Saturday, November 23, 2019

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 17th to 23rd, 2019 - Update #26

Support Leroy on Patreon:

BOX OFFICE - From TheWrap:  Disney's "Frozen II" is reviving the box office with a 42 million dollar opening Friday.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Director Tim Miller talks about his film, "Terminator: Dark Fate," its box office failure, clashes with James Cameron, and not having final control of the film.

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MOVIES - From THR:  With the opening of "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," it is time to take a look back at the early work of the film's star, Tom Hanks.  Do you know his early film, "He Knows You're Alone"?  Do you remember his star turn in the notorious 1982 TV movies, "Rona Jaffe's Mazes and Monsters"?  [I remember the latter, dear readers. - Leroy]

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MOVIES - From ShadowandAct:  Lena Waithe talks about sharing a "story by" credit with controversial author, James Frey ("A Million Little Pieces"), on the upcoming film, "Queen & Slim."

From ShadowandAct:  I did not know that there was tension over Black British actors playing African-American chacters, but there is.  So "Queen & Slim" stars, Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith, talk about it.

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CULTURE - From TheGuardian:  At the Anti-Defamation League's "Never is Now" summit on antisemitism and hate, actor Sacha Baron Cohen called tech giants like Facebook, Twitter, Google, and YouTube the greatest propaganda machine in history.  Cohen, in a wide-ranging speech, said that Facebook, if it had existed at the time, would have let Adolf Hitler buy ads for the "final solution" to Germany's "Jewish problem."

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MOVIES-MUSIC - From Deadline:  "Bohemian Rhapsody" producer, Graham King, has secured rights from the Michael Jackson estate to make a film about the "King of Pop's" life.  King will have access to all of Jackson's music.

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SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Apple is delaying the release of director George Nolfi's "The Banker," starring Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie.  The film is based on a true story about Bernard Garrett, Sr., and some troubling allegations have been levied against Bernard Jr., a consultant on the film who has also been involving in its promotion.

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TELEVISION - From TheDailyBeast:  Legends John Cleese and Eric Idle talk about 50 years of "Monty Python's Flying Circus," President Trump, and "Brexit."

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BROADWAY - From THR:  The planned Michael Jackson Broadway musical, "MJ the Musical," has found its Michael, Tony nominee, Ephraim Sykes.

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BLM - From THR:   Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wonders if films about American slavery are good for African-Americans.

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AWARDS - From Variety:  The 2020 Film Independent Spirit Award nomination have been announced.  The winners will be revealed Sat., Feb. 8, 2020, one day before the Academy Awards.

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MOVIES - From GQ:  A look at the 50-year friendship of Oscar winners, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, the stars of Martin Scorsese's film, "The Irishman."

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MOVIES - From THR:  "Robocop Returns" a direct sequel to the original "Robocop" film (1987), has a new director, Abe Forsythe, who has been getting buzz for his zombie comedy, "Little Monsters," starring Lupita N'yongo.  Forsythe replaces Neill Blomkamp.

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SCANDAL-MUSIC - From YahooCelebrity:  Actor and Grammy-winning recording artist, Harry Connick, Jr., claims that in the early 1990s, legendary actor and singer, the late Frank Sinatra, acted “completely inappropriate” with Connick’s then-girlfriend and now-wife, model Jill Goodacre.

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COMICS-FILM - From Deadline:  The news of a sequel to Todd Phillips' "Joker" and new films featuring origin stories of other DC Comics' characters may not be correct... yet.

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BOX OFFICE - From DigitalSpy:  Writer-director Elizabeth Banks acknowledges that her just-released reboot of "Charlie's Angels" is a flop, but is still proud of the film.

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STAR TREK - From THR: Noah Fawley, creator of the "Fargo" TV series for FX, will reportedly direct the fourth film in the "Star Trek" reboot series.  Chris Pine will reportedly return as Captain Kirk.  This film is separate from Quentin Tarantino's long-developing "Star Trek" project.

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MOVIES - From TheHollywoodReporter:  Screenwriter Gregory Allen says that once upon a time a Hollywood executive suggested that Oscar-winning actress, Julia Roberts, play Harriet Tubman, a real-life Black American historical figure.  The exec said that Tubman lived so long ago that no one would remember that she was Black.

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MOVIES - From  Variety:  Actress Pom Klementieff ("Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2") has been cast in "Mission: Impossibe 7," which is due July 2021.

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  Netflix has hired legendary screenwriter Robert Towne and acclaimed director David Fincher to pen a TV pilot script that will act as a prequel to the classic 1974 film, "Chinatown."   Towne won an Oscar for writing "Chinatown."

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:   The winner of the 11/15 to 11/17/2019 weekend box office is "Ford v Ferrari" with an estimated gross of 31 million dollars.

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AWARDS - From Deadline:  President Donald Trump names his first "National Medal of Arts" recipients.

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STREAMING - From FlickeringMyth:  Bill Murray will reunite with Peter and Bobby Farrelly on the Quibi comedy, "The Now," in a recurring role.  Murray appeared in the brothers 1996 film, "Kingpin."

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MOVIES - From Deadline:   John Woo comments on the reboot of his 1990s hit film, "Face/Off," and adds his comments to the Scorsese vs. Marvel Studios comic book movies debate.  He also mentions that Oscar-winner Lupita N'yongo has left the remake of his 1989 film, "The Killers."

OBITS:

From Variety:  The actor, Michael J. Pollard, has died at the age of 80, Wednesday, November 20, 2019.  He earned an best supporting actor, Oscar nomination for his appearance in the film, "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967).  He also appeared in Rob Zombie's gruesome cult classic, "House of 1000 Corpses" (2003).

From YahooSports:  Former National Football League player, Fred Cox, has died at the age of 80, Wednesday, November 20, 2019.  Cox was a "kicker" for the Minnesota Vikings for 15 years and played in all four of the Vikings "Super Bowl" appearances.  However, Cox may be best remembered for inventing the soft football that would become the "Nerf" football.


Friday, November 22, 2019

32 Animated Films Compete For Five Spots in 2019 / 92nd Oscar Race

32 ANIMATED FEATURES SUBMITTED FOR 2019 OSCAR RACE

Thirty-two features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 92nd Academy Awards®.

The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are:

“Abominable”
“The Addams Family”
“The Angry Birds Movie 2”
“Another Day of Life”
“Away”
“Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles”
“Children of the Sea”
“Dilili in Paris”
“Frozen II”
“Funan”
“Genndy Tartakovsky’s ‘Primal’ – Tales of Savagery”
“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
“I Lost My Body”
“Klaus”
“The Last Fiction”
“The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part”
“Marona’s Fantastic Tale”
“Missing Link”
“Ne Zha”
“Okko’s Inn”
“Pachamama”
“Promare”
“Rezo”
“The Secret Life of Pets 2”
“Spies in Disguise”
“The Swallows of Kabul”
“This Magnificent Cake!”
“The Tower”
“Toy Story 4”
“Upin & Ipin: The Lone Gibbon Kris”
“Weathering with You”
“White Snake”

Several of the films have not yet had their required Los Angeles seven-day qualifying run.  Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category’s other qualifying rules before they can advance in the nominations voting process.  To determine the five nominees, members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch are automatically eligible to vote in the category.  Academy members outside of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch are invited to opt-in to participate and must meet a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.

Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category also qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture.

Nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards will be announced on Monday, January 13, 2020.

The 92nd Oscars® will be held on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network.  The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Thursday, November 21, 2019

"62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards" Nominations Have Been Announced

Recording Academy® Announces Nominees for the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards®

First-time Nominees Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X Are This Year's Most Nominated Artists

Winners Announced Sunday, Jan. 26th, 2020

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Recording Academy® President/CEO Deborah Dugan, alongside Academy Chair of the Board of Trustees and renowned record producer Harvey Mason Jr., as well as GRAMMY Awards® host Alicia Keys and past two-time GRAMMY® nominee Bebe Rexha, revealed nominees for the 62nd GRAMMY Awards in select categories. This year's nominees reflect a melting pot of artistic innovation that defined the year in music, showcasing the unparalleled craftsmanship of established artists and the industry-shifting impact of rising music creators.

Leading nominees Lizzo (8), Billie Eilish (6) and Lil Nas X (6) not only topped the charts but ignited a cultural conversation around their genre-bending hits. As the only peer-selected music award, the GRAMMY Awards are voted on by the Recording Academy's membership body of music makers, who represent all genres and creative disciplines, including recording artists, songwriters, producers, mixers and engineers.

"I am in complete awe of the inspiring nominees who have poured their hearts and souls into their craft, and in turn, have provided fans worldwide a year of music that changed us, stirred our emotions and inspired us to do more," said Dugan. "Today's announcement reflects a new era for the Recording Academy—an army of engaged members that welcomes diversity, embraces creativity and champions young musicians on the rise. It's shaping up to be a year of firsts, and I can promise that the 62nd GRAMMY Awards will pack the same punch as this year's nominees. I am proud to march forward alongside our members and nominated artists."

This year's nominees were selected from more than 20,000 submissions across 84 categories, and reflect the wide range of artistic innovation that defined the year in music (Oct. 1, 2018–Aug. 31, 2019). The final round of GRAMMY voting is Dec. 9, 2019–Jan. 3, 2020. The Recording Academy will present the GRAMMY Awards on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, live from Los Angeles' STAPLES Center and broadcast on the CBS Television Network from 8:00–11:30 p.m. ET/5:00–8:30 p.m. PT.

The following is a sampling of nominations from the GRAMMY Awards' 30 Fields and 84 Categories.

For a complete nominations list, visit www.grammy.com

Record Of The Year:
"Hey, Ma" — Bon Iver
"Bad Guy" — Billie Eilish
"7 Rings" — Ariana Grande
"Hard Place" — H.E.R.
"Talk" — Khalid
"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
"Truth Hurts" — Lizzo
"Sunflower" — Post Malone & Swae Lee

Album Of The Year:
i,i — Bon Iver
Norman F***ing Rockwell! — Lana Del Rey
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? — Billie Eilish
thank u, next — Ariana Grande
I Used To Know Her — H.E.R.
7 — Lil Nas X
Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) — Lizzo
Father Of The Bride — Vampire Weekend

Song Of The Year:
"Always Remember Us This Way" — Natalie Hemby, Lady Gaga, Hillary Lindsey & Lori McKenna, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
"Bad Guy" — Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
"Bring My Flowers Now" — Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth & Tanya Tucker, songwriters (Tanya Tucker)
"Hard Place" — Ruby Amanfu, Sam Ashworth, D. Arcelious Harris, H.E.R. & Rodney Jerkins, songwriters (H.E.R.)
"Lover" — Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)
"Norman F***ing Rockwell" — Jack Antonoff & Lana Del Rey, songwriters (Lana Del Rey)
"Someone You Loved" — Tom Barnes, Lewis Capaldi, Pete Kelleher, Benjamin Kohn & Sam Roman, songwriters (Lewis Capaldi)
"Truth Hurts" — Steven Cheung, Eric Frederic, Melissa Jefferson & Jesse Saint John, songwriters (Lizzo)

Best New Artist:
Black Pumas
Billie Eilish
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Maggie Rogers
Rosalía
Tank And The Bangas
Yola

Best Pop Solo Performance:
"Spirit" — Beyoncé
"Bad Guy" — Billie Eilish
"7 Rings" — Ariana Grande
"Truth Hurts" — Lizzo
"You Need To Calm Down" — Taylor Swift

Best Pop Vocal Album:
The Lion King: The Gift — Beyoncé
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? — Billie Eilish
thank u, next — Ariana Grande
No. 6 Collaborations Project — Ed Sheeran
Lover — Taylor Swift

Best Dance Recording:
"Linked" — Bonobo
"Got To Keep On" — The Chemical Brothers
"Piece Of Your Heart" — Meduza Featuring Goodboys
"Underwater" — RÜFÜS DU SOL
"Midnight Hour" — Skrillex & Boys Noize Featuring Ty Dolla $ign

Best Rock Album:
Amo — Bring Me The Horizon
Social Cues — Cage The Elephant
In The End — The Cranberries
Trauma — I Prevail
Feral Roots — Rival Sons

Best R&B Performance:
"Love Again" — Daniel Caesar & Brandy
"Could've Been" — H.E.R. Featuring Bryson Tiller
"Exactly How I Feel" — Lizzo Featuring Gucci Mane
"Roll Some Mo" — Lucky Daye
"Come Home" — Anderson .Paak Featuring André 3000

Best Rap Album:
Revenge Of The Dreamers III — Dreamville
Championships — Meek Mill
I Am > I Was — 21 Savage
Igor — Tyler, The Creator
The Lost Boy — YBN Cordae

Best Country Song:
"Bring My Flowers Now" — Brandie Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth & Tanya Tucker, songwriters (Tanya Tucker)
"Girl Goin' Nowhere" — Jeremy Bussey & Ashley McBryde, songwriters (Ashley McBryde)
"It All Comes Out In The Wash" — Miranda Lambert, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)
"Some Of It" — Eric Church, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde & Bobby Pinson, songwriters (Eric Church)
"Speechless" — Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers & Laura Veltz, songwriters (Dan + Shay)

Best Jazz Vocal Album:
Thirsty Ghost — Sara Gazarek
Love & Liberation — Jazzmeia Horn
Alone Together — Catherine Russell
12 Little Spells — Esperanza Spalding
Screenplay — The Tierney Sutton Band

Best Gospel Album:
Long Live Love — Kirk Franklin
Goshen — Donald Lawrence Presents The Tri-City Singers
Tunnel Vision — Gene Moore
Settle Here — William Murphy
Something's Happening! A Christmas Album — CeCe Winans

Best Latin Rock, Urban Or Alternative Album:
X 100PRE — Bad Bunny
Oasis — J Balvin & Bad Bunny
Indestructible — Flor De Toloache
Almadura — iLe
El Mal Querer — Rosalía

Best Americana Album:
Years To Burn — Calexico And Iron & Wine
Who Are You Now — Madison Cunningham
Oklahoma — Keb' Mo'
Tales Of America — J.S. Ondara
Walk Through Fire — Yola

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling):
Beastie Boys Book — (Various Artists) Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz, Scott Sherratt & Dan Zitt, producers
Becoming — Michelle Obama
I.V. Catatonia: 20 Years As A Two-Time Cancer Survivor — Eric Alexandrakis
Mr. Know-It-All — John Waters
Sekou Andrews & The String Theory — Sekou Andrews & The String Theory

Best Song Written For Visual Media:
"The Ballad Of The Lonesome Cowboy" — Randy Newman, songwriter (Chris Stapleton), Track from: Toy Story 4
"Girl In The Movies" — Dolly Parton & Linda Perry, songwriters (Dolly Parton), Track from: Dumplin'
"I'll Never Love Again" (Film Version) — Natalie Hemby, Lady Gaga, Hillary Lindsey & Aaron Raitiere, songwriters (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper), Track from: A Star Is Born
"Spirit" — Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Timothy McKenzie & Ilya Salmanzadeh, songwriters (Beyoncé), Track from: The Lion King
"Suspirium" — Thom Yorke, songwriter (Thom Yorke), Track from: Suspiria

Best Music Film:
Homecoming — Beyoncé
Remember My Name — David Crosby
Birth Of The Cool — (Miles Davis)
Shangri-La — (Various Artists)
Anima — Thom Yorke


ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum®, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards—music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.

For more information about the Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on Twitter, "like" Recording Academy on Facebook, and join the Recording Academy's social communities on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

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Tyler Perry Studios and BET+ Announce to New Scripted Dramas

BET Networks and Tyler Perry Studios Announce Perry’s New Original Series for BET+, “Tyler Perry’s Bruh” and “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless,” Expanding the Acclaimed Content Creator’s Arsenal of Exclusive Programming for BET

“TYLER PERRY’S BRUH” AND “TYLER PERRY’S RUTHLESS” ARE WRITTEN, DIRECTED, AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY TYLER PERRY

BARRY BREWER, MAHDI COCCI, PHILLIP MULLINGS JR., MONTI WASHINGTON, CHANDRA CURRELLEY, CANDICE RENEE, AND ALYSSA GOSS WILL STAR IN “TYLER PERRY’S BRUH”

MELISSA L. WILLIAMS, MATT CEDEÑO, LENNY THOMAS, YVONNE SENAT JONES, BAADJA-LYNE ODUMS, JAIME CALLICA, NIRINE S. BROWN, BLUE KIMBLE, STEPHANIE CHARLES, HERVE CLERMONT, ANTHONY BLESS AND BOBBI BAKER JAMES WILL STAR IN “TYLER PERRY’S RUTHLESS”


NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On the heels of BET’s new original series, “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” claiming the #1 spot as the new scripted series for general market P18-49, P2+ for ALL of cable TV,* Tyler Perry expands his content offerings with two new original series for the network’s premium streaming service BET+, “Tyler Perry’s Bruh” and “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless.”

The first series to complete production, “Tyler Perry’s Bruh,” produced by Perry exclusively for BET+, examines the world of dating, career, and friendship in a present-day society for a group of 30-something-year-old college friends. The second series currently in production, “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless,” will serve as a spin-off to the popular linear series “Tyler Perry’s The Oval.” The new one-hour drama follows a young woman named Ruth into the dark underworld of a fanatical religious cult. “Tyler Perry’s Bruh” and “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless” are written, directed and executive produced by Tyler Perry. Michelle Sneed will also serve as Executive Producer of the series for Tyler Perry Studios.

    “Our landmark partnership with Tyler Perry is off to a fantastic start with the breakout success of The Oval, the #1 new scripted series on cable, and Sistas”

“I’m so grateful for the millions of fans who have been watching the new shows on BET. And this is only the beginning. I’m excited to bring these two new dynamic series to the BET+ family and continue to tell stories of high stakes drama with emerging talent,” said Tyler Perry.

“Our landmark partnership with Tyler Perry is off to a fantastic start with the breakout success of The Oval, the #1 new scripted series on cable, and Sistas,” said Scott Mills, President of BET Networks. “We’re thrilled that Tyler has created these two exciting new series exclusively for our rapidly growing streaming service, BET+. Bruh and Ruthless will join BET+’s other hit original series, including Tracy Oliver’s First Wives Club, Will Packet’s Bigger and BET’s American Gangster, and allow us to continue to super serve our subscribers’ demand for premium original African American content.”


About “Tyler Perry’s Bruh”
Starring Barry Brewer (“Games People Play”) playing John Watts, Mahdi Cocci (“The Gifted”) playing Tom Brooks, Phillip Mullings Jr. (“American Soul”) playing Mike Alexander, Monti Washington (“Games People Play”) playing Bill Frazier, Chandra Currelley (“Madea’s Big Happy Family”) playing Alice Watts, Candice Renee (“BODIED”) playing Regina and Alyssa Goss (“The Bobby Brown Story”) playing Pamela, “Tyler Perry’s Bruh,” is a 30-minute original comedy premiering in 2020 on BET+. This group of “Bruhs” will unravel the stereotypes of African American men and manage to maintain their brother-like relationships, while finding love and fulfilling careers. #BruhTV

About “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless”
“Tyler Perry’s Ruthless” is a new one-hour drama premiering in 2020 on BET+. “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless” is the riveting story of a young woman who becomes entangled in a scandalous cult of powerful sex-crazed fanatics, who she must now play along with until she can find a way to free herself and her young daughter. Melissa L. Williams (“Tyler Perry’s The Oval”) as Ruth Truesdale, Matt Cedeño, (“Power”) as The Highest, Lenny Thomas (“The Blacklist”) as Dikhan, Yvonne Senat Jones (“The Bobby Brown Story”) as Tally, Baadja-Lyne Odums (“This is us”) as Marva, Jaime Callica (“Unreal”) as Brian, Nirine S. Brown (“Wicked: The Musical”) as Lynn, Blue Kimble (“Being Mary Jane”) as Andrew, Stephanie Charles (“The Paynes”) as Sarah, Herve Clermont (“One Life To Live”) as Mack, Anthony Bless (“Tyler Perry’s Sistas”) as Malcolm Green and Bobbi Baker James (“House of Payne”) as Cynthia star in “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless.” Principal photography for “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless” is underway at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. #RuthlessTV

The recently launched BET+ is the joint venture by BET Networks and Tyler Perry Studios that offers a deep and diverse lineup of content, aimed to super-serve lovers of Black stories.

*Source: Nielsen (Npower)|LSD, Premieres airing M-Sun 7p-12a, 9/23/19-11/1/19, Cable Only excludes Kids, Sports, News and Spanish Programming and Sneak Peaks.


ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: 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 is in nearly 85 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER (formerly 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 Networks around the globe.

ABOUT TYLER PERRY STUDIOS
Tyler Perry Studios is a state-of-the art film and television production facility founded in 2006 by actor, producer, filmmaker, playwright and philanthropist Tyler Perry. Located in Atlanta, Georgia on the historic grounds of the former Fort McPherson army base, the new 330-acre campus is one of the largest production studios in the country. It boasts a variety of shooting locations including 40 buildings on the national register of historic places, 12 purpose-built sound stages, 200 acres of green space and an expansive backlot.

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Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Comedy Central Retains Its Exclusive Cable Rights to "The Office"

Viacom Renews The Office Through 2025

Comedy Central Extends (That’s What She Said) Exclusive Cable Rights for The Office Through 2021

Viacom Also Renews Parks and Recreation Cable Rights through 2024

http://www.cc.com/

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA) announced continued stays in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Pawnee, Indiana. Under the new pact with NBCUniversal, Comedy Central extended its exclusive cable deal for legendary comedy The Office through 2021. After that, the series will continue to air through 2025 in a non-exclusive window on Viacom Media Networks. Additionally, Viacom renewed its cable deal for equally iconic sitcom Parks and Recreation. All 125 episodes will be able to air on Comedy Central, the #1 brand in comedy, through 2024.

“Keeping the exclusive rights to The Office through 2021 is a coup for Comedy Central and Viacom,” said Tanya Giles, GM of Comedy Central, Paramount Network, TV Land and Assistant to the Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin. “Since acquiring it, we’ve reinvigorated the franchise on linear, drawing big audiences throughout our full day schedule. It’s also been a key lead-in to help drive viewers to our own original, acclaimed comedies. We’re so excited to keep it on our air that we wouldn’t even trade it for an iPod.”

For Viacom, the deal was closed by Barbara Zaneri, EVP, Viacom Program Acquisitions Group (VPAG) for an undisclosed sum, along with a World’s Best Boss mug and a new statue of Li’l Sebastian for the NBCUniversal lot. Previously this year VPAG acquired the exclusive cable rights to Seinfeld.

The Office is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from March 24, 2005 to May 16, 2013, lasting nine seasons and 201 episodes. It is an adaptation of the original BBC series of the same name and was adapted for American television by Greg Daniels, a veteran writer for “Saturday Night Live.” It was produced by Universal Television in association with Daniels’ Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille Productions. The series depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. To simulate the look of an actual documentary, it was filmed in a single-camera setup, without a studio audience or a laugh track. The Office starred Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, B.J. Novak, Melora Hardin, Ed Helms, Mindy Kaling, Craig Robinson, Ellie Kemper, Kate Flannery, Angela Martin, Phyllis Smith, Leslie David Baker, Oscar Nunez, Brian Baumgartner, Creed Bratton, Paul Lieberstein, Rashida Jones, Amy Ryan and others.

Parks and Recreation is an American political satire television sitcom that aired on NBC from April 9, 2009 to February 24, 2015, lasting for seven seasons and 125 episodes. The series was created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur and produced by Universal Television in association with Deedle-Dee Productions and Fremulon. It presents a documentary-style look into the everyday lives and antics of public officials, who work in the local Parks and Recreation office and pursue various projects to make their fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, a better place. To simulate the look of an actual documentary, it was filmed in a single-camera setup without a studio audience or a laugh track. The series starred Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Retta, Jim O’Heir, Paul Schneider, Billy Eichner, amongst others.


About VPAG
Viacom Program Acquisitions Group (VPAG) is responsible for the coordination of program acquisitions across multiple Viacom platforms and brands. VPAG harnesses the collective buying power of Viacom in negotiating series and movie licenses by synchronizing multi-channel deals and program buys across the Company portfolio.

About Viacom
Viacom creates entertainment experiences that drive conversation and culture around the world. Through television, film, digital media, live events, merchandise and solutions, our brands connect with diverse, young and young at heart audiences in more than 180 countries.

For more information on Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following us on Twitter (twitter.com/viacom), Facebook (facebook.com/viacom) and LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/viacom).

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Monday, November 18, 2019

BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for November 20, 2019

BOOM! STUDIOS

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Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for November 20, 2019

DARK HORSE COMICS

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JUL190413    DISNEY FROZEN HERO WITHIN TP    $10.99
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