Entertainment Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Naman Ramachandran The Jeffrey Archer Company and Dream Bay Entertainment have entered into a strategic partnership to adapt the bestselling author’s works for television and film internationally, with an initial focus on Indian, Asian and the Middle Eastern markets. DBE was founded in 2023 by former Amazon Studios executive Thomas Drachkovitch. Former CAA agent Jason Hafford recently joined as co-founder and head of DBE Management.

The Jeffrey Archer Company has struck a deal to localize his literary works into film and TV adaptations with ex-Amazon exec Thomas Drachkovitch and ex-CAA Agent Jason Hafford’s new outfit.

Naman Ramachandran Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) has signed a one-year deal that is a mix of exclusive and non-exclusive library titles for the Pakistan market with streamer Begin. Backed by venture accelerator Z2C Limited, Begin is an SVOD platform that serves the Southwest Asian region, with licensed deals in live sports and entertainment.

Darren Criss has played queer roles over the years and is now explaining why he says he’s “culturally gay.”

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Carla Gugino has been tapped to play Hollywood screen legend Vivien Leigh in the forthcoming biopic “The Florist.” The film is directed by Nick Sandow (star of “Orange is the New Black”) and will explore Leigh’s struggle with bipolar disorder in the 1960s, as she prepares to lead the Broadway production of John Gielgud’s Chekhov adaptation of “Ivanov.” Screenwriter Jayce Bartok (“The Cake Eaters”) put the script together based on a box of love letters. Leigh earned her place in cinema history as Scarlett O’Hara, the central character in 1939’s “Gone With the Wind,” opposite Clark Gable.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Darren Criss made headlines out of this year’s Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) for saying he’s “culturally queer” (via Entertainment Weekly). The 37-year-old actor gained fame for starring as Blaine Anderson on five seasons of the Fox musical comedy series “Glee.” Blaine was an openly gay character. Criss, who identifies as a straight, had no qualms about taking on the role and said it was “fucking awesome.” “I have been so culturally queer my whole life,” Criss added.

Rob Marciano, meteorologist for Good Morning America, has left the network.

Sorry, Glen Powell shippers! Sydney Sweeney‘s wedding is really happening — and in fact may be sooner than anyone realized!

ProSiebenSat.1 Media’s shareholders have narrowly voted to reject a plan that would have seen the business split up.

Angelique Jackson Inevitable Foundation has announced the winners of its partnership with the Loreen Arbus Foundation to support disabled women and nonbinary writers. The recipients are Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini, Melanie Abrams Fierstein, Natalia Temesgen and Anne Hamilton, who will each receive an $8,000 grant as well as mentorship, coaching and professional connections.

Elon Musk has released a teaser clip of X TV after sharing his plans of turning X – formerly Twitter – into an “everything app”.The tech billionaire took to his official X/Twitter account on Monday (April 29) and posted a video containing a pile of analogue television sets all turning on and displaying a black X TV logo against a grey screen. The end of the video clip sees all the screens come together to form one big X TV logo.X TV users will be able to access and stream long-form videos on smart televisions via the app.

feature adaptation of “Avengelyne” from Olivia Wilde, Margot Robbie and “X-Men” producer Simon Kinberg is being set up at Warner Bros. The studio is close to finalizing a seven-figure film rights deal. Robbie is eyeing the role of the titular angel who fights the forces of evil and often finds herself face-to-face with demons and monsters.

Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman star in “Miller’s Girl,” a film trailing the complex relationship that forms between a married teacher and his 18-year old English student. The age gape between Ortega, who’s 21, and Freeman, who’s 52, has sparked some online outrage, with Freeman addressing it in a new interview.‘Beetlejuice 2’ is about Jenna Ortega and Winona Ryder’s relationshipJenna Ortega’s ‘Miller’s Girl’ to premiere on NetflixFreeman was interviewed by The Times and shared that he thought the films addressed some complicated topics deftly. He said he believed the film to be “grown-up and nuanced.” He also believed the film is not endorsing its characters’ behaviors.

EXCLUSIVE: Industry Entertainment is expanding its talent and literary departments with the hire of Emma Lewis and former A3 literary agent Kasey Muraszko as managers.

EXCLUSIVE: Helena Howard (Madeline’s Madeline), Bella Thorne (Divinity), Zión Moreno (Gossip Girl), Chloe Cherry (Euphoria) and Sophia Ali (Uncharted) have wrapped production on Find Your Friends, a thriller marking the feature directorial debut of actor-filmmaker Izabel Pakzad.

Netflix has greenlit a UK reality series in which ex-couples reunite at a retreat to confront each other after their relationship broke down due to cheating, hosted by Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden.

Naman Ramachandran Warner Bros.’ “Challengers,” led by Zendaya, debuted atop the U.K. and Ireland box office with £1.6 million ($2 million), according to numbers from Comscore. In its third weekend, Studiocanal’s “Back to Black” dropped to second place with £1.4 million for a total of £8.9 million.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Amid Paramount Global’s removal of Bob Bakish as CEO and the ongoing uncertainty of a company sale, it was business as usual for the first quarter at the media conglomerate — which included a $1.3 billion charge for content write-offs as well as layoffs. Paramount Global reported Q1 2024 earnings Monday, announcing Bakish’s exit and the installation of an unusual three-in-a-box “Office of the CEO”: CBS’s George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks, and Paramount Pictures’ Brian Robbins.

Naman Ramachandran Freely, the new free streaming service backed by Britain’s public service broadcasters (PSBs) that delivers live TV over broadband, has launched. The initiative is from Everyone TV, the organization which runs free TV in the U.K. and is jointly owned by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Paramount Global’s Channel 5.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor The three Paramount Global executives installed to run the company after Bob Bakish was removed as CEO sought to reassure employees that they have a long-term strategy. On Monday, Paramount Global said Bakish was stepping down as CEO and leaving the board. In his place, the company established an “Office of the CEO” committee led by three divisional heads: George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS; Chris McCarthy, president and CEO, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks; and Brian Robbins, president and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor The recent broadcast of Super Bowl LVIII boosted Paramount Global‘s first quarter of 2024, stabilizing advertising revenue at its TV operations, as the company’s streaming operations added more than 3 million subscribers and cut losses there by more than 40%. Overall, Paramount narrowed its first quarter operating losses while seeing a 6% uptick in revenue, due in large part to audience and advertiser interest in its Big Game presentation, which set a new viewing record.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Visinema Studios, the family division of leading Indonesian entertainment company Visinema Group, is set to make its debut in live theater with “Keluarga Cemara: The Musical.” “Keluarga Cemara” (aka “Cemara Family”) has previously existed as a classic Indonesian novel about a family facing up to financial hardship, but emerging resilient and optimistic. It has since been adapted as two feature films “Keluarga Cemara” and “Keluarga Cemara 2,” which attracted over two million theatrical admissions, and the recent “Keluarga Cemara: The Series” which played on Disney+ Hotstar Indonesia. The stage show will be presented with cultural institution Galeri Indonesia Kaya and the Teater Musikal Nusantara.

Rita Ora is stepping out to celebrate her new business venture!

Christie Brinkley is supporting Billy Joel at his latest show!

Sony’s SVP of Corporate Communications for the Motion Picture Group, Tahra Grant, has been upped to EVP, Chief Communcations Officer for Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Boris and Carrie Johnson threw their son Wilf a birthday party to remember as they celebrated him turning four with a special dinosaur and monster truck-themed event. The pair, who are also parents to two year old Romy and 10 month old Frank, marked Wilf’s birthday with a dazzling party on Sunday, 28 April as Carrie took to Instagram to give her 90,000 followers a glimpse inside the fun-filled occasion.

Lady Gaga is playing some tennis with her boyfriend.

Adam B. Vary Senior Entertainment Writer Jeff Bridges is going back to the grid. The 74-year-old actor told the Film Comment podcast (via The Playlist) that he is going to appear in “Tron: Ares,” the third film in the long-running sci-fi franchise that Bridges inaugurated with “Tron” in 1982 and reprised with “Tron: Legacy” in 2010.

Former eOne and Pathé UK marketing executive Chris Besseling has joined True Brit Entertainment, the UK distribution company run by Zygi Kamasa. 

EXCLUSIVE: Karen Gillan (Guardians of the Galaxy franchise) and Zoë Chao (Nightbitch) will lead the cast of Let’s Have Kids!, a feature comedy from MRC that’s heading into production this week.

Hailey Bieber reacted to her husband Justin Bieber‘s emotional moment on Instagram.

Ellise Shafer Billie Eilish is embarking on a world tour in support of her forthcoming third album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” set for release on May 17. The Live Nation-produced tour will kick off in September in Quebec and continue through North America until December.

Billie Eilish has announced her Hit Me Hard and Soft world tour, kicking off in late September 2024 and going through July of 2025!

Ellen DeGeneres, a pioneer in comedy and LGBTQ+ visibility, returned to the stage at Largo in Los Angeles on Wednesday night, marking the beginning of her “Ellen’s Last Stand…Up Tour.” The sold-out event drew around 200 eager fans, signaling a warm welcome back for the beloved comedian after her departure from “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”In her characteristic style, DeGeneres didn’t shy away from addressing the controversy surrounding her exit from the long-running daytime talk show. With honesty and humor, she tackled the rumors and criticisms head-on, offering her perspective on the tumultuous journey she has experienced in the spotlight.Reflecting on her statements about not caring what others think of her, DeGeneres quipped, “I said that at the height of my popularity.” Her self-awareness drew laughter from the audience as she acknowledged the irony of her situation.

Marvin Humes shared a three-word message in response to his wife Rochelle's important night as he was there to support her. The couple were among the guests at the Variety Club Showbusiness Awards 2024 on Sunday night (April 28).

Austin Powers star showed off a new grey buzzcut look as he attended an AFI Life Achievement Award Gala honouring Nicole Kidman over the weekend.Speaking to Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet, the actor paid tribute to Kidman, calling her “one of the most versatile [people]”.“You admire her and you like her too, which is a very rare combination with any performer… I think everything she does is so elegant and first-class and fantastic,” he added.Myers also spoke on the red carpet about the possibility of a new Austin Powers film, telling ET: “I can neither confirm nor deny the existence or non-existence of such a project,” before adding that there are “absolutely” more stories to tell.These echo similar comments Myers made in 2022, having last played the comic spy in 2002’s Austin Powers in Goldmember.However, speaking in 2019, director Jay Roach expressed doubt over whether a fourth film will get off the ground, notably after the death of star Verne Troyer in 2018.“We’ve been trying to think up an idea that could earn a fourth film for a long time, but it’s always up to Mike. He and I always thought there was more to do with Dr Evil,” he told The Independent.“To be honest, I don’t know how we’d do it without Verne.