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Academy Award, Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor has been cast opposite Anya Taylor-Joy in Apple TV+’s Lucky limited series.

Based on the New York Times bestselling novel and Reese’s Book Club pick of the same name by Marissa Stapley, Lucky stars Taylor-Joy as “a young woman who left behind the life of crime she was raised in years ago, but must now embrace her darker, criminal side one final time in a desperate attempt to escape her past,” according to the official description.

More from TVLineSeverance: Britt Lower, Zach Cherry and Christopher Walken Weigh In on...

Exclusive: Academy, Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor has joined the cast of Lucky, a new limited drama from Apple TV+ starring and executive produced by Anya Taylor-Joy. Creator Jonathan Tropper also executive produces alongside Reese Witherspoon.

Based on Marissa Stapley’s bestselling novel and Reese’s Book Club pick of the same name, Lucky stars Taylor-Joy as the eponymous heroine. She is a young woman who left behind the life of crime she was raised in years ago but must now embrace her darker, criminal side one final time in a desperate attempt to escape her past.

Ellis-Taylor will play as ‘Agent Billie Rand.’

Lucky is produced by Hello Sunshine and Tropper Ink, and is created by Tropper under his overall deal with Apple TV+. He serves as co-showrunner alongside Cassie Pappas. Witherspoon EPs alongside Lauren Neustadter for Hello Sunshine, a part of Candle Media.

Atención: no pasará por cines y llegará directamente a streaming. © Amazon Studios

La esperadísima película Nickel Boys, de RaMell Ross, nominada a la Mejor Película y al Mejor Guion Adaptado en los Premios Óscar 2025, por fin tiene fecha de estreno en España. Pero, ojo: no veremos la película en las salas de cine. En su lugar, estará disponible directamente en streaming. Algo que ya ocurrió en su momento con Saltburn o American Fiction.

Basada en la novela homónima de Colson Whitehead, ganadora del Premio Pulitzer, Nickel Boys nos transporta a la Florida de los años 60, donde dos adolescentes negros, después de ser enviados a la despiadada Academia Nickel, encuentran consuelo y esperanza en su amistad frente a la violencia, el abuso y el racismo de la época.

La película está protagonizada por Ethan Herisse (Así nos ven), Brandon Wilson (The Way Back), Hamish Linklater (Misa de medianoche), Fred Hechinger (Gladiator...

John Leguizamo is the latest star to join the cast of Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.” He will appear alongside previously announced cast members Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie and Jon Bernthal.

Universal shared last month that the film “is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology. The film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time.”

Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem “The Odyssey” remains one of the oldest pieces of literature still read by modern audiences. It chronicles the story of Greek hero Odysseus during his tumultuous journey home following the Trojan War.

“The Odyssey” is due in theaters on July 17, 2026. Nolan is set to write and will produce with Emma Thomas under their Syncopy banner.

As Variety exclusively reported this week, the film will be partly filmed in Sicily,...

Exclusive: Selma filmmaker Ava DuVernay is hoping to make a television series about Los Angeles’ first Black mayor, Tom Bradley.

DuVernay would like to adapt an upcoming book by The Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell on the city’s longest serving mayor, who was in charge of the city between 1973 and 1993.

DuVernay revealed her desire on Gladwell’s new podcast, which he is launching with Black-ish creator Kenya Barris.

The duo are launching The Unusual Suspects with Kenya Barris and Malcolm Gladwell tomorrow via Audible. The podcast interview series sees them speak to extraordinary individuals from entertainment, sports, business and politics about their distinct paths to success.

DuVernay, who is behind series such as Netflix’s When They See Us and OWN’s Queen Sugar, was a guest on the podcast.

“I’ve been working on this book about Tom Bradley,” said Gladwell.

“I know you have and I’ve been tracking that thing.

Exclusive: Aurora Perrineau (Prodigal Son) has been tapped for an undisclosed role in Angels in the Asylum, an upcoming indie drama marking the feature debut of writer-director Rob Sorrenti.

Perrineau joins an ensemble which also includes Katherine Waterston, Simon Pegg, Minnie Driver, Cush Jumbo, Rose Williams and Miriam Margolyes, as previously announced.

Inspired by a BBC Newsnight exposé, the film tells the untold story of 50 women who were forcibly confined in isolation at Surrey’s Long Grove Asylum. Beginning in 1907, these women — deemed typhoid carriers — were imprisoned in the former psychiatric hospital, their lives shaped by fear, stigma, and medical injustice. Pic explores their struggle for freedom and dignity in the face of a system that saw them as threats rather than individuals, shedding light on a dark chapter in medical history.

Heather Greenwood, Marie-Elena Dyche and Charlotte Carey are producing the pic, currently shooting in the UK, with Parkland Pictures handling sales.

Netflix's miniseries From Scratch is one of the most emotional and poignant series the streaming giant has produced. The story follows Amy, an American art student (Zoe Saldaña), who falls in love with Sicilian chef Lino (Eugenio Mastrandrea), while living in Italy. From Scratch resonated with Netflix viewers worldwide and became an instant hit. While the love story drew audiences in, it was the show's exploration of the couple's hardships that made it special. After Lino is diagnosed with cancer, the couple struggles with his health issues, navigates the culture clash between their judgmental families, and eventually adopts a child.

Many viewers were surprised to learn that the limited series is based on a true story. Series creators and real-life sisters Tembi and Attica Locke drew inspiration from Tembi's memoir, From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home. While some details of their lives were altered for the series,...

The new sports biopic Unstoppable features an outstanding cast led by Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome as 2011 NCAA wrestling champion Anthony Robles. Unstoppable chronicles the remarkable true story and difficult upbringing of Robles, who faced obstacles and challenges both on and off the wrestling mat. Directed by Oscar-winning editor William Goldenberg in his feature film directorial debut, Unstoppable is based on Robles' 2012 book Unstoppable: From Underdog to Undefeated: How I Became a Champion. Goldenberg has been nominated for five Best Editing Oscars, winning for 2012's Argo.

Unstoppable premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2024 before getting a limited release in theaters on December 6. Unstoppable has received mostly positive reviews, earning a Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 75%. Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and the real-life Anthony Robles produced the film. The Los Angeles premiere of the film was scheduled for January 7, 2025 but was canceled due to the Palisades Fire. Robles remains...

Behind every great man, as the old, outdated expression goes, there’s a great woman — and there’s a pretty decent chance she’s been played by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.

The 55-year-old actress has built a long, inspiring career out of portraying characters who linger just off center stage: the long-suffering wife of Cuba Gooding Jr.’s Navy Seal in 2000’s Men of Honor; Ray Charles’ mistress in Jamie Foxx’s 2004 biopic Ray; Yusef Salaam’s mother in 2019’s When They See Us (her first Emmy nomination); and Venus and Serena Williams’ mom in the 2021 Will Smith film about their dad, King Richard (her first Oscar nom).

“If we only know the figurehead and we don’t know the women who were doing the groundwork, it’s not the full truth,” she tells THR. “We’d be telling a half story.”

She fills in the other half once again in the just-released Nickel Boys,...

Yesterday evening, a rumour hit social media claiming that Marvel Studios is making moves to recast Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa. The news has received a mixed response, though many fans are eager to see the character back on screen.

After Boseman passed away, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever confirmed that T'Challa had also died. Shuri inherited the mantle and the sequel ended by revealing the hero secretly had a son with Nakia, a young boy also named T'Challa. 

While Avengers: Secret Wars' Black Panther may be a Variant, we think Toussaint is going to be aged up before picking up where his father left off in the Mutant Saga. With all that in mind, we're now taking a look at the actors who could take over this role in the MCU.

You can check out our top suggestions by clicking on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below. 

6. Aldis Hodge

Aldis Hodge...

The Nickel Boys breakout star is finding light in the darkest stories.

Acting wasn’t the first career choice for Ethan Herisse, the 24-year-old star of powerful historical drama Nickel Boys. In fact, when he was growing up in Massachusetts, he imagined a future on a court shooting hoops. “I was going to be a basketball player,” he recalls, but there was one problem. “I was not good.” When his younger sister, then participating in pageants, was approached to take part in acting workshops, Herisse tagged along and quickly discovered his real passion.

At age 11, his parents asked him if he wanted to pursue acting seriously. The answer was a no-brainer. “For them to hear that from an 11-year-old, and have enough faith in me that young to completely uproot their lives because I said that that was my dream...” he trails off in disbelief. His family moved to Los Angeles,...

"We can't choose when to be great. We can only hope to be great when it counts." Prime Video has debuted one more official trailer for the sports movie Unstoppable, telling the inspiring true story of one-legged wrestler Anthony Robles. This premiered at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival last fall, and it'll be ready for streaming on Prime Video in a more few weeks this January. Starring Jharrel Jerome as Anthony Robles in another outstanding performance - one of my fave actors. Unstoppable is both an irresistible sports drama and a family story full of heart. In wrestling and the locker room, he has to convince his two tough coaches (Michael Peña and Don Cheadle) that his grit and potential are real. At home, he contends with an outspoken and loving mother going through some growing up of her own. Along with Jerome, the cast includes Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña, the real Anthony Robles,...

“It’s always so amazing to have the work be recognized,” shares Kris Bowers about his Golden Globe nomination for his score for “The Wild Robot.” The acknowledgement is especially meaningful for him because “everyone that worked on the film made their art from such a deeply personal place and such a place of love and excitement and curiosity.” “We really created a familial bond making this film,” reflects the composer. His score has since gone on to earn a Critics Choice nomination as well. Watch our complete video interview above.

Bowers was brought onto the animated film early by Universal Pictures because the team “knew that music was going to be such a big character” in the movie. The composer was introduced to the story about the robot Roz through the source material, saying, “I was immediately taken by Peter Brown’s novel because I had just become a dad.

In the closing moments of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse's final act, Miles Morales returns home to try and save his father from dying in a "canon" event.

However, following a conversation with his mother, both Miles and the audience quickly realise something isn't quite right. The web-slinger has ended up on the wrong Earth, something that's confirmed when his Uncle Aaron - who died during Into the Spider-Verse - walks in.

Things get even crazier when we learn this world's "Miles G. Morales" is, in fact, Prowler.

That's where the sequel left us, and while many fans quickly assumed Shameik Moore was pulling doubt duty as his villainous doppelganger, it was Moonlight and When They See Us star Jharrel Jerome playing the Miles whose Earth (Earth-42) never got a Spider-Man after its spider bit the Earth-1610 Miles.

Talking at Fan Expo San Francisco 2024, Moore was asked why he didn't...

“I wasn’t the healthiest,” admits Jharrel Jerome about his life before “Unstoppable.” But playing wrestler Anthony Robles in the Amazon MGM film has changed that. He says, “I’m into the gym now. That’s something I’ve always wanted to do and it’s a blessing that work led me there. I learned fitness health, and that led to mental health, caring for myself and understanding me more. Not often as an actor do you get to do a role that shapes you and teaches you something.” (Watch the video interview above.)

“Unstoppable” tells the true story of Anthony, who defies the odds of being born with one leg to pursue his dream to become a national champion. At the heart of the film is the loving relationship between Anthony and his mother, played by Jennifer Lopez. What was it like working with Lopez? “I’m also from...

During Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse's final act, Miles Morales returns home to defy fate and save his father from dying in a "canon" event.

Following a conversation with his mother, both Miles and the audience quickly realise something isn't quite right. The web-slinger ending up on the wrong Earth is confirmed when his Uncle Aaron - who died during Into the Spider-Verse - walks in. Things get even crazier when we learn this world's "Miles G. Morales" is, in fact, Prowler.

The sequel ended on a major cliffhanger, and while many of you might have assumed Shameik Moore was pulling doubt duty as his villainous doppelganger, it was actually Moonlight and When They See Us star Jharrel Jerome playing the Miles whose Earth (Earth-42) never got a Spider-Man.

During a recent interview with Screen Rant, the actor was asked where things stand with the long-delayed Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse...

A groundbreaking adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer-winning novel from 2019, RaMell Ross’ poetic and visionary Nickel Boys finds its resilient spirit and lyrical temperament in the details. The opening of the film—shot (like the rest of it) in a boxed 4:3 aspect ratio that amplifies its intimately searching feel...

Keke Palmer, Giancarlo Esposito and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor will receive special awards at the seventh annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Honors ceremony, presented by Nice Crowd.

The intimate, non-televised dinner will be held on Feb. 17 at the Sls hotel in Beverly Hills, hosted by Zainab Johnson, winner of the 2013 ABFF Comedy Wings competition.

“For decades, these incredible ABFF honorees have captivated audiences and shaped the cultural landscape with their groundbreaking work,” stated Jeff and Nicole Friday, CEO and president of Nice Crowd, respectively. “It’s a privilege to honor Aunjanue, Giancarlo and Keke for their extraordinary contributions to both the industry and our shared culture.”

Palmer will receive the Renaissance award, which is presented to a “trendsetting content creator in recognition of their outstanding work and commitment to championing diversity, equity, and inclusion” through their work. The Emmy-winning actor, producer, author and host recently celebrated the launch of her memoir...

Jharrel Jerome first spent time with Anthony Robles, the college wrestling champ he portrays in the new film “Unstoppable,” in a gym. Instead of sharing a meal and exchanging pleasantries at a restaurant or coffee shop, the two men got to know each other by diving into a 45-minute workout, complete with pushups, chest presses and intense cardio.

“I’m not a weak guy, but I’m definitely not a gym rat,” says Jerome. “Seeing Anthony in his element made me realize how much I had to do if I was going to pull this off.”

That wasn’t the only challenge Jerome faced. What made Robles so remarkable on the mat was that he not only dominated his opponents, outmaneuvering them with his quicksilver instincts and viper-like moves — but he rose to the top of the sport despite being born with one leg. That made his wrestling style unconventional,...

While Will Smith leads the King Richard cast in his Oscar-winning role, there is a terrific ensemble working together to bring this true sports story to the big screen. Venus and Serena Williams’ names are iconic in the world of sports, but King Richard offers a slight twist in that it’s actually more about their father, Richard Williams, a tennis coach who tries to put his daughters’ talents on the world stage. While he is a complex and intriguing character, King Richard benefits from the entire cast.

Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green from a screenplay by Zach Baylin, King Richard goes behind the scenes of Venus and Serena’s life under the guidance of their father. King Richard has a sprawling cast of veteran actors and younger actors who get to flex their talents in front of a wider audience. The film is based on real-life people, and here...

Colman Domingo delivers a modern-day “The Fugitive”-style paranoid thriller with Netflix’s new limited series “The Madness.” The “Rustin” and “Euphoria” star takes on the role of Muncie Daniels, a lauded CNN commentator who finds his spotlight turned against him when he stumbles onto the dead body of a high-profile white supremacist and winds up getting framed for the crime. With mysterious, seemingly ultra-powerful forces aligning against him, Muncie has to uncover the truth behind the convoluted web of money, politics and murder that led him there.

The eight-episode series surrounds Domingo with an ensemble full of familiar actors, so if you’re wondering where you’ve seen them before, here’s a handy guide to the cast and characters of “The Madness.”

Colman Domingo as Muncie Daniels in “The Madness” (Netflix) Colman Domingo as Muncie Daniels

Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo plays Muncie Daniels, a high-profile author and CNN...

For 109 episodes, Colman Domingo played the role of Victor Strand on Fear the Walking Dead. That show came to an end last year, and Domingo has moved on with The Madness, a Netflix series that the streamer’s scripted series vice president Peter Friedlander has described as “a fresh take on the conspiracy thriller” that will turn “the genre on its head with its multilayered characters, propulsive action and swift pace.” I was fortunate enough to talk to star Domingo about his work as Muncie Daniels on the show, a complex role that really pushes him to his limits. You can check out our interview in the embed above.

Created by playwright Stephen Belber, who also serves as showrunner alongside executive producer VJ Boyd, The Madness has the following synopsis: Muncie Daniels is a political consultant-turned-tv pundit who may have lost his way in life. While on a work sabbatical...

Jharrel Jerome rubbed his chin while recalling a phone call with college wrestling champ Anthony Robles. The conversation occurred four years ago as Jerome was preparing to play Robles in the film “Unstoppable” (opening Dec. 6).

“Covid had shut us down in pre-production, and I was giving Anthony words of encouragement that we would tell his story,” Jerome told TheWrap. “I made this promise and told him, ‘As long as I have this baby face on me, I’m going to play you in this movie. Even if I’m 35 years old, I’ll age down.’ And I meant it. When you get to know Anthony, stuff like this becomes really personal.”

Jerome, the star of “I’m a Virgo” and “When They See Us,” was true to his promise and even finished “Unstoppable” before his 30s (He turned 27 in October). Based on Robles’ own sports memoir, the movie traces his journey from high school to college,...

“When people look at me, the first thing they see is what’s missing.” ~ Anthony Robles Storyline: Arizona State University is the school where the best wrestlers go. But Anthony only gets an offer to attend another university free of charge. He is overlooked or disregarded because he only has one leg. Even though he won the wrestling match. Anthony is determined to get admitted to Arizona State University. Of course, he has no money to pay the tuition. But why should that stop him? Newbie actor Jharrel Jerome Jharrel Jerome is of Dominican and Haitian heritage and is considered to be a rising star. His breakout role was in a Netflix miniseries titled “When They See Us” (2019). He was the first Afro-Latino and Dominican to win an acting Emmy Award. Critics have described his performance as Anthony Robles, a wrestler born without one leg, as powerful, compelling, and authentic...

Gia will be Mia when Euphoria Season 3 eventually hits your screen.

“Unfortunately, Gia’s not returning for the third season,” Storm Reid, who for two seasons played Rue’s kid sister, shared with Rotten Tomatoes on the red carpet for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Governors Awards (watch video below).

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When it comes to the net worth of A-list Hollywood celebrities, Oprah Winfrey is in a league all her own. Known as the queen of media who turned her talk shows into groundbreaking networks has redefined success on her own terms. Winfrey didn’t just earn her fortune, she has transformed every interview, book club pick, and business venture into an empire.

Credits: Oprah Winfrey in CBS Mornings

Born into poverty, Winfrey’s early years were anything but easy but that didn’t stop her from becoming a household name. Rising from a local news anchor in Nashville to becoming the most influential talk show host in the world with The Oprah Winfrey Show, she has captivated millions with her unique ability to connect with people. The business mogul has seized opportunity after opportunity and turned herself into a global phenomenon. For Winfrey, it’s not just about the money,...

There are nine legendary stars who only need a Grammy to achieve the Egot grand slam of show business awards: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (see the gallery at the bottom of this post). None of them were on the list of 2025 Grammy nominees, though, when they were announced on Friday morning, but there is a nominee this year who could get three quarters of the way there if he wins: composer Kris Bowers.

Bowers is nominated for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media for his work on the movie musical adaptation of “The Color Purple.” It’s the third nomination for the composer, who previously contended for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella for “Blue Skies” in 2020 and then in the score soundtrack race in 2022 for the Netflix series “Bridgerton.” A victory this year for “Color Purple” would put him just a Tony away from achieving Egot status.

The...

A sterling lineup of stars and filmmakers have been set to be honored at the Critics Choice Association’s seventh annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television, which is set for December 9 at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.

Among those being recognized are stars of 2024’s most acclaimed and anticipated films including Regina King, John David Washington, Cynthia Erivo, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Jharrel Jerome and The Fire Inside breakout Ryan Destiny. On the TV side, honorees include Natasha Rockwell, Wendell Pierce and Michael Rainey Jr. Filmmakers Steve McQueen and Malcolm D. Lee among other luminaries will also be receiving awards.

As previously announced, actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry will be honored with the Icon Award for his body of work and achievements throughout the years. The writer, director and producer of Netflix’s upcoming The Six Triple Eight, Perry has helmed 24 feature films, 20 stage plays, 17 TV shows and penned...

Niecy Nash-Betts has no appetite for horror. So it’s hard to fathom her decision to star as an alcoholic detective in the FX horror series Grotesquerie, which opens with a murdered family hogtied and stuffed like a roasted pig. But presented with an irresistible script by Ryan Murphy — with whom she’s collaborated four times since 1999 — and taking on an executive producer role as well, how could she say no?

The show, which concluded last week, follows Nash-Betts’ heavy-drinking detective Lois Tryon, who recruits a nun (Micaela Diamond) to...

There are tons of titles to binge on the world’s largest streamer, but our expert has picked out seven can’t-miss series.

With new seasons of “Outer Banks,” “Heartstopper,” and more, Netflix has had a busy couple of months with some of its top original series returning for brand-new seasons. More is on the way this month, including “Cobra Kai” and “Arcane,” so I am breaking down my favorite Netflix’s original series that you should add to your streaming queue — whether you’ve watched them already or not.

From existential surreal animated adventures to top true-crime dramas, Netflix has something for any kind of viewer (including a deep collection of unscripted originals). Ready to watch? Continue below for the best of what the streamer has to offer!

Sign Up $6.99+ / month netflix.com Top 7 Netflix Originals Streaming Right Now:

Honorable Mentions: Squid Game, Stranger Things

No. 7: Glow

No.

Christopher Dowd, a founding member of Fishbone who plays keys and trombone in the group, knew he had to write a song about Donald Trump close to a decade ago when Trump first announced he was running for president. Now as another election day approaches, and Trump is on the ballot again, Fishbone are releasing “Racist Piece of Shit,” aka “RxPxOxS.” On the song, Fishbone call out proud boys, tiki torchbearers, Kid Rock, and the “mad orange king” … and that’s just in the first verse of the ska-leaning song whose chorus goes,...

If the name Jharrel Jerome sounds vaguely familiar, it should. The 27-year-old actor made his debut in Barry Jenkins‘ drama film “Moonlight” (2016), and his career has been on an upward trajectory ever since. Following that performance, he appeared in Ava DuVernay’s Netflix miniseries “When They See Us” (2019) and Boots Riley’s limited series “I’m a Virgo” (2023). The rising star’s next role is “Unstoppable,” an underdog sports drama that had its world premiere at the recent Toronto International Film Festival in September (read our review).

Continue reading ‘Unstoppable’ Trailer: Jharrel Jerome, Jennifer Lopez & More Star In An Underdog Sports Drama at The Playlist.

It is fitting that for the 30th year of the Geneva International Film Festival, artistic director Anais Emery and her team are going back to the future.

“It was very important to recall the history of the festival but not through a retrospective,” says Emery of the event that takes place in the Swiss city from November 1-10.

”We wanted to renew, to celebrate and underline Giff’s speciality and specificity.”

That means showcasing innovative storytelling delivered via the myriad audiovisual mediums available to creators, from film, TV and web content to installations, virtual reality and extended reality (Xr) works.

Tyler Perry was one of the celebrity speakers to pull up to Georgia Thursday to encourage voters in the swing state to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris. During his speech, the esteemed film director spoke about his journey through homelessness and slammed Donald Trump for his lack of support for Black Americans during his presidency and well before it.

In his speech, he recounted how he once booked a room in the Trump Hotel since the businessman seemed so revered in rap lyrics. “I wanted to feel that specialness,...

Exclusive: Gersh has inked actor Omar J. Dorsey for representation.

Dorsey most recently starred as the co-lead, Ray, in HBO Max’s Chuck Lorre sports comedy series Bookie. The second season of the Sebastian Maniscalco show is set to premiere in December.

A frequent collaborator of filmmaker Ava DuVernay, Dorsey starred in her Oscar-winning film Selma and Emmy-winning series When They See Us. He also starred for seven seasons in the beloved drama Queen Sugar, which was directed and executive produced by DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey. His turn in Queen Sugar earned Dorsey a Black Reel Award for Television in the Supporting Actor, Drama Series category.

His film credits also include roles in the Oscar-nominated Harriet and Best Picture nominee, The Blind Side, which won Sandra Bullock her Academy Award and grossed over $309M at the global box office. Other features credits include the Blumhouse Halloween trilogy with Jamie Lee Curtis,...

We finally saw Blade appear in a Marvel Cinematic Universe film — it just wasn’t the Blade played by Mahershala Ali. The first appearance of Blade in the MCU came in “Deadpool & Wolverine” with Wesley Snipes reprising his iconic role.

And now Ali’s “Blade” has been delayed yet again, pulled from Disney’s 2025 release slate entirely. What a disaster.

Marvel chief Kevin Feige first announced a “Blade” reboot back in 2019 with Ali attached to star, and the character was even teased in the post-credits of 2021’s “Eternals,” a would-be franchise that now seems forgotten.

“Blade” has been through many starts and stops, with several writers and directors filtering through and with delays because of the writers strike and more. Through it all, the franchise’s original stars Wesley Snipes and Stephen Dorff haven’t refrained from talking about it.

“It’s not the actor’s fault,” Snipes said of Ali.

Deadline’s Contenders event in back in London, kicking off movie awards season with panel conversations featuring some of the year’s hottest films in the race.

As all Contenders connoisseurs know, this is a Deadline event specially designed for true movie lovers — so expect juicy teaser clips and star-studded panels packed with creative talent as the event launches Saturday morning. A total of seven films will participate in the in-person-only event, taking place at London’s Ham Yard Hotel. Doors opened at 8:30 a.m. BST and the curtain rises at 9:30.

Speaking of stars, today’s lineup includes Emilia Pérez’s Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldaña in the house, along with breakout lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón, Adriana Paz and writer-director Jacques Audiard. The film is selected to represent France in the Oscar International Feature Film category, and all four actresses already shared the Best Actress award at Cannes earlier this year.

The Kamala Harris-Tim Walz campaign for the White House maximized its time in Chicago during August’s Democratic National Convention with production on a video series featuring some big-name Hollywood talent both in front of and behind the cameras.

Shot behind-the-scenes during the DNC, the video series is the brainchild of Tinseltown insiders and was created to showcase “unscripted and deeply personal” conversations from trusted voices about such topics as Harris’s bid for president, issues that matter most to voters, stakes of the upcoming election and more, per the campaign. The series will be rolling out in the coming days on the campaign’s platforms, all leading up to the Nov. 5 election.

Those who helped produce the series include Kerry Washington, Alicia Keys and Oscar-winning producer Bruce Cohen. Those who directed their segments include J.J. Abrams, Oscar winner Spike Lee, Oscar nominee Ava DuVernay and Eva Longoria. As announced separately today by BET,...

The body-swapping genre is getting a fresh and energetic twist with Greg Jardin's It's What's Inside. The sci-fi horror-comedy serves as Jardin's feature directorial debut, with the filmmaker having previously made a name for himself as a director both in shorts and in music videos. Some of Jardin's more notable previous productions include the teaser promos for Netflix's 13 Reasons Why seasons 2 and 3, When They See Us and Colin in Black & White: The Path is Power, as well as the short film teaser Cowboy Bebop: The Lost Session for the streamer's live-action adaptation.

Jardin wears the hats of writer, director and editor for the movie, with It's What's Inside focusing on Shelby, Cyrus, Reuben, Dennis, Nikki, Brooke, Maya and Forbes, a group of friends who reunite at Reuben's family home to celebrate his upcoming wedding. Forbes, who has been estranged from the group since college when a...

The cast and director of “Nickel Boys,” the Amazon/MGM Studios and Orion/Plan B film based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, gathered for a conversation and audience Q&a following a Saturday evening screening at the Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study in Los Angeles. Moderator Carla Renata spoke with Oscar-nominated director RaMell Ross and stars Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson about the importance of telling Black stories, the impact of the themes explored in “Nickel Boys” and why the actors were cast in their respective roles.

Adapted for the big screen by Ross and co-screenwriter Joslyn Barnes, “Nickel Boys” tells the story of two teenagers — Elwood (Herisse) and Turner (Wilson) — living in Jim Crow-era Florida who become friends while enduring physical and psychological abuse as wards of a juvenile reform center called the Nickel Academy. The academy is a fictionalized version of the infamous Dozier School for Boys,...

It’s What’s Inside filmmaker Greg Jardin spent eight years trying to land $10 million for a still-unproduced sci-fi comedy. In 2016, he then pivoted to a genre-bending idea that is now his feature directorial debut, spending another eight years trying to get it in front of a festival audience. That opportunity finally came at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2024, and within three days of It’s What’s Inside’s world premiere, Jardin and his producing team landed a $17 million acquisition deal from Netflix.

Jardin — who’s had a healthy career making shorts, music videos and promos for Netflix projects such as Wednesday and When They See Us — had modest expectations for his comedic sci-fi thriller leading up to Sundance. In fact, his only concern was that his $2.5 million film didn’t create a loss for his financing and producing partners at Such. (Kate Andrews’ Boldly Go Productions, as well as Colman and Raul Domingo’s Edith Productions,...

RaMell Ross’ “Nickel Boys” kicked off the opening night of the 62nd annual New York Film Festival on Friday, September 27. The film chronicles the powerful friendship between two young Black men navigating the harrowing trials of reform school together in Jim Crow–era Florida. IndieWire caught up with the director and stars on the film’s NYFF red carpet.

Making his first fiction feature, RaMell Ross explained why Colson Whitehead’s 2019 novel “The Nickel Boys” inspired him to make this project. “Colson’s narrative power pulled me into it, as it pulled in every other reader,” he said. “I never have ever read a book thinking about an adaptation. That’s not my thing. I kind of wondered what Elwood would look like, and at one point [when] he realized he was Black or raced, in the context of Colson’s narrative, it’s such a beautiful idea.”

Before making the project,...

Oscar race contenders Justin Kurzel’s The Order, Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist and Tim Fehlbaum’s September 5 have joined the lineup for the Austin Film Festival, which has unveiled the full screening lineup for its 31st edition.

The Order, the neo-Nazi crime thriller starring Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult, will be a Centerpiece Film presentation, with writer Zach Baylin and star Tye Sheridan attending. And the Oct. 24 to 31 festival will open with Malcolm Washington’s The Piano Lesson, which stars Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington and Danielle Deadwyler. Virgil Williams, who co-wrote the Netflix stage-to-screen adaptation produced by Denzel Washington, will attend.

Also headed to Austin is Maria, Pablo Larrain’s Maria Callas biopic for Netflix that stars Angelina Jolie. This year’s world premieres include the paranoia-thriller Crossword, co-written, directed and also starring Michael Vlamis in his directorial debut; the folk-horror pic The Fetch, starring Robert Longstreet...

Donald Trump has embraced fascist rhetoric and made bald declarations of his desire for dictatorial powers as he seeks a return to the White House in 2024. This is not politics as usual. The inflammatory language puts Trump a world apart from any major-party nominee in modern American memory. And it’s getting worse.

The most recent iteration is blood libel against Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, whom Trump and his running mate J.D. Vance have baselessly accused of eating their neighbors’ dogs and cats. These racist attacks against Black arrivals,...

Nothing like a little decapitation to ring in the spooky season! Expanding on one of its most beloved showcases, “Mind F*ck Night” the Lower East Side Film Festival is unveiling a new, three-day pop-up festival called “Off/Season.” The series will focus on terrifying, mind-altering, genre-defying cinema and feature a curated selection of advanced screenings, retrospectives, short films, as well as filmmaker Q&As and receptions, all held at the Alamo Drafthouse, Lower Manhattan location from October 2-4.

In honor of the film’s 60th anniversary, “Off/Season” is proud to present “Strait-Jacket” from B-Movie horror master William Castle. Featuring screen legend Joan Crawford, this “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” follow-up continued the star’s decent into hagsploitation, but has become a cult classic in its own right, with her madly swinging an axe becoming one of cinema’s most iconic images. Castle’s daughter, Terry Castle, will be...

Seven years after coming up short on their respective first and second Best TV Movie/Limited Series Directing Emmy bids against Jean-Marc Vallée (“Big Little Lies”), Steven Zaillian and Noah Hawley are involved in a rematch as helmers of the non-continuing programs “Ripley” and “Fargo.” Despite the quality of their new work and their strong Emmys resumes, they are widely expected to once again be bested by a complete first-timer: Weronika Tofilska (“Baby Reindeer”).

Tofilska is joined in this directing lineup’s category newcomer majority by Issa López (“True Detective”), Millicent Shelton (“Lessons in Chemistry”), and Gus Van Sant (“Feud”). Counting Zaillian and Hawley, Shelton is the only one in the bunch who has ever earned TV academy recognition for directing a non-limited series, as her very first bid came for “30 Rock” in 2009.

In order to determine whether this is truly Tofilska’s race to lose, let’s take...

At this point in his career, “Black Mirror” creator Charlie Brooker has a perfect Emmys record, having succeeded on all three producing and two writing nominations he has received for the Netflix series. Soon, however, he could be blocked from going six-for-six by general first-timer Richard Gadd, who is predicted to trounce him in the 2024 race for Best TV Movie/Limited Series Writing.

Along with Ron Nyswaner (“Fellow Travelers”) and Issa López (“True Detective”), Gadd is one of three category newcomers involved in this writing contest. Aside from sole past winner Brooker, the remaining veterans are Noah Hawley (“Fargo”) and Steven Zaillian (“Ripley”), both of whom the “Black Mirror” writer defeated in 2017.

In order to determine whether Gadd truly has this race sewn up, let’s take a closer look at each nominee. Be sure to make your predictions in this and 24 other Primetime Emmy categories by September 15.

“Baby Reindeer...

As movie theaters fight for relevancy in an age of streaming, both Kevin Smith’s The 4:30 Movie and Concessions aim to make light and pay tribute to the theater-going experience. Consessions is a new comedy about cinema employees from writer/director Mas Bouzidi, which he initially made as a short film at NYU. The producers on the feature version are Ram Segura Khagram, Malcolm Brainerd, and Sophia Winkler, and co-producer is production company Kebrado.

Deadline has now revealed that the ensemble cast set to star in the film will include Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs), Steven Ogg (Walking Dead), Josh Hamilton (Eighth Grade), Ivory Aquino (When They See Us), Lana Rockwell (Sweet Thing), Rob Riordan and Jonathan Lorenzo Price.

The synopsis reads,

“Set during the last day at the closing Royal Alamo Cinema, pic follows two slackers working the final shift, who cross paths with outcasts and oddballs in interwoven stories of rejection,...

Exclusive: Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs) is starring with Steven Ogg (Walking Dead), Josh Hamilton (Eighth Grade), Ivory Aquino (When They See Us), Lana Rockwell (Sweet Thing), Rob Riordan and Jonathan Lorenzo Price in ensemble comedy feature, Concessions.

Set during the last day at the closing Royal Alamo Cinema, pic follows two slackers working the final shift, who cross paths with outcasts and oddballs in interwoven stories of rejection, redemption, and fate. Hunter (Riordan), a jaded employee who spent the last decade behind the concessions stand, must finally face his uncertain future.

Movie theater employees and patrons include the former stuntman trying to charm his way into a free ticket (Madsen), the ornery theater owner keeping the slackers in line for one more day (Ogg), the hungry news reporter (Aquino), and the Australian cowboy and boomerang-slinging movie star (Hamilton). As day turns to night, the small-town community must reckon with its...

If you could step into your friends’ minds to see how they truly think and feel, would you?

This is the question at the center of the upcoming Netflix horror comedy, “It’s What’s Inside.” Executive produced by Academy Award nominee Colman Domingo, the film marks the directorial debut of Greg Jardin, who also wrote the script and has a long history at Netflix after having directed promos for “Thirteen Reasons Why” and “When They See Us.”

The official synopsis for the film reads: “A group of friends gather for a pre-wedding party that descends into an existential nightmare when an estranged friend arrives with a mysterious game that awakens long-hidden secrets, desires, and grudges.”

Brittany O’Grady (“The White Lotus”), James Morosini (“I Love My Dad”), Gavin Leatherwood (“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”), Nina Bloomgarden (“The Resort”), Alycia Debnam-Carey (“Fear the Walking Dead”), Reina Hardesty (“The Flash”), Devon Terrell (“Rap Sh!t...