Amazon Freevee has given a straight-to-series order to “The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh,” an eight-episode series inspired by the life of showrunner Vijal Patel. Naveen Andrews stars in the ensemble comedy as patriarch Mahesh Pradeep. “The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh” follows the Pradeep family and the humorous events of their first few months after moving to America…
‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Spider Scenes Had to Be Filmed Twice, Two Years Apart
As “Avatar: The Way of Water” continues to shatter box office records with nearly $2 billion worldwide, director James Cameron is pulling back the curtain on how the blockbuster sequel was made. In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Cameron said filming scenes with both humans and Na’vi was “hideously difficult,” referencing Jack Champion’s character…
Fandom’s Giant Bomb, GameSpot, Metacritic, TV Guide Sites Hit by Layoffs
Fandom has made an unspecified number of layoffs at GameSpot, Giant Bomb, Metacritic and TV Guide — four months after buying the entertainment and gaming sites for about $50 million — and also has let go other Fandom employees. Multiple staffers of the websites affected by the job cuts posted on social media Thursday about…
Lionel Richie, Brandi Carlile, Chloe X Halle, Many More to Perform at MusiCares Concert Honoring Motown’s Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson
The initial round of performers for the MusiCares Persons of the Year 2023 benefit gala — honoring Motown founder Berry Gordy and the label’s iconic artist Smokey Robinson — have been announced: Jimmie Allen, Brandi Carlile, Chloe X Halle, Sheryl Crow, Four Tops, Lalah Hathaway, The Isley Brothers, Samara Joy, John Legend, Michael Mcdonald, Pj…
‘Accused’ Is a Legal Thrill Ride With a Few Twists Too Many: TV Review
Say this for “Accused,” Fox’s new anthology drama: It does not waste time. Each of “Accused’s” episodes assays a court case in which murder is the charge, but judges and lawyers are glancing presences at best. Instead, we stay with the accused (hence the title) through lengthy flashbacks outlining how they got there and what…
Disney Promotes Communication Execs Naomi Bulochnikov-Paul and Candice Ashton as Charissa Gilmore Exits
Disney General Entertainment’s (DGE) senior vice president of corporate communications Charissa Gilmore is exiting her long-standing tenure at the company, leading to the promotions of Naomi Bulochnikov-Paul and Candice Ashton. Bulochnikov-Paul, who currently serves as executive vice president of publicity and events at ABC and General Entertainment, has been upped to executive vice president of…
‘If I Went Back to Iran Today, I’d Be in Prison’: Why Noora Niasari’s ‘Shayda’ Is a ‘Drop in an Ocean of Change’
Five years ago, Noora Niasari asked her mother to write a memoir in order to fill in the gaps of some fuzzy childhood memories. The Iranian Australian director had been just five years old when her mother fled an abusive relationship and left her entire community to raise Niasari on her own in a foreign…
How ‘Plan C’ Director Tracy Droz Tragos Plans to Make Noise About Abortion Access at Sundance Film Festival
Documentary filmmaker Tracy Drog Tragos has been bracing for the worst since 2018. That’s the year that Brett Kavanaugh was appointed to the Supreme Court, a decision that she feared would have reverberating effects on abortion access. “The writing was on the wall that Roe v. Wade may fall,” she remembers. So, when the landmark…
Netflix Picks Up Sundance Midnight Movie ‘Run Rabbit Run’ Starring Sarah Snook
Netflix has picked up rights in the U.S. and numerous international territories to “Run Rabbit Run,” the Sarah Snook-starring psychological horror/thriller that premieres Thursday night at Sundance. The streamer plans a 2023 release for the film, which shot in Australia. Snook plays a fertility doctor who firmly believes in life and death, but when she…
Netflix Adds More Than 7 Million Subscribers in Q4, Smashing Previous Target
Netflix reported its fourth-quarter 2022 earnings Thursday, revealing financial performance for the three-month period during which the platform’s cheaper, ad-supported plan launched and Tim Burton’s “Wednesday” regularly dominated the weekly Top 10 rankings. The streamer added 7.66 million net new subscribers in Q4, compared to its own estimation of 4.5 million additions, to end 2022 with…