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EXCLUSIVE: Vanessa Taylor , nominated for an Oscar this year for co-writing with Guillermo del Tor the Best Picture nominee The Shape of Water , has found her next project. She has been set to adapt  Hillbilly Elegy , the movie based on J.D. Vance’s New York Times bestseller  Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis . Ron Howard is directing the pic and producing with his Imagine Entertainment partner Brian Grazer , who pursued the rights along with Imagine… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2F4Yjuk

Season 9 of Archer is landing on FXX in the spring. The cable net said today that Archer: Danger Island will shove off at 10 PM Wendesday, April 25. This season of the animated spy comedy finds Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin) as a semi-functioning alcoholic seaplane pilot — a lush on the lush South Pacific island of Mitimotu. It’s 1939, and while the rest of the world is concerned about the looming Second World War, Archer is concerned only with who's buying his next… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2FDuH8E

Warner Bros. TV and Warner Bros. Animation have unveiled their WonderCon 2018 lineup which will happen during the weekend of March 23-25 in Anaheim, CA. Take a gander at what their schedule is below. Friday, March 23 2:30–3:30 p.m, Room North 200B,  Unikitty!  Special Video Presentation and Q&A  — Based on the character seen in The Lego Movie,  Unikitty follows a kitty/unicorn hybrid who wants the kingdom full of glowing, brassy happiness, and will get ticked if it’s anything… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2F2Qw08

Samuel Goldwyn Films has secured the North American distribution rights to the Xavier Gens -directed sci-fi film, Cold Skin , with plans for a day-and-date release June 1. Written by Jesus Olmo, the film stars Ray Stevenson ( The Three Musketeers ), David Oakes (TV's Victoria ), and Aura Garrido ( Stockholm ). It follows a young Irishman, Friend (Oakes), who travels to the edge of the Antarctic circle to replace the remote island's previous meteorologist. The only other… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2FE2ej9

Every week in  /Answers , we answer a new pop culture-related question. In this edition, we’re celebrating the release of Red Sparrow by asking “What is your favorite movie about espionage and undercover work?” Naturally, more action-oriented spy movies were disqualified. Chris Evanglista: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Before Tomas Alfredson helmed the truly terrible The Snowman , he directed Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy , which may just be one of the best spy movies ever made. There are no action beats here; no scenes of super-cool spies in tuxedos wooing international babes. Instead, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a cold, analytical slow-burn thriller. British Intelligence agent George Smiley (Gary Oldman) is forced into retirement. Rather than enjoying his golden years, Smiley is drawn back into the game when he’s recruited to find out if there’s a mole hiding somewhere within his former organization. Anyone expecting car chases and fist fights a la a Bond film will be sorely di

In a dramatic acknowledgement of commercial clutter , NBCUniversal plans to decrease the number of ads by 20% and will lower overall ad time by 10% across its networks during original primetime programming. The move affects some 50 individual original shows across broadcast and cable. The company also said it will launch a new 60-second, contextually programmed “prime pod” in the first or last break of a show dedicated to up to two advertisers for stronger impact with… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2HURXzF

EXCLUSIVE : Kill Your Friends author and screenwriter John Niven has become attached to pen the screenplay for Berlin Bromley , a coming-of-age comedy/drama based on the memoir of Bertie Marshall. Marshall was one of the Bromley Contingent, followers of the Sex Pistols, that also included Siouxsie Sioux, Billy Idol and Steve Severin. Charlotte Arden is producing the film with Peter Dunphy as exec producer for Gizmo Films ( Mad To Be Normal, Funny Cow ). Neal Moore is exec… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2oEWCgq

EXCLUSIVE : When you look at the 1980 comedy 9 to 5 and ask what has changed from the male chauvinist premise of that film, the #MeToo movement proves the answer is, absolutely nothing. What better timing for a new version of that hit, especially when original stars Dolly Parton , Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin are eager for a reprise? 2oth Century Fox is in the early stages of a new version that would focus on three young women dealing with sexism and chauvinism in the… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2HR06oK

ITV is aggressively chasing unpaid debts in China relating to the local version of Talpa 's The Voice . The British broadcaster, which owns John De Mol's Dutch producer and distributor, has revealed that it is "vigorously" pursuing £30M (US$41M) from Chinese company Talent Television and Film Co after a breakdown in the relationship between the two companies. The Voice ran for four seasons on broadcaster Zhejiang, produced by Star China but ITV struck a deal with Talent… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2EZ2aNz

McDonald’s Happy Meals are about to make kids a little happier. For the first time in 10 years, the fast food corporation is partnering with Disney once again to bring Disney-themed toys and packaging to the kid’s menu. Disney and McDonald’s will be partnering for a cross-promotional campaign starting in June, according to USA Today , when Happy Meals will begin including toys from  Incredibles 2 (out  June 15, 2018 ). This will be followed by toys for the  Wreck-It-Ralph sequel,  Ralph Breaks the Internet , in the fall to coincide with its  November 21, 2018 release date. The “promotional alliance” will pair the children’s meal with movies from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Disney Live Action, Marvel Studios, and Lucasfilm. It’s the first time in a decade that Disney and McDonald’s have partnered up in this capacity. The two corporations first struck up a partnership in 1996, during which Happy Meals included all manner of Disney toys at the height

Chris Warren  ( The Fosters ) has booked a series regular role on ABC drama pilot Grand Hotel , from Eva Longoria, Brian Tanen and ABC Studios. Written by Tanen based on a Spanish format and directed by Ken Olin, Grand Hotel is a soapy drama set against the backdrop of a Miami Beach hotel, centering on the family who owns the business, the staff who run it and the explosive secrets they hide under the perfect exterior. Warren will play Jason. Kind, funny and friends with… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2HTs43k

During a conference call with investors to discuss their quarterly results, Sinclair Broadcasting execs faced the inevitable question of how their discussions with Washington have been going about acquiring Tribune Media . The $3.9B consolidation, announced 10 months ago, is large not just in size but in terms of ramifications for the industry and for broadcast journalism. After opposition started flaring up in various quarters in recent months, the review has started to… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2GQHUdv

"Anonymity is the enemy." A trailer has launched from Greece for the new sci-fi film Anon , the latest from one of my favorite sci-fi filmmakers - Andrew Niccol , who last made The Host and Good Kill . The film is about a near-future where there is no privacy or anonymity, where even private memories are recorded in an effort to cut down on crime. Clive Owen plays a cop investigating a series of unsolved murders, who meets a hacker woman known as "The Girl", played by Amanda Seyfried . She has no identity, no history and no record. What he learns from her changes everything. Also starring Colm Feore , Sonya Walger , Mark O'Brien , Joe Pingue , Iddo Goldberg , and Sebastian Pigott . Why does Seyfried look so like anyone but herself? This seems to be a slick sci-fi neo-noir. I'm always curious about Niccol's films, will be watching it. Here's the first international trailer for Andrew Niccol's Anon , direct from YouTube (via The Playlist ):

Most of the hype for the Oscars, as usual, surrounds the nominees for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress, but the technical awards deserve some attention too. Case in point: Industrial Light and Magic has been showing off all the hard work they put into Star Wars: The Last Jedi with its impressive array of visual effects. A few new Star Wars The Last Jedi VFX featurettes have surfaced online showing how Andy Serkis was turned into Supreme Leader Snoke, how the climactic Battle of Crait was created, and the immense amount of detail that went into one massive digital set extension. Andy Serkis Becomes Supreme Leader Snoke First up, get a look at some of Andy Serkis’ motion capture performance as Supreme Leader Snoke. As you can see, he wears a full motion capture suit, complete with a head rig, and for some scenes he even stands on a raised platform so he towers over Adam Driver as Kylo Ren and Daisy Ridley as Rey. Interestingly enough, he also uses an artif

A letter written by more than 75 female British TV writers, including How To Get Away With Murder writer Abby Ajayi , The Secrets writer Sarah Solemani and Fresh Meat writers Henrietta and Jessica Ashworth, urging British TV drama commissioners to order more female-penned series has received widespread support from top industry executives, creatives and politicians. The group published an open letter earlier today urging broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2FFzjv0

Thomas Cocquerel ( Table 19 ) is set as a lead opposite Kylie Bunbury in ABC 's Get Christie Love reboot drama pilot, from Power creator/showrunner Courtney Kemp and producers Vin Diesel, Debra Martin Chase and Shana C. Produced by Lionsgate and Universal TV, the pilot is inspired by Get Christie Love! — the cult 1974 blaxploitation-themed TV movie and subsequent series. Written by Kemp, the new Get Christie Love (no ! in the title) is an action-packed, music-driven drama… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2FDSBkd

EXCLUSIVE:  Film Independent has announced the second batch of presenters set to take the stage at the 33rd edition of the Independent Spirit Awards , which IFC will air live Saturday  at 2 PM PT/5 PM ET. Joining the roster of presenters are Call Me by Your Name’s   Timothée Chalamet (who’s up for the Best Male Lead), Robert Pattinson (who’s also up for Best Male Lead for his role in Good Time ), Spirit Award winner Janelle Monáe,  Get Out scene stealer Lil Rel Howery and award… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2FEN5On

EXCLUSIVE: J. Mills Goodloe , the screenwriter who most recently penned The Mountain Between Us starring Idris Elba and Kate Winslet, has signed with ICM Partners . Fox’s The Mountain Between Us , helmed by Hany Abu-Assad, was adapted from Charles Martin’s novel. Goodloe also adapted Nicola Yoon’s Everything, Everything , which also bowed last year via Warner Bros starring Amanda Stenberg and Nick Robinson; and the Nicholas Sparks novel The Best Of Me which became a 2014… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2FCkadK

“We have much bigger things to worry about now than what the president says,” Arizona Sen. John McCain ’s wife, Cindy McCain said Wednesday on The View , days after President Donald Trump had attacked her husband again, this time at CPAC . “We need more compassion, more empathy, more togetherness. We don’t need more bullying and I’m tired of it,” she added. “It's not going to stop, because of the character of the man,”  Joy Behar advised, of Trump. Daughter/ The View panelist… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2FIczL3

Rhyon Nicole Brown ( Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel'le, and Porscha Coleman (You Can’t Fight Christmas) are set for recurring roles on the fourth season of Fox 's hit hip-hop drama series Empire . Brown will play Maya, the daughter of Poundcake, Cookie's (Taraji P. Henson) fellow inmate. Maya was born in prison, stolen from her mother's arms, and adopted by upper middle-class parents. A classically trained dancer, she's beautiful, graceful, and headstrong. Coleman will… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2FIbByp

Disney is almost ready to upload the sequel to 2012's hit "Wreck-It Ralph." In the new movie, "Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2," Ralph (John C. Reilly) is introduced to the wonders of the World Wide Web. He's tempted by clickbait, awwws over kittens, and gets a little too into a game feeding pancakes to a bunny. Watch the official teaser trailer : No shots of the Disney princesses yet, but we know they're in there . Here's the synopsis from Disney: "'Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2' leaves Litwak's video arcade behind, venturing into the uncharted, expansive and thrilling world of the internet—which may or may not survive Ralph's wrecking. Video game bad guy Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) and fellow misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) must risk it all by traveling to the world wide web in search of a replacement part to save Vanellope's video game, Sugar Rush. In way over

It looks like Adam Scott will be growing out his luscious beard again. The  Parks and Recreation alum is set to reprise his role as Ed Mackenzie, the husband of Reese Witherspoon ’s Madeline, in Big Little Lies . Although Scott is currently starring in Fox’s  Ghosted , he will return in a series regular role for  Big Little Lies season 2. Nicole Kidman,   Reese Witherspoon,   Laura Dern ,  Shailene Woodley,  and  Zoe Kravtiz   have all been announced to reprise their roles in the second season of HBO’s critically acclaimed suburban drama, joining new A-list cast member  Meryl Streep . Now Scott will help round out the star-studded cast, according to Entertainment Weekly . And what will Ed Mackenzie be up to in Monterey? According to HBO, Ed will “forced to confront major challenges in his marriage,” probably revolving around Madeline’s prior affair with a local theater director. HBO says season 2 “will explore the malignancy of lies, the durability of friendships, the fragili

EXCLUSIVE:  The Tribeca Film Institute (TFI) revealed today 10 grant winners for the 15th annual Tribeca All Access (TAA) program, which puts the spotlight on stories from historically underrepresented voices. The 10 projects, seven of which are directed by women, include scripted and documentary projects. Recipients will each receive a $10,000 grant as well as customized year-round support, guidance, and industry access from TFI. The grant honorees include a wide variety… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2CqYVNw

It's hard to believe, but "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" actually have exhaustive casting criteria. They don't just let any crazy person on the show, they have to be the right crazy person. L.A. Times writer Amy Kaufman details the casting process in her new book "Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America's Favorite Guilty Pleasure." The New York Post shared an excerpt revealing how people get cast, and what keeps them from making it on the show. First, potential suitors fill out an application and submit photos of themselves. Candidates are then flown to L.A. for final audition weekends. They fill out a 150-question personalty test, have meetings with producers, talk to the show's therapist, go through psychological testing, and allow the show to conduct a thorough background check. (What they find can and will be used against you on camera.) But you can't get on the show unless you pass the medical examination. As Kau

Disney returns Ralph and Vanellope to big screens November 21 with Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 , the sequel to the 2012 Walt Disney Animation Studios hit that grosses $471.2 million worldwide, fueling the studio’s surge in hits that followed including in succession Oscar winners Frozen, Big Hero 6 and Zootopia . John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman return as Ralph and Vanellope, who some time after the end of the first movie discover the Internet via their… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2CO5BB7

Dublin-based Element Pictures ( The Lobster, Room ) has acquired film rights to Irish bestseller Oh My God What A Complete Aisling . Billed as Ireland’s answer to Bridget Jones , the first-time novel is by Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen and was the market’s No. 1 adult fiction title of 2017. Based on the eponymous Facebook page created by the authors, the book centers on 28-year-old Aisling who lives at home in Ballygobbard with her parents and commutes to her good job at… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2oxZVXv

Moviegoers will continue to be transfixed by Disney/Marvel’s  Black Panther   in its third weekend shelling out between $61M-$67M.  The Ryan Coogler-directed feature will easily stand tall over newcomers 20th Century Fox/Chernin Entertainment’s  Red Sparrow   and MGM’s Eli Roth reimagination of the 1974 classic  Death Wish .  Black Panther  has continually been one about breaking records, and just as analysts estimate a certain level for the comic book adaptation, it sails past… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2BV0DWm

Solo: A Star Wars Story hits theaters this May, and the character everyone is the most excited to see isn’t Han Solo. It’s Lando Calrissian . Lando, initially played by Billy Dee Williams and now Donald Glover , has been a huge force (no pun intended) in the Star Wars universe. His personality, good looks, and roguish charm have secured him the honor of being one of the most influential and coolest Star Wars characters of all time. But what many don’t realize is how much Lando’s character stems from another popular genre created before Star Wars hit theaters – blaxploitation. Lando’s characterization and his style owe a huge debt to blaxploitation. But Lando also adds another layer to the conversation blaxploitation engages in about black images in the media. How does Lando, colloquially called a “space pimp” by fans, contribute to the conversation and in what ways does he actually hinder how blackness is viewed in film? To mediate further on these questions, let’s start with t

As it continues to negotiate its linear and streaming future , the UFC has made a deal with Amazon to make the mixed-martial arts circuit’s pay-per-view events available on a one-off basis through the retailer’s Prime Video platform. Starting today, U.S. customers can pre-order March 3 event  UFC 222: Cyborg vs. Kunitskaya  for $64.99 without a Prime membership. More than 600 devices can connect the Prime Video app to TVs, gaming consoles and mobile. Upcoming UFC PPV events… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2F3qsCp

A day after a group of about 100 French artists launched the #MaintenantOnAgit (Now We Act) campaign to facilitate access to justice for female victims of violence, a group of 300 artists and executives is backing the “ 5050 Pour 2020 ” (50/50 by 2020) movement. Among the founding signatories are Céline Sciamma, Lea Seydoux , Lily Rose Depp, Jacques Audiard , Robin Campillo, Laurent Cantet and Michèle Halberstadt. Reminiscent of calls elsewhere for parity by 2020, the… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2t2AgLh

Our favorite infuriating tradition is back! Voting has now closed for Sunday's Academy Awards. That means The Hollywood Reporter is ready to share its Brutally Honest Oscar Ballots. They share at least one every year, and they tend to be quite juicy. That's what happens when Academy members have anonymity -- they take open shots at Leonardo DiCaprio and Meryl Streep , when they otherwise wouldn't dare. (Only Jennifer Lawrence is candid enough to just say what she actually thinks on the record. Bless her.) Also on the honesty theme, ScreenJunkies shared an Honest Trailer mocking the nine Best Picture nominees. Let's start with that : Back to THR's Brutally Honest Oscar Ballot . It looks like we might just get one this year, and it's from a male member of the producer's branch. Here's a portion of his brutally honest thoughts on the Best Picture nominees: I didn't like Call Me by Your Name. From what I understand, there was less of a differen

Director Alex Garland recently spilled the beans on a lengthy  Annihilation deleted scene that never made it into the final film. The scene in question featured more time spent at the mysterious Southern Reach facility. Annihilation is burning up the box office! Just kidding; no one is going to see it. Which is a damn shame, since it’s fantastic . Eventually, people might come around and realize they slept on this remarkable sci-fi film. For now, though, we’ll have to accept the film as it is. Director Alex Garland took some time during his promotional rounds for the film to reveal the details behind a lengthy  Annihilation deleted scene. I briefly mentioned this specific scene in a story the other day about an alternate  Annihilation ending in the original script. The scene in question involves Natalie Portman ‘s character Lena navigating her way through a mysterious government facility operated by a shady organization known as The Southern Reach. Speaking with Collider , Ga

ABC and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences are finishing off the final preparations for Oscars Opening Ceremony: Live From The Red Carpet lead-in to Sunday’s live telecast of the 90th Oscars. Good Morning America co-anchor Michael Strahan, The Goldbergs ‘ star Wendi-McLendon-Covey, The View co-host Sara Haines, Vanity Fair executive West Coast editor Krista Smith and IMDB special correspondent Dave Karger will host the 90-minute special which begins at 6:30… from Deadline http://ift.tt/2Fe8xfC

Impossible to keep lust out of Eden, even though it had not been invented yet. In it comes, like a snake into the garden, because the reader is one of the fallen, and cannot imagine what it is to love without transgression, or taboo. And this makes the story both clear and unimaginable, open and inaccessible. from London Review of Books http://ift.tt/2EY5Jnb

We need to know not just what kind of past the Brexiteers imagine, but what kind of future they are after. One disconcerting possibility is that figures such as Liam Fox and Jacob Rees-Mogg might be willing to believe the dismal economic forecasts, but look on them as an attraction. from London Review of Books http://ift.tt/2BW6FFX

Given the state of the opinion polls – and their general unreliability; they were off in 2013, exaggerating the PD’s chances – it’s impossible to say what the outcome of the election will be, even in terms of how many seats each party is likely to get. And that’s before the horse-trading begins as they attempt to form a government. Both Renzi and Berlusconi have ruled out a grand coalition, and said that the only answer to an inconclusive result is another election. Jean-Claude Juncker was reported as saying that ‘we must prepare for the worst scenario,’ by which he meant Italy having ‘no operational government’. I can think of several scenarios a lot worse than that. from London Review of Books http://ift.tt/2EYF5e4

Grace Paley’s people reappear from story to story and their lives usually extend beyond the frame. Her suspicion of ‘the absolute line between two points’ may explain why she was so frequently accused of wisdom. If you were looking for lessons on better living, you might find them in the fiction; especially if you choose to read the fiction through the life and vice versa, as the Reader seems to encourage. ‘I learned from her,’ Nora Paley says of her mother, ‘that precision requires a warm eye, not a cold one.’ But most of the time she didn’t make things too cosy for her characters, only left the door ajar for some other thing to happen next. from London Review of Books http://ift.tt/2F37fQX

from London Review of Books http://ift.tt/2F24dAs

from London Review of Books http://ift.tt/2F1WzlA

The letters page from London Review of Books Vol. 40 No. 5 (8 March 2018) from London Review of Books http://ift.tt/2FerdMh

Table of contents from London Review of Books Vol. 40 No. 5 (8 March 2018) from London Review of Books http://ift.tt/2F1senv

Disney/Pixar’s Coco is bursting with authenticity. From the set designs to the family dynamics to the music, the whole film feels like a love letter to Mexico. It has a story that works for everyone, but goes out of its way to give a special nod to a culture that isn’t often represented on the big screen. That attention to detail paid off in a huge way: Coco became the highest grossing movie in Mexico’s history and has made more than $730 million worldwide. So how did the film that survived a justified uproar when Disney tried to copyright the phrase “Dia de los Muertos” (Day of the Dead) become one of the most culturally accurate and pure-hearted films in recent memory? Immersion, research, and respect. In honor of Coco ’s home video release, Disney flew me and a handful of other journalists to Oaxaca, Mexico, where we followed in the footsteps of the filmmakers’ research trips and visited many of the neighborhoods and locations that inspired the creation of the movie. Learn more