Toronto: Penélope Cruz to Guest on Live Episode of THR’s ‘Awards Chatter’ Pod as Fest Premieres ‘La Bola Negra’ and ‘Bunker’
The Spanish Oscar winner will discuss her life and career with Scott Feinberg at Toronto's 1 Hotel on Sept. 15.
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Andrew Scott to Receive Mill Valley Film Festival’s Acting Award for ‘Elsinore’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Andrew Scott will receive the Mill Valley Film Festival’s Acting Award for his latest performance in “Elsinore.” Scott stars in the Focus Features film portraying Ian Charleson in his celebrated performance as Hamlet at London’s National Theatre, before the actor, known for
Gaza Doc ‘NAZA,’ From ‘No Other Land’ Directors, Earns Record-Breaking 24.5-Minute Venice Ovation as Producer Jonathan Glazer Leads Applause
“NAZA,” the new documentary from “No Other Land” directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, earned a massive 24.5-minute ovation at its Venice Film Festival premiere on Thursday. This marks the longest-ever standing ovation in Venice, besting the 22 minutes for “The Voice of Hind
‘Naza’ Review: Two of the ‘No Other Land’ Filmmakers Deliver a More Devastating Exposé of Israeli Genocidal Policy, This Time in Gaza
The irksome controversy over “No Other Land” upon winning both the Berlinale Documentary prize and the Academy Award was never really about the film. It was hardly the first strong documentary to call attention to Israel’s official policy of ethnic cleansing, and there were no
Role Model and Hydro Flask Launch Limited-Edition Drinkware Collection Inspired by ‘Chuck Timely & The Hourglass’
Hydro Flask announced a collaboration with singer-songwriter Role Model (Tucker Pilsbury), featuring stylish drinkware inspired by his third studio album, “Chuck Timely & The Hourglass.” To celebrate its launch, Role Model released a promotional video with his friend and
‘The Office’ and ‘King of the Hill’ Producer Greg Daniels on Opening Doors For a Whole Generation of Writers
When Greg Daniels wants to be friends with you, he won’t invite you to grab a drink at a local bar. He’ll ask you if you want to write comedy. “It’s kind of like my invitation to play tennis or hang out,” he says. “I’ve worked with some really amazing collaborators, and I’ve
Sue Naegle & Ali Krug’s Dinner Party Productions Sets Overall Deal at 20th Television
Dinner Party Productions, the company founded by Sue Naegle and Ali Krug, has signed a multi-year overall deal at 20th Television, Variety has learned. The company was previously set up under an overall deal at UCP beginning in 2024. Under their new deal, they will develop and
How ‘GTA 6,’ Return of BlizzCon and a Very Packed Fall Release Slate Are Revving Up Video Game Industry’s Optimism
After suffering through a post-pandemic downturn, the gaming industry is readying an onslaught of fall releases in the hopes of turning the sector back toward growth. The white-hot anticipation for the much-delayed “Grand Theft Auto VI” is expected to go a long way to juice the
32 Flavors Hires Michael Beck as Senior VP of Programming, Promotes Jessica Snavely to Senior VP of Production & Operations (EXCLUSIVE)
Unscripted powerhouse 32 Flavors has made two key executive moves. Variety has learned exclusively that the company has named Michael Beck senior vice president of programming, while Jessica Snavely has been promoted to senior vice president of production and operations. Both
Sabrina Ionescu Expands Away Partnership With New Travel Collection, Featuring Limited-Edition Colorways and Signed Luggage Tags
Sabrina Ionescu is hitting the road with Away. The luggage brand has teamed up with the New York Liberty star on a limited-edition travel collection, marking Away’s first collaboration within its premium Aluminum Edge line. The capsule includes two suitcases and a pair of
Music Industry Moves: Brian Eno Relaunches Opal Records; Columbia Records Names Corey ‘C-Notes’ Calder SVP
Opal Records, the label founded by the legendary musician-producer Brian Eno in 1988, is returning after more than three decades. The relaunch is beginning with the reissue of two Eno albums: “Another Day on Earth” (2005) and his collaboration with J. Peter Schwalm, “Drawn From
Sacha Baron Cohen to Star in Quentin Tarantino’s First Stage Play ‘The Popinjay Cavalier’
Sacha Baron Cohen is going from Ali G to the West End. The actor and comedian is set to make his stage debut in the London production of Quentin’s Tarantino’s upcoming production “The Popinjay Cavalier,” Variety can confirm. Baron Cohen will reportedly play the title character
As ‘American Dad’ Hits Episode 400, Producers Are Amazed at Its Longevity: ‘This Show Really Doesn’t Want to Die’
“American Dad” just might be the luckiest show on television. The animated series, which celebrates its 400th episode on Sept. 13, is a survivor — having bounced from Fox to TBS and then back to Fox again, without losing a step. “The show really doesn’t want to die,” says
Todd Haynes, Frances McDormand, Zhang Ziyi Join Lumière Festival Lineup
Todd Haynes will make his first visit to Lyon’s Lumière Film Festival, joining Robert Eggers, Zhang Ziyi and Tsui Hark at the classic film gathering’s now 18th edition. Three-time best actress Oscar winner Frances McDormand, a longtime collaborator of the Coen brothers, will
‘Spider-Noir’ Boss on What Season 2 Would’ve Looked Like and the Canceled Show’s ‘Bittersweet’ Five Emmy Wins (EXCLUSIVE)
On Friday, Amazon’s Prime Video announced that “Spider-Noir” wouldn’t be back for a Season 2. Two days later, the series landed five wins at the Emmys Night 2 ceremony. According to awards gurus who track these things, that’s the most Emmy wins ever for a series canceled after
How Fandom’s New CEO Is Opening a ‘Much Simpler Front Door’ for General Consumers Without Removing ‘Depth of Nerddom’ From Platform
Whether it was a conscious choice or not, chances are high that if you’ve run an online query about a TV show, movie, book or video game the answer you received came courtesy of Fandom. Launched in 2004, Fandom is best known for its wiki platform that attracts 300 million
‘P-Valley’ to End With Season 3, Starz Strip Club Drama Sets Long Awaited Release Date
Starz has set the premiere date for “P-Valley” Season 3, which will also be the show’s final season. The drama series will return for its third and final season on Dec. 4, meaning it will launch over four years after Season 2. The first two episodes will drop on Dec. 4,
‘Nobody Wants This’ Sets Season 3 Release Date, Drops First-Look Images
“Nobody Wants This” Season 3 has an official premiere date at Netflix. The third season of the popular romantic comedy series will debut on Oct. 22. Netflix has also dropped new first-look images from Season 3, which can be seen below. The official description for the new
U2 Named MusiCares 2027 Persons of the Year
MusiCares has named U2 — Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. — as its 2027 Persons of the Year. The 36th annual Persons of the Year benefit gala will be held at a new location, Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Friday, Feb. 5, 2027, two nights before the 2027
How ‘River’ Director Joshua Giuliano Made a ‘Beautiful, Brutal’ Slasher With Two Modern Scream Queens and a ‘Terrifying’ Villain
In Joshua Giuliano’s debut feature “River,” the line between beauty and carnage is razor thin. The slasher film, set to premiere Sept. 10 at the Toronto International Film Festival, concerns a trio of siblings (Jane Levy, Jessica Rothe and Max Mattern) who, after a tense
‘Sir’ Director Rohena Gera Returns With French-Indian Romance ‘Stay’ Starring Pallavi Sharda (EXCLUSIVE)
Paris-based Indie Sales has acquired international rights to “Stay,” the second feature from Indian writer-director Rohena Gera, whose debut “Sir” premiered at Cannes’ Critics’ Week in 2018 and won the Gan Foundation Award. Starring Pallavi Sharda (“Wedding Season”) and Julien
Miike Takashi Finds a Path to Redemption Without God in Toronto Title ‘Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo’: ‘It’s Not That My Aims Are to Depict Violence or Violent People’
Every “Bad Lieutenant” film has had to answer the same question in its own way: what happens to a corrupt man when there’s no God left to save him? Abel Ferrara’s 1992 original built its entire moral architecture around Catholic guilt, climaxing with its lapsed-Catholic
Oscars: Israel Selects HIV Drama ‘Tell Me Everything’ for International Feature Race
Moshe Rosenthal’s “Tell Me Everything” has been voted Best Picture at Israel’s Ophir Awards, automatically making it the country’s submission for best international feature film category at the 99th Academy Awards. “Tell Me Everything,” set in the 1980s against the rising HIV
Sky’s Defense-News App Could Help Old-School Media Launch Offense Against Creators
Deborah Haynes covers serious stuff, like foreign affairs, national security and defense — the sorts of topics that might not make good fodder for a snarky newsletter or a hot-talk podcast. Even so, her employer, Sky News, has some new ideas about how to reach viewers that
Jennifer Lawrence Speaks Out on Joining Instagram and Warns Toxic Fans: ‘If Anyone Says Anything Negative I Will Quit Immediately’
Jennifer Lawrence has officially joined Instagram, earning nearly 1 million followers in less than 24 hours. But the Oscar winner is issuing a warning to toxic social media users: She will quit Instagram if people start being mean. “So yeah, I am giving it a shot and if anyone
Cinema Guild Takes North American Rights on Ted Fendt’s ‘Foreign Travel’ Ahead of New York Film Festival Launch (EXCLUSIVE)
Indie distributor Cinema Guild has acquired North American distribution rights for Berlin-based U.S. director and literary translator Ted Fendt’s “Foreign Travel” that will have its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival next month. “Foreign Travel,” which
‘The Trial of Alec Baldwin’ Trailer: Actor Gives Documentary Crew Full Access to His Life in the Aftermath of Deadly ‘Rust’ Shooting
A trailer has been released for Oscar-nominated director Rory Kennedy’s long-awaited documentary, “The Trial of Alec Baldwin.” The film, which follows the actor after the accidental on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021, is set to be released in theaters
‘Avatar: Seven Havens’ to Release Three Episodes Per Week as ‘Last Airbender’ Sequel Series Drops New Trailer
“Avatar: Seven Havens” will drop its first season in batches of three episodes per week. As previously announced, the new entry in the “Avatar: The Last Airbender” universe will debut on Oct. 9 on Paramount+. Now, Paramount has confirmed that the first three episodes of the
Virginie Efira to Receive Mill Valley Film Festival’s Screen Artistry Award for ‘All of a Sudden’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Virginie Efira will receive the Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF) Award for Screen Artistry at the festival’s 49th edition, organizers announced. The actor is honored for her performance in “All of a Sudden,” which screens at the festival. Efira shared the Cannes Film Festival
Lee Pace on Romancing Sandra Bullock in ‘Practical Magic 2,’ Life as a Leading Man and His 6-Foot-Five Star Power: ‘I’m a Monster!’
The first scene Lee Pace shot in “Practical Magic 2” required plenty of prosthetic tattoos — and zero wardrobe. “I’m lying on this bed, naked,” Pace says with a laugh, “and the two of them come into the room and do some magic.” In the sequel to 1998’s beloved fantasy film,
Emmys 2026 Party Guide With Katherine LaNasa, Quinta Brunson and Richard Gadd
Television’s biggest night of the year is almost here. In other words, let the partying begin. The festivities kick off with Gold House’s One House Toast to the Emmys as well as the Creative Coalition’s Humanitarian Awards dinner. Agencies like UTA and WME will have
Amalie Næsby Fick on Toronto-Bound ‘What Lies Between Us’ and Challenging Viewers: Would You Defend Your Child, No Matter What? (EXCLUSIVE)
Variety has been given exclusive access “What Lies Between Us” (“Dobbeltfejl”), selected for Toronto’s Discovery section and one of three short-listed Danish pics to become Denmark’s Oscar entry. The feature (formerly known as “Good Mothers”) reunites some of Denmark’s finest
‘The Trial of Alec Baldwin’ Trailer Gives Behind-the-Scenes Look at Actor During ‘Rust’ Trial
"How the hell did I end up in this vortex?" Baldwin asks in the trailer
Alicia Keys ‘and Friends,’ Victoria Monet, More Join Global Citizen Festival Lineup
Alicia Keys & friends, Victoria Monét, Yeonjun, and Yoshiki have joined the lineup for this year’s Global Citizen Festival, the organization announced on Thursday. Taking place on September 26th in New York’s Central Park, they join previously announced performers Lauryn Hill &
Elizabeth Holmes Doc ‘You Can See Everything’ Joins New York Film Fest Spotlight Lineup
Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s A24 film about the notorious billionaire turned convicted fraudster will have a NYC premiere on Sept. 30 after a surprise Telluride first look.
Universal Music Group and ElevenLabs to Launch AI-Powered Music Platform in Expansive Licensing Deal
Universal Music Group and ElevenLabs are getting into business. The label has struck an expansive licensing agreement with the AI audio startup that will see ElevenLabs launch an AI-powered music platform built on UMG’s catalog of artists. The platform will allow fans to remix
‘The Zone of Interest’ Producer Ewa Puszczyńska and Director Jan Holoubek Say ‘Wild Wild East’ No Longer Feels Like a Period Drama: ‘It Can Happen Again. It Already Is’
Jan Holoubek’s TIFF premiere “Wild Wild East” is set in 1943, but it no longer feels safely stored away in the past. “When I first read the script 12 years ago, it felt like a period drama. It was about something that happened a long time ago and wouldn’t happen again. Today,
Mohsen Gharaei’s Iranian Drama ‘Falling House’ Sells Across Europe After Venice Festival Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)
Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Gharaei’s “Falling House” has sold to a raft of international territories following its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. Paris-based company Paradise City Sales has closed a first batch of deals with Jokers Films for France, Wanted Cinema for
‘American Horror Story: 13’ Trailer: Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters Reprise Iconic Roles in Ryan Murphy’s Horror Anthology
Ryan Murphy’s long-running anthology series “American Horror Story” is back for Season 13, and the new trailer teases Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters’ returns in the all-star season. While Lange will be reprising all four of her former “AHS” characters, Peters will
New York Games Week to Launch in October as First Citywide Video Game Industry Event
The first New York Games Week will take place Oct. 4-11 with video game industry-themed events, showcases, conferences, tournaments, summits, professional mixers and meetups across the five boroughs of New York City. From gaming industry vets Guy Blomberg (Games Industry
‘Now You See Me’ Live Show Sets Broadway Debut
The Four Horsemen are taking their talents to Broadway. “Now You See Me Live,” a stage show inspired by Lionsgate’s hit film franchise about thieving illusionists, is opening at New York City’s Al Hirschfeld theater on Nov. 11 for an eight-week run that concludes on Jan. 3.
Toronto Platform Pick ‘Angh,’ With ‘Shetland’ Star Douglas Henshall, Boards Jungle Book Studio for World Sales, Unveils Clip (EXCLUSIVE)
Jungle Book Studio has taken international sales rights to “Angh,” the debut feature from Nagaland filmmaker Theja Rio. The film is world premiering at the Toronto Film Festival. The film is the sole Indian entry in TIFF’s Platform competition. Set in the remote hills of
K2 Media Capital Launches at Toronto Market With a Slate of Cross-Border IP Projects (EXCLUSIVE)
Gayathiri Guliani and Uzair Merchant are unveiling K2 Media Capital, a new entertainment investment and production venture, at the Toronto Film Festival market. The company aims to identify, finance and produce high-value intellectual property that crosses borders and formats.
Drew Barrymore Will Court Social-Media Crowd With Long-Form Interviews on YouTube
Drew Barrymore will break free of the conventions of TV talk as she launches the seventh season of her CBS-produced daytime program. Barrymore and her producers are launching a second program – a YouTube interview series – that will function both as a segment for TV and a
Anna Biller on ‘The Love Witch’ Follow-Up ‘The Face of Horror’ and Her Issues With ‘Obsession’: ‘The Male Point of View Is Always Going to Sell Better’ (EXCLUSIVE)
“Joan of Arc versus Jesus.” That is how Anna Biller, the auteur behind “The Love Witch,” describes the climax of her arresting new film “The Face of Horror” — a Medieval tale of a chauvinist knight, Edward (Jonah Hauer-King), desiring to leave his hopelessly devoted wife,
Dreamkite Chief Yoko Higuchi-Zitzmann on AI Opportunities and Industry Concerns: ‘AI Production Will Create a Lot of New Human Jobs’
Earlier today, Variety announced that international media executive and producer Yoko Higuchi-Zitzmann and AI filmmaker Mark Wachholz have launched Dreamkite Studios, an AI production company. We spoke to Higuchi-Zitzmann about the venture. Are the projects on your slate
Alex Gibney Team Jabs “Free Speech Absolutist” Elon Musk Over Documentary Legal Threat
Musk's attorney declares "we have no choice but to put you on formal legal notice" as the tech titan slams the buzzy documentary on X as a "false film."
Ella Langley Leads 2026 CMA Awards Nominations With Nine, as Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves Also Score Big Tallies
In perhaps the least surprising development in recent CMA Awards history, Ella Langley emerged at the front of the pack when nominations for the 2026 telecast were announced Thursday morning, scoring nine in all, just one shy of the all-time single-year record set by Alan
Amazon’s AWS Now Lets Streamers Deliver up to 11 Live Feeds on One Screen
Personalized multiview livestreams — the ability to watch multiple video feeds on one screen — have become a popular and much-requested feature by customers, particularly for sports. Now AWS, Amazon’s cloud-services division, is launching a new service that will let streamers
‘Why Did I Get Married Again?’ Review: Taraji P. Henson Joins the Gang for a Tyler Perry Sequel That Sells the Next Generation Short
It’s been nearly 20 years since “Why Did I Get Married?”, the original Tyler Perry movie that first introduced these characters and their variously troubled relationships — and 16 years since the sequel to that film, “Why Did I Get Married Too?”. So it feels only normal, at the
