Richard Leibner, the prominent talent agent who transformed the TV news business by guiding the careers of such renowned broadcast journalists as Dan Rather, Diane Sawyer, Mike Wallace, Andy Rooney and Norah O’Donnell, has died. He was 85.
Leibner died Tuesday at his home in New York, UTA vice chairman Jay Sures announced. The agent started out in the 1960s at New York-based N.S. Bienstock, which was acquired in 2014 by UTA.
Leibner also signed and represented the likes of Morley Safer, Ed Bradley, Bob Simon, Steve Kroft, Bill Whitaker, Chuck Scarborough, Paula Zahn, Brian Stelter, Daniel Schorr and Fareed Zakaria before he retired in December 2021 after 58 years in the business.
“Decades ago, he made it his personal mission to see that big name news stars should be treated and compensated like traditional movie and television stars,” Sures told staffers in a memo obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
Born in Brooklyn,...
Leibner died Tuesday at his home in New York, UTA vice chairman Jay Sures announced. The agent started out in the 1960s at New York-based N.S. Bienstock, which was acquired in 2014 by UTA.
Leibner also signed and represented the likes of Morley Safer, Ed Bradley, Bob Simon, Steve Kroft, Bill Whitaker, Chuck Scarborough, Paula Zahn, Brian Stelter, Daniel Schorr and Fareed Zakaria before he retired in December 2021 after 58 years in the business.
“Decades ago, he made it his personal mission to see that big name news stars should be treated and compensated like traditional movie and television stars,” Sures told staffers in a memo obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
Born in Brooklyn,...
- 4/9/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Perhaps it is somewhat ironic that a story about relationships or friendships also deals with the aspects which keep people apart. Some of the most iconic works in literature, for example, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” or “Of Mice and Men” on the one hand tell a compelling story about camaraderie and friendship, but on the other hand, through the points which get in the way of two people, authors Mark Twain and John Steinbeck talk about issues like class and how society treats those who are outside the norm. In his 1970 feature “The End of the Track” Taiwanese director Mou Tun-fei uses a similar approach, since the story about the friendship of two teenage boys can, in many ways, be regarded as a metaphor for issues such as social hierarchy, the idea of the social outsider and the high pressure to succeed which puts a great burden on young people.
- 2/12/2024
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Albert Einstein had his theory of relativity, and Breaking Baz has his theory of party lift-off.
Friday night at the Universal filmed entertainment soiree, the moment of fusion came when Snoop Dogg hit the room at the Sunset Tower and was immediately embraced by Oppenheimer stars Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh.
No wait. Surely, it was when Blunt took Robert Downey Jr. in her arms and a giddy little waltz ensued.
Maybe the right molecular vibe kicked in when Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan arrived with Emma Thomas, its producer, and they fell into a lively conversation with Cillian Murphy and Downey Jr.
Perhaps it was when Colman Domingo sauntered in, resplendent in red. He stars in Netflix movie Rustin and WB’s The Color Purple, neither of them linked to Universal. Didn’t matter a jot. The warmth of the welcome for him was palpable. “I’m happy to be here,...
Friday night at the Universal filmed entertainment soiree, the moment of fusion came when Snoop Dogg hit the room at the Sunset Tower and was immediately embraced by Oppenheimer stars Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh.
No wait. Surely, it was when Blunt took Robert Downey Jr. in her arms and a giddy little waltz ensued.
Maybe the right molecular vibe kicked in when Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan arrived with Emma Thomas, its producer, and they fell into a lively conversation with Cillian Murphy and Downey Jr.
Perhaps it was when Colman Domingo sauntered in, resplendent in red. He stars in Netflix movie Rustin and WB’s The Color Purple, neither of them linked to Universal. Didn’t matter a jot. The warmth of the welcome for him was palpable. “I’m happy to be here,...
- 1/13/2024
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Roger Kastel, the artist behind the famed “Jaws” poster of a leviathan lurking underneath a swimmer, has died at the age of 92 from heart and kidney failure.
The unforgettable image was originally used as the cover for the paperback version of the Peter Benchley novel that the movie was based on; it was later appropriated by the movie’s promotional and marketing campaign.
The original hardcover artwork featured a much smoother, less menacing-looking shark. Kastel gave it some teeth.
Movie poster illustrator Roger Karl Kastel, whose iconic works include the posters for Jaws and The Empire Strikes Back, has died at age 92, per his website. https://t.co/NkZ17OBlg1 pic.twitter.com/nOBFhEkiOi
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 16, 2023
Kastel also created another poster that has been lodged in the memories of countless moviegoers – the “Gone with the Wind”-indebted poster for “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.” This is the...
The unforgettable image was originally used as the cover for the paperback version of the Peter Benchley novel that the movie was based on; it was later appropriated by the movie’s promotional and marketing campaign.
The original hardcover artwork featured a much smoother, less menacing-looking shark. Kastel gave it some teeth.
Movie poster illustrator Roger Karl Kastel, whose iconic works include the posters for Jaws and The Empire Strikes Back, has died at age 92, per his website. https://t.co/NkZ17OBlg1 pic.twitter.com/nOBFhEkiOi
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 16, 2023
Kastel also created another poster that has been lodged in the memories of countless moviegoers – the “Gone with the Wind”-indebted poster for “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.” This is the...
- 11/16/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Roger Karl Kastel, the illustrator behind some of the most memorable movie poster images of all time, has died. He passed away November 8, at age 92 in Worcester County, Ma, according to the post on his official web site.
Kastel’s best-known work included imagery central to the posters for Jaws and The Empire Strikes Back. He also illustrated vivid book covers for the likes of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, Jackie Collins’ Hollywood Wives and W.G Wells’ The Invisible Man.
His Jaws illustration was originally created for Peter Benchley’s novel on which the film was based. Describing the process of its creation, Kastel remembered, “I did a very rough sketch, and [the publisher] said, ‘That’s great, just make the shark realistic and bigger. Make him very much bigger!'”
It worked. Benchley’s book was a bestseller and Universal execs, knowing a good thing when they saw it,...
Kastel’s best-known work included imagery central to the posters for Jaws and The Empire Strikes Back. He also illustrated vivid book covers for the likes of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, Jackie Collins’ Hollywood Wives and W.G Wells’ The Invisible Man.
His Jaws illustration was originally created for Peter Benchley’s novel on which the film was based. Describing the process of its creation, Kastel remembered, “I did a very rough sketch, and [the publisher] said, ‘That’s great, just make the shark realistic and bigger. Make him very much bigger!'”
It worked. Benchley’s book was a bestseller and Universal execs, knowing a good thing when they saw it,...
- 11/15/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Roger Kastel, the artist whose painting of a shark and a swimmer for the cover of the paperback version of Peter Benchley’s Jaws was used as the iconic movie poster for the 1975 Steven Spielberg classic, has died. He was 92.
Kastel died Nov. 8 of kidney and heart failure at a hospice facility in Worcester, Massachusetts, his wife of 66 years, Grace, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Kastel also did the Gone With the Wind-inspired poster for the first Star Wars sequel, The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and came up with the posters for such other films as Doctor Faustus (1967), starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, and The Great Train Robbery (1978), starring Sean Connery.
Benchley’s Jaws was first published by Doubleday in February 1974, with its hard-cover art by artist Paul Bacon. For his oil painting that would be employed for the Bantam Books paperback edition, Kastel tweaked that image, making the shark...
Kastel died Nov. 8 of kidney and heart failure at a hospice facility in Worcester, Massachusetts, his wife of 66 years, Grace, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Kastel also did the Gone With the Wind-inspired poster for the first Star Wars sequel, The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and came up with the posters for such other films as Doctor Faustus (1967), starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, and The Great Train Robbery (1978), starring Sean Connery.
Benchley’s Jaws was first published by Doubleday in February 1974, with its hard-cover art by artist Paul Bacon. For his oil painting that would be employed for the Bantam Books paperback edition, Kastel tweaked that image, making the shark...
- 11/15/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
[Warning: The below contains Major spoilers for the November 6 episode of Jeopardy!] The last finalist for the Jeopardy! Champions Wildcard has been found. However, the last of the three semifinal games could have easily ended much differently due to the winner’s wager during Final Jeopardy. Brian Adams, a retired public educator from Big Bear Lake, California, Jilana Cotter, a senior data analyst from Dade City, Florida, and Dave Pai, a field application scientist originally from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania faced off in the November 6 episode, with Jilana just a bit ahead going into the final round. She had $11,500 to Dave’s $11,200, with Brian in third with $5,200. The clue in “Music & Literature” read: “John Steinbeck called this ‘one of the great songs of the world’ & wanted the music & lyrics printed in one of his novels.” The answer was “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” and only Jilana was correct, adding $10,900. She advanced to the finals with a total of $22,400 (...
- 11/7/2023
- TV Insider
With the insane games that the various streaming platforms are pulling in terms of removing content from their services (sometimes projects that were made specifically for those platforms), an added emphasis has been placed on home video. And with good reason. The only way you can insure that the movies you love will be around is by owning them on Blu-ray. Thankfully the home video labels have been stepping up their game, with deluxe packages overflowing with extras and feature films presented in their best possible format.
Here are the biggest and best releases on Blu-ray, DVD and 4K in August 2023.
Marvel Studios
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
Ready for one last ride? Writer/director James Gunn, who is now overseeing DC Studios at Warner Bros., returned for the third part of his “Guardians of the Galaxy” saga. This time around, the Guardians, led by Star Lord (Chris Pratt...
Here are the biggest and best releases on Blu-ray, DVD and 4K in August 2023.
Marvel Studios
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
Ready for one last ride? Writer/director James Gunn, who is now overseeing DC Studios at Warner Bros., returned for the third part of his “Guardians of the Galaxy” saga. This time around, the Guardians, led by Star Lord (Chris Pratt...
- 8/31/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Two decades ago, Civic Development Group put a lot of people to work who couldn’t find it anywhere else. The telemarketing company employed high school dropouts, convicted felons, and drug addicts, many of whom felt as though they’d found their calling at a company that incentivized them to unwittingly participate in a high-stakes grift.
As they juggled calls on behalf of policemen unions and other charitable organizations, inadvertently duping gullible targets into opening their wallets, they had no idea how little money actually went to the organizations themselves. In truth, CDG was making a killing, keeping 90 percent of all donations — while its staffers treated the office as a hedonistic playground.
The footage of those antics provides the backbone for the first episode of “Telemarketers,” directors Adam Bhala Lough and Sam Lipman-Stern’s gritty and often darkly funny look at the CDG’s scam and the wider conspiracy of...
As they juggled calls on behalf of policemen unions and other charitable organizations, inadvertently duping gullible targets into opening their wallets, they had no idea how little money actually went to the organizations themselves. In truth, CDG was making a killing, keeping 90 percent of all donations — while its staffers treated the office as a hedonistic playground.
The footage of those antics provides the backbone for the first episode of “Telemarketers,” directors Adam Bhala Lough and Sam Lipman-Stern’s gritty and often darkly funny look at the CDG’s scam and the wider conspiracy of...
- 8/12/2023
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
“How did I become Tom Joad? I used to write for a living.”
Tom Joad was the hapless farmer in The Grapes of Wrath who fled the Dust Bowl to find a better life in California. The man who cited him this week is a successful screenwriter who’s been walking the picket line and asked that I not use his name.
While the cast of pickets might not mirror John Steinbeck’s characters in his great novel, still “the rhetoric of this strike has taken on a ‘rich against the poor’ obsession,” in the words of one studio CEO.
The bargaining jargon once focused on residuals, but now it’s about “land barons” and “tone-deaf greedy bosses” (the words of SAG-AFTRA’s Fran Drescher). Little wonder polling shows only 7% of the public siding with the “bosses.” The “class warfare” has passed the 100-day mark, with L.A. city workers joining in Tuesday.
Tom Joad was the hapless farmer in The Grapes of Wrath who fled the Dust Bowl to find a better life in California. The man who cited him this week is a successful screenwriter who’s been walking the picket line and asked that I not use his name.
While the cast of pickets might not mirror John Steinbeck’s characters in his great novel, still “the rhetoric of this strike has taken on a ‘rich against the poor’ obsession,” in the words of one studio CEO.
The bargaining jargon once focused on residuals, but now it’s about “land barons” and “tone-deaf greedy bosses” (the words of SAG-AFTRA’s Fran Drescher). Little wonder polling shows only 7% of the public siding with the “bosses.” The “class warfare” has passed the 100-day mark, with L.A. city workers joining in Tuesday.
- 8/10/2023
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
Build your collection of cinematic classics. Now available for the first time in stunning 4K Ultra HD™—See James Dean in Elia Kazan’s award-winning adaptation of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, and watch Howard Hawks’s timeless western, Rio Bravo, starring film legend John Wayne.
The 4K Ultra HD™ releases will include each feature film in 4K with Hdr.
Enter for your chance to win both digital movies. Five (5) winners will be selected at random.
Here’s how to enter:s
Step 1: Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Step 2: Tweet this message:
I want to win a #WB100 4K Classics Prizepack (@WBHomeEnt) from @Slant_Magazine. https://www.slantmagazine.com/giveaways/warner-bros-4k-classics-giveaway/ #SlantGiveaway
Note: One entry per person/email address/Twitter handle.
Step 3: The giveaway ends 11:59 p.m. E.S.T. on August 20, 2023. Winners will receive a Direct Message with further information.
Must Redeem...
The 4K Ultra HD™ releases will include each feature film in 4K with Hdr.
Enter for your chance to win both digital movies. Five (5) winners will be selected at random.
Here’s how to enter:s
Step 1: Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Step 2: Tweet this message:
I want to win a #WB100 4K Classics Prizepack (@WBHomeEnt) from @Slant_Magazine. https://www.slantmagazine.com/giveaways/warner-bros-4k-classics-giveaway/ #SlantGiveaway
Note: One entry per person/email address/Twitter handle.
Step 3: The giveaway ends 11:59 p.m. E.S.T. on August 20, 2023. Winners will receive a Direct Message with further information.
Must Redeem...
- 7/31/2023
- by Slant Staff
- Slant Magazine
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ has launched a new digital series, Members Only, featuring actors and Academy members Troy Kotsur and Paul Raci in its debut episode.
Set to release weekly, the four-part interview series seeks to celebrate the global film community through candid conversations among AMPAS members of the same branch, who discuss their journeys, work and what it means to be part of one of the industry’s leading film and professional organizations. Voices from the acting, composing, hair & makeup and editing branches sit down for short conversations across the first season.
After Kotsur and Raci, two members of the acting branch, additional episodes will feature composing members Natalie Holt (The Impossible, Paddington) and Pinar Toprak (Captain Marvel, Shotgun Wedding); hair and makeup branch members Massimo Gattabrusi (Bones and All, Volver) and Ana Lozano (Being the Ricardos, Pain and Glory); and editors Shannon Baker Davis...
Set to release weekly, the four-part interview series seeks to celebrate the global film community through candid conversations among AMPAS members of the same branch, who discuss their journeys, work and what it means to be part of one of the industry’s leading film and professional organizations. Voices from the acting, composing, hair & makeup and editing branches sit down for short conversations across the first season.
After Kotsur and Raci, two members of the acting branch, additional episodes will feature composing members Natalie Holt (The Impossible, Paddington) and Pinar Toprak (Captain Marvel, Shotgun Wedding); hair and makeup branch members Massimo Gattabrusi (Bones and All, Volver) and Ana Lozano (Being the Ricardos, Pain and Glory); and editors Shannon Baker Davis...
- 6/22/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
To build upon the compelling first season, which introduced a formidable new adversary in the Guild and unveiled Osamu's surprising past as an executive member of the Port Mafia, the creators of “Bungo Stray Dogs” choose to rewind the narrative, delving into Osamu's backstory before progressing with the central storyline. The result is excellent once more, also because the second season takes a rather darker, more mature-oriented approach to the story.
on Crunchyroll
by clicking on the image below
In that fashion, the dark past of Osamu and particularly his relationship with Akutagawa, who looked up to him only to be kicked down again and again, and with Chuya, with the two forming a formidable duo despite the fact that the latter was always annoyed by Dazai. Additionally, the story delves into Osamu's encounters with Mori Ogai, the leader of the Port Mafia, whose actions ultimately...
on Crunchyroll
by clicking on the image below
In that fashion, the dark past of Osamu and particularly his relationship with Akutagawa, who looked up to him only to be kicked down again and again, and with Chuya, with the two forming a formidable duo despite the fact that the latter was always annoyed by Dazai. Additionally, the story delves into Osamu's encounters with Mori Ogai, the leader of the Port Mafia, whose actions ultimately...
- 5/24/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The Japanese remake of Vincenzo Natali‘s sci-fi cult classic Cube, directed by Yasuhiko Shimizu (“Pension: Love Is Pink”), is now streaming on the Bloody Disgusting-powered Screambox.
The brutal sci-fi horror classic by Vincenzo Natali was so successful that it spawned Cube²: Hypercube (2002) and Cube Zero (2004). Natali stayed on as a creative advisor for the Japanese remake, with Kôji Tokuo writing the adapted screenplay.
Bloody Disgusting spoke with Natali for the remake’s release on Screambox. The filmmaker revealed how he influenced the remake, including its director Yasuhiko Shimizu, and teased the trap he designed in the reimagining. The filmmaker reflects on his own film in the process.
Natali tells us how he got involved with the remake and why it appealed to him.
“I personally knew the producers who made it happen, who are Japanese, who I like very, very much, and wanted to support,” he shares. “And then...
The brutal sci-fi horror classic by Vincenzo Natali was so successful that it spawned Cube²: Hypercube (2002) and Cube Zero (2004). Natali stayed on as a creative advisor for the Japanese remake, with Kôji Tokuo writing the adapted screenplay.
Bloody Disgusting spoke with Natali for the remake’s release on Screambox. The filmmaker revealed how he influenced the remake, including its director Yasuhiko Shimizu, and teased the trap he designed in the reimagining. The filmmaker reflects on his own film in the process.
Natali tells us how he got involved with the remake and why it appealed to him.
“I personally knew the producers who made it happen, who are Japanese, who I like very, very much, and wanted to support,” he shares. “And then...
- 4/21/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Warner Bros. has already celebrated its centennial with a segment during the Academy Awards, the publication of a studio-supported book (Warner Bros.: 100 Years of Storytelling) and, most recently, a barrage of festivities emanating from Turner Classic Movies. TCM’s programming for all of April is being devoted to Warners films, and at the 14th annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, running April 13-16, many studio masterpieces, some recently restored and remastered, will be shown on big screens around town. Here are 10 that this THR Hollywood history buff highly recommends.
Footlight Parade (1933)
Ninety years ago, during the depths of the Great Depression, Americans sought escape from their troubles with light movies like this backstage musical. Directed by Lloyd Bacon, starring James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler and highlighted by some of choreographer Busby Berkeley’s most kaleidoscopic dance numbers, it was a giant hit at the box office.
Footlight Parade (1933)
Ninety years ago, during the depths of the Great Depression, Americans sought escape from their troubles with light movies like this backstage musical. Directed by Lloyd Bacon, starring James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler and highlighted by some of choreographer Busby Berkeley’s most kaleidoscopic dance numbers, it was a giant hit at the box office.
- 4/12/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Yellowjackets” fans won’t be hungry much longer.
The second season of the Emmy-nominated Showtime series officially debuts March 24, with the latest teaser revealing just how much deeper the conspiracy behind the mysterious survival of the New Jersey high school soccer team goes. Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Juliette Lewis, and Christina Ricci are back in the lead roles, along with new series regulars Simone Kessell and Lauren Ambrose who are playing the adult versions of Lottie and Van, respectively.
Sophie Nelisse, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, and Jasmin Savoy Brown return as the core group of teens. Elijah Wood, Jason Ritter, François Arnaud, and Nicole Maines also join the cast for Season 2.
“Yellowjackets” follows a split storyline between a New Jersey high school soccer team that crashes into a mysterious forest on the way to a national championship game. As the girls try to forage for food to survive, a surprise...
The second season of the Emmy-nominated Showtime series officially debuts March 24, with the latest teaser revealing just how much deeper the conspiracy behind the mysterious survival of the New Jersey high school soccer team goes. Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Juliette Lewis, and Christina Ricci are back in the lead roles, along with new series regulars Simone Kessell and Lauren Ambrose who are playing the adult versions of Lottie and Van, respectively.
Sophie Nelisse, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, and Jasmin Savoy Brown return as the core group of teens. Elijah Wood, Jason Ritter, François Arnaud, and Nicole Maines also join the cast for Season 2.
“Yellowjackets” follows a split storyline between a New Jersey high school soccer team that crashes into a mysterious forest on the way to a national championship game. As the girls try to forage for food to survive, a surprise...
- 3/9/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
For the past five years in a row, the BAFTA Awards have correctly predicted the Oscar winner for Best Adapted Screenplay, recognizing “Call Me by Your Name,” “BlacKkKlansman,” “Jojo Rabbit,” “The Father” and “Coda.” But that winning streak may have already hit a snag in 2023, as the frontrunner for the Oscar — Sarah Polley’s “Women Talking” — didn’t even earn a nomination on the other side of the Atlantic. In fact, only two of the five Oscar nominees overlap with the BAFTA lineup: “All Quiet on the Western Front” and “Living.” Even though the former is tied as the most nominated film in the British academy’s history with 14 citations, could “Living” and its Nobel laureate screenwriter Kazuo Ishiguro ultimately prevail?
Our collective users certainly think so, although it looks to be a tight race between the two contenders. According to our combined odds, “Living” holds the lead over “All Quiet” by fewer than 200 predictors.
Our collective users certainly think so, although it looks to be a tight race between the two contenders. According to our combined odds, “Living” holds the lead over “All Quiet” by fewer than 200 predictors.
- 2/16/2023
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
We have some sad news to share today, as Hollywood has lost one of its most legendary icons: Raquel Welch has passed away at the age of 82. Deadline reports that Welch’s passing was confirmed by her reps at Media 4 Management, who simply said that she had died after a brief illness.
Welch was born Jo Raquel Tejada on September 5, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois, but her family moved to San Diego, California when little Raquel was just two years old. She knew as a youngster that she wanted to get into the entertainment industry, and studied ballet for several years while entertaining – and winning – beauty contests. She attended San Diego State College on a theater arts scholarship, but despite doing some stage acting and landing a job as a weather presenter on the local news, it took a while for her to break through into films. In fact, Welch had married...
Welch was born Jo Raquel Tejada on September 5, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois, but her family moved to San Diego, California when little Raquel was just two years old. She knew as a youngster that she wanted to get into the entertainment industry, and studied ballet for several years while entertaining – and winning – beauty contests. She attended San Diego State College on a theater arts scholarship, but despite doing some stage acting and landing a job as a weather presenter on the local news, it took a while for her to break through into films. In fact, Welch had married...
- 2/15/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Raquel Welch, the big-screen star of the 1960s and ’70s who gained fame in movies including Fantastic Voyage, One Million Years B.C., Myra Breckinridge and many others, died today after a brief illness. She was 82.
Her death was confirmed by her reps at Media 4 Management.
Related: Raquel Welch: A Career In Photos
Welch’s career spanned more than 50 years, 30 films and scores of TV series and appearances, including about a dozen visits to The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson spanning two decades. She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Imagen Foundation in 2001.
From left: Stephen Boyd, Raquel Welch and Donald Pleasence in ‘Fantastic Voyage’ (Everett Collection)
Born Jo Raquel Tejada on September 5, 1940, in Chicago, Welch’s family moved to San Diego when she was a toddler. She attended San Diego State on a theater arts scholarship and got her start as a local TV weathercaster before starting to...
Her death was confirmed by her reps at Media 4 Management.
Related: Raquel Welch: A Career In Photos
Welch’s career spanned more than 50 years, 30 films and scores of TV series and appearances, including about a dozen visits to The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson spanning two decades. She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Imagen Foundation in 2001.
From left: Stephen Boyd, Raquel Welch and Donald Pleasence in ‘Fantastic Voyage’ (Everett Collection)
Born Jo Raquel Tejada on September 5, 1940, in Chicago, Welch’s family moved to San Diego when she was a toddler. She attended San Diego State on a theater arts scholarship and got her start as a local TV weathercaster before starting to...
- 2/15/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
The legendary RZA joins hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante to discuss a few of his favorite movies.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Man With The Iron Fists (2012)
Cut Throat City (2020)
Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)
Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)
Cooley High (1975) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary
Car Wash (1976) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary
Grease (1978)
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Tfh’s Mogwai Madness
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020) – Dennis Cozzalio’s best of 2020
The Devil You Know (2022)
The Last American Virgin (1982)
The Beastmaster (1982)
Porky’s (1981)
Sixteen Candles (1984)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Carmen Jones (1954)
An American In Paris (1951)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
The Wizard Of Oz (1939) – John Badham’s trailer commentary
Is That Black Enough for You?!?...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Man With The Iron Fists (2012)
Cut Throat City (2020)
Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)
Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)
Cooley High (1975) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary
Car Wash (1976) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary
Grease (1978)
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Tfh’s Mogwai Madness
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020) – Dennis Cozzalio’s best of 2020
The Devil You Know (2022)
The Last American Virgin (1982)
The Beastmaster (1982)
Porky’s (1981)
Sixteen Candles (1984)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Carmen Jones (1954)
An American In Paris (1951)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
The Wizard Of Oz (1939) – John Badham’s trailer commentary
Is That Black Enough for You?!?...
- 2/14/2023
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Writer Alex Tse discusses a few of his favorite films with Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Rrr (2022)
Watchmen (2009)
Superfly (2018)
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Book Of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)
Independence Day (1996)
Clueless (1995)
Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet (1996)
The Goonies (1985)
Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom (1984)
Infested (2002)
Straw Dogs (1971) – Rod Lurie’s trailer commentary, Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Criterion Blu-ray review, Joe Dante’s review
Altered States (1980) – Katt Shea’s trailer commentary
Return Of The Ape Man (1944)
Major League (1989)
The Sting (1973)
Angels In The Outfield (1951)
Rocky (1976)
Slap Shot (1977) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Eight Men Out (1988)
Heavy Metal (1981)
Fritz The Cat (1972) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
The Killer Snakes (1974)
Zodiac (2007)
Se7en (1995)
Dirty Harry (1971) – Alan Spencer’s trailer commentary,...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Rrr (2022)
Watchmen (2009)
Superfly (2018)
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Book Of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)
Independence Day (1996)
Clueless (1995)
Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet (1996)
The Goonies (1985)
Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom (1984)
Infested (2002)
Straw Dogs (1971) – Rod Lurie’s trailer commentary, Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Criterion Blu-ray review, Joe Dante’s review
Altered States (1980) – Katt Shea’s trailer commentary
Return Of The Ape Man (1944)
Major League (1989)
The Sting (1973)
Angels In The Outfield (1951)
Rocky (1976)
Slap Shot (1977) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Eight Men Out (1988)
Heavy Metal (1981)
Fritz The Cat (1972) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
The Killer Snakes (1974)
Zodiac (2007)
Se7en (1995)
Dirty Harry (1971) – Alan Spencer’s trailer commentary,...
- 2/7/2023
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
The 38th Santa Barbara International Film Festival, which will take place from Feb. 8 through Feb. 18, has already announced an impressive lineup of screenings and a star-studded roster of actors and actresses who will attend career-retrospective tributes at the fest, including Cate Blanchett (whose evening I will be moderating on Feb. 10), Brendan Fraser, Angela Bassett, Jamie Lee Curtis, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson.
On Monday, the fest revealed that a vast majority of this year’s Oscar-nominated directors, writers and producers will also be in attendance to participate on special panels.
At the Arlington Theatre on the evening of Feb. 17, three of the five best director nominees — Tár’s Todd Field, Everything Everywhere All at Once’s Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert and The Banshees of Inisherin’s Martin McDonagh — will be on hand to collect the fest’s Outstanding Directors of the Year Award following separate and group conversations, which...
On Monday, the fest revealed that a vast majority of this year’s Oscar-nominated directors, writers and producers will also be in attendance to participate on special panels.
At the Arlington Theatre on the evening of Feb. 17, three of the five best director nominees — Tár’s Todd Field, Everything Everywhere All at Once’s Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert and The Banshees of Inisherin’s Martin McDonagh — will be on hand to collect the fest’s Outstanding Directors of the Year Award following separate and group conversations, which...
- 2/6/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
George Cukor's "The Philadelphia Story" is a terrific film. It is as great a mainstream comedy as Hollywood has ever produced, and the three leads — James Stewart, Katharine Hepburn, and Cary Grant — are humming on every available cylinder. It was worthy of many accolades, but I'll never understand how Academy voters walked out of John Ford's "The Grapes of Wrath," and cast a vote for anyone other than Henry Fonda.
Ford's film was rushed into production by Twentieth Century Fox's Darryl Zanuck, who worried tremendously about the populist, anti-capitalist politics of John Steinbeck's novel. The book is explicitly critical of the banks' cruel treatment of tenant farmers and pulls no punches in its portrayal of Oklahomans desperate to find prosperity in the Western United States. At the center of the book is Tom Joad, an ex-con who joins his evicted family on their arduous trek to California.
Ford's film was rushed into production by Twentieth Century Fox's Darryl Zanuck, who worried tremendously about the populist, anti-capitalist politics of John Steinbeck's novel. The book is explicitly critical of the banks' cruel treatment of tenant farmers and pulls no punches in its portrayal of Oklahomans desperate to find prosperity in the Western United States. At the center of the book is Tom Joad, an ex-con who joins his evicted family on their arduous trek to California.
- 1/27/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Season 2 of “Ginny & Georgia” is back and better than ever with a bevy of pop culture references and a killer soundtrack. Ginny’s love of literature, reading and writing was established in Season 1, and references to classic books and authors continue to thread through the show’s sophomore season.
As Ginny continues to unravel the layers of her mother Georgia’s (Brianne Howey) past, she still has to deal with an out-of-touch English professor who doesn’t exactly grasp the benefits of a diverse literary canon. Ginny’s bedroom is stocked full of classic and colorful book spines. Her dad Zion (Nathan Mitchell) also references a lot of literary figures.
Ginny’s English teacher Mr. Gitten (Johnathan Potts) challenges her to select a book to present for her AP English class; her selection should, in his words, be “anything that encompasses the Black experience in America.” The three options...
As Ginny continues to unravel the layers of her mother Georgia’s (Brianne Howey) past, she still has to deal with an out-of-touch English professor who doesn’t exactly grasp the benefits of a diverse literary canon. Ginny’s bedroom is stocked full of classic and colorful book spines. Her dad Zion (Nathan Mitchell) also references a lot of literary figures.
Ginny’s English teacher Mr. Gitten (Johnathan Potts) challenges her to select a book to present for her AP English class; her selection should, in his words, be “anything that encompasses the Black experience in America.” The three options...
- 1/14/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Bow before the Antler Queen, if you dare.
Since the jaw-dropping Season 1 finale for “Yellowjackets” last year, Showtime fans have been clamoring to untangle more of the decades-spanning mysteries as part of the teen cannibal series. Did adult Lottie, now played by Simone Kessell, kidnap Natalie (Juliette Lewis)? What does adult Van (Lauren Ambrose) now have to do with Lottie’s murderous dark spirit plot? Just how many blood sacrifices does Taissa (Tawny Cypress) make? And what really happened to Shauna’s (Melanie Lynskey) baby?
The buzz surrounding “Yellowjackets” Season 2 also extends to series newcomers Elijah Wood, who stars as a citizen detective working with Misty (Christina Ricci), and François Arnaud as the boyfriend of Coach Scott (Steven Kreuger). Nicole Maines additionally was cast as an associate of adult Lottie who is similarly trying to recover from a past trauma. Meanwhile, Season 1 actress Keeya King will be replaced by “Bel-Air...
Since the jaw-dropping Season 1 finale for “Yellowjackets” last year, Showtime fans have been clamoring to untangle more of the decades-spanning mysteries as part of the teen cannibal series. Did adult Lottie, now played by Simone Kessell, kidnap Natalie (Juliette Lewis)? What does adult Van (Lauren Ambrose) now have to do with Lottie’s murderous dark spirit plot? Just how many blood sacrifices does Taissa (Tawny Cypress) make? And what really happened to Shauna’s (Melanie Lynskey) baby?
The buzz surrounding “Yellowjackets” Season 2 also extends to series newcomers Elijah Wood, who stars as a citizen detective working with Misty (Christina Ricci), and François Arnaud as the boyfriend of Coach Scott (Steven Kreuger). Nicole Maines additionally was cast as an associate of adult Lottie who is similarly trying to recover from a past trauma. Meanwhile, Season 1 actress Keeya King will be replaced by “Bel-Air...
- 1/13/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Frank Galati, the Tony Award-winning director of Broadway’s The Grapes of Wrath and nominee for Ragtime, died Monday night. He was 79.
A cause of death was not immediately available.
Galati, who was an associate director at Chicago’s famed Goodman Theatre from 1986 to 2008 and a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company since 1985, was Oscar-nominated, along with co-writer Lawrence Kasdan, for the 1988 screenplay adaptation of Anne Tyler’s novel The Accidental Tourist.
Galati’s 1990 stage adaptation of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath won the Tony Award for Best Play; Galati also won the award that year for Best Direction. The acclaimed production, which debuted at Steppenwolf before transferring to Broadway, starred Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney, and Lois Smith in Tony-nominated performances.
“Frank had a profound impact on Steppenwolf, and all of us, over the years,” said Steppenwolf’s co-artistic directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis in a joint statement.
A cause of death was not immediately available.
Galati, who was an associate director at Chicago’s famed Goodman Theatre from 1986 to 2008 and a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company since 1985, was Oscar-nominated, along with co-writer Lawrence Kasdan, for the 1988 screenplay adaptation of Anne Tyler’s novel The Accidental Tourist.
Galati’s 1990 stage adaptation of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath won the Tony Award for Best Play; Galati also won the award that year for Best Direction. The acclaimed production, which debuted at Steppenwolf before transferring to Broadway, starred Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney, and Lois Smith in Tony-nominated performances.
“Frank had a profound impact on Steppenwolf, and all of us, over the years,” said Steppenwolf’s co-artistic directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis in a joint statement.
- 1/3/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
This past summer, it was revealed that Florence Pugh was set to lead the cast of a new series adaptation of “East of Eden,” written by Zoe Kazan. But that’s not the only John Steinbeck novel getting a new TV adaptation, as it appears “The Grapes of Wrath” is on the horizon, as well.
According to Deadline, Fifth Season is producing a new TV series based on the novel “The Grapes of Wrath.” However, what makes this incredibly interesting isn’t just that it’s based on the classic American novel by John Steinbeck, but the adaptation will be written and directed by none other than Ramin Bahrani.
Continue reading ‘The Grapes Of Wrath’: Ramin Bahrani To Write & Direct A New TV Series Adaptation Of John Steinbeck’s Classic Novel at The Playlist.
According to Deadline, Fifth Season is producing a new TV series based on the novel “The Grapes of Wrath.” However, what makes this incredibly interesting isn’t just that it’s based on the classic American novel by John Steinbeck, but the adaptation will be written and directed by none other than Ramin Bahrani.
Continue reading ‘The Grapes Of Wrath’: Ramin Bahrani To Write & Direct A New TV Series Adaptation Of John Steinbeck’s Classic Novel at The Playlist.
- 12/12/2022
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Exclusive: Fifth Season is gearing up for its first full year with new owners and a new name.
The company formerly known as Endeavor Content has new owners in Korea’s Cj Enm after a 785M deal and on the television side has moved from a business that scored a number of buzzy orders from streamers to one that is starting to get renewals and move into new areas.
Series such as Apple’s Severance, HBO Max’s Tokyo Vice, Peacock’s Wolf Like Me and even Hulu’s Nicole Kidman-fronted Nine Perfect Strangers, which was originally designed as a limited series, are coming back for second seasons.
Fifth Season is also now looking at new fronts including a growing international business, with the opportunity for global co-productions, and moving into new genres such as romance with the likes of Amy Adams, and searching for its own version of...
The company formerly known as Endeavor Content has new owners in Korea’s Cj Enm after a 785M deal and on the television side has moved from a business that scored a number of buzzy orders from streamers to one that is starting to get renewals and move into new areas.
Series such as Apple’s Severance, HBO Max’s Tokyo Vice, Peacock’s Wolf Like Me and even Hulu’s Nicole Kidman-fronted Nine Perfect Strangers, which was originally designed as a limited series, are coming back for second seasons.
Fifth Season is also now looking at new fronts including a growing international business, with the opportunity for global co-productions, and moving into new genres such as romance with the likes of Amy Adams, and searching for its own version of...
- 12/12/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
This article contains The Fabelmans spoilers.
Do you want to meet the greatest film director who ever lived? That would be a loaded question in any context, but it has extra weight in Steven Spielberg’s new release, The Fabelmans. With the film being a semi-autobiographical portrait of the legendary filmmaker’s own adolescent years, the picture feels in many ways like a rare window into meeting the real Spielberg—or at least the Spielberg as imagined in the director’s own head.
While the film has a thin layer of artistic license, anyone can see it’s a rumination by an auteur of a certain age in his early halcyon days. And for many audience members, Spielberg is the greatest film director who ever lived. Jaws, E.T. Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Jurassic Park—to name but a few—are considered...
Do you want to meet the greatest film director who ever lived? That would be a loaded question in any context, but it has extra weight in Steven Spielberg’s new release, The Fabelmans. With the film being a semi-autobiographical portrait of the legendary filmmaker’s own adolescent years, the picture feels in many ways like a rare window into meeting the real Spielberg—or at least the Spielberg as imagined in the director’s own head.
While the film has a thin layer of artistic license, anyone can see it’s a rumination by an auteur of a certain age in his early halcyon days. And for many audience members, Spielberg is the greatest film director who ever lived. Jaws, E.T. Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Jurassic Park—to name but a few—are considered...
- 11/24/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
When you think of Michael Madsen, what's the first image that comes to mind? Is it Reservoir Dogs' Mr. Blonde dancing to "Stuck in the Middle with You" while holding a severed ear? Maybe it's the washed-up assassin Budd burying Uma Thurman's The Bride alive? Whatever Madsen character you're seeing, there's a good chance he's not a hero. Madsen has made a career out of playing black hats and evil men.
According to Madsen, that has more to do with Hollywood typecasting than any preference to play sleazy roles (via The After Movie Diner). Before he made a name for himself by embodying quietly lethal but outwardly slick antagonists, he dreamed of portraying the good guy. But after his role in "Reservoir Dogs," every script that followed wanted to bring out the worst in Madsen. His notoriety hinges on the unsavory characters he's played -- he's even been introduced as Mr.
According to Madsen, that has more to do with Hollywood typecasting than any preference to play sleazy roles (via The After Movie Diner). Before he made a name for himself by embodying quietly lethal but outwardly slick antagonists, he dreamed of portraying the good guy. But after his role in "Reservoir Dogs," every script that followed wanted to bring out the worst in Madsen. His notoriety hinges on the unsavory characters he's played -- he's even been introduced as Mr.
- 9/14/2022
- by Steven Ward
- Slash Film
Oscar-nominated actress Florence Pugh is set to star in an upcoming Netflix adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic novel East of Eden. As first reported by Deadline, actress and screenwriter Zoe Kazan (Clickbait) is writing and executive producing the limited series, with Pugh attached to co-produce alongside starring. Anonymous Content and Endeavor Content will co-produce the project, which is said to be still in early development. East of Eden details the lives of two families, the Trasks and the Hamiltons, and their interwoven stories. According to Deadline, the series is expected to explore the novel’s themes of trauma and repair, love and betrayal, and duty and free will. It will portray an intimate portrait of the Trask family against the backdrop of huge historical forces. “I fell in love with East of Eden when I first read it, in my teens. Since then, adapting Steinbeck’s novel — the great,...
- 6/22/2022
- TV Insider
Netflix is developing a miniseries based on John Steinbeck’s massive 700-page novel “East of Eden,” as reported on Tuesday. Florence Pugh is the first cast member announced, though it is unclear who she’ll be playing. (Will a modern spin change the story—a California tale loosely based on the Biblical trope of Cain and Abel—into the story of two sisters? Crazier things have happened!)
The most exciting news, however, is how this production is “keeping it in the family,” so to speak. Zoe Kazan has been announced as writer and executive producer. Her grandfather, the legendary Elia Kazan, directed the 1955 adaptation starring James Dean, Raymond Massey, Julie Harris, Burl Ives, and Jo Van Fleet, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Kazan was nominated for Best Director, Paul Osborn was nominated for Best Screenplay, and Dean was nominated for Best Actor, posthumously.
Zoe Kazan’s last...
The most exciting news, however, is how this production is “keeping it in the family,” so to speak. Zoe Kazan has been announced as writer and executive producer. Her grandfather, the legendary Elia Kazan, directed the 1955 adaptation starring James Dean, Raymond Massey, Julie Harris, Burl Ives, and Jo Van Fleet, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Kazan was nominated for Best Director, Paul Osborn was nominated for Best Screenplay, and Dean was nominated for Best Actor, posthumously.
Zoe Kazan’s last...
- 6/22/2022
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Netflix has signed up hot property, Florence Pugh to star in their upcoming limited series, an adaptation of John Steinbeck’s ‘East of Eden.’
Currently in early development, the series will be written and executive produced by Zoe Kazan, whose grandfather, Elia Kazan, helmed the 1955 film adaptation of Steinbeck’s novel.
Set in California between the Civil War and World War I, the novel tells the interconnected stories of the Hamilton family, an Irish immigrant family with nine children, and the Trask family, lead by the wealthy Adam Trask.
Also in news – ‘Game of Thrones’ Jon Snow spin-off in the works at HBO
The limited series adaptation will explore the novel’s themes of trauma and repair; love and betrayal; duty and free will. The series will sketch an intimate portrait of the Trask family against the backdrop of huge historical forces — or, as Steinbeck put it, “the story of...
Currently in early development, the series will be written and executive produced by Zoe Kazan, whose grandfather, Elia Kazan, helmed the 1955 film adaptation of Steinbeck’s novel.
Set in California between the Civil War and World War I, the novel tells the interconnected stories of the Hamilton family, an Irish immigrant family with nine children, and the Trask family, lead by the wealthy Adam Trask.
Also in news – ‘Game of Thrones’ Jon Snow spin-off in the works at HBO
The limited series adaptation will explore the novel’s themes of trauma and repair; love and betrayal; duty and free will. The series will sketch an intimate portrait of the Trask family against the backdrop of huge historical forces — or, as Steinbeck put it, “the story of...
- 6/22/2022
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Florence Pugh is breathing new life into another classic novel: The Little Women star is set to headline Netflix’s adaptation of East of Eden, our sister site Deadline reports.
The limited series, currently in early development at the streamer, will be written and executive-produced by actress/writer Zoe Kazan. (Her grandfather Elia Kazan directed the original 1955 film version.) Based on the John Steinbeck novel, East of Eden follows several generations of the Trask family — and the movie version gave a young James Dean his first major screen role. Pugh will play Cathy Ames, the role played by Jo Van Fleet in the film.
The limited series, currently in early development at the streamer, will be written and executive-produced by actress/writer Zoe Kazan. (Her grandfather Elia Kazan directed the original 1955 film version.) Based on the John Steinbeck novel, East of Eden follows several generations of the Trask family — and the movie version gave a young James Dean his first major screen role. Pugh will play Cathy Ames, the role played by Jo Van Fleet in the film.
- 6/21/2022
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
One of John Steinbeck's greatest works is getting the Netflix treatment: Deadline reports today that "East of Eden," the author's 1952 tome about the lives of two central California families, is being turned into a limited series with Florence Pugh set to star. Writer and actress Zoe Kazan is reportedly helming the project as its executive producer and screenwriter.
A rich text and an American classic, "East of Eden" follows the opposing yet tied-together lives of a pair of families living in the Salinas Valley in the early 1900s. The Hamiltons, headed up by Samuel, are a large Irish-American family that...
The post Netflix to Adapt East of Eden into A Limited Series with Florence Pugh appeared first on /Film.
A rich text and an American classic, "East of Eden" follows the opposing yet tied-together lives of a pair of families living in the Salinas Valley in the early 1900s. The Hamiltons, headed up by Samuel, are a large Irish-American family that...
The post Netflix to Adapt East of Eden into A Limited Series with Florence Pugh appeared first on /Film.
- 6/21/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
“Don’t Worry Darling,” there will be plenty more of Florence Pugh on screens soon.
The “Dune: Part Two” star is confirmed to lead a Netflix limited series adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel “East of Eden,” with Zoe Kazan writing and executive producing. Netflix landed the limited series after a competitive bidding war.
Kazan’s grandfather Elia Kazan first adapted “East of Eden” for Warner Bros. in 1955, with James Dean starring in his first major screen role. The Netflix limited series will explore themes of trauma and repair, love and betrayal, duty and free will, as did the original novel and screen adaptation. Pugh will play antiheroine Cathy Ames, portrayed by Jo Van Fleet in the 1955 film. Van Fleet won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her turn in the role; Jane Seymour later took on the part for an ABC miniseries adaptation in 1982 and received a Best Actress Golden Globe.
The “Dune: Part Two” star is confirmed to lead a Netflix limited series adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel “East of Eden,” with Zoe Kazan writing and executive producing. Netflix landed the limited series after a competitive bidding war.
Kazan’s grandfather Elia Kazan first adapted “East of Eden” for Warner Bros. in 1955, with James Dean starring in his first major screen role. The Netflix limited series will explore themes of trauma and repair, love and betrayal, duty and free will, as did the original novel and screen adaptation. Pugh will play antiheroine Cathy Ames, portrayed by Jo Van Fleet in the 1955 film. Van Fleet won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her turn in the role; Jane Seymour later took on the part for an ABC miniseries adaptation in 1982 and received a Best Actress Golden Globe.
- 6/21/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Netflix is developing a new limited series adaptation of John Steinbeck’s “East of Eden,” Variety has confirmed.
The series, which is still in early development, will be written and executive produced by Zoe Kazan, whose grandfather, Elia Kazan, helmed the 1955 film adaptation of Steinbeck’s novel. Florence Pugh is attached to star in the series, though the character she will play remains unconfirmed. Anonymous Content and Endeavor Content will co-produce the series.
Published in 1952, Steinbeck’s “East of Eden” is set in California’s Salinas Valley over a period that stretches from the Civil War to the end of World War I. The epic novel tells the interconnected stories of the Hamilton family, an Irish immigrant family with nine children, and the Trask family, lead by the wealthy Adam Trask. The story eventually narrows its focus to center around the Trask family and the drama surrounding Adam, his wife...
The series, which is still in early development, will be written and executive produced by Zoe Kazan, whose grandfather, Elia Kazan, helmed the 1955 film adaptation of Steinbeck’s novel. Florence Pugh is attached to star in the series, though the character she will play remains unconfirmed. Anonymous Content and Endeavor Content will co-produce the series.
Published in 1952, Steinbeck’s “East of Eden” is set in California’s Salinas Valley over a period that stretches from the Civil War to the end of World War I. The epic novel tells the interconnected stories of the Hamilton family, an Irish immigrant family with nine children, and the Trask family, lead by the wealthy Adam Trask. The story eventually narrows its focus to center around the Trask family and the drama surrounding Adam, his wife...
- 6/21/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Variety Film + TV
If you’re an American who went through the public school system, odds are you read John Steinbeck’s “East of Eden” in high school. Or at the very least, you probably watched the 1955 film adaptation starring James Dean. Either way, you’re familiar with the story. Well, now we have another adaptation coming and it has some serious star power behind it.
Read More: ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ Trailer: Florence Pugh & Harry Styles Star In Olivia Wilde’s Deadly New Thriller Coming In September
According to Deadline, Netflix has signed on to produce and distribute a new limited series adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic novel, “East of Eden.” And in an interesting circle-of-life moment, it appears that Zoe Kazan is set to write the series.
Continue reading Florence Pugh To Star In Netflix’s ‘East Of Eden’ Series Written By Zoe Kazan at The Playlist.
Read More: ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ Trailer: Florence Pugh & Harry Styles Star In Olivia Wilde’s Deadly New Thriller Coming In September
According to Deadline, Netflix has signed on to produce and distribute a new limited series adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic novel, “East of Eden.” And in an interesting circle-of-life moment, it appears that Zoe Kazan is set to write the series.
Continue reading Florence Pugh To Star In Netflix’s ‘East Of Eden’ Series Written By Zoe Kazan at The Playlist.
- 6/21/2022
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Exclusive: Netflix is developing a limited series adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic novel East of Eden, with Zoe Kazan writing and exec producing and Florence Pugh attached to star and co-produce.
Sources told Deadline that the streamer landed the package following a competitive bidding war. Anonymous Content and Endeavor Content are co-producing the series as part of a partnership unveiled in March.
Netflix had no comment and insiders said the series is still in early development.
The novel was previously adapted as a film in 1955 with Zoe’s grandfather, Elia Kazan, directing for Warner Bros. The film was also notable for being James Dean’s first major screen role.
The limited series adaptation will explore the novel’s themes of trauma and repair; love and betrayal; duty and free will. The series will sketch an intimate portrait of the Trask family against the backdrop of huge historical forces — or,...
Sources told Deadline that the streamer landed the package following a competitive bidding war. Anonymous Content and Endeavor Content are co-producing the series as part of a partnership unveiled in March.
Netflix had no comment and insiders said the series is still in early development.
The novel was previously adapted as a film in 1955 with Zoe’s grandfather, Elia Kazan, directing for Warner Bros. The film was also notable for being James Dean’s first major screen role.
The limited series adaptation will explore the novel’s themes of trauma and repair; love and betrayal; duty and free will. The series will sketch an intimate portrait of the Trask family against the backdrop of huge historical forces — or,...
- 6/21/2022
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
Hollywood agency snaps up top UK literary and talent representation group.
United Talent Agency (UTA) has acquired leading UK literary and talent agency Curtis Brown, whose clients include Robert Pattinson, Paul Mescal and Paapa Essiedu.
Under the terms of the deal, London-based Curtis Brown Group, founded in 1899, will continue to operate under its current name and to be led by CEO Jonny Geller.
The deal makes Curtis Brown the first prominent UK literary and talent representation group to join with a major global talent agency, while expanding UTA’s footprint in the thriving UK market.
The agencies said that the...
United Talent Agency (UTA) has acquired leading UK literary and talent agency Curtis Brown, whose clients include Robert Pattinson, Paul Mescal and Paapa Essiedu.
Under the terms of the deal, London-based Curtis Brown Group, founded in 1899, will continue to operate under its current name and to be led by CEO Jonny Geller.
The deal makes Curtis Brown the first prominent UK literary and talent representation group to join with a major global talent agency, while expanding UTA’s footprint in the thriving UK market.
The agencies said that the...
- 6/13/2022
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
United Talent Agency has acquired the legacy UK literary and talent agency Curtis Brown Group, UTA announced Monday.
Curtis Brown Group, which was founded in 1899, will continue to operate under its current name and management, including CEO Jonny Geller (pictured above at center). But the deal expands UTA’s international footprint and this structure will allow both Curtis Brown Group and UTA to continue their longstanding relationships with other agency partners in the UK and U.S.
Curtis Brown has more than 240 employees and is expected to continue to grow as a result of this deal. No staffing reductions are anticipated due to this transaction. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Also Read:
UTA Acquires Analytics Firm MediaHound
The alliance provides Curtis Brown Group with resources to continue to build out its business, and the benefit of UTA’s expertise across a wide range of capabilities in such areas as brands,...
Curtis Brown Group, which was founded in 1899, will continue to operate under its current name and management, including CEO Jonny Geller (pictured above at center). But the deal expands UTA’s international footprint and this structure will allow both Curtis Brown Group and UTA to continue their longstanding relationships with other agency partners in the UK and U.S.
Curtis Brown has more than 240 employees and is expected to continue to grow as a result of this deal. No staffing reductions are anticipated due to this transaction. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Also Read:
UTA Acquires Analytics Firm MediaHound
The alliance provides Curtis Brown Group with resources to continue to build out its business, and the benefit of UTA’s expertise across a wide range of capabilities in such areas as brands,...
- 6/13/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
United Talent Agency (UTA) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire U.K. literary and talent agency Curtis Brown Group.
Under the terms of the deal, London-based Curtis Brown Group, founded in 1899, will continue to operate under its current name and management, including CEO Jonny Geller. The structure will allow both parries to continue their longstanding relationships with other agency partners in the U.K. and U.S.
“The union is driven by a shared desire to ensure greater opportunities for clients across an increasingly global entertainment and culture landscape, in which traditional buyers and distributors such as studios and streaming services are expanding far beyond their home markets. The alliance provides Curtis Brown Group with resources to continue to build out its business, and the benefit of UTA’s expertise across a wide range of capabilities in such areas as brands, podcasts, digital talent, endorsements, media rights, data analytics and more,...
Under the terms of the deal, London-based Curtis Brown Group, founded in 1899, will continue to operate under its current name and management, including CEO Jonny Geller. The structure will allow both parries to continue their longstanding relationships with other agency partners in the U.K. and U.S.
“The union is driven by a shared desire to ensure greater opportunities for clients across an increasingly global entertainment and culture landscape, in which traditional buyers and distributors such as studios and streaming services are expanding far beyond their home markets. The alliance provides Curtis Brown Group with resources to continue to build out its business, and the benefit of UTA’s expertise across a wide range of capabilities in such areas as brands, podcasts, digital talent, endorsements, media rights, data analytics and more,...
- 6/13/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
UTA has acquired the Curtis Brown Group, the UK literary and talent agency that reps authors including Margaret Atwood, the literary estates of Ian Fleming and others as well as a roster of film and TV clients.
The deal follows the 2020 combination of Curtis Brown and former rival Markham Froggatt and Irwin. Previously, the firm had grown through the acquisitions of Tavistock Wood in 2018, Ed Victor in 2017 and C&w in 2013.
The companies have had a history of working together on projects involving Damian Lewis, Lily James, Alicia Vikander and Bel Powley, as well as rising star Ncuti Gatwa, just named by the BBC as the next Dr. Who. They also share representation of screenwriters including David Farr, Georgia Pritchett, and Tony Roche. Curtis Brown shares with other agencies the representation of clients including Robert Pattinson.
The deal follows the 2020 combination of Curtis Brown and former rival Markham Froggatt and Irwin. Previously, the firm had grown through the acquisitions of Tavistock Wood in 2018, Ed Victor in 2017 and C&w in 2013.
The companies have had a history of working together on projects involving Damian Lewis, Lily James, Alicia Vikander and Bel Powley, as well as rising star Ncuti Gatwa, just named by the BBC as the next Dr. Who. They also share representation of screenwriters including David Farr, Georgia Pritchett, and Tony Roche. Curtis Brown shares with other agencies the representation of clients including Robert Pattinson.
- 6/13/2022
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Editor’s Note: The following story contains spoilers for Season 1 of “Yellowjackets.”
Come hither all cannibals, ritual sacrificers, and Antler Queens alike: “Yellowjackets” just gave a Season 2 update.
The viral hit Showtime series that follows a group of high school soccer champions after a 1996 plane crash through their present lives is eying a “late summer” production start date. Quite possibly the most disturbing show of last year, “Yellowjackets” stars Melanie Lynskey, Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci, and Tawny Cypress as the grown-ups still grieving (and hiding from) their past, when they were stranded in the wilderness and left to desperately try to survive.
Showrunners Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson told Variety that Season 2 will “definitely [be] revisiting the winter storyline” only seen in flashforwards, within flashbacks…stay with us, during Season 1.
“We’ve been calling Season 2, ‘The Winter of Their Discontent,’” Lyle said, citing John Steinbeck’s book of the same name...
Come hither all cannibals, ritual sacrificers, and Antler Queens alike: “Yellowjackets” just gave a Season 2 update.
The viral hit Showtime series that follows a group of high school soccer champions after a 1996 plane crash through their present lives is eying a “late summer” production start date. Quite possibly the most disturbing show of last year, “Yellowjackets” stars Melanie Lynskey, Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci, and Tawny Cypress as the grown-ups still grieving (and hiding from) their past, when they were stranded in the wilderness and left to desperately try to survive.
Showrunners Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson told Variety that Season 2 will “definitely [be] revisiting the winter storyline” only seen in flashforwards, within flashbacks…stay with us, during Season 1.
“We’ve been calling Season 2, ‘The Winter of Their Discontent,’” Lyle said, citing John Steinbeck’s book of the same name...
- 5/3/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
“Yellowjackets” ended its chilling first season by further fueling the mystery in the 1996 winter flashback sequence from the pilot, which featured the Antler Queen a.k.a. Lottie Matthews (Courtney Eaton) and her ilk killing and eating one of the survivors. The finale closed with Lottie ritualistically placing a bear’s bloody heart in a tree-stump altar, flanked by Misty (Samantha Hanratty) and Van (Liv Hewson), foreshadowing what’s to come when the stranded teammates finally reach that stage from the premiere.
Showrunners Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson promise they will be heading back to this icy plot in Season 2, despite the fact the Showtime series is set to start shooting in “late summer.”
“We are definitely re-visiting the winter storyline,” Lyle told Variety. “We’ve been calling Season 2, ‘The Winter of Their Discontent,'” she revealed, a nod to John Steinbeck’s book of the same name, and the...
Showrunners Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson promise they will be heading back to this icy plot in Season 2, despite the fact the Showtime series is set to start shooting in “late summer.”
“We are definitely re-visiting the winter storyline,” Lyle told Variety. “We’ve been calling Season 2, ‘The Winter of Their Discontent,'” she revealed, a nod to John Steinbeck’s book of the same name, and the...
- 5/2/2022
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
This The Simpsons review contains spoilers.
The Simpsons Season 33 Episode 16
After 33 seasons, The Simpsons can still strive to be edumacational. “Pretty Whittle Liar” is a smart episode, Jeopardy! smart, and we’re not talking about its celebrity tournaments. Joke-wise it is still mostly clever, as most of the recent seasons have become. It is nowhere near as funny as the Fargo takeoff episode, “A Serious Flanders,” but it is multilayered, pretty enjoyable, and features an original country song, and one by Conway Twitty, both pluck at the heartstrings.
We also get a cameo from The Peanuts’ Schroeder, providing piano accompaniment and subtle disappointment. There is a lot of Tchaikovsky in the installment, for a country tale.
“Pretty Whittle Liar” is a secondary-character driven episode, but fully integrates the Simpsons into the narrative. Except Bart, who’s busy off-camera, apparently, skateboarding on wheelchair ramps. Brandine Spuckler, voiced by Tress MacNeille, discovers...
The Simpsons Season 33 Episode 16
After 33 seasons, The Simpsons can still strive to be edumacational. “Pretty Whittle Liar” is a smart episode, Jeopardy! smart, and we’re not talking about its celebrity tournaments. Joke-wise it is still mostly clever, as most of the recent seasons have become. It is nowhere near as funny as the Fargo takeoff episode, “A Serious Flanders,” but it is multilayered, pretty enjoyable, and features an original country song, and one by Conway Twitty, both pluck at the heartstrings.
We also get a cameo from The Peanuts’ Schroeder, providing piano accompaniment and subtle disappointment. There is a lot of Tchaikovsky in the installment, for a country tale.
“Pretty Whittle Liar” is a secondary-character driven episode, but fully integrates the Simpsons into the narrative. Except Bart, who’s busy off-camera, apparently, skateboarding on wheelchair ramps. Brandine Spuckler, voiced by Tress MacNeille, discovers...
- 3/28/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
The Wait Is Over – Ghost Adventures Is Back With Frightening New Paranormal Investigations Beginning Thursday, March 10 On Discovery+ The Crew Confronts Eerie Activity Inside Eminent Locations Including the Home of American Author John Steinbeck, the Los Angeles Police Museum, a Nevada Winery and More Thursdays are once again on lockdown when Zak Bagans, …
The post The Wait Is Over – Ghost Adventures Is Back With Frightening New Paranormal Investigations Beginning Thursday, March 10 on Discovery+ appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
The post The Wait Is Over – Ghost Adventures Is Back With Frightening New Paranormal Investigations Beginning Thursday, March 10 on Discovery+ appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
- 2/19/2022
- by Adrian Halen
- Horror News
Oscar certainly loves mothers. All five of this year’s Best Actress nominees — Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”), Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”), Penelope Cruz (“Parallel Mothers”), Nicole Kidman (“Being the Ricardos”) and Kirsten Stewart (“Spencer”) — play mothers. Ditto four out of five supporting nominees: Jessie Buckley (“The Lost Daughter”), Judi Dench (“Belfast”), Kirsten Dunst (“The Power of the Dog”) and Aunjanue Ellis (“King Richard”); the fifth contender is Ariana DeBose (“West Side Story”).
Actresses love getting maternal sinking their teeth-and sometimes claws-into mother roles whether they be good, bad, ugly or downright evil. Here’s a look at some early memorable mother performances that made Oscars history.
The mother of all mothers was Ruth Chatterton. Though she is not as well-remembered as other actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood, she was extremely popular in the late 1920s and early ‘30s. Though no nominations were officially announced for the second annual Oscars,...
Actresses love getting maternal sinking their teeth-and sometimes claws-into mother roles whether they be good, bad, ugly or downright evil. Here’s a look at some early memorable mother performances that made Oscars history.
The mother of all mothers was Ruth Chatterton. Though she is not as well-remembered as other actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood, she was extremely popular in the late 1920s and early ‘30s. Though no nominations were officially announced for the second annual Oscars,...
- 2/18/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: Sylvie Rabineau and Jill Holwager Gillett sold their boutique Rabineau Wachter Sanford & Gillett Literary Agency to WME five years ago.
At that time, the pair, who are now co-heads of WME’s literary packaging division, were behind films such as The Girl on the Train and series including HBO’s The Leftovers.
In the intervening five years, the duo have racked up hundreds more deals, helped by Hollywood’s growing reliance on books as IP, such as Hulu’s recent opioid drama Dopesick, which is based on Beth Macy’s eponymous book; Netflix’s Anatomy of a Scandal, based on Sarah Vaughan’s book; Amazon’s series adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s rock ‘n’ roll novel Daisy Jones and the Six; as well as Hulu’s raunchy Pam and Tommy, based on Amanda Chicago Lewis’ Rolling Stone article.
The pair represent a litany of A-list authors including Curtis Sittenfeld,...
At that time, the pair, who are now co-heads of WME’s literary packaging division, were behind films such as The Girl on the Train and series including HBO’s The Leftovers.
In the intervening five years, the duo have racked up hundreds more deals, helped by Hollywood’s growing reliance on books as IP, such as Hulu’s recent opioid drama Dopesick, which is based on Beth Macy’s eponymous book; Netflix’s Anatomy of a Scandal, based on Sarah Vaughan’s book; Amazon’s series adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s rock ‘n’ roll novel Daisy Jones and the Six; as well as Hulu’s raunchy Pam and Tommy, based on Amanda Chicago Lewis’ Rolling Stone article.
The pair represent a litany of A-list authors including Curtis Sittenfeld,...
- 10/20/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
When Bruce Springsteen recorded his 1995 album “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” the Boss admitted he hadn’t read John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” — of which Tom Joad is the protagonist — until after the album’s release.
Looking to perhaps remedy that oversight, Springsteen has agreed to read soulfully from “The Grapes of Wrath” for an upcoming doc titled “Ants,” about the plight of migrants crossing from Africa and Asia into Europe, directed by Italian journalist and filmmaker Valerio Nicolosi.
When Italian indie film producer Davide Azzolini reached out to Springsteen through his manager Jon Landau, asking him to read from Steinbeck to help make “Ants” “more universal,” he didn’t have high hopes, he says.
Azzolini sent Landau a long trailer and the text of the quote, from Chapter 21 of “Grapes,” which begins with “The fields were fruitful, and starving men moved on the roads” that he had...
Looking to perhaps remedy that oversight, Springsteen has agreed to read soulfully from “The Grapes of Wrath” for an upcoming doc titled “Ants,” about the plight of migrants crossing from Africa and Asia into Europe, directed by Italian journalist and filmmaker Valerio Nicolosi.
When Italian indie film producer Davide Azzolini reached out to Springsteen through his manager Jon Landau, asking him to read from Steinbeck to help make “Ants” “more universal,” he didn’t have high hopes, he says.
Azzolini sent Landau a long trailer and the text of the quote, from Chapter 21 of “Grapes,” which begins with “The fields were fruitful, and starving men moved on the roads” that he had...
- 10/6/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
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