How ‘The Bad Guys’ Used L.A.’s Cinematic History to Create an Animated Film Noir

NewFest, the New York film and media organizations has announced the full lineup for its second annual NewFest Pride event – a summer film series returning this year from June 2-6 in a hybrid format featuring a mix of exclusive in-person premieres/panels and virtual screenings. The announcement was made today by NewFest’s Executive Director David Hatkoff and Director of Programming Nick McCarthy.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentBen Stassen’s nWave Studios (“The Son of Bigfoot,””Sammy”) is set to produce “The Inseparables,” a $25 million animated feature based on an original idea by Joel Cohen et Alec Sokolow, the Oscar-nominated writers of “Toy Story.”The feature is being jointly produced by nWave Studios in Belgium, Octopolis in France and A Contracorriente in Spain.Cohen and Sokolow penned the feature with Cal Brunker, Bob Barlen (“Paw Patrol,” “Bigfoot”), Matthieu Zeller and Jérémie Degruson.Degruson, who previously directed some of nWave Studios’ biggest animated hits “The House of Magic,” “Bigfoot Junior” and Bigfoot Family,” is on board to helm “The Inseparables.”The animated buddy movie follows the misadventures of Don, a runaway puppet with a boundless imagination and, DJ Doggy Dog, an abandoned stuffed animal toy in need of a friend, as they cross paths in Central Park and pair up against all odds for an epic adventure of friendship in New York City. The movie will be delivered in July 2023 in both 2D and 3D formats.

Succession actor James Cromwell is sticking close to his mission for animal rights! On Tuesday, the 82-year-old actor joined a protest put on by members of PETA, and super glued his hand to a counter at a Starbucks in New York City.The Oscar-nominated actor wore a black Peta t-shirt that read “Free the Animals” as he walked into the establishment with other protestors who held signs to protest the chain's up-charge for non-dairy milk. Cromwell and another protestor sat on the counter while the employees worked in the background, with their hands glued to the surface. In a video, the actor gives a brief speech.“Non-dairy products all over the world, France, they give these things away.

Huge news for Katy Perry!

EXCLUSIVE: Singer/songwriter Katy Perry will star as the title character in Melody, an animated musical created, directed and produced by Zeremy Zag. Cross Creek’s Tyler Thompson will produce alongside  Perry, Zag and Michael Gracey, The Greatest Showman  director who helmed the upcoming big budget animated film Ladybug & Cat Noir Awakening, done by Zag’s Zagtoons.

Emma Stone is on the move!

Broadway box office was down 15% last week, with even some of the biggest hit shows reporting slips for the week ending May 1. In all, the 36 shows grossed $29,072,410.

EXCLUSIVE: Sony Pictures’ 3000 Pictures has preemptively acquired film rights to I Think My Mother-In-Law Is Trying to Kill Me—a psychological thriller, based on a Reddit short story by Nick Moorefox.

A complicated (and fashionable) history. Kim Kardashian was the first member of the Kardashian-Jenner family to attend the Met Gala — but it wasn’t because Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour invited her.

Taylor Swift will appear at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival next month to discuss and screen her All Too Well short film.Last year, the pop star released the 15-minute film to accompany the release of ‘All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)’, which featured on the re-recorded version of her 2012 album ‘Red’.Tribeca Film Festival will host a special screening of All Too Well: The Short Film, which was directed, written and produced by Swift. After the screening, an “in conversation” event will be held where she will discuss her approach to filmmaking.The event will take place at New York’s Beacon Theater on June 11 and is one of a handful of music-related features at this year’s festival.Elsewhere, Pharrell will discuss his career at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on June 10, while Common will take part in a conversation with journalist Charles Blow.

Jossara Jinaro, a veteran television actress, filmmaker, producer and SAG activist, died of cancer on April 27, according to a post on her Facebook page by her husband, Matt Bogado.

In a surprise to no one, Kanye West is focusing on himself! But this time it’s a good thing?

Perhaps Kim Kardashian should have kept her mouth shut on this one…

EXCLUSIVE: Good Hero, the Paris and New York-based production label launched by Laurent Zeitoun and Gregory Ouanhon in 2020, has unveiled its debut film project following the signing of a strategic partnership with European outfit Mediawan earlier this year.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterSPOLER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched “Matryoshka,” the Season 2 finale episode of “Russian Doll.”In Season 2, “Russian Doll” broke out of its first season’s “Groundhog Day”-style time-loop format with a “Quantum Leap”-like time-travel device that allowed Nadia (Natasha Lyonne) and Alan (Charlie Barnett) to jump into the bodies of their deceased loved ones by taking a trip on the New York City subway. Nadia becomes her mother, Lenora “Nora” (Chloë Sevigny), in the East Village in 1982, and grandmother Vera (Irén Bordán, younger version Ilona McCrea), in World War II-era Budapest, while Alan is inhabiting his grandmother Agnes (Carolyn Michelle Smith) in Germany during the Cold War in 1944.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music CriticLittle Simz has become a bona fide star in her native England, but conquering America has run into a roadblock. The acclaimed hip-hop artist said Tuesday that she is canceling a U.S. tour that was to begin in May due to a lack of resources as an independent artist that would create a “huge deficit” for her if she carried out the shows as planned.“Hey guys, due to unforeseen circumstances I’ve been left with no option but to reschedule my US tour,” the artist wrote in a statement.

Affleck, who will also direct the film, will play Nike co-founder Phil Knight while Damon will play the shoe company’s marketing chief Sonny Vacarro, who oversaw the deal with Jordan. Introduced in 1984 during Jordan’s rookie season with the Chicago Bulls, Nike’s Air Jordan sneakers became arguably the most iconic sneaker brand ever made and paved the way for the contemporary sneaker industry with athlete endorsements.