News

Comedian Chris Fleming has had it with Saturday Night Live. He’s heard that cocaine is back at 30 Rock, according to a video he posted this week on Instagram. If that’s the case, he maintained, where’s the rush? Where’s the excitement? “Let’s see some results then! You’re doing coke to do a Zillow sketch? At least Belushi used to run through a wall!”

If the gang at SNL is going to do coke, he argued, they better be on stage at Wembley Stadium scatting some gibberish nonsense. “You better be Mork & Mindy, Season One if you are on cocaine.”

It’s a crime to do coke simply to be boring or “to bomb at the Weekend Update desk,” he said. If Colin Jost is on coke, Fleming “swears to God” that he’ll carry out some unnamed threat in frustration.

All of the coke talk...

Hannah Einbinder was moved to tears. Nick Thune was moved to sing. John Leguizamo shared hard truths. Samantha Bee rallied the crowd on behalf of womens rights. And everyone who took part in Variety’s Power of Comedy Awards on Friday made fun of the awards themselves, now in their second year at SXSW in Austin, Texas.

“Nothing is more show business-y than an award that says ‘We love that you’re here’ two years after network executives have said ‘We need you to be gone,’ ” Bee told the packed house at the famed Acl Theater, a nod to the demise in 2022 of her TBS series “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.”

Bee, who was honored by presenter Brooke Shields with the Comedy Innovator award for being one of very few women to host a late-night comedy series, noted that the event coincided with International Woman’s Day.

“There’s no...

The indie film Dave Made a Maze is definitely a horror movie but of a different breed. Although the movie takes place within the confines of the protagonist's apartment, Dave's creation illustrates how a person's thoughts can take on a life of its own. While an individual is within their imagination, they can lose sight of reality, and Dave Made a Maze depicts how that can be determinantal and even dangerous to others.

The 2017 indie film Dave Made a Maze is anything but boring. The movie certainly stands out with its creative opening credit sequence and visuals, combining horror, fantasy, adventure and comedy elements. However, the picture tries to engage with its audience on a deeper level than merely taking them on an optical thrill ride with some unorthodox but creative instances of fright. Dave Made a Maze, in short, considers the ramifications of an overactive imagination and how too...

Austin, Texas — Patton Oswalt, Phoebe Robinson, Eric Andre, Chelsea Handler and others were in fine form on Friday night as Variety helped kick off the 2023 SXSW festival and conference with its Power of Comedy event.

The kudos pay tribute to innovators in the business of being funny. Presenters and honorees who gathered at the Creek and the Cave nightclub in downtown Austin made mention of comedians facing a fraught moment as social norms and cultural attitudes are changing.

Mike Lawrence, who tag-teamed with Nick Thune as host for the night, noted that he had to show more identification when registering to get his SXSW conference badge than he would have to buy a gun.

“In Texas it’s harder to get a festival badge than to get a gun,” Lawrence said. “Go to a gun store and tell them ‘I hate Jews,’ you get a gun. Go to registration and say ‘I’m an artist.

“Better Call Saul” actor Bob Odenkirk, “Pitch Perfect” star Anna Kendrick and acclaimed comedians Chelsea Handler and Eric André are among the lineup South by Southwest (SXSW) announced for its upcoming comedy festival.

The comedy festival will include improv, stand-up showcases, live podcast recordings and conversations.

In addition to Odenkirk, Kenrick, André and Handler, the comedy lineup features Abbi Jacobson, Adrienne Iapalucci, Andre Hyland, Anthony Atamanuik, Anthony DeVito, Aristotle Athari, Beth Stelling, Brian Moses, Caitlin Peluffo, Caleb Hearon, Christina Catherine Martinez, Doug Benson, Eddie Pepitone, Emma Willmann, Felipe Esparza, Godfrey, Greg Proops, Ismael Loutfi, Jackie Fabulous, Jake Johnson, James Adomian, Jessica McKenna, Joe DeRosa, John Gemberling, Josh Johnson, Joyelle Johnson, Katherine Blanford, Leonard Maltin, Matt Besser, Mike Lawrence, Natalie Palamides, Nick Thune, Patton Oswalt, Pete Lee, Phoebe Robinson, Rachel Sennott, Reggie Watts, Sabrina Jalees, Sam Jay, Sam Tallent, Sandy Honig, Steve Agee, Steph Tolev, Stuart Goldsmith, Tim Robinson, Todd Barry,...

Anna Kendrick is tearing up. Only two months ago, her father passed away following a long battle with liver disease. And now, the Oscar-nominated actress is in the throes of promoting the most personal film of her career — one that’s required her to revisit the past “emotionally and psychologically abusive” relationship it mirrors, over and over again.

“It’s… kind of tense,” she says, her voice cracking. “But I also think it’s possible that knowing my dad isn’t here to hear it is actually helpful. Is that weird?...

And just like that, TVLine has another contender for TV’s Best Two-Season Shows.

Love Life has been cancelled at HBO Max, TVLine has confirmed. The news comes more than a year after the release of the Season 2 finale, which dropped Nov. 11, 2021.

More from TVLineThe Nevers Cancelled After One Season, Pulled From HBO Max LibraryWestworld to Be Pulled From HBO MaxMinx Cancelled at HBO Max, Reversing Season 2 Renewal

Each season of the rom-com anthology followed a different protagonist on a journey from their first love to their last. In Season 1, executive producer Anna Kendrick starred as lovelorn Darby Carter. Zoë Chao,...

Exclusive: Roswell, New Mexico star Michael Vlamis is preparing to make his feature directorial debut with Crossword, a psychological thriller in which he’ll star alongside Aurora Perrineau (When They See Us), Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows), Nick Thune (Love Life), Sarah Ramos (Winning Time), Karan Oberoi (Counterpart), Andoni Gracia (Warner. Bros’ upcoming The Flash) and Spencer Waldner (5 Years Apart).

The indie heading into production this spring centers on James (Vlamis) and Tessa (Perrineau), a young married couple coping with the loss of their daughter. While Tessa trudges forward focused on her bestselling children’s book series inspired by their daughter, James tries to find solace in the daily crossword. As the crossword takes on a mind of its own, the seams of the couple’s reality begin to unravel, revealing that death is more than a five-letter word.

Vlamis wrote the script with Kyle Anderson,...

“The Late Late Show” host James Corden has tested positive for Covid-19, becoming the third late-night host this week to announce that he had recently contracted the virus.

Corden announced the news via Instagram on Thursday, writing: “I just tested positive for covid 19. I’m fully vaccinated, boosted and because of this am fortunate enough to say I feel completely fine. The show will be off the air for the next few days. Stay safe everyone. All my love, James x.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by James Corden (@j_corden)

Jared Leto and stand-up comedian Nick Thune were slated to appear on the show on Thursday night. Repeats of “The Late Late Show” will air this week and next as Corden recovers, with new episodes set to return on Jan. 18, according to a source close to the show.

Seth Meyers announced that he had tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday,...

Ours is an age of nostalgia. Now that the rose-tinted glasses have increasingly turned their gaze toward the 1990s — they’re literally making a “That ’90s Show,” in case you didn’t already feel old enough — “Mixtape” almost feels timely. With a pre-Y2K setting, soundtrack featuring the likes of Vitamin C and Lit, and plot revolving around an orphaned 12-year-old named Beverly (Gemma Brook Allen) tracking down the songs on a mixtape belonging to her departed parents, Valerie Weiss’ very-young-adult dramedy is also a (deep) cut above the usual tween fare.

“A mixtape is a message from the maker to the listener,” says the jaded record-store owner (Nick Thune) to whom Beverly turns for help on her whimsical mission, and you can be sure that “Mixtape” abounds in similar pearls of wisdom. For the most part though, the film’s inherent sweetness keeps such lines from eliciting eye rolls...

"A mixtape is a message from the maker to the listener." That is indeed an accurate description. Netflix has debuted an official trailer for a nostalgic dramedy film titled Mixtape, the latest from filmmaker Valerie Weiss. As the world approaches Y2K, a quirky 12-year-old sets out on a journey to find songs on a mixtape made by her late parents. When a young girl accidentally destroys the mixtape that belonged to her mother, she sets out to track down each of the obscure songs on the cassette. The film stars Gemma Brooke Allen as Beverly, with Audrey Hsieh, Olga Petsa, Jackson Rathbone, plus Nick Thune and Julie Bowen. As cute as this looks, it's pretty much like hitting gold in the nostalgia mine - combining late 90s nostalgia with cassette-tape nostalgia all in one! There's also toppings of Napster nostalgia and vinyl nostalgia, too. It does look like ...

When “Love Life” premiered in May 2020, America had an orange-haired cartoon for a president, seemingly every citizen wanted a vaccine, and HBO Max was launching to direct competition from a one-month-old streamer called Quibi. All that has since changed, and Season 2 of Sam Boyd’s anthology series has, too. The creator is joined by new co-showrunners Bridget Bedard (“Transparent”) and Rachelle Williams (“Survivor’s Remorse”), who welcome William Jackson Harper as the season’s new lead. The pandemic only lingers around the periphery of his years-spanning search for a partner. And there’s no pressure on the season to prop up HBO Max as a worthwhile streaming investment, since a) everyone has already subscribed to keep up with Season 3 of “Succession,” and b) the mighty Quibi has been vanquished.

But like so many rose-visioned romantics learn every New Years Eve, all the pomp, circumstance, and resolutions in the world aren’t always enough to evoke meaningful,...

Exclusive: Love Life Season 2 is shifting its focus from Anna Kendrick’s Darby Carter to William Jackson Harper’s Marcus Watkins, and Deadline can exclusively reveal the moment their lives intertwine.

And that moment requires the show to welcome back one of Darby’s least favorite exes: Magnus Lund (Nick Thune). In an exclusive clip from the premiere below, Marcus and Darby interact at her wedding to Magnus.

Season 2, narrated by Keith David, introduces a new slew of characters that are part of Marcus’ journey as a newly single man dating in New York City where he works as a book editor. Newly added cast includes Punkie Johnson, Leslie Bibb, John Earl Jelks, Jessica Williams, Chris Powell, Janet Hubert, and Blair Underwood.

The 10-episode season premieres on October 28.

Kendrick passes the baton to Harper, both of whom serve as executive producers of the romantic comedy anthology, in our interview below.

HBO Max has released the trailer and key art for “Love Life,” slated to return for its sophomore season on Oct. 28. Emmy nominee and executive producer William Jackson Harper, best known for his role as Chidi Anagonye on NBC’s “The Good Place,” will lead the anthology series, which had previously focused on the character of Darby Carter, played by Anna Kendrick.

Season 2, which hails from Lionsgate Television and Feigco Entertainment, follows Marcus Watkins (Harper) after his marriage unexpectedly implodes. He is forced to rebuild his life brick by brick, hoping to find a love that will last, once and for all. Though Kendrick’s character is not the protagonist, she executive produces and will appear in the second season of “Love Life,” alongside Zoë Chao, Peter Vack, Sasha Compére and Nick Thune.

In addition to Harper, Season 2 also features series regulars Jessica Williams, Punkie Johnson and Chris “Comedian Cp...

HBO Max announced that Season 2 of “Love Life” will premiere Oct. 28 with its first three episodes.

Then, the second three episodes of the 10-episode season will stream on Nov. 4, with the final four concluding on Nov. 11.

The second season of the romantic dramedy centers on Marcus Watkins (William Jackson Harper), who comes out of a years-long relationship and is forced to once again look for the perfect love he thought he had already found.

The season also stars Jessica Williams, Punkie Johnson and Chris “Comedian Cp” Powell. Arian Moayed, Leslie Bibb and John Earl Jelks are recurring guest stars and Maya Kazan, Ego Nwodim, Kimberly Elise, Blair Underwood, Janet Hubert, Jordan Rock and Steven Boyer are guest stars. Keith David narrates. Season 1’s Anna Kendrick, who also executive produces, Zoë Chao, Peter Vack, Sasha Compére and Nick Thune will appear.

In addition to Kendrick, “Love Life” is executive produced by showrunners Sam Boyd,...

HBO Max will debut the first three episodes of season 2 of Love Life on Thurs. Oct. 28 with the focus shifting to a new singleton, Marcus Watkins, who has just exited a years-long relationship with the woman he thought was going to be his person.

After the rug is pulled out from under him, he finds himself back on the single scene in search of the romantic fulfillment he thought he had already found. The ten-episode season continues with three episodes on Nov. 4 and concludes with four episodes on Nov. 11.

Other cast includes series stars: Jessica Williams, Punkie Johnson, and Chris “Comedian Cp” Powell; and recurring guest stars Arian Moayed, Leslie Bibb, Steven Boyer, and John Earl Jelks. Season 1’s Anna Kendrick, Zoë Chao, Peter Vack, Sasha Compére, and Nick Thune will also appear.

Keith David will serve as the narrator of season 2.

Love Life...

Anna Kendrick’s Darby Carter found her person, Grant (Kingsley Ben-Adir), at the end of “Love Life” Season 1. And in the teaser for the second season of the HBO Max anthology series, the wedding gown-wearing Darby literally steps out of focus while celebrating her just-married status at a bar with her friends, and the show’s next protagonist enters the frame: Marcus Watkins, played by “The Good Place” alum William Jackson Harper.

Per HBO Max, the second season of “Love Life” focuses on Marcus as he comes out of a years-long relationship with the woman he thought was going to be his person. After the rug is pulled out from under him, he is plunged back into the search for the romantic fulfillment he thought he’d already found.

The newly released teaser, which you can view above, shifts focus to Marcus, just as the show will, and gives us glimpses of his love life,...

Not everyone is in a celebratory mood on Darby Carter’s wedding day.

HBO Max on Tuesday released a new teaser trailer for Love Life, which sees Anna Kendrick‘s Season 1 protagonist cross paths with Season 2 protagonist Marcus Watkins, played by new series lead/executive producer William Jackson Harper (The Good Place). The clip shows Darby take a break from dancing to down a tequila shot. As she returns to her friends, a seemingly perturbed Marcus approaches the bar and orders himself a whiskey.

More from TVLineGeneration Cancelled at HBO MaxEthan Hawke and The Good Place Alum Aj Hudson to...

Exclusive: Steven Boyer has boarded season 2 of the HBO Max anthology series Love Life as a recurring guest star.

Boyer will play Josh, the entitled and oblivious publisher at Marcus’s (William Jackson Harper) publishing house.

Season two of the romantic comedy focuses on Marcus Watkins as he comes out of a years-long relationship with the woman he thought was going to be his person. The rug pulled out from under him, he is plunged back into the search for the romantic fulfillment that he thought he had already found.

Other cast includes series stars: Jessica Williams, Punkie Johnson, and Chris “Comedian Cp” Powell; and recurring guest stars Arian Moayed, Leslie Bibb, and John Earl Jelks. Season 1’s Anna Kendrick, Zoë Chao, Peter Vack, Sasha Compére, and Nick Thune will also appear.

Keith David will serve as the narrator of season 2.

Love Life season two is co-showrun by creator Sam Boyd,...

Exclusive: Keith David has joined the cast of HBO Max’s Love Life‘s sophomore season in the role of the narrator.

Season two of the romantic comedy anthology focuses on Marcus Watkins (executive producer William Jackson Harper) as he comes out of a years-long relationship with the woman he thought was going to be his person. The rug pulled out from under him, he is plunged back into the search for the romantic fulfillment that he thought he had already found.

Other cast includes series stars: Jessica Williams, Punkie Johnson, and Chris “Comedian Cp” Powell; and recurring guest stars Arian Moayed, Leslie Bibb, and John Earl Jelks. Season 1’s Anna Kendrick, who also executive produces, Zoë Chao, Peter Vack, Sasha Compére, and Nick Thune will also appear.

Love Life season two is co-showrun by creator Sam Boyd, Bridget Bedard, and Rachelle Williams. Boyd, Bedard, and Williams serve as executive producers with Kendrick,...

Saturday Night Live featured player Punkie Johnson is set to star in the upcoming sophomore season of HBO Max’s Love Life opposite Jessica Williams, Chris “Comedian Cp” Powell and William Jackson Harper.

Also boarding the anthology series’ Season 2 are Leslie Bibb (Jupiter’s Legacy), John Earl Jelks (True Detective) and Arian Moayed (Succession), who will take on recurring roles.

Kimberly Elise (Mosquito Coast), Ego Nwodim (Saturday Night Live) and Blair Undwerwood (When They See Us) round out the cast as Season 2 guests stars.

From Lionsgate Television and Feigco Entertainment, Love Life Season 2 follows Marcus Watkins (Harper) as he comes out of a years-long relationship with the woman he thought was going to be his person. The rug pulled out from under him, he is plunged back into the search for the romantic fulfillment that he thought he had already found.

Love Life Season 2 is co-showrun by Sam Boyd, Bridget Bedard and Rachelle Williams,...

The CW released the first look at Azie Tesfai’s Guardian, who will appear in the sixth and final season of “Supergirl.”

Kelly Olsen (Tesfai) will take on the mantle of Guardian in the second half of the final season. The series previously hinted that Kelly will take up the mantle left by her brother, James Olsen (Mehcad Brooks), which will come to fruition in the upcoming episode “Blind Spots.” Co-written by Tesfai and co-producer J. Holtham, the episode is said to address racial inequality. “Arrow” star David Ramsey will direct the episode and reprise his role of John Diggle.

“Supergirl” follows the DC character Kara Zor-El (Melissa Benoist), who balances her work as a reporter for CatCo Worldwide Media with keeping National City safe from sinister threats as the titular superhero. The series also stars Tesfai, David Harewood, Jesse Rath, Nicole Maines and Katie McGrath. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter,...

2 Dope Queens star Jessica Williams and Detroiters’ Chris ‘Comedian Cp’ Powell are to star in the second season of HBO Max’s Love Life alongside William Jackson Harper.

This comes as the series has added Tuca & Bertie and Mixed-ish writer Rachelle Williams as co-showrunner alongside creator Sam Boyd and Bridget Bedard.

The second season of the rom-com anthology series will see The Good Place star Harper replace Anna Kendrick as the focus. He plays Marcus Watkins as as he comes out of a years-long relationship with the woman he thought was going to be his person. The rug pulled out from under him, he is plunged back into the search for the romantic fulfillment that he thought he had already found.

Williams, who also starred in Booksmart, plays Mia Hines, the beautiful, intelligent and somewhat unknowable object of Marcus’s affection. After forming a connection early in the season,...

Jessica Williams and Chris “Comedian Cp” Powell have joined “Love Life” Season 2 at HBO Max.

The pair joins William Jackson Harper, who will star in Season 2 of the anthology series. In addition, Rachelle Williams has come onboard as executive producer and co-showrunner alongside Sam Boyd and Bridget Bedard, while Janet Hubert, Jordan Rock and Maya Kazan have joined the show as well.

Season 2 focuses on Marcus Watkins” (Harper) as he comes out of a years-long relationship with the woman he thought was going to be his person. The rug pulled out from under him, he is plunged back into the search for the romantic fulfillment that he thought he had already found.

Williams will star as Mia Hines, the beautiful, intelligent and somewhat unknowable object of Marcus’s affection. After forming a connection early in the season, she challenges Marcus’s ideas about himself and how he moves through the world.

You might think there’s a world of difference between producing and directing a series in the unscripted world and writing and directing a feature film, but you’d be wrong. There’s a pretty significant overlap in both genres, and the skills I learned in the former actually gave me an advantage in the latter.

I began my career in entertainment in the early 1990s as a creative exec working on television comedies and dramas, but eventually got sidetracked into the genre of unscripted entertainment. Reality TV was just beginning to surface and so I created a number of shows, including “Making the Band” and “America’s Next Top Model.” Producing these shows in that era of television was an amazing learning experience, especially in the early years.

Back then, you had to be a jack of all trades. You not only had to produce the show — you also had to write it,...

Exclusive: The music-driven project Mixtape, which landed on the 2009 Black List, is finally turning up the volume at Netflix.

Outer Banks and The Archer director Valerie Weiss has come aboard to direct, with a number of actors joining the cast including two-time Emmy winner Julie Bowen, Gemma Brooke Allen, Nick Thune, Jackson Rathbone and newcomers Olga Petsa, Audrey Hsieh and Diego Mercado.

Stacey Menear penned the original script with revisions by The Half of It‘s Alice Wu.

In Mixtape, on the eve of Y2K, orphaned, awkward 12-year-old Beverly Moody (Allen) discovers a broken mixtape crafted by her teen parents. Raised by her grandmother Gail (Bowen), a former teen mom herself who finds it painful to speak about her late daughter, Beverly sees this mixtape as a chance to finally learn more about her parents. So she sets out on a journey to find all the songs on the tape.

The Right One starring Nick Thune, Cleopatra Coleman, Iliza Shlesinger and David Koechner will be available On Demand and Digital Worldwide February 5th. Here’s the Trailer:

In this heartfelt and hilarious rom-com, Sara, a novelist struggling with writer’s block, needs inspiration — and finds it when she serendipitously meets Godfrey, a down-on-his-luck oddball who constantly changes personas and alter egos in order to cope with his past and avoid reality. Just as Godfrey begins to open up to Sara, he discovers that she’s been using him as inspiration for her next novel, and he vanishes from her life. Did Sara just lose the man of her dreams, or will she be able to find him and make things right?

The Right One is written and directed by Ken Mok

The post Here’s the Trailer for The Right One Starring Nick Thune and David Koechner appeared first on We Are Movie Geeks.

(This post contains spoilers through Episode 106 of “Love Life” — but not for the final four of the season, which launched Thursday.)

After multiple heartbreaks, Darby Carter (Anna Kendrick) will finally get her happy ending on the Season 1 finale of HBO Max’s comedy anthology “Love Life.”

But what makes for a happy ending for our heroine might surprise you, because the identity of her “person” isn’t actually the most important part of Darby’s story, according to showrunners Sam Boyd and Bridget Bedard.

“It’s funny ’cause from the beginning of writing the show, we always felt like with a story like this, you are obviously building up to who she is going to end up with,” Boyd, who created the series, told TheWrap. “And the more we developed the story, the more it just became about her journey and her growth and when we would come back to that question,...

(Warning: This post contains spoilers through Episode 105 of HBO Max’s “Love Life,” titled “Luke Ducharme.”)

For the first four episodes of HBO Max’s “Love Life,” we’ve followed Darby Carter’s (Anna Kendrick) journey to finding “the one,” starting in her early ’20s and moving one year into her future with each new half-hour. But in Episode 105, viewers travel back to 2006 to see Darby’s first experience in the world of dating when she was 15 years old, falling for a boy named Luke Ducharme at her boarding school.

This relationship, while very short-lived, has a huge impact on the rest of Darby’s life due to how traumatically it ends when she makes up a lie about having cancer that spreads like wildfire throughout the student body.

“She makes this really, really bad decision, but you kind of understand it at the same time and just watching it...

That adds up to more than enough under normal circumstances, but may prove a bit slighter than what it’s being tasked to do as part of the streamer’s launch.

Anna Kendrick stars as Darby, a young woman whose perfectly rom-com career rise in the art museum and auction-house world in New York City is not, at least for some time, matched by confidence or self-knowledge in her personal life. We follow Darby from her feckless and underemployed youth toward an adulthood marked by a bit more melancholy and a lot more care. It’s a passage of years told, each episode, through a relationship with one significant person in her life.

When it comes to playing a character who ages nearly a decade over the run of the show, Kendrick manages to convince — aided both by the show’s careful eye for what New York City at the...

Exclusive: Cleopatra Coleman, who co-starred in Fox’s The Last Man on Earth comedy series, has secured the lead role opposite Y’lan Noel (Insecure) in Mo McRae’s directorial debut film A Lot Of Nothing, which has David Oyelowo attached as an executive producer.

It’s about a married couple living in a Los Angeles suburb who is compelled to take dangerous actions when they discover their next-door neighbor is the police officer that just murdered an unarmed motorist.

The thriller, from Mansa Productions, was penned by McRae and Sarah Kelly Kaplan. Coleman will play Vanessa, wife to James Franklin (Noel), whose actions set in motion an escalating crisis, jeopardizing the lives and freedom of the officer and her family.

Slated to begin filming next month, the pic is produced by Inny Clemons, McRae, Anonymous Content, Mansa Productions founder Kellon Akeem, and Jason Tamasco of Bad Idea. Yandy Smith, Kim Hodgert,...

Condé Nast Entertainment hired Geneva Wasserman as senior vice president of motion pictures, overseeing development of the media company’s slate of feature film properties.

Wasserman, a nearly 20-year veteran of the entertainment industry, most recently served as co-founder and executive producer of production firm Project Z Entertainment.

She takes over the role at Cne after the departure earlier this summer of Jeremy Steckler, previously Evp of film at Condé Nast Entertainment, to join Imperative Entertainment as president of film production. Wasserman will be based in L.A. and reports to Oren Katzeff, president of Condé Nast Entertainment.

“Geneva’s mix of creative brilliance and business savvy made her the ideal candidate,” Katzeff said in announcing her hire. “I know she’ll bring an innovative spirit, helping Cne capture the best that this industry has to offer, and pushing us to expand the way we think about filmmaking.”

Wasserman joins...

Ken Mok‘s Godfrey has added Iliza Shlesinger, to the cast. She will star alongside Cleopatra Coleman and Nick Thune in the indie romantic comedy. The film is currently in production in Vancouver, Canada.

Written and directed by Mok, the film follows the titular character (Thune) who is dealing with his dark past in a profound way: he’s decided to be anyone but himself. Coleman plays Sara, a smart insightful writer who tries to unravel the mystery of Godfrey while uncovering her own true identity. Shlesinger will play the role of Kelly, Sara’s fast-talking, deal slinging literary agent.

“We have such a great cast for this film,” says Mok. “Cleo and Nick are not only gifted comedically – they are incredibly talented musicians as well. And this film features all of their skills. Now to have Iliza join this cast with her comedic energy and attitude – it’s really a dream come true.

In today’s film news roundup, John Amos returns for “Coming 2 America,” Nick Thune and Cleopatra Coleman are cast and “Plácido Domingo Gala” and “Birds Without Feathers” get release dates.

Castings

John Amos is set to reprise his role as Cleo McDowell in Eddie Murphy’s upcoming film “Coming 2 America.”

“Hustle & Flow” helmer Craig Brewer is directing the project with Murphy, Kevin Misher and Kenya Barris producing for Paramount.

The 1988 original movie, directed by John Landis, starred Murphy as the charming African prince Akeem, who traveled to New York City to escape an arranged marriage. Amos portrayed Akeem’s employer and the father of Shari Headley, who played Akeem’s love interest. The comedy was a major hit, grossing nearly $300 million at the worldwide box office.

In the sequel, Prince Akeem is set to become king of the fictional country of Zamunda when he discovers he has...

Stars: Shay Mitchell, Grey Damon, Kirby Johnson, Nick Thune, Louis Herthum, Stana Katic, Maximillian McNamara, Jacob Ming-Trent, James A. Watson Jr., Marianne Bayard, Adrian M. Mompoint, Matt Mings, Gijs Scholten van Aschat, Guy Clemens | Written by Brian Sieve | Directed by Diederik Van Rooijen

At the fingertips of Diederik Van Rooijen’s horror, The Possession of Hannah Grace, is an engaging, ghoulish and terrifying prospect of intense atmospheric horror with a terrific setting to inject some superb frights. That said, it becomes quite painful to report that within the first ten minutes of the films short eighty-six-minute running time it fails to convince the audience what you’re watching is actually nightmarish, nor express the quality of horror it has at hand. Ultimately, Rooijen’s film with every opportunity takes the easiest and most simplistic conventional avenue possible with so little inventive cinematic narratives or attributes examined, leading to a deeply unimaginative picture.

Exclusive: Comedian/actor Nick Thune (Dave Made A Maze) is set for a key series-regular role in the ensemble cast of Heart of Life, ABC’s drama pilot inspired by the John Mayer song.

Written by Ben Queen and directed by Anne Fletcher, Heart of Life follows two sets of adult siblings from wildly different worlds who discover they’re related and must reassess everything they thought they knew about their shared father. As they explore the mystery of their separate childhoods, they’ll experience the difficulty in overcoming the sins of the past and learn the joys of reuniting with long-lost family.

Thune will play Jimmy, a wiry, aloof, singer/guitar player and aging rock star who drank too much, partied too much, and enjoys the lifestyle. But he’s surprisingly sweet, thoughtful, and a good listener.

Queen, Mayer, Paul Weitz and Melvin Mar executive produce for 20th Century Fox TV and ABC Studios.

"Death is only the beginning" when a morgue worker receives a new arrival that doesn't want to rest in peace in The Possession of Hannah Grace, and with the horror film coming to Blu-ray and DVD on February 26th from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, we've been provided with an exclusive bonus features clip to share with Daily Dead readers!

Watch actress Kirby Johnson (who plays Hannah Grace in the the film) begin a tour of the morgue in our exclusive bonus features clip below, and check here to catch up on all of our coverage of The Possession of Hannah Grace, including our interviews with Johnson and Shay Mitchell and highlights from our time on the set of the movie.

From the Press Release: Culver City, Calif. – Death is only the beginning in the heart pounding horror thriller The Possession Of Hannah Grace, debuting on Digital February 19 and on Blu-ray...

"Death is only the beginning" when a morgue worker receives a new arrival that doesn't want to rest in peace in The Possession of Hannah Grace. If you missed the macabre movie in theaters this past holiday season, you can watch it on Digital beginning February 19th, followed by a Blu-ray and DVD release on February 26th via Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Below, we have the official press release with full home media details (including special features), and in case you missed it, check here to catch up on all of our coverage of The Possession of Hannah Grace, including our video interview with star Shay Mitchell and highlights from our time on set.

Press Release: Culver City, Calif. – Death is only the beginning in the heart pounding horror thriller The Possession Of Hannah Grace, debuting on Digital February 19 and on Blu-ray™ and DVD February 26 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Stars: Shay Mitchell, Grey Damon, Kirby Johnson, Nick Thune, Louis Herthum, Stana Katic, Maximillian McNamara, Jacob Ming-Trent, James A. Watson Jr., Marianne Bayard, Adrian M. Mompoint, Matt Mings, Gijs Scholten van Aschat, Guy Clemens | Written by Brian Sieve | Directed by Diederik Van Rooijen

At the fingertips of Diederik Van Rooijen’s horror, The Possession of Hannah Grace, is an engaging, ghoulish and terrifying prospect of intense atmospheric horror with a terrific setting to inject some superb frights. That said, it becomes quite painful to report that within the first ten minutes of the films short eighty-six-minute running time it fails to convince the audience what you’re watching is actually nightmarish, nor express the quality of horror it has at hand. Ultimately, Rooijen’s film with every opportunity takes the easiest and most simplistic conventional avenue possible with so little inventive cinematic narratives or attributes examined, leading to a deeply unimaginative picture.

The second weekend of “Ralph Breaks the Internet” is dominating North American moviegoing with an estimated $28 million at 4,017 locations, early estimates showed Friday.

The second weekend of “Creed II,” the third weekend of “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” and the fourth frame of “The Grinch” are battling for second place in the $15 million range. “The Possession of Hannah Grace,” the weekend’s only opener, is materializing at the high end of forecasts with about $6 million at 2,065 locations on Thursday night.

If the estimates hold for “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” it will be the third year in a row that a holdover Disney animated movie has won the post-Thanksgiving weekend with a $27 million-plus take, following “Coco” last year with $27.5 million and “Moana” with $28.3 million in 2016. “Ralph” should finish the weekend with about $120 million in its first 11 days — giving it a decent shot at matching the final domestic gross of 2012’s “Wreck-It Ralph” at $189 million.

“The Possession of Hannah Grace” materialized with $625,000 at 1,866 North American locations in Thursday night preview screenings.

Sony’s supernatural horror film, the weekend’s only nationwide opening, is set to expand Friday to 2,065 sites, with the studio anticipating a three-day performance of about $3 million. The sophomore weekend of “Ralph Breaks the Internet” is pegged to take the top spot, with “Creed II,” “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” and “The Grinch” battling for second place.

Sony’s Screen Gems is distributing “The Possession of Hannah Grace,” which stars Shay Mitchell as a troubled ex-cop who takes the graveyard shift in a morgue and discovers a body that may be possessed by a ruthless demonic force. Kirby Johnson, Stana Katic, Grey Damon, and Nick Thune also star, with Diederik Van Rooijen directing from a script by Brian Sieve. “Hannah Grace,” which carries a $10 million price tag, is produced by Broken Road.

On the tail of a successful festival run, Us home video release, and an upcoming home video release through Arrow Films in the UK, director Bill Watterson's incredible cult oddity Dave Made a Maze has scored a theatrical release in Japan beginning this Friday, October 19th.  When Dave (Nick Thune), a bored homebody who decided to build a complex maze out of cardboard boxes in his living room gets lost, it's up to his girlfriend, Annie (Meera Rohit Kumbhani) and their friends to save him from his own insane/ingenious creation. Dave Made a Maze is a marvel not only of pure creative spirit, but also a hugely impressive feat of art direction and production design.  Building a complex labyrinth out of cardboard boxes and other...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Morgues already make a great setting for any horror film, but throw a possessed dead body into the mix and then you’ve got yourself a creepy-ass story to tell! It’s really a simple premise, but it sure looks like it’ll make for an entertaining horror film that will offer some crazy thrills and chills, especially if you scare easy.

The movie stars Pretty Little Liars‘ Shay Mitchell and the film is set in the aftermath of an exorcism that has gone horribly wrong. The body may be dead, but there’s an evil demon that still resides in it who is going to find joy in scaring the living shit out of a young women who is working the graveyard shift at the morgue… alone. Here’s the synopsis:

A shocking exorcism spirals out of control, claiming the life of a young woman. Months later, Megan Reed...

Chicago – It’s time to choose the Ten Scariest Donald Trump Tweets, excuse me, The 10 Best films of 2017 (got a lot on my mind). Selected by HollywoodChicago.com’s Patrick McDonald, the “Über Critic,” it is a list that celebrates redemptive spirit, love of the love and just all-out fun at the flickers.

In keeping with list-o-mania, and the need for fuller disclosure, here are the films – according to the Über – that came at 25th-11th (click highlighted titles for reviews/interviews)… 25th - Patti Cake$, 24th - Wonder Wheel/I Love You, Daddy, 23rd - Norman, 22nd - Novitiate, 21st - Free Fire, 20th - Coco, 19th - mother!, 18th - Beatriz at Dinner, 17th - Their Finest, 16th - Wonder Woman, 15th - Call Me By Your Name, 14th - Happy End, 13th - Bpm (Beats Per Minute), 12th - The Square, 11th - Beauty and the Beast.

Actor Nick Thune had some fun with ‘People You May Know’ at the Los Angeles premiere screening and after party on Monday night for the upcoming romantic comedy-drama. The screening was held at Pacific Theatres at The Grove. The party then continued at sbe’s Hyde Sunset in West Hollywood, where guests enjoyed specialty vodka cocktails […]

The post Nick Thune Has Fun with People You May Know at Los Angeles Premiere Screening appeared first on Shockya.com.

The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is officially dead, and the Girl with a Cracked iPhone Screen has taken her place. That’s not as catchy (it kind of sounds like the least exciting Stieg Larsson novel of all time), but it still feels like progress. The old trope was just a foil for some forlorn male protagonist, less of an actual person than an adorkable fairy godmother whose sole purpose in life was to restore a sense of self-worth to an aimless dude who forgot how to generate his own. The new trope, on the other hand, is alive — she creates her own context.

Usually a twenty something who is falling short of her potential, The Girl with a Cracked iPhone Screen is a mess, she doesn’t have a ton of money (shout out to the gig economy), and she makes an audience of millennials feel comparatively stable. Odds are,...

The inaugural IndieWire Honors was certainly a night to remember: The glamorous shindig celebrated six of IndieWire’s most lauded stars of the year, hand-picked by IndieWire’s editorial team: Mary J. Blige, Kumail Nanjiani, Sterling K. Brown, James Franco, Diane Kruger, and Issa Rae. The evening was hosted by comedian Nick Thune.

Read More:Join Focus Features And IndieWire For a Special Screening of ‘Darkest Hour’

The honorees kept their acceptance speeches short and sweet. Sterling K. Brown was particularly happy for the chance to properly thank his wife, having been cut off early during his Emmys acceptance speech. Receiving the Creative Independence award, Kumail Nanjiani thanked his writing partner and wife Emily V. Gordon, joking: “I think at least 20 percent of this is yours. I know you have two master’s degrees, but I think this makes us even.”

Read More:Mary J. Blige, Kumail Nanjiani, and More Made...

One comment kept getting repeated at the inaugural IndieWire Honors ceremony last night in Los Angeles: “This is so IndieWire.” It began with the venue — No Name, a hush-hush spot resembling a kind of gothic speakeasy where attendees are discouraged from taking too many photos, lest they give away its secrets — and continued with everything from the drink menu (New Fashioned Franco, Sparkling Kruger) to host Nick Thune’s jokes (“The venue has asked if anyone has an iPhone 4 — they’re just suggesting an upgrade”).

Indeed, the event bore only a superficial resemblance to most year-end soirées. The honorees — Mary J. Blige, Kumail Nanjiani, Sterling K. Brown, James Franco, Diane Kruger, and Issa Rae — had all been announced in advance, so there was no tension over whose names were sealed inside any envelopes. Guests weren’t seated in an auditorium or dining at luxe tables in a hotel ballroom; they...

The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced the films that will be featured in their New Auteurs and American Independents sections at the upcoming AFI Fest 2017 presented by Audi. Selections include a number of lauded features from around the festival circuit, including Cannes offerings like “I Am Not a Witch,” SXSW favorites like “Gemini” and “Mr. Roosevelt,” the Sundance breakout “Thoroughbreds,” and Joseph Kahn’s Toronto Midnight Madness favorite “Bodied,” among others.

Highlighting first- and second-time feature film directors, New Auteurs is designed as the festival’s platform for upcoming filmmakers from all over the world to showcase their new films. This year, the section includes 11 films, nine of which come from female directors. Similarly, AFI Fest’s American Independents section aims to represent the best of this year’s independent filmmaking. Pushing boundaries of form and content across narrative and documentary cinema, this section includes 11 films from both fresh...

"How can you let her do this to me?! She's try to make me look bad!" An official trailer has debuted for the film Mr. Roosevelt, which won the Audience Award at the SXSW Film Festival this year. Written, directed by, and starring actress-turned-filmmaker Noël Wells, this indie romantic comedy is about a woman who returns to her hometown of Austin, TX and encounters her ex-boyfriend, who is now living with his new girlfriend in their old house. She has to comes to term with the situation and her own life, while dealing with her ex's new girlfriend who seems to be pretty much perfect. The cast includes Nick Thune, Britt Lower, Daniella Pineda, Andre Hyland, Doug Benson, Sergio Cilli, and Paul Gordon. This looks funky and quirky and totally indie. Perhaps even too indie, but oh well. Looks like it's best to see at a film festival. Here's the...