‘Call My Agent!’ And ‘Marianne’ Writer Quoc Dang Tran Strikes First-Look Deal With Universal International Studios; Becomes First French Writer To Tie With Major Studio – Series Mania

RuPaul is expanding even more internationally!

Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist Flea recently performed a wild and distorted rendition of the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’. Watch a clip of him playing below.The rock aficionado wielded a Lakers-branded bass, providing his own intense spin on the song.The performance was inspired by jazz musician Charli Parker and legendary basketball player Kareen Abdul-Jabar.“I was so happy to have had a brief conversation with Kareem Abdul Jabbar before I walked out there,” Flea said via Instagram.He continued: “Knowing Kareem’s deep love for and knowledge of jazz, I told him I would do a Charlie Parker riff, which I did in the second stanza (on the word ‘fight’.)”He also wrote about his fellow RHCP bandmates, noting that frontman Anthony Kiedis and drummer Chad Smith were both in attendance and that “everyone got a bitchin RHCP hoops shirt.”A post shared by Flea (@flea333) The band released their 12th album, ‘Unlimited Love’, last month via Warner.

“Historic Collaboration” From India’s Zee And Mexico’s TelevisaUnivision

A hotel in Cheshire is set to open a 15-metre serenity swimming pool and Finnish sauna this Easter. The four-star Manor House Hotel in Alsager, nestled in the heart of the east Cheshire countryside, is expanding to offer a brand new luxury spa, with phase one ready for the Bank Holiday weekend.

Choosing a name for your child can be a very difficult task. Just ask Kylie Jenner, who recently abandoned her original name of Wolf after a few weeks. While choosing a moniker that suits them is one challenge, there is another barrier according to experts at language-learning platform Babbel.

Sundance Now has dropped the first trailer for Ten Percent, the UK remake of hit French comedy Call My Agent! in what looks to be a fairly faithful and quite fun adaptation. Sundance Now and AMC+ will premiere the first two episodes on April 29 in the U.S., with the rest of the season following weekly. Amazon has UK rights and is due to launch this spring.

EXCLUSIVE: Paloma Kwiatkowski (Riot Girls), Donal Logue (Sons Of Anarchy), David Mazouz (Gotham), Camille Sullivan (Hunter Hunter), and Golden Globe nominee Adam Beach (Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee) have been set to star in supernatural thriller The Island Between Tides.

K.J. Yossman Award-winning actor and producer Gillian Anderson has signed a first-look deal with Netflix via her production company Fiddlehead Productions.

EXCLUSIVE: Deadline has your first look at the film Across the River and Into the Trees, starring six-time Golden Globe nominee Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan), which is opening the Sun Valley Film Festival on March 30.

The first look of Jacqueline Jossa as Frozen character Elsa on All Star Musicals, in pictures which have been released ahead of the arrival of series next month. The 29 year old looked practically unrecognisable in the photos unveiled by ITV as she is seen in full costume as the popular Disney character whilst taking part in the singing show.

Manori Ravindran International EditorUniversal International Studios has struck a first-look deal with “Call My Agent!” and “Parallèles” writer Quoc Dang Tran as it continues a charm offensive directed at international creators.UIS has inked a first-look deal with the French-Vietnamese writer and showrunner who will develop and produce English and French-language television projects with the studio for the global market. French-language series will be co-produced with the “Marianne” writer’s recently formed label, Daïmôn Films.“He really leads from themes that speak to his heart versus responding to the industry, so we’re excited to do business with a creator who listens to their gut instead of just what the network is mandating,” Beatrice Springborn, president of Universal International Studios, tells Variety ahead of a keynote at French TV festival Series Mania.

Families looking to get away for the Easter holidays can take advantage of up to 50 per cent off in a huge sale launched by Park Holidays.

Manchester United duo Edinson Cavani and Facundo Pellistri have been named in the Uruguay squad for their upcoming 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Chile.

EXCLUSIVE: The streaming revolution has finally gifted European creatives the opportunity to write sci-fi and other genres, according to Quoc Dang Tran, the creator of Disney+’s first French-language drama Parallèles.

Manori Ravindran International EditorA first look at the third and final season of “Derry Girls” is finally here.U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 has unveiled the first Season 3 still and trailer for the show, which garnered global popularity via Netflix.

Manori Ravindran International EditorUniversal International Studios has struck a deal with one of the hottest players in Spanish-language programming, Buendía Estudios.Under the deal, the company, whose recent credits include the hit dramas “Cardo” and “Veneno,” will co-develop and co-produce Spanish-language series with Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group. Formed in 2020, Buendía Estudios is a joint venture between Atresmedia and Telefónica’s Movistar Plus, and incorporates the in-house player formerly known as Atresmedia Studios.The company, which is led by CEO Ignacio Corrales, told Variety earlier this year that, in addition to producing for Spain and Latin America, it’s looking to develop projects from the region that are global-facing, in the vein of international Spanish-language triumphs like “Money Heist” and “Velvet.” A slate of around 40 projects across various genres and formats is currently in the works.

AppleTV+ has released a first-look image of The Essex Serpent starring Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston, with launch date set for Friday May 13.