Michael Showalter Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon MGM opened this year’s SXSW with a bang with Road House, and they’re going to end it tonight with another one, that being Michael Showalter’s Anne Hathaway romance movie, The Idea of You.

EXCLUSIVE: Felicity Jones is set to star in Michael Showalter’s holiday comedy Oh. What. Fun. for Amazon MGM Studios, joining Michelle Pfeiffer, Chloë Grace Moretz and Dominic Sessa.

Marc Malkin Senior Editor, Culture and Events Nicholas Galitzine may have told his parents that he has a lot of sex scenes in “Mary & George” with both women and men, but that didn’t keep things from getting awkward when his mom and dad were by his side at the series’ London premiere. “I was kind of in hysterics because there is nothing more uncomfortable than watching your son bed a number of characters even within the first few episodes,” the British actor, 29, tells me during a wide-ranging conversation on this week’s “Just for Variety” podcast.

EXCLUSIVE: Artists First has signed Nancy Moscatiello, the investigative journalist and Emmy-nominated producer whose most recent investigation spurred the hit podcast Scamanda, for which she was creator and EP. Going forward, the management and production company will look for opportunities to help her translate stories, old and new, for film and TV, while supporting her other endeavors.

EXCLUSIVE: After seeing his Amazon MGM romantic drama The Idea of You debut to glowing reviews on the closing night of SXSW, Michael Showalter has been set to reteam with the studio on Oh. What. Fun, a holiday comedy to star Golden Globe winner and Academy Award nominee Michelle Pfeiffer (French Exit).

Given some of the star-studded titles that have closed out SXSW in previous years, a romantic comedy that could best be described as Harry Styles Wish Fulfillment might seem like an odd choice to round out the festival. But “The Idea of You,” a Michael Showalter adaptation of Robinne Lee’s book of the same name, proves that romantic comedies, when done well, are every bit as deserving of the red carpet rollout.

Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine got support from The Idea of You producer Gabrielle Union at the premiere of their new movie during the SXSW Conference & Festival on Saturday (March 16) in Austin, Texas.

EXCLUSIVE: Following a brief stint working on her own, Amalea Chininis has joined Artists First as a Manager, working out of the company’s Los Angeles office.

The 2024 SXSW Film Festival kicked off March 8 in Austin with the opening-night world premiere screening of Doug Liman’s Road House remake starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor. It started nine days of debuts including for movies starring Rooney Mara, Isabelle Huppert, Gael García Bernal, Kristen Stewart and more. The Anne Hathaway romantic dramedy The Idea of You from SXSW stalwart Michael Showalter will close the fest.

You can tell it’s spring.

Can Harry Styles fan fiction become a movie? Well, Robinne Lee’s viral 2017 novel, “The Idea Of You,” a romantic dramedy about a single mom who meets a boy band star at Coachella and then falls in love with him, was always thought to be exactly that. However, the author always denied it (more on that later).

The Idea of You, starring Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine, is based on the novel of the same name, and follows a divorced mom () who unexpectedly falls for the lead singer of a pop band. The story is sexy, spicy, and full of tension, and it looks like Amazon Studios' adaptation won't be sanitizing it.

Dennis Quaid is set to star opposite Annaleigh Ashford in Paramount+ upcoming drama series Happy Face. Quaid will play the titular role of the real-life serial killer notoriously called “Happy Face” because of the smiley faces he drew on evidence where he bragged about his crimes. Ashford stars as his daughter, Melissa.

With Sundance wrapped up, we are now looking forward to the rest of the early 2024 festivals, including SXSW in March. While we already have some idea of what we’ll see at the event, we now know the Closing Night film is one to keep an eye on— “The Idea of You” from director Michael Showalter.

Paramount+‘s long-in-the-works crime drama series Happy Face is headed to production with Emmy-nominated and Tony-winning actor Annaleigh Ashford (Welcome to Chippendales, Impeachment: American Crime Story) set as the lead.

It’s time to update our 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2024 list because Amazon Studios has unveiled some of its release dates for next year on Prime Video. Whether some of these films will get theatrical releases is currently unknown, but the rule of thumb is: the bigger the picture and bigger the stars, the more likely it is (usually anyhow, next year may prove to be the exception; see below).

EXCLUSIVE: Artists First has signed Latin-American superstar Rodolfo Salas for representation across all areas.

A new NYPD detective will be joining the force on the upcoming 23rd season of Law & Order. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Veep alum Reid Scott has joined the upcoming season as a new series regular on the NBC police procedural, portraying an as-yet unamed NYPD detective.

Naman Ramachandran Jon Hamm, Ryan Coogler and Molly Shannon are among the luminaries headlining a new podcast that reunites former Sundance Film Festival directors John Cooper and Tabitha Jackson. Titled “The Film That Blew My Mind,” the first season of the podcast will have 20 episodes and will be co-hosted by Cooper and Jackson.

EXCLUSIVE: Rising British actress Leo Hatton has inked with Artists First for management.

Showtime has made a decision on its last remaining current scripted series whose fate had been up in the air, opting not to pick up a second season of comedy I Love That for You. The news comes a year after the Season 1 run of the show starring Vanessa Bayer, who co-created I Love That For You with Jeremy Beiler. The two serve as executive producers alongside showrunner Jessi Klein and Michael Showalter.

J. Kim Murphy “I Love That for You” will not move forward with a second season at Showtime. The network has canceled the comedy series executive produced by Vanessa Bayer, Jeremy Beiler and Jessi Klein after one season. “’I Love That for You’ has completed its run on Showtime,” a spokesperson for the network disclosed on Wednesday evening. “We want to thank Vanessa, Jeremy and Jessi, along with the incredible cast and crew for their hard work and wish them the best going forward.” The news comes nearly a year after “I Love That for You” completed its pilot season, airing a finale on June 19, 2022. The first season was composed of eight episodes, which broadcast weekly on Sunday evenings.

EXCLUSIVE: The team at Artists First has continued to expand with the addition of Will Douglas as Talent Manager. The appointment follows Artists First’s promotion of Caroline Soss, as well as its hiring of Curtis Shaw Flagg for the same role.

EXCLUSIVE: Ben Browning is returning to FilmNation Entertainment as President of Production. He comes aboard at month’s end.

Nancy Lenehan is set as a lead opposite Ellie Kemper in ABC’s Drop-Off (working title), a comedy pilot based on the British series Motherland, from writer Julieanne Smolinski, Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford’s Merman Television, Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment, Lionsgate and ABC Signature. Judy Greer, Karan Soni and Michaela Conlin also star.

EXCLUSIVE: Michaela Conlin has been cast as a series regular opposite Ellie Kemper in ABC’s Drop-Off (working title), a comedy pilot based on the British series Motherland, from writer Julieanne Smolinski, Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford’s Merman Television, Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment, Lionsgate and ABC Signature. Judy Greer and Karan Soni also star.

Judy Greer is set as a lead opposite Ellie Kemper in ABC’s Drop-Off (working title), a comedy pilot based on the British series Motherland, from writer Julieanne Smolinski, Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford’s Merman Television, Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment, Lionsgate and ABC Signature. Karan Soni also stars.

Ellie Kemper is set to executive producer and star in Lionsgate’s “Drop-Off” (working title), which has been given a pilot order by ABC. The project, which is based on Sharon Horgan’s BAFTA nominated British format comedy “Motherland,” will see Kemper play Julia, a working mom for whom nothing is working so she goes looking for her village.

ABC has confirmed a pilot order for Drop-Off (working title) a comedy based on the British series Motherland, with Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) to star and executive produce. As we previously reported, Karan Soni (Deadpool franchise) also is set as a lead in the project, from writer Julieanne Smolinski, Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford’s Merman Television, Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment, Lionsgate and ABC Signature. Michael Showalter (The Big Sick) will direct.

BreAnna Bell ABC has placed a pilot order for Ellie Kemper’s “Drop Off” (working title). “Julia (Ellie Kemper) is a working mom for whom nothing is working so she goes looking for her village. With the help of new friends Calvin and Liz, Julia discovers she just might succeed at balancing work and parenting from time to time. This is a comedy for anybody who’s dropped their kids at school, breathed a sigh of relief…then realized it’s Sunday,” reads the logline. Kemper executive produces alongside Sharon Horgan, Clelia Mountford, Stacy Greenberg, Kira Carstensen for Merman Television. Paul Feig, Dan Magnante through Feigco Entertainment. Holly Walsh and Helen Serafinowicz also executive produce. Michael Showalter serves as an executive producer and director. Julieanne Smolinski is attached to write and executive produce. Lionsgate and ABC Signature are the studios behind the production.

ABC is in negotiations with Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) to headline Motherland, a comedy pilot based on the British series. Karan Soni (Deadpool franchise) has been tapped for a lead in the project, from writer Julieanne Smolinski, Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford’s Merman Television, Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment, Lionsgate and ABC Signature. Michael Showalter (The Big Sick) has come on board to direct.

EXCLUSIVE: Artists First has signed actor Brandon Micheal Hall for management.

Veteran studio executives Peter Kujawski and Jason Cassidy will receive an Industry Tribute at the 32nd annual Gotham Awards ceremony, taking place live and in person at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City on Monday, November 28.

Angelique Jackson Ella Rubin has been cast opposite Anne Hathaway in the Prime Video movie “The Idea of You,” about a mom who embarks on a romance with the lead singer of the world’s hottest boy band. Rubin will play the Academy Award-winner’s daughter in the movie, based on Robinne Lee’s bestselling contemporary love story of the same name. “The Idea of You” centers on Sophie (Hathaway), a 40-year-old divorced mother. First, Sophie’s husband Dan left her for a younger woman, and now he has canceled his Coachella trip with their 16-year-old daughter (Rubin). Sophie steps in to save the day, braving the crowds and desert temperatures, but things really heat up when she meets 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of boy band August Moon (Jaiden Anthony, Raymond Cham, Vik White, and Dakota Adan round out the group).

The first trailer for Jim Parsons and Ben Aldridge‘s new movie has been released.

Over the past several years, few working filmmakers have been as busy as Michael Showalter. The writer, director, and actor, once known primarily for his involvement in the cultish “Wet Hot American Summer” franchise, has seen a precipitous rise in both the movies and TV.