How to Ignite an Internet Frenzy? Give Alexander Skarsgard a Wicker Penis
The newly released trailer for 'Wicker,' also starring Olivia Colman, has caused quite a stir among women on social media.
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Ted Sarandos Meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Unveils Netflix India Storytelling Initiative
Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday to unveil the Netflix India Storytelling Initiative, a multi-phase investment in the country’s creative talent pipeline. The initiative builds on more than a decade of partnership
‘One Night Only’ Review: Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner Are Too Hot for This Sexless Sex Comedy
A high-concept romantic comedy is a difficult thing to pull off. The success of any romcom is so dependent on any number of ordinary yet intangible factors — star chemistry, warmth, a general sense of goodwill toward all involved — that when you massively complicate the rules
‘Martin’ Spinoff ‘The Varnell Hill Show’ Sets September Release Date, Drops First Look Photos
Paramount+ has released first-look images of “The Varnell Hill Show,” the “Martin” spinoff premiering this September on the streaming platform. The eight-episode debut season will premiere with two episodes on Sept. 1, followed by one new episode every Tuesday night until Oct.
ABC News Digital Workers Unionize With WGA East in Unanimous Vote
Employees at ABC News’ digital division voted unanimously to form a union with the Writers Guild of America East. WGA East — which has repped unionized employees in ABC News’ TV operations for decades — said it reached an agreement with ABC regarding the union representation
Sony Music Names Stephanie Yu General Counsel and Executive VP of Business and Legal
Sony Music has announced the appointment of Stephanie Yu to General Counsel and Executive Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs. She reports to Rob Stringer, Chairman, Sony Music Group and Kevin Kelleher, COO, Sony Music. Yu will be responsible for overseeing the business,
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Becomes Highest-Grossing Movie of 2026 in 7 Days With $1.15 Billion
After just seven days on the big screen, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” has already supplanted “Toy Story 5” as the highest-grossing movie of the year. Sony and Marvel’s web-slinging sequel, starring Tom Holland and Zendaya, has generated $1.155 billion to date, including $449
NY Film Festival Reveals 2026 Main Slate With Cannes Winners ‘Minotaur,’ ‘Fatherland’ and ‘All of a Sudden’
Additional features set to screen in New York include 'Clarissa' and 'The Man I Love,' both of which premiered at Cannes, as well as Chris Rock's Toronto-bound 'Misty Green.'
Richard Madden to Star in Hostage Thriller Series ‘Trauma’ for Prime Video UK, Paramount+ (EXCLUSIVE)
Richard Madden is set to star in a new thriller series that will air on Amazon Prime Video and Paramount+, Variety has learned exclusively. Currently titled “Trauma,” Prime Video will air the series in the U.K. and Ireland, while Paramount+ will release it in all other
Kevin Bright-Produced October 7 Survivors Documentary ‘The Bridge’ Sets North American Release (EXCLUSIVE)
October 7 survivor documentary “The Bridge” is set to get a North American release coinciding with the third anniversary of the Hamas attacks. Produced by Kevin Bright (“Friends”) and directed by Brad Allgood (“Landfill Harmonic”), the film follows ten survivors as they travel
‘Ted Lasso’ Producer Brendan Hunt on What It Took to Revive the Series, Why Some Characters Didn’t Return and Whether There’s Another Three-Season Plan
Give credit to the England women’s national football team — nicknamed the Lionesses — for inspiring the return of “Ted Lasso.” The team won the UEFA Women’s Championship in 2022, right as Jason Sudeikis and company were shooting Season 3 of “Ted Lasso,” and the celebrations
Princess Grace Foundation Announces 18 Winners and 11 Honoraria Recipients for 2026 Awards
The Princess Grace Foundation-USA announced 18 Princess Grace Award winners and 11 Honoraria recipients, joining over 1,000 previously recognized artists including Tony Kushner and Leslie Odom Jr.. This year’s recipients include dancer India Hobbs, who was nominated by
New York Film Festival 2026 Lineup Unveiled: Chris Rock’s ‘Misty Green,’ Andrew Haigh’s ‘A Long Winter’ and More
The New York Film Festival has announced the 32-film main slate for its 64th edition, anchored by four world premieres: centerpiece selection “Behemoth!” from writer and director Tony Gilroy; closing night selection “14th,” the new documentary feature from Ava DuVernay; “I
It’s Sombr Summer: The Pop Phenom on Impressing Taylor Swift, Singing About Body Image and Why People ‘Can Say Whatever the F— They Want About Me’
“Do we like the eyeliner or no?” Sombr is strutting across the stage, dragging the microphone stand by its neck and headbanging to his own music with an ecstatic, toothy, dorky smile. As strobe lights douse the audience, the singer’s voice is drowned out by the gasping screams
HBO Board BBC’s Tudor Drama Series ‘1536’ Based on Ava Pickett’s West End Play
HBO have boarded the BBC’s television adaptation of Ava Pickett’s West End play “1536.” HBO and the BBC are set to co-produce the six-episode series, which follows the lives of three working class women in Tudor England against the backdrop of Henry VIII’s failing relationship
FX’s Adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ ‘The Shards’ Can’t Be Saved by a Strong Lead Performance: TV Review
In some ways, an adaptation of the Bret Easton Ellis novel “The Shards” has had some of the heavy lifting done for it. Ellis’ cooly detached prose style embodies the shameless materialism of its Reagan era setting with an obsessive catalog of proper nouns: what kind of cars its
‘The Green Eyes’ Is a Refugee Adventure Drama for Our Time (Exclusive Trailer)
French writers-directors Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Trouilh invite us to experience a world full of chaos from a child's perspective in the Locarno opener, whose original title is 'Les Yeux Verts.'
Disney Predicts ‘Spider-Man’ Record Opening “Bodes Well” for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro makes a case for 'Brand New Day' being a good omen for 'Doomsday' box office.
Talia Ryder Joins Michael Shannon in ‘Doctor Caligari’s Cabinet of Wonders’ (EXCLUSIVE)
“Doctor Caligari’s Cabinet of Wonders,” the upcoming contemporary reimagining of iconic horror classic “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” widely considered to be the first true horror movie, has bolstered its lead cast. Joining Michael Shannon in the film — which was first
Trans Pregnancy Drama ‘Aman’ Boards Nikkhil Advani and Dominique Welinski as Executive Producers Ahead of Toronto World Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)
“Aman,” writer-director Rahul Roye’s short film about a trans man who discovers he is pregnant on the eve of his gender-affirming surgery, has attached Nikkhil Advani and Dominique Welinski as executive producers. The film will have its world premiere in the Short Cuts
Tim Blake Nelson’s ‘The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd,’ Starring Amanda Seyfried and Scoot McNairy, Boarded by WestEnd Films
WestEnd Films has boarded international sales on “The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd,” written, directed and produced by Tim Blake Nelson, starring Amanda Seyfried and Scoot McNairy. The film will have its world premiere in the Gala Presentations program at the 51st Toronto
‘Forgotten Spaceman,’ Telling a Little-Known Afghan Story, Readies for Takeoff (Exclusive Trailer)
Elham Ehsas’ film, debuting at Locarno before traveling to TIFF, shows how an Afghan cosmonaut went into space and explores how conflict narratives and echoes of colonialism overshadow the historic event.
Cinema Ritrovato Chief Gianluca Farinelli Appointed Artistic Director of Italy’s David di Donatello Awards
Gianluca Farinelli, who is head of Italy’s venerable Il Cinema Ritrovato festival dedicated to cinematic treasures of the past, has been appointed artistic director of the David di Donatello award, which is Italy’s equivalent of the Oscars. Farinelli, who is also founder and
Disney Admits ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ Disappointed at Box Office
But CEO Josh D’Amaro makes a case as for why the Star Wars movie was still successful as a portfolio booster.
‘Avengers: Endgame’ Directors Congratulate ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ for Breaking Their Opening Weekend Record: ‘The Gauntlet Has Been Passed’
“Avengers: Endgame” directors Joe and Anthony Russo have officially surrendered the opening box office crown to “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” The Marvel filmmaking duo took to Instagram to congratulate the “Brand New Day” team, including director Destin Daniel Cretton and stars
TIFF Docs Chief Not Worried About Taking on Elon Musk
The Toronto International Film Festival’s documentary czar feels confident about taking on Elon Musk. On Wednesday, the 2026 edition of TIFF unveiled its documentary films slate, consisting of 21 doc titles from around the world, and one film stood out for the controversy — and
Noomi Rapace, Shamier Anderson, Alexander Skarsgard, Stellan Skarsgard Films Join Toronto Fest Lineup
The Short Cuts sidebar also has the latest work by Fala Chen, Elham Ehsas, Camille Summers-Valli, Michael Del Monte and Oscar-nominated Shaunak Sen.
Karthik Subbaraj’s Toronto-Bound ‘Dorothy’ Unveils Teaser (EXCLUSIVE)
Jio Studios and Sikhya Entertainment have released a teaser for Karthik Subbaraj’s “Dorothy” ahead of the Tamil-language film’s world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. “Dorothy” is Subbaraj’s 10th feature and will screen in Toronto’s Centrepiece program, which spotlights
Alex Gibney’s Elon Musk Doc Will Play TIFF, Setting the Stage for an Epic Culture Wars Battle
The Toronto fest's doc section will world premiere new films about Edward Said, Megan Rapinoe and Black-Jewish relations.
Cannes Critics’ Week Film ‘Six Months in a Pink and Blue Building’ Sells to Strand Releasing for North America (EXCLUSIVE)
Strand Releasing has acquired North American rights to Bruno Santamaria Razo’s debut feature “Six Months in a Pink and Blue Building,” the Mexican coming-of-age drama that premiered at Critics’ Week at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Set in Mexico City in the early 1990s,
Sophie Fleur de Bruijn, Whose Spec Script ‘The One Month Mark’ Sold to Apple With Jennifer Lawrence Attached, Signs With CAA (EXCLUSIVE)
U.S. playwright-writer-director and performer Sophie Fleur de Bruijn, whose original romantic comedy spec script “The One Month Mark” recently sold to Apple, with Jennifer Lawrence attached, has signed for representation with CAA. De Bruijn has been making a splash in Hollywood
Disney Says Commercials for Super Bowl LXI Have Sold Out
Disney said it had sold out all its commercial inventory tied to its coming 2027 telecast of Super Bowl LXI, showing a remarkable push to a financial touchdown that seemed in danger of being blocked just a few weeks ago. Hugh Johnston, the company’s chief financial officer,
Disney Looking to Launch Free Streaming Channels as CEO Josh D’Amaro Doubles Down on the Streaming Biz
Disney is looking to join the free streaming channel boom as newly named CEO Josh D’Amaro doubles down on streaming as one of two key pillars to drive future growth. During Disney’s quarterly earnings call, D’Amaro confirmed that Disney is considering launching FAST channels as
Prime Video’s Stunning Drama ’Sterling Point’ Elevates the YA Genre Beyond the Mundane: TV Review
There is a plethora of recent YA television series across streamers and networks, including “The Summer I Turned Pretty, “Off Campus,” “Cruel Intentions,” and “Every Year After” (which all happen to be Prime Video series). However, these shows tend to zero in on romance,
Disney CEO Admits ‘Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu’ and ‘Moana’ Underperformed at Box Office but ‘Fueled Other Parts of Our Company’
Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro admitted on the company’s latest earnings call that “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” and the live-action “Moana” remake both underperformed at the box office this summer, although he maintained that both titles were not outright busts for the
‘Resident Evil Requiem’ Stars Nick Apostolides, Angela Sant’Albano to Host Gamescom’s Future Games Show (EXCLUSIVE)
“Resident Evil Requiem” stars Nick Apostolides and Angela Sant’Albano will co-host the Future Games Show at gamescom on Aug. 26. Best known for playing Leon S. Kennedy and Grace Ashcroft to life in Capcom’s latest installment in the “Resident Evil” franchise, which was released
Jonny Greenwood, Alexandre Desplat, Hildur Guðnadóttir Among World Soundtrack Awards Contenders
Jonny Greenwood, Alexandre Desplat and Hildur Guðnadóttir are among the nominees for Film Composer of the Year at the 26th edition of the World Soundtrack Awards, which takes place on Oct. 10. Greenwood, Radiohead’s lead guitarist, was the composer for Paul Thomas Anderson’s
Prateek Kuhad to Make Feature Film Acting Debut in Marginal MediaWorks, D36 and Jugaad’s ‘Drowning,’ Directed by Dar Gai (EXCLUSIVE)
Prateek Kuhad, the Indian singer-songwriter known for hits including “Cold/Mess” and “Kasoor,” will make his feature film acting debut in “Drowning” (“Doobna” in Hindi/Urdu), Marginal MediaWorks has revealed. Directed by Dar Gai and shot on location in New Delhi, the film marks
Disney Streaming Profit Doubles in June Quarter, Company Shifting Consumer Products to Studios Division
Disney posted mixed results for the June 2026 quarter, as Disney+ and Hulu continued to boost profits and the theme parks division turning in solid performance. And Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro revealed his latest move to restructure the media conglomerate’s operations: He’s moving
‘The Mummy’ Poster Ads Banned From London Underground After Advertising Watchdog Cites ‘Distressing’ Imagery
The U.K. Advertising Standards Authority has ruled that outdoor poster ads for “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” breached its code by presenting an image that gave “a realistic impression of a dead child,” while clearing companion TV and streaming spots for the same campaign. The ASA
Alba Rohrwacher-Starrer ‘A Common Story’ Gets Boarded by True Colours Ahead of its Venice and Toronto Premieres (EXCLUSIVE)
Italian sales company True Colours has taken world sales outside Italy on first-time director Anna Foglietta’s marriage drama “A Common Story” (“Una Storia”) starring Alba Rohrwacher, ahead of its bow in Venice and Toronto. Foglietta is an actress-turned director best-known to
Disney, TikTok Strike Content-Sharing Deal Aimed at Boosting Short-Form Programming on Disney+
Disney is going long on short-form content. The entertainment giant struck an alliance with TikTok that will have creators on the popular quick-hit video service making shorts tied to characters and stories from Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, FX and more. The resulting pieces from
Colman Domingo Says Final Season of ‘Euphoria’ ‘Meant Everything’ to Him
“He gave me the arc of a lifetime,” the actor said of the show’s creator, Sam Levinson
Inside ‘I Is Another’: The True(ish) Story of the Man Who Massaged a Nazi and Maybe Saved Lives
Director Felix Randau, stars Claes Bang, Valerie Pachner, Susanne Wuest on turning Heinrich Himmler's masseur's narrative into a Locarno psychological thriller about truth, ego and the hunger for validation.
‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 Is Both a Promising Reboot and a Tedious Sequel: TV Review
Anyone with even the vaguest understanding of the profit motive can understand why Apple TV sports comedy “Ted Lasso” has returned three years after its poorly received — yet still widely watched — third season seemed to close the book on its story. A streaming service
‘The Blacklist Was a Plague’ — Locarno Retrospective Curator Ehsan Khoshbakht Talks About What We Can Learn From the Intolerance of the Past
One of the most shameful episodes in Hollywood’s history is being examined in a new retrospective to screen at the Locarno Film Festival: Red & Black: Hollywood Left and the Blacklist. Speaking to Variety, the retrospective’s curator, Ehsan Khoshbakht, speaks about the
Maria Bäck on ‘Brave New Love,’ Her Provocative Take on Motherhood, Desire and Modern Romance
The Swedish-Danish writer-director talks shame, Greek mythology and building a love triangle that refuses easy answers, ahead of the film's Locarno premiere.
Locarno Open Doors 2026: Next Gen African Tales of Miraculous Snowfalls, Lost Dreams, an African Keyboard Prodigy and New Heroes
Magic realist love story “Chapa 100,” absurdist political allegory “A Vineyard for a Lobster” and cross-continental queer drama “Hibiscus by the River” look like some of the potential standouts at Locarno’s talent-deep, wide-ranging 2026 Africa-focused Open Doors, unspooling
