Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts

Friday, July 14, 2023

Apple TV+ Trumpets Its 54 Emmy Award Nominations at the 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards

Apple lands record 54 Emmy Award nominations, and makes history as “Ted Lasso” becomes the most Emmy-nominated comedy for the third consecutive year, and “STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” becomes most-nominated documentary

Apple Originals honored with nominations across 13 hit titles, including “Ted Lasso,” “STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” “Shrinking,” “Black Bird,” “Bad Sisters,” “Schmigadoon!,” “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me,” “The Problem with Jon Stewart,” “Carpool Karaoke: The Series,” “For All Mankind,” “Five Days at Memorial,” “Hello Tomorrow!” and “Prehistoric Planet”

“Ted Lasso” once again leads as this year's most-nominated comedy with 21 Emmy nominations

Broadly celebrated documentary “STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” leads documentaries with seven nominations, including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special

Apple TV+ breaks through in late night as “The Problem with Jon Stewart” lands three nominations including Outstanding Talk Series

Apple Original programs “Ted Lasso,” “Shrinking,” “Bad Sisters” and “Black Bird” are honored with 15 acting nominations for acclaimed performances

“Carpool Karaoke: The Series” scores sixth series nomination, following five consecutive wins

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apple TV+ makes history with a record 54 Emmy Award nominations across 13 hit Apple Original titles, catapulting to the third most Emmy-nominated network in just over three years since its global launch. Apple Originals land major category nominations including Outstanding Comedy series for this year’s most Emmy-nominated comedy “Ted Lasso”; Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special for “STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” which also leads as this year’s most Emmy-nominated documentary; Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special for late night breakout “The Problem with Jon Stewart”; and Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series for “Carpool Karaoke: The Series.” Nominations for the 75th Emmy Awards were announced by the Television Academy and the winners are set to be unveiled at a ceremony on September 18, 2023.

“These brilliantly original stories have made us laugh, given us a greater sense of empathy and a fresh understanding of our world through many different genres of storytelling,” said Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “We are in awe of the unique talents of the casts and crews that have brought these fantastic programs to audiences across the globe and we thank the Television Academy for these honors.”

“We are incredibly grateful to the Television Academy for recognizing this wide array of Apple Original programming,” said Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “It has been an absolute pleasure to collaborate with these gifted artists and we couldn’t be happier to see them acknowledged for their exceptional work today. We send our warmest congratulations to all of the nominees.”

Global phenomenon “Ted Lasso” becomes the most-nominated comedy for the third consecutive year with 21 in total, expanding its nominations for its acclaimed third season. The series also lands nine total acting nominations, becoming only the fifth comedy in history to receive Emmy Award nominations for all of its original series regulars, joining “All in the Family,” “Golden Girls,” “Schitt’s Creek” and “Will & Grace.” Emmy Award-winning stars Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham are recognized with back-to-back nominations for season three. Stars Phil Dunster and Juno Temple, and guest stars Sam Richardson, Sarah Niles, Harriet Walter and Becky Ann Baker also land acting nominations.

Apple Original documentary “STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” leads this year’s documentary films and docuseries with a total of seven Emmy Award nominations including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special and Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Special.

For the first year, Apple TV+ breaks through in late night programming as “The Problem with Jon Stewart” is recognized with nominations for Outstanding Talk Series, Directing for a Variety Series, and Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Series.

Apple Originals “Shrinking,” “Bad Sisters,” “Black Bird,” “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me,” “Prehistoric Planet,” “Five Days at Memorial” and “Hello Tomorrow!” are recognized with first-time Emmy Award nominations. In addition, “Carpool Karaoke: The Series” scores with its sixth consecutive series nomination, following its fifth win in a row.

Apple TV+ series stars earn 15 acting category nominations, including nine top acting nominations for acclaimed performances in the third season of “Ted Lasso,” and first-time nominations for “Shrinking” stars Jason Segel and Jessica Williams, and “Black Bird” stars Taron Egerton and Paul Walter Hauser. Sharon Horgan lands her first acting nomination in the Lead Actress in a Drama Series category for her celebrated performance in hit “Bad Sisters.”

In 2022, “Ted Lasso” joined the ranks of comedy legends with its win for Outstanding Comedy Series for its first and second seasons, becoming only the eighth series in the genre in 74 years of Emmy history to do so. The second season of “Ted Lasso” also became the most Emmy-winning comedy for the second year in a row with four total wins, including Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Jason Sudeikis), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Brett Goldstein), and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (MJ Delaney).

In total, Apple scores 54 Emmy Award nominations including:

“Ted Lasso” season three (21):
Outstanding Comedy Series
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series - Jason Sudeikis
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - Phil Dunster
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - Brett Goldstein
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Juno Temple
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Hannah Waddingham
Guest Actor in a Comedy Series - Sam Richardson
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series - Becky Ann Baker
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series - Sarah Niles
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series - Harriet Walter
Directing for a Comedy Series - Declan Lowney
Casting for a Comedy Series
Writing in a Comedy Series
Picture Editing for a Single-Camera Series - A.J. Catoline, ACE + Alex Szabo
Picture Editing for a Single-Camera Series - Melissa McCoy + Francesca Castro
Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary (One Hour or More)
Contemporary Hairstyling
Original Music and Lyrics - “Fought & Lost”
Original Music and Lyrics - “A Beautiful Game”
Music Supervision
Special Visual Effects in a Single Episode

“STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” (7):
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program
Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program
Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program
Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special
Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program
Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction Program

“Bad Sisters” (4):
Lead Actress in a Drama Series - Sharon Horgan
Directing in a Drama Series - Dearbhla Walsh
Writing in a Drama Series
Casting for a Drama Series

“Black Bird” (4):
Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie - Taron Egerton
Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie - Paul Walter Hauser
Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie - Ray Liotta
Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

“Schmigadoon!” season two (3):
Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour)
Choreography for a Scripted Program
Cinematography for a Series (Half-Hour)

“The Problem with Jon Stewart” season two (3):
Outstanding Talk Series
Directing for a Variety Series
Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Series

“Shrinking” (2):
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series - Jason Segel
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Jessica Williams

“Five Days at Memorial” (1):
Special Visual Effects in a Single Episode

“Prehistoric Planet” season two (1):
Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special

“Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me” (1):
Writing for a Nonfiction Program

“For All Mankind” season three experience (1)"
Emerging Media Program

“Carpool Karaoke: The Series” season five (1):
Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series

“Hello Tomorrow!” (1):
Main Title Design

Outstanding Commercial (4):
Apple - The Greatest - Accessibility
Call Me with Timothee Chalamet - Apple TV+
Quiet the Noise - AirPods
R.I.P. Leon - Apple

“Bad Sisters”:
In “Bad Sisters,” the tight-knit Garvey sisters have always looked out for each other. When their brother-in-law winds up dead, his life insurers launch an investigation to prove malicious intent — and set their sights on the sisters, all of whom had ample reason to kill him. The “Bad Sisters” ensemble cast is led by Sharon Horgan, Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene and Eve Hewson as the Garvey sisters. Claes Bang, Brian Gleeson, Daryl McCormack, Assaad Bouab and newcomer Saise Quinn round out the ensemble cast.

The series is executive produced and written by Horgan with Brett Baer and Dave Finkel, who adapted it from the Belgian version of the series “Clan,” which was created by Malin-Sarah Gozin. Horgan, Faye Dorn and Clelia Mountford executive produce for Merman; and Gozin, Bert Hamelinck and Michael Sagol executive produce for Caviar. In addition to Horgan, Baer and Finkel, the series is written by Karen Cogan, Ailbhe Keogan, Daniel Cullen, Perrie Balthazar and Paul Howard. Dearbhla Walsh, Josephine Bornebusch and Rebecca Gatward serve as directors. Walsh also serves as executive producer. “Bad Sisters” is produced by Merman Television and ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios.

“Black Bird”:
Inspired by actual events, when high school football hero and decorated policeman’s son Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton) is sentenced to 10 years in a minimum security prison, he is given the choice of a lifetime — enter a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser), or stay where he is and serve his full sentence with no possibility of parole. Keene quickly realizes his only way out is to elicit a confession and find out where the bodies of several young girls are buried before Hall’s appeal goes through. But is this suspected killer telling the truth? Or is it just another tale from a serial liar? This dramatic and captivating story subverts the crime genre by enlisting the help of the very people put behind bars to solve its mysteries.

“Black Bird” is developed, written and executive produced by Dennis Lehane. The first three episodes are directed by Academy Award nominee Michaël R. Roskam, who also serves as executive producer. Lehane, Egerton and Roskam executive produce alongside Richard Plepler through his EDEN Productions; Bradley Thomas, Dan Friedkin and Ryan Friedkin executive produce through Imperative Entertainment; Alexandra Milchan and Scott Lambert executive produce through EMJAG Productions; and Kary Antholis also executive produces, along with the book’s author Keene. Jim McKay and Joe Chappelle also direct. The limited series is produced for Apple TV+ by Apple Studios.

“Carpool Karaoke: The Series”:
This season, the stars — sharing a car, singing along to their personal playlists and embarking on new adventures — include Kevin Bacon, Michael Bacon, Ciara, Brian Cox, Chelsea Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Alan Cumming, Duran Duran, Nikki Glaser, Method Man, Sandra Oh, Chris Redd, Amber Ruffin, Wilco, Russell Wilson, the cast of “For All Mankind” and more.

“Carpool Karaoke: The Series” is produced for Apple by CBS Studios and Fulwell 73 Productions with executive producers James Corden, Eric Pankowski and Ben Winston.

“Five Days at Memorial”:
From Academy Award winner John Ridley and Emmy Award winner Carlton Cuse, who both also serve as directors, and starring an award-winning ensemble cast that includes Vera Farmiga, Cornelius Smith Jr. and Emmy Award winner Cherry Jones, “Five Days at Memorial” chronicles the impact of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath on a local hospital. When the floodwaters rose, power failed, and heat soared, exhausted caregivers at a New Orleans hospital were forced to make decisions that would follow them for years to come.

In addition to Farmiga, Smith Jr. and Jones, the limited series stars Robert Pine, Julie Ann Emery, Adepero Oduye, Molly Hager, Michael Gaston and W. Earl Brown.

“Five Days at Memorial” is executive produced and written by Cuse and Ridley, the series is directed by Cuse, Ridley and Wendey Stanzler. The series hails from ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios.

“For All Mankind”:
The propulsive third season of the alternate reality series, takes viewers to a new decade, moving into the early ’90s with a high-octane race to a new planetary frontier: Mars. The Red Planet becomes the new front in the Space Race not only for the US and the Soviet Union, but also an unexpected new entrant with a lot to prove and even more at stake. Our characters find themselves going head-to-head as their ambitions for Mars come into conflict and their loyalties are tested, creating a pressure cooker that builds to a climactic conclusion.

“For All Mankind” is created by Emmy Award winner Moore, and Emmy Award nominees Nedivi and Wolpert. Nedivi and Wolpert serve as showrunners, and executive produce alongside Moore and Davis of Tall Ship Productions, as well as David Weddle, Bradley Thompson and Nichole Beattie. “For All Mankind” is produced by Sony Pictures Television.

“Hello Tomorrow!”:
“Hello Tomorrow!” is an inspiring dramedy starring and executive produced by Emmy and Critics Choice Award winner Billy Crudup. Set in a retro-future world, “Hello Tomorrow!” centers on a group of traveling salesmen hawking lunar timeshares. Crudup stars as Jack, a salesman of great talent and ambition, whose unshakeable faith in a brighter tomorrow inspires his coworkers, revitalizes his desperate customers, but threatens to leave him dangerously lost in the very dream that sustains him. The ensemble cast starring alongside Crudup includes Haneefah Wood, Alison Pill, Nicholas Podany, Dewshane Williams, Emmy Award winner Hank Azaria, Matthew Maher and Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver.

Co-created by Amit Bhalla and Lucas Jansen, “Hello Tomorrow!” is produced by MRC Television. Stephen Falk, Jonathan Entwistle, Bhalla and Jansen serve as executive producers alongside Crudup. Blake Griffin, Ryan Kalil and Noah Weinstein serve as executive producers for Mortal Media.

“Prehistoric Planet”:
The series, from executive producers Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton and BBC Studios Natural History Unit (“Planet Earth”), and narrated by Sir David Attenborough with an original score by Hans Zimmer, Anže Rozman and Kara Talve from Bleeding Fingers Music, transports viewers back millions of years in the past to discover our world — and the dinosaurs that roamed it — all in extraordinary detail. Viewers explore five new habitats, including the active volcanoes of India, the marshlands of Madagascar, the deep oceans near North America and so much more. Throughout this season, the series and its creators take you up close into dinosaurs’ habitats to experience the dangers, the adventures and even the camaraderie between species unlike any we’ve seen before.

“Prehistoric Planet” combines award-winning wildlife filmmaking, the latest paleontology learnings and state-of-the-art technology to unveil the spectacular habitats and inhabitants of ancient Earth for a one-of-a-kind immersive experience. The series is produced by the world-renowned team at BBC Studios Natural History Unit with support from the photorealistic visual effects of MPC applied to concept art created by Jellyfish Pictures. The theme is by Hans Zimmer and Andrew Christie for Bleeding Fingers Music, with an original score by Zimmer, Anže Rozman and Kara Talve for Bleeding Fingers Music.

“The Problem with Jon Stewart”:
Acclaimed host, writer, producer, director and advocate Jon Stewart, recipient of the 2022 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, leads with compassion and humor as he takes a deep dive into some of the most important issues of our time. Using comedy and common sense, the series features tough, topical and culture-moving conversations from the perspectives of stakeholders, experts and individuals confronting these issues.

The Writers Guild Award-nominated series “The Problem With Jon Stewart” is hosted and executive produced by Stewart through his Busboy Productions. The series is executive produced by showrunner Brinda Adhikari, alongside Stewart’s longtime manager James Dixon, Chris McShane and Richard Plepler through his Eden Productions, which has an exclusive overall production deal with Apple. Lorrie Baranek and Reza Riazi are supervising producers and Kris Acimovic is head writer.

“Schmigadoon!”:
Having found true love in the town of Schmigadoon, season two of “Schmigadoon!” finds Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) and Melissa (Cecily Strong) in Schmicago, the reimagined world of ’60s and ’70s musicals. The second season of Apple’s broadly acclaimed comedy includes new original musical numbers from co-creator, executive producer and showrunner Cinco Paul, as well as returning stars Cecily Strong, Keegan-Michael Key, Ariana DeBose, Martin Short, Dove Cameron, Jaime Camil, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Ann Harada, Jane Krakowski and Aaron Tveit with Tituss Burgess and Patrick Page joined the cast for season two.

“Schmigadoon!” hails from Broadway Video and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. “Schmigadoon!” is co-created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. Paul serves as showrunner and wrote all of the original songs for the series. Lorne Michaels and Andrew Singer serve as executive producers, Micah Frank serves as co-executive producer, and star Cecily Strong and Caroline Maroney serve as producers.

“Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me”:
“Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me” is a documentary feature about singer, songwriter, actress, producer, entrepreneur and activist Selena Gomez, “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me,” directed and produced by Alek Keshishian.

After years in the limelight, Selena Gomez achieves unimaginable stardom. But just as she reaches a new peak, an unexpected turn pulls her into darkness. This uniquely raw and intimate documentary spans her six-year journey into a new light. This film marks the second project for Apple with producers Lighthouse Management + Media and Interscope Films following their collaboration on the Emmy Award-nominated documentary “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry.”

“Shrinking”:
Starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford in one of his first television roles, “Shrinking” follows grieving therapist Jimmy (Segel) who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own. In addition to Segel and Ford (Paul), the series stars Jessica Williams (Gaby), Christa Miller (Liz), Lukita Maxwell (Alice), Michael Urie (Brian) and Luke Tennie (Sean).

Co-created by Emmy Award-winning “Ted Lasso” executive producer Bill Lawrence, Emmy Award-winning “Ted Lasso” star, writer and co-executive producer Brett Goldstein, and Segel, “Shrinking” is produced by Warner Bros. Television, where Lawrence and Goldstein are under overall deals, and Lawrence’s Doozer Productions. Lawrence, Segel, Goldstein, Neil Goldman, James Ponsoldt, Randall Winston, Jeff Ingold and Liza Katzer serve as executive producers.

“STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie”:
“STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” starring Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan, is directed by Academy Award winner Davis Guggenheim. The film, which incorporates documentary, archival and scripted elements, recounts Fox’s extraordinary story in his own words — the improbable tale of an undersized kid from a Canadian army base who rose to the heights of stardom in 1980s Hollywood. The account of Fox’s public life, full of nostalgic thrills and cinematic gloss, unspools alongside his never-before-seen private journey, including the years that followed his diagnosis, at 29, with Parkinson’s disease. Intimate and honest, and produced with unprecedented access to Fox and his family, the film chronicles Fox’s personal and professional triumphs and travails, and explores what happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease. With a mix of adventure and romance, comedy and drama, watching the film feels like … well, like a Michael J. Fox movie.

“STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” is produced by Concordia Studio. Guggenheim, Annetta Marion, Will Cohen and Jonathan King serve as producers, with Laurene Powell Jobs, Jonathan Silberberg, Nicole Stott and Fox’s longtime producing partner Nelle Fortenberry executive producing. The project marks the second partnership for Apple and Concordia Studio following the Emmy Award-winning documentary “Boys State.”

“Ted Lasso”:
Jason Sudeikis is Ted Lasso, an American football coach hired to manage a British soccer team — despite having no experience. But what he lacks in knowledge, he makes up for with optimism, underdog determination — and biscuits. The widely acclaimed series also stars Hannah Waddingham, Brendan Hunt, Jeremy Swift, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Phil Dunster, and Nick Mohammed.

In addition to starring, Sudeikis serves as executive producer, alongside Bill Lawrence via his Doozer Productions, in association with Warner Bros. and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. Doozer’s Jeff Ingold also serves as an executive producer, with Liza Katzer as co-executive producer. The series was developed by Sudeikis, Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly, and is based on the preexisting format and characters from NBC Sports.

All programs are currently streaming on Apple TV+.:
Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut.


About Apple TV+:
Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $6.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.*

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Saturday, April 8, 2023

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 1st to 8th, 2023 - Update #19

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Damson Idris, star of FX's "Snowfall," has been chosen to co-star with Brad Pitt in Apple Studios, Joseph Kosinki, and Jerry Bruckheimer's F1 racing movie.

STAR WARS - From THR:  Disney announces new "Star Wars" films, including one starring Daisy Ridley and directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

MOVIES - From THR:  The film critics at "The Hollywood Reporter" pick the "50 Best Films of the 21st Century (So Far)."

SCANDAL - From DeadlineIrving Cartagena, the drug dealer who sold actor Michael K. Williams the drugs that killed him in 2021, has pleaded guilty to “one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl analogue, fentanyl, and heroin.”  He will serve a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Emmy-winner Donald Glover has revealed that Malia Obama, the elder daughter of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, is developing a short film via  his production company, "Gilga."

DISNEY - From DeadlineDisney+ has unveiled "Pauline," a German original about a teenager who falls in love with the devil from the team behind Netflix’s "How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast)."

TRUMP - From Truthout:  Today, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, former President Donald Trump was formally arraigned by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office in New York City, making him the first former president to be indicted in United States history.

From ManhattanDA:  Read the full indictment of Donald J. Trump in PDF form from the Manhanttan District Attorney's website.

From Truthout:  Former President Donald Trump and his ratchet campaign are leveraging misinformation and anti-Jewish conspiracy theories to turn the media circus around his indictment in New York into a cash cow. 

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Warner Bros. has unleashed "Barbie" movie posters.  The Greta Gerwig-directed film stars Margot Robbie as "Barbie" and Ryan Gosling as "Ken" and is due July 21, 2023.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Recent Oscar-nominee, Austin Butler ("Elvis"), will play crime boss, "Danny Ryan," in Sony 3000 Pictures' film adaptation of Don Winslow's 2022 novel, "City on Fire."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director Michael Mann is considering "Heat 2," as his next film. It would be a sequel to his 1995 classic, "Heat."  Mann is currently in post-production on his current film, "Ferrari," which stars Adam Driver, the possible lead in "Heat 2"

DISNEY - From VarietyDisney is set to make a live-action remake of its 2016 animated film, "Moana."  Dwayne Johnson, who made the announcement and performed a voice role in the original, is set to return for the remake.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 3/31 to 4/2/2023 weekend box office is Paramount Pictures' "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" with an estimated gross of 38.5 million dollars.

From Variety:  "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" opens with 33 millions dollars at the international box office.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  The BBC is cancelling its hit comedy, "Ghosts," after its upcoming fifth season.  The series was remade as CBS' hit comedy, "Ghosts."

OBITS:

From Variety:  Japanese composer and record producer, Ryuichi Sakamoto, has died at the age of 71, Tuesday, March 28, 2023.  He won an Oscar with David Byrne and Cong Su for composing the music for the film, "The Last Emperor" (1987). His film music also won him a two Golden Globes, a BAFTA, and a Grammy Award.  He also composed the music for such films as "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence," "The Sheltering Sky" (1990), "Little Buddha" (1993), and "The Revenant" (2015).  With his band, "Yellow Magic Orchestra," he was a pioneer in several electronic music genres.

From THR:  Television producer, N'Neka Garland, has died at the age of 49, Monday, March 27, 2023.  She was best known for her 22-year association with the daytime TV soap opera, "General Hospital."  She began as an assistant to veteran producer, Jill Farren Phelps, but she eventually worked her way up to series producer.  In 2021, she shared a Daytime Emmy award win for "Outstanding Drama Series," after being nominated in that category the previous two years.  Garland was also the half-sister of the late hip-hop and rap legend, Tupac Shakur.

From THR:  Animator and animation filmmaker, Leo D. Sullivan, has died at the age of 82, Saturday, March 25, 2023.  Sullivan was a groundbreaking African-American animator and a pioneer in Black animation.  Sullivan also was a writer, producer, director, layout artist and storyboard artist at studios including Hanna-Barbera, Warner Bros., Filmation, DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, DIC Entertainment and Marvel Productions.  He worked on TV series featuring such characters as Scooby-Doo, Fat Albert, and the Animanicas, to name a few.  Sullivan also helped animated the original locomotive and graphics for the syndicated music series, "Soul Train."  Sullivan co-founded the first Black-owned animation production company, Vignette Films.


Sunday, March 12, 2023

35th Annual Scripter Awards Honor Film "Women Talking" and Apple TV+'s "Slow Horses"

Writers of ‘Women Talking,’ ‘Slow Horses’ Win 35th-annual Scripter Awards

Scripter emcee Glenn Sonnenberg, screenwriter Will Smith, writer Miriam Toews, writer Mick Herron, screenwriter Sarah Polley (Photo: Business Wire)

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The writers behind the film “Women Talking” and the series “Slow Horses” received the 35th-annual USC Libraries Scripter Awards at USC’s Doheny Memorial Library.

“You remained engaged, committed, and invested during a time of uncertainty and change, and I thank you for staying so connected to our libraries.”

The Scripter Awards recognize the year’s most accomplished adaptations of the written word for the big screen and episodic series.

Glenn Sonnenberg, who co-founded the Scripter Awards in 1988 with Marjorie Lord Volk, served as master of ceremonies. In his opening remarks, Sonnenberg acknowledged that this was the first year the Scripters were presented in person since January 2020, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic upended normal life.

“I’m grateful for the support of the Scripter community, particularly since 2020,” Sonnenberg said. “You remained engaged, committed, and invested during a time of uncertainty and change, and I thank you for staying so connected to our libraries.”

In the episodic series category, novelist Mick Herron and screenwriter Will Smith took home Scripters for the episode “Failure’s Contagious,” from the Apple TV+ series “Slow Horses,” which Smith adapted from Herron’s book of the same name.

“It’s an absolute privilege to be on the short list tonight,” Mick Herron said, “these are some of the best books you’ll ever read, made into some of the best TV you’ll ever see.”

“The only real test for me in fiction is do I believe it,” Will Smith said, “I love it when I read a book and feel the characters have a life before and after, and I always feel that with Mick’s writing.”

In the film category, the winners were screenwriter Sarah Polley and novelist Miriam Toews for “Women Talking.”

“There’s not another person, another writer, another filmmaker, that I would entrust my book to other than Sarah Polley,” Toews said.

Sarah Polley described Toews’s work as “searing, uncompromising, funny, and wise,” commenting that “with this book she offered the world an offramp from grief and rage toward what true democracy might look like.”

Earlier in the evening, longtime USC Libraries Board of Councilors member Jim Childs received the Ex Libris Award, which honored his exceptional commitment to the libraries.

In-kind donors included Andrew Murray Vineyards, Bloomsbury Publishing and Penguin Random House.

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Friday, September 24, 2021

Apple TV+ Celebrates 11 Emmy Wins and Success of "Ted Lasso"

Apple’s global hit comedy series “Ted Lasso” scores history-making win for Outstanding Comedy Series at the 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards

Apple TV+ becomes first streaming service in history to land top program award in its second year of eligibility

“Ted Lasso” honored with seven Emmy Awards as Apple TV+ earns 11 Emmy Awards across five programs


CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apple® became the first streaming service to secure an Emmy Award in a program category in only its second year of eligibility. After Apple’s “Ted Lasso” broke records as the most nominated freshman comedy in Emmy Award history, tonight the beloved series landed four Emmy Awards, earning prizes for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Supporting Actress in A Comedy Series. Including the previously announced Creative Arts Emmy Awards, “Ted Lasso” took home a total of seven Emmy Awards in 2021.

    “While Ted Lasso taught us to believe that anything is possible, we are so genuinely moved that this has culminated in such a historic night for both Apple TV+ and the cast and crew of this special series”

“While Ted Lasso taught us to believe that anything is possible, we are so genuinely moved that this has culminated in such a historic night for both Apple TV+ and the cast and crew of this special series,” said Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “Thank you to the Television Academy for these honors and congratulations to all of our storytellers — both behind and in front of the camera — who have worked so tirelessly to bring unique perspectives to global audiences over this past year, delivering hope, light, humor, and compelling stories when we needed it most.”

“What Jason, Bill, Brendan, Joe, and the entire creative team and cast of ‘Ted Lasso’ have accomplished within just one season speaks to the power of the intricately crafted storytelling that continues to inspire and uplift audiences all over the world,” said Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “This recognition from the Television Academy is a testament to their tremendous talents, and we send our heartfelt congratulations to Team Lasso for their achievements.”

After leading the pack with the most-nominated series regulars ever for a freshman comedy, first-time nominees and stars Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, and Brett Goldstein nabbed their first-ever Emmy Awards. Star and executive producer Sudeikis also became the first lead actor in a freshman comedy series to be honored with awards for both a lead performance and best series for a freshman comedy. “Ted Lasso” casting director Theo Park also earned the award for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series.

At last week’s ceremony for the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, Apple landed seven Emmy Awards, including three for “Ted Lasso.” Apple TV+℠ also made history by becoming the first streaming service to win the Emmy for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special in its first two years of eligibility for the acclaimed Apple Original documentary “Boys State.”

In 2021, Apple scored 11 Primetime Emmy Awards in the following categories:

    Outstanding Comedy Series: “Ted Lasso”
    Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso”
    Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Brett Goldstein, “Ted Lasso”
    Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Hannah Waddingham, “Ted Lasso”
    Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour): “Ted Lasso”
    Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Comedy Series: “Ted Lasso”
    Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series: “Ted Lasso”
    Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Special: “Boys State”
    Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama Or Variety Series: “Carpool Karaoke: The Series”
    Outstanding Innovation in Interactive Media: “For All Mankind: Time Capsule,” “For All Mankind”
    Outstanding Motion Design: “Calls”

In addition to the Emmy Award honors, the first season of “Ted Lasso” has also been recognized with an esteemed Peabody Award; a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series Award for Sudeikis; three Critics Choice Awards for Best Comedy Series, Best Actor in a Comedy Series for Sudeikis, and Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Hannah Waddingham, sweeping all categories in which the series was nominated; a Best Actor in a Comedy Series at the Golden Globe Awards for star Sudeikis; and the Writers Guild of America crowned “Ted Lasso” with wins for both Best Comedy and Best New Series.

At last year’s Emmy Awards, Apple made its Primetime Emmy Award debut with Billy Crudup’s performance in “The Morning Show” receiving the prize for Outstanding Supporting Actor. Apple also previously landed 2020 Daytime Emmy Awards for “Ghostwriter” and “Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10,” and in 2021 took home Daytime Emmy Awards for “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth,” “Stillwater,” and “Helpsters.”

Since its global launch on November 1, 2019, Apple has received a total of 518 awards nominations and accolades, and 152 award wins from the Critics Choice Awards, Writers Guild Association, Critics Choice Documentary Awards, Daytime and Primetime Emmy Awards, NAACP Image Awards, Peabody Awards, and more.

"Ted Lasso”:
Jason Sudeikis is Ted Lasso, an American football coach hired to manage a British soccer team — despite having no experience. But what he lacks in knowledge, he makes up for with optimism, underdog determination — and biscuits. The widely acclaimed series also stars Hannah Waddingham, Brendan Hunt, Jeremy Swift, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Phil Dunster, and Nick Mohammed. Sarah Niles joins the cast this season as Sharon, a sports psychologist who has been brought in to work with AFC Richmond.

In addition to starring, Sudeikis serves as executive producer, alongside Bill Lawrence via his Doozer Productions, in association with Warner Bros. and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. Doozer’s Jeff Ingold also serves as an executive producer, with Liza Katzer as co-executive producer. The series was developed by Sudeikis, Lawrence, Hunt, and Joe Kelly, and is based on the pre-existing format and characters from NBC Sports.

Apple TV+:
Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL, and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $4.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.1

For more information, visit apple.com/tvpr and see the full list of supported devices.

1 Special offer is good for three months after the first activation of the eligible device. One offer per Family Sharing group. Plans automatically renew until cancelled. Other restrictions and terms apply; visit apple.com/promo for more information.

© 2021 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, and Apple TV+ are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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Thursday, April 22, 2021

Talib Kweli, Yasiin Bey, and Dave Chappelle to Headline "The Midnight Miracle" Podcast

Talib Kweli, Yasiin Bey, and Dave Chappelle Announce The Midnight Miracle Podcast on Luminary

Luminary Original The Midnight Miracle Features Salon Style Conversations with Kweli, Bey, and Chappelle, and Guests from Among the Country’s Most Influential Cultural Icons

YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Luminary, a subscription podcast network, announced The Midnight Miracle, a salon style show created and hosted by Talib Kweli, Yasiin Bey, and Dave Chappelle. The show provides a glimpse into a very interesting season in the lives of the three hosts and their friends, and features guests from among the country’s most influential cultural icons. The show will be released in the coming weeks on Luminary, and will be available on the Luminary channel on Apple Podcasts when its new subscription platform debuts worldwide later in May.

“Making a podcast isn’t the obvious next move for me, but it’s the right one. The Midnight Miracle gives you a look into how me and my friends process the world around us, and I think it will change the way listeners think of what a podcast can be,” said Chappelle.

The Midnight Miracle was recorded during Chappelle’s legendary 2020 Summer Camp in an intimate setting at “The Shack” — a mechanic’s garage retrofitted as a clubhouse. Inside, listeners get the sense they’re sitting in on conversations among friends. In the variety show tradition, the conversations are punctuated with sketches, impersonations, archival audio clips, and a powerful soundtrack that includes music from Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, D’Angelo, Heatwave featuring Johnny Wilder, and much more to come.

Kweli, Bey, and Chappelle meticulously edited more than 100 hours of recorded content to make The Midnight Miracle in partnership with Jamie Schefman and Noah Gersh of SALT. A single season is planned, with new episodes starting in the coming weeks and continuing throughout the year, with a summer hiatus.

“The Midnight Miracle pushes the boundaries of podcasting, creating an audio experience listeners have never heard before. It is the exact type of project we built Luminary to support, and we are so excited to share it with listeners across the world,” said Simon Sutton, Luminary CEO.

“Talib, Yasiin, and Dave each bring deep wells of perspective to The Midnight Miracle. The conversations between them and their friends are humorous and profound, and the show is edited in a truly unique fashion. We are really proud to be a home for groundbreaking audio like this,” said Mark Silverstein, Luminary Chief Content Officer.

Kenzi Wilbur, Luminary Head of Development and Miles Hodges, Luminary Head of Acquisitions have led Luminary’s efforts to bring this outstanding programming to fruition.


About Dave Chappelle:
Dave Chappelle is an American comedian, screenwriter, television and film producer, and actor. Recognized as one of the greatest comedians of all time, Chappelle was awarded the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2019. Chappelle’s work in stand-up comedy, writing, producing, and acting has earned him more than 30 nominations and awards in television and film for projects that include his groundbreaking sketch comedy television series, Chappelle’s Show, guest appearances on Saturday Night Live, and his comedy specials, most recently earning his third and fourth Emmy Awards for Sticks & Stones in 2020. In audio content, Chappelle has won the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album three years in a row, 2018 through 2020. In 2017, Netflix cited Dave Chappelle: Collection 1 as the most-viewed comedy special ever on their network.

About Yasiin Bey:
Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, is an American rapper, singer, actor, multimedia artist, and activist. Bey began his hip hop career in 1994 and in 1999 released his solo debut, Black on Both Sides which was #1 on the Billboard Top Rap Album chart. Since then, he has been nominated for 6 Grammy Awards for his musical performances, albums, and videos. His acting career has earned him more than 11 award nominations, including the Golden Globes, Emmys, and NAACP Image Awards. And in 2005 he won the Black Reel Best Indie Actor Award for his performance in The Woodsman.

About Talib Kweli:
Talib Kweli, a Brooklyn-based MC, is one of the most lyrically-gifted, socially aware, and politically insightful rappers to emerge in the last 20 years. Kweli has recorded with producer Hi-Tek as the duo Reflection Eternal, released landmark solo material, and collaborated with Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, and more. Kweli founded Javotti Media in 2011, a platform for independent thinkers and doers in music, films and books. In 2019, in partnership with UPROXX, he launched People’s Party with Talib Kweli, a podcast where he explores hip hop culture and politics with thought-provoking guests like Lamar Odom, Don Cheadle, Lil’ Kim, Dax Shepard, Jemele Hill, Ice Cube, Perry Farrell, and Michael Rapaport. And in 2021, Kweli released Vibrate Higher, a book that illuminates Kweli's upbringing and artistic success, and discusses the power of hip hop as a political force.

About Black Star:
Together, Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli are known as Black Star — the seminal hip-hop duo from New York City who changed music forever in 1998 with their self-titled album Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star.

About SALT:
SALT is an audio first media company that creates exceptional experiences with the world’s leading artists, studios, and talent. What began with award winning and genre-defining work in audio fiction has quickly grown into SALT becoming the pre-eminent one stop partner for creating outstanding audio storytelling and brands. More than a podcast company, SALT stays true to its name helping everything taste just a little bit more like itself. Founded by partners Jamie Schefman, Noah Gersh, and Nick Panama, whose shared wealth of experience in music built the foundation of the company, SALT successes include Blackout, Carrier, The Last Degree of Kevin Bacon, Hit Job, and most recently The Midnight Miracle.

About Luminary:
Luminary is a subscription podcast network with an award-winning lineup of original shows you won’t find anywhere else. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access to the full collection of Luminary Original Podcasts, featuring celebrated creators, diverse voices, and important stories told through a new lens. You can find Luminary’s original content via the Luminary app, available on iOS, Android, and the web. And it will be available on the Luminary channel on Apple Podcasts when its new subscription platform debuts worldwide in May.

Luminary was founded by Matt Sacks in 2018 with backing from NEA, a global venture capital fund. Driven by a love for podcasts, Luminary is elevating the podcasting experience for both listeners and creators.

Luminary offers all listeners a seven-day free trial. After the free trial, the annual subscription is $34.99, or the equivalent of about $2.99 per month. Luminary also offers a monthly subscription for $4.99 which will increase to $5.99 for new subscribers concurrent with the launch of Luminary’s subscription channel on Apple Podcasts. International pricing is similar to US pricing, with annual and monthly plans available in each territory.

For more information about The Midnight Miracle, please visit newsroom.luminarypodcasts.com.

For more information about Luminary, visit luminarypodcasts.com or follow @hearluminary.

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Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 20th to 30th, 2020 - Update #39

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

Support Leroy on Patreon:

TELEVISION - From Variety:  NBC has set the cast for Dwayne Johnson's comedy about his younger years, "Young Rock."  Adrian Groulx will play 10-year-old Dwayne.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Netflix has published the first stills of Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher and newcomer Emma Corrin as Princess Diana in Season 4 of The Crown.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Dozens of organizations are appealing to the Congress of the United States to help save the movie theater business.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Oscar-winning director, Barry Levinson ("Rain Man"), has a new film, "Francis and the Godfather," about the making of the legendary, Oscar-winning film, "The Godfather."  Oscar Isaac will play the film's director, Franics Ford Coppola, and Jake Gyllenhaal will play the film's producer, Robert Evans.

COVID-19 - From Deadline:   Emmy-winning actor Jim Parsons ("The Big Bang Theory") has revealed that both he and his husband, Todd Spiewak, was diagnosed with COVID-19 back in March.

AMAZON - From Deadline:  Amazon has bought Sacha Baron Cohen's sequel to his 2006 film, "Borat."  It will debut on Amazon in late October 2020.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Disney will produce a sequel to it hit, live-action version of "The Lion King."  Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins will direct the sequel.

AVATAR - From Deadline:   Director James Cameron says that his "Avatar 2" is 100 percent complete and that "Avatar 3" is 95 percent finished.

CHADWICK BOSEMAN - From Deadline:   Sienna Miller has said that the late actor Chadwick Boseman ("Black Panther") raised her salary on their film, "21 Bridges," by giving up part of his.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  A Netflix price hike is "probable."

MOVIES - From THR:   Director M. Night Shyamalan reveals the title ("Old") and artwork for his new film.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:   The winner of the 9/25 to 9/27/2020 weekend box office is "Tenet" with an estimated take of $3.4 million.

MUSIC - From YahooLife:   Sign O' The Times: how Prince created a masterpiece – and ruined his career

STREAMING - From Deadline:   Apple has apparently bought directors Joe and Anthony Russo's film, "Cherry," starring Tom Holland ("Spider-Man: Homeing") and Ciara Bravo.

POLITICS - From YahooEntertainment:   Dwayne Johnson, a political independent who has voted for both Democratic and Republican candidates, has made his first ever presidential endorsement, choosing the Democratic presidential tickets of Joe Bidden and Kamala Harris.

ANIMATION - From Deadline:   YouTube star Arif Zahir will replace Mike Henry as the voice of "Cleveland Brown" on Fox's long-running animated series, "Family Guy."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Ice Cube to star in an untitled science fiction film for director Rich Lee with Timur Bekmambetov and Patrick Aiello producing.

MOVIES - From CBR:  Well, bless his heart - is what you're going to say after reading this "analysis" of the great film director, the late Stanley Kubrick.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Disney moves Marvel Studios' "Black Widow" release date to May 2021, a full year after its original release date, the latest in release date changes due to the COVID-19 shutdown of movie theaters.  However, Disney holds Pixar's "Soul" to its original release date (Nov. 20th, 2020) and also decides not to move it to Disney+ for streaming.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Bradley Cooper has chosen Oscar-nominated actress, Carey Mulligan, to play Leonard Bernstein's wife, Felicia, in his Netflix film about Leonard, "Maestro."

LGBTQ - From MensHealth:   16 bisexual movies you need to see.

FILM FESTIVALS - From blogTO:  The blog lists its 10 best films at this year's "Toronto International Film Festival."

STREAMING - From EW:  "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance" won recently won an Emmy ("Outstanding Children's Program"), but Netflix has cancelled it after one season.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  The winner of the 9/18 to 9/20/20 weekend box office is "Tenet" with an estimated take of 4.7 million dollars. 

From CNBC:  Movie theater stocks tank after another disappointing box office weekend.

EMMYS - From Deadline:  If you care, this article has a full list of winners at the 2020 / 72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

From EW:  If you care, this article has a full list of winner at the 2020 / 72nd Annual Creative Arts Emmy Awards. 

From YahooEntertainment:  Last night's Emmy winters delivered impassioned pleas for social reform and for voting.

From Billboard:  Records were set at the 2020 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Zendaya, at 24, being the youngest actress to win "Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series" (for HBO's "Euphoria") and "Schitt's Creek" being the first comedy series to sweep all seven major awards in the comedy category.

From Deadline:  Actor Ron Cephas Jones and his daughter, Jasmine Cephas Jones, become the first father and daughter to win an Emmy the same year.  Ron won for "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series" (This is Us"), and Jasmine won for "Best Actress in a Short From Comedy or Drama" (for Quibi's "#FreeRayshawn").

From YahooEntertainment:  Every year, there is controversy during the Emmy's "In memoriam" segment.

OBITS:  

From ESPN:  Hall of Fame NFL offensive player, Gale Sayers, has died at the age of 77, Wednesday, September 23, 2020.  A halfback, Sayers was known as the "Kansas Comet," and played seven seasons for the Chicago Bears.  Sayers is also famous for his friendship with his cancer-stricken teammate, Brian Piccolo (who died in 1970), and Sayers' biography was the basis for the beloved 1971 TV Emmy Award-winning movie, "Brian's Song."

From WashPost:   Brian Piccolo's eldest daughter, Lori Piccolo, remembers Gale Sayers and his relationship with her late father.

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From THR:   Astrologer and dancer, Jackie Stallone, has died at the age of Monday, September 21, 2020.  Stallone was also the mother Hollywood superstar, Sylvester Stallone, and singer-actor, Frank Stallone, and the late actress, Toni D'Alto.

From YahooSports:   Hall of Fame NFL defensive player, Larry Wilson, has died at the age of 82, Thursday, September 17, 2020.  Playing at the position of "safety," Wilson played all 13 of his NFL seasons (1960-72) with the St. Louis Cardinals (now Arizona Cardinals).  He was the 1966 "NFL Defensive Player of the Year."  He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978.


CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 NEWS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7/30 - From Deadline:  Emmy-winning actor Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") reveals that he had a bout with COVID-19.

7/31 - From YahooEntertainment:  Writer and actress, Lena Dunham, creator of HBO's "Girls, reveals that she contracted COVID-19 and the symptoms she experiences and still experience.

7/30 - From YahooGMA:  In their bid to crackdown on illegal gatherings amid COVID-19, New York authorities break up an alleged sex party.

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

8/2 - From TheDailyBeast:  In Mississippi, COVID-19 has coroners terrified.

8/6 - From YahooNews:  Testing everyone constantly could stop the spread of COVID-19... according to this article.

8/8 - From YahooNYT:  The coronavirus is new, but your immune system might recognize it.

8/8 - From YahooNBC:  They thought COVID-19 was a hoax, and they almost died from it or are watching family and loved ones suffer with it or die from it.

8/9 - From YahooNews:  The rest of the world is incredulous at the pitiful U.S. response to COVID-19.

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

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

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

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

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

BLACK LIVES MATTER:

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

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

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

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

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

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


Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Apple TV+ Celebrates Golden Globe Noms for "The Morning Show"

Apple Makes History with Multiple Golden Globe Nominations for “The Morning Show”

Apple TV+ Becomes First Streaming Service to Earn Nominations in its Launch Year

CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apple® received its first-ever Golden Globe nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), including Best Television Series, Drama, for Apple’s global hit “The Morning Show” and dual nominations for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama, for “The Morning Show” stars and executive producers Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. The awards will be presented at the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards on January 5, 2020.

    “A huge thank you to Apple TV+ for their incredible partnership and the remarkable cast and crew, who I’m honored to share this nomination with.”

With the nominations for “The Morning Show," Apple TV+ became the first streaming platform to receive recognition from the HFPA in its launch year, with the service launching only one month ago. These are also the first drama TV actress nominations for both Aniston and Witherspoon. Aniston is now only the fourth person in history to receive Golden Globe nominations for both TV Comedy and Drama, Lead Actress.

The multiple nominations received by Apple this morning include:

  • Best TV Series - Drama - “The Morning Show”
  • Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama - Jennifer Aniston in “The Morning Show”
  • Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama - Reese Witherspoon in “The Morning Show”

“Thank you to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for today’s historic nominations,” said Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “After the debut of Apple TV+ just last month, today’s nominations are a true testament to the powerful storytelling that went into ‘The Morning Show,’ as well as all of our Apple Originals.”

“‘The Morning Show’ is resonating with audiences all around the world and today’s recognition from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association further reinforces how timely and special this series is,” said Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “Congrats to Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Michael Ellenberg, Kerry Ehrin, Mimi Leder and the unparalleled cast and creative minds behind this project. We cannot wait to continue exploring the world of ‘The Morning Show’ into season two.”

“I'm incredibly proud that the show was nominated, and it’s so rewarding to see the hard work and talent of Reese and Jen recognized,” said Kerry Ehrin, executive producer and showrunner of “The Morning Show.” “Mimi, Michael and I could not be more delighted and grateful to the HFPA for this honor, and to Apple for all their support.”

“What a beautiful morning for ‘The Morning Show!’ Feeling grateful to be able to bring this story to light alongside a most brilliant group of artists — our cast and crew who worked passionately from their hearts and souls to continue the conversation of power, greed and toxicity in the workplace,” said Mimi Leder, director and executive producer of “The Morning Show.” “It is an important time, and a privilege, to be able to tell stories and create art that reflects the times we are living in. Thank you HFPA for this incredible honor and for also recognizing Jennifer and Reese. Working with them is a dream come true. Kerry, Michael and I are blown away!”

“I am so grateful to the members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for recognizing ‘The Morning Show’ and Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon’s outstanding performances,” said Michael Ellenberg, executive producer of “The Morning Show.” “A huge thank you to Apple TV+ for their incredible partnership and the remarkable cast and crew, who I’m honored to share this nomination with.”

Customers can watch “The Morning Show” exclusively on Apple TV+ on the Apple TV® app, with new episodes premiering worldwide every Friday. The season finale premieres Friday, December 20, 2019.

“The Morning Show” explores the cutthroat world of morning news and the lives of the people who help America wake up in the morning. Told through the lens of two complicated women working to navigate the minefield of high-octane jobs while facing crises in both their personal and professional lives, “The Morning Show” is an unapologetically candid drama that looks at the power dynamics between women and men, and women and women, in the workplace. The series is executive produced by Michael Ellenberg through Media Res, which also serves as the studio, along with Jennifer Aniston and Kristin Hahn through Echo Films; Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter through Hello Sunshine; and Mimi Leder, who also directs several episodes. The series is developed by Kerry Ehrin, who serves as showrunner and is an executive producer.

Apple TV+ is now available on the Apple TV app on iPhone®, iPad®, Apple TV, iPod touch®, Mac®, as well as select Samsung smart TVs, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices and at https://tv.apple.com, for $4.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. Customers who purchase a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch or Mac can enjoy one year of Apple TV+ for free.

$4.99/month after free trial. One subscription per Family Sharing group. Offer good for three months after eligible device activation. Plan automatically renews until cancelled. Restrictions and other terms apply. Visit https://www.apple.com/promo/ for more information.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple’s four software platforms — iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

© 2019 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Mac are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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Thursday, October 31, 2019

"Oprah's Book Club" Unites with Apple to Create a Global Book Club

Oprah’s Book Club Starts a New Chapter with Apple

Powerful stories to be celebrated on Apple Books; first author interview premieres exclusively on Apple TV+ November 1

CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apple® and Oprah Winfrey today announced Oprah’s Book Club will connect a community of readers worldwide to stories that truly matter by today’s most thought-provoking authors. Winfrey, the esteemed producer, actress, talk show host, philanthropist and CEO of OWN, will partner with Apple to build a vibrant, global book club that has the power to both transport and transform people — turning every book into an opportunity for self-discovery, and bringing the world together through reading.

    “It’s our honor to provide a new platform for Oprah’s Book Club and support the American Library Association in opening hearts and minds to the joy of reading.”

Winfrey’s first book selection is “The Water Dancer” by Ta-Nehisi Coates, available for pre-order now on Apple Books (https://apple.co/OprahsBookClub) in both ebook and audiobook formats, and debuting tomorrow.1 Winfrey will interview Coates for the first installment of her new exclusive Apple TV+ series, “Oprah’s Book Club,” premiering November 1, 2019. A new episode will be available every two months. For every Oprah’s Book Club selection sold on Apple Books, Apple will make a contribution to the American Library Association to support local libraries, fund programs that give access to everyone and create lifelong readers at an early age.

“Few people in the world can bring us together like Oprah, whose compassion and grace celebrating the power of books are unmatched,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “It’s our honor to provide a new platform for Oprah’s Book Club and support the American Library Association in opening hearts and minds to the joy of reading.”

“I am who I am today because of the experience of learning to read at an early age. Reading opened up a whole world for me beyond the red dirt road and my grandmother’s porch in Mississippi,” said Oprah Winfrey. “I want to do that for everybody. And the opportunity to do this with Apple, to speak to people all over the world about the pleasures, the excitement, the tension, the drama that a good book can bring you… I don't know what's better than that.”

Readers around the world can easily discover Oprah’s Book Club through the Apple Books app, where they can learn more about the latest selection and browse previous selections in a beautiful and immersive experience. With the new Reading Goals feature in Apple Books, readers can make reading a daily habit more easily.

Winfrey will interview the authors of her book club selections at various locations. Her conversation with Coates about “The Water Dancer” will be filmed in front of a live audience at Apple Carnegie Library in Washington, D.C. next month. Audiences around the world can watch “Oprah’s Book Club” starting November 1 exclusively on Apple TV+, Apple’s all-original video subscription service and home for the world’s greatest storytellers.

1The availability of the Oprah’s Book Club page and selections will vary based on publisher rights, translations and available format.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple’s four software platforms — iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

© 2019 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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Saturday, September 7, 2019

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 1st to 7th, 2019 - Update #27

Support Leroy on Patreon:

STREAMING - From THR:  Patty Jenkins signs a TV deal with Netflix.

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MOVIES - From BlackFilm:  Michael Ealy talks executive producing and starring in the soon to be released remake of the 1990 film, "Jacob's Ladder."

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MOVIES - From THR:  Here is a list of Fall 2019 horror films.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Gabrielle Union will produce a drama-comedy for cable giant, Spectrum.  Union is already starring in the "Spectrum Originals" series, "L.A. Finest."

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AWARDS - From THR:  The 76th edition of the Venice Film Festival has come to a close.  The "Golden Lion" went to director Todd Phillps and his film, "Joker."  The "Silver Lion" went to director Roman Polanski and his film, "An Officer and a Spy."

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Haley Atwell is joining the next "Mission: Impossible" film.  Atwell is best known for her appearances in "Captain America: The First Avenger" and its ABC TV spinoff, "Agent Carter."

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STREAMING - From Deadline:   Darren Criss will star in and executive produce Ryan Murphy's Netflix drama series, "Hollywood."  Criss won an Emmy and several other awards for playing spree killer Andrew Cunanan in Murphy's "The Assassination Gianni Versace."

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CULTURE - From YahooHuffPost:  "Barbie Death Camp," the Burning Man festival - go, read.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  Actor Sean Connery reports that he and his wife rode out Hurricane Dorian from his mansion in the Bahamas.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Isaiah Mustafa talks about the transition from professional football to acting, including a role in "It: Chapter Two."

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TELEVISION - From THR: Milo Ventimiglia ("This is Us") will portray motorcycle daredevil, the late Evel Knievel for a USA Network miniseries.

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STREAMING - From THR:  Hulu and MGM have the screen rights to the "The Testaments," the upcoming book sequel to Margaret Atwood's novel, "The Handmaid's Tale" (1985).  Hulu is currently streaming an Emmy-winning TV adaptation of "The Handmaid's Tale."

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STREAMING - From TVGuide:  Netflix is ending its comedy series, "Grace and Frankie" (starring Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda), after its upcoming seventh season.  By reaching a seventh season, "Grace and Frankie" will become Netflix's longest-running series to date.

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CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  Eddie Murphy is reportedly planning to return to stand-up comedy in 2020, via a tour.

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STREAMING - From THR:  Will Poulter ("We're the Millers") has been named one of the leads in Amazon's "Lord of the Rings" series.

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AWARDS - From THR:  The nominations for the 2019 E! People's Choice Awards have been announced.

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CELEBRITY - From THR:  In a wide-ranging interview with "The Hollywood Reporter," Scarlett Johansson talks about a lot of things.  But this interview may be remembered for her support of #MeToo casualty, director Woody Allen.

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OBAMA - From THR:  President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are having trademark issues of their company's name, "Higher Ground Productions."

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  Television series mastermind, Ryan Murphy, is planning an impressive slate of programs as part of his Netflix deal.  That includes a TV adaptation of the Broadway musical, "A Chorus Line" and a biography of iconic designer, Halston, with Ewan McGregor in the lead role.

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STREAMING - From TheWrap:  AppleTV has scrapped plans to produce the Richard Gere drama, "Bastards."

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 8/3 to 9/1/2019 weekend box office (the Labor Day weekend and the final weekend of Summer 2019) is "Angel Has Fallen" with an estimated take of 11.57 million dollars.

From Deadline:  After Disney slaughtered its rivals at the summer box office, they ask, "what is theatrical."

From Variety:  Even with big hits like "The Lion King" and "Avengers: Endgame," the North American box office experienced a two percent decline in Summer 2019 (4.32 billion dollars) from Summer 2018 (4.41 billion dollars).

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CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  Actor-comedian Kevin Hart reportedly suffers "major back injuries" in a car accident in Calabasas, CA early Sunday morning, Sept. 1st.

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MOVIES - From TheDailyBeast:  At the Venice Film Festival, Spike Lee defends Nate Parker, who is at the festival screening his latest, "American Skin."

From Variety:  Director Nate Parker apologizes for being tone-deaf about the resurfacing of rape allegations against him in 2016 during the promotion of his film, "The Birth of a Nation."

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FILM FESTIVAL - From YahooNews:  At the Venice Festival, controversy swirls around the film, "An Officer and a Spy," and its director Oscar-winner Roman Polanski.  Polanski was convicted for the statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl in 1978, and he has been a fugitive from the U.S. since then.  Some believe his inclusion is out of touch in the #MeToo era.

OBITS:

From Variety:   The actress Carol Lynley has died at the age of 77, Tuesday, September 3, 2019.  She is best known for her appearances in "The Poseidon Adventure" (1972) and Blue Denim, both the original play in 1958 and its 1959 film adaptation.  She also appeared in the 1972 TV movie, "The Night Stalker," which led to the short-lived ABC series, "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" (1974-75).

From YahooMusic:  The Grammy-winning songwriter, LaShawn Daniels, has died at the age of 41, Tuesday, September 3, 2019.  Daniels was a frequent collaborator of Grammy-winner, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, and wrote or co-wrote songs for Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, and Lady Gaga.  Daniels won the "Grammy Award for Best R&B Song" for Destiny Child's "Say My Name" in 2001.

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  The first trailer for "Bad Boys for Life" the third film in the "Bad Boys" film franchise.  The film is due January 17, 2020.


Friday, October 9, 2015

Dark Horse Comics is Mr. Digital Worldwide

DARK HORSE DIGITAL COMICS CATALOG GOES GLOBAL

More than 1,000 Dark Horse monthly comics are now available on Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble NOOK, Comixology, and Google Play, including Fight Club 2, Hellboy, and more

New York, NY/Portland, OR—Dark Horse Comics, the leader in independent entertainment publishing, announced the expansion of its monthly single-issue comics catalog across five new platforms, making Dark Horse the most widely distributed comics publisher digitally.

“We’re very pleased to offer our line of single-issue comics digitally to fans across the world,” remarked Dark Horse president and publisher Mike Richardson. “Dark Horse Digital has been at the forefront of the digital-comics movement through our own app-development team as well as our digital storefront, but now our growing relationship with our digital-publishing partners expands the choices for our readers to choose the platform and format they like best.”

All your favorite Dark Horse comic books, such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Halo, Aliens, and more, are now available on your favorite digital platform the same day the print versions hit comic shops.

“We are very excited to be on these new platforms,” said Mark Bernardi, Dark Horse director of digital publishing. “Now, along with the Dark Horse Digital website and apps, there will be several other places for fans to get their digital comics the same day that print versions hit stores. We think this expanded distribution will be a boon to Dark Horse fans as well as the creators and licensors we partner with to create the amazing comics we publish each week.”

In 2011, the company celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary in style, with the launch of an all-new proprietary digital-comics app, boasting thousands of titles for download through both the iTunes store and the Dark Horse Digital storefront at Digital.DarkHorse.com.

Just under a year after the launch of Dark Horse’s digital initiative, the company expanded the number of platforms on which comics fans can access their favorite Dark Horse graphic novels. Stemming from a successful partnership with Apple’s iBookstore, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble’s NOOK, Dark Horse announced a partnership with Google Play. In June 2015, Dark Horse Comics launched their graphic novel catalog on Comixology.

About Dark Horse Digital
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has grown to become the third-largest comics publisher in the United States and is acclaimed internationally for the quality and diversity of its line. In 2011, the company that revolutionized the comic industry proudly presented its groundbreaking digital-publishing program, Dark Horse Digital. Dark Horse Digital offers its most popular titles at an unprecedented value, while providing the highest-quality reading experience possible. Single-issue comics are priced as low as just $0.99, and there is also an extensive list of free introductory #1 issues. Additionally, DH Digital’s “bundles” group together story arcs spanning multiple issues into affordable packages, allowing readers to get all the issues that comprise a complete narrative, starting at just $3.99 and up. And through cloud-based technology, Digital Store purchases can be read and enjoyed online on your computer or, mobile browser, and through the Dark Horse Bookshelf apps, available on iTunes App Store and Google Play.

To get started, simply log on to Digital.DarkHorse.com or download the app to create an account, and begin building your collection today.

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