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Ellen DeGeneres ’ Ellen Digital Network unveiled its 2018 programming slate Monday during its 2018 Digital Content Newfront today in New York City. EDN has renewed its hit series Momsplaining starring Kristen Bell for a second season, and also announced content partnerships with digital pioneer Hannah Hart and media company Attn:, among other things. Momsplaining is coming off its successful inaugural season with more than 100 million views. In Season 2, Bell will continue… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2FuXGd4

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman released an open letter to the participants in The Weinstein Co . bankruptcy proceeding, calling on everyone involved to use the sale process to protect survivors of past misconduct. "Our requests of each of the stakeholders are straightforward," Schneiderman wrote in the letter. "Bidders should propose bid enhancements that set aside financial resources to compensate and provide support services for injured employees and… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2HIPb07

Overall Broadway grosses fell 13% from the prior week, to $35,335,327, even though Harry Potter and the Cursed Child surged and Summer  simmered in its debut commercial week. Figures from the Broadway League for the week ending April 29 measured 35 shows, compared with 36 last week and in the comparable week of 2017. The industry is aiming to convert national attention around Tuesday morning’s Tony nomination to a lift at the box office. Season-to-date grosses are pacing… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2KqBZi7

Two months ago, we almost lost a comedy great. But  Kevin Smith is recovering from his brush with death and better than ever, adopting a plant-based diet and losing 32 pounds since his massive heart attack in February. But before we move forward, Showtime wants us to look back — at the night that Smith suffered his near-fatal heart attack . The network is premiering the stand-up special that Smith performed the night he suffered his “widowmaker” heart attack on February 26. You can get an idea of what the special entails with the new  Kevin Smith Silent But Deadly teaser. Kevin Smith Silent But Deadly Teaser Perhaps the title is a little too on-the-nose. However, Smith didn’t seem to mind when Showtime picked up the special earlier this month , writing on Twitter , “The comedy special I was shooting with [Comedy Dynamics] the night I almost died of a heart attack has been picked up by Showtime! Mark your calendars: It airs MAY 11th on the same network as [Homeland]! Thanks for

Stormy Daniels ’ attorney has filed that threatened defamation lawsuit against President Donald Trump . Michael Avenatti filed Daniels' latest lawsuit today in federal court in New York. In the suite, Daniels, aka Stephanie Cliffords, center on Trump's snark about her claim she was threatened by a man in a Vegas parking lot who warned her not to say anything about her alleged affair with Trump more than a decade ago. Stormy and Avenatti unveiled a forensic drawing of the… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2HAF55c

The Killer was not John Woo’ s first movie, but it was the movie that put the director and his instantly recognizable flavor of Hong Kong action on the international map. American action films have spent the past 30 years shamelessly cribbing from Woo’s filmography, so a Hollywood remake of this bonafide classic was inevitable. The news that this is finally happening is not surprising. What is surprising is that Woo himself is returning to direct and that Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o will star, gender-swapping the role originally played by Chow Yun-Fat. And like that, I’m suddenly interested in a The Killer remake. Deadline has the news, reporting that Universal wants to fast track the production, which will shoot in France and Germany later this year. Woo is among the laundry list of producers on the film, which was written by Collide ‘s Eran Creevy ( Collide ) and 10   Cloverfield Lane ‘s Josh Campbell & Matt Stuecken. Veteran screenwriter Brian Helgeland ( Man on Fire ,

Marvel knows its fans probably have a million questions after the emotional rollercoaster that was " Avengers: Infinity War ," and it's going to answer a big one this week: Why weren't Ant-Man ( Paul Rudd ) and the Wasp ( Evangeline Lilly ) in the movie? Of course, that's probably not the most pressing concern for MCU diehards right now, but it's still an important query, since we already know that those heroes will be making some key contributions to next year's "Avengers 4." And according to a new trailer tease for upcoming "Ant-Man" sequel " Ant-Man and the Wasp ," it looks like we're going to see exactly what the titular pair were up to while everyone else in the MCU was off fighting Thanos in Wakanda. Where were Ant-Man and the Wasp during Marvel Studios' @Avengers : #InfinityWar ? Find out and see the new trailer for #AntManandtheWasp tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/D6js9dHHQ8 — Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) A

Ant-Man and the Wasp will have their own movie in theaters very soon. But if you were hoping the characters would make an appearance in  Avengers: Infinity War , you’re out of luck. If you left the theater over the weekend thinking, “Where were Ant-Man and the Wasp during  Infinity War ?”, a new video is here to echo your thoughts. In a new  Ant-Man and the Wasp video below, some famous people are wondering the very same thing. A new  Ant-Man and the Wasp trailer is on its way tomorrow. Ahead of the trailer, a new  Ant-Man and the Wasp video has just arrived posing the question: just where the heck were the two miniature heroes during the events of  Avengers: Infinity War ? There are no actual answers here, but it’s still fun to watch. Where Were Ant-Man and the Wasp During Infinity War? Again, there are no real answers here. What you  do get is a bunch of MCU actors having a bit of fun. Plus, you get to see Scarlett Johansson ‘s new haircut. That’s something! My favorite par

EXCLUSIVE : Netflix has signed management/production company 42 to a multi-year first-look development, financing and production deal for feature films. This comes after 42 collaborated with Netflix on Sand Castle, The Titan and In Darkness in some territories. Upcoming 42 films with Netflix include the Jim Mickle-directed In The Shadow of the Moon which will start production later this year with Boyd Holbrook, whose breakout turn came on the Netflix series Narcos . Outside… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2rbwNWC

As tonight’s deadline approaches for bids for  The Weinstein Co ., a new player may emerge with an offer that includes compensation for the women who say they were sexually assaulted or harassed by the company’s disgraced co-chairman, Harvey Weinstein, according to multiple sources. The New York-based bidder with ties to Broadway is contemplating a bid that would maintain The Weinstein Co. as an active film and television studio headquartered in New York City, sources… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2I2VwGY

Viacom Digital Studios announced a slate of original programming — starring comedians Majah Hype and Nikki Glaser, and Jersey girl Snooki — at the studio’s inaugural Digital Content New Front Presentation. The studio is looking to re-imagine its brands for a new generation of audiences. “We’re bringing the power and scale of Viacom’s global content engine and storytelling capabilities to entertain and engage our fans whenever and wherever they’re consuming content,” said… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2HEzISu

EXCLUSIVE : John Woo and Universal Pictures are teaming on a new version of his 1989 Hong King crime classic The Killer . It is intended as a star vehicle for Oscar-winner Lupita N’Yongo. She is negotiating to play the assassin, a role originated by Chow Yun-fat . The studio has the film on a fast track, with Woo directing. Eran Creevy ( Collide ) wrote the script based on an original draft by Cloverfield Lane ‘s Josh Campbell and Matt Stuecken, and Brian Helgeland is being… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2FvvZAL

Roseanne star John Goodman and Chewing Gum creator Michaela Coel are among the A-list names to join Netflix and BBC drama Black Earth Rising . The pair are to star in the series, which was initially known as The Forgiving Earth when it was commissioned last year, alongside Noma Dumezweni ( Harry Potter & the Cursed Child ), Harriet Walter ( The Crown, Downton Abbey ), Tamara Tunie (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit ), Lucian Msamati ( Taboo ) and Abena Ayivor ( A United… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2KqszmA

Projects from Riz Ahmed , David Harewood and The Fall creator Allan Cubitt lead an ambitious line-up of new commissions from BBC Two . The British public broadcaster has unveiled a huge slate of shows for its second channel ranging from high-end dramas and comedies through to documentary series. In drama, it has ordered Englistan , created by The Night Of star Riz Ahmed. The nine-part series, which is produced by BBC Studios Drama London and Ahmed's own Left Handed Films, is… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2Fuc59A

Netflix has teamed up with the BBC for a competition format set in the world of interior design. The SVOD service and the British public broadcaster are launching Project Interiors (w/t) from Endemol Shine 's Darlow Smithson Productions (DSP). The eight-part Bake Off -for-design series will see ten fledgling interior design stylists compete to win a life-changing design contract with a prestigious commercial client. Across eight weeks, the designers will face eight… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2KlGGd3

Marvel fans are nothing if not a loyal bunch, something they proved this past weekend when " Avengers: Infinity War " broke all kinds of box office records . Now, the film studio is thanking those fans for their unwavering support. In a heartfelt letter shared on social media, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige reflected on the 10th anniversary of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and praised the entire Marvel team, the cast and crew of all the MCU films, and the comic book creators who shepherded their iconic characters. But Feige saved his biggest shout-out for the fans. Thank You pic.twitter.com/IP3tLSwQmS — Kevin Feige (@Kevfeige) April 30, 2018 "Thank you for embracing these characters and stories since we kicked off the MCU ten years ago," the exec's letter said. "This past weekend was beyond our wildest dreams. ... [T]hank you for being the best fans in the universe and making Avengers: Infinity War the biggest opening weekend of all time."

While Avengers: Infinity War is a badass film worthy of breaking box office records, it also makes some changes to the continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that don’t quite line-up with the story that has preceded it. In fairness to our nitpicking Comic Book Guy side, we thought it might be worth pointing out where the story diverts a bit from its previously established cinematic canon. Gamora’s Backstory is Altered Slightly In the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy , Gamora reveals her backstory in an intimate moment with Peter Quill: “He’s not my father. When Thanos took my home world, he killed my parents in front of me. He tortured me, turned me into a weapon.” You might remember that, in the trailers and marketing, John C. Reilly’s Nova Corps character Rhomann Dey mentions  that Gamora is the “last surviving member of her species.” The dialogue is different in the film, where Dey explains that she has been “surgically modified and trained as a living weapon” after

"2:28 PM. August 28, 2003. A man walks into a bank with a bomb locked around his neck. This is a true story." Netflix has unveiled an official trailer for a new documentary series titled Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist , available in just a few weeks. This four-part series is another in Netflix's growing documentary line-up, from the same producers behind Wild Wild Country . And since I totally loved that series, I'm featuring this anyway since it's basically just a four-hour documentary split up into four episodes. Evil Genius tells the extraordinary story of the " pizza bomber heist " and the FBI's investigation into a bizarre collection of suspects. It only gets weirder, proving there is "more to the conspiracy and murders than was ever thought." This looks crazy twisted and baffling, indeed. Check it out. Trailer for Netflix's Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Ba

Noah Hawley 's 26 Keys has named former Amazon Studios executive Dan Seligmann as Head of Television. During his tenure with Amazon, Seligmann oversaw the Golden Globe-winning Mozart in the Jungle and Emmy-nominated Catastrophe. In addition, he shepherded the six-part rock documentary series Long Strange Trip , executive produced by Martin Scorsese, oversaw the pilot for Jean-Claude Van Johnson , and most recently was point on Nicholas Winding Refn's Too Old To Die Young … from Deadline https://ift.tt/2jjameE

EXCLUSIVE: One of the key California laws designed to protect child actors from sexual predators has gone largely ignored and unenforced since it was enacted five years ago. The law requires publicists, managers, acting coaches and headshot photographers who work with child actors to be fingerprinted and pass an FBI background check to screen out registered sex offenders. Only then will they be issued a Child Performer Services Permit. A Deadline investigation, however… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2vXEx4b

I have learned that the TV Academy and ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC are getting close on a new eight-year “wheel” deal that will keep the Primetime Emmy Awards on the Big 4 broadcast networks through 2026. It would come eight months after the sides started discussions last July and more than three months before the current eight-year agreement expires with the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony on NBC. I hear the new pact, which is being hammered out, is similar to the current… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2HYMBGD

While all eyes are on Marvel Studios and Avengers: Infinity War right now, Marvel Television is about to launch a brand new TV show with Cloak & Dagger . Freeform has debuted a final trailer for the series, and it proves that this isn’t just going to be another teen soap opera – this thing has some kick to it, too. Check out the extended Cloak and Dagger trailer below. Cloak and Dagger Trailer OK, so Cloak and Dagger  definitely is a teen soap opera. That’s Freeform’s bread and butter. But as this trailer reveals, there’s some serious ass-kicking in store as well. This is by far my favorite trailer they’ve released thus far: it’s got some Aladdin vibes in the very beginning with the street rat duo of Cloak ( Aubrey Joseph ) and Dagger ( Olivia Holt ), and I’m really digging the cover of “House of the Rising Sun” they’ve been leaning on for this campaign.  Gina Prince-Bythewood ( Love & Basketball , Sony’s upcoming superhero film Silver & Black ) directed the pilot,

10 Cloverfield Lane helmer Dan Trachtenberg has been tapped to direct the first episode of Amazon's straight-to-series superhero drama The Boys . He’s stepping in for executive producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who were set to direct the first episode but had to bow out due to scheduling conflicts. Based on the comic book by Garth Ennis ( Preacher ) and Darick Robertson and created by Supernatural creator and Timeless co-creator Eric Kripke, The Boys is set in a world… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2KlKoTP

I’ve never robotripped, ingested geltabs of acid or licked stimulant toad excretions, but if I did, I’d imagine the experience to resemble Mitzi Peirone ’s Braid . Style over substance just had a new league invented by this hallucinogenic rabbit’s hole, laced with uppers and light on explanations. Keeping up isn’t an option here – audiences are better served soaking in sugar plum scenic drenches than trying to rationalize character motivations. Peirone marches to the beat of her own drum, that’s part of a massive in-tune band, performing on her own made-up holiday. Hold onto something and try not to lose your mind…there’s no Mad Hatter to save you this time. The film loosely  follows twenty-something(ish?) fugitives Petula ( Imogen Waterhouse ) and Tilda ( Sarah Hay ). After narrowly escaping an apartment drug bust (their product), the duo hops a train with intent to visit childhood friend Daphne ( Madeline Brewer ) – and steal her fortune. To do so, they must participate in a role-

Splashy Netflix series " The Crown " was tarnished earlier this year after it was revealed that its star, Claire Foy , received a lower salary than her co-star, Matt Smith , despite playing the queen of freaking England. Now, a new report suggests that the team behind the show has finally made the situation right. According to the Daily Mail , Foy has received £200,000 -- approximately $275,000 -- in back pay for her role as Queen Elizabeth II on the first two seasons of "The Crown." It's unclear exactly who ponied up the cash, since the Daily Mail's report simply says it came from "the show's producers." The likely benefactor is production company Left Bank Productions (which previously took responsibility for the wage gap), though based on how much money the streaming service initially threw at the series, it seems like Netflix could definitely afford to shell out some additional cash. Whoever reportedly wrote the check, it was a smart de

Disney and Twitter announced a new advertising and content deal head of NewFront presentations later today and on Wednesday in New York City. As part of the deal, Disney said it will create live content from across its entertainment portfolio that’s designed to reach all types of audiences. That includes Twitter content from ABC, Disney Channel, Walt Disney Studios and Marvel. ESPN will also announce live shows on Twitter (stay tuned). "Now more than ever, social… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2Fvi39V

It must be divine providence, because  American Gods is finally coming back to our TV screens. After the first season of the Starz fantasy series made a splash in 2017, the adaptation of Neil Gaiman ‘s beloved novel experienced some behind-the-scenes conflicts that resulted in showrunners Bryan Fuller  and  Michael Green departing the series and  Jesse Alexander taking the helm. Now, a new  American Gods season 2 teaser has arrived, marking the start of production for the ambitious fantasy series. American Gods Season 2 Teaser Prepare for war. #AmericanGods Season 2 is coming to @STARZ in 2019. pic.twitter.com/AiAfbcVaL1 — American Gods (@AmericanGodsSTZ) April 30, 2018 The set you’ve been waiting for is here: It’s the Biggest Carousel in the World at the House on the Rock. It’s as gaudy, surreal, and weird as fans of the novel would expect, and the perfect place to kick off a new season of  American Gods , which saw the various gods gearing up for war in the season 1 f

The Solution Group has boarded international sales ahead of Cannes to Verdi Productions ( Bleed For This ) crime story  Vault , which recently wrapped principal photography in Rhode Island. Directed by Tom DeNucci, the feature stars Theo Rossi ( Sons Of Anarchy ) in the lead role, Chazz Palminteri ( Bullets Over Broadway ) as crime boss Raymond Patriarca and Don Johnson ( Miami Vice) as Rhode Island gangster Gerard Ouimette. The pic is from a script written by DeNucci and B… from Deadline https://ift.tt/2I1ZZtl

The MCU has once again proven it has a choke hold on the box office, with " Avengers: Infinity War " breaking a ridiculous number of records and raking in a boatload of cash on its opening weekend. But the folks at Marvel are already looking ahead at what's next, and movie fans may want to keep their schedules clear for the next few years. In an interview with The Associated Press ahead of "Infinity War"'s big debut, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige revealed that the company has no plans to slow down once this chapter of the "Avengers" saga wraps. In fact, Feige said that the studio just convened to discuss movies that aren't slated to hit theaters for another seven years -- and fans will definitely be surprised by the future MCU's direction. "We're always thinking ahead," the exec explained to The AP. "Just when people think they can pin us down, we go somewhere else and that's going to happen again after 'I

Put Annette Bening, Saoirse Ronan, Elisabeth Moss, and Corey Stoll in a room, and you’ve got yourself one of the most talented, charismatic rooms in Hollywood. It’s too bad that  The Seagull ,  Michael Mayer ‘s plodding, histrionic adaptation of the Anton Chekhov play of the same name, puts that talent to waste. Mayer and screenwriter  Stephen Karam enthusiastically try to modernize an 1896 romantic drama that is steeped in the subtext and social environment of Chekov’s Russia. And while the camera swings with lively verve and the lush, picturesque setting lends a dreamy quality to the film, the many colorful characters are still stuck in a story that feels like it’s over 100 years old. At the end of the day, Bening and Ronan can only do so much, and  The Seagull  becomes a comedy of errors without the comedy. The Seagull takes place during one serene summer at a Russian country estate, where the aging actress Irina Arkadina (Bening) is paying a visit to her brother Pjotr Nikol