‘The Batman’ Special Imax Advance Previews Sell Out

Russian President Vladimir Putin has launched a “special military operation” in Ukraine, he announced to press on early Thursday morning (February 24).

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he was launching a “special military operation” to the Donbas region of Eastern Ukraine, warning that country’s soldiers to lay down their arms.

Sasha Urban editorSTX Films has released the trailer for its upcoming action thriller “The Contractor,” starring Chris Pine. The film will be released in theaters and digitally on April 1.After special forces sergeant James Harper (Pine) is involuntarily discharged from the army, he contracts with an underground military operation and finds himself entangled in a dangerous conspiracy that leaves him fighting for his life.

His Dark Materials and Help writer Jack Thorne has been recognized for Outstanding Contribution to Writing at tonight’s 29th Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Awards (WGGBAs), with Russell T Davies, Emerald Fennell and Armando Iannucci also taking home gongs.

After whittling down from 93 country submissions to a shortlist of 15, the Oscars’ Best International Feature category has its final five nominees, welcoming some familiar faces, and for the first time, an entirely new entrant.

Primary Wave and Round Hill have acquired music rights and royalties from Alice In Chains. Not jointly, mind.

Zack O’Malley Greenburg Alice in Chains members Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney, Mike Inez and William DuVall have sold their catalogs with the band to Round Hill Music, a rep for the company has confirmed. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but sources tell Variety the deal was for $50 million.The Round Hill deal does not encompass copyrights belonging to the estates of original singer Layne Staley or original bassist Mike Starr, who passed away in 2002 and 2011, respectively; on Monday their respective estates announced they had sold their music rights to Primary Wave.Round Hill will receive a 100% interest in the four current members’ copyrights to Alice In Chains’ masters and publishing — 94 compositions and 159 recordings — along with neighboring rights.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorPrimary Wave Music announced that it has acquired the music rights from the estates of Layne Staley and Mike Starr of the Grammy-nominated Seattle band Alice In Chains.The deal will see the publisher acquire a stake in the Layne Staley’s and Mike Starr’s music publishing catalog, as well as master royalty income stream; terms of the deal were not disclosed.The work of the band’s main songwriter, Jerry Cantrell, was not included, nor drummer Sean Kinney or later members Mike Inez and William DuVall. However, the deal does encompass shares in some of the band’s biggest hits, such as “Man in the Box,” “Rooster” and “No Excuses,” as well as their biggest hit, “Would?” The latter song, released in 1992, and not only appeared in the era-defining Cameron Crowe film “Singles” but was also included on the hit soundtrack.

ITV quiz show, The Chase. Sally will be joined by fellow celebrity contestants Lance Ellington, Beth Tweddle, and Bob Champion as they take on the challenge in the hopes of winning a potential prize pot.

Surprise! Andy Cohen was just as shocked by his New Year’s Eve rant about Mayor Bill de Blasio as the audience watching at home.

EXCLUSIVE: Ernie Hudson (Grace and Frankie, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) is the final addition to the cast of Champions, the recently-wrapped Special Olympics film that Bobby Farrelly (Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary) directed for Focus Features and Gold Circle Entertainment.

Lily Moayeri If you think the needle drops on the Hulu original series, “Pam & Tommy” — based on the real-life torrid tale of “Baywatch” babe Pamela Anderson and Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee’s sex tape-gone-viral-bootlegged-VHS-tape is going to be all Mötley Crüe songs — you’re in for a surprise. There is not one note from iconic group’s hefty discography, which at the time of the sex tape scandal in 1997 numbered at seven albums that included their most memorable songs, many of which would have been a good match for the Lily James and Sebastian Stan-starring series.

EXCLUSIVE: Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Woody Harrelson (True Detective, Zombieland), Emmy nominee Kaitlin Olson (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Hacks), Grammy nominee Cheech Marin (Born in East L.A, From Dusk Till Dawn) and Matt Cook (Man With a Plan, The Comeback) will lead Champions, a recently-wrapped film that Bobby Farrelly (Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary) directed for Focus Features and Gold Circle Entertainment.

another disinformation campaign to put a positive public relations spin on its aggression, and had enlisted anti-vaxxer Aaron Rodgers to star in propaganda commercials.With fake news headlines like “American CDC Strongly Recommends Russia Invades Ukraine,” and “Neil Young to Remove Music for Spotify Unless Ukraine Surrenders” going viral, the White House turned to a high school junior to counter Moscow’s cyberattack.“Mr President I think your generation could learn a lot from mine,” the teenage social media pro (Chloe Fineman) said. “Like we don’t believe in drone strikes we believe in breaking down our enemies psychologically.

K.J. Yossman Fulwell 73 have teamed with Rose Pictures (“Kill Your Darlings”) to co-produce a feature about “Frankenstein” author Mary Shelley, Variety has learned exclusively.Titled “Mary’s Monster,” it follows Shelley as she struggles to complete her gothic masterpiece, which was published in 1818.Farren Blackburn (“Daredevil,” “A Discovery of Witches”) will direct the feature from a screenplay by Deborah Baxtrom (“Living With Frankenstein”).

Wilson Chapman editorPresident Joe Biden will be one of many guests for the upcoming primetime special “Celebrating Betty White: America’s Golden Girl,” NBC announced Thursday.The special, a tribute to the iconic comedic actress Betty White, will feature a taped tribute from Biden commemorating the late White, who passed away last December. NBC also announced several other stars who will appear in the special, including: Drew Barrymore, Valerie Bertinelli, Cher, Bryan Cranston, Ted Danson, Ellen DeGeneres, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Ana Gasteyer, Goldie Hawn, Vicki Lawrence, Jane Leeves, Jay Leno, Anthony Mackie, Wendie Malick, Joel McHale, Tracy Morgan, Jean Smart and Mary Steenburgen.

NBC’s Celebrating Betty White: America’s Golden Girl will honor the life of the legendary actress with the help of President Joe Biden and other celebrity guests including Drew Barrymore, Cher, Anthony Mackie, and Tracy Morgan, among others. The special will air on Jan. 31 at 10 p.m.