Ravindran International Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Manori Ravindran International Editor“It’s a Sin” actor Lydia West is set to star alongside Patricia Clarkson in spy thriller “Gray.”Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios is financing the eight-part show and will distribute it in the U.S., represented by CAA, while Lionsgate International will handle distribution in the rest of the world.West co-stars alongside Clarkson, who plays CIA spy Cornelia Gray who emerges from 20 years in hiding, dodging the government agents who suspected her of being a traitor. But just as she returns to her old life, it’s discovered that there’s a new mole in her old spy network.West replaces “Game of Thrones” star Nathalie Emmanuel, who was previously attached to star in the series.“Gray” is produced by AGC Television, the television production and distribution arm of AGC Studios.

Manori Ravindran International EditorNetflix may not have been at the MipTV market in Cannes in any substantial way this year, but the service was certainly front and center in a keynote by HBO Max International boss Johannes Larcher.In a bold presentation, Larcher pointed to his competitor’s international might as a motivating factor for HBO Max’s own growth outside the U.S. In a number of slides dedicated solely to Netflix, the former Hulu exec highlighted the projected growth in Netflix’s international subscribers from 2021 to 2026 (147 subscribers in 2021 to an estimated 266 subscribers by 2026).“Netflix is clearly reaching saturation in the domestic market.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“The Killing Fields” and “The Mission” director Roland Joffé is in talks to helm an epic drama spanning the two World Wars in a project set up with international film and media fund APX Capital Group.“L’Inverno” is the first pic to emerge from APX’s new Music World Films & TV venture — a new division headed by Mathew Knowles (Beyoncé’s father), who sold his Music World Entertainment Group to APX last month. As part of the deal, the film and TV division of Knowles’ company has been merged with the studio.APX will complete the financing on “L’Inverno,” with the $12-million budgeted movie starting principal photography in Rome, Italy, this fall.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Dexter” and “The Blacklist” producer Daniel Cerone has boarded the U.K. adaptation of Japanese crime drama format “Connected,” Variety can reveal.The veteran producer is overseeing the U.K.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler, one of the most promising directors working in Hollywood today, was detained by Bank of America staff in Atlanta back in January after he was mistaken for a bank robber.The director confirmed the incident to Variety. “This situation should never have happened,” he said.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Sexy Beast” is back, and it’s part of a slate of six international scripted originals heading to Paramount Plus, Variety can reveal.The long-simmering “Sexy Beast” prequel series has evidently been resuscitated for the streamer after being scrapped for Paramount Network in 2020.The U.K.-originated show, based on the cult classic film of the same name, centers on the characters of Gal Dove and Don Logan (originally played by Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley, respectively) as they descend into London’s criminal underbelly during the volatile 1990s.Paramount Plus describes the series as “a love story between two men — à la Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” It’s produced by Chapter One and VIS, with showrunner Michael Caleo (“The Sopranos”) attached. Also heading to Paramount Plus out of the U.K.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“NCIS” is heading down under.The long-running CBS franchise is being adapted for Paramount Plus Australia and broadcaster Network 10 in a deal that marks the first international edition for the CBS Studios-produced juggernaut.“NCIS: Sydney” will launch in 2023 and feature local stories with Aussie actors and producers. “NCIS: Los Angeles” creator Shane Brennan, who is Australian and first joined the franchise back in 2007, is attached.The commission is a clever way for Paramount Plus to bulk up its local offering in Australia, where the service launched in August 2021 and already takes advantage of content from the ViacomCBS-backed local linear offering, Channel 10.Paramount Plus is slowly expanding internationally and will finally launch in Europe this year.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Kim’s Convenience” star Paul Sun-Hyung Lee has set up his next project.The Canadian actor, who played Appa on the CBC comedy over five seasons, is set to host “Fandemonium,” a new series delving into the sub-cultures of makers, artists and collectors inspired by franchises such as Star Wars, Ghostbusters and Nintendo.The show is in development at Great Pacific Media, the factual production company owned by Vancouver’s Thunderbird Entertainment Group, who also produced “Kim’s Convenience.”“‘Fandemonium’ will bring to the forefront the creative enthusiasts who have turned their love of pop culture into something spectacular,” said David Way, president of Great Pacific Media. “Hosted by the acclaimed actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, who is a die-hard fan himself, the series will showcase all the creativity and community that a fictional world can create, from a fan-built, one-of-a-kind custom pinball machine to the mechanic who makes screen-accurate movie car replicas to the YouTubers turning fictional movie props into reality.” Lee will investigate different fandoms in each episode, highlighting everything from rare collectables to long-lost props and outrageous fan builds — all while meeting the people behind them.“‘Fandemonium’ is a passion project made for the fans, about the fans, by a fan,” says Lee.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“The Tinder Swindler,” an eye-opening documentary about a notorious con man who used the dating app to defraud multiple women, could be getting the movie treatment.Variety understands that Netflix is in talks with producers about dramatizing the wild documentary that’s likely to make any Tinder user’s blood run cold. Sources indicate that the conversation is in early stages, and that the tone of a potential film is still being worked out.“The Tinder Swindler” debuted on the streaming service only on Wednesday, and it’s already cracking the platform’s Top 10 lists in the U.S.

Manori Ravindran International Editor88Rising co-founder Jaeson Ma and Anonymous Content executive producer Eric Tu are joining forces to launch EST Studios, an independent finance, production and sales outfit geared towards the Asian marketplace.Launching just ahead of the European Film Market — which officially kicks off Feb. 10 — the company specializes in premium film and episodic content.Ma (pictured, left) will serve as the company chairman and co-CEO, with Tu (right) serving as co-founder and co-CEO.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Golda” director Guy Nattiv has joined the Oscar-shortlisted short film “The Criminals” as executive producer.Written and directed by Serhat Karaaslan, a Kurdish director from Turkey, the film centers on a young couple in a small Turkish town looking for privacy. Shortlisted in the live-action short category for the 2022 awards, the film uses genre to discuss the way an oppressive society pushes its civilians to police each other, ultimately turning sex into a subversive act.“The Criminals” is produced by Laure Dahout through her French production company Tiresias Films.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“The Girlfriend Experience” director Lodge Kerrigan’s 2004 movie “Keane,” starring Damian Lewis and Abigail Breslin, is getting a 4K restoration and a U.S. theatrical release.Grasshopper Film snapped up distribution rights to the critically acclaimed pic, which is executive produced by Steven Soderbergh and produced by Andrew Fierberg.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“American Reject,” a music comedy that delves into the aftermath of a reality singing competition, has secured U.S.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Live from London…It’s Saturday Night”?NBC’s iconic late-night sketch show could be hitting British shores in the future. Variety has confirmed that a U.K.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Gangs of London” producer Pulse Films has secured the rights to Anna Whitehouse and Matt Farquharson’s Sunday Times-bestselling novel “Underbelly.”Released early in August, the book tells the story of two women, Lo and Dylan, who are living parallel lives while being worlds apart. Lo is a middle-class mother with perfectly polished Instagram posts, while Dylan holds down a zero-hours telemarketing job while trying to keep food on the table.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Sex Education” star Patricia Allison has joined Tate Donovan (“Rocketman”) in anti-colonial Western “Paradise.”Produced by Sydney-based BroSis and Blimp Worldwide, “Paradise” is set in Hilo, Hawaii, and tells the story of Ella Patchet (Allison), who has a reputation for being a rebellious punk and the fastest gun around. Her only family is her father, Dan, the local sheriff.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Schitt’s Creek” star and Canadian screen icon Eugene Levy has signed with UTA.The multi-Emmy-winning actor, producer and writer is best known for co-creating, starring in and executive producing the critically acclaimed CBC and Pop series “Schitt’s Creek” alongside his son and co-star, Daniel Levy.The show — which reached global audiences via Netflix — picked up nine Emmy awards for its sixth season, earning the title for the most awarded comedy series in a

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Small Axe” director Steve McQueen has set up his next project, the feature film “Blitz,” at New Regency.McQueen’s production company Lammas Park will produce alongside Working Title Films.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“The Cry” producer Synchronicity Films has optioned the forthcoming non-fiction book, “The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes: The Transgender Trial that Threatened to Upend the British Establishment,” with plans to develop a scripted miniseries.Produced alongside Brazen Productions, the series will be written by BAFTA-winning trans writer Sukey Fisher (“Soundproof”), who will adapt University of London professor Zoë Playdon’s upcoming hybrid of social history,

Manori Ravindran International Editor“The Crown” star and recent Emmy winner Josh O’Connor and “Normal People” BAFTA winner Paul Mescal will star in gay romance “The History of Sound,” an Oliver Hermanus-directed adaptation of an award-winning short story.Produced by End Cue, the story follows two young men, Lionel (Mescal) and David (O’Connor), who, during the WW1 period, set out to record the lives, voices and music of their countrymen.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“A Quiet Place” breakout Millicent Simmonds and “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” star Rachel Brosnahan will play Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan in the forthcoming feature film “Helen & Teacher.”Simmonds, who is deaf, is a distant cousin of Deafblind activist Keller.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“No Time to Die,” the heavy-hitting 25th instalment of the James Bond franchise, is getting the widest theatrical release of all time in the U.K., where its Sept. 30 opening day figures are estimated to reach $6.8 million.MGM and Universal’s tentpole was released in 772 cinemas –– 25 more than the previous record holder, “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” in 2019.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Ted Lasso” star Juno Temple has joined the cast of Doug Liman’s action-adventure thriller “Everest.” The movie has also struck a number of global pre-sales for HanWay Films.Temple will play mountaineer George Mallory’s wife, Ruth, who is left behind to handle their life during his life-threatening attempts to scale the mountain.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Parasite” director Bong Joon Ho, this year’s Venice jury president, famously accepted his 2020 Golden Globe for best foreign film by assuring audiences that “once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.”This is especially true at this year’s festival, where in addition to the standard Italian subtitles on every film, another monitor also displays English subtitles — even for English-language

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Masked Singer” panelist Robin Thicke is teaming up with up-and-coming TikTok star La’Ron Hines for a new show, Variety can reveal.Leopard USA, the New York-based production company backed by the U.K.’s Argonon Group (“The Masked Singer U.K.”), is developing the as-yet-untitled series with Thicke, who mentors the viral video star.With nearly nine million followers on TikTok, Hines grabbed headlines earlier this year when he did his “Are You Smarter Than a

Manori Ravindran International Editor“American Epic” director Bernard MacMahon has revealed the title of his long-awaited and recently completed Led Zeppelin feature documentary: “Becoming Led Zeppelin.”The project, which was first announced in 2019, has unprecedented access to the band, marking the first and only time the group has participated in a documentary in 50 years.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Killing Eve” writer Isis Davis is on board the first project out of “Tehran” executive producer Julien Leroux’s new company, Paper Entertainment.Drama “Your Eyes” is in development at Paper, with Davis set to serve as writer.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“F9” may not have been the planetary blockbuster anyone expected at Cannes, but amid the randy nuns, self-indulgent musicals and bovine documentaries, it was the planetary blockbuster we needed.The latest instalment of the Fast and the Furious franchise enjoyed its French premiere on Monday (July 12) on the beach along the Croisette, two days before its release in local theaters.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Moonfall” co-producer and sales agent AGC Studios is launching the Christopher Smith-directed supernatural thriller “Consecration.”Stuart Ford’s independent studio will fully finance and co-produce the pic alongside BigScope Films and Moonriver Content. The movie turns on events following the suspicious death of a priest, whose sister goes to the Mount Saviour Convent in Scotland to find out what really happened to her brother.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Creepshow” and “Twelve Forever” producer Cartel Pictures is launching a global distribution outfit, with operations based out of Los Angeles and London.Former Endeavor Content executive Gary Marenzi is building out Cartel Studios International, working alongside former CBS and Viacom executives Giovanni Pedde and Stephen Tague.The new venture will focus on the international distribution and licensing of Cartel’s content, which spans independent movies and