Advertisement
Advertisement

Entertainment

Jessica Rothe SXSW Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Imposters’ Sells to Brainstorm Media for U.S., Racks Up International Deals Ahead of AFM (EXCLUSIVE)

“Imposters,” the SXSW 2026 sci-fi thriller from first-time feature director Caleb Phillips, has landed U.S. distribution with Brainstorm Media, which plans to open the film theatrically in early 2027. Jessica Rothe (“River”), Barnett (“Russian Doll”) and Vazquez (“Severance”) lead the cast. Phillips also wrote the screenplay. His short “Other Side of the Box” won awards […]

Chinese Pop Star Chen Chusheng Commissions 14 Paintings From Artist Li Erpeng for ‘Wasteland of Wonders’ Vinyl (EXCLUSIVE)

Chen Chusheng, the Chinese singer-songwriter who won Hunan TV’s “Singer 2025,” has brought in contemporary artist Li Erpeng to paint 14 original works for the vinyl release of his album “Wasteland of Wonders.” On June 9, the day pre-orders opened, QQ Music awarded the vinyl edition its “Double Diamond” sales certification. “I’ve always felt that […]

Dylan Sprouse Says the Only Residual Check He’s Received for ‘The Suite Life of Zack and Cody’ Was ‘Five Cents’: ‘I’m Not Joking’

Dylan Sprouse revealed that the only residual check he ever received for “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” the Disney Channel sitcom that made him and his twin brother Cole stars, was “for five cents,” despite the show’s hit status during its three-season run. In an interview on his Disney co-star Phil Lewis’ “Wildmen” […]

Advertisement

Karen Bass and Nithya Raman in Tight Race for L.A. Mayor in Early Returns

Karen Bass and Nithya Raman are in a tight race for L.A. mayor in early returns, and the race may not be called for days. At Raman’s election-night event in the plaza of the Greek Theatre, the mood was buoyant as the crowd watched Democrat wins steadily march across the South and East. “I can’t […]

NBCUniversal, Hornbill Capital Back EloElo, Parent of Indian Microdrama Platform Story TV, in $80 Million Funding Round

NBCUniversal and India-focused investment firm Hornbill Capital have co-led an $80 million Series C round in EloElo Group, the Bengaluru-based company behind Indian microdrama platform Story TV. MIT Investment Co. joined the round alongside existing backers Play Ventures, Kalaari Capital, Waterbridge Ventures and Griffin Gaming Partners, among others. The raise takes EloElo’s total funding to […]

Cristian Mungiu’s Cinematographer Tudor Vladimir Panduru Breaks Down Long Takes on ‘Fjord,’ ‘R.M.N.’ at Jakarta World Cinema Masterclass

Known for his long-time collaboration with Romanian auteur Cristian Mungiu, cinematographer Tudor Vladimir Panduru shared his experience making “Graduation,” “R.M.N.,” “Fjord” and Iraqi director Hasan Hadi’s “The President’s Cake” during his masterclass at Jakarta World Cinema. Benh Zeitlin, the Oscar-nominated director of “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” said he was moderating the session because “we […]

Democrats Win House and Senate in Sweeping Rout of GOP

In an outcome seen as a backlash to President Donald Trump, Democrats decisively won control of the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections. The Senate’s flip to the Democrats was called by CNN at 11:35 p.m. ET, with the network projecting the party had won at least 51 seats […]

Xavier Becerra Declared Winner of California Governor’s Race

Xavier Becerra has been declared the winner of the California governor’s race, easily swatting away a challenge from Republican Steve Hilton. Becerra, the Democrat, ran on a platform of lowering energy costs and working toward universal health care. The dominant theme of his campaign was opposition to President Trump, noting that he had sued the […]

Lucy Liu’s ‘The Pirate Queen’ Expands With Graphic Novel, New Game and International Tour as Creator Eloise Singer Joins BAFTA Breakthrough Cohort (EXCLUSIVE)

Lucy Liu and Eloise Singer are preparing to take “The Pirate Queen: No Safe Waters,” their immersive experience about Chinese pirate leader Cheng Shih, on an international tour next year, Singer tells Variety. The pair have also co-written a graphic novel and are developing a new game. The news comes as Singer, the project’s writer […]

Weta FX and TAICCA Partner to Turn Taiwan Into an AI Screen Production Hub for Asia

Weta FX, the New Zealand visual effects house behind “The Lord of the Rings” and “Avatar,” is teaming with the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) on a plan to turn Taiwan into a center for AI-driven screen production in Asia. The partnership will be formally launched on Nov. 6 at Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) […]

Advertisement

Jennifer Lawrence Quotes ‘The Hunger Games’ While Urging Fans to Vote on Election Day: ‘Don’t Forget Who Burns With Us’

Jennifer Lawrence encouraged her 8.7 million Instagram followers to vote on Election Day by channeling her iconic role of Katniss Everdeen from “The Hunter Games.” The Oscar winner posted a photo of herself on Instagram giving the franchise’s trademark three-finger salute along with the caption: “Midterms [baby]. Don’t forget who burns with us. Go vote.” […]