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There’s a lot of hip-swiveling and pettiness that’s about to zoom across your screen, as Collider has the exclusive first look at Kevin Claydon and Phil Moniz’s co-directed feature, Racewalkers. Ahead of its February 21 world premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival, we’re inviting audiences to take a peek at the laugh-out-loud sports comedy that will help you step into the bizarre sport of race walking. Featuring leading performances from Moniz (Nine Films About Technology), Claydon (A Dog’s Journey), and Robbie Amell (The Tomorrow People), Racewalkers promises to give audiences a story unlike anything they’ve ever seen before.

Netflix's American Primeval is finally here, and here is a full breakdown of the cast and crew of the Western drama series. American Primeval is one of the most exciting Netflix shows of 2025, with the series coming from director Peter Berg and The Revenant writer Mark L. Smith. The series packs a star-studded cast, so here is who you can expect to see in American Primeval and who they are playing.

American Primeval is a dark and gritty take on the Western genre, with it telling the story of a mother and son who must traverse the dangers of the frontier with the help of a guide. American Primeval is full of tragedy, violence, and heartbreaking moments, with it attempting to highlight how difficult the conditions of the time were. The actors who star in American Primeval do a fantastic job at conveying this dark tone, and here is who they are.

Zosia Mamet comes from a long lineage of folks making names for themselves in some capacity in the entertainment field. As one can probably tell from her last name, she's the daughter of playwright and screenwriter David Mamet, who's behind such works as "Glengarry Glen Ross" and the 1997 political satire "Wag the Dog." Mamet's mother, Lindsay Crouse, is an actor, while her grandfather on that side of the family is Russel Crouse, another playwright.

It almost seems like Mamet was destined for big things with that lineage, and she's certainly made a name for herself over the past decade of consistent work. From dramas to comedies (but mostly comedies), she's done it all, especially after breaking out with her role of Shoshanna Shapiro on "Girls."

These are the best Mamet movies and TV shows yet, but don't worry. Despite providing one of the most ridiculous moments in "Madame Web," her...

Johnny Galecki became a household name when he starred as Leonard Hofstadter in The Big Bang Theory. Playing a physicist who tries to up his social hierarchy by including his attractive neighbor in his group of other scientists, Galecki starred in the show for all twelve seasons and was one of TV’s highest-paid actors.

However, the actor has barely been in many films despite hitting it big on TV. The actor has had small roles in films and has also worked less since the end of Tbbt. Galecki confessed that he found the audition process grueling and that he would usually think of someone better to play the role, which annoyed his agent.

Johnny Galecki Fumbles Auditions In A Way That Drives His Agent Crazy A still from The Big Bang Theory | Credits: CBS

Johnny Galecki made being nerdy the new sexy with his co-stars Jim Parsons, Kunal Nayyar,...

Crawl 2 is in development with original director Alexandre Aja at the helm. The sequel is said to be set in New York City and focus on different characters than the original 2019 movie. The new movie is set to begin shooting in Europe in Fall 2024.

Crawl will officially be getting a sequel. The 2019 movie, which was produced by Sam Raimi, is set in Florida and follows a young woman (Kaya Scodelario) who becomes trapped in a flooded basement with a hungry alligator while trying to rescue her father (Barry Pepper) during a hurricane. Talk of a sequel has occured since 2021, when director Alexandre Aja shared that a screenplay for the project was in the works, but no word came on the possible Crawl 2 for several more years.

Now, The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Crawl 2 is in development at Paramount Pictures with an eye on shooting in Europe in Fall 2024. Alexandre...

Charlie Cox and Zooey Deschanel know what the audience wants – more dogs!

Dogs are always the best part of a movie and they will have you smiling at your screen throughout. The cuteness is just too much to handle! Whether it’s a comedy like A Dog’s Journey or a heart-wrenching tale like Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, these four-legged animals know just how to grab our attention.

Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (2009)

Now, Charlie Cox and Zooey Deschanel are all set to star in a film in which their dog plays a huge part. Merv is a romantic comedy directed by Jessica Swale who has also worked on projects like Summerland and Ten Percent as a director. According to the premise of the film, Merv will focus on a broken-up couple who come together for the sake of their dog and fans couldn’t be more excited.

Zooey Deschanel and Charlie...

Dennis Quaid is an icon, according to CinemaCon.

The annual convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners has zeroed in on the veteran star to receive this year’s Cinema Icon Award. Quaid will be honored during the Big Screen Achievement Awards, hosted by official presenting sponsor the Coca-Cola Company inside the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on April 11. The ceremony will also see trophies handed out to Amy Poehler (vanguard award), Lupita Nyong’o (star of the year), Shawn Levy (director of the year), Joseph Quinn (breakthrough performer of the year award) and Dan Stevens (excellence in acting award).

“From compelling dramas to exhilarating thrillers, Dennis Quaid’s remarkable career is a testament to his talent and versatility as an actor,” said Mitch Neuhauser, managing director of CinemaCon. “His ability to embody diverse characters has captivated audiences for decades with his dedication to crafting authentic portrayals. He is truly a Hollywood icon.

After two weeks of moviegoers returning to theaters in force, we’re back to a weekend with a number of lower-key releases just hoping to make any sort of mark against the two big movies. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.

This weekend will once again be about “Kung Fu Panda 4” vs. “Dune: Part Two,” although it’s likely to be a second weekend with the animated movie dominating, with both of them remaining in over 4,000 theaters.

Opening in 2,850 theaters, the biggest new wide release of the weekend is the Mark Wahlberg drama “Arthur the King,” based on the true story of Mikael Lindnord (renamed “Michael Light” for the movie), an outdoors endurance racer who puts together a team to cross the Dominican Republic. That team also includes actors Simu Liu (“Barbie”), Nathalie Emmanuel (the “Fast and Furious” movies) and Ali Suliman (“Lone Survivor”), and along the way,...

After a season of spending, Freevee knows you don't have to break the bank for quality. The free Amazon streamer has already added several titles to its platform to start the month, including the Tom Hanks-starred "Captain Phillips" and Ryan Coogler's directorial debut "Fruitvale Station," but more great titles will be coming throughout the rest of the month.

Find out The Streamable's top picks for what's here now and what's coming to the streamer throughout January!

Watch Now Free amazonfreevee.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Freevee in January 2024? “Baby Driver” | Monday, Jan. 1

Edgar Wright helms the action thriller starring Ansel Elgort as Baby, a prodigal heist getaway driver and music-loving orphan in for one last job before riding off into the sunset with his girlfriend Debora (Lily James). Eiza Gonzalez, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Jon Bernthal, and Kevin Spacey make up the supporting...

Zorro and Expats are the big shows coming to Prime Video in January. The former is what Amazon are calling a “bold reinterpretation” of the classic hero El Zorro for 2024. Starring Miguel Bernardeau as Diego de la Vega and Renata Notni as Lolita Marquez, it’s definitely an intriguing-sounding action-adventure series, with a ten-episode first season based on the iconic character originally created by Johnston McCulley all the way back in 1919.

Meanwhile, upcoming drama series Expats is based on the bestselling 2016 novel The Expatriates by Janice Y. K. Lee, and follows “the vibrant lives of a close-knit expatriate community” in Hong Kong. Nicole Kidman has been known for picking the right kind of shows to lead in the past, so let’s hope this is another banger for the actress, who is also on board as an executive producer here.

Here’s everything coming to Amazon Prime Video and Freevee this month.

Martin Ellis, a beloved second assistant director who worked on films such as A Dog’s Journey and the upcoming Monster High The Movie 2, and television shows including The Flash and The Power, died August 22 at his home in Vancouver, family friend and producer Seth William Meier confirmed to Deadline. Ellis was 44. A cause of death was not released.

Born in Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada, Ellis’ interest in the movie industry began at a young age, according to a family statement announcing his death. In Winnipeg, where his family moved when he was a child, Ellis went on to work as an Assistant Location Manager and Location Manager, eventually becoming a Second Assistant Director in Winnipeg and then in Vancouver.

During his career he worked on over 50 productions, including films, TV movies and television series. Notable movies include A Dog’s Journey and the soon to be released television movie Monster High The...

“Strays,” the canine comedy featuring the voice talents of Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx and a slew of other stars, only has a handful of “human” roles.

There’s Will Forte as Doug, a pothead who abandons his poor dog Reggie (Ferrell) in the middle of the big city in an attempt to get rid of him.

Reggie befriends a street smart stray named Bug (Foxx) and they’re eventually joined by Hunter (Randall Park) and Maggie (Isla Fisher). As the group tries to retrace Reggie’s journey back to Doug’s house, they come across some outrageous characters, including one A-list actor.

Spoiler alert: Read on if you want to find out who the celebrity cameo in “Strays” is.

As the strays make their way across an open field, a eagle swoops in and flies away with Bug. Reggie tries to rescue his friend by clamping on Bug’s leg...

Exclusive: WME has signed actress Abby Ryder Fortson, the 15-year-old up-and-comer known for leading Lionsgate‘s recent coming-of-age dramedy Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, based on the classic Judy Blume novel published in 1970.

Released on April 28th, Are You There God? tells the story of Fortson’s 11-year-old Margaret, watching as she navigates new friends, feelings, and the beginning of adolescence after her parents move her from New York City to the suburbs of New Jersey. Kelly Fremon Craig wrote and directed the pic, also starring Rachel McAdams, Benny Safdie and Kathy Bates, with Blume, Craig and James L. Brooks being amongst its producers

Fortson played the original Cassie Lang in Marvel’s Ant-Man and the sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp, also previously starring opposite Betty Gilpin in Uni/DreamWorks’ hit family film A Dog’s Journey, based on the beloved novel by W. Bruce Cameron.

On the TV side,...

Exclusive: Briarcliff Entertainment has snapped up North American distribution rights from Concourse Media to Christian Swegal’s true crime thriller Sovereign, starring Nick Offerman, Dennis Quaid and Jacob Tremblay.

Swegal wrote and will direct later this year in Arkansas. A theatrical release during Q4 2024 is planned.

Based on real events, the story follows a father and son (Offerman and Tremblay) who identify as Sovereign Citizens, a group of anti-government extremists, as they venture across the country and find themselves in a standoff with a chief of police (Dennis Quaid) that sets off an intense manhunt with tragic consequences.

“Sovereign is a timely and captivating story and all of us at Briarcliff are looking forward to working with Christian, Nick, the Concourse team and this stellar cast on what will be a gripping ride for movie audiences,” said Tom Ortenberg, Briarcliff Entertainment CEO.

“We are beyond excited to be partnering with...

Former Epix exec Benjamin Tappan has joined Walden Media as president of production, overseeing the shingle’s TV and film development, as well as production. Tappan’s hire comes as Walden Media also looks to broaden its programming mix. Tappan will report to Walden Media president and CEO Frank Smith, who announced the hire on Tuesday.

“Ben’s vast experience as both a production executive and talent representative along with his great track record of making popular and critically praised content make him uniquely suited for leading our creative team,” Smith said in a statement. “We greatly look forward to his leadership and contributions as we build the Walden Media of the future.”

Tappan most recently served as a consultant focused on scripted development and production at his Tap/In Entertainment. He spent four years at Epix (now known as MGM+), joining in 2015 and helping launch the pay network’s first three straight-to-series productions.

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” — the direct sequel to 2019’s “Shazam” and the twelfth entry in the DC Extended Universe — premieres this week.

Zachary Levi returns as the brawny superhero, who possesses “the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury.”

Asher Angel plays his human counterpart Billy Batson. Along with his foster siblings and their superhero counterparts, Shazam once again must save the world, this time from the Daughters of Atlas: Hespera (Helen Mirren), Kalypso (Lucy Liu) and Anthea (Rachel Zegler).

Everything you need to know about when, where and how to watch “Shazam 2” below.

When Does “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” Come Out?

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” opens in theaters internationally beginning March 15, 2023 and in North America on March 17, 2023.

Is “Shazam 2” Streaming or in Theaters?

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods...

Check out the brand new trailer for director David F. Sandberg’s Shazam! Fury Of The Gods.

Hitting theaters on March 17, the film continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word “Shazam!,” is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam.

Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with having adult Super Hero alter-egos. But when the Daughters of Atlas, a vengeful trio of ancient gods, arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Billy—aka Shazam—and his family are thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of their world.

Check out the trailer breakdown Here with Sandberg where he talks about dragons, the daughters of Atlas and the magic word.

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” stars returning...

Dennis Quaid has boarded Paramount+’s upcoming series “Bass Reeves,” starring David Oyelowo as the title lawman. Quaid is the first cast member to be announced opposite Oyelowo for the Taylor Sheridan-produced show.

He will play Sherrill Lynn, a deputy U.S. Marshall. The veteran actor told Fox News he was in production on the show and “making mayhem at 4 in the morning.”

Also Read:

David Oyelowo Teases Taylor Sheridan-Produced ‘Bass Reeves’ Series and ‘Rocketeer’ Reboot

From the “Yellowstone” co-creator and Academy Award nominee Sheridan, “Bass Reeves” is filming in Texas. The period drama will bring to life the legendary Wild West lawman, cited as the first Black deputy U.S. Marshall west of the Mississippi River. Reeves was also believed to be the inspiration for “The Lone Ranger.” He worked in the post-Reconstruction era as a federal peace officer in the Indian Territory, capturing more than 3,000 of the...

“Dramaworld,” a pioneering Korean-American rom-com series, will debut on in the U.S. on IMDb TV, Amazon’s premium free streaming service, from this weekend.

Seasons one and two will both debut on IMDb TV from Feb. 12, 2022, with the launch marking the U.S. premiere of season two. The first season of “Dramaworld” originally debuted on Netflix and Viki.

The series follows an American girl who is obsessed with K-drama and is underwhelmed by her real life become catapulted into the world of the Korean dramas she obsesses over. There she meets a facilitator who keeps “Dramaworld” turning through deft but undetected intervention in each storyline. She tumbles headfirst into another show starring her K-drama crush but upsets the equilibrium of “Dramaworld” by kissing her hero.

Season two sees the return of leads Liv Hewson, Sean Dulake (“Operation Chromite”), Justin Chon and Nuri Bae (“Unstoppable”).

Notable new cast members joining...

Writing, directing, and life partners Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky work out all of their disagreements on the page, the couple confided to Variety at this year’s Toronto Film Festival.

While that may pertain strictly to film narratives, they’re certainly on the same page about their festival entry “The Good House” — a rich and unexpected drama starring Sigourney Weaver as you’ve never really seen her.

Adapted from the Ann Leary book of the same name, “The Good House” has Weaver playing Hildy Good, a real estate agent in an aristocratic New England town whose penchant for booze collides with the pangs of being a middle-aged divorcee to disastrous effects.

“The bulk of our career has been spent writing and we always talk about point of view, and this book had such a strong point of view. It does this really perceptive job in creating a world, and...

English actress Kathryn Prescott, known for her roles in A Dog’s Journey and Finding Carter, has been hospitalized, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

The 30-year-old actress was hit by a concrete mixer truck during the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 7 at the intersection of Bergen Ave. and Vanderbilt Ave. in Brooklyn. She was struck as the truck was attempting to make a right turn onto Vanderbilt Ave. and suffered injuries to both legs, both arms and a potential head injury. Ems transported the actress, who was conscious and alert at the time, to Methodist Hospital.

News that the former Skins star had been in ...

Amid talks about a new season of Manifest, one of the canceled NBC series’ core cast members, Matt Long, has booked a new pilot at the network but fans of the missing plane drama should not be too worried about it. Long, CSI alumna Marg Helgenberger, Jasmine Mathews (The Rookie) and E.J. Bonilla (The Old Man) are set as series regulars opposite Annie Ilonzeh in NBC drama pilot Getaway, from The Blacklist duo John Davis and John Fox and Universal TV, a division of Universal Studios Group.

I hear Long was approached about Getaway after the options on the Manifest cast expired last month and studio Warner Bros. Television ended its efforts to find a new home for the show after conversations with Netflix did not yield an agreement. The series regulars on Manifest are free to take new jobs while talks about a Season 4 of Manifest recently resumed, with...

A second season of bilingual series “Dramaworld” takes to the airwaves across Asia from this week. The show is a fantasy about an American K-drama fan-girl who is supernaturally transported into the Korean drama scene and there must save her favorite leading man.

In Korea itself “Dramaworld” will play from Friday on A+E Networks’ Lifetime Korea channel and on the Cj Enm-backed streamer TVing. In Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia it will play out on the international service of Chinese streamer iQIYI, while in Japan its home will be the country’s number three streamer U-Next.

In its first iteration, as a web drama with mini episodes, the show played from 2016 on Netflix and the Rakuten-owned streamer Viki.

Now presented as a long-form drama, the series was written by Josh Billig and Chris Martin, with Martin directing all episodes. Production was through Korean-American company Third Culture Content and Raemongraein a.

Top Chinese director Feng Xiaogang will step in front of the camera alongside Chinese-American actor-director Joan Chen in a local adaptation of the 2009 Hollywood tearjerker “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale,” which began shooting Thursday.

It is currently set to premiere on New Year’s Eve.

Feng is best known for his work as a director on films such as “Youth,” “I Am Not Madame Bovary” and “Cellphone,” but he has also frequently taken on acting roles, with his most recent starring role in 2015’s “Mr. Six.” China-born Chen is one of the few leading ladies with a robust career on both sides of the Pacific.

The Chinese “Hachi” remake will be helmed by Xu Ang, who previously directed “12 Citizens (2014),” a Chinese version of Reginald Rose’s “Twelve Angry Men,” and the popular Sohu TV police procedural web series “Medical Examiner Dr. Qin.” It is billed as an “original iQiyi productioni...

Rachel McAdams and 12-year-old Abby Ryder Fortson have been cast to star in Lionsgate’s adaptation of the classic Judy Blume novel “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.”

Ryder Fortson, who is best known as Paul Rudd’s daughter in the “Ant-Man” movies, will play the title character Margaret Simon. McAdams will play Margaret’s mother, Barbara.

“Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret” will be written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig. The legendary James L. Brooks is producing the film adaptation through his Gracie Films banner after he and Fremon Craig previously collaborated on “The Edge of Seventeen.” Production on the film is expected to being in April.

“Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret” is a timeless coming-of-age story about a sixth-grader who questions everything about adolescence and puberty while searching the universe for whatever answers she can find. With her mother and grandmother...

Rachel McAdams and Abby Ryder Fortson have been cast in “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” an adaptation of Judy Blume’s beloved coming-of-age book.

Fortson will play Margaret Simon, a sixth-grade girl who is going through puberty and searches the universe for any answers she can find. McAdams is portraying Margaret’s mother, Barbara.

The movie, set up at Lionsgate, will be written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig. It’s expected to begin production in April.

“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” was first published in 1970 and remains hugely popular among young, budding readers. Blume has long been opposed to screen adaptations of her seminal work, a notable list that includes “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing,” “Blubber,” “Forever” and “Tiger Eyes.” However, the upcoming version of “Are You There God?” — especially the casting — comes with Blume’s blessing.

“Abby is funny and tender, strong yet vulnerable.

Abby Ryder Fortson, who stars as Ant-Man/Scott Lang’s daughter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, has been set to play Margaret in Lionsgate’s feature adaptation of Judy Blume’s iconic Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, the studio confirmed Friday. Also aboard is Rachel McAdams who will play Margaret’s mother, Barbara.

Production begins in April on the pic, which will be written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, who penned the teen-angst pic The Edge of Seventeen starring Hailee Steinfeld. She is reteaming with her Seventeen director James L. Brooks and his Gracie Films banner; they are producing with Julie Ansell, Richard Sakai, Amy Brooks and Blume.

Meredith Wieck and Chelsea Kujawa are overseeing the project for the studio.

The story in Blume’s 1970 must-read for tween girls, Margaret Simon is a sixth grader who is questioning everything about adolescence and puberty, is searching...

Exclusive: Thruline Entertainment has put into development Abby Jimenez’s bestselling novel The Happy Ever After Playlist to be adapted as a feature by writer Marisa Coughlan and two-time Primetime Emmy winner director Gail Mancuso.

The Happy Ever After Playlist is a romantic comedy with a strong music element, tonally along the lines of The Truth About Cats and Dogs, 500 Days of Summer and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. The plot follows Sloan, a young woman grieving the loss of her fiancé two years ago, Jason, a music star who has just made it big, and a trouble-making dog that brings the two perfect strangers together. The book became a summer publishing success story, appearing on numerous “Best Of” lists including Amazon, Oprah Mag, BuzzFeed, PopSugar, SheReads, and The Mary Sue. Jimenez’s first novel, The Friend Zone, was a USA Today bestseller and her next book, Life’s Too Short,...

Netflix has acquired “Blue Miracle,” the Dennis Quaid film formerly known as “On the Line.”

Based on a true story, “Blue Miracle” centers on Casa Hogar, a Mexican orphanage that was struggling to survive after Hurricane Odile hit in 2014. On the brink of bankruptcy, the residents enter the world’s biggest fishing tournament in hopes of winning the prize money to save their home.

Along with Quaid, the cast includes Raymond Cruz, Anthony Gonzalez, Jimmy Gonzales, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Fernanda Urrejola and Bruce McGill.

The streaming service has not set a release date yet.

Julio Quintana, whose credits include the 2016 Martin Sheen drama “The Vessel,” directed the film. He also co-wrote the script with Chris Dowling.

Producers were Javier Chapa for Mucho Mas Media, Darren Moorman for Reserve Entertainment, Chris George for Redwood Ranch Productions, Ben Howard for Third Coast Content and Trey Reynolds for Provident Films. Provident Films co-financed the film with Endeavor Content.

With movies, as with marriages, it’s always best to dwell on the best moments: Cringing at Get Out, convulsing at Borat, wiping tears at A Dog’s Journey. As a confirmed ticket buyer, I’ll never forget seeing Parasite with a mostly Korean audience, hearing their laughs at jokes I’d missed.

But with 2020 almost behind us (gratefully), journalists are supposed to reflect on the “big trends” and mine is one of regret: I have concluded that I don’t miss movie theaters anymore. I am resigned to the fact that the plexes and the Landmark Theaters have become part of my past.

That admission is a relief in some ways, but also a source of alarm. The movie theater has always represented a cool, dark escape, and also a mini-island of cultural civility. And if it disappears, how will “special” movies get made? What will become of those fragments...

In today’s Global Bulletin, London’s Christmas Pantomime set to go forward with a significant contribution from The National Lottery; Efm moves its upcoming Italy in Focus sidebar to 2022; “Dramaworld” finishes Season 2 filming; Cake will spotlight animated series “Tish Tash” at Mipcom; and this year’s Frankfurter Buchmesse Film Award winners are announced.

Pantomime

Qdos Entertainment and Lw Theatres have announced that Julian Clary will headline this year’s “Pantoland at the Palladium” Christmas special running Dec. 12-Jan. 3, supported by a joint initiative with The National Lottery.

To aid in facilitating a safe and enjoyable pantomime experience, The National Lottery has agreed to purchase all socially distanced seats left empty in compliance with relevant government and public health guidelines. Up to 250,000 tickets are expected to be available, with more than 20,000 free tickets going to National Lottery players.

Hosted at the London Palladium, the special will feature panto regulars Paul Zerdin,...

Netflix has revealed a trailer for its latest rom-com, Holidate. As the name implies, this is a romantic comedy taking place during the holidays, with Emma Roberts leading the way. John Whitesell is in the director's chair. Based on the teaser, this looks like a classic case of friends becoming more than friends, albeit through unusual circumstances brought on by a mutually beneficial arrangement.

The trailer opens up with Emma Roberts as Sloane, working from home before being interrupted by her loving mother, who is attempting to set her up with a doctor. She is single around the holidays, which is quite the issue with her family. A friend of hers, played by Luke Bracey, is also single and they hatch a plan to be one another's "holidate," strictly to get them through the holidays with their respective families. Despite Sloane's reluctance and skepticism, they opt to press on with the plan.

Exclusive: Dennis Quaid recently saved a cat, named Dennis Quaid, from an animal shelter in Lynchburg, Virginia.

The actor, who starred in Amazon’s Goliath and has upcoming feature Reagan, is to turn the story into a non-scripted TV project after teaming with ITV America’s Leftfield Pictures, producer of History’s Alone and Forged In Fire.

Saving Dennis Quaid will follow the actor, who also recently starred in feature films A Dog’s Purpose and A Dog’s Journey, and his business partner Jimmy Jellinek as they set out on a mission to adopt the cat.

The series, which is being taken out to broadcasters imminently, will document the journey and the ensuing crusade to bring the feline from Lynchburg to Los Angeles.

Quaid recently co-founded a podcast company, Audio Up Media, alongside Jared Gutstadt, and the story will also be turned into a companion podcast mini-series. It will sit alongside...

A trio of Hollywood titles previously approved for China announced Thursday that they are set to hit the big screen now that cinemas are kicking back into gear.

“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” in 3D and 4K restorations, will screen in China starting Aug. 14 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the franchise. “We invite you to re-experience the infinite magic of Hogwarts and bizarre and motley Wizarding World,” Warner Brothers said in a Chinese statement.

That film, and the seven others in the series, anchor an eclectic line-up at the Shanghai Int. Film Festival, where they are set to screen over the course of the event’s July 25 to Aug. 2 run, giving audiences an early taste of the magic.

“Harry Potter” will go up against the Will Smith-starring “Bad Boys For Life,” which will also premiere Aug. 14. The film announced it would release in China back in January, but...

Beijing is set to reopen cinemas again in its “low-risk areas” on Friday, July 24, officials said, but attendance will be capped at 30% and no concessions sold.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there had been no new local confirmed cases in the capital for 15 consecutive days, meaning that all parts of the capital are currently classified as low-risk, the official Xinhua news agency cited local health officials as saying.

Beijing is home to 262 cinemas, all of which have been shut due to Covid-19 since the Chinese new year holiday in late January. The announcement that they could resume business “in an orderly manner” was made at a press conference Tuesday afternoon by Wang Jiequn, deputy director of the municipal Propaganda Department and director of the municipal film bureau.

Those venues wishing to resume operations on Friday must report their intentions to the Beijing Film Bureau before noon on Thursday. “Each cinema can...

Paramount Pictures’ “Sonic the Hedgehog” will finally debut on the big screen in China on July 31, becoming the headliner for the second weekend of business for newly reopened cinemas.

The film will compete for audience attention with two other animated titles now set to hit screens July 31: a re-release of the 2014 Disney animated film “Big Hero 6,” which grossed $83.8 million in Chinese cinemas in 2015, and new local animation “Mr. Miao.”

“Sonic the Hedgehog” was initially scheduled to premiere in China on Feb. 28, two weeks after its Feb. 14 U.S. debut. The film grossed $146 million Stateside. Its most successful overseas territory to date has been the U.K., where it grossed $24 million, followed by France, where it grossed $17 million.

The film will number among the half dozen or so other American titles that are being deployed to help catalyze audience interest in returning to cinemas, most of which are family-friendly,...

China reopened its cinemas on Monday after nearly five months of closure, but audiences are only trickling in.

The re-opening was restricted to theaters in cities and regions where the coronavirus is deemed to have been vanquished. That excluded Beijing, where recent weeks have seen a resurgence of Covid-19 cases.

By 6 p.m. local time, cumulative nationwide gross takings totalled $470,000 (RMB3.35 million), according to figures from measurement agency and consultancy Entdata. Earlier in the day, state media had reported that the total included more than $150,000 of prior bookings, which indicates that only modest numbers of cinema-goers made decisions on the day.

The slow pace of ticket sales in commercial theaters contrasted with buoyant first day sales for the Shanghai International Film Festival. Unconfirmed local sources report that the festival achieved over 100,000 ticket sales in the first 10 minutes of online ticketing. The festival will run July 25-Aug. 2.

Rewarding a degree of bold programming,...

Chinese cinemas will open next week in regions at low risk for Covid-19 with a boost from a slew of Hollywood titles, including “The Pursuit of Happyness,” “Dolittle,” “Bloodshot,” and “Coco.”

China’s theaters have been closed for longer than any other country’s, having stayed dark — despite a brief attempt to reopen in March — since the lunar new year holiday in late January.

As of early Saturday morning in China, 22 films are set to hit theaters on Monday, the first day of reopenings, including U.S. films “Pursuit of Happyness,” “Coco,” and “A Dog’s Purpose.”

The others are all Chinese re-run titles, except for one new one: “A First Farewell,” a well-received arthouse title set in China’s Xinjiang region that screened as part of last year’s Generation Kplus selection at Berlin.

The opening day offerings include: blockbusters “Wolf Warrior 2,” “Monster Hunt,” “Wolf Totem,” “American Dreams in China,...

Chinese movie “Double World” will forgo a theatrical premiere in favor of a simultaneous online debut on Netflix and China’s streaming service iQiyi.

The news comes as China’s cinemas have yet to offer a timeline for reopening despite nearly six months of closures.

The film will stream via iQiyi in China on July 24. It will debut on Netflix, which is blocked in China, for all the other territories the platform operates in on July 25, the company confirmed Wednesday to Variety.

Made on a budget of around $43 million (RMB300 million) and comprised of 80% special effects, “Double World” will be the fifth most expensive new movie to ever premiere on iQiyi’s premium video on demand (PVOD) service, which launched in January as coronavirus took off.

Shifting to an online release “will provide some relief to the struggling production company in the nick of time, and it will also help...

Not only are drive-ins making a comeback as the nation seeks movie-viewing alternatives in the slow recovery from the pandemic, but they’re actually taking a chance on films.

Vertical Entertainment will bow the Bella Thorne action-crime thriller Infamous in close to three dozen drive-ins on the east coast, in the midwest and the south. The film will also be available in digital virtual cinemas, all starting on Friday, June 12.

The pic was written and directed by Joshua Caldwell. The deal was negotiated by Peter Jarowey and Josh Spector at Vertical with Arianne Fraser of Highland Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers. Highland is repping foreign sales on Infamous.

Thorne plays Arielle, a young woman who lives in a small Florida town, stuck in a diner job. Arielle has always wanted more: fame, popularity and admiration. But when she falls for a recently paroled young criminal named Dean, she...

Penned in by stay-at-home measures to fend off a pandemic, America’s audiences are turning to their television screens for comfort and distraction. Netflix, for one, saw an estimate-crushing 15.8 million jump in paid subscribers in its most recently reported quarter, more than twice as many as the streaming company expected. It is not the only direct-to-consumer service seeing such an increase.

Showtime’s streaming service, Showtime Ott, has also seen an uptick after announcing on March 20 that it would offer an extended 30-day free trial to new customers. Sign-ups have popped an average of 148% in the last four weeks, Variety has learned. Time spent on the service and total plays are each up more than 50%, with at-home audiences gravitating slightly toward movies more than TV: viewership of original TV series is up 50%, while movie viewership is up nearly 80%. ViacomCBS chief exec Bob Bakish has said Showtime and CBS All Access...

All four of the Disney-owned “Avengers” movies and James Cameron’s “Avatar” are being lined up for re-release in China when cinemas begin to re-open after the coronavirus outbreak dies down.

China Film Group, the state-owned giant that controls distribution of all revenue-sharing Hollywood movies, and also dominates physical distribution in the Middle Kingdom, last week contacted exhibitors with a list of 11 titles that it wants to re-release. It said it would add to the list in the following days.

That list now appears to include a phased release of Marvel’s four “Avengers” movies, with outings starting Thursday. Pixar animation hit “Coco” may also resurface imminently, said 1905.com, the website of state-owned broadcaster China Movie Channel. They will be allowed to play until May or June.

Contacted by Variety, sources close to Disney in Asia said the studio is not involved in the re-releases, and that these are matters decided on by China Film.

Despite its CGI canine star, this new adaptation of The Call of the Wild finds true humanity in Jack London’s classic story.

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Dog-centric movies command a specific audience like period pieces and war films; it can be difficult for a viewer who is not a fan of the genre to crossover for a specific movie except in outstanding cases. Chris Sanders’ The Call of the Wild is not the be-all, end-all of its genre, nor does it feature an even real on screen dog for much of its running time. But after the last few years of cheesy fare like A Dog’s Purpose, A Dog’s Journey, and A Dog’s Way Home, this new adaptation is head of the pack thanks to its CGI St. Bernard-Scotch Collie mix with slightly unsettlingly human eyes. It also doesn’t hurt he’s supported by a craggily yet endearing...

Harrison Ford’s “The Call of the Wild” opened with $1 million in Thursday night previews.

Stx’s supernatural horror sequel “Brahms: The Boy II,” meanwhile, earned $375,000 at 1,800 screens from Thursday previews.

The earnings for Disney-20th Century’s “The Call of the Wild” is in the same vicinity as “The Upside,” which took in $1.1 million from previews and wound up with a $20 million opening weekend last year. “The Call of the Wild” is expected to finish the fame with $10 million to $18 million at 3,752 venues in North America, leaving the canine adventure film far behind “Sonic the Hedgehog,” which has grossed $77 million domestically in its first six days.

Ford stars in the PG-rated adventure about a dog named Buck — a CGI-created Saint Bernard-Scotch Collie mix — in an adaptation of Jack London’s 1903 novel. Set during Alaska’s Klondike Gold Rush in the 1890s, the film follows Buck, who’s stolen from...

Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog looks to keep things rolling this weekend as it faces incoming competition from 20th Century's The Call of the Wild and Stx's Brahms: The Boy II. Sonic will have no trouble holding on to the top spot following its strong start last weekend as it looks to top $110 million after just ten days in release.

Following a massive start last weekend, accompanied by solid critical reviews and audience response, Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog is looking at a another weekend atop the box office. We're anticipating a dip around -48% or so for a $30 millilon three-day. Should that forecast hold look for the film to top $110 million by the end of the weekend, on its way to becoming the third highest grossing video game adaptation domestically after just ten days in release.

20th Century In the runner-up position we find the first of the weekend's...

Chinese pet drama, “Adoring” sauntered into 2020 at the head of China’s weekend box office with earnings of $16.8 million after debuting last Tuesday, the final day of the decade. The tear-jerking, but feel-good, ensemble drama about people and their companion cats, dogs and pigs has grossed a cumulative $62.4 million, according to consultancy Artisan Gateway.

China has seen a pack of pet movies hit theaters recent years, including at least three dog films in 2019. American title “A Dog’s Way Home” grossed $5.36 million after it hit in January, while the Dennis Quaid-starring “A Dog’s Journey” made $29 million in May. Chinese golden retriever film “Little Q” earned $16 million in September.

In second place this weekend was Hong Kong martial arts film “Ip Man 4,” which added another $10.5 million to its tally to bring its current cume up to $131 million. Chinese drama “Sheep Without a Shepherd,” directed by Malaysia’s Sam Quah, came in third,...

A record 10.6% of the directors of 2019’s top 100-grossing movies were women, directing 12% of Hollywood’s biggest hits last year, according to the latest study by Stacy L. Smith and USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative.

That’s the best gender representation since Smith and her team began studying the prevalence of female directors in 2007 — though the overall percentage remains 4.8% across all 13 years of the research. The top-grossing female filmmaker was Jennifer Lee, who co-directed the year’s No. 4 domestic box office hit, “Frozen II,” with Chris Buck.

“This is the first time we have seen a shift in hiring practices for female film directors in 13 years,” Smith said, noting that Universal alone had five films in the top 100 with female directors: Jill Culton’s “Abominable,” Melina Matsoukas’ “Queen & Slim,” Tina Gordon’s “Little,” Gail Mancuso’s “A Dog’s Journey” and Kasi Lemmons’ “Harriet” (through art-house division Focus Features). “Yet there...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that 344 feature films are eligible for the 2019 Academy Awards.

To be eligible for the consideration, the films must open in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County by Dec. 31, and begin a minimum run of seven consecutive days. Academy rules also state that a feature-length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes and must have been exhibited theatrically on 35mm or 70mm film, or in a qualifying digital format.

Nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards will be announced on Monday, Jan. 13, 2020. The ceremony takes place on Sunday, Feb. 9, airing live from Hollywood on ABC.

“Abominable”

“Ad Astra”

“Adam”

“The Addams Family”

“The Aeronauts”

“After the Wedding”

“The Aftermath”

“Aga”

“Aladdin”

“Alita: Battle Angel”

“Always Be My Maybe”

“The Amazing Johnathan”

“American Factory”

“American Woman”

“Angel Has Fallen”

“The Angry Birds Movie 2”

“Anna”

“Annabelle Comes Home...

Lionsgate has released 13 new character posters for the upcoming epic, Midway, giving us a pristine look at the star-studded cast. From Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow director Roland Emmerich, Midway is an epic underdog film that tells the story of real-life events during World War II. It explores the pivotal clash between the American fleet and the Imperial Japanese Navy that acted as a turning point in the Pacific Theater during the War. The film aims to portray the heroic story of the leaders and soldiers who, "used their instincts, fortitude and bravery to overcome the odds."

Each poster gives a close-up of the thirteen characters that make up the powerful cast. With warm light and artful shadows, the portraits speak to the classic, war epic feel Roland Emmerich is striving for. Receiving the glossy character poster treatment are:

Luke Evans (Beauty and the Beast) as Lieutenant Commander Wade McClusky,...

The Original Motion Picture Score for Blade by award winning composer Mark Isham will be released for the first time on vinyl on October 4th and is now available for pre-order on VareseSarabande.com and other retailers. The LP's jacket, inner sleeve and labels thematically reference the infamous warehouse rave scene of the vampire thriller from 1998.

"The score needed to have an epic super-hero quality but with a very dark side, and it needed to be able to live next to the world of 1990's electronica - The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Aphex Twin etc. We used a large symphony orchestra supplemented with electronic synthesizers and samplers for a unique musical vocabulary. I did a lot of sampling of weird and strange sounds as well as programming my synth collection. We recorded at the Fox stage which is a wonderful room. The process went smoothly as I had worked tirelessly with Steve Norrington,...