Croatia Showbiz Latest News and Updates

EXCLUSIVE: Vertical has acquired North American rights to Keoni Waxman’s romantic comedy The Modelizer, written by and starring Byron Mann (The Big Short), slating the film for a day-and-date release on July 14th.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer “No Country for Old Men” and “Harry Potter” star Kelly Macdonald has joined the ensemble of Searchlight Pictures’ rock opera “O’Dessa.” Written and directed by Geremy Jasper (“Patticake$”), the film is led by “Stranger Things” breakout Sadie Sink and costars Kelvin Harrison Jr., Murray Bartlett and Regina Hall. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, the film tells of a farm girl on an epic quest to recover a cherished family heirloom. Her journey leads her to a strange and dangerous city where she meets her one true love – but in order to save his soul, she must put the power of destiny and song to the ultimate test.

EXCLUSIVE: Regina Hall (Honk for Jesus. Save your Soul.) has closed a deal to star alongside Sadie Sink, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Murray Bartlett in O’Dessa, Searchlight Pictures‘ original rock opera from writer-director Geremy Jasper (Patti Cake$), which commences production in Croatia in May.

EXCLUSIVE: Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Chevalier) and Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus) have closed deals to star opposite Stranger Things breakout Sadie Sink in Searchlight Pictures’ original rock opera O’Dessa from Patti Cake$ filmmaker Geremy Jasper. It is heading into production in Croatia in May.

Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly put Aymeric Laporte on their summer wish-list amid rumours the defender could seek a Manchester City exit at the end of the season.

Gvardiol makes transfer claim and reveals conversation with Guardiola

Highly-rated RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol has admitted that he recently had a conversation with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola - but has warned that he does not expect to leave the German club this forthcoming this summer.

Tennis star Reilly Opelka and former tennis pro Tommy Haas attend “FILA’s 50 Years in Tennis” celebration held at the Holloway House on Wednesday (March 22) in West Hollywood, Calif.

Eurovision 2023 Semi-Final running orders have been revealed – check it out below.The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will take place at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool from May 9-13, with Mae Muller set to represent the UK with ‘I Wrote A Song’.The UK city was announced to stage the contest on behalf of Ukraine, after organisers deemed the country unable to host the event due to the ongoing war with Russia.You can find all the songs that are entered for this year’s competition here.This week, Eurovision shared the running order for the Semi-Final shows, which take place on Tuesday, May 9 and Thursday, May 11.Norway will kick off proceedings for the first Semi-Final, closed out 15 acts later with a performance by Finland. The second event is set to be opened by Denmark, with Australia hitting the stage last.We got #Eurovision2023 Semi-Final running orders ✨➡️ https://t.co/V1tz85qvRD pic.twitter.com/hSjYqudp6j— Eurovision Song Contest (@Eurovision) March 22, 2023The Big Five participants – France, Germany, Italy, Spain and United Kingdom, which make the biggest financial contributions to the contest – along with Ukraine, automatically qualify for the Grand Final.Check out the full schedule below.First Semi-Final Eurovision 20231. Norway2. Malta3. Serbia4. Latvia5. Portugal6. Ireland7. Croatia8. Switzerland9. Israel10. Moldova11. Sweden12. Azerbaijan13. Czechia14. Netherlands15. FinlandSecond Semi-Final Eurovision 20231. Denmark2. Armenia3. Romania4. Estonia5. Belgium6. Cyprus7. Iceland8. Greece9. Poland10. Slovenia11. Georgia12. San Marino13. Austria14. Albania15. Lithuania16. AustraliaMeanwhile, Eurovision final 2023 tickets sold out in just 36 minutes.Tickets for all nine shows including the live Grand Final went on sale

Sarah Snook has confirmed that she and her husband Dave Lawson are expecting their first child together. While walking the red carpet at the season four premiere of Succession in New York on Monday (20 March), the Australian actress debuted her baby bump and confirmed her pregnancy to Entertainment Tonight.

Manchester City have reportedly tabled an offer for 16-year-old centre-back Luka Vuskovic of Hajduk Split.

Barcelona manager Xavi has already spoken to Ilkay Gundogan as he attempts to lure the Manchester City midfielder to the Nou Camp, according to reports in Spain.

Barcelona could emerge as shock contenders for the permanent signature of Joao Cancelo this summer if Manchester City decide to sell him, according to reports in Spain.

Joao Cancelo lost his place in the Bayern Munich side due to his performances in training and in matches.

Antonio Colak has urged Rangers to keep the head in the Easter Road cauldron on Wednesday and ensure the only “chaos” is in Hibs’ defence.

A "Wheel of Fortune" contestant spun the wheel of misfortune as she missed out on two major prizes.  During an episode of the beloved game show, a player from Louisiana named Micki guessed the puzzle letter incorrectly, causing major disappointment among fans. Micki was three letters away from winning not only the million-dollar wedge, but also a trip to Croatia.  Before announcing her letter, audience members are heard in the background cheering her on once the wheel landed on the Croatia wedge.

The Spanish holiday hotspot of Ibiza has issued a warning to holidaymakers about a "moderate" risk of dengue fever this summer.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, or Pelé, as he was known all over the world, died this past December 29th. His death rattled the world of professional soccer, reminding fans and athletes that he was one of the sport’s largest icons, a figure that paved the way for younger players and changed the face of the sport. Before his passing, Pelé shared a special wish that involved Lionel Messi.

A football lout described as being an ‘out-of-control sex pest’ groped a teenage girl and assaulted another woman after watching an England match.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent While they come from different worlds, “Avatar” director James Cameron and “Murina” helmer Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović bonded over their shared passion for filmmaking during a video interview (see below) hosted by Disney+ ahead of the Independent Spirit Awards. “Murina” was released in the U.S. by Kino Lorber and is is vying for three Spirit Awards — first film, breakthrough performance and cinematography. It world premiered at Cannes where it won the Camera d’Or and went on to win a Gotham award for its young star Gracija Filipović. The film is set on a remote island along Croatia’s Adriatic coast where 17-year-old Julija spends her days diving for eel, longing to free herself from her domineering father, Ante. When a rich and mysterious guest, Javier, comes visiting, he seems to offer a way out for Julija. But Javier’s presence sets off a battle of masculine ego that pushes Ante to humiliate and control his daughter even more.

Brazil have called up Manchester United pair Casemiro and Antony to their squad for the friendly with Morocco later this month but several Premier League stars have been left out.

Tom Cruise helicoptered onto a U.S. aircraft carrier last weekend to shoot scenes for his upcoming film "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two" off the eastern coast of Italy, the head of the Apulia Film Commission confirmed.  The "Top Gun: Maverick" star flew into the port of Bari on the country’s southeastern coast Saturday, where he spent the night at a five-star hotel before choppering to the floating set the next day, Antonio Parente, said Thursday.  Parente told Variety the ship was headed north toward Croatia during the shoot, and Cruise is expected to leave from Bari at the end of the week.  "Dead Reckoning Part Two" will be the eighth "Mission: Impossible" film for Cruise.The 60-year-old first played spy Ethan Hunt nearly 30 years ago in 1996’s "Mission: Impossible."  "We are proud that [the] Apulia [region] has been chosen as the operational base for this rather complex shoot," Parente told the outlet.  The trailer for "Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning: Part One," which is slated to be released in July, shows Cruise driving through European cities and riding a horse in the desert as a tie-wearing boss (Henry Czerny) tells him, "Your days of fighting for the so-called 'greater good’ are over" as Cruise shakes his head in disagreement.  Other shots from the action-packed trailer show him running on top of a moving train, getting ready to fly a warplane and driving off a cliff on a motorcycle.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie are shooting flight scenes for “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two” on a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Adriatic Sea, which Cruise reached by helicopter from the Italian port city of Bari, where he jetted into on Saturday. Confirming Italian press reports, the head of the Apulia Film Commission Antonio Parente told Variety on Thursday that Cruise flew into Bari, which is the Apulia region’s capital city, on Saturday Feb. 25. After spending the night in Bari’s 5-star Hotel Delle Nazioni, Cruise on Sunday hopped on a private helicopter from the Bari airport to go shoot scenes for the eighth “Mission Impossible” installment on an U.S. aircraft carrier “which is probably the U.S.S. George H.W. Bush, but we are not sure,” Parente said.

It's really happening!

Film at Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art have set Savanah Leaf’s Earth Mama and Vuk Lungulov-Klotz’s Sundance Special Jury Award winner Mutt, both debut features, as opening and closing film at the 52st edition of their collaboration, New Directors/New Films, running March 29–April 9 in NYC.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Netflix, facing more competition globally in the streaming wars, has cut pricing in more than 100 markets worldwide — in some cases, chopping the price of monthly plans in half — to boost subscriber acquisition and retention. The streamer has reduced prices in countries and territories across Asia, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Netflix is not reducing prices in North America or Western Europe, its most mature markets. All told, the price reductions span more than 100 markets, according to research firm Ampere Analysis (see list, below). Those include Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Kenya, Iran, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, Slovakia, Yemen, Jordan, Libya, Slovenia and Bulgaria.

Here are your latest Manchester City evening headlines on Tuesday, February 21.

Christopher Vourlias Croatian-Ukrainian crime drama “The Silence,” whose first season sold wide last year for Munich-based Beta Film, is heading to Kyiv for Season 2, Variety can reveal. The series is based on the critically acclaimed fact-based books by investigative journalist Drago Hedl that examine human and weapons trafficking throughout Eastern Europe. The first season spent 25 days shooting in the Ukrainian capital. Season 2 will return for three days and be directed remotely, due to the security risk, but will shoot several scenes featuring key Ukrainian cast, including star Kseniya Mishina, as well as some establishing shots. Production in Kyiv is due to wrap Feb. 25.

Brent Simon There’s no shortage of movies that gauzily peddle the notion of art as a balm. Few, however, are as invested in the charged immediacy of art’s relationship to real-life pain as “Kiss the Future,” a documentary enjoying its world premiere Feb. 19 in the Berlinale Special slot, with Fifth Season and WME handling worldwide sales. Directed by Nenad Cicin-Sain, and based on American-born aid worker Bill Carter’s “Fools Rush in: A Memoir” (the pair share a screen story credit), the film is a savvy mélange of history and cultural portraiture that affectingly chronicles the struggle of Sarajevo’s besieged civilians during the Bosnian War of the 1990s.

Naman Ramachandran Chris O’Dowd (“Puffin Rock”), Amy Huberman (“Derry Girls”), Beth McCafferty and Eva Whittaker (“Wolfwalkers”) lead the voice cast of “Puffin Rock and the New Friends,” the film based on the TV series “Puffin Rock.” Following their collaboration on Oscar nominees “Song of the Sea” and “The Breadwinner,” WestEnd Films is teaming again with Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon and Northern Ireland’s Dog Ears on the film and is launching sales at Berlin’s European Film Market (EFM), where first footage will be shown to buyers. “Puffin Rock and the New Friends” sees Oona, Baba, May and Mossy joined by a new characters Isabelle, Phoenix and Marvin. When the last Little Egg of the season disappears under mysterious circumstances, Oona and her new friends race against time to bring the Little Egg home before a big storm hits Puffin Rock and puts the entire island in danger.