Houston Film Critics Society is a not-for-profit, unincorporated voluntary organizaton of print, broadcast, and internet film critics based in the Greater Houston metropolitan area that meet its membership criteria. According its website, the group was founded in 2007 by Nick Nicholson and Danny Minton and helps to organize and coordinate the local area film critics community.
The nominees for the 9th annual Houston Film Critics Society Awards were announced, December 13, 2015. The winners were announced January 9, 2016.
2015 / 9th Houston Film Critics Society winners:
Best Picture: Spotlight
Best Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu for The Revenant
Best Actor: Michael Fassbender for Steve Jobs
Best Actress: Brie Larson for Room
Best Supporting Actor: Tom Hardy for The Revenant
Best Supporting Actress: Rooney Mara for Carol
Best Screenplay: Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer for Spotlight
Best Animated Film: Inside Out (Pete Doctor, director)
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki for The Revenant
Best Documentary: Amy (Asif Kapadia, director)
Best Foreign Film: Son of Saul (Hungary; László Nemes, director)
Best Score: Ennio Moriccone for The Hateful Eight
Best Song: Brian Wilson for "Love and Mercy" from Love & Mercy
Texas Independent Film Award: Mark Craig for The Last Man on the Moon
Technical: Guy Norris for Mad Max: Fury Road
Worst Movie: Pixels
Lifetime Achievement: Dennis Quaid
Humanitarian of the Year: Matt Damon
Outstanding Cinematic Contribution: Joe Leydon
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Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Bluefin Announces "Bruce Lee" Poseable Action Figure
BLUEFIN DEBUTS NEW BRUCE LEE POSEABLE ACTION FIGURE FROM TAMASHII NATIONS
Exciting Latest Addition To The S.H. Figuarts Line Debuts To Retailers In February And Utilizes Advanced Digital Facial Coloring Technology For Impressive Realism And Includes Multiple Weapon Accessories And Other Interchangeable Parts
Anaheim, CA – Bluefin, the leading North American distributor of toys, collectibles, and hobby merchandise from Japan, Hong Kong and more, is proud to introduce the world’s most posable Bruce Lee action figure!
Renowned Japanese collectibles label, Tamashii Nations, integrates its advanced S.H. Figuarts articulation technology to reproduce all of Bruce Lee's powerful martial arts moves! For this latest release, Tamashii Nations also utilized cutting edge digital facial coloring technology to achieve a stunning level of realism and collectors will be impressed by the incredible level of overall quality.
The Bruce Lee figure debuts in February 2016 with an MSRP of $49.99 from authorized Bluefin retailers nationwide and also from a variety of leading online outlets. Pre-orders continue to be available.
The S.H. Figuarts Bruce Lee figure stands 5 inches tall and includes several trademark martial arts weapons including a nunchaku (nunchuck) and two bo staffs (short and long. Other accessories include interchangeable hands (x9) and interchangeable face parts (x2).
Bruce Lee was a pioneering Chinese American action film star, martial arts instructor, philosopher, and filmmaker. He starred in several highly influential martial arts movies such as Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon and is widely regarded as one of the most iconic martial artists of all time.
Bluefin is the official North American distributor for Tamashii Nations, an umbrella label that encompasses Japan’s top collectible brands and features products from popular giant robot shows like Mazinger Z and Gundam, anime series like Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon, and live action series like Kamen Rider. The mission of Tamashii Nations is to bring “tamashii,” the Japanese word for soul or spirit, into everything they create. For a complete listing of Tamashii Nations products available from Bluefin, please visit: www.bluefincorp.com/catalog/tamashii-nations.html.
About Bluefin
Based in Irvine, CA, Bluefin built its reputation as a leading distributor of Japanese toys, collectibles, novelty and hobby products. In recent years, Bluefin has grown to include a range of high quality collectible lines from the United States, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore and established itself as the official North American consumer products and retail development partner for Studio Ghibli. Selling to thousands of specialty, chain and independent stores, Bluefin is an official North American distributor for Bandai Hobby, Kotobukiya and Capcom, is the sole provider of Bandai Tamashii Nations products, and is also the exclusive and official distributor for Hero Cross, Beast Kingdom, Comicave, Mr. Hobby, SEN-TI-NEL and X-Plus. Bluefin also represents TruForce Collectibles products worldwide. Additional information is available at: www.bluefincorp.com.
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"Bitch Planet" Begins New Story Arc in February 2016
Featuring expanded community pages
Eisner Award-nominated writer KELLY SUE DeCONNICK (PRETTY DEADLY, Captain Marvel) and VALENTINE DE LANDRO (X-Factor) will launch a new story arc in their viciously satirical ongoing sci-fi series this February.
Previously in BITCH PLANET, a new crop of non-compliants settled in for their stay on the Auxiliary Compliance Outpost. When a small group was offered a chance to earn their freedom, they took it, knowing the odds would be stacked against them at every turn.
In BITCH PLANET #7, PRESIDENT BITCH: PART 1 (OF 4), Operative Whitney has to answer for Meiko’s death and Kam gets a critical clue to the whereabouts of her sister.
"We’re back to the main narrative with this issue,” said DeConnick. “Meiko’s dad arrives on the outpost, we learn more about Josephson’s plan and Penny’s grief. Oh, and Kam gets a new cellmate. She’s a corker."
"There's a shower scene in this issue, and I only had to lay it out once,” said De Landro. “Enjoy, friends!"
BITCH PLANET #7 (Diamond code: DEC150546) hits stores Wednesday, February 17th, 2016. Final order cutoff deadline for retailers is Monday, January 25th, 2016.
ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
EPIX Announces "The 4%: Film's Gender Problem" Documenary Series
EPIX to Air “THE 4%: FILM’S GENDER PROBLEM” – An Original Series of 6 Short Documentaries with First Person Insights About Gender Inequality in Hollywood Debuts March 8, on International Women’s Day 2016
Produced by Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions, Directed by Caroline Suh and Featuring Interviews with Jill Soloway, Paul Feig, Toni Collette, Anjelica Huston, Catherine Hardwicke, Judd Apatow, Amy Heckerling, Julie Delpy, Lake Bell, Mira Nair, Amanda Peet, Patricia Clarkson, Mo’Nique, Anne Sweeney, James Franco, Christine Vachon, Sam Taylor-Johnson, Kristin Wiig and more…
Informed by Research Conducted by USC Annenberg Professor, Dr. Stacy L. Smith
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Premium TV network EPIX® announced today that THE 4%: FILM’S GENDER PROBLEM, a series of 6 original short films designed to explore the issues around the current gender gap in Hollywood, has completed production. The 6 shorts will air on the network and across all EPIX platforms on International Women’s Day – March 8, 2016 – and run throughout the month, coinciding with Women’s History Month. The first short will be presented at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival’s “Women at Sundance Brunch” on January 25, 2016.
Produced by Alex Gibney’s award-winning Jigsaw Productions (Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine, Taxi To the Darkside, Enron: Smartest Men In the Room), the series spotlights directors and creative personalities – both women and men – who share first-person insights, questions and anecdotes about the role of women in Hollywood.
Participants include: Judd Apatow, Joe Arcidiacono, Lake Bell, Amy Berg, Patricia Clarkson, Toni Collette, Jonathan Dayton, Julie Delpy, Valerie Faris, Paul Feig, America Ferrera, James Franco, Donna Gigliotti, Geoffrey Gilmore, Debra Granik, Catherine Hardwicke, Mary Harron, Amy Heckerling, Dawn Hudson, Anjelica Huston, Vicky Jenson, Sam Taylor-Johnson, Rebecca Keegan, Jon Kilik, Ellen Kuras, Mimi Leder, Franklin Leonard, Tina Mabry, Victoria Mahoney, Michael Mann, Lori McCreary, Mo’Nique, Michael Moore, Rachel Morrison, Mira Nair, Amanda Peet, Kimberly Peirce, Keri Putnam, Pamela Romanowsky, Cathy Schulman, A.O. Scott, Melissa Silverstein, Dr. Stacy L. Smith, Jill Soloway, Anne Sweeney, Anne Thompson, Rosemarie Troche, Christine Vachon, Mandy Walker and Kristen Wiig.
The series is informed by research conducted by USC Annenberg’s Dr. Stacy L. Smith, a renowned expert in the field, and which was supported by Women in Film Los Angeles and Sundance Institute. The series also has the support of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender In Media and Meryl Streep.
Even though it is widely recognized that female directors are strikingly under-represented in Hollywood, the numbers still manage to surprise. According to a multi-year study led by Dr. Stacy L. Smith and conducted by the USC Annenberg Media, Diversity and Social Change Initiative, across 1,300 top-grossing films from 2002 to 2014, only 4.1% of all directors were female. This calculates into a gender ratio of 23.3 male directors to every 1 female director.
Each film will focus on a different theme, with segments varying in tone – from thoughtful, to controversial, to funny, sometimes all at once.
Mark S. Greenberg, President and CEO, EPIX, said, “EPIX has supported Stacy’s research for years and these shorts offer a richer, more authentic portrayal about the role of women and girls in media today. Support for this project has also brought together the talented Alex Gibney, and a prestigious list of some of the most gifted artists and creatives from the worlds of entertainment and the arts. Our objective is to help provide a forum for the discussion of ideas and potential solutions, as we collectively work towards closing the gap that exists today.”
Dr. Stacy L. Smith, the Initiative’s Founder and Director and lead researcher on the investigation, said, “The series offers an opportunity for a national audience to hear from the entertainment industry directly about the issues women face both as filmmakers and in other creative roles. My research is clear: females face a very real fiscal cliff as they pursue work at the highest echelons of this industry. I am proud that my research is associated with a team and a network that cares about female filmmakers and creating systemic change.”
According to research from Dr. Stacy L. Smith:
In the 100 top films of 2014, only 2 women worked as directors.
Across 700 films and 779 directors from 2007 to 2014, only 3 were Black or African American female directors.
Women were only 11% of writers and less than 20% of producers across the 100 top-grossing films of 2014.
Only 30% of all on-screen speaking characters in 700 top-grossing films from 2007 to 2014 were girls or women.
A total of 21 of the 100 top films of 2014 featured a female lead or roughly equal co-lead.
Less than a quarter of all speaking characters were female in the top animated films of 2014.
Only 22% of speaking characters in top action/adventure films of 2014 were female.
34% of characters in top 2014 comedies were female.
Other data on female directors shows:
Only four women have been nominated for a Best Director Oscar® in the past 85 years, with only one winner among them.
“THE 4%: FILM’S GENDER PROBLEM points to the fact there is an undeniably gaping disparity in Hollywood. It’s one that many – including those in Hollywood and at the ACLU and EEOC – believe needs to change. What better way to draw attention to the issue than to have some of the business' most recognizable voices come together in support of more diversity in making movies,” notes director Caroline Suh. “I’m very happy that the project found a partner in Jigsaw, a company known for its activism in exploring human rights violations and the abuse of power. Jigsaw is an amazing group of diverse yet like-minded people whom I’ve loved working with. Further pleased to be working with the support of EPIX, led by Mark Greenberg, who has been committed to these issues for a long time. There’s also a great team of executives and production people who have rallied around the cause.”
THE 4%: FILM’S GENDER PROBLEM is a series of EPIX Original short documentary films produced by Jigsaw Productions. Caroline Suh is the director and Erika Frankel is the producer. Executive Producers are Stacey Offman, Laura Michalchyshyn, Lynne Kirby, Caroline Suh, Betsy West and Alex Gibney. Jocelyn Diaz, Ross Bernard and Jill Burkhart are Executive Producers for EPIX.
About USC Annenberg Media, Diversity, & Social Change Initiative
Dr. Stacy L. Smith is the Founder and Director of the Media, Diversity, and Social Change Initiative at the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism at the University of Southern California. Dr. Smith's work examines gender and race on screen and behind the camera in cinematic content as well as barriers and opportunities facing women and people of color in the entertainment industry. She also conducts economic analyses related to diversity and the financial performance of films. Dr. Smith has written more than 100 journal articles, book chapters, and reports on content patterns and effects of the media. In terms of the popular press, Dr. Smith’s research has been written about in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, fivethirtyeight.com, The Atlantic, The Huffington Post, Newsweek, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Slate.com, Salon.com, The Boston Globe, NPR, and USA Today, to name a few. She has a co-edited essay in Maria Shriver’s book, A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything (2009). Dr. Smith’s most recent research reports include a landmark study with Sundance Institute and Women in Film Los Angeles, a study of 700 top-grossing films conducted at USC Annenberg, and multiple investigations with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. Her work is also generously supported by EPIX, The Harnisch Foundation, LUNAFEST, The Jacquelyn and Gregory Zehner Foundation, and other individuals. To learn more, visit http://annenberg.usc.edu/mdsci or follow on Twitter @MDSCInitiative.
Jigsaw Productions is helmed by Oscar® and Emmy® Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney. Jigsaw has produced some of the most acclaimed documentary films in recent years, including the Academy and Emmy Award-winning Taxi to the Dark Side, the Oscar-nominated Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, the multiple Emmy Award-winning Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God, Showtime’s Emmy-winning History of the Eagles, the Sundance-premiering We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks, and the explosive film about Lance Armstrong’s long fall from grace, The Armstrong Lie. More recent Jigsaw releases include the controversial and three-time Emmy winner Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, one of the most watched documentaries in HBO’s history, the Peabody Award-winning Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown, the Emmy-nominated two-part series Sinatra: All or Nothing At All for HBO, and Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine for CNN Films, in theaters now. Television projects currently in production include: The New Yorker Presents for Amazon, which adapts the venerable The New Yorker magazine to the screen; Cooked, a four-part food docu-series based on the award-winning Michael Pollan book of the same name for Netflix; and the four-part Parched: The Water Wars for National Geographic.
About EPIX
EPIX is a premium movie and original programming entertainment network delivering the latest movie releases, classic film franchises, original documentaries, comedy and music events on TV, on demand, online and on digital devices. Launched in October 2009, EPIX has pioneered the development and proliferation of “TV Everywhere.” It was the first premium network to provide multi-platform access to its content online at EPIX.com and to launch on Xbox, PlayStation®, Android phones and tablets, and Roku® players. EPIX is also available across Chromecast, Apple® iPhones® and iPads®, Android TV and more and is the only premium service providing all its programming on all platforms, delivering more movies than any other premium network, with thousands of titles available for streaming.
EPIX is a joint venture between Viacom Inc., its Paramount Pictures unit, Lionsgate and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM). Through relationships with cable, satellite and telco partners, EPIX is available to over 50 million homes nationwide. For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHD (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX), Google+ (http://plus.google.com/+EPIX), Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/EPIX) and Vine (https://vine.co/EPIX).
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Produced by Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions, Directed by Caroline Suh and Featuring Interviews with Jill Soloway, Paul Feig, Toni Collette, Anjelica Huston, Catherine Hardwicke, Judd Apatow, Amy Heckerling, Julie Delpy, Lake Bell, Mira Nair, Amanda Peet, Patricia Clarkson, Mo’Nique, Anne Sweeney, James Franco, Christine Vachon, Sam Taylor-Johnson, Kristin Wiig and more…
Informed by Research Conducted by USC Annenberg Professor, Dr. Stacy L. Smith
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Premium TV network EPIX® announced today that THE 4%: FILM’S GENDER PROBLEM, a series of 6 original short films designed to explore the issues around the current gender gap in Hollywood, has completed production. The 6 shorts will air on the network and across all EPIX platforms on International Women’s Day – March 8, 2016 – and run throughout the month, coinciding with Women’s History Month. The first short will be presented at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival’s “Women at Sundance Brunch” on January 25, 2016.
Produced by Alex Gibney’s award-winning Jigsaw Productions (Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine, Taxi To the Darkside, Enron: Smartest Men In the Room), the series spotlights directors and creative personalities – both women and men – who share first-person insights, questions and anecdotes about the role of women in Hollywood.
Participants include: Judd Apatow, Joe Arcidiacono, Lake Bell, Amy Berg, Patricia Clarkson, Toni Collette, Jonathan Dayton, Julie Delpy, Valerie Faris, Paul Feig, America Ferrera, James Franco, Donna Gigliotti, Geoffrey Gilmore, Debra Granik, Catherine Hardwicke, Mary Harron, Amy Heckerling, Dawn Hudson, Anjelica Huston, Vicky Jenson, Sam Taylor-Johnson, Rebecca Keegan, Jon Kilik, Ellen Kuras, Mimi Leder, Franklin Leonard, Tina Mabry, Victoria Mahoney, Michael Mann, Lori McCreary, Mo’Nique, Michael Moore, Rachel Morrison, Mira Nair, Amanda Peet, Kimberly Peirce, Keri Putnam, Pamela Romanowsky, Cathy Schulman, A.O. Scott, Melissa Silverstein, Dr. Stacy L. Smith, Jill Soloway, Anne Sweeney, Anne Thompson, Rosemarie Troche, Christine Vachon, Mandy Walker and Kristen Wiig.
The series is informed by research conducted by USC Annenberg’s Dr. Stacy L. Smith, a renowned expert in the field, and which was supported by Women in Film Los Angeles and Sundance Institute. The series also has the support of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender In Media and Meryl Streep.
Even though it is widely recognized that female directors are strikingly under-represented in Hollywood, the numbers still manage to surprise. According to a multi-year study led by Dr. Stacy L. Smith and conducted by the USC Annenberg Media, Diversity and Social Change Initiative, across 1,300 top-grossing films from 2002 to 2014, only 4.1% of all directors were female. This calculates into a gender ratio of 23.3 male directors to every 1 female director.
Each film will focus on a different theme, with segments varying in tone – from thoughtful, to controversial, to funny, sometimes all at once.
Mark S. Greenberg, President and CEO, EPIX, said, “EPIX has supported Stacy’s research for years and these shorts offer a richer, more authentic portrayal about the role of women and girls in media today. Support for this project has also brought together the talented Alex Gibney, and a prestigious list of some of the most gifted artists and creatives from the worlds of entertainment and the arts. Our objective is to help provide a forum for the discussion of ideas and potential solutions, as we collectively work towards closing the gap that exists today.”
Dr. Stacy L. Smith, the Initiative’s Founder and Director and lead researcher on the investigation, said, “The series offers an opportunity for a national audience to hear from the entertainment industry directly about the issues women face both as filmmakers and in other creative roles. My research is clear: females face a very real fiscal cliff as they pursue work at the highest echelons of this industry. I am proud that my research is associated with a team and a network that cares about female filmmakers and creating systemic change.”
According to research from Dr. Stacy L. Smith:
In the 100 top films of 2014, only 2 women worked as directors.
Across 700 films and 779 directors from 2007 to 2014, only 3 were Black or African American female directors.
Women were only 11% of writers and less than 20% of producers across the 100 top-grossing films of 2014.
Only 30% of all on-screen speaking characters in 700 top-grossing films from 2007 to 2014 were girls or women.
A total of 21 of the 100 top films of 2014 featured a female lead or roughly equal co-lead.
Less than a quarter of all speaking characters were female in the top animated films of 2014.
Only 22% of speaking characters in top action/adventure films of 2014 were female.
34% of characters in top 2014 comedies were female.
Other data on female directors shows:
Only four women have been nominated for a Best Director Oscar® in the past 85 years, with only one winner among them.
“THE 4%: FILM’S GENDER PROBLEM points to the fact there is an undeniably gaping disparity in Hollywood. It’s one that many – including those in Hollywood and at the ACLU and EEOC – believe needs to change. What better way to draw attention to the issue than to have some of the business' most recognizable voices come together in support of more diversity in making movies,” notes director Caroline Suh. “I’m very happy that the project found a partner in Jigsaw, a company known for its activism in exploring human rights violations and the abuse of power. Jigsaw is an amazing group of diverse yet like-minded people whom I’ve loved working with. Further pleased to be working with the support of EPIX, led by Mark Greenberg, who has been committed to these issues for a long time. There’s also a great team of executives and production people who have rallied around the cause.”
THE 4%: FILM’S GENDER PROBLEM is a series of EPIX Original short documentary films produced by Jigsaw Productions. Caroline Suh is the director and Erika Frankel is the producer. Executive Producers are Stacey Offman, Laura Michalchyshyn, Lynne Kirby, Caroline Suh, Betsy West and Alex Gibney. Jocelyn Diaz, Ross Bernard and Jill Burkhart are Executive Producers for EPIX.
About USC Annenberg Media, Diversity, & Social Change Initiative
Dr. Stacy L. Smith is the Founder and Director of the Media, Diversity, and Social Change Initiative at the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism at the University of Southern California. Dr. Smith's work examines gender and race on screen and behind the camera in cinematic content as well as barriers and opportunities facing women and people of color in the entertainment industry. She also conducts economic analyses related to diversity and the financial performance of films. Dr. Smith has written more than 100 journal articles, book chapters, and reports on content patterns and effects of the media. In terms of the popular press, Dr. Smith’s research has been written about in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, fivethirtyeight.com, The Atlantic, The Huffington Post, Newsweek, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Slate.com, Salon.com, The Boston Globe, NPR, and USA Today, to name a few. She has a co-edited essay in Maria Shriver’s book, A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything (2009). Dr. Smith’s most recent research reports include a landmark study with Sundance Institute and Women in Film Los Angeles, a study of 700 top-grossing films conducted at USC Annenberg, and multiple investigations with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. Her work is also generously supported by EPIX, The Harnisch Foundation, LUNAFEST, The Jacquelyn and Gregory Zehner Foundation, and other individuals. To learn more, visit http://annenberg.usc.edu/mdsci or follow on Twitter @MDSCInitiative.
Jigsaw Productions is helmed by Oscar® and Emmy® Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney. Jigsaw has produced some of the most acclaimed documentary films in recent years, including the Academy and Emmy Award-winning Taxi to the Dark Side, the Oscar-nominated Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, the multiple Emmy Award-winning Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God, Showtime’s Emmy-winning History of the Eagles, the Sundance-premiering We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks, and the explosive film about Lance Armstrong’s long fall from grace, The Armstrong Lie. More recent Jigsaw releases include the controversial and three-time Emmy winner Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, one of the most watched documentaries in HBO’s history, the Peabody Award-winning Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown, the Emmy-nominated two-part series Sinatra: All or Nothing At All for HBO, and Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine for CNN Films, in theaters now. Television projects currently in production include: The New Yorker Presents for Amazon, which adapts the venerable The New Yorker magazine to the screen; Cooked, a four-part food docu-series based on the award-winning Michael Pollan book of the same name for Netflix; and the four-part Parched: The Water Wars for National Geographic.
About EPIX
EPIX is a premium movie and original programming entertainment network delivering the latest movie releases, classic film franchises, original documentaries, comedy and music events on TV, on demand, online and on digital devices. Launched in October 2009, EPIX has pioneered the development and proliferation of “TV Everywhere.” It was the first premium network to provide multi-platform access to its content online at EPIX.com and to launch on Xbox, PlayStation®, Android phones and tablets, and Roku® players. EPIX is also available across Chromecast, Apple® iPhones® and iPads®, Android TV and more and is the only premium service providing all its programming on all platforms, delivering more movies than any other premium network, with thousands of titles available for streaming.
EPIX is a joint venture between Viacom Inc., its Paramount Pictures unit, Lionsgate and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM). Through relationships with cable, satellite and telco partners, EPIX is available to over 50 million homes nationwide. For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHD (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX), Google+ (http://plus.google.com/+EPIX), Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/EPIX) and Vine (https://vine.co/EPIX).
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"Star Darlings" Bring Their Magical Brand to Disney Channel
Disney ‘Star Darlings’ Debuts First On-Air Special on Disney Channel
Tween Property Expands Across Television and Music with All-New Content; Teen Singer-Songwriter Skylar Stecker Premieres Special Remix of Theme Song “Wish Now”
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Disney today announced the television premiere of the first on-air special of its original new tween property “Star Darlings” FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 (8:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel. The on-air special will extend the stories from the popular “Star Darlings” book series from Disney Publishing Worldwide that feature 12 unique girls who encourage tweens to celebrate their individuality, make positive choices, and show that they can make any wish a reality. “Star Darlings” first debuted in North America in September 2015 as a multiplatform lifestyle experience featuring content, music, and products spanning across books, online, mobile, toys and apparel.
“We are excited to expand the world of Starland to television and give fans across the country even more ways to join the ‘Star Darlings’ on their magical adventures.”
“The ‘Star Darlings’ digital short form content has already garnered millions of views across multiple platforms,” said Andrew Sugerman, executive vice president, Disney Publishing Worldwide. “We are excited to expand the world of Starland to television and give fans across the country even more ways to join the ‘Star Darlings’ on their magical adventures.”
The 30-minute on-air special, “Becoming Star Darlings,” introduces viewers to 12 “Star-Charmed” girls who pursue their individual wishes with determination and the help of their friends. The story begins on Starland where a major crisis is afoot, and the girls are chosen to be the first student Starlings to venture to Earth, or as they call it, “Wishworld.” Determined to succeed, the girls show courage and ingenuity—plus a whole lot of humor—as they guide others on Earth to discover happiness and fulfillment.
“Star Darlings” is rich with themes of friendship, confidence, leadership, and teamwork, and centers on characters that embody the qualities and characteristics of today’s tweens. The stories and journeys represented in the animated specials and book series are designed to inspire tweens to go after their dreams.
Music is a key element of the “Star Darlings” property, and as part of the property’s expansion to television, teen singer-songwriter and actress Skylar Stecker was brought on to remix the “Star Darlings” theme song, “Wish Now.” The remix, along with a live-action music video, features Stecker’s powerhouse vocals coupled with hip-hop-inspired beats and electro-pop synths. The Wisconsin native, whose debut album This Is Me is out now on Cherrytree Records, has been featured on Vevo’s DSCVR and iHeart Radio’s Next Up series which showcase in-studio performances from the most exciting new artist discoveries in music today. Also an actress, Skylar recently guest starred on Disney Channel’s hit TV show, Austin & Ally.
“I am so honored to be a part of the incredible world of ‘Star Darlings,’” said Stecker. “I’ve always wanted to be a singer. To be able to live out my dream and do what I love inspires me to encourage others to do the same. ‘Star Darlings’ feels like my own personal story and I can’t wait for my fans to check it out.”
The “Wish Now” remix is now available for download on iTunes, and on the “Star Darlings” Facebook, YouTube and Instagram channels.
The second “Star Darlings” on-air special, “Star Darlings Friendships,” is scheduled to air on the Disney Channel on March 25, 2016.
“Star Darlings” books, dolls and apparel are now available at mass retailers nationwide. The “Star Darlings” doll line, created in collaboration with master toy partner JAKKS Pacific, features dolls from both Starland and Wishworld. The Starland Fashion Dolls let their inner star shine with “out-of-this-world” fashions, while the Wishworld Fashion Dolls feature stylish, down-to-earth fashions for adventures on Wishworld. A full range of all-new products for tweens including fashion, accessories, beauty, and more will be available in fall 2016.
For more information and to connect with Disney “Star Darlings,” please:
Visit the “Star Darlings” website: www.disneystardarlings.com
Like “Star Darlings” on Facebook: www.facebook.com/disneystardarlings
Follow “Star Darlings” on Instagram: www.instagram.com/disneystardarlings/
Subscribe to “Star Darlings” on YouTube: http://di.sn/6002B3McO
Download the “Star Darlings” mobile app: http://bit.ly/Star-Darlings-App
About Disney Publishing Worldwide
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world's largest publisher of children's books, magazines, and apps, igniting imagination through storytelling in ever-inventive ways. DPW creates and publishes books and magazines both vertically in-house and through an extensive worldwide licensing structure. As a leader in digital products, DPW creates best-selling eBook titles and best-in-class original apps. DPW is also committed to the educational development of children around the world through Disney Learning, which includes Disney Imagicademy, as well as Disney English and other Disney-themed learning products. Headquartered in Glendale, California, DPW publishes books, magazines and digital products in 85 countries in 75 languages. For more information, visit www.disneypublishing.com.
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Tween Property Expands Across Television and Music with All-New Content; Teen Singer-Songwriter Skylar Stecker Premieres Special Remix of Theme Song “Wish Now”
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Disney today announced the television premiere of the first on-air special of its original new tween property “Star Darlings” FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 (8:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel. The on-air special will extend the stories from the popular “Star Darlings” book series from Disney Publishing Worldwide that feature 12 unique girls who encourage tweens to celebrate their individuality, make positive choices, and show that they can make any wish a reality. “Star Darlings” first debuted in North America in September 2015 as a multiplatform lifestyle experience featuring content, music, and products spanning across books, online, mobile, toys and apparel.
“We are excited to expand the world of Starland to television and give fans across the country even more ways to join the ‘Star Darlings’ on their magical adventures.”
“The ‘Star Darlings’ digital short form content has already garnered millions of views across multiple platforms,” said Andrew Sugerman, executive vice president, Disney Publishing Worldwide. “We are excited to expand the world of Starland to television and give fans across the country even more ways to join the ‘Star Darlings’ on their magical adventures.”
The 30-minute on-air special, “Becoming Star Darlings,” introduces viewers to 12 “Star-Charmed” girls who pursue their individual wishes with determination and the help of their friends. The story begins on Starland where a major crisis is afoot, and the girls are chosen to be the first student Starlings to venture to Earth, or as they call it, “Wishworld.” Determined to succeed, the girls show courage and ingenuity—plus a whole lot of humor—as they guide others on Earth to discover happiness and fulfillment.
“Star Darlings” is rich with themes of friendship, confidence, leadership, and teamwork, and centers on characters that embody the qualities and characteristics of today’s tweens. The stories and journeys represented in the animated specials and book series are designed to inspire tweens to go after their dreams.
Music is a key element of the “Star Darlings” property, and as part of the property’s expansion to television, teen singer-songwriter and actress Skylar Stecker was brought on to remix the “Star Darlings” theme song, “Wish Now.” The remix, along with a live-action music video, features Stecker’s powerhouse vocals coupled with hip-hop-inspired beats and electro-pop synths. The Wisconsin native, whose debut album This Is Me is out now on Cherrytree Records, has been featured on Vevo’s DSCVR and iHeart Radio’s Next Up series which showcase in-studio performances from the most exciting new artist discoveries in music today. Also an actress, Skylar recently guest starred on Disney Channel’s hit TV show, Austin & Ally.
“I am so honored to be a part of the incredible world of ‘Star Darlings,’” said Stecker. “I’ve always wanted to be a singer. To be able to live out my dream and do what I love inspires me to encourage others to do the same. ‘Star Darlings’ feels like my own personal story and I can’t wait for my fans to check it out.”
The “Wish Now” remix is now available for download on iTunes, and on the “Star Darlings” Facebook, YouTube and Instagram channels.
The second “Star Darlings” on-air special, “Star Darlings Friendships,” is scheduled to air on the Disney Channel on March 25, 2016.
“Star Darlings” books, dolls and apparel are now available at mass retailers nationwide. The “Star Darlings” doll line, created in collaboration with master toy partner JAKKS Pacific, features dolls from both Starland and Wishworld. The Starland Fashion Dolls let their inner star shine with “out-of-this-world” fashions, while the Wishworld Fashion Dolls feature stylish, down-to-earth fashions for adventures on Wishworld. A full range of all-new products for tweens including fashion, accessories, beauty, and more will be available in fall 2016.
For more information and to connect with Disney “Star Darlings,” please:
Visit the “Star Darlings” website: www.disneystardarlings.com
Like “Star Darlings” on Facebook: www.facebook.com/disneystardarlings
Follow “Star Darlings” on Instagram: www.instagram.com/disneystardarlings/
Subscribe to “Star Darlings” on YouTube: http://di.sn/6002B3McO
Download the “Star Darlings” mobile app: http://bit.ly/Star-Darlings-App
About Disney Publishing Worldwide
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world's largest publisher of children's books, magazines, and apps, igniting imagination through storytelling in ever-inventive ways. DPW creates and publishes books and magazines both vertically in-house and through an extensive worldwide licensing structure. As a leader in digital products, DPW creates best-selling eBook titles and best-in-class original apps. DPW is also committed to the educational development of children around the world through Disney Learning, which includes Disney Imagicademy, as well as Disney English and other Disney-themed learning products. Headquartered in Glendale, California, DPW publishes books, magazines and digital products in 85 countries in 75 languages. For more information, visit www.disneypublishing.com.
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Image Comics Announces New Series, "The Fix"
An all-new series from Nick Spencer and Steve Lieber
The Eisner-award nominated team of bestselling writer Nick Spencer (MORNING GLORIES) and artist Steve Lieber (Detective Comics, Whiteout) are in cahoots again for an all-new, ongoing crime series, THE FIX, which will be launching from Image Comics this April.
"After working with Steve on Superior Foes of Spider-Man, and having so much fun there—it's an absolute thrill getting to work together again here at Image on a book that's creator-owned, and being able to push the envelope of our humor to new, um, lows,” said Spencer. “The Fix is us at our most demented, and it's a blast.”
THE FIX is a story of the crooked cops, scheming mobsters, and corrupt politicians that run Los Angeles—and the sex toy that can bring them all down. Oh, and the hero is a drug-sniffing beagle named Pretzels. Bad people do bad things to each other in this frenetic, outrageous, sometimes off-putting new caper that gives nod to classic crime comics like CRIMINAL and 100 Bullets.
Lieber added: "I'm happy to say that The Fix is a truly funny story about truly awful people. Nick Spencer, Ryan Hill, Nic Shaw and I are all working hard together to create an endlessly surprising tale full of shining moments of self-centered garbage humanity."
THE FIX #1 (Diamond Code FEB160465) will hit comic book stores on Wednesday, April 6th, 2016. The final order cutoff deadline for comic book retailers is Monday, March 14th, 2016.
ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
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VIZ Media Celebrates 4th Anniverary of Digital English Edition of "Weekly Shonen Jump"
VIZ MEDIA CELEBRATES THE 4th ANNIVERSARY OF WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP WITH SPECIAL ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP OFFER AND SWEEPSTAKES
Limited Time Promotion Delivers Special Subscriber Pricing On The World’s Most Popular Weekly Manga Magazine And The Opportunity To Win A Wide Variety Of SHONEN JUMP Premiums
San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, marks the 4th anniversary of the official digital English edition of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP, the world’s most popular weekly manga magazine, with a special subscription offer for readers.
WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP is published digitally every week by VIZ Media and features the latest chapters of a wide variety of serialized fan favorite manga (graphic novel) titles presented in English and released on the same day as the magazine’s general print release in Japan.
For a limited time until January 31st, 2016, special 4 Year Anniversary promotional pricing will offer annual WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP memberships for only $19.99 (U.S. / CAN) through shonenjump.viz.com. In addition, fans that subscribe by February 8th will have the opportunity to win a variety of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP premiums and collectibles including jackets, t-shirts, and more! More information on the sweepstakes is available here: http://bit.ly/1K1rqzx (*Note: this sweepstakes is available only to residents of the U.S. and Canada (excluding Quebec))
WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP annual members receive 48 weekly digital issues as well as special premiums such as Yu-Gi-Oh! Collectable Trading Cards, rare one-shot manga releases, digital-only promotions, and access to additional subscriber-only content including creator interviews and insightful promo videos. Current subscribers can also access their accounts via VIZManga.com, the VIZ Manga App, and shonenjump.viz.com or with the WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP App on iOS and Android devices.
Manga series currently featured in WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP include BLACK CLOVER, BLEACH, BLUE EXORCIST, FOOD WARS!, MY HERO ACADEMIA, NISEKOI, ONE-PUNCH MAN, ONE PIECE, SERAPH OF THE END, TORIKO, WORLD TRIGGER and YU-GI-OH! ARC-V. WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP also regularly gives readers an advance peek at the latest new series debuts in Japan with special JUMP START features.
“WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP is essential reading for manga fans and we invite both new and current readers to take advantage of this special promotion. This is a great opportunity to dive into the latest chapters of some of the hottest series each week and receive a variety of other cool premiums throughout the year!” says Andy Nakatani, Editor in Chief of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP.
WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP is also available to readers in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa via ShonenJump.VIZ.com and the WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Newsstand App available for the Apple iPad®, iPhone and iPod touch or the WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP App on the Google Play Store for Android devices. International issues debut each Monday at 10:00am (PST) and monthly subscriptions are available with automatic monthly renewals. Additional information on international subscriptions is available at: http://shonenjump.viz.com/international-wsj-app.
For more information on WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and exclusive subscriber offers, please visit shonenjump.viz.com.
For more information on VIZ Media manga titles, please visit www.VIZ.com.
About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family- friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.
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