Kevin Wilson Named Head of Theatrical Distribution at Amazon and MGM Studios

Angelique Jackson “Nope” standout Brandon Perea is going from surveying one (alien) storm system to chasing another — with the actor signing on to star in the upcoming “Twister” sequel. Perea joins Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell and Anthony Ramos in “Twisters,” directed by “Minari” helmer Lee Isaac Chung from a script by “The Revenant” writer Mark L. Smith. The film, from Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. and Amblin Entertainment, is described as a “new chapter” of the 1996 movie, which followed a team of storm chasers as they hunted down the most powerful tornado in decades. Plot details, including Perea’s role, are being kept under wraps.

Angelique Jackson “Beneath the Grass,” a drama about the criminal justice system and marijuana incarceration rates, will hit the market at the Cannes Film Festival next week. Mía Maestro, Quincy Isaiah and Jeff Kober will lead the film, which begins production next month in New Jersey. Paradigm is representing worldwide sales for the film. “Beneath the Grass” is set in 2008, capturing both the economic recession and the “Yes We Can” summer, and follows a single Latina mother whose illegal marijuana business is jeopardized when her young son befriends the new neighbors, a young white boy and his police officer grandfather.

Amazon Studios is launching the Amazon MGM Studios Distribution division, which will oversee licensing of Amazon Original titles and MGM new release and library movies and series such as film franchises “James Bond,” “Rocky “and “Creed,” and series “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Vikings,” “Fargo” and the upcoming “Hotel Cocaine” from MGM+.  Titles at launch will include television series like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Goliath” and “Hunters” and films like “Coming 2 America, “”Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” “7500,” “All the Old Knives,” “Bliss,” “I Want You Back,” “The Tender Bar,” “The Tomorrow War,” “The Voyeurs,” and “Without Remorse.” MGM’s storied library houses more than 4,000 film titles, 17,000 TV episodes, including 180 Academy Awards winners and 100 Emmy Awards winners.The division will be helmed by Chris Ottinger, who has led the distribution team at MGM for more than a decade.

Amazon Studios is launching Amazon MGM Studios Distribution.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Original Amazon series like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” will be sold off-platform to third parties for the first time, the company announced Monday as it launched the new Amazon MGM Studios Distribution. A revamp of MGM’s pre-existing distribution team, the division will now handle Amazon Studios/Prime Video originals in addition to current and library titles. Chris Ottinger, who led the MGM distribution team for more than a decade, will oversee the new division. Ottinger will report to Brad Beale, the VP of worldwide licensing and distribution at Amazon and MGM Studios; Beale, in turn, reports to Amazon/MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke.

Angelique Jackson The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) has announced the lineup for this year’s Talks Series, headlined by 2023 festival ambassador Lena Waithe. The 27th edition of the festival will be held June 14-18 in Miami Beach, followed by a virtual program June 19-25 on ABFF Play. On Thursday, June 15, the Emmy-winning writer, producer and actor will sit for an intimate one-on-one conversation, billed as “The Lena Waithe Effect,” where she’ll recount her journey in the entertainment industry. In addition to Waithe, the series of conversations and panels also features: “That’s Our Business,” a candid conversation with Tabitha Brown and her husband Chance Brown; a panel discussion with TV One Networks’ Kirk and Tammy Franklin (“The One”) and LisaRaye McCoy (“Asking for a Friend”); a look behind-the-scenes of Bounce TV’s “Act Your Age” starring Kym Whitley and Yvette Nicole Brown; a celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary with the Xfinity Original Series “Hip House”; and the WBD Access Music Supervisor Panel featuring Morgan Rhodes (“The Color Purple”) and Carolyn Owens (“Cherish the Day”).

His lightning rod! Grant Gustin opened up about saying goodbye to The Flash — and teased how the series finale will leave his character, Barry Allen, and wife Iris West’s relationship.  

Angelique Jackson “True Detective” creator Nic Pizzolatto has signed on to write Marvel Studios’ “Blade” movie, reuniting with Mahershala Ali, who starred in the third season of his HBO crime series. “Blade” boasts Oscar winner Ali as the title vampire slayer, with Aaron Pierre, Delroy Lindo and Mia Goth among the starry cast. Pre-production on the film is underway, with Pizzolatto taking on writing duties, working from a draft of the script by Emmy nominee Michael Starrbury, which has been said to be “darker than most MCU movies.” Directed by Yann Demange, who helmed “White Boy Rick” and the pilot for “Lovecraft Country,” the film is expected to begin filming in late May in Atlanta.

Canada has brought its Online Streaming Act into law after years of heated debate.

The topic on everyone’s mind. Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss‘ affair was a shock to Vanderpump Rules viewers — but the cast was seemingly onto the couple for a while.

Angelique Jackson Time to brush up on the 5 D’s of “Dodgeball” — “dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge” — because a sequel to the 2004 hit comedy is officially in the works. Vince Vaughn is returning to star in the sequel, which is in early development at 20th Century Studios.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Sony Pictures Television has appointed Matthew Justice as executive VP and head of U.K. and Europe. In the newly created role, he will report into Wayne Garvie, president of International Productions. Justice will directly manage SPT’s international studio operations and European co-productions business, as well as work closely with SPT International Production’s wholly-owned and joint venture production companies in the region, which includes Bad Wolf, Eleven Films and Left Bank Pictures. Justice most recently served as managing director at ITV Studios-backed Big Talk. He will start at SPT later this year.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director NBC’s “The Office” ended after nine seasons and 201 episodes in May 2013, about seven years before the COVID pandemic disrupted jobs around the world. In a new interview on “The Drew Barrymore Show” (via Entertainment Weekly), cast member Rainn Wilson said it would’ve been a thrill to do pandemic-themed episodes of the sitcom. Wilson, who starred as Dwight Schrute, was a main cast member on all nine seasons of the show. “It would’ve been so much fun to film ‘The Office’ during the pandemic,” Wilson said. “If we had pandemic episodes, that would’ve been amazing. ‘The Office’ writers were so great — they would’ve been able to spin that in some beautiful ways.”

Kevin Wilson has officially been named Head of Theatrical Distribution for Amazon Studios and MGM as the parent company combines labels into one theatrical distribution group.

Amazon Studios announced in an internal memo on Tuesday that it will combine its theatrical distribution team with that of the recently acquired MGM, with Kevin Wilson serving as president of the division. In addition to Wilson’s promotion, Valenti announced that Amazon Studios’ distribution chief Mark Boxer will remain with the studio as head of specialty distribution, reporting to Wilson.Wilson was a longtime partner of MGM theatrical distribution chief Erik Lomis, who died in March.

Refresh for updates: Big stuff expected here this morning at CinemaCon in Las Vegas as Warner Bros struts its 2023 slate.

The legacy of MGM Domestic Distribution Chief Erik Lomis was remembered this morning at CinemaCon by his Paramount Domestic Distribution Boss Chris Aronson, who worked with the former at MGM years ago. Lomis died suddenly March 22, having just released MGM’s Creed III to record box office results; a win also for the studio’s streaming parent Amazon.

Angelique Jackson Christina Hodson (“The Flash,” “Bumblebee”) and Oren Uziel (“The Lost City,” “22 Jump Street”) will co-write the next ‘Fast and Furious’ movie with “Fast X” helmer Louis Leterrier returning to direct. The 11th film in the Vin Diesel-starring franchise will mark Hodson and Uziel’s first official collaboration together. Last week, Variety exclusively revealed that “The Transporter” helmer would return to serve as director of the next installment of “Fast and Furious” franchise, which serves as a companion film to “Fast X,” opening May 19. Hodson is represented by CAA and Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment; Uziel is repped by Curate and Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light LLP.

Jordan Banjo and his wife, Naomi Courts, have announced the arrival of their third child - a baby boy. The couple made a joint post on Instagram this morning, revealing the child’s unique name.

Angelique Jackson “Ted Lasso” standout Juno Temple seems to be trading soccer stars for comic-book antiheroes, as the actor is in negotiations for a lead role in Sony and Marvel’s “Venom 3.” The new movie stars Tom Hardy as the titular lethal protector Venom (and its human host Eddie Brock), one of Sony’s slate of Marvel characters, and will be directed by Kelly Marcel in her feature debut. Character details for Temple are begin kept under wraps. While Temple is perhaps best known for her Emmy and SAG Award-nominated performance as Keely Jones on the hit Apple TV+ series — which may or may not be ending soon — the actor has delivered memorable work in “Atonement,” “Killer Joe,” “Vinyl,” “The Offer” and “Dirty John.” She’s next set to star in FX’s “Fargo,” leading the Season 5 cast alongside Jon Hamm and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Temple is represented by UTA, B-Side Management, Maison 2 and Lichter Grossman Nichols.