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Here’s a scary thought: two horror powerhouses may be merging in order to create more terror.

James Wan’s Atomic Monster and Jason Blum’s Blumhouse, who between then have created horror franchises ranging from Saw and The Conjuring to Paranormal Activity and Sinister, as well as countless of other hits, are in advanced talks to merge.

The talks occur in the looming shadow of the upcoming horror movie M3GAN, which saw the two men team up as producers.

The merger has some unique attributes as both companies would operate as separate labels, with each maintaining its own creative autonomy and brand identity.

Insiders say that after joining together the two brands, Atomic Monster would have a first look deal with Universal Pictures. Blumhouse is currently under a first look with Universal as well. The studio recently released the final Halloween movie

Kristen Stewart just completed her 2022 goal: marking her feature directorial debut.

The long-gestating adaptation of Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir “The Chronology of Water” is co-written by Stewart and Andy Mingo, who has been attached to direct the film since 2018. Imogen Poots will lead the film. Representatives for Poots confirmed the casting to IndieWire.

“Lidia’s memoir honors corporeal experience, radically,” Stewart said in a press statement, as first shared by Deadline. “To make that experience physical feels vital to me and what this impulse means…is that it absolutely must be a film.”

The “Spencer” Oscar nominee continued, “This project has been cooking for five years with the help of Scott Free, whom I could not be more privileged to have as partners and friends. Imogen Poots will carry this movie and the staggering weight of Lidia’s life. She can hold it. I am beyond lucky to have her.

Participant has formed a people and culture department that will operate with Danice Woodley at the helm of continued efforts to facilitate an inclusive workplace and produce equitable content.

The new department is a product of merging Participant’s former human resources and culture and values departments, which Woodley is being promoted to lead as executive vice president. Woodley will now report to Participant COO Gabriel Brakin.

“Participant is an excellent company to work for, with an unflagging commitment to impact and equity as central to our work and a genuine, core tenet of our mission and purpose,” Woodley said. “With the creation of this new department, we will powerfully reaffirm this commitment to our core principles, as we build a team that empowers and supports a diverse, inclusive, equitable workforce that continues to produce some of the most successful, impactful, and inspiring content in the industry today.”

Woodley’s

Aide to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif tells Associated Press that release can go ahead, but with some cuts.

Pakistan has reportedly lifted its ban on the cinema release of Joyland, the country’s official entry to the Oscars.

However, some scenes will be cut before the movie opens across the country, an aide to the prime minister has said.

Salman Sufi, an aide to prime minister Shahbaz Sharif, told The Associated Press that the decision to lift the ban was made by a committee that the premier had formed to evaluate the film. The board approved the film with minor cuts,

New works by Palestinian docmaker Amer Shomali (“The Wanted 18”), emerging Egyptian filmmaker Sara Shazli (“Back Home”) and first-time Jordanian director Amjad Al Rasheed are among the 16 projects selected for the 9th Cairo Film Connection, the Cairo Film Festival’s co-production platform.

The event features films from 10 countries, including five from the host nation, with 11 fiction and documentary features in development and five currently in post-production being presented to producers, distributors, sales agents and festival programmers.

This year’s edition received a record 135 submissions, according to incoming Cairo Film Connection manager Lynda Belkhiria, pointing toward a broader surge in production across North Africa and the Middle East. “There is a need, there is a demand,” she said. “There is something going on across the region.”

Many of the projects are female-led and examine the ongoing struggle of women to define themselves against the expectations of their families and societies. Still others

The New Reality initiative is the brainchild of Cassette Stories’ Babette Wijntjes.

IDFA Doc Lab is giving its support to the New Reality intiative to create virtual reality (VR) hubs in three leading arthouse cinemas in the Netherlands, that is being launched next month by Benelux distributor Cassette Stories, run by former Cinemien managing director Babette Wijntjes. It is a rare example of a European distribution company handling VR content in cinemas in a commercial context.

“We are supporting it in whatever way we can,” said Caspar Sonnen, head of new media and IDFA DocLab, ”For now, we’re following the project,

It’s been 18 years since Freddie Prinze Jr. made his last “Scooby-Doo” appearance, but the beloved ’90s teen star has still yet to solve the mystery of how to be a convincing actor. Not to sound like a total Scrooge, but Netflix’s “Christmas with You” is such a woefully by-the-numbers approach to the holiday rom-com that it forgets the most important ingredient: it even lacks the spirit of Christmas itself.

In Gabriela Tagliavini’s film, Prinze stars as Miguel, a single dad music teacher whose talented singer daughter Cristina (Deja Monique Cruz) uploads a rendition of pop star Angelina’s (Aimee Garcia) hit track on Instagram. Angelina’s own flailing music career hinges on a Christmas hit, all the better to mimic Mariah Carey’s career (this is an actual reference in the movie) but Angelina just can’t tap into the holiday spirit, as she’s reminded at

As sweet, sticky and snappy as a candy cane, “Christmas with You” provides a refreshing, sugary boost to any Netflix subscriber’s cinematic diet. This holiday offering, centered on a burnt-out pop star searching for creative inspiration and finding love, welcomes its co-star Freddie Prinze Jr. back to rom-coms, a genre from which he’s been absent for the past two decades. It also delivers unexpected seasonal delights with authentic, universal appeal. The ease with which it packages comedic hijinks and poignancy allows specifics of Latin American culture to shape and broaden its genuine emotional impact. And what a lovely gift that turns out to be.

Recording artist Angelina (Aimee Garcia) has been conquering the pop charts for decades, but finds herself stuck at a creative crossroads. The industry at large and her record producer Barry (Lawrence J. Hughes) are determined to pit her against label-mate/ingénue Cheri (Nicolette Stephanie Templier), who has stronger songs,

The first season of Liz Feldman's "Dead to Me," a darkly funny wine-mom sunshine noir, was a real gem. It felt like it came out of nowhere, and it hooked you from the jump. The series had a big trick up its sleeve: in addition to likable, wine-chugging, foul-mouthed leads, practically every episode ended with a shocking twist or cliffhanger, ensuring that viewers would have no choice to binge. In short, I loved it. And I enjoyed season 2 as well, although there was a noticeable drop in quality (it happens). After a hiatus due to both the Covid-19 pandemic and star Christina Applegate's multiple sclerosis diagnosis, the series returns for its third and final season, and I won't lie: I was excited for one last ride.

So it brings me no pleasure to say the show goes out with a whimper rather than a bang. Perhaps it's due to

China’s Hainan Island International Film Festival will return to operation early next month for a fourth edition. Marco Mueller, former director of the Locarno, Venice and Rome film festivals is set as its new artistic director.

Mueller is now based in China and has previously advised Chinese festivals including those in Shanghai and Pingyao.

The festival will operate Dec. 3-10, 2022, in Sanya, Hainan Province. Its mission is to “strengthen international film cultural exchanges and cooperation.”

The lineup has not been announced, but it is expected to include more than 100 films organized across six sections: Gala, Fest Best, Asian New Directors, Panorama, New Horizons and Classics. Titles will compete for Golden Coconut Awards in at least seven feature film categories, plus a best documentary award and a best short film prize.

Additionally, there will be public screenings in other parts of the island, branded as “Around the Island” and “Screening by the Sea.

Amy Adams is weighing in on Henry Cavill’s surprise return as Superman.

“Isn’t it exciting?” Adams, who played Lois Lane to the British actor’s Man of Steel, said Wednesday at the premiere of “Disenchanted” in Hollywood when I asked about Cavill reprising his superhero role.

Adams said her husband, artist Darren Le Gallo, told her the news that Cavill appeared as Superman at the end of “Black Adam,” Dwayne Johnson’s adaptation of the DC comic.

“I’m thrilled for [Cavill],” Adams said. “He’s such a wonderful Superman so I’m very excited for him.”

Amy Adams reacts to Henry Cavill’s return as #Superman — and reveals if she would come back as Lois Lane. pic.twitter.com/YJKzpDZwfM

— Variety (@Variety) November 17, 2022

Adams insists she doesn’t know if she’s going to be back as Lois. “They haven’t spoken to me about it,” she said.

Pakistan has reversed its ban on Saim Sadiq’s Cannes-winning Oscar contender “Joyland,” according to a senior advisor to the government. An official statement on the reversal had not been issued yet at the time of going to press.

Salman Sufi, the head of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Strategic Reforms unit, who has been a vocal opponent of the ban revealed the news on Twitter and in an interview with the AP news agency. He told AP that the film would now be allowed to release, albeit with some minor cuts.

“The decision is a simple yet powerful message that the government stands by freedom of speech and safeguards it, and cannot allow mere smear campaigns or disinformation to be used as choking creative freedom,” Sufi told AP.

On Nov. 13, after “Joyland” was banned, Sufi tweeted: “I personally do not believe in banning films that highlight issues faced

From the first episode to the season finale, HBO's House of the Dragon is a huge hit because devoted fans of George R. R. Martin's fantasy world can't get enough of the dragons, political intrigue, and family drama. The program not only sets the way for fantasy-themed television programs and films but also for fantasy book series to make a comeback.

Quentin Tarantino may be eyeing his final film, but also his first TV show.

The Oscar-winning “Pulp Fiction” auteur is confirmed to be helming an upcoming eight-episode limited series. Tarantino broke the news during his “Cinema Speculation” book tour in New York City while in discussion with Elvis Mitchell, whose documentary “Am I Black Enough For You?” premiered on Netflix earlier this year. Tarantino’s series will premiere in early 2023.

IndieWire has reached out to Tarantino or comment.

Tarantino recently partnered with Netflix to release 2015 film “The Hateful Eight” in episodes. As for his forays into television, Tarantino previously was credited for “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series” episodes based on his film with Robert Rodriguez. He also wrote and directed two episodes of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” in 2005, and helmed one episode of “E.R.” in 1995, as well as playing a character on a two-parter of “Alias.”

The “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Quentin Tarantino has disclosed that he has plans to step back into television, looking to shoot an eight-episode series in 2023. The film director shared news of the project Wednesday night while promoting his new book, “Cinema Speculation,” at a New York event hosted by Elvis Mitchell.

The filmmaker wasn’t forthright with narrative or production details around the project. Tarantino has worked in television before, directing two episodes of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” in 2005. Since then he has flirted with venturing back, with reports emerging in February that the director was in talks to helm installments of FX’s “Justified” revival.

The N.Y. conversation covered a lot of ground, with Tarantino touching on other projects he’s circled over the years. The writer-director shared that he wrote a play before “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” was completed. He also stated that he was approached to do a rewrite

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Episodes 1-11 of Andor.Episode 11 of Andor entitled, "Daughters of Ferrix" mixed in a little bit of the old with the new in a dazzling ship chase sequence that harkens back to what we love so much about Star Wars. After meeting with Saw Gerrera (Forrest Whittaker) to make him aware of an upcoming setback with the burning of Krieger, Luthen (Stellan Skarsgard) is on his way back to Coruscant and is just about to hear the news that Cassian's (Diego Luna) mother Maarva (Fiona Shaw) has passed away. But just moments before he is informed, his radio signal is interrupted by the voice of an Imperial patrol commander aboard an approaching Arrester Cruiser Cantwell Class that is requesting ship identification. While Luthen scrambles to hack a serial number to placate the Imperial Patrol commander, he is already actively engaging in an

Prosecutors will not call Mel Gibson to testify in Harvey Weinstein’s criminal trial, after all.

Gibson would have been brought onto the stand to corroborate parts of a story from a Jane Doe in the case, who said she confided in Gibson after she was allegedly sexually assaulted by Weinstein.

Jane Doe #3 was Gibson’s massage therapist. She told the jury that the “Braveheart” actor had become a close friend, so she told him about the alleged incident during an appointment. She said Gibson offered to help and asked if she wanted to call the police or find a lawyer.

“He was the first person that I had finally opened up to,” Jane Doe #3 said during her testimony earlier this month, crying on the stand.

Earlier in the trial, a journalist and producer, Allison Weiner, who is also friends with Gibson, testified to corroborate that Jane Doe #3 had opened

Before the #MeToo movement surged and led Harvey Weinstein behind bars, two New York Times investigative reporters decided to do the research, interview the victims, and make sure they had evidence to support their tell-all article that was published in 2017. After Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey shared the final product of their effort to bring sexual harassment claims in the Hollywood industry to light, they opened the doors for women and men to speak up as well. Now, actresses Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan are ready to embody the two journalists in the adaptation to the screen of their best-selling memoir She Said. The film directed by Maria Schrader promises to dive deep into the investigation and trials that both women faced when uncovering the details about Weinstein's predator behavior throughout the years. As they sit down and listen to coworkers and people close to him about their experiences facing sexual harassment,

Some Hollywood villains have been successfully transformed into heroes, or at least antiheroes Loki in the MCU, Hal 9000 in 2010: The Year We Make Contact, and the Terminator in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Villains can become heroes, antiheroes or simply less villainous because they fall in love, because they seek redemption, or because - as with the Terminator - they've been reprogrammed!

Phase 4 of the MCU has brought forth the new class of heroes rising up to take on the mantle of the original Avengers. Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) is officially Captain America, succeeding Steve Rogers (Chris Evans); Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) are well on their way to being the new Black Widow and Hawkeye, respectively, titles held by Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and Clint Barton (Jeremy Rinner). Though the new Avengers are rounding out the roster, there’s one position we’ve been waiting to see filled.