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Steve Carell puts heart into comedy. Whether he is playing the iconic Michael Scott or delivering poignant performances in films like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, the man’s ability to balance humor with genuine emotion sets him apart from the rest, wonderfully so. Over a decade ago, Steve Carell starred alongside Paull Rudd in Dinner for Schmucks.

Steve Carell as Michael Scott in The Office | Credits: NBC

He played the role of Barry Speck, an eccentric, bizarre character who likes to collect dead mice and dress them up for his dioramas. Even while playing a character that others were to make fun of, Steve Carell believes his portrayal of Barry wasn’t directed towards making fun of a person who’s different but rather towards celebrating him. Steve Carell is living proof that comedy doesn’t have to be unconscientious.

Steve Carell Plays a Unique Character in Dinner for Schmucks Steve...

Alfre Woodard, John Benjamin Hickey, Makenzie Leigh, Lewis Pullman, and Jordan Preston Carter in ‘Salem’s Lot’ (Photo by Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max)

Max’s October 2024 lineup includes a new adaptation of Stephen King’s bestselling vampire novel Salem’s Lot and the premiere of the eight-episode comedy series The Franchise starring Himesh Patel. Jordin Sparks hosts and Johnny Weir and Terrell Ferguson judge the new competition series Roller Jam debuting on October 10th. And Dylan O’Brien stars in Caddo Lake, a mystery thriller premiering on October 10th.

The streamer’s October calendar of new series and films also includes the documentaries I Am Not A Monster: The Lois Riess Murders, Louder: The Soundtrack of Change, and Breath of Fire. Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap starring Josh Hartnett makes its streaming premiere on October 25th, and Maxxxine with Mia Goth debuts on October 18th.

The third and final...

Only Murders in the Building Season 4, Episode 5 reunites Dinner for Schmucks co-stars Paul Rudd and Zach Galifianakis alongside a wealth of guest stars. 

The latest episode, "Adaptation," highlights some of the crew members of the podcast's movie adaptation from Paramount Pictures, giving a good chunk of its screentime to the movie's writer, Marshall, and its producer, Bev Melon. 

Only Murders in the Building Season 4, Episode 5 premiered on Hulu on September 24.

Read full article on The Direct.

Killer Klowns From Outer Space was released by Scream Factory on May 14th, 2024. This review is in regards to the 35th Anniversary Steelbook.

Growing up, my Nana had a VHS copy of Killer Klowns From Outer Space that she had recorded off of cable television. That’s an odd concept these days, but back then it was common practice. This film — along with Edward Scissor Hands and Mac and Me — were on constant rotation every time I’d go to visit for a few weeks each summer.

As a child I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the strange alien clowns. I remember being confused and wondering, “Is this supposed to be funny or scary?” The answer is — of course — both with an emphasis on humor. I hadn’t seen the film since I was young, but I was eager to see how it held up all these years later.

Exclusive: Jeff Dunham has announced his 12th special, I’m with Cupid, which is set to launch just ahead of Valentine’s Day, premiering on Saturday, February 3 at 8 p.m. Et/Pt.

Bushwhacking their way through the topics of love, relationships, and all-things-Valentines in the special are Dunham and his beloved dummy cohorts Walter, Bubba J, Peanut, Jose Jalapeño “on a steek!,” and the suspiciously familiar ‘new’ guy, “Achamedes, Greek god of Keeler Love.” Check out a first-look clip above.

“If you hate Valentine’s Day, you’re Really going to hate this special…” promised Dunham. “Watch it with someone you love! Or alone… Or with someone you hate… With a beer.”

Filmed at the Straz Center in Tampa, Fl, the special comes on the heels of Jeff Dunham: Me the People (2022) and Jeff Dunham’s Completely Unrehearsed Last-Minute Pandemic Holiday Special (2020), as part of a three-special deal with Comedy Central.

Clockwise from top left: The Wicker Man (Warner Bros.), Vanilla Sky (Paramont), Oldboy (FilmDistrict), The Toy (Columbia)Image: AVClub

In Hollywood, it often seems that the sincerest form of flattery is to remake a foreign film. Domestic versions of international hits are a long-running thing in a town where familiarity assumes success,...

It’s hard to live up to the approval of our parents. Peggy, the lead character of Apple TV+’s new series “High Desert,” premiering Tuesday, May 16, has tried all her life. But when Peggy’s mother dies unexpectedly it leaves a hole in her heart too big to fill. In order to get closure from her mother’s passing, Peggy decides to leave her own checkered past behind to become a private investigator. You can watch High Desert: Season 1 with a 7-Day Free Trial of Apple TV+.

How to Watch ‘High Desert’ Series Premiere When: Tuesday, May 16, 2023 Where: Apple TV+ Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Apple TV+. 7-Day Free Trial$6.99 / month apple.com About ‘High Desert’ Series Premiere

“High Desert” follows Peggy (Patricia Arquette), whose relationship with drugs and alcohol has been the most consistent one in her life so far. But when her mother passes away,...

Some noteworthy new releases, a bevy of library titles and the complete series of “Freaks and Geeks” are among the new additions to Amazon Prime Video this month. May will see the streaming availability of the 2022 films “She Said,” “Violent Night” and “Till” on Prime Video, while the beloved (and short-lived) TV series “Freaks and Geeks” will be streaming on Amazon starting May 4.

We’ve also included everything new to Freevee, which includes the first three “John Wick” movies, “Scarface” and “The Usual Suspects.”

Check out the complete list of everything new on Amazon Prime Video in May 2023 below.

Also Read:

The 41 Best Movies on Amazon Prime (April 2023)

Arriving May 1

MasterChef Mexico S1-4 (2015)

A Beautiful Mind (2002)

Amistad (1997)

Babe (1995)

Babe: Pig In The City (1998)

Babel (2006)

Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (1996)

Biker Boyz (2003)

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)

Blue Crush (2002)

Blue Crush 2 (2011)

Bound (1996)

Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason (2004)

Bridget Jones’s Baby...

With its list of new releases for May 2023, Amazon Prime Video is increasing its global reach.

The streamer’s biggest original offering this month is a German series. Hohlbeins’ – The Gryphon, based on the works of Wolfgang Holhlbein, will present a sprawling fantasy tale about three teens discovering a fantastical world called The Black Tower where “the Gryphon, a world-devouring monster, mercilessly subjugates all living creatures.”

The only other original title of note in May is Freevee comedy Primo on the 19th. Written by author and journalist Shea Serrano and produced by Michael Schur (The Good Place), this coming-of-age series will follow a teenager balancing “college aspirations, societal expectations, and a hectic home life on the south side of San Antonio.”

And that’s pretty much it for Amazon Originals this month! Thankfully, there is a huge influx of library content to keep Prime Video subscribers entertained. May 4 sees the...

It’s hard to believe that Paul Rudd originally won over audiences with his on-screen personas more than 30 years ago. The hero of Marvel’s Ant-Man trilogy received his first major break with Clueless in 1995, but when he teamed up with regular collaborator Judd Apatow, he found his comedic voice. The two collaborated on several comedic films in the 2000s, including The 40-Year-Old Virgin, This is 40, and Knocked Up.

While filming Knocked Up, Rudd found some inspiration from his own life. Let’s take a look at the actor and how he got some real-life marriage counseling from his movie.

‘Knocked Up’ in real life

Rudd was in the movie Knocked Up, which stars Katherine Heigl. Heigl has publicly stated that she thought the movie was sexist. However, the film is meant to be a comedy. Here is a recap of the film.

After having a one-night affair with slacker Ben Stone,...

With Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania representing the best opening of the franchise, we wanted to know what your favorite Paul Rudd movie is. Are you more a fan of his comedic roles or has his turn as Ant-Man been more your speed? Instead of listing all of the Marvel films separately, we used Ant-Man to represent all his ventures in the miniature making suit. if you don’t see your favorite, please let us know in the comments.

Favorite Paul Rudd MovieMac and Me (1988)Clueless (1995)Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)Romeo + Juliet (1996)The Locusts (1997)Overnight Delivery (1998)The Object of My Affection (1998)200 Cigarettes (1999)The Cider House Rules (1999)Wet Hot American Summer (2001)The Shape of Things (2003)2 Days (2003)Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)P.S (2004)The Baxter (2005)The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)The Oh in Ohio (2006)Diggers (2006)Night at the Museum (2006)Reno 911!: Miami (2007)I Could Never Be Your Woman...

Comedian Jeff Dunham is returning to Comedy Central with a new one-hour special set to air during Thanksgving weekend later this month. The standup and his characters are behind “Jeff Dunham: Me the People,” which will premiere Friday, November 25th at 8 p.m. Et on the cabler.

“Me the People,” which reps Dunham’s 11th stand-up special, was shot at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C. According to Comedy Central, the special features a new character (“Url” – as seen in press photos wearing a beanie and air pods) in addition to his well-known puppets like Walter — looking like President Joe Biden in the photo above. “Dunham tackles how much time we dedicate to our devices, the ridiculous things we spend money on, and cancel culture in comedy,” according to the logline.

Judi Marmel, Stu Schreiberg and John Bravakis are exec producers for the special, while Ryan Moran is the...

As summer movie premieres slowly begin to taper out, Netflix is adding some classic comedy favorites to its library.

Newly streaming on Netflix this month are comedy favorites like John Hughes’ “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” a Jane Austen reinterpretation, “Bridget Jones’s Diary” and the Ryan Gosling flick “The Nice Guys,” in which he stars alongside Russell Crowe in the action-comedy that internet has rediscovered since the premiere of the Netflix original “The Gray Man.”

Netflix will also be rolling out classic contemporary romantic comedies starring some of TV’s biggest names.

“Bridget Jones’s Diary“ Universal Pictures

As one of the greatest recent romantic comedies, “Bridget Jones’s Diary” is coming back to Netflix this month. Renée Zellweger’s Bridget Jones has become such an important fixture in popular culture as one of the many reinterpretations of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.” As the “imperfect” protagonist, Zellweger develops Bridget from the...

As the end of summer approaches, so does a slew of new movies and TV coming to Netflix this month.

This month, Netflix is serving up a documentary on the chaos of the ’99 Woodstock revival, Netflix’s take on “13: The Musical” and a juicy series expanding “Selling Sunset” into Orange County, California. Favorite returning Netflix series include “Never Have I Ever: Season 3,” “Queer Eye: Brazil” and the third season of “Locke and Key.”

As for library titles, the streaming service will add the “Spider-Man” trilogy, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Miss Congeniality” and “Space Jam,” as well as hallmarks of the beloved “Men in Black” and “Bridget Jones” series.

Also Read:

The 55 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now

Check out the complete list of what’s coming to Netflix this month:

August 1

Big Tree City (Netflix family)

28 Days

8 Mile

Above the Rim

The Age of Adaline

Battle: Los Angeles

Bridget Jones...

Exclusive: Tanya Reynolds (Sex Education) has signed on for a role in Sony Pictures’ live-action adaptation of Harold and the Purple Crayon. She’s set to star alongside previously announced cast members including Zachary Levi, Zooey Deschanel, Lil Rel Howery, Ravi Patel and Camille Guaty.

The upcoming film from Oscar-nominated director Carlos Saldanha is based on the 1955 children’s book by Crockett Johnson, which follows Harold—a curious four-year-old who, with his purple crayon, has the power to create a world of his own. David Guion and Michael Handelman handled the screenplay adaptation, with John Davis (Dolemite Is My Name) producing through Davis Entertainment. The film is currently in post-production, and is slated for release in theaters on January 27, 2023.

Reynolds is known for her role as Lily on Netflix’s Sex Education. The actress most recently completed...

Exclusive: Steven Pasquale (American Crime Story: The People v Oj Simpson), Stephanie Szostak (A Million Little Things) and Tony Curran (Your Honor) are set for key recurring roles in David E. Kelley’s The Missing, Peacock’s eight-episode series based on Israeli crime writer Dror A. Mishani’s international bestselling novel The Missing File. Details of their characters are being kept under wraps.

Written by Kelley, who also serves as showrunner and executive producer, and directed by Barry Levinson, The Missing tells the story of Detective Avraham (Jeff Wilbusch), whose belief in mankind is his superpower when it comes to uncovering the truth. Guided by a deep sense of spirituality and religious principles, Avraham is left to question his own humanity when a seemingly routine investigation turns upside down.

In addition to Wilbusch, they join previously announced series regulars Juliana Canfield, Karen Robinson and Michael Mosley.

Executive producing alongside Kelley are Levinson,...

Stars: Iwan Rheon, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Tom Cullen, Ines Spiridonov, Will Kemp, Connor Swindells, Steve Saunders, Tommy McDonnell | Written by Charles Dorfman, Statten Roeg | Directed by Charles Dorfman

Set over the course of twenty-four hours, Barbarians sees couple Adam (Iwan Rheon) and Eva (Catalina Sandino Moreno) wake up in their supposed dream house on Adam’s birthday. Lucas (Tom Cullen), property developer and friend of the couple, arrives for dinner with his actress girlfriend Chloe (Ines Spiridonov), to celebrate Adam’s birthday and the couple’s buying of the house. But secrets unravel over dinner, and when the doorbell rings the evening takes a nightmarish turn. As manners give way to madness, an ‘idyllic’ evening of celebration descends into a dark night of terror; and the group’s civilized dinner party turns out to be anything but.

There’s been somewhat of a focus recently on uncomfortable dinner parties in horror,...

It’s last call for a number of great movies leaving HBO and HBO Max in March. Fortunately, the month is also packed with new movies and shows, but if you were planning to revisit any of the films below, now’s your chance.

The good news is you won’t have to squeeze in any binge-watching – there are no series leaving HBO Max this month, just films. Expiring titles of note include Sam Raimi’s definitive horror films “The Evil Dead” and “Evil Dead 2,” Wes Anderson’s charming coming-of-age romance “Moonrise Kingdom,” the Charlize Theron-led dramedy “Tully,” Judd Apatow’s “The King of Staten Island” starring Pete Davidson, and the musical drama “Dreamgirls,” starring Jennifer Hudson in the role that earned her the Oscar.

There are also several comedy favorites expiring in March, including both “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” and “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey,...

Geoffrey Rush is set to play iconic comedian Groucho Marx in “Raised Eyebrows,” writer-director Oren Moverman’s upcoming adaptation of Steve Stoliar’s memoir “Raised Eyebrows: My Years Inside Groucho’s House.”

Moverman, whose credits include co-writing the Brian Wilson biopic “Love & Mercy” and writing and directing “Time Out of Mind,” worked on the “Raising Eyebrows” script with Stoliar. Rush will star opposite Charlie Plummer and Sienna Miller.

“Raised Eyebrows” is set between 1973 and 1977 and stars Plummer as Stoliar, who is hired by Erin Fleming (Miller) to work with an aging and frail Groucho Marx (Rush). Fleming was in charge of Marx’s personal and professional life as his manager, and the two had a controversial relationship.

In addition to writing and directing, Moverman will also produce “Raised Eyebrows” alongside Cold Iron Pictures CEO Miranda Bailey. Moverman most recently served as a producer on Rebecca Hall’s acclaimed directorial debut “Passing.

Exclusive: The feature take of Steve Stoliar’s memoir Raised Eyebrows: My Years Inside Groucho’s House is finally moving forward, with Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush set to play comedy legend Groucho Marx and Oscar nominee Oren Moverman directing off a screenplay he co-wrote with Stoliar.

Sienna Miller and Moonfall and All the Money in the World actor Charlie Plummer will also star in the Cold Iron Pictures project, which is produced by CEO Miranda Bailey and Moverman.

Set between 1973-1977, Raised Eyebrows follows Steve (Plummer) as he enters Groucho Marx’s house for his dream job of working for the aging, frail comedian, under the watchful eye of Erin Fleming (Miller), who had taken over the Marx brother’s personal and professional life. Marx and Fleming had a controversial relationship in his twilight years, she his devoted girlfriend-turned-manager. The power struggles result in a comedy of horrors in which obsession,...

Chicago – Day Eight of the 57th Chicago International Film Festival (Ciff) welcomes actor Rebecca Hall, presenting her debut film as director, “Passing,” the emotional story of racial identity in the early 20th Century (click Passing for details).

The 57th Chicago International Film Festival Day Eight features screenings in theater, at the drive-in and virtual/online. Click here for a complete how-to guide on navigating the 57th Ciff. And click Day Eight for the complete line up of films.

Rebecca Hall

Photo credit: Chicago International Film Festival

Event Of The Day: the 57th Ciff salutes actor Rebecca Hall on the occasion of her debut film as director, “Passing” … the story of two childhood friends who find themselves on opposite sides of the color line in 1929 Harlem. Hall is a British-American actor who has won rave notices for her work in such films as “Vicky Christina Barcelona,” “Christine,” “The Dinner” and recently “The Night House.

The controversial and contentious experiment where Warner Bros. has debuted its 2021 slate of feature films on HBO Max will hit a crescendo in October thanks to the releases of “The Many Saints of Newark” and “Dune” on the streaming platform. Both “Many Saints” producer and co-writer David Chase and “Dune” filmmaker Denis Villeneuve have criticized the corporate decision to release films day-and-date in theaters and via HBO Max, but despite the outcry, the two highly anticipated features lead a massive lineup of acclaimed library movie titles and Emmy Award-winning original series coming to the network in October 2021. Highlights include:

“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (October): Larry David’s Emmy Award-winning series returns for its 11th season in October and will tackle the coronavirus pandemic in a way that feels organic to the show and its protagonist. “We figured out a way that we are definitely living in a reality where the pandemic has happened,...

Willie Nelson is participating in a docuseries about his life, “Willie Nelson and Family,” with production said to be already “well underway” on the project from Blackbird Presents and Sight Unseen Pictures. The co-directors of the “definitive” multi-part series are Thom Zimny, best known as Bruce Springsteen’s regular filmic collaborator, and Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Oren Moverman.

Nelson, 88, is described as an enthusiastic participant in the project, opening up exclusive access to his archives and encouraging friends and family to take part in a series that’s already been filming in Austin, Nashville, Los Angeles, New York and Maui.

The country music icon’s manager, Mark Rothbaum, developed the project in collaboration with Keith Wortman, the founder-ceo of Blackbird Presents.

The latter company specializes in films and TV shows about music legends and in recent years has produced projects for or about artists like Merle Haggard, Gregg Allman,...

Emmy award and Grammy award winning filmmaker Thom Zimny and Oscar-nominated and Emmy award-winning filmmaker Oren Moverman are co-directing the Blackbird Presents and Sight Unseen Pictures docuseries Willie Nelson and Family. Production is already underway in Austin, Maui, Nashville, Los Angeles and New York.

The seven-decade career country singer and his family and friends are providing exclusive participation and access to his archives.

The multi-part docuseries was developed by longtime Nelson manager Mark Rothbaum and Blackbird Presents Founder & Chief Creative Officer Keith Wortman, who have previously teamed on several film, television, and music projects. The duo selected Zimny and Moverman as uniquely suited to direct the series, along with Moverman’s award-winning production company with Julia Lebedev and Eddie Vaisman, Sight Unseen, as a producing and financing partner. EPs are Keith Wortman, Mark Rothbaum, Annie Nelson, Julia Lebedev, Eddie Vaisman, and Leonid Lebedev.

“Telling Willie’s story has been a lifelong dream of ours,...

Albert Dupontel stars in his own hectic romp, which tries and fails to be funny about disability and dying

Bafflement has to be the chief response to this laboured, weirdly misjudged comedy from French actor and film-maker Albert Dupontel, supposedly inspired by the anarchic spirit of Terry Gilliam, who has been credited for “participation exceptionelle” and gets a wacky cameo. It’s also dedicated to the memory of Terry Jones.

But in fact this is a frantically French romp in the commercial mainstream, about as far from Python as it’s possible to get. Virginie Efira – not a comedy natural – plays Suze, a woman dying of a bronchial disorder, of all hilarious things. Before she dies, she wants to find the child she was forced to give up as an unmarried teen mother. But while she is at the government office begging for help, that department’s It technician, Monsieur...

As we look forward to Woody Harrelson taking part in Ruben Östlund’s forthcoming Triangle of Sadness, the actor has booked another promising role. He’s set to re-team with his Rampart and The Messenger director Oren Moverman for a new World War II psychological thriller, Deadline reports.

Titled The Man With The Miraculous Hands, and based on Joseph Kessel’s 2004 novel, the film will tell the story of Felix Kersten, who was the physician to Heinrich Himmler, a leading member of the Nazi Party. Kersten could alleviate Himmler’s severe stomach pains with his hands using massage and manipulation. In return, Kersten bargained with Himmler to order the release of innocent prisoners condemned to die, and ended up saving thousands of lives.

Following his last two features, The Dinner and Time Out of Mind, Moverman has spent the last few years continuing to produce acclaimed American indies, including Wildlife,...

Woody Harrelson is reteaming with director Oren Moverman to star in the fact-based WWII thriller “The Man With the Miraculous Hands,” which Moverman is writing and directing.

The film is a feature adaptation of a biography by Joseph Kessler about the private doctor of the Nazi officer Heinrich Himmler, “The Man with the Miraculous Hands: The Fantastic Story of Felix Kersten, Himmler’s Private Doctor.”

Jerico Films, a division of the Vendome Group production banner, is producing the film. The movie is a reunion of Harrelson and the Israeli-American writer/director Moverman, who previously worked together on “Rampart” and “The Messenger,” which earned Harrelson an Oscar nomination.

“The Man With the Miraculous Hands” depicts Kersten’s life as a physician whose therapies helped to relieve Himmler’s debilitating abdominal pain, thereby giving him extraordinary influence over one of the main architects of the Holocaust. With clever manipulations, and a flair...

Korean Oscar-winner “Parasite” gleefully poked fun at South Korea’s bourgeoisie. Hur Jin-ho’s “The Dinner” is set to give the middle classes another skewering.

The project is an adaptation of Dutch novel ‘Het Diner’ (“The Dinner”) written by Herman Koch. With the setting transposed to Asia, Hur will peek under the tablecloth to uncover another dirty side to Korean society.

Two brothers a materially-motivated lawyer, and an idealistic surgeon, meet once a month for dinner. During one such meal the two couples must discuss how to deal with the worst nightmare they have faced as parents, their children’s criminal assault on a vagrant. In the incongruous fancy setting, the couples must confront their differences in morals, long-harbored secrets and a victim mentality that has been brewing for years.

“Director Hur likes to observe the irony and dilemmas of the people who are confronted with ethical choice,” Ted Jeong Ho Shin,...

“Shazam” headliner Zachary Levi is attached to star in the live-action “Harold and the Purple Crayon” at Sony Pictures, according to an individual with knowledge of the project.

Screenwriters David Guion and Michael Handelman are writing the screenplay, based on Crockett Johnson’s best-selling children’s book.

“Harold and the Purple Crayon” is Johnson’s most popular book and centers on Harold, a curious four-year-old boy who, with his purple crayon, has the power to create a world of his own simply by drawing it. Six other books soon followed, and inspired many adaptations.

John Davis is producing “Harold and the Purple Crayon” through his Davis Entertainment banner. Davis’ last comedy, “Dolemite Is My Name,” won Best Comedy this past year at the Critics’ Choice Awards and was Golden Globe nominated for Best Picture for a Musical or Comedy.

Levi will next be seen starring in the Richard Linklater’s...

The Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf) today unveils the lineup for its 19th edition (HAF19), with 29 projects from established Asian directors and producers such as Hur Jin-Ho, Kawase Naomi, Ning Hao, Ogigami Naoko, Wang Bing, Yee Chih-Yen, emerging filmmakers like Cai Chengjie, Oliver Chan, Roya Sadat, Yang Mingming, as well as nine first-feature directors.

Returning to its regular March slot, HAF19 will run concurrently with the 25th Hong Kong Filmart (Filmart) from 15 to 17 March. It will again take place online following Haf’s first-ever virtual edition held in August 2020.

“Despite the challenging circumstances brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, Haf remains strongly committed to filmmakers,” Haf director Jacob Wong said. “We will have our dedicated online meeting platform this year for accredited Haf and Filmart participants to schedule and conduct meetings directly. It’s hassle-free and user-friendly, requiring no download or additional log-on.”

HAF19 selected the 29 projects, including nine documentaries,...

Line-up includes nine documentaries and nine first-time feature directors.

The Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf) has announced the 29 projects selected for this year’s edition, including established Asian directors and producers such as Hur Jin-Ho, Naomi Kawase and Ning Hao, as well as emerging filmmakers and nine first-time feature directors.

Returning to its regular March slot, Haf will take place online from March 15-17, coinciding with Filmart Online, which runs March 15-18. Haf and Filmart also took place virtually in August 2020.

“Despite the challenging circumstances brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, Haf remains strongly committed to filmmakers,” said Haf director Jacob Wong.

Jeff Dunham is returning to Comedy Central for three new comedy specials. The first, Jeff Dunham’s Completely Unrehearsed Last-Minute Pandemic Holiday Special, will premiere over Thanksgiving weekend on Friday, Nov. 27 at 8 pm Et/Pt. The other two specials are scheduled to be released in 2021.

Dunham’s Pandemic Holiday Special was recently filmed in Malibu, CA in front of a small, socially-distanced audience and production following strict Covid-19 safety protocols, the network said. Dunham executive produced the special, along with Troy Miller, Michael Rotenberg and Troy Zien. Ryan Moran and Fazeela Shaikh are the Executives in Charge of Production for Comedy Central.

“This holiday season, it feels like the perfect fit being back on Comedy Central, and I couldn’t be happier, or even more honored,” said Dunham. “We all need a good laugh right now, and nothing is more important than doing that with family and friends… And maybe...

Exclusive: I’m Sorry series creator Andrea Savage is set to direct the feature adaptation of Catya McMullen’s Off Broadway play Georgia Mertching Is Dead.

The play, which was awarded the 2019-2020 Gassner Award by the Outer Critics Circle for best new play by a new playwright, follows three 30-year old friends –Gretchen, Emma and Whitney. They’ve been friends since they were teenagers, and they’ve been sober since they were teenagers. As they set off on a road trip south to celebrate and mourn a figure from their past, they explore what it’s like to stay friends as adults after growing up weird and possibly broken. McMullen is adapting the feature script. McMullen is currently developing with NBCInternational and recently developed with Hulu.

Allan Mandelbaum and Mary Solomon are overseeing Georgia Mertching Is Dead for Star Thrower.

Star Thrower is currently in production on Reinaldo Marcus Green...

HBO has released the first glimpse of Coastal Elites, a “socially distanced satire” created during and focused on the Covid-19 pandemic.

The film stars Sarah Paulson, Bette Midler, Issa Rae, Kaitlyn Dever and Dan Levy as the so-called “coastal elites,” each living in New York or Los Angeles in isolation during the pandemic. Shot remotely, Coastal Elites appears to be made up largely of confessional segments in which the characters discuss their concerns and fears regarding this “new normal.” Granted, Covid isn’t the only subject at play — there are plenty of references to Trump,...

Oren Moverman began his career as a screenwriter, contributing to such landmarks of independent film as “Jesus’ Son” and “I’m Not There.” In 2009, he made his directorial debut with “The Messenger,” an Iraq-war homefront drama that attracted major critical acclaim as well as two Oscar nominations (for best original screenplay and for Woody Harrelson as best supporting actor). Moverman’s other films as a director are “Rampart” (2011), “Time Out of Mind” (2014), and “The Dinner” (2017); he also cowrote the Brian Wilson biopic “Love & Mercy.” In addition, he works as a producer, and has been more and more active in that role in recent years, having shepherded such films as “Bad Education,” “The Tale,” “Wildlife,” “Monsters and Men,” and “Diane.” I spoke with him about where he thinks the movie world is heading.

Here we are in the middle of a totally fractured, changing movie landscape. When you look around you and look at the future,...

Hal Willner with Paul Shaffer and Ralph Steadman at the For No Good Reason reception, hosted by Sony Pictures Classics' co-presidents Tom Bernard and Michael Barker at Red Bull Studio in 2014. Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

Film music producer Hal Willner has died in New York on Tuesday, April 7, at the age of 64 from symptoms consistent with the coronavirus. His film credits include Oren Moverman’s The Dinner, Joseph Cedar’s Norman: The Moderate Rise And Tragic Fall Of A New York Fixer, Laura Israel’s Don’t Blink - Robert Frank, Martin Scorsese’s Gangs Of New York, Wim Wenders’ The Million Dollar Hotel with Bono, Brian Eno, Jon Hassell, and Daniel Lanois, John Hillcoat’s Lawless with Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, and Robert Altman’s Short Cuts. Willner put together Tom Waits and Keith Richards in the recording studio and recently completed work on a Marc Bolan tribute album.

His...

Searchlight Pictures is nearing a $12 million worldwide deal for David Bruckner’s horror film “The Night House,” an individual with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap.

The film stars Rebecca Hall, Evan Jonigkeit, Stacy Martin and Sarah Goldberg, and was written by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski. It follows a widow (Hall) who begins to uncover her recently deceased husband’s secrets.

This is the first major deal out of the ground at Sundance, with some films having pre-sold before the festival. Representatives for Searchlight and Endeavor did not respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.

Of course, Bruckner is best known for his Netflix hit horror film “The Ritual,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2017. His other credits include the TV series “Creepshow” and the short titled “Talk Show.”

Hall’s credits...

New year, and a host of new Netflix additions to match.

While subscribers are currently mourning the loss of Friends – after going dark today, January 1st, the beloved sitcom won’t be available until HBO Max arrives in May – Netflix has today rolled out a bevy of fresh TV shows and movies to keep us entertained, including some truly unmissable horror properties.

From Event Horizon to Cloverfield, The Amityville Horror to the Tremors franchise, Netflix’s horror category has officially been restocked. There’s plenty to choose from, too, including the 2002 rendition of The Ring, which only makes us long for a competent retelling of the Japanese horror legend to right the wrongs of Rings (2017). At least we have the upcoming Grudge reboot to look forward to on Friday (or January 24th if you happen to be located in the United Kingdom).

Per What’s on Netflix, here’s the comprehensive list of new additions,...

Netflix has released its list of everything new coming to the streaming service in January, and everything that’s leaving at the end of the month.

Of all the Netflix originals to look forward to next month, “Messiah,” out Jan. 1, is not to be missed. It follows CIA officer Eva Geller (Michelle Monaghan), who uncovers information about a man (Mehdi Dehbi) who claims to be the son of God. As he gains followers who believe he is the Second Coming, Geller races find out whether he really is a divine entity — or just a con artist set on dismantling the world’s geopolitical order

Other Netflix originals to look out for include “Anne With an E: The Final Season,” a modern retelling of “Anne of Green Gables,” out Jan. 3, “Cheer,” out Jan. 8, a cheerleading documentary series from the director of “Last Chance U,” Season 6 of “Grace and Frankie,” out Jan.

Fall is upon us, and so is Hulu’s list of every title coming and going from the streaming service in November.

Among the list of arriving titles is a new episode of Hulu’s original monthly anthology series, “Into the Dark.” November’s episode is called “Pilgrim,” and claims to be inspired by true events — in which a woman invites a bunch of Pilgrim re-enactors over for Thanksgiving dinner. But things get spooky when the “actors” refuse to break character.

Other new arrivals include Season 5 of “You’re the Worst,” described as a modern look at love, the complete first seasons of “Dollface,” about a young woman re-entering the world of women, “The Accident,” which begins with a deadly explosion at a construction site, and “Love Island: Australia,” an answer to the U.K. and U.S. versions of the beloved reality dating show.

Also Read: Here's Everything New...

Writer, producer and actor Larry Wilmore has inked a long-term overall deal with Universal Television under his Wilmore Films production banner.

An Emmy and Peabody Award winner, Wilmore has played significant roles in several television series over his 25-year career. His credits include creating and writing on “The Bernie Mac Show,” co-creating on “Grown-ish,” co-creating and writing on “The PJs,” and “Insecure,” and serving as a consulting producer, writer and actor on “The Office,” a supervising executive producer on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” and executive producer on “Black-ish.” He’s also written for “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “In Living Color.”

“I’m beyond thrilled to be back at Universal Television to join Pearlena and her amazing team! As a teen I actually used to sneak on the Universal lot and dream of belonging there some day. It’s nice to not have to sneak on anymore.

Jemaine Clement, the co-creator behind FX’s new comedy series, What We Do in the Shadows, is the latest to join James Cameron’s Avatar films in the role of marine biologist Dr. Ian Garvin. “I’ve loved Jemaine’s work for years and I’m really pumped that he’s joining our cast as Ian Garvin, one of my favorite characters,” commented Cameron.

Clement created What We Do in the Shadows series based on the 2014 vampire feature mockumentary of the same name, which he wrote and directed with Taika Waititi. The show was recently picked up for a second season. Jemaine wrote and executive produced the series in addition to directing most of the episodes.

His other acting credits include starring in FX’s Legion series, and films such as Dinner for Schmucks, with Steve Carell, Men in Black 3, The Bfg, which was directed by Steven Spielberg, and Waititi’s Eagle vs.

Emmy and Golden Globe winner Kyra Sedgwick has partnered with Meredith Bagby and Valerie Stadler to launch Big Swing Productions, which has a number of film and television projects in the works. According to the trio, Big Swing is “committed to celebrating new heroes and amplifying bold voices, focusing on inclusive stories with heart and purpose.” according to the trio.

One of the company’s first projects, the independently developed and produced TV series Girls Weekend, is set to premiere in the indie-episodic category at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival. Written by and starring Ali Liebegott and directed by Sedgwick, the series tells the story of queer-daughter Erica who returns home to Las Vegas for a “girls weekend” with her estranged homophobic sister, people-pleasing mother, and gun-toting dad. When Dad lets it slip that Mom’s cancer is back with a vengeance, it forces Erica to decide whether or not...

Sesame Street: David Guion and Michael Handelman will write a screenplay for a big-screen version of TV's venerable educational series Sesame Street. The duo previously teamed to work on Shawn Levy's Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb and the comedy Dinner for Schmucks. Levy is serving as one of the producers on the upcoming adaptation. [Deadline]   Hindenburg: A new movie version of the real-life Hindenburg disaster is on its way. In 1937, the German passenger airship Hindenburg caught fire while docking in New Jersey (above), resulting in 36 deaths and bringing the airship era to a tragic conclusion. Gary Spinelli is writing a new script revolving around an airship engineer who books passage on the Hindenburg for his Jewish girlfriend in an effort to save...

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Through the past 47 years on television, Sesame Street has been one of our most enduring cultural touchstones, as generations of children have learned letters, numbers, sharing, and cooperation at the feet of Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and Elmo. So a leap to the big screen is such a natural idea, it’s surprising it’s only happened twice, with 1985’s Follow That Bird, and 1999’s The Adventures Of Elmo In Grouchland.

But keeping to Sesame Workshop’s roughly-every-15-years schedule, a return to the big screen is in the works. Deadline reports that Warner Bros., whose sister company HBO now airs Sesame Street before passing episodes to PBS for a second run, has hired David Guion and Michael Handelman, the screenwriting duo behind Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb, Dinner For Schmucks, and the Zach Braff vehicle The Ex.

It’s too soon to tell what ...

Warner Bros. has started developing a new Sesame Street movie with Stranger Things producer Shawn Levy, and they've hired David Guion and Michael Handelman to write the script. The two writers have previously worked on films such as the adventure comedy Night at The Museum: Secret of the Tomb and the Steve Carrell comedy Dinner for Schmucks.

According to Deadline, the writers will "start with a treatment as the studio finds a handle for a narrative family film based on the 47-year-old show that has been redone by WB’s sister company, HBO."

So, they aren't sure what exactly this Sesame Street movie will be yet, but I'm sure they'll figure out something good that respects what the series is. I'm curious to see what they end up coming up with. Sesame Street is one of the most beloved children shows ever, and the characters in it are iconic. This...

Tony Sokol Nov 17, 2016

David Guion and Michael Handelman will follow that bird with the upcoming Sesame Street movie.

Sesame Street, the children’s TV workshop that changed early education in the Us in particular, will be returning to the big screen for the first time since the 1985 film Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird.

The upcoming movie live-action Sesame Street movie will be written by David Guion and Michael Handelman, who penned Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb, Night at the Museum 3 and Dinner for Schmucks. Sesame Street is now set up at Warner Bros, who took over the film from 20th Century Fox. The new pair take over for writers Joseph Mazzarino and Mike Jones.

Like Disney’s recent Muppet films, the Sesame Street movie will be set in New York City. The 47 year-old children’s show was recently picked up by HBO as part of their children’s programming block.

Sesame Street: David Guion and Michael Handelman will write a screenplay for a big-screen version of TV's venerable educational series Sesame Street. The duo previously teamed to work on Shawn Levy's Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb and the comedy Dinner for Schmucks. Levy is serving as one of the producers on the upcoming adaptation. [Deadline]   Hindenburg: A new movie version of the real-life Hindenburg disaster is on its way. In 1937, the German passenger...

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Chicago – Voiceover artist Alex Borstein is familiar to TV audiences as the legendary Lois Griffin of “Family Guy,” but she also is a stellar character actress, recently in a role on the HBO series “Getting On.” She is back in the animation saddle with a couple of voiceover parts in the new Fox Network show ‘Bordertown.’

“Bordertown” is created by Mark Hentemann and is produced by Seth MacFarlane, the creator of “Family Guy.” It involves the Buckwald and Gonzalez families in a Southwest desert town on the Mexico-u.S. border, and Alex Borstein voices both the Buckwald mother Janice and her hapless daughter Becky. The show is sharp and funny, with the satire that is familiar to Seth MacFarlane animation fans. “Bordertown” premiered on the Fox Network on January 3rd, 2016, and is now on Sunday nights.

Alex Borstein (left), Voice of Becky and Janice Buckwald in ‘Bordertown,’ and Lois Griffin...

You know the name Jay Roach from some pretty broad and silly comedies: tthe “Austin Powers” films, “Meet the Parents” films, “Dinner for Schmucks,” and most recently the American political farce “The Campaign,” with Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis. But Roach is finally getting serious, though this tendency has been percolating for some time, as evidenced by his lesser-seen, made-for-hbo movies “Recount” and “Game Change.” Roach’s next film is “Trumbo,” a movie centered on famous screenwriter Dalton Trumbo. The titular character is played by Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”), and the cast also features an impressive ensemble cast that includes Helen Mirren, Elle Fanning, Diane Lane, John Goodman, plus Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Louis C.K., Alan Tudyk and Michael Stuhlbarg. Read More: As 'Dinner For Schmucks' Opens, We Run Down 15 Notable Hollywood Foreign Films Remakes Trumbo was famous for the screenplays “A Guy Named Joe" (which Steven Spielberg remade as.