U.K. Distributor Lightbulb Adds FrightFest Quartet To Slate

Disney‘s big event, D23 Expo 2022, is currently underway at the Anaheim Convention Center and today Walt Disney Studios‘ made a big promotional push for upcoming theatrical and Disney+ lineup for feature films. The giant entertainment company revealed new details and first looks, led by their new “Lion King” prequel, directed by Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight“), now titled “Mufasa: The Lion King.” Some of those anticipated titles include traditional animation flicks the family-friendly company is known for from Walt Disney Animation Studios, along with their live-action projects as well.

Manori Ravindran International Editor Robert Schwartzman is part of one of Hollywood’s great filmmaking dynasties, but when he ventured into directing himself, he discovered that the world of distribution for up-and-coming filmmakers was broken. The multihyphenate, who is Francis Ford Coppola’s nephew, has acted in movies like “The Princess Diaries” — where he played Anne Hathaway’s love interest Michael Moscovitz in what became her breakout movie — and has fronted the rock band Rooney since 1999. In recent years, however, Schwartzman has become more ensconced in the family business, directing indie features such as “The Unicorn,” “Dreamland” and “The Argument.”

Trinidad Barleycorn Founded more than 25 years ago by Manuel Catteau, independent French producer and distributor ZED has become over the years a major player in the documentary field. At TV market Unifrance Rendez-vous in Biarritz, ZED revealed to Variety the acquisition of three ambitious history documentary projects, which are available for presales. “Ukraine 1933: Seeds of Hunger,” a documentary by Guillaume Ribot, produced by Les Films Du Poisson for France Télévisions, recalls the tragedy experienced by Ukrainians between 1931 and 1933: the Holodomor, the great famine organized by Stalin to punish those who refused the collectivization of the countryside and communist ideology, resulted in the deaths of more than 4 million of them.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Prodigy are expanding their casts. Oscar nominee Carol Kane is set for a recurring role in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and Billy Campbell has joined the voice cast of animated series Prodigy. The news was announced Thursday as part of the global live-streamed Star Trek Day event.

announced its plans to sell its stake in the Golden Globes to interim CEO Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries and turn it into a private venture, shedding the organization’s non-profit status. Recently, MRC also separated its media assets from Boehly’s Eldridge, with Boehly retaining ownership of Dick Clark Productions, the longtime producer of the Golden Globes.NBC canceled the 2022 Golden Globes after a Los Angeles Times article exposed that the HFPA had no Black members in its organization of its then 87 members, sparking outrage and a boycott of top industry publicists, which as of recently TheWrap had reported was still in place.

Selome Hailu The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which annually hosts the Golden Globe Awards, has added 103 new voters to its membership. These new additions mark a double in size for the voting body, with an increased level of diversity following the scandals that have plagued the organization over the past few years.

BreAnna Bell Darren Mann, Michelle Randolph, James Badge Dale, Marley Shelton, Brian Geraghty, Aminah Nieves and Julia Schlaepfer have been cast in Paramount+’s “Yellowstone” prequel series, “1923.” They join previously announced actors Hellen Mirren and Harrison Ford on the series. Mirren will portray Cara Dutton, the wife to Jacob Dutton (Ford) and family matriarch. Jacob Dutton is the head of the Yellowstone ranch and brother of James Dutton. Mann will play Jack Dutton, John Dutton Sr.’s son and great nephew to Jacob Dutton. He is a dedicated rancher who is deeply loyal to his family. Randolph (“A Snow White Christmas”) will play Elizabeth Strafford, a feisty and capable young woman set to marry into the Dutton family. Dale (“Hightown”) will play John Dutton Sr., the oldest nephew and right-hand man of Jacob Dutton.

The Paramount+ series has added three Taylor Sheridan-verse vets for Season 1: Dave Annable (Yellowstone, Walker), LaMonica Garrett (1883, The Terminal List), and James Jordan (Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown)

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Taylor Sheridan’s upcoming CIA drama series “Lioness” at Paramount+ has added three new actors to its cast, Variety has learned exclusively. James Jordan, LaMonica Garrett, and Dave Annable have all joined the show. All three have previously worked with Sheridan — Jordan and Annable on the hit Paramount Network series “Yellowstone” and Garrett in the “Yellowstone” prequel series “1883.” Jordan also appeared in “1883” as well as Sheridan’s Paramount+ series “Mayor of Kingstown” and in his features “Wind River” and “Those Who Wish Me Dead.” The three join previously announced cast members Zoe Saldaña and Laysla De Oliveira.

Bioshock Infinite has been met with criticism, after a “quality of life” update that added a new launcher and store has reportedly broken the game for Steam Deck users.“This week’s update features various quality-of-life improvements,” reads patch notes for a “quality of life update” released on Saturday (September 3). However, the only additions to the game are an option for account linking, and “the addition of a new launcher which includes a store to purchase new content.”Since the update was released, Bioshock Infinite has received hundreds of negative reviews on Steam criticising the patch, causing its recent reviews tag to drop to a ‘Mixed’ rating. “Ruined by the 2K launcher update.

tweeted Sunday. “Ditto canning John Harwood.”Harwood, the network’s White House Correspondent, announced that it was his last day at CNN on Friday, hours after describing Donald Trump as a “dishonest demagogue” in his analysis of President Joe Biden’s national address Thursday evening, in which the President warned that “MAGA Republicans” are threatening to undermine US Democracy.

Guy Lodge Film Critic “L’Immensità” is director Emanuele Crialese’s first feature film in 11 years, and only his fifth in a quarter-century: The gifted Italian, best known to international audiences for his splendid, richly felt Ellis Island immigrant saga “Golden Door,” has never been one for unconsidered or impersonal projects. At first glance, then, one might wonder what drew him out of hibernation for a film that, with its trim runtime and small-scale domestic narrative, belies a title that translates as “immensity.” This 1970s-set story of a 12-year-old navigating his gender identity while his mother battles mental health demons is too palpably pained and heartfelt to be called slight, but it’s sensitive and peculiar in ways that feel fragile — occasionally splintered and swamped by an elaborate setpiece, or the outsize star magnetism of arguably its secondary lead, one Penélope Cruz. 

Ed Meza @edmezavar U.S. streaming service Topic is expanding its roster of French content with such recent acquisitions as the Arte fantasy-thriller miniseries “The Rope,” picked up from Wild Bunch TV, and Season 2 of political satire “Parliament,” sold internationally by France TV Distribution. Launched by First Look Media in 2019, Topic specializes in crime and thrillers, including top Nordic shows like “The Killing,” “The Bridge,” “Arctic Circle” and “The Bridge”-inspired German thriller “Pagan Peak.” Jennifer Liang, Topic’s vice president of programming strategy, acquisitions and sales, is attending this year’s Unifrance Rendez-Vous TV programming market in Biarritz for the first time and on the lookout for titles that fit the niche streamer’s high standards.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Cairo-based film marketing and distribution outfit MAD Solutions has acquired rights for Arab territories to Venice competition entry “Les Miens” (“Our Ties”), directed by French actor and filmmaker of Moroccan descent Roschdy Zem. “Our Ties” is co-written by Zem with actor/director Maïwenn (“Polisse,” “Mon Roi”), who co-stars. Zem is a French cinema fixture, having starred in pics including “Other People’s Children” and directed several films including 2019’s “Persona Non Grata.” “Ties” is a drama about family dynamics centered around a man played by Sami Bouajila whose personality changes radically after he suffers a head injury. Zem plays his TV presenter brother.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment president Craig Erwich and president of content marketing for Hulu and Disney General Entertainment Shannon Ryan have both been promoted to expanded roles. Erwich has been upped to president of ABC Entertainment, Hulu & Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals. With this new title, Erwich will continue to oversee ABC Entertainment and Hulu Originals, while adding unscripted and alternative entertainment to his purview, as well as Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals. Erwich, who has overseen the Hulu Originals brand since 2014, is expected to “help bolster DBT’s content strategy for fueling Disney+ with broad, family-appealing original programming.”

EXCLUSIVE: The HBO Max series Warrior is adding 10 actors to the cast of Warrior for the show’s third season, including Telly Leung and Kevin Otto, in recurring roles.

EXCLUSIVE: The Girls On The Bus, Warner Bros. TV’s upcoming series for HBO Max about female political reporters on a presidential campaign trail, has tapped Abby Phillip, senior political correspondent and anchor of Inside Politics Sunday at WBD corporate sibling CNN as a consultant.

EXCLUSIVE: Italian firm Iervolino and Monika Bacardi Entertainment has boarded Michael Mann’s big canvas car racing drama Ferrari.

Fubo Sports Network, a programming outlet run by streaming TV bundle provider Fubo TV, is expanding its lineup of originals and enhancing its focus on what it calls “the voice of the athlete.”

EXCLUSIVE: The long-awaited sequel to the classic comedy franchise is a go as sources tell Deadline that Taylour Paige and Joseph Gordon-Levitt have joined series star Eddie Murphy in Netflix’s newly titled Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley. Production on the sequel is under way with Mark Molloy directing. Murphy is back as Axel Foley and will produce along with Jerry Bruckheimer and Chad Oman of Jerry Bruckheimer films. Will Beall penned the script.