In a Thanksgiving feast for the ages, movie ticket sales hit an all-time holiday high at the domestic box office, led by Walt Disney Animation’s instant mega-hit Moana 2.

Disney’s fantasy musical Moana 2 served up a mammoth holiday domestic debut of $221 million. Smashing numerous records, the sequel boasts the biggest five-day debut in history — besting The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($204.6 million) — as well delivering both the top Thanksgiving opening of all time and the biggest Thanksgiving gross of all time by a mile, beating Frozen ($93.6 million) and Frozen II ($125 million). And its three-day weekend haul of $135.5 million is the biggest opening ever for a Walt Disney Animation title.

Overseas, Moana 2 sailed to $165.3 million for a global start of $383.3 million (that’s already ahead of Wicked). Across Latin America, it was the top opening of all time for a Walt Disney Animation title. Ditto for Australia. In Europe,...

Marshall Brickman, the banjo-playing writer and director who shared an Academy Award with his frequent collaborator Woody Allen for their Annie Hall screenplay, has died. He was 85.

Brickman died Friday in Manhattan, his daughter Sophie Brickman told The New York Times.

On his own, Brickman wrote and directed Simon (1980), a quirky comedy about a psychology professor (Alan Arkin) brainwashed into believing he’s from outer space; Lovesick (1983), featuring Alec Guinness as the ghost of Sigmund Freud who offers relationship advice to a psychiatrist (Dudley Moore); and The Manhattan Project (1986), about a high school student (Christopher Collet) who builds a nuclear weapon for a science fair project.

And in 2001, he helmed an adaptation of Christopher Durang’s play Sister Mary Explains It All, starring Annie Hall herself, Diane Keaton, for Showtime.

Brickman also teamed with Rick Elice to pen the Tony-nominated book for the Broadway musical Jersey Boys, and they wrote...

The big splash continues for Disney’s “Moana 2,” which earned a massive $54.5 million on Black Friday from 4,200 locations, shattering the $34.1 million record that was notched by “Frozen II” in 2019. Not only that, but the film has now earned $140 million and already surged past the five-day holiday weekend record by “Frozen II” ($125 million) — and it didn’t even need Saturday or Sunday grosses to do it.

It’s a welcome return to the top for Walt Disney Animation, particularly after turning in two box office duds (“Strange World” and “Wish”) over the past two Novembers — and it’s strong evidence that the company’s family fare is still a superlative theatrical draw. “Moana 2” was originally conceived as a Disney+ series, but the studio’s decision to rework the project into a theatrical sequel has proven worthwhile, ho-hum reviews aside. Audiences still love “Moana 2,” with an “A-” grade from ticketbuyer pollster Cinema Score.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade drew its largest cross-platform audience on record Thursday.

NBC says 31.3 million viewers watched the parade on NBC and Peacock, based on preliminary Nielsen ratings and streaming figures from Adobe Analytics. That’s up 10 percent from last year’s total of 28.5 million — which was the previous all-time high. The number includes the live morning telecast and an afternoon replay on the broadcast network and streaming on Peacock.

The initial broadcast, which aired from 8:30 a.m. to noon in all time zones, brought in 23.6 million viewers, more than any other entertainment (i.e., not sports or news) telecast this year — and in the past four years. The last time any entertainment show drew a larger audience was the 2020 Oscars. NBC also says streaming hours on Peacock grew by 26 percent year to year, though per usual it’s not specifying the exact number.

Among adults 18-...

What’s Virgin River without some wedding drama, love triangles and uncovered secrets?

A newly released trailer for the hit Netflix show’s sixth season teases the lead-up to Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack’s (Martin Henderson) big day, as well as new storylines for all their friends and family.

“I feel like the luckiest girl in the world who is trusting in forever again,” Breckenridge says in the footage. “I’ve spent so many years wishing things hadn’t happened the way that they have. But the end of one love story can be the beginning of another.”

“Against the backdrop of Mel and Jack’s romantic spring wedding season, this sixth installment promises fresh twists and turns, escalating love triangles, delightful wedding drama, as well as uncovered secrets from Mel’s father’s past which will transport us to the magic and mystique of Virgin River in the 1970s,...

Focus Features has picked up the sci-fi thriller Hot Spot from director Agnieszka Smoczyńska.

The film, which stars Noomi Rapace, Andrzej Konopka and Reika Kirishima, wrapped production last week in Greece. Focus is reuniting with Smoczyńska after releasing her first English-language feature Silent Twins, which starred Black Panther breakout Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance.

“Agnieszka is a singular visionary whose work — be it about vampire mermaids, silent twins or a tech-ruled society — is both visually astounding and thematically prophetic, and we can’t wait to share her latest with the world,” Kiska Higgs, president of production and acquisitions at Focus, said in a statement.

The U.S. studio picked up all territories worldwide, except for Poland, Greece and France, for Hot Spot, which is based on script by Robert Bolesto. The indie is set in a near future society ruled by sentient artificial intelligence and has a private eye investigate...

The International Cinema Technology Association (Icta) and CineAsia have tapped Indonesia’s Cinema Xxi chain as the first recipient of their Icta CineAsia Apac Achievement Award, recognizing the exhibitor’s technological innovation and presentation standards in the Asia Pacific region.

The award presentation is set for Dec. 11 during the “Fast Takes on the Future” session at CineAsia 2024 in Bangkok. Suryo Suherman, president-director of Cinema Xxi, will accept the honor.

The Empire Xxi is the main screening venue of the ongoing Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (Jaff).

Cinema Xxi operates a range of formats including Imax theaters and its premium format The Premiere, equipped with projection and sound systems aimed at high-end presentation. The chain has established itself as Indonesia’s largest cinema operator over its 35-year history.

“On behalf of the entire Cinema Xxi team, I would like to thank Icta and CineAsia for this incredible recognition,” said Suherman. “This award...

The French-Danish actor Niels Arestrup, a muse to Emilia Pérez director Jacques Audiard, who appeared in international features including Steven Spielberg’s War Horse and Julian Schnabel’s The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, has died, aged 75.

Arestrup’s wife, Isabelle Le Nouvel, confirmed his death to Agence France-Presse on Sunday, December 1, saying he died “at the end of a courageous fight against illness.”

Arestrup will forever be linked to Jacques Audiard and his performances in Audiard’s The Beat that My Heart Skipped in 2005 — playing the criminal father to Romain Duris’ would-be concert pianist, and A Prophet in 2009, where he embodies a terrifying Corsican mob boss who runs his operation from within prison. Arestrup won best supporting acting César awards, France’s equivalent of the Oscar, for both roles, and the performances solidified his image as an on-screen villain with a piercing blue gaze who is barely holding back the violence within.

Seen from the 14th floor of its Radisson Hotel, Montevideo’s skyline, bristling with white marble high-rises and monuments, looks like a very different scenario for Ventana Sur, Latin America’s foremost film-tv co-pro forum and market, relocated from its chic Buenos Aires setting for the first time since 2009.

Yet in many ways, this is the same Ventana Sur, playing to its strengths and galvanized by its context, Uruguay, one of Latin America’s fastest-growing film-tv hubs, both as a big-shoot locale and home-grown movie industry.

Ten takes, as producers and sales agents began to arrive at the Radisson for this year’s edition, hosted by Cannes Marché du Film and Uruguay’s public-sector film agency, Agencia del Cine y Audiovisual (Acau), and running Dec. 2-6 in the Uruguayan capital:

Attendance Holds

As of Saturday night, attendance had just passed 2,000 delegates, tracking to hit that number of jobbing professionals by market end,...

Arthouse distributor, streamer and production company Mubi is venturing into the world of publishing.

Mubi Editions, set to launch in April, is a new global publishing arm dedicated to cinema and the arts set to publish across a range of formats and genres. Up first is “Read Frame Type Film” — prepared in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou in Paris — which Mubi says should be one of up to three titles it hopes to publish next year.

The new venture, according to Mubi, “intends to play a meaningful role in fostering a global community of engaged, art-loving viewers and readers — now and into the future,” and will publish across four core series. Projections will be dedicated to the world of film culture and history, Auteurs will cover both books and objects made in close collaboration with renowned artists and filmmakers and Internegatives will be republications of rare, out-of-print or newly translated texts.

Ava DuVernay said the United States is “run by criminals” while reflecting on the timely resonance of her Oscar-nominated documentary “13th” during an on-stage conversation with Rosalie Varda at the Marrakech Film Festival.

The politically-engaged filmmaker and activist denounced a double standard in the U.S. judicial system, saying “that criminality is seen as completely different than a Black kid on the corner who might sell marijuana. And so, you know, the Black kid is in prison for years and the criminals get reelected and make millions of dollars and sell electric cars.”

She said “13th” was meant to address “that idea of who is criminal and what and who is deciding who is right and who’s wrong.”

DuVernay said she thought the documentary “would sit on the back pages of Netflix and no one would see it. When it first debuted and it shot to number one in multiple countries,...

Jacob Elordi and Ciarán Hinds play the same man, at different stages of his life, in the Australian war drama The Narrow Road to the Deep North, directed by Justin Kurzel (The Order, Macbeth, True History of the Kelly Gang), which the BBC has acquired for the U.K.

The adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name from Sony Pictures Television-backed Curio Pictures consists of five episodes of 45 minutes each. The series, adapted by writer Shaun Grant, will premiere on Prime Video in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada and then air on BBC One and stream on the BBC iPlayer in the U.K.

“The series is a savagely beautiful five-part saga charting the life of Dorrigo Evans (played by Jacob Elordi as a young man, with Ciarán Hinds as the older Dorrigo), through his passionate love affair with Amy Mulvaney (Odessa Young), his...

U.K. genre specialist distributor has sold “The Witch Game,” an Argentine “Harry Potter” inspired horror feature from director Fabian Forte, to Miracle Media in North America and the U.K. The supernatural thriller will be released in the territories in the first quarter of 2025.

Originally shot in Spanish, the film also has an English-language dubbed version, which was created using artificial intelligence technology.

In the film, Lourdes Mansilla stars as a rebellious teenage girl whose family is besieged by the devil himself. On her 18th birthday, the girl receives a state-of-the-art VR video game headset that allows her to travel into an occult world and a medieval school of magic where she can learn the ways of witchcraft to save her family from the lord of the underworld.

Written and directed by Forte, an award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker whose credits include “Mala carne,” “Retratos del Apocalipsis” and the Argentine...

“Veep” creator Armando Iannucci has launched a new venture with production company Touchscreen, which has established a partnership with BBC Studios.

Together, the two will develop and co-produce “innovative, daring and world-class scripted programming for the U.K. and international markets,” according to a press release, which will be distributed by BBC Studios. The aim of the partnership is to mentor and champion new British talent, both on and off screen, as well as tell stories that resonate on a global scale.

Touchscreen will also be joined by Kevin Loader, Iannucci’s longtime collaborator who has worked with him on...

Armando Iannucci (Veep, The Thick of It, The Franchise) has launched the production company Touchscreen Ltd. with BBC Studios. The partners unveiled a U.K. development partnership on Monday.

“The agreement will see BBC Studios and Touchscreen, founded by Armando Iannucci, work together to develop and co-produce innovative, daring and world-class scripted programming for the U.K. and international markets, distributed by BBC Studios,” they said in a press release.

Working alongside Iannucci at Touchscreen will be his long-standing collaborator and producer Kevin Loader, joined by development producer Charlotte Draper.

“The new partnership will be committed to mentoring and championing new British talent, on and off screen, and telling stories that resonate globally,” the partners said.

Said Iannucci: “Touchscreen is focused on making projects that reflect, confront or celebrate the world we live in. I’ll be continuing my relationship with HBO, and now with Touchscreen I have the opportunity...

TikTok has joined the lineup of sponsors of the Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) ahead of its fourth edition, running in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Dec. 5-14.

The social media video platform will be sponsoring a new short film competition “offering creatives, entertainment enthusiasts and industry insiders around the world an opportunity to express themselves, connect with a global community and share stories behind-the-scenes.” Participants can submit their original shorts in the vertical format using the hashtags #RedSeaIFF24 and #TheNewHomeOfFilm.

Three finalists will be selected to produce their short films, with a gold winner set to be unveiled at the Rsiff’s Red Sea Souk Awards on Dec. 10.

Beyond its new Rsiff competition and during the festival, “TikTok will also offer a range of activities on the ground at the festival, including presenting an official live stream of the Rsiff’s glittering opening and closing ceremonies, sharing exclusive interviews with industry leaders,...

Anonymous Content España, backed by Anonymous Content and Spain’s Morena Films, is teaming with Alea Media to produce a series based on Spain’s 1981 Toxic Oil Syndrome, one of – if not the – deadliest case of food poisoning in modern-day Europe.

The still-to-be-titled series is the first project announced by Anonymous Content España, underscoring its ambition to “elevate local stories into premium television pieces that have a local impact with an international reach,” said its Managing Director Beatriz Campos.

To achieve that, Alea Media is an excellent partner. It rates as one of Spain’s most successful and versatile of...

Jacob Elordi drama series “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” has been acquired by the BBC for the U.K.

The five-part adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s Booker Prize-winning novel, which also stars Ciarán Hinds and Odessa Young, will be broadcast in the U.K. on BBC One and the BBC’s proprietary streamer iPlayer. It will drop in Canada, Australia and New Zealand on Prime Video.

A premiere date has not been set yet.

Encompassing both the horrors of war and intimacy of deep love, “The Narrow Road To The Deep North” sees Elordi portray Dorrigo Evans, a...

Leading LGBTQ+ distributor Tla Releasing has pounced on U.K. and North American rights to Mexican gay romance drama “Dying Briefly” (“Seré breve al momento de morir”) by Juan Briseño.

“We are so excited to bring this vibrant, exciting film to our audience in the New Year,” said Adam Silver, acquisitions and operating Manager – U.K. at Tla Entertainment Group, who plans a limited theatrical release.

The deal was put together by Rio-based Habanero Film Sales’ CEO Alfredo Calviño, who presents a robust slate at Ventana Sur.

“Dying Briefly” follows Sebastian, who earns a coveted spot in one of the country’s top dance companies, where he falls for Arsenio, a charismatic dancer. Their romance is tested when Mikael, a demanding new choreographer, turns the company into a battlefield. Sebastian rises as the lead, dethroning Luciano, the former star. Fueled by jealousy and betrayal, Arsenio and Luciano conspire in a ruthless plot to crush him.

Leading LGBTQ+ distributor Tla Releasing has pounced on U.K. and North American rights to Mexican gay romance drama “Dying Briefly” (“Seré breve al momento de morir”) by Juan Briseño.

“We are so excited to bring this vibrant, exciting film to our audience in the New Year,” said Adam Silver, acquisitions and operating Manager – U.K. at Tla Entertainment Group, who plans a limited theatrical release.

The deal was put together by Rio-based Habanero Film Sales’ CEO Alfredo Calviño, who presents a robust slate at Ventana Sur.

“Dying Briefly” follows Sebastian, who earns a coveted spot in one of the country’s top dance companies,...

Production-distribution powerhouse Constantin Film has unveiled the cast for its crime-drama series “Smilla’s Sense of Snow,” and the first-look images from the show.

The series stars Filippa Coster-Waldau, Elyas M’Barek and Henry Lloyd-Hughes. Other cast members include Morten Suurballe, Amanda Collin, Set Sjöstrand and Alexandre Willaume.

Elyas M’Barek plays Rahid in “Smilla’s Sense of Snow.”

The series is directed by BAFTA winner Amma Asante. Adapted from Peter Hoeg’s bestselling novel, the show was written by Asante together with Tanja Bubbel, Clive Bradley, Tina Hastings, Rebecca Martin, Julie Nørgaard Jensen, Keith Hodder, Sonya Desai and Pipaluk K. Jørgensen. The...

Pulse Films co-founder Thomas Benski, producer of Gangs of London, American Honey and The Witch, has unveiled his new media venture: Lumina, a cross-border outfit with operations in London, New York, Paris, and Los Angeles.

The company is billed as a “talent and IP-led media group” and boasts of “mid-eight figure” capital support from first-round funders including Magnus Rausing’s Bfk, Charles Dorfman’s Dorfman Media Holdings and Svs Holdings.

“The current media landscape is in flux, and we believe this is the ideal time to build future-facing companies,” says Benski. “Drawing from our rich past experience, we are building in the present to shape the future.”

The group says it will focus on talent-driven studios, production, kids & family content, and consumer brands. Lumina has already partnered with Carrousel Studios, the European-based operation launched by Benski together with French star Omar Sy (Lupin) and Fast X director Louis Leterrier earlier this year,...

Maxtime Pictures’ “Her Story,” a comedy-drama film told from a largely female perspective, topped the mainland China box office for the second consecutive weekend. Disney’s “Moana 2” debuted in second place.

Data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway showed “Her Story” improving its previous weekend’s showing by earning RMB140.9 million ($19.8 million) between Friday and Sunday. The film now has a cumulative total of $54.6 million in the Middle Kingdom.

“Her Story” is directed by Shao Yihui (2021’s “B For Busy”). Its fast-paced story focuses on two women – one a recently unemployed single mom, the other a new neighbor who is more troubled than she appears – who become friends. Together they face up to various relationship challenges, including an abusive ex-husband and new romantic possibilities.

“Moana 2” earned $6.6 million in second place. With a worldwide $300 million weekend, according to Comscore, “Moana 2” was the highest grossing film in the world. This...

The Hollywood Reporter won 13 awards at the 17th annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards, including best website and online journalist of the year for Mesfin Fekadu.

The awards were handed out Sunday night by the Los Angeles Press Club at a gala taking place at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

Other THR wins included Seth Abramovitch’s Cheryl Hines cover story as best personality profile, TV/streaming industry over 2,500 words; Scott Feinberg’s oral history of Schindler’s List as best film industry feature over 1,000 words; Lacey Rose’s Dan Harmon interview for best TV industry feature under 1,000 words; and David Rooney’s ranking of Hollywood’s 20 most erotic movies as best film feature, production/history.

In the celebrity investigation category, THR‘s story “Will Ferrell on Navigating His Best Friend’s Transition in ‘Will & Harper,'” with reporting from Seija Rankin, Jason Rovou, Stephanie Fischette,...

The 19th Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (Jaff) kicked off over the weekend at Empire Xxi Jogja, drawing thousands of attendees despite persistent rain.

The event, which stands as Indonesia’s longest-running international film festival, gathered notable Indonesian film figures including directors Yandy Laurens, Sidharta Tata, Tumpal Tampubolon, and Timo Tjahjanto, alongside actors Dian Sastrowardoyo, Sheila Dara, Hannah Al Rashid, and Eva Celia.

Operating under the theme “Metanoia,” this year’s edition focuses on Asian cinema’s transformation amid global challenges. Jaff founder, filmmaker Garin Nugroho, addressed the crowd, emphasizing the importance of community support. “Trust, togetherness and collaboration are the key elements to building a thriving film ecosystem, whether in Indonesia, Asia and even the world,” he said.

Indonesia’s Minister of Culture, Dr. Fadli Zon, highlighted Indonesian filmmakers’ global achievements and pledged support for the industry’s growth, particularly in international distribution. The minister called for collaborative efforts to...

Variety earned 14 first-place wins Sunday night at the 17th annual National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards, including trophies for print journalist of the year, film critic, investigative reporting and news photo.

Chris Willman, chief music critic and senior features editor, packed a punch with four wins including print journalist of the year. Tatiana Siegel, executive editor of film and media, won two top investigative categories. The ceremony was held at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

“We are so proud of the work produced across Variety every day. These big wins reinforce that we have the largest and strongest team of entertainment business journalists in the world,” said Cynthia Littleton and Ramin Setoodeh, co-Editors in Chief of Variety.

Here’s a rundown of Variety‘s wins:

Chris Willman’s singular voice and prolific output earned him the print journalist of the year honor. He was recognized for film criticism under 1,000 words.

Variety earned 14 first-place wins Sunday night at the 17th annual National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards, including trophies for print journalist of the year, film critic, investigative reporting and news photo.

Chris Willman, chief music critic and senior features editor, packed a punch with four wins including print journalist of the year. Tatiana Siegel, executive editor of film and media, won two top investigative categories. The ceremony was held at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

“We are so proud of the work produced across Variety every day. These big wins reinforce that we have the largest and strongest...

[This story contains major spoilers from the fourth episode of Yellowstone season 5B, “Counting Coup.”]

Yellowstone delivered its third death of the season with Sunday night’s episode. After kicking off what may be the final run of the flagship series with the death of series patriarch John Dutton (played by departed star Kevin Costner), and following last week’s shocking assassination of Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri), this week’s episode, the fourth out of six total, took one of the Yellowstone ranch’s cowboys all too soon.

Colby Mayfield (played by Denim Richards), a ranch hand for the Dutton family since season one, was accidentally killed in a Yellowstone horse stall. When Carter (Finn Little), the young ranch hand taken in by Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and husband Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), found himself in a precarious position with a bucking horse, Colby stepped in to save Carter and was fatally struck by the horse.

Christina Voros, the Yellowstone...

Kate Winslet says she still gets nervous when she really wants a role and has moments of doubt — despite being an Oscar-winning actress.

“Oh, honestly, it’s a whole bunch of mind fucking,” she said, laughing, in an interview with 60 Minutes that aired Sunday. “I mean, it is, even to this day. Like anything, going for a job interview, it’s absolutely terrifying. If it’s a job you really want, doubly terrifying.”

Despite her Oscar win — for 2008’s The Reader — she sometimes feels like she isn’t worthy of a role.

“So what?” she said when it was noted she’s won the film industry’s top prize. “When I was doing Lee, I would sit there and I would say, ‘This is ridiculous. … I can truly think of at least five other brilliant actresses who would have played this part much better than me. Like a lot better.

Note: This story contains spoilers from “Somebody Somewhere” Season 3, Episode 6.

“Somebody Somewhere” finds the laughs in life’s most vulnerable and authentic moments, which makes this week’s fender bender accident a prime example of the show’s excellence.

The HBO comedy series is one episode away from its series finale, with plenty of characters showing significant growth before we say farewell. For Joel (Jeff Hiller), Episode 6 gave him the wake-up call he needed to stand up for himself in his relationship — after a hilariously tragic car accident.

“As Much as I Like Not Feeling” began with Joel getting into an accident with an older lady. As he intently listened to a podcast about “doing hard things,” Joel realized he missed his turn. He hit the brakes and set to reverse, but failed to look before he started going and hit the woman’s car behind him. When he got out of the car,...

[This story contains spoilers from the first two episodes of The Agency.]

The Michael Fassbender-starring TV series The Agency, like many other recent political thrillers, is set amid the backdrop of real-life geopolitical events like the Ukraine-Russia war, with the conflict fueling key plot points in the series.

But with the CIA drama, which also stars Richard Gere, making its debut on Paramount+ With Showtime just weeks after the 2024 U.S. presidential election that could usher in foreign policy changes via Donald Trump’s second term, it’s possible that the state of affairs in Eastern Europe could change significantly in 2025.

Luckily, The Agency already took steps to insulate the world of the show. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter at The Agency‘s New York premiere last month, director and executive producer Joe Wright explained that early on, as The Agency team was working on making its U.S. version of the French series Le Bureau des Legendes, trying...

Judy Greer revealed in a recent episode of the “Dinner’s on Me” podcast that she passed on an audition for the role of Claire Dunphy on “Modern Family.”

Greer told “Dinner’s on Me” host Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who portrayed Claire’s brother Mitchell Pritchett on the hit ABC sitcom, that was she was asked to audition for the Dunphy family matriarch. The part ultimately went to Julie Bowen, who portrayed the character during the show’s 11-season run and received two Primetime Emmys for her performance.

Greer noted that, at that point in her career, she was starting to play characters with children.

Note: This story contains spoilers from “Yellowstone” Season 5, Episode 12.

There’s something about the run to Season 5 Part 2 of “Yellowstone” that feels like a funeral march. The show is still humming along ratings-wise and creator Taylor Sheridan is more prolific than ever, but there’s a stink of death around his crown jewel. Perhaps it’s because the show lost its marquee actor, Kevin Costner, prior to the release of this season and thus quickly dispatched him on-screen in the premiere. Or maybe it’s just because it’s “Yellowstone,” a show that’s always been filled with drama and despair, and producers want to go out with a bloody bang.

Either way, there’s quite a bit of blood in the water already on “Yellowstone,” from the much-wanted demise of the evil Sarah Atwood (Dawn Oliveri) last week to the much sadder (and much more accidental) death of ranch...

President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, on Sunday night, sparing the younger Biden a possible prison sentence for federal felony gun and tax convictions and reversing his past promises not to use the extraordinary powers of the presidency for the benefit of his family members.

The Democratic president had previously said he would not pardon his son or commute his sentence after his convictions in the two cases in Delaware and California. The move comes weeks before Hunter Biden was set to receive his punishment after his trial conviction in the gun case and guilty plea on tax charges, and less than two months before President-elect Donald Trump is set to return to the White House.

It caps a long-running legal saga for the president’s son, who publicly disclosed he was under federal investigation in December 2020 — a month after Joe Biden’s 2020 victory.

In June, Biden categorically ruled...

President Joe Biden has pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who earlier this year was convicted of gun-related felony charges in Delaware and pleaded guilty to tax evasion in California.

“I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice — and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further,” the president said in a statement issued Sunday night. “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a president would come to this decision.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for Beatlemania… but maybe it’s been a while. “Beatles ’64,” the new Martin Scorsese-produced documentary on Disney+, aims to recapture the shrieks that greeted the Beatles’ arrival on American shores at the beginning of 1964. Under the direction of David Tedeschi, the film brings back the tears of hysteria that accompanied the band’s every move in the U.S., and generates some fresh tears from some of its contemporary interview subjects, who tell how the band’s advent changed their lives.

Tedeschi spoke with Variety about some of the work that went into the film, which contains a lot of footage shot at the time by the documentary world’s legendary Maysles brothers, as well as some other archival film finds and modern interviews.

This is premiering on Thanksgiving weekend. That seems to be a good weekend in recent Disney and Apple and Beatles history,...

Despite the success of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” director Tim Burton has reaffirmed that “Edward Scissorhands” is one movie that “I don’t want to make a sequel to.”

Burton was asked about the film and several others on the red carpet at the Marrakesh Film Festival. IndieWire reported Burton added, “I didn’t want to make a sequel to that because it felt like a one-off thing. I didn’t want to have a sequel for ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ because it also felt like a one-off thing. Certain things are best left on their own, and that, for me, is one of them.”

That doesn’t mean that he’s finished working with frequent collaborator Johnny Depp, though. The director said he’s “sure there will be” future movies with Depp, and added, “I never feel like, oh, I’m going to use this and that actor. It usually has...

A trio of blockbusters — “Moana 2,” “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” — are fueling a record-breaking Thanksgiving bounty.

Overall domestic box office receipts between Wednesday and Sunday amounted to $420 million, the biggest Thanksgiving haul in history. It obliterated the previous benchmark of $315 million, set by 2018’s slate of “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” and “Creed II.” Since the pandemic, though, Turkey Day has been all famine and no feast at the box office. The holiday hasn’t topped $200 million since 2019 and plummeted in 2023 to a record low of just $125 million across all films, including Disney’s “Wish,” “Hunger Games” prequel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” and Ridley Scott’s historical drama “Napoleon.”

Box office experts believe the rebound in attendance is thanks to effective counterprogramming — and notably of movies that audiences actually wanted to watch in theaters. “Moana 2” brought out families in droves while “Wicked...

Judy Greer was offered the opportunity to audition for the role of Claire Dunphy on “Modern Family” — which ultimately went to Julie Bowen — over 15 years ago.

In a recent interview with Jesse Tyler Ferguson on the “Dinner’s On Me” podcast, she admitted the role “felt so limiting” compared to her other work at the time. In fact, Greer told the “Modern Family” alum, “I was just like, ‘I don’t know if I want to be America’s mom yet.'”

“This was a time in my career when I was starting to [play moms],” the actress explained. In stark contrast, she personally wasn’t sure whether or not she would ever have kids herself. “It sounds so silly to say it out loud now, but I’ll be honest. In a movie, I would have a kid. And then there was this opportunity to audition where I would have three kids,...

Tim Burton may have reawakened the Ghost With the Most in the recently released sequel to his 1988 comedy-horror film “Beetlejuice,” but that didn’t seem to convince the filmmaker to revisit some of his other classics.

During a Q&a at the Marrakech International Film Festival on Saturday (via IndieWire), Burton dismissed the possibility of developing a sequel to 1990’s “Edward Scissorhands,” which starred Johnny Depp as the titular role.

“There are certain films I don’t want to make a sequel to,” Burton said. “I didn’t want to make a sequel to that because it felt like a one-off thing. I didn’t want to have a sequel for ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ because it also felt like a one-off thing. Certain things are best left on their own, and that, for me, is one of them.”

Although Burton hasn’t directed a film involving Depp since 2012’s “Dark Shadows,...

Moana 2 is enjoying a historic adventure at the box office, where it has shattered record after record since its launch on Thanksgiving eve.

Heading into the holiday, Walt Disney Animation’s sequel was tracking to open to an already huge $125 million to $135 million for the long five-day weekend (Wednesday-Sunday). Instead, the music-infused family film served up a magical $221 million for the five days, including $135.3 for the three-day weekend, thanks to the pent-up demand to witness the continued adventures of the fearless Moana, voiced once again by Auli’i Cravalho, and the demigod Maui, likewise voiced again by Dwayne Johnson.

The Thanksgiving menu also included Universal’s record-smashing Wicked and Paramount’s Gladiator II. The trio of films resulted in the biggest Thanksgiving of all time in terms of domestic holiday revenue, which reached $420 million — more than $100 million ahead of the previous record set in 2018 with $316 million, according to Comscore.

Overseas,...

If you were a fan of the 1999 cult classic “Cruel Intentions,” by now you’ve likely already devoured its TV adaptation, which dropped Nov. 21 on Prime Video.

With the “Cruel Intentions” series leaving off just before Caroline Merteuil (Sarah Catherine Hook) has a total fall from grace, Hook and her costars, Zac Burgess and Savannah Lee Smith, are all in to continue the twisted story in a potential Season 2, despite not yet scoring a renewal from the streamer.

In the meantime, there’s plenty of scandalous, soapy shows that might fill the “Cruel Intentions” void, from edgy 2000s classics like “Gossip Girl” and “Pretty Little Liars” to recent releases like “Tell Me Lies” and “The Sex Lives of College Girls.”

Keep on reading to get the full breakdown of what to watch next after binging the new “Cruel Intentions” series.

The CW Network “Gossip Girl”

If you’re craving the...

Nothing screams the Christmas season quite like the music. And what’s better than door-to-door carolers? An at-home Christmas movie musical.

Whether you are in the mood for a classic tune like “White Christmas” or new tracks like Will Ferrell’s “That Christmas Morning Feelin,'” these movie musicals will prepare you for the holiday season that awaits.

Hang up the Christmas lights, dress the tree, bake some cookies and put on a movie musical from our list to bring your home some holiday cheer.

“White Christmas” White Christmas

The song that sparked a thousand dreams — “White Christmas” — is a holiday classic for a reason. The 1954 film follows two former soldiers turned entertainers. Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) join a talent sister act, Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen), to perform a Christmas show in upstate Vermont. The foursome reunite with the boys’ former General to save his holiday inn.

As 2024 starts to close out, Amazon Prime Video is bringing even more cinematic goodies to its slate for November.

TheWrap is here to give a list of the best of the best of what’s to come on the streamer and what’s already added that you can enjoy. From heart-warming dramas to fresh, animated flicks that will take you on an adventure and more, we’ve got it all here for you.

Check out the best new movies streaming on Prime Video this month below.

“Gladiator” (Universal Pictures) “Gladiator” (2000)

We had to add “Gladiator” to the list with its sequel being in theaters and all. So if you need to watch it before heading to the movies, check it out on Prime Video. In Ridley Scott’s action-adventure “Gladiator,” Maximus (Russell Crowe) is a former general who’s been enslaved and forced to fight for his life as a common gladiator.

From Jacob Elordi’s new bearded look to Sean Penn’s red carpet debut with girlfriend Valeria Nicov, this year’s Marrakech Film Festival has been making headlines in mainstream media like it never did before. Yet, the event has existed for 21 years.

For over two decades, the festival has indeed played a pivotal role in fostering a new generation of filmmakers from the Arab world, especially Morocco, fueled by the ambition of Marrakech Film Festival director Melita Toscan du Plantier, a Paris-based producer, cinephile and straight shooter. The Marrakech adventure kicked off in 2001, when her late husband, Daniel Toscan du Plantier, an influential French producer, was asked by Morocco’s King Mohammed VI to help create the film festival. A year later, Hrh Prince Moulay Rachid took over as president of the festival and its foundation, and when Daniel Toscan du Plantier died abruptly in 2003, Melita took the reins.

Wayne Northrop, an actor known for his work on the soap operas “Days of Our Lives,” “Dynasty” and “Port Charles,” has died. He was 77.

Northrop died Friday at the Motion Picture and Television Fund’s retirement home in Woodland Hills, Calif., his publicist told Variety.

“Wayne was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s six years ago. He took his last breath in the arms of his family,” a family statement from Northrop’s wife, actor Lynn Herring Northrop, reads. “We wish to thank the most caring and amazing place, The Motion Picture and Television Home for taking such great care of him.

Wayne Northrop, the actor known for roles on Days of Our Lives and Dynasty, has died. He was 77.

Northrop died Friday at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, publicist Cynthia Snyder told The Hollywood Reporter. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s six years ago.

“He took his last breath in the arms of his family,” Northrop’s wife and fellow soap star, Lynn Herring Northrop, said in a statement. “We wish to thank the most caring and amazing place, the Motion Picture and Television Home, for taking such great care of him. Wayne touched so many people with his sense of humor and wit. A husband for 43 years, the best dad ever to his two boys, Hank and Grady, and a rancher who loved his cows and was a friend to many.”

Northrop appeared on more than 1,000 episodes of Days of Our Lives, first as...

Alfonso Cuarón had the audience of the Marrakech Film Festival in stitches during a wide-ranging conversation in which he revealed that he had never read a Harry Potter book before shooting “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” He also recalled turning down an offer to shoot a James Bond movie after having dinner with filmmaker Joel Coen.

Asked by Moroccan directors Alaa Eddine Aljem and Talal Selhami how he managed to put his personal stamp on the third “Harry Potter” film which, the moderators noted, is considered by many fans the best installment in the franchise, Cuarón replied that he basically had to pay the bills.

“I had written ‘Children of Men’ that nobody wanted to do. I was unemployed. I was going to have a child,” Cuarón explained. “This film was offered to me, and I didn’t want to do it because I didn’t know anything about Harry Potter.

Disney’s “Moana 2” sailed to $386 million at the global box office, including a mighty $165.3 million internationally.

Ticket sales for the animated family film stand as the second-biggest worldwide opening of the year after Disney’s billion-dollar Marvel behemoth “Deadpool & Wolverine” ($438 million). The sequel to 2016’s musical hit “Moana” got a jumpstart on the weekend by landing in North American theaters on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. The follow-up film generated $300.8 million globally over the traditional weekend.

At the domestic box office, “Moana 2” shattered Thanksgiving box office records with $221 million over the five-day holiday frame, overtaking the high-water mark set by 2019’s “Frozen II” ($125 million). Overseas, the second “Moana” installment powered to No. 1 in every market aside from China (where a local title reigned supreme). Top-earning territories were France with $18.8 million, the United Kingdom with $15.5 million, Mexico with $11.1 million, Germany with $10.5 million, Italy with $9.3 million and Korea with $9.1 million.

Movie theaters finally have something for which to be thankful.

Disney’s “Moana 2” cemented a new Thanksgiving box office record with $221 million over the five-day holiday frame, obliterating the previous high-water marks set by 2019’s “Frozen II” ($125 million) and 2013’s “Hunger Games: Catching Fire” ($109 million). It also stands as the biggest five-day debut in history, overtaking Universal’s 2023 behemoth “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” ($205.6 million). The film’s three-day tally of $135.5 million registers as the best start for Walt Disney Animation ahead of “Frozen II” ($130.2 million the weekend prior to Thanksgiving). Ticket sales for the “Moana” sequel were far above the early estimates of $135 million to $145 million.

“‘Moana 2’ has far surpassed our high expectations this weekend and is a testament to the phenomenon that ‘Moana’ has become,” Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman said in a statement. “This is a moment to celebrate, and we’re thankful to all...