Latin Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

EXCLUSIVE: The Black List is opening submissions for six diversity lists in partnership with GLAAD, CAPE, the MPAC Hollywood Bureau, The Salon, the Latin Tracking Board, NALIP, 1IN4 Coalition, and the WGA Disabled Writers Committee, in addition to establishing the Desi List-–a new, curated list that will shine a light on the most promising feature scripts and pilots from South Asian writers.

The Challenge: All Stars is coming!

Annika Pham Paris-based global distribution powerhouse Newen Connect has secured a first round of pre-sales on the French live-action drama series “Cats Eyes,” based on the original cult manga work ‘Cat’s Eye’ from Japanese artist Tsukasa Hojo. The female-led series, produced by Big Bang Production for top French commercial channel TF1, has been acquired by RTS for Switzerland and RTL for Belgium.

Rafa Sales Ross Guest Contributor Germany’s Beta Film is introducing at the London TV Screenings the first episode of “Maxima,” a six-part drama about the love story between future Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and the then Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. The series is produced by Millstreet Films “The Neighbors”), with Videoland (RTL Netherlands) holding Dutch broadcasting rights.

Dahomey,” a highlight of this year’s Berlinale competition and directed by Cannes prizewinner Mati Diop (“Atlantics”), for North America, Latin America, U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Turkey and India. The feature film is represented in international markets by Films du Losange, which negotiated the deal with Mubi. “Dahomey” marks the sophomore outing of Diop, a French-Senegalese talent who is considered one of the leading figures in international arthouse cinema and of a new wave in African and diasporic cinema.

EXCLUSIVE: Veteran film and television producers Sean and Bryan Furst have signed a multi-project development deal with Miramax TV via their Global Position Studios.

Strictly Come Dancing's Robin Windsor's final public photo shows the dancer smiling on a cruise ship just weeks before he sadly passed away.

Steven Gaydos Executive VP of Content Just as she emerged as one of the brightest lights of Latin American cinema, actor Pina Pellicer died by her own hand 60 years ago. Only 30, she had in a short time co-starred opposite Marlon Brando in his only directing effort, the epic Western “One-Eyed Jacks,” and also appeared in one of the most important films in Mexican cinema’s illustrious history: “Macario,” based upon the classic B.

Holly Jones Yasuo Nakajima and Mariona Carrera’s Barcelona and Tokyo-based b-mount have boarded “Maybe It’s True What They Say About Us,’ (“Quizás Es Cierto Lo Que Dicen De Nosotras”) from Chilean filmmaking duo Camilo Becerra (“El último sacramento”) and Sofía Paloma Gómez (“Quiero morirme dentro de un tiburón”), seen at San Sebastian’s San Sebastián WIP Latam competition. b-mount join a co-production between Carlos Núñez and Gabriela Sandoval at Chile’s Storyboard Media (“The Sky Is Red”), Cecilia Salim at Argentina’s Murillo Cine (“Chaco”) and Lucía van Gelderen at Argentina’s Morocha Films (“El Cinco”) alongside Becerra’s production venture La Jauría Comunicaciones.

Anna Marie de la Fuente In an exclusive one-on-one interview with Variety, Fernando Medin, president and managing director of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Latin America and U.S. Hispanic, drilled down onthe company’s programming and growth strategy for the region where it launches its rebranded streaming platform, Max, on Feb.

Alex Ritman ‘Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger,’ the documentary produced and narrated by Matin Scorsese, has been acquired by Mubi ahead of the film’s world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival. The arthouse streamer, distributor and production company has bought all rights for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Latin America, Turkey and India.

Annika Pham Copenhagen-based sales and financing outlet REinvent has inked major deals on the Danish/German thriller “Oxen”, ahead of its screening Feb. 19 as part of the Berlinale Series Market Selects label. The show, produced by Scandi major SF Studios with Germany’s Square One for TV2 Denmark and ZDF, has been acquired by GSN Networks for the UK, AMC for Spain/Portugal as well as Orion Group for Poland.

Callum McLennan Chile’s Storyboard Media brings its latest documentary venture to Berlin, a project centered on Jorge González, a Latin American music legend frontman of Los Prisioneros. Set to be shown at the EFM, the doc feature charts the life and legacy of a musician whose songs became anthems of resistance during Pinochet’s dictatorship in Chile, and are still played loud when protests flare.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor International sales company Iuvit Media Sales has closed multiple deals at the European Film Market in Berlin for the suspense horror slasher “Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Death and Porridge.” Buyers include Gussi Films for Latin America, Pioneer for the Philippines and Front Row for the Middle East. Directed by Craig Rees (“Annabellum,” “Whispers”) and starring Olga Solo, Abigail Huxley, Rees and Julian Amos, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Death and Porridge” is an “intelligent” horror slasher, in the vein of Wes Craven horrors, and with comparables such as “The Strangers” and “The Purge.” In this adaptation of the fairy tale, Goldilocks and the three bears live together in an isolated house in the woods.

CinemaChile announced in January. One month later, CinemaChile, the national promotion board, is turning 15 at Berlin. The consequence of longterm uninterrupted promotion of an industry must not be underestimated.

Thania Garcia Shakira is set to release her first full-length LP in seven years on March 22. The album’s name, which references Shakira’s most quoted line in her and Bizarrap’s Latin Grammy-winning “Music Sessions Vol. 53,” is “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” (“Women Don’t Cry Anymore”).

Holly Jones Award-winning Peruvian multi-hyphenate Joanna Lombardi (“In House,” “How To Get Over a Breakup”), formerly in charge of heading Movistar’s original content slate for Latin America, dives into documentary with her latest feature “Stay Still” (“Quédate Quieto”), selected to screen in competition at the upcoming Málaga Festival, running Mar. 1-10. Produced by Lombardi alongside Hernán Musaluppi co-headed Cimarrón Cine (“El Motoarrebatador”) and Enid “Pinky” Campos (“Dioses”), the film – selected for San Sebastian’s Co-Production Forum in 2021 – centers on a gravedigger and two young women vying for security and a place to settle down.

Paramount+ has set Thursday, April 4 for the premiere of the fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery. The first two episodes of the 10-episode final season will debut exclusively on the service in the U.S., the UK, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. It will also premiere on April 4 on P+ in Canada. New episodes will drop weekly following the premiere. The streamer also released key art for the final season (see below).

Joe Otterson TV Reporter “Star Trek: Discovery” has a premiere date for Season 5, which will also be the show’s last. The fifth and final season of the series will premiere with two episodes on April 4 on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, Austria, and Canada. New episodes will then drop weekly on Thursdays.

“Let’s bring the thunder!” So begins the official trailer for The Thundermans Return, the feature-length movie continuation of Nickelodeon‘s hit live-action superhero comedy series, starring the original series cast. The trailer was released today by Nick and Paramount+.

UPDATED: FX has unveiled a new extended trailer for Shōgun, its original series adaptation of James Clavell’s bestselling novel, ahead of a 30-second spot the network will air Sunday during Super Bowl LVIII. The 10-episode series premieres Tuesday, February 27 on Hulu in the U.S., on Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ in all other territories. The premiere will include the first two episodes, followed by a new episode each week. You can watch the new trailer and previously released teaser trailer below.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Netflix Mexico has unveiled a rousing new slate in production this year that includes the series debut of Luis Estrada (“¡Que viva México!”), a new pic from Rodrigo Garcia (“Familia”), another series from hit-maker José Ignacio “Chascas” Valenzuela (“Who Killed Sara?”) and “La Reina del Sur”’s Kate del Castillo unusually toplining a comedy. Also leading the pack is series “Gringo Hunters,” produced by Woo Films and Redrum in co-production with Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment in association with The Washington Post.

FX revealed its spring slate of new and returning series, including the second half of American Horror Story: Delicate, Welcome to Wrexham‘s third season, the new Elisabeth Moss-led spy thriller The Veil, the documentary feature The New York Times Presents: Broken Horses and the limited series Clipped (formerly The Sterling Affairs).

Anna Marie de la Fuente Brazil’s giant media conglom Globo and Spain’s Atresmedia International, the overseas arm of top commercial broadcaster Atresmedia, have renewed their strategic pact for another five years, in which Atresmedia delivers Globo telenovelas, series and mini-series across Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic market.

Jennifer Lopez is producing a Bob The Builder movie, with In The Heights star Anthony Ramos voicing the title character.A Latin American spin on the classic children’s series, the new film will follow Roberto (aka Bob) as he travels to Puerto Rico for a major construction job.As per the film’s official longline, audiences will see Bob as he “takes on issues affecting the island and digs deeper into what it means to build. Bob’s journey will celebrate the vibrant and colourful textures of the Caribbean Latin nations and their people.”Felipe Vargas is attached to write the screenplay, while a director has not yet been announced.“Pairing Anthony and Felipe’s genius vision for the story will capture this beloved character in a manner that audiences who grew up with Bob will recognise, and all-new audiences will enjoy,” said Robbie Brenner, president of Mattel Films.Ramos said Bob the Builder carries an “important message” to the big screen, adding that elements of the film were inspired by his own life.“For years, Bob the Builder’s characters have inspired young people around the world,” he said.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Ecuador-based 2bLatam, the driving creative force behind the wildly popular Spanish-language comedy channel enchufe.tv, has joined forces with Mexican media & entertainment indie Elefantec Global to develop content around enchufe.tv’s IP. Founded by former Televisa exec José “Pepe” Bastón, Elefantec Global is behind such notable productions as “Bosé” for Paramount+ in Latin America, “La rebellion” for ViX+ and “Todo por Lucy’ for Prime Video.

Bob the Builder is setting his sights on the big screen.

Callum McLennan The media and entertainment industry is forecast to surpass a $1 trillion valuation in 2024, according to Omdia’s senior research director María Rua Aguete, a speaker at Tuesday’s Future Trends Report panel at Miami’s Content Americas, which runs through Jan. 25.

Thania Garcia Anthem Entertainment has acquired a catalog of songs written by Chantal Kreviazuk. The deal encompasses hits and collaborations recorded by Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Drake, Avril Lavigne, Pitbull, Shakira, Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, Carrie Underwood and more.

Latin artists are taking over the globe!