Georgia has dropped an effort to cap its billion-dollar film and TV tax credit, after the state House and Senate could not reach agreement on the issue. Lawmakers have been working for nearly a year on proposals to rein in the incentive, which is the largest of any state in the nation. But the General…
Beyond Borders: How The Mediapro Studio CEO Laura Fernández Espeso has Helped Transform Spain’s TV and Film Industry
Last year, actress Penélope Cruz set up a joint production venture, Moonlyon, with Madrid-based Mediapro Studio at the urging of its CEO, Laura Fernández Espeso, a rising star in Spain’s fast-expanding media sector. “It’s been an amazing connection from the first,” Cruz says, about her working relationship with Fernández Espeso, Variety’s International Media Woman of…
Beyoncé Enlists Daughter Rumi Carter for ‘Protector’ Track on ‘Cowboy Carter’
Beyoncé called in many artists to feature on her new album “Cowboy Carter,” spanning country icons like Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson to up-and-comers including Tanner Adell and Shaboozey. But she also made it a family affair, enlisting her daughter Rumi Carter to appear on one of the record’s songs. At the start of “Protector,”…
Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’: A Deep Dive Into the Featured Artists and Samples — From Shaboozey to ‘These Boots Were Made for Walkin” and More
“They don’t, don’t know how hard I had to fight for this,” sings Beyoncé on “Ameriican Requiem,” the harmony-laden opener on her eighth album “Cowboy Carter.” Anyone keyed into the promotional cycle leading up to its release knows this well. A few weeks back, Beyoncé revealed that she came up with the concept for the…
Beyonce Rewrites Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ Lyrics to Deliver Fiery Cover on ‘Cowboy Carter’
It looks like Dolly Parton hinted correctly. After the country icon said that she believed that Beyoncé would sample or interpolate her 1973 classic “Jolene” for her new album, Bey has done just that, including a cover of the song with altered lyrics and song structure on her highly anticipated new album “Cowboy Carter.” Parton…
‘A Simple Favor 2’ Adds Allison Janney
Allison Janney is joining the cast of Amazon MGM Studios’ “A Simple Favor 2.” The actor will join returning cast members Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick in the sequel to Paul Feig’s 2018 mystery-comedy film. The sequel will follow Stephanie (Kendrick) and Emily (Lively) as they head to the beautiful island of Capri for Emily’s…
Michael Kassan Sues Attorney Bryan Freedman for Defamation in Connection with UTA Split
The latest twist in the battle between UTA and former MediaLink chairman-CEO Michael Kassan is a defamation lawsuit filed by Kassan against UTA attorney Bryan Freedman. Kassan has sued Freedman for slander and libel stemming from a statement that the lawyer made earlier this week to Deadline, which is a sibling publication to Variety under…
Arnold Schwarzenegger Provides Update on Open-Heart Surgery Recovery, Assures ‘FUBAR’ Season 2 Will Film on Schedule
Arnold Schwarzenegger has provided an update to fans after undergoing open-heart surgery, offering some encouragement that he won’t be away from business for too long. The 76-year-old actor and former Governor of California shared a photograph from recovery, including a sight gag about his new pacemaker, depicted as a cartoon-esque time bomb. “I’ve gotten so…
‘Tommy’ Review: Broadway Musical Revival is Strictly for the Boomers
There are two kinds of people in this world: Those that love bone-shaking, ear-splitting spectacles, like fireworks and arena-sized heavy metal concerts, and those who want nothing more than to miss such events for a night on the couch with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate. One such youngster had a seat…
How Roblox’s Growing Entertainment Division Teamed Up With Warner Bros. to Drive Kids to ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’
Warner Bros. and Legendary are hoping for a monster-sized opening weekend for “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” and are tapping every method possible to pull in moviegoers, including partnering with Roblox to grab the attention of its young audience so that they will sway their parents to take them to the theater. Over the…