Nominations for the 36th Annual Scripter Awards Have Been Announced

USC Libraries Name Finalists for 36th-Annual Scripter Awards

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The USC Libraries named the finalists for the 36th-annual USC Libraries Scripter Award, which honors the writers of the year’s most accomplished film and episodic series adaptations, as well as the writers of the works on which they are based.

The finalist writers for film adaptation are, in alphabetical order by film title:

• Cord Jefferson for “American Fiction” based on the novel “Erasure” by Percival Everett

• Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese for “Killers of the Flower Moon” based on the nonfiction book “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI” by David Grann

• Christopher Nolan for “Oppenheimer” based on the nonfiction book “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer” by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin

• Ava DuVernay for “Origin” based on the nonfiction book “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson

• Screenwriter Tony McNamara and novelist Alasdair Gray for “Poor Things”

The finalist writers for episodic series are, in alphabetical order by series title:

• Peter Morgan, for the episode “Sleep, Dearie Sleep,” from “The Crown,” based on his stage play "The Audience"

• Scott Neustadter for the episode “Fire,” from “Daisy Jones and the Six,” based on the novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid

• Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann for the episode “Long, Long Time” from “The Last of Us,” based on the video game by Neil Druckmann and Naughty Dog

• Will Smith for the episode “Negotiating with Tigers,” from “Slow Horses,” based on the novel “Real Tigers” by Mick Herron

• Max Borenstein, Rodney Barnes and Jim Hecht for the episode “The New World,” from “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” based on the nonfiction work “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s” by Jeff Pearlman

The 2024 Scripter selection committee selected the finalists from a field of 80 film and 56 episodic series adaptations. Howard Rodman, USC professor and Vice President/Secretary of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, chairs the 2024 committee.

The studios distributing the finalist films and current publishers of the printed works are:

“American Fiction”—Amazon MGM Studios and Graywolf Press

“Killers of the Flower Moon”—Apple Original Films and Vintage Books

“Oppenheimer”—Universal Pictures and Vintage Books

“Origin”—Neon and Random House

“Poor Things”—Searchlight Pictures and Bloomsbury

The networks and streaming platforms broadcasting the finalist episodic series and current publishers of the works are:

“The Crown”—Netflix and Dramatists Play Service Inc.

“Daisy Jones and the Six”—Amazon Prime Video and Random House

“The Last of Us”—HBO | Max and Sony Computer Entertainment

“Slow Horses”—Apple TV+ and Soho Crime

“Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty”—HBO | Max and Avery

The USC Libraries will announce the winning authors and screenwriters at a black-tie ceremony on Saturday, Mar. 2, 2024, in the historic Edward L. Doheny Jr. Memorial Library at the University of Southern California.

Since 1988, Scripter has honored the authors of original works alongside the screenwriters who adapt their stories. For more information about Scripter—including ticket availability, additional sponsorship opportunities, and an up-to-date list of sponsors—please email scripter@usc.edu or visit scripter.usc.edu.

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"The Color Purple (Music from and Inspired by)" Soundtrack Album Has Arrived

Warner Bros. Pictures, WaterTower Music and gamma. Announce December 15th Arrival of THE COLOR PURPLE (MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY)

All Star Line-up Includes Stars From the Film and the Music World, Including Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Usher, Megan Thee Stallion, Mary J. Blige, Fantasia Barrino, Jennifer Hudson, Missy Elliott, Halle Bailey, Keyshia Cole, Coco Jones, Taraji P. Henson, Ciara, Jorja Smith, Mary Mary and More

First Single, Lifeline, Written, Co-Produced and Performed by Alicia Keys, Out Now

Listen to the song, "Lifeline," here or at Lifeline - From the Original Motion Picture - "The Color Purple" (lnk.to).

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures, WaterTower Music and gamma. announce their partnership in curating the soundtrack album for the upcoming, newly reimagined motion picture release of The Color Purple. A star-studded musical journey, THE COLOR PURPLE (MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY) features beloved songs from director Blitz Bazawule’s bold new film, in addition to original material inspired by the rich tapestry of the film’s narratives. The album became available December 15th.

The Color Purple’s preeminent onscreen ensemble delivers stunning performances, creating an emotional journey through Fantasia Barrino’s soulful melodies, Taraji P. Henson’s emotive depth, Colman Domingo’s captivating energy, Danielle Brooks’ powerful resonance, H.E.R.’s contemporary artistry, and Halle Bailey’s radiant vocals. New songs from the film combined with source material from Grammy Award-winning songwriters of The Color Purple musical, Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, promises an auditory experience that’s both fresh and deeply nostalgic.

New material on this collection, stirred by the story’s rich emotional journey, is exquisitely performed by vocal powerhouses Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Megan Thee Stallion, Jennifer Hudson, Keyshia Cole, Jorja Smith, Coco Jones, Ciara, Mary Mary; collaborations include a breathtaking duet by Usher x H.E.R. and a special remix by Missy Elliott.

And finally, the film’s sweeping end credit song, written and produced by lauded hitmaker The-Dream, is performed by the film’s transcendent north star, Fantasia.

The first offering from this musical bounty is its first single, Lifeline, written, co-produced and performed by Grammy Award-winning multi-platinum superstar Alicia Keys. Keys’ production partners include Tricky Stewart (Beyoncé and Rihanna); Marshmello (Selena Gomez, Juice Wrld) and TMS (Dua Lipa, Lewis Capaldi). Lifeline, released today, is Alicia’s heartfelt ode to the unequivocal comfort emanating from friends, family and community that holds us up as we face life’s challenging moments.

The creative engine for the project includes the film’s executive music producers, Grammy-winning film composer Nick Baxter, Tony-nominated composer and lyricist Stephen Bray, and multimedia artist Blitz Bazawule, who in addition to directing The Color Purple, was co-director on Beyoncé’s Black is King.

Additionally, the album is executive produced by music legend Quincy Jones and Scott Sanders, both of whom produce the new film and collaborated to create the Tony-winning Broadway musical, and gamma. Co-founder & CEO Larry Jackson.

“I am so immensely proud that the filmmakers and Warner Bros. Pictures chose us to collaborate on a hugely cultural album that musically brings to life this reimagined classic,” comments Jackson. “The Color Purple, in its many iterations, is unquestionably hallowed ground in black culture. Just as film director Blitz Bazawule has done a spectacular job in taking the film to another level artistically, we, too, wanted to bring an equally adventurous, creative take to this expanded soundtrack. Complementing the fabulously infectious musical moments of the new film, we wanted to further celebrate the stories of the film’s protagonists with additional current, contemporary songs that thematically spoke to their relatable experiences and struggles. And deeply influenced by the great, iconic R&B/pop soundtracks of the 1990s, I’ve always wanted to make an ‘Inspired By’ soundtrack that had cultural legends and new artists of a genre come together for a piece of art that defines a moment in time. I feel great pride in what the team at gamma. has creatively achieved with The Color Purple (Music From And Inspired By) and I hope everyone else enjoys what I feel is the BEST R&B soundtrack since some of the most iconic ones of the ‘90s!”

The score for the film, composed by Kris Bowers, will be released on December 25.

ABOUT THE COLOR PURPLE:

Warner Bros. Pictures invites you to experience The Color Purple, a bold new take on the classic story of love and resilience. Directed by Blitz Bazawule, the film is produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones. The screenplay is by Marcus Gardley, based on the novel by Alice Walker and the musical stage play, book (of the musical stage play) by Marsha Norman, music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents an Amblin Entertainment Production, A Harpo Films Production, An SGS Pictures Production/A QJP Production, The Color Purple. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and opened in theaters in North America on December 25, 2023 and will open internationally beginning January 18, 2024.

ABOUT WATERTOWER MUSIC:

WaterTower Music, the in-house label for the Warner Bros. Discovery companies, releases recorded music as rich and diverse as the companies themselves. It has been the soundtrack home to many of the world’s most iconic films, television shows and games since 2001.

ABOUT gamma.:

gamma., founded by CEO Larry Jackson and President Ike Youssef, is a modern media and technology enterprise created to revolutionize the way artists create, distribute, and monetize their content and brand. Announced gamma. repertoire includes a long-term agreement with entertainment icon Snoop Dogg for exclusive rights to market and distribute the iconic Death Row Records catalog including new music from Snoop Dogg and R&B rising star October London; mega, a joint venture with multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning superstar Usher & industry pioneer L.A. Reid; a global partnership with 3x Grammy-nominated, Diamond-certified recording artist French Montana; music from rap’s new queen Sexyy Red through a partnership with Open Shift; a new multi-media project from multi-platinum artist/entrepreneur Russ; and a partnership with multi platinum iconic rapper and mogul Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group. Digital distributor Vydia is a wholly-owned division of gamma.

The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in New York, London, Miami, Nashville, Lagos and Dubai.

thegamma.com

Vydia.com

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"Barbie" Heads to IMAX Screens for Special Event Sept 22nd

 

Think Pink! Tickets Go On Sale Today for “Barbie” as the Year’s #1 Film Heads to IMAX® for 7 Days Only

Audiences who get tickets for the limited engagement beginning September 22 will also see a special address from history-making director Greta Gerwig, along with all-new footage selected just for the IMAX experience

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tickets are on sale now for the limited one-week run of “Barbie” in IMAX®, beginning September 22, 2023 on IMAX screens across North America and in select international markets. The announcement was made today by Jeff Goldstein, President of Domestic Distribution, and Andrew Cripps, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

As a special treat for IMAX audiences only, a special greeting from director Greta Gerwig will play before the film, and exclusive post-credit footage, selected by Gerwig, will follow. The announcement was made today by Jeff Goldstein, President of Domestic Distribution, and Andrew Cripps, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

Goldstein and Cripps said, “We really wanted to super-serve all the fans out there who made this the Summer of ‘Barbie’ in every way imaginable, and we couldn’t think of a better way than to serve up the biggest film of 2023 and the biggest Warner Bros. film of all time on the biggest, most experiential screens around. Thanks to our terrific partners at IMAX and our incredible director, Greta Gerwig, we went a step further and are offering audiences an added incentive with this special post-credits footage. We encourage moviegoers everywhere, whether they’ve seen ‘Barbie’ or not, to see it in IMAX for a can’t-miss moment in film history.”

To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken.

From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig (“Little Women,” “Lady Bird”) comes “Barbie,” starring Oscar nominees Margot Robbie (“Bombshell,” “I, Tonya”) and Ryan Gosling (“La La Land,” “Half Nelson”) as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera (“End of Watch,” the “How to Train Your Dragon” films), Kate McKinnon (“Bombshell,” “Yesterday”), Issa Rae (“The Photograph,” HBO’s “Insecure”), Rhea Perlman (“I’ll See You in My Dreams,” “Matilda”), and Will Ferrell (the “Anchorman” films, “Talladega Nights”). The film also stars Michael Cera (“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” “Juno”), Ariana Greenblatt (“Avengers: Infinity War,” “65”), Ana Cruz Kayne (“Little Women”), Emma Mackey (“Emily,” “Sex Education”), Hari Nef (“Assassination Nation,” “Transparent”), Alexandra Shipp (the “X-Men” films), Kingsley Ben-Adir (“One Night in Miami,” “Peaky Blinders”), Simu Liu (“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”), Ncuti Gatwa (“Sex Education”), Scott Evans (“Grace and Frankie”), Jamie Demetriou (“Cruella”), Connor Swindells (“Sex Education,” “Emma.”), Sharon Rooney (“Dumbo,” “Jerk”), Nicola Coughlan (“Bridgerton,” “Derry Girls”), Ritu Arya (“The Umbrella Academy”), Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren (“The Queen”).

Gerwig directed “Barbie” from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach (“Marriage Story,” “The Squid and the Whale”), based on Barbie by Mattel. The film’s producers are Oscar nominees David Heyman (“Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood,” “Marriage Story,” “Gravity”), Margot Robbie (“Birds of Prey,” “Promising Young Woman,” “I, Tonya”), Tom Ackerley (“Promising Young Woman,” “I, Tonya”) and Robbie Brenner (“Dallas Buyers Club”), with Gerwig, Baumbach, Ynon Kreiz, Richard Dickson, Michael Sharp, Josey McNamara, Courtenay Valenti, Toby Emmerich and Cate Adams serving as executive producers.

Gerwig’s creative team behind the camera included Oscar-nominated director of photography Rodrigo Prieto (“The Irishman,” “Silence,” “Brokeback Mountain”), Oscar-nominated production designer Sarah Greenwood (“Beauty and the Beast,” “Anna Karenina”), Oscar-winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran (“Little Women,” “Anna Karenina”), editor Nick Houy (“Little Women,” “Lady Bird”), visual effects supervisor Glen Pratt (“Paddington 2,” “Beauty and the Beast”) and music supervisor George Drakoulias (“White Noise,” “Marriage Story”), with a score by Oscar winners Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt (“A Star Is Born”), who also contributed to numerous songs on the film’s soundtrack. The soundtrack includes an impressive roster of today’s hottest music artists, including Lizzo, Dua Lipa, Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice with Aqua, Charli XCX, KAROL G feat. Aldo Ranks, Tame Impala, Dominic Fike, HAIM, The Kid LAROI, Khalid, PinkPantheress, GAYLE, Ava Max, FIFTY FIFTY and more.

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents a Heyday Films Production, a LuckyChap Entertainment Production, an NB/GG Pictures Production, a Mattel Production, “Barbie.” The film is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

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Apple TV+ Trumpets Its 54 Emmy Award Nominations at the 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards

Apple lands record 54 Emmy Award nominations, and makes history as “Ted Lasso” becomes the most Emmy-nominated comedy for the third consecutive year, and “STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” becomes most-nominated documentary

Apple Originals honored with nominations across 13 hit titles, including “Ted Lasso,” “STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” “Shrinking,” “Black Bird,” “Bad Sisters,” “Schmigadoon!,” “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me,” “The Problem with Jon Stewart,” “Carpool Karaoke: The Series,” “For All Mankind,” “Five Days at Memorial,” “Hello Tomorrow!” and “Prehistoric Planet”

“Ted Lasso” once again leads as this year's most-nominated comedy with 21 Emmy nominations

Broadly celebrated documentary “STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” leads documentaries with seven nominations, including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special

Apple TV+ breaks through in late night as “The Problem with Jon Stewart” lands three nominations including Outstanding Talk Series

Apple Original programs “Ted Lasso,” “Shrinking,” “Bad Sisters” and “Black Bird” are honored with 15 acting nominations for acclaimed performances

“Carpool Karaoke: The Series” scores sixth series nomination, following five consecutive wins

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apple TV+ makes history with a record 54 Emmy Award nominations across 13 hit Apple Original titles, catapulting to the third most Emmy-nominated network in just over three years since its global launch. Apple Originals land major category nominations including Outstanding Comedy series for this year’s most Emmy-nominated comedy “Ted Lasso”; Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special for “STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” which also leads as this year’s most Emmy-nominated documentary; Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special for late night breakout “The Problem with Jon Stewart”; and Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series for “Carpool Karaoke: The Series.” Nominations for the 75th Emmy Awards were announced by the Television Academy and the winners are set to be unveiled at a ceremony on September 18, 2023.

“These brilliantly original stories have made us laugh, given us a greater sense of empathy and a fresh understanding of our world through many different genres of storytelling,” said Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “We are in awe of the unique talents of the casts and crews that have brought these fantastic programs to audiences across the globe and we thank the Television Academy for these honors.”

“We are incredibly grateful to the Television Academy for recognizing this wide array of Apple Original programming,” said Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “It has been an absolute pleasure to collaborate with these gifted artists and we couldn’t be happier to see them acknowledged for their exceptional work today. We send our warmest congratulations to all of the nominees.”

Global phenomenon “Ted Lasso” becomes the most-nominated comedy for the third consecutive year with 21 in total, expanding its nominations for its acclaimed third season. The series also lands nine total acting nominations, becoming only the fifth comedy in history to receive Emmy Award nominations for all of its original series regulars, joining “All in the Family,” “Golden Girls,” “Schitt’s Creek” and “Will & Grace.” Emmy Award-winning stars Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham are recognized with back-to-back nominations for season three. Stars Phil Dunster and Juno Temple, and guest stars Sam Richardson, Sarah Niles, Harriet Walter and Becky Ann Baker also land acting nominations.

Apple Original documentary “STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” leads this year’s documentary films and docuseries with a total of seven Emmy Award nominations including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special and Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Special.

For the first year, Apple TV+ breaks through in late night programming as “The Problem with Jon Stewart” is recognized with nominations for Outstanding Talk Series, Directing for a Variety Series, and Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Series.

Apple Originals “Shrinking,” “Bad Sisters,” “Black Bird,” “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me,” “Prehistoric Planet,” “Five Days at Memorial” and “Hello Tomorrow!” are recognized with first-time Emmy Award nominations. In addition, “Carpool Karaoke: The Series” scores with its sixth consecutive series nomination, following its fifth win in a row.

Apple TV+ series stars earn 15 acting category nominations, including nine top acting nominations for acclaimed performances in the third season of “Ted Lasso,” and first-time nominations for “Shrinking” stars Jason Segel and Jessica Williams, and “Black Bird” stars Taron Egerton and Paul Walter Hauser. Sharon Horgan lands her first acting nomination in the Lead Actress in a Drama Series category for her celebrated performance in hit “Bad Sisters.”

In 2022, “Ted Lasso” joined the ranks of comedy legends with its win for Outstanding Comedy Series for its first and second seasons, becoming only the eighth series in the genre in 74 years of Emmy history to do so. The second season of “Ted Lasso” also became the most Emmy-winning comedy for the second year in a row with four total wins, including Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Jason Sudeikis), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Brett Goldstein), and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (MJ Delaney).

In total, Apple scores 54 Emmy Award nominations including:

“Ted Lasso” season three (21):

Outstanding Comedy Series

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series - Jason Sudeikis

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - Phil Dunster

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - Brett Goldstein

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Juno Temple

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Hannah Waddingham

Guest Actor in a Comedy Series - Sam Richardson

Guest Actress in a Comedy Series - Becky Ann Baker

Guest Actress in a Comedy Series - Sarah Niles

Guest Actress in a Comedy Series - Harriet Walter

Directing for a Comedy Series - Declan Lowney

Casting for a Comedy Series

Writing in a Comedy Series

Picture Editing for a Single-Camera Series - A.J. Catoline, ACE + Alex Szabo

Picture Editing for a Single-Camera Series - Melissa McCoy + Francesca Castro

Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary (One Hour or More)

Contemporary Hairstyling

Original Music and Lyrics - “Fought & Lost”

Original Music and Lyrics - “A Beautiful Game”

Music Supervision

Special Visual Effects in a Single Episode

“STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” (7):

Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special

Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program

Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program

Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program

Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special

Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program

Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction Program

“Bad Sisters” (4):

Lead Actress in a Drama Series - Sharon Horgan

Directing in a Drama Series - Dearbhla Walsh

Writing in a Drama Series

Casting for a Drama Series

“Black Bird” (4):

Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie - Taron Egerton

Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie - Paul Walter Hauser

Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie - Ray Liotta

Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

“Schmigadoon!” season two (3):

Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour)

Choreography for a Scripted Program

Cinematography for a Series (Half-Hour)

“The Problem with Jon Stewart” season two (3):

Outstanding Talk Series

Directing for a Variety Series

Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Series

“Shrinking” (2):

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series - Jason Segel

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Jessica Williams

“Five Days at Memorial” (1):

Special Visual Effects in a Single Episode

“Prehistoric Planet” season two (1):

Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special

“Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me” (1):

Writing for a Nonfiction Program

“For All Mankind” season three experience (1)"

Emerging Media Program

“Carpool Karaoke: The Series” season five (1):

Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series

“Hello Tomorrow!” (1):

Main Title Design

Outstanding Commercial (4):

Apple - The Greatest - Accessibility

Call Me with Timothee Chalamet - Apple TV+

Quiet the Noise - AirPods

R.I.P. Leon - Apple

“Bad Sisters”:

In “Bad Sisters,” the tight-knit Garvey sisters have always looked out for each other. When their brother-in-law winds up dead, his life insurers launch an investigation to prove malicious intent — and set their sights on the sisters, all of whom had ample reason to kill him. The “Bad Sisters” ensemble cast is led by Sharon Horgan, Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene and Eve Hewson as the Garvey sisters. Claes Bang, Brian Gleeson, Daryl McCormack, Assaad Bouab and newcomer Saise Quinn round out the ensemble cast.

The series is executive produced and written by Horgan with Brett Baer and Dave Finkel, who adapted it from the Belgian version of the series “Clan,” which was created by Malin-Sarah Gozin. Horgan, Faye Dorn and Clelia Mountford executive produce for Merman; and Gozin, Bert Hamelinck and Michael Sagol executive produce for Caviar. In addition to Horgan, Baer and Finkel, the series is written by Karen Cogan, Ailbhe Keogan, Daniel Cullen, Perrie Balthazar and Paul Howard. Dearbhla Walsh, Josephine Bornebusch and Rebecca Gatward serve as directors. Walsh also serves as executive producer. “Bad Sisters” is produced by Merman Television and ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios.

“Black Bird”:

Inspired by actual events, when high school football hero and decorated policeman’s son Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton) is sentenced to 10 years in a minimum security prison, he is given the choice of a lifetime — enter a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser), or stay where he is and serve his full sentence with no possibility of parole. Keene quickly realizes his only way out is to elicit a confession and find out where the bodies of several young girls are buried before Hall’s appeal goes through. But is this suspected killer telling the truth? Or is it just another tale from a serial liar? This dramatic and captivating story subverts the crime genre by enlisting the help of the very people put behind bars to solve its mysteries.

“Black Bird” is developed, written and executive produced by Dennis Lehane. The first three episodes are directed by Academy Award nominee Michaël R. Roskam, who also serves as executive producer. Lehane, Egerton and Roskam executive produce alongside Richard Plepler through his EDEN Productions; Bradley Thomas, Dan Friedkin and Ryan Friedkin executive produce through Imperative Entertainment; Alexandra Milchan and Scott Lambert executive produce through EMJAG Productions; and Kary Antholis also executive produces, along with the book’s author Keene. Jim McKay and Joe Chappelle also direct. The limited series is produced for Apple TV+ by Apple Studios.

“Carpool Karaoke: The Series”:

This season, the stars — sharing a car, singing along to their personal playlists and embarking on new adventures — include Kevin Bacon, Michael Bacon, Ciara, Brian Cox, Chelsea Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Alan Cumming, Duran Duran, Nikki Glaser, Method Man, Sandra Oh, Chris Redd, Amber Ruffin, Wilco, Russell Wilson, the cast of “For All Mankind” and more.

“Carpool Karaoke: The Series” is produced for Apple by CBS Studios and Fulwell 73 Productions with executive producers James Corden, Eric Pankowski and Ben Winston.

“Five Days at Memorial”:

From Academy Award winner John Ridley and Emmy Award winner Carlton Cuse, who both also serve as directors, and starring an award-winning ensemble cast that includes Vera Farmiga, Cornelius Smith Jr. and Emmy Award winner Cherry Jones, “Five Days at Memorial” chronicles the impact of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath on a local hospital. When the floodwaters rose, power failed, and heat soared, exhausted caregivers at a New Orleans hospital were forced to make decisions that would follow them for years to come.

In addition to Farmiga, Smith Jr. and Jones, the limited series stars Robert Pine, Julie Ann Emery, Adepero Oduye, Molly Hager, Michael Gaston and W. Earl Brown.

“Five Days at Memorial” is executive produced and written by Cuse and Ridley, the series is directed by Cuse, Ridley and Wendey Stanzler. The series hails from ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios.

“For All Mankind”:

The propulsive third season of the alternate reality series, takes viewers to a new decade, moving into the early ’90s with a high-octane race to a new planetary frontier: Mars. The Red Planet becomes the new front in the Space Race not only for the US and the Soviet Union, but also an unexpected new entrant with a lot to prove and even more at stake. Our characters find themselves going head-to-head as their ambitions for Mars come into conflict and their loyalties are tested, creating a pressure cooker that builds to a climactic conclusion.

“For All Mankind” is created by Emmy Award winner Moore, and Emmy Award nominees Nedivi and Wolpert. Nedivi and Wolpert serve as showrunners, and executive produce alongside Moore and Davis of Tall Ship Productions, as well as David Weddle, Bradley Thompson and Nichole Beattie. “For All Mankind” is produced by Sony Pictures Television.

“Hello Tomorrow!”:

“Hello Tomorrow!” is an inspiring dramedy starring and executive produced by Emmy and Critics Choice Award winner Billy Crudup. Set in a retro-future world, “Hello Tomorrow!” centers on a group of traveling salesmen hawking lunar timeshares. Crudup stars as Jack, a salesman of great talent and ambition, whose unshakeable faith in a brighter tomorrow inspires his coworkers, revitalizes his desperate customers, but threatens to leave him dangerously lost in the very dream that sustains him. The ensemble cast starring alongside Crudup includes Haneefah Wood, Alison Pill, Nicholas Podany, Dewshane Williams, Emmy Award winner Hank Azaria, Matthew Maher and Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver.

Co-created by Amit Bhalla and Lucas Jansen, “Hello Tomorrow!” is produced by MRC Television. Stephen Falk, Jonathan Entwistle, Bhalla and Jansen serve as executive producers alongside Crudup. Blake Griffin, Ryan Kalil and Noah Weinstein serve as executive producers for Mortal Media.

“Prehistoric Planet”:

The series, from executive producers Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton and BBC Studios Natural History Unit (“Planet Earth”), and narrated by Sir David Attenborough with an original score by Hans Zimmer, Anže Rozman and Kara Talve from Bleeding Fingers Music, transports viewers back millions of years in the past to discover our world — and the dinosaurs that roamed it — all in extraordinary detail. Viewers explore five new habitats, including the active volcanoes of India, the marshlands of Madagascar, the deep oceans near North America and so much more. Throughout this season, the series and its creators take you up close into dinosaurs’ habitats to experience the dangers, the adventures and even the camaraderie between species unlike any we’ve seen before.

“Prehistoric Planet” combines award-winning wildlife filmmaking, the latest paleontology learnings and state-of-the-art technology to unveil the spectacular habitats and inhabitants of ancient Earth for a one-of-a-kind immersive experience. The series is produced by the world-renowned team at BBC Studios Natural History Unit with support from the photorealistic visual effects of MPC applied to concept art created by Jellyfish Pictures. The theme is by Hans Zimmer and Andrew Christie for Bleeding Fingers Music, with an original score by Zimmer, Anže Rozman and Kara Talve for Bleeding Fingers Music.

“The Problem with Jon Stewart”:

Acclaimed host, writer, producer, director and advocate Jon Stewart, recipient of the 2022 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, leads with compassion and humor as he takes a deep dive into some of the most important issues of our time. Using comedy and common sense, the series features tough, topical and culture-moving conversations from the perspectives of stakeholders, experts and individuals confronting these issues.

The Writers Guild Award-nominated series “The Problem With Jon Stewart” is hosted and executive produced by Stewart through his Busboy Productions. The series is executive produced by showrunner Brinda Adhikari, alongside Stewart’s longtime manager James Dixon, Chris McShane and Richard Plepler through his Eden Productions, which has an exclusive overall production deal with Apple. Lorrie Baranek and Reza Riazi are supervising producers and Kris Acimovic is head writer.

“Schmigadoon!”:

Having found true love in the town of Schmigadoon, season two of “Schmigadoon!” finds Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) and Melissa (Cecily Strong) in Schmicago, the reimagined world of ’60s and ’70s musicals. The second season of Apple’s broadly acclaimed comedy includes new original musical numbers from co-creator, executive producer and showrunner Cinco Paul, as well as returning stars Cecily Strong, Keegan-Michael Key, Ariana DeBose, Martin Short, Dove Cameron, Jaime Camil, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Ann Harada, Jane Krakowski and Aaron Tveit with Tituss Burgess and Patrick Page joined the cast for season two.

“Schmigadoon!” hails from Broadway Video and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. “Schmigadoon!” is co-created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. Paul serves as showrunner and wrote all of the original songs for the series. Lorne Michaels and Andrew Singer serve as executive producers, Micah Frank serves as co-executive producer, and star Cecily Strong and Caroline Maroney serve as producers.

“Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me”:

“Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me” is a documentary feature about singer, songwriter, actress, producer, entrepreneur and activist Selena Gomez, “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me,” directed and produced by Alek Keshishian.

After years in the limelight, Selena Gomez achieves unimaginable stardom. But just as she reaches a new peak, an unexpected turn pulls her into darkness. This uniquely raw and intimate documentary spans her six-year journey into a new light. This film marks the second project for Apple with producers Lighthouse Management + Media and Interscope Films following their collaboration on the Emmy Award-nominated documentary “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry.”

“Shrinking”:

Starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford in one of his first television roles, “Shrinking” follows grieving therapist Jimmy (Segel) who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own. In addition to Segel and Ford (Paul), the series stars Jessica Williams (Gaby), Christa Miller (Liz), Lukita Maxwell (Alice), Michael Urie (Brian) and Luke Tennie (Sean).

Co-created by Emmy Award-winning “Ted Lasso” executive producer Bill Lawrence, Emmy Award-winning “Ted Lasso” star, writer and co-executive producer Brett Goldstein, and Segel, “Shrinking” is produced by Warner Bros. Television, where Lawrence and Goldstein are under overall deals, and Lawrence’s Doozer Productions. Lawrence, Segel, Goldstein, Neil Goldman, James Ponsoldt, Randall Winston, Jeff Ingold and Liza Katzer serve as executive producers.

“STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie”:

“STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” starring Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan, is directed by Academy Award winner Davis Guggenheim. The film, which incorporates documentary, archival and scripted elements, recounts Fox’s extraordinary story in his own words — the improbable tale of an undersized kid from a Canadian army base who rose to the heights of stardom in 1980s Hollywood. The account of Fox’s public life, full of nostalgic thrills and cinematic gloss, unspools alongside his never-before-seen private journey, including the years that followed his diagnosis, at 29, with Parkinson’s disease. Intimate and honest, and produced with unprecedented access to Fox and his family, the film chronicles Fox’s personal and professional triumphs and travails, and explores what happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease. With a mix of adventure and romance, comedy and drama, watching the film feels like … well, like a Michael J. Fox movie.

“STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” is produced by Concordia Studio. Guggenheim, Annetta Marion, Will Cohen and Jonathan King serve as producers, with Laurene Powell Jobs, Jonathan Silberberg, Nicole Stott and Fox’s longtime producing partner Nelle Fortenberry executive producing. The project marks the second partnership for Apple and Concordia Studio following the Emmy Award-winning documentary “Boys State.”

“Ted Lasso”:

Jason Sudeikis is Ted Lasso, an American football coach hired to manage a British soccer team — despite having no experience. But what he lacks in knowledge, he makes up for with optimism, underdog determination — and biscuits. The widely acclaimed series also stars Hannah Waddingham, Brendan Hunt, Jeremy Swift, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Phil Dunster, and Nick Mohammed.

In addition to starring, Sudeikis serves as executive producer, alongside Bill Lawrence via his Doozer Productions, in association with Warner Bros. and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. Doozer’s Jeff Ingold also serves as an executive producer, with Liza Katzer as co-executive producer. The series was developed by Sudeikis, Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly, and is based on the preexisting format and characters from NBC Sports.

All programs are currently streaming on Apple TV+.:

Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut.

About Apple TV+:

Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $6.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.*

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35th Annual Scripter Awards Honor Film "Women Talking" and Apple TV+'s "Slow Horses"

Writers of ‘Women Talking,’ ‘Slow Horses’ Win 35th-annual Scripter Awards

Scripter emcee Glenn Sonnenberg, screenwriter Will Smith, writer Miriam Toews, writer Mick Herron, screenwriter Sarah Polley (Photo: Business Wire)

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The writers behind the film “Women Talking” and the series “Slow Horses” received the 35th-annual USC Libraries Scripter Awards at USC’s Doheny Memorial Library.

“You remained engaged, committed, and invested during a time of uncertainty and change, and I thank you for staying so connected to our libraries.”

The Scripter Awards recognize the year’s most accomplished adaptations of the written word for the big screen and episodic series.

Glenn Sonnenberg, who co-founded the Scripter Awards in 1988 with Marjorie Lord Volk, served as master of ceremonies. In his opening remarks, Sonnenberg acknowledged that this was the first year the Scripters were presented in person since January 2020, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic upended normal life.

“I’m grateful for the support of the Scripter community, particularly since 2020,” Sonnenberg said. “You remained engaged, committed, and invested during a time of uncertainty and change, and I thank you for staying so connected to our libraries.”

In the episodic series category, novelist Mick Herron and screenwriter Will Smith took home Scripters for the episode “Failure’s Contagious,” from the Apple TV+ series “Slow Horses,” which Smith adapted from Herron’s book of the same name.

“It’s an absolute privilege to be on the short list tonight,” Mick Herron said, “these are some of the best books you’ll ever read, made into some of the best TV you’ll ever see.”

“The only real test for me in fiction is do I believe it,” Will Smith said, “I love it when I read a book and feel the characters have a life before and after, and I always feel that with Mick’s writing.”

In the film category, the winners were screenwriter Sarah Polley and novelist Miriam Toews for “Women Talking.”

“There’s not another person, another writer, another filmmaker, that I would entrust my book to other than Sarah Polley,” Toews said.

Sarah Polley described Toews’s work as “searing, uncompromising, funny, and wise,” commenting that “with this book she offered the world an offramp from grief and rage toward what true democracy might look like.”

Earlier in the evening, longtime USC Libraries Board of Councilors member Jim Childs received the Ex Libris Award, which honored his exceptional commitment to the libraries.

In-kind donors included Andrew Murray Vineyards, Bloomsbury Publishing and Penguin Random House.

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35th Annual Script Awards Announces Nominations

USC Libraries Name Finalists for 35th-Annual Scripter Awards

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The USC Libraries named the finalists for the 35th-annual USC Libraries Scripter Award, which honors the writers of the year’s most accomplished film and episodic series adaptations, as well as the writers of the works on which they are based.

The finalist writers for film adaptation are, in alphabetical order by film title:

-- Guillermo del Toro, Patrick McHale, and Matthew Robbins for “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” based on the fairy tale “The Adventures of Pinocchio” by Carlo Collodi

-- Kazuo Ishiguro for “Living” based on the novella “The Death of Ivan Ilyich” by Leo Tolstoy

-- Rebecca Lenkiewicz for “She Said” based on the nonfiction book “She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement” by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey

-- Peter Craig, Ehren Kruger, Justin Marks, Christopher McQuarrie, and Eric Warren for “Top Gun: Maverick” based on characters from the 1983 “California” magazine article “Top Guns” by Ehud Yonay

-- Screenwriter Sarah Polley and novelist Miriam Toews for “Women Talking”

The finalist writers for episodic series are, in alphabetical order by series title:

-- Peter Morgan, for the episode “Couple 31,” from “The Crown,” based on his stage play “The Audience”

-- Taffy Brodesser-Akner for the episode “The Liver,” from “Fleishman Is in Trouble,” based on her book of the same name

-- Will Smith for the episode “Failure’s Contagious,” from “Slow Horses,” based on the novel by Mick Herron

-- J. T. Rogers for the episode “Yoshino” from “Tokyo Vice,” based on the memoir “Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan” by Jake Adelstein

-- Dustin Lance Black for the episode “When God Was Love,” from “Under the Banner of Heaven” based on the nonfiction work by Jon Krakauer

The 2023 Scripter selection committee selected the finalists from a field of 101 film and 67 television adaptations. Howard Rodman, USC professor and past president of the Writers Guild of America, West, chairs the 2023 committee.

Serving on the selection committee, among many others, are film critics Leonard Maltin and Anne Thompson; authors Walter Mosley and Michael Ondaatje; and screenwriters Eric Roth and Erin Cressida Wilson.

The studios distributing the finalist films and current publishers of the printed works are:

“Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio”—Netflix and Penguin Classics

“Living”—Sony Pictures Classics and Penguin Classics

“She Said”—Universal Pictures and Penguin Press

“Top Gun: Maverick”—Paramount Pictures and “California” magazine

“Women Talking”—Orion/MGM and Bloomsbury

The networks and streaming platforms broadcasting the finalist episodic series and current publishers of the printed works are:

“The Crown”—Netflix and Dramatists Play Service Inc.

“Fleishman Is in Trouble”—FX and Random House

“Slow Horses”—Apple TV+ and Soho Crime

“Tokyo Vice”—HBO Max and Knopf Doubleday

“Under the Banner of Heaven”—FX and Anchor Books

The USC Libraries will announce the winning authors and screenwriters at a black-tie ceremony on Saturday, Mar. 4, 2023, in the historic Edward L. Doheny Jr. Memorial Library at the University of Southern California. After being held in a virtual format the past two years amid the continuing coronavirus pandemic, the Scripter Awards are returning to an in-person event subject to up-to-date COVID-19 safety protocols.

Since 1988, Scripter has honored the authors of printed works alongside the screenwriters who adapt their stories. In 2016, the USC Libraries inaugurated a new Scripter award, for episodic series adaptation. For more information about Scripter—including ticket availability, additional sponsorship opportunities, and an up-to-date list of sponsors—please email scripter@usc.edu or visit scripter.usc.edu.

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Beyonce and JAY-Z Become Most Nominated Artists in Grammy History at 65th Annual Grammy Nominations

65th Annual GRAMMY® Nominations Kick Off Historic Season of Celebrating Music

Beyoncé Leads This Year's Nominations With Nine and Is Now Tied as the Most Nominated Artist of All Time; Kendrick Lamar, Adele, Brandi Carlile, Mary J. Blige, DJ Khaled, Future, Terius "The-Dream" Gesteelde-Diamant, Randy Merrill, and Harry Styles Round out the List of Top Nominees for Feb. 5 Show in Los Angeles

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nominees for the 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards® have been announced and topping this year's list are Beyoncé (9), Kendrick Lamar (8), Adele (7), Brandi Carlile (7), Mary J. Blige (6), DJ Khaled (6), Future (6), Terius "The-Dream" Gesteelde-Diamant (6), Randy Merrill (6), and Harry Styles (6). With this year's nominations, Beyoncé and JAY-Z are now tied as the most nominated artists in GRAMMY® history, with 88. As the only peer-voted music award, the GRAMMY Awards® are selected by the Recording Academy®'s voting membership body of music makers, who represent all genres and creative disciplines, including recording artists, songwriters, composers, producers, mixers, and engineers. The nominees were announced via a livestream on GRAMMY.com.

“Celebrating the miracle of music is at the core of everything we do at the Recording Academy and today we are proud and honored to celebrate music's power to lift people up and to bring them together”

"Celebrating the miracle of music is at the core of everything we do at the Recording Academy and today we are proud and honored to celebrate music's power to lift people up and to bring them together," said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. "I'm energized by this year's slate of nominees and how each of them uses their craft to inspire us, and to remind us that music is our universal language. Each of these deserving nominees has helped to provide the world with an incredible soundtrack and is a true testament to how vibrant our entire music community truly is."

The final round of GRAMMY voting, which will determine GRAMMY recipients, will take place Dec. 14, 2022–Jan. 4, 2023. The 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards will return to Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on Sun, Feb. 5, 2023, and will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on-demand on Paramount+ at 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT. Prior to the Telecast, the GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony® will be held at the Microsoft Theater at 12:30 p.m. PT and will be streamed live on GRAMMY.com and the Recording Academy's YouTube channel. The 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be produced by Fulwell 73 Productions for the Recording Academy. Ben Winston, Jesse Collins and Raj Kapoor are executive producers, with Raj Kapoor serving as showrunner.

Follow "Recording Academy/GRAMMYs" on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn, and use #GRAMMYs to join the conversation.

The following is a sampling of nominations from the 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards' 27 Fields and 91 Categories. For a complete nominations list, visit www.grammy.com.

Record Of The Year

"Don't Shut Me Down" — ABBA

"Easy On Me" — Adele

"BREAK MY SOUL" — Beyoncé

"Good Morning Gorgeous" — Mary J. Blige

"You And Me On The Rock" — Brandi Carlile Featuring Lucius

"Woman" — Doja Cat

"Bad Habit" — Steve Lacy

"The Heart Part 5" — Kendrick Lamar

"About Damn Time" — Lizzo

"As It Was" — Harry Styles

Album Of The Year

Voyage — ABBA

30 — Adele

Un Verano Sin Ti — Bad Bunny

RENAISSANCE — Beyoncé

Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe) — Mary J. Blige

In These Silent Days — Brandi Carlile

Music Of The Spheres — Coldplay

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers — Kendrick Lamar

Special — Lizzo

Harry's House — Harry Styles

Song Of The Year

"abcdefu" — Sara Davis, GAYLE & Dave Pittenger, songwriters (GAYLE)

"About Damn Time" — Melissa "Lizzo" Jefferson, Eric Frederic, Blake Slatkin & Theron Makiel Thomas, songwriters (Lizzo)

"All Too Well" (10 Minute Version) (The Short Film) — Liz Rose & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)

"As It Was" — Tyler Johnson, Kid Harpoon & Harry Styles, songwriters (Harry Styles)

"Bad Habit" — Matthew Castellanos, Brittany Fousheé, Diana Gordon, John Carroll Kirby & Steve Lacy, songwriters (Steve Lacy)

"BREAK MY SOUL" — Beyoncé, S. Carter, Terius "The-Dream" Gesteelde-Diamant & Christopher A. Stewart, songwriters (Beyoncé)

"Easy On Me" ­— Adele Adkins & Greg Kurstin, songwriters (Adele)

"GOD DID" — Tarik Azzouz, E. Blackmon, Khaled Khaled, F. LeBlanc, Shawn Carter, John Stephens, Dwayne Carter, William Roberts & Nicholas Warwar, songwriters (DJ Khaled Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend & Fridayy)

"The Heart Part 5" — Jake Kosich, Johnny Kosich, Kendrick Lamar & Matt Schaeffer, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)

"Just Like That" — Bonnie Raitt, songwriter (Bonnie Raitt)

Best New Artist

Anitta

Omar Apollo

DOMi & JD Beck

Samara Joy

Latto

Måneskin

Muni Long

Tobe Nwigwe

Molly Tuttle

Wet Leg

Best Pop Vocal Album

Voyage — ABBA

30 — Adele

Music Of The Spheres — Coldplay

Special — Lizzo

Harry's House — Harry Styles

Best Dance/Electronic Music Album

RENAISSANCE— Beyoncé

Fragments — Bonobo

Diplo — Diplo

The Last Goodbye — ODESZA

Surrender — RÜFÜS DU SOL

Best Rock Song

"Black Summer" — Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis & Chad Smith, songwriters (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

"Blackout" — Brady Ebert, Daniel Fang, Franz Lyons, Pat McCrory & Brendan Yates, songwriters (Turnstile)

"Broken Horses" — Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile)

"Harmonia's Dream" — Robbie Bennett & Adam Granduciel, songwriters (The War On Drugs)

"Patient Number 9" — John Osbourne, Chad Smith, Ali Tamposi, Robert Trujillo & Andrew Wotman, songwriters (Ozzy Osbourne Featuring Jeff Beck)

Best Alternative Music Album

WE — Arcade Fire

Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You — Big Thief

Fossora — Björk

Wet Leg — Wet Leg

Cool It Down — Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Best R&B Performance

"VIRGO'S GROOVE" — Beyoncé

"Here With Me" — Mary J. Blige Featuring Anderson .Paak

"Over" — Lucky Daye

"Hrs & Hrs" — Muni Long

"Hurt Me So Good" — Jazmine Sullivan

Best R&B Song

"CUFF IT" — Denisia "Blu June" Andrews, Beyoncé, Mary Christine Brockert, Brittany "Chi" Coney, Terius "The-Dream" Gesteelde-Diamant, Morten Ristorp, Nile Rodgers & Raphael Saadiq, songwriters (Beyoncé)

"Good Morning Gorgeous" — Mary J. Blige, David Brown, Dernst Emile II, Gabriella Wilson & Tiara Thomas, songwriters (Mary J. Blige)

"Hrs & Hrs" — Hamadi Aaabi, Dylan Graham, Thaddis "Kuk" Harrell, Brandon John-Baptiste, Priscilla Renea, Isaac Wriston & Justin Nathaniel Zim, songwriters (Muni Long)

"Hurt Me So Good" — Akeel Henry, Michael Holmes, Luca Mauti, Jazmine Sullivan & Elliott Trent, songwriters (Jazmine Sullivan)

"Please Don't Walk Away" — PJ Morton, songwriter (PJ Morton)

Best Rap Performance

"GOD DID" — DJ Khaled Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend & Fridayy

"Vegas" — Doja Cat

"pushin P" — Gunna & Future Featuring Young Thug

"F.N.F. (Let's Go)" — Hitkidd & GloRilla

"The Heart Part 5" — Kendrick Lamar

Best Rap Song

"Churchill Downs" — Ace G, BEDRM, Matthew Samuels, Tahrence Brown, Rogét Chahayed, Aubrey Graham, Jack Harlow & Jose Velazquez, songwriters (Jack Harlow Featuring Drake)

"GOD DID" — Tarik Azzouz, E. Blackmon, Khaled Khaled, F. LeBlanc, Shawn Carter, John Stephens, Dwayne Carter, William Roberts & Nicholas Warwar, songwriters (DJ Khaled Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend & Fridayy)

"The Heart Part 5" — Jake Kosich, Johnny Kosich, Kendrick Lamar, & Matt Schaeffer, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)

"pushin P" — Lucas Depante, Nayvadius Wilburn, Sergio Kitchens, Wesley Tyler Glass & Jeffery Lamar Williams, songwriters (Gunna & Future Featuring Young Thug)

"WAIT FOR U" — Tejiri Akpoghene, Floyd E. Bentley III, Jacob Canady, Isaac De Boni, Aubrey Graham, Israel Ayomide Fowobaje, Nayvadius Wilburn, Michael Mule, Oluwatoroti Oke & Temilade Openiyi, songwriters (Future Featuring Drake & Tems)

Best Country Solo Performance

"Heartfirst" — Kelsea Ballerini

"Something In The Orange" — Zach Bryan

"In His Arms" — Miranda Lambert

"Circles Around This Town" — Maren Morris

"Live Forever" — Willie Nelson

Best Jazz Vocal Album

The Evening : Live At APPARATUS — The Baylor Project

Linger Awhile — Samara Joy

Fade To Black — Carmen Lundy

Fifty — The Manhattan Transfer With The WDR Funkhausorchester

Ghost Song — Cécile McLorin Salvant

Best Música Urbana Album

TRAP CAKE, VOL. 2 — Rauw Alejandro

Un Verano Sin Ti — Bad Bunny

LEGENDADDY — Daddy Yankee

La 167 — Farruko

The Love & Sex Tape — Maluma

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album

El Alimento — Cimafunk

Tinta y Tiempo — Jorge Drexler

1940 Carmen — Mon Laferte

Alegoría — Gaby Moreno

Los Años Salvajes — Fito Paez

MOTOMAMI — Rosalía

Best American Roots Song

"Bright Star" — Anaïs Mitchell, songwriter (Anaïs Mitchell)

"Forever" — Sheryl Crow & Jeff Trott, songwriters (Sheryl Crow)

"High And Lonesome" — T Bone Burnett & Robert Plant, songwriters (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss)

"Just Like That" — Bonnie Raitt, songwriter (Bonnie Raitt)

"Prodigal Daughter" — Tim O'Brien & Aoife O'Donovan, songwriters (Aoife O'Donovan & Allison Russell)

"You And Me On The Rock" — Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile Featuring Lucius)

Best Americana Album

In These Silent Days — Brandi Carlile

Things Happen That Way — Dr. John

Good To Be... — Keb' Mo'

Raise The Roof — Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Just Like That... — Bonnie Raitt

Best Global Music Album

Shuruaat — Berklee Indian Ensemble

Love, Damini — Burna Boy

Queen Of Sheba — Angélique Kidjo & Ibrahim Maalouf

Between Us... (Live) — Anoushka Shankar, Metropole Orkest & Jules Buckley Featuring Manu Delago

Sakura — Masa Takumi

Best Spoken Word Poetry Album

Black Men Are Precious — Ethelbert Miller

Call Us What We Carry: Poems — Amanda Gorman

Hiding In Plain View — Malcolm-Jamal Warner

The Poet Who Sat By The Door — J. Ivy

You Will Be Someone's Ancestor. Act Accordingly. — Amir Sulaiman

Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games And Other Interactive Media

"Aliens: Fireteam Elite" — Austin Wintory, composer

"Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn Of Ragnarök" — Stephanie Economou, composer

"Call Of Duty®: Vanguard" — Bear McCreary, composer

"Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy" — Richard Jacques, composer

"Old World" — Christopher Tin, composer

Best Song Written For Visual Media

"Be Alive" [From King Richard] — Beyoncé & Darius Scott Dixson, songwriters (Beyoncé)

"Carolina" [From Where The Crawdads Sing] — Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)

"Hold My Hand" [From Top Gun: Maverick] — Bloodpop® & Stefani Germanotta, songwriters (Lady Gaga)

"Keep Rising (The Woman King)" [From The Woman King] — Angélique Kidjo, Jeremy Lutito & Jessy Wilson, songwriters (Jessy Wilson Featuring Angélique Kidjo)

"Nobody Like U" [From Turning Red] — Billie Eilish & Finneas O'Connell, songwriters (4*Town, Jordan Fisher, Finneas O'Connell, Josh Levi, Topher Ngo, Grayson Villanueva)

"We Don't Talk About Bruno" [From Encanto] — Lin-Manuel Miranda, songwriter (Carolina Gaitán - La Gaita, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto - Cast)

Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical

Amy Allen

Nija Charles

Tobias Jesso Jr.

The-Dream

Laura Veltz

Best Classical Compendium

An Adoption Story — Starr Parodi & Kitt Wakeley; Jeff Fair, Starr Parodi & Kitt Wakeley, producers

Aspire — JP Jofre & Seunghee Lee; Enrico Fagone, conductor; Jonathan Allen, producer

A Concert For Ukraine — Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; David Frost, producer

The Lost Birds — Voces8; Barnaby Smith & Christopher Tin, conductors; Sean Patrick Flahaven & Christopher Tin, producers

GREY GOOSE Vodka is the Official Spirits Partner of the 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominations.

ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY:

The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum®, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards® — music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.

For more information about the Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on Twitter, "like" Recording Academy on Facebook, and join the Recording Academy's social communities on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

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"Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage?" Documentary Set for Dec. 9th on Disney+

[Photo image by John Russo]

Tony Award®-Winning Actress and Singer Idina Menzel Takes Audiences on an Intimate Journey Into Her Life On and Off the Stage in New Disney+ Documentary ‘Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage?’

The Documentary Film Premieres Dec. 9 Only on Disney+

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Disney+ announced the premiere of the new documentary film “Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage?” From Disney Branded Television, the intimate and inspirational film follows Tony Award®-winning icon Idina Menzel on her path to realize a lifelong dream: headlining a concert at Madison Square Garden in her hometown of New York City. Featuring never-before-seen performance footage alongside raw and vulnerable interviews, the documentary follows Idina on an intimate journey as she juggles the challenges of being a working mom and wife on a grueling travel schedule while preparing to take the stage at the legendary arena.

Directed by filmmaker Anne McCabe and produced in partnership with Ideal Partners, “Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage?” makes its world premiere on Dec. 9, 2022 exclusively on Disney+.

Through unprecedented interviews and footage, the beloved actress and singer, whose triumphant roles include Broadway productions of “Rent” and “Wicked” as well as the celebrated voice of Elsa in Disney’s “Frozen,” pulls back the curtain on her remarkable career, the incredible — and oftentimes laborious — moments that prepared her for her big breaks and the people who have supported her since the beginning. Additionally, Menzel reflects on motherhood, marriage and the realities of juggling work and family. Throughout the film, she shares her personal experience with in vitro fertilization, an emotional process that runs parallel to her runway toward Madison Square Garden.

“We made this documentary to show firsthand how important it is to pursue your passions and lean on those around you in times of hardship,” said Menzel. “This documentary was a joy to make, and I hope it resonates with my fans and new audiences alike who find themselves balancing motherhood, work and marriage while chasing their own dreams and inspires others to keep pushing forward.”

Captured in striking intimacy and detail, “Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage?” follows Menzel on a national tour over the course of 16 shows on the road. The film showcases never-before-seen footage of Menzel throughout her life, from home videos of her early days as a singer at just 7 years old to her beginnings at the premiere of “Rent” the musical in 1996 to preparing for the original role of Elphaba in “Wicked” and the creation and subsequent phenomenon that was “Frozen.” Featuring interviews with Menzel herself, her parents, family, friends and co-creatives, the documentary weaves in Menzel’s show-stopping performance as she conquers the stage at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

“Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage?” is produced by Disney Branded Television and Ideal Partners for Disney+. For Ideal Partners, Rachel Cohen and Jana Edelbaum are producers. The documentary film is directed by Anne McCabe.

Menzel was recently honored at this year’s 35th annual Disney Legends Award ceremony, where she was inducted for her roles as Elsa in “Frozen” and Nancy Tremaine in “Enchanted.” Menzel also recently released an inspiring children’s book with her sister, writer and teacher Cara Mentzel, titled “Loud Mouse.” From Disney-Hyperion, “Loud Mouse” is a picture book about a little mouse finding her big voice and is all about self-acceptance and being true to yourself. She also released a companion song for the book.

Facebook: @DisneyPlus
Twitter: @DisneyPlus
Instagram: @DisneyPlus
TikTok: @DisneyPlus
Hashtag: #DisneyPlus

About Disney+:
Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, along with The Simpsons and much more. In select international markets, it also includes the general entertainment content brand, Star. The flagship direct-to-consumer streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ is part of the Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution segment. The service offers an ever-growing collection of exclusive originals, including feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series, and short-form content. With unprecedented access to Disney’s long history of incredible film and television entertainment, Disney+ is also the exclusive streaming home for the newest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Disney+ is available as a standalone streaming service, as part of the Disney Bundle in the U.S. that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, or as part of Combo+ in Latin America with Star+, the standalone general entertainment and sports streaming service in the region. For more, visit disneyplus.com, or find the Disney+ app on most mobile and connected TV devices.

About Ideal Partners
IDEAL PARTNERS is an independent film and television production company based in NYC. Current projects include: a feature film biopic about iconic choreographer, ALVIN AILEY, directed by Barry Jenkins and distributed by Searchlight; THE LIBRARIANS, a feature documentary about book banning in Texas, directed by Kim Snyder; a drama series based on a New Yorker article in development with AMC and produced with Blumhouse TV; THE GIRL WITH SEVEN NAMES, a feature documentary about North Korean human rights abuses and defectors; a comedy series inspired by the life of fashion designer, Peter Som. Previous projects include the feature documentary, HOUSE OF Z; and feature films STRANGE WEATHER; THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER & PETE; DIRTY GIRL. www.idealpartners.co

About Disney Branded Television
Disney Branded Television encompasses the creative storytellers and production and content marketing teams responsible for Disney-branded television series, movies and other programming spanning live-action, animated and unscripted formats. The group fuels the Disney+ streaming platform and Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior linear networks with content geared toward kids, tweens, teens and families, with stories that are imaginative, aspirational and reflective of their world and experiences. Projects include “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” “Monsters at Work,” “The Mysterious Benedict Society” and “Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends.” Disney Branded Television has created some of the most iconic and award-winning properties and franchises, including Peabody Award winners “Doc McStuffins” and “The Owl House”; Emmy Award winners “Big City Greens” and “Elena of Avalor”; the beloved “Mickey Mouse” cartoon shorts plus the Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) franchise, comprised of more than 100 titles.

COPYRIGHT ©2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All photography is copyrighted material and is for editorial use only. Images are not to be archived, altered, duplicated, resold, retransmitted or used for any other purposes without written permission of Disney+. Images are distributed to the press in order to publicize current programming. Any other usage must be licensed. Photos posted for Web use must be at the low resolution of 72dpi, no larger than 2x3 in size.

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Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

"The Power of the Rings" Sets Amazon Prime Video Record

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Attracts More than 25 Million Global Viewers on its First Day, Marking Prime Video’s Biggest Premiere Ever

CULVER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power attracted more than 25 million global viewers on its first day, breaking all previous records, marking the biggest premiere in the history of Prime Video. The series launched exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios, said: “It is somehow fitting that Tolkien’s stories - among the most popular of all time, and what many consider to be the true origin of the fantasy genre - have led us to this proud moment. I am so grateful to the Tolkien Estate – and to our showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, executive producer Lindsey Weber, cast and crew - for their tireless collaborative efforts and boundless creative energy. And it is the tens of millions of fans watching – clearly as passionate about Middle-earth as we are – who are our true measure of success.”

Episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will launch weekly through the October 14th season finale on Prime Video.


About The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power:
Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and one of the greatest villains that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared reemergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the farthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.

The series is led by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay. They are joined by executive producers Lindsey Weber, Callum Greene, J.A. Bayona, Belén Atienza, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, Gennifer Hutchison, Bruce Richmond, and Sharon Tal Yguado, and producers Ron Ames and Christopher Newman. Wayne Che Yip is co-executive producer and directs along with J.A. Bayona and Charlotte Brändström.

A world-renowned literary work, and winner of the International Fantasy Award and Prometheus Hall of Fame Award, The Lord of the Rings was named Amazon customers’ favorite book of the millennium in 1999 and Britain’s best-loved novel of all time in BBC’s "The Big Read" in 2003. The Lord of the Rings books have been translated into over 38 languages and have sold more than 150 million copies.

About Amazon:
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

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Olivia Wilde's "Don't Worry Darling" to World Premiere at Venice Film Festival 2022

New Line Cinema’s and Filmmaker Olivia Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling” to World Premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New Line Cinema’s “Don’t Worry Darling,” the highly anticipated second feature from director Olivia Wilde, is set to make its out-of-competition world premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival of La Biennale di Venezia, running from August 31st to September 10th, 2022. The announcement was made today by Alberto Barbera, Director of the 79th Venice International Film Festival of La Biennale di Venezia.

In tandem with the announcement, Wilde—who will attend the Festival, along with co-stars Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Gemma Chan and Chris Pine—stated, “I am honored and thrilled that ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. When we dreamed of making this movie, we imagined Venice as our ultimate goal, and we can hardly believe it’s really happening! From our cast —led by the formidable Florence Pugh and Harry Styles—to the design of this world and the kinetic cinematography, the film was crafted for viewing in the collective setting of the theatrical experience. For this first screening to take place in the jewel-like surroundings of the Venice Lido and in the presence of some of international cinema’s most accomplished artists is beyond exciting. I look forward to sharing the visceral ride of ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ with the world, beginning with the Venice Film Festival, and I wish to thank Alberto Barbera and the Biennale for the selection. This is truly a dream come true.”

The Venice International Film Festival is officially recognized by the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Association). The aim of the Festival is to raise awareness and promote international cinema in all its forms as art, entertainment and as an industry, in a spirit of freedom and dialogue. The Festival also organizes retrospectives and tributes to major figures as a contribution towards a better understanding of the history of cinema.

From New Line Cinema comes “Don’t Worry Darling,” directed by Olivia Wilde (“Booksmart”) and starring Florence Pugh (Oscar-nominated for “Little Women”), Harry Styles (“Dunkirk”), Wilde (upcoming “Babylon”), Gemma Chan (“Crazy Rich Asians”), KiKi Layne (“The Old Guard”) and Chris Pine (“All the Old Knives”).

Alice (Pugh) and Jack (Styles) are lucky to be living in the idealized community of Victory, the experimental company town housing the men who work for the top-secret Victory Project and their families. The 1950’s societal optimism espoused by their CEO, Frank (Pine)—equal parts corporate visionary and motivational life coach—anchors every aspect of daily life in the tight-knit desert utopia.

While the husbands spend every day inside the Victory Project Headquarters, working on the “development of progressive materials,” their wives—including Frank’s elegant partner, Shelley (Chan)—get to spend their time enjoying the beauty, luxury and debauchery of their community. Life is perfect, with every resident’s needs met by the company. All they ask in return is discretion and unquestioning commitment to the Victory cause.

But when cracks in their idyllic life begin to appear, exposing flashes of something much more sinister lurking beneath the attractive façade, Alice can’t help questioning exactly what they’re doing in Victory, and why. Just how much is Alice willing to lose to expose what’s really going on in this paradise?

An audacious, twisted and visually stunning psychological thriller, “Don’t Worry Darling” is a powerhouse feature from director Olivia Wilde that boasts bold performances from Florence Pugh and Harry Styles, surrounded by the impressive and pitch-perfect cast.

The film also stars Nick Kroll (“How It Ends”), Sydney Chandler (“Pistol”), Kate Berlant (“Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood”), Asif Ali (“WandaVision”), Douglas Smith (“Big Little Lies”), Timothy Simons (“Veep”) and Ari’el Stachel (“Respect the Jux”).

Wilde directs from a screenplay penned by her “Booksmart” writer Katie Silberman, based on a story by Carey Van Dyke & Shane Van Dyke (“Chernobyl Diaries”) and Silberman. The film is produced by Wilde, Silberman, Miri Yoon and Roy Lee, with Richard Brener, Celia Khong, Alex G. Scott, Catherine Hardwicke, Carey Van Dyke and Shane Van Dyke executive producing.

Wilde is joined behind the camera by two-time Oscar-nominated director of photography Matthew Libatique (“A Star Is Born,” “Black Swan”), production designer Katie Byron (“Booksmart”), editor Affonso Gonçalves (“The Lost Daughter”), Oscar-nominated composer John Powell (“Jason Bourne”), music supervisor Randall Poster (“No Time to Die”) and costume designer Arianne Phillips (“Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood”).

A New Line Cinema presentation, “Don’t Worry Darling” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and is set to open in theaters internationally beginning September 21, 2022 and in North America on September 23, 2022.

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Disney CEO Bob Chapek Gets Three-Year Contract Extension

The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors Unanimously Votes to Extend Bob Chapek’s Contract as CEO for Three Years

Board Cites Chapek’s Strong Leadership During the Pandemic, Business Results, and Transformation Strategy in their Decision

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) Board of Directors unanimously voted to extend Bob Chapek’s contract as Chief Executive Officer for three years.

“Leading this great company is the honor of a lifetime, and I am grateful to the Board for their support”

“Disney was dealt a tough hand by the pandemic, yet with Bob at the helm, our businesses—from parks to streaming—not only weathered the storm, but emerged in a position of strength,” said Susan Arnold, Chairman of the Board. “In this important time of growth and transformation, the Board is committed to keeping Disney on the successful path it is on today, and Bob’s leadership is key to achieving that goal. Bob is the right leader at the right time for The Walt Disney Company, and the Board has full confidence in him and his leadership team.”

“Leading this great company is the honor of a lifetime, and I am grateful to the Board for their support,” said Bob Chapek, Chief Executive Officer. “I started at Disney almost 30 years ago, and today have the privilege of leading one of the world’s greatest, most dynamic companies, bringing joy to millions around the world. I am thrilled to work alongside the incredible storytellers, employees, and Cast Members who make magic every day.”

Chapek, 63, has had a nearly 30-year career at Disney. Chapek became the 7th CEO in Disney’s nearly 100-year history just weeks before the company’s theme parks and the majority of its content production was shut down due to COVID-19. Since then, he has set Disney on a course to lead the entertainment industry well into the company’s next century, with a keen focus on storytelling excellence, innovation, and audiences.

Prior to becoming CEO, Chapek served as Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products since the segment’s inception in 2018, and prior to that was Chairman of Disney Parks and Resorts since 2015. Chapek also led Disney Consumer Products and served as president of Distribution for The Walt Disney Studios, and president of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

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Skydance Media and Mattel Announce Live-Action "Matchbox" Film

Skydance Media and Mattel to Develop Matchbox Live-Action Motion Picture

Screenplay to be Written by David Coggeshall

LOS ANGELES & EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Skydance and Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) announced plans to develop Matchbox, its iconic real-world die-cast toy vehicle line, into a live-action motion picture.

    “For nearly 70 years, Matchbox has carried enormous cultural relevance and inspired generations of kids to unleash their imaginations, combining what they see in the world every day with what they dream their own world to be”

“For nearly 70 years, Matchbox has carried enormous cultural relevance and inspired generations of kids to unleash their imaginations, combining what they see in the world every day with what they dream their own world to be,” said Robbie Brenner, Executive Producer of Mattel Films. “We look forward to working with our incredible partners at Skydance Media to craft a story for the big screen that evokes the same, imaginative spirit of this beloved Mattel franchise and delights fans of all ages.”

“We are thrilled to be working with Robbie Brenner and her amazing creative team at Mattel,” said Don Granger, President, Feature Films of Skydance. “Pairing Skydance’s unique brand of premium, elevated action-adventure entertainment with the incredible legacy of the Matchbox brand is a fantastic opportunity. There is a shared experience for everyone who has played with a Matchbox vehicle or playset, where they create their own inventive action sequence and we’re excited to craft a worldwide adventure film worthy of such imagination.”

The legendary Matchbox brand was invented in 1953 by automotive expert and enthusiast Jack Odell to solve a challenge for his daughter, who was allowed to take a toy to school only if it was small enough to fit in a matchbox. When his daughter’s school friends began clamoring for a “matchbox car,” an iconic brand was born. The high standards of authenticity for Matchbox die-cast cars have driven the brand for nearly 70 years. One Matchbox car is sold every second.

For Mattel Films, the Matchbox project will be led by Vice President Elizabeth Bassin and Creative Executive Andrew Scannell. David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, and Aimee Rivera will oversee for Skydance Media. The screenplay will be written by three-time Black Lister David Coggeshall, who wrote the upcoming Orphan: First Kill for Paramount as well as Lee Daniels's untitled Netflix possession thriller currently filming in Pittsburgh and drafts of Thundercats for Warner Bros.

In addition to Matchbox, the Mattel Films development slate features movies for American Girl, Barney, Hot Wheels, Magic 8 Ball, Major Matt Mason, Masters of the Universe, Polly Pocket, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, Thomas & Friends, UNO, View-Master, and Wishbone. Mattel Films is also developing Christmas Balloon, a holiday family drama based on all-new IP. Its Barbie movie is currently in production.

Coming off the hugely successful Top Gun: Maverick, Skydance’s upcoming film slate includes the seventh and eighth installments of the wildly popular Mission: Impossible series, along with Ghosted and The Greatest Beer Run Ever for Apple TV+ and The Old Guard 2, Heart of Stone and a reimagining of the successful 2001 Spy Kids franchise for Netflix.

About Skydance:
Skydance is the diversified media company founded by David Ellison in 2010 to create high-quality, event-level entertainment for global audiences. The Company first launched with Feature Films and has since strategically expanded to include Television, Interactive, Animation, New Media and Sports, with studios in Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, Spain and Canada. Skydance’s films includes the box office record-breaking Top Gun: Maverick, The Adam Project which debuted as the number one movie on Netflix, The Tomorrow War on Amazon Prime which became the number one streaming film upon its release, as well as the critically-acclaimed The Old Guard on Netflix. The studio’s upcoming film slate includes The Greatest Beer Run Ever, Ghosted, Heart of Stone, and the seventh and eighth installments of the Mission: Impossible global franchise. In total, Skydance’s films have earned more than $6 billion at the worldwide box office. Skydance Television is a leading supplier of premium scripted content across a range of platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+. The studio’s current slate includes the Emmy-nominated series Grace and Frankie, which became Netflix’s longest running series following the release of its final season earlier this year, as well as Foundation, Reacher, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Condor, The Big Door Prize and an untitled spy series starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in his first ever scripted television series. Skydance Interactive creates and publishes original and IP-based virtual reality and other immersive video games including the top-selling The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, which received several award nominations, including “Best VR/AR Game” at the 2020 Game Awards. Skydance New Media creates narratively focused interactive experiences crafted as original series, putting the audience at the center of the action and adventure, with the first production being with Marvel Entertainment. Skydance Sports develops premium scripted and unscripted sports-related content, documentaries and events. Skydance Animation develops and produces high-end feature films and television series with full production capability across two studios in Los Angeles and Madrid. The first two slated movies are Luck and Spellbound, the first short film is Blush, and the first series is Wondla, all premiering on Apple TV+. The Company’s investment partners include Tencent Holdings, Redbird Capital, CJ ENM, and the Ellison Family.

About Mattel:
Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain, and develop children through play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends®, UNO®, and MEGA®, as well as other popular intellectual properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include film and television content, gaming and digital experiences, music, and live events. We operate in 35 locations and our products are available in more than 150 countries in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering children to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. Visit us online at mattel.com.

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Director George Miller Starts Filming "Furiosa" (from the world of "Mad Max") in Australia

Cameras Are Rolling in New South Wales, Australia, as Production Is Underway on Director George Miller’s Epic Action Adventure “Furiosa,” With Anya Taylor-Joy in the Title Role, Alongside Chris Hemsworth and Tom Burke

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Principal photography is underway on Academy Award-winning filmmaker George Miller’s “Furiosa,” the much-anticipated return to the iconic dystopian world he created more than 30 years ago with the seminal “Mad Max” films, this time with an original new standalone action adventure that will reveal the origins of the powerhouse character from the multiple Oscar-winning global smash “Mad Max: Fury Road.” The new feature is being produced by Miller’s own Australian-based Kennedy Miller Mitchell banner, together with the filmmaker’s “Fury Road” partners Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures. Anya Taylor-Joy stars in the title role, alongside Chris Hemsworth and Tom Burke.

As the world fell, young Furiosa is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the Wasteland they come across the Citadel presided over by The Immortan Joe. While the two Tyrants war for dominance, Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.

Taylor-Joy was most recently seen in Edgar Wright’s “Last Night in Soho” and Robert Eggers’ “The Northman.” She also played the lead in the romantic comedy “Emma,” based on the Jane Austen novel. Her additional features include the sci-fi thrillers “Split” from M. Night Shyamalan, and his follow up “Glass,” in which she reprised her role from the previous film. She also starred as a chess prodigy in the massively successful miniseries “The Queen’s Gambit.”

Hemsworth is right at home with high-octane action, having starred in the “Avengers” and “Thor” films as well as the recent “Extraction.” His other film credits include “Bad Times at the El Royale,” “12 Strong,” “In the Heart of the Sea,” “Rush,” “Snow White and the Huntsman,” and “Star Trek,” among many others.

Burke is perhaps best-known for his award-nominated role in Joanna Hogg’s film “The Souvenir,” as well as playing the lead in the popular UK crime series “C.B. Strike.” He also starred as Athos in the BBC series “The Musketeers,” appeared in such feature films as Nicholas Winding Refn’s “Only God Forgives,” and played famed filmmaker Orson Welles in David Fincher’s Oscar-winning “Mank.”

Miller penned the script with “Mad Max: Fury Road” co-writer Nico Lathouris and produces alongside his longtime partner, Oscar-nominated producer Doug Mitchell (“Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Babe”). Miller’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes such longtime Australian collaborators as production designer Colin Gibson, editor Margaret Sixel, sound mixer Ben Osmo, costume designer Jenny Beavan and makeup designer Lesley Vanderwalt, each of whom won an Oscar for their work on “Mad Max: Fury Road,” as well as first assistant director PJ Voeten and second unit director and stunt coordinator Guy Norris. The director of photography is Simon Duggan (“Hacksaw Ridge,” “The Great Gatsby”).

Filming is underway in Australia. The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

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