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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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 23rd to 30th, 2023 - Update #20

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

CELEBRITY - From THR:  Actor Michael J. Fox, 61, tells Jane Pauley of "CBS Sunday Morning" that his battle with Parkinson's disease gets tougher every day. Fox says, "I'm not going to be 80."

STRIKE - From Deadline:  The site explains the WGA strike: the issues, the stakes, movies and TV shows affected, and how long it might last.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Director David Borenstein talks about his new documentary film, ""Can't Feel Nothing," which explores the connections between Internet use and emotional disorders.

TELEVISION - From TheNewYorker:  "Why are TV writers so miserable?" by Michael Schulman.

SPORTS/CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  Hollywood icon and Oscar-winning actor, Jack Nicholson, attended his first Los Angeles Lakers game since October 2021.  He attended Friday, April 28th's Memphis Grizzles vs. Lakers' Game 6 in this first round of the NBA playoffs.  The Lakers won the game 125-85 and won the series 4 games to 2.

CINEMACON/ANIMATION - From Deadline:  At CinemaCon 2023, Paramount Pictures announces its first "Transformers" animated film, "Transformers One." This isn't the first Transformers animated film. "The Transformers: The Movie" was released to theaters in 1986.

CELEBRITY - From THR:  This profile of 79-year-old actress Valerie Perrine, includes information on her caretaker and on an appeal for financial assistance.

CINEMACON - From BloodyDisgusting:  At CinemaCon, the audience was treated to footage of "The Exorcist: Believer," the first in a new trilogy set in the world of 1973 film, "The Exorcist."  Ellen Burstyn reprises her iconic role as "Chris MacNeil," the mother of a daughter possessed by a demon.

MOVIES - From ScreenTime:  Actress Dakota Fanning talks about reunited with Denzel Washington for the first time since 2004's "Man on Fire." The two will appear together in "The Equalizer 3."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  The shape of things to come: Of the 13-member series-regular cast of CBS’ comedy "Bob❤️Abishola," only the two leads, Billy Gardell and Folake Olowofoyeku, will remain series regulars next season. The others can recur in as few as five episodes in Season 5.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  The Walt Disney Company has sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

POLITICS/TELEVISION - From CNN:  Fox News has parted ways with its most popular host, Tucker Carlson.

From RollingStone:  Fox News executives have in their possession a dossier of alleged dirt on Tucker Carlson should he attack the network in the wake of his departure, eight sources at the network and close to it have told "Rolling Stone" magazine.

From CNN:  CNN has parted ways with its most whatever host, Don Lemon.

MOVIES - From People:  Oscar-nominated actress, Terry Moore, reflects on her relationship with ex-husband and eccentric billionaire, Howard Hughes.  Moore is one of the last living performers of the Golden Age of Hollywood, and she is still working.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 4/21 to 4/23/2023 weekend box office is Universal Pictures/Illumination Entertainment's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" with an estimated take of 58.2 million dollars.

MUSIC/LGBTQ+ - From Deadline:  The state of Tennessee may have a law banning drag performances, but during her concert in Knoxville, TN, Grammy-winner Lizzo invited several drag performers on stage with her to perform.

STREAMING - From Variety:  Actor Bruce Campbell has joined Peacock's upcoming "Satanic Panic" drama, "Hysteria!"

OBITS:

From Variety:  Politician and television personality, Jerry Springer, has died at the age of 79, Thursday, April 27, 2023.  He was the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio for one year in the 1970s.  However, Springer is known for his long-running daytime talk show, "Jerry Spring" (1991-2018).  At the height of the show's popularity, it was a cultural touchstone, and in 1998, it was more popular "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

From Deadline:  American singer, actor, activist, and Civil Rights icon, Harry Belafonte, has died at the age of 96, Tuesday, April 26, 2023.  The child of Jamaican-born parents, Belafonte was among the most successful Caribbean-American music stars and recording artists of all time.  A three-time Grammy Award winner, he helped popularize Calypso music with international audiences.  As an actor, he was one of the first Black leading men in Hollywood and starred in such films as "Carmen Jones" (1954), "Island in the Sun" (1957), and "Buck and the Preacher" (1972), to name a few. Belafonte also won an Emmy Award, a Tony Award, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

From Deadline:  "Harry Belafonte: A Career in Photos."

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 15th to 21st, 2020 - Update #25

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS: 

TELEVISION - From THR:   A contestant on TBS' "Wipeout" died Wednesday, November 18th, after completing the competition reality show's course.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Disney's 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox) is producing a fifth movie in the "Predator" film franchise.  Dan Trachtenberg ("10 Cloverfield Lane") is currently scheduled to direct.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Six actors have been cast in Netflix's live-action version on the beloved, cult anime, "Cowboy Bebop."

STREAMING - From BloodyDisgusting:  Horror movie icon, Robert Englund, the original "Freddy Krueger," will be a cast member on Netflix's "Stranger Things" Season Four.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Disney is considering pulling three of its live-action remakes of its classic animated feature films, "Peter Pan and Wendy" "Pinocchio," and "Cruella," from theatrical release for Disney+ premieres. 

CELEBRITY - From People:  Actor Michael B. Jordan has been named "People's Sexiest Man Alive 2020."

MOVIES - From Variety:   Warner Bros. will release "Wonder Woman 1984" on HBO Max and to theaters on Dec. 25th and to international theaters Dec. 16th.

CELEBRITY - From LATimes:   Emmy-winning actor Michael J. Fox is reportedly planning a retire again because of his decline health.  Fox has been battling Parkinson's disease since 1991.

MOVIES - From BloodyDisgusting:  The site offers a list of 10 recent great horror movies, plus one more.

TELEVISION - From BloodyDisgusting:   TV god-king Ryan Murphy has shared the poster for "American Horror Stories," the spinoff of his long-running "American Horror Story."  The new series will feature "one-hour contained episodes" and will be exclusive to "FX on Hulu."

MOVIES - From BloodyDisgusting:  "Scream" creator Kevin Williamson has revealed that the official title of "Scream 5" is ... "Scream."

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Spike Lee and eOne are prepping a film musical about the miracle drug, "Viagra."

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:   Quentin Tarantino has signed a two-book deal with "Harper," the HarperCollins imprint.  One of the books will be a novelization of Tarantino's Oscar-winning film, "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood."

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Universal and the Cinemark theater chain sign a "theatrical window"/"premium video on demand." Universal previously signed such a deal with AMC in July.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Steven Caple, Jr., who directed "Creed 2," will direct the next "Transformers" movie, which will be set in a re-invented universe.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  With its Barack Obama interview (Sun, Nov. 15th), "60 Minutes" ratings surge again.

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  Beloved stand-up comedian and actor, Sinbad, is recovering from a stroke.  Sinbad is best remembered for starring in "The Cosby Show" spinoff, "A Different World" and for hosting "It's Showtime at the Apollo" from 1989 to 1991.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:   The winner of 11/13 to 11/15/2020 weekend box office is "Freaky" with an estimated take of 3.7 million dollars.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Terry McMillan's bestselling 1990 novel, "Waiting to Exhale," was adapted into a popular 1995 film.  The author recently announced that a sequel television series is being developed.

MOVIES - From ShadowandAct:   Zazie Beetz joins Brad Pitt and Brian Tyree in the action-thriller. "Bullet Train."

MOVIES - From THR:   "Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey" is a Christmas that his getting acclaim and attention because of its Black cast.  This article talks about the great lengths hair and make-up designer Sharon Martin went to reimagine Black hairstyles for Victorian England.

STREAMING - From Deadline:   Will Smith has posted the first trailer for HBO Max's "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" reunion special.  "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion" arrives Nov. 19th on HBO Max.

OBITS:

From THR:  Noted television writer and producer, Charlie Hauck, has died at the age of 79, Saturday, November 14, 2020.  Hauck wrote for such popular television series as "Maude," "Frasier," and, "Home Improvement."  Oscar-nominated actor, Michael Keaton, credits Hauck with getting his career in Hollywood started.  He was twice nominated for a Primetime Emmy, once as a producer on "Frasier" and once for co-writing an episode of "The Associates," a series he co-created.

From YahooSports:  Former NFL player, Jake Scott, has died at the age of 75, Thursday, November 19, 2020.   Scott was a defensive safety for the Miami Dolphins (1970-75).  He was the MVP of Super Bowl VII, in which the Dolphins defeated the Washington Redskins and finished their 1972 undefeated season.  Scott was also on the Super Bow VIII-winning Dolphins team.

From ComicBook:  Noted Canadian voice actor and TV actor, Kirby Morrow, has died at the age of 47, Wednesday, November 18, 2020.  Morrow was best known for his voice performances in English dubs of Japanese anime, such as the role of "Goku" in "Dragon Ball Z."  He also acted in numerous TV series, such as "Stargate Atlantis," "The Flash," and most recently, ABC's "The Good Doctor."

COVID-19:

From CDC:   The Centers for Disease Control has a "COVID Data Tracker."

From YahooNews:  Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?

From YahooNews:  Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.

From Deadline:  The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.

From TheNewYorker:  The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.

From YahooNews:  Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?

From YahooLife:  What is "happy hypoxia?"  And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?

From JuanCole:  Remember when President Donald went crazy and suggested that we ingest household cleaning supplies and UV light to fight COVID-19.  Here is the video and commentary from Juan Cole.

From TheIntercept:  The federal government has ramped up security and police-related spending in response to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, including issuing contracts for riot gear, disclosures show. The purchase orders include requests for disposable cuffs, gas masks, ballistic helmets, and riot gloves...

From TheAtlantic:  The Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying. The pandemic has exposed the bitter terms of our racial contract, which deems certain lives of greater value than others.

From ProPublica:  Hospital's Secret COVID-19 Policy Separated Native American Mothers From Their Newborns

From TheGuardian:  More than 20 million Americans could have contracted COVID-19, experts say.

From RSN/WashPost:  The COVID-19 mutation that has taken over the world.

7/13 - From YahooSports:  Maybe a pandemic means that there will not be college football this fall.

7/13- From YahooNews:  The CDC adds four new symptoms (including nausea and purple or blue lesions on feet and toes) to the list of COVID-19 symptoms.

7/19 - From YahooFinance:  Harvard Public Health professor Dr. Howard Koh says the U.S. "needs to regroup" to find COVID-19.

7/22 - From YahooNews:  A public health employee predicted Florida's coronavirus catastrophe — then she was fired.

7/22 - From YahooLifestyle:  Florida mom loses son, 20, to coronavirus, and then days later, her daughter.

7/23 - From TheWrap:  The site has a list of movie and TV stars, entertainment and sports figures who have tested positive for COVID-19

From Bloomberg:  Will the COVID-19 pandemic turn Millennials into socialists?

7/27 - From CNN:   Chief of critical care at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center, Dr. Joseph Costa, passes away due to Covid-19 complications... after treating the hospital's sickest COVID-19 patients.  He was 56 and leaves behind family, including a husband of 28 years.

7/31 - From Slate:  COVID-19 is airborne - for reals!

8/9 - From YahooAFP:  According to the real-time tally kept by John Hopkins University, the United States has hit 5 million cases of COVID-19.

8/16 - From Truthout: COVID Deaths Continue to Surge in Countries Led by Far Right Authoritarians

9/19 - From WashPost:  U.S. coronavirus death toll reaches 200,000

9/23 - From CNBC:  Mark Cuban, who owns the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and star of ABC's "Shark Tank," suggests that every household in American get a $1000 check every two weeks for the next two months.

9/28 - From Deadline:  John Hopkins University's coronavirus tracker reports that over 1 million people have died of COVID-19 worldwide.

10/2 - From YahooNews:  President Donald and the First Lady have tested positive for COVID-19.

10/26 -  From YahooFinance:  Walmart CEO detects a new wave a panic buying as consumers stock up for another surge in coronavirus cases.

11/5 - From CNN:  The US set a grim new Covid-19 record Thursday -- following a week marked by high case numbers -- surpassing 120,000 infections in a single day. 

11/7 - From YahooNews:  "It's a slaughter," doctors say of new coronavirus wave.

11/13 - YahooNews:  "We blew it": U.S. reaches 'explosive' COVID-19 spread as virus is nearly impossible to control, experts say

BLACK LIVES MATTER:

From RSN:   Judge's Blistering Opinion Says Courts Have Placed Police Beyond Accountability

From TheGuardian:  Yusef Salaam, one of the "Central Park Five," says in an interview, "Trump would have had me hanging from a tree in Central Park."

From NPR:  Prosecutors' plea deal required drug suspect to name Breonna Taylor a "co-defendant."

From ChicagoSunTimes:  Rev. Jesse Jackson: America has millions of people in poverty because Americans choose not to demand the policies that would lift them out of poverty.

From APNews:  No one will be held accountable for the killing of Louisville African-American resident, Breonna Taylor.

From Channel4:  Revealed: Trump campaign strategy to deter millions of Black Americans from voting in 2016

From GuardianUK:  California is going to consider paying reparations to the descendants of African slaves after adopting a landmark law to study and to develop proposals around the issue.

From TheRoot:   What to Do When Your Country Turns Into a Dumpster Fire

From Vox:  It's True: 1 in 1,000 Black Americans Have Died in the Covid-19 Pandemic

From CBS:  Breonna Taylor's boyfriend certain cops didn't identify themselves

From DonaldTrump:  Well, because it has been in the news a lot lately (via Ice Cube and Li'l Wayne), here is "The Platinum Plan."  It is impressive, but no Republican Congress would go along with even 10 percent of this plan which is basically a long list of promises to the Black Americans - individually and as a group.

From Truthout:   Yes, 55 Percent of White Women Voted for Trump. No, I’m Not Surprised.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 1st to 7th, 2020 - Update #33

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

POLITICS-HALLELUJAH - From CNN:  Joseph R. "Joe" Biden has been elected the 46th President of the United States.  Inauguration Day is Wednesday, January 20, 2021.

From CNN:  The Moment When Networks Called The Presidential Race For Joe Biden

MOVIES - From Deadline:  After 18 months and 40,000 COVID-19 tests, "Jurassic World: Dominion" has finished shooting.

From CNN:  Kamala Harris, who on Saturday became America's first female, first Black and first South Asian vice president-elect, represents a new face of political power after an election all about who wields power and how they use it.

MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  Vince Vaughn talks about a sequel to his 2004 hit, "Wedding Crashers."  [When your career is in decline, make a sequel to your biggest hit ... ]

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   Donald Glover speaks excitedly about Seasons 3 and 4 of his FX television series, "Atlanta."

CRIME - From TMZ:   Rapper King Von is dead after a violent confrontation outside an Atlanta nightclub that ended in gunfire

AWARDS - From Deadline:  The nation of Guatemala has made the horror film, "La Llorona," its selection to compete in the race for an Oscar nomination in the category, "Best International Feature Film" (which has previously been known as "Best Foreign Language Film").

MOVIES - From Variety:   Johnny Depp says Warner Bros. asked him to resign in his "Fantastic Beasts" role of Gellert Grindelwald, and he says that he has agreed.

HOME RELEASE - From Deadline:  Warner Bros. has announced a December 15, 2020 Blu-ray and DVD release date for his much talked about hit film, "Tenet."

SCANDAL - From Variety:   A murder suspect has been arrested in the Sunday, November 1st shooting death of actor Eddie Hassell in Grand Prairie, Texas.

POLITICS-MOVIES - From InformedComment:   Top Five Horror films on Halloween that remind us of Trump’s Presidency

DISNEY - From Deadline:  It is a day of layoffs from Disney units, ESPN and Searchlight. This is related to the COVID-19 fallout.

CELEBRITY - From YahooGMA:  Emmy-winning actor, Michael J. Fox, who is suffering from Parkinson's disease, reveals that he is losing his ability to act.

SPORTS - From NBA:  The best player from the last 20 NBA drafts, according to NBA.com.

POLITICS-CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:   Duchess Meghan of Sussex has another first to add to her resume: She's the first member of the British royal family to vote for president in an American election.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Warner Bros. and director Robert Zemeckis' remake, "The Witches," is getting backlash from disability community.

STREAMING - From ShadowandAct:   Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx will star in and executive produce "Dad Stop Embarrassing Me" for Netflix.  It is based on his relationship with his daughter, Corinne Foxx.

STREAMING - From Variety:   Oscar-winning actor, Jeremy Irons ("Reversal of Fortune"), will headline Netflix's adaptation of Robert Harris' 2017 bestselling novel, "Munich."

TELEVISION - From CinemaBlend:   Actress Hilarie Burton ("One Tree Hill") has been cast as "Lucille," the wive of Neegan in AMC's "The Walking Dead."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   Actress/recording artist, Eve, is leaving the CBS afternoon talk show, "The Talk," after four seasons.

POLITICS - From BET:   U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) criticizes Black supporters of President Donald.

CELEBRITY - From THR:   Oscar-nominated actor, Johnny Depp, has lost his defamation lawsuit in the United Kingdom.  Depp has brought an action against News Group Newspapers over "The Sun's" 2018 article, "Wife Beater," about Depps contentious marriage to and divorce from actress Amber Heard.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  The winner of the 10/30 to 11/1/2020 weekend box office is "Come Play" with an estimated take of 3.15 million dollars.

COMICS - From GamesRadar:  George C. Romero is partnering with publishing company, Heavy Metal, to produce a comic book prequel to his late father, George A. Romero's seminal zombie film, "Night of the Living Dead" (1968).

MOVIES - From NewYorkTimes:  "The Purge" film franchise reveals the ugly truth about America. 

OBITS:

From BBC:  The English actor, Geoffrey Palmer, has died at the age of 93, Thursday, November 5, 2020.  Palmer was best known for his roles on British television sitcoms like "As Time Goes By" (1992-2005).  He also had memorable roles in films such "A Fish Called Wanda" (1988) and "The Madness of King George" (1994).

From Variety:   Actress Carol Arthur has died at the age of 85, Sunday, November 1, 2020.  Arthur was best known for her appearances in several Mel Brooks films, including "Blazing Saddles" (1974).  Arthur was married to the late actor Dom DeLuise from 1965 to his death in 2009.  The couple had three sons, actor Peter, Michael, and David DeLuise.

From Variety:  Actor Eddie Hassell has died at the age of 30, Sunday, November 1, 2020, apparently shot to death.  Hassell is best known for his roles in the 2010 Oscar-nominated film, "The Kids Are All Right" and on the NBC television series, "Surface."

From BBC:  The Scottish actor and film producer, Sean Connery, has died at the age of 90, Saturday, October 31, 2020.  Connery was best known for playing seminal secret agent and spy, James Bond, Agent 007, in seven films over a 21 year period, beginning with "Dr. No." in 1962 and ending with "Never Say Never Again" in 1983.  Connery also won a "Best Supporting Actor" Oscar for his role in the 1987 film, "The Untouchables."

From Deadline:  Tributes for the late Sean Connery flood in...

From YahooEntertainment:  President Donald pays tribute to Sean Connery... by lying about him.

--------------------------------

COVID-19:

From CDC:   The Centers for Disease Control has a "COVID Data Tracker."

From YahooNews:  Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?

From YahooNews:  Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.

From Deadline:  The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.

From TheNewYorker:  The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.

From YahooNews:  Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?

From YahooLife:  What is "happy hypoxia?"  And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?

From JuanCole:  Remember when President Donald went crazy and suggested that we ingest household cleaning supplies and UV light to fight COVID-19.  Here is the video and commentary from Juan Cole.

From TheIntercept:  The federal government has ramped up security and police-related spending in response to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, including issuing contracts for riot gear, disclosures show. The purchase orders include requests for disposable cuffs, gas masks, ballistic helmets, and riot gloves...

From TheAtlantic:  The Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying. The pandemic has exposed the bitter terms of our racial contract, which deems certain lives of greater value than others.

From ProPublica:  Hospital's Secret COVID-19 Policy Separated Native American Mothers From Their Newborns

From TheGuardian:  More than 20 million Americans could have contracted COVID-19, experts say.

From RSN/WashPost:  The COVID-19 mutation that has taken over the world.

7/13 - From YahooSports:  Maybe a pandemic means that there will not be college football this fall.

7/13- From YahooNews:  The CDC adds four new symptoms (including nausea and purple or blue lesions on feet and toes) to the list of COVID-19 symptoms.

7/19 - From YahooFinance:  Harvard Public Health professor Dr. Howard Koh says the U.S. "needs to regroup" to find COVID-19.

7/22 - From YahooNews:  A public health employee predicted Florida's coronavirus catastrophe — then she was fired.

7/22 - From YahooLifestyle:  Florida mom loses son, 20, to coronavirus, and then days later, her daughter.

7/23 - From TheWrap:  The site has a list of movie and TV stars, entertainment and sports figures who have tested positive for COVID-19

From Bloomberg:  Will the COVID-19 pandemic turn Millennials into socialists?

7/27 - From CNN:   Chief of critical care at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center, Dr. Joseph Costa, passes away due to Covid-19 complications... after treating the hospital's sickest COVID-19 patients.  He was 56 and leaves behind family, including a husband of 28 years.

7/31 - From Slate:  COVID-19 is airborne - for reals!

8/9 - From YahooAFP:  According to the real-time tally kept by John Hopkins University, the United States has hit 5 million cases of COVID-19.

8/16 - From Truthout: COVID Deaths Continue to Surge in Countries Led by Far Right Authoritarians

9/19 - From WashPost:  U.S. coronavirus death toll reaches 200,000

9/23 - From CNBC:  Mark Cuban, who owns the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and star of ABC's "Shark Tank," suggests that every household in American get a $1000 check every two weeks for the next two months.

9/28 - From Deadline:  John Hopkins University's coronavirus tracker reports that over 1 million people have died of COVID-19 worldwide.

10/2 - From YahooNews:  President Donald and the First Lady have tested positive for COVID-19.

10/26 -  From YahooFinance:  Walmart CEO detects a new wave a panic buying as consumers stock up for another surge in coronavirus cases.

11/5 - From CNN:  The US set a grim new Covid-19 record Thursday -- following a week marked by high case numbers -- surpassing 120,000 infections in a single day. 

11/7 - From YahooNews:  "It's a slaughter," doctors say of new coronavirus wave.

BLACK LIVES MATTER:

From RSN:   Judge's Blistering Opinion Says Courts Have Placed Police Beyond Accountability

From TheGuardian:  Yusef Salaam, one of the "Central Park Five," says in an interview, "Trump would have had me hanging from a tree in Central Park."

From NPR:  Prosecutors' plea deal required drug suspect to name Breonna Taylor a "co-defendant."

From ChicagoSunTimes:  Rev. Jesse Jackson: America has millions of people in poverty because Americans choose not to demand the policies that would lift them out of poverty.

From APNews:  No one will be held accountable for the killing of Louisville African-American resident, Breonna Taylor.

From Channel4:  Revealed: Trump campaign strategy to deter millions of Black Americans from voting in 2016

From GuardianUK:  California is going to consider paying reparations to the descendants of African slaves after adopting a landmark law to study and to develop proposals around the issue.

From TheRoot:   What to Do When Your Country Turns Into a Dumpster Fire

From Vox:  It's True: 1 in 1,000 Black Americans Have Died in the Covid-19 Pandemic

From CBS:  Breonna Taylor's boyfriend certain cops didn't identify themselves

From DonaldTrump:  Well, because it has been in the news a lot lately (via Ice Cube and Li'l Wayne), here is "The Platinum Plan."  It is impressive, but no Republican Congress would go along with even 10 percent of this plan which is basically a long list of promises to the Black Americans - individually and as a group.

IMDb TV to Stream "Corner Gas Animated" Beginning Oct. 15th

IMDb Original Series Corner Gas Animated to Premiere on IMDb TV in the U.S. on October 15, 2019

IMDb TV becomes exclusive U.S. home of CTV’s smash-hit Corner Gas franchise

Corner Gas Animated is based on Corner Gas, Canada's highest-rated live-action comedy franchise of all-time

Viewers can now stream the smash hit live-action comedy Corner Gas (107 episodes), Corner Gas: The Movie and Corner Gas Animated (24 episodes) for free on IMDb TV

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ:AMZN) — IMDb TV, a free streaming service offering thousands of premium movies and TV shows for everyday TV viewing, today announced that Corner Gas Animated will debut on IMDb TV as an IMDb Original series. Based on Canada’s most popular comedy brand of all-time, the award-winning Corner Gas Animated series brings the beloved characters of Corner Gas to life in a new, reimagined way. Beginning October 15, 2019, 24 episodes of Corner Gas Animated Season 1 and 2 will be available for the first time in the U.S. on the IMDb TV app on Fire TV, the Prime Video app, IMDb.com and the IMDb mobile apps.

    “Corner Gas is already known and loved by many across North America and we couldn’t be happier for Corner Gas Animated to join our family of IMDb Originals, bringing even more ways for viewers to be entertained”

From CTV, Canada's #1 television brand, Corner Gas Animated is joined exclusively in the U.S. on IMDb TV by Canada's highest-rated live-action comedy franchise of all-time, Corner Gas, including 107 episodes of the International Emmy Award nominated, six-season sitcom and the 90-minute feature film, Corner Gas: The Movie. The live-action franchise features dozens of notable guest stars, including two Canadian Prime Ministers.

“Corner Gas is already known and loved by many across North America and we couldn’t be happier for Corner Gas Animated to join our family of IMDb Originals, bringing even more ways for viewers to be entertained,” said Mark Eamer, Vice President of IMDb TV. “Corner Gas fans can now enjoy the entire Corner Gas franchise for free in one place as it finds its new exclusive home on IMDb TV in the U.S.”

Created, starring and executive produced by award-winning showrunner and stand-up comedian Brent Butt, the Corner Gas franchise centers around the colorful characters of Dog River – a fictional rural town forty miles from nowhere and way beyond normal. The ensemble cast stars Brent Butt as Brent Leroy, owner of a roadside service station, with Gabrielle Miller as Lacey Burrows, Fred Ewanuick as Hank Yarbo, Eric Peterson as Oscar Leroy, Lorne Cardinal as Sgt. Davis Quinton, Tara Spencer-Nairn as Constable Karen Pelly, Nancy Robertson as Wanda Dollard, and Corrine Koslo who replaces the late Janet Wright as Emma Leroy.

The new IMDb Original series Corner Gas Animated features an all-star lineup of cameos, including actor Michael J. Fox, comedian Russell Peters, singer/songwriters Jann Arden and Sarah McLachlan, astronaut Chris Hadfield and Epic Meal Time’s Harley Morenstein.

“When we started producing the original sitcom Corner Gas, we didn't expect it to become a breakout hit with millions of viewers, multiple awards, spin out movie and animated series, and run for over a decade," said Creator, Showrunner, Executive Producer and star Brent Butt. "Sharing the Corner Gas franchise with our U.S. fan base is a dream come true."

“Americans asked us to bring Corner Gas Animated to the U.S.," said Executive Producer Virginia Thompson. “We promised it was coming. Now it’s here! The all-new animated series, along with the live-action sitcom and movie will be available all in one place. A big thank you to IMDb TV for being our brand champion in the U.S.”

Corner Gas Animated joins the IMDb Originals line-up alongside short-form series, including the animated, scripted series You’re Not a Monster, which will begin streaming later this month, as well as The IMDb Show, IMDbrief and Casting Calls. These IMDb Originals complement IMDb TV’s extensive collection of premium movies and TV shows across a range of genres, including comedy, kids and family, romance, thrillers, science fiction, documentaries, horror and more. Fans of the hit show The Middle can enjoy all nine seasons exclusively on IMDb TV, along with other popular series, like Midsomer Murders and Columbo. Movie buffs will also enjoy must-watch titles, including Academy Award-winning film La La Land, Academy Award-nominated film Drive, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and more.

To learn more about IMDb TV, visit www.imdb.com/tv and follow @IMDbTV.

View video: Corner Gas Animated trailer and Corner Gas live action trailer.


About IMDb TV
IMDb TV is a free streaming video service with thousands of premium movies and TV shows available anytime. It’s everyday TV for everyone, and here’s why fans love it.

•     Content You Want to Watch: IMDb TV brings new titles to the service every month, providing viewers with endless options to be entertained and informed. With a wide selection of genres including comedy, kids and family, romance, thrillers, science fiction, documentaries, horror and more, IMDb has must see movies and TV shows for all entertainment fans.
•     Free: IMDb TV is free. Period.
•     Less Is More: IMDb TV has half the ads of linear TV.
•     It’s. So. Easy. IMDb TV is available in the U.S. on the IMDb website and as a free Channel within the Prime Video and IMDb apps across hundreds of devices. To use IMDb TV on Fire TV, customers can find the icon in the “Your Apps & Channels” row, making it easy to find free movies and TV shows. Using the Alexa Voice Remote or paired Echo device, simply say “Alexa, go to IMDb TV.”

About CTV
CTV is Canada’s #1 television brand. CTV provides unparalleled entertainment programming across two broadcast television networks; a powerful suite of specialty channels including CTV Comedy Channel, CTV Drama Channel, CTV Life Channel, and CTV Sci-Fi Channel; and digital platforms CTV.ca, CTV Throwback, CTV Movies, and the CTV app. CTV has been Canada’s most-watched television network for the past 18 years in a row and features a wide range of sports and information programming, including CTV News, Canada’s highest-rated national and local newscasts. CTV comes from Bell Media, Canada’s premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and out-of-home advertising.

In Canada, the Corner Gas franchise is exclusively available on Bell Media platforms including CTV.ca, CTV Throwback, CTV Comedy Channel, the CTV app, and Bell Media's SVOD service, Crave.

About the Corner Gas Franchise
With an illustrious 15-year history, Corner Gas is Canada’s most popular comedy brand of all-time. A Canadian cultural phenomenon, the brand spawned two chart-topping books, sold-out comedy tours, a successful line of merchandise, a top-selling series of DVDs, a Christmas special and song and a thriving tourist industry in Rouleau, Saskatchewan, where the live-action sitcom and movie were filmed on location.

On January 22, 2004, Corner Gas, the live-action sitcom, premiered on Canadian broadcaster CTV and was an immediate runaway hit. During the majority of its six-season run, Corner Gas was the #1 primetime sitcom (Canadian or American) in Canada, maintaining an impressive average audience of 1.4 million viewers over its 107-episode run. The series finale made television history when a record-breaking 3.02 million viewers tuned in on April 13, 2009. It remains the largest audience on record for a Canadian scripted television series.

During the 2007-2009 television seasons, the series was carried by WGN America airing in the U.S. and over two dozen countries world-wide.

The series received an International Emmy nomination and won seven Gemini Awards including Best Comedy and Best Comedy Ensemble, nine Canadian Comedy Awards, four Writers Guild of Canada Awards, three Directors Guild of Canada Awards and 12 Leos.

In December 2014 the 90-minute feature film Corner Gas: The Movie was released theatrically in over 100 cinemas across Canada. The film sold-out theatres during its eight-day event-based theatrical run, attracted more than 7 million Canadian TV viewers and issued a best-selling DVD. Corner Gas: The Movie won the 2016 Golden Screen Award for the most-watched scripted program of the year.

In April 2018, Corner Gas Animated debuted on CTV Comedy Channel, the commissioning Canadian broadcaster (formerly known as The Comedy Network). It was the most-watched series premiere in the history of channel. In July 2019, Season 2 launched on CTV Comedy Channel to record breaking numbers. It won the 2019 Canadian Screen Award for Best Writing, Animation and a 2019 Leo Award for Best Animation in a Program or Series.

In December 2018, Corner Gas, the 107-episode live-action sitcom and Corner Gas: The Movie, the 90-minute movie launched on Amazon Prime Video, through Prime Video Direct, in the U.S. and over 60 countries worldwide, quickly becoming a fan favorite on the service.

Brent Butt of Sparrow Media, David Storey of Aslan Entertainment and Virginia Thompson of Vérité Films are executive producers and distributors of the Corner Gas franchise in association with commissioning broadcasters CTV and CTV Comedy Channel (formerly The Comedy Network).

Corner Gas Animated merchandise is available at amazon.com/cornergas.

About Prairie Pants Distribution
Prairie Pants Distribution Inc. is owned and operated by Brent Butt (Sparrow Media), David Storey (Aslan Entertainment) and Virginia Thompson (Vérité Films). It is the distributor of Corner Gas Animated and Corner Gas: The Movie, and the sales agent, on behalf of distributor Bell Media, of the 107-episode live-action sitcom Corner Gas. For more information about the distribution of the Corner Gas franchise, go to veritefilms.ca.

---------------------------

Carrie Fisher, Gillian Anderson Headline Wizard World Comic Con Chicago 2016

Star Wars’ Carrie Fisher, the Cast of Back to the Future, Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, and Lea Thompson and the X-Files’ Gillian Anderson to Attend Wizard World Comic Con Chicago August 20th-21st, 2016

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wizard World, Inc., (WIZD) the preeminent producer of Wizard World Comic Cons across North America, is proud to announce that Star Wars’ Carrie Fisher will make her first Wizard World appearance ever in Chicago, where she will join the Back to the Future trio of Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, and Lea Thompson. Also, The X-Files’ Gillian Anderson will join the previously announced David Duchovny, Mitch Pileggi & William B. Davis for a cast reunion, August 20-21, 2016.

    @carrieffisher, @realmikefox, @GillianA among @wizardworld Chicago guest August 20-21

"Great Scott! Looking forward to meeting everyone at Wizard World in Chicago,” exclaimed Christopher Lloyd.

“We are thrilled with these amazing new guest additions,” says John Maatta, Wizard World Chairman & CEO. “The fans have come to expect the very best TV & Film stars in Chicago, and we are delivering. Stay tuned for more exciting guest announcements over the coming weeks!”

The beloved Back to the Future stars will take part in a Wizard World Q&A panel, hosted by Michael Klastorin, the production publicist on the second and third films in the series, and author of “Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History.” The panel will discuss entertaining behind the scenes stories of the making of the films, and reflect upon the impact the film has had on movie-going fans of all ages for more than three decades.

Located at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, they will join previously announced guests including Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead), Sebastian Stan (Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead), the cast of Netflix’s “Marvel’s Daredevil” including Charlie Cox (Matt Murdock/Daredevil), Deborah Ann Woll (Karen Page), Elden Henson (Foggy Nelson), Jon Bernthal (Frank Castle/The Punisher), Elodie Yung (Elektra Natchios), and Rosario Dawson (Claire Temple), and more.

To purchase Admissions and VIP Admissions for the event, set for August 18-21, and to view the schedule, location, show hours, hotel & travel info, please visit: http://wizardworld.com/comiccon/chicago


About Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB:WIZD)
Wizard World, Inc. produces comic, gaming and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, television, cosplay, comics, graphic novels, toys, video gaming, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A's, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard World has also launched the Wizard World Store, CONtv, a digital media channel in partnership with leading independent content distributor Cinedigm™ (NASDAQ: CIDM), and ComicConBox™, a premium subscription-based monthly box service. Fans can interact with Wizard World on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media services.

Wizard World 2016 schedule available at: www.wizardworld.com/wizcon.html.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve certain risks and uncertainties. The actual results or outcomes of Wizard World, Inc. may differ materially from those anticipated. Although Wizard World, Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any such assumptions could prove to be inaccurate. Therefore, Wizard World, Inc. can provide no assurance that any of the forward-looking statements contained in this letter will prove to be accurate.

In light of the significant uncertainties and risks inherent in the forward-looking statements included in this letter, such information should not be regarded as a representation by Wizard World, Inc. that its objectives or plans will be achieved. Included in these uncertainties and risks are, among other things, fluctuations in operating results, general economic conditions, uncertainty regarding the results of certain legal proceedings and competition. Forward-looking statements consist of statements other than a recitation of historical fact and can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "intend," "expect," "will," "anticipate," "estimate" or "continue" or the negatives thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. Because they are forward-looking, such statements should be evaluated in light of important risk factors and uncertainties. These risk factors and uncertainties are more fully described in Wizard World, Inc.'s most recent Annual and Quarterly Reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the heading entitled "Risk Factors." Wizard World, Inc. does not undertake an obligation to update publicly any of its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

----------------

Wizard World Philadelphis 2016 Announces Michael J. Fox and Lea Thompson

The ‘Future’ is June 4, 2016: Five-Time Emmy Award Winner Michael J. Fox, ‘Caroline in the City’ Actress Lea Thompson to Appear at Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia

‘Back to the Future’ Stars To Make First Wizard World Appearances At Pennsylvania Convention Center

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hello, McFly! From the Back to the Future franchise to TV hits like “Family Ties” and “Spin City,” Michael J. Fox has thrilled, touched and moved millions with his performances as well as his commitment to the campaign for increased Parkinson’s disease research. And Lea Thompson, who portrayed Marty’s mother in the trilogy in one of her most memorable roles, has appeared in more than 80 films and TV series. Now fans will have the chance to meet two of the most beloved stars of the past four decades as Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB:WIZD) today announced that Fox and Thompson will attend Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia on Saturday, June 4, 2016, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Thompson will also appear on Sunday, June 5, 2016.

    'Back to the Future' stars @realmikefox and @LeaKThompson will attend Wizard World Comic Con Phila Sat., June 4

The Edmonton, Alberta, Canada native debuted as a professional actor at 15, co-starring in the sitcom “Leo and Me” on CBC. When he was 18, Fox moved to Los Angeles. He had a series of bit parts, including one in “Palmerstown USA” before winning the role of lovable conservative Alex P. Keaton on NBC’s enormously popular “Family Ties” (1982-89). During Fox’s seven years on “Ties,” he earned three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe, making him one of the country’s most prominent young actors.

“Spin City” reunited Fox with “Family Ties” creator/executive producer Gary David Goldberg. Together with Bill Lawrence, Goldberg created the series expressly for Fox, establishing it as a joint venture of Dreamworks SKG, Goldberg’s UBU Productions, and Lottery Hill Entertainment (run by Fox and partner Nelle Fortenberry, now a member of the Board of Directors of The Michael J. Fox Foundation).

Fox also had time during his busy TV work to become an international film star, appearing in over a dozen features showcasing his keen ability to shift between comedy and drama. These include the Back to the Future trilogy, The Hard Way, Doc Hollywood, The Secret of My Success, Bright Lights, Big City, Light of Day, Teen Wolf, Casualties of War, Life With Mikey, For Love or Money, The American President, Greedy, The Frighteners, and Mars Attacks!

Though the five-time Emmy Award winner (in addition to the three for “Family Ties,” he also won one for “Spin City” and one for a guest role on “Rescue Me”) would not share the news with the public for another seven years, Fox was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease in 1991. Upon disclosing his condition in 1998, he committed himself to the campaign for increased Parkinson’s research. Fox announced his retirement from “Spin City” in January 2000, effective upon the completion of his fourth season and 100th episode. Today the largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s drug development in the world, the Foundation has galvanized the search for a cure for Parkinson’s disease, and Michael is widely admired for his tireless work as a patient advocate.

“Michael J. Fox is among the most requested celebrities by our fans, and we couldn’t be more excited that he will make his Wizard World debut at one of our flagship shows, Philadelphia,” said John Macaluso, Wizard World CEO. “His career in film and television has made him a household name and speaks for itself, and his work to benefit Parkinson’s research and to support families battling the disease shows even more the kind of person he is.

“We are also thrilled that he will be paired with his co-star in the trilogy, Lea Thompson,” he added. “Wizard World and its fans will be honored by their presence.”

In addition to playing "Lorraine Baines McFly" alongside Fox, Thompson starred in SpaceCamp, Howard The Duck, Dennis The Menace, Some Kind of Wonderful and numerous other hit films. She has guest starred in many TV series, and had success with the NBC situation comedy "Caroline in the City" in the late 1990s before starring in several Broadway plays.

Fox and Thompson join a select group of celebrities already committed to attend Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia, including Norman Reedus ("The Walking Dead," Boondock Saints), Sean Patrick Flanery (Boondock Saints, "Dexter"), Billy Martin (Lead Guitarist/Keyboardist - Good Charlotte, Artist - TMNT New Animated Adventures), James Remar (“The Warriors,” “Dexter”) and Jason David Frank ("Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers"), with many more to be announced.

Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, cosplay, comics, television, sci-fi, toys, video gaming, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. The ninth event currently scheduled on the 2016 Wizard World calendar, Philadelphia show hours are Thursday, June 2, 3-8 p.m.; Friday, June 3, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday, June 4, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, June 5, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

For more on the 2016 Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia, visit http://wizd.me/PhiladelphiaPR.


About Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD)
Wizard World, Inc. (www.wizardworld.com) produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, television, cosplay, comics, graphic novels, toys, video gaming, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A's, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard World has also launched Wizard World Store (www.shopwizardworld.com), CONtv, a digital media channel in partnership with leading independent content distributor Cinedigm™ (NASDAQ: CIDM), and ComicConBox™ (www.comicconbox.com), a premium subscription-based monthly box service. Fans can interact with Wizard World on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media services.

The Wizard World 2016 schedule is available at: www.wizardworld.com/wizcon.html.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve certain risks and uncertainties. The actual results or outcomes of Wizard World, Inc. may differ materially from those anticipated. Although Wizard World, Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any such assumptions could prove to be inaccurate. Therefore, Wizard World, Inc. can provide no assurance that any of the forward-looking statements contained in this letter will prove to be accurate.

In light of the significant uncertainties and risks inherent in the forward-looking statements included in this letter, such information should not be regarded as a representation by Wizard World, Inc. that its objectives or plans will be achieved. Included in these uncertainties and risks are, among other things, fluctuations in operating results, general economic conditions, uncertainty regarding the results of certain legal proceedings and competition. Forward-looking statements consist of statements other than a recitation of historical fact and can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "intend," "expect," "will," "anticipate," "estimate" or "continue" or the negatives thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. Because they are forward-looking, such statements should be evaluated in light of important risk factors and uncertainties. These risk factors and uncertainties are more fully described in Wizard World, Inc.'s most recent Annual and Quarterly Reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the heading entitled "Risk Factors." Wizard World, Inc. does not undertake an obligation to update publicly any of its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

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