‘Jonah Kills’ UK Comedy Pilot In Works At Showtime From Clem Garritty, Iain MacDonald & Jax Media

Amber Dowling It all started in 1988 with an obsession: Canadian comic Carolyn Taylor, now known as one of the stars and co-creators of “Baroness Von Sketch Show,” was a “closeted 15-year-old” watching Olympic figure skating in her aunt’s living room. She recalls Katarina Witt performing a free skate to “Carmen” in an iconic red costume. At the very end, Witt performatively lay down on the ice — and Taylor just wanted to lie next to her.

Christopher Vourlias LevelK has boarded the dark comedic drama “The Kidnapping of a President” by Finnish director Samuli Valkama (“No Thank You”), the company announced this week in Helsinki. The film, which is produced by John Lundsten (“Renki”) and Melli Maikkula (“KilJuset”) for Tack Film, is based on the incredible, pulled-from-the-headlines story of the abduction of the first president of Finland.

UPDATED: The fallout from the bombshell misconduct accusations against Russell Brand continue. His 2009 comedy special, Russell Brand In New York, has been taken off Paramount+, sources confirmed to Deadline.

Richard Shepard Richard Shepard’s latest project, a documentary titled “Film Geek,” will premiere on Sept. 22 at the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles. Ahead of the doc’s debut, Shepard spoke with Variety’s Executive Vice President of Global Content Steven Gaydos to detail the films that spoke to him the most during his high school years. In 1983, I was a senior in high school in New York City, and already a certified/certifiable Film Geek.

Coronation Street star Jude Riordan has been heaped with more praise as he shared an exciting update on another of his roles away from the cobbles. While fans may know him for playing Sam Blakeman in the ITV soap, others will recognise him for starring in Brassic.

Ricky Gervais was among those who managed to save Peep Show from cancellation in its early days.The cult sitcom, which starred David Mitchell and Robert Webb as dysfunctional housemates Mark and Jeremy, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this week.In a piece reflecting on the show’s legacy with The Guardian, script editor Iain Morris discussed how Channel 4 were not keen on the show in its infancy, and considered cancelling it.“The channel hated it because it wasn’t rating and they didn’t really understand it,” Morris explained. “I spent a lot of time defending it, probably to the detriment of my career.”Gervais, however, was one of the show’s big early supporters, and helped the network decide to keep it on air.“He kept talking about it.

Colin From Accounts, the breakout Australian comedy, is launching on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Charades has closed multiple deals on “There’s Something in the Barn,” Magnus Martens’s (“Fear the Walking Dead”) comedy horror movie from “Dead Snow” producers at 74 Entertainment and XYZ Films. The English-language movie is headlined by Martin Starr (“Freaks and Geeks,” “Spider Man”), Amrita Acharia (“Game of Thrones”) and Jeppe Beck Laursen (“The Last Kingdom”).

Ink (★★★☆☆), co-produced by Round House and Olney, combines a talented cast with titillating text for a thorough chronicle of Rupert Murdoch’s typically rude 1969 takeover of British tabloid The Sun.Cody Nickell, portraying the paper’s exacting editor Larry Lamb, supplies the steady, galvanizing force that drives the story of how Lamb, handpicked by Australian media baron Murdoch (Andrew Rein), assembled a ragtag squad of Fleet Street vets who would carry out Rupe’s directive to create a paper for the people. Its first act structured as a countdown to The Sun‘s unlikely launch, the production gathers steam as Lamb gathers his A-team.Yet, there’s one workhorse in this production who often upstages D.C.

EXCLUSIVE: Screen Media has announced its acquisition of all North American rights to Helen’s Dead, a mystery comedy starring Dylan Gelula (Dream Scenario), Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild), Tyrese Gibson (Fast X), Annabelle Dexter-Jones (Succession), and Oliver Cooper (Red Oaks). Set to hit theaters in at least the top 10 markets, the film will open day-and-date on November 3.

2020’s “Trolls World Tour” didn’t exactly light the box office on fire like its predecessor from 2016, “Trolls.” But maybe the COVID-19 pandemic and theater closures had something to do with it. In any case, DreamWorks has its third installment of its musical franchise ready for audiences later this Fall.

Found, the NBC series from All American‘s Nkechi Okoro Carroll, is heading to the Boston Film Festival.

EastEnders alum Charlie Clements has ditched his life as an actor for a very normal job - thirteen years after his stint on the soap came to an end. Charlie played Bradley Branning, a loveable geek, on the show for four years between 2006 and 2010, before his character was sensationally killed off to celebrate EastEnders’ 25th anniversary.

Striker Jonah Ayunga is desperate to leap back into action after watching his Buddies soar towards the top end of the Premiership table without him.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer Entertainment workers have moved to take more than $44 million out of their individual retirement accounts as they endure months without work due to the strikes. Nearly 3,000 workers have filed for hardship withdrawals, according to an update circulated on Friday by the Motion Picture Industry Pension and Health Plans. The average withdrawal is about $15,000.

Everybody loves a winner turned loser, especially these days, Taika Waititi. As of late, in his non-“Thor” directorial output, the once-beloved filmmaker has gravitated toward zeroes meekly shuffling around the margins of power.

Pete Davidson is back on stage with a “post-rehab glow.”

Paramount’s Nicole Clemens, Imagine Documentaries boss Sara Bernstein and Severance producer Nicholas Weinstock are among the first tranche of speakers for this year’s MIA market in Italy.

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic Does it count as a white savior movie if the white character is the one who needs saving? In “Next Goal Wins,” the world’s top-grossing indigenous director, Taika Waititi, retells the story of how American Samoa went from having the world’s worst soccer team to, well, not the worst. While a white man was involved, the movie — which suggests how a film like “Cool Runnings” might be made with 30 years’ more cultural enlightenment — is mostly about how their coach (Michael Fassbender) needs an attitude adjustment. Come to think of it, that’s essentially the formula for most white savior movies.

EastEnders star Lacey Turner has teased that a soap legend could be making a return to Albert Square later on this year. Lacey, who is known for playing Stacey Slater on the hit BBC One soap, is currently at the centre of a dramatic flash-forward storyline which has seen six characters in The Queen Vic left dealing with a dead body on Christmas Day 2023. With the murder mystery plot gradually unfolding having kicked off back in February, viewers at home have been busy speculating what they think could’ve happened as well as who the unknown victim and perpetrator could be.