It’s the First Day of Work for “The Intern”
Oscar winners Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway Star Under the Direction of Nancy Meyers
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Academy Award winners Robert De Niro (“Raging Bull,” “Silver Linings Playbook”) and Anne Hathaway (“Les Misérables,” “The Devil Wears Prada”) star together in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “The Intern,” which began filming today in New York. Oscar-nominated and award-winning filmmaker Nancy Meyers (“It’s Complicated,” “Something’s Gotta Give,” “Private Benjamin”) is directing the comedy from her own screenplay.
Meyers is also producing the film, together with Scott Rudin and Suzanne Farwell. Celia Costas is serving as executive producer.
The film’s multi-generational cast also features Rene Russo (“Thor”), Andrew Rannells (“Girls”), Adam DeVine (“Pitch Perfect”), Nat Wolff (“The Fault in Our Stars”), Anders Holm (“Workaholics”), Linda Lavin (“Wanderlust”), Zack Pearlman (“The Inbetweeners”), Reid Scott (“Veep”), newcomer Jason Orley, and Christina Scherer (“Living with Uncle Charlie”).
In “The Intern,” De Niro stars as Ben Whittaker, a 70-year-old widower who has discovered that retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Seizing an opportunity to get back in the game, he becomes a senior intern at an online fashion site, founded and run by Jules Ostin (Hathaway).
Meyers’ behind-the-scenes creative team is headed by Oscar-nominated director of photography Stephen Goldblatt (“The Prince of Tides,” “The Help”), Oscar-nominated production designer Kristi Zea (“Revolutionary Road,” “GoodFellas,” “Tower Heist”), Oscar-nominated editor Bob Leighton (“A Few Good Men,” “Now You See Me”) and costume designer Jacqueline Demeterio (“The Other Woman,” “The Big C”).
“The Intern” is being filmed entirely in and around New York City.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Starz Announces New Steven Soderbergh Project
Starz Greenlights “The Girlfriend Experience” from Steven Soderbergh, Philip Fleishman, Lodge Kerrigan and Amy Seimetz
Anthology Series Inspired by Soderbergh’s 2009 Film Explores a World Where Love Has a Price
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starz today announced the greenlight of “The Girlfriend Experience,” a 13-part anthology series produced by Transactional Pictures. Inspired by the 2009 Magnolia Pictures film of the same title, Steven Soderbergh and Philip Fleishman will serve as executive producers along with independent filmmakers Lodge Kerrigan and Amy Seimetz, who will also write and direct on the series.
“We’re in an exciting period of auteur-driven television right now”
The scripted anthology series will feature 13 half-hour episodes.
“The Girlfriend Experience” explores the relationships of the most exclusive courtesans who provide their clients with far more than just sex. These purveyors – or GFEs (Girlfriend Experience) – share intimacies more common to romantic partners or husbands and wives, becoming quasi-lovers and confidants who are richly paid for their time.
The original feature, directed by Soderbergh and written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2009.
Chris Albrecht, CEO of Starz said, “We are all such fans of the movie that the idea of exploring this world through many different characters, voices and points of view was especially intriguing. Steven and Philip’s approach to the format is unique and not something seen on the entertainment landscape today. Working with Steven is always a thrill, and we are excited to break the mold with this project yet again.”
“We’re in an exciting period of auteur-driven television right now,” said Executive Producer Steven Soderbergh. “When Philip floated the idea of a Girlfriend Experience-inspired television show, I thought: ‘let’s make it a different woman in a different city, let’s pair two independent writer/directors, one male and one female, and let them do the whole thing.’ I’ve known Lodge for 20 years and I became a fan of Amy’s when I saw her first feature last summer. We went to Chris Albrecht because he and I have been trying to find something to do together since we did “K Street” 11 years ago. He responded without hesitation to both the idea of the show and the approach.”
“We’re excited to work with Steven and Philip to develop this anthology series that takes viewers into a world where intimacy has a price. We were captivated by Steven’s exploration of a story where emotional consequences arise, surprising and complicating the lives of both the clients and the professional ‘lovers’,” said Carmi Zlotnik, Managing Director of Starz. “This series gives Starz an opportunity to work with some of the most talented independent filmmakers of today, and craft a cinematic exploration into the hearts of relationships – in line with the original film.”
“Many of these women are extremely accomplished,” said Executive Producer Philip Fleishman. “They range from musicians in major orchestras to PhD candidates in the sciences and often feel empowered by the control and economic freedom their work as GFE’s affords them. The question is whether they define a new genus of contemporary relationship, or have relationships always been transactionally based in one form or another?”
Soderbergh, whose distinguished career spans across television, film and stage, won a 2013 Emmy® Award for Outstanding Directing for the television film “Behind the Candelabra” which debuted on HBO last year. He earned the Academy® Award in 2000 for directing Traffic, the same year he was nominated for Erin Brockovich. Soderbergh earlier gained an Academy® Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for sex, lies, and videotape, his feature film directorial debut. His other credits include Magic Mike, Contagion, The Oceans Trilogy, Out of Sight, King of the Hill and many other films and documentaries.
Fleishman, who produced Soderbergh’s concert film about the group Yes in 1985, is a writer, producer, documentary journalist, and entrepreneur with a legal background who attended the York University Film School. Nominated for a Peabody® award for his 13-hour CBC documentary series "The Future of the Jews," Fleishman founded and became a principal owner of Command Post and Transfer Corp. Command Post was later acquired by Technicolor.
Soderbergh is represented by Anonymous Content, Michael Sugar and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler & Feldman. Fleishman is represented by Alan Abrams, at Coste, Abrams & Coat, LLP. Kerrigan is represented by WME. Seimetz is represented by WME and Chis Evans and Heather Reynolds at One Entertainment.
“The Girlfriend Experience” is produced by Transactional Pictures, which licensed the rights from the owner of the original feature film, Magnolia Pictures. Starz will retain all domestic multiplatform pay TV rights and serve as the worldwide distributor of all other rights to the series.
About Starz
Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks), global content distribution (Starz Distribution) and animated television and movie production (Starz Animation), www.starz.com.
Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies. As of March 31, 2014, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 56.3 million subscribers, including 21.9 million at STARZ, and 34.4 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S. STARZ® and ENCORE®, along with Starz Networks’ third network MOVIEPLEX®, air over 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television. Starz Distribution’s home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties. Starz Animation produces animated TV and movie content for studios, networks, distributors and audiences worldwide.
Anthology Series Inspired by Soderbergh’s 2009 Film Explores a World Where Love Has a Price
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starz today announced the greenlight of “The Girlfriend Experience,” a 13-part anthology series produced by Transactional Pictures. Inspired by the 2009 Magnolia Pictures film of the same title, Steven Soderbergh and Philip Fleishman will serve as executive producers along with independent filmmakers Lodge Kerrigan and Amy Seimetz, who will also write and direct on the series.
“We’re in an exciting period of auteur-driven television right now”
The scripted anthology series will feature 13 half-hour episodes.
“The Girlfriend Experience” explores the relationships of the most exclusive courtesans who provide their clients with far more than just sex. These purveyors – or GFEs (Girlfriend Experience) – share intimacies more common to romantic partners or husbands and wives, becoming quasi-lovers and confidants who are richly paid for their time.
The original feature, directed by Soderbergh and written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2009.
Chris Albrecht, CEO of Starz said, “We are all such fans of the movie that the idea of exploring this world through many different characters, voices and points of view was especially intriguing. Steven and Philip’s approach to the format is unique and not something seen on the entertainment landscape today. Working with Steven is always a thrill, and we are excited to break the mold with this project yet again.”
“We’re in an exciting period of auteur-driven television right now,” said Executive Producer Steven Soderbergh. “When Philip floated the idea of a Girlfriend Experience-inspired television show, I thought: ‘let’s make it a different woman in a different city, let’s pair two independent writer/directors, one male and one female, and let them do the whole thing.’ I’ve known Lodge for 20 years and I became a fan of Amy’s when I saw her first feature last summer. We went to Chris Albrecht because he and I have been trying to find something to do together since we did “K Street” 11 years ago. He responded without hesitation to both the idea of the show and the approach.”
“We’re excited to work with Steven and Philip to develop this anthology series that takes viewers into a world where intimacy has a price. We were captivated by Steven’s exploration of a story where emotional consequences arise, surprising and complicating the lives of both the clients and the professional ‘lovers’,” said Carmi Zlotnik, Managing Director of Starz. “This series gives Starz an opportunity to work with some of the most talented independent filmmakers of today, and craft a cinematic exploration into the hearts of relationships – in line with the original film.”
“Many of these women are extremely accomplished,” said Executive Producer Philip Fleishman. “They range from musicians in major orchestras to PhD candidates in the sciences and often feel empowered by the control and economic freedom their work as GFE’s affords them. The question is whether they define a new genus of contemporary relationship, or have relationships always been transactionally based in one form or another?”
Soderbergh, whose distinguished career spans across television, film and stage, won a 2013 Emmy® Award for Outstanding Directing for the television film “Behind the Candelabra” which debuted on HBO last year. He earned the Academy® Award in 2000 for directing Traffic, the same year he was nominated for Erin Brockovich. Soderbergh earlier gained an Academy® Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for sex, lies, and videotape, his feature film directorial debut. His other credits include Magic Mike, Contagion, The Oceans Trilogy, Out of Sight, King of the Hill and many other films and documentaries.
Fleishman, who produced Soderbergh’s concert film about the group Yes in 1985, is a writer, producer, documentary journalist, and entrepreneur with a legal background who attended the York University Film School. Nominated for a Peabody® award for his 13-hour CBC documentary series "The Future of the Jews," Fleishman founded and became a principal owner of Command Post and Transfer Corp. Command Post was later acquired by Technicolor.
Soderbergh is represented by Anonymous Content, Michael Sugar and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler & Feldman. Fleishman is represented by Alan Abrams, at Coste, Abrams & Coat, LLP. Kerrigan is represented by WME. Seimetz is represented by WME and Chis Evans and Heather Reynolds at One Entertainment.
“The Girlfriend Experience” is produced by Transactional Pictures, which licensed the rights from the owner of the original feature film, Magnolia Pictures. Starz will retain all domestic multiplatform pay TV rights and serve as the worldwide distributor of all other rights to the series.
About Starz
Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks), global content distribution (Starz Distribution) and animated television and movie production (Starz Animation), www.starz.com.
Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies. As of March 31, 2014, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 56.3 million subscribers, including 21.9 million at STARZ, and 34.4 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S. STARZ® and ENCORE®, along with Starz Networks’ third network MOVIEPLEX®, air over 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television. Starz Distribution’s home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties. Starz Animation produces animated TV and movie content for studios, networks, distributors and audiences worldwide.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Sat., July 5th, 2014 is "Sailor Moon Day" at 2014 Anime Expo
VIZ MEDIA CELEBRATES SAILOR MOON DAY AT 2014 ANIME EXPO
Mark The Return Of The Legendary Anime Series With A Special Series Of Events And Activities At North America’s Largest Anime Convention
VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, celebrates the triumphant return of the SAILOR MOON anime series with a host of fun activities for SAILOR MOON Day, taking place on Saturday, July 5th during the 2014 Anime Expo.
The 2014 Anime Expo is North America’s largest anime convention, attracting more than 61,000 fans and attendees annually, and will be held July 3rd –6th at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA. Full details are available at: www.anime-expo.org. VIZ Media will be located on the main convention floor in Booth #1601.
VIZ Media marks its acquisition of the iconic fantasy anime series with a SAILOR MOON Official Panel on Saturday morning at 10AM in LP1. Hosted by the company’s Senior Manager of Animation Marketing, Charlene Ingram, and SAILOR MOON Associate Producer, Joshua Lopez, the panel will reveal for the first time the brand new cast for the freshly produced English dub and premiere the first two dubbed episodes. SAILOR MOON fans attending this official panel will get a special premium poster while supplies last! Following the Official SAILOR MOON Panel, there will be a special showing of subtitled episode one of the all-new series, SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL, in Video 1 at 12:00 Noon. The series launches on July 5th in Japan, and fans in the United States may catch the simulcast on NeonAlley.com and Hulu, with new episodes debuting each Saturday.
Fans can also look forward to a special voice cast autograph session taking place at 1:00PM in the afternoon in the Anime Expo autograph area, and a cast photo opportunity with the official Sailor Guardian Cosplayers from American Cosplay Paradise at 2:45PM in the VIZ Media Booth #1601. To round out the day’s activities, be a part of the largest gathering of SAILOR MOON cosplayers and fans in North America at 3:30PM in the Main Events Hall (LP1, Petree Hall). Bring your Sailor Guardian finest and you just might end up a part of an upcoming SAILOR MOON video release!
If you can’t make the official Sailor Moon Day activities on July 5th, VIZ Media will also be running a special SAILOR MOON event at their Anime Expo booth for the entirety of the convention. Find one of the official Sailor Guardian cosplayers at booth #1601 for information on how you can get a limited premiere event memorial coin!
VIZ Media has licensed all 5 seasons of the original SAILOR MOON anime series (rated ‘TV-14’), spanning 200 episodes, as well as all three feature films. Included is the long-running show’s fifth and climactic final season “Sailor Stars,” which has never-before been licensed for North American release. As part of the return of the series, VIZ Media is producing a fresh and uncut English dub with an all-new voice cast, will present SAILOR MOON for the first time digitally, and also plans DVD and Deluxe Blu-ray edition sets for release in time for the 2014 holiday season.
Saturday, July 5th, 10:00am SAILOR MOON OFFICIAL PANEL
Room LP1 (Petree Hall)
Join Charlene Ingram, VIZ Media’s Senior Manager, Animation Marketing, and Joshua Lopez, Associate Producer, for the exclusive world premiere of the all-new, uncut English language premiere of the legendary anime series, SAILOR MOON! The session also will introduce the cast and screen the entire first two dubbed episodes of the newly re-mastered anime series. Immediately following the premiere, there will be a very special Q & A session with the animation team and the cast and a special premium poster for attendees, while supplies last!
Saturday, July 5th, 1:00pm - SAILOR MOON CAST AUTOGRAPH SESSION
Anime Expo Autograph Area
Stop by the VIZ Media booth and pick up your very own SAILOR MOON full-color poster, personally signed by the new Official English voice cast!
Saturday, July 5th, 2:45pm - SAILOR MOON CAST PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
VIZ Media Booth #1601
Fans can take photos of the talented new Official English voice cast for SAILOR MOON with the Sailor Guardian cosplayers from American Cosplay Paradise in a special session!
Saturday, July 5th, 3:30pm - SAILOR MOON Cosplay Gathering
Room LP1 (Petree Hall)
Bring your Sailor Guardian finest and be a part of North America’s largest SAILOR MOON cosplay and fan gathering!
VIZ Media is currently featuring SAILOR MOON (subtitled) on its free NeonAlley.com anime streaming channel and also via the Neon Alley brand supported media partners Hulu and Hulu Plus. Two new SAILOR MOON episodes premiere every Monday. Visit www.NeonAlley.com and Hulu.com/sailormoon for more information.
The smash hit SAILOR MOON anime series is inspired by the bestselling manga (graphic novel) series created by Naoko Takeuchi (published in North America by Kodansha). In the series, Usagi Tsukino is a clumsy but kindhearted teenage girl who transforms into the powerful guardian of love and justice, Sailor Moon. Meeting allies along the way who share similar fates, Usagi and her team of planetary Sailor Guardians fight to protect the universe from forces of evil and total annihilation!
For more information on SAILOR MOON, or other anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com/sailormoon.
About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Ava DuVernay's "Selma" Gets Christmas 2014 Release
“SELMA” TO LAUNCH ON CHRISTMAS DAY
HOLLYWOOD, CA (June 20, 2014) – Paramount Pictures and Pathé announced that the feature film “SELMA” will have a limited release in the U.S. on Christmas day and will open wide on January 9, 2015. Directed by Ava DuVernay (“MIDDLE OF NOWHERE”), the film is being produced by Oprah Winfrey, Plan B, the producers of the Academy Award®-winning “TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE,” and Cloud Eight Films’ Academy Award®-winning Christian Colson (“127 HOURS,” “SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE”).
Academy Award® nominee Oprah Winfrey joins the film’s cast as Annie Lee Cooper, an elderly woman and visible leader amongst the civil rights protesters in Selma who tried to register to vote and was unfairly denied by the sheriff.
The film is currently shooting in Atlanta, Georgia, and Montgomery and Selma, Alabama.
“SELMA” is the story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s historic struggle to secure voting rights for all people – a dangerous and terrifying campaign that culminated with the epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, and led to President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The film’s release will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the landmark legislation.
The film stars David Oyelowo (“INTERSTELLAR,” “LEE DANIEL’S THE BUTLER”) as Martin Luther King Jr., Tom Wilkinson (“THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL,” “MICHAEL CLAYTON”) as Lyndon Baines Johnson, Carmen Ejogo (“ALEX CROSS,” “PRIDE AND GLORY”) as Coretta Scott King, Andre Holland (“42,” “1600 Penn”) as Andrew Young, Omar J. Dorsey (“DJANGO UNCHAINED,” “THE BLIND SIDE”) as James Orange, Alessandro Nivola (“A MOST VIOLENT YEAR,” “AMERICAN HUSTLE”) as John Doar, Dylan Baker (“The Good Wife,” “Damages”) as J. Edgar Hoover, Giovanni Ribisi (“My Name is Earl,” “AVATAR”) as Lee White, Tessa Thompson (“Heroes,” “Veronica Mars”) as Diane Nash, Colman Domingo (“LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER,” “42”) as Ralph Abernathy, Stephen Root (“Justified,” “Boardwalk Empire”) as Al Lingo, Jeremy Strong (“The Good Wife,” “ZERO DARK THIRTY”) as James Reeb, with Tim Roth (“Lie to Me,” “THE INCREDIBLE HULK”) as George Wallace, and Oprah Winfrey (“LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER,” “THE COLOR PURPLE”) as Annie Lee Cooper.
Paramount is handling the film’s domestic distribution, Pathé is distributing in the UK and France and Pathé International will handle sales to the rest of the world.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, ParamountVantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
About Pathé
Pathé is one of the leading European film production and distribution companies with offices in both Paris and London. It is involved in all aspects of filmmaking, from development and production through to international sales and distribution. Films produced/distributed by Pathé range from THE QUEEN to SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE and from THE IRON LADY to PHILOMENA. Pathé’s upcoming releases include Matthew Warchus’ PRIDE starring Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton; and Sarah Gavron’s SUFFRAGETTE starring Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham-Carter, Brendan Gleeson and Meryl Streep.
HOLLYWOOD, CA (June 20, 2014) – Paramount Pictures and Pathé announced that the feature film “SELMA” will have a limited release in the U.S. on Christmas day and will open wide on January 9, 2015. Directed by Ava DuVernay (“MIDDLE OF NOWHERE”), the film is being produced by Oprah Winfrey, Plan B, the producers of the Academy Award®-winning “TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE,” and Cloud Eight Films’ Academy Award®-winning Christian Colson (“127 HOURS,” “SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE”).
Academy Award® nominee Oprah Winfrey joins the film’s cast as Annie Lee Cooper, an elderly woman and visible leader amongst the civil rights protesters in Selma who tried to register to vote and was unfairly denied by the sheriff.
The film is currently shooting in Atlanta, Georgia, and Montgomery and Selma, Alabama.
“SELMA” is the story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s historic struggle to secure voting rights for all people – a dangerous and terrifying campaign that culminated with the epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, and led to President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The film’s release will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the landmark legislation.
The film stars David Oyelowo (“INTERSTELLAR,” “LEE DANIEL’S THE BUTLER”) as Martin Luther King Jr., Tom Wilkinson (“THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL,” “MICHAEL CLAYTON”) as Lyndon Baines Johnson, Carmen Ejogo (“ALEX CROSS,” “PRIDE AND GLORY”) as Coretta Scott King, Andre Holland (“42,” “1600 Penn”) as Andrew Young, Omar J. Dorsey (“DJANGO UNCHAINED,” “THE BLIND SIDE”) as James Orange, Alessandro Nivola (“A MOST VIOLENT YEAR,” “AMERICAN HUSTLE”) as John Doar, Dylan Baker (“The Good Wife,” “Damages”) as J. Edgar Hoover, Giovanni Ribisi (“My Name is Earl,” “AVATAR”) as Lee White, Tessa Thompson (“Heroes,” “Veronica Mars”) as Diane Nash, Colman Domingo (“LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER,” “42”) as Ralph Abernathy, Stephen Root (“Justified,” “Boardwalk Empire”) as Al Lingo, Jeremy Strong (“The Good Wife,” “ZERO DARK THIRTY”) as James Reeb, with Tim Roth (“Lie to Me,” “THE INCREDIBLE HULK”) as George Wallace, and Oprah Winfrey (“LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER,” “THE COLOR PURPLE”) as Annie Lee Cooper.
Paramount is handling the film’s domestic distribution, Pathé is distributing in the UK and France and Pathé International will handle sales to the rest of the world.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, ParamountVantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
About Pathé
Pathé is one of the leading European film production and distribution companies with offices in both Paris and London. It is involved in all aspects of filmmaking, from development and production through to international sales and distribution. Films produced/distributed by Pathé range from THE QUEEN to SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE and from THE IRON LADY to PHILOMENA. Pathé’s upcoming releases include Matthew Warchus’ PRIDE starring Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton; and Sarah Gavron’s SUFFRAGETTE starring Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham-Carter, Brendan Gleeson and Meryl Streep.
Friday, June 20, 2014
Negromancer News Bits and Bites: June 15 to June 21, 2014 - Updated #6
NEWS:
From The Wrap: Meryl Streep makes a move to television as she will play opera legend Maria Callas in a television film for HBO. Director Mike Nichols is adapting the Broadway play, "Master Class," which tells the story of Callas' life.
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From Variety: The next "Bourne" movie, starring Jeremy Renner, has been moved from August 14, 2015 to July 15, 2016, That film will ostensibly be a sequel to the Renner-starring The Bourne Legacy.
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From Variety: Apparently the F. Gary Gray N.W.A. biopic will take Bourne's August 2015 release date.
From Cinema Blend: Speaking of the N.W.A. biopic, the film reportedly has its actors to play the lead characters, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and Dr. Dre. O'Shea Jackson, Jr. will apparently play his father, Ice Cube, whose birth name is O'Shea Jackson. At one point, Michael B. Jordan was eyed to play Cube, but his role in the Fantastic Four reboot may have squashed that.
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From Yahoo: John Cusack and Adrien Brody join Jackie Chan in the Chinese-language film, "Dragon Blade." It looks to be the most expensive Chinese-language made to date at $65 million.
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COMIC BOOK MOVIES:
From Marvel: Rosario Dawson joins Marvel's Netflix series, "Daredevil," which is scheduled to debut in early 2015.
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From The Wrap: Jon Spaihts who wrote Ridley Scott's Prometheus is apparently writing Marvel Studios' planned "Doctor Strange," movie, which would be based on the surgeon turned Sorcerer Supreme, Stephen Strange a/k/a/ Doctor Strange. Scott Derrickson, who directed the low-budget hit horror film, Sinister, is apparently directing the film. Jared Leto and Benedict Cumberbatch are the top choices to play Strange.
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From Yahoo Celebrity: Ben Affleck buffs up for Batman role in Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice.
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STAR WARS News:
From Yahoo: Harrison Ford broke his leg, not his ankle.
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From Heat Celeb News: More on Harrison Ford's injury on the set of Star Wars Episode VII.
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From GoSanAngelo: Here is an interesting article about fans who spend much money and time to build their own Star Wars droids. There is even a club, Astromech.net.
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MISC:
Surprising article from a few years ago: I was a drunk teenaged wizard.
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From Yahoo: In this installment of Hollywood Time Capsule, the 1999 flick, Wild Wild West, gets a look-back via Entertainment Weekly.
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OBITS:
From the New York Times and Indiewire: Casey Kasem, the famous American disc jockey, radio personality, and voice actor, died Sunday, June 15, 2014. He was 82-years-old. Kasem was born Kemal Amen Kasem in Detroit on April 27, 1932 to Lebanese immigrant parents.
I remember Kasem for several reasons. First of all, I was a big fan of his syndicated radio show, "America's Top 40." Beginning in 1970 and continuing for 24 years, Kasem played the top forty songs on Billboard magazine's weekly "Hot 100" singles chart. There was also a syndicated television version of the show in the 1980s that showed the music videos for the top ten songs of the week on the "Hot 100" singles chart, and sometimes for songs on Billboard's other singles chart.
But I most treasure and love Casey Kasem as the voice of cartoon character, Norville "Shaggy" Rodgers, beginning with the animated series, "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?" (1969) and continuing until 1997. He also provided the voice of Robin on "Super Friends" and Alexander on "Josie and the Pussycats."
Negromancer sends condolences to Casey Kasem's family and friends. R.I.P. Shaggy.
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From Yahoo Sports: Former Major League Baseball player, Tony Gwynn, died today, Monday, June 16, 2014 at the age of 54. He was one of the greatest hitters in the history of Major League Baseball and the greatest pure hitter of his generation. He played with the San Diego Padres for 20 years (his entire career) and was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. He was named on 532 of 545 Hall of Fame voting ballots, for one of the highest percentages ever, 97.61. Negromancer sends its condolences to Tony Gwynn's family, friends, colleagues, and teammates. R.I.P. slugger.
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From the New York Times and Yahoo Sports: I think I've stated before that the Pittsburgh Steelers are my favorite NFL team. Well, I was saddened to learn that beloved head Coach Chuck Noll died Friday night, June 13, 2013. Charles Henry Noll was born on January 5, 1932. He was 82-year-old.
Noll built the "Steel Curtain" Steelers of the 1970s, one of the most dominant teams in NFL history. The Steelers won the Super Bowls in the 1974, 1975, 1978, and 1979 seasons. They were the first team to win four Super Bowls. Noll coached the Steelers from 1969 to 1991 and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, his first year of eligibility.
Rest in peace, Coach. Negromancer offers condolences to Chuck Noll's family and friends.
Amazon Prime Instant Video Signs Deal with Aardman Animations
Prime Instant Video Becomes the Exclusive Subscription Streaming Home for Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep and Other Top Series from Aardman Animations
Licensing deal gives Prime members exclusive access to stop-motion animation favorites for instant streaming at no extra charge to their Prime membership
New seasons of Shaun the Sheep, the Shaun the Sheep: Championsheeps special and two new Timmy Time specials join the Prime Instant Video collection
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ:AMZN)—Amazon.com, Inc. today announced a U.S. content licensing agreement with Aardman Animations that will make Prime Instant Video the exclusive subscription streaming home for the beloved, award-winning television and short film series Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Timmy Time and classic animation Rex the Runt. Fans of the charming characters and their adventures now have access to this collection of Aardman content on hundreds of connected devices using their Prime membership. Those who are not already members of Amazon Prime can sign up at www.amazon.com/primeinstantvideo.
“Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Timmy Time and Rex the Runt continue to gain new fans, and we’re thrilled to offer them to viewers exclusively on Prime Instant Video”
In addition, new shows from the Shaun the Sheep and Timmy Time series will be added to Prime Instant Video, including seasons 3 and 4 of Shaun the Sheep, the Shaun the Sheep: Championsheeps special and two new Timmy Time specials.
Created in Aardman’s distinctive stop-motion animation style, the lead characters in Wallace & Gromit won global recognition as icons of modern British culture. The series earned both widespread fan appreciation and critical acclaim, earning two Academy Awards for its short films. Wallace & Gromit inspired several spinoff series, including Shaun the Sheep and Timmy Time, aimed at younger viewers. A full-length feature film based on Shaun the Sheep is scheduled to be theatrically released in the spring of 2015.
“Our customers love great kids shows and we are proud to be the exclusive subscription streaming home for these popular Aardman shows,” said Brad Beale, Director of Digital Video Content Acquisition for Amazon. “Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep and the other Aardman shows have a wide-reaching fan base, and we know Prime members will enjoy watching these shows at no extra charge as part of their Prime membership.”
“Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Timmy Time and Rex the Runt continue to gain new fans, and we’re thrilled to offer them to viewers exclusively on Prime Instant Video,” said Robin Gladman, Digital Content & Partner Manager at Aardman Animations. “As we get ready to release our Shaun the Sheep feature film next year, we know that Prime members will be eager to catch up on all the past adventures of their favorite animated characters.”
Prime Instant Video Exclusives
Prime Instant Video is the exclusive online-only subscription home for a large and constantly-expanding selection of hit series, making it the go-to destination for Prime members who want to stay up to date on their favorite shows. Popular choices include HBO classics The Sopranos, The Wire, Deadwood, Rome and Six Feet Under, recent HBO favorites Eastbound & Down, Enlightened and Flight of the Conchords, and select seasons of current HBO series True Blood, Boardwalk Empire and Treme. Other hit TV show exclusives include PBS series Downton Abbey and Mr. Selfridge, FX dramas The Americans and Justified, as well as 24, Orphan Black, Falling Skies, Hannibal, Grimm, Workaholics, Suits, Covert Affairs, Teen Wolf, Veronica Mars, CBS summer blockbuster series Under the Dome and later this summer, Extant. Prime Instant Video also offers an exclusive collection of kids shows from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. that customers won’t find on any other online-only subscription service, including favorites like SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Team Umizoomi, Blue’s Clues, and The Bubble Guppies. Airing now, Amazon’s first original series Alpha House and Betas and first original kids series Tumble Leaf can be found exclusively on Prime Instant Video as well.
Customers can enjoy Prime Instant Videos on hundreds of compatible Amazon Instant Video devices, including Fire TV, Kindle Fire HDX, Kindle Fire HD, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Roku, Xbox, PlayStation and the Wii. Prime Instant Video is the only U.S. online subscription streaming service that enables offline viewing—on a plane, on vacation, and anywhere else where you may not have Wi-Fi. Customers can download tens of thousands of Prime Instant Video titles to their new Kindle Fire HD or Kindle Fire HDX.
About Amazon Instant Video
Amazon Instant Video is a digital video streaming and download service that offers Amazon customers the ability to rent, purchase or subscribe to a huge catalog of videos. Customers can choose from more than 200,000 titles to purchase or rent—movies range from new releases to classic favorites, and Amazon Instant Video offers major television shows, entire seasons, or even day after air TV. Prime Instant Video is Amazon’s video subscription offer—it includes tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes selected from the full assortment available at Amazon Instant Video.
About Amazon.com
Amazon opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by three principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire, and Fire TV are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon
Licensing deal gives Prime members exclusive access to stop-motion animation favorites for instant streaming at no extra charge to their Prime membership
New seasons of Shaun the Sheep, the Shaun the Sheep: Championsheeps special and two new Timmy Time specials join the Prime Instant Video collection
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ:AMZN)—Amazon.com, Inc. today announced a U.S. content licensing agreement with Aardman Animations that will make Prime Instant Video the exclusive subscription streaming home for the beloved, award-winning television and short film series Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Timmy Time and classic animation Rex the Runt. Fans of the charming characters and their adventures now have access to this collection of Aardman content on hundreds of connected devices using their Prime membership. Those who are not already members of Amazon Prime can sign up at www.amazon.com/primeinstantvideo.
“Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Timmy Time and Rex the Runt continue to gain new fans, and we’re thrilled to offer them to viewers exclusively on Prime Instant Video”
In addition, new shows from the Shaun the Sheep and Timmy Time series will be added to Prime Instant Video, including seasons 3 and 4 of Shaun the Sheep, the Shaun the Sheep: Championsheeps special and two new Timmy Time specials.
Created in Aardman’s distinctive stop-motion animation style, the lead characters in Wallace & Gromit won global recognition as icons of modern British culture. The series earned both widespread fan appreciation and critical acclaim, earning two Academy Awards for its short films. Wallace & Gromit inspired several spinoff series, including Shaun the Sheep and Timmy Time, aimed at younger viewers. A full-length feature film based on Shaun the Sheep is scheduled to be theatrically released in the spring of 2015.
“Our customers love great kids shows and we are proud to be the exclusive subscription streaming home for these popular Aardman shows,” said Brad Beale, Director of Digital Video Content Acquisition for Amazon. “Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep and the other Aardman shows have a wide-reaching fan base, and we know Prime members will enjoy watching these shows at no extra charge as part of their Prime membership.”
“Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Timmy Time and Rex the Runt continue to gain new fans, and we’re thrilled to offer them to viewers exclusively on Prime Instant Video,” said Robin Gladman, Digital Content & Partner Manager at Aardman Animations. “As we get ready to release our Shaun the Sheep feature film next year, we know that Prime members will be eager to catch up on all the past adventures of their favorite animated characters.”
Prime Instant Video Exclusives
Prime Instant Video is the exclusive online-only subscription home for a large and constantly-expanding selection of hit series, making it the go-to destination for Prime members who want to stay up to date on their favorite shows. Popular choices include HBO classics The Sopranos, The Wire, Deadwood, Rome and Six Feet Under, recent HBO favorites Eastbound & Down, Enlightened and Flight of the Conchords, and select seasons of current HBO series True Blood, Boardwalk Empire and Treme. Other hit TV show exclusives include PBS series Downton Abbey and Mr. Selfridge, FX dramas The Americans and Justified, as well as 24, Orphan Black, Falling Skies, Hannibal, Grimm, Workaholics, Suits, Covert Affairs, Teen Wolf, Veronica Mars, CBS summer blockbuster series Under the Dome and later this summer, Extant. Prime Instant Video also offers an exclusive collection of kids shows from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. that customers won’t find on any other online-only subscription service, including favorites like SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Team Umizoomi, Blue’s Clues, and The Bubble Guppies. Airing now, Amazon’s first original series Alpha House and Betas and first original kids series Tumble Leaf can be found exclusively on Prime Instant Video as well.
Customers can enjoy Prime Instant Videos on hundreds of compatible Amazon Instant Video devices, including Fire TV, Kindle Fire HDX, Kindle Fire HD, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Roku, Xbox, PlayStation and the Wii. Prime Instant Video is the only U.S. online subscription streaming service that enables offline viewing—on a plane, on vacation, and anywhere else where you may not have Wi-Fi. Customers can download tens of thousands of Prime Instant Video titles to their new Kindle Fire HD or Kindle Fire HDX.
About Amazon Instant Video
Amazon Instant Video is a digital video streaming and download service that offers Amazon customers the ability to rent, purchase or subscribe to a huge catalog of videos. Customers can choose from more than 200,000 titles to purchase or rent—movies range from new releases to classic favorites, and Amazon Instant Video offers major television shows, entire seasons, or even day after air TV. Prime Instant Video is Amazon’s video subscription offer—it includes tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes selected from the full assortment available at Amazon Instant Video.
About Amazon.com
Amazon opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by three principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire, and Fire TV are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon
Disney Announces "Star Wars Scene Maker" App
Disney Publishing Worldwide Takes Storytelling to New Heights with Star Wars™ Scene Maker
Fans for the First Time Can Create and Share Their Own Star Wars Scenes; "Star Wars Scene Maker" Available Now on the App Store
GLENDALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Disney Publishing Worldwide today re-defines the storytelling experience with the release of "Star Wars Scene Maker," a new line of creativity apps that gives kids and Star Wars fans of all ages the tools to create, control, customize, capture and share their own 3D animated Star Wars scenes. Utilizing simple, intuitive commands, the apps give fans an unrivaled user-generated storytelling experience that allows them to re-imagine and re-create iconic scenes from the Saga.
“At Disney Publishing, we are committed to reaching today’s consumers in deeper, more engaging ways through innovative and immersive storytelling experiences”
Featuring 3D models of characters, vehicles, and environments, “Scene Maker” allows fans to zoom in, pull back and explore each animated Star Wars scene. Users have the freedom to place characters and vehicles wherever they choose, and then customize them with a variety of weapons to create new storylines and dialogue.
Three movable cameras can be maneuvered and switched to different film modes, with options to rotate and adjust vertical heights to give scene makers complete creative control of how they film their scenes. Additionally, iconic music and dialogue deepen the scene making experience, while options to record original dialogue expand the level of customization. A save and share option provides opportunities for fans to socialize their content online.
“At Disney Publishing, we are committed to reaching today’s consumers in deeper, more engaging ways through innovative and immersive storytelling experiences,” said Andrew Sugerman, executive vice president, Disney Publishing Worldwide. “Star Wars Scene Maker allows us to put kids and fans of all ages in the director’s seat and provide them with ways to unleash their creativity and share their passion for the Star Wars brand in a new way.”
The first app in the “Scene Maker” series launches with iconic scenes from the original trilogy: “The Battle of Endor,” from Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, “Cloud City Duel” from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and “Death Star Trench Run” from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. “The Battle of Endor” is free with download, and each additional content pack is $2.99, or $3.99 for both.
The “Scene Maker” apps will continue to feature content from the Star Wars Saga, with plans to expand to new content from the upcoming “Star Wars Rebels” animated series on Disney XD. Additional content packs will be released through app updates, and available through in-app purchase.
"Star Wars Scene Maker" is available now for free for iOS on the App Store. For additional Star Wars mobile apps updates and information, visit www.StarWars.com, www.DisneyStories.com, Facebook at Facebook.com/disneyreads and Twitter at @DisneyReads.
About Disney Publishing Worldwide
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world's largest publisher of children's books, magazines, and Apps, with over 700 million products sold each year. DPW consists of an extensive worldwide books and magazines licensing structure as well as vertically integrated publishing imprints, including Disney-Hyperion and Disney Press in the U.S. and Disney Libri in Italy. DPW's digital products include bestselling eBook titles and award-winning original apps. Disney English is DPW's English language learning business, which includes learning centers in China and a worldwide retail-licensing program. Headquartered in Glendale, California, DPW publishes books, magazines, and digital products in 85 countries in 75 languages. For more information visit www.disneypublishing.com.
About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company's activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.
STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks in the United States and/or in other countries of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © & TM 2014 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.
Fans for the First Time Can Create and Share Their Own Star Wars Scenes; "Star Wars Scene Maker" Available Now on the App Store
GLENDALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Disney Publishing Worldwide today re-defines the storytelling experience with the release of "Star Wars Scene Maker," a new line of creativity apps that gives kids and Star Wars fans of all ages the tools to create, control, customize, capture and share their own 3D animated Star Wars scenes. Utilizing simple, intuitive commands, the apps give fans an unrivaled user-generated storytelling experience that allows them to re-imagine and re-create iconic scenes from the Saga.
“At Disney Publishing, we are committed to reaching today’s consumers in deeper, more engaging ways through innovative and immersive storytelling experiences”
Featuring 3D models of characters, vehicles, and environments, “Scene Maker” allows fans to zoom in, pull back and explore each animated Star Wars scene. Users have the freedom to place characters and vehicles wherever they choose, and then customize them with a variety of weapons to create new storylines and dialogue.
Three movable cameras can be maneuvered and switched to different film modes, with options to rotate and adjust vertical heights to give scene makers complete creative control of how they film their scenes. Additionally, iconic music and dialogue deepen the scene making experience, while options to record original dialogue expand the level of customization. A save and share option provides opportunities for fans to socialize their content online.
“At Disney Publishing, we are committed to reaching today’s consumers in deeper, more engaging ways through innovative and immersive storytelling experiences,” said Andrew Sugerman, executive vice president, Disney Publishing Worldwide. “Star Wars Scene Maker allows us to put kids and fans of all ages in the director’s seat and provide them with ways to unleash their creativity and share their passion for the Star Wars brand in a new way.”
The first app in the “Scene Maker” series launches with iconic scenes from the original trilogy: “The Battle of Endor,” from Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, “Cloud City Duel” from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and “Death Star Trench Run” from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. “The Battle of Endor” is free with download, and each additional content pack is $2.99, or $3.99 for both.
The “Scene Maker” apps will continue to feature content from the Star Wars Saga, with plans to expand to new content from the upcoming “Star Wars Rebels” animated series on Disney XD. Additional content packs will be released through app updates, and available through in-app purchase.
"Star Wars Scene Maker" is available now for free for iOS on the App Store. For additional Star Wars mobile apps updates and information, visit www.StarWars.com, www.DisneyStories.com, Facebook at Facebook.com/disneyreads and Twitter at @DisneyReads.
About Disney Publishing Worldwide
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world's largest publisher of children's books, magazines, and Apps, with over 700 million products sold each year. DPW consists of an extensive worldwide books and magazines licensing structure as well as vertically integrated publishing imprints, including Disney-Hyperion and Disney Press in the U.S. and Disney Libri in Italy. DPW's digital products include bestselling eBook titles and award-winning original apps. Disney English is DPW's English language learning business, which includes learning centers in China and a worldwide retail-licensing program. Headquartered in Glendale, California, DPW publishes books, magazines, and digital products in 85 countries in 75 languages. For more information visit www.disneypublishing.com.
About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company's activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.
STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks in the United States and/or in other countries of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © & TM 2014 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.
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