Showing posts with label Web TV news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Web TV news. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

First Episode of Max/DC Studios' "CREATURE COMMANDOS" is Streaming Free

The seven-episode Max Original adult animated series "Creature Commandos," written and executive produced by James Gunn, debuted Thursday, December 5, 2024 on Max followed by one episode weekly until January 16, 2025.
 
Logline: Creature Commandos tracks a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. When all else fails… they’re your last, worst option.
 
Cast: Steve Agee as Economos, Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana, Anya Chalotra as Circe, Zoe Chao as Nina Mazursky, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Sean Gunn as GI Robot & Weasel, David Harbour as Frankenstein, Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus, Indira Varma as The Bride, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller.
 
Credits: Creature Commandos is written and executive produced by James Gunn. Based on DC characters and produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation; additional executive producers include Peter Safran, Dean Lorey, and Sam Register; Rick Morales serves as a supervising producer.

Max has made the first episode of "Creature Commandos" available to stream free on YouTube:

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Friday, July 14, 2023

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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Sunday, March 12, 2023

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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Friday, December 9, 2022

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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Thursday, October 13, 2022

"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).


Thursday, September 8, 2022

"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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Friday, March 25, 2022

Nickelodeon Announces Live-Action "Loud House" Series for Paramount+

Nickelodeon to Begin Production on Live-Action the Loud House Series for Paramount+

Series to Star Cast Members from Hit Live-Action Movie, A Loud House Christmas, Including Wolfgang Schaeffer, Jahzir Bruno and Brian Stepanek

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nickelodeon Studios is set to begin production on a brand-new original live-action series based on the Emmy Award-winning animated show, The Loud House, for Paramount+. The as-yet-untitled series follows the success of the live-action movie, A Loud House Christmas, which became TV’s top kids’ entertainment telecast of 2021 when it premiered on Nickelodeon in November.

    “As one of Nick’s most beloved animated franchises, The Loud House has made its way into the hearts of millions of fans across the globe”

The 10-episode series will begin filming in June in Albuquerque, N.M., with a premiere slated for later this year on the streaming service. The news was announced by Brian Robbins, President & Chief Executive Officer, Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon, and Chief Content Officer, Movies and Kids & Family, Paramount+, at Nickelodeon’s annual upfront presentation held at New York City’s Palladium Times Square.

“As one of Nick’s most beloved animated franchises, The Loud House has made its way into the hearts of millions of fans across the globe,” said Shauna Phelan, Co-Head of Nickelodeon & Awesomeness Live-Action. “When we brought the animated world of Royal Woods to life with A Loud House Christmas, it instantly became a holiday favorite for both new and loyal fans alike, and I just know that they will love what our amazing creative team is preparing for this new live-action series.”

The live-action The Loud House series will follow Lincoln Loud, an 11 year-old boy with 10 sisters, as he navigates everyday life while living with such a large family. Known as the “Man with a Plan,” Lincoln enlists the help of his best friend Clyde McBride to tackle the obstacles and mayhem that they encounter during their daily adventures.

The Loud House live-action series will see the real-life versions of the beloved Loud family from A Loud House Christmas return to reprise their roles: Wolfgang Schaeffer, as Lincoln Loud; Jahzir Bruno, as Clyde McBride; Brian Stepanek, as Lynn Loud Sr.; Sophia Woodward, as Luna Loud; Catherine Ashmore Bradley, as Luan Loud; Aubin Bradley, as Lucy Loud; Ella Allan, as Lola Loud; Mia Allan, as Lana Loud; and Lexi Janicek, as Lisa Loud. Additional casting news will be announced at a later date.

When A Loud House Christmas premiered on Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, it became the top kids’ entertainment telecast with kids 6-11 across all TV for the year, drawing 3.1 million total viewers over the holiday weekend. A Loud House Christmas is currently streaming here on Paramount+. The live-action The Loud House series for Paramount+ is executive produced by Tim Hobert (The Middle, Scrubs, Community), Jonathan Judge (A Loud House Christmas, Warped!, All That) and Michael Rubiner (The Loud House). Hobert also serves as showrunner and the pilot is directed by Judge. Production of the series for Nickelodeon Studios is overseen by Shauna Phelan and Zack Olin, Co-Heads of Nickelodeon & Awesomeness Live-Action. Jessica Brown serves as Nickelodeon’s Executive in Charge of Production for the series.

The Loud House animated series debuted on Nickelodeon in May 2016 and centers on 11-year-old Lincoln Loud and his 10 sisters as he gives an inside look at what it takes to survive the chaos of a huge family. Greenlit for a seventh season, it is one of the longest-running animated series on Nickelodeon with 176 episodes. The property has also been translated into: a comic book series, which continues to roll out new stories; chapter books; a digital album; and a podcast, Listen Out Loud. The series is executive produced by Michael Rubiner. Kyle Marshall serves as co-executive producer and Ashley Kliment-Baker is art director.

Share it: @Nickelodeon @NickTheLoudHouse @ParamountPlus #TheLoudHouse
 

About Paramount+:
Paramount+, a direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, combines live sports, breaking news and a mountain of entertainment. The premium streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel. The service is also the streaming home to unmatched sports programming, including every CBS Sports event, from golf to football to basketball and more, plus exclusive streaming rights for major sports properties, including some of the world’s biggest and most popular soccer leagues. Paramount+ also enables subscribers to stream local CBS stations live across the U.S. in addition to the ability to stream CBSN for 24/7 news, CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis, and ET Live for entertainment coverage.

For more information about Paramount+, please visit www.paramountplus.com and follow @ParamountPlus on social platforms.

About Nickelodeon:
Nickelodeon, now in its 42nd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon is a part of Paramount’s (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA) global portfolio of multimedia entertainment brands.

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Sunday, March 20, 2022

TRAILER: Netflix's "THE PENTAVERATE" Official Teaser

Michael Myers new Netflix comedy series, "THE PENTAVERATE," debuts May 5, 2022.  Myers will play eight(!) characters and Oscar-winner Jeremy Irons is the series narrator.  The series focuses on a secret society of five men — aka The Pentaverate — that has been working to influence world events for the greater good since the Black Plague of 1347.  A Canadian journalist (Myers) finds himself embroiled in a mission to uncover the truth and just possibly save the world himself.

The official teaser trailer is below:

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Thursday, March 17, 2022

POSTER: Marvel Studios Releases New "MS. MARVEL" Teaser Poster


 
Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel is a new, original series that introduces Kamala Khan, a Muslim American teenager growing up in Jersey City. An avid gamer and a voracious fan-fiction scribe, Kamala is a Super Hero mega-fan with an oversized imagination—particularly when it comes to Captain Marvel. Yet Kamala feels invisible both at home and at school—that is, until she gets super powers like the heroes she’s always looked up to. Life gets better with super powers, right? 

Iman Vellani stars as Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel. The cast also includes Aramis Knight, Saagar Shaikh, Rish Shah, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Matt Lintz, Yasmeen Fletcher, Laith Nakli, Azhar Usman, Travina Springer and Nimra Bucha.

Episodes are directed by Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah, Meera Menon, and Sharmeen Obaid-ChinoyKevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, and Bisha K. Ali are the executive producers. Co-executive producers for the series are Sana Amanat and Trevor Waterson, and Bisha K. Ali is the head writer. 

Ms. Marvel premieres exclusively on Disney+ on June 8, 2022!  Below is a new teaser poster for the series:

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Wednesday, March 16, 2022

TRAILER: Disney+ Introduces Newest MCU Hero, Ms. Marvel, in a New Trailer

Disney+ wants you to say "Hello!" to the newest Super Hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, who's just trying to balance her high-school life, her family, and her emerging super powers. Find the brand new trailer below.

Marvel StudiosMs. Marvel is a new, original series that introduces Kamala Khan, a Muslim American teenager growing up in Jersey City. An avid gamer and a voracious fan-fiction scribe, Kamala is a Super Hero mega-fan with an oversized imagination—particularly when it comes to Captain Marvel. Yet Kamala feels invisible both at home and at school—that is, until she gets super powers like the heroes she’s always looked up to. Life gets better with super powers, right? 

Iman Vellani stars as Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel. The cast also includes Aramis Knight, Saagar Shaikh, Rish Shah, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Matt Lintz, Yasmeen Fletcher, Laith Nakli, Azhar Usman, Travina Springer and Nimra Bucha.

Episodes are directed by Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah, Meera Menon, and Sharmeen Obaid-ChinoyKevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, and Bisha K. Ali are the executive producers. Co-executive producers for the series are Sana Amanat and Trevor Waterson, and Bisha K. Ali is the head writer. 

Ms. Marvel premieres exclusively on Disney+ on June 8, 2022

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Friday, March 11, 2022

TRAILER: Pixar's "TURNING RED" Debuts on Disney+ on March 11th

Pixar Animation Studios' 25th feature length animated film is "TURNING RED" directed by Oscar-winner Domee Shi.  The film will stream on Disney+, beginning March 11, 2022.  Below is the film's first official trailer:


Thursday, March 10, 2022

TRAILER: Disney+ Releases "Introducing Moon Knight" Video Featurette

The latest Marvel Studios series, MOON KNIGHT, starts streaming March 30th on Disney+.  The video featurette below about the series is entitled, "Introducing Moon Knight":


Monday, February 28, 2022

Netflix's "The Lost Daughter" and Hulu's "Dopesick" Top 2022 Scripter Awards

“The Lost Daughter,” “Dopesick” Win USC Libraries Scripter Awards

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The writers behind the feature film “The Lost Daughter” and series “Dopesick” won the 34th-annual USC Libraries Scripter Awards at an online ceremony on the evening of Feb. 26, 2022.

“Adaptation from a book to film or book to series is a dialogue, a murmuring, and adaptation is a translation from one language into another”

The Scripter Awards honor each year’s most accomplished adaptations of the written word for the screen and, uniquely, recognize the screenwriters and the authors of the source material.

This year, screenwriter Maggie Gyllenhaal and author Elena Ferrante won in the feature film category for Netflix’s “The Lost Daughter,” based on Ferrante’s 2006 book (published in English in 2008). Gyllenhaal, who directed, wrote, and produced “The Lost Daughter,” acknowledged the deep connection between screenwriters and the original authors in her acceptance speech.

“I think only writers know how intimately a screenwriter is connected to the work they’re adapting,” Gyllenhaal said. Describing her relationship with Ferrante’s work, “She and I have made something new together. It’s like a love affair of the mind.”

In the episodic series category, writer/director Danny Strong and author Beth Macy won for Hulu’s “Dopesick,” based on Macy’s nonfiction book “Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America.”

“A third of all American families have been touched by addiction,” Macy said. “My biggest thanks to all the families who helped us tell this story, and there are thousands of them.”

Strong acknowledged the impact of the book in shining “a light on this crisis and the people who were most affected by it on the ground in a way that really captured the nation in such a powerful, beautiful way.”

The Scripter Awards are usually presented at a black-tie gala in USC’s Doheny Memorial Library. However, both this year and last year, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony was streamed online. USC Libraries Dean Catherine Quinlan referenced the extraordinary year in her opening remarks.

“I truly hoped that we’d be celebrating the 34th year of Scripter where we celebrated its first—in the beautiful Doheny Memorial Library,” Quinlan said. “While it didn’t quite work out that way, I’m delighted to be with all of you online. We are so fortunate to be able to connect this way, to come together as a community in support of writers, storytelling, and our excellent Trojan libraries.”

A selection committee comprising 52 writers, producers, journalists, and other distinguished members—including several past winners—determined this year’s awards.

Howard Rodman, a professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and a former president of the Writers Guild of America West, chairs the committee. In his remarks, Rodman noted that the art of adaptation requires the screenwriter to strike a delicate balance.

“Adaptation from a book to film or book to series is a dialogue, a murmuring, and adaptation is a translation from one language into another,” Rodman said. “It’s no accident that in so many languages, the words for ‘translator’ and ‘traitor’ are so similar. And the person who adapts a work of fact or fiction always has to balance, with poise and finesse, an opposing set of obligations.”

Earlier in the evening, Rodman presented Barry Jenkins with the Literary Achievement Award. Jenkins, a nominee this year for “The Underground Railroad,” previously won the 2017 Scripter for “Moonlight” and was a finalist in 2019 for “If Beale Street Could Talk.”

In accepting the award, Jenkins thanked the authors whose works he’s adapted and described the importance of cinema in reaching audiences with their language. “We’re living in a time right now when people are watching more than they are reading,” Jenkins said. “I think in a way, translating these works from the medium of literature or playwriting into the screenplay format and ultimately into feature films and television is very crucial, very vital to continuing the spread of this language these authors have put into their works.”

The 2022 Scripter Award was presented by the USC Libraries Board of Councilors, with sponsorship support from Apple Original Films, Amazon, Disney+, HBO, Hulu, Netflix, and Warner Bros.

For more information about Scripter, visit scripter.usc.edu.

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


Thursday, February 17, 2022

CBS Announces "SEAL Team" Movie for Paramount+ and "NCIS: Sydney" for Australia

CBS Studios Expands “NCIS” and “SEAL TEAM” Franchises for Paramount+

“NCIS: Sydney” Coming to Paramount+ Australia and Network 10

“SEAL Team” Movie Being Produced for Paramount+ in U.S.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new NCIS will be produced for Paramount+ Australia and Network 10, and a new SEAL TEAM movie will be produced for the streaming service in the U.S., it was announced today by George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS and chief content officer for news and sports at Paramount+.

“These two projects represent two new ways we are expanding our studio footprint while supporting the company’s mission to drive streaming”

For the first time, CBS Studios will expand one of its biggest and most successful global franchises into a new international edition, NCIS: SYDNEY. The series, which is slated for 2023, will feature local stories with Aussie actors and producers and be filmed in one of the world’s most scenic harbor cities. NCIS: LOS ANGELES creator and Australian Shane Brennan is attached.

CBS will also expand the storytelling universe for the hit Paramount+ drama SEAL TEAM, producing a stand-alone movie for the streaming service. The movie will come from the series creative team of David Boreanaz, Christopher Chulack and Spencer Hudnut.

“These two projects represent two new ways we are expanding our studio footprint while supporting the company’s mission to drive streaming,” said Cheeks. “We have the producing roster, production infrastructure and deep library to be creative and nimble with franchises and other IP for both domestic and international audiences.”

Another CBS Studios IP, THE GAME, was recently reimagined as a Paramount+ Original after previous editions on The CW and BET. The modern-day examination of Black culture through the prism of pro football launched on Paramount+ in November 2021. THE GAME has been a top 10 series during its run on the service and has been renewed for a second season.

CBS also continues to expand the “Star Trek” universe for Paramount+, which is now up to five original series. This includes current and upcoming seasons of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, STAR TREK: PICARD, the animated series STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS and STAR TREK: PRODIGY, and the upcoming STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS.

Other original series currently produced by CBS Studios for Paramount+ include EVIL, THE GOOD FIGHT, WHY WOMEN KILL, and STEPHEN COLBERT’S TOONING OUT THE NEWS. Previously announced upcoming originals include PLAYERS, RABBIT HOLE, FRASIER and HAPPY FACE.

CBS Studios is one of the world’s leading suppliers of entertainment programming, with more than 70 series currently in production for broadcast and cable networks, streaming services and other emerging platforms. The Studio’s expansive portfolio spans a diverse slate of commercially successful and critically acclaimed scripted programming, which includes genre-defining franchises such as NCIS, “CSI” and the ever-growing “Star Trek” universe, award-winning late night and daytime talk shows, as well as an extensive library of iconic intellectual property. The Studio also develops and produces local language and international content originating outside of the U.S. with series in the U.K., Europe, the Middle East, Australia and Asia.

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Monday, October 4, 2021

BET and BET+ Announce Fall 2021 Programming

This Fall BET and BET+’s Programming Slates Are Jam-Packed With Over 25 New Originals, Returning Favorites, Movies, and Specials, Solidifying Their Position as the Home Where Black Culture Lives

THE PROGRAMMING LINE-UP INCLUDES THE 2021 “BET HIP HOP AWARDS,” “TYLER PERRY’S HOUSE OF PAYNE,” “TYLER PERRY’S ASSISTED LIVING,” “TYLER PERRY’S THE OVAL,” “TYLER PERRY’S SISTAS,” “TWENTIES,” “TWENTIES AFTER-SHOW WITH B. SCOTT,” “GAMES PEOPLE PLAY,” “THE HOTLINE,” “THE WAITING ROOM,” “SOUL TRAIN AWARDS” “DJ CASSIDY’S PASS THE MIC,” NEW ORIGINAL MOVIES AND MORE!

PLUS: SNEAK PEEK INTO BET+ FALL PROGRAMMING PREMIERES, NEW ORIGINAL FILMS AND SERIES, RETURNING FAVORITES, AND KICKING OFF IN SEPTEMBER WITH NEW SERIES “ALL THE QUEEN’S MEN,” “TYLER PERRY’S BRUH,” “AMERICAN GANGSTER PRESENTS: BIG FIFTY - THE DELRHONDA HOOD STORY,” “AMERICAN GANGSTER: TRAP QUEENS,” “CARL WEBER’S THE FAMILY BUSINESS,” “TYLER PERRY’S RUTHLESS,” AND MUCH MORE

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET and BET + unveil their 2021 Fall programming line-ups. The star-studded slate is bursting at the seams with hot new original series, returning hits, mind-blowing mega-specials, fun original movies, and more! On the heels of a successful summer programming season, BET keeps the momentum going with over 25 program premieres planned throughout the Fall as the Network continues its reign as the #1 network for African American households and BET+ as the leading streaming service for the Black community. BET’s diverse slate will reflect and celebrate Black culture like no other brand can.

BET has a show for every occasion, from hit scripted series by creative powerhouse Tracey Edmonds, “Games People Play” starring the Emmy® award-winning actress Karrueche Tran, to the acclaimed comedy “Twenties” from quintessential executive producer Lena Waithe returning for season two with an after show starring B. Scott, to Academy Award® winning multi-hyphenate Tyler Perry who is back with his roster of hit series, including fresh episodes of Tyler Perry’s “Assisted Living,” “House Of Payne,” “The Oval,” and “Sistas” the #1 cable scripted series for Black viewers. The Network keeps the celebration going with its star-studded “BET Hip Hop Awards” and “Soul Train Awards” bringing music’s hottest artists to culture’s biggest stage: BET! BET also recognized the third Friday of each September as National Black Voter Day, to acknowledge the power of Black communities to create the futures they deserve by reclaiming their vote and fighting voter suppression. For more information please visit https://www.bet.com/reclaim-your-vote.html

Over on BET+, following a stellar summer line-up with original premieres including the hit debut series “The Ms. Pat Show” and the second season of fan-favorite “First Wives Club,” BET+ continues its fall programming with the new captivating series “All the Queen’s Men,” starring Eva Marcille and Christian Keyes, based on the popular book Ladies Night. “Tyler Perry’s Bruh” returns for a second season where they will welcome an old college friend who is rebuilding his life after divorce into the fold. Stepping into the lead role for her acting debut into acting award-winning rapper Remy Ma, will portray larger-than-life gangster Delrhonda “Big Fifty” Hood, in “American Gangster Presents: Big Fifty: The Delrhonda Hood Story” the self-narrated film is set to premiere on the service October 6. “American Gangster: Trap Queens” and “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless” will return from their mid-season breaks this fall, along with “Carl Weber’s Family Business” returning with a season three premiere, and even more original fall programming from BET+ that will be announced at a later date. In addition to all the amazing original programming, fans can catch up on all their favorites streaming commercial-free this Fall, including season two of “Tyler Perry’s Sistas,” Season 7 of “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” and Season 1 of “Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living” to name a few!

From music specials to sitcoms to movies, and more this Fall BET has you covered. See the full 2021 Fall programming below (in chronological order) by platform:

ON BET:

OCTOBER 2021

Tuesday, October 5:
“BET Hip Hop Awards” at 9 PM ET/PT

The 2021 “BET Hip Hop Awards” will return to Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, GA, on Friday, October 1, with the broadcast premiere airing Tuesday, October 5, at 9 PM ET/PT on BET, and simulcast internationally on BET Africa on Wednesday, October 6, AT 3 AM CAT. The annual celebration will bring together the hottest names in hip hop to pay homage to the best in hip hop culture under the banner of this year’s theme: In Hip Hop We Stand. The BET “Hip Hop Awards” reigns as one of the top three cable awards shows for Black viewers of 2021 (BET Awards (#1), NAACP Image Awards (#2) and BET Hip Hop Awards (#3) and ranks in the Top 10 for most social cable awards show in 2020. BET will work closely with Fulton County to support community vaccination efforts and ensure adherence to COVID-19 protocols. Cardi B, Lil Durk, and Megan Thee Stallion lead this year’s nominations with an impressive nine nods each. For the full list of nominees, selected by a voting academy of esteemed music industry insiders, click HERE.

Double-diamond-selling superstar rapper and entrepreneur Nelly named the “BET Hip Hop Awards” recipient of the 2021 “I Am Hip Hop” Award. #HipHopAwards

Wednesday, October 6:
BET+ on BET: “American Gangster Presents: Big Fifty: The Delrhonda Hood Story”

BET+ Original “American Gangster Presents: Big Fifty: The Delrhonda Hood Story” premieres Wednesday, October 6, at 9 PM ET/PT– The unbelievable, true story of bigger-than-life personality, Delrhonda 'Big Fifty" Hood, who went from street thug to respected gangster to finding redemption. Starring Remy Ma as Delrhonda Hood. #BigFiftyBET

Tuesday, October 12:

Midseason Premiere of “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” at 8 PM ET/PT
The midseason premiere of “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” premieres Tuesday, October 12, at 8 PM ET/PT– The hilarious comedy features retired fire chief Curtis Payne and his lovely wife Ella. Together the loving couple navigates the problems of life with their quirky modern-day family. Starring LaVan Davis as “Curtis Payne,” Cassi Davis Patton as “Ella Payne,” Allen Payne as “C.J. Payne,” Lance Gross as “Calvin Payne,” Larramie “Doc” Shaw as “Malik Payne,” and Keshia Knight Pulliam as “Miranda Payne.” Ahmarie Holmes as “Lisa” and Quin Walters as “Laura” join as recurring characters. “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” is the #1 comedy series on cable for African Americans P2+ on Cable in the calendar year 2020. In the midseason premiere episode “Me Against The World,” a family game night at the Payne’s is crashed by a surprise guest and Curtis is asked to fill in at the firehouse for CJ. #HouseOfPayne

Midseason Premiere of “Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living” at 8:30 PM ET/PT
The midseason premiere of “Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living” premieres Tuesday, October 12, at 8:30 PM ET/PT– In Tyler Perry’s comedy series “Assisted Living,” Mr. Brown, Cora, and the gang open their assisted living facility and a hilarious variety of personalities come to live in the home, bringing with them a ton of laughs and experiences. David Mann as ‘Mr. Brown,’ Tamela Mann as ‘Cora,’ J. Anthony Brown as ‘Vinny,’ Na’im Lynn as ‘Jeremy,’ Courtney Nichole as ‘Leah,’ Alex Henderson as ‘Philip,’ and Tayler Buck as ‘Sandra.’ “Assisted Living” is the #1 new scripted series for African Americans P18-49, P25-54, and P2+ on cable for broadcast season 20-21. In the midseason premiere “Who are you to judge,” after Jeremy buys a lemon from Mr. Brown, he takes legal action to recoup his loss. #AssistedLivingBET

Season Three Premiere of “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” at 9 PM ET/PT
The season three premiere of “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” premieres Tuesday, October 12, at 9 PM ET/PT– “Tyler Perry’s The Oval,” lifts the veil of what can happen when the leader of the free world, his wife and family are crazed maniacs. The series also highlights the personal side and everyday lives of the staff who run the inner workings of the nation’s most iconic residence. Ed Quinn, Kron Moore, Javon Johnson, Ptosha Storey, Vaughn Hebron, Teesha Renee, Daniel Croix Henderson, Lodric D. Collins, Ciera Payton, Walter Fauntleroy, Taja V. Simpson, Brad Benedict, Travis Cure, Matthew Law, Bill Barrett, Derek A. Dixon, Nick Barrotta, Kaye Singleton, and Russell Thomas star in the one-hour drama. “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” is executive produced, directed, and written by Tyler Perry. Michelle Sneed will also serve as Executive Producer of the series for Tyler Perry Studios. In the season premiere episode, “An Eye For An Eye,” The President and First lady barely dodge death but continue in their ways. Hunter vows for revenge, Victoria has lustful eyes on Sam, and Jason is ready to finish the job someone else started: taking his mother out. #TheOvalonBET

Wednesday, October 13:

Midseason Premiere of “Tyler Perry’s Sistas” at 9 PM ET/PT
The midseason premiere of “Tyler Perry’s Sistas” premieres Wednesday, October 13, at 9 PM ET/PT– The one-hour drama follows a group of single Black females as they navigate their “complicated love life,” careers and friendship through the ups and downs of living in a modern world of social media and unrealistic relationship goals. Tyler Perry takes viewers on an exhilarating ride of emotions and gut-busting predicaments that will test the ladies’ long-standing friendship. This band of women, intertwined with their newfound relationships, must navigate this new-age dating scene as they continue to search for love in their 30’s. The talented ensemble cast of “Tyler Perry’s Sistas” includes KJ Smith, Mignon, Ebony Obsidian, Novi Brown, Crystal Renee’ Hayslett, DeVale Ellis, Chido Nwokocha, Anthony Dalton II, Brian Jordan Jr., Kevin A. Walton, and Trinity Whiteside. In the midseason premiere episode, “The Dollar Store” Robin has plans to travel back to London soon and wants to make his last few days memorable with Andi. #SistasonBET

Wednesday, October 13:

Season Two of “Twenties” at 10 PM ET/PT
The second season of “Twenties'' premieres Wednesday, October 13, at 10 PM ET/PT– “Twenties,” from Executive Producer and Creator Lena Waithe, centers around a screenwriter, ‘Hattie’ and her girlfriends ‘Marie’ and ‘Nia’ as they pursue their dreams and love, while testing the limits of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” in Los Angeles. While they live separate lives, the girls lean on each other for guidance as they navigate their twenties. In the season opener, episode #201 “One Night Only?” ‘Hattie’ juggles working on her script, settling into a new place, and trying to make it work with ‘Ida B.’ played by Sophina Brown. Meanwhile, ‘Nia’ starts her first day on Cocoa’s Butter, and ‘Marie’ questions her relationship with ‘Chuck,’ played by Jevon McFerrin. The dynamic ensemble cast includes Jonica T. Gibbs, Christina Elmore, Gabrielle Graham, Sophina Brown, and Jevon McFerrin. Along with a recurring guest cast including Alex Akpobome, Louie Anderson, Madeline Byrne, Rick Fox, Ashli Haynes, Kiki Haynes, Donell Rawlings, Nia Jervier, Bernard David Jones, Lea Robinson, Big Sean, Shylo Shaner, Iman Shumpert, Marsha Thomason, Kym E. Whitley, Vanessa L. Williams, and Parker Young. #TwentiesOnBET

“Twenties The After Show with B. Scott” at 10:30 PM ET/PT
“Twenties After-Show with B. Scott” premieres Wednesday, October 13, at 10:30 PM ET/PT– B. Scott makes a return to BET, a homecoming, eight years in the making as the first trans non-binary person to host and executive produce a show for the network. The new half-hour series will touch on key themes explored in “Twenties” and provide candid commentary and insights into some of the characters’ mishaps and successes. B. Scott will be joined by the cast and an esteemed roster of guests including voices from the Black LGBTQ+ community that haven’t always been given a platform to share their personal experiences. In the premiere episode B. Scott sits down with Lena Waithe and Jonica T. Gibbs where they will take a deep dive into the new season discussing, Why Lena took a chance on newcomer Jonica T. Gibbs? Why it is so significant to have a Queer, Black woman as a lead character on TV? How did “Twenties” find its home on BET? And a lot more! #TwentiesOnBET

Tuesday, October 19:

Season Two of “Games People Play” at 10 PM ET/PT
The second season of “Games People Play” premieres Tuesday, October 19, at 10 PM ET/PT– ​​Based on the popular book by Angela Burt-Murray “Games Divas Play,” “Games People Play” is a sexy, stylized one-hour drama about the L.A. high life, featuring a cast of characters where everyone plays to win, including a basketball player navigating both his equally rocky personal life and NBA career, a newly appointed team marketing executive who’s got a lot to prove, a tenacious journalist desperately seeking the truth and a struggling actress with a scandalous past. The talented ensemble cast includes Karrueche Tran, Lauren London in a limited role, Sarunas J. Jackson, Karen Obilom, Parker McKenna Posey, Jackie Long, and Kendall Kyndall and Brandi Denise. In addition, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Vanessa Simmons, Shaun Robinson, Kevin Jackson, Barry Brewer, and Monti Washington reprise their recurring roles, with Cynthia Bailey, Nazanin Mandi, Ro Parrish, Hitman Holla, Leon, and Calvin Seabrooks to guest star in the ten-episode drama. #GamesPeoplePlay

November 2021

“Soul Train Awards”
The annual celebration returns to recognize the best in Soul, R&B and Hip Hop from both established industry legends and the next generation of promising artists. #SoulTrainAwards

“DJ Cassidy’s Pass the Mic Soul Train Awards”
In celebration of “Soul Train Awards,” DJ Cassidy will pass the mic to an iconic once-in-lifetime line-up of legendary soul artists to sing their most uplifting, heartwarming, prolific records. #SoultrainAwards

On BET Her:

October 2021

Saturday, October 9

“The Waiting Room” at 10 PM ET/PT on BET Her
“The Waiting Room” features two short films following the lives of two women in a doctor's waiting room as they await to hear if they have breast cancer. Each short story will follow their journey after receiving the life-changing diagnosis. All stories are written and directed by and for Black women. #TheWaitingRoom

Ep #301 – “It Takes Two”: Dayna Stevens is a wealthy socialite whose unexpected illness moves her from the tennis courts to chemotherapy. When she has a chance encounter with a stranger, she gains the support she’s been lacking from the most important people in her life. Starring Eva Marcille, Candiace Dilliard, Debbie Morgan and directed by Ta’Rhonda Jones.

Ep #302 – “The Party”: Summer Jackson is a successful magazine executive preparing to celebrate being cancer-free for five years. When she is blindsided by the news that her cancer has returned, Summer would rather die than go through chemo for a second time. Starring Michelle Mitchenor, Gizelle Bryant, Brittany Inge, Debbie Morgan and directed by Yvette Nicole Brown.

Saturday, October 23

“The Hotline” at 10 PM ET/PT on BET Her
“The Hotline” features short films that place a spotlight on domestic violence awareness. In episode #101 – “Her Lyfeline”: London is a popular singer who is trapped in a high profile, abusive relationship with her producer-boyfriend King Sire. London reaches out to a domestic violence hotline under a pseudonym to protect her image as she fights to leave her abuser and maintain their celebrity while keeping it out of the public eye. Starring Keri Hilson, Perri Camper, Jason Jones and directed by Carlene Robinson. #TheHotlineBETHer

ON BET+:

SEPTEMBER 2021

Thursday, September 9

BET+ Original “All The Queen’s Men” Now Streaming
BET+ Original “All The Queen’s Men” now streaming exclusively on BET+– Based on the popular book Ladies Night, created by Christian Keyes, who also serves as a writer for the series, the one-hour drama centers around the life of “Marilyn ‘Madam’ DeVille,” played by Eva Marcille. Madam is a fierce businesswoman who is at the top of her game in the nightclub industry and is surrounded by a band of trusted employees who are down to make sure that she is successful. But Madam, a self-proclaimed boss, soon discovers that more money and more power mean more problems. Will Madam retain reign as she navigates this dangerous and sexy society? Will the sensuous world of exotic dancing cost Madam her queendom and potentially her life?

Created by Keyes, “All The Queen’s Men” is one of the first shows from Tyler Perry Studios’ scripted development arm, Pitch Black Development LLC, headed by the studio’s President of Production & Development, Michelle Sneed. The series received an unprecedented episode order increase by BET+ from eight half-hour episodes to ten one-hour episodes.

Thursday, September 16:

“Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” Season Seven is now streaming. Joining the previous six seasons of House Of Payne, all seven seasons of the fan-favorite BET show will be available to stream on the platform ad-free and on demand. #HouseOfPayne

Thursday, September 30

BET+ Original “American Gangster Trap Queens Presents: Big Fifty: The Delrhonda Hood Story”
BET+ Original “American Gangster Presents: Big Fifty - The Delrhonda Hood Story” premieres Thursday, September 30– The unbelievable, true story of bigger-than-life personality, Delrhonda 'Big Fifty" Hood, who went from street thug to respected gangster to finding redemption. Starring Remy Ma as Delrhonda Hood. #BigFiftyBET

OCTOBER 2021

Thursday, October 7

BET+ Original “American Gangster: Trap Queens” Season Two Midseason Premiere
BET+ Original “American Gangster: Trap Queens” Season 2 returns, Thursday, October 7: The fan-favorite true crime series details the criminal chronicles of some of America’s most notorious female gangsters. Narrated by female hip hop icon Lil’ Kim, Trap Queens tells the fascinating true stories of fierce and savvy women who hustled hard and solidified their place in the game, however illicit their means may have been. Purported crimes range from laundering millions of dollars to narcotics distribution and trafficking, to tax evasion and property theft. Not only does the series portray captivating and infamous crime tales, but the stories are told by those who lived them - the Queens themselves, their closest allies, family members, legal team members, reporters and law enforcement. The show also highlights women who are now reformed and looking to use this platform to caution others who might be considering a life of crime. #AmericanGangster

Thursday, October 14

BET+ Original “Carl Weber’s The Family Business” Season Three
BET+ Original “Carl Weber’s The Family Business” returns for season three Thursday, October 14: Welcome to the world of the Duncan family. They appear to be upstanding citizens running one of New York’s most respected car dealerships, but in reality, they’re leaders of the black mafia who control most of the East Coast underworld. No matter which job is at hand, one thing is true about the Duncans: there is nothing they won’t do for family. #TheFamilyBusinessBET

Thursday, October 21:

The midseason premiere of BET+ Original “Tyler Perry’s Bruh”
BET+ Original “Tyler Perry’s Bruh” Season 2 returns, Thursday, October 21: The bruhs welcome an old friend to the fold when Tom’s college roommate, Greg, moves to Atlanta to rebuild his life after getting divorced. The crew is finally all back together but will have to fight even harder to keep their brotherhood intact. Bill, still reeling from his apparent loss of Regina, contemplates an out-of-state transfer to find and be with her; she entertains the idea, but Bill gets distracted when an ex re-enters his life. Mike feels he doesn’t need the guys and that he can stand on his own two; he’ll find out just how important his community of friends is when confronted with a dangerous addiction. John still owns the sandwich shop, but realizes it isn’t the lucrative opportunity he hoped for. He continues his journey to achieve career success at the level of the other guys; meeting a woman could elevate his ambition. Tom tries to be the glue to the bruhs. He gives so much attention to his friends, he hasn’t made time for much else; a family member’s health crisis could limit his interactions with the group. #TylerPerryBruh

November 2021

Thursday, November 26:

The midseason premiere of BET+ Original “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless”
The midseason return of “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless,” premieres Thursday, November 26, exclusively on BET+. As the season continues, many of the faithful followers have begun to uncover the evil that exists beneath the surface of the Rakudushis movement. Armed with this knowledge, Ruth and several new fearful cult members try to take control of their individual destinies. The attempts will prove to be almost impossible for anyone who does not have allies they think they can trust. Viewers will see more sex, lies, and murder in this cult that is living up to its fate. The adage ‘beware false prophets’ has never reigned more true. “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless” stars Melissa L. Williams, Matt Cedeño, Lenny D. Thomas, Yvonne Senat Jones, Baadja-Lyne Odums, Jaime Callica, Nirine S. Brown, Blue Kimble, Stephanie Charles, Hervé Clermont, Anthony Bless, and Bobbi Baker. New cast members joining the series include Stevie Baggs, Jr., Colin McCalla, Samantha L. Thomas, Michelle Nunez, Alise Willis, and Jael Pettigrew. The one-hour drama will drop three episodes on its premiere date, with new episodes launching every Thursday on BET+. #Ruthless

ON BET Digital:

SEPTEMBER 2021

Friday, September 24
BET Digital Original “Cooked in 5” Airs New Episodes every Friday on the BET Networks YouTube Channel

Step into the kitchens of rappers and other celebrities as they show off their culinary skills and share recipes for simple meals that can be prepared in just about five minutes.“Cooked In 5” is a cooking show where we go into the kitchen with some of our favorite rappers/celebs as they cook us up simple and easy meals that can be prepared fast. #CookedIn5 Watch now at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Si_qlr_FTKE&list=PLJHDZGUl8IlqQLvJJF2c3Eh2Rz7t1iqbG


About BET
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African American audience. The primary BET channel is in 125 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET+, the preeminent streaming service for the Black audience; BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

About BET+:
BET+, a joint venture between BET and Tyler Perry Studios, is the leading streaming service for the Black community. With thousands of hours of hit movies, TV shows, stand-up specials, stage plays and more, BET+ offers the best of Black culture, including exclusive originals from best-in-class creators like Tracy Oliver’s First Wives Club, Tyler Perry’s Ruthless and Bruh, Carl Weber’s The Family Business and Sacrifice and Will Packer’s Bigger, to name a few. BET+ members can watch as much as they want anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen and always commercial-free. Visit BET.Plus to learn more and follow @BETPlus for the latest news and updates.

Follow us on Twitter @ BET_PR

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