News

Headgum, the premier comedy podcast network behind shows such as Doughboys, The Lamorning After, Gayotic with Muna, Seek Treatment with Cat & Pat, and Newcomers with Lauren Lapkus & Nicole Byer, announces that Handsome, the hit podcast from comedians Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster and Mae Martin has joined its expanding podcast network, right as the podcast has achieved 20 million listens in just over one year.

Ad sales for Handsome are managed through Gumball, the Headgum-owned marketplace for advertisers to buy host-read ads directly from podcasters. The team will also start to record video episodes from Headgum’s LA flagship studio semi-regularly in the coming months. This new acquisition comes on the heels of Headgum signing Emmy winner Lamorne Morris’ podcast The Lamorning After to the network in October 2024 for distribution, ad sales through Gumball, and video production.

Every episode of Handsome features real-life friends Notaro, Feimster, and Martin attempting to answer a...

The cast of The Bear especially Jeremy Allen White and Molly Gordon won big during the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards. The success of the show has skyrocketed their careers into the stratosphere, especially for White who plays the lead role on the show.

Jeremy Allen White and Molly Gordon as Carmy and Claire on The Bear | Credits: FX Productions

Before his successful stint with The Bear, White was famously known for his role as Lip Gallagher on Shameless, which ran for 11 successful seasons before running its course in 2021. Gordon also starred in a couple of critically acclaimed projects over the years since debuting on the silver screen at the age of 7.

Jeremy Allen White and Molly Gordon share a kiss in Los Angeles

Jeremy Allen White and Molly Gordon built great chemistry on the set of The Bear, a series that kicked off in 2022. White played the lead character, Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto,...

Just in time for Judgment Day, Netflix has a new installment in the “Terminator” franchise for fans of the iconic, long-running sci-fi action franchise. This time, however, you won’t see any familiar faces — the series is animated. However, you might recognize some of the voices, so we’ve put together a handy guide to the “Terminator Zero” cast.

You won’t see Sarah Connor, Kyle Reese or Arnold’s T-800 in this story — it introduces a new timeline and all new characters to go with it. Set in 1997, Japan, “Terminator Zero” focuses on a developer named Malcolm Lee, who is hard at work on another AI system to compete with Skynet and save the human race. Naturally, a Terminator unit is sent back in time to target him and his three children, while a soldier from the future is sent back with a mission of her own.

André Holland...

Chris Martin and Dakota Johnson seemed like the ultimate cool couple—two laid-back stars who kept their love life as low-key as their indie style. But in Hollywood, even the chillest of duos aren’t immune to the rumor mill. After whispers of a private chat between Martin and a fan surfaced, the news of their breakup isn’t exactly shocking. Both have reportedly been trying hard to keep things together, but sometimes even the best efforts can’t outrun the weight of a juicy allegation.

Dakota Johnson in a still from Madame Web | Sony Entertainment

With their split now out in the open, it seems like the Coldplay frontman and the Fifty Shades star are ready to move on from what was a surprisingly complex love story.

Chris Martin and Dakota Johnson Reportedly Split After Seven Years Chris Martin | Credit: Wikipedia Commons

It looks like the Coldplay frontman and...

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and actress Dakota Johnson have reportedly split and called off their engagement after seven years together.

The Daily Mail broke the news on Friday, with a source telling the publication that the couple had been “drifting apart” and they’ve “now accepted the relationship is over — and it’s best to move on.” Johnson was also photographed without her engagement ring last weekend while she walked her dog in Malibu.

Update: A representative for Johnson is pushing back on the report, telling People that the couple is “happily together.”

Martin began his relationship with Johnson in 2017, shortly after his marriage to Gwyneth Paltrow ended. It’s unknown exactly when Martin and Johnson got engaged, but Johnson was spotted wearing a wedding ring from 2020 onwards. While The Daily Mail notes that the couple reportedly split briefly in 2019 and in June of this year, they quickly got back together — now,...

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and actress Dakota Johnson have reportedly split and called off their engagement after seven years together.

The Daily Mail broke the news on Friday, with a source telling the publication that the couple had been “drifting apart” and they’ve “now accepted the relationship is over — and it’s best to move on.” Johnson was also photographed without her engagement ring last weekend while she walked her dog in Malibu.

Update: A representative for Johnson is pushing back on the report, telling People that the couple is “happily together.”

Martin began his relationship with Johnson in 2017, shortly after his marriage to Gwyneth Paltrow ended. It’s unknown exactly when Martin and Johnson got engaged, but Johnson was spotted wearing a wedding ring from 2020 onwards. While The Daily Mail notes that the couple reportedly split briefly in 2019 and in June of this year, they quickly got back together — now,...

We will update this article throughout the season, along with all our predictions, so make sure to keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2024 Emmys race. The nomination round of voting takes place from June 13 to June 24, with the official Emmy nominations announced Wednesday, July 17. Afterwards, final voting commences on August 15 and ends the night of August 26. The 76th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards are set to take place on Sunday, September 15, and air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. Et/ 5:00 p.m. Pt.

Click on for more of our previous thoughts on what to expect at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards.

The State of the Race

Every year the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie Emmy category feels like one of the most impossible choices. There are more women who should conceivably be nominated than there are nomination slots (for example “Expats...

We will update this article throughout the season, along with all our predictions, so make sure to keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2024 Emmys race. The nomination round of voting takes place from June 13 to June 24, with the official Emmy nominations announced Wednesday, July 17. Afterwards, final voting commences on August 15 and ends the night of August 26. The 76th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards are set to take place on Sunday, September 15, and air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. Et/ 5:00 p.m. Pt.

Click on for more of our previous thoughts on what to expect at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards.

The State of the Race

Right off the back, it is newsworthy that Netflix has found its way back into the good graces of the Outstanding Television Movie category after spending a few years recalibrating in wake of the rule change that prevented feature-length TV episodes being eligible.

Summer is here, which means you might have some extra time on your hands. Why not watch a great movie? Ah, but finding the right movie to watch on streaming can be a chore. Not to worry, we’ve put together a curated list of some of the best new movies streaming in June — from monster mashes to Oscar contenders to underrated gems that hit theaters earlier this year and are making their streaming debut. Platforms spans Netflix, Prime Video, Max, Hulu and more — there’s a little something for everyone, and we’ve also thrown in some new library titles to put on your watchlist as well.

Check out our picks for the best new movies streaming in June 2024 below.

“Godzilla Minus One” Godzilla Minus One (Credit: Toho Studios)

Netflix – June 1

Yes. “Godzilla Minus One” is finally streaming. Our long national nightmare is finally over. The movie, which is...

Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

Am I Ok? (Stephanie Allyne and Tig Notaro)

A romantic comedy that functions best as a fable of friendship and self-reflection, Am I Ok? is the kind of lightweight, amiable movie that just barely earns the emotional beats at the heart of its story. Set in Los Angeles, it follows the converging life events of two best friends, Lucy (Dakota Johnson) and Jane (Sonoya Mizuno), soul sisters with opposite personalities who tell each other everything—except for the big secrets they’ve been harboring from each other. How they respond to hearing them fuels Stephanie Allyne and Tig Notaro’s gentle and wobbly feature debut. – Jake K-s. (full review)

Where to Stream: Max

Dad & Step-Dad (Tynan DeLong)

Following the stellar comedy Free Time,...

There is a reason Am I Ok? had to wait two long years since its Sundance premiere in 2022. It’s a relatively vain turn-of-the-century character study that summarizes an intimate issue, resolving everything within 90 minutes or less. That’s a shame because the film could have used an extra 30 minutes to explore three endearing performances that are so much better than the material.

The problem is not the script. It’s the fact that Tig Notaro, a signature comedian of her generation, fails to generate the type of comedy that makes her so popular in Am I Ok?. The final result has heart, and the chemistry between the two characters is off the charts. Yet, that’s used as a plot device to move the story along instead of creating something more meaningful.

Sonoya Mizuno and Dakota Johnson in Am I Ok? (2024) | Image via Warner Bros. Discovery

Suggested“Never thought...

With its list of new releases for June 2024, HBO streamer Max is finally headed back to Westeros.

The highlight of this month is undoubtedly the premiere of House of the Dragon season 2 on June 16. Episode 1 will drop on both HBO and Max that Sunday night at 9 p.m. Et. With the infamous Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons now underway, the next batch of episodes for this Game of Thrones prequel should be truly epic.

Arriving before House of the Dragon season 2 is another story of a fraught succession. Ren Faire, a documentary series about an ailing king retiring from the country’s largest renaissance festival, premieres on June 2. Other TV options this month include Julio Torres comedy Fantasmas on June 7 and docuseries One South: Portrait of a Psych Unit on June 25.

Max plays host to a couple of major movies in June as well. The...

Stream The Debuts Of Season Two Of HBO Original Drama Series “House of the Dragon”; HBO Original Comedy Series “Fantasmas”; Max Original Comedy Special “Hannah Einbinder: Everything Must Go”; HBO Original Documentaries “Ren Faire” And “Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple”; And Original Film “Am I Ok?” Check Out Behind-The-Scenes Content, Essential Episodes, And More From The “World Of Westeros” Collection Featured Programming Debuts June 2 Fixer Upper: The LAKEHOUSEMagnolia Network Rollout: Debuts with two episodes, followed by two episodes weekly through June 16. Logline: Chip and Joanna celebrate ten years of Fixer Upper with a brand-new challenge: the overhaul of a severely outdated 1960s lakehouse. ... Read more...

Max has released the trailer for the dramedy feature ‘Am I Ok?’ starring Dakota Johnson.

The movie follows lifelong friends Lucy (Johnson) and Jane (Mizuno) navigating the changes in their paths after Jane plans a move to London, leading Lucy to reveal a secret about herself.

Lucy, who is socially awkward, discovers her attraction to women after failing to find a connection with the guys she dates. This leads to Jane helping her figure out her love life.

Directed by Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne, the movie also stars Sonoya Mizuno, Jermaine Fowler, Kiersey Clemons, Molly Gordon, June Diane Raphael and Notaro.

Also in trailers – “There’s no reason for you to stay here…” New trailer drops for Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon: An American Saga’

The movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2022.

The post Dakota Johnson stars in trailer for ‘Am I Ok?’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.

“The Witcher” Season 4 Gets First Look

The journey continues. Netflix has released the first-look images for its upcoming fourth season of “The Witcher,” with Liam Hemsworth now in the starring role.

Hemsworth takes over as Geralt of Rivia from Henry Cavill, who announced he would be stepping down after the show’s third season, which was released on the streamer in two parts last summer.

Per the official description, the fourth season will follow Geralt, Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), and Ciri (Freya Allan) as they “are faced with traversing the war-ravaged Continent and its many demons apart from each other. If they can embrace and lead the groups of misfits they find themselves in, they have a chance of surviving the baptism of fire and finding one another again.”

Watch the Season 4 First Look for “The Witcher” below:

Netflix recently announced a Season 5 renewal for the popular fantasy series, which is...

Luke Macfarlane isn’t the only Amish stud at Lifetime: Ryan McPartlin (Chuck, L.A.’s Finest) will star in and executive-produce the cabler’s Ripped from the Headlines movie Amish Affair, premiering Saturday, July 6 at 8/7c.

In the film, “Hannah (played by Upload’s Mackenize Cardwell) moves in with a charismatic Amish leader, Aaron (McPartlin), to help with his ailing wife,” reads the official synopsis. “Seeking refuge after leaving her Amish community, Hannah is grateful to Aaron and his wife for opening their home to her and giving her work but as she tends to her household chores,...

Dakota Johnson stars as a closeted lesbian entering the queer dating pool in Am I Ok?, a dramedy set to arrive June 6 on Max. Am I Ok?, a film directed by married duo Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne, traces the close friendship between Lucy (Johnson) and Jane (Sonoya Mizuno), and the hysteria that ensues after the two reveal life-changing secrets. Jane announces that she’s moving from Los Angeles to London for a work opportunity, and Lucy, after toying with a “How to know if you’re a lesbian” online quiz,...

“Am I Ok?” Is a new comedy-drama feature, directed by Tig Notaro, starring Dakota Johnson, Sonoya Mizuno, Jermaine Fowler, Kiersey Clemons, Molly Gordon and Sean Hayes streaming June 6, 2024 on Max:

“…’Lucy’ and ‘Jane’ have been best friends for most of their lives and think they know everything there is to know about each other.

“But when Jane announces she’s moving to London, Lucy reveals a long-held secret.

“As Jane tries to help Lucy, their friendship is thrown into chaos…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Dakota Johnson is figuring out what she wants from her dating life after admitting she’s interested in women in the first trailer for Am I Ok?

Max announced Monday that the dramedy feature from co-directors Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne is set to launch on the streaming service June 6 after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in 2022. Sonoya Mizuno, Jermaine Fowler, Kiersey Clemons, Molly Gordon, June Diane Raphael and Notaro round out the cast.

Am I Ok? centers on lifelong friends Lucy (Johnson) and Jane (Mizuno) navigating the changes in their paths after Jane plans a move to London, leading Lucy to reveal a secret about herself.

While encouraging Johnson to come out of her shell, Mizuno says in the trailer, “You try 20 different flavors of ice cream before you settle on a single scoop.” This leads Johnson to respond, “Ice cream is different than vagina.”

Notaro and Allynne,...

Photograph by Courtesy of Max Brace yourselves for a wild ride through the ups and downs of female friendship! Am I Ok?, the critically acclaimed film that wowed audiences at Sundance, is finally making its way to Max on June 6th. This isn’t your average chick flick. Dakota Johnson and Sonoya Mizuno deliver powerhouse performances as Lucy and Jane, best friends whose relationship gets a serious reality check when a long-held secret comes to light. Think awkward encounters, emotional breakdowns, and maybe even a dance-off or two. Co-directed by the hilarious Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne, Am I Ok? is a refreshing and relatable take on love, loss, and figuring out who you really are. Whether you’re single, coupled up, or somewhere in between, this movie is guaranteed to hit you right in the feels.

So clear your calendars for June 6th and get ready to experience a...

Dakota Johnson has had a tough 2024. The actress stars in “Madame Web,” which might go down as one of the worst films of the year. Hell, the publicity tour was far more entertaining than the actual film. But coming next month is a film that might serve as a bit of a palate cleanser, “Am I Ok?”

Read More: ‘Am I Ok?’ Review: Dakota Johnson & Sonoya Mizuno Find True Love In A Heartwarming Coming Out Tale [Sundance]

As seen in the trailer for “Am I Ok?” the film tells the story of a 30-something woman who is terrible at finding love.

Continue reading ‘Am I Ok?’ Trailer: Dakota Johnson & Sonoya Mizuno Star In New Comedy From Tig Notaro & Stephanie Allyne at The Playlist.

Dakota Johnson is asking herself what we all have at one time or another: “Am I Ok?”

Johnson stars in the simply titled feature that premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Tig Notaro co-directs with her wife and fellow comedian Stephanie Allynne from a semi-autobiographical script written by Lauren Pomerantz.

Johnson stars as 30something Lucy who realizes she is a lesbian just as her best friend Jane (Sonoya Mizuno) announces she’s moving from Los Angeles to London for work. As Lucy’s life is upended, she’s suddenly floating through a queer dating pool without the life raft of Jane.

Jermaine Fowler, Kiersey Clemons, Molly Gordon, and Sean Hayes also star, along with co-director Notaro.

Screenwriter Pomerantz told Entertainment Weekly that “Am I Ok?” began as a “friendship movie” centered on her actual best friend Jessica Elbaum, who serves as a producer on the film. However, the feature became a coming-out dramedy instead.

Premiering way back some 27 months ago at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, we’ve been curious what happened to Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne’s directorial feature debut Am I Ok?. Led by Dakota Johnson, Sonoya Mizuno, Jermaine Fowler, Kiersey Clemons, Molly Gordon, Sean Hayes, and Notaro, Max has now unveiled it’ll arrive on June 6 and has debuted a new trailer.

Here’s the synopsis: “Lucy (Johnson) and Jane (Mizuno) have been best friends for most of their lives and think they know everything there is to know about each other. But when Jane announces she’s moving to London, Lucy reveals a long-held secret. As Jane tries to help Lucy, their friendship is thrown into chaos.”

Jake Kring-Schreifels said in his review, “A romantic comedy that functions best as a fable of friendship and self-reflection, Am I Ok? is the kind of lightweight, amiable movie that just barely earns...

Amazon announced on Thursday that Hello Again, the newest special from comedian Tig Notaro, will premiere on Prime Video on March 26. Check out a clip above.

Directed by Notaro’s wife, Stephanie Allynne, the special comes on the heels of her HBO hour Tig Notaro: Drawn, which made history as the first fully animated stand-up special in 2021. It’s said to be packed with delightfully awkward misunderstandings, health scares made hilarious, and family moments with her wife and children that are simultaneously sidesplitting and heartwarming.

From the “Make Believe Lounge” to the hallway outside her physical therapist’s office, Notaro finds humor in situations ranging from the everyday to the bizarre, crafting comedy out of hallucinatory text messages, a botched meeting with a Hollywood heavyweight, and a late-night encounter with a mustachioed fireman who has her questioning everything.

Notaro was previously in business with Amazon as the co-creator and star...

Dakota Johnson is calling out Hollywood for being “afraid” to greenlight and distribute indie films.

The “Madame Web” actress and TeaTime producer told L’Officiel that she finds it “really fucking bleak” that executives, especially at streaming services, aren’t willing to to take a risk on smaller budget original movies.

“We made a movie called ‘Daddio’ that was sold at Telluride to Sony Classics, which was amazing, but it took a lot of fighting to get that made,” Johnson said. “People are just so afraid, and I’m like, why? What’s going to happen if you do something brave? It just feels like nobody knows what to do and everyone’s afraid. That’s what it feels like. Everyone who makes decisions is afraid. They want to do the safe thing, and the safe thing is really boring.”

Johnson continued, “I am discovering that it’s really fucking bleak in this industry.

Music videos have been good to Cristina Dunlap. As a photography-obsessed high schooler, a chance meeting landed the L.A. native a gig shooting stills on a music video. It happened to be for Death Cab for Cutie, leading to a run of jobs with influential directors like Hiro Murai and Ace Norton. After working her way up to the role of cinematographer, a Coldplay video collaboration with Dakota Johnson led to Dunlap shooting a pair of features starring the actress, Am I Ok? and Cha Cha Real Smooth, both of which premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. A music […]

The post “I’ve Never Had a Director Give Me a Gif as a Reference Before”: Dp Cristina Dunlap on American Fiction first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Music videos have been good to Cristina Dunlap. As a photography-obsessed high schooler, a chance meeting landed the L.A. native a gig shooting stills on a music video. It happened to be for Death Cab for Cutie, leading to a run of jobs with influential directors like Hiro Murai and Ace Norton. After working her way up to the role of cinematographer, a Coldplay video collaboration with Dakota Johnson led to Dunlap shooting a pair of features starring the actress, Am I Ok? and Cha Cha Real Smooth, both of which premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. A music […]

The post “I’ve Never Had a Director Give Me a Gif as a Reference Before”: Dp Cristina Dunlap on American Fiction first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Three film cinematographers will reveal secrets behind their projects when they join Gold Derby’s special “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with 2024 awards contenders. They will participate in two video discussions to premiere on Wednesday, November 15, at 6:00 p.m. Pt; 9:00 p.m. Et. We’ll have a one-on-one with our senior editor Marcus Dixon and a roundtable chat with all of the group together.

RSVP today to our entire ongoing contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.

American Fiction (MGM)

Synopsis: A novelist who is fed up with the establishment profiting from “Black” entertainment uses a pen name to write a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.

Bio: Cristina Dunlap’s career has included “Am I Ok?,” “Blackalachia” and “Cha Cha Real Smooth.

Ramy Youssef’s upcoming Amazon animated series has set its main cast, Variety has learned exclusively.

The series, which was originally ordered for two seasons in March 2022 under Youssef’s first-look deal with Amazon, is now titled “#1 Happy Family USA.”

The series regulars are Youssef along with Alia Shawkat, Salma Hindy (“Roast Battle”), Randa Jarrar (“Ramy”), Mandy Moore, Chris Redd, Akaash Singh, and Whitmer Thomas. Full character descriptions can be found below.

The series logline describes “#1 Happy Family USA” as an exploration of “the experiences of a Muslim-American family that must learn how to code-switch as they navigate the early 2000s: a time of fear, war, and the rapid expansion of the boy-band industrial complex.”

Youssef co-created the series with Pam Brady. Both serve as executive producers along with Mona Chalabi, a journalist and illustrator whose work has been featured in publications like The New Yorker and The New York Times,...

Picturestart and Ghetto Film School (Gfs) have announced the winners of their “Discover Your Voice” fellowship contest.

The winning projects come from filmmakers Zenzele Ojore (grand prize), Danni Juhl (first prize) and Jenna Anderson and Mags Chamberlain (second prize), who were rewarded with prize money totaling 21,000.

“Together with Ghetto Film School, we were inspired to establish this fellowship to discover, elevate and celebrate emerging voices that are shaping the future of filmmaking,” stated Picturestart founder and CEO Erik Feig and company president Samie Kim Falvey. “The experience itself was eye-opening to the caliber of storytelling these young filmmakers are creating and we are excited to acknowledge Zenzele, Danni, Jenna and Mags for their incredible work.”

Ojore’s “The South Is My Sister’s Skin” was awarded the 10,000 grand prize. Set in “the belly of the American South,” according to official logline, the film follows “two Black sisters from childhood to...

Click here to read the full article.

With a third Sonic the Hedghog movie now in the works, Sega, the video game company behind the global hit, is now targeting other titles for adaptation.

Sega has partnered with Picturestart, the banner behind the recently released Am I Ok? and Sundance hit Cha Cha Real Smooth, to develop film adaptations of two of its 1990s video game titles, Space Channel 5 and Comix Zone.

Channel 5, a comedy/dance adaptation of the cult-classic 1999 dance game, will tell the story of a hapless fast-food worker who is recruited by a freedom reporter from the future to save the world from aliens using the one thing that unites all people on the planet: our love of silly viral dances.

That project is being written by Barry Battles and Nir Paniry. Battles wrote and directed The Baytown Outlaws, a 2012 crime comedy starring Billy Bob Thornton and Eva Longoria.

Exclusive: Karen Gillan (Thor: Love and Thunder) will star opposite Margaret Sophie Stein (Bullets Over Broadway), Jermaine Fowler (Sorry to Bother You), Kevin Nealon (SNL) and Talia Balsam (Divorce) in the Lisa Steen-directed comedy Late Bloomers from We’re Doin’ Great and Park Pictures, which has wrapped production in Brooklyn, NY.

The film written by Anna Greenfield is loosely based on her experience living in Brooklyn in her 20s. It centers on Louise (Gillan), an aimless millennial who drunkenly breaks her hip, landing her in physical therapy. There, she makes an elderly Polish Bff (Stein) who speaks no English. And it’s this unlikely friendship that gives her the courage to face what she’s been running from all along: Her mother’s early-onset Alzheimer’s. Fowler plays Louise’s Craigslist roommate/landlord Brick, with Nealon and Balsam as her parents.

Late Bloomers marks the feature directorial debut of Greenfield’s frequent collaborator,...

Dakota Johnson felt creatively liberated working as both a first-time producer and a star on “Cha Cha Real Smooth.”

Johnson produced writer/director-star Cooper Raiff’s coming-of-age film about a Bar Mitzvah party starter DJ who falls for a single mother of an autistic teen girl, which screened at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival before premiering June 14 on AppleTV.

“A lot of this process was different, because we worked on everything together,” Johnson told Entertainment Tonight about working with “Shithouse” director Raiff. “Depending on what we shot, and how it went, and if anything was improvised or if we didn’t get something or we got extra whatever it was, then we would adjust further the following scene, so that it would make more sense or call back to a joke that was made that wasn’t previously in the script. So, just constantly updating, so that it was a real,...

A misunderstood Dakota Johnson trapped in a tumultuous love affair? No, this isn’t the fourth “50 Shades” film

Johnson leads the latest Jane Austen adaptation of “Persuasion” for Netflix, premiering on the streamer July 15. The quiet longing of protagonist Anne Elliot will soon be known stateside, thanks to theater director Carrie Cracknell making her feature directorial debut with the Netflix film.

Cracknell famously directed Jake Gyllenhaal in Broadway’s “Seawall/A Life” and most recently Vanessa Kirby in “Julie” and also helmed 2012 short film “Nora,” commissioned by the Guardian, the Young Vic, and The Space theaters.

“Rain Man” Oscar winner Ron Bass co-wrote the “Persuasion” script with Alice Victoria Winslow.

The official Netflix logline reads: Living with her snobby family on the brink of bankruptcy, Anne Elliot (Johnson) is a non-conforming woman with modern sensibilities. When Frederick Wentworth (Cosmo Jarvis) — the dashing one she once sent away — crashes back into her life,...

Lucy Kitada has joined Lord Miller, the production company of Oscar winners Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, as EVP Film. In this new role, she will find, develop and produce film projects, reporting to President of Film Aditya Sood.

Lord Miller also announced today that it has extended the contracts of VP Film Rebecca Karch Tomlinson and VP Film NikkI Baida, promoting Justin Lee to Creative Executive. Tomlinson exec produced the upcoming indie Los Frikis from directors Mike Schwarz and Tyler Nilson, with Baida exec producing the upcoming Universal feature Strays, starring Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx and Will Forte, which is slated for release on June 9, 2023.

Kitada previously served as EVP Film at Picturestart. She most recently produced Stephanie Allyne & Tig Notaro’s Am I Ok?, starring Dakota Johnson, Soyona Mizuno, Jermaine Fowler, Kiersey Clemons and Molly Gordon, which she brought in as Picturestart’s first fully-financed feature. The film...

“This movie’s going to make the world forget about all their problems.”

The only question: Which movie?

Judd Apatow co-writes, directs, and produces upcoming Netflix comedy “The Bubble,” about the makings of a fictional movie in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. While “The Bubble” will be available to stream April 1, the faux film at the center of its plot, “Cliff Beasts 6: Battle for Everest: Memories of a Requiem,” alas will never hit theaters…especially if its director, played by Fred Armisen, can’t deliver a satisfying cut to the studio executive (Kate McKinnon).

“The Bubble” centers on the behind-the-scenes drama of making the sixth installment in the “Cliff Beasts” universe, the “23rd largest dino franchise ever.”

A group of actors, including fictionalized versions of Leslie Mann, Iris Apatow, David Duchovny, Keegan-Michael Key, Pedro Pascal, and Karen Gillan are stuck inside a “pandemic bubble” at a hotel while...

Josephine Decker knows it sounds a little weird — that the filmmaker behind such tone poems as “Thou Wast Mild & Lovely” and “Butter on the Latch” and internal dramas like “Madeline’s Madeline” and “Shirley” wanted to make an Apple-backed adaption of a popular YA novel for her fifth feature film — but it made perfect sense to her.

“I remember calling my mom when I first got the movie and I was like, ‘I’m making my first happy movie, Mom. You’re going to love it. You’re going to be so excited to watch it!'” Decker said in a recent interview with IndieWire. “She’s like, ‘What’s it about?’ And I was like, ‘It’s about a girl whose sister died.’ But it really is, by far, my happiest movie. It’s much more positive than the things I usually make, and I was really ready for that.

Exclusive: Erik Feig’s Picturestart and Patrick Wachsberger’s Picture Perfect Federation have set Luce and Cloverfield Paradox filmmaker Julius Onah to direct their college admissions thriller Bad Genius, which is gearing up for a summer shoot.

Luce scribe J.C. Lee, whose credits as a writer and co-producer also include series such as How To Get Away With Murder and Looking, has scripted the feature with Onah.

As previously announced, the film is an English-language remake of the hit 2017 Thai film by Nattawut Poonpiriya. The US-set adaptation is being described as a high-octane thriller about a group of entrepreneurial high school seniors who team up to take down a rigged college admissions system. Casting discussions are underway.

Former Lionsgate film chiefs Wachsberger and Feig are producing and will be overseeing sales and finance in coming weeks. International distributors are expected to be a key part of the finance.

Both execs...

Dakota Johnson has entered into talks to star as the title character in Sony’s ‘Spider-Man’ spin-off ‘Madame Web.’

‘Madame Web’ is one of a number of projects currently in development as the studio builds out its Sony Universe of Marvel Characters. ‘Madame Web’ is a clairvoyant mutant who specializes in predicting the future of Spider-themed superheroes. She is responsible for having mentored not only Peter Parker’s alter ego, but also multiple generations of heroes calling themselves Spider-Woman. Usually depicted as a blind, paralyzed old woman, she is surrounded by a web-like machine necessary to keep her alive, meaning that she stays away from direct conflict, and rather sends others on missions.

Also in news – Dune, The Power of the Dog lead BAFTA 2022 nominations

S.J. Clarkson is set to direct the feature. ‘Morbius’ scribes Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless have penned the current script.

Johnson can currently be...

Dakota Johnson is in talks to star in Sony’s “Madame Web,” which follows yet another character in the studio’s extended universe of Marvel characters, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

Johnson’s deal has not yet closed, but she would be tapped to play the lead in the film directed by S.J. Clarkson. Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless wrote the screenplay.

The “Madame Web” comics follow Cassandra Webb, a clairvoyant and precognitive mutant. Webb is an elderly woman with a neural muscular disease that forces her to be connected to a life support system that resembles a spider’s web. Denny O. Neil and John Romita Jr. created the character.

Madame Web is generally a supporting character in the Marvel comics universe and not strictly someone who fights crime, but she first appeared in “The Amazing Spider-Man” #210, published in 1980, and worked to help Spider-Man find a kidnap victim.

Dakota Johnson is suiting up for the Sony Universe of Marvel Characters.

The actor has been cast as Madame Web in the studio’s next standalone superhero movie. It would mark Sony’s first modern comic book adaptation to feature a female in the title role. Insiders close to the project stress that Johnson’s deal is not closed but confirm she is in talks to secure the role.

S.J. Clarkson, known for her work on Netflix’s darker Marvel series “Jessica Jones” and the McU-set spinoff “The Defenders,” has been hired to direct the “Madame Web” film. Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, the duo behind Jared Leto’s upcoming vampire chiller “Morbius,” will write the screenplay.

In the comics, Madame Web is key in the interconnected multiverse, a somewhat confusing concept that Sony, Disney and Warner Bros. have each separately started to tease in on-screen adventures. In effect, the...

There’s no spell necessary to adore Dakota Johnson’s filmography.

The “50 Shades of Grey” alum is currently on the awards circuit for her scene-stealing turn opposite Olivia Colman in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Lost Daughter,” and Johnson’s two films at the 2022 Sundance Festival — “Cha Cha Real Smooth” and “Am I Ok?” — both landed at major streaming services.

But some may argue that it was 2018’s “Suspiria” remake that truly first showcased Johnson’s haunting range. Luca Guadagnino revisited Dario Argento’s classic 1977 horror film by adding a new context of the German Autumn to create a larger-scale production, according to screenwriter David Kajganich.

“I went into just hard research about the history of witchcraft,” Kajganich told IndieWire. “[I was] just trying to figure out as practically as possible what a real coven in Berlin in 1977 might look like, and how it might behave, and what their rituals might involve.

With Sundance going virtual for the second year in a row, audiences could once again explore the lineup from around the world, including accredited critics and journalists. This year, 135 of them participated in IndieWire’s annual Sundance critics survey of the best films at the festival, and the results speak to the range of movies that stood out in this year’s lineup.

While several films from the festival have yet to secure distribution, the ones with the most support in our survey found it over the past two weeks, suggesting that buyers and critics saw eye to eye this year. “Cha Cha Real Smooth,” the sophomore effort from 24-year-old filmmaker Cooper Raiff, dominated the survey in the categories of Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. The movie marks Raiff’s second in two years, following his 2020 debut “Shithouse,” which won the Grand Jury Prize at SXSW.

In “Cha Cha Real Smooth,...

The Sundance Film Festival closed its second virtual edition on Sunday, having fielded a few breakout new films and filmmakers, as well as some big sales.

With the indie film box office in the doldrums, many of the most aggressive buyers were streaming giants, which have both an insatiable need for content and a desire to generate some awards buzz. While some of the movies received a more muted reception than in past years, when a standing ovation at Park City’s Eccles Theater was enough to trigger an all-night bidding war, there’s been no shortage of headline-making moments. Plus, a slow-burning sales market caught fire as Sundance came to a close, leaving some indie filmmakers the richer for their festival experience. Here are some key takeaways:

Peak Pandemic Politics

America has never felt more divided, and many of the films premiering at this year’s Sundance shine a light on that political chasm.

In another era, traditional movie studios would have exhaustively battled to buy a Sundance Film Festival crowd-pleaser like “Cha Cha Real Smooth” in the hopes of turning critical raves into the next theatrical hit.

“Cha Cha Real Smooth,” writer-director Cooper Raiff’s charming story about a budding friendship between an aimless college grad and a young mother, seemed tailor-made to charm the snow boots off Sundance buyers — and it did. Apple TV Plus outbid competitors and bought the movie for $15 million, the biggest sale at this year’s festival. But unlike perennial Sundance favorite “Little Miss Sunshine,” Kumail Nanjiani’s unconventional rom-com “The Big Sick,” the Mister Rogers documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” and other indie darlings that came before it, “Cha Cha Real Smooth” wasn’t sold to a conventional movie studio and therefore won’t require box office dollars to justify its price tag. If the...

HBO Max and Warner Bros. has acquired rights to “Am I Ok?,” the Dakota Johnson romantic comedy that was applauded this week at the Sundance Film Festival about a woman coming to terms with her sexuality.

Details on the dollar figure have not been released.

“Am I Ok” is the feature debut for co-directors Tig Notaro and her wife, Stephanie Allynne, and for “SNL” writer Lauren Pomerantz, and is produced by Picturestart, Gloria Sanchez Productions and Johnson’s TeaTime Pictures.

The film centers on Lucy (Johnson), a 32-year-old woman who wonders why her dates never lead to the bedroom and, after some Googling, wonders if she’s gay. Pomerantz based the story on her own coming out experience 15 years ago.

The cast also includes Jermaine Fowler, Kiersey Clemons, Molly Gordon and Sean Hayes.

TheWrap’s critic calls “Am I Ok?” “a warmhearted crowdpleaser undercut by moments of hesitation…[that] has all...

The deals keep coming at the 2022 Virtual Sundance Film Festival. Mubi closed the docu Free Chol Soo Lee, including North America, and Warner Bros is negotiating a near $7 million WW rights deal for the Tig Notaro/Stephanie Allynne film Am I Ok? to place the film on HBO Max. The Lauren Pomerantz-scripted film stars Dakota Johnson, Sonoya Mizuno, Jermaine Fowler, Molly Gordon, and Sean Hayes.

Am I Ok? premiered January 24 and played in the Premieres category. Lucy and Jane have been best friends for most of their lives and think they know everything there is to know about each other. But when Jane announces she’s moving to London, Lucy reveals a longheld secret. As Jane tries to help Lucy, their friendship is thrown into chaos. The film is produced by Stephanie Allynne, Ro Donnelly, Jessica Elbaum, Erik Feig and Will Ferrell, a coproduction between Gloria Sanchez Productions and Picturestart.

Warner Bros. and HBO Max has nabbed “Am I Ok?,” a romantic comedy starring Dakota Johnson as a woman grappling with her sexuality. The movie premiered this week to mostly positive reviews at the virtual Sundance Film Festival.

Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne co-directed “Am I Ok?,” which was written by Lauren Pomerantz and produced by Picturestart, Gloria Sanchez Productions and Johnson’s TeaTime Pictures.

It will premiere on HBO Max at a yet-to-be-determined date.

“Am I Ok?” follows 32-year-old Lucy (Johnson), who lives in Los Angeles and figures out later in life that the reason her dates with the opposite gender never end with anything more than a handshake is because, well, she’s not attracted to men. With the help of her life-long friend Jane (Sonoya Mizuno), Lucy attempts to navigate coming out in her 30s. The story is loosely based on Pomerantz’s own life.

The cast also includes Jermaine Fowler,...

Festival runs through January 30.

Updated January 29: Netflix has acquired worldwide rights to Participant’s Sundance documentary Descendant on Friday (28), which Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground will present alongside the streamer.

Showtime Documentary Films moved on Ramin Bahrani’s Sundance Premieres entry 2nd Chance and on Saturday Warner Bros and HBO Max took worldwide rights to Dakota Johnson drama Am I Ok? and Mubi picked up Free Choi Soo Lee.

Margaret Brown’s Descendant premiered in U.S. Documentary Competition and follows members of Africatown, a small community in Alabama, as they share their personal stories and community...

Am I Ok? Review — Am I Ok? (2022) Film Review from the 44th Annual Sundance Film Festival, a movie directed by Stephanie Allynne and Tig Notaro and starring Dakota Johnson, Sonoya Mizuno, Jermaine Fowler, Kiersey Clemons, Molly Gordon, Whitmer Thomas, Sean Hayes, Tig Notaro, Odessa A’zion, Patrick McDonald, Mayank Bhatter, Jess Nurse, Emma [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: Am I Ok?: Dakota Johnson and Sonoya Mizuno Are Charming in Predictable Comedy [Sundance 2022]...