Monday, April 15, 2019

Disney Spotlights Direct-to-Consumer Strategy with Disney+

The Walt Disney Company Spotlights Comprehensive Direct-to-Consumer Strategy at 2019 Investor Day

Disney+ Set to Launch in U.S. Market on November 12 at $6.99/Month

Service to Offer New Originals and Unparalleled Library Offerings from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel Studios, and National Geographic, as well as “The Simpsons” and 20th Century Fox Titles “The Sound of Music,” “The Princess Bride,” and “Malcolm in the Middle”

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Walt Disney Company today presented an extensive overview of its comprehensive direct-to-consumer strategy, including presentations on Hulu, Hotstar, ESPN+, and the upcoming Disney+ service at its highly-anticipated Investor Day, which took place on the Company’s studio lot.

    #DisneyPlus to launch in U.S. on November 12 for $6.99/month

The Investor Day event featured remarks from The Walt Disney Company’s senior management team, including Robert A. Iger, chairman and chief executive officer; Kevin Mayer, chairman, Direct-to-Consumer and International; Christine McCarthy, senior executive vice president and chief financial officer; Lowell Singer, senior vice president, Investor Relations; and Jimmy Pitaro, president, ESPN and co-chair, Disney Media Networks. The event also featured presentations by Michael Paull, president, Disney Streaming Services; Randy Freer, chief executive officer, Hulu; Russell Wolff, executive vice president and general manager, ESPN+; Uday Shankar, president, The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific and chairman, Star and Disney India; Ricky Strauss, president, Content and Marketing, Disney+; and Agnes Chu, senior vice president, Content, Disney+.

“Disney+ marks a bold step forward in an exciting new era for our company – one in which consumers will have a direct connection to the incredible array of creative content that is The Walt Disney Company’s hallmark. We are confident that the combination of our unrivaled storytelling, beloved brands, iconic franchises, and cutting-edge technology will make Disney+ a standout in the marketplace, and deliver significant value for consumers and shareholders alike,” Mr. Iger said.

During today’s presentation, the Company unveiled a first look at the Disney+ offering, which will launch in the U.S. on November 12, 2019 at $6.99 per month. The service will offer fans of all ages a new way to experience the unparalleled content from the Company’s iconic entertainment brands, including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, and will be available on connected TV and mobile devices.

Home of Great Storytelling

The Investor Day event also featured presentations by several of the creative executives behind Disney+’s impressive and extensive content slate, including: Jennifer Lee, chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios; Pete Docter, chief creative officer, Pixar Animation Studios; Kathleen Kennedy, president, Lucasfilm; Kevin Feige, president, Marvel Studios; Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide; Sean Bailey, president, Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Productions; Courteney Monroe, president, National Geographic Global Television Networks; and Jon Favreau, executive producer and writer, “The Mandalorian.”

In addition to its robust library of theatrical and television content, in its first year Disney+ will release more than 25 original series and 10 original films, documentaries, and specials by some of the industry’s most prolific and creative storytellers. New original titles for Disney+ announced today include:

Marvel Studios:

  •     “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” live-action series with Anthony Mackie returning as Falcon and Sebastian Stan reprising his role as Winter Soldier
  •     “WandaVision” live-action series with Elizabeth Olsen returning as Wanda Maximoff and Paul Bettany reprising his role as The Vision
  •     “Marvel’s What If…?,” the first animated series from Marvel Studios, taking inspiration from the comic books of the same name. Each episode will explore a pivotal moment from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and turn it on its head, leading the audience into uncharted territory

Walt Disney Animation Studios:

    “Into the Unknown: Making Frozen 2” documentary series showing the hard work and imagination that go into making one of the most highly-anticipated Walt Disney Animation Studios features

Pixar Animation Studios:

    Toy Story-based projects, “Forky Asks a Question” animated short series and “Lamp Life” short film

National Geographic:

  •     “The World According to Jeff Goldblum” documentary series where Jeff pulls back the curtain on a seemingly familiar object to reveal a world of astonishing connections, fascinating science, and a whole lot of big ideas
  •     “Magic of the Animal Kingdom” documentary series which takes viewers behind the scenes with the highly respected animal-care experts, veterinarians, and biologists at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Epcot’s SeaBase aquarium

Disney Television Animation:

    “The Phineas and Ferb Movie” (working title) animated film featuring many of the original voice cast

These titles will join previously announced scripted originals including “The Mandalorian,” the world’s first scripted live-action Star Wars series, the exclusive new season of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” the untitled Cassian Andor series starring Diego Luna and Alan Tudyk, the Marvel Studios series “Loki” starring Tom Hiddleston, “Monsters at Work,” “Diary of a Female President,” and live-action films “Lady and the Tramp,” “Noelle,” “Togo,” Timmy Failure” and “Stargirl.” Nonfiction series also announced earlier this week include “Be Our Chef,” “Cinema Relics: Iconic Art of the Movies (wt),” “Earthkeepers (wt),” “Encore!,” the untitled Walt Disney Imagineering documentary series, “Marvel’s 616,” “Marvel’s Hero Project,” “(Re)Connect,” “Rogue Trip,” and “Shop Class (wt).”

Additionally, Disney+ announced that all 30 seasons of “The Simpsons” will be available on the service on day one. In year one, audiences will also have access to family-friendly Fox titles like “The Sound of Music,” “The Princess Bride,” and “Malcolm in the Middle.” This content will join an impressive collection of more than 7,500 television episodes and 500 films including blockbuster hits from 2019 and beyond.

“We’re extremely excited about our growing portfolio of direct-to-consumer offerings. As we demonstrated today, with Disney+ we will deliver extraordinary entertainment in innovative ways to audiences around the world,” said Mr. Mayer. “We’ll continue to enhance the user experience with a constant pipeline of high-quality programming, making the service even more appealing to consumers.”

High-Quality Consumer Experience

Designed to super-serve the most ardent fans, Disney+ will provide subscribers with a feature-rich product experience that makes it easy to navigate, discover, and watch their favorite programming with immersive brand tiles and dedicated pages for Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. Subscribers will have the ability to create custom profiles with each receiving personalized experiences curated to their unique tastes based on past behaviors and preferred content.

The Disney+ service will be available on a wide range of mobile and connected TV devices, including gaming consoles, streaming media players, and smart TVs, and will adjust to the best possible high definition viewing experience based on a subscriber’s available bandwidth, with support for up to 4K HDR video playback. Fans will also have access to an unprecedented amount of content for offline viewing.

Following its U.S. debut, Disney+ will rapidly expand globally, with plans to be in nearly all major regions of the world within the next two years.

Visit DisneyPlus.com to register your email and be kept up to date on the service.


About Disney+
Launching in late 2019, Disney+ will be the ultimate streaming destination for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. From The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International segment, Disney+ will offer ad-free programming with a variety of original feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series and short-form content, along with unprecedented access to Disney’s incredible library of film and television entertainment. The service will also be the exclusive streaming home for films released by The Walt Disney Studios in 2019 and beyond, including “Captain Marvel,” “Avengers: Endgame,” “Aladdin,” “Toy Story 4,” “The Lion King,” “Frozen 2,”and “Star Wars: Episode IX.”

About Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International
Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment includes Disney’s international media operations stretching from Europe to Asia to Latin America and the Company’s direct-to-consumer streaming businesses, including the upcoming Disney+ service set to debut in the U.S. in late 2019 and ESPN+ which was launched in April 2018. DTCI also houses global advertising sales and ad technology for Disney media properties which include ABC, ESPN, Freeform, FX Networks, National Geographic, and the Disney Channels. The Company’s content sales operations—including global distribution of film and TV content to Disney+, Hulu and other third-party platforms, as well as Movies Anywhere—are also part of the Direct-to-Consumer & International business segment.

About The Walt Disney Company
Disney, together with its subsidiaries, is a diversified worldwide entertainment company with operations in four business segments: Media Networks; Parks, Experiences and Products; Studio Entertainment; and Direct-to-Consumer and International. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $59.4 billion in its Fiscal Year 2018. For more information about Disney, please visit www.thewaltdisneycompany.com.

Forward Looking Statements:

Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements may include expectations regarding our products including pricing, programming, functionality, timing, geographic availability and other statements. Forward-looking statements herein may contain words such as “will,” similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. These statements are made on the basis of management’s views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance as of the time the statements are made. Management does not undertake any obligation to update these statements. Actual events may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such differences may result from actions taken by the Company, as well as from developments beyond the Company’s control, including changes in competitive conditions; consumer preferences; international, political, health concern and military developments; and changes in domestic and global economic conditions that may affect our businesses generally. Additional factors are set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 29, 2018 under Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” and subsequent reports.

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Saturday, April 13, 2019

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 7th to 13th, 2019 - Updated #20

Support Leroy on Patreon:

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Apparently, there is going to be a sequel to the 2018 "Tomb Raider" reboot film, which now has a writer.

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SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Australian actor Geoffrey Rush, who has been besieged by accusations of inappropriate behavior, has won his defamation lawsuit in Australia against publisher, Nationwide News, which is owned by the deplorable Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. The Sydney, Australia newspaper, "Daily Telegraph," (owned by Nationwide) first published an article accusing Rush of inappropriate behavior towards a former co-star in 2017.

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MUSIC - From Yahoo:  Courtney Love and her band Hole's album, "Live Through This," is 25 years old.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Maestro Ryan Murphy has unveiled the titles of "American Horror Story" Season 9.  it is "AHS 1984."

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  "Avengers: Endgame" directors, brothers Anthony & Joe Russo, have signed a deal to oversee the refurbishment ("spiritual creative architects") of properties in the MGM library.

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COMICS-FILM - From TheRinger:  This article offers a profile of actor David Harbour, who is the new "Hellboy" and is currently starring in Netflix's "Stranger Things."

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CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  The death certificate for the slain rapper, Nipsey Hussle (March 31, 2019), has been released.  Details for the public memorial service, Thurs., April 11th, 2019, have also been released.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  AMC is ending its TV series, "Preacher," after the upcoming fourth season.

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MANGA-FILM - From ComicBook:  Apparently, the film "Akira" have major changes from its source material, the legendary manga, "Akira."

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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Warner Bros. starts working on a sequel to its new hit film, "Shazam."

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  AMC gives up more details on its third "Walking Dead" TV series.

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STREAMING - From TheWrap:  Netflix has announced that the Beyonce documentary, "Homecoming," will be released April 17th.  "Homecoming" is the documentary about Beyonce's "Coachella 2018" performance.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 4/5 to 4/7/2019 weekend box office is Warner Bros./DC Comics' superhero flick, "Shazam!," with an estimated take of 53.4 million dollars.

From Patreon:  A review of "Shazam!"

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MUSIC - From YahooFinance:  Beyonce's deal with Adidas could be really big for the German sportswear giant.

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MOVIES-MUSIC - From ShadowandAct:  April 13th is the date attached to Donald Glover, Rihanna, and Letitia Wright's "Guava Island."

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  The site offers a review of director Rashid Johnson's "Native Son," an update on Richard Wright's seminal novel of the same title.

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BUSINESS - From Deadline:  The WGA (Writers Guild of America) and ATA (Association of Talent Agencies) have reached an extension so that both parties can keep working on a new franchise agreement.

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  First teaser trailer for "Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker."

OBITS:

From ESPN:  Former NFL player and coach, Forrest Gregg, has died at the age of 85, Friday, April 12, 2019.  Known as the "Iron Man" for his then-record consecutive games played streak, Gregg was a part of six NFL championships, including two Super Bowl wins with the Green Bay Packers and one with the Dallas Cowboys.  As a coach, Gregg led the Cincinnati Bengals to Super Bowl XVI, where they lost to the San Francisco 49ers.

From NFL:  Forrest Gregg (Hall of Fame Class of 1977) through the years in this photo essay.
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From THR:  The actor, Seymour Cassel, has died at the age of 84, Sunday, April 7, 2019.  Cassel was a favorite of the late director, John Cassavetes, appearing in at least six of his films.  Cassel earned a best supporting actor nomination for his role in Cassavetes' "Faces."  He also appeared in three of director Wes Anderson's films.


Friday, April 12, 2019

Turner Classic Movies Celebrates 25 Years in April 2019

Turner Classic Movies Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary

Leading Authority On Classic Film Marks Its Silver Anniversary With Special Programming Salute Throughout the Entire Month of April

Two-Week Primetime Dedication Celebrates TCM’s Fandom with 25 Fans Joining Ben Mankiewicz as Guest Programmers

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Turner Classic Movies (TCM), considered throughout the industry as the definitive home of classic film and the leading authority on the genre, will celebrate its 25th anniversary on Sunday, April 14th, 2019. Over the past 25 years, the iconic network has offered movie lovers cinematic treasures that highlight the entire spectrum of film history, uncut and commercial-free.

To celebrate its silver anniversary, TCM will present an extensive on-air programming salute throughout the entire month of April showcasing popular programing from the TCM vault including six TCM originally produced specials such as Robert Osborne’s Best of Private Screenings and Live From The TCM Classic Film Festival: Norman Lloyd, as well as airing double features of The Best of The Essentials. Additionally, the network will air a two-week special primetime tribute with 25 of TCM’s biggest fans joining TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz as guest programmers with on-air dedications of their favorite films. The network will also launch an exclusive 25th anniversary merchandise collection featuring original archival artwork reflecting the legacy of TCM as well a commemorative 25th anniversary wine through the TCM Wine Club.

“TCM has remained true to its mission for a quarter century, airing films uncut and commercial free to a growing community of film lovers. And - we’ve truly been able to evolve the TCM brand from a cable TV network to a true lifestyle brand, with our fans at the core of everything we do,” said Jennifer Dorian, general manager of Turner Classic Movies. “Our passionate and engaged fanbase is the driving force behind our success, and it’s been thrilling to watch TCM become a gathering place for film lovers everywhere who come to us not only for the great films, but also to join a community of like-minded film lovers of all generations.”

“TCM has formed a bond with our fans like no other in television. They not only watch us, they watch over us. We wouldn’t have made it 25 years without our devoted community of movie lovers,” said Ben Mankiewicz, TCM Primetime Host. “Their passion for film keeps us laser-focused on our mission, to preserve and protect the legacy of classic films. And I fully expect that mission to be the same when we celebrate our 50th anniversary.”

Throughout April, TCM will air special anniversary programming including:

    April 14th Anniversary Salute - to celebrate its Silver Anniversary, TCM will air films from its first ever programming lineup in 1994 including Gone With the Wind (1939), It Happened One Night (1934), The Petrified Forest (1936) and Cat People (1942)

    25 Fan Guest Programmers – April 15th-26th – as part of a two-week primetime special, 25 of TCM’s biggest fans will join host Ben Mankiewicz as guest programmers, offering dedications of their favorite films of all time. Picked from a fan dedication contest, fans from all backgrounds and all over the U.S., are brought together through their love of classic film to help TCM celebrate 25 years on the air

    TCM Specials – April 29th - in honor of Robert Osborne's memory, TCM will present six specials from the TCM vault, including The Best of Private Screenings, a compilation of segments from Osbornes’ series of intimate interviews, hosted by Ben Mankiewicz. Also airing that evening are Private Screenings: Robert Osborne, Robert Osborne’s 20th Anniversary Tribute, Private Screenings: Liza Minnelli and Live From The TCM Classic Film Festival: Norman Lloyd

    Best of The Essentials – Every Saturday in April – TCM will present double features showcasing The Essentials every Saturday at 8 p.m. ET in April. The franchise highlights the movies that define what it means to be a “classic” and has featured hosts Rob Reiner, Sydney Pollack Peter Bogdanovich, Molly Haskell, Carrie Fisher, Rose McGowan, Alec Baldwin, Drew Barrymore, Sally Field, David Letterman, Tina Fey and William Freidkin

    Star of the Month: Greta Garbo – April 1st- 5th- the network returns to its first-ever Star of the Month, Greta Garbo, who was originally given that designation in 1994. She was not only the premiere Star of the Month but, in the minds of many, the number one film legend of all time

To view TCM’s 25 years of milestones, fun facts, videos and more, please visit tcm.com/25.


About Turner Classic Movies (TCM)
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a two-time Peabody Award-winning network that presents great films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world highlighting the entire spectrum of film history. TCM features the insights from Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz along with hosts Alicia Malone, Dave Karger and Eddie Muller, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests and serves as the ultimate movie lover destination. Currently in its 25th year as a leading authority in classic film, TCM offers critically acclaimed series like The Essentials, along with annual programming events like 31 Days of Oscar® in February and Summer Under the Stars in August. TCM also directly connects with movie fans through events as the annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, the TCM Big Screen Classics series in partnership with Fathom Events, as well as through the TCM Classic Film Tour in New York City and Los Angeles. In addition, TCM produces a wide range of media about classic film, including books and DVDs, and hosts a wealth of material online at tcm.com and through the Watch TCM mobile app.

Connect with Turner Classic Movies
Website: http://www.tcm.com
Pressroom: http://news.turner.com/tcm
Facebook: http://facebook.com/tcmtv
Twitter: http://twitter.com/tcm | http://twitter.com/tcmpr
TCM Store: http://shop.tcm.com

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Thursday, April 11, 2019

Skydance Signs Deal with "Daredevil" Actor, Lewaa Nasserdeen


Skydance Television Forms Exclusive Multi-Year Overall Deal with Lewaa Nasserdeen

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Skydance Television today announced that it has entered into an exclusive multi-year overall production agreement with actor-writer-producer Lewaa Nasserdeen (Daredevil). Under the deal, the highly sought after Nasserdeen will create, develop and produce original scripted series for the studio. The studio currently has multiple projects in development with Nasserdeen, which will be announced in the coming months.

    “As we continue to expand our development roster, it’s important for Skydance to partner with established producers as well as emerging showrunners like Lewaa who offer a bold, unique and fresh voice in television today.”

“Lewaa is a dynamic storyteller, producer, writer and actor and we couldn’t be more excited to join forces with such a creative talent,” said Marcy Ross, President of Skydance Television. “As we continue to expand our development roster, it’s important for Skydance to partner with established producers as well as emerging showrunners like Lewaa who offer a bold, unique and fresh voice in television today.”

“Skydance masterfully combines inspired world-building with rich and memorable characters. This is an ideal partnership that supports my passion to create indelible stories of untold perspectives that connect with a global audience,” said Nasserdeen. “I am thrilled to be working with the incredible team at Skydance Television.”

Lewaa Nasserdeen has a passion for exploring human stories across a wide breadth of genres. A prolific multi-hyphenate, Nasserdeen recently wrote, starred in, and executive produced Berlin, a half-hour dramedy produced by Jax Media. Prior to Berlin, Nasserdeen co-produced the critically-acclaimed third season of Marvel’s Daredevil for Netflix, and wrote and oversaw the much talked about fourth episode ('Blindsided') featuring the groundbreaking 11-minute prison fight sequence.

Deftly pivoting between drama and comedy, Nasserdeen got his start in television as a writer on the ABC hit series The Goldbergs and The Real O’Neals. He has also worked with HBO (Vinyl) and has a robust development slate with genres from horror to poignant drama. On the acting side, Lewaa recently guest-starred on an NCIS: New Orleans episode opposite Scott Bakula (Conspiracy Theories).

Skydance Television is coming off its most successful year-to-date, with five original series and a record amount of series renewals and projects in development. In addition to shooting the second season of Altered Carbon for Netflix, Skydance is currently in production on the sixth season of its hit comedy series Grace and Frankie, one of Netflix’s longest running series. Its current slate also includes the upcoming sci-fi drama Foundation for Apple TV+ and the second seasons of Condor for AT&T Audience Network and Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan for Amazon - the latter was recently greenlit for season three.


About Skydance Television
Skydance Media is a diversified media company founded by David Ellison in 2010 to create high-quality, event-level entertainment for global audiences. Skydance Television, the rapidly growing and critically acclaimed television division launched in 2013, is now a leading supplier of premium scripted content to broadcast, cable, and digital platforms. Its diverse slate of original series currently includes two Emmy-nominated series, Grace and Frankie and Altered Carbon on Netflix, Condor on AT&T Audience Network, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan on Amazon and Foundation on Apple.

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Turner Classic Movies to Honor Founder Ted Turner at Its Film Festival

Turner Classic Movies To Honor Founder and Media Icon Ted Turner On Opening Night Of The 10th Annual TCM Classic Film Festival

Tribute Will Include Exclusive Interview with Ted Turner in Honor of TCM’s 25th Anniversary Celebration

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will honor its founder and media titan, Ted Turner, on opening night of the 10th annual TCM Classic Film Festival on April 11, 2019. TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz sat down for an exclusive interview with Mr. Turner where they explored Turner’s cultural impact on the film and television industry, his deep passion for preserving and sharing classic film with future generations, and the special place TCM holds in the entertainment industry. The interview and video tribute will premiere on opening night of the festival with Mr. Turner in attendance.

    NEWS: @TCM To Honor Founder and Media Icon Ted Turner On Opening Night Of The 10th Annual #TCMFF

“Without Ted Turner there simply would be no Turner Classic Movies. Ted’s maverick spirit saw the potential in utilizing Hollywood’s great film libraries on a TV network that could serve as a home for these iconic classics,” said Jennifer Dorian, general manager of TCM. “There is no greater place to honor his work and his legacy than at the TCM Classic Film Festival while the brand celebrates its 25th anniversary - a milestone we couldn’t have reached without Ted’s incredible vision.”

“Turner Classic Movies was a passion project of mine, born of my love for classic films,” said Ted Turner. “I’m very proud to have played a role in honoring these great works through the years, and hope they continue to provide just as much joy and entertainment to TCM viewers as they have to me.”

To view an exclusive clip from the tribute to Ted Turner, please visit here or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU8a55ummRs&feature=youtu.be


About TCM
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a two-time Peabody Award-winning network that presents great films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world highlighting the entire spectrum of film history. TCM features the insights from Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz along with hosts Alicia Malone and Dave Karger, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests and serves as the ultimate movie lover destination. Currently in its 25th year as a leading authority in classic film, TCM offers critically acclaimed series like The Essentials, along with annual programming events like 31 Days of Oscar® in February and Summer Under the Stars in August. TCM also directly connects with movie fans through events as the annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, the TCM Big Screen Classics series in partnership with Fathom Events, as well as through the TCM Classic Film Tour in New York City and Los Angeles. In addition, TCM produces a wide range of media about classic film, including books and DVDs, and hosts a wealth of material online at tcm.com and through the Watch TCM mobile app.

Connect with TCM:
Website: http://www.tcm.com
Pressroom: http://news.turner.com/tcm
Facebook: http://facebook.com/tcmtv
Twitter: http://twitter.com/tcmpr

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Tuesday, April 9, 2019

WWE Studios and A&E Unite for WWE "Biography" Films

A&E Network Partners with WWE® Studios to Produce Five Original Documentaries about Legendary WWE® Hall of Famers under the Celebrated ‘Biography’ Banner

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A&E Network is partnering with WWE Studios to produce five original two-hour documentaries under the award-winning “Biography” banner showcasing some of the most iconic WWE Superstars of all time, including “Macho Man” Randy Savage®, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper™, Booker T®, Stone Cold Steve Austin®, and Shawn Michaels®. Through these in-depth films helmed by some of the industry’s top directors and storytellers, “Biography” continues its focus on meaningful events and personalities as well as their impact on our culture. Through new and archival interviews and never-before-seen footage, each feature length film will give fans an in-depth look at the early lives, rise to fame and careers of some of the most influential stars in WWE history.

    “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”

“We are thrilled for the tremendous opportunity to partner with WWE Studios to produce these special films that honor some of the most impactful personalities who have left a lasting imprint on pop culture,” said Elaine Frontain Bryant, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming, A&E Network.

“We are thrilled to partner with A&E, and be in business with award-winning directors Billy Corben, Joe Lavine and George Roy, as we bring these documentaries to life,” said Susan Levison, Senior Vice President & Head of WWE Studios. “This project further solidifies WWE Studios’ commitment to deliver new programming across genres and platforms.”

The first three films, currently in pre-production and slated to air in Spring 2020, include:

Biography: “Macho Man” Randy Savage – Directed by Billy Corben (“Cocaine Cowboys,” “Screwball,” “The U”), this film will tell the larger-than-life story of one of the most colorful and charismatic Superstars to ever step foot inside the ring. With two WWE Championships, four WCW® World Championships and a 14-month reign as Intercontinental Champion, Savage became known for his famous catch phrases, larger-than-life personality and the enormous, flashy robes he wore into the ring. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015.

Biography: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper – Directed by Emmy and Peabody Award winner Joe Lavine (ESPN 30 for 30 “Playing for the Mob,” HBO “Namath”) this film focuses on “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, who is universally considered one of WWE’s greatest villains. During his Hall of Fame career, he played the role of the antagonist against a who’s who of WWE greats, while amassing more than 30 championships.

Biography: Booker T – Directed by Emmy and Peabody Award winner George Roy (“The Curse of the Bambino”, “Mayweather”), this film showcases one of the greatest Superstars in sports entertainment history. Booker T is an 11-time WCW Tag Team Champion, a six-time World Champion, winner of the 2006 King of the Ring Tournament, and a two-time (2013 and 2019) inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame. In addition to his Hall of Fame career in the ring, Booker T also went on to become a color commentator for WWE’s weekly programming.

Directors for Biography: Stone Cold Steve Austin and Biography: Shawn Michaels will be announced at a later date. These films are slated to air in 2021.

The celebrated ‘Biography’ brand continues to highlight newsworthy personalities and events with compelling and surprising points-of-view and remains the defining source for true stories from some of the most accomplished non-fiction storytellers of our time. Extensive on-air and branded digital content, including short form, will roll-out on all platforms, including Biography.com, the home to hundreds of profiles of notable cultural figures and influencers.

The WWE “Biography” documentaries are produced by WWE Studios for A&E Network. Executive producers for WWE Studios are Kevin Dunn, Chris Kaiser and Richard Lowell. Executive producers for A&E Network are Elaine Frontain Bryant and Brad Abramson.


About A&E Network
A&E leads the cultural conversation through high-quality, thought provoking original programming with a unique point of view. Whether it’s the network’s distinctive brand of award-winning disruptive reality, or groundbreaking documentary, A&E always makes entertainment an art. The A&E website is located at aetv.com. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/aetv and Facebook at facebook.com/AETV. For more press information and photography please visit us at press.aenetworks.com.

About WWE
WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE:WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The Company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE’s TV-PG, family-friendly programming can be seen in more than 800 million homes worldwide in 25 languages. WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 over-the-top premium network that includes all live pay-per-views, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library, is currently available in more than 180 countries. The Company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai, Munich and Tokyo. Additional information on WWE (NYSE:WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to: entering, maintaining and renewing major distribution agreements; WWE Network (including the risk that we are unable to attract, retain and renew subscribers); our need to continue to develop creative and entertaining programs and events; the possibility of a decline in the popularity of our brand of sports entertainment; the continued importance of key performers and the services of Vincent K. McMahon; possible adverse changes in the regulatory atmosphere and related private sector initiatives; the highly competitive, rapidly changing and increasingly fragmented nature of the markets in which we operate and greater financial resources or marketplace presence of many of our competitors; uncertainties associated with international markets; our difficulty or inability to promote and conduct our live events and/or other businesses if we do not comply with applicable regulations; our dependence on our intellectual property rights, our need to protect those rights, and the risks of our infringement of others’ intellectual property rights; the complexity of our rights agreements across distribution mechanisms and geographical areas; potential substantial liability in the event of accidents or injuries occurring during our physically demanding events including, without limitation, claims relating to CTE; large public events as well as travel to and from such events; our feature film business; our expansion into new or complementary businesses and/or strategic investments; our computer systems and online operations; privacy norms and regulations; a possible decline in general economic conditions and disruption in financial markets; our accounts receivable; our indebtedness; litigation; our potential failure to meet market expectations for our financial performance, which could adversely affect our stock; Vincent K. McMahon exercises control over our affairs, and his interests may conflict with the holders of our Class A common stock; a substantial number of shares are eligible for sale by the McMahons and the sale, or the perception of possible sales, of those shares could lower our stock price; and the relatively small public “float” of our Class A common stock. In addition, our dividend is dependent on a number of factors, including, among other things, our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan (including alternative uses of capital), our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends (including under our revolving credit facility), general economic and competitive conditions and such other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant. Forward-looking statements made by the Company speak only as of the date made and are subject to change without any obligation on the part of the Company to update or revise them. Undue reliance should not be placed on these statements. For more information about risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business, please refer to the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” sections of the Company’s SEC filings, including, but not limited to, our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.

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Monday, April 8, 2019

BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for April 10, 2019

BOOM! STUDIOS

FEB191277    BY NIGHT #10 (OF 12) MAIN LARSEN CVR    $3.99
FEB191278    BY NIGHT #10 (OF 12) PREORDER STERN VAR    $3.99
FEB191261    EMPTY MAN #6 MAIN    $3.99
FEB191262    EMPTY MAN #6 PREORDER HERVAS VAR    $3.99
FEB191250    FAITHLESS #1 (OF 5) CVR B LOTAY EROTICA VAR (MR)    $4.99
JAN199098    FAITHLESS #1 (OF 5) FOC BERMEJO VAR (MR)    $3.99
FEB191249    FAITHLESS #1 (OF 5) MAIN CVR POPE (MR)    $3.99
JAN199265    FIREFLY #3 (3RD PTG)    $3.99
FEB191266    GO GO POWER RANGERS #19 MAIN & MIX    $3.99
FEB191267    GO GO POWER RANGERS #19 PREORDER MOK VAR    $3.99
DEC181374    JIM HENSONS FRAGGLE ROCK ROUGH SIDE OF ROCK HC    $9.99
DEC181368    MECH CADET YU TP VOL 03    $14.99
DEC181353    PLANET OF THE APES ARTIST TRIBUTE HC    $24.99
JAN199266    RONIN ISLAND #2 FOC ANKA VAR    $3.99
FEB191256    RONIN ISLAND #2 MAIN    $3.99
FEB191257    RONIN ISLAND #2 PREORDER YOUNG VAR    $3.99