Paramount Developing H.G. Wells Project From Wes Ball’s OddBall Entertainment; Laura Gillis Tapped To Write Latest Draft Of The Script

Angelique Jackson After dominating the Grammy Awards with five wins, including album of the year, Jon Batiste is set to conquer a new medium — acting. The musician has joined the cast of “The Color Purple,” directed by Blitz Bazawule, for his feature acting debut.Batiste is set to portray Grady, husband to Shug Avery (played by Taraji P. Henson).

EXCLUSIVE: Face/Off and Hacksaw Ridge producer David Permut has acquired Steve Lillbuen’s true crime book The Devil’s Cinema about Canadian filmmaker Mark Twitchell who was convicted of first degree murder in 2011.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentAs the Cannes Film Festival will announce its Official Selection on Thursday, Variety is starting to get a slightly clearer picture of what 75th edition will look like, though fewer titles than usual have leaked. Led by Cannes’ artistic director and general delegate Thierry Fremaux, the selection committee has been flooded with late submissions and is now in the thick of deliberations.Most surprisingly, according to two well-informed sources, there will even be a David Lynch feature film which has been completely off the radar and stars Laura Dern — either as a cameo or a supporting role — along with some other Lynch regulars.We already know the sun-dappled celebration will land several high-profile films from U.S.

Thania Garcia Since the 1980s, the city of Miami has been synonymous with fashion, art deco and, of course, Latin music.On Thursday, Variety and the City National Bank of Miami hosted the inaugural Miami Entertainment Town breakfast — an event celebrating The Magic City’s irrefutable influence over the entertainment and music industry. The Legends and Groundbreakers award was given to Miami’s most notable musical pioneers — Gloria and Emilio Estefan — who helped put Miami on the map with the revolutionary stylings of their Miami Sound Machine.In her acceptance speech, Gloria Estefan mused tales of the city, “Even as a little kid, I knew that one day someone would realize the gem that is Miami Beach,” she said.

Siwa told late-night host Jimmy Fallon. “Of course, not everybody in the world is going to accept it right now, but there are so many people who are going to accept it right now.

A Killing Eve spin-off looking into the early life of MI6 spymaster Carolyn Mertens is in the works at BBC America and AMC Networks.

EXCLUSIVE: Dave Logan, creator of Acorn TV’s Harry Wild and writer on Roald Dahl film To Olivia, is developing a crime drama TV series set in Malta with his Harry Wild co-writer Jo Spain.

Katherine Tulich Paramount Australia and New Zealand has greenlighted Helium Pictures’ eight-hour scripted drama “Paper Dolls” for Network 10 and Paramount Plus Australia. Production is set to commence in Sydney later this year and will premier on 10 in 2023.Set in 2000, “Paper Dolls,” which is produced by Helium Pictures, follows the meteoric rise and fall of fictional girl band Indigo, a manufactured pop group born on one of the first reality talent TV shows.The drama focuses on five women aspiring for pop stardom only to find their dream of fame compromised by what it takes to achieve it. At first competitors and then confidants, as Indigo achieves instant success and stardom, their secrets threaten to tear the band apart, particularly as one member, returning to the music industry, threatens to implode the group as she seeks revenge on a former record label that wronged her.

Michael B. Jordan and Lori Harvey are couple goals. The hot, successful, young couple made their red carpet debut last night at the Vanity Fair Oscars After-Party and continued to prove they are one of the best-looking celebrity couples in Hollywood right now.

Simone Ashley is opening up about making love on screen.

Real Housewives of Cheshire star Dawn Ward has been cleared of two counts of racially aggravated harassment, one count of assault and possession of cocaine after she was arrested in October 2019.The reality star, 48, who is married to former footballer Ashley Ward, broke down into tears as the verdict was announced on Friday 25 March. Describing the ordeal as "three years of hell", she told the jury: "Thank you.Thank you so much, thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Dawn had been accused of using "anti-Semitic" language during an exchange with Jewish brothers Jake and Sam Jacobs at Euston Station at the time.

Marvel Studios is the dominating force in the superhero genre and they continue to deliver various characters, balancing both the popular and the obscure. We’ll be seeing “Moon Knight,” “Ms.

Real Housewives star Dawn Ward sobbed in court as she told the room she “doesn’t see race”.The reality star, 48, told jurors that she had “no idea” the two men accusing her of anti-Semitism were Jewish as her trial continued yesterday.TV star Dawn, who is married to ex-Premier footballer Ashley Ward, also said she has been accused of "hiding her racism" by allowing her daughter Taylor Ward to marry and have a child with Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez. Giving evidence at her trial yesterday afternoon, she denied the accusation that she had called brothers Jake and Sam Jacobs “Jewish c***s” at Euston Station in October 2019.The star told the court: “I don't see anyone's race, religion or anything like that.

Ciara is taking on a new role.

Sarah Hyland and Wells Adams are welcoming a new addition to the family!