Cineworld Pulls ‘Lady Of Heaven’ From U.K. Cinemas Following Protests by Muslim Groups, Producer Voices Disappointment

EXCLUSIVE: Greenwich Entertainment has acquired North American rights to the Blumhouse-produced feature documentary, The Youth Governor, slating it for release on August 26.

Joaquin Phoenix's Joker finally met his match? ET learned on Tuesday that Lady Gaga is in very early talks to play Harley Quinn and star opposite Phoenix in the upcoming sequel to director Todd Phillips’ Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, .However, there is no official offer on the table for Gaga yet, and Phoenix's deal is still being finalized as well.The news comes just a week after Phillips revealed that he had completed the script for the sequel, sharing its tentative title, A post shared by Todd Phillips (@toddphillips) Gaga's portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime's notorious first lady would be the third current imagining of the role. Margot Robbie plays Harley on the and side of the DC Comics Extended Universe, while Kaley Cuoco voices the legendary baddie in HBO Max's animated series, The first  -- which was originally imagined as a standalone drama set in the  universe but outside the canon of the comics or previous film adaptations — was set in the early '80s, and followed the mentally unstable failed clown Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) as he spiraled into madness and sparked a violent riot in the city of Gotham.Not much is known about the plot of Phillips' forthcoming follow-up, outside of the title — though Gaga's potential casting may lend a hint.

Lady Gaga is ready to play a new iconic role! The singer and actress is in early talks to join the cast of the upcoming film ‘Joker: Folie à deux’ directed by Todd Phillips, which is now turning into a musical. Phillips recently unveiled the title for the sequel, posting an image of the script next to a photo of Joaquin Phoenix reading what will be the new storyline for the highly anticipated film.It has been revealed that Gaga would play Harley Quinn, previously played by Margot Robbie in Suicide Squad (2016), Birds of Prey (2020) and The Suicide Squad (2021) and by Kaley Cuoco in HBO’s animated version.Not much has been revealed about the sequel, however fans are already speculating about the rest of the characters from the DC universe that will be unveiled, as it is expected to see a new portayal of Batman on the big screen.The title for the sequel means “shared madness” in French, a phrase used to describe a shared delusion among a group of people, which raised the question of who will he be sharing the madness with.

social media. Even though Phillips shared a photo of Phoenix, 47, reading the script, he has not yet signed a deal for the sequel.Details of the plot are not yet known, but Deadline reports that the “Bad Romance” singer will play Harley Quinn, the Joker’s psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum who falls in love with him and becomes his sidekick. It’s believed that Gaga’s Harley Quinn will exist in a different DC universe from Margot Robbie’s in the “Suicide Squad” movies.The sequel is set to have many differences from the first film, including that it will be a musical, according to The Hollywood Reporter.“Joker,” released in 2019, had a record-breaking opening weekend and grossed more than $1 billion worldwide.

Joker director Todd Phillips confirmed that a sequel to the 2019 film is underway earlier this month, it’s been revealed that Lady Gaga is in talks to star opposite Joaquin Phoenix in the role of Harley Quinn.Last week, Phillips announced Joker: Folie à Deux by sharing the cover of its script, written by him and his Joker co-writer Scott Silver. He also included a photo of Phoenix reading the script, suggesting the actor’s return to the titular role after delivering an Oscar-winning performance in the original.Now, The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that, according to sources, the upcoming sequel is a musical.

Of all the wild rumors in the world that turned out to be true, this one seemed like the most far-fetched. But hey, some crazy internet rumors turn out to be true.

Oscar winner Lady Gaga (House of Gucci) is in early talks to star opposite Joaquin Phoenix in Warner Bros.’ Joker: Folie à Deux, Deadline can confirm.

K.J. Yossman BFI IMAX, the largest IMAX screen in the U.K., will cease to be operated and programmed by Odeon Cinemas from this summer.

Controversy continues to swirl around The Lady Of Heaven, a film about the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad which last week caused protests in the UK that led to some screenings being pulled. Morocco has now banned the movie while the British government has dismissed imam Qari Asim from his role as an adviser saying he had “encouraged an ongoing campaign to prevent cinemas screening the film” in a “clear effort to restrict artistic expression.” Asim responded that the government’s characterization of his actions is “inaccurate.”

Covered head-to-toe in a black burka, a delicate figure stands at the door of Pot Kettle Black in Manchester’s Angel Gardens as the start of Lady Gaga’s Alice blares out from the speakers. But within seconds, the traditional garment is ripped apart to reveal an almost too-lifelike impersonation of Boris Johnson hiding beneath.

Odeon Cinemas Group, the U.K.-based European subsidiary of AMC Theatres, currently ranks as Europe’s largest exhibition circuit in terms of number of screens, followed by by Cineworld (U.K.), Vue International (U.K.), and Les Cinémas Pathé Gaumont (France).Such are the findings of a study conducted by trade body The International Union of Cinemas (UNIC), which represents exhibitors across 39 European territories, in tandem with specialized publication Boxoffice Pro. The study, titled “Giants of Exhibition: Europe,” ranks Europe’s top 50 exhibition groups by screen count and is being released ahead of the annual CineEurope exhibitors convention, which will be held June 20-23 in Barcelona, where a ceremony will honor these circuits on June 21. According to the study, which clocks the situation up until Jan.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorA judge in New York State Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit against former ABC News producer Michael Corn, who was alleged to have sexually assaulted a subordinate and to have created a toxic work environment at ABC News.In August of last year, Kirstyn Crawford, a producer who worked with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, alleged that  Corn, the former top producer at “Good Morning America,” assaulted her and another staffer, Jill McClain, on different occasions over a span of multiple years. Both women reported to Corn, who also for a time supervised “World News Tonight.” Crawford also alleged she lost opportunities to advance at work after she began trying to avoid Corn.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorChristina Aguilera is going all out for her upcoming performance at L.A. Pride.The vocal powerhouse is set to take the stage on June 11 at L.A. State Historic Park.

Exhibitor Cineworld has pulled all screenings in the UK of The Lady Of Heaven, a film about the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad which sparked protests at some theaters. A Cineworld statement said, “Due to recent incidents related to screenings of The Lady Of Heaven, we have made the decision to cancel upcoming screenings of the film nationwide to ensure the safety of our staff and customers.”

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFX is developing a series based on the life of Hiroaki “Rocky” Aoki, best known as the founder of the Benihana restaurant chain, Variety has learned exclusively from sources.The series is currently titled “American Hiro” and is based in part on the book “Making It in America: The Life and Times of Rocky Aoki” by Jack McCallum.Representatives for FX and 20th Television declined to comment.The series will delve into Aoki’s colorful life as a mogul and businessman, from founding Benihana to being an Olympic wrestler, professional speed boat racer, hot air balloonist, and nightclub impresario. It will also examine his complicated relationship with his family and his attempts to reconcile his Japanese heritage with his American dreams. Jonathan Abrams created the series and will serve as an executive producer.

Queen Elizabeth has unfortunately had to pull out of a one of the Platinum Jubilee events taking place tomorrow.

Don McLean is set to air in the US next week.Produced and directed by Jim Brown, Don McLean: American Troubadour arrives 50 years after the singer-songwriter’s iconic anthem ‘American Pie’ topped the US Billboard chart in 1972.“I let Jim Brown into my life because I respect him and trust him,” McLean said in a press release. “We’ve known each other for forty years and he allowed my ideas to be fully realised while telling my story accurately and poetically.”McLean granted unprecedented access and interviews for the film, revealing his personal account of a career spanning over five decades and performing songs that have become integral parts of US pop culture.Don McLean: American Troubadour will also feature live performances of ‘American Pie’, ‘Vincent’, ‘Crying’ and ‘And I Love You So’ along with interviews with artists such as Brian Wilson and REM’s Mike Mills and more.“Don McLean is a true artist and rugged individualist,” Brown said.

Lee Greenwood is opening up on his decision not to perform at the National Rifle Association (NRA) conference on Friday in Houston, Texas in the wake of the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde that left 19 children and two teachers dead. "You know, I thought about that long and hard," Greenwood explained to Fox News Digital. "I talked to some of my friends Don McLean and Larry Gatlin.