Ilya Pozin made a bunch of money when Viacom bought Pluto TV, the free video-streaming company he co-founded, for $340 million four years ago. Since exiting Pluto about a year after that deal closed, Pozin has been working on another startup venture — one he thinks will be a much bigger deal. On Monday, Pozin’s…
Emmy Award-Winner Adam Bernstein to Direct Prime Video Italy Original ‘Costiera’ That Will Mark New Rights-Sharing Business Model
Emmy Award-winning director Adam Bernstein (“30 Rock,” “Fargo,” “Better Call Saul”) is set to helm new Prime Video Italy original “Costiera,” an English-language action drama set on Italy’s iconic Amalfi Coast. The high-end show is being co-produced by Amazon Studios and Luca Bernabei for Lux Vide, the prominent Italian company behind financial thriller “Devils” that…
Hong Kong Disneyland Theme Park Reduces Losses, Awaits ‘Frozen’ Land
The Hong Kong Disneyland theme park managed a 22% increase in visitor numbers in its most recent financial year allowing it to modestly reduce its annual losses. The park, which is jointly owned by the Hong Kong government and Walt Disney, with the government holding a narrow majority, reports a financial year to the end…
Jilly Cooper’s ‘Rivals’: Power Packed British Cast Join David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Aidan Turner and Danny Dyer on Disney+ Show (EXCLUSIVE)
Streamer Disney+ has revealed a power packed British cast who will join the previously announced David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Aidan Turner and Danny Dyer on the series adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s steamy novel “Rivals.” Joining the eight-part saga are Annabel Scholey (“The Split”), Maggie Steed (“Ten Percent”), David Calder (“Motherland”), Antony Byrne (‘”The Witcher”), Denise…
BBC Cut ‘Derry Girls’ Star Siobhan McSweeney’s Political Statement From BAFTA Speech Due to ‘Time Constraints’
A politically charged statement from Siobhan McSweeney’s BAFTA acceptance speech was edited out of the BAFTA TV Awards ceremony broadcast on Sunday. McSweeney won the best female comedy performance BAFTA for playing Sister Michael in Channel 4’s Northern Ireland-set show “Derry Girls.” During her speech McSweeney said: “To the people of Derry, thank you for…
The Weeknd Says He ‘Forgot How to Sing’ and Lost His Voice Because of Acting in ‘The Idol’: ‘It Was Terrifying’
Filming HBO’s “The Idol” led to something of a breakdown for Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, the global pop star whose starring in the upcoming series as a self-help guru named Tedros who takes aspiring pop star Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) under his wing. Back in September, Tesfaye cut short a concert in Los Angeles because he…
Updated NFL Power Rankings: Where do all 32 NFL teams stack up after the draft?
With just over two months until training camp, who moved up into the top 5? And who moved out?
Heretic Acquires World Sales Rights to Ena Sendijarević’s Indonesia-Set, Colonial-Era Satire ‘Sweet Dreams’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Heretic has acquired world sales rights to “Sweet Dreams,” the sophomore feature from award-winning Bosnian Dutch director Ena Sendijarević (“Take Me Somewhere Nice”). Set on a remote Indonesian island during the waning days of the colonial era, the film centers on Dutch sugar plantation owner Jan and his wife, Agathe, who sit atop the local…
President of Johnny’s, Japan Talent Agency, Apologizes for Alleged Sexual Abuses by Founder
The current president of Johnny & Associates, possibly Japan’s most fearsome talent agency, has formally apologized for sexual abuses allegedly committed by her uncle and agency founder, Johnny Kitagawa, against young male talents. Kitagawa died in 2019, age 87. But an expose aired by the BBC in March this year and personal testimony by…
India’s JioCinema Premium Launches $12 Annual Plan for Warner Bros. Discovery Content
After two weeks of offering the service free, India’s JioCinema Premium has revealed an annual subscription plan of INR999 ($12.13) for Warner Bros. Discovery content. Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is behind Viacom18 and JioCinema. Warner Bros. Discovery and Viacom18 signed a multi-year agreement recently making JioCinema India’s new streaming home for HBO, Max Original and Warner…