Giada De Laurentiis Inks Overall Unscripted Production Deal With Amazon Studios

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer After months of speculation, Amazon Studios has made it official with seasoned movie executive Courtenay Valenti. While many expected her to take the top film job at MGM, acquired by Amazon for $8.5 billion last year, Valenti has hammered out a hulked-up role that will give her considerable influence in feature programming. Amazon Studios chief Jennifer Salke told staff on Tuesday that Valenti has been named head of film, streaming and theatrical at both Amazon Studios and MGM. She will report directly to Salke, and be responsible for delivering “a well-rounded selection of tentpoles, prestige films and genre fare,” according to a memo.

Amazon Studios Boss Jen Salke has finally named former Warner Bros President of Production Courtenay Valenti as Head of Film, Streaming and Theatrical for Amazon Studios and MGM. She will report directly to Salke.

If you dig down into it, it’s pretty complicated to discuss the rights situation surrounding “The Lord of the Rings” IP. Warner Bros.

Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke feels about Warner Bros. making competing projects based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.” Salke, who has held the top content job at Amazon since 2018, walked a Monday red carpet for the premiere of Michael B. Jordan’s “Creed III” where she spoke with Variety about last week’s news that Warner Bros. had secured film rights to some of Tolkien’s books. One of Salke’s defining moves at Amazon was to secure television rights to the same literary works, which she achieved at great expense. The first season of Amazon’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” premiered in 2022 with a big global marketing push and critical acclaim — as well as a reported budget north of $450 million for the first batch of episodes. Previously, Warner Bros. pushed out two massively successful film franchises with auteur Peter Jackson beginning in 2001. Those films grossed over $5 billion at the worldwide box office and brought home a best picture Oscar for one of the entries.

David Guetta‘s abs are on full display during a trip to the beach with his girlfriend Jessica Ledon on Friday (February 24).

Emiliano Granada “The Head of Joaquín Murrieta” bowed Feb. 17, guns blazing worldwide on Prime Video, weighing in as one of the biggest bets ever from Amazon Studios in Latin America and Amazon Prime and Colombian production powerhouse Dynamo. Its success can open the door for other big swings in Latin America.  Created by Colombia’s Mauricio Leiva Cock (“Capital Roar,” “Green Frontier”) at Fidelio, one of the fastest rising writing-directing talents in Colombia, and Diego Ramírez Schrempp (“Narcos,” “Falco”) at Dynamo, which handled physical production of “Narcos” in Colombia, the ambitious Latin Western, fully locally developed, describes how Joaquin Murrieta, played by a mischievous Juan Manuel Bernal, became a legend.  

Baldur’s Gate 3, which has now received a confirmed release date.The game was announced back in 2019, and a new trailer announced an August 2023 release date late last year.Now, it has been confirmed by developer Larian Studios that the game will arrive on August 31 to PC, Mac, and PS5.Starring in the game as General Ketheric Thorm will be J.K. Simmons, and a new release date trailer has been shared alongside footage of Simmons in the booth during recording for the game.A new blog from Steam said of the game’s narrative: “Meet General Ketheric Thorm, a seemingly invincible necromancer leading an army of the dead towards the city of Baldur’s Gate.

Naman Ramachandran A galaxy of A-list talent will participate in SXSW’s inaugural South Asian House initiative. Panel discussion Creating South Asian Content for a Global Audience, will feature actor Rizwan Manji (“Schitt’s Creek”), Emmy-winning producer/writer for Vice, Falguni Adams (“Dateline NBC”) and Apoorva Bakshi, producer of International Emmy-winning series “Delhi Crime,” moderated by CEO of Jingo Media and producer of South Asian House Jitin Hingorani. Another panel, Investing in the Future of Our South Asian Stories, will feature CEO and co-founder of URL Media S. Mitra Kalita and actor Kausar Mohammed (“The Flash”), moderated by co-founder of Box Office Guru Media Gitesh Pandya.

Angelique Jackson Amazon Studios has picked up the rights to “Daring to Live,” produced by DeVon Franklin’s (“Breakthrough”) Franklin Entertainment. Previously set up at Paramount Players, the project is now in development at Amazon Studios. The film is inspired by Sheri Hunter’s 2020 memoir “Daring to Live: How the Power of Sisterhood and Taking Risks Can Jump-Start Your Joy.” It follows Hunter’s journey of “embracing life anew” after the sudden loss of her husband, thanks to the support of her group of friends — Angenette Frink, Mia Lewis and Brenda Jegede, collectively known as the “Dare Divas” — who encourage her to step outside her comfort zone.

Angelique Jackson Following their collaboration on “I Want You Back,” Amazon Studios is re-teaming with filmmakers Jason Orley and Isaac Aptaker on a yet-to-be-titled comedy. Orley will direct the new project from a script by Aptaker, based on a story they wrote. While plot details are being kept under wraps for the film, Amazon Studios landed the project in a preemptive deal based on the success of “I Want You Back,” from Orley, Aptaker and producer Elizabeth Berger. Aptaker and Berger will produce the new film via their The Walk-Up Company production banner, with the company’s head of development Adam Londy executive producing alongside Orley.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor A pair of virtual celebrities — the “lazy and spectacularly incompetent” Janky and Guggimon — could be starring in Amazon’s next Prime Video original series. Amazon announced that it is leading a $20 million investment round in character-design studio and art toy maker Superplastic, and alongside the funding Amazon Studios signed a first-look TV and film pact with Superplastic. Under the first-look deal, Amazon Studios currently is in early development on “The Janky & Guggimon Show,” featuring Superplastic’s two most famous synthetic celebrities. Per the companies, the show follows the adventures of “two lazy and spectacularly incompetent best friends who are hell-bent on getting rich and famous but leave a trail of chaos and destruction in their wake.”

As part of a new first look deal with Amazon Studios, character design studio Superplastic is developing a series starring two synthetic celebrities from their canon. “The Janky & Guggimon Show” follows the adventures of two lazy and spectacularly incompetent best friends who are hell-bent on getting rich and famous but leave a trail of chaos and destruction in their wake.

BreAnna Bell Sony Pictures Television’s nonfiction group is expanding. Eli Holzman, Sony’s President of Nonfiction Entertainment and co-president Aaron Saidman have revealed Gena McCarthy’s Unconventional Entertainment has signed an overall deal with SPT. As part of the agreement, Unconventional will develop, sell, and produce original formats in core genres including relationships, home, food, survival, Americana, competition, and crime, with SPT providing all associated production services. Known for her extensive resume which includes several long-running franchises like “Married at First Sight” and “Project Runway,” McCarthy has held senior positions at Discovery, TLC, We TV, Lifetime, and FYI.

David Guetta reckons “the future of music is in AI” after he used the technology to add the “voice” of Eminem to a new song.The French producer shared a video of him playing the song at a recent gig on his Twitter last week, in which the “voice” of Eminem says: “This is the future rave sound / I’m getting awesome and underground.” Guetta does not intend on releasing the track commercially.However, he told the BBC on the red carpet of the BRITs 2023 that he thinks more musicians will begin using AI in the future because “every new music style comes from a new technology”.“I’m sure the future of music is in AI. For sure,” he said.

Gal Gadot and her husband Jaron Varsano may have to spend this Valentine's Day apart, but love is still in the air for the couple.In fact, the actress maintained that spending the holiday away from each other makes it all the more special and easier to appreciate their loving relationship.Still, Jason made sure his wife was feeling all of the love on the romantic February day, and the star gave a glimpse into their relationship, plus his gift to her.WATCH: Gal Gadot stars in Death on the NileMORE: Kelly Ripa wows in skin-tight green wetsuit in honor of Philadelphia Eagles for Super BowlGal took to Instagram to share with fans how her husband of fifteen years was making her feel loved, sharing a photo of the massive bouquet of red roses she received from him.In a photo holding the stunning arrangement, she appears make-up free and truly glowing, smiling ear to ear, overjoyed over her husband's sweet gesture.MORE: Was Rihanna's son at Super Bowl 2023? Her family life revealedShe also included a throwback, black and white photo of the two, which captures them at a restaurant, intently looking at each other with wide grins on their faces. Another shot sees her holding a letter from Jaron close to her heart, revealing her red nails perfect for the occasion.A post shared by Gal Gadot (@gal_gadot)The star's husband definitely knows the way to her heart"This year we're spending Valentine's Day apart which in a funny way makes me appreciate everything we have even more," she wrote in her caption.MORE: Travis and Jason Kelce's sad family history revealed ahead of Super BowlMORE: Goldie Hawn looks tiny alongside supertall grandson for family reunionShe continued: "I love you @jaronvarsano.

Naman Ramachandran India’s income tax department is conducting searches of the BBC’s offices in the country’s capital New Delhi, according to the Associated Press. Three BBC staffers informed AP about the searches, the agency said. Meanwhile, a team from the tax department also surveyed the BBC’s Mumbai offices, per the Press Trust of India quoting unnamed sources. Variety has reached out to the BBC for comment. The searches come in the wake of the Indian government blocking the controversial two-part BBC documentary “India: The Modi Question.” The documentary was described on the BBC website as: “Narendra Modi’s premiership has been dogged by persistent allegations about the attitude of his government towards India’s Muslim population. This series investigates the truth behind these allegations and examines Modi’s backstory to explore other questions about his politics when it comes to India’s largest religious minority.”

Her final Food Network bow. Giada De Laurentiis is teaming up with Amazon Studios after more than 20 years as a Food Network personality.

Ben Wasserstein, who most recently served as SVP, original programing at HBO, is reuniting with his former HBO boss Richard Plepler. Wasserstein has signed an exclusive first-look deal with Plepler’s film and television production company Eden Productions. Based on the West Coast, he will develop new comedy and drama series, limited series and films for Eden’s exclusive multi-year deal with Apple TV+, working in conjunction with Heather Karpas who joined the company from ICM Partners in 2020.

Mediawan and Miramax TV have closed a deal to develop and produce together high-end scripted programming, including series and straight-to-platform feature films, for the international marketplace.

Expanding TV universes is the hottest trend right now. Bosch, one of the early adopters with Bosch: Legacy, is forging ahead with two police dramas inspired by the work of bestselling author Michael Connelly, which are in development at Amazon Studios.