Blumhouse Promotes Lisa Niedenthal, Jon Romano as Heads of Merged Physical Production Department

Italian-Uruguayan producer and actor Luca Barbareschi is developing a six-part series about the life of Bank of America founder and early Hollywood financier Amadeo Peter Giannini.

Seeking to address working conditions that have “worsened dramatically” in recent years, thousands of workers employed in TV commercial production departments across the country have formed a new union called Stand With Production under the umbrella of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.

Wilson Chapman editorMarisa Garcia and Ben Shimmel have been promoted to agent positions at WME, Variety has learned exclusively.Both Garcia and Shimmel are veterans of the talent agency’s comedy division and will continue to work for the department in their new roles, supporting the agency’s comedy roster, which includes several of the industry’s top talents, such as Amy Schumer, Hasan Minhaj and Jerrod Carmichael, who are all honorees at this year’s prestigious Just for Laugh’s Montreal comedy festival. Other WME clients include Kevin Hart, John Mulaney, Bill Burr and 2022 Variety Comics to Watch honoree Moses Storm.In her new role, Garcia will focus on live touring for the agency’s comedy and digital entertainment roster.

The Hardy Boys, Virgin River), is accused of killing a boy he was babysitting, it ignites a cascade of violence and terror that will force Laurie to finally confront the evil she can’t control, once and for all.”Guys, again. Hell Yes.Curtis returns — sadly for the last time — as Laurie Strode and along with Matichak and Campbell is joined by returning cast Will Patton as Officer Frank Hawkins, Kyle Richards as Lindsey Wallace and James Jude Courtney as The Shape. From Universal Pictures, Miramax and Blumhouse, David Gordon Green directs from a screenplay by Paul Brad Logan, Chris Bernier, Danny McBride and David Gordon Green, based on characters created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill. “Halloween Ends” is produced by Malek Akkad, Jason Blum and Bill Block.

“Insidious 5” finally has a release date. The hit horror franchise will make its way back into theaters on July 7, 2023 — five years after the previous installment, “Insidious: The Last Key,” debuted in Jan.

Vin Diesel leans over to give Helen Mirren while filming scenes for Fast X in Rome, Italy on Monday (July 18).

EXCLUSIVE: Fans can expect to see more of Deputy Mo Poppernak in the upcoming third season of ABC’s Big Sky.  J. Anthony Pena, who heavily recurred as the character in Season 2, has been promoted to series regular for the upcoming third season. Additionally, Luke Mitchell (Blindspot), Seth Gabel (Salem), Henry Ian Cusick (Lost), Anirudh Pisharody (9-1-1) and Madalyn Horcher (Gracepoint) have joined the cast in recurring roles.

Julia Roberts is set to become the first-ever Icon Award honoree at the upcoming Academy Museum Gala, honoring her as «an artist whose career has had a significant global cultural impact.»The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures announced on Friday that the legendary actress will be presented with the honor at the second annual gala on Oct. 15.

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will be giving Julia Roberts the Academy Museum Gala Icon Award on October 15, 2022. The award is presented to an artist whose career has had a “significant global impact.” The event, which will be presented by Rolex and raises funds for the museum’s initiatives, will be co-chaired by Halle Berry, Jason Blum, Ryan Murphy and Lupita Nyong’o.

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros. TV’s Leigh London Redman, has been appointed as President of Berlanti Productions.

The Locarno Film Festival has announced the full line-up and juries for its 75th edition, which is due to unfold August 3-13.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterShari Hanson has been elevated to executive VP of physical production and visual effects for Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Animation.Under her new title, she will continue to work on Paramount’s live-action films and will expand her portfolio to include titles produced at Nick Animation. Hanson’s promotion comes as Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Studios work to streamline their strategy for production.

Shari Hanson has been promoted to the role of EVP, Physical Production and Visual Effects at Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Animation.

EXCLUSIVE: Blumhouse is centralizing their physical production groups across film and television into one department, led by Lisa Niedenthal, a four-year TV vet for the studio. Jon Romano, who joined Blumhouse in 2019, has been upped to SVP Physical Production and will oversee production for all feature projects, both theatrical and streaming, reporting to Niedenthal.