‘Jim Henson Idea Man’ Trailer: Ron Howard Directs New Doc About Beloved ‘Muppets’ & ‘Sesame Street’ Puppet Genius

Ellise Shafer Kevin Spacey has responded to abuse allegations against him in the new doc “Spacey Unmasked” via a video response posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. Journalist Dan Wootton interviewed Spacey in a lengthy video titled “Right of Reply,” and Spacey asserted, “I’ve got nothing left to hide.” “Why didn’t you just deny it?” Wootton asked about the early Anthony Rapp allegation. Spacey said he didn’t know what to do.

Sydney Sweeney and Ana de Armas will be starring in “Eden,” a thriller film directed by Oscar winning director Ron Howard. Here’s all we know about the project: Ana De Armas brings boho chic back: Her Spring look includes chic tube top and maxi skirtSydney Sweeney wears Angelina Jolie’s iconic Oscars gown 20 years laterReports from Deadline claim the film is based on an unsolved mystery that occurred in the Galapagos island.

Alex Ritman Kevin Spacey has gone on the attack against an upcoming docuseries about him that is due to air next week. The two-part “Spacey Unmasked,” which Variety revealed would broadcast in the U.K.

Joe Leydon Film Critic The thin line between cheating death and chasing it appears to have been smudged, repeatedly, by maverick video journalist Margaret Moth, the subject of first-time filmmaker Lucy Lawless’ fascinating documentary “Never Look Away.” At least, that’s the impression we’re left with at the end of this compact yet complex portrait of a singularly and aggressively unconventional war correspondent who inspired equal measures of admiration and anxiety among her friends, colleagues and lovers throughout her 20 years of assignments in the world’s trouble spots — Baghdad, Sarajevo, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Zaire, you name it, she was there — for CNN. Something of an enigma even to those closest to her — “I never fully understood what was ticking inside of her” is a comment typical of responses by interviewees questioned by an off-camera Lawless — Moth was fond of proudly proclaiming, “I live life to the fullest.” But it was a life she repeatedly risked by going places, doing things and recording wartime horrors with such little regard for her own safety that a CNN teammate warned her: “There’s only so much Russian Roulette you can play.” It was also a life that she more or less reinvented herself to portray.

Siddhant Adlakha A film that pivots around a court case about its own making, buried treasure documentary “A Band of Dreamers and a Judge” features hints of allure that eventually wane. Shot in Iran, where unauthorized excavations remain illegal, Hesam Eslami’s chronicle of a group of treasure hunters is an occasionally intense process piece that often loses steam, especially during its attempts at intimate portraiture.

Whitney Cinkala Variety will return to the Croissette for its annual Welcome to Cannes Party, hosted in partnership with The Gotham Film & Media Institute. The event will take place on May 16 at Lucia Beach. Variety and The Gotham will host executives, talent and filmmakers to kick off the 77th Cannes Film Festival.

Deadline on Monday launched its streaming site for Contenders Television: Documentary + Unscripted, showing off the full panels of all 20 shows that participated in Saturday’s all-day showcase of the year’s best in nonfiction, unscripted and late-night programming as Emmy season ramps up.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Beta Cinema has added Andres Veiel‘s upcoming documentary film “Riefenstahl,” about controversial filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, to its Cannes lineup. The film is an exploration of Riefenstahl’s legacy, delving deep into her complex relationship with the Nazi regime. With unprecedented access to Riefenstahl’s 700-box personal archive, the documentary navigates between her sanitized narrative and incriminating evidence regarding her knowledge of the regime’s atrocities.

Sam Raimi has handpicked another heir apparent to the “Evil Dead” franchise. Deadline reports that “The Last Stop In Yuma County” director Francis Galluppi follows in the footsteps of Fede Álvarez and Lee Cronin as the next up-and-comer to take the reins on the long-running horror series.

EXCLUSIVE: Francis Galluppi (The Last Stop in Yuma County) has been tapped to write and direct a new Evil Dead movie for Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert’s Ghost House Pictures, sources tell Deadline.

The Cannes Film Festival’s Classics sidebar celebrates 20 years this year with a lineup of films including a 4K restoration of Wim Wenders’s Palme d’Or winning Paris, Texas, and a debut screening of Ron Howard’s 2024 doc Jim Henson Idea Man. 

The strikes are behind us, Emmy season is upon us, and it’s time to hear from the creatives and talent behind some of the TV season’s most talked-about nonfiction programs. Deadline’s daylong Contenders Television: Documentary + Unscripted virtual event will offer just that this weekend, giving awards-watchers a chance to kick back at home and take in the tales.

William Earl Writers at Sesame Workshop reached a five-year agreement with the production company behind “Sesame Street,” averting the possibility of picket lines popping up in the show’s friendly neighborhood. The Writers Guild of America confirmed the deal late Friday. The group of 35 writers employed by the nonprofit organization voted unanimously to support a strike authorization vote last week.

EXCLUSIVE: Film Movement has acquired U.S. and Canadian distribution rights to the acclaimed documentary Obsessed with Light, which explores the influence of one of the most remarkable figures in American arts – dancer-choreographer Loïe Fuller.

Star Wars and Harry Potter actor Warwick Davis, has died aged 53.Davis paid tribute to Samantha in a statement, revealing his wife of 32 years had died on March 24.The couple, who first met on the set of Ron Howard’s 1988 fantasy film Willow, co-founded the dwarfism charity Little People UK.Davis told the BBC that Samantha’s death “has left a huge hole in our lives as a family”, adding: “I miss her hugs.”The Life’s Too Short actor, who also hosted ITV game shows Celebrity Squares and Tenable, described Samantha as his “most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career”.He added: “She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes.Davis said that with his wife by his side, he felt as if he could achieve anything, adding: “It was like having a super-power.”“Without Sammy, there would have been no Tenable quiz show, no Willow series. No Idiot Abroad Series 3.”The actor explained that it was his wife who persuaded Ricky Gervais to send him with Karl Pilkington for the third series of the hit travel show.The couple’s children, Harrison and Annabelle, joined their father in paying tribute, saying “her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives.

The USC School of Cinematic Arts has announced that Miky Lee will deliver the 20024 Commencement address.

MUNA‘s Naomi McPherson has landed their first acting role as Janis Ian in Jason Reitman’s forthcoming film SNL 1975.The film centres around the first episode of Saturday Night Live, which aired in October 1975, focusing in particular on the behind-the-scenes moments before it first came to the small screen. Ian appeared on the show as one of its first musical guests, alongside Billy Preston, who will be portrayed in the film by Jon Batiste.

Today, Andscape, the Black multimedia platform from Disney and ESPN, known as the premier platform for exploring the intersections of race, sports, and culture,” announced the new anthology franchise “&360,” which explores the massive influence of Black culture on American society. The franchise will premiere with the documentary feature “Hip-Hop And The White House, directed by Jesse Washington and featuring Jeezy, whose song “My President” was a significant hip-hop political touchstone.

Katcy Stephan Editor, composer, director and producer John Ottman is teaming with film and music industry executive David Franco to develop a dramatic biopic based on the life of world-renowned Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi. The project, written by Kevin Lund and TJ Scott, has had been long-gestating, beginning 20 years ago when Ron Howard was set to direct. After many unsuccessful attempts, including with members of the famous Italian filmmaking De Laurentiis family in 2008, the project needed a new vision.

Ellie Goulding has had a busy few months working on her sixth studio album, and she finally took to the stage on Thursday evening to perform a brand new track from the upcoming release.The singer, 37, fronted an amazing one-off performance at London's Royal Albert Hall, where she was joined by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and performed new song Easy To Love Me - which is about heartbreak. Following her split from her art dealer husband Caspar Jopling, which Ellie officially confirmed in February, she appears to have poured her heartache into the new music. But making the performance even more insightful, Caspar was in the show's audience.