Wondery U.K. Taps Spotify’s Chris Baughen for Head of Podcasts

EXCLUSIVE: The English-language adaptation of Momo, one of the best-loved fantasy books by The Neverending Story writer Michael Ende, has set a buzzy cast, with Alexa Goodall (A Gentleman In Moscow) taking the lead role of the young orphan girl Momo. 

John Patton Ford‘s feature debut “Emily The Criminal” won over critics in 2022 thanks to a riveting lead performance by Aubrey Plaza. But Deadline reports that Plaza won’t star in Ford’s upcoming series adaptation of the film, although she’ll still be involved as an executive producer.   READ MORE: Margaret Qualley, Glen Powell & Ed Harris Join A24’s ‘Huntington’ From Director John Patton Ford Legendary Television will develop the series with Ford directing its entirety.

EXCLUSIVE: Josh Swindell, a former pro skater who is set to be the central subject of a forthcoming skating biopic from MindRiot Entertainment, has signed with The BKS Agency in London. 

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Jessica Casano-Antonellis is exiting SiriusXM to join the new Disney, Fox Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery sports-streaming venture as head of communications.

The BFI is once again heading to the Cannes Market with its so-called Great 8 — a selection of projects from first and second-time filmmakers that it will present to international buyers. 

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Francis Ford Coppola revealed in a preview of “Megalopolis” in Vanity Fair that he rewrote the script around 300 times before self-financing the passion project for $120 million by selling part of his winery estate in Northern California. The epic is set to world premiere in competition at the Cannes FIlm Festival in May. A first look photo from “Megalopolis” has debuted featuring Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel in their leading roles.

just in time for the 2024 Met Gala—but this time, she's not waiting for her dark roots to grow in naturally.The debuted her new, icy blonde hair at a totally different gala in Los Angeles on April 27, just over a week before her biggest event of the year. But one doesn't simply change their hair on a whim before the Met Gala, so it's likely the dye job will go well with her upcoming look.

Naman Ramachandran Sunrise Films has acquired Luna Carmoon’s “Hoard” for the U.S. and Canada. The film debuted at Venice in 2023, where it won three prizes.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic It would be hard to imagine a more actually polarizing set — as in, splitting real fans into roughly even, truly diametrically opposed camps — than the headlining show Eric Church delivered to round out the first night of Stagecoach in California. The 70,000 festival attendees will definitely not lack for anything to talk, or argue, about for the rest of the weekend, and the debate will also continue among the many more fans who watched the livestream on Prime Video and Amazon’s Twitch channel.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Carrousel Studios, the newly launched production company of “Lupin” star Omar Sy, “Fast X” director Louis Leterrier and “Gangs of London” producer Thomas Benski, has appointed Cécile Gaget as CEO. A seasoned executive, the Paris-based Gaget previously worked at Wild Bunch as head of film, and also worked at Anton Capital and Gaumont where she spearheaded international sales and co-productions.

This Is Us is the latest long-running TV series to get its own rewatch podcast.

Thania Garcia Música Mexicana artist Carin León has announced his international “Boca Chueca Tour,” slated for this fall. León will kickoff the trek later this year after making debut appearances at both Coachella and Stagecoach. The “Boca Chueca Tour” will hit major cities across North America and Europe, including a night at Madison Square Garden in New York City, two nights at the United Center in Chicago, Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, and BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.

Podcast giant Wondery has hired Spotify‘s Chris Baughen, as it launches the paid-for Wondery+ service in the UK.

Chris Pratt has received criticism for destroying a historic mid-century property in order to build his new home.Pratt, along with his wife Katherine Schwarzenegger, purchased the 1950 Zimmerman house last year. The Los Angeles home was designed by Craig Ellwood, and the couple reportedly bought it for $12.5million.It is situated in the Brentwood neigbourhood of LA, and was mainly lived in by the late Hilda Rolfe, the widow of The Man From U.N.C.L.E co-creator Sam Rolfe.The home and its grounds have now been cleared to make way for Pratt’s new single-story modern farmhouse, which is set to be 15,000 square feet in size.

EXCLUSIVE: Rotterdam competition title Small Hours of the Night from Daniel Hui (Demons, Snakeskin) and SXSW premiere Adrianne & The Castle by Shannon Walsh (The Gig is Up, Illusions of Control) have landed international reputation via non-fiction agency Indox. 

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic The Eddie Vedder-founded Ohana Festival will return to southern California for three days in September, with the opening and closing nights headlined by Pearl Jam, sandwiching a performance by Neil Young & Crazy Horse in the top-billed Saturday evening slot. Other performers joining the eclectic lineup, scheduled for Sept. 27-29, include Alanis Morissette, Turnpike Troubadours, Garbage, Black Pumas, Maren Morris, Crowded House, the Breeders, Idles and Jenny Lewis.

EXCLUSIVE: Danica McKellar (A Royal Date for Christmas, Swing Into Romance) and Oliver Rice (Firefly Lane, Magic In Mistletoe) have booked their next flick for Great American Family. The duo will star in A Royal Christmas Ball, with waltzes choreographed by Dancing With the Stars pro Gleb Savchenko.

New ITV drama Red Eye is set between an all-night flight from London to Beijing, the streets of London and the corridors of power within Whitehall. The series has been described as a "brilliantly addictive thriller" by ITV bosses.

Alex Ritman Cillian Murphy capped off his domination of awards season by claiming the top acting prize for film on home soil. The Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and SAG award winner on Saturday night added perhaps a final statue to his flawless haul for Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” when he was named best lead actor at the 21st Irish Film and TV Academy Awards.

EXCLUSIVE: London-based Dogwoof has locked a series of international deals on Eternal You, a documentary about AI startups set to screen at this month’s Hot Docs Fest following a debut bow at Sundance.