J.J.Abrams Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Barbie will contribute more than $125 million in gross billings to Mattel this year, the toymaker’s CFO said today in a shout-out to the “nice contribution” from the blockbuster film as it closes in on $1.4 billion worldwide.

As the Hollywood strikes continue, studio deals are being put on pause.

You win some, you lose some.

They say an Olyphant never forgets. That’s why Timothy Olyphant is willing to talk about losing out on the role of Captain Kirk for J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek movies.

Timothy Olyphant is looking back on a role that got away from him – Captain Kirk in Star Trek.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Timothy Olyphant appeared on the most recent episode of the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast and looked back at his failed audition for J.J. Abrams’ 2009 “Star Trek” revival (via Entertainment Weekly). The “Justified” star praised Abrams for a wonderful audition process, even though the director ultimately decided to go with a “younger” actor like Chris Pine in the lead role of Captain Kirk.

IATSE has allocated another $2 million to support its members who have been negatively affected by the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild strikes, bringing the total committed to $4 million since June. The additional funding was approved unanimously by IATSE’s general executive board.

Following Barbie’s explosive box office success, Mattel is ready to make its iconic toys part of a cinematic universe.  

Jennifer Garner took a night off from acting to enjoy some classic Swiftie tunes.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer In a display of pink visible from outer space, Greta Gerwig’s  “Barbie” held its lush world premiere on Sunday in Los Angeles. The Shrine Auditorum, located smack in the middle of the USC campus, was hosed down in colors of blush and bashful for the anticipated Warner Bros. release (as in, the security guards wore pink polo shirts), which drew the film’s stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.  One notable absence was Noah Baumbach, the film’s co-writer and Gerwig’s partner. “My co-writer and co-creator, my partner in love and art, Noah Baumbach is not here. He is passionately supporting the fight of the Writers Guild of America,” Gerwig said. “He is a Barbie girl. Nothing in ‘Barbie’ happened without him, and nothing in Hollywood happens without writers.”

Taylor Swift just keeps the surprises coming!

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is forever keeping Us on our toes!

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has approved a $2 million fund to support motion picture Teamsters impacted by the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike, which is now in its 56th day. The aid package was approved unanimously by the IBT’s General Executive Board.

At the start of the writers strike, The Animation Guild, an entirely separate union to the WGA, came out in support of the labor action, pledging to “stand in solidarity” with WGA members.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent ANNECY — London-based Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe is set to initiate production next week on “Beast Boy: Lone Wolf,” the first time than a DC title that will be made out of the U.K. The announcement was made at a studio focus for Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe, whose fan favourites had a student/exec audience hollering in approval.  Introduced by Sam Register, president of all three companies, the focus must rate at the fastest-paced of all big studio unveils at Annecy, packed by never-seen-before footage of multiple shows. Register didn’t talk strategy: The audience wanted to see shows, and studio execs were excited to show them. 

IATSE’s general executive board has unanimously approved $2 million to be distributed to the union’s members who are in need of financial assistance due to the Writers Guild strike, which is in its 39th day.

EXCLUSIVE: A solidarity assistance fund that the Writers Guild and several of its prominent members established to help non-members during the guild’s ongoing strike has now grown to over $2.2 million and has already helped more than 400 industry members. The needs-based fund is administered by the Entertainment Community Fund, formerly known as the Actors Fund.

Michaela Zee editor Paramount Pictures has released a new trailer for “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” teasing Tom Cruise’s seventh, and likely penultimate, mission as IMF agent Ethan Hunt. In addition to Cruise, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Henry Czerny, Vanessa Kirby and Frederick Schmidt reprise their roles from previous “Mission: Impossible” films. “Part One” also stars series newcomers Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Cary Elwes, Rob Delaney, Indira Varma, Shea Whigham, Mark Gatiss, Esai Morales and Charles Parnell. The first trailer for “Dead Reckoning” included a shot of Cruise driving a motorcycle off a cliff. Paramount Pictures offered a deeper look at the impressive stunt with a behind-the-scenes featurette released in December.

EXCLUSIVE: In 2016, the hottest book in Hollywood hadn’t even been published yet. Circulating in galley proofs, it was the latest non-fiction work from author David Grann, whose 2009 book The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon had recently been filmed by James Gray and produced by Plan B. His new book was another mouthful — Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI — and it proved just as tasty.

the site requires the name of the person reporting, their email address and provides a subject line and message box to describe the violation.The guild’s Strike Rule #9 require that members report of any strikebreaking activity such as scab writing or other ways of crossing the picket line.“To the extent possible, you should be specific about the nature of the violation, including the date and place of the violation, the name of the struck company involved, and the name of the project, if any,” the rule states.Disciplinary action is described under Article X of the guild’s constitution as including but not limited to “expulsion or suspension from Guild membership, imposition of monetary fines, or censure.” These methods of discipline are enforceable through the court system. Since the strike began 11 days ago, writers and showrunners have established picket lines at various awards shows, premiere events and by refusing to do any press to promote their upcoming releases.Wednesday the WGA Negotiating Committee, the WGAW Board, WGAE Council and others pledged funds to give to industry workers in need. More than $1.7 million in total has been pledged to the Entertainment Community Fund to aid writers in the industry.

The Writers Guild and several of its prominent members, recognizing that other workers in the entertainment industry are being impacted by the ongoing writers strike, have pledged more than $1.7 million to provide them with financial assistances during the walkout, which is now in its ninth day.

writers’ strike aims to shut down production in Hollywood to force studios to make a better deal with the Writers Guild of America, some of the top showrunners in the industry are banding together to raise funds for entertainment workers who will be affected by the loss of jobs. The WGA announced on Wednesday that more than $1.7 million has been pledged by writers to the Entertainment Community Fund, a nonprofit formerly known as The Actors Fund that provides emergency financial assistance to workers in film and television who meet the needs-based requirements, regardless of their profession within the industry or union affiliation.Among the showrunners and producers contributing to the fund are J.J.

EXCLUSIVE: Sofia Vassilieva and Dan Tracy are set for recurring roles in J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan’s Max period drama Duster, starring Josh Holloway and Rachel Hilson.

Alias is one of the most beloved fan-favorite television shows of the ’00s.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Amazon Studios has landed worldwide rights to the U.S. naval aviation documentary “The Blue Angels,” which is backed by production companies of J.J. Abrams and “Top Gun: Maverick” star Glen Powell. The film, shot with Imax cameras, chronicles a year in the cockpit with one of the world’s top aviator teams, the Navy and Marine Corps flight squadron, through their intense training and aerial touring show. Abrams’ Bad Robot, Powell’s Barnstorm Productions, Zipper Bros Films and Dolphin Entertainment produced the project. “This fascinating and layered documentary is wholly representative of the kind of work ethic, teamwork, and perseverance that goes into being a Blue Angel,” said Brianna Oh, Amazon’s head of documentary features. “We are incredibly honored to join this talented filmmaking team in bringing their story to audiences around the world.”

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Bill Hader revealed on a recent episode of the “Happy, Sad, Confused” podcast that he stopped signing merchandise for fans after a late night encounter with a “Star Wars” fan left a bad taste in his mouth. The fan tried to use his kid to get Hader to sign a BB-8 toy with the intention of selling it online. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” director J.J. Abrams hired Hader and fellow comedian Ben Schwartz as voice consultants for BB-8, which has led many “Star Wars” fans to request an autograph from Hader over the years. “I do not sign them,” Hader said about autographing merchandise for fans. “Autograph people don’t like me. I won’t sign things.”

Don’t ask Bill Hader to sign a piece of “Star Wars” memorabilia — because he won’t.

Viacom18 have revealed a multi-year agreement making JioCinema India’s new streaming home for HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros. content from May. The WBD content had previously been carried on the Disney-owned Star TV platform. But the deal with Star expired at the end of March. WBD sources have confirmed that, except for a handful of shows licensed to third parties, HBO content has been absent from Indian airwaves since the beginning of the month. The new deal is another major victory for Mukesh Ambani, one of India’s richest and most politically influential businessmen. His Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is behind Viacom18 and the JioCinema streaming platform, as well as India’s dominant cellular phone and broadband internet providers.

Three new DC animated projects have been acquired by Prime Video including the film Merry Little Batman ordered with a spinoff series, Bat-Family, and a two-season order for Batman: Caped Crusader, from executive producers Bruce Timm, J.J. Abrams, and Matt Reeves.