Barry Jenkins Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

As the new crop of 2023 festival favorites roll out, Focus Features presents A Thousand And One in over 900 carefully curated theaters, testing the appetite for specialty fare at a challenging moment.

Erik Lomis, president of theatrical distribution at MGM, has died at the age of 64 in Santa Monica on Wednesday, sources at the studio tell TheWrap. The cause of death was not immediately made known.

reported in January 2021 that his series under the deal, “Redeemer,” which had “True Detective” Season 1 star Matthew McConaughey attached to star, was no longer moving forward.After creating HBO’s “True Detective,” Pizzolatto remains credited as an executive producer for the fourth season, which has been titled “True Detective: Night Country” and will premiere this year with stars Jodie Foster and Kali Reis acting as the leading detective duo.

Rebecca Lenkiewicz will be this year’s recipient of the WGA West’s Paul Selvin Award in recognition of her adapted screenplay for She Said, the Universal film about the New York Times reporters who broke the story that exposed disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein. The guild said Thursday that she will be honored at the WGA Awards’ Los Angeles ceremony March 5 at the Fairmont Century Plaza.

posted Wednesday. “The darkness of the Arctic falls heavy upon #NightCountry.

Editors note: Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series debuts and celebrates the scripts of films that will factor in this year’s movie awards races.

The Sundance Institute has unveiled its lineups of Beyond Film and Partner Programming for the hybrid 2023 Sundance Film Festival, the in-person component of which is taking place in Utah from January 19-29. 

Back to in-person attendance for the first time since 2020, the Sundance Film Festival is leaning into its independent roots with a timely 2023 line-up that examines the Russian invasion of Ukraine, conflict in Iran and the dangers of technology, as well as documentaries on author Judy Blume, Michael J Fox, Brooke Shields and the Emperor of Rock’n’Roll himself, Little Richard. 

Faslane has a new centrepiece after local graffiti artist Barry the Cat paid a visit to the military site.

EXCLUSIVE: The ensemble for Greg Berlanti’s mysterious Apple Original Project Artemis has continued to expand, with the addition of up-and-comer Donald Elise Watkins (Emergency). The anticipated film scripted by Rose Gilroy will have Watkins star alongside the previously announced quintet of Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Jim Rash, Ray Romano and Anna Garcia.

This year has been surprisingly brutal for cinema’s top-tier directors, and even now, when the awards season really should have settled on its frontrunners, there ‘s still an unusual lack of consensus about the big guns. At times like this, it’s worth stepping back to see where critical opinion is united, and this is where you’d find Charlotte Wells’s Aftersun, the mesmerizing debut from a 35-year-old Scot that has graced almost every major international film festival in the six months since it debuted in in Critics Week in Cannes. To find a recent comparison, you’d have to look back to Barry Jenkins’ stealth hit Moonlight back in 2016, and it’s perhaps worth noting that Jenkins is one of the producers here.

Oscar-nominated “King Richard” and “The Help” actress Aunjanue Ellis is set to star in a feature adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s “The Nickel Boys” for writer-director RaMell Ross and MGM’s Orion Pictures. The film will co-star Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Hamish Linklater and Fred Hechinger.

Aka Niviâna, Isabella Star Lablanc, and Joel D. Montgrand have joined HBO’s True Detective: Night Country, starring alongside leads Jodie Foster and Kali Reis for Season 4 of the crime anthology series.

Janelle Monáe was fashionably late as she strolled onstage at the BFI Southbank, where she headlined the London Film Festival’s final major keynote ‘screen talk’ Friday afternoon. 

MK2 Managing Director Fionnuala Jamison was the focus of the London Film Festival’s second ‘spotlight’ industry talk Wednesday, during which she provided insights on navigating the international film market, including how regional prejudices can impact how films are sold.

Like many fans, Trevor Noah was rather befuddled by the lighting for HBO’s “Game of Thrones” prequel “House of the Dragon.” The series raised eyebrows after a scene in the latest episode was so dark that it was hard for some viewers to distinguish what, exactly, was going on.During Wednesday’s episode of “The Daily Show,” Noah had a few guesses as to why the scene was lit that way, pointing out that it isn’t just “House of the Dragon” that has suffered from this phenomenon.“For real, you guys. Have you guys noticed how this is happening on every single show these days? Everything on TV is so dark. You can’t see anything.

EXCLUSIVE: Licorice Pizza and If Beale Street Could Talk producer Sara Murphy and War Pony producer Ryan Zacarias have launched their own TV and film production company and have struck a deal with Anonymous Content.

won the Pulitzer Prize in Public Service in 2018 for breaking the story of Harvey Weinstein’s decades of sexual abuse allegations in their explosive reporting with the New York Times.Mulligan will play the role of Twohey in the upcoming “She Said” alongside Zoe Kazan, who will play Kantor. First breaking out in “An Education,” the twice Oscar-nominated Mulligan has starred in “Promising Young Woman” and “Spaceman,” and has been involved in initiatives like the Alzheimer’s Society, the Society’s Dementia Awareness Week and serves as an ambassador for War Child, an organization that aids children affected by conflict.

Clayton Davis It’s more than just Harry, it’s an ensemble. Amazon Studios is moving forward with an awards push for director Michael Grandage’s romantic drama “My Policeman,” despite mixed reviews out of the Toronto Film Festival, where it received an ensemble tribute. Variety has learned exclusively that Amazon will be submitting the entire cast, which includes music superstar Harry Styles and Emmy nominee Emma Corrin, all in the supporting categories for Oscar consideration. Going between younger and older versions of the three main characters over a 40-year span, the British drama tells the story of Tom (Styles and Linus Roache), Marion (Corrin and Gina McKee) and Patrick (David Dawson and Rupert Everett) and how events from their past affect their future when reunited.

Kate Aurthur editor The coalition of showrunners, TV creators and directors formed in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in June to overturn Roe v. Wade are continuing to put pressure on Hollywood studios to put safety protocols into place in abortion-hostile states. But on Sept. 28, in a full-page ad in the Power of Women issue of Variety, the still-unnamed coalition thanked those studios “for fully engaging and being thought leaders with us,” as the message reads in part. (The page was donated to the coalition by Variety‘s sales team without charge. The full letter is included below.) The coalition’s efforts became public on July 28, when Variety reported that 411 showrunners had sent nine major studios a letter demanding that new safety protocols be established for productions in states where abortion has been outlawed. Four days later, 594 male showrunners and creators backed up that demand — and the group was soon joined by nearly 400 directors.

Clayton Davis After two weeks of solid showings at the box office, excellent reviews and passionate fan responses, “The Woman King” has become one of the year’s standout hits, with plans to be competitive in the awards races for both major and artisan category attention.  One of the film’s standout stars, Thuso Mbedu, who plays the young Nawi, will be campaigning for supporting actress attention, Variety has learned. Academy Award winner Viola Davis (“Fences”) will be the sole actress campaigning for lead actress.  Mbedu, who was the breakout sensation of 2021’s Emmy-nominated series “The Underground Railroad” from director Barry Jenkins, will compete in supporting alongside her co-stars Sheila Atim, Jayme Lawson, Adrienne Warren and most prominent, Lashana Lynch. All of the male actors, including John Boyega, will be competing in supporting actor. 

True Detective season four, according to reports.Eccleston, known for roles in Doctor Who and The Leftovers, will star in the fourth season as Ted Corsaro, described as a “regional chief of police and a political animal,” as reported by Variety. Killing Eve actor Shaw will play Rose Aguineau, a “survivalist with a past full of secrets”.Other new cast members include John Hawkes (Deadwood) as Hank Prior, a police officer with “old grudges hiding under a quiet surface”.

In March, HBO announced that “True Detective: Night Country” was in the works, with Issa López writing the series ilot and Barry Jenkins on board as executive producer. Then in May, Jodie Foster joined the cast in a starring role, with Kali Reis signing on in June.

HBO is rounding out the cast for True Detective: Night Country. John Hawkes (Deadwood, Winter’s Bone), Christopher Eccleston (The Leftovers), Fiona Shaw (Killing Eve), Finn Bennett (Domina) and Anna Lambe (Three Pines) are set as leads alongside Jodie Foster and Kali Reis in Season 4 of the crime anthology series.

After “Moonlight,” “If Beale Street Could Talk,” and “The Underground Railroad,” did anyone expect Barry Jenkins‘s next film to be… a prequel to “The Lion King“? It’s a total left-field move by Jenkins. After all, how will the director’s formal brilliance shine through all the photo-realistic CGI “Mufasa: The Lion King” will rely on?   READ MORE: ‘Lion King’ Prequel TItle Unveiled, ‘Haunted Mansion’ Adds New Cast & More [D23 Expo] Audiences won’t get an answer until the movie releases in 2024, but even then: it’s a Barry Jenkins movie, so, something to be really excited about.

EXCLUSIVE: Sheila Atim MBE (The Woman King) has signed with UTA for representation in all areas.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Disney has removed “Rogue Squadron,” the new “Star Wars” film from director Patty Jenkins, from its release calendar. The move comes as little surprise since the tentpole, which was scheduled for Dec. 22, 2023, was taken off the studio’s production schedule in 2021. The announcement is more-or-less pro forma, as the window for “Rogue Squadron” to start filming in time to complete the movie by next December had very nearly closed. The next big-screen story in the space opera saga had already been delayed in November 2021, reportedly due to scheduling conflicts with Jenkins. As part of the scheduling change, Disney set release dates for several movies, including its “Snow White” remake, starring Rachel Zegler (March 22, 2024); “Inside Out 2,” a follow-up to the emotional Pixar picture (June 14, 2024); and “The Lion King” sequel “Mufasa,” from director Barry Jenkins (July 5, 2024).

D23 Expo, the Disney fan event held every two years, just wrapped up in Anaheim, California. For fans of the brand, it’s their chance to get a first look at new movies, television shows and theme park attractions from every corner of the vast Disney empire and to celebrate (along with other like-minded folks) the stories that mean so much to them.

Clayton Davis Three movies into his film career, Harry Styles’ ability as an actor continues to improve with each of his outings. Beginning as a young soldier in Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” (2017), he returns to the silver screen with two films this year. In the first, he’s the charming husband to Florence Pugh in “Don’t Worry Darling,” with the press tour that keeps on giving. In the second, he portrays a closeted gay police officer in Michael Grandage’s drama “My Policeman” from Amazon Studios, featuring his strongest turn yet as an actor. But is an Oscar nomination in his future? Singers-turned-actors have had an inconsistent road to the Academy Awards. While there are successes such as Cher (“Moonstruck”) and Jennifer Hudson (“Dreamgirls”), Academy voters sometimes make actors prove themselves for a while to show they’re the real deal. Known as a “pretty boy,” Styles’ celebrity status does present an obstacle to overcome with awards voters. As Tom, the internalized conflict that Styles conveys is executed effectively, and if he decides to campaign and make a play for his first Oscar nomination, it will have to begin with Amazon choosing to submit him for supporting actor attention – which is not category fraud.