Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 7th to 13th, 2024 - UPDATE #26

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

DISNEY - From Deadline:  ESPN has greelit a "30 for 30" documentary about the late ESPN anchor, Stuart Scott (1965-2015).  According to "Deadline," Scott "shattered preconceived notions of how on-air figures were expected to look, talk, act, and think–and in the process, helped bring hip-hop and Black culture into the sports media mainstream."  Currently in production, the film is being directed by Andre Gaines.

CINEMACON - From THR:  Paramount revealed footage from "Gladiator 2," the sequel to the 2000 "Best Picture" Oscar winner, "Gladiator," at CinemaCon 2024.  Reports suggest that the footage from the film, which is directed by Ridley Scott, director of the first film, left the audience very entertained.

From Deadline:  Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle will set his next film inside a prison, according to unconfirmed reports.  The film will be part of his overall deal with Paramount.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Remember when CBS' "S.W.A.T." was cancelled and its sixth season was to be its last before it got a reprieve for a seventh season.  Well, CBS has renewed it for an eighth season.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Prince Harry and Megan, the Duchess of Sussex are launching two non-fiction series at Netflix.  This is part of the overall deal they signed with the streamer via their Archewell Productions in 2020.

CELEBRITY - From Variety:  The Cinema for Gaza auction has received several new celebrity donations from the entertainment world, with its fundraising efforts now surpassing $200,000.  Among the new lots are a “Joker” poster signed by Joaquin Phoenix.  He also donated a poster for “You Were Never Really Here” that he signed alongside director Lynne Ramsay.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Actor Malcolm Jamal Warner will guest-star on four upcoming episodes of ABC's "9-1-1."  Warner, who is best known for his role on NBC's former sitcom, "The Cosby Show," was a series regular on Fox's drama, "The Resident."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Danny Boyle is set to direct the first film in the new "28 Years Later," the follow-up to his film, 28 Days Later, and its sequel, 28 Weeks Later, perhaps, later this year.  Sony Pictures is already lining up a director for the second film and is talks with The Marvels and Candyman (2021) director, Nia DaCosta, to direct it.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  CBS has renewed "NCIS" and "The Neighborhood" for the 2024-25 broadcast season.  For "NCIS," that will be its 22nd season.  For the sitcom, "The Neighborhood," that will be it seventh season.

From Deadline:  CBS has renewed its "FBI" franchise trio for the 2024-25 broadcast television season.  "FBI: Most Wanted" will get a sixth season, and "FBI: International," will get a fourth.  The flagship, "FBI," gets three-season renewal which will over Seasons 7 through 9.

TELEVISION - From Variety:  Actor Kit Harrington, who played "Jon Snow" in HBO's "Game of Thrones," says that the Jon Snow spinoff series is no longer in development.  Harrington says the team of showrunners/writers that he brought onto the project couldn't find the right story to tell.

MOVIES - From Variety:  John Waters is trying to get financing for his first film in 20 years, "Liarmouth."  Meanwhile, "Fruitcake," a sequel to "Hairspray" (1998), might happen.

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:  A list the 30 highest-grossing films of all time.  "Avatar" (2009) is #1 and "Skyfall" is #30.

MOVIES - From THR:  The big Hollywood studios are apparently wary of Francis Ford Coppola's self-financed epic film, "Megalopolis."  The word is that the film is too experimental and "not good," which makes the studios wary of spending 40 million prints and advertising and all marketing for domestic distribution and another 80 to 100 million for an international release.

CANNES - From Deadline:  Francis Ford Coppola's "Megalopolis" will premiere in competition at Cannes 2024 on May 17th.

ANIMATION - From IndieWire:  David Lynch says that Netflix has passed on financing his proposed animated feature film, "Snootworld."  Although Lynch will not commit to directing the film, which he co-wrote with The Nightmare Before Christmas scribe, Caroline Thompson, he would produce the film. He is currently looking for new financiers.

MOVIES - From THR:  The recent success of the hit film, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, practically ensures that Legendary Entertainment and Warner Bros' "MonsterVerse" has a bright future.

CANNES - From Variety:  The first installment of Kevin Costner's Western epic, "Horizon, an American Saga," will makes its premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.  It will be shown out of competition May 19th.  The film will be released in two installments, with the first debuting June 28th and the second arriving August 16th.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  20th Century Studios has closed a deal to finance and release "Deliver Me from Nowhere."  This will be a narrative film written and directed by Scott Cooper and starring Emmy-winner, Jeremy Allen White ("The Bear"), as Bruce Springsteen in a pivotal moment in his life.

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Former Marvel Studios star, Jonathan Majors, has avoided jail time.  Over three months after being convicted of "reckless assault and harassment," Jonathan Majors was sentenced by Judge Michael Gaffey in an NYC courtroom to participate a domestic violence treatment program. The one-year “in person batterers” intervention program will be in Los Angeles, where Majors is based.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 4/5 to 4/7/2024 weekend box office is Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment's "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" with an estimated take of 31.7 million dollars.

From Here:  Leroy Douresseaux reviews "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  58 years after making his debut feature ("What's Up, Tiger Lily"), Woody Allen is sitting “on the fence” about whether his latest movie, "Coup de Chance," his 50th feature, will be his last cinematic outing.  "The romance of filmmaking is gone," Allen says.

STAGE - From Deadline:  The Jamie Lloyd Company has announced that its upcoming West End production of Romeo & Juliet, headlined by Sony/Marvel "Spider-Man" star, Tom Holland, will head to Broadway after its 12-week London run.  Juliet will be played by Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, who is making her West End debut.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  In a deal worth $500,000 against $1.5 million, Legendary Entertainment has optioned Pulitzer Prize finalist Annie Jacobsen‘s nonfiction book, "Nuclear War: A Scenario."  Legendary plans to use the film adaptation potential reteam with director Denis Villeneuve, who has directed the "Dune" films for Legendary and Warner Bros.  The expectation is that Villeneuve would work on this film after he finishes his third "Dune" film, "Dune: Messiah," which would be the final part of the "Dune" trilogy.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American screenwriter and director and documentary filmmaker, Eleanor Coppola, has died at the age of 87, Friday, April 12, 2024.  Coppola is best known for her 1991 documentary film, "Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse," for which she won two Emmy Awards.  Eleanor was married to legendary film director Francis Ford Coppola from 1963 to her passing.  They had three children: the late Gian-Carlo Coppola (1963-86), and filmmakers Sofia Coppola and Roman Coppola.

From ESPN:  Former NFL player, actor, and broadcaster, O.J. Simpson, has died at the age of 76, Wednesday, April 10, 2024.  Simpson was the 1968 Heisman Trophy winner at USC, and he was a member of the 1967 USC "National Championship" team that finished No. 1 in the AP and Coaches Polls.  He was the No. 1 pick in the 1969 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. When he retired in 1969, he was 2nd on the NFL's all-time rushing list.  After football, Simpson had an active two-and-a-half decade acting career, appearing in such films as "The Towering Inferno" (1974), "Capricorn One" (1978), and the "Naked Gun" film trilogy.  His television appearances included the ABC miniseries, "Roots" (1977), "Goldie and the Boxer" (1979), and "In the Heat of the Night" (1979).  After his playing career, Simpson was a "color commentator," including on ABC 's "NFL Monday Night Football" (1983-85).  However, Simpson will best be remembered for being arrested, charged, and later acquitted for the murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her... friend, Ron Goldman, on June 12, 1994.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from March 17th to 23rd, 2024 - UPDATE #15

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

NEWS - From CNN:  ISIS has claimed responsibility for an attack at a popular concert hall complex, "Crocus City Hall," near Moscow on Friday, March 22nd, after assailants stormed the venue with guns and incendiary devices.  The death toll has risen to 115 people, with at least 145 injured.

MEDIA - From Variety:  What happens to Paramount Global if it is sold? What happens if it is sold in pieces?

MOVIES - From THR:  Recent Oscar winner, Da'Vine Joy Randolph ("The Holdovers"), is in talks to to join a musical in development at Universal from director Michel Gondry and producer Pharrell Williams that has Kelvin Harrison Jr. attached to star. The untitled coming-of-age project is said to be inspired by Williams’ formative years growing up in Virginia Beach in the 1970s.

EMMYS - From Variety:  The site offers some early prediction for the 2024 / 76th Primetime Emmy Awards, which is currently scheduled for September 15, 2024.  The nominations will be announced July 17, 2024.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  Earlier this year, director Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station) put up for a bid a film project starring his frequent collaborator, Michael B. Jordan (Creed).  Rumors suggest the film will focus on a battle between vampires and the Ku Klux Klan of the 1960s.  The film is due in theaters March 7, 2025 from Warner Bros.

DISNEY/TRAILER - From THR:  Director Fede Alvarez says that both Ridley Scott (director of "Alien") and James Cameron (director of Aliens) have seen his upcoming franchise film, "Alien: Romulus."  There is a teaser trailer for the film, which is due in theaters August 16th.

MOVIES - From EW:  "Entertainment Weekly" has a first look at Michael Keaton and other cast members of the Beetlejuice sequel, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice."  The article also has some quotes from director Tim Burton.

DISNEY - From Variety:  "Star Wars" mastermind, George Lucas, Disney’s largest individual shareholder, has come out with a statement supporting Disney’s board and CEO Bob Iger, urging Disney investors to reject bids by two activist investor groups to take seats on the media company’s board.

MOVIES - From FandomWire:  Rumors say that actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been offered the chance to be the next "James Bond."  Taylor-Johnson says "I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role.

MUSIC - From RollingStone:  The venerable magazine reports on "Suno," the AI music generator, a so-called ChatGPT for music.  There is also an example of what Suno can do, an unsettling Delta blues song.

MOVIES - From THR:  Director Rian Johnson (Knives Out) and his production company, T-Shirt, with partner, Ram Bergman, has signed a two-film deal with Warner Bros.

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  Emmy winners, Bill Hader and Quinta Brunson, will lead Warner Bros. Animation's "The Cat in the Hat," which is due in theaters March 26, 2026.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Disney's recent animated film, "Wish," will debut on Disney+ April 3rd.

CANNES - From Deadline:  The site looks at the English-language films seeking to make a splash at the 2024 / 77th Cannes Film Festival.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 3/15 to 3/17/2024 weekend box office is Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Animation's "Kung Fu Panda 4" with an estimated take of 30 million dollars.

NAACP/BLM - From Deadline:  The 2024 / 55th Annual NAACP Image Awards came to a close.  Grammy-winning recording artist, Usher, won the "Entertainer of the Year."  "The Color Purple" continued with wins in the category of "Outstanding Motion Picture," "Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture" (Fantasia Barrino), "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture" (Coleman Domingo), "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture" (Taraji P. Henson).  The film also won in five other categories.

ANIMATION - From CartoonBrew:  According to reports, DreamWorks Animation is going to let go of hundreds of its staffers, and some departments will be cut by half or more.  DreamWorks Animation COO Randy Lake won't say people are being "laid off," but this "downsizing" will occur because many staffers will not have their contracts renewed.

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AWARDS:

NAACP/BLM - From Deadline:  The 2024 / 55th Annual NAACP Image Awards came to a close.  Grammy-winning recording artist, Usher, won the "Entertainer of the Year."  "The Color Purple" continued with wins in the category of "Outstanding Motion Picture," "Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture" (Fantasia Barrino), "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture" (Coleman Domingo), "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture" (Taraji P. Henson).  The film also won in five other categories.

From THR:  Key award season dates leading up to the 2024 / 96th Academy Awards, which are Sunday, March 10th, 2024.

From Variety:  The winners at the 2024 / 96th Academy Awards were announced.  "Oppenheimer" took the lead with seven wins, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy), and "Best Supporting Actor" (Robert Downey, Jr.).

From Variety: The nominations for the 2024 / 96th Academy Awards have been announced.  "Oppenheimer" leads with 13 nominations, and "Poor Things" follows with 11.  The winners will be announced Sun., March 10th, 2024.

From Variety:  The Producers Guild of America has announced the winners for the 2024 / 35th Annual Producers Guild Awards.  "Oppenheimer" has won the top prize, the "Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures."

From Deadline:  The winners at the 2024 / 77th BAFTA Film Awards have been announced.  "Oppenheimer" wins seven awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From THR:   The Directors Guild of America has announced the winners at the 2024 / 76th DGA Awards.  Christopher Nolan won the top category, "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film of 2023," for his work on his blockbuster film, "Oppenheimer."

From Deadline:  The winners at the 2024 / 51st Annie Awards have been announced.  "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" won six, including "Best Feature."  Its predecessor, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" also won six categories, including "Best Feature."

From AwardsWatch:  The NAACP has announced the nominees for the 2024 / 55th NAACP Image Awards.  By visiting www.naacpimageawards.net, the public can vote to determine the winners of the 55th NAACP Image Awards’ in select categories. Voting closes February 24th at 9:00 p.m. NAACP will also recognize winners in non–televised Image Awards categories March 11–14th, which will stream via naacpimageawards.net.  The winners will be revealed during the two–hour LIVE TV special, airing Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 8:00 PM ET/ PT on BET and CBS.

From THR:  The Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800) has announced the winners at the 28th Art Directors Guild Awards.  "Poor Things," "Oppenheimer," and "Saltburn" win top prizes.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2024 Writers Guild Awards have been announced. The winners will be announced on April 14th, more than a month after the Oscars.

From Variety:  The nominations for the 2024 / 77th EE BAFTA Film Awards have been announced.  "Oppenheimer" leads with 13 nominations, and "Poor Things" follows with 11 nominations.  The winners will be announced Feb. 18th.

From Variety:  The Producers Guild of America has announced the nominees for the 2024 / 35th annual Producers Guild Awards.  For the first time in the history of the awards, two international films, "Anatomy of a Fall" and "The Zone of Interest," have made been nominated in the PGA's top category, "Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures." The winners will be announced Feb. 25th.

From Variety:   The nominees for the 2024 / 51st Annie Awards have been announced.  Netflix's "Nimona" leads the features categories with nine nominations.  The winners will be announced Sat., Feb. 17th.

From Deadline:  The Screen Actors Guild nominations for the 2024 / 30th annual SAG Awards have announced. "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" leads the film side of things with four nominations apiece.  The winners will be announced Saturday, Feb. 24th.

From AwardsWatch:  The Latino Entertainment Journalists Association has announced the 6th Annual LEJA Awards.  "Past Lives" won "Best Picture."  Actor Coleman Domingo won "Best Actor" for his role in "Rustin" and "Best Supporting Actor" for his role in "The Color Purple."

From AwardsWatch:  The Vancouver Film Critics Circle has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Anatomy of a Fall" won "Best Picture."

From Variety:  The Directors Guild of America has announced the nominations for the 2024 / 76th DGA Awards.  In the top category, "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film of 2023," the nominees are Greta Gerwig for "Barbie," Christopher Nolan for “Oppenheimer,” Martin Scorsese for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Yorgos Lanthimos for “Poor Things,” and Alexander Payne for “The Holdovers.”  The winners will be announced Feb. 10th.

From AwardsWatch:  The London Critics Circle announced the winners of its 44th annual film awards. "The Zone of Interest" won three awards, including "Film of the Year" and "Best Director" (Jonathan Glazer).

From AwardsWatch:  The Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) has won the 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" won six awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy tied with Paul Giamatti for "The Holdovers").

From Variety:  The American Cinema Editors has announced the nominees for the 2024 / 74th Annual ACE Eddie Awards.  The winners will be announced March 3rd, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) has named its 2023 film awards. "Oppenheimer" won eight awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Poor Things" won three awards, including "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Chicago Indie Critics (CIC) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won seven awards, including "Best Studio Film." Celine Song's "Past Lives" won three, including "Best Independent Film."

From Variety:  The Motion Picture Sound Editors has revealed the nominations for the 71st annual MPSE Golden Reel Awards in categories spanning feature film, television, animation, computer entertainment and student productions.  The winners will be announced March 3rd.

From AwardsWatch: The Iowa Film Critics Association (IFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  Alexander Payne's "The Holdovers" won four awards, including "Best Picture."

From Variety:  The Visual Effects Society has announced the nominations for the 2024 / 22nd Annual VES Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Feb. 21st.

From AwardsWatch:  The North Dakota Film Society (NDFS) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won nine awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The Music City Film Critics Association has announces it MCFCA 2023 Film Awards.  Oppenheimer won seven awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Portland Critics Association (PCA) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won nine awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From Deadline:  The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) announced the 15th annual African-Ameri an Film Critics Awards. "American Fiction" was voted the #1 film and won four awards, including "Best Comedy." Ava DuVernay's "Origin" was voted the #2 film and won three awards, including "Best Drama." 

From Deadline:  The winners of the 2024 / 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards have been announced.  "Oppenheimer" won eight awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Hawaii Film Critics Society (HFCS) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Barbie" wins four awards, including "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS) has announced the winners of its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won four awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) revealed the nominees for the "2024 / 38th Annual ASC Awards" with categories in feature film, documentary, television and music video categories.  The winners will be announced March 3rd, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS) announced the winners in 21 categories for the 2023 Seattle Film Critics Society Awards.  Director Celine Song’s "Past Lives" was named the "Best Picture of 2023."

From AwardsWatch:  The Cinema Audio Society (CAS) has announced the nominations for the 60th CAS Awards.  The winners will be announced March 2nd.

From AwardsWatch:  The Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800) has announced the nominations for the 28th Art Directors Guild Awards. The winners will be announced Feb. 10th.

From AwardsWatch:  The Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) has announced it 2024 ASTRA Film Awards.  "Barbie" won eight awards, including "Best Picture.

From AwardsWatch:  The Greater Western New York Film Critics Association (GWNYFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Past Lives" was named "Best Picture."

From NSFC:  The National Society of Film Critics announce its 58th annual NSFC Awards.  "Past Lives" was named "Best Picture of 2023."

From Deadline:  The 2024 / 81st Golden Globes Awards ceremony was held Sun. night, Jan. 7th, 2024.  "Oppenheimer" won five awards, including "Best Motion Picture-Drama," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), "Best Actor-Drama" (Cillian Murphy), and "Best Supporting Actor-Motion Pictures" (Robert Downey, Jr.). "Poor Things" won "Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy."

From Deadline:  NIGHT 2 of the 75th Creative Arts Emmys took place Sun., Jan. 7th, 2024.  (Former) President Barack Obama and Keke Palmer were among the winners.

From Deadline:  NIGHT 1 of the 75th Creative Arts Emmys took place Sat., Jan. 6th, 2024.  HBO's "The Last of Us" lead the night with 8 wins, including wins in both "Guest Actor in a Drama Series" categories: Nick Offerman (Guest Actor) and Storm Reid (Guest Actress).

From AwardsWatch:  The 5th annual DiscussingFilm Critics Awards were announced.  "Oppenheimer" won eight awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:   The Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards. "Past Lives" won three awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Celine Song).

From AwardsWatch:  The Georgia Film Critics Association (GFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" won seven honors, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" was named "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Columbus Film Critics Association (COFCA) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won six awards including "Best Film" and "Best Director" (Martin Scorsese).

From AwardsWatch:  The Costume Designers Guild (Local 892) announced the official nominees list for the 26th CDGA (Costume Designers Guild Awards). The annual CDGA ceremony will take place Wed., Feb. 21st, 2024.

From Variety:   The British Academy has unveiled the results of the first round of voting across all 24 categories for the 2024 / 77th BAFTA Film Awards.  These results are known as "the longlists."  "Barbie," "Killers of the Flower Moon," and "Oppenheimer" all appeared on the longlist of 15 categories.  The nominations will be announced Jan. 18th, and the winners will be announced Feb. 18th.

From AwardsWatch:  The Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won five awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Martin Scorsese), and "Best Actress" (Lily Gladstone).

From AwardsWatch:  The Critics Association of Central Florida (CACF) has announced the winners of its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won 10 awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan). 

From AwardsWatch:  U.K. Film Critics Association (UKFCA) has announced the winners of its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won three awards: "Best Film," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From Variety: The Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild (MUAHS, IATSE Local 706) has announced nominations for the 11th MUAHS Guild Awards. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 led with five mentions in the film categories and ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" led with four in the television categories. The winners will be announced Sunday, February 18, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Nevada Film Critics Society has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Oppenheimer" won five awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  Hayao's Miyazaki's anime film, "The Boy and the Heron" was named "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "American Fiction" won six awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Cord Jefferson), and Best Actor (Jeffrey Wright).

From AwardsWatch:  The San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) has announced its 2023 film awards.  Always trying to be difficult, it named "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" the "Best Picture."  It named Martin Scorsese "Best Director" for "Killers of the Flower Moon."

From AwardsWatch:  The Dublin Film Critics Circle has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Past Lives" wins "Best Film" and "Best Director" (Celine Song)"

From AwardsWatch:  The North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" wins five awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan).

From AwardsWatch:  The Southeaster Film Critics Association (SEFCA) has announces its 2023 films awards.  "Oppenheimer" won eight awards including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy).

From AwardsWatch:  The Indiana Film Journalists Association (IFJA) has announced its 2023 films awards.  "Poor Things" won six awards, including "Best Pictuere," "Best Director" (Yorgos Lanthmos), "Best Actress" (Emma Stone"), and "Best Supporting Actor" (Mark Ruffalo).

From AwardsWatch:  The Philadelphia Film Critics Circle (PFCC) has announced it 2023 film awards.  "Poor Things" won four awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Yorgos Lanthimos), and "Best Actress" (Emma Stone).

From AwardsWatch:  The St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) has announced its 2023 awards.  "Oppenheimer" won seven awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Christopher Nolan), and "Best Actor" (Cillian Murphy)

From AwardsWatch:  The Phoenix Film Critics Society (PFCS) has named its 2023 film awards.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" wins "Best Picture."  Oppenheimer wins six, including "Best Director" for Christopher Nolan.

From AwardsWatch:  The Dallas-Ft. Worth Film Critics Association (DFWFCA) has named its 2023 films awards.  "The Holdovers" wins "Best Picture."  "Oppenheimer" wins four, including "Best Director" for Christopher Nolan.

From AwardsWatch:  The Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) have announced their 2023 film awards.  "The Zone of Interest" wins "Best Picture" and "Best Director" (for Jonathan Glazer).

From AwardsWatch:  The 2023 Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA) awards have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" wins "Best Picture," one of two awards its won.  "Oppenheimer" wins five, including a "Best Director" for Christopher Nolan.

From AwardsWatch:  The nominations for the 2024 / 24th annual Black Reel Awards have been announced.  "The Color Purple" leads with 19 nominations.  The winners will be announced Jan. 16th, 2024.

From AwardsWatch:  The Phoenix Critics Circle (PCC) has announced its 2023 film awards.  "Past Lives" wins "Best Picture."

From AwardsWatch:  The New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO) have named "Killers of the Flower Moon" the "Best Film" of 2023.  Christopher Nolan wins "Best Director" for "Oppenheimer."

From AwardsWatch:  The Las Vegas Film Critics Society have named "Oppenheimer" the "Best Picture" of 2023, with the film's director, Christopher Nolan, winning "Best Director."

From AwardsWatch:  The winners at the 2023 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" wins "Best Picture," and Christopher Nolan wins "Best Director" for "Oppenheimer."

From THR:   The winners at the 2023 / 49th annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards have been announced.  The Holocaust historical drama, "The Zone of Interest," wins four awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Jonathan Glazer), and "Best Actress" (Sandra Huller).

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2024 / 29th annual Critics Choice Awards have been announced. "Barbie" leads with 18 nominations.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2024 / 81st annual Golden Globe Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Jan. 7th, 2024 on CBS and Paramount Plus.

From AwardsWatch:  The Las Vegas Film Critics have announced their 2023 LVFC Awards nominations.  "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" are the leading vote getters.  The winners will be announced Wed., Dec. 13th.

From THR:  The winners at the 2023 European Film Awards have been announced.  "Anatomy of a Fall" won five awards including for "Best Film," "Best Director" (Justine Triet), and "Best Actress" (Sandra Huller).

From AwardsWatch:  The 2023 National Board of Review film honors have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" won "Best Film," "Best Director" (Martin Scorsese), and "Best Actress" (Lily Gladstone).

From AwardsWatch:  The American Film Institute (AFI) names its top ten films: American Fiction, Barbie, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, May December, Oppenheimer, Past Lives, Poor Things, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.  It also names its top ten television series: Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Beef, Jury Duty, The Last of Us, The Morning Show, Only Murders in the Building, Poker Face, Reservation Dogs, and Succession.

From AwardsWatch:  "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" lead the nominations for "Astra Film & Creative Arts Awards," which are put on by the "Hollywood Creative Alliance" (formerly known as the Hollywood Critics Association).  The winners will be announced Jan. 6th, 2024 in Los Angeles.

From Deadline:  At the 2023 / 26th British Independent Film Awards, director Andrew Haigh's "All of Us Strangers" won seven awards, including "Best British Independent Film."

From Variety:  The winners at the 2023 / 89th New York Film Critics Circle Awards have been announced.  "Killers of the Flower Moon" (directed by Martin Scorsese) was named "Best Film of 2023."  Christopher Nolan won "Best Director" for his film, "Oppenheimer."

From Variety:  The winners at the 2023 / 33rd Annual Gotham Awards were announced Mon., Nov. 27th.  Writer-director Celine Song's South Korean romantic drama, "Past Lives" won the "Best Feature" award.

BEST PICTURE COUNT:

All of Us Strangers: 1

American Fiction: 2

Anatomy of a Fall: 2

Barbie: 2

The Boy and the Heron: 1

The Holdovers: 2

Killers of the Flower Moon: 9

Oppenheimer: 24

Past Lives: 9

Poor Things: 4

The Zone of Interest: 3

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 21st to 31st, 2023 - Update #29

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

SCANDAL - From Variety:  Actor Danny Masterson, best known for Fox's former sitcom, "That '70s Show" (1998-2006), has been convicted on two counts of "forcible rape," seeming from incidents back in 2003.  He faces 30 years in prison, with a sentencing hearing set for August 4th.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 5/26 to 5/28/2023 three-day Memorial Day weekend box office is Disney's "The Little Mermaid" with an estimated total of 95.5 million dollars.

From Here:  This is a review of "The Little Mermaid" by Leroy Douresseaux.

From THR:  Actress-singer Stephanie Mills says that she can relate to the racist backlash fellow actress-singer Halle Bailey has face over playing the lead in "The Little Mermaid." When she was 17, Mills originated the role of "Dorothy" in Broadway's "The Wiz," a soulful re-imagining of "The Wizard of Oz."

STREAMING - From Variety:  Actress Kim Cattrall will return as "Samantha Jones" for the Season 2 finale of "And Just Like That," Max's revival of the beloved HBO series, "Sex in the City."  The new season of "And Just Like That" debuts June 22nd, but Cattrall's episode won't stream until August.

AMAZON - From Deadline:  Prime Video Australia is remaking the British sitcom, "The Office" (2001-03) as a female-led series with comedian Felicity Ward in the role Ricky Gervais made famous in the original.  Of course, there was the NBC's American remake, also entitled "The Office" (2005-13).

ANIMATION/MOVIES - From THR: Mason Thames will star as "Hiccup" and Nico Parker will star as "Astrid" in Universal's live-action version of DreamWorks Animation's 2010 3D-animated hit, "How to Train Your Dragon." Thames starred in Universal’s horror hit The Black Phone, and Parker was last seen in HBO’s "The Last of Us."  Universal has set the films for a March 14, 2025 theatrical release.

MOVIES - From THR:  Director Penelope Spheeris talks about how falling out with star Mike Myers on "Wayne's World" cost her the gig directing "Wayne's World 2."

MOVIES - From Variety:  During his post-Cannes 2023 tour of Italy, famed film director Martin Scorsese meet with Pope Francis, and the result is that Scorsese is going to make a film about Jesus Christ.

CANNES - From Deadline:  As Cannes 2023 ends, the festival's top honor, the "Palme d'Or," goes to the film, "Anatomy of a Fall."  The film's director, Justine Triet, becomes only the third woman to win that honor.

From Deadline:  Jane Fonda gives a no-holds-barred interview at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

From Deadline:  In the first of a two-part Cannes interview with famed director Quentin Tarantino, Deadline gets a few more details about Tarantino's next film (and perhaps last), "The Movie Critic."

From Deadline: In the second of a two-part Cannes interview with famed director Quentin Tarantino, the Oscar winner talks about retirement, trying to make a James Bond movie, and working in television.

MOVIES - From ComicBook:  Lionsgate Motion Pictures Group chairman Joe Drake confirms that "John Wick 5" is in early development.

COMICS - From ImageComics:  Image Comics is pleased to announce a worldwide exclusive distribution deal with Lunar Distribution, effective with September on-sale titles (which will open for order on the Lunar site for retailers on Wednesday, June 14), for Direct Market/comic shop distribution.

CANNES - From Variety:  A white male can direct a 200-million dollar flop and get the chance to direct another film, but she as a Latina would not get that second chance says actress and now director Eva Longoria.

STREAMING - From Variety:  Today, "HBO Max" becomes just "Max." Of course, the transition is not without some glitches.

MOVIES/TRAILERS - From Variety:  On Christmas Day 2023, "The Color Purple" returns to theaters as a musical from director Blitz Bazawule and executive producers Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg. Warner Bros. has debuted the film's first trailer.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 5/19 to 2/21/2023 weekend box office is Universal's "Fast X" with an estimated take of 67.5 million dollars.

From Here:  Leroy Douresseaux's review of "Fast X."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  According to Quentin Tarantino, "Rick Dalton," the character that Leonardo DiCaprio played in Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood," has died - 1933 to 2023.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Where is the next generation of movie stars?

AMAZON - From Deadline:  Eddie Murphy is circling the lead role of "Inspector Clouseau" in MGM's currently in development new "Pink Panther" movie.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  Film and television actor, John Beasley, has died at the age of 79, Tuesday, May 30, 2023.  Beasley appeared in such films as "Rudy" (1993), "The General's Daughter" (1999), and "The Purge: Anarchy" (2014).  He was both a regular and a recurring character in TV Land's "The Soul Man" (2012-16) and also appeared in such TV series as "Millennium," "Treme," and "The Mandalorian," to name a few.

From RollingStone:  Singer, dancer, recording artist, actress, and author, Tina Turner, has died at the age of 83, Wednesday, May 24, 2023.  Born in America (Tennessee, USA), Turner was a naturalized citizen of Switzerland, where she died.  Born Anna Mae Bullock, she rose to prominence as "Tina Turner," half of the musical duo, the "Ike and Tina Turner Revue."  As part of this duo, she was nominated for four Grammy Awards and won one.  In 1976, Tina broke away from Ike, and began her solo career.  As a solo act, she was nominated for a Grammy 21 times and won seven of them.  Turner was a hugely successful touring act as a solo artist, and she also co-authored books and appeared in several films, most famously in 1985's "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome."

From Deadline:  Remembering Tina Turner, a career in photos.

From THR:  Angela Bassett, who portrayed Tina Turner in the film, "What's Love Got to Do With It," released a statement about Turner to "The Hollywood Reporter."

From Deadline:  On her website, Beyonce posted a tribute message to Tina Turner, with whom she once performed at the Grammy Awards ceremony.

From Variety:  Irish film and television actor, Ray Stevenson, has died at the age of 58, Monday, May 22, 2023.  He portrayed "Frank Castle/The Punisher" in the film, "Punisher: War Zone" (2008).  He played "Volstagg" in Marvel Studios' first three "Thor" films.  He is scheduled to appear in the upcoming Lucasfilm Disney+ series, "Ahsoka." 

-------------------------

WRITERS STRIKE:

From Deadline:  Warner Bros Discovery chief David Zaslav gave the commencement address at Boston University. There he was met with jeers and also chants of "pay your writers" from picketers and from some in the audience.

From Deadline:   President Joe Biden speaks on the Writers Guild of America strike.

From Deadline:  Retaliation! The studios have starting informing writer-producers who have "overall" and "first-look" deals that such deals are being suspended.

From Deadline:  Retaliation!  Prolific HBO creator, David Simon, who is best known for "The Wire," is one of the many writers who have had their overall deals suspended the studios due to the WGA strike.  Simon has been with HBO for 25 years.

From Deadline:  The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is on strike.

From Deadline:  Disney, HBO/HBO Max, and CBS have sent letters to showrunners (the TV equivalent of film directors) instructing them to return to work, inspite of the writer's strike.

From Deadline:  The WGA's chief negotiator, Ellen Stutzman, talks about the state of the writers' strike, including the lack of engagement on the part of the strike's other party, AMPTP.

From Deadline:  What went wrong between the WGA and AMPTP? What could they not agree on that led to a strike?

From Deadline:  The site explains the WGA strike: the issues, the stakes, movies and TV shows affected, and how long it might last.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 14th to 20th, 2023 - Update #23

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

CANNES - From THR:  Indiana Jones star Harrison Ford received an honorary Palme d’Or for lifetime achievement at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

From Variety:  Variety's Zach Sharf describes the audience's reaction to seeing to a screening of "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" as "a muted standing ovation."

SPORTS/STREAMING - From Deadline:  National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell says that the league's deal with YouTube to carry the "NFL Sunday Ticket" is just the beginning of strengthening ties between the NFL and YouTube.

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  Hulu's revival of the former Fox animated series, "Futurama," will debut Monday, 24th.  The 20 episodes will constitute Season 11 of the series.

MOVIES/TRAILERS - From Variety:  Apple/Paramount have released the first trailer for director Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon," starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.  The film is due in theaters Oct. 18th.

From KOSU:  "People Need to Know the History" - Osage citizens are excited and nervous as "Killers of the Flower Moon" hits the big screen.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  In an exclusive Q&A, director Rob Marshall talks about turning an animated classic into the live-action "The Little Mermaid."

MOVIES/TRAILERS - From THR: The new trailer for Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning: Part One reveals more of what Tom Cruise has in store when he returns to the IMF agent role of "Ethan Hunt" he originated in 1996's "Mission: Impossible."

MOVIES - From THR:  In this wide-ranging Q&A, Hollywood legend and icon, Arnold Schwarzenegger talks about the end of his involvement with "The Terminator" franchise and about the "Conan" movie he is struggling to get made, among other things.

LGBTQ+ - From CNN:  Oscar and Tony Award-winning actress, Marcia Gay Harden, says that all three of her adult children identify as "Queer."  Harden is an advocate for the LGBTQ community.

DISNEY - From Lucasfilm:  All "Indiana Jones" is coming to Disney+ on May 31st. That includes the four films and, as they titled it, "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones" (ABC, The Family Channel, 1992-96). So the streamer will likely have the reworked and not the original TV series, "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" (ABC, 1992-96).

From Deadline:  Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kenney says the full "Indiana Jones" catalog will land on Disney+ before the new film, "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" arrives in theaters June 30th.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Because of the writer's strike, ABC has released a contingent 2023-24 television schedule.  It leans heavily on unscripted series, such as "Dancing with the Stars" and "Bachelor in Paradise."

From Deadline:  The Fox broadcast network revealed its 2023-24 television schedule at it "upfront" in NYC on Monday (May 15th).

ANIMATION - From Variety:  Cable network FXX's long-running animated series, "Archer," will end after its upcoming 14th season, which debuts August 30th.

DISNEY/STREAMING - From Variety:  "Avatar: The Way of Water" will begin streaming on both Disney+ and Max (formerly HBO Max) on June 7th.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 5/12 to 5/14/2023 weekend box office is Disney/Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" with an estimated total of 60.5 million dollars.

From Here:  My review of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  The winners of the 2023 BAFTA TV Awards have been announced.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Millennium Media is going to Cannes to shop around "Infernus," an action thriller that Idris Elba will produce, direct, and star in.

From Deadline:  Mel Gibson's first directorial effort since the Oscar-nominated "Hacksaw Ridge" is "Flight Fisk" a thriller starring Mark Wahlberg. Lionsgate will be selling the film at the Cannes Film Festival.

CELEBRITY - From EW:  65-year-old action movie legend, Dolph Lundgren ("Universal Soldier," "The Expendables" franchises) has revealed that he has been privately engaged in an 8-year battle with cancer.

OBITS:

From AP:  Social activist, actor, and former professional football player, Jim Brown, has died at the age of 87, Thursday, May 18, 2023.  One of the greatest players in football, he is best remembered as the running back for the Cleveland Browns (1957-65).  He was a three-time NFL Most Valuable Player (1957, 1958, and 1965) and "Rookie of the Year" (1957).  He was a member of the Brown's 1964 NFL Champions.  In addition to being one of the greatest football players of all time, Brown is also considered to be one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time.  He was also a prolific film and television actor, appearing in such films as "The Dirty Dozen" (1967), "100 Rifles" (1969), and "Three the Hard Way" (1974), to name a few.  As an activist, Brown organized black professional athletes in the fight for civil rights and against the Vietnam War. He later to curb gang violence in Los Angeles.

From Deadline:  American film editor, John Refoua, has died at the age of 58, Sunday, May 14, 2023.  He was best known for his work editing "Avatar" (for which he shared an Oscar nomination) and "Avatar: The Way of Water."  He also worked on "The Equalizer" (2014), "The Magnificent Seven" (2016), and "Geostorm" (2017), to name a few.

-----------------------

WRITERS STRIKE:

From Deadline:   President Joe Biden speaks on the Writers Guild of America strike.

From Deadline:  Retaliation! The studios have starting informing writer-producers who have "overall" and "first-look" deals that such deals are being suspended.

From Deadline:  Retaliation!  Prolific HBO creator, David Simon, who is best known for "The Wire," is one of the many writers who have had their overall deals suspended the studios due to the WGA strike.  Simon has been with HBO for 25 years.

From Deadline:  The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is on strike.

From Deadline:  Disney, HBO/HBO Max, and CBS have sent letters to showrunners (the TV equivalent of film directors) instructing them to return to work, inspite of the writer's strike.

From Deadline:  The WGA's chief negotiator, Ellen Stutzman, talks about the state of the writers' strike, including the lack of engagement on the part of the strike's other party, AMPTP.

From Deadline:  What went wrong between the WGA and AMPTP? What could they not agree on that led to a strike?

From Deadline:  The site explains the WGA strike: the issues, the stakes, movies and TV shows affected, and how long it might last.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 7th to 13th, 2023 - Update #21

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  ABC has cancelled the Hilary Swank-led drama, "Alaska Daily," after one season.

MOVIES - From THR:  Oscar-nominee, Willem Dafoe, is joining "Beetlejuice 2," which is due Sept. 2024.

TELEVISION - From THR:  The CW has cancelled "The Winchesters," the prequel to its long-running fantasy drama, "Supernatural," after one season.  The broadcast network also cancelled "Kung Fu" after three seasons.

From CBR:  Executive producer, Jensen Ackles, is not ready to let "The Winchesters" die in the wake of its cancellation by The CW.

MOVIES - From CBR:  Despite saying that he would NOT, Dwayne Johnson apparently does appear as his character "Luke Hobbs" in the upcoming "Fast X."

MOVIES/TRAILERS - From EW:  There is a trailer for "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3." The film is due in theaters Sept. 8, 2023.

DISNEY - From Variety:  Disney+ is adding Hulu content for a "one-app experience" to begin later this year.  The price for Disney+ will increase, also.

CANNES - From Deadline:  FilmNation is bringing is Maria Callas biopic starring Angelina Jolie to the Cannes film market.  Callas was a Greco-American opera singer (soprano) who was one of the most influential of the 20th century.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  NBC's "Night Court" reboot welcomes back actress Marsha Warfield, who starred as "Roz" in the original series.

SCANDAL - From CBSNews:  A federal jury in New York City found former President Donald Trump liable for battery (sexual abuse) and defamation in a civil trial stemming from allegations he raped the writer, E. Jean Carroll, in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in the mid-1990s.  She was awarded $5 million total in damages.

MOVIES - From Variety:  "Beetlejuice 2" is set for release September 6, 2024.  Original stars Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder return.  Jenna Ortega, the star of Netflix's "Wednesday," will play the daughter of Ryder's character, "Lydia Deetz."

SCANDAL - From THR:  Marvel Studios star, Jonathan Majors ("Kang the Conqueror") appears in court virtually to answer the assault charges against his girlfriend from March 25th.

MOVIES/TRAILERS - From Variety:  Warners Bros. has released a trailer for "Met 2: The Trench," a sequel to the 2018 hit, "The Meg." Both films star Jason Statham.

AMAZON - From Deadline:  Amazon Studios has formed Amazon MGM Studios Distribution, which will license Amazon original and the MGM library to the international market.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  Th e winner of the 5/5 to 2/7/2023 weekend box office is Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" with an estimated total of 114 million dollars.

From Here:  A Negromancer movie review of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" by Leroy Douresseaux.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  CBS has uncancelled "S.W.A.T." The police drama will return for a seventh and final season.

From Deadline:  A surge in ratings could not save "S.W.A.T." from being cancelled by CBS.  The last episode of this current season (the 6th) will serve as the series finale.

OBIT:

From Variety:  The Spanish-born American graphic artist, Frank Kozik, has died at the age of 61, Saturday, May 6, 2023.  He designed the album cover art for Queens of the Stone Age's 1998 debut album, "Queens of the Stone Age" and for The Offspring's 1998 LP, "Americana."  He also designed concert posters for such musical acts as Butthole Surfers, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Soundgarden, to name a few.

------------------------

WRITERS STRIKE:

From Deadline:   President Joe Biden speaks on the Writers Guild of America strike.

From Deadline:  Retaliation! The studios have starting informing writer-producers who have "overall" and "first-look" deals that such deals are being suspended.

From Deadline:  Retaliation!  Prolific HBO creator, David Simon, who is best known for "The Wire," is one of the many writers who have had their overall deals suspended the studios due to the WGA strike.  Simon has been with HBO for 25 years.

From Deadline:  The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is on strike.

From Deadline:  Disney, HBO/HBO Max, and CBS have sent letters to showrunners (the TV equivalent of film directors) instructing them to return to work, inspite of the writer's strike.

From Deadline:  The WGA's chief negotiator, Ellen Stutzman, talks about the state of the writers' strike, including the lack of engagement on the part of the strike's other party, AMPTP.

From Deadline:  What went wrong between the WGA and AMPTP? What could they not agree on that led to a strike?

From Deadline:  The site explains the WGA strike: the issues, the stakes, movies and TV shows affected, and how long it might last.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from February 19th to 28th, 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:

CANNES - From Deadline:  Two-time Palme d'Or winner Ruben Ostlund will be the Cannes Film Festival jury president at the 76th edition of the festival, which runs from May 16th and 27th, 2023.

CELEBRITY - From THR:  Actress-producer Keke Palmer has given birth to a baby boy she has named "Leo."  Palmer's boyfriend, Darius Jackson, is the father.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 2/24 to 2/26/2023 weekend box office is Marvel Studios' "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" with an estimated take of 32.2 million dollars.

From Here:  Leroy Douresseaux's review of "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania."

AWARDS - From Deadline:  At the 2023 NAACP Image Awards, Angela Bassett was named "Entertainer of the Year."  She also won two other awards, "Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series" ("9-1-1") and "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture" ("Black Panther: Wakanda Forever").  "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" won 9 awards, including "Outstanding Motion Picture."

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Harvey Weinstein was sentenced Thursday, Feb. 23rd in downtown Los Angeles to 16 years in prison for rape and other sex crimes. The disgraced Oscar-winning producer was also sentenced to 23 years in prison for similar crimes in Manhattan in March 2020.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Director Andy Muschietti and partner Barbara Muschietti are expanding the universe of their films, "IT" and "IT Chapter Two," with an "IT" prequel television series, "Welcome to Derry," for HBO Max.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  New Line Cinemas and Warner Bros Pictures are planning more "Lord of the Rings" movies.

OSCARS - From Deadline:  Producer Barbara Broccoli talks about her film "Till" and the Academy Awards reaction to it.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 2/17 to 2/19/2023 weekend box office is Disney/Marvel Studios' "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" with an estimated take of 104 million dollars.

AWARDS - From Deadline:  The winners list at the 2023 BAFTAs might not look diverse, but the nominations list seems to be more diverse than the 2023 Academy Awards nominees list.

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Actor and producer Alec Baldwin will now face reduced charges due to the fatal shooting on the set of the Western film, "Rust," in October 2021.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Disney is producing a live-action version of its beloved animated film, "Lilo & Stitch."  "Marcel the Shell With Shoes On" director Dean Fleischer Camp will helm the film and actor Zach Galifianakis will star in the film.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  Film producer and former studio executive, Walter Mirisch, has died at the age of 101, Friday, February 24, 2023.  Mirisch won an Oscar for producing "In the Heat of the Night" (1967).  Along with his brothers, Marvin and Harold, Mirisch formed the production company, The Mirisch Company.  It would go on to produce several movies, including the early entries in the "Pink Panther" film series.  Mirisch had also been the oldest living Oscar winner.

From Deadline:  Stand-up comedian and actor, Richard Belzer, has died at the age of 78, Sunday, February 19, 2023.  Belzer began his career in the early 1970s and release the comedy album "Another Lone Nut" in 1997.  As an actor, he is best known for playing the character, Det. John Munch on the former NBC crime drama, "Homicide: Life on the Streets" (1993-99) and on the NBC drama, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999-2016).

--------------

AWARDS:

From Oscar:  The nominations for the 2023 / 95th Academy Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Sunday, March 12, 2023.

From Deadline:  The winners at the 2023 / 29th annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards have been announced.  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" wins the big prize, "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture," one of four awards the film won.

From Deadline:  The winners at the 2023 / 34th annual Producers Guild Awards have been announced.  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" wins the top prize, "Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding  Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures."

From Deadline:  At the 2023 / 50th annual Annie Awards (for animated productions), "Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio" wins the "Best Feature" award, one of its four wins.  "Best Indie Feature" goes to "Marcel the Shell with Shoes On."

From Variety:  The winners of the 2023 EE BAFTA Film Awards have been announced.  The French film, "All Quiet on the Western Front" wins a record seven awards including "Best Film."  "The Banshees of Inisherin" won four, including "Best British Film."

From Deadline:  The winners of the 75th annual Directors Guild Awards have been announced.  The top honor, "Outstanding Directorial Achievment in a Theatrical Feature Film," went to Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert for "Everything Everywhere All at Once."

From Deadline:   The winners at the 2023 / 21st annual VES Awards, handed out by the Visual Effects Society, have been announced.  "Avatar: The Way of Water" topped the night with 9 wins.

From Deadline:  "Top Gun: Maverick" wins "Best Picture" at the "AARP Movies for Grownups Awards" held Saturday night in Beverly Hills.

From Variety:  The nominations for the 2023 Writers Guild Awards have been announced.  Winners will be announced Sunday, March 5, 2023.

From Variety:  The nominations for the 2023 EE BAFTA Awards have been announced. The Netflix World War I drama, "All Quiet on the Western Front," leads with 14 nominations.  The winners will be announced Sunday, February 19, 2023.

From Deadline:  The winners were announced at the 2023 / 28th annual Critics Choice Awards.  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" was named "Best Picture."

From Deadline:  The nominees for the 2023 / 34th Producers Guild of America Awards have been announced in both film and TV categories.  The winners will be announced Sat. Feb. 25th, 2023.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2023 / 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Sun., Feb. 26th, 2023.

From Deadline:  The National Society of Film Critics has named "Tar" its "Best Picture" of 2023 and its star, Cate Blanchette, as "Best Actress."

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2023 / 23rd Annual Black Reel Awards have been announced.  "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and "The Woman King" have tied for the lead in nominations with 14 apiece.  The winners will be announced February 6, 2023.

From Deadline:  The Black Film Critics Circle named "The Woman King" the "Best Film" of 2022.

From Deadline:  The winners of the 2022 Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) Awards have been announced.  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "Tar" tie for "Best Picture" award.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2023 / 80th annual Golden Globes Awards were announced today (Mon., Dec. 12th).  "The Banshees of Inisherin" led the film field with eight nominations. ABC's "Abbot Elementary" lead the TV side with five nominations.  The winners will be announced January 10, 2023.

From Deadline:  The American Film Institute (AFI) has named its "AFI Awards Film" list of "Top 10 Films of 2022."  The list includes "Avatar: The Way of Water," "Top Gun: Maverick," and "The Woman King."

From THR:  The African-American Film Critics Association name "The Woman King" the "Best Film of 2022."

From Deadline:  The nominations for the "2023 Critics Choice Awards" in the television categories have been announced.  ABC's sitcom, "Abbot Elementary" leads the nominations.  The winners will be announced Sunday, January 15, 2023 and broadcast on The CW.

From Variety:  The 2022 / 88th Annual New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) Awards have been announced.  Todd Field's "Tar" wins "Best Film" and "Best Actress" (Cate Blanchett).  Keke Palmer wins "Best Supporting Actress" for her performance in "Nope."

From Deadline:  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" wins the "Best Feature" award at the 2022 / 32nd Annual Gotham Awards, one of two wins for the film.

From IndieWire:  The nominations for the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards have been announced.   "Everything Everywhere All at Once" leads with eight nominations.  The winners will be announced March 4th, 2023.

From Variety:  The nominations for the 2022 / 32nd Annual Gotham Awards were announced a month ago.  Todd Field's "Tar" leads with five nominations.  The winners will be announced Monday, November 28th.

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TYRE NICHOLS:

From NBCNews:  Tyre Nichols' death: A summary and timeline of his encounter with Memphis police officers

From YahooNews:  In the 67 minutes of the Tyre Nichols video, brutality followed by nonchalance.

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BRITTNEY GRINER:

From CBSNews:  WNBA star Brittney Griner has been released from her Russian imprisonment in a one-for-one prisoner swap for notorious international arms dealer, Viktor Bout.

From NBCNews:   Brittney Griner will enter a system of isolation, grueling labor and psychological torment when she is transferred to a penal colony, the successor to the infamous Russian gulag, to fulfill a nine-year sentence handed down Tuesday in Moscow, former prisoners and advocates said.

From NBCNews:  A Russian court has rejected Brittney Griner's appeal of her nine-year prison sentence on (fake) drug charges.

From Reuters:  Russia says that it is ready to talk prisoner swamp for Brittney Griner and U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan, but also scolds the U.S. Embassy.

From TheDailyBeast:   Legendary NBA bad boy and champion (Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls), Dennis Rodman claims that he has been given permission to go to Russia and help free imprisoned hostage, WNBA star, Brittney Griner.

From Vox:  Vox's Jonathan Guyer talks the Brittney Griner case with Danielle Gilbert, a Dartmouth professor who is writing a book about states and rogue actors that take hostages.

From ESPN:   A Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison Thursday, Aug. 4th.  Griner was arrested Feb. 17 for bringing cannabis into the country and pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law.

From ESPN:  The Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.

From RSN:  "Will Support From LeBron James, Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Other Celebrities Help Free Brittney Griner From a Russian Prison?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Substack

From ESPN:  Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty on Thursday to bringing hashish oil into Russia, telling a judge that she had done so "inadvertently" while asking the court for mercy.

From CBSSports:  The Brittney Griner situation explained.

From RSN:  According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Brittney Griner is a hostage, plain and simple."

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