Emily Blunt is in talks to join Benny Safdie’s solo directorial debut “The Smashing Machine,” an A24 feature film starring Dwayne Johnson as MMA and UFC champion Mark Kerr, Variety has confirmed. The film will begin production this summer. Blunt is in talks to play Dawn Staples, Kerr’s wife. Per the studio, “While trying to…

An Academy Awards voter’s mission of sifting through a field of over 300 movies is more daunting than many awards enthusiasts assume. And when it comes to performances, that task becomes even more expansive. From Hollywood stalwarts like Jeff Daniels and Donald Sutherland to crowd favorites such as Zendaya and Oscar Isaac, numerous esteemed actors…

Netflix is getting into the medical procedural space, with the streamer announcing a pickup for the drama “Pulse.” The series hails from creator Zoe Robyn, who will also serve as co-showrunner alongside Carlton Cuse. In addition, Justina Machado has been cast in a series regular role. The official logline for the series states, “While the…

ReFrame and IMDbPro have announced that 29 out of the 100 most popular films of 2023 have received the ReFrame “stamp” for gender-balanced productions. Some of these titles include “Barbie,” “Anyone But You,” “Flamin’ Hot,” “May December,” “Nyad,” “Past Lives,” “Saltburn” and “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” The newly released report…

Shakira has shared the complete tracklist for her upcoming album “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran,” out March 22. Cardi B will appear on the album’s opening track called “Puntería,” confirming the months-long rumors of an incoming collaboration between the pair of hitmakers. The album also closes with “Puntería (Vinyl Version/Spanish Version),” which appears to be…

Tyler Perry has wrapped production on the third movie in his four-picture deal with Amazon MGM Studios, a drama led by “P-Valley” and “Mea Culpa” star Shannon Thornton and “Run The World’s” Tosin Morohunfola. Perry wrote, directed and produced the film, which recently wrapped filming on location in Colorado and at Tyler Perry Studios in…

Shannon Walsh’s documentary “Adrianne & The Castle,” which will make its world premiere at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on March 9, tells the love story of Alan St. George and his late wife, Adrianne, via fantastical musical re-enactments. Before her death, St. Georges, a mascot-maker and artist, hand-built Havencrest Castle, a…

David Israelite is the president & CEO of the National Music Publishers’ Association, the trade association representing American music publishers and their songwriting partners. Variety welcomes responsible commentary, please send ideas to [email protected]. Songwriters have always struggled to be treated fairly. Throughout the history of the music industry, the rights of those who compose the lyrics…

Selection Sunday, the official kick-off of March Madness, takes place on March 17, which means there’s more than a couple weeks left of conference play before the 68 teams battle it out during the highly anticipated NCAA tournament. College basketball broadcasts are spread out across many channels including ESPN, CBS Sports, TNT and FOX Sports. However,…