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Video game adaptations are in vogue right now. While interpretations like Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023) and The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) have dominated the box office, longform series like HBO’s The Last of Us (2023) and Amazon’s Fallout (2024) have taken the Emmys by storm, catching mainstream audiences up to the kinds of immersive, mature storytelling game have delivered for years. And there’s no sign of slowing down, with movies like Sonic the Hedgehog 3 looking to perform even better than its predecessors, and dozens of more adaptations in...

Comcast made the formal announcement on Wednesday that it is spinning off the majority of its cable assets into a stand-alone public company. It expects the transaction to close in approximately one year, subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals.

The new venture will house NBCUniversal cable networks including USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and Golf Channel, along with complementary digital assets including Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, and Sports Engine.

Comcast said the new “SpinCo” entity’s assets will reach approximately 70m US households, adding that over the last 12 months ended September 30 SpinCo generated approximately $7bn in revenue.

Among the many criticisms that were hauled at A Minecraft Movie, was the fact that the film had decided to take the live-action route, rather than using animation to tell its story. This has worked out well for most video game properties, be it Arcane, Castlevania, or The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Jack Black as Steve || Credit: WB

While films like The Super Mario Bros. Movie have managed to make big money with animation, Sonic The Hedgehog has received widespread success in the live-action space. However, fans are convinced that A Minecraft Movie for all means and purposes, should have been an animated film. Torfi Frans Olafsson spoke to IGN to justify the choice to migrate the IP into live action.

The studio wanted to explore a new dimension for A Minecraft Movie A still from the Minecraft Trailer || Credit: WB

Olafsson, who is a part of Mojang Studios, talked...

NBCUniversal is set to undergo major changes in its C-suite and in its TV business, with the company reorganizing its executive ranks in connection with its plan to spin off most of its cable networks.

One big winner will be NBCUniversal Studio Group chairman and chief content officer Donna Langley, who will take on added responsibility as chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment and Studios, according to a memo from Comcast president Mike Cavanagh to staff Wednesday morning.

The company also changed roles for other top leaders at the company. Matt Strauss, the head of Comcast’s direct-to-consumer (Dtc) business, was named chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group, overseeing such areas as sports, ad sales and distribution while continuing to run direct-to-consumer. And veteran communications chief Adam Miller will become COO of NBCUniversal.

Cesar Conde will lose oversight of CNBC, but will work with Comcast president Mike Cavanagh “on other growth opportunities for NBCUniversal,...

Jared Hess' video game fantasy film "A Minecraft Movie" is sure to be a massive box office hit. The 2011 video game "Minecraft," put out by Mojang Studios, has remained part of the popular zeitgeist for 13 years, played enthusiastically by multiple generations of kids. As of this writing, it is the single highest-selling video game in history, surpassing even old standbys like "Super Mario Bros." and "Tetris." If you're under 30, you likely have intimate knowledge of "Minecraft."

Which is why it was so galling when the Twitter/X account DiscussingFilm tweeted out some concept art for "A Minecraft Movie" ... that was canonically incorrect. "A Minecraft Movie," as seen in its previews, follows several human characters from Earth (Jack Black plays the universal "Mincraft" protagonist Steve) as they step through a portal into the "Minecraft" game. The world is make of blocks and the characters suddenly have access to the game's magical accouterments,...

A new trailer and poster have been released (via GameFragger.com) for Warner Bros.' A Minecraft Movie and we're getting serious Jumanji vibes from this long-awaited big screen take on the hit video game franchise.

It's not just because Jack Black is leading the cast either; in this latest sneak peek, we watch as his character, Steve, discovers a means to travel into the world of Minecraft where he can create anything...provided it's block-shaped, of course.

He soon finds some new friends to tackle the dark forces intent on destroying that reality, and there are heaps of Easter Eggs and deep-cut references for those of you who know what to look out for.

Given what a huge fanbase Minecraft has, there's a good chance this will be a hit next year. However, a quick look on social media suggests gamers are divided when it comes to the direction...

The latest film in the “Transformers” franchise – “Transformers One” – is finally in theaters, and this time it’s animated. The new film from director Josh Cooley serves as a prequel to the entire universe and chronicles the early days of Optimus and Megatron’s friendship. Here the official logline:

“The untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever.”

For this prequel, the voice cast is entirely different from the live-action films and boasts some pretty big A-listers. Here’s our complete “Transformers One” cast and character guide.

Chris Hemsworth as Orion Pax

Chris Hemsworth plays Orion Pax in “Transformers One,” who eventually becomes Optimus Prime.

Hemsworth is most known for playing Thor in a number of Marvel projects including “Thor,” “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Avengers: Endgame.” He’s also recently starred in “Mad Max: Furiosa” and “Extraction.

Exclusive: Universal/DreamWorks Animation’sThe Wild Robot has crossed the three-century mark globally, with $300.5M through Friday. The Chris Sanders-directed critical darling is now at $134.4M domestic and $166.1M from the international box office.

The Wild Robot is the No. 2 non-sequel studio film of 2024, behind It Ends with Us; the No. 1 non-sequel Hollywood animated title of the year; and the No. 4 biggest animated studio movie of 2024 globally, internationally and domestically.

After premiering at the Toronto Film Festival in September, The Wild Robot began staggered overseas release, and has seen terrific holds while playing through school holidays in many markets. Last weekend, the Lupita Nyong’o-starrer overtook the lifetime offshore box office of The Bad Guys. Japan is still to release, on February 7, 2025.

Notably in Mexico, the emotional original animation has surpassed the lifetimes of Elemental, Frozen,...

Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones star as storm-chasers in Tornado Alley.

Head back to the plains of Oklahoma and witness some of the most violent weather on the planet Earth in “Twisters,” one of the hottest movies of the summer that’s available to stream on Peacock as of Friday, Nov. 15. The movie follows two groups of storm chasers who converge on the flats of Oklahoma to observe a tornado outbreak unlike anything they’ve ever seen, with incredibly violent storms and the chance to achieve scientific superstardom. Stream the movie with a Subscription to Peacock.

How to watch ‘Twisters’ When: Friday, Nov. 15 TV: Peacock Stream: Watch with a Subscription to Peacock. Sign Up $7.99+ / month peacocktv.com About ‘Twisters’

“Twisters” brings back the blockbuster disaster epic with a whirlwind of heart-stopping action and exhilarating thrills. Ever since a devastating tornado encounter, Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) gave up chasing storms across the...

Amazon MGM is bringing big spectacle to theaters this weekend with the Christmas action film “Red One” starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans. But box office projections point to the film being only a small appetizer before the feast that Universal’s “Wicked” and Paramount’s “Gladiator II” will bring next weekend.

The 2024 domestic box office is running 12% behind the pace of last year, but that deficit likely will be narrowed thanks to next weekend’s pair of big releases, combined with the Thanksgiving debut of “Moana 2,” with the Disney film currently projected for a $135 million extended launch, which could be the biggest five-day opening ever.

“In April 2023, theaters got a huge lead-in to the summer season with ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie,'” said Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian. “The films coming out in the latter half of November will have the same effect for a holiday season that...

This year marks the 15-year anniversary of Minecraft, and during this long period, the game has changed significantly, with new ideas being added. However, the potential for creativity and exploration among the players draws a limitless canvas to its users. The game can vary from players creating something unique in the creative mode to surviving mobs and defeating the them, in the survival mode.

Jack Black as Steve. Credits: Legendary Pictures

However, one thing is for sure: the simplicity of pixelated blocks has added to its popularity. Thus leading to a live-action film featuring none other than Jack Black. While the upcoming project was believed to be one of its kind, it looks like Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has beaten the flick by showcasing a key element that made it so visually appealing.

A fan shared an interesting take on Cell, one of the most popular antagonists, and how...

A little bear goes a long way, especially at the U.K. box office, where “Paddington in Peru” has scored a record-breaking opening weekend.

The third installment in the beloved Paddington Bear franchise proved that the seven-year wait from the second didn’t matter, becoming the biggest opening of the three to date.

The three-day result of £9.65 million ($12.4) was also the biggest opening of the year for the British-produced film, and the biggest since “No Time to Die” in 2021. For StudioCanal, which financed the feature (its most expensive investment in a film to date), it also marked the company’s biggest opening in the U.K. of all time. Not bad for a plucky CGI bear with a penchant for marmalade sandwiches.

By contrast, the first “Paddington” feature opened to £5.1 million in 2014, while the 2017 sequel earned £8.2 million. The two would go on to earn in excess of $600 million globally, creating...

Paddington in Peru charmed UK & Ireland audiences this weekend with the biggest opening of the year for a British-produced movie, and the best since 2021’s No Time to Die. What’s more, the three-day £9.65M ($12.4M) launch is the highest-ever for Studiocanal with the little marmalade-loving bear going from strength to strength. The 2014 original opened to £5.1M, and the 2017 sequel did £8.2M in its debut. Combined, the previous two films grossed $600M worldwide.

The No. 1 debut for the Dougal Wilson-directed threequel drew an audience of an estimated 1.2M across the UK & Ireland since releasing on Friday.

Developed, produced and distributed by Studiocanal, this is the third biggest opening of the year to-date overall, behind only Deadpool & Wolverine and Inside Out 2.

In other comps, Paddington in Peru’s bow was bigger than The Super Mario Bros Movie (£8.7M excluding previews) and ahead of Incredibles 2 (£9.4M),Wonka (£8.9M...

With recent headlines dominating the news cycle about a certain music mogul, some gaming fans have started questioning the origins of one of Nintendo’s most beloved characters. Diddy Kong, who recently made an appearance in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, has been a staple of the Nintendo universe for three decades.

Diddy Kong in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) | Image Credit: Universal Pictures/Nintendo

As social media continues to buzz with new developments, rumors, speculation, and conspiracy theories, it’s worth taking a look back at how this iconic character got his name, and whether recent events should have any bearing on his future in gaming.

After all, what’s in a name, and does sharing one with a controversial figure automatically taint a character’s legacy?

The Story Behind Diddy Kong’s Name Diddy Kong and Donkey Kong in Donkey Kong Country (1994). | Image Credit: Nintendo

When Rare was...

Jack Black has become something of a video game movie veteran lately. From voicing Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie to bringing Claptrap to life in (the disastrous) Borderlands, and now gearing up for his role in the upcoming live-action adaptation of Minecraft (why?), the actor seems determined to leave his mark on every major gaming adaptation in Hollywood.

Jack Black as Steve in the upcoming Minecraft movie. | Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

But during a recent interview, Black expressed genuine surprise about one particular gaming franchise that hasn’t made the leap to the silver screen yet. The reason behind this particular franchise’s absence from Hollywood, as it turns out, is both fascinating and somewhat ironic.

And it all comes down to a decision made years ago by one of the gaming industry’s most influential figures.

Jack Black’s Take on Gaming’s Biggest Missing Movie...

Last year, it was announced that Nintendo and Arad Productions were in the process of making a live-action movie based on the iconic video game franchise The Legend of Zelda, with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes director Wes Ball at the helm. The Legend of Zelda is a classic fantasy tale where a young swordsman named Link fights the forces of evil to save the Princess Zelda and Kingdom of Hyrule; the details change a bit with each game, but the overall story remains more or less the same. Zelda is a long-running video game series that's been around since the 1986, and its fans are legion. Suffice to say, the announcement of a movie was a big deal.

Now we have a little bit better of an idea of when we'll get to watch it...kind of. The sleuths over at IGN always have their nose to the ground for video game news,...

Add another new title to the list of holiday films to check out this winter.

After an extended wait, Paramount Pictures has unveiled the first trailer for their comedy Dear Santa, reteaming Jack Black with director Bobby Farrelly, announcing that the film will become available for streaming on Paramount+ and on digital November 25.

In Dear Santa, a young boy mails his Christmas wish list to Santa with one crucial spelling error. Thereafter, a devilish Jack Black arrives to wreak havoc on the holidays.

Ricky Blitt & Peter Farrelly wrote the script from their story conceived with Dan Ewen. The project reunites Black with the Farrelly brothers for the first time since the 20th Century Fox comedy Shallow Hal, co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow, back in 2001.

Robert Timothy Smith, Keegan-Michael Key, Brianne Howey, Hayes MacArthur, Post Malone, P.J. Byrne, Jaden Carson Baker, and Kai Cech round out the cast. Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly, and...

Variety has promoted Ethan Shanfeld to TV Reporter.

Shanfeld joins the entertainment industry’s largest team of business news reporters covering the fast-evolving world of TV content. His focus will be reporting on activity and trends in the creative community and dealmaking among top networks, streamers and studios. He will also put special emphasis on covering major players in world of comedy. He will work under the direction of Joe Otterson, Senior TV Reporter who is based in New York, and Television Editor Michael Schneider in Los Angeles.

“Ethan Shanfeld wrote his way to this promotion,” said Cynthia Littleton and Ramin Setoodeh, Variety‘s co-Editors in Chief. “Ethan has proven himself to be an insightful reporter, a sharp writer and an extremely hard worker. We are fortunate to have such a talented and enterprising journalist on the masthead.”

Shanfeld first came to Variety in March 2021 as an editorial intern before...

Tiffany ambassador, actress Anya Taylor-Joy (“Furiosa”) stars in the jewelry brand’s 2024 holiday campaign:

After small TV roles, Taylor-Joy made her film debut as ‘Thomasin’ in the horror feature ‘The Witch’ (2015). She followed that with a starring role in the horror feature “Split” (2016), its sequel “Glass” (2019) and the black comedy “Thoroughbreds” (2017).

She then appeared in more TV roles including drama miniseries “The Miniaturist” (2017), the fifth and sixth series of “Peaky Blinders” (2019–2022) and “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” (2019).

Taylor-Joy also played the lead ‘Emma Woodhouse’ in the Jane Austen adaptation “Emma” (2020) and ‘Beth Harmon’ in the Netflix miniseries “The Queen's Gambit” (2020).

She voiced ‘Princess Peach’ in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" (2023), co-stars in “The Northman” (2022) and plays the title character in director George Miller’s “Furiosa” (2024).

Click the images to enlarge…...

The world’s most despicable villain has hatched his most dastardly plan yet, but he still has to take on diaper duties! Gru and his loveable family return with a new member in “Despicable Me 4,” which makes its streaming debut on Peacock on Thursday, Oct. 31. Gru and Lucy have a baby son to help terrorize the these days, but that isn’t stopping rival villains from targeting the family, forcing Gru to come up with another scheme, this time in the name of keeping them safe. You can stream “Despicable Me 4” with a Subscription to Peacock.

How to Watch ‘Despicable Me 4’ When: Thursday, Oct. 31 TV: Peacock Stream: Watch with a Subscription to Peacock. Sign Up $7.99+ / month peacocktv.com About ‘Despicable Me 4’

Gru and the Minions have, by all appearances, settled down. Gru and his wife Lucy have normal-people jobs, and they’re dedicated to raising their four children: Margo,...

If you have been waiting for Marvel’s blockbuster film “Deadpool & Wolverine” to hit Disney+, I have some good news: The wait is almost over.

Today, Marvel announced that the Disney+ release date for the film will be on November 12, 2024, which is less than two weeks away!

A stream is an educated wish your heart makes. #DeadpoolAndWolverine is streaming on @DisneyPlus November 12. pic.twitter.com/WEGvoo0SrI

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) October 30, 2024

“Deadpool & Wolverine” grossed almost $1.38 billion worldwide, making it the 12th highest-grossing film domestically, passing “Barbie.”

Globally “Deadpool & Wolverine” sits at number 20, well below “Barbie” and also below “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “Black Panther,” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2.”

Currently, the film is available on digital as well as physical DVD and Blu-Ray.

The film stars Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Other Marvel cameos include...

Netflix and Universal have renewed their licensing deal for animated films, including Illumination and DreamWorks titles, adding U.S. rights to live-action Universal and Focus releases starting in 2027.

Universal Filmed Entertainment Group releases will continue to have their pay-1 release window on Peacock, in keeping with a key strategic objective over the past couple of years at NBCUniversal. But the longer tail of animated films on Netflix, especially durable ones like Sing, has been good business for both companies and will continue under the new agreement.

The pact gives Netflix exclusive rights to the titles no later than eight months following theatrical release. After the initial premiere on Peacock, Netflix will have a 10-month window during which these films are available only on Netflix before they return to Peacock. Netflix will also license rights to Universal’s full animation and live-action film slate for additional windows in subsequent years as...

Netflix and Universal have reached an agreement to renew an existing licensing deal for animated films, including those from Illumination and DreamWorks Animation, and, beginning with the 2027, will add U.S. rights to live-action films from both Universal and Focus Features to the pact.

As part of this new agreement, Netflix will continue to have exclusive rights to Universal animated films, with live-action films streaming on Netflix no later than eight months following their theatrical window starting in 2027. The films will first stream on Peacock, then head to Netflix for an exclusive 10-month window before they return to Peacock.

Netflix will also license rights to Universal’s full animation and live-action film slate for “additional windows in subsequent years as well as rights to select titles from Universal’s vast film library,” according to the official release.

“We have always valued our partnership with NBCUniversal, and we are excited to...

Universal Filmed Entertainment Group has signed a new licensing deal with Netflix, renewing a pact for the studio’s animated feature and adding the U.S. rights for live-action titles from both Universal Pictures and Focus Features.

The two companies expanded an existing deal that sees Illumination and DreamWorks Animation titles like The Super Mario Bros. Movie and the Minions films stream on Netflix.

Additionally, starting in 2027, the U.S. rights to live-action films from the studio will also be licensed onto the service no later than eight months following theatrical release after the premium video on-demand window and following an initial four-month streaming release onto Peacock. Such deals are highly lucrative for the legacy studios.

Netflix will have a 10-month window during which the Uni and Focus films are available only on Netflix before they return to Peacock, after which Netflix will also license titles from the Uni film...

Netflix customers will be able to add even more Universal movies to their queue with the studio’s live-action titles coming to the streamer in the U.S. starting with the 2027 slate.

Netflix and NBCUniversal’s Universal Filmed Entertainment Group announced a deal to renew their existing licensing deal for animated films from Illumination and DreamWorks Animation. Now, beginning with the 2027 slate, Netflix will have U.S. rights to live-action films from both Universal Pictures and Focus Features “no later than eight months” following their theatrical release.

After the Universal films’ initial premiere on NBCU’s Peacock, Netflix will have a 10-month window during which these films are available only on Netflix — before they return to Peacock. Netflix will also license rights to Universal’s full animation and live-action film slate for additional windows in subsequent years as well as rights to select titles from Universal’s film library, the companies said.

When Universal’s “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” opened in December 2022, the “Shrek” spinoff sputtered to a $12.4 million debut. Then, something miraculous happened. Thanks to TikTok and solid buzz, the animated adventure about the swashbuckling cat enjoyed nine lives on the big screen. Ticket sales barely declined week over week, and “The Last Wish” ended its run with $186 million domestically — 15 times its opening weekend — and $481 million globally.

Universal experienced this phenomenon again with Illumination’s “Migration,” which had a disappointing $12.4 million start around Christmas 2023. The cartoon tale about a family of mallards sustained momentum and flew to $127 million in North America — more than 10 times its debut — and nearly $300 million worldwide. (The average film has a 3 or 4 multiple — industry parlance for the ratio of final gross to opening weekend.) “Puss in Boots 2” and “Migration” hold the two highest animated multiples of the past 20 years.

Now, it’s happening once more...

Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story led Nielsen’s streaming charts for a second straight week — and grew substantially from its debut.

The Ryan Murphy-produced series was the top title for the week of Sept. 23-29 with just under 2.4 billion minutes of viewing time. That’s a 40 percent improvement on the drama’s opening week (it premiered Sept. 19), which had 1.72 billion minutes of watch time, and the highest total for any streaming series in Nielsen’s rankings since Bridgerton hit 2.47 billion minutes in June.

Two other Netflix series had strong opening weeks: Rom-com Nobody Wants This premiered to 1.04 billion minutes of viewing, and the docuseries Mr. McMahon, about World Wrestling Entertainment impresario Vince McMahon, had 908 million minutes.

On the film chart, Inside Out 2 debuted on Disney+ to 1.82 billion minutes of watch time, the second highest weekly total for any film this year, behind only Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F...

Der Gründer und CEO von Illumination wird bei der Verleihung der PGA Awards am 8. Februar mit dem David O. Selznick Award ausgezeichnet.

Chris Meledandri wird im Februar von der PGA mit dem David O. Selznick Award geehrt (Credit: Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)

Als erst zweiter Animationsfilmproduzent nach John Lasseter im Jahr 2009 wird Illumination-Gründer und -CEO Chris Meledandri bei der Verleihung der PGA Awards am 8. Februar 2025 mit dem David O. Selznick Award ausgezeichnet. Das teilt die Producers Guild of America (PGA), die die Auszeichnung an Produzenten für ihr herausragendes Werk im Bereich Kinofilm vergibt, mit.

„Die außergewöhnliche Vision und Innovation, die Chris in Animationsfilme einbringt, hat nicht nur ein Publikum aller Altersgruppen in ihren Bann gezogen, sondern auch die Unterhaltungslandschaft maßgeblich verändert. Seine praktische und akribische Herangehensweise an das Produzieren hat zu den seltenen Erfolgen von rekordverdächtigen Filmen und geliebten Franchises geführt. Wir sind stolz darauf, Chris mit dieser...

The Producers Guild of America is honoring Chris Meledandri, founder and CEO of Illumination, with the 2025 David O. Selznick Achievement Award for his “extraordinary producing accomplishments.” Melendandri is the second animation producer to receive this recognition in the 36 years the awards have been running. The ceremony will take place at the annual Producers Guild Awards on Feb. 8 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

Meledandri founded Illumination Studios in 2007. Before then, he was president of 20th Century Fox Animation. His credits include “Despicable Me,” “The Lorax,” “Hop,” “Minions,” “The Secret Life of Pets,” “Sing,” “The Grinch,” “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “Ice Age” and more.

“The extraordinary vision and innovation Chris brings to animated feature films has not only captivated audiences of all ages but also been instrumental in reshaping the entertainment landscape,” said Producers Guild of America Presidents Donald De Line and Stephanie Allain in a joint statement.

Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri is set to receive the Producers Guild of America’s David O. Selznick Achievement Award.

Meledandri will be honored at the 2025 PGA Awards, set for Feb. 8 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles. The boss of the animation company behind the Despicable Me franchise is only the second animation producer to receive the Selznick Award after John Lasseter received the honor in 2009.

Earlier recipients of the David O. Selznick Award also include Steven Spielberg, Barbara Broccoli, Mary Parent, Charles Roven, Brian Grazer, David Heyman, Kevin Feige and, most recently, Martin Scorsese. Meledandri, who launched Illumination in 2007, in a statement paid tribute to the filmmakers that came before him and paved the way for his own career.

“Early in my career, I was fortunate enough to work with legendary filmmakers who taught me the intricacies of storytelling, production and connecting with an audience. Their...

Chris Meledandri, founder and CEO of the animation powerhouse Illumination, will be honored with the David O. Selznick Achievement Award at the 36th Annual Producers Guild Awards, the guild announced Thursday.

Meledandri’s credits include “Despicable Me,” the Oscar-nominated “Despicable Me 2,” “The Lorax,” “Minions,” “The Secret Life of Pets,” “Sing,” “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “Migration.”

“The extraordinary vision and innovation Chris brings to animated feature films has not only captivated audiences of all ages but also been instrumental in reshaping the entertainment landscape,” PGA presidents Donald De Line and Stephanie Allain said in a joint statement. “His hands-on, meticulous approach to producing has resulted in the rare accomplishment of record-breaking films and beloved franchises. We are proud to honor Chris with this prestigious award as a leader in both the animation industry and our industry as a whole.”

Meledandri stated, “Being recognized by my peers with the...

Chris Meledandri, founder and CEO of animation powerhouse Illumination, is set to receive the David O. Selznick Achievement Award at the 36th Annual Producers Guild Awards, taking place at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 8.

The PGA’s Selznick Achievement Award recognizes a producer for their outstanding body of work in motion pictures, and with his recognition this season, Meledrandi will become just the second animation producer ever to receive the honor. Past recipients include such legendary producers as Steven Spielberg, Barbara Broccoli, Mary Parent, Charles Roven, Brian Grazer, David Heyman, Kevin Feige, and most recently Martin Scorsese.

Reflected PGA Presidents Donald De Line and Stephanie Allain in a joint statement, “The extraordinary vision and innovation Chris brings to animated feature films has not only captivated audiences of all ages but also been instrumental in reshaping the entertainment landscape. His hands-on, meticulous approach to producing has...

Sebastian Maniscalco is headed to Hulu.

In what is considered a sizable coup for the platform, Maniscalco’s latest hour will debut as part of Hulu’s new standup initiative, which will kick off next month under the headline “Hularious.” The special, which is not yet dated, is expected to tackle what Maniscalco sees as the absurdities of modern life, from nonexistent manners and wallet-winced prices to the chaos of social media. It will be filmed during his top-selling “It Ain’t Right” tour.

“How many times do you catch yourself thinking, ‘It Ain’t Right’?” he said in a statement Thursday. “This special is my way of uniting us to laugh at the ridiculousness of the world around us, and I’m thrilled to share it with my fans. So, get your sweats on, pop yourself some popcorn, and get ready to laugh.”

Done+Dusted, which produced the 74th Emmy Awards,...

Disney is continuing to explore its classic characters with new live-action takes on its animated films, as this has been a lucrative business for the studio for some time. We recently learned that Paul King ("Paddington") is now set to direct a "Prince Charming" movie for the Mouse House which, on the surface, seems like a purely money-driven idea. Today, however, we also learned that none other than Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth, is in talks to star in the lead role, which changes the game.

According to Deadline, Hemsworth is being eyed to place the titular character in the "Prince Charming" movie. Hemsworth is coming off of "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" and the animated "Transformers One." He is, however, best known for his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Thor, having most recently appeared in the relatively disappointing "Thor: Love and Thunder" in 2022 (his "cameo" in "Deadpool & Wolverine...

Not to give you a fright head of Halloween, but an alarming number of fan-favorite movies will be leaving Netflix by the end of October 2024. We all know that movies tend to come and go on Netflix, so even though a long list of movies are departing Netflix this month, the cycle will continue and some might even pop back up in future months.

Last month saw the departures of the Divergent and Fifty Shades of Grey movies, along with beloved movies like A Walk to Remember and The Breakfast Club. This month, as many hit movies are leaving Netflix, too. The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Crazy Rich Asians, It Follows, I Wanna Dance with Somebody, and more have already left with lots more still to leave.

If you're hoping to have a Chucky marathon on Halloween, you're in luck. You'll be able to watch right under the wire, as...

Jason Blum couldn’t reveal details today about Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 but he brought New York Comic Con attendees the poster for the sequel to last year’s highest grossing horror movie.

The first movie opened during the actors strike, day-and-date on Peacock and defied all hurdles during last fall’s marketplace. The movie based on the hit videogame was an anomaly performing equally well in theaters and on Peacock since it was a hot fan frenzied franchise. Five Night’s Freddy‘s was Peacock‘s most-watched film or series ever in its first five days, besting previous record-holders Halloween Ends, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Bel-Air and The Best Man: The Final Chapters.

Blum gave props to the pic’s screenwriter Scott Cawthon for having the foresight that it would be a hit. The movie won over fans in its faithful-to-the-videogame production design, down...

Just in time for Halloween, the crew behind animated blockbuster Sing is putting together a spooky new take on Michael Jackson’s classic song “Thriller.” In an animated short film based on Jackson’s own game-changing music video, the animal musicians are tasked with putting on another showstopper. But as the song says, they may have to contend with creatures crawling around the neighborhood — in this case, though, that crawling looks a lot more like dancing. Directed by Garth Jennings, and produced by Chris Meledandri, this is one party you won’t want to miss.

“I don’t know if it is possible to enjoy making anything as much as I have done while working on Sing: Thriller,” Jennings tells Tudum. “Our awesome cast and team of geniuses at...

The “Sing” gang is returning, but probably not in the way you’d expect.

“Sing: Thriller,” an all-new, original short film set within the world of Illumination’s popular features – 2016’s “Sing” and 2021’s “Sing 2” — premieres on Netflix on Wednesday, Oct. 16. Writer/director Garth Jennings returns for the short, which features voice work by Matthew McConaughey, Tori Kelly, Nick Kroll, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton and Jennings himself.

The logline reads: “After staging a spectacular version of Thriller at the New Moon Theatre, Buster Moon and the cast of ‘Sing’ leave to celebrate at Clay Calloway’s Halloween party. But when our heroes arrive at the party they discover a mysterious, multi-colored ooze has transformed Clay and his guests into dancing freaks.”

The press release notes that the new short is based on the original short film “Michael Jackson’s Thriller,” which was directed by John Landis and written by Jackson and Landis.

What is Roz (Lupita Nyong’o) made of? The plot of “The Wild Robot” answers this in a dramatic, metaphorical way, once Roz is stranded on an island with no humans to care for but nonetheless stumbles her way into rearing a gosling named Brightbill (Kit Connor) and preparing him for migration. But just physically, what is Roz made out of, and what sort of abilities does she have?

That second question isn’t just a matter for the script or the character design process but for the sound team, too. Sound designers can create all the sounds we hear from scratch in a live-action context, of course — everything from Foley to Adr can replace the production sound captured on the day. But in animation, sound can do even more storytelling work, giving us the sense of a grounded reality no matter how high-flying the animation style, and director Chris Sanders...

„Deadpool & Wolverine“ lief in den USA überdurchschnittlich lange exklusiv in den Kinos. Auf Kosten der PVoD-Umsätze ging das offenbar nicht – zumindest reicht es schon zum Verkaufsstart für eine weitere Bestleistung.

„Deadpool & Wolverine“ macht auch im Digitalvertrieb tierisch gute Zahlen. (Credit: Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © 2024 Marvel)

Der weltweit umsatzstärkste Film mit R-Rating hat noch nicht genug – und sorgt nun auch im Home Entertainment für Rekordzahlen. Wie Disney in den USA (allerdings ohne Angabe konkreter Zahlen) bekanntgab, hat „Deadpool & Wolverine“ nach seinem PVoD-Start am 1. Oktober über alle digitalen US-Plattformen hinweg die höchsten Verkäufe innerhalb einer Woche erzielt, die ein Film mit R-Rating je einfahren konnte. Nach Angaben des US-Branchendienstes war vorheriger Rekordhalter „John Wick: Kapitel 4“.

„Deadpool & Wolverine“ war dabei eine Kinoexklusivität beschert, die sich zwar nicht ganz am vorpandemischen Niveau messen kann, mit 68 Tagen nach heutigen US-Maßstäben aber überdurchschnittlich lang ausfiel. Auf der Leinwand ist der...

The top two streaming titles from the first week of September held their spots in the second week — and both improved on their debut showings.

Netflix’s limited series The Perfect Couple and its movie Rebel Ridge ranked first and second overall on Nielsen’s streaming charts for the week of Sept. 9-15, just as they did over the prior seven days. The Perfect Couple drew 1.97 billion minutes of viewing time (up a bit from 1.91 bilion), and Rebel Ridge grew to 1.28 billion minutes from 1.11 billion for its premiere week.

Also showing significant growth: Hulu’s unscripted show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which improved by 78 percent week to week and broke into the overall top 10 with 729 million minutes of viewing. Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (747 million minutes) fell off some after two weeks over 1 billion minutes. Emily in Paris (708 million) moved back...

With the likes of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Sonic The Hedgehog doing big business in the multiplexes and The Last Of Us and Fallout receiving critical acclaim on TV, stock in video game adaptations has never been higher. Hell, even Minecraft is about to get the cinematic treatment! And now, according to Deadline, Universal and Sega are looking to capitalise on the genre boom with a live-action take on ninja hack-and-slash classic Shinobi. And that's not all, either — Extraction director Sam Hargrave is set to direct it.

Chronicling modern day ninja Joe Musashi's battles with the forces of evil, the Shinobi series — which comprises 14 mainline and spin-off entries to date, with another on the way — has long-since been an IP on Hollywood's mind. As far back as 2014, Sega were exploring ways to bring the franchise (among several others) to the big screen — and in 2016, producer Marc Platt struck...

Universal Pictures has tapped Extraction director Sam Hargrave to helm Shinobi, a movie adaptation of the video game franchise created by Sega.

Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the original Shinobi game featured Joe Musashi as a modern-day ninja who confronts great evil. Ken Kobayashi (Sunny) is writing the script for the Shinobi movie, which will be produced by Marc Platt and Adam Siegel through Marc Platt Production. Dmitri M. Johnson will produce through Story Kitchen, with Toru Nakahara producing through Sega. Mike Goldberg will executive produce alongside co-producer Timothy I. Stevenson.

The original Shinobi arcade game was released in 1987. The franchise has grown to include over a dozen games, with the latest announced at last year’s Game Awards. Universal already has a couple of successful video game movies under its belt, including The Super Mario Bros. Movie (which grossed $1.35 billion) and Five Nights at Freddy’s (which...

Universal Pictures is turning the Sega video game “Shinobi” into a feature film.

The studio has enlisted “Extraction” filmmaker Sam Hargrave and producer Marc Platt to adapt the hack-and-slash series for the big screen.

Plot details haven’t been confirmed but “Shinobi” follows protagonist Joe Musashi as a modern-day ninja who confronts evil. It debuted in 1987 as an arcade game and has evolved into a franchise that spans 14 sequels with over five million copies sold to date.

Universal has enjoyed recent success with video game adaptations, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” ($1.4 billion) and “Five Nights at Freddy’s” ($290 million). Meanwhile, Sega has scored with Paramount’s 2020 console-to-screen redux “Sonic the Hedgehog” ($319 million) and the 2022 sequel ($405 million). A third “Sonic” movie will be released in late 2024.

Ken Kobayashi is writing the screenplay for “Shinobi.” Platt and Adam Siegel will produce through Marc Platt Productions. Dmitri M. Johnson will produce through Story Kitchen.

The “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies have become some of the most lucrative video game adaptations in Hollywood history, proving that Sega characters can be major draws at the box office. And while the franchise is still going strong — Jim Carrey is coming out of retirement to reprise his role as Dr. Robotnik in the upcoming third film — gamers clamoring to see more non-hedgehog properties from the Sega canon on the big screen are in for a treat. The iconic video game company is teaming up with Universal Pictures on a film adaptation of “Shinobi,” the ninja game that has delighted arcade goers for nearly four decades, IndieWire has learned.

The “Shinobi” film will be directed by Sam Hargraves, who is best known for directing “Extraction” and “Extraction 2” for Netflix. Ken Kobayashi will write the script. No casting details or release date have been announced.

Per a press release, Marc Platt...

Extraction filmmaker Sam Hargrave is getting into the video game business. The director is attached to helm Universal’s Shinobi, an adaptation of the Sega game series that seems tailor-made to his action strengths.

The game debuted in 1987 in arcades, and focused on modern-day ninja Joe Musashi, a man who confronts great evil. Hargrave is a stuntman who transitioned into becoming an in-demand director with the Netflix Extraction movies, which were praised for their inventive and visceral action, making it easy to imagine him unsheathing the sword for this property.

Shinobi has spawned 14 games, selling a combined 5 million copies, with a new installment in development.

Universal has found gold in the gaming space, with The Super Mario Bros. Movie topping $1.4 billion globally, and Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy‘s passing $290 million globally, an impressive sum considering it debuted day-and-date on streaming service Peacock. Sega, meanwhile, has found success with...

Universal Pictures and Sega Corporation are teaming up on a feature film adaptation of the video game franchise “Shinobi,” the companies announced on Tuesday. Sam Hargrave, the filmmaker behind Netflix’s “Extraction” films, is attached to direct the “Shinobi” movie from a screenplay by Ken Kobayashi (“Sunny”).

The “Shinobi” series first debuted in 1987 as an arcade game and follows protagonist Joe Musashi as a modern-day ninja who confronts great evil. The franchise spans 14 games, including spinoffs, and ports, with over 5 million copies sold worldwide. A new entry in the series was revealed in late 2023.

The film comes on the heels of Universal’s video game adaptation success with “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which grossed over $1.4 billion at the box office, and hit “Five Nights at Freddy’s” which made $290 million on a budget of just $20 million. Universal is also developing an adaptation of the video game “Ruiner” with “Planet of the Apes” director Wes Ball.

It’s not just all about Sonic the Hedgehog. Another Sega video game franchise, Shinobi, is heading to the big screen, with Sam Hargrave directing for Universal.

Ken Kobayashi is writing the screenplay adaptation of the arcade game, which first debuted in 1987. That edgy game followed Joe Musashi, a modern-day ninja who confronts great evil. Shinobi spawned 14 games include spinoffs and ports for a total 5 million copies sold around the globe. A new entry in the series was revealed in late 2023.

Marc Platt and Adam Siegel will produce the movie through Marc Platt Productions alongside Dmitri M. Johnson through Story Kitchen and Toru Nakahara for Sega. Mike Goldberg will executive produce alongside Timothy I. Stevenson, who is co-producing.

The pic follows Universal’s 2023 video game adaptation success with Illumination and Nintendo’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy’s, which minted over $1.4 billion and $290 million,...

Number two film of the summer “Deadpool & Wolverine” (Disney), held back from any home viewing until after its tenth weekend in theaters, took the #1 spot on both iTunes (ranking by transactions) and Fandango (by revenue). But perhaps only for a brief stay.

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” (Warner Bros.), a major hit though not quite in the same league as the Marvel sequel ($235 million U.S./Canada gross so far versus $634 million; both films still in the top 10) will likely replace it when released Tuesday on PVOD after its fifth weekend. That feels a little early (32 days), more so since Tim Burton’s sequel is still #3, with over $10 million.

But if anything, it appears PVOD release boosts theatrical play as of late, at least in the short term. In any event, with the opening weekend debacle of “Joker: Folie à Deux” (revised downward to $37.8 million), it will provide some immediate cash to the Burbank studio.

Keegan-Michael Key has teased that ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ sequel will have some "really deep cuts".The 53-year-old actor starred opposite Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Jack Black and Anya Taylor-Joy as the voice of lovable mushroom Toad in Universal Pictures’ 2022 animated flick and claims that the next film is being made with hardcore fans of the gaming franchise in mind.During an interview with Men’s Journal, the comedian said: "One thing I can say about the second movie is that it's a little broader in scope, and where it takes place is very intriguing lore and the Mario world. They're going to find some really fantastic Easter eggs and it's been very exciting so far."I feel like what they've done creatively is they've really widened out the universe that these characters live in and we're going to meet some new folks. "We're going to meet...