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Jessica Lange shines in The Great Lillian Hall, receiving praise for her award-worthy performance in this HBO original movie. The film is inspired by the life of stage actress Marian Seldes, blending real-life events with a compelling fictional narrative. The Cherry Orchard, a play by Chekhov, plays a significant role in the film, adding depth to the story of Lillian Hall's dementia.

In The Great Lillian Hall, the titular character is a legendary Broadway actress who gets diagnosed with dementia while rehearsing to open a major production. Jessica Lange stars as Lillian Hall, delivering a brilliant performance as a woman whose mood and mental state changes throughout the film. With Lily Rabe and Kathy Bates also featured, the HBO movie is an American Horror Story reunion that was 10 years in the making. Other cast members include Pierce Brosnan, Jesse Williams, Michael Rose, and Cindy Hogan.

The Great Lillian Hall...

In “The Great Lillian Hall,” Jessica Lange plays a veteran theater actress — a legend of the Broadway stage — who is always putting on airs, reciting bits from her favorite roles, and carrying on in the tradition of fabled actresses who get known for playing characters like Blanche DuBois because they’ve actually got a lot of Blanche in them. (They believe their own illusions.) Yet just because Lillian Hall is a flamboyant grand dame doesn’t mean that she’s not showing you who she is. Lange, a beauty at 75, has a face that has only grown more expressive with the years. In “The Great Lillian Hall,” that face is a map of emotion we read. Even when Lillian is being deceptive (even when she’s deceiving herself), the majesty of her feelings shines through.

There’s a moving scene in which she’s seated on a porch with her adult daughter,...

Harry Bosch will tackle his most personal case yet in Bosch: Legacy Season 2. The Amazon Freevee series returns on Oct. 20, picking up after the cliffhanger season 1 ending that saw Harry’s daughter (and rookie cop) Maddie apparently kidnapped by the screen-cutter rapist.

Finding out what happened to Maddie will be a central thread in the upcoming episodes of the Bosch spinoff. The new season will also pick up some lingering threads from season 1, including more developments in the ongoing saga of crooked financier Carl Rogers. Here’s where we left Harry, Maddie, and Honey Chandler at the end of season 1.

Maddie was kidnapped in the ‘Bosch: Legacy’ Season 1 finale ‘Bosch: Legacy’ Season 2 | Warrick Page/Amazon Freevee

Bosch: Legacy Season 2 picks up immediately after the season 1 finale, “Always/All Ways.”

In that episode, Harry (Titus Welliver) wrapped up the Whitney Vance (William Devane) case. The Pi saved Vance’s heir, Vibiana...

Don’t mess with this dad. Amazon Freevee has revealed the first teaser for Bosch: Legacy Season 2, which premieres this October, and things are intense, to say the least. Harry Bosch is on the hunt for his daughter Maddie, who was abducted in the season 1 finale. He’s not going to let anything stand in the way of finding her, even his former partner, J. Edgar.

‘Bosch: Legacy’ Season 2 picks up after last season’s cliffhanger

Bosch: Legacy’s first season ended on a major cliffhanger when rookie LAPD officer Maddie (Madison Lintz) was kidnapped by a masked assailant – presumably the infamous screen-cutter rapist. Season 2 will pick up after that event as retired cop turned Pi Harry (Titus Welliver) hunts down the man who took his only child.

“Maddie’s been taken,” he says in the first teaser for the new season (via YouTube). “Tell me what I’m supposed to do.

Adaptation

“Tabby McTat,” the lively children’s story by writer Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler, is set to get the BBC treatment with a new adaptation by longtime Donaldson/Scheffler collaborators Magic Light Pictures. “Doctor Who” star Jodie Whittaker will narrate the tale about a cat who gets separated from his owner while Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísú (“Gangs of London”) will voice Tabby. Other stars lending their voices to the short include Rob Brydon (“Gavin and Stacey”), Cariad Lloyd (“Peep Show”), Joanna Scanlan (“The Thick of It”) and Susan Wokoma (“Enola Holmes”).

“Superworm” directors Sarah Scrimgeour and Jac Hamman will helm the project, which was written by Max Lang and Suzanne Lang. Barney Goodland and Michael Rose of Magic Light Pictures will produce. BBC chief content office Charlotte Moore and BBC drama commissioning editor Nawfal Faizullah acquired the film for the BBC. Red Star Studio will provide animation services.

Disney Season...

‘Doctor Who’ Unveils Jonathan Groff First Look

Jonathan Groff has begun filming his Doctor Who scenes and the BBC has unveiled a first look. The BBC is keeping details about Groff’s character close to its chest but the images show him dressed in Victorian-style clothing flanked by the new doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, and Millie Gibson, who is playing companion Ruby Sunday. Groff, who shot to fame in Glee and has since starred in the likes of Knock at the Cabin, Mindhunter and The Matrix Resurrections, is one of the most high profile stars to have landed a role in the new season, which will air later this year. The likes of Heartstopper’s Yasmin Finney and RuPaul star Jinx Monsoon have also boarded, while David Tennant and Catherine Tate are returning for anniversary specials. Upon the Groff news last week, showrunner Russell T Davies called his signature “an incredible coup.

Set to hit the BBC on Christmas Day in the U.K., “The Smeds and The Smoos” is the tenth in a series of screen adaptations based on books by iconic children’s publishing duo Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Starring the voices of “Bridgerton’s” Adjoa Andoh and comedian Bill Bailey, the film was produced by long-time Donaldson/Scheffler collaborators Magic Light Pictures.

The 30-minute adaptation tells the story of two adorable aliens, Bill and Janet, who come from warring clans. When they fall in love and run away together, their families reluctantly team up to find them and bring them home – unexpectedly becoming friends in the process.

Donaldson writes (usually in rhyming couplets) while Scheffler illustrates (although he has also written his own pictures books too). Together they hit gold over 25 years ago with “The Gruffalo,” spawning an Oscar-nominated film starring Helena Bonham Carter, an array of carefully-curated merchandise,...

Exclusive: James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has revealed that it will be “at least two years“ before the next 007 movie begins filming and that the task of finding an actor to replace Daniel Craig hasn’t begun “because it’s a reinvention of Bond.”

Speaking to us at a star-studded private event in central London to honor Broccoli and her brother Michael G. Wilson for their BFI Fellowships, Broccoli wouldn’t be drawn on who would play Bond next but did offer an update on the decision-making process.

“Nobody’s in the running,” she disclosed. “We’re working out where to go with him, we’re talking that through. There isn’t a script and we can’t come up with one until we decide how we’re going to approach the next film because, really, it’s a reinvention of Bond. We’re reinventing who he is and that takes time.

Stars: Bruce Willis, Michael Rooker, Vadhir Derbez, Olga Kurylenko, Michael Rose, John Malkovich, Lauren Buglioli | Written by Jesse V. Johnson, Erik Martinez, Katharine Lee McEwan | Directed by Jesse V. Johnson

Jesse V. Johnson may well be the best director of action films working today. And his latest film, White Elephant may be Bruce Willis’s best chance to add another memorable to his list of credits. Or at least one that’s memorable for the right reasons.

Gabriel Tancredi is an enforcer working for Arnold (Bruce Willis). They have Carlos deal with a rival who won’t negotiate. He handles the matter, but a pair of cops, Vanessa and her partner see him making his escape. Arnold gives Gabriel and Carlos forty-eight hours to take care of that problem. And they get half the job done quickly and easily. But finishing it off may be more work than they expected.

"Just get rid of them both, whatever the cost." Another day, another bad Bruce Willis action movie. There's an official trailer available now for White Elephant, the latest from the mindless action filmmaker Jesse V. Johnson. When an assassination attempt goes wrong, an ex-marine-turned-mob enforcer is forced to set things right or face the wrath of his ruthless mob boss. If that sounds like nearly every other boring action film recently, it's because it is exactly that, and they're not doing much different besides just shaking the bottle each time. Bruce Willis & Michael Rooker star, along with Michael Rose, Olga Kurylenko, Vadhir Derbez, and John Malkovich. This looks so bland and awful, please don't waste any of your time on this. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Jesse V. Johnson's White Elephant, direct from YouTube: When an assassination attempt is witnessed by two cops, an ex-marine ...

Bosch: Legacy has been renewed for Season 2 just days before its series premiere on Friday, May 6. Freevee (formerly named IMDb TV) announced the renewal at Amazon’s NewFronts presentation on Monday, May 2. Bosch: Legacy is set two years after the events of Prime Video‘s Bosch. It follows retired homicide detective turned private investigator Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver), who’s fighting to work cases without the authority of his former job at the Los Angeles Police Department. He finds himself working with his former enemy, attorney Honey “Money” Chandler (Mimi Rogers), as she struggles to maintain her faith in the justice system after surviving an attempted murder. And his daughter, Maddie Bosch (Madison Lintz), is now a cop discovering the possibilities and challenges of being a rookie patrol cop in Los Angeles. Stephen A. Chang, Denise Sanchez, David Moses, William Devane, Phil Morris, Kate Burton, Steven Flynn, Aisha Kabia, Jai Rodriguez,...

Bosch: Legacy is coming soon to the small screen. The spin-off series will air on Amazon Freevee, the new name for the free IMDb TV streaming service. Starring Titus Welliver, Mimi Rogers, Stephen A. Chang, Denise Sanchez, Kate Burton, Jai Rodriguez, and Michael Rose, the series is a spin-off of Bosch, which ran for seven seasons on Prime Video. The streaming service has released a trailer for the new series.

revealed the following about the new series:

“Today, the highly anticipated spinoff series Bosch: Legacy released an extended trailer for its upcoming first season. Bosch: Legacy is the first Original series to debut under Amazon Freevee, the new name for IMDb TV beginning April 27.

In the new trailer, fans get a closer look at how Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) and Money Chandler's (Mimi Rogers) relationship has evolved as...

Bosch: Legacy finally has a premiere date on IMDb TV. The Bosch sequel series arrives on the streaming service on May 6th. Titus Welliver, Mimi Rogers, Stephen A. Chang, Denise Sanchez, Kate Burton, Jai Rodriguez, and Michael Rose star in the series which will follow Harry Bosch into his next chapter.

IMDb TV revealed the following about the upcoming series:

“Legacy matters, and Harry Bosch is hell-bent on leaving behind a legacy he's proud of. After leaving the Los Angeles Police Department as a detective, Bosch's (Titus Welliver) captivating story continues, working with former enemy and top-notch attorney, Honey "Money" Chandler. The only thing they can agree on? Finding justice. Meanwhile, his daughter, Maddie follows in his footsteps as a rookie patrol officer with the LAPD. Bosch: Legacy, produced by Fabel Entertainment, premieres Friday,...

Bosch: Legacy finally has a premiere date. The Titus Welliver sequel series is headed to IMDb TV. The Bosch sequel series arrives on the streaming service on May 6th. Mimi Rogers, Stephen A. Chang, Denise Sanchez, Kate Burton, Jai Rodriguez, and Michael Rose also star in the series will follow Bosch on his next chapter.

IMDb TV revealed the following about the upcoming series:

“Legacy matters, and Harry Bosch is hell-bent on leaving behind a legacy he's proud of. After leaving the Los Angeles Police Department as a detective, Bosch's (Titus Welliver) captivating story continues, working with former enemy and top-notch attorney, Honey "Money" Chandler. The only thing they can agree on? Finding justice. Meanwhile, his daughter, Maddie follows in his footsteps as a rookie patrol officer with the LAPD. Bosch: Legacy, produced by...

Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) has quit the LAPD and is now a private investigator who makes “fewer compromises” in the first trailer for Imbd TV’s “Bosch: Legacy,” the spinoff of Prime Video’s longest-running original series, police drama “Bosch.”

While he’s off the force, his daughter Maddie (Madison Lintz) is now a rookie cop who seems able to handle herself just fine. Her dad tells her, “You have to decide what kind of cop you want to be. It’s either a mission or it’s just a job.” Given that both her parents were cops, Maddie’s mission seems clear, if only dad can stop worrying about her working the East Hollywood beat.

The spinoff finds Harry reluctantly teaming up with former enemy, attorney Honey “Money” Chandler (Mimi Rogers) and relying on jazz-loving tech guy Maurice “Mo” Bassi (Stephen A. Chang).

In his first case as a P.

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler are Britain’s answer to Dr. Seuss.

Ever since publishing “The Gruffalo” — written by Donaldson and illustrated by Scheffler — in 1999, the duo have delighted millions of children with their stories of robber rats, wandering whales and fantastical fish.

In 2009, U.K. production company Magic Light Pictures turned “The Gruffalo,” about a little mouse who ventures into a deep, dark wood, into a 30-minute animated special voiced by James Corden and Helena Bonham Carter. It turned out to be the first of nine animated adaptations of Donaldson and Scheffler’s works.

(Magic Light also manage licensing for the books and films. In Britain alone, the Donaldson/Scheffler empire includes theme park rides, exhibitions, toys and educational materials. “It’s quite frightening,” says Scheffler of what he calls “Gruffalo madness.”)

Their latest holiday special, which airs in the U.K. on Christmas Day and will be rolled...

Questlove praised Robbie Shakespeare for pushing the boundaries of reggae without sacrificing vision or integrity in a tribute to the bassist, who died Wednesday, Dec. 8.

The Roots drummer heralded Shakespeare and his longtime creative partner, drummer Sly Dunbar, writing, “You might have seen the name. You might not know the legacy by heart but believe you me their production riddem prowess was unparalleled.”

Questlove peeled off a handful of the “gazillion rhythm beds we have collectively made the epicenter of our joy,” which Sly and Robbie were behind. Their “Bam...

Robbie Shakespeare, the renowned reggae bassist who helped move the genre into new sonic territory and whose playing was heard on classics by Black Uhuru and Peter Tosh as well as albums by rock icons such as Bob Dylan and Mick Jagger, has died at age 68. His death was announced on Twitter by Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment & Sport. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed, but The Jamaica Gleaner noted that the musician had recently been hospitalized for kidney damage.

As half of the...

Loki Season 1 Episode 3 Trailer — Disney+‘s Loki: Season 1, Episode 3 TV mini-series trailer has been released. Cast and crew Loki stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sasha Lane, Sophia Di Martino, Lucius Baston, Chris Brewster, Cailey Fleming, Isabelle Fretheim, Michael Rose, Aaron Beelner, Reese Giles, and Alexandra McGuire. Michael Waldron [...]

Continue reading: Loki: Season 1, Episode 3 TV Mini-series Trailer [Disney+]...

Loki Path and Chaos TV Spots — Disney+‘s Loki (2021) TV mini-series commercials have been released. The Loki TV spots are entitled Path and Chaos respectively. Cast and crew Loki stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sasha Lane, Sophia Di Martino, Lucius Baston, Chris Brewster, Cailey Fleming, Isabelle Fretheim, Michael Rose, Aaron [...]

Continue reading: Loki TV Spots: Tom Hiddleston’s ‘Path’ to ‘Chaos’ is through in the Time Variance Authority in Disney+’s 2021 Marvel Mini-series...

Loki Clock TV Spot — Disney+‘s Loki (2021) TV mini-series commercial has been released. The Loki TV spot is entitled Clock. Cast and crew Loki stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sasha Lane, Sophia Di Martino, Lucius Baston, Chris Brewster, Cailey Fleming, Isabelle Fretheim, Michael Rose, Aaron Beelner, Reese Giles, and [...]

Continue reading: Loki TV Spot: Tom Hiddleston is working against a ticking ‘Clock’ for Owen Wilson in Disney+’s 2021 Marvel Mini-series...

Loki Doing Great TV Spot — Disney+‘s Loki: Season 1 TV mini-series commercial has been released. The Loki TV spot is entitled Doing Great. Cast and crew Loki stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sasha Lane, Sophia Di Martino, Lucius Baston, Chris Brewster, Cailey Fleming, Isabelle Fretheim, Michael Rose, Aaron Beelner, Reese [...]

Continue reading: Loki TV Spot: Tom Hiddleston is ‘Doing Great’ as the God of Mischief in Marvel’s 2021 Disney+ Mini-series...

Loki Trailer 2 — Disney+ has released the second TV mini-series trailer for Loki (2021). Loki trailer 2 stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sasha Lane, Sophia Di Martino, Lucius Baston, Chris Brewster, Cailey Fleming, Isabelle Fretheim, Michael Rose, Aaron Beelner, Reese Giles, and Alexandra McGuire. Crew Michael Waldron wrote [...]

Continue reading: Loki Trailer 2: Tom Hiddleston Reprises His Anti-hero Role in Marvel’s TV Mini-series [Disney+]...

Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars from Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis. Following Academy Awards history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Oscar predictions are updated regularly with the current year's contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. Eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and will be displayed next to revision date.

To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Collective

Draft>>>Pre Season>>>Regular Season>>>Post Season

2021 Oscars Predictions:

Best Live Action Short Film

Updated: Feb. 25, 2021

Awards Prediction Commentary: There seems to be a strong three films at the top Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Human Voice” (with Tilda Swinton), Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe’s “Two Distant Strangers” (with Joey...

Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars from Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis. Following Academy Awards history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Oscar predictions are updated regularly with the current year's contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. Eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and will be displayed next to revision date.

To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Collective

Draft>>>Pre Season>>>Regular Season>>>Post Season

2021 Oscars Predictions:

Best Animated Short Film

Updated: Feb. 25, 2021

Awards Prediction Commentary: The Academy announced the shortlist for the animated short contenders, and they produced an interesting crop of selections. Netflix is placing all their power and influence behind the emotional “If Anything Happens I Love You.

Olivia Colman (“The Crown”), Matt Smith (“Doctor Who”), Patricia Allison (“Sex Education”) and Rob Brydon (“The Trip” franchise) lead the voice cast of BBC animation special “Superworm.”

Based on the book “Superworm,” written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, the half-hour show will air over Christmas on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

The show follows Superworm, who is a hero always on hand to help out all the other animals and insects, whose latest challenge is to fight the wicked Wizard Lizard and his servant Crow.

Colman said: “This is such a lovely project to be involved with. When reading the script, and imagining all those goings on at the end of the garden, I could really get a feel for the pure fun and joy that the film will bring. I’ve always loved these charming productions at Christmas and I’m delighted to be voicing the narrator.

The BBC is once again turning to Oscar-nominated Magic Light Pictures for its latest animation special. The studio behind The Gruffalo will bring Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s book Superworm to life with a cast including Olivia Colman and Matt Smith.

Colman will narrate, while Smith will feature as hero Superworm. They are joined by Patricia Allison (Sex Education) as Butterfly, and Rob Brydon (Gavin & Stacey) as the Crow.

Super-long and super-strong, Superworm is always on hand to help out other animals and insects, but when he is kidnapped by wicked Wizard Lizard and sidekick The Crow, his friend Butterfly must come to the rescue.

Superworm is directed by Sarah Scrimgeour and Jac Hamman, from a script by Max Lang and Suzanne Lang. The producer is Barney Goodland, with executive producers Martin Pope and Michael Rose for Magic Light. The composer is Rene Aubry, while animation services are provided by Blue Zoo Animation Studio.

‘Isle Of Dogs’ and ‘Coraline’ producers among industry experts set to guide the cohort.

European organisation Ace Producers has unveiled the 18 independent producers for its upcoming animation-focused initiative, the Ace Animation Special, set to take place in June.

The programme is aimed at experienced producers who want to develop and produce long animated features and series for an international audience.

Originally meant to run March 21-26 during Ireland’s Animation Dingle festival, it has been postponed to late June 2021 in Dublin as a result of the ongoing virus crisis. However, the selected producers will kick off the initiative with a virtual session in March,...

Loki Trailer — Disney+‘s Loki (2021) TV mini-series trailer has been released at Disney’s Investor Day and stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sasha Lane, Sophia Di Martino, Lucius Baston, Chris Brewster, Cailey Fleming, Isabelle Fretheim, Michael Rose, Aaron Beelner, Reese Giles, and Alexandra McGuire. Crew Michael Waldron wrote the screenplay for [...]

Continue reading: Loki (2021) TV Mini-series Trailer: The Tom Hiddleston-starring Marvel Series Answers a Question from Avengers: Endgame [Disney+]...

A record 92 animated short films have qualified for the 92nd Academy Awards, a list that will be winnowed to 10 contenders when shortlist is announced Dec. 16. Alongside entries such as Sony’s “Hair Love” and Magic Light Pictures’ “Zog,” challengers include lauded films from animators such as Tomek Popakul’s “Acid Rain,” Siqi Song’s “Sister” and Theodore Ushev’s “The Physics of Sorrow.” Ranging from studio darlings to festival gems, the diversity of projects in the category makes for a somewhat unpredictable race, yet each year a handful of shorts float to the top, generating awards season buzz.

1. Curse of the Monkeybird (Warner Bros.)

Director: Pete Browngardt

Producers: Pete Browngardt, Sam Register

The slapstick “Indiana Jones”-inspired 2D short features classic Looney Tunes characters searching for a cursed treasure inside a jungle temple. “It was a dream come true to be able to write and direct a Porky Pig and Daffy Duck cartoon from scratch,...

A new stage musical version of the 1993 Tom Hanks comedy Sleepless in Seattle is set for a London world premiere next spring.

Sleepless, a Musical Romance will begin previews March 21 at London’s Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, with an opening night of March 31. The production was announced on the theater’s website.

Featuring a book by Michael Burdette, score by Robert Scott and Brendan Cull, and direction by Morgan Young, Sleepless will star two-time Olivier nominee Michael Xavier in the Hanks role of Sam, and Kimberley Walsh as Annie (the Meg Ryan role). Jobe Hart will play Sam’s son Jonah (Ross Malinger in the movie directed by Nora Ephron).

The new adaptation is not connected to the 2013 Sleepless in Seattle musical at the Pasadena Playhouse in California. The new musical is a Theatre Royal Plymouth production presented by Michael Rose and David Shor, in association with Marc Toberoff and the Bord Gais Energy Theatre,...

Kat Foster and Georgia King (HBO’s Vice Principals) have been set to star in First One In, an indie comedy about an unemployed real estate agent named Madi Cooke (Foster) who, after being thrown off a reality TV show in disgrace, joins a diverse group of women to form an unlikely tennis team. They battle Team Elite headed by Bobbi Mason (King)–an overachieving, tightly-wound, tennis-playing real estate shark–in a local tournament, whereby Madi must regain her grit or lose everything. Michael Ian Black, Catherine Curtin and Josh Segarra co-star. The film is helmed by first-time director Gina O’Brien with Paul Jarrett and Nick Huston producing. Jonathan Gray is the executive producer. Foster is repped by Paradigm, Management 360, and Schreck Rose Law. King is also repped by Paradigm as well as Thruline Entertainment.

Jillian Murray and Kristina Reyes will star in Overlook, an indie horse thriller from Stargazer Films. Directed by Danny J. Boyle, the film follows Carrie (Murray), an equestrian who discovers her family’s estate harbors an unfathomable secret. Rounding out the cast are Carolyn McCormick, Lisa Thornhill, Dan Amboyer, Chris Riggi, Michael Rose, Kim DeJesus, Brandon Hirsch and Kate Neilson. Anthony Del Negro, Zach O’Brien and Shane O’Brien are producing the project with co-producers Emily Blevins and Kevin Otte.

Sally Hawkins (Paddington), Rob Brydon (Gavin & Stacey) and Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones) are lending their voices to BBC One and Zdf Christmas special The Snail And The Whale.

UK production outfit Magic Light Pictures is behind the well-sold book adaptation about the epic journey of a tiny snail who longs to see the world and manages to hitch a ride on the tail of a huge humpback whale. Hawkins will voice the snail, Brydon the whale and Rigg will be the narrator.

Written in 2003 by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, creators of the hit children’s book and TV adaptation The Gruffalo, the picture book is published by Macmillan Children’s Books.

The half-hour kids’ content was acquired for BBC One by Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, and Tommy Bulfin, Commissioning Editor, BBC. It is directed by acclaimed animation directors Max Lang and Daniel Snaddon who...

Annecy — At Annecy to talk audiences through “Zog,” the latest in a line of hugely popular of painstakingly crafted half-hour films for the BBC and Zdf whose lineage stretches back through “Revolting Rhymes” to the “The Gruffalo,” London-based Magic Light Pictures has confirmed a swathe of sales on its upcoming half-hour, “The Snail and the Whale.”

The film will premiere in the U.K. on BBC1 as a highlight of its Christmas schedule in 2019. Alongside core partner Zdf in Germany, further confirmed pre-sales include France Televisions; Svt (Sweden), Dr (Denmark), Rte (Ireland), ABC (Australia), Showmax (Africa), Czech Television, Noga in Israel; Vpro in the Netherlands; and Slovenia’s Rtv.

“The Snail and the Whale” will also be released in cinemas in France next year by Les Films Du Preau.

Described as a delightful tale of adventure and friendship, “The Snail and the Whale” follows the amazing journey of a tiny...

Over 20 years after Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan's onscreen love affair in Sleepless in Seattle left us all swooning, the popular love story is making its way back to a different kind of theater. According to Forbes, the 1993 rom-com is being made into a musical as we speak.

Forbes reported that the show's producers, Michael Rose and David Shor, have already obtained the rights to adapt the screenplay into a musical for which musicians Robert Scott and Brendan Cull will write the music, while Michael Burdette will work on the script. Shor and Rose are working to get the show off the ground in London's West End before the end of the year.

"We are in discussions with the three or four primary theater owners," Shor said. He also noted that an official debut date mostly "depends on schedules" and the results of the Olivier Awards, since many of...

As much a character study as it is a murder mystery, “A Dark Place” is a little under-complicated in both departments. This drama (formerly shown as “Steel Country”) stars Andrew Scott as a small-town Pennsylvania man on the autism spectrum who becomes obsessed with a local child’s seemingly accidental death, ruffling feathers as he conducts his own guileless “investigation.”

One of three top-billed Irish thespians capably playing Yanks here for Brit director Simon Fellows, Scott offers a compelling turn that easily carries the film, as it must. Still, the generally well-acted and competently crafted film should have more depth and punch, given the inherently powerful themes it places center-stage. The result is diverting enough, yet ends up more a mildly offbeat time-filler than something memorable.

Donnie Devlin (Scott) is a 30-ish sanitation worker in Harburgh, Pa., spending days driving a garbage truck, and nights at home with his elderly...

Stars: Al Pacino, Karl Urban, Brittany Snow, Joe Anderson, Sarah Shahi, Sloane Warren, Chelle Ramos, Steve Coulter, Michael Rose | Written by Michael Caissie, Charles Huttinger | Directed by Johnny Martin

[Note: With the film finally coming to physical formats, here's a repost of our review of Hangman, a 90s-esque thriller starring Al Pacino]

Decorated homicide detective Ray Archer (Al Pacino) partners with criminal profiler Will Ruiney (Karl Urban) to catch one of the city’s notoriously vicious serial killers, who is playing a twisted version of murder inspired by the children’s game Hangman. Every 24 hours, a body is hung revealing the next letter carved into the victim’s body. As crime journalist Christi Davies (Brittany Snow) reports on the crime spree, the trio must race against the clock to prevent further murders. Archer and Ruiney become more entangled in the ruthless game than they could ever have imagined, but they must keep playing to save lives and attempt to catch the Hangman.

From the get-go Hangman...

Game of Thrones star Kit Harington is to lend his voice for a forthcoming adaptation of kids’ book Zog from the team behind The Gruffalo.

The British actor will voice the character of Sir Gadabout in the one-off animated special, which will air on BBC One at Christmas. He is joined by Sir Lenny Henry, who narrates, Tracey Ullman, who voices Madame Dragon, W1A’s Hugh Skinner as Zog and Jamestown’s Patsy Ferran as Princess Pearl.

The special is based on the character written by The Gruffalo creators Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler and will be produced by Magic Light Pictures, which adapted that into a BBC hit.

Zog is a keen but accident-prone dragon who gets himself into mischief whilst learning how to fly, roar, breathe fire and fight knights in his first four years at dragon school. Each year he meets a kindly young girl who...

Stars: Al Pacino, Karl Urban, Brittany Snow, Joe Anderson, Sarah Shahi, Sloane Warren, Chelle Ramos, Steve Coulter, Michael Rose | Written by Michael Caissie, Charles Huttinger | Directed by Johnny Martin

Decorated homicide detective Ray Archer (Al Pacino) partners with criminal profiler Will Ruiney (Karl Urban) to catch one of the city’s notoriously vicious serial killers, who is playing a twisted version of murder inspired by the children’s game Hangman. Every 24 hours, a body is hung revealing the next letter carved into the victim’s body. As crime journalist Christi Davies (Brittany Snow) reports on the crime spree, the trio must race against the clock to prevent further murders. Archer and Ruiney become more entangled in the ruthless game than they could ever have imagined, but they must keep playing to save lives and attempt to catch the Hangman.

From the get-go Hangman seems like a film out of time.

Annecy, France — If the animated art and family film distribution business remains as lively as the 10th anniversary celebration of Gkids, the emblematic U.S. distributor, held at the Annecy Festival, then it will be in very good health indeed.

Not that the business’ prospects are negative at all. The Gkid 10th anni party proved something of a metaphor, for the company and the business.

First, it was held in France. The Annecy Intl. Animation Film Festival was the place where Gkids could to get together the largest number of friends, reasoned Gkids founder Eric Beckman.

To celebrate, Gkids snagged the Mifa Chill-Out Lounge, Annecy Festival prime real estate, a Mifa market outhouse overlooking the town’s lake and steep-backed mountains. That in turn is a reflection of the industry position Gkids now commands at Annecy.

“When we started, we were total outsiders, my first time at Annecy we were kind of tip-toeing around,...

Annecy, France — Still flush from a vibrant inaugural edition, the organizers of the European Animation Awards – or Emile Awards, as they are also known – are looking to build for their second edition, adding new categories, nominated titles, panels and presentations.

In another sign of growth, the Emile Awards’ board is in discussions to add a second day to the prizes with events taking place on the afternoon and evening of Friday, Dec. 7.

“Launched with great success in 2017, our brain child has grown up with prodigious speed,” commented Emile Awards president Peter Lord.

News of fast-track growth plans at the European Animation Awards comes as its members have elected a new board and executive, in place for 2018-20.

The number of short list nominations will increase from three to five in order to showcase a larger diversity in submissions for the final vote.

As sound design becomes a key production value...

Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 30 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the new comedy “Ride Along 2” starring Ice Cube from Kevin Hart!

“Ride Along 2,” which opens on Jan. 15, 2016 and is rated “PG-13,” also stars Ken Jeong, Benjamin Bratt, Tika Sumpter, Olivia Munn, Bruce McGill, Michael Rose and Sherri Shepherd from director Tim Story and writers Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi.

To win your free passes to “Ride Along 2” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning; this doesn’t intensify your competition!

Note: You can enter for this “Ride Along 2...

It's not that the maids on "Devious Maids" are flawless, but most of the people around them, with one exception, are so much worse.

Genevieve (Susan Lucci, who gets a little more luminous each episode) is the lone exception. Sure, she's vain, ditzy, helpless and shallow, but she's incredibly sweet and all she wants is for everyone to be in love.

Her long-lost brother, Henri, (Richard Burgi) returns home after a long absence -- three husbands ago for Genevieve -- and tells her, lovingly, that she looks emaciated.

"You always say the sweetest things," she coos.

Henri is the rich man who broke Zoila's (Judy Reyes) heart. If Valentina (Edy Ganem) is their child, it wasn't confirmed. Some of this episode's best scenes show the dynamic between Genevieve and Valentina and how they have been part of each other's lives for decades.

While that's all sweetness and light, there's...

A park policeman hears gunshots in the park and finds a dead marine. Tony (Michael Weatherly) is washing and drying his sock in the office. There, bet you didn't think he could also do his washing there, I mean after the countless number of shirt changes and deodorant refreshers, ha. Tony got his feet wet. Ducky (David McCallum) comments Gibbs (Mark Harmon) is working him too hard and he doesn't have time to do his laundry except in the office. Tony stepped in a puddle whilst texting Ziva. (Cote de Pablo). He thinks cos she's a Probie that she's also his Pa. Ducky loves the rain, don't we all. Actually it's mostly raining in NCIS, especially when one of their own is killed off, or hurt. Tony asks for talc. McGee (Sean Murray) notices Ducky is wearing a tie and not his customary bow tie. Gibbs gives Tony socks and...

Michael Rose who played the Police Commissioner on ABC's No Ordinary Family is playing Gregory Kogen, who is Veronica Cale’s chief lawyer in the new DC Comic TV show. Roses credits include many TV shows NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Days of Our Lives, The Lutefisk Wars, Without a Trace, Life and more. The Wonder Woman TV project, from David E. Kelley Prods. and Warner Bros. Television, is a retelling of the DC Comics title in which Wonder Woman (Palicki), a.k.a. Diana Prince, tries to balance her life as a vigilante crime fighter, a successful corporate executive and a modern woman. Stars: Adrianne Palicki as Wonder Woman (Diana Prince) Elizabeth Hurley as Veronica Cale LEEE777 - Many thanks to wonderwomantv.com for the find, link below. Okay, I'm thinking things are looking up for this DC pilot, comments, thoughts as always below.

Chicago – Samuel L. Jackson is an A-list actor stuck in the persona of a B-movie crowd-pleaser. His preference for schlock has made it difficult for viewers to take him seriously in roles that aren’t intended to be quoted by fanboys at Comic-Con. When his formidable interrogator in “Unthinkable” declares, “What I have to do, Agent Brody, is…unthinkable,” the line hits the exact wrong note of credibility-killing cheese that has marred Jackson’s career.

Of course, Jackson cannot be solely blamed for the multitude of flaws in the direct-to-video thriller “Unthinkable.” Director Gregor Jordan (“The Informers”) and screenwriter Peter Woodward (“Closing the Ring”) continue their slump into forgettable mediocrity by squandering a powerful and topical premise that has been tackled in a variety of recent pictures (the most memorable being “The Dark Knight”). It asks the obvious question of how a war on terror can be won without America...