John Ridley Explores the Art of Documentary Filmmaking With Industry Insiders for ‘Critical Content’ Series (Video)

EXCLUSIVE:  Sebastian de Souza, Eddie Marsan and Rich Sommer have boarded the Chloe Domont-directed finance world thriller opposite Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThe Gucci family saga isn’t quite over.Just months after the release of Ridley Scott’s “House of Gucci” — a film that could see Lady Gaga nominated for her second Oscar — a TV drama and documentary focusing on the Gucci family is in the works from Comcast-backed Sky Studios.The company is in early stages of development on a high-end TV series, and is in pre-production on a documentary series, both of which will tell “the story of a great family and a great brand,” says producer Nils Hartmann, senior VP for Sky Studios Germany and Italy.Both projects were brought to Sky by Leone Film Group, which has an agreement with several members of the Gucci family, including Alessandro Gucci, Guccio Gucci Jr. and Giorgio Gucci.

Naman Ramachandran Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog” won four major awards at the 42nd annual London Critics’ Circle Film Awards on Sunday.“The Power of the Dog” won film of the year, Campion director of the year, and stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Kodi Smit-McPhee, actor and supporting actor of the year, respectively. This is Campion’s second film to take the Circle’s top honor, 28 years after “The Piano” won in 1994.Olivia Colman’s performance in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Lost Daughter,” which was snubbed at the BAFTA nominations, earned her the actress of the year award.

Apple TV Plus has revealed the first look for it’s upcoming spy thriller series “Slow Horses,” premiering on the platform April 1.Based on the popular CWA Gold-Dagger award-winning novels by Mick Herron, “Slow Horses” stars Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb, a British intelligence officer who leads “Slough House,” an MI5 team composed of agents who made career-ending mistakes. The ensemble cast is rounded out by Jonathan Pryce, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jack Lowden and Olivia Cooke.“Slow Horses” is adapted for television by “Veep” writer Will Smith, who executive produces alongside Graham Yost, Jamie Laurenson, Hakan Kousetta, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gail Mutrux, Douglas Urbanski and James Hawes.

The story of Kanye West’s rise to global superstardom is the event of the season.

Chris Willman Music WriterKenneth Wannberg, composer and Emmy-winning music editor who worked on nearly half of all John Williams’ films dating back to the late 1960s, died Jan. 27 at his home in Florence, Oregon.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterStarz dropped the first teaser for its Sean Penn and Julia Roberts-led Watergate limited series “Gaslit” on Wednesday, revealing the actors’ on-screen transformations into Attorney General John Mitchell, President Richard Nixon’s most trusted advisor and best friend, and his whistleblower wife Martha Mitchell.Also announced was the show’s premiere date, which Starz has set for Sunday, April 24 at 9 p.m., the pay TV channel said during its Wednesday presentation at the virtual Television Critics Association press tour.Executive produced by Sam Esmail, “Gaslit” is a modern take on Watergate that focuses on the untold stories and forgotten characters of the scandal — from Nixon’s bumbling and opportunistic subordinates, to the deranged zealots aiding and abetting their crimes, to the tragic whistleblowers who would eventually bring the whole rotten enterprise crashing down, per Starz. Along with Penn (who rattled production with his insistence on strict enforcement of COVID-19 vaccine mandates on set) and Roberts, “Gaslit” also stars Dan Stevens (who replaced Armie Hammer on the series) as John Dean, Betty Gilpin as Mo Dean, Shea Whigham as G.

EXCLUSIVE: Micaela Wittman, the actress who recently made her feature directorial with the satirical mockumentary Clairevoyant, has signed with Untitled Entertainment for management. She will be represented there by Katie Rhodes and Dannielle Thomas.

John and his wife Toni Terry have given a glimpse inside their relaxing romanic getaway to members' club Soho Farmhouse. The 41 year old former England footballer and his wife Toni, who recently jetted to Switzerland for a skiing holiday, looked every inch the happy couple as they enjoyed a getaway to the luxurious Soho Farmhouse in Chipping Norton which is set in 100 acres of Oxfordshire countryside. John, 41, who married Toni in 2007 and shares children Summer Rose and Georgie John, both 15, shared a sneak peek inside the getaway with his 6.4 million Instagram followers.

Audio Up, home to such audio programs as Stephen King’s “Strawberry Spring,” Michael Cohen’s “Mea Culpa” and the just-released Audible exclusive “Maejor Frequency,” is bolstering its executive ranks with the hiring of music supervision trailblazer PJ Bloom and label marketing veteran Christine Kauffman.Bloom (pictured at left) will serve as co-president of music, alongside John Ingrassia. Kauffman has been named executive VP, brand strategy and partnerships.Bloom’s resume includes, most recently, a nearly five-year run at Warner Records, where he served as SVP of film and television music and soundtracks, leading the label’s creative, marketing and licensing efforts in the music for screens space.

“Master.” When Pond brought up a scene from “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul” that takes place in a pool involving Hall’s toes, ripples of laughter erupted.

“I have tennis elbow” Jane Campion says, stretching an arm out across the Zoom screen from her temporary Joshua Tree home. She’s in California for the release of her film The Power of the Dog—a Western set in Montana and shot in her native New Zealand.

When is a painting series not about learning how to paint? Well, it’s when you have John Lurie running the show, as we see in the new trailer for “Painting with John” Season 2.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterLionsgate is in discussions to acquire some or all of STX Entertainment, the seven-year-old company founded by veteran producer Robert Simonds, insiders familiar with the matter told Variety. It’s an 11th hour wrinkle in the studio’s planned sale to a private equity player.Talks began late last year, according to sources, after STX had secured a buyer in The Najafi Companies, an investment firm run by Jahm Najafi, the vice chairman of the Phoenix Suns.

Call Jane,” a film starring Elizabeth Banks as a housewife in late-1960s suburban Chicago who seeks an abortion with the Jane Collective, where she is cared for by a member played by Sigourney Weaver. (Click here to read about Waxman’s conversation with the director and cast of “Call Jane.”)Lessin addressed how a story from 50 years ago could have resonance in 2022. “It’s a great story,” she said.

APA has signed Jana Morrison, the Canadian actress  who stars in the new Syfy comedy series, Astrid and Lilly Save the World, in a competitive situation.

Chris Willman Music WriterNetflix’s epic Kanye West documentary, “Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy,” will unfold in three feature-length parts, as the subtitle promises. (The first part premiered Sunday in the Sundance Film Festival, and gets a one-night theatrical release Feb.

EXCLUSIVE: Jane Campion will have some new hardware on her mantel come March. The Power of the Dog writer-director and Oscar-winning The Piano scribe is set to receive the Art Directors Guild’s 2022 Cinematic Imagery Award.

EXCLUSIVE: Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness) and Marton Csokas (The Last Duel) are joining John Cena, Alison Brie and Juan Pablo Raba in director Pierre Morel’s (Taken) action-comedy Freelance.