Variety

‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ to Open Real Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza Location in 2027

“Five Nights at Freddy’s” and New Jersey entertainment and retail center American Dream announced that they will open a real-life Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza location in East Rutherford, N.J., in 2027. Bas...

5 days ago

Florian Hoffmann’s U.N. Compound Drama ‘Yazz’ Takes Main Alliance 4 Development Prizes at Locarno Pro Awards

Florian Hoffmann’s “Yazz,” about a teenager growing up in a UN compound in the Central African Republic, celebrated two major wins at this year’s Locarno Pro Awards for the Alliance 4 Development co-d...

5 days ago

What’s It Going to Take for Steve Carell to Finally Win an Emmy?

What does Steve Carell have to do for Emmy voters to take notice? In recent years, he’s died in car accidents twice (Apple TV’s “The Morning Show” and Netflix’s “Four Seasons”), been a billionaire wit...

5 days ago

Olivia Wilde Calls ‘The Invite’ the ‘Most Incredible’ Experience of Her Life: ‘It Was the Highlight of My Career’

Olivia Wilde brought “The Invite” to Locarno. “I’m in shock. This is overwhelming and exciting,” she told the audience at Piazza Grande, which reportedly has one of the world’s largest cinema screens....

5 days ago

‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Becomes Second-Fastest Movie to Hit $1 Billion Overseas, Powers to $1.67 Billion Globally

Spidey keeps climbing… and climbing… and climbing at the box office. “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” has amassed a heroic $1.67 billion after just 12 days in theaters, including $1.01 billion internationa...

5 days ago

Box Office: ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Flies to Third-Biggest Second Weekend of All Time With $145 Million

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is continuing its unparalleled box office run, scoring another $145 million domestically during its second weekend in theaters. Just to put those stratospheric ticket sales...

5 days ago

Protest at the Locarno Film Festival Remembers 60,000 Names of the Dead of Gaza

Locarno became the latest film festival to see protests at the continuing situation in Gaza and Palestine’s Occupied Territories. While music from the Campari Lounge boomed into the evening, approxima...

5 days ago

David Ellison Is Promising Theater Owners Contractual Guarantees for Paramount-Warner Bros. 30-Film Annual Slate. But What if Moviegoers Don’t Care?

There’s no question that David Ellison, the doggedly ambitious CEO of Paramount Skydance, loves movies and filmmaking. In making his case for Paramount’s eye-poppingly pricey megadeal to merge with Wa...

5 days ago

Locarno Sufi Trance Doc ‘As Light as Air’ Director Umair Bilal on Surrendering to a Pakistani Shrine Town: ‘I Became Part of Its Rhythm’

Umair Bilal spent months in Sehwan, Pakistan, trying to direct a documentary. Then he gave up. “Every time I tried to impose that logic onto Sehwan, it felt like I was working against the place rather...

5 days ago

‘Our Time Will Come’ Review: Two Orphans Journey to Accra to Find Their Kin in an Emotionally Absorbing Ghanaian Drama

Elements of “Oliver Twist” are given a West African update in “Our Time Will Come,” an atmospheric and emotionally absorbing feature debut from writer-director Amartei Armar, who thankfully cares too ...

5 days ago

‘Donkey Princess’ Review: A Princess Escapes the Kingdom, but Not the Patriarchy, in an Inventive, Shape-Shifting Fairytale

Chilean duo Cristobal León and Joaquín Cociña made a dream nightmare debut with “The Wolf House,” a stop-motion fantasy that turned heads both with its wholly original design — incorporating claymatio...

6 days ago

Naseeruddin Shah, Gurvinder Singh Turn a Village’s Real Grief Into Locarno Competition Title ‘Rehmat’: ‘It’s Important That These Films Get Made’

The family living in the house that “Rehmat” uses as Rashid Ali’s ancestral home lost a son to a drug overdose shortly after Indian filmmaker Gurvinder Singh and his crew first met them. Singh tells V...

6 days ago

Mahesh Babu’s Look in S.S. Rajamouli’s ‘Varanasi’ Unveiled

Two new character stills of Mahesh Babu from S.S. Rajamouli’s “Varanasi” were released Sunday to mark the actor’s birthday, showing his character Rudhra on location in Africa. The film’s story spans t...

6 days ago

Whitney Houston Gets Her Own Barbie, Recreating Iconic ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ Look

Whitney Houston is ready to dance with somebody — in Barbieland. Mattel is honoring the late pop icon with a new Barbie Signature doll inspired by Houston’s colorful look from the 1987 music video for...

6 days ago

Gina Prince-Bythewood Discusses the Worldbuilding of ‘Children of Blood and Bone’ and Praises Author Tomi Adeyemi as a ‘Genius’

For the opening night of the 24th annual Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF), “Children of Blood and Bone” director Gina Prince-Bythewood and star Thuso Mbedu shared never-before...

6 days ago

Andrew Lloyd Webber Is ‘Gutted’ on ‘Cats: The Jellicle Ball’ Closing Night: Producing on Broadway Is ‘Unsustainable’

Ahead of tonight’s final “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” show, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is speaking out about how producing on Broadway has become “unsustainable.” “I’m gutted that the wonderful Broadwa...

6 days ago

Warner Bros. Uses AI Dog Podcast to Promote ‘The End of Oak Street’: ‘Ewan McGregor Was Excellent With Treats’

Warner Bros. has teamed with the AI dog podcast “DogPack” to promote its upcoming sci-fi action film “The End of Oak Street.” The 90-second podcast clip, hosted by an AI golden retriever named Goldie ...

6 days ago

Perez Hilton ‘Will Require Surgery’ After Live Stream Incident, Family Demands Media ‘Cease Photographing Perez’s Children’

Perez Hilton’s family released a statement on Saturday updating fans about the blogger’s health after he appeared to commit self-harm during a TikTok livestream. “Perez’s condition remains serious but...

6 days ago

‘Abbott Elementary’ Stars Sheryl Lee Ralph and Janelle James on the Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger: ‘We’ve Lost Too Many People’

As “Abbott Elementary” gears up for Season 6 production in just a few short weeks, stars Sheryl Lee Ralph, Janelle James and Luke Tennie are reflecting on turbulent changes in the industry — from the ...

6 days ago

‘Heated Rivalry’ Author Brushes Off Negativity Surrounding Season 2 Casting

“Game Changer” author Rachel Reid is unbothered by the early critics of the “Heated Rivalry’s” upcoming second season. On Friday, it was revealed that Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie are joining t...

6 days ago

Morrissey Cancels Las Vegas Residency Days Before Showtime Due to ‘Unforeseen Logistical Issues’

Morrissey has canceled his four-date Las Vegas residency at The Wynn just a week before showtime, Rolling Stone reports. The musician cited “unforeseen logistical issues” as the reason for the sudden ...

6 days ago

L.A. Jazz Festival, Which Was Supposed to Feature John Legend, Janelle Monáe and Hundreds More, Canceled at the Last Minute

The inaugural LA Jazz Fest, set for Aug. 7 to 23 and promising major events including a two-day concert at Dockweiler Beach with stars like John Legend, Janelle Monáe, Parliament/Funkadelic and Raphae...

6 days ago

Anthony Michael Hall Says John Hughes Wanted a ‘Breakfast Club’ Sequel Where the Original Cast Is ‘In Their 30s’

“The Breakfast Club” star Anthony Michael Hall said during a recent appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show” that director John Hughes wanted a sequel in which the group of troubled teens reunites as adult...

6 days ago

‘Cookie Queens’ Review: A Doc About Girl Scout Cookies, Produced by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Is Too Much of a Reality-Show Ramble

As a director, Alysa Nahmias thinks like a reality-show producer — she frames the movie as a contest, inviting us to chortle in admiration at what eager-beaver achievers all four girls are. "Cookie Qu...

6 days ago

Bill Maher’s Joke About Ariana Grande’s Weight Draws Groans From ‘Real Time’ Audience

Bill Maher made a joke about Ariana Grande’s weight during Friday’s episode of “Real Time,” and drew mixed reactions from his live audience. “I hope the aliens are here, I do. I hope they’re here and ...

6 days ago

Giovanni Tortorici on Working With Monica Bellucci Who Plays an ‘Eccentric’ Aristocratic Matron in His Luca Guadagnino-Produced Film ‘Ketticè’

Emerging Italian director Giovanni Tortorici, whose feature debut “Diciannove” made a splash last year after launcing from the Venice Horizons section, is in competition at the Locarno Film Festival w...

6 days ago

Olivia Wilde Says She’s Become ‘So Much More Romantic’ Because of ‘The Invite’: ‘It Melted the Cynic Out of Me’

Olivia Wilde said she has become “so much more romantic” because of “The Invite.” “It’s melted the cynic out of me,” she said at Locarno. “I have spoken to people who have been through so much with th...

6 days ago

‘Tony’ Star Dominic Sessa on How Being a ‘Liar’ Helped Him Portray Anthony Bourdain and Why the Film Foreshadows His Later Struggles

For most actors, playing a real person in a biopic comes with an unrealistic amount of pressure. But because Matt Johnson decided to focus on just one summer in 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain’s life — l...

6 days ago

Atlanta-Based Liaison Pictures Joins France’s Because the Night Productions on Locarno Match Me! Title ‘Behemoth Ann Holds a Seance’ (EXCLUSIVE)

John Henry Hinkel’s Atlanta-based Liaison Pictures, behind Charlie Kaufman’s “How to Shoot a Ghost,” has joined France’s Because the Night Productions on the doc-feature “Behemoth Ann Holds a Seance,”...

6 days ago

Box Office: ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Swings into Second Weekend With $43 Million on Friday

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” showed no signs of slowing down as it entered its second weekend in cinemas. “Brand New Day” added $43 million at the North American box office on Friday from 4,487 theater...

6 days ago

Yash’s ‘Toxic’ Trailer Unveils Dual-Role Father-Son Conflict at Core of Gangster Epic

The official trailer for “Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups” has been released, presenting Yash in dual roles as Raya and Ticket – a father and son positioned on opposite sides of a conflict that drive...

6 days ago

‘Ketticè’ Review: An Amusing, Original Portrait of Adolescent Ennui Against a Backdrop of Adult Cluelessness

Monica Bellucci’s sneer is a thing of wonder, so why have so few directors used it properly? When allowed full rein to her sense of irony, as given her by Giovanni Tortorici in “Ketticè,” Bellucci has...

6 days ago

Satyajit Ray’s ‘Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne’ Making to be Chronicled in Srijit Mukherji’s ‘Maharaja Tomare Selam’

Indian National Award-winning filmmaker Srijit Mukherji is bringing to screen the making of Satyajit Ray’s “Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne,” one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated classics, in a new film title...

1 week ago

‘I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming’ Review: An Affecting Trans Relationship Drama Brings Fresh Perspective to the War in Ukraine

Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine has prompted a wealth of urgent nonfiction filmmaking documenting the harsh realities of life under siege, but comparatively little dramatic storytelling — a space th...

1 week ago

Taylor Swift Song ‘August’ Removed From Trump TikTok Video

A TikTok video that included Taylor Swift’s song “August” posted to the account for Donald Trump’s campaign four days ago has now had the sound removed. The caption on the “Team Trump” TikTok video re...

1 week ago

Behind the Scenes of Obama’s Acting Cameo in ‘Life, Larry’: Blaming Larry David for His Tan Suit Debacle, Improvising Lines and Ranting About Ketchup

In his HBO sketch series “Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness,” Larry David travels throughout history, inserting his stubborn and curmudgeonly self into America’s most pivotal moments. “Lawren...

1 week ago

‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ Creator Sascha Penn and Stars Patina Miller and Mekai Curtis on the Deadly Series Finale and ‘Power: Origins’

SPOILER ALERT: The following story contains plot details from the series finale of “Raising Kanan” now streaming on Starz. The final curtain has closed on the hit 1990s-set crime series “Power Book II...

1 week ago

Stanley Tucci on Why His Emmy-Nominated ‘Tucci In Italy’ Is Moving to the United Kingdom Next Season

Italy remains Stanley Tucci’s first love. But a man can travel, right? After winning three Emmys for CNN’s “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy,” followed by two nominations (including this year) for N...

1 week ago

‘The Last House’ Ending Breakdown: Why Is the Family Trapped Inside Their Home?

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains major spoilers for “The Last House,” out now on Netflix. “The Last House” is a new sci-fi feature that just dropped on Netflix that’s built around a central mystery:...

1 week ago

‘One Night Only’ Director Will Gluck Cut Out ‘So Much Nudity’ Because People Dislike Sex on Screen: ‘It Takes You Out of the Movie’

“One Night Only” director Will Gluck doesn’t want you to overthink it. The filmmaker has been fielding a lot of inquiries about the premise, logic and loopholes of his new movie, a raucous romantic co...

1 week ago

Judy Collins on Doing a Farewell Tour While ‘Having a Lot More Steam in My Engine’: At 87, ‘I’m the Betty White of the Folk Movement’

How sweet — or suite — it still is. Judy Collins is doing a valedictory lap or two around the country on what is billed as a farewell tour, even though, at 87, she’s showing little in the way......

1 week ago

Olivia Rodrigo Debuts ‘Pretty Sad’ Songs at Sweltering Brooklyn Surprise Show: Concert Review

The announcement dropped on a pulverizingly humid Thursday afternoon in New York City: just a few hours later, an Olivia Rodrigo surprise gig would take place at Brooklyn’s intimate, 1,100-capacity ve...

1 week ago

Dwayne Johnson Defends ‘Moana’ After Bad Reviews: ‘Just the Way It Goes’

Dwayne Johnson has come to terms with the tepid critical reception to his latest movie, the live-action “Moana” remake. The muscled thespian spoke with People about his reaction to the film, which dre...

1 week ago

Béla Tarr’s Legacy to Be Celebrated at Sarajevo Film Festival

The Sarajevo Film Festival has launched a new program dedicated to the legacy of Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr, who died this year. The Béla Tarr in Sarajevo Tribute program will focus on the work of ...

1 week ago

Variety Toasts Young Hollywood’s Hottest at Cover Bash With Tate McRae, Sombr and Malachi Barton

Los Angeles, sweltering thanks to an unusual August humidity, got even hotter on Wednesday as Variety toasted the best and brightest young talent in show business. Variety Power of Young Hollywood, pr...

1 week ago

‘Baywatch’ Honors Hero 16-Year-Old Lifeguard Ryder Williams During Set Visit (EXCLUSIVE)

Before the “Baywatch” producers wrapped filming the revival’s first season, they brought a special guest to the set this week: Real-life rookie lifeguard Ryder Williams, the 16-year-old who made headl...

1 week ago

Flo Anthony, Pioneering Page Six Entertainment Journalist, Dies at 74

Flo Anthony, an entertainment journalist known for being the first Black woman to work for the New York Post’s entertainment and Page Six departments, died Thursday after a battle with cancer. She was...

1 week ago

Magnus Ferrell on His Viral Hit ‘Asleep Talking’ and Dad Will Ferrell Showing Michelle Obama His Music: ‘I Finally Felt Ready to Have a Spotlight on I...

Not every up-and-coming artist can say they watched Michelle Obama jam out to their music before landing on the charts. But two weeks after Will Ferrell proudly played his son Magnus Ferrell’s single ...

1 week ago

Virginie Efira – a ‘Showgirls’ Fan – Enjoyed the ‘Benedetta’ Controversy: ‘When Verhoeven Said There Would Be Lesbian Sex Scenes, I Just Replied: ‘No ...

Paul Verhoeven’s “Benedetta,” about a nun embarking on a scandalous affair with another nun, offended many viewers and sparked protests in several countries. But it didn’t offend its lead Virginie Efi...

1 week ago

Da’Vine Joy Randolph to Star in Indie Dark Comedy ‘Dedicated to Morris Burke’ From Director Will Ropp (EXCLUSIVE)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph has signed on to star in director Will Ropp’s indie dark comedy “Dedicated to Morris Burke.” The Oscar winner plays Judy Brooks, who discovers that the final novel of her late bes...

1 week ago