Jon M.Chu Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Martin Short, Shania Twain and David Alan Grier are confirmed for ABC’s upcoming special Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Anniversary, playing Lumière, Mrs. Potts and Cogsworth, respectively. Rounding out the cast of the two-hour hybrid animated/live-action special are Rizwan Manji, Jon Jon Briones and Leo Abelo Perry.

Ariana Grande gave her followers a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the movie. On Monday, the “Positions” singer shared a series of pictures and videos from the set. Simply captioning the photo carousel with the bubble emoji, Grande led the post with a picture of her and Cynthia Erivo inside a dance studio.

Ariana Grande is sharing a peek behind the curtain.

H.E.R. is gearing up to show the world a new take on Belle. The singer and actress is set to play the iconic Disney princess in ABC's forthcoming live-action/animated special, and she is looking forward to the experience.The celebrated musician performed at the charity gala The Event, presented by the by the Shaquille O'Neal Foundation, at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, and spoke with ET's Kevin Frazier after her performance about her historic casting.«Oh my gosh, I'm so excited! I've been in the studio, playing with the arrangements, of course staying true to the original but giving it a new fresh twist,» the 25-year-old musician marveled. «It's gonna be like H.E.R.

The upcoming “Wicked” film adaptation has found its Fiyero.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Martin Short and Shania Twain are in final talks to join ABC’s “Beauty and the Beast” special. Sources tell Variety that Short would play Lumière while Twain will take on the role of Mrs. Potts in “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration.” The news comes just days after Variety exclusively reported that David Alan Grier will play the role of Cogsworth in the production. Previously announced cast members include Oscar winner H.E.R. as Belle, Grammy winner Josh Groban as Beast and Joshua Henry as Gaston. EGOT legend Rita Moreno will serve as the show’s narrator in the live-action/animated hybrid production.

 has found its Fiyero! Director Jon M. Chu confirmed on Twitter that star Jonathan Bailey has been cast in the role for the upcoming films. «He’s perfect, they’re perfect. They’d be perfect together.

The Wicked movie is not scheduled to hit theaters until 2024, but it’s already one of the most highly anticipated films of the next two years!

There’s huge Wicked movie news that just broke!

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorJonathan Bailey is in talks to join the cast of Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” movies.The “Bridgerton” star will play Fiyero in the two-part feature adaptation headlined by Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. The Universal Pictures films are set for release on Christmas in 2024 and 2025.“Wicked” is a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz,” telling the story of how Elphaba became the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.“We decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one ‘Wicked’ movie but two!” Chu wrote in a statement when announcing the two-parter. “With more space, we can tell the story of ‘Wicked’ as it was meant to be told while bringing even more depth and surprise to the journeys for these beloved characters.”

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor David Alan Grier is joining the cast of ABC’s “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration.” The Tony winner will play Cogsworth in the star-studded production, according to sources. Previously announced cast members include Oscar winner H.E.R. as Belle, Josh Groban as Beast and Joshua Henry as Gaston. Rita Moreno will serve as the show’s narrator in the live-action/animated hybrid production. The special, to be directed by Hamish Hamilton, will be recorded live and feature never-before-seen musical performances. Jamal Sims is serving as executive producer and choreographer. Set design is by Julio Himede with costumes by Marina Toybina (“The Masked Singer”).

Josh Groban is set as the co-lead opposite H.E.R. in ABC’s animated and live-action blended special, Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration. The announcement was made during Friday’s panel at D23 Expo 2022.

Henry is best known for his Tony-nominated leading roles in “Carousel,” “The Scottsboro Boys” and “Violet,” and for playing Aaron Burr in “Hamilton.” He played Roger Bart in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Tick, Tick, Boom” and Jerlamarel opposite Jason Momoa in Apple TV+’s “See.” He is currently appearing on Broadway in the Stephen Sondheim musical “Into The Woods.”Celebrated EGOT winner Moreno just wrapped production on feature films “Eighty for Brady” with Sally Field, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, and “Fast X,” where she plays Vin Diesel’s grandmother. Last year, she co-starred and was an executive producer on Steven Spielberg’s remake of “West Side Story.” “Beauty and the Beast,” which was released on November 22, 1991, became the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the 1992 Academy Awards, where it won Best Original Song for its self-titled theme song. “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration” is produced by Done+Dusted in association with Walt Disney Television Alternative and Electric Somewhere.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Josh Groban, Joshua Henry and Rita Moreno will star in ABC’s “Beauty and the Beast 30th Anniversary Special,” Variety can exclusively reveal. Groban, who recorded the original song “Evermore” for the 2017 “Beauty and the Beast” film, will play Beast. Henry, who recently starred on Broadway’s “Into the Woods,” will play Gaston. Moreno will serve as the show’s narrator, guiding viewers along the classically enchanting tale. As previously announced, Grammy winner H.E.R. will play Belle in the live-action/animated hybrid. The casting news was announced Friday at the D23 Expo’s “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration” panel, moderated by Variety’s senior artisans editor Jazz Tangcay.

The Wicked movie is not scheduled to hit theaters until 2024, but it’s already one of the most highly anticipated films of the next two years!

EXCLUSIVE: 20th Television has re-upped the deal for Milo Ventimiglia and Russ Cundiff’s DiVide Pictures, the company behind the studio’s drama The Company You Keep, headlined by the This Is Us alum. The drama just received a series order by ABC.

announced that ABC had ordered the show’s pilot, marking Ventimiglia’s first role following the conclusion of NBC’s “This Is Us.” The pilot episode is written by Cohen and directed and executive produced by Ben Younger.Ventimiglia is represented by Management 360, Verve and McKuin Frankel Whitehead and Cohen.  DiVide is repped by Verve and McKuin Frankel Whitehead and Cohen.

ABC has picked up The Company You Keep, starring and executive produced by This Is Us alum Milo Ventimiglia, to series. The drama, produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios, was the last remaining “second cycle” pilot to learn its fate, but was a consistent frontrunner and a move to a series pickup always looked promising. Like drama pilot Will Trent, which was picked up to series this month, The Company You Keep had started a writers room in anticipation of a series order. The project also had brought on seasoned writer-producer Phil Klemmer as co-showrunner. It will debut at midseason on ABC in 2023.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterABC has given a series order to the spy drama “The Company You Keep” starring “This Is Us” alum Milo Ventimiglia, Variety has learned.The series was originally ordered to pilot as part of ABC’s 2022 pilot season slate. It will now debut at midseason on ABC in 2023.The show is based on the Korean series “My Fellow Citizens” from Korean Broadcasting System. In the American version, a night of passion leads to love between con-man Charlie (Ventimiglia) and undercover CIA officer Emma (Catherine Haena Kim), who are unknowingly on a collision course professionally.

The decision to move Sega’s famous blue speedster into the competitive holiday season shows how bullish Paramount is on the franchise, as the first “Sonic the Hedgehog” was released on Valentine’s Day weekend in 2020 with “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” getting a release this past April during the spring break period for many schools. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! #SonicMovie3 IS COMING TO THEATRES ON DECEMBER 20, 2024!!! AHHH!!! pic.twitter.com/2H2QtmwxZlCombined, the two “Sonic” films have grossed $721 million worldwide, with “Sonic 2” grossing $401.8 million.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo shared a small but exciting update of “Wicked.” Erivo and Grande both shared posts hiding some photos for fans of the movie. They also commented on each other’s posts, leaving encouraging messages.Ariana Grande shows love for Selena Gomez after she used her song in her last TikTokAriana Grande shared the most adorable throwback video just in time for her birthdayA post shared by Cynthia Erivo (@cynthiaerivo)Erivo’s post features her singing, something that impressed her followers and showed off her incredible range. It also includes photos of herself reading the film’s script, and a short clip of herself and Grande hugging, with the latter clearly excited to be working with Erivo.

EJ Panaligan editorHarry Shum Jr. will join ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” for its upcoming 19th season, adding to a group of new characters played by recently cast actors Adelaide Kane, Alexis Floyd, Niko Terho and Midori Francis.Shum will play Daniel “Blue” Kwan, a character described as sharp-witted, impatient and brilliant.

EXCLUSIVE: Glee alum Harry Shum Jr. rounds out the group of five new resident cast additions for the upcoming 19th season of ABC’s venerable medical drama Grey’s Anatomy. He joins recently cast Adelaide Kane, Alexis Floyd, Niko Terho and Midori Francis. All five will play first-year surgical residents at Grey Sloan, which was ordered to disband and rebuild its teaching program in the Season 18 finale.

Netflix will release its long-gestating drama about the real-life rescue of 12 boys who were trapped in a cave in northern Thailand on September 22. Thai Cave Rescue will show how the Wild Boars soccer team’s afternoon exploring with their 25-year-old coach went disastrously wrong when heavy rain trapped them inside, leading to a massive international recovery mission that engrossed the world.

H.E.R. is set to play Belle in an upcoming hybrid special celebrating the 30th anniversary of Beauty And The Beast.Alongside a screening of the 1991 film, the special will feature never-before-seen musical performances and brand new sets and costumes inspired by the Disney classic.

ABC‘s upcoming special just found its Belle!

There’s a new Belle in town.

She was changed for good. Amanda Seyfried was rehearsing for her Wicked movie audition while playing Elizabeth Holmes on Hulu’s The Dropout.

H.E.R. is now a Disney princess. The GRAMMY and Oscar-winning singer and songwriter will take on the role of Belle in ABC's forthcoming live-action/animated  special celebrating the movie's 30th anniversary, the network announced Wednesday.

Grammy and Academy Award-winning singer-songwriter H.E.R has been tapped to play beloved Disney Princess Belle in ABC’s upcoming animated and live-action blended special, Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration, executive produced by Jon M. Chu and directed by Hamish Hamilton.

Amanda Seyfried has revealed that she went out and auditioned for the role of Glinda in the upcoming Wicked movie.

EXCLUSIVE: Cynthia Erivo, just weeks away from starting rehearsals for the two-part Wicked musical movie, has stopped off in London to wow an audience at the Royal Albert Hall with a concert performance for the BBC Proms that will broadcast and stream in the late fall.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterDean Fleischer Camp, the filmmaker behind A24’s charming indie comedy “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” will step in for Jon M. Chu as director of Disney’s live-action “Lilo & Stitch” remake.Chu was attached to the project in 2020, but his deal was never finalized.The movie is still in early stages and has yet to officially set a screenwriter or hire any actors to portray Lilo and company.

An upcoming television special will celebrate the 30th anniversary of “Beauty and the Beast”, one of Disney’s most successful animated features.

ABC is dipping its toes back into live productions with Beauty and the Beast!

An upcoming television special will celebrate the 30th anniversary of “Beauty and the Beast”, one of Disney’s most successful animated features.