‘The Simpsons’ First Look: Albert Brooks Returns, as a Slick Music Manager Aiming to Sign Cletus

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeSPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 5 Episode 3 of “The Masked Singer,” which aired March 24 on Fox.Danny Trejo has spent the past few weeks dodging people in public asking him if he’s the Raccoon on “The Masked Singer.”“The Masked Singer” likes to keep the identity of its celebrities secret, but there’s no hiding Trejo’s unmistakable growl.

Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner reunite in this first look pic from the final season of The Kominsky Method.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Another film critics association is going where the cool kids are: TV. The Hollywood Critics Association, which launched in 2016 (originally as the Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society) announced a plan to add a TV awards ceremony in summer 2021.

EXCLUSIVE: Hot off the success of Netflix’s first original musical Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, David E. Talbert and Lyn Sisson-Talbert have signing a first-look deal for their Golden Alchemy banner, to write, direct and produce movies for Netflix. It is the first overall deal for the prolific playwright and filmmaker, who partners in Golden Alchemy with his wife, a prolific producer and author on her own.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeAs “The Simpsons” marks another milestone this Sunday with its 700th episode, fans can be rest assured that there are many more to come beyond that. Fox recently renewed the animated institution for another two seasons, bringing the show to Season 34 (and a grand total of 757 episodes) in 2023.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeSPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 5, Episode 2 of “The Masked Singer,” which aired March 17 on Fox.The Phoenix doesn’t always rise. Caitlyn Jenner, who performed as the Phoenix on Wednesday’s episode of “The Masked Singer,” was the next celebrity to be unmasked on the hit Fox series.Among panelists, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg was the only one to get it right, naming Jenner in the end.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNatalie Portman and Sophie Mas’ MountainA production company has set a first-look TV deal at Apple.News of the deal comes a week after it was reported that Portman had signed on to star in the Apple series “Lady in the Lake” with Lupita Nyong’o. Portman is also an executive producer on the series, as is Mas via MountainA.

EXCLUSIVE: Academy Award-winner Natalie Portman and producing partner Sophie Mas have inked a first look deal with Apple. Under the multi-year agreement, Apple TV+ will have a first look on television projects to be developed and produced by Portman and Mas through their newly formed production company MountainA. This marks the first producing deal for the pair.

Get ready to meet “The Upshaws”.

Ed Helms is teaming up with Jana Schmieding for an all-new comedy.

Also Read: Natalie Portman, Lupita Nyong'o to Star in Apple's 'Lady in the Lake' Limited Series From Alma Har'elApple and Imagine have previously partnered on the documentary “Dads” from director Bryce Dallas Howard and “Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10,” directed by Morgan Neville.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeSPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 5 season premiere of “The Masked Singer,” which aired March 10 on Fox.It’s not easy being seen: Kermit the Frog was the first celebrity to be unmasked on Season 5 of “The Masked Season,” as the hit Fox series returned on Wednesday night.You read that right.

EXCLUSIVE: Highland Film Group is handling worldwide sales rights to Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2) action-thriller The Misfits and will distribute the movie in the U.S. through its sister distribution banner The Avenue in partnership with Paramount Pictures.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe Directors Guild of America has revealed this year’s TV nominees for its 73rd annual DGA Awards, including achievement in drama, comedy, limited/TV movie, variety, reality, children’s and commercials. Also announced on Monday were the nominees for this year’s directorial achievement in documentaries.Last year, top TV prizes went to “Watchmen” for drama series and “Barry” for comedy series.

Free Association — the production shingle run byChanning Tatum, Reid Carolin and Peter Kiernan — has signed a first-look deal with MGM. The studio and production are working together on Tatum's directorial debut Dog, which is due out in theaters in 2021.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterChanning Tatum and his Free Association production company partners Reid Carolin and Peter Kiernan have signed a first-look film deal with MGM.In kicking off the partnership, MGM will release “Dog,” the directorial debut of Tatum and Carolin.

Netflix began its superhero programming with the massively popular Marvel series such as “Daredevil,” “Jessica Jones,” and “Luke Cage.” However, those series didn’t last, as Disney now has the rights back to those.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe “Schitt’s Creek” victory tour continued on Sunday night at the Golden Globes — but up-and-comer “Ted Lasso” also got its first taste of what will likely be many awards this year.The biggest winner of this year’s Golden Globes had to be Netflix, of course, as the streamer’s “The Crown” won best drama and four awards overall — the most of any program — while “The Queen’s Gambit” landed limited series honors (and a limited actress win for star Anya

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeWill the Golden Globes honor shows this year that already have been well-represented by Emmy wins, or will this year’s kudos aim to be the first out of the gate to recognize a new crop of critically acclaimed series? That’s one of the forever debates that comes in trying to guess how the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn.