305 FEATURE FILMS IN CONTENTION FOR 2015 BEST PICTURE OSCAR®
Three hundred five feature films are eligible for the 2015 Academy Awards®, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced.
To be eligible for 88th Academy Awards consideration, feature films must open in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County by midnight, December 31, 2015 and begin a minimum run of seven consecutive days.
Under Academy rules, a feature-length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes and must have been exhibited theatrically on 35mm or 70mm film, or in a qualifying digital format.
Feature films that receive their first public exhibition or distribution in any manner other than as a theatrical motion picture release are not eligible for Academy Awards in any category. The “Reminder List of Productions Eligible for the 88th Academy Awards” is available at http://www.oscars.org/oscars/rules-eligibility.
The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 14, 2016, at 5:30 a.m. PT at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
The 88th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
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Friday, December 18, 2015
Chicago Film Critics Chooses "Mad Max: Fury Road" as Best Picture of 2015
The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization that hands out the Chicago Film Critics Awards, hold critics roundtables, and takes on industry and artists’ rights issues. The parent association was founded in 1990 by film critic Sue Kiner after the successful launch of the Chicago Film Critics Awards in 1989.
Now in its 26th year, the CFCA announced the winners of Chicago Film Critics Association Awards during their year-end awards dinner held on the evening of Wednesday, December 16, 2015.
2015 / 26th Annual Chicago Film Critics Association Award winners:
BEST PICTURE
Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST DIRECTOR
George Miller--Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST ACTOR
Leonardo DiCaprio--The Revenant
BEST ACTRESS
Brie Larson--Room
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Benicio Del Toro--Sicario
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Alicia Vikander--Ex Machina
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Spotlight--Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Big Short--Adam McKay & Charles Randolph
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Mad Max: Fury Road--John Seale
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Hateful Eight--Ennio Morricone
BEST ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN
Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST EDITING
Mad Max: Fury Road--Jason Ballantine & Margaret Sixel
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
Son of Saul (Hungary)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Amy
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Inside Out
MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Jacob Tremblay--Room
MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Alex Garland--Ex Machina
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Now in its 26th year, the CFCA announced the winners of Chicago Film Critics Association Awards during their year-end awards dinner held on the evening of Wednesday, December 16, 2015.
2015 / 26th Annual Chicago Film Critics Association Award winners:
BEST PICTURE
Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST DIRECTOR
George Miller--Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST ACTOR
Leonardo DiCaprio--The Revenant
BEST ACTRESS
Brie Larson--Room
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Benicio Del Toro--Sicario
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Alicia Vikander--Ex Machina
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Spotlight--Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Big Short--Adam McKay & Charles Randolph
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Mad Max: Fury Road--John Seale
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Hateful Eight--Ennio Morricone
BEST ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN
Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST EDITING
Mad Max: Fury Road--Jason Ballantine & Margaret Sixel
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
Son of Saul (Hungary)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Amy
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Inside Out
MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Jacob Tremblay--Room
MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Alex Garland--Ex Machina
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Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey's "Injection" Comic Book Begins New Storyline
INJECTION DISHES OUT NEW STORY ARC
Award-winning writer Warren Ellis (TREES, SUPREME: BLUE ROSE, Moon Knight), award-winning artist Declan Shalvey (Moon Knight, Deadpool), and award-winning colorist Jordie Bellaire (PRETTY DEADLY, NOWHERE MEN) will launch a new story arc in their ongoing genre-defying series INJECTION this January 2016.
Previously in INJECTION, five geniuses poisoned the 21st century, and then scrambled to save the world from a terminal case of weird.
INJECTION #6 opens in New York, where consulting detective Vivek Headland takes on a case that quickly invokes a murderous sandwich.
“Injection #6 begins a new five-part volume. Volume 1 was largely about Professor Maria Kilbride dealing with ancient supernatural horrors. Starting here, Volume 2 is mostly about consulting detective Vivek Headland in New York City, dealing with the mysterious theft of a ghost. And also human ham,” said Ellis. “Eventually, the entire Injection team, the five eccentric geniuses of the old Cultural Cross-Contamination Unit, will be involved in a weird crime story that may also explain more about the Injection itself—the haunted artificial intelligence committing horrors in the dark.”
“With the focus of Injection shifting to Vivek Headland in Volume 2, the scope of the story becomes much wider,” said Shalvey. “An unconventional mystery warrants Vivek's attention as some of the old team arrive in New York. If Volume 1 could be described as a strange sci-fi story, Volume 2 could be described as a strange crime story. Being Injection, of course, the emphasis is on strange.”
INJECTION #6 Cover A by Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire (Diamond code: NOV150509) hits stores Wednesday, January 13th. INJECTION #6 Cover B by Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire (Diamond code: NOV150510) will also be available Wednesday, January 13th, 2016. Final order cutoff deadline for retailers is Monday, December 21st, 2016.
ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
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VIZ Media Announces Final 2015 Digital Manga Update
VIZ MEDIA COMPLETES 2015 WITH A FINAL DIGITAL MANGA UPDATE FOR THE YEAR
Two Exciting Digital Manga Series Debut As Well As A WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Promotion, New Holiday Flash Sale And Other Special Bundled Manga Content Available For A Limited Time!
VIZ Media finishes 2015 with a second digital manga update for December, which rounds out the month’s new content.
New titles include the launch of BOYS OVER FLOWERS SEASON 2, which debuts digitally on December 22nd and resumes creator Yoko Kamio’s acclaimed shojo manga story set two years after the conclusion of the original series. Eri Sakondo’s modern-day spin on a classic Japanese folktale, MOMOGUMI PLUS SENKI, arrives on December 29th and completes the new series debuts for the month.
Readers are invited to take advantage of the second-half of December’s selection of Digital Manga Starter Bundles that offer the opportunity to dive into multiple collected volumes from a wide collection of acclaimed series at special savings over buying the volumes individually. Bundles are available to readers for a limited time exclusively from VIZManga.com and ComiXology.
VIZ Media’s WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP also holds a digital promotion that runs until January 31st, 2016, offering special annual membership pricing of only $19.99 (regularly priced at $25.99) for an entire year of the hottest manga content straight from Japan. As part of this promotion, new and current annual subscribers will receive a digital version of the NARUTO Yearbook, available December 28th. The 64-page digital supplement features the climactic final chapter of the hit manga series along with the opening chapter of NARUTO: THE SEVENTH HOKAGE AND THE SCARLET SPRING, an interview with creator Masashi Kishimoto, fan art galleries and much more!
Continuing for a series of limited 2-day periods throughout the remainder of December, VIZ Media’s manga Holiday “Flash Sale” will offer $2 off select titles across all of its major imprints. “Flash Sale” titles are available at VIZManga.com and via the VIZ Manga app, and readers are invited to check the site each week for the rest of December to see which favorite titles will be marked down from the following imprints:
Shonen Jump & Shonen Jump Advanced
VIZ Signature
Shojo Beat
Shonen Sunday
VIZ Media & VIZ Select
New Manga Series Digital Debuts for the Second-Half of December:
BOYS OVER FLOWERS SEASON 2, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · DIGITAL MSRP: $6.99 (U.S. / CAN) · Available December 22nd
Twelve years after the conclusion of the original smash-hit rom-com series, Yoko Kamio brings readers BOYS OVER FLOWERS SEASON 2! Set two years after the members of the legendary "F4" clique have graduated from Eitoku Academy, a new group called the "Correct 5" is around to rule the school.
MOMOGUMI PLUS SENKI, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · DIGITAL MSRP: $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) · Available December 29th
After transferring to a new school, Yuuki, a distaster-attracting young student, is told that his is actually the reincarnation of Momotaro from Japanese foklore. What's worse, he was cursed by demons in his previous life! And if he doesn't break the curse, he will die on the day he turns eighteen. Luckily for Yuuki, he won't have to battle these demons alone--his three mystical minions, Yukishiro, Masahiko and Sawa will be there to instruct and protect him every step of the way!
The Following Digital Manga Bundles Are Available Throughout The Entire Month Of December:
· YUYU HAKUSHO Vols. 1-10 $20.00
· YUYU HAKUSHO Vols. 1-19 $38.00
· BOYS OVER FLOWERS Vols. 1-10 $25.00
· BOYS OVER FLOWERS Vols. 1-20 $40.00
· BOYS OVER FLOWERS Vols. 1-36 + JEWELRY BOX Vol. 37 $74.00
Manga Bundles Available From Dec. 14th-20th
· BIOMEGA Vols.1-6 $24.00
· NANA Vols. 1-10 $20.00
· TERRA FORMARS Vols. 1-5 $25.00
Manga Bundles Available From Dec. 21st-27th
· CROSS MANAGE Vols.1-5 $10.00
· DRAGON BALL Vols. 1-16 $48.00
· DR. SLUMP Vols. 1-18 $36.00
· ONE PIECE Vols. 1-11 $44.00
· SHAMAN KING Vols. 1-15 $60.00
· SHAMAN KING Vols. 16-32 $51.00
· TORIKO Vols. 1-15 $30.00
Manga Bundles Available From Dec. 28th-Jan. 3rd
· BLACK BIRD Vols.1-9 $30.00
· D. GRAY MAN Vols. 1-24 $72.00
· DRAGON BALL FULL-COLOR Vols. 1-3 $24.00
· NARUTO Vols.1-16 $64.00
· OTOMEN Vols. 1-5 $17.50
· YU-GI-OH! Vols. 1-7 $21.00
Additional notable digital manga updates for the second-half of December include new volumes for CHEEKY ANGEL (Vol. 16) and Hanako and the Terror of Allegory (Vol. 3), along with the exciting series finales for Chocolate Cosmos (Vol. 4), CRAZY FOR YOU (Vol. 6), Eureka Seven: Gravity Boys & Lifting Girl (Vol. 2), Saber Marionette J (Vol. 5), Samurai Girl Real Bout High School (Vol. 6) and Welcome to the N.H.K. (Vol. 8).
The free VIZ Manga App continues to be the top application for reading digital manga and features a massive library of the most popular series in the world. Through the innovative VIZ Manga digital platform registered users are able to use one account to view their purchased manga across more devices than ever. New series and volumes are added every Tuesday. Fans can also find these titles and more for the NOOK, Kindle Fire, and Kobo eReaders, as well as in the ComiXology, iBooks and Google Play Stores.
Most manga volumes are available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the VIZ Manga application starting from only $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) each. Readers can also explore free Chapter 1 previews of every series. For more information, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.
To learn more about VIZ Manga, please visit www.vizmanga.com.
---------------------------
Two Exciting Digital Manga Series Debut As Well As A WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Promotion, New Holiday Flash Sale And Other Special Bundled Manga Content Available For A Limited Time!
VIZ Media finishes 2015 with a second digital manga update for December, which rounds out the month’s new content.
New titles include the launch of BOYS OVER FLOWERS SEASON 2, which debuts digitally on December 22nd and resumes creator Yoko Kamio’s acclaimed shojo manga story set two years after the conclusion of the original series. Eri Sakondo’s modern-day spin on a classic Japanese folktale, MOMOGUMI PLUS SENKI, arrives on December 29th and completes the new series debuts for the month.
Readers are invited to take advantage of the second-half of December’s selection of Digital Manga Starter Bundles that offer the opportunity to dive into multiple collected volumes from a wide collection of acclaimed series at special savings over buying the volumes individually. Bundles are available to readers for a limited time exclusively from VIZManga.com and ComiXology.
VIZ Media’s WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP also holds a digital promotion that runs until January 31st, 2016, offering special annual membership pricing of only $19.99 (regularly priced at $25.99) for an entire year of the hottest manga content straight from Japan. As part of this promotion, new and current annual subscribers will receive a digital version of the NARUTO Yearbook, available December 28th. The 64-page digital supplement features the climactic final chapter of the hit manga series along with the opening chapter of NARUTO: THE SEVENTH HOKAGE AND THE SCARLET SPRING, an interview with creator Masashi Kishimoto, fan art galleries and much more!
Continuing for a series of limited 2-day periods throughout the remainder of December, VIZ Media’s manga Holiday “Flash Sale” will offer $2 off select titles across all of its major imprints. “Flash Sale” titles are available at VIZManga.com and via the VIZ Manga app, and readers are invited to check the site each week for the rest of December to see which favorite titles will be marked down from the following imprints:
Shonen Jump & Shonen Jump Advanced
VIZ Signature
Shojo Beat
Shonen Sunday
VIZ Media & VIZ Select
New Manga Series Digital Debuts for the Second-Half of December:
BOYS OVER FLOWERS SEASON 2, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · DIGITAL MSRP: $6.99 (U.S. / CAN) · Available December 22nd
Twelve years after the conclusion of the original smash-hit rom-com series, Yoko Kamio brings readers BOYS OVER FLOWERS SEASON 2! Set two years after the members of the legendary "F4" clique have graduated from Eitoku Academy, a new group called the "Correct 5" is around to rule the school.
MOMOGUMI PLUS SENKI, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · DIGITAL MSRP: $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) · Available December 29th
After transferring to a new school, Yuuki, a distaster-attracting young student, is told that his is actually the reincarnation of Momotaro from Japanese foklore. What's worse, he was cursed by demons in his previous life! And if he doesn't break the curse, he will die on the day he turns eighteen. Luckily for Yuuki, he won't have to battle these demons alone--his three mystical minions, Yukishiro, Masahiko and Sawa will be there to instruct and protect him every step of the way!
The Following Digital Manga Bundles Are Available Throughout The Entire Month Of December:
· YUYU HAKUSHO Vols. 1-10 $20.00
· YUYU HAKUSHO Vols. 1-19 $38.00
· BOYS OVER FLOWERS Vols. 1-10 $25.00
· BOYS OVER FLOWERS Vols. 1-20 $40.00
· BOYS OVER FLOWERS Vols. 1-36 + JEWELRY BOX Vol. 37 $74.00
Manga Bundles Available From Dec. 14th-20th
· BIOMEGA Vols.1-6 $24.00
· NANA Vols. 1-10 $20.00
· TERRA FORMARS Vols. 1-5 $25.00
Manga Bundles Available From Dec. 21st-27th
· CROSS MANAGE Vols.1-5 $10.00
· DRAGON BALL Vols. 1-16 $48.00
· DR. SLUMP Vols. 1-18 $36.00
· ONE PIECE Vols. 1-11 $44.00
· SHAMAN KING Vols. 1-15 $60.00
· SHAMAN KING Vols. 16-32 $51.00
· TORIKO Vols. 1-15 $30.00
Manga Bundles Available From Dec. 28th-Jan. 3rd
· BLACK BIRD Vols.1-9 $30.00
· D. GRAY MAN Vols. 1-24 $72.00
· DRAGON BALL FULL-COLOR Vols. 1-3 $24.00
· NARUTO Vols.1-16 $64.00
· OTOMEN Vols. 1-5 $17.50
· YU-GI-OH! Vols. 1-7 $21.00
Additional notable digital manga updates for the second-half of December include new volumes for CHEEKY ANGEL (Vol. 16) and Hanako and the Terror of Allegory (Vol. 3), along with the exciting series finales for Chocolate Cosmos (Vol. 4), CRAZY FOR YOU (Vol. 6), Eureka Seven: Gravity Boys & Lifting Girl (Vol. 2), Saber Marionette J (Vol. 5), Samurai Girl Real Bout High School (Vol. 6) and Welcome to the N.H.K. (Vol. 8).
The free VIZ Manga App continues to be the top application for reading digital manga and features a massive library of the most popular series in the world. Through the innovative VIZ Manga digital platform registered users are able to use one account to view their purchased manga across more devices than ever. New series and volumes are added every Tuesday. Fans can also find these titles and more for the NOOK, Kindle Fire, and Kobo eReaders, as well as in the ComiXology, iBooks and Google Play Stores.
Most manga volumes are available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the VIZ Manga application starting from only $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) each. Readers can also explore free Chapter 1 previews of every series. For more information, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.
To learn more about VIZ Manga, please visit www.vizmanga.com.
---------------------------
DreamWorks Studios Forms New Content Creation Company
DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, Reliance Entertainment and Entertainment One Form Amblin Partners, a New Film, Television and Digital Content Creation Company
Steven Spielberg Also an Investor in Amblin Partners
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Steven Spielberg, Principal Partner, DreamWorks Studios, Jeff Skoll, Chairman, Participant Media, Anil Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Group and Darren Throop, President and Chief Executive Officer, Entertainment One (eOne) announced today the formation of Amblin Partners, a new film, television and digital content creation company.
The new company will create content using the Amblin, DreamWorks Pictures and Participant brands and leverage their power and broad awareness to tell stories that appeal to a wide range of audiences. Participant Media will remain a separate company that continues to independently develop, produce and finance projects with socially relevant themes.
Amblin Partners will be led by CEO Michael Wright and President and COO Jeff Small.
In addition, Amblin Television will become a division of Amblin Partners and continues to be run by co-presidents Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank, who maintain their longtime leadership roles. They join Producer Kristie Macosko Krieger and President of Production Holly Bario on the film side, to complete Amblin Partners’ senior management team.
David Linde, Chief Executive Officer of Participant Media, and Participant’s narrative feature team, led by Executive Vice President Jonathan King, will work closely with Amblin Partners to develop and produce specific content for the new venture in addition to exploring opportunities for co-productions and other content.
In making the announcement about Amblin Partners, Mr. Spielberg said, “We are thrilled to partner with Jeff Skoll, Participant Media, and to continue our prolific relationship. We are of like minds, as our many collaborations have illustrated, with a mutual commitment to quality, premium entertainment and global vision.”
Mr. Skoll said, “I have had the good fortune of working with Steven for many years. We share a passion for stories that can truly affect change. And this new venture will further Participant’s growth and global impact.”
DreamWorks Studios and Participant Media have collaborated on many Academy Award® nominated films such as “Lincoln” and “The Help” as well as the critically acclaimed “The Hundred-Foot Journey,” and the recently released “Bridge of Spies.”
Mr. Spielberg continued, “We are honored to continue our long-term association with our dear friend, Anil Ambani and his team at Reliance. We have had the opportunity to develop and produce wonderful films thanks to their ongoing support.”
“We are delighted to continue our now seven-years-strong relationship with our valued partner, Steven Spielberg, and to extend this alliance to the formation of Amblin Partners with Jeff Skoll. We look forward to the combination of Steven’s passion and integrity with Jeff’s unique socially conscious vision to create uplifting and quality content to entertain global audiences,” Mr. Ambani said.
Mr. Spielberg continued, “We are also grateful to Darren Throop and his team at Entertainment One for their contribution to Amblin Partners. We look forward to expanding our relationship.”
“We are delighted to join Steven Spielberg, Jeff Skoll and Reliance in launching this unique new venture,” Mr. Throop said. “We continually strive to partner with producers of the highest quality content, and Amblin Partners certainly represents the gold standard.”
Through this new partnership, eOne extends its collaboration into television production and distribution and expands its successful film distribution relationship across additional territories. eOne will handle the direct distribution of Amblin Partners films on a multi-territory output basis in Australia/New Zealand and Spain as well as the United Kingdom and the Benelux, where it previously had a successful output arrangement with DreamWorks Studios.
J.P.Morgan Chase structured and arranged the $500 million debt syndication together with Comerica Bank, which served as Co-Lead. Other financial institutions involved included Sun Trust Bank, Union Bank, City National Bank and Bank of America, among others. J.P.Morgan Chase and its predecessors have financed DreamWorks Studios since its inception in 1994.
About Amblin Partners
Amblin Partners is a content creation company formed by DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, Reliance Entertainment and Entertainment One (eOne). The company develops and produces films using the Amblin, DreamWorks Pictures and Participant banners and includes Amblin Television, a longtime leader in quality programming.
Film projects in various stages of production include: “The BFG,” and “The Light Between Oceans,” scheduled for release by Disney in 2016; “The Girl on the Train,” scheduled for release in October 2016; “A Dog’s Purpose,” scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2017 and “Ready Player One,” a co-production between Amblin Partners and Warner Bros. Pictures that is scheduled to be released in December of 2017.
Upcoming shows from Amblin TV include “All the Way,” an HBO movie directed by Jay Roach and starring Bryan Cranston, with an airdate to be announced shortly; and “American Gothic,” a summer series that will air on CBS and begin production in February 2016.
About Participant Media
Participant Media is a leading media company dedicated to entertainment that inspires and compels social change. Founded in 2004 by Jeff Skoll, Participant combines the power of a good story well told with opportunities for viewers to get involved. Participant’s more than 70 films, including “Spotlight,” “Contagion,” “Lincoln,” “The Help,” “He Named Me Malala,” “The Look of Silence,” “CITIZENFOUR,” “Food, Inc.,” and “An Inconvenient Truth,” have collectively earned 37 Academy Award® nominations and eight wins. Participant has also launched more than a dozen original series including, “Please Like Me,” Emmy® Award-winning “Hit Record On TV with Joseph Gordon-Levitt,” and “Fortitude,” for its television network Pivot. Participant’s digital hub, TakePart, serves millions of socially conscious consumers each month with daily articles, videos and opportunities to take action. Follow Participant Media on Twitter at @Participant and on Facebook.
About Reliance Entertainment
Reliance Group, led by Mr. Anil D. Ambani, is among India’s major business houses, with a leadership position in telecommunications, power, infrastructure, financial services, and media and entertainment. The Group has over 250 million customers, serving 1 in every 5 Indians, and has over 8 million shareholders, amongst the largest shareholder families in the world.
Reliance Entertainment is the media and entertainment arm of Reliance Group, and is engaged in the creation and distribution of content across film, television, digital and gaming platforms. Internationally, Reliance Entertainment has partnered since 2009 with iconic film producer and director, Steven Spielberg, in the formation of DreamWorks Studios.
About Entertainment One
Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is a leading international entertainment company that specializes in the acquisition, production and distribution of film and television content. The company’s comprehensive network extends around the globe including Canada, the U.S., the UK, Ireland, Spain, Benelux, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Through established Film and Television divisions, the company provides extensive expertise in film distribution, television and music production, family programming, merchandising and licensing, and digital content. Its current rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 40,000 film and television titles, 4,500 hours of television programming and 45,000 music tracks.
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Steven Spielberg Also an Investor in Amblin Partners
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Steven Spielberg, Principal Partner, DreamWorks Studios, Jeff Skoll, Chairman, Participant Media, Anil Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Group and Darren Throop, President and Chief Executive Officer, Entertainment One (eOne) announced today the formation of Amblin Partners, a new film, television and digital content creation company.
The new company will create content using the Amblin, DreamWorks Pictures and Participant brands and leverage their power and broad awareness to tell stories that appeal to a wide range of audiences. Participant Media will remain a separate company that continues to independently develop, produce and finance projects with socially relevant themes.
Amblin Partners will be led by CEO Michael Wright and President and COO Jeff Small.
In addition, Amblin Television will become a division of Amblin Partners and continues to be run by co-presidents Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank, who maintain their longtime leadership roles. They join Producer Kristie Macosko Krieger and President of Production Holly Bario on the film side, to complete Amblin Partners’ senior management team.
David Linde, Chief Executive Officer of Participant Media, and Participant’s narrative feature team, led by Executive Vice President Jonathan King, will work closely with Amblin Partners to develop and produce specific content for the new venture in addition to exploring opportunities for co-productions and other content.
In making the announcement about Amblin Partners, Mr. Spielberg said, “We are thrilled to partner with Jeff Skoll, Participant Media, and to continue our prolific relationship. We are of like minds, as our many collaborations have illustrated, with a mutual commitment to quality, premium entertainment and global vision.”
Mr. Skoll said, “I have had the good fortune of working with Steven for many years. We share a passion for stories that can truly affect change. And this new venture will further Participant’s growth and global impact.”
DreamWorks Studios and Participant Media have collaborated on many Academy Award® nominated films such as “Lincoln” and “The Help” as well as the critically acclaimed “The Hundred-Foot Journey,” and the recently released “Bridge of Spies.”
Mr. Spielberg continued, “We are honored to continue our long-term association with our dear friend, Anil Ambani and his team at Reliance. We have had the opportunity to develop and produce wonderful films thanks to their ongoing support.”
“We are delighted to continue our now seven-years-strong relationship with our valued partner, Steven Spielberg, and to extend this alliance to the formation of Amblin Partners with Jeff Skoll. We look forward to the combination of Steven’s passion and integrity with Jeff’s unique socially conscious vision to create uplifting and quality content to entertain global audiences,” Mr. Ambani said.
Mr. Spielberg continued, “We are also grateful to Darren Throop and his team at Entertainment One for their contribution to Amblin Partners. We look forward to expanding our relationship.”
“We are delighted to join Steven Spielberg, Jeff Skoll and Reliance in launching this unique new venture,” Mr. Throop said. “We continually strive to partner with producers of the highest quality content, and Amblin Partners certainly represents the gold standard.”
Through this new partnership, eOne extends its collaboration into television production and distribution and expands its successful film distribution relationship across additional territories. eOne will handle the direct distribution of Amblin Partners films on a multi-territory output basis in Australia/New Zealand and Spain as well as the United Kingdom and the Benelux, where it previously had a successful output arrangement with DreamWorks Studios.
J.P.Morgan Chase structured and arranged the $500 million debt syndication together with Comerica Bank, which served as Co-Lead. Other financial institutions involved included Sun Trust Bank, Union Bank, City National Bank and Bank of America, among others. J.P.Morgan Chase and its predecessors have financed DreamWorks Studios since its inception in 1994.
About Amblin Partners
Amblin Partners is a content creation company formed by DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, Reliance Entertainment and Entertainment One (eOne). The company develops and produces films using the Amblin, DreamWorks Pictures and Participant banners and includes Amblin Television, a longtime leader in quality programming.
Film projects in various stages of production include: “The BFG,” and “The Light Between Oceans,” scheduled for release by Disney in 2016; “The Girl on the Train,” scheduled for release in October 2016; “A Dog’s Purpose,” scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2017 and “Ready Player One,” a co-production between Amblin Partners and Warner Bros. Pictures that is scheduled to be released in December of 2017.
Upcoming shows from Amblin TV include “All the Way,” an HBO movie directed by Jay Roach and starring Bryan Cranston, with an airdate to be announced shortly; and “American Gothic,” a summer series that will air on CBS and begin production in February 2016.
About Participant Media
Participant Media is a leading media company dedicated to entertainment that inspires and compels social change. Founded in 2004 by Jeff Skoll, Participant combines the power of a good story well told with opportunities for viewers to get involved. Participant’s more than 70 films, including “Spotlight,” “Contagion,” “Lincoln,” “The Help,” “He Named Me Malala,” “The Look of Silence,” “CITIZENFOUR,” “Food, Inc.,” and “An Inconvenient Truth,” have collectively earned 37 Academy Award® nominations and eight wins. Participant has also launched more than a dozen original series including, “Please Like Me,” Emmy® Award-winning “Hit Record On TV with Joseph Gordon-Levitt,” and “Fortitude,” for its television network Pivot. Participant’s digital hub, TakePart, serves millions of socially conscious consumers each month with daily articles, videos and opportunities to take action. Follow Participant Media on Twitter at @Participant and on Facebook.
About Reliance Entertainment
Reliance Group, led by Mr. Anil D. Ambani, is among India’s major business houses, with a leadership position in telecommunications, power, infrastructure, financial services, and media and entertainment. The Group has over 250 million customers, serving 1 in every 5 Indians, and has over 8 million shareholders, amongst the largest shareholder families in the world.
Reliance Entertainment is the media and entertainment arm of Reliance Group, and is engaged in the creation and distribution of content across film, television, digital and gaming platforms. Internationally, Reliance Entertainment has partnered since 2009 with iconic film producer and director, Steven Spielberg, in the formation of DreamWorks Studios.
About Entertainment One
Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is a leading international entertainment company that specializes in the acquisition, production and distribution of film and television content. The company’s comprehensive network extends around the globe including Canada, the U.S., the UK, Ireland, Spain, Benelux, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Through established Film and Television divisions, the company provides extensive expertise in film distribution, television and music production, family programming, merchandising and licensing, and digital content. Its current rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 40,000 film and television titles, 4,500 hours of television programming and 45,000 music tracks.
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VIZ Media Has Two Naruto Publications Set for Jan. 5th, 2016
NARUTO Box Set 3 Contains Series’ Exciting Concluding Volumes; Find Out What Happens Next In NARUTO: THE SEVENTH HOKAGE AND THE SCARLET SPRING Spin-Off Manga
San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, announces plans to kick off 2016 with a pair of exciting NARUTO releases.
Set for release in print on January 5th, 2016, NARUTO: THE SEVENTH HOKAGE AND THE SCARLET SPRING is the post-series spin-off to the world’s most popular ninja manga. A digital version is currently available via VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores. Also set for release on January 5th, 2016 will be the NARUTO Manga Box Set 3, which contains the thrilling concluding story arcs to the worldwide smash hit manga (graphic novel) series. Also included is an exclusive double-sided poster and a bonus booklet featuring a special NARUTO story and an interview with series creator Masashi Kishimoto. Both releases are rated “T” for Teen.
NARUTO: THE SEVENTH HOKAGE AND THE SCARLET SPRING
MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Available January 5th!
Digital Edition Available Now For $6.99
In the years since the great ninja war, peace has bloomed in the ninja world, and a new generation has begun to take root. Naruto’s work as Hokage seems to be pretty mundane, but his son, Boruto, is constantly demanding attention. Luckily for Naruto, he can make clones of himself to babysit his son. But Sasuke’s daughter, Sarada, could be the target of a mysterious figure who has connections to the Uchiha clan!
NARUTO Manga Box Set 3
MSRP: $185.99 U.S. / $214.99 CAN · Available January 5th!
The third and final NARUTO Box Set contains the thrilling conclusion to one of the most popular manga series of all time. The set features Volumes 49-72 at a substantial savings over buying them individually, along with exclusive premiums.
Manga author/artist Masashi Kishimoto was born in 1974 in rural Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Like many kids, he was first inspired to become a manga artist in elementary school when he read DRAGON BALL. After spending time in art school, he won the Hop Step Award for new manga artists with his story, Karakuri. After considering various genres for his next project, Kishimoto decided on a story steeped in traditional Japanese culture. His first version of NARUTO, drawn in 1997, was a one-shot story about fox spirits; his final version, which debuted in Japan in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999, quickly became the most popular ninja manga in the world. The series would also spawn multiple anime series, movies, novels, video games and more. Having concluded the series in late 2014, Masashi Kishimoto has kept himself busy this year with the side story, NARUTO: THE SEVENTH HOKAGE AND THE SCARLET SPRING, and writing the story for the latest NARUTO movie, Boruto: Naruto the Movie, both of which focus on the title character's son, Boruto.
VIZ Media is the North American master licensor for NARUTO and publishes the bestselling NARUTO manga series in print and digitally and also distributes the NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN anime series and feature films. Additional information on NARUTO is available at www.Naruto.com.
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 ONE PIECE, 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.
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Thursday, December 17, 2015
Detroit Film Critics Name "Spotlight" Best Film of 2015
The Detroit Film Critics Society was founded in Spring 2007 and currently consists of a group of 20 Michigan film critics (as December 2013) who write or broadcast in the Detroit area as well as other major cities within a 150-mile radius of the city including Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Flint, Michigan.
The winners of the 2015 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards were Monday, December 14, 2015.
2015 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards winners:
BEST FILM
Spotlight
BEST DIRECTOR
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST ACTOR
Michael Caine, Youth
BEST ACTRESS
Saroise Ronan, Brooklyn
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Liev Schreiber, Spotlight
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
BEST ENSEMBLE
Spotlight
BREAKTHROUGH
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina, The Danish Girl (actress)
BEST SCREENPLAY
Josh Singer, Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Amy
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The winners of the 2015 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards were Monday, December 14, 2015.
2015 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards winners:
BEST FILM
Spotlight
BEST DIRECTOR
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST ACTOR
Michael Caine, Youth
BEST ACTRESS
Saroise Ronan, Brooklyn
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Liev Schreiber, Spotlight
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
BEST ENSEMBLE
Spotlight
BREAKTHROUGH
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina, The Danish Girl (actress)
BEST SCREENPLAY
Josh Singer, Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Amy
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