Ralph Fiennes’ ‘Four Quartets’ Gets North American Distribution Deal Ahead Of Stateside Bow At Santa Barbara

Streaming pay-TV bundle provider FuboTV closed 2022 with 1.445 million subscribers in North America and posted healthy numbers in many financial categories in the fourth quarter.

EXCLUSIVE: Times may have changed, and videocassettes are no longer involved, but they are still producing those annual video retrospectives of the Super Bowl.

Katie Reul editor Will Smith won the NAACP Image Award for outstanding actor in a motion picture for his performance in “Emancipation” on Saturday night, marking his first award win since his infamous incident at the 2022 Oscars in which he slapped Chris Rock onstage. Smith was not present at the ceremony to accept his award in person. Set in 19th century Louisiana, Smith portrays a runaway slave who embarks on a treacherous journey to Baton Rouge while thwarting off violent plantation owners. “Emancipation” was inspired by an 1863 photograph known as “Whipped Peter,” which depicts a once-enslaved individual with severe lacerations on his back. The image’s circulation placed the brutality of slavery in front of the eyes of the American public.

Blake Lively almost made it into The Plastics.

Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in a shocking moment that overshadowed Hollywood’s biggest night, TMZ reported Wednesday. The outlet cited unidentified Academy insiders who reportedly said the designated team will be able to spring into action at the March 12 ceremony if things go awry.“We have a whole crisis team, something we’ve never had before, and many plans in place,” the sources allegedly told TMZ. “We’ve run many scenarios.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. American Girl Dolls has immortalized what was once their most loyal fanbase.

Pentatonix is being honored!

Twice fans, this is your year.In fact, you may even be able to see the K-Pop girl group live more than, um, twice this year when they tour the world as part of their fifth World Tour “Ready To Be.”After international dates in South Korea, Australia and Japan, the nine-member outfit lands in the U.S. for nine shows at stadiums, arenas and ballparks from June 10 through July 9.And listen up, New Yorkers and New Jerseyans — the hitmakers are stopping into East Rutherford’s MetLife Stadium for a huge concert on July 6.That will be a historic show too.

Bebe Rexha is hitting the road!

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) announced its winning films at a ceremony this morning in Santa Barbara.

EXCLUSIVE: Black Adam, The Old Guard and Aladdin star Marwan Kenzari is set to join Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche in The Return, which is due to film this spring.

Kevin Clifton was very remorseful as he touched upon parenting guilt in a new interview on BBC Morning Live on Friday.The former Strictly Come Dancing star, who is currently starring alongside Maisie Smith in Strictly Ballroom: The Musical, confessed his feelings as he discussed being on the road with his latest project.WATCH: Kevin Clifton opens up about parenting guilt About becoming a first-time father in January, Kevin gushed: "I'm obsessed, I'm absolutely obsessed. We've just completely fallen in love with her."I do feel a little bit guilty sometimes when I'm on the road.

Austin Butler suited up for the 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival, where he was honored with the Virtuosos Award on Wednesday (February 15).

EXCLUSIVE: Vertical has secured North American rights to the mystery comedy Susie Searches which premiered at TIFF 2022. Based on her 2020 short film of the same name, Sophie Kargman makes her feature film directorial debut and shares story credit alongside the film’s writer William Day Frank. It stars Kiersey Clemons (Dope), Alex Wolff (Hereditary), Jim Gaffigan (Chappaquiddick), Ken Marino (Wanderlust), and Rachel Sennott (Bodies Bodies Bodies).

Depeche Mode have added more North American shows to their 2023 ‘Memento Mori’ world tour – tickets will be available here.The synth-pop duo – comprising Dave Gahan and Martin Gore – are due to hit the road in the US and Canada next month following the release of their 15th album, ‘Memento Mori’, which is out on March 17 via Columbia/Mute.Today (February 16), Depeche Mode announced a second North American leg that takes in 29 new dates between late September and mid-December, 2023.Extra gigs will take place in locations such as Mexico City, Austin, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Orlando, Brooklyn, Nashville, Philadelphia and Toronto. The run is set to conclude with a pair of LA gigs at the city’s Kia Forum and Crypto.com Arena.Tickets for the newly-confirmed concerts go on general sale at 10am local time next Friday (February 24) – you’ll be able to purchase yours here.

Magnolia Pictures has acquired North American rights from Participant to “A Compassionate Spy,” the new documentary from Steve James (“Hoop Dreams,” “Life Itself”). The film, which world premiered at the Venice Film Festival ahead of its North American launch at Telluride, is a real-life spy story about Manhattan Project physicist Ted Hall, who provided nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union, told through the perspective of his wife Joan, who protected his secret for decades. Magnolia will release the film in theaters later this year. “A Compassionate Spy” is presented by Participant and is a Mitten Media and Kartemquin Films production produced by Mark Mitten p.g.a., Dave Lindorff, and Steve James. Executive producers are Jeff Skoll, Diane Weyermann, Tim Horsburgh and Gordon Quinn.

EXCLUSIVE: Keshet International (KI) has struck its first ever natural history content deal with Finland’s MRP Matila Röhr Productions, along with picking up a Channel 4 sexual harassment doc.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Bleecker Street continues its acquisition spree with the pick-up of historical epic “The Return,” which reunites Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche. The project, which will be based on Homer’s ancient classic “The Odyssey,” is directed by Academy Award nominee Uberto Pasolini and written by Edward Bond, John Collee and Pasolini. The project, announced last year, reunited “The English Patient” co-stars Fiennes and Binoche after 25 years. The pic will also star Venice Film Festival Best Young Actor Award winner Charlie Plummer, with production beginning in Greece this spring in the regions of Corfu and the Peloponnese, before continuing in Italy. Bleecker Street will release the film in theaters in 2024.

Bleecker Street has picked up North American distribution rights to Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche historical epic The Return on the eve of the European Film Market. The project, which is directed by Uberto Pasolini, is based on Homer’s ancient classic The Odyssey. 

Brendan Fraser is being honored at the 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.