Spike Lee wants Twitter to calm down about Daniel Scheinert calling ‘Malcolm X’ a “crime movie”

And the Oscar goes to … mess. Since the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences held its first awards show in 1929, the ceremony has faced plenty of scandals and criticism.

Jonathan Majors is on top of the world right now. Not only did he end 2022 with the acclaimed war film, “Devotion,” but his 2023 has gone better than expected.

Angelique Jackson Hot on the heels of a historic opening weekend for “Creed III,” Jonathan Majors has set his next movie with Amazon Studios, titled “Da Understudy.” Majors will star in and produce the film, under his Tall Street Productions banner, partnering with Westbrook Studios and Amazon. The project tells the story of “life imitating art when the understudy of a Broadway production finds a role he’s willing to kill for.” Tom Hamada, Zach Stauss and Tyler Cole wrote the screenplay, which is based on an original story by Cole and developed in-house by Westbrook. Amazon Studios landed the script on spec in a competitive situation. Sources tell Variety Spike Lee is in very early talks to direct the film, which would reunite the filmmaker and Majors after 2020’s “Da 5 Bloods.”

“Creed 3” star Jonathan Majors is set to star in and produce “Da Understudy” from Westbrook Studios, which is in development at Amazon Studios. Spike Lee is in early talks to direct, according to an insider with knowledge of the project.Majors will produce the feature under his Tall Street Productions umbrella.

EXCLUSIVE: Jonathan Majors is set to star in and produce Da Understudy from Westbrook Studios and Amazon Studios. Majors will produce the feature under his Tall Street Productions umbrella. Amazon Studios landed the script on spec in a competitive situation. Sources said that Spike Lee is circling to direct, which would reunite the filmmaker with Majors after Da 5 Bloods.

Monday’s “The Late Show” treated viewers to a delightful surprise, courtesy of Daniels, the Oscar-nominated directors of “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” who whipped up a delightful and absolutely bonkers opening credits sequence for the show that we kind of wish could be used forever.The bit began when the show ditched the usual cold open gag for a clip in which host Stephen Colbert explained that his dog had eaten the show’s normal opening credits. (Yes, the scene cuts to the dog, who is eating out of a bowl labeled “opening credits” next to his normal food bowl.)Then came Daniels — the professional name used by directing partners Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert — to unveil their replacement opening credits sequence.

Cate Blanchett steps out in a silky dress for the 2023 Writers Guild Awards West Coast Ceremony held at Fairmont Century Plaza on Sunday night (March 5) in Los Angeles.

Refresh for latest… The 75th anniversary Writers Guild Awards are being handed out tonight in dual ceremonies on both coasts, and Deadline is posting the winners as they’re announced. See the list below

“Everything Everywhere All At Once” continued its awards sweep at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on its path to the Oscars next weekend. The multiverse-hopping adventure collected awards for best picture, directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, actors Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Stephanie Hsu, screenplay and editing.

*WINNER.“Bones and All” “Everything Everywhere All at Once” “Our Father, the Devil” “Tár” “Women Talking”   “Aftersun” “Emily the Criminal” “The Inspection” “Murina” “Palm Trees and Power Lines”    Todd Field, “Tár”Kogonada, “After Yang”Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”Sarah Polley, “Women Talking”Halina Reijn, “Bodies Bodies Bodies”   Lena Dunham, “Catherine Called Birdy” Todd Field, “Tár” Kogonada, “After Yang” Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” Sarah Polley, “Women Talking”   Joel Kim Booster, “Fire Island” Jamie Dack, Audrey Findlay, Story by Jamie Dack, “Palm Trees and Power Lines” K.D. Dávila, “Emergency” Sarah DeLappe, Story by Kristen Roupenian, “Bodies Bodies Bodies”John Patton Ford, “Emily the Criminal”   Cate Blanchett, “Tár” Dale Dickey, “A Love Song” Mia Goth, “Pearl” Regina Hall, “Honk for Jesus.

Tim Gray Senior Vice President This year, all the Oscar-contending directors are nominated for original screenplay: the Daniels (Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert), Todd Field, Martin McDonagh, Ruben Östlund and Steven Spielberg (writing with Tony Kushner). This is the first time it’s happened in AMPAS history.  The only year that came close was 2017, when all five helmers had written or co-written their scripts, though they didn’t all get writing noms. So here’s Film History 101. In Hollywood lore, Preston Sturges is often credited as the first scribe to become a hyphenate, as writer-director of the 1940 “The Great McGinty.” But as with all Hollywood “facts,” there is only an element of truth here.

95th Academy Awards are less than two weeks away. The Oscars ceremony, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will take place Sunday, March 12.

Peter Caranicas Deputy Editor Lawrence Pitkethly, who produced and directed multiple documentary series shown on PBS and other broadcasters, died Feb. 24 at Albany Medical Center near his home in Hudson, N.Y., of cardiopulmonary arrest linked to complications from Parkinson’s. He was 79. Pitkethly is best known for “American Cinema” (1995), a 10-part, $7 million series for PBS, BBC and Canal Plus covering U.S. filmmaking that he produced, co-wrote and co-directed. It examined film genres, the rise and fall of the studio system, the creation of stars and other aspects of American movies through interviews with Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Clint Eastwood, Sydney Pollack, George Lucas, Quentin Tarantino, Spike Lee, Joel Coen and other major players. John Lithgow served as host; Matthew Modine, Kathleen Turner and Cliff Robertson narrated.

95th Academy Awards are two weeks away. The Oscars ceremony, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will take place Sunday, March 12.

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” could continue its momentum and win in several film categories, including Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role (Ke Huy Quan) and Outstanding Performance by a Cast. The multiverse-hopping indie directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert enters the evening with the wind at its back, having taken home the top prize on Saturday at the Producers Guild Awards, indicating that the zany film is not polarizing voters as much as some feared.

Julia MacCary editor The 2023 Screen Actors Guild Awards, celebrating TV and film’s top performers, will take place Sunday, Feb. 26, at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles. It will stream on Netflix’s YouTube channel at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT. The SAG Awards will hand out awards to actors across 13 categories in TV and film, voted on by SAG-AFTRA’s more than 122,000 members. Martin McDonagh’s “The Banshees of Inisherin” and Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once” lead the nominations, with both films earning five nods, including the highest honor of best ensemble. Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon,” Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” and Sarah Polley’s “Women Talking” round out the best ensemble category. “Ozark” led the TV field with four nods, with “Barry,” “Better Call Saul” and “Only Murders in the Building” each receiving three.

Angela Bassett wins big at the NAACP Image Awards. The actress took home three trophies for Outstanding Actress in a drama series for 9-1-1, Supporting Actress for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and the biggest award of the night, Entertainer of the Year.

Brendan Fraser and Angela Bassett were among the big winners at the 2023 Hollywood Critics Association’s HCA Film Awards!

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The Daniels are on top of the world. There was a running joke between Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert during the first week of shooting “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” After a successful first read-through, and perfect shots and framework, the two would turn to each other and whisper, “this is nonstop entertainment.” And even though they weren’t successful in getting a cameo of their “Swiss Army Man” leading men Daniel Radcliffe and Paul Dano into the film, the joke is God’s honest truth. On this episode of the award-winning Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, we sit down with “Everything Everywhere All at Once” directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. The dynamic duo talks about the origins of their collaboration which began in film school, assembling their outstanding cast and artisans ensemble and what’s next for them in the film and television space.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Evelyn Wang’s hot dog fingers from “Everything Everywhere All at Once” can soon be yours. A24, the indie studio behind the Oscar-nominated film, is auctioning off the props from the zany sci-fi adventure for charity. Fans will be able to bid on the original decor, wardrobe and set pieces from the multiversal “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” including but not limited to the taxidermy stuffed raccoon called Raccacoonie, Deirdre Beaubeirdree’s Auditor of the Year trophy (that, yes, doubles as a butt plug), Jobu Tupaki’s Elvis jumpsuit and the Rockverse rocks (a delight of Colin Farrell’s). The online bidding for A24’s auction starts on Feb. 23 at 9 a.m. PT and closes on March 2 at 12 p.m. PT. All of the proceeds will be donated to one of the three charities — Laundry Workers Center, Transgender Law Center and Asian Mental Health Project — selected by the filmmakers Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, know professionally as the Daniels.