BayView Entertainment Acquires UK Genre Distributor Vipco

Banijay Kids & Family has bought UK drama specialist Kindle Entertainment and Italian animation firm Movimenti Production. The deals bring the total number of production within Banijay’s youth-focused arm across France, the UK and Italy to six, sitting alongside distribution, marketing and licencing arm, Zodiak Kids & Family Distribution.

Carson Burton A new feature film based on the 1986 sports drama “Youngblood,” this time centering on an African American hockey prodigy, is in the works from Aircraft Pictures and Dolphin Entertainment. Rising filmmaker Charles Officer is on board to direct the film, which is slated to begin principal photography in early 2023. The reimagined update follows hockey prodigy Dean Youngblood, who joins the Hamilton Bulldogs and faces toxic behavior throughout his journey to the National Hockey League draft. The original 1986 film, distributed by MGM, was Keanu Reeves’ feature film debut. It also starred Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze, and it has since become a cult classic among hockey fans.

Paradigm Entertainment, the parent company of the Paradigm Talent Agency, said Wednesday that it has acquired BEST, a group of three management and marketing companies focused in the worlds of broadcast news, culinary and on-air media personalities. The new acquisitions will be housed in the newly created arm Paradigm Media Entertainment, which will include the talent agency. The lines of business will now work together to service clients’ entertainment, publishing, brand partnership, and news-media services needs.

EXCLUSIVE: Alcon Entertainment has joined RTG Features and May 3rd Films for their upcoming docuseries on legendary basketball coach John Thompson.

Emmy-winning producer Dionne Harmon has been promoted to President at Jesse Collins Entertainment from her previous role as EVP Content and Strategy at JCE. In the newly created position, Harmon will oversee all aspects of the company’s creative strategy and financial growth. She will report to Collins.

Federation Entertainment has hit the M&A trail once again by taking a majority stake in Britannia, Bronson and Bulletproof producer Vertigo Films, its first British acquisition.

US Open-dominating Serena Williams to a baseball signed by not only Babe Ruth but Jackie Robinson, too, a jaw-dropping selection of sports equipment and apparel — each with an opening bid that makes season-ticket prices look like chump change — will hit the auction block at Sotheby’s starting Tuesday. The auction is Part II of Sotheby’s “Invictus” event, the first of which, running simultaneously, is dedicated solely to selling off Michael Jordan’s jersey from Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals — his last-ever season with the Chicago Bulls.

National Geographic Documentary Films has announced the acquisition of worldwide rights to Bobi Wine: The People’s President, following its Venice Festival premiere.

National Geographic Documentary Films has acquired the rights to “Bobi Wine: The People’s President,” a political documentary about the Ugandan opposition leader that premiered at the Venice Film Festival this weekend. Nat Geo acquired the film ahead of Bobi Wine appearing at the Telluride Film Festival when the film will make its North American debut this weekend.

EXCLUSIVE: Gravitas Ventures has acquired North American rights to the horror film The Inhabitant, starring Odessa A’zion (Hulu’s Hellraiser), Leslie Bibb (Mrs. American Pie), Dermot Mulroney (Umma) and Lizze Broadway (The Rookie), slating it for release in over 100 theaters on October 7th. Highland Film Group is handling international rights, with sales being launched at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival.

EXCLUSIVE: Sunita Mani (GLOW, Mr. Robot) will topline the horror Wilder Than Her from Bombo Sports & Entertainment, which has wrapped production in Guerneville, CA. The three other leads for the film, written and directed by Jessica Kozak, are Kate Easton (When They See Us), Kayla Foster (Call Jane) and Danny Deferrari (Oppenheimer).

EXCLUSIVE: Larsen Thompson (The Midnight Club) and Olwen Fouéré (The Northman) have joined the cast of the upcoming film Horrorscope, from Screen Gems and Alloy Entertainment. The actors join an ensemble which also includes Jacob Batalon, Alana Boden, Adain Bradley, Avantika, Humberly González and Wolfgang Novogratz, as previously announced.

A little black dress goes a long way! The 2022 MTV Video Music Awards red carpet was filled with celebrities rocking timeless looks in the classic hue.

EXCLUSIVE: Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance have renewed the overall deal with MTV Entertainment Studios for their Bassett Vance Productions, and have set Heist 88, starring Vance, as the first feature under the new pact.

EXCLUSIVE: Music producer Tyler Ward’s Nashville-based social media viral hit factory Song House is being profiled in a premium docuseries from Sky Studios-backed U.S. indie Jupiter Entertainment.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Documentary “Bobi Wine: Ghetto President,” which world premieres Out of Competition at the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 1, centers on a man’s pursuit of freedom and justice for his country, but at the film’s heart is a love story. Variety speaks to the filmmakers, and unveils the trailer, the first time any footage has been released. The film, directed by Christopher Sharp and Moses Bwayo, and produced by Sharp and Oscar-winner John Battsek, follows the attempt by musician Bobi Wine to topple the repressive regime of Ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni. Sharp has a personal connection to Uganda: both his father and he were born there, and he spent a large part of his childhood in the country. He met Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, in 2017, just after the musician had become a Member of Parliament.

EXCLUSIVE: Hot off the success of its record-breaking Netflix film Purple Hearts, Alloy Entertainment has unveiled four new features in development, three of which are based on books that the company has developed in-house.

EXCLUSIVE: Imperative Entertainment and Vespucci are doubling down on their podcast partnership.

EXCLUSIVE: Lionsgate’s Grindstone Entertainment Group has acquired North American rights to A Place in the Field, a drama infused with magical realism, which marks the feature directorial debut of 2021 AFI graduate Nicole Mejia.