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The LA Film Festival was a serious feeder for talent for both independent cinema and Hollywood. The festival highlighted exciting talent and gave that talent access and audience with the larger LA film world. Coffee dates were made, next projects were pitched, and a community was fostered.

A few notable names that you might have heard of this award season screened their earlier work at the fest, including Sean Baker (Anora), Justin Simien (Hollywood Black), Ali Abbasi (The Apprentice), and Jon M Chu (Wicked).

These four filmmakers took full advantage of everything the festival had to offer and are now able to make those daring projects that have earned them all that hardware. If we look at the films that they brought to the festival, we might learn a little something about what makes these filmmakers tick, and how themes they explored way back when are still relevant to the directors today.

Sean Diddy created a massive stir in the entertainment industry after being arrested on alleged charges of s*x trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for pr*stitution. A year before these charges were pressed against him, Sean Combs raised multiple headlines when his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit against him in 2023 alleging r*pe, abuse, and s*x trafficking.

Sean Diddy in Monster’s Ball | Credits: Lionsgate Films

Although the lawsuit was eventually resolved the next day after both parties reached an unrevealed settlement, the allegations reminded the fans of a disturbing incident narrated by rapper Yung Joc. When Jasiel Amon Robinson aka Yung Joc appeared on a chart with VladTV, he hinted at Sean Diddy’s controlling behavior with the Me & U singer.

Yung Joc is a witness to Sean Diddy’s problematic relationship with Cassie Ventura Cassie Ventura | Credits: @casie / Instagram

Cassie Ventura was in an on-again, off-again...

Jon M. Chu made his feature debut in 2008 with Step Up 2: The Streets and has since helmed several popular titles, including Wicked and In the Heights. However, the director says he has more musicals in the works.

Wicked has been a major success for the director, and only the first part has been released. With Part Two, titled Wicked: For Good, set for premiere in November 2025, the director has other musicals in development. Speaking with Cbr, Chu explained which projects he has in store next, which includes two more musicals.

Related 'Excited to Actually Share That Now': Wicked Director Teases Exciting Bonus Footage for Digital Release

Exclusive: Wicked has set a digital release date, and its director teases several new scenes to flesh out the characters further.

Addressing whether he has any stage musicals in mind after Wicked and In the Heights, Chu revealed: "I'm already developing Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,...

“Wicked” choreographer Christopher Scott used to escape to the movies as a kid. When his family moved from Maryland to Los Angeles, Scott would head to the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood to work out his angst.

“I’d take my ticket stub, and they would let me back in, so I paid once, but I saw it probably 10 times,” Scott tells Variety, recalling the summer of 1998 when he religiously watched (and rewatched) “Blade” starring Wesley Snipes. “Any time I was frustrated, I would just go. That was my outlet.”

So, when “Wicked” debuted in theaters last month, Scott strolled back into that famed cinema.

“I could feel my younger self in that theater, dealing with those emotions and remembering how powerful this stuff can really be,” Scott recalls. “This was my sanctuary, and now I’m watching my choreography on screen. And I have a cameo. When I popped up on screen,...

The more the Step Up franchise evolved, the harder it became to track which order to watch them in. The original installment was the one that gave audiences a preview of the movie star Channing Tatum would evolve into, with the 2006 romantic drama casting him as a troubled youth who discovers a talent for dance. The film was a surprise success, and while Tatum soon departed to bigger things, the Step Up movie franchise itself would prove oddly robust.

There have been six movie entries thus far, though the most recent installment is considered more of a spin-off than part of the main franchise. While they largely scored poor reviews, their impressively choreographed dance sequences and crowd-pleasing formula made the Step Up movies a success. Based on box-office numbers alone, even the lowest-grossing outing was a solid hit, but it appears the series is taking a long break from the big screen.

Wicked has been dancing through theaters in America and all over the world. Fresh off its release on November 22, the on-screen adaptation of the Broadway classic has been in the making for many years. Now under the helm of Jon M. Chu, whose musical directing stints include Step Up 2 and In The Heights, Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda Upland (Ariana Grande) can finally see the light of day in the Land of Oz.

Of all the moments in Wicked that I thought might make me cry, I certainly didn’t think it would be “Dancing Through Life”—the upbeat ensemble number where Winkie prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) decides to “corrupt” his fellow university students by sneaking them into a local dance club. The song starts as a fun,...

Jon M. Chu has made a name for himself with acclaimed films like Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights and now is at the helm of one of 2024's most anticipated movies, Wicked. Yet before all that, he began his directing career with movies like Step Up 2: The Streets, Jem and the Holograms, and notably G.I. Joe: Retaliation. The G.I. Joe franchise has had a rough road since the 2013 film as the prequel/spin-off/reboot Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins bombed at the box office in 2021, and now it looks like Hasbro and Paramount will try to relaunch the franchise by pairing them with the Transformers.Former

Comic Book asked Chu if he would be open to directing another G.I Joe film. Chu noted that he is currently busy with Wicked and its follow-up, Wicked - Part Two, which opens in theaters in November 2025, so his schedule is locked down for now.

Jon M. Chu understood the pressure that he’d be facing when he took on directing Universal’s Wicked, an adaptation of one of the most successful stage musicals of all time. A Wicked fan himself — he’s seen the show 12 times, seven before being hired to helm the film — he knew the stakes were high for casting Elphaba and Galinda and bringing the vibrant world of Oz to the big screen. “If there’s anything I’ve learned through the business, it’s how to deal with pressure. For Wicked specifically, that is a whole other thing,” Chu says, adding that the show’s roof-raising anthem was a particular challenge. “ ‘Defying Gravity’ is one of the most complicated things I’ve ever shot in my entire life. I felt more pressure with ‘Defying Gravity’ than the whole movie itself.”

Wicked reunites Chu with Michelle Yeoh, who starred in his...

The Britney Spears story is coming to the big screen. Deadline reports that Universal won the rights to adapt the pop singer’s 2022 #1 New York Times bestseller “The Woman In Me.” And the studio hired a solid choice to direct it: “Wicked” filmmaker Jon M. Chu, who’s no stranger to working in the pop music vernacular. Other films by by the director include “In The Heights,” “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never,” and “Step Up 2: The Streets.”

Read More: ‘Wicked’ Trailer: Cynthia Eviro & Ariana Grande Lead Jon M.

Continue reading ‘The Woman In Me’: Universal Wins Bid To Adapt Britney Spears Book, ‘Wicked’ Director Jon M. Chu To Direct at The Playlist.

Oops! They did it again. In auction, Universal has won the rights to a major film biopic on the life of Britney Spears, the studio announced Thursday.

“Wicked” director Jon M. Chu is directing the film and developing it for the studio, and “La La Land” producer Marc Platt is attached to produce the film. The movie, untitled at this point, will be based on Spears’ memoir “The Woman in Me,” which has sold 2.5 million copies worldwide.

No writer or cast has been set at this point.

“The Woman in Me” reveals for the first time Spears’ incredible journey — and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history. Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love — and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms. The book was...

It was only a matter of time before Britney Spears’ memoir was adapted into a major motion picture. There’s a little bit of Spears in every modern depiction of an up-and-coming pop star, those stories that explore the danger and the glamor, the sexuality and exploitation of those cultural icons.

Explore the Glee Cast’s Net Worth and Careers Harry Shum Jr. as Mike Chang – $14 Million Net Worth Lea Michele as Rachel Berry – $12 Million Net Worth Matthew Morrison as Will Schuester – $10 Million Net Worth Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester – $9 Million Net Worth Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel – $8 Million Net Worth Darren Criss as Blaine Anderson – $5 Million Net Worth Jenna Ushkowitz as Tina Cohen-Chang – $4 Million Net Worth Heather Morris as Brittany S. Pierce – $4 Million Net Worth Dianna Agron as Quinn Fabray – $4 Million Net Worth Jayma Mays as Emma Pillsbury – $3 Million Net Worth

From the halls of William McKinley High School to center stage, the Glee cast captured our hearts with their musical talents and infectious energy.

This beloved musical comedy-drama took the world by storm over a decade ago, leaving fans craving for more until its final bow in 2015.

Glee is a beloved musical comedy-drama that ran from May 19, 2009 to March...

Hulu has to be pretty pleased with its list of new releases for June 2024. That’s because it’s about to be the summer of The Bear once again.

The Bear season 3 premieres all of its episodes on June 27 on Hulu. This FX dramedy has proven to be one of the most successful shows of its era. Jeremy Allen White stars as Carmy Berzatto, a world-famous chef who returns home to Chicago to help his floundering family restaurant after the death of his brother. Season 2 saw The Original Beef of Chicagoland crew transform the spot into fine dining establishment The Bear. It ruled. So will season 3 probably.

FX is responsible for the other major TV release on Hulu this month. Clipped premieres on June 4 and is about the scandalous real life story of Donald Sterling, the awful owner of the basketball team the Los Angeles Clippers. Another intriguing TV option...

Less than 24 hours after unveiling exclusive Wicked footage in Las Vegas, filmmaker Jon M. Chu found his way into the spotlight of another CinemaCon stage inside Caesars Palace, this time for a special luncheon in his honor at which he revealed secrets about filming the two-part epic musical.

“It was pretty magical last night,” Chu told The Hollywood Reporter’s co-editor-in-chief Nekesa Mumbi Moody, who moderated a fireside chat with the filmmaker after he was presented a trophy for cultural impact in filmmaking (by his In the Heights star Ariana Greenblatt). Chu has been in the editing room while managing a full household of four young children, so he said that being in Las Vegas where he could sleep and hang out with others, “I’m, like, ‘Let’s go.’”

Chu, fresh from the Colosseum stage where he appeared during Universal Pictures’ slate presentation, opened up on the 30-minute Wicked...

One year after Universal Pictures debuted the first look at footage from his upcoming two-part musical Wicked at CinemaCon, Jon M. Chu is heading back to Las Vegas for the National Association of Theater Owners’ official convention.

Chu will be the guest of honor at an annual filmmaker luncheon during which he will receive a cultural impact in filmmaking award for a “visionary approach to storytelling and his commitment to representing diverse voices and perspectives.” The Fathom-sponsored event, scheduled for April 11 in the Octavius Ballroom, will also feature a sit-down conversation with Chu.

The filmmaker luncheon will follow hot on the heels of Universal and Focus Features’ studio presentation on Wednesday at which the companies will present their upcoming slates. With Chu confirmed for the luncheon, it would not be a surprise to see him make a mark on the Colosseum main stage by presenting additional footage from Wicked ahead...

Update, 7:52 Pm: Just over 24 hours after Cassandra Ventura filed a rape and abuse lawsuit against her former longtime boyfriend Sean Combs, the singer and the music mogul ended the incendiary matter.

“I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control,” Ventura a.k.a. Cassie said in a statement late Friday of the federal court case that rocked the music biz on November 16 (see below for more details). “I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support.” The mega-producer also known as Diddy added with brevity: “We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love.”

On Thursday there was back and forth talk between Ventura and Diddy’s lawyers of “eight-figure” offers to Cassie to keep quiet and allegations that the plaintiff had sought $30 million from Combs to not go public.

A luxury ocean-liner graced by generations of the rich and famous, Hms Queen Mary is now celebrated – and feared – as “One of the World’s Most Haunted Places” (Time Magazine).

Vertigo Releasing is delighted to announce that Haunting Of The Queen Mary will be released on Digital Platforms on 9th October 2023. Written and directed by Gary Shore (Dracula Untold) and from the producers of The Woman in Black, this is an ornate and deeply disturbing tale of the haunted Queen Mary ocean liner.

Synopsis:

When photographers Erin (Alice Eve) and Patrick (Joel Fry) are brought aboard the ship with their young son Lukas (Lenny Rush), they unleash a series of events that entwines their family with the ship’s dark past. As the terror unfolds around them they begin to realise there is more to this sumptuous ocean liner than meets the eye: its remarkable legacy masking violent secrets. As...

As a five-film franchise, Step Up has proved to be extremely successful. The first movie to the sequence, Step Up, was released in 2006. The film stars Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan as the lead characters who represent dance in an impactful way. When Tyler, played by Tatum, was caught up in street violence, he was summoned to community service at a local performing arts school where Nora, played by Dewan, was attending.

With dance experience himself, Tyler was quick to take to Nora who was practicing her final dance in hopes of receiving high acclaim from recruiters at the school’s senior showcase recital. So when Nora needed a new dance partner, the two made a plan to work together.

Not only do Tyler and Nora have exceptional chemistry, making their dancing mesmerizing, their skills paid off when Nora was given an opportunity with a professional dance studio and Tyler...

Welcome to Deadline’s International Disruptors, a feature where we shine a spotlight on key executives and companies outside of the U.S. shaking up the offshore marketplace. This week, we’re talking to UK indie veteran Vertigo Films, producer of hit TV shows Britannia, Bulletproof and James Corden and Sally Hawkins starrer Mammals and feature films Monsters, Bronson and Streetdance 3D. Last year, Federation Entertainment acquired a majority stake in the company and we talk about that deal, Vertigo’s pivot from UK indie film to television and why they’re turning their heads back to the indie film space again.

James Richardson and Allan Niblo remember the exact moment they decided to make the jump from the indie film space into the television sphere. It was at the 2014 American Film Market – one of their busiest markets – when the Vertigo Films co-founders walked into the Loews in Santa Monica...

As confirmed by Deadline today, Jon M. Chu, one of cinema's premiere makers of cinematic musicals, will be adapting the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice operetta "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" for Amazon Studios. In addition to directing, Chu will produce the film alongside Scott Sanders, who worked on Chu's adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's and Quiara Alegría Hudes' stage musical "In the Heights," released in 2021.

"Joseph" is an outsize, rock-forward, expressionistic rendition of the Book of Genesis, telling the story of the Coat of Many Colors. In Genesis, Joseph was given said garment by his father, much to the chagrin of his jealous brothers, who began to plot against him. Joseph was thrown into a pit, with one of his more benevolent brothers planning to rescue him later. He was eventually dragged out and sold into slavery. In the Webber/Rice musical, Joseph eventually gets out of bondage...

Wicked star Jeff Goldblum talks about his experience working on the film while stating that he can't. The upcoming two-part film adaptation of the hit 2003 stage musical of the same name will see Goldblum star as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The film will also star Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who will play Elphaba Thropp, The Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda Upland.

In a recent interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Goldblum talked about his experience working on the Wicked movie. Check out what he said on the matter below:

I was just on the set of Wicked. I'm not supposed to talk about that, but it's been out and about ... You should see our witches, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. They're very good. I'll tell you, I shouldn't talk about it. But I was shooting one day, and I found myself tearing up in fear. A childhood fear came back to me.

Film fans have expressed their joy over the practice of changing the titles of English-language Hollywood films to other English phrases for international audiences.

The online discussion began when Juan Buis, a writer and designer, shared a collection of movie posters in their original forms alongside their versions when advertised in France.

The thread, posted on Wednesday (8 March), shows Hollywood film titles alongside their French cinema equivalents – often not in French, as expected, but using English to create an alternative moniker.

“The French love to translate movie titles from English to... English,” Buis began his post.

“Here's a thread with my all-time favourites, starting with The Hangover... I mean Very Bad Trip.”

The 2009 comedy, starring Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms, is titled Very Bad Trip in France.

Other “translations” in the thread included The Other Guys becoming “Very Bad Cops”, Step Up 2 turning into “Sexy Dance 2...

‘Epic Tails’, ‘Titanic’ re-release, ‘Blue Jean’ hit cinemas.

Stripping comedy-drama Magic Mike’s Last Dance shimmies its way into 646 UK-Ireland cinemas this weekend through Warner Bros – almost 150 cinemas above the previous Magic Mike’s opening number.

Steven Soderbergh returns to direct the third and final Magic Mike instalment, having directed the first film and been cinematographer on the second.

In Last Dance, after a business deal leaves Channing Tatum’s Mike Lane broke and returning to the dance stage, he heads to London where a wealthy socialite has made him an offer he can’t refuse. Salma Hayek Pinault joins the cast,...

Have you ever wanted to watch the Step Up movies in order but didn’t know where to start? Well, look no further! This blog will give you a complete guide to watching the Step Up movies in chronological order.

From the original film that started it all to the latest installment in the franchise, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about watching these movies in the correct order.

The “Step Up” series is one of the most successful Dance Movie series created by Duane Adler. The movies follow a group of talented dance students as they strive to achieve their dreams.

The first movie in the series was released in 2006 to a massive box office success, with a total of five films in the franchise. The series features impressive choreography and breathtaking performances. Whether you’re a diehard fan of the franchise or a newcomer looking to get caught up,...

We don’t know if it’s appropriate to call it a Hot Hulu Summer, but the superior Disney-owned streaming service is certainly coming on strong with its new releases for July 2022.

Hulu has a diverse array of original content and library offerings for those looking to escape the oppressive summer heat this month. It starts out on the movie side of things with the Joey King-starring The Princess on July 1. From there, Hulu is releasing original films like The Bob’s Burgers Movie on July 12, documentary feature Aftershock on July 19, and the intriguing Zoey Deutch project Not Okay on July 29.

Read more TV Solar Opposites Character Guide By Joe Matar TV The 10 Best Bob’s Burgers Episodes By Chris Cummins

TV is where Hulu really shines this month though. July 6 sees the arrival of psychic rom-com series Maggie. That will be followed by season 3 of Solar Opposites on July 13 and...

A docuseries detailing the rise and fall of Victoria’s Secret, an action fantasy starring “The Kissing Booth’s” Joey King, and a dark satirical comedy with Zoey Deutch and Dylan O’Brien are among the new titles coming to Hulu this month.

While summer reality show favorite “Are You The One?” Season 1 will be streaming alongside Seasons 38 and 39 of “Survivor,” Bachelor Nation fans can look forward to the Season 19 premiere of “The Bachelorette” July 12, along with the Season 4 premiere of “What We Do in the Shadows.”

Some fan-favorite films are joining the library this month, including “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Jumanji,” “Working Girl” and “The Descendants,” and the patriotic flick “Independence Day” is available right in time for the 4th of July.

Check out the full list of what’s new on Hulu in July 2022 below.

Also Read:

Baz Luhrmann’s Re-Edited ‘Australia’ to Debut With a New Ending as a Hulu...

While many future movie stars spend many years making their bones before hitting it big, Channing Tatum had a somewhat more direct path. After a few music videos and a guest spot on CSI: Miami, Tatum got a few small roles in several films from 2005 and then 2006's double whammy of She's the Man and Step Up landed him as an above the title kind of star who gets his face on the poster.

Related: Channing Tatum’s 10 Best Movies, Ranked According To Metacritic

He's become a box office star. Bit parts and cameos from Tatum, like The Hateful Eight, Step Up 2: The Streets, & Free Guy, as well as most of his credited animated features where he also has a small role, such as The Lego Movie franchise, aren't included.

The big screen version of hit musical Wicked finally appears to be coming together after what seems like an eternity in production, and it looks set to team up director Jon M Chu with his In The Heights cinematographer Alice Brooks.

The fact the project has finally started putting together its behind the scenes crew is a big step forward considering the movie adaptation of the tale of Oz's witches has been in development for almost a decade when all is said and done, and with Chu having come into his own helming movies like Step Up 2: The Streets and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, his work on In The Heights allowed him to show how well he can adapt a Broadway musical for the big screen.

In the Heights was the last project Jon M. Chu worked on with Brooks, but it was not their first collaboration, having...

Exclusive: Duane Adler has signed with Buchwald for representation.

Adler is best known as the creator of the beloved Step Up dance film franchise, which launched in 2006. The franchise now includes five films—Step Up, Step Up 2: The Streets (2008), Step Up 3D (2010), Step Up Revolution (2012) and Step Up: All In (2014)—as well as a TV series of the same name, which ran for two season on YouTube Red before moving over to Starz for a third.

The writer is also known for other successful dance and music-driven projects, including Save the Last Dance, Make It Happen, Make Your Move, and Heartbeats.

On the television side, he has developed multiple projects, including a multi-generational dance series for Fox with Marc Platt producing. His most recent project set up for the small screen is House of the Rising Sun, a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet, set in New Orleans, which...

The visceral reaction was almost instant. In 2008, Jon M. Chu was working on his big directorial feature debut Step Up 2: The Streets, when his choreographer Luis Salgado invited him to New York to watch a Broadway musical he was in called In the Heights. “I’d never heard of Lin- Manuel Miranda, but when I saw it, my jaw dropped on the floor,” Chu recalls, “This show spoke so deeply to me, a Chinese from the bay area, not Latino or from Washington Heights, and yet it felt so close to home, because I knew what it was like to be raised by not just your parents, but your aunties, uncles and neighbors.”

A decade later, Chu had the opportunity to pitch Miranda the film adaptation, just as Chu found himself at a crossroads, deciding what kind of storyteller he really wanted to be. Having proven himself as a solid commercial director,...

It seems like a visual effect, a piece of gravity defying wizardry created in a computer. But it’s not.

Nina (Leslie Grace) and Benny (Corey Hawkins), in a quiet moment between two young lovers about be apart, dance up the side of a Washington Heights apartment building in the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers-inspired musical number “When the Sun Goes Down.”

“In the Heights” director Jon M. Chu was recently a guest on the Filmmaker Toolkit podcast to discuss the scene (and others). Below is a thorough oral history of “When the Sun Goes Down” with Chu, cinematographer Alice Brooks, and choreographer Christopher Scott, who for the first time were permitted to go into full detail of the behind-the-scenes details of how they created the magical scene.

Chu, Brooks, and Scott have been collaborating on creating onscreen musical dance for over a decade, dating back to the “Step Up...

If you were amazed by the gigantic pool scene in “In the Heights,” just wait until you learn how much work went into filming it.

Director Jon M. Chu broke down the logistics — from needing heaps and heaps of towels for the cast to ensuring no one drowned — with TheWrap’s film editor Beatrice Verhoeven ahead of the musical’s release.

“For the song ‘96,000,’ you have 600 extras who you need to make sure don’t drown or get electrocuted around lights,” Chu explained. “Their ages are from five to 80. You have to have enough towels to keep people dry so they don’t get hypothermia and they need to not only get dry once, they had to get dry over and over again. And you have barbecues, so there’s fires happening. You have your whole cast there — it’s stormy, by the way. So there’s lightning, so yes,...

It’s been a long road to the June 10 release of “In the Heights” in theaters and on HBO Max, and not just because the Broadway musical it’s based on opened back in 2008. It was originally scheduled for release in June 2020, but was delayed for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But it doesn’t seem that the delay has dampened enthusiasm for it, at least not among critics.

As of this writing the film has a MetaCritic score of 83 based on 38 reviews counted as of this writing: 37 of them are positive, one is somewhat mixed, and none are negative. Those sentiments are echoed on Rotten Tomatoes, where the film is rated 97% fresh based on 129 reviews thus far, only four of which are classified as negative. The Rt critics’ consensus says, “Lights up for ‘In the Heights,’ a joyous celebration of heritage and community fueled by dazzling direction and singalong songs.

The only thing more energetic than the new musical In the Heights is the man who directed it. Jon M. Chu has made a career out of creating high energy movies like Step Up 2: The Streets, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and Crazy Rich Asians, but his particular skill set feels so perfectly in line with […]

The post How ‘In the Heights’ Director Jon M. Chu Made the Movie Musical Event of the Summer [Interview] appeared first on /Film.

Ahead of In the Heights debuting on HBO Max and in theaters, the first 8 minutes have arrived online. In the Heights is a highly-anticipated film adaptation of the hit musical created by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Last night, the opening 8 minute musical number was live-streamed on YouTube. Director Jon M. Chu announced it on Twitter along with providing fun facts about the production along the way. Chu shared his excitement for his many Twitter followers.

"I'll never forget being in a theater as a kid & seeing a sneak peek of the opening of The Lion King," Chu Tweeted. "It wasn't a trailer just The opening and I Always dreamed of doing that for an audience one day. So do u want to see the opening of #InTheHeightsMovie? tonight? How about 9pm Pt?"

Fun Facts about the opening number: it took us the whole shooting schedule to complete the opening number because there...

As the musical visionary behind “In the Heights” and “Hamilton,” Lin-Manuel Miranda has emerged as one of the biggest cultural figures of the past decade, and played a major role in the popularization of Latino storytelling. Or is that Latinx storytelling?

In recent years, debates have festered around the best term to describe people from Spanish-speaking countries and territories — including Miranda, the child of Puerto Rican parents and a Mexican grandparent. But even this wordsmith hasn’t settled on a specific term to describe his background.

“What you run up against are the limits of defining 32 different fucking countries with one world,” Miranda said in a recent interview with IndieWire. “Literally, no word is going to make everyone happy.”

In conversation, Miranda often defaults to describing himself and others as Latinos, the most natural term for native Spanish speakers. However, Miranda noted that the debate over “Latino” predates the existence of “Latinx” and variants thereof.

In Broadway history, there have been only a handful of musicals that center on U.S. Latinos, and only a fraction of those shows were written by people from the communities they were portraying on stage. That’s part of the reason why Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights” made waves when it opened on Broadway back in 2008 (after a successful Off Broadway run). More than a decade later, and after a slight pandemic delay, Jon M. Chu’s cinematic adaptation of Miranda’s first musical promises to make an even bigger splash with its celebration of family, love, and the idea of home.

The main voice of “In the Heights” belongs to Usnavi, who is on a beach telling a group of kids about his memories of New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood. He introduces Abuela Claudia (Olga Merediz), who’s not really his abuela but assumed a...

Though Marvel has decided to consolidate all of its cinematic universe offerings onto Disney+, some outliers still live on for other streaming services. In May 2021, Hulu is set to premiere the latest non-canon Marvel series.

The animated comedy Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. is set to premiere on May 21 and stars Patton Oswalt as the titular Marvel villain. Oswalt’s Modok is every bit the devious floating head that he’s depicted as in the comics. He’s also your every day family man and the show will take on the format of a workplace sitcom. Sounds kinda fun! It’s no wonder that M.O.D.O.K. is the last Hulu Marvel show standing.

In non-Marvel offerings this month, Shrill will debut its third and final season on May 7. This comedy based on Lindy West’s memoir and starring SNL‘s Aidy Bryant has been a consistently bright presence on the streaming scene since...

After going all out during an awards season in which the company was uniquely well-situated to run the table, Netflix is rolling into March with a release slate that doesn’t suggest the dawn of spring so much as it does a garage sale. Which isn’t to say that there aren’t any good movies dropping on the platform this month, only that few of them seem poised to make a big splash, and the ones that might (the Eric Andre prank comedy “Bad Trip” comes to mind) haven’t been made available to critics yet. That’s also true of the many international titles that will be made available to stream over the next few weeks, some of which seem promising (we have our eyes on the Olga Kurylenko “Taken” riff “Sentinelle”), but none of which have made an impression on the festival circuit.

Other Netflix Originals of...

Dancer Rebbi Rosie, who has performed with Beyonce, Pharrell, J. Lo and Nicki Minaj, among others, has been cast in the new installment of Starz’s re-imagined Step Up series. Keiynan Lonsdale (The Flash) and Power alum Enrique Murciano also are set as series regulars in the series, joining Christina Milian and Ne-Yo. Additionally, Terayle Hill (Cobra Kai) has been upped to regular in the series which hails from creator and executive producer Holly Sorensen, Starz and Lionsgate Television. Starz will air the first two seasons of the series beginning Friday, March 5 across all platforms.

Inspired by the Step Up Lionsgate film franchise that grossed over $600 million at the worldwide box office, the original series centers on Sage Odom (Ne-Yo) as the legendary founder of Atlanta’s famed High Water Performing Art School. Collette (Milian is the Queen of High Water and Sage Odom’s partner in art, business, and love.

Grammy-nominated actress and singer Christina Milian has been tapped for the lead role originated by the late Naya Rivera in the new installment of Starz’s Step Up drama series. Milian will portray Collette in the series, which hails from creator and executive producer Holly Sorensen, Starz and Lionsgate Television. The series began filming in Atlanta this month. Starz will air the first two seasons of the series, which originally aired on YouTube with Rivera as Collette, beginning Friday, March 5 across all platforms.

In addition to Milian, Ne-Yo returns in his co-starring role as Sage Odom, along with returning series regulars Faizon Love (Uncle Al), Jade Chynoweth (Odalie), Carlito Olivero (Davis), Terrence Green (Rigo), Eric Graise (King), and Kendra Oyesanya (Poppy) and previously announced Tricia Helfer (Erin) who joins the cast in a series regular role.

“I am so excited to join the Step Up family,” said Milian.

While most studios are delaying movies into next year, Universal has added a new film — romantic drama “All My Life” — to the release calendar and plans to open it in U.S. theaters on Dec. 4.

The movie, starring Harry Shum Jr., will be available on premium digital rental services a few weeks later on Dec. 23.

Universal’s decision to debut “All My Life” in theaters during the pandemic comes after the studio forged a pact with AMC, the world’s largest movie theater chain. Under the agreement, Universal can put new movies on premium video-on-demand within three weeks of their theatrical premieres. In return, AMC gets a cut of the digital profits and promises not to boycott Universal movies in retaliation.

Universal has a handful of smaller films set to open on the big screen before the end of 2020, including animated family film “The Croods: A New Age” on Thanksgiving,...

Starz is resuscitating the Step Up dance drama series following its cancellation last year on YouTube.

The premium cabler has ordered a 10-episode new season of the series from creator and executive producer Holly Sorensen and Lionsgate Television. The series will feature popular characters from previous seasons, while expanding the scope and storytelling as a Starz Original series.

“Holly and her team have created a new and dynamic iteration of the series that captures the hallmarks that have made the ‘Step Up’ franchise so successful and elevates the storytelling for the premium, global audience,” said Christina Davis, President, Original Programming for Starz. “This, coupled with the worldwide appeal of the multi-talented, multicultural cast, will make this series a great addition to our slate.”

Inspired by the Step Up Lionsgate film franchise that grossed over $600 million at the worldwide box office, the series centers on Sage Odom (Ne-Yo) as the legendary...

Jon M. Chu has only recently begun to accept the success of his groundbreaking 2018 rom-com “Crazy Rich Asians” — although he still can’t enjoy it. The hang-up, he reveals on Variety’s “#Represent: Success Stories,” comes from enduring brutal critical reception for his previous features, including “Jem and the Holograms” in 2015.

“I got torn a new one. Plus, all my movies, I feel like they always get ripped on, from ‘Step Up 2,’ to ‘Step Up 3’ to the [Justin Bieber documentary] — they all get s— on,” the filmmaker says candidly.

The criticism, Chu says, led him to compartmentalize his emotions about box office numbers, critical reception and how he felt about his work as a filmmaker — hence why he still can’t fully relish in the success of “Crazy Rich Asians,” regarded as both a critical and box office win (it’s the highest-grossing romantic comedy since 2009 and was...

Being able to buy a washer/dryer, refusing to play into stereotypes for roles, the ability to say “no” — that’s how a few of Hollywood’s most prominent Asian Americans have defined success over the course of their careers.

In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May, Variety gathered prominent Aapi creatives Kumail Nanjiani (Marvel’s “The Eternals”), Hasan Minhaj (“Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj”), Jon M. Chu, Ally Maki (“Toy Story 4”) and Lulu Wang for a lively discussion about what it means to be successful in the entertainment industry, how their parents and family regard their careers, who their industry role models were as they came up and what what being successful means for AAPIs in the industry going forward.

The virtual roundtable is the inaugural installment of Variety’s “#Represent” series, dedicated to the intersection of race, culture and Hollywood.

Nanjiani candidly reveals that...

Adam Shankman is set to direct “Hocus Pocus 2” for Disney+, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

“Workaholics” writer and co-producer Jen D’Angelo wrote the screenplay, while Lynn Harris will produce the film. Original “Hocus Pocus” cast members Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are not attached, but the studio is negotiating their involvement as to not reboot the first film.

“Hocus Pocus” followed three witch sisters who were cursed in Salem in 1693 but were resurrected 300 years later by a boy, his sister and the boy’s love interest. While the film wasn’t a box office success and only earned $39 million worldwide, it has become a cult classic, especially for Halloween time.

Also Read: Bette Midler Says There Won't Be a 'Hocus Pocus 2'

Shankman is currently in pre-production on Disney’s sequel to “Enchanted,” which will be titled “Disenchanted.” Whether “Hocus Pocus 2” or “Disenchanted...

"Step Up 2" fame Hollywood actor-choreographer Robert Hoffman met up with cancer-affected children as a part of his first visit to India. He said he had a great time interacting with the children and added that he always feels happy and excited when he gets the opportunity to share his knowledge about dancing.

"I had a great time being here. I think anytime I get the opportunity to share dancing, I am always going to be excited and happy to do that, especially with people who are amidst very intense part of their life. If I can give any service and bring in something creative and fun to distract them from the other things so obviously, it feels really nice. I am really grateful for the opportunity and I had a really good time today," said Hoffman.

Also Read:?Bts cancels Korea gigs amid coronavirus scare

"For me, dance is such a larger-than-life thing,...

As the director of films like Crazy Rich Asians and the upcoming In The Heights, Jon M. Chu has become a Hollywood force to be reckoned with, bringing big-budget, grand scale projects to the big screen. But over a decade ago, Chu and pal Adam Sevani were fresh out of Step Up 2 and putting together massive projects of…...

There are two types of people in this world: People who love the “Step Up” movies, and people who haven’t seen them all. The franchise began as a straightforward teen romance in 2006 but quickly evolved into a series of lavish pop spectacles, propelled by cheesy melodrama and bolstered by elaborate dance choreography, performed by some of the greatest dancers in the world. As the films get crazier, so too does our love of the quirky cast and their over-the-top shenanigans; think “Fast & Furious,” if the franchise found its outlandish tone in the second film instead of the fifth. The sixth feature film in the series, “Step Up: Year of the Dance,” has just arrived on home video, so let’s take a look back at this whole, wonderful franchise:

6. “Step Up: Year of the Dance” (2019)

The sixth installment in the series, directed by Ron Yuan (“Unspoken: Diary of...