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Tubi, Fox’s free streaming service, has announced its list of October titles. The Tubi October 2024 slate features new Tubi Originals and numerous action, art house, Black cinema, comedy, documentary, drama, horror, kids and family, romance, sci-fi and fantasy, thriller, and Western titles.

As a leading ad-supported video-on-demand service, the company engages diverse audiences through a personalized experience and the world’s largest content library: over 200,000 movies and TV episodes, a growing collection of Tubi Originals, and nearly 250 Fast channels.

You can watch the Tubi October 2024 lineup for free on Android and iOS mobile devices, Amazon Echo Show, Google Nest Hub Max, Comcast Xfinity X1, and Cox Contour.

You can also watch the service on connected television devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Vizio TVs, Sony TVs, Samsung TVs, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and on the Tubi site.

Tubi Originals

Documentary

Famously Haunted:...

By no means do I claim to have an encyclopedic knowledge of film. So it’s not uncommon for me to hear about movies that I’m unfamiliar with.

When those movies are thoroughly star-studded, packed to the gills with A-list actors at the peak of their careers, however? It’s usually enough to pluck at least some distant string at the back of my brain. After all, it’s tough for something with that much money invested in it to fall into obscurity. One post from Twitter user @i_zzzzzz though, has sent group chats and online denizens to suddenly unearth one such movie that still seems entirely made-up.

The movie in question is 2016’s Collateral Beauty. A name, by itself, that sounds like it would grace some sort of visual gag for an invented New York Times Bestseller with an image of a crushed flower on the cover.

The 96th Academy Awards will be held on March 10th, 2024 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Comedian and host Jimmy Kimmel returns as the host for the ceremony for the fourth time. Oscars’ nominations were announced on 23rd January 2024 with Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer leading the charts with securing 13 nominations including Best Picture, Best Director and more.

Emma Stone’s starrer Poor Things secured 11 nominations and Leonardo DiCaprio starrer Killers of the Flower Moon secured 10 nominations. Martin Scorsese who has received his tenth nomination for Best Director became the oldest nominee in the category. Fans are curious about one thing; is Will Smith going to attend the Oscars 2024?

Will Smith during his Best Actor acceptance speech at Oscars 2022 (PC: Reuters)

Will Smith barred from attending the Oscars till 2032

Ahead of the Oscars 2024, actor Will Smith, known as one of the most influential actors in the entertainment industry across the globe,...

The Last King of Scotland.In 2007, Forest Whitaker won the Academy Award for his performance as Ugandan dictator and army general Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland (2006), becoming only the fourth Black man to win Best Actor. Lauded as the role of his career, critics praised his “full-throated, technically accomplished” performance, and his ability to “seize the space and show us how he can rage”.“Full-throated” the performance was indeed, but it was a throat filled with an accent that neither sounded like Amin’s nor any person from Koboko, northern Uganda, where the general was born. “Technically accomplished,” but the accent, directed by dialect coach Robert Easton, was neither technical, nor accomplished. Linguistically speaking, Whitaker’s accent is riddled with instances of the US English rhotic R pronunciation (which is pronounced at the back of the throat without a trill), and a combination of vowel pronunciations from across East Africa,...

Vivica A. Fox is sharing her true feelings about the “Independence Day” sequel.

In an interview with the A.V. Club, the 58-year-old actress candidly expresses her disappointment in not getting Will Smith back for 2016’s “Independence Day: Resurgence”.

Read More: Will Smith & Martin Lawrence Are ‘Hype’ As They Tease ‘Bad Boys 4’ At CinemaCon

“I just didn’t feel like it was good and lived up to the first one,” she said of the film. “I really feel we missed out… by not bringing Will Smith back.”

The sequel to the iconic 1996 alien invasion disaster movie was intended to be the first in a new series of films, but its disappointing box office returns put the kibosh on those plans.

Though Smith did not return for the sequel, it did bring back original stars Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman and Judd Hirsch, along with director Roland Emmerich.

“We had most of the original cast on,...

If you’re wondering what’s new on Amazon Prime Video in June, the answer is a lot. The streamer has a solid slate of movies heading into summer 2023. From the first two “Creed” films to “Love, Rosie,” “Yours, Mine & Ours” and other clever romantic comedies, the streamer has a range of options for viewers with different tastes. Newer theatrical releases arriving on the streamer in June include “TÁR,” “Armageddon Time,” and “M3GAN.”

TV premieres to look forward to include Boots Riley’s “I’m A Virgo” and the fourth and final season of John Krasinski’s “Jack Ryan.” “Crazy Rich Asians” arrives early in June, followed by “Interstellar” for all Christopher Nolan and Matthew McConaughey lovers. Even though “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” doesn’t release in theaters until November, all four “Hunger Games” films land on Prime Video this June. Perfect timing — maybe even with a reread...

With its list of new releases for June 2023, Prime is bringing a handful of Amazon Originals and many recent movie hits to the fold.

It’s actually quite a busy month for non-American programming in Amazon Originals department. Shows and movies like Deadloch, My Fault, and Medellín all originate from outside the U.S. and U.K. For the American and British crowd, however, the streamer is debuting two big tentpoles.

The first is I’m a Virgo on June 23. Acclaimed director Boots Riley’s TV followup to Sorry to Bother You will tale the surreal and satirical tale of a giant in Oakland. That will be followed by the more conventional (assumedly) fourth season of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan on June 30.

The real fireworks this month come from a ludicrously deep bench of library TV and movie titles. Give them a look for yourself below but if we were to highlight just a few,...

Tubi opens June with an intense WWII drama “Inglourious Basterds.” Allied officer Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) assembles a team of five tough Jewish soldiers to spread fear throughout the Third Reich. They have one assignment: assassinate Nazi leaders. Quentin Tarantino wrote and directed the unconventional war drama. Eli Roth, Melanie Laurent, and Christopher Walz co-star.

Watch the trailer of “Inglourious Basterds”:

The network is also streaming the original documentary “Mystery Unsolved: The Adnan Syed Story” on June 7. The murder of teenager Hae Min Lee was the focal point of a “Serial” podcast, which questioned if boyfriend Syed was her killer. After serving 22 years in prison, Syed was released, still proclaiming his innocence. Now, he may return.

Another streamer original, “Magic Carpet Rides,” arrives June 14. It centers on a social influencer torn between sharing her budding romance or honoring her boyfriend’s request to keep their life private.

Check...

The fourth and final season of “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” arrives on Prime Video on June 30. It finds Ryan — now the new acting CIA director — unearthing internal corruption and suspicious black ops that leaves the United States vulnerable to attack. John Krasinski stars as the tough-as-nails Ryan.

Watch the “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” trailer:

“Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” is a new docuseries that reveals the truth behind the myth of the wholesome religious family and their involvement with the predatory Bill Gothard and The Institute in Basic Life Principles. The organization’s abusive practices — and the insidious long political game it plays — is revealed on June 2. The Duggars and their 19 “happy” kids are exposed as frauds, while also being manipulated by Gothard and enduring the scandal of Josh, their sexually abusive son.

Check out the “Shiny Happy People” trailer:

When a body is found on the beach in the Tasmanian town of Deadloch,...

While no footage was offered, Sony did take time in the CinemaCon presentation to tease the next installment in the “Bad Boys” franchise. Sony’s opening presentation featured Will Smith and Martin Lawrence stumbling through an intro with confusion about whether they were happy or unhappy not to be at CinemaCon.

The film is four weeks into shooting, and the brief joke pre-taped bit concluded with the stars introducing Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group President Josh Greenstein who came to the stage and bragged about 23 theatrical releases for the coming year, emphasizing a wide variety of movies beyond just conventional blockbusters.

“Bad Boys for Life” was the last super-duper blockbuster of the pre-covid era, legging out to $206 million domestic from a $73 million Fri-Mon debut and earning $430 million worldwide on a $95 million budget. It was a shockingly well-received and successful film, which made a fourth installment inevitable.

Also Read:

‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife...

Exclusive: David Morse (The Chair), Bill Heck (Locke & Key) and Jaklyn Bejarano have been set to star in Santa Rita Film Co.’s La Gloria, a drama exploring the humanity and political abstractions surrounding the U.S.-Mexico border. The latter came aboard following a nationwide casting search in Mexico.

The film set in South Texas, which is currently shooting in the area, follows the story of Carson Tidwell (Morse), an embittered and isolated rancher who mistakenly shoots a young, pregnant migrant girl named Irena (Bejarano) who is crossing his property. Confronted with his actions and threatened with a criminal investigation, Carson must decide whether to help Irena recuperate on his ranch or face criminal charges led by his son (Heck), an agent for the U.S. Border Patrol.

Christopher Young’s script is based on the personal experiences of Joseph Todd Walker, who is directing, in his feature debut.

It’s been nearly a year since Will Smith struck Chris Rock on the Academy Awards stage. As a result, Smith is not expected to attend the 95th annual Oscars ceremony on Sunday night.

Smith isn’t the only notable talent that won’t be attending the Oscars this year. Reports indicate that “Top Gun: Maverick” star Tom Cruise has also been a no-show at the event, even though he is nominated as a producer for the blockbuster in the best picture category. After a very carefully curated series of stops during awards season, Cruise bows out on the final evening.

“Avatar: The Way of Water” director James Cameron is also skipping the ceremony. His co-producer, Jon Landau, relayed the news to the New York Times’ Kyle Buchanan on the carpet, citing “personal reasons” as the explanation.

James Cameron will not be at tonight’s Oscars, says Avatar producer Jon...

Turns out what’s live on Netflix doesn’t always last. Less than a week after the Chris Rock live stand-up comedy special “Selective Outrage” premiered on the streamer — its first live broadcast of any kind — a flub from the comedian has now been removed from the special.

In the special, Rock discussed his longstanding feud with actors and married couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. One incident he touched on was the 2016 Oscars ceremony, which Pinkett Smith boycotted (along with others) due to a lack of diversity among the nominees. Rock hosted the ceremony, and joked about Pinkett Smith’s absence during his monologue, saying, “Jada said she’s not coming, protest. I was like, ‘Isn’t she on a TV show?’ Jada’s going to boycott the Oscars? Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited!”

In “Selective Outrage,” Rock further discussed the 2016 Oscars,...

A joke about Will Smith featured in Chris Rock: Selective Outrage has been edited out after Rock flubbed it at his live show.

During a run of jokes about the Oscar-winning actor and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, toward the end of Rock’s March 4 show — the streamer’s first-ever live, global streaming event — the comedian messed up his own joke as he recalled a conversation he allegedly had with the Smiths over his 2016 Oscars hosting gig.

“Years ago, his wife said I should quit the Oscars; I shouldn’t host ’cause her man didn’t get nominated for Emancipation, the biggest piece of shit ever!” Rock told the Baltimore crowd, before quickly acknowledging his error. “No, not Emancipation, I fucked up the joke.”

The joke was meant to reference Smith’s 2015 sports drama Concussion, which was based on Jeanne Marie Laskas’ 2009 NFL and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (Cte) exposé “Game Brain,...

Jada Pinkett Smith doesn’t want to be a part of Chris Rock’s narrative.

Speaking to People, a source close to the actress reacted to the comedian’s recent “Selective Outrage” comedy special, in which he addresses the infamous Oscars slap.

Read More: Chris Rock Addresses Will Smith Oscars Slap For the First Time: ‘Hell Yeah, It Hurt!’

“Jada has had no part in all of this other than being heckled,” the source said. “Chris is obsessed with her and that’s been going on for almost 30 years.”

They added, “Look where he chose to film his Netflix special. Her hometown [of Baltimore]. Obsessed.”

At last year’s Academy Awards, Rock joked about Pinkett Smith’s closely shorn hairstyle, a result of her alopecia, which prompted her husband Will Smith to walk up onstage and slap the host live during the broadcast.

In his Netflix comedy special, Rock discusses some of...

Chris Rock was slapped by Will Smith almost exactly one year ago and, Saturday night, the comedian slapped back, metaphorically speaking. But critics are also wondering if Rock’s choice of Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre for his standup special “Selective Outrage” was more calculated than it first appears – because it’s Jada Pinkett Smith’s hometown.

The Baltimore Banner’s Leslie Gray Streeter called Rock out in a column posted Sunday, saying that Rock “contradicted himself when he ended his show last night saying that he hadn’t hit Smith back last year because he was raised ‘not to fight in front of white people.’”

“Isn’t that what you’re doing, my dude, while also joking about rooting for Massa to beat Smith’s character in ‘Emancipation’?” Streeter said, referring to Smith’s 2022 historical slave drama from director Antoine Fuqua. “Didn’t you come to a Black woman’s...

One decade after injecting their relentless and bold style into the Evil Dead franchise (I'm still in awe of the Abomination's blood rainstorm), director/co-writer Fede Alvarez and co-writer Rodo Sayagues are bringing their talents to the Alien franchise in 20th Century Studios' new film that begins production in Budapest on March 9th, and we have a look at the cast list and brief synopsis:

Press Release: Burbank, Calif. – 20th Century Studios’ new “Alien” film starring Cailee Spaeny (“Mare of Easttown”) will begin production in Budapest on March 9. Joining Spaeny in the cast are David Jonsson (“Industry”), Archie Renaux (“Shadow and Bone”), Isabela Merced (“Rosaline”), Spike Fearn (“The Batman”) and Aileen Wu (“Away from Home”). Fede Alvarez directs from a screenplay he wrote with his frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues. Ridley Scott, who directed the original “Alien” and produced and directed the series’ entries “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant,” and Michael Pruss...

When the history of live television is written, there will be a chapter dedicated to the 2022 Oscars. Hosted by comedian Chris Rock, the show rumbled along, handing out awards to all sorts of rubbish films (who remembersCODA?) but then, suddenly, it sparked to life. Will Smith, moments away from winning Best Actor, walked onto the stage and slapped Rock. “Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth!” Smith roared after returning to his seat, launching a thousand memes and now, a year on, Rock’s revenge tour.

His new special, Selective Outrage, was broadcast live on Netflix, and marked the first time the comic has spoken about the 94th Academy Awards at length. But we’ll come to that. Rock is a swaggering, charismatic, era-defining comedian. He saunters around the stage like he owns it. At 58, he has never been more confident or relaxed, even if he does...

As expected, Chris Rock took time in his new Netflix special to address the infamous Oscars slap, in which Will Smith rushed the stage after the comedian made a joke at Jada Pinkett Smith’s expense.

Selective Outrage was a highly anticipated special, not only as Netflix’s first livestreamed comedy special but because it would be Rock’s widest audience yet since the Oscars incident. Not only did Chris Rock discuss the slap itself, but Will Smith and his wife, taking on the couple’s personal life–which, since they’re celebrities, has become public life–directly, even saying the special’s title comes from the pair. “Will Smith practices ‘Selective Outrage’…Everybody who really knows, knows I had nothing to do with that shit. I didn’t have any ‘entanglements’…His wife was f**king her son’s friend. I normally would not talk about this shit…I...

It was the moment many had been waiting nearly a year for — a chance to hear just how Chris Rock would finally address Will Smith’s Oscar night smackdown of the comedian on the Academy stage with a slap that will live in infamy.

Perhaps because Rock knew much of the audience who tuned in were waiting for just that moment, he saved it toward near the end of his set Saturday night during Netflix’s much hyped first live special Chris Rock: Selective Outrage!

But when the moment finally came, Rock didn’t hold back — taking down Smith, dragging his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and targeting the couple’s marital issues (in which Pinkett Smith acknowledged a relationship with singer August Alsina as the couple addressed their marriage on an episode of Red Table Talk).

“Will Smith practices selective outrage,” Rock told the audience. “Outrage because everybody knows what the fuck happened.

Chris Rock is hitting back. A year after the infamous Oscars slap, the comedian took aim at Will Smith during his latest stand-up special, the live Netflix event Selective Outrage.

Rock went off on Smith (and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith) more than an hour into the special. Here’s what he had to say…

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⬩ “You all know what happened to me,...

Comedian Chris Rock unleashed his full fury on Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith during his live “Selective Outrage” Netflix special on Saturday night, blasting them both for the bad blood that led to the Oscar-nominated actor slapping Rock at last year’s Academy Awards.

It wasn’t until the end of the one-hour special that he lashed out with a year’s worth of resentment. “She started that s—-,” he said of Pinkett Smith’s comments that he should quit hosting the Oscars where he joked about her and Will’s boycott of the 2016 ceremony because Will wasn’t nominated for his performance in “Concussion.”

Check out the video above.

Rock said that the slap had nothing to do with him, noting that it erupted from Smith’s frustration over his own relationship with his wife. He made fun of their “entanglement” situation, saying, “Everyone called Will a...

Almost a year after the infamous Oscars slap, comedian Chris Rock finally addressed what happened in his live Netflix special, “Selective Outrage.”

After an hour of new material that only alluded to Slapgate — “They say, ‘words hurt.’ Anybody who says ‘words hurt’ has never been punched in the face,” he joked earlier in the night — the comedian finally broke down the aftermath of the on-stage smack from Oscar-winner Will Smith.

“You all know what happened to me, getting smacked by Suge Smith. Everybody knows. Everybody fucking knows,” Rock said. “I got smacked like a year ago… and people are like, ‘Did it hurt?’ It still hurts. I got ‘Summertime’ ringing in my ears.”

Despite the pressure from the press to open up about what happened, Rock is adamant that he won’t be dissecting it on a talk show.

“I’m not a victim baby. You will never see me on Oprah or Gayle [King] crying.

With Super Bowl Lvii upon us, we wanted to know what Football (or Football related) movie was your favorite. We compiled a list of scripted movies, so you won’t see the Oscar Winning Documentary Undefeated on the list, but if that is your favorite, please click the other button and let us know why you loved it so much in the comments section.

Favorite Football Film80 For Brady (2023)American Underdog (2021)Paterno (2018)Woodlawn (2015)My All American (2015)Concussion (2015)Balls Out (2014)When The Game Stands Tall (2014)Draft Day (2014)23 Blast (2013)Touchback (2012)The 5th Quarter (2011)The Blind Side (2009)The Longshots (2008)The Express: The Ernie Davis Story (2008)Leatherheads (2007)The Game Plan (2007)The Comebacks (2007)Gridiron Gang (2006)Facing The Giants (2006)We Are Marshall (2006)Invincible (2006)Two For The Money (2005)The Longest Yard (2005)Friday Night Lights (2004)Radio (2003)Monday Night Mayhem (2002)The Replacements (2000)Remember The Titans (2000)Any Given Sunday (1999)Varsity Blues (1999)Air Bud: Golden Receiver (1998)The Waterboy (1998)The Garbage...

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Scene 2 Seen Podcast!! I am your host Valerie Complex, associate editor and film writer at Deadline. On today’s episode is actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

In her latest project, the Apple TV series Surface (where she also serves as executive producer), Raw stars as Sohie, a woman who has suffered a traumatic head injury that has left her with extreme memory loss, believed to be a result of a suicide attempt. As Sophie embarks on a quest to put the pieces of her life back together with the help of her husband and friends, she begins to question whether or not the truth she is told is in fact the truth she has lived. Showrunner is Veronica West (High Fidelity). You can view the trailer here to get a taste.

Looking back into her career history, Raw is an award-winning actor of the stage and screen.

Legendary rock guitarist Jeff Beck died on Tuesday at the age of 78.

According to his publicist, Melissa Dragich, the cause of death was bacterial meningitis.

Jeff Beck Cause Of Death

During the 60s and 70s, Beck was well-known as a member of the Yardbirds and a leader of his own bands. To this day, he is still admired as one of the most skilled and influential guitarists in rock history.

He joined the Yardbirds in 1965, replacing Eric Clapton. The band was one of the defining acts of the electric blues genre, but Beck’s contributions to songs like “Over Under Sideways Down” and “Shapes of Things” pushed the band into a more psychedelic rock direction.

In Memoriam 2022: 100 Great Celebrities Who Died In 2022

In 1968, Beck formed his own band called the Jeff Beck Group, whose lineup included bassist Ron Wood, drummer Mickey Waller and singer Rod Stewart.

In 1975, Beck began...

Exclusive: Abigail Breslin (Stillwater), Luke Wilson (Stargirl), Andy Garcia (Father of the Bride) and Donald Sutherland (The Undoing) have signed on to star in the courtroom drama Miranda’s Victim from director Michelle Danner (The Runner), with production underway in New Jersey.

The film written by J. Craig Stiles and George Kolber will tell the true story of Trish Weir (Breslin), who in 1963 was kidnapped and brutally raped by Ernesto Miranda. Committed to putting her assailant in prison, Trish’s life is destroyed by America’s legal system as she triggers a law that transforms the nation. Wilson will play Lawrence Turoff, the country prosecutor that convinces Trish to testify and helps her bring her aggressor to justice, with Garcia as public defender Alvin Moore, who takes on Miranda’s case, and Sutherland as Judge Wren, who convicts Miranda for the rape of Weir. Danner and Kolber are producing alongside Valerie Debler,...

A John Krasinski-produced movie about a fugitive billionaire has found its director in Peter Landesman.

Sources tell Variety that the “Concussion” writer-helmer is on board to direct the long-gestating movie, which is based on Daniel Ammann’s biography “The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich.” The film tells the story of the international commodities trader and founder of Glencore, who was indicted in the U.S. on 65 criminal counts that included tax evasion, wire fraud, racketeering and striking deals for oil with Iran during the Iran hostage crisis.

Rich had already fled the U.S. for Switzerland and never returned, but famously received a pardon in 2001 from then President Bill Clinton on his last day in office. Rich lived in Switzerland until his death at age 78 in 2013. Matt Damon has been attached to play Rich, though his involvement is not currently known. The film was under Universal,...

Will Smith has finally spoken out about The Slap. At around 7:17pm Et Monday night, he posted a statement on Instagram, which included an apology to Chris Rock, something which he neglected to do during his lengthy Best Actor acceptance speech at the Academy Awards Sunday.

“Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.

I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.

I would also like to apologize to the Academy,...

The feud between Will Smith and Chris Rock prior to the infamous “Oscar slap” goes back at least six years, according to sources.

At the Governors Ball immediately following the telecast, Smith was the center of nearly every conversation. After congratulatory moments with nominees and winners like Denis Villeneuve (“Dune”), Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog”) and Marlee Matlin, co-star of “Coda” which won best picture, everyone had wide eyes and questions about whether the assault was staged. Even the creative team behind Smith’s Oscar-winning role in “King Richard” seemed to be having difficulty processing the actor’s outburst.

“I’ve known Will for two years and I’ve never known him to be like that,” “King Richard” director Reinaldo Marcus Green told Variety. “I’ve never even heard him raise his voice.”

Tim White and Trevor White, the Oscar-nominated producers for the film, were also shocked. “I have no idea what happened,...

Chris Rock’s jab at Jada Pinkett Smith at this year’s Oscars wasn’t the first time the comedian has joked about the famous couple. Here, a closer look at their history as both friends and frenemies.

Shots Fired in 2016

After Pinkett Smith boycotted the 2016 Oscars ceremony for its lack of diversity, that year’s host, Rock, suggested in his opening monologue that the actress wasn’t even invited to the show in the first place. “Jada went mad,” he began. “Jada says she’s not coming. Protesting.” Then he quipped,...

Four Grammy Awards. Five American Music Awards. Multiple MTV Movie and Video Music Awards. Can Will Smith add a Screen Actors Guild Award to his trophy collection?

Note that I’m not talking about the Oscar here. I’m specifically focused on his individual SAG Award bid. And yes, Mr. Smith should plan to make a little room for a new piece of Hollywood hardware. Here are five reasons why he’ll win the Best Actor SAG Award for Warner Bros’ “King Richard.”

See ‘Don’t Look Up’ silences haters by scoring 4 Oscar nominations including, yep, Best Picture

1. He’s Will Smith.

He’s played a prince, a bad boy and a boxer. He’s battled aliens, cowboys and robots. He’s been one of the biggest stars in the world for a quarter of a century. He’s a legend. And he’s not just a marquee attraction; he’s...

Will Smith is looking like a very serious contender for Best Actor in this year’s Oscar race for playing tennis patriarch Richard Williams in “King Richard,” but it’s been a long journey to get there, including two previous nominations, the most recent of which was in 2006 for “The Pursuit of Happyness.” His win at the Golden Globes for lead actor in a drama has definitely clinched his front-runner status (though the influence of the Globes is questionable this year due to their controversies getting them yanked from broadcast TV). And by the time you read this he may already be a SAG nominee as well.

Smith has been the overwhelming favorite for Gold Derby odds-makers going all the way back to “King Richard’s” debut at the Telluride Film Festival. That includes 18 Experts and six Editors who have Smith winning his first acting Oscar for the movie, compared...

Throughout King Richard, I kept waiting for a flashback. The thing about biopics is that even the good ones tend to be overstuffed, bogged down by an incessant need to fill out their subject’s life. It generally comes with the price of admission. But director Reinaldo Marcus Green’s latest offering never indulges the genre’s cradle-to-grave instincts. It’s a relief, and also a reminder that, despite its title coronating Richard Williams, this is really the origin story of his tennis prodigies, Venus and Serena, whom he willed onto an unrelenting trajectory to superstardom. He only operates within the confines of their development.

The starting point is a 78-page plan, a manifesto that Richard (Will Smith) believes will chart a championship course for his gifted daughters. As deftly depicted by Green, his training sessions, which began when Venus was just four years old on the beleaguered courts of their Compton neighborhood,...

Richard T. Jones is launching an independent production company dubbed Prophecy Pictures Entertainment, Variety has learned exclusively.

Jones is starting the company with producing partners Jeremy Loethen and Kristy Horiuchi. The company’s emphasis is on developing and producing mainstream family, faith-based, and inspirational content across all platforms.

The company already has multiple projects in development. Among those is a biopic about Democratic Republic of the Congo’s world-renowned virologist Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, who discovered Ebola in 1976 but was not internationally recognized and later pioneered the first treatment for the deadly virus. Also in development is a television series based on the sci-thriller book series “The Rho Agenda” by Richard Phillips. The books revolve around three teenagers who are altered by an alien starship and propelled into a war to save humanity from an approaching Armageddon.

Jones currently stars in the ABC drama series “The Rookie.” He will next be...

The fact-based story about former U.S. Army sergeant Charles Robert Jenkins’ four decades of living in North Korea is to be produced as an English-language limited TV series.

Peter Landesman will direct the series for South Korean financing and production company Moving Pictures Company.

Writer Nick Osborne, who most recently adapted the “Last of the Mohicans” series for HBO Max, is adapting the non-fiction book “The Reluctant Communist: My Desertion, Court-Martial, and Forty-Year Imprisonment in North Korea,” co-written by Jenkins and Time journalist Jim Frederick.

Events began in 1965, some 13 years after the end of the inter-Korean war, when Jenkins abandoned his post in South Korea and walked across the militarized border into North Korea. He believed his action would get him back to the U.S. and earn him a short jail sentence. Instead, he found himself in another sort of prison, living for 40 years under a repressive Communist autocracy.

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With two films slated for release this year and an upcoming award at the 78th annual Venice Film Festival, Ridley Scott has a lot to celebrate. The 83-year-old English director’s next release, “The Last Duel,” will premiere at the Italian film festival in September before being released stateside on October 15.

And then there’s “House of Gucci” — the highly anticipated crime drama starring Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani, and Adam Driver as Maurizio Gucci. The film follows the tumultuous relationship and deadly divorce of the heads of the Gucci empire. Also worth mentioning: Jared Leto makes a stunning transformation for the role of Maurizio’s cousin, Paolo Gucci.

With so much well-deserved...

Will Smith stars as the real-life father of two of the most gifted athletes of all time in “King Richard.” Warner Bros. has released the first trailer of the moving drama that could be a box office hit and possible awards contender.

Inspired by a true story, “King Richard” tells the story of Richard Williams (Smith), an undeterred father who was instrumental in raising Venus and Serena Williams (Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton), two of the best tennis players in the world. Driven by a clear vision of the future, Richard executes a plan that moves the girls from the streets of Compton, Calif., to the global stage as sports icons.

From acclaimed director Reinaldo Marcus Green (“Monsters and Men”) and debut screenwriter Zach Baylin, the trailer showcases powerful emotional beats coming from Smith, including an emotional speech in which he states: “You will be representing every little Black girl on Earth.

Born in Argentina and an honorary Frenchman since his family moved there in 1976, director Gaspar Noé is the Cannes film festival’s artist-in-residence, bringing all of his features to the event since his 1998 debut Seul contre tous (Aka I Stand Alone). Noé’s films always provoke a strong reaction—many festivalgoers are still reeling from his 2002 rape-horror Irréversible—not just because of their subject matter but because of his innovative technical mastery. Noé was last seen on the Croisette with Climax, a visceral and visually stunning hybrid of documentary and fiction in which a street dance troupe is driven crazy after drinking punch spiked with LSD.

His latest, however, is everything that Climax is not. Filmed during a window in lockdown, Vortex stars Dario Argento as an elderly film critic whose wife (Françoise Lebrun) is slowly succumbing to dementia. Clocking in at a long 145 minutes, it is a surprisingly subtle...

Exclusive: Christiana Dell’Anna (Gomorrah), John Lithgow (The Crown), David Morse (The Green Mile), Rolando Villazón (La Bohèmme) and more will star in an Untitled Cabrini Film from Alejandro Monteverde.

The film tells the story of Francesca Cabrini, one of the greatest entrepreneurs of the 19th Century, who began with nothing and created the largest multinational charitable empire the world had ever known, her accomplishments equaling those of Vanderbilt and Rockefeller. While Cabrini was faced in her time with the sexism and virulent anti-Italian bigotry of 19th century America, she overcame every obstacle through relentless perseverance and business skill, eventually building schools, orphanages and hospitals that transformed the lives of immigrants worldwide.

The Untitled Cabrini Film also stars Montserrat Espadalé, Romana Maggiora Vergano, Patch Darragh, Jeremy Bobb, Virginia Bocelli, Andrew Polk, and Giampiero Judica.

The Francesca Films pic’s producers include Academy Award and BAFTA Award winner Jonathan Sanger and Leo Severino. Rod Barr wrote the script; he collaborated on the story with TIFF’s People’s Choice Award winner Monteverde.

The film is currently in production in New York; the shoot will wrap up in Rome this fall. The project was the brainchild of financier Eustace Wolfington, whose passion for the story of Francesca Cabrini began over 60 years ago.

“The minute I learned of Cabrini’s life story, I realized this was a story that deserved to be brought to the big screen,” said Wolfington. “As a pioneer of human rights long before today, her story will be an inspiration to today’s pioneers of human rights which makes her story and unprecedented accomplishments as relevant today as ever.”

“As an immigrant myself, I am honored to be able to shine a light on the astonishing story of a true warrior of social justice who transformed the lives of immigrants worldwide,” said Monteverde. “Cabrini was a pioneer of women’s empowerment, making her story as relevant today as in the 1890’s. This picture – like Cabrini herself – is surprising, courageous, gritty… and deeply inspirational.”

“In a time when the achievements of women in every sphere of life have inspired a new generation, it is fascinating to contemplate the work of Francesca Cabrini, an Italian immigrant who came to New York in 1889. She would fit perfectly as a leader in today’s world,” added Sanger.

Christiana Dell’Anna’s film credits include Tensione superficiali, Mr. Happiness and more. She has appeared on the small screen in such series as Gomorrah (HBO Max) and Trust (FX). She’s represented in the U.S. by Cavalry Media, and by Volver Consulenze Artistiche in Italy.

A two-time Oscar nominee, John Lithgow recently earned his 13th Emmy nomination for his supporting turn in HBO’s reimagining of Perry Mason. He’ll next appear in Showtime’s Dexter revival, reprising his role as Arthur Mitchell (aka The Trinity Killer), and in FX’s The Old Man. His recent film credits include Bombshell, Late Night and Pitch Perfect 3. Additional TV credits include The Crown, Trial & Error and 3rd Rock from the Sun. Lithgow is repped by UTA, Anonymous Content and attorney Don Steele at Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller & Gellman.

Two-time Emmy nominee David Morse will soon appear in Netflix drama The Chair, opposite Sandra Oh. His recent TV credits include The Good Lord Bird, Blindspot, The Morning Show, The Deuce and Escape at Dannemora. Recent film credits include Thank You for Your Service and Concussion. Morse is repped by UTA, Kipperman Management, Arcieri & Associates, and attorney Diane Golden at Katz Golden Lerner.

Rolando Villazón is an opera singer and director whose credits include Mozart in Prague: Rolando Villazón on Don Giovanni, La Bohèmme and La Traviata. He is repped by Columbia Artists Management.

Monteverde is represented by Sentient Entertainment and attorney Sean A. Marks of Marks Law Group.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw and David Oyelowo are going into real estate together (sort of): The two will star in HBO Max’s limited series adaptation of The Girl Before, TVLine has learned.

Based on the bestselling thriller by Jp Delaney, The Girl Before centers on Jane (Mbatha-Raw), who moves into a gorgeous house designed by an enigmatic architect (Oyelowo). The only catch is, Jane has to live according to the architect’s exacting rules. Plus, she discovers that the house’s previous occupant, a woman named Emma, died there. “As the two women’s timelines interweave, Jane begins to question...

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has come under fire after a Los Angeles Times investigation uncovered that the organization does not include a single Black journalist among its 87 members. Presenters like Sterling K. Brown and Ava DuVernay, with nominees like Viola Davis, spoke out in protest with the hashtag #TIMESUPGlobes trending on social media.

The LA Times reported on Saturday that during a Zoom roundtable with Jane Fonda, recipient of this year’s Cecil B. DeMille Award, the actress told HFPA members, “we need to help you get more Black members,” as one member tried to offer a weak defense. In an article from The Hollywood Reporter, a columnist wrote about an interaction with an HFPA member in which they were trying to be recruited to join. This seems to send the message: “Black journalists apply, White journalists invited.”

In an interview with Variety last week, former HFPA president and board chair Meher Tatna,...

Starz has ordered the period drama series “The Serpent Queen,” based on the life of Catherine de Medici.

The eight-episode series is based on the book “Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France” by Leonie Frieda. Justin Haythe will write and executive produce the series, with Francis Lawrence and Erwin Stoff also executive producing. Stacie Passon will direct multiple episodes, including the premiere. Lionsgate Television and 3 Arts Entertainment will produce. Starz senior vice president of original programming Kathryn Tyus-Adair is the executive overseeing “The Serpent Queen” on behalf of the network. Courtney Mock is overseeing the series on behalf of Lionsgate.

“‘The Serpent Queen’ may be the most cunning account of one of the most influential women ever to wear a crown that Starz has told,” said Christina Davis, president of original programming for Starz. “We are thrilled to be working with such an incredibly talented team who will...

Jeremy Irons is set to join the A-list ensemble of MGM’s Gucci movie that Ridley Scott is directing. Lady Gaga is attached to star as Patrizia Reggiani, the ex-wife of Maurizio Gucci who was tried and convicted of orchestrating his assassination on the steps of his office in 1995. She served 18 years in jail before being let out in 2016.

Irons joins a cast that includes Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Al Pacino, Jack Huston and Reeve Carney.

It is the first project Lady Gaga has attached herself to since her Best Actress nomination in a breakout turn opposite Bradley Cooper in 2018’s A Star Is Born. She won an Oscar for the song “Shallow,” one of a number of hits on the soundtrack. MGM landed rights to the Gucci package back in April with plans to go into production after Scott finished shooting The Last Duel, which goes back into production next week.

Exclusive: Lena Headey and Luke Wilson have joined the voice cast of the sci-fi animation series New-Gen, based on the Marvel comic book series by J.D. Matonti, Chris Matonti and Julia Coppola of A.P.N.G. Enterprises. The series, co-created by J.D. Matonti and showrunner Brent Friedman, is now underway on production.

New-Gen follows twin brothers and nanotech-enhanced superheroes (Stranger Things‘ Finn Wolfhard and brother Nick Wolfhard are the voices) as they work to save the world of New-Gen from destructive war. The futuristic utopia of scientific and mechanical wonders seeks to balance nature and technology, weaving together an ecologically sustainable paradise.

Heady, who earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her linchpin role in HBO’s Game of Thrones, will voice the beautiful and prophetic Thea, the matriarch of the Association of the Protection of New-Gen. Wilson will play Roboduck, a comical and mischievous sidekick whose special ability is burping fire.

Actor Gugu Mbatha-Raw has long been drawn to stories that combined both art and activism. From her breakthrough role as Dido Elizabeth Belle, a gentlewoman of color in the film “Belle,” to her recent work in films like “Misbehaviour” and “Fast Color” and the Apple TV program “The Morning Show,” Mbatha-Raw is often at the center of stories that mix entertainment with social awareness. Now, she is finding another art form – painting portraits – as another way to combine the two, having painted portraits of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor that will be up for auction via the organization Still We Rise.

The auction, taking place June 20-29, will benefit several organizations including Equal Justice Initiative, M4BL, The Bail Project and Black Lives Matter and more information can be found online at www.stillwerisecommunity.com or on their Instagram page at www.instagram.com/_stillwerise. You can also check out...

When it comes to evaluating the financial performance of top movies, it isn’t about what a film grosses at the box office. The true tale is told when production budgets, P&a, talent participations and other costs collide with box office grosses and ancillary revenues from VOD to DVD and TV. To get close to that mysterious end of the equation, Deadline is repeating our Most Valuable Blockbuster tournament for 2019, using data culled by seasoned and trusted sources.

The Film

More from Deadline'Spider-Man: Far From Home' Reps Sony's Most Profitable Movie Of 2019: No. 8 In Deadline’s Most Valuable Blockbuster Tournament'Toy Story 4' Has A Friend In Many: No. 6 On Deadline's 2019 Most Valuable Blockbuster Tournament'Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker' Lowest Profit Of Disney Trilogy Titles: No. 9 On Deadline's 2019 Most Valuable Blockbuster Tournament

Aladdin

Disney

While Disney has long played the Memorial Day holiday, it historically has had a...

Whether a curse or a blessing, “May you live in interesting times” certainly applies to the Lgbtq community — the past decade saw the legalization of same-sex marriages and the end of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, but every advancement has been met with pushback and threats to overturn equal protections under the law. Trans characters got their largest public spotlight on television shows like “Pose” and “Transparent,” while at the same time they remain the targets of violence and of hysterical and reactionary lawmakers. Whatever triumphs and travails the community faced in day-to-day life, their lives and loves continued to be reflected on the big screen; here are some of the decade’s greatest examples, listed alphabetically.

Runners-Up: “1985,” “Appropriate Behavior,” “Booksmart,” “Bpm,” “Cola de Mono,” “Drunktown’s Finest,” “Kiki,” “Love, Simon,” “Paris 05:59 Théo & Hugo,” “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”

“Call Me By Your...

Editor’s note: Noah Tsika teaches media studies at Queens College, City University of New York. His books include “Nollywood Stars” and a forthcoming history of film distribution and exhibition in Nigeria.

When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently elected to remove Genevieve Nnaji’s Nigerian film “Lionheart” from the Oscar race — or, at least, from competition in the category now known as Best International Feature Film — it entered fraught territory: In a decision that stems from longstanding submission guidelines, the Academy ruled “Lionheart” ineligible because it’s an English-language production. But the outrage surrounding the ruling speaks to enduring debates about the postcolonial employment of European languages — the colonizers’ tongues — and why these debates remain so contentious.

The issue goes beyond this incident. Nigeria, and Nigerians, remain so unfamiliar to the Hollywood establishment that Ridley Scott’s production company, seemingly responding as much to the star...

Lady Gaga will star in a movie about the Gucci family fashion dynasty and the murder of the grandson of founder Guccio Gucci.

Ridley Scott is directing the film. Gaga will portray Patrizia Reggiani, the ex-wife of Maurizio Gucci. She had been abandoned after 12 years of marriage by Maurizio Gucci in 1985 for a younger woman. Reggiani was tried and convicted of orchestrating her ex-husband’s assassination on the steps of his office in Italy in 1995. She gained the nickname the Black Widow during the trial and served 18 years before being released from prison in 2016.

The pic follows Gaga’s first movie, “A Star Is Born.” She earned a best actress nomination and won an Oscar for writing the hit song “Shallow” for the film.

The story about the Gucci murder is scripted by Roberto Bentivegna, based on Sara Gay Forden’s book “The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder,...