James Ashcroft Directing Feature Film Adaptation of ‘Old Haunts’ for AWA Studios (EXCLUSIVE)

Brent Lang Executive Editor Colin Tilley, the acclaimed director of music videos for Cardi B, Justin Bieber, and Nicki Minaj, will make his feature debut with “Somewhere in Dreamland.” Production recently wrapped on the project, which stars Whitney Peak, from “Gossip Girl” and “Hocus Pocus 2,” as well as S. Epatha Merkerson (“Law & Order”), Golda Rosheuvel (“Bridgerton”), Finn Bennett (“True Detective”) and newcomer Laken Giles. Elisa Victoria penned the original graphic novel and the screenplay with Michael Tully.

LeBron James and his wife, Savannah James, took to his Instagram Story to post a picture of himself and his brother, 18-year-old Bronny James, after the athlete went into cardiac arrest during a basketball practice and was rushed to the hospital on Monday. In the pic, the two brothers are walking side-by-side while one is showing the other his phone.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Imelda Marcos, the former first lady of the Philippines who became notorious for the way she used her position to fund a lavish lifestyle, will be at the center of a new limited series that is being developed by producer Lisa Saltzman. “Chasing Imelda” is inspired by journalist Katherine Ellison’s biography, “Imelda: Steel Butterfly of the Philippines.” The announcement comes in a moment of, I guess, rediscovery for Imelda. After all, Marcos is the central figure in a new Broadway musical “Here Lies Love” from David Byrne and Fatboy Slim (there’s just something about all those shoes).

LeBron James and his wife, Savannah James, took to his Instagram Story to post a picture of himself and his brother, 18-year-old Bronny James, after the athlete suffered from cardiac arrest on Monday and was rushed to the hospital. In the pic, the two brothers are walking side-by-side while one is showing the other his phone. In between them, Bryce added a red heart emoji.

Ken Goldin is on the hunt for more collectibles.

Heather and Terry Dubrow are putting down more roots in Los Angeles.A source tells ET that the reality TV couple closed a deal to purchase late filmmaker Dino De Laurentiis' 9,000 sq. foot Beverly Hills mansion, which sits on 8.2 acres.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Brooklyn-based Roller Coaster Road Productions, best known for its documentaries (“History of Food”), has joined Paris’ Mad Films to develop one of the most singular titles hitting the market at this week’s Frontières Market at Fantasia: “High Pressure,” a literally immersive live action underwater survival thriller with a VR viewership option for key scenes.   The producers have initiated talks for James Marsden (“X-Men”) to star in the film. Paris-based Alba Films (“Daisy Quokka,” “The Wishmas Tree”) will handle the film’s theatrical distribution in France. Two-and-a-half minutes of an animated revisualisation of the movie will be presented at Frontières.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Two labor strikes may be upending Hollywood’s awards season and the film festivals that serve as launching pads for many Oscar contenders, but the Toronto International Film Festival signaled Monday that it still plans to showcase the best in cinema, unveiling its 2023 slate of movies. Alexander Payne, Richard Linklater, Kore-eda Hirokazu and Justine Triet are among the auteurs who will be screening their latest works at the festival. Payne will be on hand with “The Holdovers,” a comedy set in a boarding school that reunites him with “Sideways” star PaulGiamatti, while Linklater is showing “Hitman,” an action-comedy with Glen Powell and Adria Arjona. Kore-eda and Triet will screen “Monster” and “Anatomy of a Fall,” both of which premiered at Cannes, where the latter won the Palme d’Or.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Most people know that social media has become a cesspool of disinformation, a digital hydra that feeds off toxicity and conspiracy theories. But somehow YouTube, the second-most-popular site in the world, has avoided the scrutiny that’s come Twitter and Facebook’s way. “The YouTube Effect,” a new documentary from Alex Winter, could change that. It takes a tough look at the role that the Google-owned service played in everything from the Jan. 6 riot to the 2019 New Zealand mosque shooting by promoting election denialism and white supremacy. “People don’t know that YouTube and Google are the biggest purveyors of disinformation,” Winter says. “One reason is people don’t understand what YouTube is. Is it just a place to watch cat videos, or is it something else? And the second reason you hear about it less is because Google is so deep-pocketed that it has some of the strongest lobbyists in the world working for them. That’s made them less likely to be legislated against.”

Brent Lang Executive Editor Abramorama has acquired North American distribution rights for the feature-length documentary “Billion Dollar Babies: The True Story of the Cabbage Patch Kids” from NBCUniversal Syndication Studios and Believe Entertainment Group. The film is directed by Andrew Jenks (“The Zen of Bobby V”) and charts the meteoric rise of the dolls that set in motion the modern day Black Friday craze. It is narrated and executive produced by Emmy- and Tony Award-winning actor Neil Patrick Harris.  “Billion Dollar Babies” includes the first interview with Cabbage Patch Kids’ creator Xavier Roberts in over 20 years, as well as sit-downs with journalistConnie Chung,and former Coleco marketing head Al Kahan. The film world premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Festival. Abramorama is planning a theatrical release for this fall.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Joshua Zeman’s latest feature documentary “Checkpoint Zoo,” an inspiring story that unfolds in a war-torn part of the world, has wrapped principal photography. The film tells the story of the daring rescue of over 5,000 animals that were trapped in a wildlife park behind enemy lines during the early days of the Russian-Ukrainian War.  “Checkpoint Zoo” was produced by Zeman and Zach Mortensen for Ghost Robot, with Ian Davies and Torquil Jones for Noah Media Group, which is also financing the project.  UTA Independent Film Group has signed on to lead worldwide sales of the picture. In the early days of the war, a beloved animal refuge known as Feldman Ecopark, located in Ukraine’s second largest city, was in a precarious position. On one side of the park was the invading Russian army; on the other sat the Ukrainian front line. With thousands of animals trapped with little food and water, a group of men and women risked their lives to bring them to safety.

Paul Mullin is preparing for a return to the EFL following two goal-laden years playing in the National League for Wrexham.

James Cameron to direct ANOTHER movie about Titanic?

Director James Cameron responded today to rumors that he’s in talks on a film about the ill-fated voyage of the Titan submersible, which sank attempting to visit the Titanic wreckage.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Cindy Holland has been named the CEO of Sister, the production company started by media mogul Elisabeth Murdoch and “Chernobyl” producer Jane Featherstone. The veteran executive oversaw Netflix’s move into producing its own in-house content until she left the streamer in 2020. At Sister, she will oversee the company’s strategic direction and production output. “I am delighted to join Sister at this exciting stage. The future is bright for well-positioned independent companies, and I love to build and support successful teams,” said Holland. “For years I’ve admired Jane Featherstone, and I am passionate about the artist-forward ethos that Liz has fostered at the Sister entertainment group.”

Brent Lang Executive Editor Abramorama has acquired North American distribution rights to “Uncharitable,” a documentary about the roles that charities and non-profits play in society. The indie distributor will open the film on Sept. 22 in New York at Angelika’s Village East and Sept. 29 in Los Angeles at Laemmle’s Royale before beginning its North American rollout. “Uncharitable” was directed and produced by Stephen Gyllenhaal, the director of “Waterland” and “Dangerous Woman.” It features the humanitarian activist Dan Pallotta, whose Ted Talk “The Way We Think About Charity is Dead Wrong” was viewed more than 17 million times and has inspired conversations about how charities can be more effective and how we can support them.

Brent Lang Executive Editor The American Theatre Wing has unveiled the panel of judges and eligibility details for the 2023 edition of the Obie Awards. The annual celebration of the best of Off and Off Off Broadway is now in its 67th year. The jury will be co-chaired by Obie-winning director David Mendizábal (“Sanctuary City”) and veteran theater critic Melissa Rose Bernardo.  New 2023 Obie judges are Dede Ayite, an Obie-winning and Tony-nominated costume designer who has worked on “Topdog Underdog” and “American Buffalo”; Ty Defoe, writer and Grammy Award winner; Ann C. James, Broadway’s first Black intimacy coordinator for Antoinette Nwandu’s “Pass Over”; Florencia Lozano, actor, writer, performance artist who has appeared in “Rinse, Repeat” and “Devil of Choice”; Dael Orlandersmith, playwright of “Stoop Stories” and “Yellowman”; and Carmelita Tropicana, an Obie-winning downtown performance artist.

EXCLUSIVE: Venezuelan author Ariana Godoy’s Spanish-language webnovel Sigue Mi Voz is being adapted into a feature film.

Naman Ramachandran Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has released an action-packed teaser – described by the producers as a ‘prevue’ – for his upcoming film “Jawan” (“Soldier”). The film has Khan playing a dual role and features him in several avatars – as a soldier, a bandaged avenger, and also in a bald persona. The teaser features Tamil-language cinema stars Nayanthara (“Annaatthe”), Vijay Sethupathi (“Vikram”) and teases a special appearance from Deepika Padukone (“Pathaan”). The cast also includes Sanya Malhotra (“Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery”) and Priyamani (“The Family Man”). “Jawan” is directed by Atlee, known for his three back-to-back Tamil-language blockbusters “Theri” (2016), “Mersal” (2017) and “Bigil” (2019), all starring Vijay. It is produced by Gauri Khan for Red Chillies Entertainment and features music by hitmaker Anirudh Ravichander (“Thiruchitrambalam”).

Brent Lang Executive Editor Amplify Pictures, the independent television studio behind HBO’s Emmy-winning “100 Foot Wave,” has made a pair of hires. It has tapped Rachel Eggebeen as its chief content officer and Colin King Miller as its chief operating officer. The veteran executives will take founding partnership roles alongside Amplify Pictures CEO Joe Lewis. “It’s a time of expansion,” Lewis told Variety in an interview. “We’re growing our team and becoming more global.” At the same time, Amplify has sold a minority stake to Great Mountain Partners. The sale values Amplify at $50 million. The funding will be used to back more production of original series of both the unscripted and scripted variety. Great Mountain Partners previous investments include the Oscar-winning film studio A24, branded content producer Rise Studios and the Vuelta Group, a European film studio.