Banijay Bows Global Accelerator Program to Bolster Female Creators Working on Unscripted Formats

Kendrick Lamar's company pgLang is working with Global Citizen to establish a touring circuit across Africa. pgLang has committed to curating annual Move Afrika shows for the next five years, starting with a Lamar headline show in Rwanda on December 6. When major U.S.

Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, from Apple, Paramount and Imperative Entertainment, has set a milestone, crossing the $100M mark at the global box office through Thursday. As it heads into its third frame, the epic western crime saga is at $102.1M worldwide, including $45.3M domestic and $56.8M from the international box office. 

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic The philanthropic organization Global Citizen is teaming up with Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free’s company, pgLang, in an ambitious effort to establish a major music touring circuit across Africa. A kickoff event, “Move Afrika: Rwanda,” will take place Dec. 6 with the hip-hop superstar as the headliner.

Party season is approaching, and there’s no time like the present to start preparing your festive outfits. From deciding whether you’re going for sequins or metallics to choosing which makeup trend you want to try out, ‘tis the season for going all out with your looks, and there’s no reason your hair should miss out on all the fun.This year one of the biggest hair trends is surprisingly easy to do, and it makes a big impact whilst still being subtle and chic enough to wear with just about anything.That’s right; the statement hair bow is back.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Paramount Global saw a third-quarter profit hike thanks to new revenue from its streaming and film operations even as its largest business, linear TV, grappled with flat distribution revenue and a downturn in advertising dollars. The New York owner of CBS, the Paramount movie studio and the Nickelodeon cable network said revenue rose 3% during the period, largely due to a 38% increase in its streaming business and a 14% hike from its film division, which benefitted from the latest releases in the “Mission Impossible” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” franchises.

Steven J. Horowitz Senior Music Writer In the wake of massive summer tours from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, Live Nation has announced yet another record-breaking quarter in Q3 of 2023, with revenue up 32% to $8.2 billion and up 36% to $16.9 billion so far this year.

Banijay has added to its UK scripted roster with the acquisiton of Help and The Buccaneers producer The Forge.

K.J. Yossman Banijay U.K.

Leading Tamil filmmaker Mani Ratnam shared deep insights and filmmaking secrets from his illustrious 40-year career in a master class at Mumbai Film Festival, moderated by self-confessed fan and Hindi film director Imtiaz Ali. 

Refresh for latest…: Universal/Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy’s is gaming its way to an estimated $130.6M global opening, higher even than we had it yesterday as this phenom is now eyeing a $52.6M bow from 64 international box office markets. As Anthony has chronicled, the domestic $78M opening is a stunner — and amid the day-and-date Peacock bow. Overseas, the play is purely theatrical and has set a number of records.

The phenomenon that is Universal/Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy’s is currently looking at a global opening of $130M. Fazbear and crew are playing in 64 international box office markets where they are expected to reach $52M through Sunday.

Lenny Henry has launched a scripted production outfit backed by the £50M ($61M) Banijay UK Growth Fund.

K.J. Yossman Lenny Henry has launched a new production company backed by Banijay U.K. Titled Esmerelda, the new venture will focus on drama and comedy with an emphasis on under-represented voices.

The number of unscripted shows commissioned in North America fell by 14% in the run-up to the writer-actor strikes, as the unscripted boom seen in the previous labor action failed to materialize.

Banijay has forged a “global accelerator program” to encourage more women to get into unscripted formats.

Steve Clarke As commissioning budgets continue to tighten, and with content powerhouses feeling the economic squeeze, there is renewed pressure to think laterally in the international formats business. “Producers are struggling to survive. People need to up their game and think outside the box in terms of their business models and how shows are made,” says Jan Salling, co-chairman of the Format Recognition and Protection Assn.

Eva Longoria and Cris Abrego, two of the most high-profile Latinos in Hollywood, have joined forces.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Eva Longoria and Cris Abrego have known each other for 20 years. As two of entertainment’s most prominent Latino figures, they have developed a strong friendship around shared experiences and a similar passion for nurturing creative talent.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Sarah Jessica Parker is set to executive produce “Front Row,” a gripping documentary feature following a group of talented Ukrainian ballet dancers. Directed by Miriam Guttmann, the award-winning filmmaker of “Seeds of Deceit,” the documentary is produced by Scenery (“Human Playground”), a joint venture with Banijay Benelux. Parker and Alison Benson are exec producing via Pretty Matches Productions, alongside The Ruderman Foundation.

EXCLUSIVE: Ocsar-nominated Shine director Scott Hicks‘ projects aboout musician Ben Folds have been taken on for distribution by Banijay Rights.