New Zealand Showbiz Latest News and Updates

“Each year, First Feature Competition is something truly special. We can’t wait to introduce these emerging talents to the world.”, she adds.

It’s been an eventful 2023 for international TV and film. As the strikes shut down Hollywood and streamers retrenched from the mega-spends of the Covid era, shows and movies from far and wide came were already in demand like never before, as viewers look to new countries for inspiration. Call it the Squid Game effect, or whatever you want, but neither subtitles nor geographical boundaries are an impediment to content getting seen any more. Here, we run down each Deadline International journalist’s top pick from the year, for the most part avoiding spoilers (there are some though, so this is a fair warning). You’ll find big-ticket U.S. fare, Japanese anime, restaurant TV dramas and Australian newsroom stories among our eclectic selections.

Welcome to the Scene to Seen Podcast. I am Valerie Complex Associate editor and film writer at Deadline.

Princess Mary has posted a cryptic message about loneliness and the importance of positive human connection before Christmas.The post comes after rumors of an affair between her husband, Crown Prince Frederik, and Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova, which surfaced a month ago.The pair hit deadlines after Spanish publication Lecturas published photos of them spending a day exploring Madrid last month.They were spotted wandering around the city’s El Retiro park, enjoying a Picasso exhibit, and going out for dinner.Despite the rumors, the Danish royal family has presented a “business as normal” attitude as they enter the festive season.Princess Mary’s letter, shared on the Mary Foundation website, reflects on the past year, describing it as shorter than previous years and filled with significant events.An excerpt from the letter emphasizes the need for human connection, in which she states: “We need each other if we are to succeed.”“And at the same time, so much has happened that it is impossible to put it all into words,” she wrote.“We have put a spotlight on the many faces of loneliness with a large conference.

Spy x Family arrives in cinemas in Japan this year.Based on the manga by Tatsuya Endo, Spy x Family is an anime action-comedy series which follows master spy Twilight, who has to disguise himself and build a mock family in order to investigate political leader Donovan Desmond.The show’s first season debuted in April 2022, with the second season set to conclude on December 23, 2023.At the time of season two’s announcement in December 2022, a feature film titled Spy x Family Code: White was also revealed.At the time of writing (December 19), there is no announced UK release date for Spy x Family Code: White.The film hits cinemas in Japan on December 22, 2023. As announced in November, Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment is set to bring Spy x Family Code: White to theatres worldwide at some point in 2024, with confirmed territories being North America, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand.

Slipknot‘s former singer Anders Colsefni will play his first show with his band Painface in almost a decade next year – and Corey Taylor is going.The band will be performing at the Patio Nightclub in Las Vegas on January 27 and Taylor is set to watch it. He replaced Colsefni as Slipknot’s frontman in 1997.Painface have played sporadic shows since they reformed in 2010 but haven’t played a gig, they estimate, since 2015.Taylor took to X/Twitter to share his excitement for the show, writing: “Hope to see everyone at this show on Jan.

Rita Ora had some time away at a luxurious retreat with her husband Taika Waititi earlier this month.The Hot Right Now singer, 33, stayed at the exclusive Piwakawaka Point Estate on Lake Wanaka in New Zealand with Taika, 48. Taking to Instagram, Rita shared some sweet snaps of their quality time at the accommodation.

EXCLUSIVE: Shudder has acquired rights to Dario Argento Panico, Simone Scadfi’s documentary retrospective and personal portrait of the Italian giallo master, for the U.S., Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Pic debuts on the service on February 2, 2024, after making its world premiere at the 2023 Venice Film Festival.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Production is underway on “Kangaroo Island,” the feature film debut from Australian director Tim Piper and screenwriter Sally Gifford. The family relationship drama-comedy centers around a struggling Hollywood actress forced to reunite with her sister as part of her father’s last wishes. It stars Rebecca Breeds (“Clarice,” “CAUGH*T”), Erik Thomson (“Aftertaste,” “Black Snow”), Adelaide Clemens (“Justified: City Primeval,” “Under The Banner of Heaven”) and Joel Jackson (“Mystery Road,” “Safe Harbour”).

Lorde appeared to tease a new era of music with a cryptic Instagram post this weekend, but has already told fans that they might be waiting a while.The New Zealand singer-songwriter posted a photo of herself wearing headphones to Instagram late Sunday (December 17) with the caption: “Listening to myself.”Fans quickly began to speculate if new music was on the horizon for the ‘Solar Power’ singer.However, the artist elaborated in comment on a fan page that had predicted Lorde’s fourth album could be on the way, which also noted that she’d archived the ‘Solar Power‘ cover art on her feed and changed her profile picture.“We’re not CLOSE close you guys .. i’m just getting so hype n needed to let u know,” Lorde, real name Ella Yelich-O’Connor, wrote.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Guy Pearce (“LA Confidential,” “Memento”) has recently wrapped production on “Inside,” an Australian crime thriller and coming of age drama film. The picture is the debut feature of Charles Williams, whose short film “All These Creatures” won the Palme d’Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. The story sees after a young man transferred from juvenile to adult prison, where he is taken under the wing of both Australia’s most despised criminal, and a soon-to-be-a-paroled inmate.

"I remember thinking, don't fall asleep. You won't wake up." That was the terrifying moment England cricketer Jack Leach realised he could die from a fatal illness while on a tour of New Zealand.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour will be available to watch at home from December.Directed by Sam Wrench, the concert film documents Swift’s latest tour which runs through her biggest hits and rarities across all ten of her studio albums.After it was released in cinemas in October, the film has become the highest-grossing concert movie ever, earning $249million at the worldwide box office. It also landed a nomination at the 2024 Golden Globes for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement.In the US, Canada, UK and Ireland, the film will be available to rent digitally from December 13 (to coincide with Swift’s birthday).Other confirmed territories include Australia and New Zealand from December 14, and Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Mexico and Brazil from December 21.As listed on Swift’s website, the film will be available from Apple TV+, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Xfinity, YouTube and Sky.The extended version on streaming services will include songs which were cut from the cinematic release, including ‘Wildest Dreams’, ‘The Archer’ and ‘Long Live’.In a four-star review of the film, NME wrote: “It’s a staggering feat.

Caroline Brew editor ChaiFlicks, a streaming platform dedicated to Jewish content, has acquired the rights to all three seasons of Yes Studios‘ “Shtisel,” in addition to the studio’s drama series “Fire Dance.” Season One of “Shtisel” will begin streaming on ChaiFlicks in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand on Dec. 14.

Neighbours, the returning soap that has been playing elsewhere (Channel 5 and previously the BBC in the UK, has been released by its new home – streamer Freevee.The series will return to screens on 18 September, with new episodes releasing daily, Monday-Thursday, at 7 a.m. BST, on Amazon Freevee in the UK and the U.S.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Australian streamer Stan has acquired rights to both seasons, totaling 20 episodes, of the Malaysian adaptation of Scandinavian crime series “The Bridge.” The agreement, brokered by Lyle Bettson-Barker, SVP Australia and New Zealand from Banijay Rights, represents the first time that Stan has acquired a Malaysian drama series. The Asian version of “The Bridge” was initially commissioned by Viu and HBO Asia in 2018, after Double Vision, part of the Vision New Media group, introduced Viu to the format. It broadcast to across 23 territories in the combined footprints of Viu and HBO Asia and was also shown on Viu in South Africa.The title has garnered more than 20 regional awards and nominations across its two seasons, making it the most awarded drama in Malaysian history. Season one faithfully follows the original show, and sees a dead body found on the border between Malaysia and Singapore, necessitating an investigator from each country to work together to solve the crime.

Outlander star Sam Heughan will delight fans next weekend as he visits a Waterstones store in Glasgow city centre for signing of his new book 'Clanlands in New Zealand' which he wrote with co-star Graham McTavish.

A cycle-hating Scottish couple completed an epic around-the-world biking fundraiser in aid of a children’s hospice yesterday.

Prince Archie was just a few months old when his mum and dad Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided to quit their royal roles.

Phillip Schofield is being tipped to make a return to broadcasting in 2024 after ITV "drew a line in the sand" over his exit from This Morning. On Thursday, ITV released the findings of an external review into This Morning, following the scandal which saw the long-time presenter leave the show amid rumours of a feud with co-host Holly Willoughby and later admitted to having an 'unwise but not illegal' affair with a younger colleague. The review has since concluded that ITV made "considerable efforts" to find out the truth about an alleged relationship between Phillip and a runner on This Morning in 2019 but was "unable to uncover the relevant evidence" until Schofield's admission in late May 2023.

The third annual Red Sea Film Festival handed out its Yusr Awards on Thursday night, with Zarrar Kahn’s In Flames taking Best Feature and Farah Nabulsi’s The Teacher scoring a pair of wins including Best Actor for Saleh Bakri. See the full list below.

A+E‘s survivalist format Alone is headed into Germany.

EXCLUSIVE: Tubi has acquired North American rights to Spanish and English-language thriller Upon Entry from French sales firm Charades and Anonymous Content Independent.

EXCLUSIVE: Emma Myers has a closed a deal we hear to star in Warner Bros and Legendary’s Minecraft feature film.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Something Special, the Seoul-based international format agency founded by format specialists Jin Woo Hwang (president and executive producer) and Kim In Soon (EVP & head of content) announce that ITV Studios has optioned the hit Korean celebrity format “Battle in the Box” for France, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel. The deal was unveiled on Wednewday, the first full day of the Asia Television Forum and Market (ATF) in Singapore. “Battle in the Box,” created by Korea’s NMedia and represented globally by Something Special, has previously seen deals announced with Fremantle for Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal.

Leverage: Redemption will be back for a third season on a new platform. Amazon MGM Studios has renewed the popular heist-drama series, whose first two seasons streamed on Freevee, and is moving to Prime Video for Season 3. The third season will premiere on Prime Video next year in the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

EXCLUSIVE: Fresh from helping the pūteketeke become the Bird of the Century, John Oliver has another reason to celebrate.

Paramount+‘s plan for growth in Asia-Pacific is taking shape.

Anticipation for next year’s Amy Winehouse movie Back to Black is growing with Studiocanal unveiling a second image and announcing release dates.

Amber Liu, a member of K-pop girl group f(x), has announced new dates for her upcoming 2024 ‘No More Sad Songs’ world tour.Today (December 5), Amber Liu revealed the new Asia, Australia and New Zealand legs of her upcoming 2024 tour. It’ll feature four shows in Asia – in Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore – alongside two Aussie concerts and one New Zealand performance in February and March.In addition, the f(x) singer also announced that indie pop singer-songwriter Marielle Kraft will join her on the North American leg of the tour, which features eight shows across January 2024.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief France-based multinational Studiocanal has launched Cultivator Films to facilitate local co-productions in Australia and will kick off with book-to-film adaptation “Kangaroo.” “Kangaroo” is scripted by Harry Cripps (“The Dry,” “Penguin Bloom”) and directed by Kate Woods (“The Lincoln Lawyer,” “The Umbrella Academy,” “The Good Lord Bird,” “Looking for Alibrandi”). Eastern Arrernte emerging director Samantha Laughton is set as a director’s attachment. Slated to start production in Alice Springs in the first half of 2024, “Kangaroo” is a Northern Territory-inspired story based on Chris Barnes, aka ‘Brolga,’ who is the founder of the Kangaroo Sanctuary in Alice Springs. Cultivator Films Australia is led by Studiocanal’s Australia and New Zealand CEO Elizabeth Trotman.

The Weeknd has directed $2.5million (£1.9million) to pay for four million emergency meals in Gaza.Yesterday (November 1), the UN announced that the Canadian musician was sending the hefty donation through his XO Humanitarian Fund. The money will fund 820 metric tons of food parcels, which the UN claimed could feed more than 173,000 Palestinians for two weeks.As of December 1, the conflict has taken the lives of more than 15,000 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis have been killed in Gaza since October 7, according to Al Jazeera.

Tubi Hires Endeavor Exec For International Expansion

EXCLUSIVE: We hear on good authority that Max Peacemaker star Danielle Brooks and Sebastian Eugene Hansen are joining the cast of Warner Bros. and Legendary‘s Minecraft movie.

Rod Stewart still has gas left in the tank.Although the 78-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s children have begged him to retire, he’s going back on the road in 2024.As of now, the legendary knighted “Maggie May” singer has lined up 13 concerts from February through August next year.However, fans should make a point of seeing the classic singer live in the U.S. before it’s too late.“This will be the last time ’round, I think, to do the rock ‘n’ roll stuff because I want to move on to swing music and the Great American Song Book,” Stewart told People Magazine.“No more big tours.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Tubi, Fox Corp.’s ad-supported video-on-demand service, is eyeing a bigger international footprint: The streamer has tapped David Salmon, former CTO of Endeavor Streaming, as executive VP and managing director of international. Salmon, based in the U.K., will report to Tubi CEO Anjali Sud, the ex-chief exec of Vimeo who started at the streamer in September. Tubi’s biggest market is the U.S., where it first launched.