Monday, July 3, 2017

"Fantastic Beasts" Sequel Begins Filming Today, July 3rd

A Thrilling New Adventure in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World is Underway

The Main Cast and Filmmakers from “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” Are Joined by Exciting New Additions to the Ensemble

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Principal photography starts today, Monday, July 3, 2017, on an all new adventure set in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, the second of five films in the series that began with “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” The as-yet-untitled film is being directed by David Yates.

Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything”) stars once more as wizarding world magizoologist Newt Scamander; alongside Katherine Waterston as Auror Tina Goldstein; Alison Sudol as her sister, Queenie Goldstein; and Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski, the only No-Maj in the foursome.

Oscar nominee Johnny Depp (the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, “Finding Neverland”), who was revealed as Gellert Grindelwald, stars as the powerful Dark wizard in the film. Oscar nominee Jude Law (“The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “Cold Mountain”) takes on the role of Albus Dumbledore—one of J.K. Rowling’s most beloved characters—decades before he becomes Headmaster at Hogwarts. Credence, whose fate was unknown at the end of the first film, makes a mysterious return, played again by Ezra Miller. Zoë Kravitz plays Leta Lestrange, who was glimpsed in a photo as a woman from Newt’s past; Callum Turner is the famed Theseus Scamander, a war hero and Auror, who also happens to be Newt’s older brother; and Claudia Kim plays a young woman we first meet as a featured attraction at a wizarding circus.

J.K. Rowling wrote the screenplay for the film, which opens in 1927, a few months after Newt helped to unveil and capture the infamous Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. However, as he promised he would, Grindelwald has made a dramatic escape and has been gathering more followers to his cause—elevating wizards above all non-magical beings. The only one who might be able to stop him is the wizard he once called his dearest friend, Albus Dumbledore. But Dumbledore will need help from the wizard who had thwarted Grindelwald once before, his former student Newt Scamander. The adventure reunites Newt with Tina, Queenie and Jacob, but his mission will also test their loyalties as they face new perils in an increasingly dangerous and divided wizarding world.

The film expands the wizarding world, moving from New York to London and on to Paris. There are also some surprising nods to the Harry Potter stories that will delight fans of the books and film series.

The ensemble cast also includes William Nadylam as a wizard named Yusuf Kama; Ingvar Sigurdsson as a bounty hunter named Grimmson; Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Skender, who runs the wizarding circus; and Kevin Guthrie as Abernathy, whom we met as Tina and Queenie’s boss at MACUSA (Magical Congress of the USA).

David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram are producing the film, with Tim Lewis, Neil Blair, Rick Senat and Danny Cohen serving as executive producers.

Collaborating with Yates behind the scenes, the creative teams are led by Oscar-winning director of photography Philippe Rousselot (“A River Runs Through It”); three-time Oscar-winning production designer Stuart Craig (“The English Patient,” “Dangerous Liaisons,” “Gandhi,” the “Harry Potter” films), three-time BAFTA Award-winning editor Mark Day (the last four “Harry Potter” films, “State of Play”), four-time Oscar-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood (“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” “Chicago,” “Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Alice in Wonderland”), Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Tim Burke (“Gladiator,” the “Harry Potter” films), and Oscar-nominated visual effects supervisor Christian Manz (“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1”).

The new adventure is being filmed at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, which has been the cinematic home of the Wizarding World since the first “Harry Potter” film.

Slated for release on November 16, 2018, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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Beyonce Leads 2017 BET Awards - Complete Winners List

BEYONCÉ, BRUNO MARS, CHANCE THE RAPPER and MIGOS Win Big at “BET AWARDS 17”

KENDRICK LAMAR AND REMY MA ALSO TAKE HOME TOP HONORS

BRUNO MARS, CHRIS BROWN, BIG SEAN, FUTURE, NEW EDITION, MARY J. BLIGE, AND MORE GIVE ELECTRIFYING PERFORMANCES

#BETAWARDS

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Some of the hottest and most prolific talent assembled to watch today’s top musicians, actors and industry icons take the stage at the 17th Annual BET Awards. The ceremony led by first-time host and comedy all-star, Leslie Jones, aired live from the Microsoft Theatre at L.A. LIVE on Sunday, June 25, 2017.

This year’s broadcast marks 17 years of unexpected performances, trailblazing moments, super dope talent, and entertainment’s most provocative players. The iconic show continues to be a cultural rule breaker steeped in reinvention with some of the most memorable moments in Award show history. The "BET Awards" has set the standard for one of the most intently unconventional, news-provoking broadcasts.

“BET AWARDS 17” show highlights include:

BRUNO MARS opened the show with a funky, energetic performance of his hit “Perm” while rocking his signature 24 Karat hat and custom “Hooligans” baseball jersey. He then returned to the stage moments later to take home his first-ever BET Awards win for Best Male R&B/Pop Artist.

MARY J. BLIGE looked stunning while giving a remarkably powerful performance of her song “Set Me Free”, before being joined by A$AP ROCKY for a duet of their collaboration “Love Yourself.”

XSCAPE took to the stage, reuniting for the first time in eighteen years for an audience-raising performance of their greatest hits, including “Understanding”, “Who Can I Run To” and “Just Kickin’ It”.

YARA SHAHIDI voiced the importance of supporting blackness and thanked BET for celebrating black culture so beautifully when she graciously accepted the YoungStars Award.

MICHELLE OBAMA and BET Chairman & CEO DEBRA LEE introduced CHANCE THE RAPPER who gave an impassioned acceptance speech after receiving the evening’s Humanitarian Award for supporting educational and social initiatives within his community and throughout the U.S. As the youngest BET Awards Humanitarian Honoree to date, Chance talked about the importance of working on ourselves before we work on the world.

Celebrating one of the most successful and influential adult R&B acts in music history, NEW EDITION was honored with the iconic Lifetime Achievement Award - but not before the cast of ‘The New Edition Story’ performed a four song medley of their greatest hits including “Candy Girl”, “Sensitivity”, “My Prerogative” and “Can You Stand The Rain”. With a full standing ovation, New Edition then took to the stage and had the crowds dancing in the aisles on “Mr. Telephone Man” and “Can You Stand The Rain”.

KENDRICK LAMAR, upon taking home the award for Best Male Hip Hop Artist, thanked late rapper Prodigy for inspiring his first mixtape, encouraging him to study his skills and to build his connection with his neighborhood.

DJ KHALED closed out the show, bringing out hip hop heavyweights LIL WAYNE, CHANCE THE RAPPER, QUAVO and of course Baby Asahd, for their song of the summer, “I’m the One.”

In addition to all of these unforgettable moments, the complete list of the “BET AWARDS 17” winners is:

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
BEYONCÉ

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
BRUNO MARS

Best Group
MIGOS

Best Collaboration - TIE
CHANCE THE RAPPER FT. 2 CHAINZ & LIL WAYNE - NO PROBLEM
MIGOS FT. LIL UZI VERT - BAD AND BOUJEE

Best Male Hip-Hop Artist
KENDRICK LAMAR

Best Female Hip-Hop Artist
REMY MA

Video of the Year - TIE
BEYONCÉ - SORRY
BRUNO MARS - 24K MAGIC

Video Director of the Year
KAHLIL JOSEPH & BEYONCÉ KNOWLES-CARTER - BEYONCÉ “SORRY”

Best New Artist
CHANCE THE RAPPER

Album of the Year
LEMONADE - BEYONCÉ

Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award
LECRAE - CAN’T STOP ME NOW (DESTINATION)

Best Actress
TARAJI P. HENSON

Best Actor
MAHERSHALA ALI

YoungStars Award
YARA SHAHIDI

Best Movie
HIDDEN FIGURES

Sportswoman of the Year Award
SERENA WILLIAMS

Sportsman of the Year Award
STEPHEN CURRY

Centric Award
SOLANGE - CRANES IN THE SKY

Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Awards
BEYONCE - SORRY

Select clips for the “BET AWARDS 17” will be available at www.bet.com.

BET.com/Awards is the official site for the “BET AWARDS 17” and features all the incredible content from this year’s show. Join the conversation on social media by following BET Awards on the following platforms:

    Twitter & Instagram: @BETAwards, Use hashtag: #BETAwards
    Facebook: facebook.com/TheBETAwards
    Tumblr: betawards.tumblr.com

Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment, serves as Executive Producer. Connie Orlando, BET's Interim Head of Programming, serves as Executive Producer for BET Networks.


ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B sted NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”
The “BET Awards” is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET's #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA®
BET Networks, an entertainment powerhouse, and AEG, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company and developer/operator of L.A. LIVE, have teamed up once again to create the BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE (BETX), June 22 - 25, 2017 presented by Coca-Cola®. This four-day festival will be filled with music concerts taking place at The Novo by Microsoft and STAPLES Center; BET Fan Fest at the Los Angeles Convention Center including seminars, celebrity basketball games, celebrity meet & greets; and other special appearances. The weekend will be capped off with the “BET Awards” on Sunday, June 25, 2017 at Microsoft Theater.

ABOUT AEG
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, AEG is the world's leading sports and live entertainment company. With offices on five continents, AEG operates in the following business segments: AEG Facilities, which is affiliated with or owns, manages or consults with more than 120 preeminent arenas, stadiums, theaters, clubs and convention centers around the world including The O2 Arena, the Sprint Center and the Mercedes-Benz Arenas; AEG Presents, which is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performances, including producing and promoting global and regional concert tours, music and special events and world-renowned festivals; AEG Real Estate, which develops world-class venues, as well as major sports and entertainment districts like STAPLES Center and L.A. LIVE; AEG Sports, which is the world's largest operator of sports franchises and high-profile sporting events; and AEG Global Partnerships, which oversees worldwide sales and servicing of sponsorships including naming rights, premium seating and other strategic partnerships. Through its worldwide network of venues, portfolio of powerful sports and music brands and its integrated entertainment districts, AEG entertains more than 100 million guests annually. More information about AEG can be found at www.aegworldwide.com.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT
Jesse Collins Entertainment is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran and multi-Image Award® winner Jesse Collins. Collins has played an integral role in producing many of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. Most recently Collins was the executive producer of the critically-acclaimed film, The New Edition Story, a biopic on the boy band that aired as a 3-part mini-series on BET in January 2017 and posted record ratings for the network and attracted nearly 30 million viewers. Collins has also produced award-winning programming including the BET Awards, BET Honors, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, ABFF Honors, Soul Train Awards and the BET Hip Hop Awards, is a consulting producer for the iconic GRAMMY Awards and executive producer of BET’s hit TV series, Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin Hart and VH1 shows Dear Mama and Hip Hop Squares with Ice Cube. Will Smith, Beyonce, Chris Rock, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Prince and Mariah Carey are a few of the myriad of superstar talent that Collins has worked with through the years. Follow Jesse Collins Entertainment @JesseCollinsEnt on Twitter and Instagram and go to http://www.jessecollinsent.com/ for more information on the company.

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Follow @BET_PR AND @BETAWARDS

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Sunday, July 2, 2017

National Geographic Announces Second Season of "Genius" with Pablo Picasso

National Geographic Announces Pablo Picasso to Be Subject of Season Two of Scripted Anthology Series GENIUS

“I Begin with an Idea, and Then It Becomes Something Else”
– Pablo Picasso

From Imagine Entertainment and Fox 21 Television Studios, Season Two to Chronicle the Life of Influential Spanish Painter

Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Ken Biller, Francie Calfo and Gigi Pritzker to Return as Executive Producers; Biller Also Set to Return as Showrunner

Season One of GENIUS—Which Concluded Last Night—Was Watched by More Than 45 Million People Worldwide, National Geographic’s Best New Series Launch Ever

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Geographic announced that the second season of its acclaimed scripted anthology series GENIUS will chronicle the life and work of Spanish painter Pablo Picasso, one of the 20th century’s most influential and celebrated artists. The new season, from Fox 21 Television Studios, will again be executive produced by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment, Madison Wells Media’s OddLot Entertainment and EUE/Sokolow, and will premiere in 2018. The first season of GENIUS, which concluded last night, was watched by more than 45 million people around the world, and is National Geographic’s best performing new series launch ever.

    .@natgeochannel announces #GENIUS Season 2 to chronicle the life & work of Spanish painter Pablo Picasso

The artistic career of Pablo Diego Jose Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno Maria de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santisima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso spanned more than 80 of his 91 years, much of it in his second home of France. Much like the subject of the first season of GENIUS, Albert Einstein, Picasso imagined and interpreted the world in totally new and unorthodox ways, and constantly reinvented our perceptions of art and creativity. The prolific artist generated more than 50,000 works, among the most notable being The Old Guitarist from his Blue Period, now on display at the Art Institute of Chicago; Guernica, inspired by the Nazi bombing of a small Spanish town of the same name, currently on display at the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid, Spain; and Les Demoiselles D’Avignon, inspired by lover and muse Fernande Olivier, now on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

His passionate nature and relentless creative drive were inextricably linked to his personal life, which included tumultuous marriages, numerous affairs and constantly shifting political and personal alliances. He lived most of his life in the vibrant Paris of the first half of the 20th Century and crossed paths with writers and artists including Ernest Hemingway, Coco Chanel, Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Gertrude Stein, Georges Braque, and Jean Cocteau. Picasso constantly reinvented himself, always striving to innovate and push the boundaries of artistic expression.

Showrunner, executive producer and writer Ken Biller will continue his role overseeing the new season. The second season will also once again hail from From Fox 21 Television Studios, whose recent “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” dominated every awards contest and critics’ list; Imagine Television, the producer of “24” and “Empire” with executive producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard along with executive producer Francie Calfo and producer Anna Culp; and Madison Wells Media’s OddLot Entertainment, which earlier this year produced the Academy Award®- nominated film “Hell or High Water,” with executive producers Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane. Sam Sokolow and Jeff Cooney from EUE/Sokolow are also executive producers. Filming is expected to begin later this summer for a 2018 premiere on National Geograhic Channels in 171 countries and 45 languages.

“We are thrilled with the enthusiastic response audiences and critics have had for GENIUS over the last nine weeks, and are excited to be delving back in to the concept with season two,” said CEO of National Geographic Global Networks Courteney Monroe. “More so than any of his contemporaries, Picasso's work dramatically expressed the modern age and defined new cultural norms. We are excited to explore his life and his genius with the incredibly talented team behind the series."

“The remarkable story of artistic visionary Pablo Picasso is the perfect subject for season two of GENIUS” said executive producer Ron Howard. “Picasso was a trailblazer who left a profound artistic and cultural impact on the world and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership with National Geographic and Fox 21 Television Studios in telling the untold story behind the brilliant individual.”

“Season one has been a fantastic experience for all of us, and we owe a big debt to Courteney, Carolyn and the Nat Geo team for being such great partners,” commented Bert Salke, president of Fox 21 Television Studios. “Picasso is arguably one of the most influential artists of the last century with a life story almost too fantastic to be reality. It’s the perfect next chapter for Ron, Brian, Ken and this franchise.”

Hailed as “Joyful to watch” by the Los Angeles Times, “Compelling” by The New York Times, and featuring “Superb performances” according to the San Francisco Chronicle, the first season of GENIUS starred Geoffrey Rush as professor Albert Einstein, Johnny Flynn as Einstein in his youth, and Emily Watson as Albert’s second wife – and first cousin – Elsa Einstein. Over 10 episodes, the series explored how Albert became Einstein, including his rise from humble origins as an imaginative, rebellious thinker, through his struggles to be recognized by the establishment, to his global celebrity status as the man who unlocked the mysteries of the cosmos with his theory of relativity.

GENIUS is produced by Fox 21 Television Studios, Imagine Television, Madison Wells Media’s Oddlot Entertainment, and EUE/Sokolow.


About National Geographic Partners LLC:
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between National Geographic and 21st Century Fox, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 128 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching over 730 million people around the world in 171 countries and 45 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

About Fox 21 Television Studios:
Fox 21 Television Studios is a production unit housed within Fox Television Group devoted to making creatively ambitious scripted and unscripted series for all distribution platforms. Fox 21 Television Studios is responsible for the for the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning sensation from Ryan Murphy, Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (with FX Productions); the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning “Homeland,” starring Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin; the critically acclaimed “The Americans” (with FX Productions) starring Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell; “Dice,” from Scot Armstrong, Sean Furst, Bryan Furst, Richard Shepard, Bruce Rubenstein and Andrew Dice Clay; “Queen of the South,” executive produced by David T. Friendly and Natalie Chaidez; and “Chance” from Kem Nunn, Alexandra Cunningham, Lenny Abrahamson, Michael London, and Brian Grazer. Recent series include GENIUS (with Imagine, OddLot Entertainment and EUE/Sokolow) from Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo, Gigi Pritzker, Rachel Shane, Sam Sokolow, Jeff Cooney, Ken Biller and Noah Pink; “Seven Seconds” from Veena Sud; and Ryan Murphy’s latest anthology, “FEUD: Bette and Joan,” starring Oscar winners Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon.

About Imagine Entertainment:
Imagine Entertainment was founded in 1986 by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer to create independently produced feature films, television programs and other original programming. Imagine Entertainment has been honored with more than 60 prestigious awards including 10 Academy Awards and 42 Emmy awards. Past productions include the Academy Award Best Picture winner “A Beautiful Mind,” as well as Grammy Award Best Film winner “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week — The Touring Years.” Additional films include “Get on Up,” “Rush,” “J. Edgar,” “Frost/Nixon,” “American Gangster,” “The Da Vinci Code,” “Apollo 13,” “8 Mile,” “Liar, Liar,” “Backdraft” and “Parenthood,” to name a few. Upcoming films include “Lowriders,” “The Dark Tower” and “American Made.” Television productions include Fox’s “Empire” and “24” franchise, Nat Geo’s MARS and Breakthrough, NBC’s “Parenthood” and “Friday Night Lights,” Fox’s and Netflix’s “Arrested Development,” and HBO's “From the Earth to the Moon,” for which Howard and Grazer won the Emmy for Outstanding Mini-Series. Upcoming television productions include Fox’s “Shots Fired” and Nat Geo’s Genius. Ron Howard and Brian Grazer began their collaboration in 1985 with the hit comedies “Night Shift” and “Splash,” and continue to run Imagine Entertainment as chairmen.

About Madison Wells Media’s OddLot Entertainment:
Founded in 2001 by producer Gigi Pritzker, Madison Wells Media’s OddLot Entertainment is a film and television production company that develops, produces, finances and arranges distribution for quality commercial properties for the U.S. and international markets. OddLot teams with first-class filmmakers and provides them with resources that go far beyond equity investment to produce a range of high-quality films. Most recently, OddLot produced the Academy Award-nominated film “Hell or High Water,” written by Taylor Sheridan and starring Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine and Ben Foster, for CBS Films. OddLot’s past releases include the 2010 Academy Award-nominated drama “Rabbit Hole,” starring Nicole Kidman; “The Way Way Back,” starring Steve Carell; “Drive,” starring Ryan Gosling; the futuristic sci-fi film “Ender’s Game;” and Jon Stewart’s directorial debut, “Rosewater.” OddLot CEO Gigi Pritzker is part of a consortium that launched the film studio STX Entertainment founded by producer Robert Simonds. OddLot has a preferential co-producing, financing and development deal with STX. The company is based in Los Angeles, California, and is a subsidiary of Madison Wells Media, a diversified premium content company.

About EUE/Sokolow:
Founded in 2010 by producer/director Jeff Cooney and veteran television producer Sam Sokolow, EUE/Sokolow is an independent television studio that develops, finances, produces and arranges the distribution of premium television shows and content. EUE/Sokolow attracts high-end talent to develop television properties in a forward thinking business model designed for today’s global television marketplace. Recently, EUE/Sokolow independently produced pilot/presentations of “Co-Op”, a television show created by and starring Zachary Levi and written & directed by Nancy Hower & John Lehr; “Diplomatic Immunity”, a comedy starring Australian comedy troupe The Peloton; “Shalom Y’all”, a comedy by showrunner Caryn Lucas based on the work of Julia Fowler; “Win With Les”, starring Josh Lucas and created and written by Blair Singer; and are in development with Jaleel White and Pitbull’s Honey, I’m Home Inc on a currently untitled original digital series. Since opening their doors, Cooney & Sokolow have set up shows at HBO, ABC, NBC, Freeform, Nat Geo, TNT, E!, Lifetime Movie Network & OWN. EUE/Sokolow is a subsidiary of EUE/Screen Gems, whose infrastructure includes studio complexes in Atlanta, Wilmington and Miami that have been home to productions such as “Stranger Things” (Netflix, “Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1” (Lionsgate), “Sleepy Hollow” (Fox), “Iron Man 3” (Marvel Studios), “Six” (A&E/History Channel), “The Conjuring” (New Line Cinema), “Under the Dome” (CBS), “East Bound and Down” (HBO).

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Saturday, July 1, 2017

ABC Television Network Brings the 2017-18 Season to D23 Expo 2017

The ABC Television Network Spotlights the Creative Forces and Stars from Some of Its Most Exciting Shows at D23 Expo 2017, with Exclusive Q&As and Meet & Greets/Photo Ops

Once Upon a Time Panel Features Series Creators/Executive Producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, and star Colin O’Donoghue (Captain Hook)

Celebrate ABC’s Summer Fun & Games as Modern Family’s Nolan Gould Hosts a Live Game of Celebrity Family Feud Featuring Some of Your Favorite ABC Comedy Kids from American Housewife, black-ish, Fresh Off the Boat, Modern Family, and Speechless

Meet and Take Selfies with Cast Members of American Housewife, black-ish, Fresh Off the Boat, General Hospital, and Once Upon a Time

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Be among the first to learn the secrets of what’s ahead on ABC’s hit series Once Upon a Time; join Modern Family’s Nolan Gould as he hosts an ABC Summer Fun & Games panel featuring some of your favorite ABC Comedy kids playing a live, real-time game of Celebrity Family Feud; and meet some of your favorite ABC stars in-person during special meet & greet/photo op sessions at D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, July 14–16, 2017 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Panels and Presentations:

ABC Summer Fun & Games
Saturday, July 15, 10 a.m., D23 Expo Arena
Join us as ABC Summer Fun & Games comes to D23 Expo. Modern Family’s Nolan Gould hosts a game of Celebrity Family Feud with some of your favorite ABC Comedy kids, including Daniel DiMaggio & Logan Pepper from American Housewife; Miles Brown and Marsai Martin from black-ish; Hudson Yang, Forrest Wheeler and Ian Chen from Fresh Off the Boat; Aubrey Anderson-Emmons from Modern Family; and Kyla Kenedy and Mason Cook from Speechless. Immediately following the game, the stars will take questions from the audience.

Once Upon a Time
Saturday, July 15, 3:15 p.m., D23 Expo Arena
After six seasons, the residents of the Enchanted Forest enter season seven facing their greatest challenge yet as the Evil Queen, Captain Hook, and Rumplestiltskin join forces with a grown-up Henry Mills and his daughter Lucy on an epic quest to bring hope to their world and ours. Along the way, fairy-tale characters—both new and old—search for true love, find adventure, and take sides in the ongoing struggle of good against evil as classic tales are once again twisted and reimagined. Join co-creators and executive producers Edward Kitsis (Lost) and Adam Horowitz (Lost), along with series star Colin O’Donoghue (Captain Hook), as they discuss what’s in store for our returning favorites, as well as the new additions to the Once Upon a Time universe. The panel will be moderated by D23’s Jeffrey Epstein.

On the Show Floor at TALENT CENTRAL

Meet & Greets/Photo Ops
Meet and have your picture taken with some of your favorite ABC stars at Talent Central, located on the show floor. Following is the appearance schedule (subject to change):

Friday, July 14
4–5 p.m.
General Hospital stars Michelle Stafford and Chloe Lanier

Saturday, July 15
1–2 p.m.
black-ish stars Miles Brown and Marsai Martin

1:30–2:30 p.m.
Fresh Off the Boat stars Hudson Yang, Forrest Wheeler, and Ian Chen

2:30–3:30 p.m.
American Housewife stars Daniel DiMaggio and Logan Pepper

5:15–6:15 p.m.
Once Upon a Time star Colin O’Donoghue and co-creators/executive producers Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz

Tickets for D23 Expo 2017 are available for $81 for one-day adult admission and $59 for children 3–9. Members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club can purchase tickets for $72 for a one-day adult admission and $53 for children 3–9. Multi-day tickets are also available. For more information on tickets and D23 Expo 2017, visit D23Expo.com.


About D23 Expo 2017
D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings together all the worlds of Disney under one roof for three packed days of presentations, pavilions, experiences, concerts, sneak peeks, shopping, and more. The event, which will take place July 14–16 at the Anaheim Convention Center, provides fans with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, games, theme parks, and celebrities. For the latest D23 Expo 2017 news, visit D23expo.com. Presentations, talent, and schedule subject to change. To join the D23 Expo conversation, be sure to follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube, and use the hashtag #D23Expo.

About D23
The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s 90-plus-year history. It gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at D23.com with members-only content; member-exclusive discounts; and special events for D23 Members throughout the year.

Fans can join D23 at Gold and General Membership levels at D23.com and at DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow DisneyD23 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.

About ABC Entertainment
ABC Entertainment airs compelling programming across all day parts, with current hits including groundbreaking dramas Designated Survivor, Quantico, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder, Grey’s Anatomy, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Once Upon a Time. The ABC Television Network is also home to the Emmy®-winning Modern Family and trailblazing comedy favorites black-ish, American Housewife, Fresh Off the Boat, The Goldbergs, The Middle and Speechless; hit game shows $100,000 Pyramid, Celebrity Family Feud, Match Game, and To Tell the Truth; reality phenomenon Shark Tank, the iconic Bachelor franchise, long-running hits Dancing with the Stars and America’s Funniest Home Videos, and the return of American Idol; General Hospital, which has aired for over more than 50 years on the network, along with daytime talk show The Chew; and late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live. The network also boasts some of television’s most prestigious awards shows, including The Oscars®, The CMA Awards, The American Music Awards, and The Billboard Music Awards.

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Batman and Harley Quinn" Animated Film in Theatres for One Night Only


The Dark Knight is Back for a One-Night Cinematic Event With the All-New Animated DC Universe Original Movie ‘Batman and Harley Quinn’ on August 14

Warner Bros. & DC Entertainment Team With Fathom Events to Present Nationwide Theatrical Screening, Including a First Look at Harley Quinn Featurette

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following successful big screen presentations of “Batman: The Killing Joke” and “Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders” in 2016, Warner Bros. Studios, DC Entertainment and Fathom Events are proud to announce a special, one-night cinema event for the latest DC Universe Original Movie, “Batman and Harley Quinn,” on August 14, 2017 in movie theaters nationwide.

    .@FathomEvents News: The Dark Knight is back on the big screen with 'Batman and Harley Quinn' in cinemas Aug 14 Only

One night prior to the Digital release and 15 days in advance of its arrival on Blu-ray™ and DVD, “Batman and Harley Quinn” will screen Monday, August 14, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. local time. In addition to seeing the film, audiences at the one-night screening will be the first to experience an exclusive featurette spotlighting the film’s star character, Harley Quinn.

Tickets for “Batman and Harley Quinn” can be purchased beginning Friday, June 30, 2017 online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). A complete list of theater locations will be available June 30 on the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

Produced by Warner Bros. Animation from an original story spawned by animation icon Bruce Timm, “Batman and Harley Quinn” finds Poison Ivy and Jason Woodrue (a.k.a. The Floronic Man) embarking on an ecological quest to save the planet – and, unfortunately, eliminate most of humankind along the way. To save humanity, Batman and Nightwing are forced to enlist Harley Quinn to catch Poison Ivy, Harley’s BFF and frequent partner-in-crime. Batman’s patience is put to the test by the unpredictable and untrustworthy Harley, as the reluctant companions face twists and turns during their bumpy road trip. The result is a thrill ride of action, adventure and comedy no Batman fan has seen before.

“Fans of DC Universe Original Movies are a devoted legion, and never was that so evident than with the enthusiastic embracing of our ‘Batman: The Killing Joke’ Fathom Events presentation,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Vice President, Family and Animation Marketing. “Audiences nationwide turned the screenings into true interactive experiences, and we believe ‘Batman and Harley Quinn’ will inspire a similar night of celebration.”

The film boasts a stellar voice cast topped by The Big Bang Theory star Melissa Rauch in her first turn as the irrepressible Harley Quinn. The fan favorite voices of Batman: The Animated Series – Kevin Conroy as Batman, Loren Lester as Nightwing – take the protagonist leads, while Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds) and Kevin Michael Richardson (The Cleveland Show) provide the voices of the villainous duo of Poison Ivy & Jason Woodrue, respectively.

Sam Liu (Batman: The Killing Joke) directed the film from an original story by Bruce Timm (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns) with a teleplay written by Timm & Jim Krieg (Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox). Co-Producer is Alan Burnett (The Batman). Executive Producers are Sam Register and Bruce Timm. Benjamin Melniker and Michael Uslan are Executive Producers.

“Seeing ‘Batman and Harley Quinn’ on the big screen and among fellow fans is truly the best way to experience it,” Fathom Events VP of Studio Relations Tom Lucas said. “There’s only one opportunity to do this and it’s on August 14. On that night, we’re expecting audiences to pack theater auditoriums just like they did for ‘Batman: The Killing Joke.’”


About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is recognized as the leading domestic distributor of event cinema with participating affiliate theaters in all 100 of the top Designated Market Areas®, and ranks as one of the largest overall distributors of content to movie theaters. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) (known collectively as AC JV, LLC), Fathom Events offers a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events such as live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, dance and theatre productions like the Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre Live, sporting events like “Canelo Álvarez vs. Julio César Chávez, Jr.,” concerts with artists like Michael Bublé, Rush and Mötley Crüe, the yearlong TCM Big Screen Classics film series, inspirational events such as To Joey With Love and Facing Darkness, and anime titles such as Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. Fathom Events takes audiences behind the scenes and offers unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. Fathom Events’ live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 897 locations and 1,387 screens in 181 DMAs. For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc.
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment's home video, digital distribution and interactive entertainment businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees.

About DC Entertainment
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, etc.), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables, etc.) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating across Warner Bros. and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is one of the largest English-language publishers of comics in the world.

BATMAN and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and ©DC Comics. (s17)

About Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) is one of the leading producers of animation in the entertainment industry, producing and developing projects for multiple platforms, both domestically and internationally. WBA’s TV series include Justice League Action, Teen Titans Go! and the upcoming DC Super Hero Girls and Unikitty! for Cartoon Network; Be Cool Scooby-Doo!, Bunnicula, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, The Tom and Jerry Show, New Looney Tunes and Wacky Races for Boomerang; Mike Tyson Mysteries for Adult Swim; Right Now Kapow for Disney XD; Green Eggs and Ham for Netflix; and Young Justice: Outsiders for the upcoming DC-branded digital service. As home to the iconic animated characters from the DC Comics, Hanna-Barbera, MGM and Looney Tunes libraries, WBA also produces highly successful animated films — including the DC Universe Animated Original Movies — for DVD, Blu-ray® and digital media. One of the most-honored animation studios in history, WBA has won six Academy Awards®, 35 Emmy® Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents’ Choice Award, the HUMANITAS Prize, two Prism Awards and 20 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).

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New Line Begins Production on Comedy, "Tag"

Production Begins on New Line Cinema Comedy “Tag”

Ed Helms, Jake Johnson, Hannibal Buress, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner Star as Friends Pursuing a Lifelong Game of Tag

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Production began on location in Atlanta for the new comedy “Tag,” directed by Jeff Tomsic (Comedy Central’s “Broad City”) for New Line Cinema. The film’s starring ensemble cast is led by Ed Helms (The “Hangover” movies, “We’re the Millers”), Jake Johnson (TV’s “New Girl”), and Hannibal Buress (“Neighbors”), with Jon Hamm (“Baby Driver,” TV’s “Mad Men”) and Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner (“The Hurt Locker, “The Town”).

    “It Takes Planning, Caution to Avoid Being It.”

For one month every year, five highly competitive friends hit the ground running in a no-holds-barred game of tag they’ve been playing since the first grade—risking their necks, their jobs and their relationships to take each other down with the battle cry “You’re It!” This year, the game coincides with the wedding of their only undefeated player, which should finally make him an easy target. But he knows they’re coming…and he’s ready. Based on a true story, “Tag” shows how far some guys will go to be the last man standing.

The film also stars Annabelle Wallis (“The Mummy”), Rashida Jones (TV’s “Parks and Recreation”), Isla Fisher (“Now You See Me”) and Leslie Bibb (“Iron Man 2”).

Tomsic directs from a screenplay written by Mark Steilen (TV’s “Mozart in the Jungle”) and Rob McKittrick (“Waiting”), based on the Wall Street Journal article entitled “It Takes Planning, Caution to Avoid Being It.” The film is produced by Todd Garner, Mark Steilen and Sean Robins, with Hans Ritter serving as executive producer. The creative filmmaking team includes director of photography Larry Blanford, editor Josh Crockett, production designer David Sandefur, and costume designer Denise Wingate.

“Tag” is set for a June 29, 2018, release.

A New Line Cinema presentation of a Broken Road Production, “Tag” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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Negromancer Enters July 2017

It's July 2017, and I'm Leroy Douresseaux. Welcome to Negromancer 2.0.  This is the rebirth of Negromancer, the former movie review website as a new movie review and movie news site.

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