‘Jailbirds’ Director Thomas Villepoux to Adapt VR Series into Feature (EXCLUSIVE)

Julia MacCary editor The work of legendary ethologist, conservationist and activist Jane Goodall has already inspired people to care for endangered species and the environment for decades — but the doctor’s latest endeavor continues her work in motivating the next generation.  Apple TV+’s mission-driven children’s series “Jane” harnesses the power of TV, with Emmy-winning creator J.J. Johnson (“Endlings,” “Ghostwriter”) using Goodall’s teachings to motivate kids to take a stand for endangered species and care for the environment. “Jane,” from the Jane Goodall Institute and Johnson’s company Sinking Ship Entertainment, premiered on April 14, with 10 episodes now available on Apple TV+.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International The Kardashians are heading back to E! — sort of. The NBCUniversal-backed cabler has acquired two-part series “The Kardashians: A Billion Dollar Dynasty,” which will air on E! in the U.S. on May 1. The show marks the family’s return to E!, which was the home of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” for more than 20 seasons. After the reality behemoth concluded in 2021, the clan struck a deal with streamer Hulu for “The Kardashians,” which launched in 2022 and was recently renewed for Season 3. The Optomen-produced two-part “specialty” series, which is being sold internationally by All3Media International, details how the family became one of the world’s most recognized brands, and changed the face of social media while achieving extreme wealth.

Another memorable character from Season 1 of HBO’s The White Lotus is making a return. Natasha Rothwell will reprise her Emmy-nominated role as Belinda Lindsey, who was the spa manager of the Hawaiian White Lotus resort in Season 1, in the upcoming third installment of Mike White’s anthology series, Deadline has confirmed.

Ed Meza @edmezavar Warner Bros. Intl. Television Prod. (WBITVP) has appointed former Fremantle exec Harry Gamsu as new VP, creative, for format, development and sales. He will report to Andrew Zein, SVP creative, for format development and sales and oversee relations between WBITVP’s international division and the WB’s U.S. TV production units Warner Horizon, Telepictures and Shed. Gamsu will also evaluate formats in WB’s catalogue for international exploitation and format sales to Canada. He succeeds Adam Steinman, who ankled WBITVP earlier this year. In his previous role as VP of non-scripted content acquisitions at Fremantle, Gamsu managed the U.S. content acquisition team and working on factual and entertainment series.

William Earl Lee Cronin is very particular about blood. Cronin, the Irish writer and director of “Evil Dead Rise,” the fifth feature installment in the cult horror series, lights up when discussing gore on set. “We used 6,500 liters [1,717 gallons] of blood on the movie,” he said. “That is real, sticky, cooked movie blood. We had to hire out this industrial kitchen to cook the blood and keep it fresh, be able to heat it up, because characters are covered in it. There was a lot of management of liquid in this movie. I wanted blood to be a character, so it was important we got the viscosity and look just right.”

A man has been charged in connection with the death of Thomas Bowers in Glasgow.

Studiocanal is gearing up to shoot “How To Stop Time,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch and with D.C. Moore (“Mary & George”) and Tomas Alfredson (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”) on board as key creative talent. Production on the title by Studiocanal and SunnyMarch will be announced by CEO Anna Marsh on Monday at her keynote at Cannes’ MipTV trade fair.  In it, she also looks set to confirm that Studiocanal has acquired an equity stake in London-based Strong Film & Television, co-founded in late 2020 by “Broadchurch” director James Strong and Matt Tombs, a former executive at the BBC and Paramount.

BBC and NBCUniversal are partnering up on a new reality competition show “Destination X.”The adventure series, whose format originated in Belgium, follows 10 contestants who embark on a road trip, but do not know their location as the Destination X bus works to mislead both the contestants and the viewers. As their journey continues, contestants must follow clues to determine if they can trust what they see as their knowledge will be put to the test at the end of each episode.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent The creators of Netflix’s “Sintonia,” one of South America’s biggest streaming show hits, KondZilla and LB Entertainment (formerly Losbragas), are re-teaming to co-produce a slate of series. Ending speculation on what is next for KondZilla, a YouTube phenomenon and LB, both based out of São Paulo, the three series – “After the End,” “A Close Call” and “South” – look set to broaden the partners’ compass from “Sintonia,” the coming of age story of three friends set against the crime and vibrant culture of São Paulo outskirts life, its gangs, thriving music scene, religion and sense of community. 

“Stranger Things” will be returning for one final swan-song season, but that doesn’t mean the saga will be over.

directing a feature film set in the New Republic era. Filoni already writes, directs and executive produces multiple series on Disney+, including the currently streaming “The Mandalorian,” its spin-off “The Book of Boba Fett” and the upcoming “Ahsoka.”With his deep ties to these storylines and characters, Filoni is the one man who can bring them all together on the big screen. But he’s also just that — one man.

described the film to Collider at the Star Wars Celebration in London Friday. “First being embraced into the family of folk music in New York and then, of course, kind of outrunning them at a certain point as his star rises so beyond belief.” Mangold referenced other characters in the film like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Joan Baez, saying “they all have a role to play in this movie.”And when asked if Chalamet would be singing, Mangold immediately responded “Of course.”The French actor sang “Everything Happens” by Chet Baker in the 2019 Woody Allen film “A Rainy Day in New York,” and he told British Vogue that he would perform seven musical numbers in the upcoming “Wonka,” in which he will star as the iconic candyman character based on Roald Dahl’s book. Chalamet’s role in “Call Me by Your Name” confirmed that he can also play piano and guitar.The untitled film will watch the Nobel Prize-winning singer-songwriter’s first ascend to the top of the folk music scene before he pivots to rock and roll.Chalamet will also be seen in the upcoming “Dune Part 2” alongside Austin Butler (“Elvis”), Florence Pugh, Zendaya and Dave Bautista.

The disappearance of a Scots dad who went missing on a camping trip with friends will feature on Channel 5 show Vanished: The Hunt for Britain's missing tonight.

Design Agency Territory Studio Hires Former Netflix Executive

OK, one for fans of football, music and beer now. That’s a pretty big Venn diagram cross section, right? I mean, its one out of three for me, but I think I’m the weird one there.The Premier League and Budweiser have announced ‘Behind The Game’, a series of YouTube videos in which footballers and musicians “partake in Budweiser bar games while discussing their careers and off-pitch interests, as well as the challenges and triumphs they have faced along the way”.And if that hasn’t sold it to you, the Premier League and Budweiser both insist that this is an “authentic and engaging entertainment series”.

Angry employees at two shops who are being tormented by a balaclava gang of youths in a never-ending crime spree believe not enough is being done to stop them. A group of up to 12 teens, with estimated ages between 13 and 17, have been breaking into shops in East Hull for the last few months, leaving customers and staff "petrified".

Paris Saint-Germain forward and Argentina captain Lionel Messi scored his 100th international goal to enter an exclusive club alongside former Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday night.

Lena Headey has landed a new gig.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Lena Headey is set to star in Kurt Sutter’s upcoming Netflix series “The Abandons,” Variety has learned. The Western series was ordered at the streamer in October 2022. The official series description states: “As a group of diverse, outlier families pursue their Manifest Destiny in 1850s Oregon, a corrupt force of wealth and power, coveting their land, tries to force them out. These abandoned souls, the kind of lost souls living on the fringe of society, unite their tribes to form a family and fight back. In this bloody process, ‘justice’ is stretched beyond the boundaries of the law.” Headey will play Fiona, described as “a strong, devout matriarch who, unable to have her own children, took in four orphans to create her own family. Driven by a higher purpose – and a strong-willed Irish temper – her faith and love for her family trump all.”

The battle to takeover Manchester United rumbles on this week following the drama of the last few days.