New Zealand Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Primary Wave Music has announced a new partnership with veteran singer-songwriter Neil Finn, founding member of Crowded House, longtime member of Split Enz and solo artist. The multi-million-dollar deal sees the company acquiring Finn’s music publishing catalog and writer’s share of public performance for his work with Crowded House as well as his solo material. Included in the deal are the many hits Finn wrote for Crowded House — “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” “Better Be Home Soon,” “Weather With You” and more — as well as his solo material and the songs he wrote as a member of Split Enz, including the 1980 hit “I Got You.” Released in 1986, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” appeared on Crowded House’s eponymous debut album and became the band’s biggest hit, reaching No.

The National have added a massive Cardiff Castle show to their summer 2024 UK and Ireland tour plans.The American quintet – comprised of Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Bryan Devendorf and Scott Devendorf – are set to perform at the iconic Wales establishment on July 3.They will be joined by special guests, New Zealand psychedelic rock band Unknown Mortal Orchestra, who will serve as the opening act for the night. Tickets for the Cardiff Castle gig are available to purchase here.The National are also set to perform at a variety of festivals this summer including taking over the Other Stage at this year’s edition of Glastonbury.

Almost a year after Kevin Spacey was found not guilty of sex crimes, Channel 4 and Max in the U.S. are set to air testimony from more men detailing their experiences with the double-Oscar winner.

Jack Dunn GKIDS and European animation distributor Anime Ltd. have acquired global rights to Naoko Yamada’s new film “The Colors Within.” GKIDS has acquired the film for North America, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand, while Anime Ltd. has acquired the film for the United Kingdom, Ireland, and all of Europe.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Cinephil has sold Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó’s feature documentary “Agent of Happiness” to a wide range of key international territories ahead of the film’s Hot Docs debut this weekend. Deals are confirmed in the U.K.

Post Malone, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Mötley Crüe, it’ll be tricky for 2024’s schedule to outdo its predecessor – and yet, thanks to the likes of Taylor Swift, Blink-182 and Pink, plus Coldplay, Pearl Jam and SZA, it’s poised to do just that.From debut headline shows for breakout artists to bustling festival sideshow programs, there’s something for everyone to enjoy as a stellar batch of musicians make their way Down Under in 2024. Read on for NME’s roundup of all the biggest concerts and tours coming to Australia this year.James Taylor: An Evening with James Taylor & His All-Star BandWhen: April 12 – April 28Find tickets and more info hereIf there was ever a festival made for James Taylor & His All-Star Band at this juncture of his 50-year career, it’s Day on the Green.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent The Locarno Film Festival will honor Jane Campion with its Pardo d’onore Manor award. The prominent Swiss fest dedicated to indie cinema will celebrate the revered auteur from New Zealand on Aug.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Epic war-time survival tale “The Guns of Muschu” has already assembled a weighty cast ahead of a production start in the first quarter of 2025. The film is an adaptation of the non-fiction book “The Guns of Muschu,” written by Don Dennis, with an adapted screenplay by Tom Broadhurst and Jack Brislee (“Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan”). The narrative brings to life a pivotal chapter of Australian war history with gritty authenticity, recounting the high body count Operation Copper, a mission during WWII when Australian and New Zealand troops were sent into the jungles of Papua New Guinea. The objective of the mission was to investigate the Japanese defenses on Muschu Island, capture a Japanese officer for interrogation and discover the location of two naval guns on the island that were protecting a harbor.

Prince Louis, the youngest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales, is celebrating his sixth birthday today on Tuesday.

Foxtel/Binge Topper Amanda Laing Exiting

Prince Louis, the youngest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales, is growing up quickly and celebrates his sixth birthday today (April 23). Despite making his public debut just hours after his birth on the steps of the Lindo Wing, he's largely been raised away from the public eye. He has, however, participated in several significant Royal events, including the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, King Charles' Coronation, and last year's Trooping the Colour.

Netflix has boarded BBC Three’s upcoming YA adaptation of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder starring Wednesday’s Emma Myers.

Katcy Stephan Jeff Boone has joined Fremantle‘s North American team as its new VP of scripted development. In this role, Boone will be responsible for developing new series for its pipeline and play an active role within Fremantle’s global scripted network. Boone will report to Fremantle’s EVP of Scripted Programming, Jenni Sherwood.

EXCLUSIVE: US-Bangladeshi action movie MR-9: Do or Die, starring ABM Sumon, Michael Jai White and Frank Grillo, has been picked up by Quiver Distribution for a North American VOD/digital release this month.

Manchester passengers are among the thousands struggling to get home, as an intense storm in Dubai has caused flight disruption.

Alex Ritman “Shazam” star Zachary Levi is set to headline rock-climbing action thriller “Free Fall” for XYZ Films, with acclaimed New Zealand stuntwoman and stunt coordinator Zöe Bell tapped to direct. The film — written by Sean Finegan and Gregg Maxwell Parker — tells the story of a father’s attempt to reconcile with his estranged daughter on a rock-climbing trip that turns deadly as an accident leaves them stranded hundreds of feet in the air.

EXCLUSIVE: UK sales outfit SC Films International has acquired world rights to Australian comedy The Way, My Way and will launch sales at the upcoming Cannes market. 

William Earl Special effects legend Richard Taylor has five Oscars under his belt, but he just wants to make big, gross puppets. Taylor is the founder of Wētā Workshop, which, among countless other titles, created the indelible effects for “The Lord of the Rings” film trilogy, MCU movies and “Mad Max: Fury Road.” He lights up when discussing “Sting,” a new low-budget giant spider movie. He says that despite the company’s comfort in handling large-scale effects work, there is room for the team to flex their creative muscles on smaller projects.

Stirling fish farmer Stewart Hawthorn is set to pull on his running shoes for one of the world’s most iconic races – all in the aid of spreading the word about Gaelic.

Pearl Jam have announced a special ‘Dark Matter-verse’ event to take place in London on the same day as the release of their new album.‘Dark Matter’, the band’s 12th studio album, is set for release on April 19 via Monkeywrench Records, and can be pre-ordered/pre-saved here. The band have already shared the title track and its follow-up single ‘Running’.And now, they have revealed details of the ‘Dark Matter-verse’, which will take place at Outernet in London on April 19, from 2pm to 7pm.

K.J. Yossman International writers guilds representing 67,000 professional screen writers across the globe are collaborating on developing an “ethical framework” for the use of AI in screenwriting.

Aussie icon and conservationist Steve Irwin died, killed by a stingray while filming on the Great Barrier Reef.It’s a death that sent shockwaves around the world as The Crocodile Hunter was a global brand with legions of fans from across the globe.Even today, nearly 18 years later, it’s a death that hits plenty of people hard — and has classed stingrays as deadly and dangerous.It’s something that momentarily crossed my mind when I was sent for a stingray experience on a recent assignment to New Zealand.But what I found was the complete opposite and a new appreciation for a tragically misunderstood animal.Stingrays are prevalent across Australia and New Zealand with the animals living in coastal waters and in warm and tropical areas and migrating in cooler months.While stingrays have the ability to kill with their barbs, reportedly fewer than 20 people have been killed worldwide by stingrays since 1945, with just five in Australia.To put it into perspective, 91 people died falling out of bed in Australia in 2022, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.More common are injuries from the stingray barbs, which release a complex venom that is painful if struck, but the injuries are generally treated with hot water immersion, unless there’s a deep puncture.It is recommended if you are stung by a stingray to seek medical attention as it may also require a tetanus shot or an inspection to ensure none of the barb remains in the injured area.But in the wild, more likely the old adage “they’re more scared of you than you are of them” comes to mind.Often the biggest issue is stingrays being stepped on by people, or the stingray getting a fright and feeling it needs to defend itself.It makes experiences like those offered at

Studiocanal’s The Copyrights Group Bolsters Exec Team

Katcy Stephan Critically-acclaimed indie video game “Dredge” is getting the film treatment. Black Salt Games has partnered with production company Story Kitchen to create a live-action feature adaptation of the single-player Lovecraftian fishing adventure with a sinister undercurrent. In the game, players are invited to sell their catch, upgrade their boat and dredge the depths for long-buried secrets as they explore a mysterious archipelago and discover why some things are best left forgotten.

Skins star was speaking to NME during an interview about his new film Monkey Man, which he wrote, directed and starred in.“I’ve been listening to a lot of Aldous Harding,” he said, referring to the critically acclaimed singer-songwriter from New Zealand who has released four albums of indie folk music since 2014. “She’s like this kind of odd poet, super profound.”“The lyrics catch you off guard.

Rita Ora has shown off her washboard abs in a stunning bikini picture on Instagram.The singer and actress looks sensational in newly shared images from her recent trip to New Zealand.The 33-year-old posed in front of a mirror in a bikini and also shared a steamy picture in a hot tub, alongside stunning scenic pictures while enjoying her travels.Two videos she shared shows her flying in a helicopter over waterfalls and now covered mountains in Queenstown. It seems Rita is exploring what the country has to offer, after marrying Kiwi husband Taika Waititi.The New Zealand filmmaker is said to have splashed out millions on a home for the couple in Point Chevalier.

Oscar-winning actress was seen using the stick while attending the premiere of her new film A Bit Of Light on Wednesday (April 3), alongside her husband and former True Blood co-star Stephen Moyer.It was Paquin’s first public appearance since the film received its festival premiere in October 2022.The Canadian and New Zealand star, who won Best Supporting Actress at the age of 11 for her role in Jane Campion’s 1993 film The Piano, briefly addressed her undisclosed illness while talking to press on the red carpet.“It hasn’t been easy,” she told People, without elaborating on her condition any further. The publication stated that she also seemingly had difficulties with her speech.

2 min read A new drag-centric series, “The Boy, the Queen, and Everything In Between”, waltzed onto New Zealand TV screens earlier this year, heralding a new era of representation and storytelling. Set […]

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Romantic comedy series “Top End Bub” will begin production next month in Australia as a sequel to hit 2019 feature film “Top End Wedding.” Stars Miranda Tapsell (“The Sapphires”) and Gwilym Lee (“Bohemian Rhapsody”) will reprise their roles. The series is created, executive produced and written by “Top End Wedding” writers Joshua Tyler and Tapsell and produced by Goalpost Pictures.

Leigh Whannell’s reimaging of Universal classic The Wolf Man from Blumhouse is dashing from its Oct. 25 release date this year to Jan. 17, 2025.

Harry Potter star Jessie Cave has responded to Miriam Margolyes’ recent claim that fans of the franchise need to grow up.Cave played Lavender Brown in the final three Harry Potter movies, while Margolyes appeared in the series as Hogwarts professor Pomona Sprout.Last month, Margolyes sparked controversy during an appearance on New Zealand’s 1News for saying: “I worry about [grown-up] Harry Potter fans. They should be over that by now.“You know, I mean, it was 25 years ago, and it’s for children. I think it’s for children.

Alex Ritman French TV giant Banijay is losing its second C-suite exec in just over a month. The company has confirmed to Variety that COO Peter Langenberg is departing, with his last day set to be March 31. Langenberg will remain with Banijay on a consultancy basis in the ESG (environment, social and governance) space.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Veteran Chinese director Zhang Yimou will be presented with a lifetime achievement award at the upcoming edition of the Festival of Far East Film in Italy’s Udine (April 24 – May 2). The lineup will include three films by Zhang: his 2023 political thriller “Under the Light” in its competition section; as well as “To Live” and “Raise the Red Lantern” in its restored classics section. The festival’s total lineup includes 74 films in total – 47 in competition and 28 out of competition) from 11 countries.

EastEnders fans have spotted a big clue that could mean the return of a major character who first appeared on the show 30 years ago. In a recent episode, Ravi invited his ex Priya - who he clearly still has feelings for - to dinner with her new love interest Martin at Walford East. As they chatted over their meal, Martin mentioned David Wicks, sparking speculation among fans.

EXCLUSIVE: Production is officially underway on Zombies 4 (w/t) in New Zealand with stars Swayam Bhatia (Disney’s The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers) playing Vera; Julian Lerner (ABC’s The Wonder Years) as Ray; and Mekonnen Knife (Joe vs. Carole) as Vargas—all characters are new mysterious supernatural monsters.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “Dahomey,” the Berlinale Golden Bear-winning film helmed by French-Senegalese director Mati Diop, has been sold to a raft of international territories by Les Films du Losange. Along with being acquired by Mubi in key markets, “Dahomey” has been acquired in Australia & New Zealand (Rialto), China (Hugoeast), Spain (Filmin), Portugal (Nitrato Filmes), Greece (One From the Heart), Scandinavia (NonStop Entertainement), Benelux (Cinéart), Bulgaria (Beta Films), Ex-Yugoslavia (Discovery), Hungary (Mozinet), Czech Republic (Film Europe), Romania (Voodoo), Baltic Countries (Taip Toliau), Poland (New Horizons), Ukraine (Kyivmusicfilm), Taiwan (Joint Entertainment), Indonesia (PT Falcon) and Sudu Connexion in Africa.