Distortion Studios Opens New Virtual Production Facility in Bristol, England (EXCLUSIVE)

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent “Sentinel,” by Hollywood legend Phil Tippett, and “Sister Inconnue,” the first solo directorial outing of RKSS’ Anouk Whissell, cold well be two highlights at a 2024 Cannes Frontières Platform that looks set to underscore the robust range of genre as it is embraced by Hollywood, big independents, horror devotees and auteurs alike. Creator of creatures for “Star Wars” and “Jurassic Park,” Tippett may have terrified more people than anybody alive.

A new film and TV studio funded via a portion of a £24M ($30M) government investment has become the latest to launch in the UK.

Henry Cavill suits up in blue while attending the premiere of his new movie The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare held at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on Monday evening (April 15) in New York City.

“Franklin,” an eight-part series premiering April 12 on Apple TV+.“Franklin” tells the story of 70-year-old Ben Franklin’s secret diplomatic mission to France in 1776 to gain French support (money, arms) for America’s fight against the British in the Revolutionary War. There are a lot of moving parts here, so viewers would be apprised to pay attention as Franklin navigates French high society — and politics — in an effort to achieve his goal.The series is based on the book “A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America” by Pulitzer Prize-winner Stacy Schiff.As the series opens, Franklin — commissioned by Congress to undertake his clandestine journey across the Atlantic — has no diplomatic experience.

Pearl Jam have announced a special ‘Dark Matter-verse’ event to take place in London on the same day as the release of their new album.‘Dark Matter’, the band’s 12th studio album, is set for release on April 19 via Monkeywrench Records, and can be pre-ordered/pre-saved here. The band have already shared the title track and its follow-up single ‘Running’.And now, they have revealed details of the ‘Dark Matter-verse’, which will take place at Outernet in London on April 19, from 2pm to 7pm.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Federation Studios has acquired distribution rights to “The Morning After,” an eight-part comedy series headlined by up-and-coming British actor Amara Okereke (“In the Lost Lands”). It filmed on location in Cape Town in South Africa. The show is produced by Paris-based company Paradoxal and Cape Town-based outfit Both Worlds, which previously partnered on “Recipes for Love and Murder.” The series is co-produced by SWR, ARD FabFiction and Prime Video Africa.

Avatar actress CCH Pounder and Academy Award-nominated producer Paul Garnes will attend the inaugural Cross Continental International Co-production Forum (CCF) in Barbados.

Evil” will premiere Thursday, May 23, on Paramount+, the streamer announced Monday. Production recently began in New York City on the previously announced four bonus episodes. Season 4 will include 14 episodes premiering weekly.

Thania Garcia Ahead of the release of her new “Funk Generation” album, slated for April 26, Anitta has announced she is going on tour. Starting May 18 in Mexico City, Mexico, the “Funk Generation Tour” will take the Brazillian singer to over 20 cities, including her first tour dates in North America. She’ll then hit South America and Europe in major cities like Paris, London, Bogota, Buenos Aires, biza and more.

Chris McCausland & Lee Mack Set For Sky Festive Special

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Pure Fiction Television, the independent production company helmed by Tom Winchester (“Shogun,” “Clickbait,” “The Capture”), has secured the rights to bestselling author Dolores Redondo’s Baztan Trilogy and the prequel, “La Cara Norte Del Corazón” (The North Face of the Heart), and is developing them into a returning, premium international TV series. The trilogy and prequel novel, which feature homicide detective Amaia Salazar, are gripping psychological thrillers infused with mystery, mythology and superstition, set in the beautiful Basque region of Northern Spain, as well as in New Orleans.

Rita Ora has shown off her washboard abs in a stunning bikini picture on Instagram.The singer and actress looks sensational in newly shared images from her recent trip to New Zealand.The 33-year-old posed in front of a mirror in a bikini and also shared a steamy picture in a hot tub, alongside stunning scenic pictures while enjoying her travels.Two videos she shared shows her flying in a helicopter over waterfalls and now covered mountains in Queenstown. It seems Rita is exploring what the country has to offer, after marrying Kiwi husband Taika Waititi.The New Zealand filmmaker is said to have splashed out millions on a home for the couple in Point Chevalier.

His response to the police was brief, but resigned. "I'm f****d, aren’t I?," Craig Parr said after officers tracked him to a hotel room in Newcastle. They had seized £300m of drugs, and caught him red handed. Just days earlier, Parr had been in a service station off the M25, raising a glass ahead of a daring plot.

BBC Studios Launches First Kids Streamer In Korea

Peaches joined Romy on stage in New York City to perform The xx’s singer’s track ‘Did I’ this weekend.Romy was performing at the Knockdown Center in Queens on Friday (March 29) when she brought out the Canadian electroclash artist to perform the track from her debut solo album ‘Mid Air’.“Last night in NYC the ICON Peaches @peachesnisker joined us onstage for Did I!!” Romy shared on Instagram over the weekend.“I don’t know how to express how much I love Peaches and what an inspiration she has been to me! Thank you so much for this moment Peaches.”The singer also posted snippets of their performance together, for which they shared the lyrics to ‘Did I’.Check out footage in Romy’s post below.A post shared by Romy (@romyromyromy)Alongside their onstage moment, Romy has announced that a remix of the track by Peaches is coming Tuesday (April 2). “It was a dream to perform with her in NYC and it gave Did I a whole new perspective, can’t wait for you to hear this,” Romy shared.Meanwhile, Romy recently spoke to NME about The xx’s time back in the studio together, sharing that they’ve “learned a lot from our different solo projects”.The artist was speaking on the red carpet of the 2024 BRIT Awards, where she was nominated in the Best British Dance Act category on the night.“We’ve been in the studio since I last spoke to NME and we’re in the studio again next week, so we’re meeting up regularly,” she told us at the BRITs.

Vampire Weekend have released a new single ‘Mary Boone’ and announced a UK and European tour for the end of 2024. Read on for all the details.‘Mary Boone’ is the fourth and final single to be shared ahead of the release of their fifth studio album ‘Only God Was Above Us‘, which comes out on April 5.

Alex Ritman French TV giant Banijay is losing its second C-suite exec in just over a month. The company has confirmed to Variety that COO Peter Langenberg is departing, with his last day set to be March 31. Langenberg will remain with Banijay on a consultancy basis in the ESG (environment, social and governance) space.

Shakira played a free pop-up show in front of a huge crowd in New York’s Times Square last night (March 26).The Colombian star only announced the show on her social media channels hours before the show. By the time she took to the TSX Stage, around 40,000 fans had flocked to the square.Opening the show with her 2006 smash ‘Hips Don’t Lie’, she went on to feature a number of tracks from her recently-released album ‘Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran’, including ‘Te Felicito’, ‘TQG’, ‘Como Donde y Cuando’ and ‘Punteria’.

For most of her career, Amirtha Kidambi didn’t refer to herself as an activist, in the same way she didn’t consider herself a Carnatic singer despite studying the form for years. Both of these practices, she explained in a 2017 interview, are lifelong callings.

Manchester Airport has announced the launch of a direct route to Shanghai, the first service to operate to the Chinese city from the north. Juneyao Air has chosen Manchester as its first destination in the UK in a move that’s been hailed as “fantastic news” by regional leaders.