BBC Studios to Launch Global Entertainment Arm, Appoints Matt Forde to Lead (EXCLUSIVE)

The latest series of Strictly Come Dancing is in full swing with sequin-clad celebrities taking to the dance floor with their professional partners and high hopes of impressing the judges.

Sean Penn, Matthew Fox, and Kick Gurry are heading to Mipcom Cannes to talk about their satirical comedy series C*A*U*G*H*T.

UPDATED, 11:34 a.m.: Sony Pictures Classics has firmed up release plans for its drama Freud’s Last Session, starring Anthony Hopkins and Matthew Goode, which charts the relationship between psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and author C.S. Lewis. Based on the stage play by Mark St. Germain, who wrote the script, the film opens in theaters in New York and L.A. December 22nd, with an expansion to follow in January.

Five weeks into its run, Netflix‘s One Piece remains firmly in the streamer’s weekly Top 10, amassing 57.8M views to date. For four of them, which included One Piece‘s quick Season 2 renewal, series writer/executive producer/co-showrunner Matt Owens was on strike with the rest of the WGA.

EXCLUSIVE: SonyLIV has already found success adapting Israeli scripted hits Your Honor and Fauda and the Indian streamer is now remaking a third title from the firm the network behind them, Yes TV.

Troye Sivan has covered Billie Eilish‘s ‘What Was I Made For‘ as part of his performance for BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge.The pop singer was the second artist to perform as part of the station’s Live Lounge month which will see the program air a new performance every Monday through Thursday for the entirety of October.Taking over the iconic studio, Sivan performed a slowed-down rendition of his viral track ‘Rush’ and, keeping with the tradition of performing a cover, he took on Eilish’s track ‘What Was I Made For’ from the Barbie movie soundtrack.Sivan’s Live Lounge takeover marks the first time the singer has performed live since 2019. The next artists to take over this week are Jorja Smith on October 4 and Madison Beer on October 5.

Naman Ramachandran Principal photography has commenced on “Paan Parda Zarda,” a high-end series that unites some of India’s top talents. “Paan Parda Zarda” is a gangster drama series set against the backdrop of illegal opium smuggling in central India. It is produced by billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Jio Studios in association with Reliance Entertainment and Dreamer and Doers Co.

Refresh for latest…: Here we are with a sort of hybrid weekend at the international box office: there were fresh entries from the Hollywood studios, as well as major new titles timed to holiday play in local markets, and a holdover that’s continuing to rack up records.

Naman Ramachandran Sujoy Ghosh’s Netflix original film “Jaane Jaan,” headlined by Bollywood royalty Kareena Kapoor Khan, has become the number one non-English film globally for the streamer. With 8.1 million views, the Hindi-language film is also in the Top 10 in 52 countries. “Jaane Jaan” is the Indian adaptation of Japanese author Higashino Keigo’s bestselling 2005 novel “The Devotion of Suspect X.” It follows a single mother and her daughter who commit a crime and a neighbor who helps them cover it up amidst a police investigation.

BBC Taps Dragonfly For Commissioner

While a fairly quiet frame overall, there were some significant milestones this international box office session. To wit: New Line/Warner Bros’ The Nun II topped the $200M mark worldwide and Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan became the highest-grossing Bollywood movie ever in India, overtaking the star’s earlier 2023 movie, Pathaan.

The BBC has acquired all three seasons of Hulu’s Love, Victor.

EXCLUSIVE: Jack Thorne’s heartwrenching BBC drama Best Interests starring Sharon Horgan and Michael Sheen has sold to a wealth of territories.

EXCLUSIVE: Netflix closed a $20 million deal on Hit Man, making the biggest deal at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and of the year for that matter. After the Richard Linklater-directed noir comic thriller debuted to raves at Venice, the film was expected to fetch the biggest deal of the fall festivals so far. Hit Man did not disappoint. Hit Man stars Top Gun Maverick’s Glen Powell and Adria Arjona (Andor) playing the most unlikely romantic partners, in performances that will boost each of their careers. Especially Powell, who co-wrote with Linklater what will be a major star turn for him. Netflix got US, UK, Australia/New Zealand, India, South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, and Iceland. There is also a theatrical component to the deal, I’ve heard.

Naman Ramachandran U.K. broadcaster ITV has signed a deal with UEFA to become the new home of England men’s soccer qualifying games. All European qualifiers, UEFA Nations League ties and friendlies between major tournaments will be shown on ITV from September 2024 through to June 2028.

Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins made "a human being" out of former health secretary Matt Hancock, apparently. The 44 year old has attracted so much vitriolic energy over the last couple of years - mainly thanks to his mid-lockdown jaunt to visit a secret girlfriend while the rest of the UK couldn't see their nearest and dearest - but by appearing in the last series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and this month's hellish SAS show, the politician is hoping to come out smelling of roses in the public eye.

Naman Ramachandran Indian star Karthik Sivakumar, known by his screen name Karthi, is bullish about upcoming release “Japan,” his 25th film. The film is due to release in November during the Deepavali holiday frame in Tamil, Telugu and a few other languages.

Refresh for latest…: Warner Bros/New Line’s The Nun II continued to conjure strong business around the globe this weekend, taking the top spot again worldwide and overseas. The sophomore session of $30.1M in 72 offshore markets brings the international box office cume to $102.3M and worldwide to $158.8M so far.

For fans of the BBC dance competition, every weekend from now until mid-December will be marked by the glitz and glamour of the ballroom, the biting comments of notoriously tough judge Craig Revel Horwood, charming hosting by Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, and the tension of Sunday night results shows. As well as the celeb stars, fans of the show can't wait for the return of our much-loved Strictly professionals, including the talented Dianne Buswell. Dianne joined the show back in 2017 and has gone on to have some pretty successful routines and celebrity partners, including her now-boyfriend Joe Sugg, who she reached the final with back in 2018.

The 2023 series of Strictly Come Dancing is just around the corner, with the new season scheduled to launch of BBC One on Saturday 16 September. A new set of celebrities are set to take to the iconic dance floor on the hit BBC One show, including Bobby Brazier, Les Dennis, Ellie Leach and Angela Scanlon. This year's pairings are yet to be revealed, with Strictly bosses being careful to keep them under wraps until the launch show.