Lionsgate Names Briana McElroy Head Of Motion Picture Worldwide Digital Marketing

Jen Hollingsworth, a longtime entertainment executive most recently COO of Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group, is the new chief commercial officer at Flawless, a growing firm specialized in generative AI technology for film and television.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Nominations for the 2023 CMT Music Awards are led by country’s woman of the moment, Lainey Wilson, with four, followed by three apiece for Cody Johnson, newcomer Jelly Roll and the show’s recurring co-host, Kane Brown. For the second year in a row, the three-hour telecast will be getting its premiere network airing on CMT’s big sister network, CBS — along with a livestream on Paramount+ — and for the first time, it will be based out of Austin. The show goes out live from the Moody Center April 2 at 8 p.m. ET on the broadcast network and airs tape-delayed in the same time slot on the west coast. Several days after the broadcast and streaming premiere, the show will appear on its titular network, CMT, as an “extended cut” with 30 minutes of additional material, bringing the running time there to three and a half hours. That expanded edition bows on CMT April 6 at 8 ET/PT.

CMT Music Awards will have plenty of familiar faces — and a whole lot of new ones. Lainey Wilson leads the charge with four noms, including Performance of the Year and Female Video of the Year. Tied with three nominees apiece are first-time nominee Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, and CMT Music Awards co-host Kane Brown.Across all categories, CMT is recognizing 21 first-time nominees.Meanwhile, the first round of nominations for the highly coveted Video of the Year award has 16 acts, including another nod for Carrie Underwood, who reigns as the most awarded artist in CMT history with a total of 25 wins.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer MRC has set Jenna Santoianni as the studio’s new president of television, following the exit of former president Elise Henderson. In her new role, Santoianni will oversee MRC’s current programming, its full slate of development, all joint ventures and production partnerships, as well as all of the television studio’s operational units, including production, business and legal affairs and production finance. Reporting to recently named MRC CEO Scott Tenley, Santoianni is expected to begin this week. She joins the studio amid a restructuring that saw Tenley elevated, while co-founders Modi Wiczyk and Asif Satchu assumed the new roles of chairmen. Jonathan Golfman and Brye Adler remain co-presidents of film and Amit Dey as head of non-fiction.

Madonna, Guns N’ Roses, Duran Duran, B-52s, Bruce Springsteen and many, many more.In fact, over 100 more.You wouldn’t believe it but A Flock of Seagulls, Rick Springfield, Slick Rick, Kenny G and Billy Idol are all performing live over the next few months as well.With that being said, it doesn’t matter if singling along to “Like A Virgin,” “Welcome to the Jungle” or “Born In The U.S.A.” sends you back — we’ve got ‘something for everyone.Below, you’ll find a comprehensive list of 107 rock, pop, hard rock, alternative rock, new wave, R&B, hip-hop, jazz, folk, country, punk and Latin concert options to choose from.Plus, if you scroll to the bottom we have the ultimate ’80s-tastic festival.So, if you want to re-live your Gen X glory days or catch your favorite group live for the first time, here’s who you have to see and everything you need to know about each and every tour from opening acts to tour dates to how to get tickets.Now, fire up the time machine (and grab your shoulder pads, leg warmers, and gold lamé leotards while you’re at it) — we’re going back to the ’80s.Runs March 2 through Dec. 10(co-headlining w/ Stevie Nicks on select dates as part of ‘Two Icons, One Night’ Tour)Runs March 10 through Nov. 10(co-headlining w/ Billy Joel on select dates as part of ‘Two Icons, One Night’ Tour)Runs March 10 through Nov. 10Runs April 16 through May 8Featuring Toto on select datesRuns March 1 through May 19Runs March 1 through April 8Runs March 1 through June 24Featuring John MayerRuns May 4 through July 16Runs April 27 through June 30Featuring Loverboy on select datesRuns March 24 through Sept. 30Runs March 30 through Sept. 3Featuring Iggy Pop, The Strokes, St. Vincent, Mars Volta, The Roots and moreRuns March 29 through July

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Fox has named John Hesling its new head of Alternative Entertainment, the broadcast network’s in-house unscripted studio. Responsible for overseeing the development and production of all unscripted series owned by Fox Entertainment (FAE), as well as programs FAE produces for third-party buyers in the U.S. and abroad, Hesling will be based in Los Angeles and report to Allison Wallach, president of unscripted programming at Fox Entertainment. “I am so excited for John to join FAE and lead the incredible team we have assembled,” Wallach said. “His creative vision and vast experience as both a producer and an executive working on a global scale will be key to our strategy of building FAE as a leading provider of innovative series and formats for Fox and third-party platforms throughout the world.”

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Nick Panella has been named the leader of a new podcast and audio group at Agency for the Performing Arts, Variety can report exclusively.  Panella joins the company from Workhouse Media, where he worked extensively with names like Shonda Rhimes, Ellen DeGeneres, “Modern Family” co-creator Chris Lloyd and Oprah Winfrey.  Announced by APA’s head of content development Kyle Loftus, the hire is yet another strategic move from the agency to pick up slack lost in CAA’s acquisition of ICM Partners, the hulking-up of Endeavor, and other dramatic shifts in the representation landscape. Panella has produced over 2,000 podcast episodes and led Workhouse clients to over 1 billion downloads, the agency said.

the MPSE website.

Simu Liu is hitting the red carpet with his girlfriend!

Emily Longeretta With “When Calls the Heart” at Hallmark and “When Hope Calls” at Great American Family, Brian Bird is expanding his success with a partnership with UPtv. True Brand Entertainment, founded by Bird, Brandon Clark, Tai Truesdell and Darin Chavez, and the network have a multi-picture licensing agreement, creating a series of uplifting and values-friendly romantic comedies. The partnership began with “The Engagement Plot,” starring Trevor Donovan and Rachel Boston, which debuted in summer 2022 to record-breaking ratings for UPtv and its streaming service, UP Faith & Family. “The Happy Camper,” starring real-life married couple Daniela Bobadilla and Beau Wirick, premiered to strong ratings on February 5.

Bethlyn Hand, the former Senior Vice President of Advertising and Administration for the Motion Picture Association, passed away on February 14. The cause was Alzheimer’s disease, her brother Lloyd Hand said. She was 85.

J. Kim Murphy Bethlyn Hand, who served as senior vice president of advertising and administration for the Motion Picture Association of America, died Feb. 14 of Alzheimer’s disease. She was 85 years old. Hand joined the Hollywood trade organization shortly after Jack Valenti began his 37-year tenure as MPA president in 1966. “She was by my side at the very beginning of my tenure at the MPAA,” Valenti said in 2003, four years before his death in 2007. “I got a lot of credit for what she did.” Working with the MPAA, Hand’s responsibilities included the approval of marketing campaigns aligning with the guidelines of its ratings program — a duty that often spurred studio executives and producers to meet with her to plead their cases. In the ’90s, Hand was named one of Hollywood’s most powerful women by the Hollywood Reporter.

Still one big family. Christine Brown gushed over getting to meet the latest addition to the Sister Wives brood: Janelle Brown‘s granddaughter.

New Release Wall“John Wick” 1 – 3 Stash Book Collection (Lionsgate): As the Keanu-loving world awaits the March release of “John Wick: Chapter 4,” superfans get an early gift with this box set of the first three films — in which the titular hit man Wick annihilates bad people for good reasons — in 4K Ultra HD. The three individual films arrive in steelbooks emblazoned with details specific to them, which in turn fit into a replica of Wick’s “stash book.” In other words, fans of excessive violence now get to house their preciouses in a cozy little death-house, and that’s adorable.Also available:“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel): After the death of King T’Challa, the grieving citizens of Wakanda — including Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett, who earned an Oscar nod), Shuri, M’Baku and the Dora Milaje — fight to protect it from outside forces.“Detective Knight: Independence” (Lionsgate): The final chapter of the Bruce Willis–as–Detective James Knight trilogy sees Knight racing against time to stop an unbalanced vigilante.“Devotion” (Paramount): Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell star in the true story of Jesse Brown, the first Black aviator in U.S.

An All Stars edition of ITV’s Love Island is reportedly in development - and some of the biggest names in the show’s history are thought to be interested. It’s been claimed that the broadcaster is set to invite some of the show’s most iconic heroes and villains back for another go at finding love in the villa.

“smelt [my Oscar] in public” if the producers did not include Zelenskyy in the telecast. In November, he gifted him the statuette during a visit to Kyiv.“It’s just a symbolic silly thing, but if I know this is here then I’ll feel better and strong enough for the fights,” Penn told Zelenskyy at the time.

Sean Penn has reiterated his offer to have one of his Oscars melted down by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky – saying his gift to the battling leader was inspired by his “continuing shame towards the Motion Picture Academy.”

EXCLUSIVE: Michael Keaton’s “modern comedy” Goodrich is launching sales at the EFM for Black Bear International, we can reveal.

EXCLUSIVE: Sony has added Michelle Hurd (Star Trek: Picard), Bryan Brown (Australia), Darren Barnet (Gran Turismo) and Hadley Robinson (Moxie) to the cast of their as-yet-untitled rom-com from director Will Gluck (Easy A). Sydney Sweeney and Glenn Powell will lead the ensemble, as previously announced, with Alexandra Shipp also featuring.

Lionsgate announced on Thursday that it has named Twitter marketing executive Briana McElroy as head of worldwide digital marketing for its motion picture group.McElroy has worked for over a decade in digital marketing, serving as client lead at Twitter for the social media site’s marketing partnerships with Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney.