Freevee has acquired the Lionsgate movie Puppy Love, starring Pretty Little Liars alumna Lucy Hale and Grant Gustin, who is coming off a nine-season run as the star of the CW’s The Flash.

The Freevee Original film will premiere on the free, ad-supported streaming platform later this summer. It will also be available to rent or own digitally on its debut date.

Inspired by BuzzFeed’s viral 2015 digital series Puppyhood, Puppy Love was produced by BuzzFeed Studios through the company’s deal with Lionsgate. It was filmed in Canada last summer, with Hale and Gustin both posting on social media Aug. 29 that they had wrapped a movie together with no further detail.

Lucy Hale and Grant Gustin

In Puppy Love, after a disastrous first date, wild-child Nicole (Hale) and socially-anxious Max (Gustin) vow to lose each other’s numbers until they learn that their dogs find a love match,...

Peacock has set a release date and trailer for “Once Upon a Time in Londongrad,” its 6-part documentary about Russian oligarchs and the reaches of Vladimir Putin beyond Russia.

The series, from Buzzfeed Studios and Rise Films, is set to premiere on Nov. 15 on the streaming platform.

“Once Upon a Time in Londongrad” is directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jed Rothstein (“WeWork”).

It follows BuzzFeed News investigative reporter Heidi Blake as she follows a tip about the death of a multi-millionaire property tycoon, which leads her to dig into a tangled web that ensnares Russian oligarchs, the U.K. government and Washington D.C and takes in the shocking poisoning of Russian defector and Putin critic Alexander Litvinenko, the suspicious death of Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, who was found dead at his ex-wife’s house in Ascot, and the attempted assignation of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal.

“Set across Vladimir Putin’s two decades in power,...

Jeremy Paxman, who presented popular BBC quiz show show “University Challenge” since 1994, will film his last episode this fall. A new presenter will be announced later this week.

The final series will air on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer from Aug. 29 through to summer 2023. “University Challenge,” the U.K.’s longest running quiz show, celebrates 60 years in 2022. A documentary on the show will air on BBC Two and iPlayer on Aug. 29.

Paxman said: “I’ve had a blast hosting this wonderful series for nearly 29 years. I’ve been lucky enough to work with an amazing team and to meet some of the swottier brains in the country. It gives me hope for the future.”

Kate Phillips, BBC’s director of unscripted, said: “Since the BBC revived ‘University Challenge’ in 1994 Jeremy has been at the front and centre of the show’s success and is without doubt one of the world’s finest,...

Buzzfeed announced that Paul Ricci will join the company to lead unscripted television for BuzzFeed Studios. In the role, Ricci will oversee all unscripted television programming for the company’s Hollywood arm and entire portfolio of brands including BuzzFeed, Complex, Tasty and HuffPost. Ricci will report directly to the head of studios, Richard Alan Reid.

Ricci has more than 20 years of television experience within the entertainment industry, most recently co-founding development company BoomTown Content Co. In addition to Ricci’s hiring, BuzzFeed Studios will enter into a strategic development partnership with BoomTown Content Co. to develop new unscripted television projects. Recent projects include “The Kids Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” on Peacock, “Who Wants To Be An Astronaut?” on Discovery and other projects in varying stages. BoomTown Content Co. will continue to be helmed by co-founder Mark Efman.

At Viacom — now Paramount Global — Ricci served as Head of Alternative Series for MTV and VH1,...

Click here to read the full article.

BuzzFeed Studios has hired Paul Ricci, formerly the head of alternative programming and development for MTV and VH1, to lead unscripted TV.

Reporting up to BuzzFeed Studios head Richard Alan Reid, Ricci will oversee unscripted projects across BuzzFeed Inc.’s brands, which include BuzzFeed, Complex, Tasty and HuffPost. Scripted projects will continue to be led by Charlotte Simms, BuzzFeed’s director of development for scripted TV.

Ricci comes to BuzzFeed after spending more than a decade at Paramount Global, then called Viacom, as a producer and executive at MTV and VH1 overseeing alternative series like Rob Dyrdek’s Ridiculousness and Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg’s Martha and Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party. Prior to that role, Ricci led development and programming for MTV2, launching shows like Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ’n Out, Guy Code and Girl Code.

Most recently, the executive co-founded...

Exclusive: The Juneteenth comedy Block Party is set for a wide theatrical release via Iconic Events Releasing on June 8, also having been picked up for linear and streaming by BET and BET+ starting June 16.

The film from director Dawn Wilkinson centers on Keke McQueen (Antoinette Robertson), a recent Harvard grad who is eager to ditch her hometown of Grand Rapids, Mi, for her dream job in Atlanta. But when Keke discovers that her once-super-sharp Grandma Janice (Academy Award nominee Margaret Avery) is showing early signs of dementia, she puts her career at stake in order to save Grandma’s renowned Juneteenth block party. In the process, Keke falls back in love with her hometown.

Block Party also stars Faizon Love, Luenell, Golden Brooks, Charlyne Yi, John Amos, Gary Anthony Williams, Brad William Henke, Birgundi Baker, Bill Cobbs, Terayle and Merle Dandridge. Branch Out Productions’ Lisa Mathis wrote the script and...

Exclusive: Two-time BAFTA nominee Maxine Peake (The Village) is set to star as renowned Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya in the timely Cannes market package Mother Russia.

The film will tell the story of world-renowned journalist and human rights activist Politkovskaya, who went from being a local print journalist to braving the Chechen killing fields and exposing Russian state corruption under Vladimir Putin. She refused to give up reporting on the war in Chechnya despite numerous acts of intimidation and violence, including being poisoned. She was ultimately murdered in the elevator of her block of flats and it remains unclear who paid for the contract killing.

Oscar nominee Ciaran Hinds (Belfast) will play Nobel Prize-winning newspaper editor Dmitry Muratov and BAFTA nominee Jason Isaacs (The Death Of Stalin) will play Politkovskaya’s husband Sacha.

Luminosity Entertainment is launching worldwide sales on the project at the Cannes market.

Pic is being produced...

Exclusive: Lionsgate and BuzzFeed have revealed details about their third movie tie-up, Dear David.

The supernatural thriller was originally set up at New Line with Dan Lin producing but we can reveal that the project is now set as the next production on Lionsgate and BuzzFeed’s feature slate.

Based on a true story and one of the first Twitter urban legends, Dear David will tell the story of Adam Ellis, a former BuzzFeed employee and social media content creator who becomes haunted by the ghost of a boy possessed by a demonic entity. In 2018, Ellis’s Twitter thread about his experiences with the ghost he called ‘Dear David’ went viral, gaining him more than a million followers on the platform.

The film will be directed by John McPhail, whose made his debut on 2017 zombie horror-comedy Anna And The Apocalypse. Screenplay is by Mike Van Waes. We hear this is...

Disney Plus released a new list of voice actors added to the cast of “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” premiering in 2022.

Among the new stars added to the cast of the revival of “The Proud Family” are Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Chance the Rapper, Normani, Leslie Odom Jr., Tiffany Haddish, Lena Waithe, Anthony Anderson, Gabrielle Union, Debbie Allen, James Pickens Jr., Courtney B. Vance, Jane Lynch, Marsai Martin, Jaden Smith, Glynn Turman, Lamorne Morris, Brenda Song, Tina Knowles, Eva Longoria, Holly Robinson Peete, Al Roker, Bretman Rock, Gabby Douglas and Laurie Hernandez.

Additional recurring stars include Asante Blackk as Penny’s boyfriend Kareem, Artist Dubose aka A Boogie wit da Hoodie as Maya’s brother Francis “Kg” Leibowitz-Jenkins, Raquel Lee Bolleau reprising her role as Nubia Gross and Marcus T. Paulk reprising his role as Penny’s classmate Myron.

“The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” will pick up the...

Lionsgate and BuzzFeed have set the LGBTQ romantic comedy My Fake Boyfriend as the partnership’s second production, with the film to star Keiynan Lonsdale, Dylan Sprouse and Sarah Hyland.

Directed by Rose Troche, the film follows a young man (Lonsdale) who, on the advice of his best friend (Sprouse) creates a fake, social media boyfriend to keep his ex-lover out of his life. The plan backfires when he meets the real love of his life, and breaking up with his fake boyfriend proves hard to do.

“My Fake Boyfriend is a fresh comedy with universal appeal, led by an exciting, diverse cast of talent,” said Richard Alan Reid, SVP of Global Content & Head of Studio at BuzzFeed, in announcing the project with Lauren Bixby, Vice President, Co-Productions & Acquisitions

for Lionsgate. “There is no better person to tell this queer love story than Rose Troche,...

BuzzFeed has named a new top video executive.

The publishing giant, which returned to the NewFronts for the first time since 2016, has tapped Litty Samuel -- Meredith’s former director of video development -- to serve as its new executive director of editorial video, Variety reports.

Samuel will be charged with overseeing video for BuzzFeed’s myriad brands, including Cocoa Butter, Pero Like, As/Is, BuzzFeed Video, BuzzFeed Celeb, Unsolved, Bring Me, and Goodful. She will also collaborate with BuzzFeed’s business team to create new revenue opportunities, per Variety, while working in tandem with BuzzFeed Studios, the company's long-form video division led by Richard Alan Reid.

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Exclusive: In a competitive situation, Peacock has landed for development What She Said, an hourlong series from Erika Green Swafford (New Amsterdam) and Good Girls creator Jenna Bans. The project hails from Universal Television and BuzzFeed Studios and stems from Green Swafford and Bans’ overall deals and BuzzFeed’s first-look pact with the studio, part of Universal Content Studios.

Written and executive produced by Green Swafford, What She Said is inspired by Bim Adewunmi’s 2018 BuzzFeed News story “Meet the Women Who Are Building a Better Romance Industry”. It explores self-love, society’s beauty standards, and challenges the old, predominantly white narratives of who gets to fall in love. With romance novels at its spine, this series will lean into the wish fulfillment and sexiness that are the hallmarks of the romance industry and highlight the awkwardness, emotionality, and psychology of finding the courage to embrace your full self out in the real world.

Henry Loevner, Steven Kanter directed film about couple going through break-up during pandemic.

Jason Moring’s Ddi has come on board to launch worldwide sales at the EFM on BuzzFeed Studios’ pandemic comedy and upcoming SXSW selection The End Of Us.

Henry Loevner and Steven Kanter directed the film about a couple going through a break-up during a global pandemic.

It is the night of March 10, 2020 – the eve of the California lockdown – as out-of-work actor Nick and his type-a girlfriend Leah are in the throes of splitting up.

When the safer-at-home order ushers in a long period of quarantine, Leah...

Exclusive: BuzzFeed Studios has signed on to executive produce the Schlemiel Pictures pandemic comedy The End of Us which is set to make its world premiere in competition next month at the SXSW Film Festival. Directed by Henry Loevner and Steven Kanter, the film stars Ben Coleman and Ali Vingiano as a couple going through a break up during a — you guessed it — a global pandemic. To get a taste of the romantic dysfunction, BuzzFeed Studios and Schlemiel Pictures released an exclusive clip from the film which you can watch above.

“BuzzFeed is known for content featuring smart, socially relevant themes, and The End of Us speaks to the experiences we endured over the past year through a sharply funny and wryly observant lens,” said Richard Alan Reid, Head of BuzzFeed Studios. “We are excited about our new partnership with the filmmakers, and look forward to our debut at SXSW...

Sam Claflin and Veronica Echegui are toplining the romantic comedy Book Of Love, which shoots next month. Sky is producing the movie as a Sky Original for its markets, with XYZ Films co-producing, co-financing and handling rights for the rest of the world.

The story is about two writers thrown together on a book tour in Mexico. Analeine Cal Y Mayor (Treading Water) is directing from a script by David Quantick (Veep).

Producers include Michael Knowles from North of Watford Films, Naysun Alae-Carew from Blazing Griffin, Allan Niblo from Vertigo Films, Nick Spicer and Maxime Cottray from XYZ Films and Richard Alan Reid from BuzzFeed Studios. BuzzFeed Studios and North of Watford Films developed the screenplay and BuzzFeed Studios will be a marketing partner on the film.

Sky recently unveiled its content strategy for 2021, which includes a commitment to release two original films per month this year.

In today’s Global Bulletin, BBC and SundanceTV announce the third and final season of “The Split,” Sky and XYZ Films prepare to shoot “Book of Love” and Vis Distribution adds 750 hours of content following its acquisition of Israel’s Ananey Studios.

Television

BBC One and SundanceTV have ordered a third and final season of Sister’s “The Split,” created by BAFTA and International Emmy-winning writer Abi Morgan and produced by Jane Featherstone (“Chernobyl”), Lucy Dyke (“Black Mirror”) and Lucy Richer (“Small Axe”), with Dee Koppang O’Leary boarding as lead director.

Unspooling in London’s high-end divorce circuit, “The Split” follows the lives of the Defoe sisters, Hannah, Nina and Rose, and their imposing mother Ruth. Season two ended with divorce lawyer Hannah’s own marriage in tatters and the couple negotiating the terms of their own split. As the dust seems to be settling, a new revelation comes to light,...

Ellen Page and Paris Berelc have boarded gaming comedy “1Up,” with Kyle Newman directing in what could be the first feature film for BuzzFeed Studios.

Berelc will portray a gamer who quits her college esports team due to sexism from her male counterparts. To keep her scholarship, she’s forced to assemble an all-female team and enlists the help of a coach — portrayed by Page — who has a gaming scandal in her past.

The script is written by Julia Yorks. BuzzFeed’s Richard Alan Reid is producing along with Michael Philip and Jason Moring. Production is expected to begin in Toronto in November.

Page stars in the Netflix series “Umbrella Academy” as Vanya Hargreeves. She was nominated for an Academy Award for best actress for 2007’s comedy-drama “Juno” and has credits on “Inception,” “Tallulah,” “Whip It” and portrayed Kitty Pryde in “X-Men: The Last Stand” and “X-Men: Days of Future Past.