MGM Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman’s company T-Street has signed a two-picture producing deal with Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group.

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).

MrBeast is going big!

Prime Video has handed a series order to reality competition series Beast Games from YouTube personality MrBeast (né Jimmy Donaldson) and Amazon MGM Studios, with a $5 million grand prize – the biggest payout in TV history. As we reported in January, MrBeast was nearing a deal with Amazon for an unscripted competition series, but details were not revealed.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor MrBeast, the YouTuber known for big-money giveaways, is going bigger than ever with his new show on Amazon’s Prime Video. The mega-popular YouTube creator, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, announced a deal with Prime Video for “Beast Games,” a reality-competition show promising the winner a $5 million cash prize — believed to be the largest single payout ever in TV history.

Bruno Mars reportedly owes MGM Grand Casino $50million (£39million) in gambling debt.Mars is set to enter his ninth year performing a residency in Las Vegas, but according to News Nation, the singer is paying off his debts to MGM.A “well-placed Vegas insider” has reported that Mars “owes millions” to them from gambling, alleging the total comes close to $50milion. “(MGM) basically own him,” they added.They went on to say that Mars apparently makes $90million off the deal he makes with the casino, but after paying off his debts and taxes, takes home $1.5million per night.Representatives for MGM and Mars did not respond to News Nations‘ requests for comment.Mars last released music with with Anderson .Paak as Silk Sonic, whose debut album NME rated five stars: “On ‘An Evening With Silk Sonic’, the magic is in the way that the music moves: the songs are radiant and full of joy, formed from the synergy of two relentlessly creative minds.“The album glows with appreciation for the simple but irreplaceable power of working alongside someone you trust and respect like no other — and it sounds as effortless and rewarding as an old friendship.”In other news, Mars has teamed up with Fender to create his own signature Stratocaster.

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.

“The Sound of Silence” — the chart-topping classic that had Simon & Garfunkel making all kinds of noise after their 1964 debut.“I used to go into the bathroom of my parents’ house. There was tile on the wall, and I’d turn the water on,” recalls Paul Simon — who wrote the duo’s first hit — in the two-part documentary “In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon,” which premieres on MGM+ Sunday and continues on March 24.“And the tile made the echo, and the water was like a white noise sound.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The curtains have closed on the Oscars, and as we peer over the horizon following a six-month Hollywood hiatus due to the union strikes, the initial trepidation over a sparse cinematic future will be sure to dissipate once you look at the road ahead. Contrary to fears, the film landscape appears not just replenished but vibrant, with several compelling titles that are already making waves. An annual tradition at Variety is to take a look ahead at what contenders could be brewing for next year’s Oscar season.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Prime Video is diving into genre in the Nordics with a new slate of shows, including the Swedish mystery crime series “Blind Spot” starring Ida Engvoll (“Love & Anarchy”) and Pål Sverre Hagen (“Furia”), and Henrik Georgsson (“The Bridge“)’s dystopian thriller “VAKA,” starring Emmy-award nominated Jonas Karlsson and Aliette Opheim. Based on Anne Holt’s best-selling novel “1222” which revolves around the character of Hanne Wilhelmsen, a sharp and dark-minded police officer. The series, penned by celebrated author Sara Heldt (“Sandhamn Murders”) together with Erik Skjoldberg (“Occupied”), follows Hanne who finds herself sheltered in an isolated mountain hotel after a train crash and starts investigating on mysterious murders even though she’s been temporarily suspended from the police.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Gato Grande, an Amazon MGM Studios company, has unveiled the next project from its recently launched English-language division: mystery satire “Miami Spice.” Cuban-American showrunner Art Alamo, best known for his work on “Law & Order,” will be writing and producing “Miami Spice,” which is based on the novel “Mango, Mambo and Murder” from author Raquel V. Reyes’ lauded Caribbean Kitchen Mystery book series.

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon MGM Studios‘ crime thriller Play Dirty has four new additions: Keegan-Michael Key (Wonka), Nat Wolff (Which Brings Me to You), Chukwudi Iwuji (The Day of the Jackal), and Thomas Jane (Troppo).

EXCLUSIVE: Zooey Deschanel has signed on to star in Merv, a romantic comedy that Jessica Swale will direct for Amazon MGM Studios.

EXCLUSIVE: Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, J.K. Simmons, and Cynthia Addai-Robinson have locked deals to return for The Accountant 2, the sequel to the Gavin O’Connor-directed action thriller The Accountant, on which Amazon MGM Studios has teamed with Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity.

Outlander's Lauren Lyle is among those cast as part of the forthcoming factual drama Lockerbie. The six-part series will focus on the harrowing events of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.

Rebecca Ferguson‘s next movie role is booked!

Kim Kardashian‘s upcoming movie has found its distributor!

EXCLUSIVE: Priyanka Chopra Jonas is set to star in The Bluff, the AGBO Studios and Amazon MGM Studios movie being directed by Frank E. Flowers. Prime Video’s The Boys Karl Urbanis in talks to star.

Kate Aurthur administrator On Feb. 29, ex-“Vanderpump Rules” star Rachel Leviss filed an explosive lawsuit against her former castmates Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix for eavesdropping, revenge porn, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Angelique Jackson Tyler Perry has wrapped production on the third movie in his four-picture deal with Amazon MGM Studios, a drama led by “P-Valley” and “Mea Culpa” star Shannon Thornton and “Run The World’s” Tosin Morohunfola. Perry wrote, directed and produced the film, which recently wrapped filming on location in Colorado and at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta under the working title “Joy Ridge.” “Amidst the picturesque landscapes of Colorado, Joy (Thornton) finds herself on a holiday trip with a man she envisions as ‘the one,” the film’s official logline reads.

Diego Ramos Bechara editor Amazon MGM Studios’ Gato Grande label will launch a new division focused on producing English language series and films sourced from Latin American intellectual properties. Its first project, “Clipperton,” is based on best-selling Colombian author Laura Restrepo’s novel “The Isle of Passion.” “Clipperton” follows the true story of a group of Mexican castaways stranded on a remote island who must try to survive while maintaining their relationships. The new division’s goal is to produce premium, scripted television and features for mainstream U.S.

Diego Boneta is ready to play his first superhero. The Mexican actor will be leading the new Prime Video series “El Gato,” a bilingual series based on the comic book series “El Gato Negro,” written by Richard Dominguez.Xolo Maridueña and Diego Boneta to star in Fidel Castro movie alongside Al PacinoRenata Notni hid her allergy to horses while making ‘Zorro’The series follows Frank Guerrero, played by Boneta, a man who discovers that his recently diseased father was a famous ‘70s vigilante known as El Gato Negro.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large As part of their new deal with Amazon MGM Studios, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” showrunners Patrick McKay and JD Payne are already at work on breaking stories for Season 3 of the Prime Video series. That comes as Prime Video preps a premiere later this year for Season 2 of the series. A Season 3 writers room isn’t yet open, but the showrunners are at work on the initial story outline.

The Rings of Power showrunners, Patrick McKay and JD Payne, are staying in business with Amazon MGM Studios. The duo have signed a new exclusive overall deal with the studio, and have launched their own prodco, 10:40 PM Productions.

Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios, and James Farrell, the L.A.-based VP of international originals at Prime Video, flew to Madrid this week, with the world premiere of “Red Queen” (“Reina Roja”), the series adaption of the first book in Juan Gómez-Jurado’s hit trilogy, taking place on Monday night. The streamer is rolling off the record-breaking finale of its first weekly live entertainment show “Operación Triunfo,” and has revealed that the top three of the the ten most-watched Spanish Originals of 2023 – “My Fault,” “Awareness” and “Los Farad” – have received on average 80% of streams outside of Spain, reaching a milestone for the international reach of Prime Video’s non-English language content.

“I want you to be nice until it’s time to not be nice,” Patrick Swayze’s James Dalton says in the original Road House from 1989.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Comic book author Brian Michael Bendis has set a first-look deal with Amazon is already developing three TV series under the new pact based on his previous works: “Jinx,” “Murder Inc.” and “Pearl.” “Jinx” is a crime-ridden love story unfolding on a high stakes treasure hunt, per Amazon’s series description. Our players are: Jinx Alameda, a bounty hunter at the top of her game who’s tired of her grimy life; Goldfish, a charming con man and wanted felon who falls head over heels for Jinx; and Columbia, Goldfish’s loose-cannon partner, who has big criminal dreams.

Prime Video has handed a series order to Benito Skinner’s Overcompensating. The series, which has been in development at Amazon since November 2022, hails from Skinner, who also stars, Jonah Hill’s Strong Baby productions and A24. English singer-songwriter Charli XCX will produce original music for the series, which is co-produced by A24 and Amazon MGM Studios.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Amazon Prime Video has ordered a drama series based on the comic book “El Gato Negro” by Richard Dominguez, Variety has learned. The series, currently titled “El Gato,” will be shot in both English and Spanish. Diego Boneta is attached to star, with Eric Carrasco adapting the comic book for the screen.

Diego Boneta (Luis Miguel: The Series, Father of the Bride) is set to lead the newly greenlit bilingual series El Gato (w/t), based on the comic book series El Gato Negro by Richard Dominguez. Production is anticipated to begin this spring in Mexico.

William Earl The upcoming Lucasfilm theatrical release “The Mandalorian & Grogu” is one of 15 films to secure an estimated $61 million in 2024 production tax incentives through California’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program. The California Film Commission touted Disney’s “Mandalorian & Grogu” as the biggest-budget movie to ever qualify for state’s tax program, which distributes $330 million annually in state tax credits to TV and film productions.

EXCLUSIVE: America Ferrera‘s hot streak continues, as the Barbie Oscar nom has been set to executive produce and star in Naked by the Window, a series adaptation of the book by Robert Katz, which has landed at Amazon MGM Studios for development following a bidding war.

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon MGM Studios is opening their $15M Sundance pick-up, My Old Ass, on Aug. 2 in a limited rollout.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter A “Wings of Fire” animated series based on the books of the same name is in development at Amazon MGM Studios, Variety has learned exclusively. Fans of the books by author Tui T. Sutherland will no doubt rejoice, as this is now the second attempt to adapt the books for the screen.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Margot Robbie, Idris Elba and Glen Powell are among the 30 presenters announced for the 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards, set to take place on Saturday. Additionally, Emmy and SAG Award winner Jennifer Aniston will present the 59th SAG Life Achievement Award to the legendary actor, singer, producer, writer and director Barbra Streisand.

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon MGM Studios has signed an exclusive overall deal with Gary “Gaz” Alazraki’s Maquina Vega. Under the deal, Alazraki is set to produce, write and direct series for Amazon MGM Studios.