Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes Signs First-Look Deal With Universal

“The White Lotus” is open for business in Sicily. On Monday, HBO Max released the first footage from Season 2 of the acclaimed comedy series, which is officially titled “The White Lotus: Sicily.”The footage came in a video featuring several shows that are “coming soon” to the streamer. It highlights a few of the stars of the upcoming installment and gives a first look at what’s in store.

EXCLUSIVE: Single Parents alums Leighton Meester, Taran Killam and Adam Brody are reuniting for The River Wild—a reimagining of Uni’s 1994 adventure film of the same name, which is currently in production in Hungary. (The first image from the set of the reboot can be found below.)

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorLive Nation has re-upped longtime CEO Michael Rapino to a new five-year contract that will see him earn $30 million year if he and the company meet performance metrics, according to documents filed with the SEC.While Rapino’s annual salary holds at his previous $3 million per year, the annual target cash bonus is climbing from $6 million to $17 million per year. The news was first reported by the Hollywood Reporter.Starting next year, Rapino will also be eligible for an annual grant of restricted shares valued at no less than $10 million.

A never-before-seen clip from “The Office” has just been unveiled, and it offers some unique insight into the childhood of Michael Scott (Steve Carell).

EXCLUSIVE: After parting ways for a brief time, Michael Bay and Brad Fuller are teaming back up with Fuller returning to Platinum Dunes and the producing duo signing an overall deal with Universal Pictures. With more than $2.7 billion in box office grosses since its founding in 2001, the Company’s credits include some of the most iconic genre films in recent history: the reinvigorated Texas Chainsaw Massacre series; the critically and commercially-acclaimed A Quiet Place: Parts I & II; as well as Universal Pictures’ successful The Purge and Ouija franchises. Today’s announcement was made by Universal Pictures President, Peter Cramer.

lifelong condition can affect people's every day lives but can also increase the risk of getting other serious problems. Type 2 diabetes is caused by problems with insulin in the body and is often linked to being overweight, inactive or having a family history of the disease. People with the condition have been warned to check their feet daily for signs.

Rashida Jones and Will McCormack are getting into business with Lionsgate TV. The prolific duo have signed a first-look producing deal with the studio via their Le Train Train Productions under which they will produce scripted programming for multiple platforms.

Selome Hailu Rashida Jones and Will McCormack’s production company Le Train Train has entered a first look deal with the Lionsgate Television Group, where Jones and McCormack will produce scripted projects across platforms. The first project in development under the deal is “Lovesick,” based on the UK series of the same name.“Lovesick” was a romantic comedy series that ran for one season on Channel 4 before moving to Netflix for Seasons 2 and 3.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorA24, the indie studio behind TV shows and movies like “Euphoria,” “Minari,” “Moonlight” and “Lady Bird,” signed a first-look deal with Pushkin Industries, Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Weisberg’s audio production company.Under the new deal, A24 has the right of first refusal to develop film and TV projects based on Pushkin’s intellectual property. The companies are already in development on “a few” projects including a documentary series based on Gladwell’s “The Bomber Mafia,” to be directed by filmmaker Morgan Neville.Pushkin Industries CEO Weisberg and president Gladwell will executive produce projects developed through the A24 pact.Pushkin Industries, founded in 2018, has produced several podcasts that have broken into the top 10 on Apple’s Top Podcasts chart, including Gladwell’s “Revisionist History,” as well as “Against the Rules,” “The Happiness Lab,” “Broken Record,” “Cautionary Tales,” “The Last Archive,” “Deep Cover,” “Lost Hills” and “A Slight Change of Plans.” Pushkin’s audiobooks include Pulitzer Prize-winning “The Netanyahus” by Joshua Cohen and Gladwell’s “Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon.” In “The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War,” Gladwell uses original interviews and archival footage tell the stories of a Dutch genius and his homemade computer, a band of brothers in central Alabama, a British psychopath and pyromaniacal chemists at Harvard.In the years leading up to World War II, most military strategists saw the airplane as an afterthought.

Apple TV+ has inked a multi-year first-look deal with Animal Pictures, the production company from Maya Rudolph, Natasha Lyonne and Danielle Renfrew Behrens.The deal gives Apple TV+ the first-look on series and digital features developed and produced by the company.The news comes not long after the debut of Rudolph’s new workplace comedy series “Loot” on the streamer. “Loot” follows Rudolph’s Molly Novak, “a billionaire who has a dream life, complete with private jets, a sprawling mansion and a gigayacht — anything her heart desires. But when her husband of 20 years betrays her, she spirals publicly, becoming fuel for tabloid fodder,” per a logline from the streamer.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterApple has struck a multi-year first-look deal with Animal Pictures, the production company run by Maya Rudolph, Natasha Lyonne and Danielle Renfrew Behrens.The announcement of the deal comes after the premiere of “Loot,” the Apple comedy series in which Rudolph stars and executive produces. Under the terms of the deal, Apple will now have a first-look at all series and digital features developed and produced by Animal Pictures.In addition to “Loot,” Animal Pictures has Lyonne’s second season of “Russian Doll” at Netflix and Rian Johnson’s mystery “Poker Face” and a two-season order of adult animated series “The Hospital” created by Cirocco Dunlap.

Animal Pictures, the production company founded by Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne, has signed a first-look deal with Apple TV+.

Michael Bay‘s bombastic, high-energy, melodramatic films tend to produce polarizing responses to his work. Yet, no matter what camp you’re in, there is one thing you can’t deny: Bay knows how to make a thrilling movie and craft action like no other.

Peaky Blinders and Cobra producer Joe Donaldson has set an indie, Magic Hour Television, and signed a first-look deal with All3Media International and All3Media-owned drama house New Pictures. Donaldson will develop a slate, funded by All3 and its international arm, and partner with New Pictures co-founder and CEO Willow Grylls to produce scripted TV.

Naman Ramachandran Joe Donaldson, producer of “Peaky Blinders” and “Cobra,” has launched new production company Magic Hour Television and signed a first look deal with All3Media and New Pictures.Donaldson will develop a slate, funded by All3Media and All3Media International, and partner with New Pictures co-founder and CEO Willow Grylls, to produce new scripted television content. He will also serve as executive producer for New Pictures on the upcoming third series ‘Cobra: Rebellion’ for Sky Max, which is due to start filming later this year.Magic Hour is set up to produce human stories about life in Britain and beyond, tapping into U.K.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJosh Richards has entered into a first-look deal with Amazon, Variety has learned exclusively.Under the terms of the deal, he will act as a brand ambassador for the streamer and will develop custom social media for its content, including the NFL’s “Thursday Night Football.” The pro football league signed an 11-year deal with Amazon in 2021 for the rights to the Thursday night games, with this fall’s season being the first under the deal.“We are extremely excited to welcome Josh and his incredible team into the Amazon Studios and Prime Video fold,” said Lee Stimmel, head of influencer marketing for Amazon’s Prime Video. “Josh has an amazing track record of creating engaging content that resonates with his millions of fans.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentFurther expanding its already robust talent roster in Spain, Latin America and the U.S. Latino market, VIS, Paramount’s international studio, has signed an exclusive first-look deal with Madrid and Los Angeles-based Morena Films to develop and produce films and series for the company’s portfolio.The titles will have a strong focus on Latin America, Spain, and U.S.

win an Emmy for lead actor in a drama series. He also just won his second Tony Award for Best Musical as a producer on “A Strange Loop.”Gugenheim recently finished producing Porter’s feature directorial debut “Anything’s Possible” for Orion/MGM.In a statement of his own, Gugenheim said: “While ‘Pose’ was an incredible show that had a deep impact on strengthening my understanding of the importance of telling underrepresented stories and created a clear opening to approach Billy to direct ‘Anything’s Possible,’ it was working on set with Billy and watching him direct the cast and crew that left me with the most profound experience.