'Bama Rush' Director Talks Alleged Threats Surrounding Doc: 'Access Was Challenging' (Exclusive)

ITV Orders Trans Child Facility Doc

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent ANNECY —  In major news for Mexican animation as it comes under the spotlight at Annecy, director Sofia Carrillo (“The Sad House,” “Cerulia”) is teaming with “Roma” producer Nicolas Celis and  ‘Dance of the 41’ writer Monika Revilla to make “Insectario,” which bids fair to become one of the first stop motion features from Mexico. Targeting family audiences, and written by Revilla, “Insectario” is set up at Celis’ Pimienta Films.  Carrillo, who worked on the Mexican second unit on “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” based out of Guadalajara’s El Taller del Chucho, told Variety that “Insectario” will build on the same aesthetic universe of “Cerulia” using the same puppets and sometimes the same sets. 

ESPN director Kyle Brown died suddenly on Saturday after suffering a “medical emergency” at an NCAA baseball super regional in Winston Salem, N.C., the network announced. He was 42.

A former “RuPaul’s Drag Race” winner was arrested Saturday for allegedly threatening to shoot Florida police.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Several crew members were injured on the Morocco set of the sequel to “Gladiator” on June 7 while filming a stunt sequence for the action film. “While filming a planned stunt sequence on the set of the ‘Gladiator’ sequel, an accident occurred during which several crew members experienced non-life-threatening injuries,” a spokesperson for Paramount Pictures, the studio behind the film, said in a statement. “The safety and full medical services teams on-site were able to act quickly so that those who were impacted immediately received necessary care. They are all in stable condition and continue to receive treatment.” A total of six people received treatment, four of whom remain in the hospital. All of the impacted crew members were treated for burn injuries, according to an individual with knowledge of the production. Two other crew members were treated locally and then discharged. The accident occurred towards the end of the shooting day. No cast members were harmed.

K.J. Yossman Destry Allyn Spielberg’s directorial feature debut “Don’t Feed the Children,” which stars “Downton Abbey’s” Michelle Dockery, has added three new, young actors to its central cast. Joshuah Melnick, Emma Meisel and Dean Scott Vazquez are set to join Dockery in the upcoming film, which was written by Paul Bertino, about a viral outbreak that affects only adults. Following the pandemic, “a group of orphans head south in search of a new life, only to find themselves at the mercy of a deranged woman harboring a dangerous secret,” reads the logline. The film is set to start shooting next month in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is speaking out.

Elle King is all about loving life and herself right now. The singer stopped by the Opry House, home of the Grand Ole Opry, to chat with ET about her gig co-hosting this year’s CMA Fest alongside Dierks Bentley and Lainey Wilson. The 33-year-old has entered a new era in her life, previously hinted at in a cryptic Instagram post from April, in which she shared a series of selfies with the caption: «In my me myself n i era

The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show.” O’Reilly has said before on the syndicated radio program, considered the heir apparent to Rush Limbaugh, that Biden has no intention of seeking re-election.“Bill, we also want to ask you about where you think we are here with Biden,” co-host Sexton said. “You’ve said on this show before that you still don’t buy that he’s going to be the eventual Democrat running for president. Are you with that still? And how do you see that playing out? Because we’re getting pretty deep into into the season now.”O’Reilly seemed to think that even later in the game, there’s a much simpler way out for Biden than most people are imagining.“Not really if you understand the process,” he said.

Love to Love You, Donna Summer is not just a documentary, it’s a hymn to the life and times of the indisputable queen of disco. The film conveys Donna Summer’s journey from the gospel churches of Boston to the dance floors that defined an era. Directed by first-time helmer and Summer’s daughter Brooklyn Sudano and Roger Ross Williams (The Apollo, Traveling While Black), Love to Love You weaves together interviews, footage and the singer’s infectious music to deliver a new perspective on the life of a vocal powerhouse. As part of the Deadline FYC House + HBO Max Event series, we spoke with Sudano, Williams and producer David Blackman on the red carpet at the New York premiere. 

Angelique Jackson Grammy winner Erykah Badu has joined the all-star ensemble for Netflix’s feature adaptation of August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson.” The singer-songwriter (“What Men Want”) will make a cameo, delivering “her soulful sound and eclectic style” with musical performances in the film,” starring Oscar winner Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington. Jackson and Washington reprise their roles from the highly successful Broadway revival of Wilson’s play, which recently received two Tony Award nominations (best revival of a play and best performance by an actor in a featured role in a play for Jackson).

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor International sales house Totem Films has closed distribution deals in multiple territories for “Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry,” which had its world premiere in Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes. The company also closed a deal for France for another Directors’ Fortnight film, “A Song Sung Blue.” “Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry” was sold to France (Capricci), U.K. (New Wave), Benelux (Vedette), Sweden (Folkets Bio), Greece (Ama Films), Czech Republic (Artcam), and Germany (Eksystent). More deals are in negotiation. The distributor in Switzerland is Frenetic. The film, directed by Elene Navierani, centers on Etero, a 48-year-old woman living in a small village in Georgia. Etero never wanted a husband and cherishes her freedom as much as her cakes. But her choice to live alone is the cause of much gossip among her fellow villagers.

EXCLUSIVE: SAS: Who Dares Wins and Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test instructor and writer Remi Adeleke has teamed with Emmy-winner Nick Nanton on Hero, a doc feature exploring perseverance and hope. Nanton’s companies DNA Films and Abundance Studios are teaming to make the feature.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Hong Sang-soo’s latest film “In Our Day,” which will premiere on closing night of Cannes’ Directors Fortnight, has been acquired by Cinema Guild for North America. Cinema Guild will release the film in theaters following its North American festival premiere later this year. “In Our Day” stars Kim Minhee as Sangwon, an actress who has recently returned to South Korea and is temporarily staying with her friend, Jungsoo (Song Sunmi), and her cat, Us. Elsewhere in the city, the aging poet Uiju (Ki Joobong) lives alone, his cat having recently passed away. On this ordinary day, each of them has a visitor: Sangwon is visited by her cousin, Jisoo (Park Miso) and Uiju, by a young actor,Jaewon (Ha Seongguk). Each of them wants to learn about a career in the arts, but they alsohave bigger questions.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. The Bama Rush sensation, which took over millions of TikTok users’ FYPs two years ago, has rushed its way to streaming.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Colombian-Mexican filmmaker Rodrigo García has wrapped his first Spanish-language feature, “Familia,” which was shot in Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico for Netflix. García, who has directed such acclaimed films as “Mother and Child” and “Albert Nobbs,” and whose TV credits include “Six Feet Under,” “Big Love” and “In Treatment,” said: “Shooting ‘Familia’ has been a great experience.” He added: “Great producers, collaborators, several of my favorite Mexican actors and actresses and Netflix’s full support have made this project an unforgettable trip back home.” This is the first time García, who is the son of Colombian Nobel Laureate Gabriel García Marquez, has directed a film in Mexico. He’s an executive producer in Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of his father’s literary classic “100 Years of Solitude,” which will be shooting in Colombia.

Luke Bryan wasn't expecting to turn on the water works during Sunday's big season 21 finale! However, sometimes you just can't hold back your heart.While fellow judge Katy Perry found herself getting expectedly emotional during the star-studded finale — as she's a judge who is known to wear her heart on her sleeve — Bryan surprised some fans when he shed a few tears as well during the showdown between the season's Top 3 -- Megan Danielle, Iam Tongi, and Colin Stough.Speaking with ET's Denny Directo after the show, Bryan joked, «I never anticipated crying on national TV that much.»«But I think we're just mimicking what people are feeling at home,» he said, explaining that some of the contestants' backstories and inspiring bouts of courage and perseverance are deeply inspiring and moving for everyone.Ultimately, 18-year-old Tongi was crowned the champion, and Bryan shared some words of wisdom for the up-and-coming performer.«I think the main thing is, you have to make sure it's all on your terms, and when somebody is trying to push you down a creative path you may be unsure of, just trust your gut on stuff,» Bryan shared. «Also, understand that you're gonna make some mistakes.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Italy’s Intramovies has acquired global rights outside of Israel and France on Israeli director Dani Rosenberg’s Gaza-Strip conflict drama “The Vanishing Soldier.”  “Vanishing Soldier” is Rosenberg’s second feature after “The Death of Cinema and My Father Too,” which was in the official selection in Cannes 202O and won the Jerusalem Film Festival’s top prize. The film is about an 18-year-old Israeli soldier who flees the Gaza battlefield and heads back to his girlfriend in Tel Aviv only to discover that the military elite is convinced he was kidnapped in the fog of war. What ensues is a tragicomic journey and takes place over a period of 24 hours on the streets of Tel Aviv.

EXCLUSIVE: Paramount’s sequel to the Oscar-winning hit Gladiator is rounding out its cast as sources tell Deadline the untitled pic has added May Calamawy, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Peter Mensah and Matt Lucas.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Christopher Manning will make his feature directorial debut with “James Ivory: In Search of Love and Beauty,” a biographical documentary about Oscar-winning director and screenwriter James Ivory. The film will chronicle the life and work of the filmmaker, who is still going strong at age 94, having earned acclaim and an Academy Award for adapting “Call Me By Your Name.” But even before that film hit theaters, Ivory was known as an unparalleled director of dramas about men and women who deal with roiling emotions behind a facade of exquisite manners.  His greatest films include such classics (and yes that over-used descriptor applies) as “A Room with a View,” “Maurice,” “Howards End” and “The Remains of the Day.” He has been nominated for the director Oscar on three occasions, and has been nominated for producing three picture contenders. Many of these movies were made with the help of the late film producer Ismail Merchant and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. The trio operated under the shingle Merchant Ivory, producing 44 films between 1961 and 2009.