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A trio of entertainment veterans — Lloyd Braun, Sarah Bremner and Noah Oppenheim — have come together to form independent production studio Prologue Entertainment, with an investment from Jeff Zucker and RedBird Capital Partners.

Prologue, with offices in New York and L.A., is set up to develop and produce premium scripted series and film content, and will house existing projects that are already under way. According to the company, it will be able to finance and co-finance productions. Braun, a longtime TV exec, most recently was chairman of WME; Bremner is a former Netflix film executive and most recently served as president of Ava DuVernay’s Array Filmworks; and Oppenheim was formerly president of NBC News.

The amount of RedBird Capital’s investment in Prologue is not being disclosed. RedBird’s investment will be overseen by Zucker, the former CEO of CNN who is an operating partner at RedBird.

“We’re...

Before “Iron Man” and “Thor,” before “Spider-Man” and “X-Men,” there was “Blade.” Starring Wesley Snipes as the titular daywalking half-vampire vampire slayer, the movie debuted in 1998 at a time when Marvel comics had yet to enjoy a successful feature film adaptation. The New Line Cinema production was enough of a hit — grossing $131.2 million worldwide — that Snipes returned for two sequels, establishing the company’s first ever bona fide movie franchise. Had “Blade” bombed, the Marvel Cinematic Universe may never have happened.

So when Marvel Studios announced in 2019 that two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali was going to bring the character to the MCU, it seemed like a total no brainer.

Five years later, however, “Blade” has weathered the Covid-19 pandemic and two major guild strikes, faced three release date changes, lost two directors, and hired at least a half dozen screenwriters in what could be the most protracted development process...

Netflix stuck the landing on a star-studded exhibition match between tennis superstars Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz this weekend. Stakes were high on the court, but the Las Vegas showdown was most effective as a lush advertisement for the streamer as a fledgling live sports destination.

Taking over the Mandalay Bay’s Michelob Ultra Arena, the inaugural Netflix Slam pit legend Nadal against 20-year-old Alcaraz. Rafa, as Nadal is affectionately known to millions of global fans, had not played since a hip injury flared up in 2023. Nadal has only faced Alcaraz a handful of times in his career and wound up losing to the prodigy in a nail-biting tie break.

No one really lost, though. Least of all Netflix. Branding was so pervasive in the hotel and casino that pedestrians lined up 100 deep to take photos in front of a “Netflix Slam” sign, installed on a massive wall of tennis balls.

Exclusive: Film Mode Entertainment has locked a series of deals on Blue Light, the latest feature from American filmmaker Andy Fickman.

Sales for Blue Light include Germany (Lighthouse Home Entertainment), Malaysia (Feather Entertainment), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), Philippines (Pioneer Films), United Kingdom (101 Films), India (VR Films and Studios), Middle East (Eagle Films Middle East), and Poland (Media4Fun).

Blue Light is based on a series of true and terrifying unexplained events. The film follows a group of friends on a road trip who soon realize something terrifying and unworldly is threatening their lives. The ensemble cast features Bella DeLong, Amber Janea (Lifetime’s A Predator Returns), Daryl Tofa (Two-Bit in The Outsiders on Broadway), Ana Zambrana (La Traición en la Amistad), Crystal Lake Evans (Starz’s Hightown...

Ava DuVernay has only made five narrative features, but she’s one of the busiest women in Hollywood.

Before 2023, the California-born filmmaker’s last feature was her “A Wrinkle in Time” adaptation, released in theaters in 2018 — a five-year gap between releases that’s partially attributable to projects that sputtered in development like DC’s “New Gods” film and a Prince biopic. And yet, DuVernay has remained a constant presence during that relatively long gap, translating her numerous talents to producing and TV work. She created and directed the acclaimed Netflix miniseries “When They See Us,” about the controversial Central Park Five case. Several other TV projects followed, including OWN’s “Cherish the Day,” Netflix’s “Colin in Black and White,” and The CW’s “Naomi.” But while many of those projects have been terrific, it’s great to see the director of great films like “Middle of Nowhere” and “Selma...

For Ava DuVernay, whose projects like 13th, Selma, and When They See Us challenge viewers to contend with the gut-wrenching racism that’s colored American history, Origin provides a more global perspective on racial inequality and its foundation within social hierarchies.

“I try to make soul food with my movies, not junk food, not fast food,” DuVernay tells Rolling Stone. “Not stuff that goes in and goes straight up the next day, but stuff that sticks to your ribs.”

Origin, which DuVernay wrote and directed, draws inspiration from Isabel Wilkerson’s best-selling book Caste,...

Growing up, Kris Bowers felt like he was an outsider trying to fit in.

These days, he is anything but that in Hollywood. The Oscar-nominated composer has scored a wide array of projects in the past five years, ranging from “Green Book” to “When They See Us,” and worked with Ava DuVernay and Shonda Rhimes repeatedly. This year alone, the Daytime Emmy winner’s credits include “Origin” and “The Color Purple” in addition to “Chevalier,” “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story,” and “Haunted Mansion.”

It was during his middle school years — “a troubling time emotionally,” Bowers says — that he discovered how to channel his feelings through music. The L.A. native, who learned to play the piano at age 4 before expanding his training in classical and jazz, found himself gravitating back to the keyboard once puberty hit.

“The piano was more of a thing that I wanted to do because I...

Bella DeLong (“The Winchesters”) and Amber Janea (“A Predator Returns”) have been cast in Andy Fickman’s upcoming horror feature “Blue Light.”

Daryl Tofa (“Two-Bit”), Ana Zambrana (“La Traición en la Amistad”), Crystal Lake Evans (“Hightown”), Jarrett Brown (“Colin in Black and White”), John Bucy (“Frasier”) and Finley Rose Slater (“Playing with Fire”) round out the cast.

“Race to Witch Mountain” helmer Fickman directs the film, which “follows a group of friends on a road trip who soon realize something terrifying and unworldly is threatening their lives.” It is apparently based on “true and and terrifying unexplained events.”

The feature, which is set to premiere at AFM, has already sold to Germany (Lighthouse Home Entertainment), India (VR Films and Studios), the Middle East (Eagle Films Middle East) and Poland (Media4Fun). Film Mode Entertainment are repping global rights.

Fickman produces alongside Todd Slater, Grant Slater, Betsy Sullenger, Scott Prisand, Katie Leary and Michael Speyer.

HBO has acquired the broadcast rights to “Chico Virtual,” a short film starring Jaden Michael. Written and directed by first-time filmmaker Olivia De Camps, “Chico Virtual” will premiere on HBO and stream on Max Sept. 18.

The film follows Javier (Michael), a young Dominican American boy who dreams of becoming a viral sensation, and hides that fact from his immigrant parents, played by Maite Bonilla and Fidel Vicioso. Per the official logline, “When Javier’s older brother is late to Javier’s graduation night after a job interview, the family starts to assume their worst fear has finally become a reality. The prospect leads to a direct confrontation between Javier’s emblematic online and at-home personas, forcing the teenager to confront the grim reality of being an undocumented immigrant in America.”

Produced by Tom Sidi and Ori Chevio, “Chico Virtual” was a winner in the 2022 HBO Max Latino Short Film Competition...

Are you ready to sink your teeth into a great mystery?

There's nothing better than a series that can capture the right tone of a suspenseful mystery while presenting rich characters who instantly lure you in.

And Harlan Coben's Shelter Season 1 Episode 1 excels at this from the second we lay eyes on Jaden Michael.

We're embarking on yet another book-to-screen adaptation, this time inspired by the work of Harlen Coben, and it doesn't show any signs of disappointment.

Shelter doesn't waste a single minute of its 55-minute-long premiere. If the rest of the season manages to keep up this type of momentum and strong storytelling, we're undoubtedly in for quite an exhilarating ride.

The series' strength is in these characters, who instantly feel thoroughly established, likely due to their being source material and a great cast who brings them to life.

Notably, Jaden Michael is a strong lead. Anyone...

Exclusive: Religion of Sports, the Emmy-winning sports media company founded by Gotham Chopra, Tom Brady and Michael Strahan, has today named Pietro Moro to the hybrid role of COO/CFO, also spotlighting the expansion of its production team with two promotions and four hirings.

In his new role at Ros, Moro will oversee teams in development, production and post-production, finance, human resources and operations. He comes to the company after serving as CFO of Gunpowder & Sky, the independent film and TV studio run by former MTV President Van Toffler. During his time at Gunpowder, Moro led finance, Hr and operations functions, spearheading the company’s corporate development efforts, and most recently, running the Dust and Alter direct-to-consumer brands division.

“I’ve been a fan of awe-inspiring stories about legendary athletes my entire life,” said Moro in a statement to Deadline. “After meeting with Gotham and Ameeth [Sankaran, CEO] and...

Ava DuVernay and Warner Bros. Television are parting ways.

Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the prolific multihyphenate has opted to end her overall deal with the studio following the conclusion of her five-year deal. The rich pact, which DuVernay signed in late 2018, officially ends May 31. Insiders say DuVernay is expected to focus more on her current film slate. It’s unclear if the writer-director-producer behind Caste and helmer of A Wrinkle in Time will set up shop with a TV deal elsewhere.

Sources say Warners and DuVernay’s decision to let the deal expire was a mutual one and was made months ago — before studios suspended overall deals with writers amid the ongoing labor strife between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the studios and streamers.

DuVernay signed with Warners when Peter Roth was still running the studio and...

Ava DuVernay is plotting a new path in television as her overall deal with Warner Bros. TV is coming to a close at the end of May.

The Selma director, who is behind series such as Netflix’s When They See Us and Colin In Black & White as well as OWN series Queen Sugar, signed a five-year deal with the studio in 2018, worth around $100M.

We hear there’s no drama and that it was a mutual decision to part ways. DuVernay is currently in post-production on her film Caste, which she is directing with stars Vera Farmiga, Niecy Nash, Nick Offerman, Jon Bernthal, Audra McDonald and Connie Nielsen, and we hear that her focus is currently on the feature world.

There are no details yet where she plans to move her television deal to.

DuVernay struck her deal back when the studio was run by Peter Roth and...

“True Detective” creator Nic Pizzolatto is set to rewrite Marvel Studios’ “Blade” reboot, according to an insider with knowledge of the project.

Michael Starrbury, who has penned episodes of Netflix and Ava DuVernay’s “When They See Us” and “Colin in Black and White,” wrote the previous draft of the screenplay.

Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali will star in the feature, following in the footsteps of Wesley Snipes, who portrayed the half-human vampire hunter in the original “Blade” trilogy. That hit comic book series kicked off in 1998 with “Blade,” followed by “Blade II” in 2002 and “Blade: Trinity” in 2004.

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‘Guardians of the Galaxy 3’ Review: A Grounded Return to a Well-Worn Franchise

Pizzolatto’s involvement also signifies a “True Detective” reunion, as Ali was a cast member in the third season of the HBO anthology.

The upcoming vampire-killing actioner has enlisted Yann Demange, a French-Algerian filmmaker known for his work...

“Infinity Pool” actress Mia Goth has joined the cast of Mahershala Ali’s “Blade,” according to an insider with knowledge of the project.

Yann Demange, a French-Algerian filmmaker whose previous credits include Jack O’Connell’s “71” and Matthew McConaughey’s “White Boy Rick,” is attached to direct the vampire-killing actioner.

Michael Starrbury, who has penned episodes of Netflix and Ava DuVernay’s “When They See Us” and “Colin in Black and White,” wrote the latest draft of the screenplay.

Assuming all goes well from here, production will begin in Atlanta in early 2023. While the film will reportedly be darker than a stereotypical Marvel romp, the extent this film will straddle the line between the safely PG-13 MCU entries and New Line Cinema’s original hard-r trilogy with Wesley Snipes remains to be seen.

Also Read:

Marvel Studios Temporarily Shuts Down Production on ‘Blade’

When Stephen Norrington’s “Blade” debuted in...

Between Warner Bros. axing her DC Comics movie, "New Gods," Netflix dropping her fantasy novel series adaptation, "Wings of Fire," and The CW canceling her DC superhero drama, "Naomi," it feels like it's been way too long since Ava DuVernay got to make headlines for good reasons. Thankfully, that changes with the celebrated storyteller's next directorial feature, "Caste," which began filming in December 2022 in Georgia ahead of planned shoots in Germany and India. This would be the "Selma" filmmaker's first time behind the camera on a full-length movie since her 2018 Disney fantasy adventure, "A Wrinkle in Time".

To her credit, DuVernay hasn't allowed those various cancelations to slow her down. Quite the opposite, she wrapped up her familial drama series "Queen Sugar" while also helming part of HBO Max's "Dmz" comic book miniseries adaptation over that same period of time (among other things — more on that to come). "Caste...

Ava DuVernay’s feature adaptation of Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents has just added Niecy Nash-Betts, Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Nick Offerman, Jasmine Cephas Jones and Connie Nielsen to the movie, which is shooting in Georgia.

The group joins King Richard Oscar nominee Aunjanue Ellis, who has the lead role. DuVernay is writing and directing, and producing alongside veteran collaborator Paul Garnes.

A bestseller and shortlisted for several awards, Wilkerson’s Caste examines racism in America through the prism of social, economic and cultural delineation and “pillars” of exclusion.

Nash-Betts, fresh off a Critics Choice Award win for her role in Netflix’s Dahmer, is reteaming with DuVernay after receiving an Emmy nomination for her turn in the Netflix limited series When They See Us. She is also the lead of ABC’s The Rookie: Feds. She is repped by WME and Artists First.

The ensemble for Academy Award nominee Ava DuVernay’s upcoming film “Caste” is growing more star-studded with the addition of Niecy Nash-Betts, Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Nick Offerman, Jasmine Cephas Jones and Connie Nielsen.

The six actors join Academy Award nominee Aunjanue Ellis, who was previously announced as the lead in the film inspired by Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson’s “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.” Described in The New York Times as “an instant American classic and almost certainly the keynote nonfiction book of the American century thus far,” the book — and subsequently DuVernay’s film — examines the system of hierarchy that has shaped America.

DuVernay writes, directs and produces the film alongside her longtime collaborator Array Filmworks’ Paul Garnes. “Caste” is currently in production in Georgia, financed by J4A.

Nash-Betts and Farmiga reunite with DuVernay after each earning Emmy nominations for their performances in the 2019 Netflix...

Niecy Nash-Betts, Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Nick Offerman, Jasmine Cephas Jones and Connie Nielsen have joined Aunjanue Ellis in Ava DuVernay’s next feature.

DuVernay is writing and directing the movie based on Isabel Wilkerson’s book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent. Ellis, who was nominated for an Oscar for her work in King Richard, was earlier announced for the leading role in the film adaptation now shooting in Georgia and based on a book that examines the system of hierarchy that shaped America.

DuVernay is producing alongside Paul Garnes of Array Filmworks and Ellis. The Rookie: Feds star Nash-Betts recently appeared in Netflix’s Dahmer and also had a role in DuVernay’s Netflix limited series When They See Us.

Bernthal reunites with Ellis after they co-starred in King Richard, and he most recently appeared in FX’s The Bear. Farmiga received an Emmy nomination for her...

Exclusive: Colin Kaepernick has signed with CAA for representation.

The former NFL star holds the all-time NFL record for most rushing yards in a game by a quarterback. In 2016, he took a knee during “The Star Spangled Banner” to bring attention to systemic oppressions against Black and Brown people, and since then, has founded and helped to fund three organizations: Know Your Rights Camp, Ra Vision Media, and Kaepernick Publishing, which advance the liberation of Black and Brown people through storytelling, systems change, and political education.

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Kaepernick sits on Medium’s Board of Directors, and has garnered numerous honors, including Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award; Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights...

(Welcome to ...And More, our no-frills, zero B.S. guide to when and where you can watch upcoming movies and shows, and everything else you could possibly stand to know.)

It's been more than 15 years since "That '70s Show" went off the air, but fans of the groovy throwback sitcom have never stopped loving it. From the basement "circle" where the core cast of teens kicked back and smoked weed, to the water tower where Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) repeatedly fell, to the driveway of the Formans' home where Eric (Topher Grace) and Donna (Laura Prepon) shared a decade's worth of awkward and romantic moments, Point Place, Wisconsin is a sitcom town that's never really left fans' hearts.

Luckily, we can go back. The series' original creators are returning to Point Place with "That '90s Show," a sequel series that follows a new generation of teenager nerds and ne'er-do-wells as they get stoned,...

Who’s ready for a return trip to Point Place?

Netflix on Tuesday announced that That ’90s Show, a continuation of Fox’s That ’70s Show, will premiere on Thursday, Jan. 19. What’s more, the streamer released a teaser/trailer featuring first footage from the 10-episode revival, which you can watch below.

More from TVLineWednesday Bests a Netflix Viewership Record Set by Stranger Things 4Wednesday Boss Says Fred Armisen Shaved His Head to Play Uncle Fester (And He's Only in One Episode)Wednesday Showrunners Share Potential Season 2 Plans for Addams Family Series -- Plus, Grade the Finale

The That ’70s Show...

Exclusive: Laura Chinn’s teenage movie Suncoast starring Laura Linney, Woody Harrelson and Nico Parker has added Ella Anderson, Daniella Perkins, Amarr and Ariel Martin.

Suncoast is inspired by Chinn’s life experience from the early aughts and follows a teenager (Parker) living with her strong-willed mother (Linney), who must take her brother to live at a specialized facility. There, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with an eccentric activist (Harrelson) amidst protests surrounding one of the most landmark medical cases of all time.

Chinn is currently directing off her 2020 Black List script in Charleston, Sc. Producers are Jeremy Plager, Francesca Silvestri, Kevin Chinoy and Oly Obst. EPs are Chris Stinson and Amy Greene with Anna Schwartz co-producing.

The project is overseen by Searchlight SVP of Production Taylor Friedman and Manager of Creative Affairs Daniel Yu, reporting to Heads of Production and Development DanTram Nguyen and Katie Goodson-Thomas.

Anderson has...

Exclusive: Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds), Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix franchise), Isabelle Fuhrman (The Novice) and Liana Liberato (To the Bone) have signed on to star in Justine Bateman’s upcoming feature Face, based on her 2021 bestseller, Face: One Square Foot of Skin.

The film penned by Bateman consists of 14 vignettes, both comedic and dramatic, which look at women’s faces getting older, and why that makes people angry. While much of society appears to assume that women’s faces are somehow broken and need to be fixed, Face reveals some of the many ways in which women, and those around them, allow this idea to take root at all.

Parker will play Tanya, an actress balancing her need to use her face for her job and the pressure to not move it at all, with Moss as Mrs. Foster, a kindergarten teacher whose young students remind her of the magical functionality of the face.

Click here to read the full article.

Activist and professional football player Colin Kaepernick and his longtime girlfriend, radio and TV personality Nessa Diab, are parents.

Diab announced Sunday on Instagram that the couple welcomed a baby “a few weeks ago.”

“[W]e are over the moon with our growing family,” she wrote. “Recovering after delivery has been a journey (more on that later) and honestly I wasn’t going to share anything because this is sooooo personal to us and I realized I’m a complete mama bear! Colin is the most amazing dad and I’m soooo grateful that he is by our side for every moment of this journey.”

This is the first child for Kaepernick, who played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers and is now a free agent, and Diab, who has a show on New York radio station Hot 97 and has appeared on on...

"It was so much bigger than football." Dark Star has revealed an official trailer for a documentary titled Kaepernick & America, which first premiered at the Seattle Film Festival and then played at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year. It's releasing on VOD to watch next week for anyone interested. Kaepernick & America explores the intersection between Colin Kaepernick's anthem protests and the extreme reactions they spurred in the United States over the last few years, revealing unique insights into America's ongoing racial turmoil and obsession with white supremacy. The powerful documentary "examines the man and his protest, exploring the remarkable conflict stirred by such a simple gesture." Ever since he started to oppose police brutality, civil rights activist and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's actions have reverberated worldwide as shown in this doc. I also think Ava DuVernary's Kaepernick series Colin in Black & White is fantastic and worth watching,...

Click here to read the full article.

In June 2019, the gender-parity industry coalition ReFrame unveiled Rise, its two-year program to support the continuation of mid-level female directors’ careers. After a slight pandemic-affected delay, ReFrame Rise has now returned with its second cohort, which expands to include cinematographers.

Each woman will be matched with a career coach and a team of industry professionals to sponsor them (a relationship that involves a more committed level of participation than mentorship).

“We have learned firsthand the value of the sponsorship opportunity for women artists and look forward to supporting this next group as they level up and find sustainability in their careers,” Sundance Institute founding senior director of Artist Programs and ReFrame Leadership Council member Michelle Satter said in a statement. (ReFrame is a collaboration between the institute and Women in Film.)

“The numbers of women cinematographers hired on our industry’s largest projects...

After both losing the 2021 Best Movie/Limited Supporting Actress Emmy to Julianne Nicholson (“Mare of Easttown”), Kathryn Hahn (“WandaVision”) and Phillipa Soo (“Hamilton”) could face each other in the same category this year as respective cast members of “The Shrink Next Door” and “Dopesick.” Scroll down to see our 2022 Emmy predictions for Supporting Actress (TV Movie/Limited Series).

Hahn and Soo might also be joined in the 2022 lineup by two past recipients of the award: 2004 (“Angels in America”) winner Mary-Louise Parker (“Colin in Black and White”) and 2013 (“Political Animals”) winner Ellen Burstyn (“The First Lady”).

“American Horror Story: Double Feature” costars Frances Conroy and Sarah Paulson are each looking to earn their respective third and sixth nominations for the anthology series. Other previous nominees seeking bids this year include Vera Farmiga (“Hawkeye”), Margo Martindale (“Impeachment”), and Shailene Woodley (“The Fallout”).

Frontrunners

Jennifer Coolidge, “The White Lotus”

Andie MacDowell, “Maid”

Kaitlyn Dever,...

Image Source: Ally Green

You may know Jean Elie as Issa Rae's quick-witted onscreen brother, Ahmal Dee, in HBO's "Insecure," but the beloved, since-concluded series was just the beginning of the actor's Tinseltown tenure. The Brockton, Ma, native is gearing up for his next big project: a dark-comedy coming-of-age series called "Send Help" and green-lit on AMC's Allblk streaming service. Since the "Insecure" series finale, Elie has added "cocreator" to his résumé, leading the Allblk show alongside "Insecure" writer alum Mike Gauyo. "Send Help" stars Elie as first-generation Haitian American Fritz Jean-Baptiste on his journey of "making it" in Hollywood after experiencing a family tragedy - a story largely inspired by the multihyphenate's own life.

"It's about the journey, the process of getting there, and the lessons you learn along the way."

"['Send Help'] comes from hearing a lot of people talk about their journey, a lot of first-generation Haitians,...

All 22,000 plus voting members of the TV academy have until June 27 to cast their 2022 Emmy Awards nominations ballots for programs. Unlike the Oscars, voters for the Emmys do not rank their choices and nominees are determined by a simple tally. In the past, voters were limited in the number of programs that they could put forth. Five years ago, that cap (which was usually 10 per category) was lifted.

While the comedy and drama series ballots have each maintained an average of over 100 entrants in recent years, there have nearly always been fewer than 40 choices in the limited series genre. This year, however, the field is much larger at 61, which is up by 24 from last year. There were 41 contenders in 2020, 35 in 2019, and 33 in 2018. Five series from the list below will make the cut and be announced as Emmy nominees on July 12.

Unlike comedy and drama series, which are simply listed on the ballot by name,...

The number and range of superstars vying for Emmys this year – everyone from Kanye West and 50 Cent to Mick Jagger and Imagine Dragons – is staggering.

More than 600 entries in the seven Emmy music categories were unveiled today as voting began for the nominations round. Nominations will be announced by the Television Academy on July 12.

The most star-studded category is that of best song. “Euphoria” star Zendaya and composer Labrinth, who won Emmys for the series in 2020, have entered two songs from this past season as co-writers and could score again given the huge popularity of the HBO series. Labrinth has also entered in the series-score category.

Country stars Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert are up for songs in “Nine Perfect Strangers” and “Queer Eye,” respectively. Music docs are included too, as Sheryl Crow has entered a song from the new Showtime documentary on her life and Mary J. Blige...

Click here to read the full article.

Every few years, a certain segment of America remembers racism. The news jerks them out of a fabricated post-racial stupor and inspires a bundle of emotions: guilt, anxiety, fury. What they do with these feelings often becomes more the subject of headlines and analysis than the precipitating event.

It’s a curious cycle, one that Tommy Walker (Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am, God Grew Tired of Us) and Ross Hockrow try to make sense of in their elementary documentary Kaepernick & America. Their earnest efforts might turn off viewers already attuned to the cycles of America’s racial amnesia, but the doc works as a primer for the uninitiated.

At this point, most people are familiar with the vague outlines of Colin Kaepernick’s story, but when the NFL quarterback began protesting police brutality in the summer of 2016, few noticed. It wasn’t...

On April 13 the Peabody Board of Jurors announced the 60 nominees for the 82nd Annual Peabody Awards honoring the best and most impactful work in media in 2021, including everything from news to entertainment to podcasts. A jury of 19 unanimously selected these nominees from more than 1,200 entries. Out of these nominees, 30 will eventually be selected as winners, to be announced during virtual events from June 6 through June 9. Scroll down for the complete list.

SEEWill ‘Yellowjackets’ finally bring Showtime back to the drama series Emmy race?

Peabody executive director Jeffrey Jones said in a statement, “Following yet another turbulent year, Peabody is proud to honor an array of stories that poignantly and powerfully help us make sense of the challenges we face as a nation and world. Demonstrating the immense power of stories, these nominees exposed our societal failures and celebrated the best of the human spirit. They are all worthy of recognition,...

Oscar-winning documentary Summer of Soul, Ava DuVernay and Colin Kaepernick’s Colin in Black & White and impactful TV series from Reservation Dogs and Yellowjackets to Hacks, Only Murders in the Building, Dopesick, The Wonder Years and The Underground Railroad are among the 60 nominees revealed Tuesday for the 82nd annual Peabody Awards.

The awards will honor the most compelling and empowering stories released in broadcasting and streaming media during 2021. More than 1,200 entries were submitted across the fields of TV, podcasts/radio and the web in the categories of entertainment, news, documentary, arts, children’s/youth, and public service.

A total of 30 winners will be unveiled across a series of virtual announcements June 6-9.

PBS leads all platforms this year with 13 nominations, followed by HBO with eight noms, and Hulu and Netflix with five apiece. The nominees list includes 19 documentaries, including fellow Oscar nominees Attica and The Queen of Basketball. In the news categories,...

“Dopesick” and “Only Murders in the Building,” “Yellowjackets” and “The Underground Railroad” are among this year’s nominees for the Peabody Awards. Oscar winners, including “Summer of Soul” and “The Queen of Basketball,” and Emmy winners including “Bo Burnham: Inside” and “Hacks,” also landed spots, as did “Colin in Black & White,” “We Are Lady Parts” and “Reservation Dogs.”

The Peabody Awards Board of Jurors announced this year’s nominees for entertainment, documentaries, news, podcast/radio, children’s & youth, public service and arts. A total of 60 nominees were revealed as “an array of stories that poignantly and powerfully help us make sense of the challenges we face as a nation and world,” according to Jeffrey Jones, Peabody Awards executive director.

Once again, PBS led the field with 13 programs qualifiying as finalists, followed by HBO with eight and Hulu and Netflix with five apiece.

A unanimous vote by the Peabody Awards...

The 2022 Peabody Awards have officially announced nominations for this year’s honors.

The Entertainment category includes TV series “Hacks,” “Dopesick,” “Pen15,” “Only Murders in the Building,” and “Yellowjackets,” as well as the Netflix comedy special “Bo Burnham: Inside” among the contenders. Meanwhile, the Documentaries segment features “9to5: The Story of a Movement,” HBO Max’s “Exterminate All the Brutes,” and the Oscar-winning short documentary “The Queen of Basketball,” executive produced by Shaquille O’Neal and Stephen Curry.

Meanwhile, Academy Award Best Documentary winner “Summer of Soul…Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised” is nominated in a Peabody category of its own, winning the Arts segment automatically.

The 2022 Peabody nominees were chosen by a unanimous vote of 19 jurors from over 1,200 entries from television, podcasts/radio, and the web in entertainment, news, documentary, arts, children’s/youth, and public service.

This year’s nominated programs encompass a wide range of pressing issues,...

Nick Offerman has been cast in Peacock’s upcoming comedic thriller series “The Resort.”

He joins previously announced leads William Jackson Harper, Cristin Milioti, Skyler Gisondo, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Nina Bloomgarden and Gabriela Cartol in the series, which is a multi-generational coming-of-age romance disguised as a fast-paced mystery about the disappointment of time. Noah (Harper) and Emma’s (Milioti) anniversary trip puts their marriage to the test when the couple finds themselves embroiled in one of the Mayan Riviera’s most bizarre unsolved mysteries, which took place fifteen years prior. Offerman will play Murray Thompson, the father of Violet (Bloomgarden).

Offerman is best known for playing Ron Swanson on NBC’s “Parks & Recreation,” Forest in FX’s “Devs” and Karl Weathers in FX’s “Fargo.” Other prominent credits include Hulu’s “Pam & Tommy,” “Colin in Black & White” on Netflix and films including “The Founder,” “The House of Tomorrow,...

The 2022 NAACP Image Awards were presented on BET tonight, with Jennifer Hudson emerging as a top winner, taking home both the coveted Entertainer of the Year and Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture awards. Will Smith also emerged as Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, with “The Harder They Fall” winning Outstanding Motion Picture. Many more winners were announced this week during the non-televised NAACP Image Awards.

Take a look at the full winners list below.

Entertainer of the year

Jennifer Hudson

Lil Nas X

Megan Thee Stallion

Regina King

Tiffany Haddish

Outstanding motion picture

“The Harder They Fall”

“Judas and the Black Messiah”

“King Richard”

“Respect”

“The United States vs. Billie Holiday”

Outstanding actor in a motion picture

Will Smith, “King Richard”

Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”

Jonathan Majors, “The Harder They Fall”

Lakeith Stanfield, “Judas and the Black Messiah”

Mahershala Ali, “Swan Song”

Outstanding actress in a motion picture

Jennifer Hudson,...

The 2022 NAACP Image Awards winners have all been announced! The ceremony - recognized as the "nation's preeminent multicultural awards show from an African-American perspective" - shared this year's nominees for the 53rd NAACP Image Awards on Jan. 18 via Twitter and Instagram Live with Kyla Pratt, Marcus Scribner, and Tinashe.

Ahead of Saturday's televised show, the NAACP Image Awards started announcing winners for individuals in the literary and podcast categories on Feb. 21. Among the honored were the late Cicely Tyson, Will Smith, Tabitha Brown, Stacey Abrams, and Jemele Hill. The second round of winners included the writing and directing categories: Issa Rae, Barry Jenkins, Kenny Leon, Davita Scarlett, Abdul Williams, Bashir Salahuddin, and Shaka King all snagged wins. Night three celebrated winners in talk shows, reality competition shows, and outstanding performances by actors in television and motion pictures. Jada Pinkett Smith, Trevor Noah, Maya Rudolph, Letitia Wright, and more were included...

The Harder They Fall was named Outstanding Motion Picture during Saturday’s televised portion of the 53rd NAACP Image Awards after the five non-televised ceremonies this week. The Western led the field with five wins overall during the week after being shut out of the Academy Award nominations.

Will Smith and Jennifer Hudson scooped Outstanding Actor and Actress in a Motion Picture for their respective roles as the Williams sisters’ father in King Richard and Aretha Franklin in MGM/Uar’s Respect.

Hudson also took the marquee Entertainer of the Year award.

2022 Awards Season Calendar – Dates For The Oscars, SAG, BAFTAs & More

HBO’s Insecure won Outstanding Comedy Series after its creator-star Issa Rae took Outstanding Actress in a Comedy earlier. It was her second Image Award this year, following one for writing, and the TV-leading fourth for the show, which wrapped its run in December.

Network TV had a good night,...

Daniel Kaluuya, Regina King, Mary J. Blige and more took home acting awards during the final night of the non-televised NAACP Image Awards.

Kaluuya won outstanding supporting actor in a motion picture for his role as Fred Hampton in “Judas and the Black Messiah,” whereas King took home the actress award in the same category for playing Trudy Smith in “The Harder They Fall.” Blige, hot off her halftime show performance at the Super Bowl on Feb. 13, won for supporting actress in a drama series for her role in “Power Book II: Ghost.”

Ava DuVernay’s “Colin in Black & White” was awarded outstanding television movie, limited series or dramatic special, while “Queen Sugar” won for drama series. On the film side, “Coda” took home the award for independent motion picture, “Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power” won for best documentary and “Encanto” was honored with the award for animated motion picture.

The NAACP Image Awards held night five of its non-televised ceremonies Friday, with awards announced for supporting actors in the television and film categories, among others.

Both Regina King and Regina Hall won Supporting Actress honors – King for her performance in the motion picture “The Harder They Fall” and Hall for her role in limited series “Nine Perfect Strangers.”

Hot off her Super Bowl Halftime Show performance, Mary J. Blige won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for “Power Book II: Ghost.”

On the comedy side of television, Natasha Rothwell received recognition for her supporting role in “Insecure,” while “Black-ish” actors Deon Cole and Miles Brown also earned nods.

Night 5 also included winners in the documentary film (“Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power”), independent film (“Coda”) and animated film (“Encanto”) categories.

The non-televised honors known as the NAACP Image Awards Virtual Experience are hosted by actor and comedian Affion Crockett this year,...

Exclusive: NFL fans are going to see Colin Kaepernick at the Super Bowl tomorrow.

Sort of.

Long a social justice thorn in the league’s paw, the ex-San Francisco 49ers quarterback isn’t taking the field at SoFi Stadium as the L.A. Rams take on the Cincinnati Bengals on February 13. However, a fictionalized version of the activist will be featured in the official program for Super Bowl Lvi, I’ve learned.

Specifically, Jaden Michael as a teenage Kap is featured in an ad from Ava DuVernay’s Array for the learning companion to the Netflix series Colin in Black & White, which launched back on October 29, 2021 on the streamer.

Coming after Kaepernick being essentially blacklisted by the NFL for his taking a knee stance in protest against racism and police violence back in 2016, the placement of the Array 101 ad in the 288-page Super Bowl program is a high-profile...

For me, Black History Month is best illustrated by my 92-year-old grandmother Ella Queen Johnson’s recall of our family stories. She shares these stories knowing that the wider world lacks a true and full recognition of the African American family legacy. For most of her long life, she has known that she should not look for depth and dimension in film and television as it relates to families like ours. This is the very reason why she told our history to us herself. My grandmother is a dynamic woman who is not formally trained as a teacher or a historian, but nonetheless, she is both. I am drawn to distributing films created by indie Black filmmakers through Array as a continuation of her calling. By supporting storytellers in the telling of their truths, I am celebrating a great legacy and making my grandmother proud.

I was a young girl...

Spike Lee is set to direct a multi-part documentary on athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick for ESPN Films, Variety has confirmed.

Production has started on the documentary, which was first announced in July 2020 as part of Kaepernick’s first-look deal with Walt Disney through his production company, Ra Vision Media.

“Kaepernick, who has never given a full, first-person account of his journey, is collaborating closely with Lee who plans to use extensive new interviews and a vast never-before-seen archive to help Kaepernick tell his story from his perspective,” the press release states.

Kaepernick recently executive produced and starred in the Netflix series “Colin in Black & White,” which premiered on the streamer in October. Starring Jaden Michael as a young Kaepernick, the show chronicles the athlete’s formative years, focusing on how he navigated obstacles of race, culture and class as a Black child adopted into a white family.

Kaepernick...

“The Harder They Fall,” “Insecure” and H.E.R. lead the pack of film, TV and music nominees for the 53rd NAACP Image Awards, while Jennifer Hudson, Lil Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion, Regina King and Tiffany Haddish will face off for the 2022 Entertainer of the Year prize.

Nominees for the annual award show were announced during a special virtual event hosted by actor and musician Kyla Pratt, “Black-ish” actor Marcus Scribner and singer-songwriter Tinashe on the NAACP’s Instagram account.

“We are thrilled to recognize this year’s nominees, who have all brought dynamic, entertaining, and thought provoking content to our attention through their incredible work in film, television, music and more,” said Karen Boykin-Towns, Image Awards Committee chairman.

Winners will be revealed during the annual ceremony, hosted by seven-time Image Award winner Anthony Anderson, on Feb. 26. The two-hour live TV special begins at 8:00 p.m. Et/Pt on BET.

Fans of Black A-list actors and Jay-Z went hard for Netflix’s revisionist Western banger “The Harder They Fall,” which shot up to No. 1 overall on Nielsen’s streaming rankings and to No. 1 on Nielsen’s Top 10 SVOD Movies list in the first week of November.

“The Harder They Fall,” which debuted on the streamer Nov. 3 after a limited theatrical run, features memorable performances from Regina King, Zazie Beetz, Danielle Deadwyler, Idris Elba, Jonathan Majors, Rj Cyler and Lakeith Stanfield. It had the most multicultural audience of any first-placer, with 70% of it fell under the “multicultural” demo umbrella, including 55% African American households.

And, no surprise here, “Squid Game,” the South Korean drama that has become a global phenomenon since its Sept. 17 debut on Netflix, is still going strong on Nielsen’s Top 10 lists. It landed in fourth place on regular SVOD programs and was second on original SVOD programs with...

Allblk, AMC Networks’ streamer for Black content, has greenlit “Send Help,” a coming-of-age dark comedy created by “Insecure” recurring star Jean Elie and writer and story editor Mike Gauyo.

“Send Help” will follow Fritz (Elie), a young first generation Haitian American struggling to overcome the challenges of “making it” in Hollywood, while coming to terms with a recent family tragedy. He relocates to L.A. from Brockton, Mass., all while trying to be the new man of the family and exploring the Southern California dating scene. Throughout the series, Fritz fights to conquer his feelings of imposter syndrome, the Hollywood community and his family issues. Rather than address his shortcomings head on, he chooses to deny and avoid the issues that everyone else can see.

In “Insecure,” Elie played Issa’s (Issa Rae) younger brother Ahmal. He has also appeared in episodes of “The Eric Andre Show” and “American Crime.

Composer Kris Bowers was the perfect fit to score Reinaldo Marcus Green’s “King Richard,” the story of how Richard Williams coached his daughters Venus and Serena Williams into tennis greats.

Bowers, whose sports-oriented work includes “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” Kobe Bryant’s “Muse” and the Netflix series “Colin in Black & White,” worked on balancing where to have clear themes for Richard, Venus and Serena, finding a family theme and scoring for the tennis games.

Since a lot of the tennis games that Venus plays in the film are without commentary, editor Pam Martin relied on Bowers to help support her cutting. “It’s very clear who’s winning and how the game is going and how close we are to the end of the game. There was a musical feel to it all,” Bowers says of how Martin weaved his score into the film.

The percussive sounds...

Photo: 'Colin in Black & White' Being someone who knows next-to-nothing about football, I have still managed to learn the name Colin Kaepernick. The ex-San Francisco 49ers quarterback became a political activist after protesting racial injustice in 2016 when he kneeled for the national anthem. The controversy to his rebellion caused him to become a free agent in 2017 and remain unsigned by an NFL team. At the same time though it has given him another role besides a professional athlete; an activist. The new Netflix mini-series ‘Colin in Black & White’ explores his journey through youth sports and the experiences that would lead him to become the social crusader he is today. Related article: Exclusive: 'Dune' Full Commentary, Reactions, Making Of - Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac Related article: 'No Time to Die' Full Commentary, Behind the Scenes & Reactions, Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Bond...