Producers Zindagi are removing series “Barzakh,” starring top Pakistani actors Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed, from YouTube Pakistan amid an ongoing controversy over its queer content.
“We, at Zindagi and Team Barzakh, extend our heartfelt gratitude to our global audience for their unwavering support for Barzakh – a show that was created to bring people together everywhere. But in light of the current public sentiment in Pakistan, we have made the decision to voluntarily withdraw Barzakh from YouTube Pakistan, effective August 9, 2024. This decision underscores our dedication to honouring our audiences without causing alienation. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and continued support,” the Zindagi handle posted on Instagram.
The six-episode series is produced by Waqas Hassan and Shailja Kejriwal for Zindagi, the Indian subcontinent focused programming block on streamer ZEE5 Global. It is helmed by critically acclaimed director Asim Abbasi who also directed Zindagi’s first Pakistani original “Churails” and the feature film “Cake,...
“We, at Zindagi and Team Barzakh, extend our heartfelt gratitude to our global audience for their unwavering support for Barzakh – a show that was created to bring people together everywhere. But in light of the current public sentiment in Pakistan, we have made the decision to voluntarily withdraw Barzakh from YouTube Pakistan, effective August 9, 2024. This decision underscores our dedication to honouring our audiences without causing alienation. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and continued support,” the Zindagi handle posted on Instagram.
The six-episode series is produced by Waqas Hassan and Shailja Kejriwal for Zindagi, the Indian subcontinent focused programming block on streamer ZEE5 Global. It is helmed by critically acclaimed director Asim Abbasi who also directed Zindagi’s first Pakistani original “Churails” and the feature film “Cake,...
- 8/6/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Series “Barzakh,” starring top Pakistani actors Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed, has unveiled a trailer.
Set in the Hunza Valley, “Barzakh” centers on a 76-year-old man who surprises his estranged children and grandchildren by announcing his engagement to the ghost of his first love. This revelation triggers a series of emotional confrontations as the family gathers, unsure how to respond to the situation.
The trailer suggests that “Barzakh” will explore themes of interconnectedness and enduring love, weaving local folklore into its storyline. The series poses the question: “When all has withered, will love endure?”
The six-episode series is produced by Waqas Hassan and Shailja Kejriwal for Zindagi, the Indian subcontinent focused programming block on streamer ZEE5 Global. It is helmed by critically acclaimed director Asim Abbasi who also directed Zindagi’s first Pakistani original “Churails” and the feature film “Cake,” which was Pakistan’s entry for the 2019 Oscars.
Khan said: “After having seen ‘Cake,...
Set in the Hunza Valley, “Barzakh” centers on a 76-year-old man who surprises his estranged children and grandchildren by announcing his engagement to the ghost of his first love. This revelation triggers a series of emotional confrontations as the family gathers, unsure how to respond to the situation.
The trailer suggests that “Barzakh” will explore themes of interconnectedness and enduring love, weaving local folklore into its storyline. The series poses the question: “When all has withered, will love endure?”
The six-episode series is produced by Waqas Hassan and Shailja Kejriwal for Zindagi, the Indian subcontinent focused programming block on streamer ZEE5 Global. It is helmed by critically acclaimed director Asim Abbasi who also directed Zindagi’s first Pakistani original “Churails” and the feature film “Cake,” which was Pakistan’s entry for the 2019 Oscars.
Khan said: “After having seen ‘Cake,...
- 7/1/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Top Trending News of June 17 (Photo Credit- Instagram)
Another day brings a fresh batch of trending news and entertainment updates you might have missed. The entertainment world is abuzz with the latest news, and we’re here to keep you informed. Pawan Kalyan’s Ex-wife Renu Desai reveals the real reason for their divorce, Kareena Kapoor Khan & Ayushman Khurana to Star in Meghan Gulzaar’s Next, Kartik Aaryan reacts to Shabana Azmi’s praise for Chandu Champion. And Fawad Khan & Sanam Saeed’s Web Series Finds a streaming date. On the other hand, Kangana Ranaut gifted a house to her cousin in Chandigarh and more top trending news from Bollywood, South, and Ott.
Here’s your daily dose of top trending news from the entertainment world. The news wrap brings you the best of Bollywood, Hollywood, South, and Ott!
Kareena Kapoor Khan & Ayushmann Khuranaa To Star In Meghna Gulzar’s Next?...
Another day brings a fresh batch of trending news and entertainment updates you might have missed. The entertainment world is abuzz with the latest news, and we’re here to keep you informed. Pawan Kalyan’s Ex-wife Renu Desai reveals the real reason for their divorce, Kareena Kapoor Khan & Ayushman Khurana to Star in Meghan Gulzaar’s Next, Kartik Aaryan reacts to Shabana Azmi’s praise for Chandu Champion. And Fawad Khan & Sanam Saeed’s Web Series Finds a streaming date. On the other hand, Kangana Ranaut gifted a house to her cousin in Chandigarh and more top trending news from Bollywood, South, and Ott.
Here’s your daily dose of top trending news from the entertainment world. The news wrap brings you the best of Bollywood, Hollywood, South, and Ott!
Kareena Kapoor Khan & Ayushmann Khuranaa To Star In Meghna Gulzar’s Next?...
- 6/17/2024
- by Aayushi Hemnani
- KoiMoi
The highly anticipated web series “Barzakh,” starring Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed, finally has a release date. The series will be available on Zindagi’s YouTube channel and ZEE5 starting July 19.
“Barzakh” is written and directed by Asim Abbasi, who previously helmed the successful Zee Zindagi series “Churails” and the critically acclaimed film “Cake,” which was Pakistan’s official entry for Oscar consideration in 2018.
The six-episode show delves into complex themes such as mental health, postpartum depression, generational trauma, and gender inclusivity, all woven into a gripping narrative that challenges societal conventions.
The star-studded cast includes Salman Shahid, M. Fawad Khan, Eman Suleman, Khushhal Khan, Faiza Gillani, Anika Zulfikar, and Franco Giusti, among others.
Fans of Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed, as well as those who appreciate thought-provoking storytelling, are eagerly awaiting the premiere of this groundbreaking series.
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“Barzakh” is written and directed by Asim Abbasi, who previously helmed the successful Zee Zindagi series “Churails” and the critically acclaimed film “Cake,” which was Pakistan’s official entry for Oscar consideration in 2018.
The six-episode show delves into complex themes such as mental health, postpartum depression, generational trauma, and gender inclusivity, all woven into a gripping narrative that challenges societal conventions.
The star-studded cast includes Salman Shahid, M. Fawad Khan, Eman Suleman, Khushhal Khan, Faiza Gillani, Anika Zulfikar, and Franco Giusti, among others.
Fans of Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed, as well as those who appreciate thought-provoking storytelling, are eagerly awaiting the premiere of this groundbreaking series.
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- 6/17/2024
- by Shweta Ghadashi
- GlamSham
Exclusive: Applause Entertainment and Zee’s Zindagi will try on The Pink Shirt together at South By Southwest Sydney this month.
The South Asian powerhouses have lined up the streaming series as the second production out of a recently struck content partnership, and will be taking it to the Palace Central Cinema on October 16 for the film strand of South by SouthwestSydney.
The eight-episode show will star Sajal Aly and Wahaj Ali, and is billed as “a riveting take on modern-day relationships, their love, challenges, and struggles in a raw and real way, and as a “simple and confusing, tragic yet funny tale of broken and complex relationships.”
The drama revolves around the journey of Sophia (Aly) and Umer (Ali), who are stuck in respective toxic relationships only to discover an alluring intensity for each other and embark on a transformative journey towards love that mends them as people.
The...
The South Asian powerhouses have lined up the streaming series as the second production out of a recently struck content partnership, and will be taking it to the Palace Central Cinema on October 16 for the film strand of South by SouthwestSydney.
The eight-episode show will star Sajal Aly and Wahaj Ali, and is billed as “a riveting take on modern-day relationships, their love, challenges, and struggles in a raw and real way, and as a “simple and confusing, tragic yet funny tale of broken and complex relationships.”
The drama revolves around the journey of Sophia (Aly) and Umer (Ali), who are stuck in respective toxic relationships only to discover an alluring intensity for each other and embark on a transformative journey towards love that mends them as people.
The...
- 10/4/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
“Joyland” star Sarwat Gilani headlines “Farar,” the first project under the Applause Entertainment-Zindagi South Asian content partnership unveiled by Variety recently.
The six-part series will premiere at the 14th annual Chicago South Asian Film Festival on Sept. 23. Directed by New York-based Mehreen Jabbar (“Jurm”) and written by Rida Bilal (“Zakham”), the series follows three women, bound by friendship and driven by secrets and dreams, who yearn for an escape that could alter the course of their lives. Sabrina, a widowed hairdresser in a complex relationship; Tanya, an aspiring actor battling body image issues; and Huma, a resolute track and field runner facing marriage pressures hustle, thrive and survive as they navigate the frenzied, bustling city of Karachi, Pakistan.
The partnership between prolific Indian studio Applause Entertainment and Zindagi, the Indian subcontinent-focused programming block on streamer ZEE5 Global, is set up to create South Asian-themed content from across the subcontinent.
The six-part series will premiere at the 14th annual Chicago South Asian Film Festival on Sept. 23. Directed by New York-based Mehreen Jabbar (“Jurm”) and written by Rida Bilal (“Zakham”), the series follows three women, bound by friendship and driven by secrets and dreams, who yearn for an escape that could alter the course of their lives. Sabrina, a widowed hairdresser in a complex relationship; Tanya, an aspiring actor battling body image issues; and Huma, a resolute track and field runner facing marriage pressures hustle, thrive and survive as they navigate the frenzied, bustling city of Karachi, Pakistan.
The partnership between prolific Indian studio Applause Entertainment and Zindagi, the Indian subcontinent-focused programming block on streamer ZEE5 Global, is set up to create South Asian-themed content from across the subcontinent.
- 9/11/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Prolific Indian studio Applause Entertainment and Zindagi, the Indian subcontinent-focused programming block on streamer ZEE5 Global, have set a wide-ranging content partnership.
The partnership will create South Asian-themed content from across the subcontinent. The initial burst of productions will be in the Hindustani (combining Hindi and Urdu) language that is understood across the subcontinent. Production will then expand into some of the other local languages.
The partnership reunites former Star India colleagues Sameer Nair, managing director of Applause and Shailja Kejriwal, chief creative officer of special projects at Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, who greenlit Pakistan-themed shows “Churails,” “Dhoop Ki Deewar,” and “Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam” and “Ladies & Gentlemen” from Bangladesh.
Though there is an existing platform in Zindagi, the partnership will follow the Applause practice of commissioning and producing series and films and then look to licence them. Development has been in progress for the past eight months and...
The partnership will create South Asian-themed content from across the subcontinent. The initial burst of productions will be in the Hindustani (combining Hindi and Urdu) language that is understood across the subcontinent. Production will then expand into some of the other local languages.
The partnership reunites former Star India colleagues Sameer Nair, managing director of Applause and Shailja Kejriwal, chief creative officer of special projects at Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, who greenlit Pakistan-themed shows “Churails,” “Dhoop Ki Deewar,” and “Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam” and “Ladies & Gentlemen” from Bangladesh.
Though there is an existing platform in Zindagi, the partnership will follow the Applause practice of commissioning and producing series and films and then look to licence them. Development has been in progress for the past eight months and...
- 9/6/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Series Mania has always been about discovery: Of drama series as an art form, in its early days from launch in 2009; then of key players on a burgeoning international premium TV scene.
Series Mania’s International Panorama now catches a new wave of creatives transitioning from film to scripted TV – Israel’s Yaron Shani with “Innermost,” Spain’s Isaki Lacuesta and Isa Campo with episodes of “Apagón”; and highlights notable emerging auteurs: Denmark’s Kasper Møller Rask, Canada’s Alexis Durand-Brault, Spain’s Fran Araujo, Pakistan’s Assim Abassi and Germany’s Jakob and Jonas Weydemann.
But for having already bowed at national festivals, some of the 12 titles below could well have been in the running for a Competition berth.
Below, the Series Mania’s rich 2023 International Panorama:
“Apagón,” (“Offworld,” Spain)
One of Variety’s Best International TV Shows of 2022, a realistic, sophisticated disaster thriller from Movistar+ and Buendía Estudios...
Series Mania’s International Panorama now catches a new wave of creatives transitioning from film to scripted TV – Israel’s Yaron Shani with “Innermost,” Spain’s Isaki Lacuesta and Isa Campo with episodes of “Apagón”; and highlights notable emerging auteurs: Denmark’s Kasper Møller Rask, Canada’s Alexis Durand-Brault, Spain’s Fran Araujo, Pakistan’s Assim Abassi and Germany’s Jakob and Jonas Weydemann.
But for having already bowed at national festivals, some of the 12 titles below could well have been in the running for a Competition berth.
Below, the Series Mania’s rich 2023 International Panorama:
“Apagón,” (“Offworld,” Spain)
One of Variety’s Best International TV Shows of 2022, a realistic, sophisticated disaster thriller from Movistar+ and Buendía Estudios...
- 3/18/2023
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Mumbai, March 18 (Ians) The first poster of Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed-starrer family drama ‘Barzakh’ was unveiled at the ongoing Series Mania Festival, where the show is set to have its global premiere.
Prior to its world premiere at the Series Mania Festival, the creators of Zindagi original show ‘Barzakh’, starring actors Fawad and Sanam unveiled the show poster in the French city of Lille.
‘Barzakh’ is helmed by critically acclaimed director Asim Abbasi who also directed Zindagi’s first original Churails and the feature film Cake. Gracing the event were writer-director Asim Abbasi, actor Sanam Saeed, and Producer Shailja Kejriwal.
‘Barzakh’ has the distinct honour of being the only series selected from South Asia. The series will debut in the showcase’s International Panorama, a 12-title competitive section where it will be eligible for the best series, director, actress, actor, student jury, and audience awards.
A family drama...
Prior to its world premiere at the Series Mania Festival, the creators of Zindagi original show ‘Barzakh’, starring actors Fawad and Sanam unveiled the show poster in the French city of Lille.
‘Barzakh’ is helmed by critically acclaimed director Asim Abbasi who also directed Zindagi’s first original Churails and the feature film Cake. Gracing the event were writer-director Asim Abbasi, actor Sanam Saeed, and Producer Shailja Kejriwal.
‘Barzakh’ has the distinct honour of being the only series selected from South Asia. The series will debut in the showcase’s International Panorama, a 12-title competitive section where it will be eligible for the best series, director, actress, actor, student jury, and audience awards.
A family drama...
- 3/18/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
A poster has been unveiled for “Barzakh,” starring top Pakistani actors Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed.
The only South Asian selection at Series Mania this year, the series will debut in the showcase’s International Panorama, a 12-title competitive section where it will be eligible for the best series, director, actress, actor, student jury and audience awards.
“Barzakh” (6 x 58′) is produced by Waqas Hassan and Shailja Kejriwal for Zindagi, the Indian subcontinent focused programming block on streamer ZEE5 Global. It is helmed by critically acclaimed director Asim Abbasi who also directed Zindagi’s first Pakistani original “Churails” and the feature film “Cake.”
A family drama centred around an elderly man’s quest for love, “Barzakh” explores intergenerational trauma between fathers and sons. The narrative is framed within a fantastical world of supernatural beings and otherworldly events that reveal the chasms between life, death and rebirth.
Khan portrays the role of...
The only South Asian selection at Series Mania this year, the series will debut in the showcase’s International Panorama, a 12-title competitive section where it will be eligible for the best series, director, actress, actor, student jury and audience awards.
“Barzakh” (6 x 58′) is produced by Waqas Hassan and Shailja Kejriwal for Zindagi, the Indian subcontinent focused programming block on streamer ZEE5 Global. It is helmed by critically acclaimed director Asim Abbasi who also directed Zindagi’s first Pakistani original “Churails” and the feature film “Cake.”
A family drama centred around an elderly man’s quest for love, “Barzakh” explores intergenerational trauma between fathers and sons. The narrative is framed within a fantastical world of supernatural beings and otherworldly events that reveal the chasms between life, death and rebirth.
Khan portrays the role of...
- 3/17/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
The 2023 London Screenings, which unfold Feb. 27 to March 3, take place in an increasingly crowded international TV calendar. The event kicks off just days after the Berlinale Series Market, overlaps with the BBC Studios Showcase and precedes Series Mania and MipTV.
The week-long showcase has established itself as a key place to acquire the best of British and international programming. All major global TV distributors, spanning 26 companies, have a plethora of content to offer across genres and formats, and a series of screenings, meetings and events have been lined up.
To help you cut through the slates, Variety has surveyed the goods from key international distributors. Here are our picks of 15 shows that will whet buyers’ appetites.
A Body That Works
(Keshet International)
“A Body That Works”
An intense triangle involving love, jealousy, desire and selflessness sees a childless couple enlist the help of a surrogate to conceive. At the heart...
The week-long showcase has established itself as a key place to acquire the best of British and international programming. All major global TV distributors, spanning 26 companies, have a plethora of content to offer across genres and formats, and a series of screenings, meetings and events have been lined up.
To help you cut through the slates, Variety has surveyed the goods from key international distributors. Here are our picks of 15 shows that will whet buyers’ appetites.
A Body That Works
(Keshet International)
“A Body That Works”
An intense triangle involving love, jealousy, desire and selflessness sees a childless couple enlist the help of a surrogate to conceive. At the heart...
- 2/24/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
“Barzakh,” starring top Pakistani actors Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed, is the only South Asian selection at Series Mania this year.
The series will debut in the showcase’s International Panorama, a 12-title competitive section where it will be eligible for the best series, director, actress, actor, student jury and audience awards.
“Barzakh” (6 X 58′) is helmed by critically acclaimed director Asim Abbasi who also directed Zindagi’s first Pakistani original “Churails” and the feature film “Cake.” It is produced by Waqas Hassan and Shailja Kejriwal for Zindagi, the Indian subcontinent focused programming block on streamer ZEE5 Global.
The series is a family drama centered around an elderly man’s quest for love. It explores intergenerational trauma between fathers and sons. The narrative is framed within a fantastical world of supernatural beings and otherworldly events that reveal the chasms between life, death and rebirth.
“What does it mean to be human?...
The series will debut in the showcase’s International Panorama, a 12-title competitive section where it will be eligible for the best series, director, actress, actor, student jury and audience awards.
“Barzakh” (6 X 58′) is helmed by critically acclaimed director Asim Abbasi who also directed Zindagi’s first Pakistani original “Churails” and the feature film “Cake.” It is produced by Waqas Hassan and Shailja Kejriwal for Zindagi, the Indian subcontinent focused programming block on streamer ZEE5 Global.
The series is a family drama centered around an elderly man’s quest for love. It explores intergenerational trauma between fathers and sons. The narrative is framed within a fantastical world of supernatural beings and otherworldly events that reveal the chasms between life, death and rebirth.
“What does it mean to be human?...
- 2/8/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
ITV has unveiled a slate of new comedy commissions, most of which will premiere on Itvx, its upcoming free streaming service.
New comedy titles include “Plebs: Soldiers of Rome,” “Deep Fake Neighbour Wars,” “Ruby Speaking Count,” “Abdulla” and “Significant Other.”
“The arrival of Itvx gives us more opportunities to commission a broad range of comedies and a dedicated place for the genre to call home,” said Nana Hughes, ITV’s Head of Comedy. The executive added that ITV aspired to showcase a “huge cross section of contemporary, diverse and inclusive comedy.”
“We want to take risks but most importantly we want our audiences to find shows that reflect them and make them laugh,” Hughes continued.
“Plebs: Soldiers of Rome” is a a feature-length special based on the award-winning comedy series “Plebs” which has had five successful seasons. “Plebs” is directed and written by Sam Leifer and co-written by Tom Basden.
New comedy titles include “Plebs: Soldiers of Rome,” “Deep Fake Neighbour Wars,” “Ruby Speaking Count,” “Abdulla” and “Significant Other.”
“The arrival of Itvx gives us more opportunities to commission a broad range of comedies and a dedicated place for the genre to call home,” said Nana Hughes, ITV’s Head of Comedy. The executive added that ITV aspired to showcase a “huge cross section of contemporary, diverse and inclusive comedy.”
“We want to take risks but most importantly we want our audiences to find shows that reflect them and make them laugh,” Hughes continued.
“Plebs: Soldiers of Rome” is a a feature-length special based on the award-winning comedy series “Plebs” which has had five successful seasons. “Plebs” is directed and written by Sam Leifer and co-written by Tom Basden.
- 8/22/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Dubai-based broadcaster and streamer Mbc is ramping up production with several new high-end shows.
These include “Rise of The Witches,” being touted as the biggest-budget Saudi Arabian TV series to date, “The Devil’s Promise,” created by U.K. writer Tony Jordan, and crime thriller “1001 Nights.”
Mbc Group CEO Sam Barnett in an interview said Mbc Studios now has 65 projects in various stages and reiterated the the Saudi-owned company is committed to serve as a driver to help kickstart the kingdom’s nascent industry.
“Rise of The Witches” is based on a Saudi novel described by Barnett as “a fantasy novel set 1,500 years ago in a time of witches” with a strong female empowerment theme.
The storyline of the show, written by British actor and writer Charlie Higson (the “Young Bond” novel series), who worked in tandem with two female Saudi writers on “Witches,” tracks the rise of two...
These include “Rise of The Witches,” being touted as the biggest-budget Saudi Arabian TV series to date, “The Devil’s Promise,” created by U.K. writer Tony Jordan, and crime thriller “1001 Nights.”
Mbc Group CEO Sam Barnett in an interview said Mbc Studios now has 65 projects in various stages and reiterated the the Saudi-owned company is committed to serve as a driver to help kickstart the kingdom’s nascent industry.
“Rise of The Witches” is based on a Saudi novel described by Barnett as “a fantasy novel set 1,500 years ago in a time of witches” with a strong female empowerment theme.
The storyline of the show, written by British actor and writer Charlie Higson (the “Young Bond” novel series), who worked in tandem with two female Saudi writers on “Witches,” tracks the rise of two...
- 4/12/2022
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
The American film-maker behind arthouse hits The Witch and The Lighthouse on how he came to create The Northman, a blood-soaked Viking blockbuster starring Alexander Skarsgård
In his first film, the 4m Sundance sensation The Witch, Robert Eggers etched a human battle between Puritanism and the occult in 17th-century New England, written entirely in early modern English. He followed it up with The Lighthouse, a surrealist survival nightmare, soaked in sea salt and maritime slang, jumbling toxic masculinity, fart jokes and octopus-punching. This is the kind of film-making upon which auteurist cults are built; but it does not, conventionally, inspire Hollywood studios to write the director in question a fat cheque for a blockbuster.
And yet. The Northman, Eggers’s vast, bonkers, exhilarating third feature, was made for the price of several Witches and Lighthouses, but hasn’t come at much cost to the 38-year-old film-maker’s strange, distinct sensibility.
In his first film, the 4m Sundance sensation The Witch, Robert Eggers etched a human battle between Puritanism and the occult in 17th-century New England, written entirely in early modern English. He followed it up with The Lighthouse, a surrealist survival nightmare, soaked in sea salt and maritime slang, jumbling toxic masculinity, fart jokes and octopus-punching. This is the kind of film-making upon which auteurist cults are built; but it does not, conventionally, inspire Hollywood studios to write the director in question a fat cheque for a blockbuster.
And yet. The Northman, Eggers’s vast, bonkers, exhilarating third feature, was made for the price of several Witches and Lighthouses, but hasn’t come at much cost to the 38-year-old film-maker’s strange, distinct sensibility.
- 4/10/2022
- by Guy Lodge
- The Guardian - Film News
Top Pakistani stars Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed have wrapped shooting an as-yet-untitled series for Zindagi, the Indian subcontinent focused programming block on streamer ZEE5 Global.
The series, which blends magical realism and supernatural fantasy with a family reunion, is helmed by critically acclaimed director Asim Abbasi who also directed Zindagi’s first Pakistani original “Churails” and the feature film “Cake.”
Khan plays a single parent who, with his son, tries to be every bit the father his own father wasn’t. Saeed plays the central female character in the series. Harbouring otherworldly secrets, she takes it upon herself to heal, and make whole, everyone who surrounds her.
The series was shot on location in Karachi and the picturesque Hunza valley.
“This is a very personal project for me. The shoot which spanned over five months has been the most challenging experience of my life but also the most rewarding,...
The series, which blends magical realism and supernatural fantasy with a family reunion, is helmed by critically acclaimed director Asim Abbasi who also directed Zindagi’s first Pakistani original “Churails” and the feature film “Cake.”
Khan plays a single parent who, with his son, tries to be every bit the father his own father wasn’t. Saeed plays the central female character in the series. Harbouring otherworldly secrets, she takes it upon herself to heal, and make whole, everyone who surrounds her.
The series was shot on location in Karachi and the picturesque Hunza valley.
“This is a very personal project for me. The shoot which spanned over five months has been the most challenging experience of my life but also the most rewarding,...
- 3/2/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Bad Wolf Co-Founder Jane Tranter And Sony’s Wayne Garvie To Keynote Mip TV
Bad Wolf Co-Founder Jane Tranter and Sony Pictures Television President, International Production, Wayne Garvie, are to both deliver keynotes at this year’s Mip TV in Cannes. The pair will take to the stage on the opening day of the market for the first time since Sony took a majority stake in the His Dark Materials, Industry and Discovery of Witches producer. “After all the disruption of the past couple of years, I’m excited to return to the stage at Mip alongside the incomparable Jane Tranter, who we welcomed to the group last year along with her fantastic Bad Wolf team,” said Garvie. Tranter said the keynote “comes at the perfect time” as Bad Wolf moves to the next stage in the international TV marketplace. The three-day event will take place in person in Cannes...
Bad Wolf Co-Founder Jane Tranter and Sony Pictures Television President, International Production, Wayne Garvie, are to both deliver keynotes at this year’s Mip TV in Cannes. The pair will take to the stage on the opening day of the market for the first time since Sony took a majority stake in the His Dark Materials, Industry and Discovery of Witches producer. “After all the disruption of the past couple of years, I’m excited to return to the stage at Mip alongside the incomparable Jane Tranter, who we welcomed to the group last year along with her fantastic Bad Wolf team,” said Garvie. Tranter said the keynote “comes at the perfect time” as Bad Wolf moves to the next stage in the international TV marketplace. The three-day event will take place in person in Cannes...
- 2/28/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Even in the context of a zoom interview, it’s hard to fathom why there are so few television and film credits on Kathryn Hunter’s resume. A staple of the British theater world, she won an Olivier Award three decades ago, has has a transfixing presence that is almost impossible to ignore. And likely the primary reason Joel Coen decided to cast her as the Witches in his interpretation of “The Tragedy of Macbeth.”
Read More: “The Tragedy Of Macbeth”: Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand are fearless in Joel Coen’s adaptation [NYFF Review]
Hunter’s performance is arguably the best in a cast that features Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand and Brendan Gleeson.
Continue reading Kathryn Hunter Kept The Witches At A Boil For ‘Tragedy of Macbeth’ [Interview] at The Playlist.
Read More: “The Tragedy Of Macbeth”: Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand are fearless in Joel Coen’s adaptation [NYFF Review]
Hunter’s performance is arguably the best in a cast that features Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand and Brendan Gleeson.
Continue reading Kathryn Hunter Kept The Witches At A Boil For ‘Tragedy of Macbeth’ [Interview] at The Playlist.
- 1/19/2022
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
As Butcher might say, this is bloody good news: The Boys universe is expanding again with the animated anthology spinoff Diabolical, star Karl Urban announced in a video message during Prime Video’s Ccxp Worlds 2021 panel block on Sunday.
The eight-episode offshoot, premiering in 2022, “reveals unseen stories within The Boys universe, brought to life by some of the most creative minds in entertainment today, including Awkwafina, Garth Ennis, Eliot Glazer and Ilana Glazer, Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen, Simon Racioppa, Justin Roiland and Ben Bayouth, Andy Samberg, and Aisha Tyler,” touts the official release.
More from TVLinePerformer of the Week:...
The eight-episode offshoot, premiering in 2022, “reveals unseen stories within The Boys universe, brought to life by some of the most creative minds in entertainment today, including Awkwafina, Garth Ennis, Eliot Glazer and Ilana Glazer, Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen, Simon Racioppa, Justin Roiland and Ben Bayouth, Andy Samberg, and Aisha Tyler,” touts the official release.
More from TVLinePerformer of the Week:...
- 12/6/2021
- by Vlada Gelman
- TVLine.com
Chicago – When we last checked in with actor and filmmaker Ashton Swinford, she had just completed her hilarious web series ”Miss Information”. She is back with a new short film, equally funny, in the white privilege satire “Basic Witches.”
“Witches” is a snapshot featuring Swinford and Sarah Aló as twentysomething city dwellers expounding on the source of their magic luck. When a fellow traveler (Vik Pandya) points out that their “magic” is a result of their social status, an incident is sure to follow. Shot in the pre-pandemic world, Ashton Swinford hesitated releasing it, realizing that the world had changed a bit, but the message remains clear.
Actor/Director Ashton Swinton (left) and Sarah Aló in ‘Basic Witches’
Photo credit: Ashton Swinford
In “Miss Information,” Swinford is a former beauty pageant queen attempting to cling to relevancy in a pandemic-era world. She is joined by Reginald Wilkins (Whitman Johnson), a golden retriever in human form,...
“Witches” is a snapshot featuring Swinford and Sarah Aló as twentysomething city dwellers expounding on the source of their magic luck. When a fellow traveler (Vik Pandya) points out that their “magic” is a result of their social status, an incident is sure to follow. Shot in the pre-pandemic world, Ashton Swinford hesitated releasing it, realizing that the world had changed a bit, but the message remains clear.
Actor/Director Ashton Swinton (left) and Sarah Aló in ‘Basic Witches’
Photo credit: Ashton Swinford
In “Miss Information,” Swinford is a former beauty pageant queen attempting to cling to relevancy in a pandemic-era world. She is joined by Reginald Wilkins (Whitman Johnson), a golden retriever in human form,...
- 8/18/2021
- by [email protected] (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Apple Original Films have debuted the first look of Tom Hanks in the upcoming feature ‘Finch’ alongside an announcement for its premiere on the streamer.
Hitting Apple TV+ on Friday, November 5, Hanks’ follow up to the Apple Original Film ‘Greyhound’, follows a man, a robot and a dog as they form an unlikely family in an adventure of one man’s quest to ensure that his beloved canine companion will be cared for after he’s gone.
Hanks stars as Finch, a robotics engineer and one of the few survivors of a cataclysmic solar event that has left the world a wasteland. But Finch, who has been living in an underground bunker for a decade, has built a world of his own that he shares with his dog, Goodyear. He creates a robot, played by Caleb Landry Jones, to watch over Goodyear when he no longer can. As the trio...
Hitting Apple TV+ on Friday, November 5, Hanks’ follow up to the Apple Original Film ‘Greyhound’, follows a man, a robot and a dog as they form an unlikely family in an adventure of one man’s quest to ensure that his beloved canine companion will be cared for after he’s gone.
Hanks stars as Finch, a robotics engineer and one of the few survivors of a cataclysmic solar event that has left the world a wasteland. But Finch, who has been living in an underground bunker for a decade, has built a world of his own that he shares with his dog, Goodyear. He creates a robot, played by Caleb Landry Jones, to watch over Goodyear when he no longer can. As the trio...
- 8/12/2021
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Apple Original Films announced today that the highly anticipated film “Finch” will debut on Apple TV+ on Friday, November 5. “Finch” stars Tom Hanks and Screen Actors Guild Award winner Caleb Landry Jones, who recently won best actor at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.
Hanks’ follow up to the blockbuster Apple Original Film “Greyhound” comes from cutting-edge filmmaker Miguel Sapochnik, with an original screenplay by Craig Luck, making his feature-film writing debut, and Ivor Powell (associate producer of “Blade Runner” and “Alien”).
The film is produced by Kevin Misher, Jack Rapke, Jacqueline Levine, and Ivor Powell. The executive producers are Academy Award winner Robert Zemeckis, Luck, Sapochnik, Andy Berman, Adam Merims and Jeb Brody. Apple Original Films’ “Finch” is an Amblin Entertainment and Reliance Entertainment presentation, in association with Walden Media. “Finch” is an Imagemovers and Misher Films production.
In “Finch,” a man, a robot and a dog form an unlikely family...
Hanks’ follow up to the blockbuster Apple Original Film “Greyhound” comes from cutting-edge filmmaker Miguel Sapochnik, with an original screenplay by Craig Luck, making his feature-film writing debut, and Ivor Powell (associate producer of “Blade Runner” and “Alien”).
The film is produced by Kevin Misher, Jack Rapke, Jacqueline Levine, and Ivor Powell. The executive producers are Academy Award winner Robert Zemeckis, Luck, Sapochnik, Andy Berman, Adam Merims and Jeb Brody. Apple Original Films’ “Finch” is an Amblin Entertainment and Reliance Entertainment presentation, in association with Walden Media. “Finch” is an Imagemovers and Misher Films production.
In “Finch,” a man, a robot and a dog form an unlikely family...
- 8/12/2021
- by Michelle Hannett
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
‘Witches of the Orient’ Review: Colorful, Thoughtful, Cinematic Essay on a Legendary Volleyball Team
Three years ago, filmmaker Julien Faraut, a documentarian attached to France’s Institute National de Sport, took a trove of John McEnroe footage and crafted the dazzling “In the Realm of Perfection,” a foundational text in the emergent micro-genre of the sports-documentary-that’s-not-really-about-sport. His new film, “Witches of the Orient,” may substitute volleyball for tennis, and loosely sketch out the Japanese women’s team that dominated the sport in the early 1960s, but it shares many of the hallmarks: a dreamy, glitchy, immersive soundtrack, a crackling editing style and a facility with 16mm archive footage that practically puts you inside its gorgeous grain.
But where the focus of “Realm” was so narrow that its peculiar thesis — that tennis and filmmaking are somehow analogous — emerged with thrilling clarity, “Witches” never quite finds its own unifying principle. And so for all the film’s playful artistry, the effect is more scattershot. Sometimes it’s almost self-contradictory,...
But where the focus of “Realm” was so narrow that its peculiar thesis — that tennis and filmmaking are somehow analogous — emerged with thrilling clarity, “Witches” never quite finds its own unifying principle. And so for all the film’s playful artistry, the effect is more scattershot. Sometimes it’s almost self-contradictory,...
- 7/7/2021
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
David Fincher’s “Mank” and Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” were among the winners at the Art Directors Guild Awards on Saturday night — both are also Oscar nominees for best production design.
In a hybrid ceremony, the Adg (IATSE Local 800) awarded 11 categories across television, film, music videos and commercials.
Other winners included, “Da 5 Bloods” (Wynn Thomas), and “Soul” (Steve Pilcher).
In the television category, “The Mandalorian: Chapter 13: The Jedi,” “The Queen’s Gambit,” and “What We Do in the Shadows: Resurrection” were all recognized.
Comedian Jb Smoove, co-star of HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” served as the evening’s host, entertaining a global audience. Nelson Coates, Adg president, and Mark Worthington, art directors council chair, presided over the awards ceremony.
“I’m grateful we were able to share our open awards event with all of our members, their families, friends, and coworkers this year,” producer Scott Moses said. “The show...
In a hybrid ceremony, the Adg (IATSE Local 800) awarded 11 categories across television, film, music videos and commercials.
Other winners included, “Da 5 Bloods” (Wynn Thomas), and “Soul” (Steve Pilcher).
In the television category, “The Mandalorian: Chapter 13: The Jedi,” “The Queen’s Gambit,” and “What We Do in the Shadows: Resurrection” were all recognized.
Comedian Jb Smoove, co-star of HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” served as the evening’s host, entertaining a global audience. Nelson Coates, Adg president, and Mark Worthington, art directors council chair, presided over the awards ceremony.
“I’m grateful we were able to share our open awards event with all of our members, their families, friends, and coworkers this year,” producer Scott Moses said. “The show...
- 4/11/2021
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
“Mank,” “Tenet,” “Da 5 Bloods” and “Soul” have won the feature-film awards at the 25th annual Art Directors Guild Awards, which were handed out in a virtual ceremony on Saturday.
“Mank” won in the period-film category, the Adg category that most closely corresponds to the Oscar for Best Production Design. “Tenet” won in the fantasy category, “Da 5 Bloods” in the contemporary category and “Soul” in the animated category.
In the 14 years since the current Adg categories were established, the winner in the period category has gone on to win the Oscar for Best Production Design six times, the fantasy winner has taken the Oscar four times, and the contemporary winner has won the Oscar once. In all but three of those years, the Oscar has gone to one of the Adg winners.
“Mank” and “Tenet” are both nominated for the Best Production Design Oscar; “Da 5 Bloods” and “Soul” are not.
“Mank” won in the period-film category, the Adg category that most closely corresponds to the Oscar for Best Production Design. “Tenet” won in the fantasy category, “Da 5 Bloods” in the contemporary category and “Soul” in the animated category.
In the 14 years since the current Adg categories were established, the winner in the period category has gone on to win the Oscar for Best Production Design six times, the fantasy winner has taken the Oscar four times, and the contemporary winner has won the Oscar once. In all but three of those years, the Oscar has gone to one of the Adg winners.
“Mank” and “Tenet” are both nominated for the Best Production Design Oscar; “Da 5 Bloods” and “Soul” are not.
- 4/11/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The 25th Annual Art Director’s Guild Awards took place tonight as a reimagined virtual show, with Mank,, Tenet and Da 5 Bloods taking home top film honors.
Hosted by Curb Your Enthusiasm’s J.B. Smoove, the event celebrates outstanding production design in theatrical motion pictures, television, commercials, animated features and music videos. For all the winners and nominees, see the list at the bottom of this post.
Ryan Murphy received Cinematic Imagery Award honoring his work reflecting the highest quality of production design. The award was presented by Matt Bomer, star of many of Murphy’s shows including Boys in the Band.
Other presenters included Jordi Molla (Jack Ryan); Nicco Annan (P-Valley); Tyra Banks; Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm), Aasif Mandvi (Evil); Jenna Elfman (Fear the Walking Dead) and Brian Tee (Chicago Med).
Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Emmy-winning production designer Stuart Wurtzel (Ad), set designer Martha Johnston (Sdmm...
Hosted by Curb Your Enthusiasm’s J.B. Smoove, the event celebrates outstanding production design in theatrical motion pictures, television, commercials, animated features and music videos. For all the winners and nominees, see the list at the bottom of this post.
Ryan Murphy received Cinematic Imagery Award honoring his work reflecting the highest quality of production design. The award was presented by Matt Bomer, star of many of Murphy’s shows including Boys in the Band.
Other presenters included Jordi Molla (Jack Ryan); Nicco Annan (P-Valley); Tyra Banks; Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm), Aasif Mandvi (Evil); Jenna Elfman (Fear the Walking Dead) and Brian Tee (Chicago Med).
Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Emmy-winning production designer Stuart Wurtzel (Ad), set designer Martha Johnston (Sdmm...
- 4/10/2021
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
The Art Directors Guild announced the nominations for the 25th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards on Thursday, honoring the finest production design in theatrical motion pictures, television, commercials, music videos, and animation features.
Among the nominees for film are Oscar hopefuls “Mank,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” with TV accolades including “The Mandalorian,” “The Queen’s Gambit,” and “What We Do in the Shadows.”
Netflix was the big winner grabbing seven Adg nominations, including three period dramas; one fantasy film (George Clooney’s “The Midnight Sky”); and three contemporary films.
Also making the cut were Christopher Nolan’s time-inversion spy thriller, “Tenet” (production designed by five-time Oscar nominee Nathan Crowley), and two surprises: Emerald Fennell’s Oscar buzzy revenge black comedy, “Promising Young Woman,” which scored a contemporary Adg nomination, and Matteo Garron’s period “Pinocchio” Gothic re-imagining, which scored for period.
Also being honored is Ryan Murphy,...
Among the nominees for film are Oscar hopefuls “Mank,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” with TV accolades including “The Mandalorian,” “The Queen’s Gambit,” and “What We Do in the Shadows.”
Netflix was the big winner grabbing seven Adg nominations, including three period dramas; one fantasy film (George Clooney’s “The Midnight Sky”); and three contemporary films.
Also making the cut were Christopher Nolan’s time-inversion spy thriller, “Tenet” (production designed by five-time Oscar nominee Nathan Crowley), and two surprises: Emerald Fennell’s Oscar buzzy revenge black comedy, “Promising Young Woman,” which scored a contemporary Adg nomination, and Matteo Garron’s period “Pinocchio” Gothic re-imagining, which scored for period.
Also being honored is Ryan Murphy,...
- 2/25/2021
- by Libby Hill and Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The Art Directors Guild has unveiled nominations for its 25th annual Excellence in Production Design Awards, which celebrate the year’s best achievements in theatrical motion pictures, TV, commercials, music videos and animated features. Winners will be announced April 10 during a virtual ceremony.
Last year, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Avengers: Endgame and Parasite were the big film winners in the Period, Fantasy and Contemporary categories, respectively, with Hollywood going on to take the Production Design Oscar. TV winners included The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Cherrnobyl, The Big Bang Theory, Russian Doll, The Umbrella Academy and Drunk History.
As previously announced, Ryan Murphy will receive the group’s Cinematic Imagery Award. The Adg Lifetime Achievement Awards, annually presented to outstanding individuals in each of the guild’s four crafts, and will be announced shortly.
With today’s nominations out, online balloting will now be held March 11-April 7.
Here’ the list...
Last year, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Avengers: Endgame and Parasite were the big film winners in the Period, Fantasy and Contemporary categories, respectively, with Hollywood going on to take the Production Design Oscar. TV winners included The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Cherrnobyl, The Big Bang Theory, Russian Doll, The Umbrella Academy and Drunk History.
As previously announced, Ryan Murphy will receive the group’s Cinematic Imagery Award. The Adg Lifetime Achievement Awards, annually presented to outstanding individuals in each of the guild’s four crafts, and will be announced shortly.
With today’s nominations out, online balloting will now be held March 11-April 7.
Here’ the list...
- 2/25/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
“Mank,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Mulan,” “News of the World” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7” have been nominated in the Art Directors Guild Awards’ period-film category, the Adg category that most closely corresponds to the Academy Award for Best Production Design.
In the Adg’s fantasy-film category, which often supplies one or two Oscar nominees, the guild singled out “Birds of Prey,” “Pinocchio,” “Tenet,” “The Midnight Sky” and “Wonder Woman 1984.”
Nominees in the contemporary category, which last year included Oscar nominee “Parasite,” were “Da 5 Bloods,” “I’m Thinking of Ending Things,” “Palm Springs,” “Promising Young Woman” and “The Prom.”
In the television categories, nominees included episodes of “Lovecraft Country,” “The Crown,” “The Mandalorian,” “The Flight Attendant” and “Utopia” in the one-hour categories; “Emily in Paris,” “Space Force,” “What We Do in the Shadows,” “The Neighborhood” and “Will & Grace” in the half-hour categories; and “Fargo,” “Hollywood...
In the Adg’s fantasy-film category, which often supplies one or two Oscar nominees, the guild singled out “Birds of Prey,” “Pinocchio,” “Tenet,” “The Midnight Sky” and “Wonder Woman 1984.”
Nominees in the contemporary category, which last year included Oscar nominee “Parasite,” were “Da 5 Bloods,” “I’m Thinking of Ending Things,” “Palm Springs,” “Promising Young Woman” and “The Prom.”
In the television categories, nominees included episodes of “Lovecraft Country,” “The Crown,” “The Mandalorian,” “The Flight Attendant” and “Utopia” in the one-hour categories; “Emily in Paris,” “Space Force,” “What We Do in the Shadows,” “The Neighborhood” and “Will & Grace” in the half-hour categories; and “Fargo,” “Hollywood...
- 2/25/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
“Mank, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Tenet” are among the top films recognized for excellence in production design in the 25th annual Art Directors Guild nominations.
On Thursday, the Adg announced nominations for this year’s awards show, which will be held April 10 in a virtual ceremony, breaking with tradition in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Mank,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Mulan” landed nominations in the Period Feature Film category, and “Birds of Prey,” “Pinocchio” and “Wonder Woman 1984” earned recognition in Fantasy Feature Film.
Missing out were Oscar contenders “Emma,” “The Personal History of David Copperfield” and “One Night in Miami.”
As previously announced, multiple award-winning writer-director-producer Ryan Murphy, whose film and television shows have consistently reflected the highest quality of production design, will receive the esteemed Cinematic Imagery Award.
See the full list of nominations for film and TV below.
Period Feature Film
“Mank” ( Donald Graham Burt...
On Thursday, the Adg announced nominations for this year’s awards show, which will be held April 10 in a virtual ceremony, breaking with tradition in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Mank,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Mulan” landed nominations in the Period Feature Film category, and “Birds of Prey,” “Pinocchio” and “Wonder Woman 1984” earned recognition in Fantasy Feature Film.
Missing out were Oscar contenders “Emma,” “The Personal History of David Copperfield” and “One Night in Miami.”
As previously announced, multiple award-winning writer-director-producer Ryan Murphy, whose film and television shows have consistently reflected the highest quality of production design, will receive the esteemed Cinematic Imagery Award.
See the full list of nominations for film and TV below.
Period Feature Film
“Mank” ( Donald Graham Burt...
- 2/25/2021
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Horror geniuses are joining forces again on “Eli Roth’s History of Horror” to take viewers on a chilling exploration deep into the genre’s eerie past and present. After reaching nearly six million viewers in Nielsen’s Live+3 ratings across Season 2’s six-episode star-studded stretch, AMC announced that the series is being renewed for Season 3, bringing together masters of horror for another six episodes slated to air later in 2021.
The third season will feature episodes titled “Sinister Psychics,” “Infections,” Mad Scientists,” “Apocalyptic Horror,” “Sequels That Don’t Suck” and “Holiday Horror.” Each hourlong episode promises to delve into the scream themes, investigating how the genre has evolved through the decades and impacted society’s biggest fears. Last season, some of horror’s most formidable storytellers and faces, such as Stephen King, Jordan Peele, Quentin Tarantino, Bill Hader, Megan Fox, Greg Nicotero, Edgar Wright, Rachel True, Elijah Wood, Alexandra Billings and Rob Zombie,...
The third season will feature episodes titled “Sinister Psychics,” “Infections,” Mad Scientists,” “Apocalyptic Horror,” “Sequels That Don’t Suck” and “Holiday Horror.” Each hourlong episode promises to delve into the scream themes, investigating how the genre has evolved through the decades and impacted society’s biggest fears. Last season, some of horror’s most formidable storytellers and faces, such as Stephen King, Jordan Peele, Quentin Tarantino, Bill Hader, Megan Fox, Greg Nicotero, Edgar Wright, Rachel True, Elijah Wood, Alexandra Billings and Rob Zombie,...
- 1/22/2021
- by Mónica Marie Zorrilla
- Variety Film + TV
For the first time since cinemas reopened, two titles have earned more than $1 million in a single weekend, with The Witches bowing and The War With Grandpa continuing to climb.
It’s a positive sign for exhibitors in the lead up to the school holidays and the end of year, with titles The Croods: A New Age, Wonder Woman 1984 and The Dry all on the horizon.
Robert Zemeckis’ Roald Dahl adaptation, starring Anne Hathaway and Octavia Spencer, ranked no. 1, opening on $1.13 million from 396 screens (or $1.6 million with previews) for Warner Bros.
While some exhibitors are dismayed by the film’s M-rating, arguing it limits how accessible it is for families, it is still the best opening weekend for any film since Christopher Nolan’s Tenet on August 27.
It’s also equivalent with The Addams Family, a WB title released this time last year, in a pre-covid world.
Village Cinemas’ Geoff...
It’s a positive sign for exhibitors in the lead up to the school holidays and the end of year, with titles The Croods: A New Age, Wonder Woman 1984 and The Dry all on the horizon.
Robert Zemeckis’ Roald Dahl adaptation, starring Anne Hathaway and Octavia Spencer, ranked no. 1, opening on $1.13 million from 396 screens (or $1.6 million with previews) for Warner Bros.
While some exhibitors are dismayed by the film’s M-rating, arguing it limits how accessible it is for families, it is still the best opening weekend for any film since Christopher Nolan’s Tenet on August 27.
It’s also equivalent with The Addams Family, a WB title released this time last year, in a pre-covid world.
Village Cinemas’ Geoff...
- 12/14/2020
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
Take a look at Season Two footage from "A Discovery of Witches", the episodic TV series based on the "All Souls" trilogy by Deborah Harkness, recently forced to halt a UK shoot after positive ''Covid-19' test results, starring Teresa Palmer, Matthew Goode, Edward Bluemel, Louise Brealey, Malin Buska, Aiysha Hart, Owen Teale, Alex Kingston and Valarie Pettiford, airing January 9, 2021 on Sundance Now and Shudder:
"...'Diana Bishop', a historian and reluctant witch, unexpectedly discovers a bewitched manuscript in Oxford's 'Bodleian Library'. This discovery forces her back into the world of magic in order to unravel the secrets it holds about magical beings. She is offered help by mysterious geneticist (and vampire), 'Matthew Clairmont'. Despite a long-held mistrust between witches and vampires they form an alliance and set out to protect the book and solve the mysteries hidden within while dodging threats from the creature world..."
Click...
"...'Diana Bishop', a historian and reluctant witch, unexpectedly discovers a bewitched manuscript in Oxford's 'Bodleian Library'. This discovery forces her back into the world of magic in order to unravel the secrets it holds about magical beings. She is offered help by mysterious geneticist (and vampire), 'Matthew Clairmont'. Despite a long-held mistrust between witches and vampires they form an alliance and set out to protect the book and solve the mysteries hidden within while dodging threats from the creature world..."
Click...
- 12/8/2020
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Anne Hathaway isn't sugarcoating her motherhood journey. The Oscar-winning actress is used to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. However, when it comes to her home life that's a different story. Anne recently opened up about the messy side of motherhood in a candid interview with Stellar. As fans may know, the Witches star is the proud mom to two kids, Jonathan Rosebanks Shulman, 4, and Jack Shulman, 11 months, whom she shares with husband Adam Shulman. When asked what her biggest challenge has been as a mother, the actress had the most relatable response. "During the lockdown? Can I curse? The f--king laundry," she shared. "But, you...
- 11/28/2020
- E! Online
I’m hearing from several exhibition sources that Warner Bros. is going with Wonder Woman 1984 on Christmas Day in theaters and on HBO Max, same day. Warner Bros. would not respond for comment. A screenshot leaked online, and sources say it’s true.
This is by far the biggest blast off of an IP on HBO Max to date, bigger than Warner Bros.’ Witches and Scoob!, which were both intended for theatrical. Warners appeases those exhibitors bravely staying open during the pandemic –and there are a lot who are being forced to shut down this weekend due to government Covid-19 restrictions, i.e. most counties in California including Orange County and Ventura, Michigan, Illinois, Oregon and Washington– and injecting some juice into its burgeoning streaming service HBO Max.
More….
This is by far the biggest blast off of an IP on HBO Max to date, bigger than Warner Bros.’ Witches and Scoob!, which were both intended for theatrical. Warners appeases those exhibitors bravely staying open during the pandemic –and there are a lot who are being forced to shut down this weekend due to government Covid-19 restrictions, i.e. most counties in California including Orange County and Ventura, Michigan, Illinois, Oregon and Washington– and injecting some juice into its burgeoning streaming service HBO Max.
More….
- 11/18/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
A decision from Warner Bros. on Wonder Woman 1984’s Christmas Day theatrical fate is imminent, I hear, either Friday or by Monday at the latest.
The internet is in a tizzy over a Bloomberg article tonight that the sequel to the $821M-plus grossing 2017 DC hit, which broke several records for women at the box office, is headed for an HBO Max play a week or two following its Christmas Day theatrical run. I hear that’s not the option the studio is careening toward. However, according to exhibition sources, I understand that WarnerMedia brass have kicked around the idea of a simultaneous theatrical and HBO Max release on Christmas Day, particularly given how the pandemic is poised to shut down California exhibition in two weeks as more counties move from red to purple tier, with other U.S. cities imposing curfews. Oh, yeah, and Western European theaters are closed.
Nothing...
The internet is in a tizzy over a Bloomberg article tonight that the sequel to the $821M-plus grossing 2017 DC hit, which broke several records for women at the box office, is headed for an HBO Max play a week or two following its Christmas Day theatrical run. I hear that’s not the option the studio is careening toward. However, according to exhibition sources, I understand that WarnerMedia brass have kicked around the idea of a simultaneous theatrical and HBO Max release on Christmas Day, particularly given how the pandemic is poised to shut down California exhibition in two weeks as more counties move from red to purple tier, with other U.S. cities imposing curfews. Oh, yeah, and Western European theaters are closed.
Nothing...
- 11/13/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Halloween may be over, but there's a ton of horror content to look forward to from Shudder this December, including Creepshow and Joe Bob holiday specials:
New Shudder Specials
Joe Bob Saves Christmas — December 11 at 9pm Et
The Christmas spirit takes over The Last Drive-In as Joe Bob and Darcy close out the year with a double feature of holiday horrors. Premieres live on the ShudderTV feed Friday, December 11, and will be made available on demand on Sunday, December 13. (Also available on Shudder Canada)
A Creepshow Holiday Special — December 18
In the holiday themed, hour-long episode, “Shapeshifters Anonymous,” fearing he is a murderer, an anxious man searches for answers for his "unique condition" from an unusual support group. Starring Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect) and Adam Pally (The Mindy Project), the special is written and directed by Creepshow showrunner Greg Nicotero, based on a short story by J.A. Konrath (Last Call...
New Shudder Specials
Joe Bob Saves Christmas — December 11 at 9pm Et
The Christmas spirit takes over The Last Drive-In as Joe Bob and Darcy close out the year with a double feature of holiday horrors. Premieres live on the ShudderTV feed Friday, December 11, and will be made available on demand on Sunday, December 13. (Also available on Shudder Canada)
A Creepshow Holiday Special — December 18
In the holiday themed, hour-long episode, “Shapeshifters Anonymous,” fearing he is a murderer, an anxious man searches for answers for his "unique condition" from an unusual support group. Starring Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect) and Adam Pally (The Mindy Project), the special is written and directed by Creepshow showrunner Greg Nicotero, based on a short story by J.A. Konrath (Last Call...
- 11/11/2020
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
“The Witches” star Anne Hathaway has apologized for the portrayal of disability in the film.
“I have recently learned that many people with limb differences, especially children, are in pain because of the portrayal of the Grand High Witch in ‘The Witches,’” Hathaway posted on her Instagram page.
“Let me begin by saying I do my best to be sensitive to the feelings and experiences of others not out of some scrambling PC fear, but because not hurting others seems like a basic level of decency we should all be striving for,” Hathaway wrote. “As someone who really believes in inclusivity and really, really detests cruelty, I owe you all an apology for the pain caused. I am sorry. I did not connect limb difference with the Ghw when the look of the character was brought to me; if I had, I assure you this never would have happened.”
“I...
“I have recently learned that many people with limb differences, especially children, are in pain because of the portrayal of the Grand High Witch in ‘The Witches,’” Hathaway posted on her Instagram page.
“Let me begin by saying I do my best to be sensitive to the feelings and experiences of others not out of some scrambling PC fear, but because not hurting others seems like a basic level of decency we should all be striving for,” Hathaway wrote. “As someone who really believes in inclusivity and really, really detests cruelty, I owe you all an apology for the pain caused. I am sorry. I did not connect limb difference with the Ghw when the look of the character was brought to me; if I had, I assure you this never would have happened.”
“I...
- 11/6/2020
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Catching up with Anne Hathaway. On Friday, Oct. 30's Daily Pop, E!'s Justin Sylvester caught up with The Witches actress, including plenty of behind-the-scenes details about the HBO Max film. As E! readers surely know, Anne portrays the Grand High Witch in the 2020 The Witches remake, a role made famous by Anjelica Huston. What you may not have realized is that The Princess Diaries star was pregnant while filming this movie. And, per the Oscar-winner, her pregnancy helped her get into character. "I have to say the hormonal surges worked to my advantage in this performance," she explained. "Because those were the days where I was like, 'I think she's a little angry at this point....
- 10/30/2020
- E! Online
Roald Dahl’s 1983 children’s novel The Witches, the sinister tale of a coven of toeless conjurers who despise youngsters (to them, kids smell like dog poo) and plot to turn them into mice, twice has been made into a movie.
The latest, from director Robert Zemeckis and starring Anne Hathaway as the Grand High Witch, will stream Oct. 22 on HBO Max. (It was pulled from Warner Bros.’ theatrical release calendar due to Covid-19.) But the original, which starred Anjelica Huston as the sorceress in chief, came out 30 years ago and still manages to induce nightmares....
The latest, from director Robert Zemeckis and starring Anne Hathaway as the Grand High Witch, will stream Oct. 22 on HBO Max. (It was pulled from Warner Bros.’ theatrical release calendar due to Covid-19.) But the original, which starred Anjelica Huston as the sorceress in chief, came out 30 years ago and still manages to induce nightmares....
- 10/24/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
It’s a wonder more Roald Dahl books haven’t seen the light of cinematic day. We’re barely into double figures (three of those are remakes), and yet his huge body of work is a prime visual feast for family audiences looking for something other than the relentless onslaught of superhero fare.
Enter The Witches. Not so much a remake of the 1990 film as a new take on the original story, we enter a world where witches exist and really, really hate children. It’s a story with more than its fair share of nastiness and big gloopy spoonfuls of horror, essential ingredients in any adaptation of Dahl’s work.
That sharp edge was noticeably missing from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when it received the Tim Burton treatment. As ideal as Burton’s visuals are (so well aligned with illustrator Quentin Blake’s sharp-angled style) he isn’t...
Enter The Witches. Not so much a remake of the 1990 film as a new take on the original story, we enter a world where witches exist and really, really hate children. It’s a story with more than its fair share of nastiness and big gloopy spoonfuls of horror, essential ingredients in any adaptation of Dahl’s work.
That sharp edge was noticeably missing from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when it received the Tim Burton treatment. As ideal as Burton’s visuals are (so well aligned with illustrator Quentin Blake’s sharp-angled style) he isn’t...
- 10/23/2020
- by Richard Phippen
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
In our house, one film that gets watched every Halloween season is Nicolas Roeg’s surreal and darkly wholesome adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Witches. Now, some 30 years later, legendary director Robert Zemeckis is tackling Dahl’s classic novel, with Anne Hathaway stepping into the role of the Grand High Witch, and the results are a highly entertaining and adorably charming fantasy film that will make for perfect viewing for families during this spooky season (and in the future as well).
For the uninitiated, The Witches follows an unnamed young boy (Jahzir Bruno) who moves in with his grandmother (Octavia Spencer) after both of his parents are killed in an automobile accident. As he settles into his new life, it’s the responsibility of his grandmother to fill him in on all sorts of life lessons, including letting him in on a secret: witches are real, and he needs...
For the uninitiated, The Witches follows an unnamed young boy (Jahzir Bruno) who moves in with his grandmother (Octavia Spencer) after both of his parents are killed in an automobile accident. As he settles into his new life, it’s the responsibility of his grandmother to fill him in on all sorts of life lessons, including letting him in on a secret: witches are real, and he needs...
- 10/21/2020
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Stars: Kira Reed Lorsch, Donna Spangler, Jake Francis, Nicola Wright, Georgina Jane, Jon Callaway, Sarah T. Cohen, Amanda-Jade Tyler, Toby Wynn-Davies, Barbara Dabson, Brittan Taylor, Jim Arnold, Lee Cutler, Sophie Jay, Venetia Cook | Written by Tom Jolliffe | Directed by Rebecca Matthews
With a title shortened from Witches of Amityville Academy (probably so as not to give anyone the wrong impression that this is a teen movie a la Sabrina), Witches of Amityville tells the story of Jessica who, when receives an invitation to attend an exclusive academy, jumps at the chance to go to a prestigious school. However, on her first night, when she sees another newcomer murdered in front of her, she realises something is very wrong. She discovers the academy is actually a cover for a coven of witches and she has hidden powers that might just help save her life and escape their evil clutches…
Ok, by...
With a title shortened from Witches of Amityville Academy (probably so as not to give anyone the wrong impression that this is a teen movie a la Sabrina), Witches of Amityville tells the story of Jessica who, when receives an invitation to attend an exclusive academy, jumps at the chance to go to a prestigious school. However, on her first night, when she sees another newcomer murdered in front of her, she realises something is very wrong. She discovers the academy is actually a cover for a coven of witches and she has hidden powers that might just help save her life and escape their evil clutches…
Ok, by...
- 10/19/2020
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Those “attending” A Discovery of Witches‘ virtual New York Comic Con panel on Saturday were treated to a Season 2 teaser that is all about power — including those who want it, and those who have it.
Afterward, it was revealed that the new episodes will land across the pond on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021. TVLine can in turn confirm that Season 2 will premiere Stateside the next day, on Saturday, Jan. 9, on Sundance Now and Shudder.
More from TVLineCreepshow: Keith David, Anna Camp and Adam Pally Among Season 2 CastA Discovery of Witches Season 2 Is Set to (Finally) Arrive in Early 2021TVLine Items: James Purefoy Joins Witches,...
Afterward, it was revealed that the new episodes will land across the pond on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021. TVLine can in turn confirm that Season 2 will premiere Stateside the next day, on Saturday, Jan. 9, on Sundance Now and Shudder.
More from TVLineCreepshow: Keith David, Anna Camp and Adam Pally Among Season 2 CastA Discovery of Witches Season 2 Is Set to (Finally) Arrive in Early 2021TVLine Items: James Purefoy Joins Witches,...
- 10/10/2020
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
TollywoodThe film is directed by Ani Sasi, son of late Malayalam filmmaker IV Sasi.Digital NativeNithya Menen, an actor known for her singing skills, is adding a new song to her discography. She is singing for the Tollywood film Ninnila Ninnila, directed by Ani Sasi. The song has been recorded in Bengaluru recently. The actor told in an interview to the Times of India that Ninnila Ninnila is directed by a close friend, Ani Sasi – son of the late Malayalam filmmaker IV Sasi, and she too is part of the film. They recorded the song at musician Raghu Dixit’s studio in Bengaluru, she said. Noted Malayalam film maker IV Sasi’s son Ani Sasi is directing his debut film Ninnila Ninnila and has roped in Ashok Selvan to play the lead role. Reports about this film are that Ashok Selvan will be seen as an overweight chef and has...
- 9/16/2020
- by Cris
- The News Minute
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