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As MGM and Annapurna Pictures move closer to pulling the trigger on James Bond 25, the studios are switching up their plan of attack when it comes to finding a director. Last summer, the studios announced a November 2019 release date for Bond 25, which started a ticking clock of sorts as they secured Daniel Craig to return, then turned their sights to finding a director. Last we heard, ’71 director Yann Demange was the top choice to take the helm, but now Variety reports that Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire filmmaker Danny Boyle is high on MGM’s list to …

Jiminy Cricket! Walt Disney Studios has found a director for its live-action reimagining of Pinocchio.

Paul King, helmer of the whimsical and acclaimed Paddington movies, has been chosen to direct the movie, with the studio hoping to being production in the fall.

Released in 1940, Pinocchio was the second animated film made by Disney, after 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. It adapted the Italian story by Carlo Collodi about a wooden boy puppet crafted by an old carver named Geppetto. The puppet is brought to life by a fairy who says he will become a real boy if...

You can bookmark the premiere date for Amazon Prime’s The Dangerous Book for Boys. The streamer said today that its single-camera comedy series from Emmy-winning Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston and Superbad director Greg Mottola will launch Friday, March 30.

Created by Cranston and Mottola based on the book by Conn and Hal Iggulden, the series follows the McKenna family as they cope with the untimely passing of Patrick (Chris Diamantopoulos), their patriarch and a…

Miranda Otto has been cast as a series regular in the upcoming Netflix series based on “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” Variety has learned.

Otto will play Zelda Spellman, Sabrina’s sterner witch aunt. Proud and devout, Zelda believes there is no greater honor than serving the Dark Lord as a member of the Church of Night. She is the family’s disciplinarian, fiercely protective of Sabrina, and very much Cain to aunt Hilda’s Abel. The role of Zelda was played by Beth Broderick in the multi-camera comedy series “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.”

Otto starred as Eowyn in “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” and the sequel “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” She has also appeared in films like “The Thin Red Line,” the 2005 version of “War of the Worlds,” and “Annabelle: Creation.” On the TV side, Otto recently appeared in “24: Legacy” for Fox and in Showtime’s “Homeland.”

Lauren Cohan is eyeing her departure from The Walking Dead.

The actress, who has starred as Maggie since season two of the AMC zombie drama, has booked a lead role in ABC drama pilot Whiskey Cavalier.

Cohan has emerged as one of the most in-demand actresses this pilot season. Sources tell THR that she had been actively looking for her next role as she battles AMC over her season nine salary. With Walking Dead already renewed for a ninth season, Cohan does not have a deal in place to return to the AMC series. Sources say Cohan and her...

Viola Davis is attached to star in Amazon Studios film “Troupe Zero,” sources tell Variety.

Duo Bert & Bertie are also attached to direct “Troupe Zero” for Amazon from a script by Lucy Alibar, with Todd Black producing. The duo has credits in film, animation, documentaries, video games, and commercials and is repped by Verve and Hirsch Wallerstein.

Plot details are being kept under wraps. Amazon Studios is also financing the pic. It hasn’t yet been decided when the film will shoot, given Davis’ busy schedule.

Davis has scored success in both TV and film in recent years, winning an Emmy and SAG Award for her starring role in ABC’s hit “How to Get Away With Murder,” and nabbing an Oscar in 2016 for “Fences.”

Davis has also become a heavy-hitter behind the scenes with her production company JuVee Productions, which she co-created with her husband, Julius Tennon. The company is currently developing a handful of films

Jessica Chastain is in negotiations to star in New Line’s “It” sequel as the adult version of Beverly, sources tell Variety.

Director Andy Muschietti is expected to return, though his deal to helm has not yet closed. Gary Dauberman will pen the script. Beverly was played by Sophia Lillis in the 2017 horror hit.

Sources stress that negotiations are early and that the script is still being worked on, but both sides have officially begun discussing her coming on to the project. Bill Skarsgard is also expected to return as Pennywise. The sequel will bow on Sept. 6, 2019, with production expected to start this summer.

Chastain has been linked to the sequel for some time following its monster opening weekend, as the Muschiettis mentioned her in an interview with Variety as a top choice to play adult Beverly in the sequel. Rumors even surfaced of a post-credits scene in which Chastain could have made a cameo, though that never

“Black Panther” now officially has the second biggest four-day opening in box office history, making $40.1 million on President’s Day Monday to bring its domestic launch to $242 million. That’s just a step higher than the $241.5 million made by “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” this past December, and second only to the $288 million made by “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in 2015.

With this hot start, “Black Panther” has also already eclipsed the entire domestic run of “Justice League,” which grossed $228 million. Ryan Coogler’s Marvel movie is drawing in audiences at a pace only a few films ever...

Sterling K. Brown, star of the hit NBC series “This Is Us,” will make his “Saturday Night Live” hosting debut in March, NBC announced Tuesday.

Brown will host the long-running sketch show on March 10. In addition to his Emmy-winning role on “This Is Us,” Brown also currently appears in “Black Panther.” Joining Brown and making his “SNL” debut as musical guest is three-time Grammy nominee and multi-platinum English singer-songwriter James Bay. His single, “Wild Love,” from his forthcoming sophomore album was released on Feb. 8.

In addition, NBC also announced that Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley will return to as host for the fourth time on March 3. Grammy Award-nominated recording artists Migos will join Barkley as musical guest for the first time. Their new album, “Culture II,” recently debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in its first week.

Finally, “SNL” alum Bill Hader will host for the second time on March 17. He is the creator

Star Wars: The Last Jedi comes out on Blu-ray next month and it is going to be packed fuller than the Mos Eisley Cantina with extra features. 

To start, the disk will feature 14 deleted scenes.

No clues were given about what the scenes may be, but director Rian Johnson said in previous interviews he cut a lot out of the film for time and pace. 

In addition to the deleted portions, the Blu-ray will have two behind-the-scenes featurettes: "The Director and the Jedi" and "Balance of the Force." 

The first feature will focus on Johnson's journey making the film and...

Netflix is expanding its animation slate with a 10-episode series order to Tuca & Bertie, from the team behind Bojack Horseman, with Girls Trip star Tiffany Haddish on board to voice the lead character and executive produce. Created by Bojack Horseman supervising producer Lisa Hanawalt, Tuca & Bertie is a comedy about the friendship between two 30-year-old bird women who live in the same apartment building: Tuca, a cocky, care-free toucan (voiced by Haddish), and Bertie…

We have our first glimpse at one of the new Charmed sisters!

If you know anything about the world of Charmed, you will know that the original show's primary focus throughout its eight-year run was the bond between the sisters.

That will be the same for The CW's new version of the series, and we now know one of the leading ladies!

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Melonie Diaz will take on the role of Mel, who is described as "a passionate, outspoken activist who loses her way in the wake of family tragedy."

The reboot will be penned by Jessica O’Toole and Amy Rardin, and The CW describes it as follows: “This fierce, funny, feminist reboot of the original series centers on three sisters in a college town who discover they are witches."

"Between vanquishing supernatural demons, tearing down the patriarchy,and maintaining familial bonds, a witch’s work is never done.”

Meet Katie Holmes, G-Woman.

The Dawson’s Creek alum will star in and executive-produce a Fox drama pilot about a controversial FBI agent, TVLine has learned.

The as-yet-untitled potential series centers on Special Agent Hazel Otis, who is in the middle of a terrorism investigation when her affair with a high-level general becomes public knowledge. As the world sees her as “the mistress,” she fights to rebuild her personal and professional lives.

Ilene Chaiken (Empire) and Melissa Scrivner Love (Person of Interest) will write the project and executive-produce alongside Holmes, Judy Smith (Scandal) and Oly Obst (The Mick).

In addition to

CBS has found its modern-day Magnum.

Jay Hernandez (Scandal, Last Resort) has nabbed the title role in Magnum P.I., the Eye net’s in-the-works reboot of the classic ’80s action-drama. He succeeds Tom Selleck, who played the iconic private eye during the series’ original CBS run.

Hernandez’s Thomas Magnum is a decorated ex-Navy Seal who, upon returning home from Afghanistan, repurposes his military skills to become a private investigator. Reboot vet Peter Lenkov (Hawaii Five-0, MacGyver) penned the pilot along with his fellow Five-0 writer Eric Guggenheim. Fast & Furious‘ Justin Lin will handle directing duties.

Hernandez

Freeform has given a pilot order to Girls Code (working title), a half-hour women-in-the-workplace comedy from playwright/New Girl writer-producer Kim Rosenstock, Freaks and Geeks creator and Ghostbusters helmer Paul Feig, Paramount Television and Anonymous Content. The project, which had been in development at Freeform since last fall, sets up the odd couple partnership between a brazen, self-centered tech CEO and a community-building social entrepreneur who must…

It’s game back on for the Weinstein Company sale, or at least a sign of life that bidders lead by entrepreneur Maria Contreras-Sweet will have a sit down with the attorney general who upended their purchase of the studio this month. The Contreras-Sweet Group and advisors including Ron Burkle will meet with New York State Ag Eric Schneiderman on Wednesday, individuals familiar with those attending the meeting told TheWrap. An agenda was not immediately clear, but Schneiderman made his grievances known over the planned rebirth of the studio following Harvey Weinstein’s dismissal and resignation form the board of directors last fall, following...

Mrs. Smith goes to Washington in Sarah Burgess’ new play, “Kings,” which opened Tuesday at the Public Theater. Rep. Sydney Millsap (Elsa Davis, “House of Cards”) is as high-minded as James Stewart’s senator but much tougher. The joke of Frank Capra’s 1939 classic movie is that, while Stewart’s character meant well, he’s essentially incompetent, and that the government’s in better hands with the corrupt politicians, who are, at least, smart. Millsap is definitely smart and competent, and in the first few scenes of “Kings” she’s also rather unsympathetic in her blithe dismissal of the people around her. Those people, however,...

“I’m not saying I’m against women’s rights, I’m just saying there’s no market for their films,” insists vainglorious action star Peter (Chris D’Elia) to his miserable development assistant and girlfriend Honey (Heather Graham). He’s a ridiculous man and it’s a ridiculous line, but one suspects that Graham, here making her writing and directing debut after decades as eye candy, has heard similar riffs during her career. Her Wiccan romantic comedy “Half Magic” is one part wish fulfillment, two parts justified fury. When Peter sneers, “Your directing career hasn’t gotten off the ground yet because you look like a big-booby dummy,” it’s too easy to picture Graham going home from yet another lousy meeting to furiously type out frustrations which play out here in all-caps Comic Sans.

The question is: Can Graham prove powerful people like Peter wrong? She’s made a proudly feminine film about three friends

Tavis Smiley filed a lawsuit Tuesday accusing PBS of using a sham investigation into sexual misconduct complaints as a pretext to suspend his long-running talk show.

In the complaint, Smiley states that his relationship with the public broadcaster had been rocky for years, and that he was not viewed as a “team player.” He also accuses PBS of racial bias in its oversight of his program, saying that the network criticized his controversial black guests but not the controversial white ones.

Smiley also accused PBS of conducting audits of his books, while not auditing the books of shows that are managed by white people.

“PBS’s audits are based on the insulting stereotypical premise that an African American owned business will have shoddy accounting records,” the suit alleges.

PBS announced that it had suspended Smiley’s program, “The Tavis Smiley Show,” on Dec. 13, following complaints that Smiley had engaged in numerous sexual relationships with subordinates. Some employees

Roman Polanski can no longer count Natalie Portman among his defenders. The Oscar-winning actress now says she “very much” regrets having signed a 2009 petition calling for his release after he was arrested in Switzerland in 2009. “I very much regret it,” Portman told Buzzfeed in an interview published Tuesday. “I take responsibility for not thinking about it enough. Someone I respected gave it to me, and said, “I signed this. Will you too?” And I was like, sure. It was a mistake. The thing I feel like I gained from it is empathy towards people who have made mistakes....