News

Do you love K-Dramas and zombie series? If so, you're in luck! Prime Video is set to drop a new Korean zombie series soon, featuring some familiar faces. The show is titled Newtopia, and we're here to share everything there is to know about it, including the official trailer provided above.

Don't be fooled into thinking Newtopia is just another typical zombie series. While most zombie shows are known for their dark, tense, and gritty tone, Newtopia takes a different approach. Sure, there’s plenty of action, but it also brings a refreshing mix of romance and comedy to the table.

Based on Han Sang-woon's Influenza novel, Newtopia was directed by Yoon Sung-hyun. Yoon is best known for his coming-of-age drama film Bleak Night and his action thriller Time to Hunt. He collaborated with Han Jin-won and Ji Ho-jin, who wrote the scripts for the zombie show. Han is known...

Silence, all you "You couldn't make 'Blazing Saddles' today" fools: it just so happens that Mel Brooks almost wasn't able to make "Blazing Saddles" in 1974. To be fair, Brooks knew going into making the film that he was looking to push buttons and boundaries, extrapolating from the anything-goes ethos of his prior comedy ventures. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly from 2014, Brooks confessed that his primary interest in making his brand of cinematic anarchy was that he "just wanted to exorcise both my angels and demons." Brooks encouraged his writers to "go nuts," on the assumption that Warner Bros. Pictures would see the finished film and refuse to release it.

Although "Blazing Saddles" was eventually released to great acclaim, becoming one of the most beloved comedy films of all time, Brooks' assumption did prove well-founded at one point. Surprisingly, WB didn't take issue with multiple aspects of the movie — and...

If you never had a chance to see the rap musical mega-hit “Hamilton” on the stage, you are in luck, because Disney released a filmed performance of the show on Disney+ in 2020. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Pulitzer Prize-winning hit holds the title for most Tony nominated show with 16, and it took home 11 trophies, just one shy of tying the record set by “The Producers.” If you’re hungry for more spectacular showstoppers you can watch in the comfort of your home, we’ve assembled a list of the greatest movie adaptations of Broadway musicals, ranked worst to best.

Hollywood has long been unable to resist mining Broadway for movie ideas, though the adaptation process is much more difficult than it first appears. A stage show can (and usually has to) take place in one location, but in a film that feels small and limited. A performance aimed at the back row...

When Randal Kleiser‘s “The Blue Lagoon” was released in 1981, it was an instant sensation; the beautifully photographed tale of sexual awakening between two teenagers (Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins) set against the backdrop of a tropical island paradise combined prurience and elegance in a potent cocktail that audiences couldn’t get enough of at the time. Its $60-million gross against a $5-million budget couldn’t be ignored — especially by other filmmakers looking to replicate its success.

As was so often the case, Italian filmmakers were particularly aggressive in their plagiarism, with films like the now-forgotten “Due gocce d’acqua salata” blatantly ripping off both the premise and the marketing of “The Blue Lagoon.” But the most well-known “Blue Lagoon” imitator came from an unlikely location for an exotic travelogue centered on sensual exploration: Canada.

“Paradise,” which was released in 1982 by now-defunct distributor Avco-Embassy, was the brainchild of producer Robert Lantos,...

Robert Zemeckis wants to bring Back To The Future: The Musical to cinemas. Universal? Not so keen.

Currently playing in London’s West End – with a trip to Broadway on the horizon – is the stage musical of the mighty Back To The Future. The original 1985 movie, penned by Bob Gale and directed by Robert Zemeckis (who also co-wrote), has undergone narrative changes for its stage version. It’s no longer plutonium stolen from Libyans, for instance, and that affects the threat to Doc Brown. We won’t go through all the changes beyond that. Just that it’s a 1985 tale adapted to fit into the 2020s, with a bunch of songs at key moments.

Robert Zemeckis is currently on the publicity tour for his new movie, Here, and the topic of the Back To The Future musical did indeed come up. Namely, the idea of him directing a movie version of it.

Smash is coming to Broadway this spring.

The musical, which is an adaptation of the NBC television series, will open at Broadway’s Imperial Theatre on April 10, 2025, with previews starting March 11. Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Steven Spielberg are lead producing, with Susan Stroman, a Tony Award winner for The Producers, as the director.

The show, directed by Stroman, will star Robyn Hurder (Moulin Rouge) as Ivy, Brooks Ashmanskas (The Prom) as Nigel, Krysta Rodriguez (Spring Awakening) as Tracy, John Behlmann (Shucked) as Jerry, Kristine Nielsen (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike) as Susan, Caroline Bowman (Frozen) as Karen, Jacqueline B. Arnold (Moulin Rouge) as Anita, Bella Coppola (Six) as Chloe and Casey Garvin (Some Like It Hot) as Charlie.

Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Some Like It Hot, Hairspray, Only Murders in the Building) wrote the score, which includes many of the songs the two wrote for the...

For Richard Kind, joining “Only Murders in the Building” Season 4 in the role of West Tower resident Vince Fish didn’t take too much convincing.

“They offered it to me. They said, ‘We’ll give you money if you play the part.’ I said, ‘Good, that’s good enough for me’,” the veteran actor of TV, film and theater told TheWrap in an interview when asked what drew him to the role. “If a show that’s produced by Dan Fogelman and John Hoffman, starring Marty Short, Steve Martin and Selena Gomez says they want you to work with them. You drop everything and you do it. I don’t care if they had me on the toilet reading the Yellow Pages. You do it. I am drawn to these creative people and I trust them because their talent cannot be contained to a page. They’re just spectacular.”

Kind...

Over the years, Sex and the City has become synonymous with Sarah Jessica Parker, whose portrayal of Carrie Bradshaw became iconic over the show’s six seasons. With the series and films focusing on her girl gang’s closeness and her love life, there were a lot of cameos from many popular actors. However, the one face that everyone expected to see was the 59-year-old’s husband, Matthew Broderick. Unfortunately, that was just a fever dream that never ended up coming true.

Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off | Credits: Paramount Pictures

Although Broderick never made an appearance on the show or in the films, it was not from the producer’s and Parker’s lack of trying. In fact, the 62-year-old recently opened up about a role that was offered to him that he had turned down.

Matthew Broderick reveals why he never starred in Sex and the City...

Jeremy Allen White’s success in the critically acclaimed Hulu series The Bear has turned him into the talk of the town. Further, with two Golden Globe awards under his belt, the actor sparked discussions about his lineage and family. And surprisingly, he has been mentioned in the same breath as the late legend Gene Wilder.

Jeremy Allen White in The Bear | image: FX on Hulu

Many believe the two look strikingly similar, leading this comparison to gain traction when Jeremy Allen White was fan-cast to play Willy Wonka in 2023’s Wonka by netizens who saw his uncanny resemblance to Gene Wilder. This fan-casting further led the internet to believe the two are related. Well, let’s check out if it’s true or just a chocolatey myth.

Who is Jeremy Allen White and His Family?

Born on February 17, 1991, to Eloise Zeigler and Richard White, in Brooklyn, New York, Jeremy...

Following the incredible success of “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan have teamed up to tackle the second installment of their “Monster” anthology series for Netflix, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.”

The limited series seeks to discover who the real monsters in the high-profile murder trial were. The Menendez brothers captivated America, as their televised Court TV trial is one of the first of its kind. The two boys killed their parents on Aug. 20, 1989, at only 18 and 21 years old. Their counsel called it self defense, while the prosecution called them greedy. Both were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after two trials.

Murphy assembled established actors like Javier Bardem, Nathan Lane, and Chloë Sevigny to embody the real-life adult characters but brought on some newcomers to portray the Menendez brothers themselves.

Read on to...

Image Source: Amazon Fortunately, at the age of 98, Mel Brooks can still be called a living legend. Between his film, television, and recording careers, he’s been entertaining us for decades, giving us classics like The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and the Star Wars parody Spaceballs. And since Star Wars has stood the test of time, so has Spaceballs, which is still finding new audiences today. Daphne Zuniga played the film’s princess, and she still speaks glowingly of the experience. At a GalaxyCon Oklahoma City panel’s Q&a session recently, Zuniga expounded on what it was like working with someone who is as funny — and also as serious — as Mel Brooks. (Click on the media bar below to hear Daphne Zuniga) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Daphn_-Zuniga_Spaceballs_.mp3

Spaceballs is available on DVD, Blu-Ray, 4K, and most digital platforms.

The post Daphne Zuniga Had...

Mel Brooks will receive this year’s Career Achievement Award at the 84th Peabody Awards, and Quinta will be honored with the Peabody Trailblazer Award. Both received a unanimous vote of the Peabody Board of Jurors and will be recognized at the June 9 awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

“Mel Brooks is not only one of the most beloved comedians of all time, but he literally set the standard for television comedy from its earliest days. Across TV, film, theater, and recordings, Mr. Brooks is in a league of his own. And Quinta Brunson has emerged as a refreshingly creative force in network television comedy,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody. “Peabody is proud to honor Mel and Quinta not only for their extraordinary contributions as storytellers, but particularly for their use of comedy to tell stories that matter, enriching the lives of so many.”

The Career Achievement Award is...

The Peabody Awards will honor actor, comedian, writer, and director Mel Brooks with this year’s Career Achievement Award, while “Abbott Elementary” award-winning writer, producer, actor, and comedian Quinta Brunson will receive the org’s Trailblazer Award. Both Brooks and Brunson were chosen by the Peabody Board of Jurors in a unanimous vote and will be recognized at the 84th Annual Peabody Awards ceremony on June 9 in Los Angeles.

“Mel Brooks is not only one of the most beloved comedians of all time, but he literally set the standard for television comedy from its earliest days. Across TV, film, theater, and recordings, Mr. Brooks is in a league of his own. And Quinta Brunson has emerged as a refreshingly creative force in network television comedy,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody, in a statement. “Peabody is proud to honor Mel and Quinta not only for their extraordinary contributions as storytellers,...

Plot: The life and career of Gene Wilder are remembered by his friends and colleagues.

Review: Gene Wilder was a one-of-a-kind talent. While it seems like he’s mostly remembered these days for playing Willy Wonka (with his performance inspiring Timothee Chalamet’s recent take), there was a lot more to him than just that one film. For one thing, his cinematic partnership with Mel Brooks resulted in three all-time classics: The Producers, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. Plus, he and Richard Pryor made an iconic mismatched duo in a slew of films (some better than others), while Wilder directed several highly successful films on his own.

In this loving tribute to the late icon, director Ron Frank pulls back the curtain to dip into both Wilder’s creative process and sometimes tragic life. Pulling from an audiobook he recorded of his memoirs, the film is distinguished because Wilder himself tells much of the story.

Engaging narrative of marriage struggles in Queen of Tears explores love amidst obstacles. Stellar cast with Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Ji-won delivers a captivating performance. Park Ji-eun, talented screenwriter of Crash Landing on You, adds depth to K-drama storyline.

The romantic K-drama Queen of Tears features a sensational ensemble cast who tell the story of a married couple working to reignite their love. Hong Hae-in is a third-generation chaebol, a large South Korean business association controlled by one family, of the Queens Group. Her husband, Baek Hyun-woo, is the head of legal for a chain of supermarkets. Despite their high-profile wedding propelling them to become the couple of the century, their marriage starts to fall apart. Queen of Tears delves into the romantic saga of a couple battling against the odds to preserve their relationship.

The screenwriter of Queen of Tears is Park Ji-eun, who is also the writer of the...

Matthew Broderick is a true star of stage, screen and television who first came to moviegoers’ attention over four decades ago in the thriller “WarGames.” He then triumphed in comedies, dramas and musicals both on stage and in film. Add to that his long-term marriage to Sarah Jessica Parker, and there’s a lot for him to celebrate.

For his stage work, Broderick has won two Tony Awards (as Best Featured Actor for 1983’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs” and as Best Actor for the 1995 revival of the musical “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”), as well as an additional Best Actor nom for 2001’s “The Producers” for a performance that he brought to the screen in the 2005 film. In 1993, he was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy for his supporting performance in “A Life in the Theatre.” And for his film work, Broderick earned a Golden Globe nomination for 1986’s “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,...

The actors from the current revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s “Merrily We Roll Along” have skyrocketed in Gold Derby’s combined odds for the 2024 Tony Awards nominations. The prediction center displays commanding leads for Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez and Daniel Radcliffe to win their respective categories. This is an understandable result considering this revival is the hottest ticket in town and this trio of performers has been ever-present in the media. But how often does a trio of actors from the same production pull off three separate acting victories at the Tony Awards?

It’s quite common for a musical to grab two acting trophies, but three awards is much rarer. To date, only 15 musical productions have earned three acting wins. The first time this feat occurred was at the 1956 ceremony, which was ironically the first time the Tony Awards ever announced a slate of nominees (previously...

Since their inception, the directing categories at the Tony Awards have mostly been a boys’ club. Not only are the vast majority of winners men, but so are most of the nominees. But the 2024 ceremony could upend these statistics as more women are helming Broadway shows than ever before. This could finally be the year where they make up the majority of directing nominees.

This season there are 13 women directors on Broadway. Four of them will contend for Best Director of a Play: Lila Neugebauer (“Appropriate” and “Uncle Vanya”), Anne Kauffman (“Mary Jane”), Tina Landau (“Mother Play”), and Whitney White (“Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”). Another nine women will vie for Best Director of a Musical: Sammi Canold (“How to Dance in Ohio”), Rachel Chavkin (“Lempicka”), Rebecca Frecknall (“Cabaret”), Maria Friedman (“Merrily We Roll Along“), Mari Madrid, Leigh Silverman (“Suffs”), Jessica Stone (“Water for Elephants”), Danya Taymor (“The Outsiders”), and...

Kim Soo Hyun is currently one of the most highly paid actors in South Korea. He has been awarded four Baeksang Arts Awards, two Grand Bell Awards, and one Blue Dragon Film Award. He has also been featured on Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 list in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2021. In 2014, he was named Gallup Korea’s Television Actor of the Year and was recognized by Forbes in their 30 Under 30 Asia list in 2016.

Kim’s mother encouraged him to take acting classes to help him overcome his introverted nature during his school years. After performing in a few theatrical productions, he made his television debut in 2007 with the family comedy Kimchi Cheese Smile. He has since solidified his position in the industry with notable roles in popular dramas such as Dream High (2011), Moon Embracing the Sun (2012), as well as blockbuster films like The Thieves (2012) and Secretly, Greatly (2013). His portrayal of King Lee Hwon in...

Individuals like Andy Kaufman, Richard Pryor, John Candy, Sam Kinison, Bill Hicks, Robin Williams, Gilda Radner, George Carlin, and Gene Wilder come to mind in a list of late comedic greats who changed the comedy landscape. Their influence remains a part of the art, with up-and-coming joke-slingers citing them as sources of inspiration. Sometimes, it’s good to reflect on the contributions of comedy’s titans. So Kino Lorder is proud to present Ron Frank’s Remembering Gene Wilder trailer, celebrating the life and career of the curly-haired clown alongside notable friends.

Remembering Gene Wilder is a heartfelt documentary and entertaining portrait of the life and career of the beloved actor, featuring an extensive array of highlights from Wilder’s most memorable films and interviews with his closest friends, family, and fellow comics.

Here’s the official description for Remembering Gene Wilder:

Remembering Gene Wilder is a loving tribute to...

Lee Grant, the Oscar-winning actress (“Shampoo”) says she decided after her win to try to direct since good roles for older women were limited. It turns out that was about the halfway point of her 98 year (so far) life. What followed was a narrative feature (“Tell Me a Riddle”) and several documentaries, including “Down and Out in America,” which won an Oscar.

When we last ran our list of the oldest living feature film directors in late 2022, where Grant stood was a mystery. Since her breakout in William Wyler’s “The Detective Story” (1951), her first nomination, her year of birth was unclear. But recently she has clarified that that she was born in 1925. That makes her, to the best of our knowledge, older than any of her peers.

Below are listed the 25 oldest. Since our most recent list, Norman Lear, Robert M. Young (both of who briefly were the oldest...

If there’s a funny show on TV, it’s a pretty good bet that Richard Kind has appeared on it.

The veteran actor has logged memorable guest appearances on dozens of TV comedies over the years, along with regular stints on Mad About You and Spin City, among others. So it’s no surprise that Kind pops up on this Tuesday’s Night Court (NBC, 8/7c) as unscrupulous Broadway producer Sy, who lands in court after getting caught selling fake theater memorabilia. So did Kind base this character on any Broadway producers he may have worked with?

More from...

Max and Turner Classic Movies have announced their newest collaboration titled Talking Pictures, co-produced by the teams that created “The Plot Thickens” and recent hits like HBO's “The Last of Us Podcast” and “Succession Podcast.” Featuring TCM host Ben Mankiewicz in conversation with iconic filmmakers and writers as they discuss their earliest film memories, favorite films, creative influences and guilty pleasures, the podcast debuts on Tuesday, January 16 and will be available on Max.

A must-listen podcast for both film buffs and amateur enthusiasts alike, the intimate conversations in each episode serve as a window into the artistic process and defining experiences of some of the greatest creatives in the industry today. The creative evolution of future film professionals is influenced by the films they grow up watching and hold dear in their hearts. Listen in as host Ben Mankiewicz sits down with cinematic filmmakers and impactful writers to peel back...

According to the current combined predictions of Gold Derby users, reigning Tony champ “Kimberly Akimbo” is the frontrunner to win this year’s Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album with 10/3 odds. So far within this century 10 shows that won Tonys for both Best Musical and Best Score also came out on top at the Grammys. Among them are “The Producers,” “Hairspray,” “Spring Awakening,” “In the Heights,” “The Book of Mormon,” “Kinky Boots,” “Hamilton,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “The Band’s Visit” and “Hadestown.” Will that trend continue this year?

SEEGrammys flashback: Revisiting The Weeknd’s notorious, confounding 2021 snub

“Kimberly Akimbo” features a score by Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire. Tesori has been nominated five times before but still has yet to win. Those previous bids were for “Thoroughly Modern Millie” in 2003 (lost to “Hairspray”), “Shrek the Musical” in 2010 (lost to “West Side Story”), “Fun Home” in 2016 (lost to “Hamilton”), “Soft Power” in...

The National Film Registry just granted immortality to 25 classic films. Every year, the Library of Congress chooses another class to be preserved for posterity, and this year’s group includes some major blockbusters like “Terminator 2,” “Home Alone,” and “Apollo 13.”

To be eligible, a film must be at least 10 years old and carry what the library considers to be “cultural, historic or aesthetic importance,” in consultation with National Film Preservation Board members and other experts.

The list now stands at 875 remarkable films. If you’d like to nominate your favorite film for preservation, just fill out this form.

2023 Inductees into the National Film Registry 20 Feet from Stardom June 14, 2013

Directed by Morgan Neville and produced by Gil Friesen, “20 Feet from Stardom” uses archival footage and interviews sharing behind-the-scenes experiences, and shining the spotlight on backup singers, including Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill, Jo Lawry, Claudia Lennear,...

Stan Rogow, the writer and Emmy-nominated producer who guided the Hilary Duff-starring Lizzie McGuire series and feature that spawned from the Disney Channel hit and partnered with John Sayles on several projects, has died. He was 75.

Rogow died Thursday at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, family spokesperson Scott Fisher told The Hollywood Reporter.

Early in his career, Rogow served as a producer on the pilot of the acclaimed NBC series Fame and shared an Emmy nomination for outstanding drama series in 1982 with William Blinn and two others.

The Brooklyn native was also an exec producer on the 2004-06 Discovery Kids sitcom Darcy’s Wild Life, starring Sara Paxton, and he co-created another show for the network, the 2005-07 adventure series Flight 29 Down, featuring Corbin Bleu.

Rogow produced Sayles-written The Clan of the Cave Bear (1986), starring Daryl Hannah, before they teamed to create the 1990 NBC drama Shannon’s Deal, starring...

Just before he reaches the age of 28, Timothée Chalamet will very likely achieve his third Golden Globe (and first Best Comedy/Musical Actor) nomination for “Wonka.” Following his previous bids for “Call Me By Your Name” and “Beautiful Boy”, this notice would make him the youngest man to have ever vied for all three possible film Golden Globes, smashing a record set by 35-year-old James Caan in 1976. He would also make history due to the fact that he would be the third actor recognized by this organization for playing Willy Wonka, thus putting the fictional chocolatier on a very short list of film characters that have inspired at least three Golden Globe nominations.

Directed and co-written by Paul King (“Paddington”), “Wonka” serves as an origin story for its title character, who was first introduced in the 1964 Roald Dahl book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Chalamet puts a relatively youthful spin...

Max and Turner Classic Movies have announced their newest collaboration titled Talking Pictures: A Movie Memories Podcast, co-produced by the teams that created “The Plot Thickens” and recent hits like HBO’s “The Last of Us Podcast” and “Succession Podcast.” Featuring TCM host Ben Mankiewicz in conversation with iconic filmmakers and writers as they discuss their earliest film memories, favorite films, creative influences and guilty pleasures, the podcast debuts on Tuesday, January 16 and will be available on Max.

A must-listen podcast for both film buffs and amateur enthusiasts alike, the intimate conversations in each episode serve as a window into the artistic process and defining experiences of some of the greatest creatives in the industry today. The creative evolution of future film professionals is influenced by the films they grow up watching and hold dear in their hearts. Listen in as host Ben Mankiewicz sits down with cinematic filmmakers and...

Steven Weisberg, who edited films for directors like Alfonso Cuarón, Barry Sonnenfeld, Rodrigo García and others, has died at the age of 68.

Weisberg died on Oct. 16 at the Motion Picture and Television County House and Hospital. His ex-wife, Susan Ellicott, announced his death to The Hollywood Reporter. He was living at the Woodland Hills facility, receiving treatment for the last five years for early onset Alzheimer’s. He received that diagnosis at the age of 55.

Born in New York City on Jan. 16, 1955, Steven Charles Weisberg attended Syracuse University and Binghamton University. He began working as an editor in the 1980s, receiving his first credit as an associate editor on “Gaby: A True Story” in 1987.

He would work with Cuarón on “A Little Princess” in 1995, “Great Expectations” in 1998 and “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” in 2004. Along with those films, he cut Barry Sonnenfeld’s Fox pilot for a live-action...

Steven Weisberg, a film editor who cut features for directors Alfonso Cuarón, Barry Sonnenfeld, Rodrigo García and others, has died. He was 68.

Weisberg died Oct. 16 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills after five years of care for early onset Alzheimer’s, his ex-wife, Susan Ellicott, announced. He was diagnosed when he was 55, she said.

Weisberg collaborated with Cuarón on A Little Princess (1995), Great Expectations (1998) and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004); with Sonnenfeld on the 2001 Fox pilot for The Tick, Big Trouble (2002) and Men in Black II (2002); and with García on Mother and Child (2009) and Albert Nobbs (2011).

Born in New York City on Jan. 16, 1955, Steven Charles Weisberg attended the State University of New York at Binghamton and Syracuse University and received an associate editor credit on Gaby: A True Story (1987).

His résumé also included The Cable Guy (1996), Permanent Midnight (1998), Nurse Betty (2000), I Am David...

Steven Weisberg, a film editor whose career through the ’90s onward led him to collaborations with directors like Alfonso Cuarón, Barry Sonnenfeld and Barry Levinson, died Oct. 16 at the Motion Picture & Television Fund hospital in Woodland Hills, Calif. after several years of care for early onset Alzheimer’s. He was 68.

Weisberg’s death was confirmed by his ex-wife, Susan Ellicott.

Two of Cuarón’s early films, “Great Expectations” and “A Little Princess,” were edited by Weisberg. The two reunited for a foray into franchise filmmaking, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.”

Weisberg also had a knack for editing studio comedies, with his first major feature credit being Ben Stiller’s directorial debut, the 1996 thriller “The Cable Guy.” Other notable credits include a string of Barry Sonnenfeld projects — the short-lived 2001 live-action series “The Tick” and his features “Big Trouble” and “Men in Black II” — as well as “Permanent Midnight,...

Dicks: The Musical is praised for its unique blend of raunchy humor and Broadway-style musical numbers, making it one of the most standout films of 2023. Nathan Lane's involvement in the film, despite initial doubts, was integral to infusing emotion and heart into the story, according to songwriter Karl Saint Lucy. The visible enjoyment and camaraderie of the cast during the making of the movie adds to the audience's sense of fun and inclusion in this wild but touching and welcoming ride.

Dicks: The Musical’s unique blend of raunchy humor and Broadway-ready musical numbers has made it one of the most unique films of 2023. Based on a 2014 Ucb one-act show written by and starring Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp, Dicks: The Musical manages to expand the original show into a winningly charming feature film. Just like the stage show, the film stars Jackson and Sharp as identical twins Trevor and Craig,...

In 2022, Marianne Elliott won the Tony Award for directing a revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical “Company.” In her speech, she thanked the late composer for trusting her to put a “woman front and center” in her gender-bent production. Indeed, her victory was a major milestone for female directors. She became the first woman to win three times for directing. It was also the first time a woman took home a Tony for helming a Sondheim musical, and just the fifth instance of a woman winning for directing a tuner.

At the upcoming 2024 Tonys, Maria Friedman could accomplish those latter two feats, too. She is the visionary performer-turned-director who has achieved what would have been unfathomable to theatergoers back in 1981 — making the Sondheim and George Furth musical “Merrily We Roll Along” a hit on Broadway. But she definitely has a “good thing going” with her production of the notorious flop,...

In his latest podcast/interview, host and screenwriter Stuart Wright talks to to Richard Holmes, film producer and inventor about his latest creation: Vox Box sound booth – Foldable, Portable, Storable, Durable, Affordable and “3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life”

The Last Waltz (1978) Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994) The Producers (1967)

“3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life” is about those films that made you fall in love with film. The guest selects their trio of movies and we talk for 5 minutes, against the clock. When the alarm goes off for five minutes we move on to the next film.

Powered by RedCircle...

“Smash,” the TV series about the making of a fictional Broadway musical, takes an early step toward becoming a real-life Broadway musical on Sept. 22, with a pair of industry readings led by Tony nominees Robyn Hurder and Kerry Butler.

Hurder plays Ivy, an actress cast in the lead role of a new musical about Marilyn Monroe, and Butler appears as Karen, Ivy’s understudy. Their characters share the names of two pivotal roles in the TV show, which also focused on the development of a Marilyn Monroe musical called “Bombshell.”

While it retains the series’ most recognizable elements, the musical adaptation of “Smash” departs in other ways with a storyline and cast of characters that are inspired by the series but not direct translations. “It’s definitely a new script,” said director Susan Stroman of the musical’s book by Bob Martin (“The Prom”) and Rick Elice (“Jersey Boys”). “It...

"Only Murders in the Building" season 3 has a few songs in its heart. A musical theatre aficionado will have a ball with season 3 of "Only Murders in the Building," thanks to Oliver Putnam (Martin Short) converting his outlandish murder-mystery play "Death Rattle" into a musical.

While the trio are solving yet another murder, this season is brimming with musical references. In season 3, episode 2, a recuperating Putnam hallucinates his loved ones performing a pastiche of "There'll Be Some Changes Made" from the Bob Fosse-directed "All That Jazz." It's a cutting reference because said musical film, especially this particular number, metatextually tackles the director's heart attack. It deals with mortal self-flagellation, both for Fosse and in-universe for Fosse's fictional avatar.

In contrast, the show also applies a more lighthearted reference to "The Producers" that complements Oliver's pursuits. After a falling out with his friend Charles Haden-Savage (Steve Martin), Oliver needs a replacement for the Investigator.

Evening will honour Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, Carol Littleton, Michelle Satter.

The Academy is steering clear of the ongoing dual Hollywood strikes and has moved the 14th Governors Awards from November 18 to January 9, 2024.

The rescheduled event will present honorary awards to Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and editor Carol Littleton, with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award going to Michelle Satter of Sundance Institute.

The honorary award is an Oscar statuette recognising “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy”.

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is also...

Evening will honour Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, Carol Littleton, Michelle Satter.

The Academy is steering clear of the ongoing dual Hollywood strikes and has moved the 14th Governors Awards from November 18 to January 9, 2024.

The rescheduled event will present honorary awards to Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and editor Carol Littleton, with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award going to Michelle Satter of Sundance Institute.

The honorary award is an Oscar statuette recognising “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy”.

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is also...

In modern world history, few single years have been as tumultuous as 1968. The Vietnam War continued to drag on and had reached an unprecedented level of unpopularity. The assasinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy shocked the world. Protests against the war, for civil rights, and at the Democratic National Convention raged in the streets. On movie screens, another revolution was taking place that reflected the values of the passionate youth movement and rejected the “old ways” of filmmaking. In the years 1967-68, the studio system was taking its last gasping breaths and films like Bonnie and Clyde, The Graduate, Cool Hand Luke, The Producers, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Bullit, and If…. were changing the game in Hollywood and Britain by taking after New Wave movements in France and Italy. The horror landscape was changing as well. Gothic horrors were giving way to modern films both in setting and subject.

When I was a little kid in the 1960s and a teen in the 1970s, there was simply no one cooler than Mel Brooks. He was the guy (along with Buck Henry) who created and wrote the comedy masterpiece “Get Smart,” and even as a child I could recognize the genius behind it. While I was a little too young to appreciate the greatness of his 1967 directorial debut, “The Producers”, once the ’70s rolled around I was in comedy heaven thanks to “Blazing Saddles” and “Young Frankenstein.” Those two classics of big screen comedy came out the same year: 1974.

As a result, I spent much of that year as a high school sophomore and junior laughing my proverbial butt off in movie theaters (those things we used to frequent prior to the advent of streaming technology). The campfire farting scene in “Bs” was my generation’s comedic colossus.

I lost...

Governors awards will honour the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever actor and the multi-award-winning comedy star behind The Producers

Angela Bassett and Mel Brooks are among those who will receive honorary Oscars at this year’s Governors awards.

Joining Bassett, 64 and Brooks, 96, will be Carol Littleton, 81, the editor of films including Body Heat, Et the Extra-Terrestrial and The Big Chill. The Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter will also receive the Jean Hersholt humanitarian award.

Angela Bassett may have gone home empty handed at the Oscars in March, but the two-time nominee will be getting a golden statuette this year after all – and in very good company too.

In November, Bassett, Mel Brooks and film editor Carol Littleton will receive honorary Oscars at the Governors Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Monday.

Michelle Satter, the founding senior director of the Sundance Institute’s Artist Programs, will also be given the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the untelevised event.

Read More: Angela Bassett Says Whoopi Goldberg ‘Stepped Up’ For Crew On ‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back’

“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” Janet Yang, the academy’s president, said in a statement.

Most recipients of the academy’s honorary awards have not won competitive Oscars.

Angela Bassett (Photo Credit: D’Andre Michael)

Two-time Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett is finally getting her much-deserved Oscar. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be honoring Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, and editor Carol Littleton with the Academy’s Honorary Awards during the Governors Awards taking place in November 2023.

Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter will be recognized with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” stated Academy President Janet Yang. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her.

Angela Bassett will receive an Oscar this year, after all.

The “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” star is among four people the academy’s board of governors will present honorary Oscars to at the Governors Awards later this year, the academy announced on Monday. Legendary writer, director, and actor Mel Brooks and acclaimed editor Carol Littleton will join Bassett as honorary Oscar winners. The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award will go to the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter.

Bassett was a popular pick to win her first competitive Oscar this year for the Marvel sequel, but the actress lost Best Supporting Actress to “Everything Everywhere All At Once” co-star Jamie Lee Curtis. Bassett was a previous nominee for 1993’s “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” where she played Tina Turner. Other acclaimed performances for which she failed to receive academy recognition include “Malcolm X,” “Waiting to Exhale,” “Boyz N the Hood,...

Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and Carol Littleton will receive honorary Oscars at this year’s Governors Awards, announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In addition, the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Awards. The four statuettes will be presented at the 14th annual ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Los Angeles.

“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” said Academy President Janet Yang. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her. A pillar of the independent film community,...

Actor Angela Bassett, writer-director-actor Mel Brooks and film editor Carol Littleton will receive honorary Oscars and the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy’s 2023 Governors Awards, the Academy announced on Monday.

The recipients were chosen by the Academy’s Board of Governors, and the awards will be presented at the 14th annual Governors Awards ceremony, which will take place on Nov. 18 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

Bassett has been nominated for Oscars for “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Her other films include “Boyz N the Hood,” “Waiting to Exhale,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” and “Soul.”

Also Read:

Oscars Toughen Theatrical Requirements to Qualify for Best Picture

Brooks won an Oscar for the screenplay to his first film, “The Producers,” and has also been nominated for his screenplay to “Young Frankenstein...

The Academy Board of Governors voted to present Academy Honorary Awards to Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and editor Carol Littleton and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter. They will accept the four Oscars at the Academy’s 14th Governors Awards event on Saturday, November 18, 2023, at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” said Academy President Janet Yang in a statement. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her. A...

Actress Angela Bassett, writer-director-actor-songwriter Mel Brooks and film editor Carol Littleton have been tapped to receive honorary Oscars, while former Sundance Institute chief Michelle Satter will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2023 Governors Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Monday.

The 14th annual honors will be presented at a ceremony at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles on Nov. 18.

“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” Academy president Janet Yang said in a statement. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a...

Coming June 8 to Peacock is “Based on a True Story,” a true-crime comedy thriller about a couple (Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina) who decide that getting involved in a murder will somehow save their marriage. All eight episodes will be released at once. This comical look at true crime is sure to entertain audiences, whether they are fans of the genre or not.

Check out the trailer for “Based on a True Story”:

On June 2, Peacock will premiere the new film “Shooting Stars.” The sports movie tells the story of LeBron James and how his high-school team at Akron’s St. Vincent/St. Mary High School became the No. 1 basketball team in the country. Also, how the friendships forged on the court have remained in place throughout the decades that followed.

Watch the “Shooting Stars” trailer:

Four of the five “Bourne” films are set to arrive on the service...

Robin Wagner, one of Broadway’s most prolific and celebrated set designers with three Tony Awards and a roster of major credits including Angels in America, Dreamgirls, A Chorus Line, The Producers and Jelly’s Last Jam, died Monday in his sleep in New York City. He was 89.

Wagner’s death was announced through a spokesperson by his daughter Christie Wagner Lee.

Born in San Francisco, Wagner developed his interest in set design while attending the Palace of Fine Arts (now the California School of Fine Arts). He did some early work for San Francisco theaters before moving to New York in the early 1960s, quickly finding work on both the Off Broadway and Broadway scenes.

His major Broadway breakthrough came with the original and acclaimed production of Hair in 1968. From there he would go on to design sets for productions from the memorable to the landmark, with a remarkable...