Sony Pictures Television Appoints Big Talk’s Matthew Justice as EVP & Head of U.K. and Europe

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Steve McQueen looks stressed out. He’s a few weeks into post-production on “Blitz,” his World War II drama for Apple TV+, while starting promotion on his other, long-gestating wartime project, the documentary “Occupied City.” “It’s definitely pleasurable, but this is work,” declares McQueen with the wariness of a filmmaker who’s just been plucked out of the edit suite. “Hard work is always hard work. You can’t avoid it.” The British director, who was Oscar-nominated for “12 Years a Slave,” didn’t set out to make back-to-back movies about the war, but “you plant seeds, and some come to fruition and others don’t,” he explains. “These two happened to blossom fairly close to each other.”

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Bleecker Street has acquired North American rights to Andrew Cumming’s Stone Age thriller “The Origin” from Sony Pictures’ Stage 6. World premiering at the BFI London Film Festival in October, “The Origin” won acclaim for its unique approach to genre set in the Palaeolithic period. The script was written by Ruth Greenberg (“Run”) with Escape Plan Prods.’ Oliver Kassman (“Saint Maud”) producing. The pic was nominated for five British Independent Film Awards, with a win for breakthrough performance for Safia Oakley-Green. Bleecker Street is planning a fall-winter 2023 theatrical release.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International At Sunday night’s BAFTA TV Awards in London, the most popular couple in the room won’t actually be British. Given the U.K. reception to Australian series “Colin From Accounts” — which was acquired by the BBC in one of its smartest deals in years — that honor will likely go to Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall, the real-life partners who created and star in the half-hour rom-com. The couple will be presenting a BAFTA during the ceremony, and afterwards, they’re available for selfies. “If we land in the U.K. and people recognize us on the street, that’ll be massive, because it’s never happened to me,” says Dyer. “I’ve lived in L.A. for five years, and I’m on a network television show, and not a single person has gone, ‘Are you from “American Auto?”’ Not one. So I’m pumped. I want to take some pictures with some people.”

Pusha T has today (May 9) postponed his UK and European tour again because of “production issues”.The rapper was set to bring his lauded 2022 album to the UK and Europe across the UK and Europe last year but these were postponed and rescheduled. Now, it’s been announced that a further postponement will take place.Taking to Instagram, Pusha wrote: “Apologies to my European family, but I have to shift my European tour dates due to production issues.“After the overwhelming demand and sellouts it breaks my heart.

While it's nothing new, and we're certainly not complaining, Harry Styles' name is inescapable right now.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International U.K. writers haven’t kept quiet in their support of the Writers Guild of America strike, with many making enthusiastic shows of solidarity on social media. But behind the scenes, several writers have told Variety under the condition of anonymity that they’re frustrated about a grey area in strike rules that have left them in limbo. These projects tend to be set up with the U.K. branches of “struck” companies like Disney or Netflix, but aren’t covered by WGA terms. As these multi-national businesses have grown their local productions in recent years, many British writers who are also WGA members fall into this camp, and are being pressured to walk away.

With his greatest hits compilation The Diamond Collection currently riding high on the Official Albums Chart, Post Malone is finally set to bring his Twelve Carat Tour to the UK this week.

6lack has announced new tour dates for the UK and European leg of his upcoming 2024 ‘Since I Have A Lover’ world tour. You can buy them here.The tour is in support of the R&B–hip-hop hybrid star’s recent third studio album, ‘Since I Have A Lover’ – which featured from Don Toliver and Wale.

Amazon’s Freevee has renewed Judy Justice for two additional seasons and will expand the franchise with the docudrama, Justice on Trial.

Selome Hailu Sony Pictures Television has optioned “Is it Hot in Here? (Or Am I Suffering for All Eternity for the Sins I Committed on Earth),” the debut collection of essays from comedian and writer Zach Zimmerman, for TV adaptation. “Is it Hot in Here?” is described as a “memoir-esque exploration of selfhood” chronicling Zimmerman’s journey from being a “straight, meat-eating, Southern Baptist to a queer, vegetarian, atheist socialist,” including stories about them learning to overcome their religious guilt or reminiscing over Tinder dates gone wrong. Published by Chronicle Books, “Is it Hot in Here?” was released on April 18. The option is the second commitment between Sony Pictures Television and Zimmerman, who secured a blind script deal at the studio in 2022.

The topic on everyone’s mind. Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss‘ affair was a shock to Vanderpump Rules viewers — but the cast was seemingly onto the couple for a while.

EXCLUSIVE: Insecure alumna Yvonne Orji has signed a two-year first-look deal with Sony Pictures Television. Under the pact, the Emmy-nominated actress, comedian, writer, author and producer will develop scripted drama and comedy series for cable and streaming. There is a possibility for her to star in any of the projects she develops for the studio.

Sony Pictures Classics on Thursday announced their pickup of worldwide rights (outside of the UK, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Italy and Latin America) to Strange Way of Life, the buzzy Pedro Almodóvar short, starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal, which will premiere as an official selection of the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

Sony Pictures Classics have acquired worldwide rights (excluding the UK, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, and Latin America) to Pedro Almodóvar’s short film, “Strange Way of Life,” starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal, the company announced on Thursday. This follows the news that the short will premiere as an official selection at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.Here is the trailer for the short:It is Almodóvar’s second English-language project after “The Human Voice,” which was also distributed by Sony Pictures Classics.

Pat Saperstein Deputy Editor Sony Pictures Classics has acquired worldwide rights to Pedro Almodóvar’s short Western “Strange Way of Life,” excluding the territories of the U.K., France, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Italy and Latin America. Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal star in the short that will premiere in official selection at the Cannes Film Festival. The short is now in pre-production and Sony Pictures Classics will release this fall. It’s Almodóvar’s second English-language project after “The Human Voice,” which was also distributed by Sony Pictures Classics. “Strange Way of Life” is produced by Almodóvar’s El Deseo and presented by Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello. It also stars Pedro Casablanc, Manu Ríos, George Steane, José Condessa, Jason Fernández and Sara Sálamo. It’s produced by Agustín Almodóvar, with Esther García as executive producer and Bárbara Peiró, Diego Pajuelo, and Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello as associate producers.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International MUBI has acquired all rights for Molly Manning Walker’s directorial debut “How to Have Sex” for major territories. The deal covers North America, U.K., Ireland, Italy, Latin America, Turkey and Benelux ahead of the movie’s world premiere at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard section. Theatrical releases are planned for key territories, including the U.S. and U.K. In Benelux, the film will be released theatrically in partnership with Imagine Film Distribution. Following theatrical releases, the film will premier exclusively on MUBI in all territories acquired.

Sony Pictures Television has bolstered its international team with the hire of respected UK scripted producer Matthew Justice.

Sony Pictures Classics has snapped up worldwide rights to Carlos, a new documentary about the father of Latin American jazz fusion, Carlos Santana. A release date for the film directed by Emmy winner Rudy Valdez (The Sentence) has not yet been disclosed.

For the second year in a row, CinemaCon is in full swing. And, unlike last year when there were hopes the post-pandemic box office would turn around, the last six months have seen a slew of big hits and increased optimism that the movies are truly “back.” One studio that has had a somewhat slow start to 2023 is Sony Pictures, and the Culver City staple kicked off the convention touting a number of its upcoming tentpoles including “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “Kraven the Hunter,” “Dumb Money” and, in partnership with Apple Original Films, Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon.” READ MORE: ‘Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse’ Trailer: Miles Morales wants to change his destiny in the new ‘Spider-Verse’ sequel Sony also brought some in-person star power to the event with Jennifer Lawrence (“No Hard Feelings”); David Harbour and Orlando Bloom (“Gran Turismo”); Issa Rae, Haliee Steinfeld and Shameik Moore (“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”); Glenn Powell and Sydney Sweeny (“Anyone But You”); and Dakota Fanning and Denzel Washington (“Equalizer 3”).

EXCLUSIVE: Big Talk Productions is renaming itself Big Talk Studios and is reshuffling its top team as Matthew Justice departs after 16 years.