Nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards Have Been Announced

93RD OSCARS® NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED

Actor-producer Priyanka Chopra Jonas and singer, songwriter and actor Nick Jonas announced the 93rd Oscars® nominations Monday, March 15, 2021, live from London, via a global live stream on Oscar.com, Oscars.org, the Academy’s digital platforms, an international satellite feed and broadcast media.

Chopra Jonas and Jonas announced the nominees in 23 categories at 5:19 a.m. PT. For a complete list of nominees, visit the official Oscars website, www.oscar.com.

Academy members from each of the 17 branches vote to determine the nominees in their respective categories – actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors, etc. In the Animated Feature Film and International Feature Film categories, nominees are selected by a vote of multi-branch screening committees. All voting members are eligible to select the Best Picture nominees.

Active members of the Academy are eligible to vote for the winners in all 23 categories beginning Thursday, April 15, through Tuesday, April 20, 2021.

The 93rd Oscars will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2021, at Union Station Los Angeles and the Dolby® Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on ABC at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Nominations for the 2021 / 93rd Academy Awards:

Best motion picture of the year:

•     "The Father" David Parfitt, Jean-Louis Livi and Philippe Carcassonne, Producers
•     "Judas and the Black Messiah" Shaka King, Charles D. King and Ryan Coogler, Producers
•     "Mank" Ceán Chaffin, Eric Roth and Douglas Urbanski, Producers
•     "Minari" Christina Oh, Producer
•     "Nomadland" Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey and Chloé Zhao, Producers
•     "Promising Young Woman" Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Emerald Fennell and Josey McNamara, Producers
•     "Sound of Metal" Bert Hamelinck and Sacha Ben Harroche, Producers
•     "The Trial of the Chicago 7" Marc Platt and Stuart Besser, Producers

Performance by an actor in a leading role:

    Riz Ahmed in "Sound of Metal"
    Chadwick Boseman in "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom"
    Anthony Hopkins in "The Father"
    Gary Oldman in "Mank"
    Steven Yeun in "Minari"

Performance by an actor in a supporting role:

    Sacha Baron Cohen in "The Trial of the Chicago 7"
    Daniel Kaluuya in "Judas and the Black Messiah"
    Leslie Odom, Jr. in "One Night in Miami..."
    Paul Raci in "Sound of Metal"
    Lakeith Stanfield in "Judas and the Black Messiah"

Performance by an actress in a leading role:

    Viola Davis in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"
    Andra Day in "The United States vs. Billie Holiday"
    Vanessa Kirby in "Pieces of a Woman"
    Frances McDormand in "Nomadland"
    Carey Mulligan in "Promising Young Woman"

Performance by an actress in a supporting role:

    Maria Bakalova in "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan"
    Glenn Close in "Hillbilly Elegy"
    Olivia Colman in "The Father"
    Amanda Seyfried in "Mank"
    Yuh-Jung Youn in "Minari"

Best animated feature film of the year:

    "Onward" Dan Scanlon and Kori Rae
    "Over the Moon" Glen Keane, Gennie Rim and Peilin Chou
    "A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon" Richard Phelan, Will Becher and Paul Kewley
    "Soul" Pete Docter and Dana Murray
    "Wolfwalkers" Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young and Stéphan Roelants

Achievement in cinematography:

    "Judas and the Black Messiah" Sean Bobbitt
    "Mank" Erik Messerschmidt
    "News of the World" Dariusz Wolski
    "Nomadland" Joshua James Richards
    "The Trial of the Chicago 7" Phedon Papamichael

Achievement in costume design:

    "Emma" Alexandra Byrne
    "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom" Ann Roth
    "Mank" Trish Summerville
    "Mulan" Bina Daigeler
    "Pinocchio" Massimo Cantini Parrini

Achievement in directing

    "Another Round" Thomas Vinterberg
    "Mank" David Fincher
    "Minari" Lee Isaac Chung
    "Nomadland" Chloé Zhao
    "Promising Young Woman" Emerald Fennell

Best documentary feature

    "Collective" Alexander Nanau and Bianca Oana
    "Crip Camp" Nicole Newnham, Jim LeBrecht and Sara Bolder
    "The Mole Agent" Maite Alberdi and Marcela Santibáñez
    "My Octopus Teacher" Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed and Craig Foster
    "Time" Garrett Bradley, Lauren Domino and Kellen Quinn

Best documentary short subject

    "Colette" Anthony Giacchino and Alice Doyard
    "A Concerto Is a Conversation" Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
    "Do Not Split" Anders Hammer and Charlotte Cook
    "Hunger Ward" Skye Fitzgerald and Michael Scheuerman
    "A Love Song for Latasha" Sophia Nahli Allison and Janice Duncan

Achievement in film editing

    "The Father" Yorgos Lamprinos
    "Nomadland" Chloé Zhao
    "Promising Young Woman" Frédéric Thoraval
    "Sound of Metal" Mikkel E. G. Nielsen
    "The Trial of the Chicago 7" Alan Baumgarten

Best international feature film of the year

    "Another Round" Denmark
    "Better Days" Hong Kong
    "Collective" Romania
    "The Man Who Sold His Skin" Tunisia
    "Quo Vadis, Aida?" Bosnia and Herzegovina

Achievement in makeup and hairstyling

    "Emma" Marese Langan, Laura Allen and Claudia Stolze
    "Hillbilly Elegy" Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle and Patricia Dehaney
    "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom" Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson
    "Mank" Gigi Williams, Kimberley Spiteri and Colleen LaBaff
    "Pinocchio" Mark Coulier, Dalia Colli and Francesco Pegoretti

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

    "Da 5 Bloods" Terence Blanchard
    "Mank" Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
    "Minari" Emile Mosseri
    "News of the World" James Newton Howard
    "Soul" Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

    "Fight For You" from "Judas and the Black Messiah" Music by H.E.R. and Dernst Emile II; Lyric by H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas
    "Hear My Voice" from "The Trial of the Chicago 7" Music by Daniel Pemberton; Lyric by Daniel Pemberton and Celeste Waite
    "Husavik" from "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga" Music and Lyric by Savan Kotecha, Fat Max Gsus and Rickard Göransson
    "Io Sì (Seen)" from "The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se)" Music by Diane Warren; Lyric by Diane Warren and Laura Pausini
    "Speak Now" from "One Night in Miami..." Music and Lyric by Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sam Ashworth

Achievement in production design

    "The Father" Production Design: Peter Francis; Set Decoration: Cathy Featherstone
    "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom" Production Design: Mark Ricker; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara and Diana Stoughton
    "Mank" Production Design: Donald Graham Burt; Set Decoration: Jan Pascale
    "News of the World" Production Design: David Crank; Set Decoration: Elizabeth Keenan
    "Tenet" Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Kathy Lucas

Best animated short film

    "Burrow" Madeline Sharafian and Michael Capbarat
    "Genius Loci" Adrien Mérigeau and Amaury Ovise
    "If Anything Happens I Love You" Will McCormack and Michael Govier
    "Opera" Erick Oh
    "Yes-People" Gísli Darri Halldórsson and Arnar Gunnarsson

Best live action short film

    "Feeling Through" Doug Roland and Susan Ruzenski
    "The Letter Room" Elvira Lind and Sofia Sondervan
    "The Present" Farah Nabulsi
    "Two Distant Strangers" Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe
    "White Eye" Tomer Shushan and Shira Hochman

Achievement in sound

    "Greyhound" Warren Shaw, Michael Minkler, Beau Borders and David Wyman
    "Mank" Ren Klyce, Jeremy Molod, David Parker, Nathan Nance and Drew Kunin
    "News of the World" Oliver Tarney, Mike Prestwood Smith, William Miller and John Pritchett
    "Soul" Ren Klyce, Coya Elliott and David Parker
    "Sound of Metal" Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh

Achievement in visual effects

    "Love and Monsters" Matt Sloan, Genevieve Camilleri, Matt Everitt and Brian Cox
    "The Midnight Sky" Matthew Kasmir, Christopher Lawrence, Max Solomon and David Watkins
    "Mulan" Sean Faden, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury and Steve Ingram
    "The One and Only Ivan" Nick Davis, Greg Fisher, Ben Jones and Santiago Colomo Martinez
    "Tenet" Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher

Adapted screenplay:

•     "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Peter Baynham & Erica Rivinoja & Dan Mazer & Jena Friedman & Lee Kern; Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Nina Pedrad
•     "The Father" Screenplay by Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller
•     "Nomadland" Written for the screen by Chloé Zhao
•     "One Night in Miami..." Screenplay by Kemp Powers
•     "The White Tigers" Written for the screen by Ramin Bahrani

Original screenplay:

•     "Judas and the Black Messiah" Screenplay by Will Berson & Shaka King; Story by Will Berson & Shaka King and Kenny Lucas & Keith Lucas
•     "Minari" Written by Lee Isaac Chung
•     "Promising Young Woman" Written by Emerald Fennell
•     "Sound of Metal" Screenplay by Darius Marder & Abraham Marder; Story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance
•     "The Trial of the Chicago 7" Written by Aaron Sorkin

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NatGeo Rolls Out Spring 2021 Content with "Genius: Aretha" Sun., March 21st

National Geographic Announces Spring 2021 Content Rollout at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour

STORYTELLING THROUGH THE EYES OF …

PREMIERES INCLUDE
‘Genius: Aretha’ Premieres Sunday, March 21;

ADVENTURE NIGHT:
Returning Series ‘Running Wild with Bear Grylls’ and New Series ‘Race to the Center of the Earth’ Premiere Monday, March 29;

‘National Geographic Presents: IMPACT with Gal Gadot’ Digital Series Premieres April 19;

Disney+ Original Series ‘Secrets of the Whales’ Premieres Earth Day, April 22;

PERSONALITY NIGHT:
Returning Series ‘Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted’ and New Series ‘Breaking Bobby Bones’ Premiere Memorial Day

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Geographic President of Content Courteney Monroe unveiled the spring schedule of premieres for National Geographic’s premium science, adventure and exploration content at the Television Critics Association Virtual Winter Press Tour.

“In the wake of this extraordinary and unprecedented year, we remain focused at National Geographic on telling stories that remind us that beauty and wonder still exist in our world,” said Monroe. “From ‘IMPACT with Gal Gadot’ to ‘Secrets of The Whales’ and the return of ‘Uncharted with Gordon Ramsay,’ National Geographic transports audiences around the globe, inspiring a new generation of explorers and adventurers.”

Highlights of National Geographic Content’s new premieres include the highly anticipated March 21 debut of “Genius: Aretha” starring Cynthia Erivo as Aretha Franklin; March 29 premiere of a night of adventure with new series “Race to the Center of the Earth,” from “The Amazing Race” producers, paired with a new season of fan-favorite adventure series “Running Wild with Bear Grylls”; Memorial Day premiere of new personality-driven series “Breaking Bobby Bones” paired with a new season of “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted”; new digital doc shorts series “National Geographic Presents: IMPACT with Gal Gadot” dropping on April 19 across National Geographic digital and social platforms; and the Disney+ Earth Day premiere of the original series “Secrets of the Whales,” from executive producer James Cameron and featuring National Geographic Photographer Brian Skerry.

Full press releases and trailers for “Genius: Aretha,” “Running Wild with Bear Grylls,” “Race to the Center of the Earth,” “National Geographic Presents: IMPACT with Gal Gadot,” “Secrets of the Whales,” “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted,” “Breaking Bobby Bones” and “Red Summer” can be found at natgeotvpressroom.com.

National Geographic Content - NEW PREMIERE DATES (U.S. ONLY):

MARCH

OWN THE ROOM on Disney+ from National Geographic Documentary Films (NEW DOC)
Premieres Friday, March 12

Five students from disparate corners of the planet take their big ideas to Macau, China, host of one of the most prestigious entrepreneurship competitions in the world, the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards. Santosh is from a small farming town in Nepal; Alondra works the register at her family’s bakery in Puerto Rico; Henry is a programming wiz from Nairobi; Jason is a marketing machine from Greece; and Daniela is an immigrant escaping the crisis in Venezuela, taking on the chemical industry from her lab at NYU. They’ve each overcome immense obstacles in pursuit of their dreams, from hurricanes to poverty to civil unrest. Their ideas have already changed their own lives, but are they ready to change the world?

DR. OAKLEY, YUKON VET on Nat Geo WILD (Returning Series)
Premieres Saturday, March 13, 9/8c
All previous seasons of “Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet” are available to stream on Disney+

Every day is a unique challenge for Dr. Michelle Oakley, the only all-species vet for hundreds of miles across the Great North. Whether wrestling bison, tracking ibex in the mountains, performing surgery on a wolverine, or braving fierce landscapes to return moose calves to the wild, Dr. Oakley will do whatever it takes to keep the animals in her charge safe and healthy.

GENIUS: ARETHA on National Geographic (New Season of Anthology Series)

(Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, Clive Davis, 20th Television, MWM Studios and EUE/Sokolow)

Four-night Television Event Premieres Sunday, March 21 at 9/8c, with back-to-back episodes, available next day on Hulu

“Genius” is National Geographic's critically acclaimed anthology series that dramatizes the fascinating stories of the world’s most brilliant innovators, their extraordinary achievements and their volatile, passionate and complex personal relationships. This third season will explore Aretha Franklin’s musical genius and incomparable career, as well as the immeasurable impact and lasting influence she has had on music and culture around the world. Franklin was a gospel prodigy, an outspoken civil rights champion and is widely considered to be the greatest singer of the past 50 years, receiving countless honors throughout her career. Starring double-Oscar® nominee Cynthia Erivo as Aretha Franklin and Emmy®-award winning Courtney B. Vance as C.L. Franklin, “Genius: Aretha” will be the first-ever, definitive and only authorized scripted series on the life of the universally acclaimed Queen of Soul. Previous seasons, “Genius: Einstein” and “Genius: Picasso” are available to stream on Hulu.

RUNNING WILD WITH BEAR GRYLLS on National Geographic (Returning Series)
Premieres Monday, March 29 at 9/8c
The previous Nat Geo season of “Running Wild with Bear Grylls” is available to stream on Disney+

National Geographic is officially the new home of the wildly popular hit series “Running Wild with Bear Grylls.” In its second season on National Geographic, world-renowned survivalist Bear Grylls returns to the wilderness eager to push the mental and physical limits of a brand-new slate of celebrities in the hit adventure series “Running Wild with Bear Grylls.” Hollywood’s fan favorites come along for another adventurous ride to join Grylls in new challenges that make even the bravest shudder. Each week, a new celebrity guest leaves the luxury of their homes to venture into some of the most extreme environments in the world to conquer fears, test their limits and sometimes dabble in nature’s not-so-tasty delicacies. Continuing to push superstars’ comfort levels, this season Grylls travels the globe from the deserts of Utah to the Dolomites of Italy and the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California for more epic, life-changing adventures. This season’s celebrities include: Anthony Mackie (“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”), Bobby Bones (“Breaking Bobby Bones,” “American Idol”), Terry Crews (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Deadpool”), Gina Carano (“The Mandalorian”), Keegan-Michael Key (“Brain Games,” “Prom”), Danica Patrick (former professional racing driver), Danny Trejo (“Machete,” “Sons of Anarchy”) and Rainn Wilson (“The Office,” “Utopia”).

RACE TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH on National Geographic (New Series)
Premieres Monday, March 29 at 10/9c

The epic seven-part series, created by award-winning producers Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri, is an adrenaline-fueled global competition that pits four teams of three against one another in a nonstop sprint across the globe for a $1 million prize. “Race to the Center of the Earth” is an extreme non-elimination competition that follows four groups of adventurers, each starting from different corners of the earth, as they race to a buoy holding the grand prize. Racing from different corners of the planet — South America, Russia, Canada and Southeast Asia, the teams will face untamed jungles, frozen arctic, arid deserts, bustling cities, treacherous mountains and vast oceans to reach the location where all four routes intersect. The first team to arrive at the buoy claims it all. Embarking on the adventure of a lifetime, these adventurous teams, made up of friends and co-workers, are confident their bond is what will lead them to the finish line.

APRIL

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PRESENTS: IMPACT WITH GAL GADOT on National Geographic digital and social platforms (New Digital Series)
Premieres weekly beginning Monday, April 19

In the heart of some of the most difficult circumstances in the world, there exist beacons of hope. National Geographic Presents: IMPACT with Gal Gadot is a compelling new six-part short-form documentary series from executive producers Gal Gadot (“Wonder Woman”), Jaron Varsano (“Cleopatra”), Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth (“Freeheld”), Entertainment One’s (eOne) Tara Long (Emmy®-nominated “L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later”) and RPC’s Ryan Pallota, that follows the powerful stories of resilient young women around the globe who overcome obstacles and do extraordinary things.

SECRETS OF THE WHALES on Disney+ (New Series)
Four-Part Event Series Premieres Earth Day, April 22
(From executive producer James Cameron and featuring National Geographic Explorer and Photographer Brian Skerry)

Epic, revealing and emotional, that’s what you get when immersed in the secretive world of whales and see life and love from their perspectives. From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker and conservationist James Cameron, “Secrets of the Whales” plunges viewers deep within the epicenter of whale culture to experience the extraordinary communication skills and intricate social structures of five different whale species: orcas, humpbacks, belugas, narwhals and sperm whales. Featuring the expansive knowledge and skill of acclaimed National Geographic Explorer and Photographer Brian Skerry, the four-part Earth Day special-event series unveils new science and technology to spotlight whales as they make lifelong friendships, teach clan heritage and traditions to their young, and grieve deeply for the loss of loved ones. Filmed over three years in 24 global locations, throughout this epic journey, we learn that whales are far more complex and more like us than ever imagined. Narrated by award-winning actress and conservationist Sigourney Weaver (“Alien,” “Avatar,” “Gorillas in the Mist”), this is a personal story that very few are lucky enough to witness … until now.

In addition, National Geographic magazine’s May issue (available online at natgeo.com mid-April) will be a single topic Earth Day issue showcasing Skerry’s bold new photography. Skerry’s latest work will also be featured in the National Geographic book “Secrets of the Whales,” timed to the series (on sale April 6).

KINGDOM OF THE POLAR BEARS on Nat Geo WILD (New Special)
Two-hour Special Premieres Earth Day, April 22 at 8/7c

As the Arctic changes faster than ever, Dennis Compayre, a veteran polar bear guide, makes an epic first-time journey following his beloved bears through the brutal Canadian winter and onto the frozen waters of Hudson Bay. In this high-stakes, high-reward venture, the team documents the secret world of polar bears and the mysterious and disappearing kingdom of ice that sustains them. The winter hunting and birthing season is a critical time for these bears and is largely undocumented, deemed too difficult and dangerous for humans to follow … until now. The team, armed with traditional ecological knowledge and the latest 4K camera technology, witnesses never-before-seen seal-hunting strategies and documents rapid adaptations to climate change, including whale predation and open-water hunting.

MAY

CRITTER FIXERS: COUNTRY VETS on Nat Geo WILD (Returning Series)
Premieres Saturday, May 22, 9/8c
Season one of “Critter Fixers: Country Vets” is available to stream on Disney+

Dr. Hodges and Dr. Ferguson are two lifelong friends who own and operate Critter Fixer Veterinary Hospitals, located 100 miles south of Atlanta. Together with their loving staff, these physicians bring real heart, soul and a lot of humor to their treatment and care of more than 20,000 patients a year across their two locations. Between emergency visits to the office and farm calls throughout rural Georgia, this special team is constantly bombarded with unique cases. From adhering Tilapia scales to save an attacked dog to assembling a splint on a rare South American bird, for the Critter Fixer team, there is no such thing as “normal.”

GORDON RAMSAY: UNCHARTED New Episodes on National Geographic (Returning Series)
Eight-Part Third Season Premieres Monday, May 31 at 9/8c, Available Next Day on Disney+
Seasons one and two of “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted” are also available to stream on Disney+

Gordon Ramsay laces his boots, grabs his knives and buckles up as he hits the road to embark on exhilarating adventures, exploring world cultures through food in National Geographic’s “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted.” The multi-Michelin-star chef and Ironman athlete feasts his way around the globe – risking life and limb in daring missions – in pursuit of culinary inspiration and edible excellence. Under the guidance of local experts and food legends he meets along the way, Ramsay will partake in culinary customs, learn about delicious delicacies and taste fresh flavors unique to each region. In the upcoming third season, Ramsay goes off the grid and off recipe as he feasts his way through Texas, Portugal, Croatia, Puerto Rico, Iceland, Maine, the Smoky Mountains and Mexico.

BREAKING BOBBY BONES on National Geographic (New Series)
Premieres Monday, May 31 at 10/9c, with two back-to-back episodes, then moves to Sundays at 10/9c with two new episodes premiering each week

In each half-hour episode of “Breaking Bobby Bones,” Bobby Bones pursues his own mantra—Fight. Grind. Repeat.—by traveling to far-flung destinations across the country to find people with unique jobs, skills, hobbies and abilities. Upon arrival, he meets local everyday heroes who challenge him to conquer (or at least attempt) the tricks of their trades while exploring the triumphs and tragedies that made these heroes who they are today. Through their joint experiences, viewers come along for the ride learning what it’s like to become a tenacious stunt artist, kayak the Colorado River blindfolded and play para hockey on a sled. It’s an action-packed celebration of Americans who work hard, play hard and, above all, take pride in everything they do.

JUNE

RED SUMMER (w.t.) on National Geographic (New Documentary Film)
Premieres June 2021

National Geographic Documentary Films partners with acclaimed filmmaker Dawn Porter ("The Way I See It," "Good Trouble: John Lewis") and Trailblazer Studios on a documentary special that sheds new light on a century-old period of intense racial conflict. “Red Summer” (working title) comes 100 years on from the two-day Tulsa Massacre in 1921 that led to the murder of as many as 300 Black people and left as many as 10,000 homeless and displaced. The film will premiere in June on National Geographic, commemorating Juneteenth when the last Black slaves in the U.S. heard of their emancipation. Award-winning Washington Post journalist and Tulsa native DeNeen Brown is at the heart of the film, reporting on the search for mass graves in her hometown. Digging into the events that lead to one of the worst episodes of racial violence in America's history, Brown uncovers new insights into this early 20th century period known as the Red Summer. Brown is uniquely placed to explore today's new civil rights movement in the context of the Tulsa Massacre and the Red Summer. With inside access to family members of those killed, law enforcement, archeologists and historians, Brown makes sense of the science and the politics intertwined throughout the search for Tulsa's mass grave. Leaving no stone unturned, “Red Summer” also untangles the role the media played in covering events at the time in order to reveal the full extent of the nation's buried past.

AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS: ANIMAL EDITION on Nat Geo WILD (New Series)
Premieres Sunday, June 20 at 8/7c

“America’s Funniest Home Videos” has been a household staple since its inception, providing hilarious entertainment from some of the most happy coincidences and epic fails in television history. But there’s no question that animal videos featuring furry friends and scaly celebrities are the most entertaining yet. A spinoff of the ABC hit, “America’s Funniest Home Videos: Animal Edition” presents knee-slapping, tear-jerking animal humor to Nat Geo WILD!


About National Geographic Partners:
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, 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 133 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 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, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from March 14th to 20th, 2021 - Update #19

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS: 

CRIME - From YahooNews:   The "Atlanta spa shooting" - here is what is known about the victims.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   The pressure mounts on the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) and the Golden Globes as broadcast partner, NBCUniversal, says that it plans to encourage to the HFPA to make whatever changes are necessary in regards to diversity.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   A technical crew member on ABC's "The Conners," has died after a "fatal medical event."

TELEVISION - From Deadline: HBO is considering three new ideas for "Game of Thrones" spinoffs.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, January Jones, Maika Monroe, and Andrew Dice Clay are set to star in action-thriller God Is A Bullet, from director Nick Cassavetes.

ANIMATION - From ShadowandAct:  CBS Studios is planning an animated reboot of the late UPN/The CW live-action sitcom, "Everybody Hates Chris" (2005-09).

NEWS - From YahooNews:   Ronald DeFeo, Jr., the man convicted of slaughtering his parents and four siblings in a home in Amityville, Long Island in 1974, has died at the age of 69.  The murders and the home later inspired author Jay Anson's 1977 book, “The Amityville Horror," and the movies spawned from the book, beginning with 1979's "The Amityville Horror."

GOLDEN GLOBES - From Deadline:   Facing a boycott, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which awards the "Golden Globes" commits to "at least 13% black membership."

CAPITOL RIOT - From APNews:    Two men, George Tanios, 39, of Morgantown, West Virginia, and Julian Khater, 32, of Pennsylvania, were arrested Sunday, March 13th and charged with assaulting U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick with bear spray during the Jan. 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol Building.  Officer Sicknick later died.

OSCARS - From Deadline:  Here is the complete list of nominees for the 2021 / 93rd Academy Awards. 

From RollingStone:   Oscar 2021: The site lists its biggest Oscar snubs.

From THR:   Oscars 2021 is a year of historic firsts and notable nominations.

From YahooLATimes:   The record for oldest Oscar nominee is now a three-way tie

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GRAMMYS - From YahooEntertainment:  Beyonce sets a few records at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.  She became the most honored singer, female or male, with her 28th Grammy win.  "Album of the Year" went to Taylor Swift's "Folklore."  Swift became the first woman and fourth person to win the award three times.

From Variety:   Variety is updating its nominee list with the winners, as the winners of the pre-show Grammy categories are already being announced.

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   The winner of the 3/12 to 3/14/2021 weekend box office is Disney's "Raya and the Last Dragon" with an estimated take of 5.5 million dollars.

MOVIES - From THR:  Because of a re-release in China, James Cameron's legendary 2009 film, "Avatar," reclaims its place as the all-time highest grossing film in terms of global box office.  It's gross is 2.8 billion dollars vs. "Avengers: Endgame" at 2.797 billion.

OBITS:

From CBSBoston:   Triathlete and Boston Marathon icon, Dick Hoyt, has died at the age of 80, Wednesday, March 17, 2021.  Hoyt was best known as one-half of "Team Hoyt," with his son, Rick Hoyt.  Rick was born a "spastic quadriplegic."  Dick participated marathons and races by pushing Rick as he sat in front in a special seat of a bicycle.  The father and son were a fixture at the Boston Marathon from 1980 to 2014.

From THR:   The actor, Yaphet Kotto, has died at the age of 81, Monday, March 15, 2021.  He is best known for numerous roles.  He was the "Dr. Kananga"/"Mr. Big," the "Bond villain" in the 1973 James Bond film, "Live and Let Die" (the first to star the late actor Roger Moore in the lead role).  He played the role of "Parker" in the seminal science fiction film, "Alien" (1979).  He played "Lt. Al Giardello" in the long-running NBC police drama, "Homicide: Life on the Streets," and he wrote three episodes of the series.  Kotto was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 1977 for his role in the 1976 TV film, "Raid on Entebbe."  Kotto apparently turned down the roles of "Lando Calrissian" in "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Captain Jean-Luc Picard" on "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

From Deadline:  American professional boxer and actor, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, has died at the age of 66, Saturday, March 13, 2021.  Born Marvin Nathaniel Hagler, he had his name legally changed to "Marvelous Marvin Hagler" in in 1982.  He reigned as undisputed middleweight champion from 1980 to 1987, making twelve successful defenses of that title.  Hagler retired from boxing in 1987.  After retirement, he moved to Italy where he starred in a series of action films, including "Indio" and "Indio 2 - la rivolta."

Mattel and Nickelodeon Announces Plans for New "Monster High" Entertainment

Mattel Television and Nickelodeon Announce Plans to Produce an Animated Series and Live-action Television Movie Musical Based on Iconic Monster High Franchise

Share it: @Nickelodeon @NickAnimation @Mattel @MonsterHigh #Nickelodeon #MonsterHigh

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. & BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) and Nickelodeon announced plans to produce a new animated series and live-action television movie musical based on Monster High, the iconic franchise about the children of famous monsters and creatures.

    “Nickelodeon shares our passion for the brand and its purpose having worked on the franchise when it first launched more than a decade ago. They are the ideal partners to bring these beloved characters and their stories to life through episodic television and the live-action television movie.”

The new series follows fan-favorite characters Clawdeen Wolf, Draculaura, and Frankie Stein as they navigate the hilarity of high school in the hallowed halls of Monster High. The show, which will be available globally across Nickelodeon platforms, is scheduled to premiere in 2022. Similarly, the movie musical event, which marks the first time Monster High will be brought to life in live action, will be available on Nickelodeon platforms globally next year.

“Monster High’s strong message of inclusivity is more relevant than ever,” said Fred Soulie, General Manager, Mattel Television. “Nickelodeon shares our passion for the brand and its purpose having worked on the franchise when it first launched more than a decade ago. They are the ideal partners to bring these beloved characters and their stories to life through episodic television and the live-action television movie.”

“These classic monsters have always captured kids’ imaginations and we are so excited and proud to welcome Monster High to our brand for a new generation of kids,” said Ramsey Naito, President of Nickelodeon Animation. “We have terrific partners on board at Mattel to create original content in different formats, and, with the expertise of the Nick creative team helmed by Claudia Spinelli on the animation development side, and Zack Olin and Shauna Phelan on the live-action side, we can’t wait to showcase the comedy and adventure of these characters as they defy expectations and take on the world.”

“We could not be more excited to work with Ramsey, Claudia, Zack, Shauna, our writers and the entire Nickelodeon animation and live-action teams to introduce Monster High to a new audience,” added Adam Bonnet, Executive Producer, Mattel Television. “This property has always resonated deeply with fans and our reimagination of the franchise will focus on addressing important themes of identity and empowerment for kids today.”

The Monster High series and movie musical event join other Mattel Television content in production, including series and specials based on Barbie, Masters of the Universe, Thomas & Friends, Polly Pocket and Fireman Sam, to name a few.

The forthcoming Monster High series and movie underscore a key element of Nickelodeon’s content strategy, to build and expand the worlds of enormously popular franchises such as Star Trek, SpongeBob SquarePants, Henry Danger, Big Nate and Real Pigeons Fight Crime among others, to give audiences more of what they love. Nickelodeon’s new content slate is informed by the network’s ongoing research and insights into today's generation of kids, who are the most diverse generation ever and expect to see themselves authentically represented in media and in the world around them; want to make a positive difference in the world as they grow up; consider social media stars as their top role models, alongside their parents; and increasingly meet their much-desired need for family time by co-viewing entertainment content together.

Production on the Monster High animated TV series is overseen for Nickelodeon by Claudia Spinelli, Senior Vice President, Animation Development. Shea Fontana (Polly Pocket, DC Super Hero Girls) is serving as the showrunner. Jenny Jaffe (Big Hero 6: The Series, Rugrats) and the writing team of Greg Erb and Jason Oremland (Princess and the Frog, Playmobil: The Movie) have been tapped to write the Monster High live-action television movie. Production on the Monster High movie for Nickelodeon is overseen by Zack Olin, Senior Vice President, Live-Action and Shauna Phelan, Senior Vice President, Live-Action Scripted Content. Adam Bonnett, Executive Producer and Christopher Keenan, Senior Vice President of Content Development are overseeing the animated series for Mattel, and Bonnett is also overseeing the live-action movie for Mattel.

Monster High was first introduced in 2010 with a global fanbase embracing its message of inclusivity. Beginning in 2022, Mattel will be refueling the franchise and introducing Monster High to a whole new generation of kids.


About Mattel:
Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and develop children through play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends®, UNO® and MEGA®, as well as other popular intellectual properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include film and television content, gaming, music and live events. We operate in 35 locations and our products are available in more than 150 countries in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering children to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.

About Nickelodeon:
Nickelodeon, now in its 41st year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).

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Review: "THE SWORD OF DOOM" is a Thrilling Jidaigeki

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 24 of 2021 (No. 1762) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

The Sword of Doom (1966)
Dai-bosatsu tôge (original title)
Running time:  119 minutes (1 hour, 59 minutes)
DIRECTOR:  Kihachi Okamoto
WRITER:  Shinobu Hashimoto (based on the novel by Kaizan Nakazato)
PRODUCERS:  Sanezumi Fujimoto, Konparu Nanri, and Masayuki Satô
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Hiroshi Murai
EDITOR:  Yoshitami Kuroiwa
COMPOSER:  Masaru Satô

MARTIAL ARTS/ACTION/DRAMA

Starring:  Tatsuya Nakadai, Michiyo Aratama, Yuzo Kayama, Yoko Naito, Kei Sato, Tadao Nakamaru, Ichiro Nakaya, and Toshiro Mifune

Dai-bosatsu Tōge (The Pass of the Great Buddha) is a 1966 Japanese period drama (a “jidaigeki”).  Also known by the titled, The Sword of Doom (the title by which I will refer to this film for this review), the film is directed by Kihachi Okamoto from a screenplay by Shinobu Hashimoto and is based on a novel written by Kaizan Nakazato.  The Sword of Doom focuses on a sociopathic samurai who relishes killing people.

The Sword of Doom introduces Ryunosuke Tsukue (Tatsuya Nakadai), a master swordsman with an unorthodox fighting style.  Amoral and ruthless, Ryunosuke believes that one's sword is one's soul.  We see him kill an elderly pilgrim; needlessly kill a man in a duel; and kill several of that man's clansman who ambush him shortly afterwards.

To make a living, Ryunosuke joins the “Shincho Group,” a rogue band of ronin who take it upon themselves to murder and assassinate for whatever reason they decide.  However, the wanton murders and other unconscionable acts he has committed have created a trail of vendettas that follows Ryunosuke closely.  He has also drawn the notice of two people in particular:  a young man, Hyoma Utsugi (Yuzo Kayama), whose brother Ryunosuke killed, and Shimada Toranosuke (Toshiro Mifune), another master swordsman, whose skill unnerves Ryunosuke.

First, I feel obligated to give you a warning, dear readers.  The Sword of Doom ends abruptly during the middle of a fight between Ryunosuke and dozens of assassins in a burning courtesan house.  It leaves many plot elements and subplots unresolved, including those involving Hyoma Utsugi and Shimada Toranosuke.  Apparently, Kihachi Okamoto, the director of The Sword of Doom, planned to adapt the novel upon which the film is based as a trilogy, but the other films were never made.

That said,  I think that The Sword of Doom is a tremendous samurai film, and, while I have not seen that many samurai films, it is one of the best I have ever seen.  There are three things that draw me to this movie.  First, I like the way the film focuses on Ryunosuke.  It is as if Okamoto points his camera through Ryunosuke's flesh and blood and into his soul.  This film is an examination of an amoral man's interior life; it is an investigation of how such a man lives with and justifies himself.  While Ryunosuke may act as if he does not care about anyone, as the film goes on, he clearly cannot deal with a reckoning – odd for a man who acts as if he is above it all.

The second element that makes me really like this film are the sword duels and group battles.  The battle between Ryunosuke and his victim's clansman at the end of the Spring 1860 segment is bracing, while the duel that initiates this battle is a feast of anticipation.  The fight at the end of the film is just crazy, mad, and crazy-mad-good; seeing Ryunosuke hack, slash, and stab so many of the men trying to kill him made me fell almost delirious or almost sick.  However, I think the best fight in this movie involves the character played by one of my favorite actors.

The late Toshiro Mifune could have made a toilet paper commercial exciting filmed entertainment.  His mere presence in The Sword of Doom elevates the film.  It is as if Mifune first appears in this film to let the viewer know that this movie has a higher purpose than being just another jidaigeki.  When Mifune's Toranosuke kills the perpetrators of a botched assassination attempt, he defines this movie as both a rumination on the evil actions of an evil man and as a tale about the kind of bold men who must fight powerful evil men.

The Sword of Doom is about the struggle of good men of good action against men with evil minds and evil swords.  If not for the abrupt ending, I would say that The Sword of Doom is a perfect film.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, October 22, 2017


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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First of Eight Episodes of "Genius: Aretha" Debuts Sun., March 21st

National Geographic and Double Oscar® Nominee Cynthia Erivo Reveal Highly Anticipated Premiere Date and New Trailer for the Emmy® Award-Winning Anthology Series, GENIUS: ARETHA

The Third Season of the Limited Series Starring Erivo as the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, and Courtney B. Vance as C.L. Franklin Will Premiere Double-Stacked Episodes Over Four Consecutive Nights, Beginning Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 9/8c With Episodes Available Next Day on Hulu

‘Chain of Fools’ Trailer is Here.

THE NETWORK’S PODCAST SERIES, THE MAKING OF, ALSO RELEASES BEHIND THE SCENES GENIUS: ARETHA THEMED EPISODE

‘The Making Of’ GENIUS: ARETHA, Episode 1 is Here.

GENIUS: ARETHA Hails From 20th Television and Imagine Television; Brian Grazer and Ron Howard Serve as Executive Producers Along With Pulitzer Prize-Winning Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks As Executive Producer and Showrunner and Emmy and Golden Globe Winner Anthony Hemingway As Executive Producer and Director

Legendary Hit Record-Producer Clive Davis and Atlantic Records Chairman and CEO Craig Kallman Also Serve as Executive Producers

WASHINGTON, D.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Geographic and Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet,” “The Color Purple”) revealed during the network’s TCA session the highly anticipated premiere date and official series trailer for the multiple Emmy award-winning anthology series, GENIUS: ARETHA. From 20th Television and Imagine Television, this new season will premiere in the U.S. on the channel with double-stacked episodes across four consecutive nights, beginning on Sunday, March 21, 2021, at 9/8c. The premiere episodes will be available the next day on Hulu, culminating in a celebration of Aretha Franklin’s birthday, with all eight episodes available to stream by Thursday, March 25, 2021.

Additionally, National Geographic’s ongoing podcast series THE MAKING OF released the first of three GENIUS: ARETHA themed episodes, which features in-depth interviews with individuals who are both in front of the camera and also those behind the scenes. The latest episode features GENIUS: ARETHA’s cinematographer Kevin McKnight, costume designer Jennifer Bryan and choreographer Dondraico Johnson. They discuss the process of recreating and honoring key and iconic moments in Aretha Franklin’s life that will be covered in GENIUS: ARETHA. THE MAKING OF podcast is hosted by the celebrated entertainment journalist Stacey Wilson Hunt and is available to stream on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher and other podcasting platforms.

GENIUS is National Geographic’s critically acclaimed anthology series that dramatizes the fascinating stories of the world’s most brilliant innovators and their extraordinary achievements with their volatile, passionate and complex personal relationships. This third season will explore Aretha Franklin’s musical genius and incomparable career, as well as the immeasurable impact and lasting influence she has had on music and culture around the world. Franklin was a gospel prodigy, an outspoken civil rights champion and widely considered the greatest singer of the past 50 years, receiving countless honors throughout her career. GENIUS: ARETHA will be the first-ever, definitive and only authorized scripted series on the life of the universally acclaimed Queen of Soul.

Without knowing how to read music, Franklin taught herself to play the piano; at the young age of 12, she began to record songs and sing on gospel tours with her father. She signed her first record deal at age 18 with Columbia Records. In 1966, she moved to Atlantic Records, where she recorded many of her most iconic songs. In 1979, she began a 40-year friendship and partnership with Clive Davis, which produced a number of hit songs, including the highest charting and bestselling song of her career, “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” a duet with George Michael. The legendary singer is one of the world’s bestselling musical artists of all time, with more than 75 million records sold globally during her career. Her voice was identified as a “natural resource” by her home state of Michigan.

The previously announced cast includes triple threat Tony®-, Emmy®- and GRAMMY® Award-winning Erivo as Aretha Franklin who will be performing many songs from Franklin’s rich catalogue; the Emmy-winning Courtney B. Vance (“The People V. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”) as Aretha’s father, C.L. Franklin; Malcolm Barrett (“Timeless,” “Preacher”) as Ted White, Franklin’s first husband and business manager; David Cross (“Mr. Show,” “Arrested Development”) as legendary music producer Jerry Wexler, who guided Franklin as she developed into a confident singer and commercial success; Patrice Covington (“The Color Purple”, “Ain’t Misbehavin’”) and Rebecca Naomi Jones (“Oklahoma!,” “The Big Sick”) portray Erma and Carolyn Franklin, respectively, as Aretha’s sisters and frequent background singers, who supported and collaborated with their famous sibling; Steven Norfleet (“Watchmen,” “Dynasty”) as older brother Cecil Franklin, who stepped in as Aretha’s manager following her divorce from Ted White; veteran actress Pauletta Washington (“Beloved,” “She’s Gotta Have It”) as Aretha’s nurturing and loving paternal grandmother, Rachel; Omar J. Dorsey (“Queen Sugar”) as James Cleveland; Marque Richardson (“Dear White People”) as King Curtis, Kimberly Hébert Gregory (“Vice Principals”) as Ruth Bowen; and introducing Shaian Jordan as young Aretha Franklin, aka Little Re.

EPISODES INCLUDE:

RESPECT
Sunday, March 21, at 9/8c
Desperate for a hit, Aretha travels to Muscle Shoals in 1967 to record her first album with Atlantic Records. After suffering the loss of her surrogate mother, Little Re braves her first solo in 1953, in her father’s, C.L. Franklin, church.

UNTIL THE REAL THING COMES ALONG
Sunday, March 21, at 10/9c
Struggling to find her sound, Aretha catches the attention of Jerry Wexler at Atlantic Records in 1966. Meanwhile, Little Re has her first touring experience on the Gospel Circuit in 1954 with C.L. Franklin and meets her idol, Clara Ward.

DO RIGHT WOMAN
Monday, March 22, at 9/8c
Aretha juggles her music career and her commitment to the civil rights movement, led by Martin Luther King Jr., in 1967 and 1968. Meanwhile, Little Re leaves behind her newborn child to return to the Gospel Circuit in 1955, meeting with music legends James Cleveland and Little Sammie Bryant.

UNFORGETTABLE
Monday, March 22, at 10/9c
Aretha is featured on the cover of Time Magazine in 1968, but she’s devastated when the article focuses on the scandalous details of her personal life. Barbara Franklin and Young C.L. Franklin struggle to establish themselves in Memphis in 1941, before Little Re is born.

YOUNG, GIFTED AND BLACK
Tuesday, March 23, at 9/8c
Aretha, inspired by Angela Davis and the Soledad Brothers, records her protest album “Young, Gifted and Black” in 1970. Despite Jerry Wexler’s uncertainty, the album is a success. Barbara Franklin makes a decision that has a devastating effect on Little Re in 1951.

AMAZING GRACE
Tuesday, March 23, at 10/9c
Aretha records her best-selling live Gospel album “Amazing Grace” in 1972 at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church, ignoring her sibling’s pleas to record instead at New Bethel with their father, C.L. Franklin. Little Re discovers that she’s pregnant with her second child, forcing her to leave school. While pregnant, she records her first album at New Bethel in 1956.

CHAIN OF FOOLS
Wednesday, March 24, at 9/8c
As the Queen of Soul enters the age of disco, Aretha will do anything to remain relevant—including stealing an opportunity from her sister Carolyn. She receives a GRAMMY nomination but is ultimately snubbed from winning the award. While at the ceremony, she meets with Arista founder Clive Davis. Meanwhile, Jerry Wexler leaves Atlantic Records, and he and Aretha part ways.

NO ONE SLEEPS
Wednesday, March 24, at 10/9c
Despite significant emotional losses, including a second divorce and the death of her father in 1984, Aretha pushes herself artistically and triumphs. She begins a successful career at Arista, with the help of Clive Davis, and in an unforgettable GRAMMY performance in 1998, she solidifies her eternal reign as the Queen of Soul.

The series will feature many of Franklin’s biggest recordings and hit songs from the comprehensive Warner Music catalogue, including “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You),” “Chain of Fools,” “Don’t Play That Song” and “Save Me.” In addition, the series will feature Franklin’s performances of “I Knew You Were Waiting for Me,” “Freeway of Love” and “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves.” Additionally, the third season of the acclaimed anthology series features a number of well-known personalities who crossed paths with Franklin, including Dinah Washington, King Curtis, Clara Ward, Art Tatum, Reverend James Cleveland, Sydney Pollack, Angela Davis, Martin Luther King Jr., Curtis Mayfield and George Michael.

The series is produced by 20th Television and Imagine Entertainment. Imagine has partnered with Warner Music Entertainment for this third season, which will again be executive produced by Imagine’s Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. Pulitzer Prize recipient, MacArthur “Genius” grant receiver and Tony Award winner Suzan-Lori Parks (“Topdog/Underdog”) is showrunner, executive producer and lead writer. Emmy, Golden Globe and BAFTA TV Award winner Anthony Hemingway (“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”) will also executive produce and serve as director.

Legendary hit-record producer Clive Davis and Atlantic Records chairman and CEO Craig Kallman are executive producers. Imagine’s Anna Culp also serves as executive producer, and Peter Afterman is producer. Returning executive producers include Francie Calfo (GENIUS: EINSTEIN, GENIUS: PICASSO, “Empire”), Ken Biller (GENIUS: EINSTEIN, GENIUS: PICASSO), Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane (MWM Studios), and Sam Sokolow (EUE/Sokolow).

For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com or our press site www.foxflash.com, or follow us on Twitter using @NGC_PR.


About National Geographic Partners LLC:
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, 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 133 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 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, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

About Imagine Television Group:
Imagine Television Group is comprised of Imagine Television and Imagine Television Studios. Imagine Television was founded in 1986 by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard and is run by Imagine Television President Samie Kim Falvey. The company’s productions have been honored with 195 Emmy nominations and 30 Golden Globe nominations. Last year, the company formed Imagine Television Studios to produce and finance a slate of projects that currently includes the series “Why Women Kill” for CBS All Access from Marc Cherry; “Swagger” for Apple with Kevin Durant and Reggie Rock Bythewood; “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” for Hulu from The RZA and Alex Tse; and “68 Whiskey.” Imagine Television is also producing “Filthy Rich” with Tate Taylor for Fox. Current programming includes Fox’s award-winning series “Empire,” Netflix’s “Arrested Development” and Nat Geo’s Emmy®-winning GENIUS anthology series. Earlier productions include Fox’s Golden Globe- and Emmy®-winning Best Drama Series “24”; NBC’s Peabody Award-winning series “Friday Night Lights”; Fox’s Emmy®-winning Best Comedy “Arrested Development”; Fox’s “Shots Fired” and “Lie To Me”; WB’s “Felicity”; ABC’s “SportsNight”; and HBO’s “From the Earth to the Moon,” which won the Emmy® for Outstanding Mini-Series. Howard and Grazer began their collaboration in 1985 with the hit film comedies “Night Shift” and “Splash,” and continue to run Imagine as executive chairmen.

ABOUT 20TH TELEVISION:
A part of Disney Television Studios, 20th Television is one of the industry’s most prolific suppliers of entertainment programming, including the No 1. Series on all of broadcast, NBC’s THIS IS US from Dan Fogelman; Fox’s No. 1 drama, 9-1-1 and its spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star from Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear, its No. 1 comedy LAST MAN STANDING starring Tim Allen; Hulu’s recent smash hits SOLAR OPPOSITES from Justin Roiland and Mike McMahan and LOVE, VICTOR from Isaac Aptaker, Elizabeth Berger and Brian Tanen; FX’s No. 1 series AMERICAN HORROR STORY from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk; TBS’ No. 1 series AMERICAN DAD created by Mike Barker, Matt Weitzman and Seth MacFarlane; and the longest-running primetime scripted series in the history of television, THE SIMPSONS, in addition to dozens of others. 20th Television shows have amassed a collective 2000 Emmy nominations and 263 Emmy wins, as well as multiple Golden Globes, Humanitas Prizes and Peabody Awards. The studio’s landmark series from its 70 year library include such classics as BATMAN, M*A*S*H, GLEE, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, BONES, BOB’S BURGERS, EMPIRE, FAMILY GUY, 24, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, FUTURAMA, KING OF THE HILL, NEW GIRL and THE X-FILES.

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2021 USC Libraries Scripter Award Winners Announced

Nomadland,” “Queen’s Gambit” Win USC Libraries Scripter Awards

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The writers behind the feature film “Nomadland” and limited series “The Queen’s Gambit” won the 33rd-annual USC Libraries Scripter Awards at an online ceremony on the evening of Saturday, March 13, 2021.

    “their ability to adapt and reflect the communities that they serve. That’s an extraordinary thing to see happening through the state of California.”

The Scripter Awards honor each year’s most accomplished adaptations of the written word for the screen and, uniquely, recognize the screenwriters and the authors of the source material.

This year, screenwriter Chloé Zhao and author Jessica Bruder won in the feature film category for Searchlight Pictures’ “Nomadland,” based on the book “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century.” All films are collaborative works, but even more so in the case of adaptations—a fact that Zhao, who also directed and edited “Nomadland,” acknowledged in her acceptance.

“Jessica, your love for the people in your book and your love for the road and for the American West is the reason why we’re here today,” Zhao said. “And I really look forward to the day when I can sit around a campfire and listen to you rock out on your guitar again.”

Jessica Bruder thanked Zhao for adapting her “poetic meditation about life on the road” and all the people who gave her “the time of day when I showed up with a tent and a notepad.”

In the episodic series category, writer/director Scott Frank and the late Walter Tevis (1928-84) won for “The Queen’s Gambit,” based on Tevis’ novel of the same name. Julia Tevis McGory and Will Tevis accepted on their father’s behalf, sharing remembrances of their father as a storyteller.

Frank, who also directed the seven episodes in the Netflix limited series, thanked Tevis in his acceptance speech. “I could have never, ever done this without that novel. The gift of that novel was tremendous. My mission was to realize it in a way that, if Walter were still with us, he would be incredibly proud of it and still recognize himself in it as well.”

In most years the Scripter Awards are presented at a black-tie gala in USC’s Doheny Memorial Library. This year, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony was streamed online. USC Libraries Dean Catherine Quinlan alluded to the change.

“When we honor adaptation at Scripter, we also celebrate the original written word,” Quinlan said. “Adapting while remaining true to our foundations—that’s something that libraries do and have always done. This year, our ability to adapt has been more vital than ever.”

A selection committee comprising 52 writers, producers, journalists, and other distinguished members—including several past winners—determined this year’s awards.

Howard Rodman, a professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and a former president of the Writers Guild of America West, chairs the committee. In his remarks, Rodman noted that the art of adaptation requires the screenwriter to strike a delicate balance.

“How to apportion what you owe, backward, to the book; what you owe, forward, to the audience?” Rodman said. “All of the adaptations we honor tonight have answered that questions in ways that are honest, unique, at once heartfelt and full of the very highest craft.”

Earlier in the evening, Quinlan presented California State Librarian Greg Lucas with the Ex Libris Award.

“Being the State Librarian is my dream job,” Lucas said. Also speaking of the adaptability of libraries, he praised “their ability to adapt and reflect the communities that they serve. That’s an extraordinary thing to see happening through the state of California.”

The 2021 Scripter Award was presented by the USC Libraries Board of Councilors, with sponsorship support from HBO, Netflix, and Searchlight Pictures.

For more information about Scripter, visit scripter.usc.edu.

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