News

After making the leap to narrative filmmaking last year with “Nyad,” Oscar winners Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin have returned to their documentary roots and are currently at work in the edit suite prepping their next doc feature — “Lost in the Amazon” (working title), about how four Indigenous children survived for 40 days in the Amazon jungle after a plane crash in 2023. The story of their disappearance and eventual recovery transfixed the global media.

Vasarhelyi and Chin co-directed and produced the film with Colombian filmmaker Juan Camilo Cruz for National Geographic.

The feature docu will tell the story of the struggle for survival of the four children — who ranged in age from 11 months to 13 years — in the guerilla-held jungles of Colombia after a plane they were aboard crashed and killed their mother. The children survived for 40 days in the deep Amazonian rainforest using their Indigenous knowledge of the jungle and the...

Exclusive: Blackfin, the Lionsgate-backed production company behind series including Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez, has a new Head of Documentaries.

Igal Svet, who was previously head of documentaries at Discovery+ has joined in the role as well as EVP.

Reporting to Chief Creative Officer Geno McDermott, Svet joins after nearly three years as Head of Documentaries at Discovery+, a position he left in March 2023. In that role, he helped launch a slate of docs including Trump: Unprecedented, House of Hammer, Curse of the Chippendales, Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed, and Queen of Meth as well as acquisitions such as Introducing Selma Blair.

Before joining Discovery in 2019, initially as VP, Production and Development, Svet spent five years at Nat Geo, where he worked on docs such as LA92, Jane, Mars, Story of God with Morgan Freeman, and One Strange Rock.

Lionsgate Alternative Television’s Blackfin, which was formerly part of eOne,...

Mega Merger

The proposed merger between Indian powerhouse Zee Entertainment Enterprises and Sony‘s Indian TV businesses, which has been nearly two years in the making, is likely to be delayed further, Sony said in a filing on Friday. The companies cleared a key regulatory hurdle in August, but there are other matters pending, especially that of leadership. The original plan had foreseen that Zee’s CEO Punit Goenka would be its captain, while Sony would own a 51% controlling stake. However, Goenka was banned from managing any listed company in India following an interim regulatory report that accused him and Zee founder Subhash Chandra of running the company for their own benefit and “siphoning off” money.

Goenka appealed the decision with India’s Securities Appellate Tribunal, who heard his plea on Wednesday but has reserved a verdict for at least a week.

On Friday, Sony said: “Both companies continue to...

HBO Max has released a new poster and trailer for The Princess.

The HBO Original documentary film The Princess is an intimate and immersive look at the life of Princess Diana, directed by Academy Award® nominee Ed Perkins (“Black Sheep” “Tell Me Who I Am”) and produced by Lightbox, Academy Award®-winning Simon Chinn and Emmy®-winning Jonathan Chinn.

The film debuts on Saturday, August 13 (8:00-9:50 p.m. Et/Pt) on HBO, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana’s tragic death, and will be available to stream on HBO Max. The Princess had its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.

The relationship of Diana and Charles, the Prince and Princess of Wales, was tabloid fodder for nearly two decades, the subject of almost daily headlines in the 24-hour news cycle. The Princess draws solely from contemporaneous archival audio and video footage to take audiences back...

Update: That didn’t take long. The deal for Fire of Love is now closed, Deadline has confirmed. Release is below our acquisitions scoop.

Exclusive: National Geographic Documentary Films is closing a mid-seven-figure worldwide rights deal for Fire of Love, the Sara Dosa-directed documentary that opened the festival and created a stampede of bidders in what is the first deal on the virtual ground here. This will be a significant theatrical release for later this year.

As Deadline reported yesterday, bidding began shortly after the film’s Thursday premiere screening. Netflix, Nat Geo, Paramount, Sony Pictures Classics, IFC, Universal and Amazon all were in the mix on this one. Submarine is brokering the deal.

The film focuses on Katia and Maurice Krafft and their love of each other, and getting as close as possible to fiery volcanoes. For two decades, the daring French volcanologist couple was seduced by the...

In the Emmy-nominated HBO documentary Tina, music icon Tina Turner remarks, “I don’t like to pull out old clothes.”

She’s not talking about her wardrobe.

Turner is referring to distant memories—especially, the abusive relationship with her first husband, rock pioneer Ike Turner, who regularly beat and raped her. It’s not a past she’s ever cared to revisit, yet somehow the public or the media won’t leave it be.

“Why are we so fascinated with this? Why can’t we allow her to move on?” asks Dan Lindsay, who directed the film with T.J. Martin. “It’s definitely a question that we were trying to pose within the film.”

One reason we can’t detach from Turner’s story of trauma is that it’s so compelling—a woman surmounting incredible obstacles to achieve her dreams. There’s a mythic quality to it.

“Her life...

Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Emmys ceremonies from film awards editor Clayton Davis. Following history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Emmy predictions are updated regularly with the current year's list of contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. The eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and is subject to change.

To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Emmys Collective

Visit each individual category, according to the awards show from The Emmys Hub

Link to film awards hub The Oscars Hub

(Draft>>>Pre-season>>>Regular Season>>>Post Season)

2021 Emmys Predictions:

Outstanding Documentary Special

Updated: Aug 12, 2021

Awards Prediction Commentary: From co-directors Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin, the Oscar winners of “Undefeated” (2011) and Emmy...

Warner Music Entertainment, the film and television division of Warner Music Group (Wmg), and London and Los Angeles based television and film production company Lightbox, have signed a partnership deal to co-produce, co-develop and co-finance non-fiction film and TV projects.

The deal gives Lightbox, founded by double Oscar winner Simon Chinn and double Emmy winner Jonathan Chinn, access to Wmg’s catalog, to create new content telling the stories of Wmg’s current talent, songwriters and legacy acts.

Simon Chinn and Jonathan Chinn said: “This deal with Wmg will open up the vaults to an archive of amazing musical talent and rich history of songwriters and performers. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring some of Warner Music’s extraordinary artists and their stories to audiences around the world.”

“This is a really exciting partnership for us at Warner Music. We have such an incredible array of artists...

This September will mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City. To recognize the significance of that day as well as honor the lives lost, National Geographic is releasing a six-part documentary series, “9/11: One Day in America.” Take a first look at the trailer below.

“9/11: One Day in America” will chronicle the events of September 11, 2001 through gripping first-person narratives of the first responders and survivors who were there. The first trailer should prepare audiences for the first-hand accounts of what they’ll be seeing; it isn’t just hearing the screams and shouts of people on the ground or in the building but, at times, watching debris fall from inside the Trade Center itself.

Each episode will focus on the different levels of heroism people resorted to during the event and boasts never-before-seen footage, including from apartments and streets just after the planes hit.

Oscar winners Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin teamed up to direct “Tina,” an HBO documentary that chronicles the turbulent life and phenomenal success of its subject, music icon Tina Turner. “The most important things is knowing that people are finding resonance with the film and Tina’s story,” Martin says when discussing how the film quickly became HBO’s most successful documentary of the year with over one million viewers its first week. “Tina Turner is doing a lot of the heavy lifting in that equation,” Lindsay adds. Watch the exclusive video interview about the rock legend above.

“We were actually kind of hesitant when producers Simon [Chinn] and Jonathan [Chinn] asked us to do it,” Lindsay admits. “Are two men really the right people to tell this story? We had been approached to do a lot of celebrity focused biopics or documentaries. That was just never really of interest to us.

The Tribeca Festival is bringing back in-person events for its 2021 lineup, and that includes programming typically seen at home. The Tribeca TV lineup will feature nine shows total, consisting of eight series premieres and a season premiere, as well as panel appearances by featured guests Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, Joshua Jackson, Helen Hunt, and more.

Oh, and to kick things off, Kiss will be performing. Yes, Kiss the band. At a film and television festival. Just go with it.

“When we launched Tribeca TV five years ago, we created space within the film festival to recognize the incredible, boundary-pushing work being done by filmmakers in the episodic format as official festival selections,” Cara Cusumano, Festival Director and VP of Programming, said in a statement. “In a year defined by at-home entertainment, we are proud to continue that tradition with an exciting Tribeca TV lineup of new series from today’s...

World premieres from Disney+, AMC, Startz, Peacock, A&e, OWN, FX and National Geographic are among the highlights of the 2021 Tribeca Festival’s 20th anniversary celebration, announced today.

The events will take place in New York City June 9-20 and claim to be the first major film festival to host in-person events since the worldwide pandemic began.

The Tribeca Festival was founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan following the attacks on the World Trade Center.

The festival focus is on new and returning TV series, new indie episodic storytelling, and an industry-facing Creators Market. The Tribeca TV lineup will include nine shows made up of six series premieres, one season premiere, two docuseries, and speaking appearances by Tina Fey, Christian Slater, Joshua Jackson, Jasmine Cephas Jones, and Helen Hunt.

The Tribeca Festival will also feature a performance by rock icons Kiss.

One of the most famous lines from Tina Turner’s career came in her introduction to the version of John Fogerty’s “Proud Mary” released by Ike & Tina Turner in 1971. “We never ever do nothing nice and easy,” she said in a sultry snarl. “We always do it nice and rough.”

“Tina,” the documentary about Turner that premiered at the 2021 Berlin International Film Festival, has moments where it tries to be nice and easy, sliding over difficult portions in Turner’s life in an attempt to find a celebratory tone. But the film, too, mostly settles for nice and rough, which fits a woman who says in the film, “It wasn’t a good life. It was in some areas, but the goodness didn’t overcome the bad.”

The bad is mostly wrapped up in the years Tina Turner spent with her mentor, Svengali and abusive husband, Ike, whose dark...

Tina Turner is iconic—a fact worth repeating following the debut of the trailer for Tina, the upcoming HBO documentary from filmmakers Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin (the duo behind LA 92 and Undefeated). There’s an archival clip from an old interview at the end of the trailer in which Turner says “No, I don’t consider…...

The latest from T.J.Martin and Daniel Lindsay, directors of “Undefeated” and “LA 92,” “Tina” looks like another documentary that came off of a factory line, complete with the usual panning shots of contact sheets, dramatic zooms into rolling tapes, cross-cutting between audio interviews and their published print versions, melodramatic score cues doing their best to emulate Philip Glass.

Continue reading Despite Clichéd Aesthetics, ‘Tina’ Is An Emotionally Potent Documentary [Berlin Review] at The Playlist.

HBO has released the first teaser trailer for “Tina,” a new documentary about legendary musician Tina Turner. Drawing on a wealth of never-before-seen footage spanning 60 years, audio tapes, personal photos, and new interviews with Turner herself, “Tina” promises an intimate and fresh look at the notoriously private icon. The broad strokes of Turner’s life have been pop culture fodder before, from her 1986 autobiography “I, Tina,” and the 1993 film “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” which drew from the book and starred Angela Bassett in an Oscar-nominated turn as the singer. However, “Tina” represents the first authorized feature documentary on Turner.

Turner first rocketed to stardom in the 1960s and ’70s, performing alongside her then-husband Ike. Off-stage, the partnership was violent, though the extent of the abuse wasn’t known until after the pair divorced and Tina began to speak publicly about her experiences. “Tina” will prominently feature the...

After six decades of performing as an international star, the life and work of Tina Turner are finally getting a documentary. HBO announced on Wednesday that it has set a release date for “Tina,” to date the most ambitious doc project about the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll.”

“LA 92” and “Undefeated” directors Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin are leading this feature-length look at Turner’s lengthy career, which will be available on HBO and HBO Max next month on March 27. The project, first announced in early 2018, will feature interviews with Turner herself, in addition to little-seen archival footage.

Turner first rocketed to stardom in the 1960s and ’70s, performing alongside her then-husband Ike Turner. Off-stage, the partnership was violent, though the extent of the abuse wasn’t known until after the pair divorced and Tina began to speak publicly about her experiences.

“Tina” will prominently feature the period of...

Feature documentary “Tina,” about music icon Tina Turner, will debut March 27 in the U.S. exclusively on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

Universal Pictures Content Group has taken world rights excluding North America and U.K. with a theatrical release planned across multiple territories in early summer before its release on digital, TV, SVOD and other home entertainment platforms.

Altitude will release “Tina” theatrically and on home entertainment across the U.K. and Ireland in April concurrent to its broadcast on Sky Documentaries.

Directed by Oscar-winning directors Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin (“Undefeated”), the film charts Turner’s rise to early fame, her personal and professional struggles throughout her life and her resurgence as a global phenomenon in the 1980s. It features interviews with Turner herself, and with those close to her, along with never-before-seen footage, audio tapes and personal photos.

The film is produced...

Founded by Oscar-winning “Man on Wire” producer Simon Chinn and Emmy winner Jonathan Chinn, high-end documentary producer Lightbox is navigating the next phase of its evolution, and exiting one of the key initiatives that helped the transatlantic company set up shop.

Variety can reveal that the London- and Los Angeles-based outfit is buying back its shares and leaving U.K. broadcaster Channel 4’s Indie Growth Fund (Igf), which invests in British production companies by taking minority stakes to help them grow. Lightbox is now fully independent, and plans to remain so “for the short term” before considering a sale in the future.

Since accepting the Channel 4 investment in 2014, the “Whitney” producer has more than tripled in size, growing from a £4-million to £13-million turnover company, and establishing itself as a bona fide U.S.-U.K. player specializing in high-end documentaries for streaming services and premium cablers.

“It’s...

Anthony Fauci, the longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease who became the top U.S. medical official addressing the coronavirus pandemic, is getting the feature documentary treatment.

National Geographic Documentary Films said Monday that Emmy winners John Hoffman and Janet Tobias will direct Fauci, which through exclusive access promises to offer a glimpse into the career and life of the public servant who has advised seven U.S. presidents beginning with the AIDS pandemic in the 1980s and through Sars, Ebola and now Covid-19.

The film will be produced by Alexandra Moss. For Story Syndicate, executive producers are Icarus Oscar winner Dan Cogan, What Happened, Miss Simone?‘s Liz Garbus and All In: The Fight for Democracy’s Jon Bardin.

Fauci is the longest-serving public health leader in Washington, DC, and has testified before Congress more than any other single person in U.S. history.

February may be the shortest month, but that doesn’t mean streaming services can ignore their duty to entertain us at all times. In that mission, Netflix is making a decent effort in February 2021. This isn’t the most jam-packed month the major streamer has trotted out just yet but there are plenty of new originals to get the job done.

Netflix has a few original series of note this month. The party begins with Kid Cosmic on Feb. 2. This animated series is a comic-tinged adventure from Craig McCracken, creator of the Powerpuff Girls. That’s followed by the Sarah Chalke and Katherine Heigl-starring Firefly Lane on Feb. 3 and Behind Her Eyes on Feb. 17. Perhaps the biggest sleeper this month, however, is Tribes of Europa. This post-apocalyptic adventure series premieres on Feb. 19.

There are also quite a few intriguing Netflix original movies in February 2021. Malcolm and Marie stars John David Washington...

It’s only fitting that in 2020 — the year of the coronavirus — Netflix’s top titles include stand-up comedies, “sad movies” and “home baking shows.”

The streaming giant released year-end viewing trends on Thursday that also showed that October was the biggest month for comedy consumption, with audiences seeking to quell pre-election anxiety. “Hubie Halloween,” “The Wrong Missy,” “Space Force,” “Holidate” and “Kevin Hart: Zero Fucks Given” were the most popular comedy titles of the year.

In the three weeks following George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police, viewing soared for titles that reflected the Black experience: “13th” saw the most growth, with viewing up more than 5,000%. “LA 92,” “Dear White People,” “Time: The Kalief Browder Story” and “American Son” views also skyrocketed.

Netflix users also gravitated toward twice as much romance in 2020 as the year prior, with films “The Kissing Booth 2,” “Princess Switch: Switched Again” and...

National Geographic has commissioned event series “Return To The Moon” (working title), which will chronicle NASA’s historic Artemis program that will see a woman step on the lunar surface for the first time.

Named after Greek mythology’s goddess of the moon, National Geographic will take a comprehensive look at the mission, using all of its print and digital storytelling platforms to invest in extensive, multi-year coverage of NASA’s journey.

The series will be produced by Lightbox, the company co-founded by Simon Chinn, double Oscar winner for “Searching for Sugar Man” and “Man on Wire,” and Jonathan Chinn, double Primetime Emmy winner for “LA 92” and “American High.” The Chinns will serve as executive producers alongside Emmy-nominated producer Suzanne Lavery (“Cajun Navy”), with Simon Raikes executive producing for National Geographic.

Sundance winner Jerry Rothwell (“The Reason I Jump”) is the series director.

“For more than 130 years, National Geographic...

U.K./U.S. production outfit Lightbox, and U.K. sales agent and distributor Altitude, have announced “Diana,” the first theatrical release documentary about Princess Diana.

The documentary is set for a summer 2022 theatrical release worldwide to mark the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death. The film, produced in association with HBO and Sky, will have its television premiere on HBO and stream on HBO Max in the U.S.; and on Sky Documentaries in the U.K. Altitude Film Distribution will release the film in the U.K. and Ireland.

Lightbox is the company co-founded by Simon Chinn, double Oscar winner for “Searching for Sugar Man” and “Man on Wire,” and Jonathan Chinn, double Primetime Emmy winner for “LA 92” and “American High.”

Using an archive-only approach, “Diana” will draw on thousands of hours of news reports, previously unseen footage and photographs, to create a documentary record of...

Nat Geo was in seventh heaven last year after its Oscar-winning documentary “Free Solo” won all seven Emmys for which it was nominated. The network will look to strike gold again in September with another harrowing doc that also competed at the Oscars.

“The Cave” gave Nat Geo its second straight Best Documentary Oscar nomination earlier this year, losing to Netflix’s “American Factory.” Because the film had a shorter-than-70-day theatrical release, it is also Emmy eligible — starting next year, Oscar-nominated docs are banned from double-dipping at the Emmys — and received four bids: Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking, which is a juried award, Best Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program for Feras Fayyad, Best Writing for a Nonfiction Program for Fayyad and co-writer Alisar Hasan, and Best Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program.

“The Cave” spotlights Dr. Amani Ballor, the first female hospital manager in war-torn Syria. The film takes its title from her hospital,...

On the heels of an overwhelmingly successful virtual premiere attended by close to 6,000 people, National Geographic Documentary Films announced today that it will move forward with release plans for Rebuilding Paradise from Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard and Imagine Documentaries in virtual and physical theaters on July 31, 2020.

The documentary, which first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January to positive reviews, will open in more than 70 markets through a hybrid release. In addition to major virtual releases through Laemmle and ShowcaseNOW (National Amusements), the film will be released in select drive-ins and through individual cinemas including Jacob Burns Center in New York, Coolidge Corner in Brookline, Gene Siskel Film Center and Music Box Theatre in Chicago as well as Balboa and Vogue Theaters in San Francisco. Click here for a full list of markets.

“We knew we would have a good turnout for our premiere, but when close to...

Nat Geo and Nat Geo Wild unveiled their programming slates for the 2020-21 season on Thursday, including a handful of newly announced projects and new seasons of existing shows.

Among the new projects on National Geographic are “9/11,” a six-part docuseries commemorating the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks; a reboot of the classic documentary series “Explorer”; and the national history series “Planet of the Whales” to celebrate Earth Day 2021. The network will also debut a new series with radio personality Bobby Bones.

Returning series include “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted,” “Running Wild With Bear Grylls” and the “Brain Games” reboot hosted by Keegan-Michael Key.

“People’s understanding of the world around them has been shaken. And they are coming to National Geographic in record numbers, I believe, because particularly in times of uncertainty, people flock to brands that they trust. And National Geographic is one of the most trusted and beloved brands in the world,...

Nat Geo announced a couple weeks into the coronavirus production shutdown that the premiere date for its “Genius: Aretha” series would be delayed from its original Memorial Day slot.

Now, the Disney-owned network has revealed the Cynthia Erivo-led series about the Queen of Soul will premiere sometime this fall. The announcement was made as part of Nat Geo’s virtual upfront presentations. “Genius: Aretha” was still in production when concerns about the pandemic caused it to follow almost every production across the country in shutting down.

Nat Geo has also ordered a whole slew of new and returning unscripted shows. Among them is a new series called “Breaking Bobby Bones” (working title) which will see the “American Idol” mentor travel to far-flung destinations across the country to find people with unique jobs, skills, hobbies and abilities, before attempting to perform those same tricks himself.

In the returning shows column...

A major new 9/11 documentary series, a reboot of Explorer and a travelogue from American Idol’s Bobby Bones lead Nat Geo’s latest slate as the factual giant forges ahead with its 2020/21 schedule.

The Disney-owned broadcaster revealed a number of new titles, a slew of feature doc additions and the renewal of Gordon Ramsay: Unchartered.

It has also set a tentative fall plan for its Genius: Aretha, the Cynthia Erivo-fronted drama that was delayed due to the Covid-19 production shutdown.

9/11 comes from Undefeated and La 92 filmmakers Dan Lindsay and T.J Martin, who have teamed up with British production company 72 Films on the six-part series. The series, which is planned to mark 20 years since the terrorist attacks, has already been in production for overs two years, featuring never-seen-before archival footage and new eyewitness witnesses of the event.

Nat Geo is working closely with its new sister companies ABC News...

National Geographic Documentary Films has bought the documentary “Saudi Runaway,” which follows a young woman in Saudi Arabia attempting to flee the country before her arranged marriage.

The deal was announced on Tuesday prior to “Saudi Runaway” screening at the Berlin Film Festival. Directed by Susanne Regina Meures, the movie had its premiere in the World Documentary Competition section at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Meures also wrote the pic and produced it with Christian Frei.

The young Saudi woman used her cell phone to secretly document her claustrophobic existence and her flight to freedom. Working in close collaboration with Meures (whom she spoke with multiple times a day for months), the result is a view inside Saudi Arabia’s patriarchal culture.

“Muna is one of the strongest-willed and most courageous women I know,” Meures said. “Unprecedented, as a Saudi woman, Muna dares to speak up. She shares her...

Rise and Shine World Sales, Cinetic represented filmmakers.

National Geographic Documentary Films has acquired recent Sundance entry Saudi Runaway ahead of its European premiere at the Berlinale tonight (25).

Susanne Regina Meures directed the film about Muna, a Saudi woman with an upcoming arranged marriage who secretly records her escape attempt from the Middle Eastern kingdom on her mobile phone.

Saudi Runaway premiered in the World Documentary Competition section in Park City last month.

“Muna is one of the strongest-willed and most courageous women I know,” said Meures. “Unprecedented, as a Saudi woman, Muna dares to speak up. She shares her...

After playing home to such Oscar-winning documentary features as recent winner “Free Solo” and other awards season favorites like “Jane” and “La 92,” National Geographic Documentary Films is turning its attention to another vibrant side of the doc world: short films. The debut slate will include the documentary shorts “Lost and Found,” from Academy Award-winning director Orlando von Einsiedel, and “The Nightcrawlers” from Academy Award-winning producer Joanna Natasegara and first-time director Alexander A. Mora.

“We have seen incredible momentum and critical acclaim since the launch of National Geographic Documentary Films two-and-a-half years ago. It feels like the logical next step to expand our presence in the documentary film landscape with documentary shorts” said Carolyn Bernstein, Evp, global scripted content and documentary films, National Geographic in an official statement.

She added, “National Geographic has always been committed to telling globally relevant and engaging stories that deepen audiences’ understanding of the world and their role in it.

In today’s roundup, USA releases a trailer for the final season of “Mr. Robot,” Apple plans a “Snoopy in Space” series and Variety has an exclusive clip from Season 3 of Netflix’s “The Epic Tale of Captain Underpants.”

Casting

Golden Globe-winner Ian McShane will guest star in the season premiere of “Law & Order: Svu.” In the forthcoming 21st season, McShane will star as a high-profile media mogul who takes on Mariska Hargitay’s Olivia Benson after being accused of sexual assault.

Morris Chestnut (“Rosewood”) will join Season 3 of Fox’s “The Resident.” The new season, which premieres Sept. 24, will see Chestnut as Dr. Barrett Cain, an aggressive neurosurgeon hired to improve Chastain’s finances.

AMC has cast André Benjamin in its original anthology series “Dispatches from Elsewhere.” Created by and starring Jason Segel, the 10-episode series follows a group of ordinary people who “stumble onto a puzzle hiding behind the veil of everyday life.

Fresh off its Oscar victory for Best Documentary, “Free Solo” could add an Emmy to its trophy haul in September, which would make it the second film to snag the E and the O. But it’d also make some history for Nat Geo as well if it takes home the Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking statuette: Nat Geo would be the first non-HBO and non-PBS network to win the category more than once.

Established in 2005, the Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking category has been dominated by HBO and PBS, two of the biggest heavy-hitters and stalwarts in documentary film. Between 2005 and 2015, the only winners were HBO and PBS — sometimes they were the only nominees as well — and they even tied in 2006 and ’07; HBO won eight during that time period to five for PBS.

But things have been changing in the past few years as more and more...

The documentary “Free Solo” focuses on free-climber Alex Honnold as he prepares to become the first human to claw his way up the 3,000-foot expanse of rock known as El Capitan without tools, safety gear or rope. Now the National Geographic production itself might make history as just the second doc to win an Oscar as well as an Emmy.

The title will compete for a primetime TV award in the category called Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking, which was first given out in 2005. The lone recipient so far to claim both an Academy Award and an Emmy is “Citizenfour,” a 2014 HBO release directed by Laura Poitras about Edward Snowden and the Nsa spying scandal.

Other documentaries have competed for both honors, including 2015’s “Cartel Land,” about the Mexican drug war that won an Emmy in a tie with “Jim: The James Foley Story,” and 2017’s “Strong Island,” a true-crime investigation about a legal injustice.

According to our official racetrack odds, “Black Sheep” looks to be out front for this year’s Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film. Those odds are pulled together from the forecasts made by our Expert film journalists, Gold Derby Editors, top 24 users and the thousands of regular Gold Derby readers predicting the contest in our predictions center.

But how solid is “Black Sheep” in the front-runner position? Is there another short that is a more traditional fit for Oscar voters? Let’s take a more in depth look at all five of this year’s nominated short docs, in order by their current Gold Derby odds.

SEEOscars 2019: Best Animated Short preview of all 5 contenders

“Black Sheep” (odds of winning: 7/2)

This short centers on Cornelius Walker as he reminisces about his experiences dealing with racism in England in 2000. After the publicized killing of Damilola Taylor, a 10-year-old Nigerian boy in London,...

Netflix has picked up “Murder Mountain,” a true-crime murder-mystery documentary series from the team behind “Man on Wire” and “La 92.” The six-part series examines a series of murders that took place in a remote California community.

The Lightbox-produced series bowed on U.S. cable net Fuse earlier this year. Netflix has will launch it globally, including the U.S., as an original on Dec. 28.

The series is set in Humboldt County, California, where marijuana is the dominant local industry, and dozens of people have gone missing in the last few years – more than any other county in California.

“Murder Mountain” focuses on the disappearance of 29-year-old Garret Rodriguez in 2013. The investigation into his whereabouts, the producers said, exposes “a wild, lawless place.” The series shows Humboldt’s marijuana farms, both legal and illegal, and the farmers and dealers associated with the industry.

“’Murder Mountain’ is a riveting tale...

With relations between North Korea and the West in the spotlight, National Geographic is launching a series looking at the ruling Kim family, which has controlled the secretive East Asian state for three generations.

U.K.-based 72 Films is producing the four-part factual series, titled “Inside North Korea’s Dynasty,” which has been a year in the making. Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Martin, the directors of acclaimed Nat Geo documentary “La 92” on the L.A. riots, were consultants on the series.

The meeting in June between current North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump made global headlines. “Inside North Korea’s Dynasty” goes further back to tell the story of Kim’s predecessors: his father, Kim Jong-il, and his grandfather and the founder of North Korea, Kim Il-sung. The Kims have ruled the country for more than 70 years. Using secret audio recordings from inside North Korea,...

Discovery has greenlit “Cajun Navy,” a feature-length documentary that will focus on civilians who risk their lives to help people survive devastating storms, Variety has learned exclusively.

Formed in 2005 in response to Hurricane Katrina, the Cajun Navy is a group of men and women who, when everyone else flees deadly storms and floodwaters, run towards it to try and save people left behind. Members include fishermen, lawyers, pastors, and housewives.

“These are stories of neighbors helping neighbors, of people relying on each other, of communities overcoming devastating obstacles together,” says Nancy Daniels, chief brand officer for Discovery. “We are really excited to shine a light on the Cajun Navy’s inspiring work for our audience.”

Lightbox is producing the docu, which is currently in production and will air on Discovery in 2019. The multi-platform media company was founded in 2014 by two-time Academy Award-winning producer Simon Chinn and his cousin, Emmy-winning producer...

HBO has greenlit “Storm Over Brooklyn,” from Muta’Ali (pictured), and which was the winner of a new initiative to promote diversity in feature documentaries. The project will tell the story of Yusuf Hawkins, a black teenager who was shot and murdered in 1989 after being trapped by a group of white youths in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.

Muta’Ali’s film will explore a crime that shocked New York and the wider U.S. Hawkins’ murder led to marches and protests that contributed to the ousting of New York City Mayor Ed Koch in favour of David Dinkins, who became the city’s first — and as of now, only — African American mayor.

“Yusuf Hawkins’ murder had a major effect on the public, and the locked away regret and sorrow questions a history that those involved have held onto for nearly 30 years,” Muta’Ali said. “We will finally see the light of day...

Samantha Bee was a no-show on the red carpet at the 11th Annual Television Academy Honors last night, as she weathered a Thursday that entailed apologizing for her Wednesday night slur on TBS’ Full Frontal against Ivanka Trump.

Later, Bee was indeed inside the NeueHouse Hollywood to collect Full Frontal‘s honor as a program making social advancements, and she addressed the day’s melee at the podium. Prior to the ceremony, on the red carpet, Bee, as well as the downfall of Roseanne Barr in the last week, weighed on the minds of many entering the building last night.

Dana Delany, who hosted the event, said of Bee’s whirlwind: “I feel that we are in a sad place in our country right now.” While Delaney said she believes in freedom of speech, she decried a change in the tone of public discourse “that started with the election of our current President.

Samantha Bee ended a challenging Thursday by picking up an award at the 11th annual Television Academy Honors for her TBS series Full Frontal, on which last night she called Ivanka Trump “a feckless c**t”. The ceremony, held at NeueHouse Hollywood on Sunset Blvd, lauded programs advancing social change, and in Full Frontal‘s case, for its coverage of the Time’s Up and #MeToo movement.

Bee skipped the red carpet, but made it inside the building where Deadline’s fellow Pmc publication IndieWire caught wind of Bee’s speech at the podium, which received laughs and applause from the audience. Hours before the ceremony, the Television Academy uninvited the media from attending the ceremony, limiting them to the red carpet, over what they called “a substantial increase in attending press” as a result of the Bee controversy.

Bee at the podium said, “Every week I strive to show...

It was a whirlwind of a day for Samantha Bee, who spent much of Thursday dealing with the fallout from Wednesday night’s episode of her TBS talk show “Full Frontal.” But that evening, she was accepting a Television Academy Honors award.

“You know, the thing is our show is steeped in passion,” Bee told the audience at the event, held at Neuehouse in Hollywood. “Every week I strive to show the world as I see it, unfiltered. Sometimes I should probably have a filter. I accept that. I take it seriously when I get it right and I do take responsibility when I get it wrong.”

In this case, Bee was referring to an apology she issued earlier in the day to Ivanka Trump, whom she called a “feckless c-nt.” But lost in the right-wing outrage — and calls from the White House for TBS to cancel “Full Frontal” — was...

Samantha Bee will receive a Television Academy Honor as planned on Thursday despite the backlash over her use of the phrase “feckless c—” to describe Ivanka Trump.

Bee’s “Full Frontal” is one of seven shows honored by the TV Academy for how they’ve “harnessed the extraordinary power of television to advocate for social change while exploring significant issues facing society.”

A spokesperson for the TV Academy confirmed Thursday afternoon that Bee will receive the honor as planned, although the event will not be televised or livestreamed. The press is not permitted inside the event, a policy that was already in place before Wednesday’s night’s fallout.

Also Read: Samantha Bee Loses Sponsors Over Ivanka Trump 'Feckless C-t' Comment

The other programs being awarded are “Andi Mack,” “Daughters of Destiny,” “Forbidden: Undocumented & Queer in Rural America,” “La 92,” “One Day at a Time” and “13 Reasons Why.”

Bee was...

In the wake of the Samantha Bee controversy whereby she called Ivanka Trump a “feckless c**t”, the Television Academy has put the kibosh on any press attending tonight’s 11th annual Television Academy Honors ceremony, which is lauding herTBS series Full Frontal.

Bee is among a number of honorees whose shows were recognized for their “Programming that Advanced Social Change.” Other shows being honored alongside Full Frontal with Samantha Bee include Andi Mack, Daughters of Destiny, Forbidden: Undocumented & Queer in Rural America, La 92, One Day at a Time and 13 Reasons Why.

While members of the press is permitted to cover the red carpet, they will not have access to the actual cocktail reception/ceremony, which is taking place at the NeueHouse Hollywood. As far as Deadline has been informed at this very minute, Bee is still attending to pick up her honor tonight. Tbd on whether she skips the red carpet.

This year’s programme will focus on Brexit and Inclusion Riders.

The UK Film Centre has announced its full line-up of events and talks for the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

This year’s programme includes Brexit briefing, a discussion on the UK film sector’s European partnerships; How to Budget the Inclusion Rider with speakers including Carol producer Elizabeth Karlsen; and a series of Talent Talks with filmakers whose work is screening at the festival.

UK Film Centre partners include the British Film Institute (BFI), British Council, British Film Commission (Bfc), Creative Scotland, Creative Skillset, Film Export UK, Film London and Northern Ireland Screen.

The Television Academy has announced the seven recipients of its 11th Annual Television Academy Honors, which it recognizes as “outstanding programs that have leveraged the dynamic power of television to inspire social change.” This year’s honorees are “Andi Mack,” “Daughters of Destiny,” “Forbidden: Undocumented & Queer in Rural America,” “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee,” “La 92,” “One Day at a Time,” and “13 Reasons Why.”

“Our dynamic television landscape is a catalyst for raising awareness of relevant issues around the globe,” said Television Academy Chairman and CEO Hayma Washington. “We are proud to be part of an industry that spreads understanding, uncovers truth, encourages compassion and shines a light on darkness.”

The winners will be recognized on May 31 at NeueHouse Hollywood, with Dana Delany hosting the event for the 10th consecutive year.

Seven programs that have leveraged the power of television to inspire social change will receive awards at the 11th annual Television Academy Honors, to be held May 31 at NeueHouse Hollywood. Actress-producer-activist Dana Delany will host for the 10th consecutive year.

The 2018 honorees include Andi Mack, Daughters of Destiny, Forbidden: Undocumented & Queer in Rural America, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, La 92, One Day at a Time and 13 Reasons Why, selected from what the Academy called a record number of submissions.

The Television Academy Honors celebrates programming across numerous platforms and genres that address the complex challenges and important social issues facing society in a compelling and impactful way. Showrunners and producers are honored for channeling the power of television to explore these issues via captivating and thoughtful storytelling that advances positive change.

“It’s been a gift to host Television Academy Honors for the past 10 years. Every year I...

“One Day at a Time,” “13 Reasons Why” and “Andi Mack” are among the recipients of the Television Academy’s 11th Annual Television Academy Honors, the organization announced Friday.

Selected from a “record number” of submissions, the 2018 honorees represent “some of the most meaningful and relevant series, programs and documentaries of the past year,” the organization said. The other honorees are “Daughters of a Destiny,” “Forbidden: Undocumented & Queer in Rural America,” “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” and “La 92.”

“Our dynamic television landscape is a catalyst for raising awareness of relevant issues around the globe,” said Television Academy Chairman and CEO Hayma Washington in a statement. “We are proud to be part of an industry that spreads understanding, uncovers truth, encourages compassion and shines a light on darkness.”

These honorees will be celebrated at a special presentation and reception May 31 in Hollywood, Calif., hosted for the 10th consecutive year by actress,...

Tina Turner is — finally — getting the documentary treatment.

Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin, the filmmakers behind the Emmy-winning La 92 and Oscar-winning Undefeated, are reuniting with Lightbox, co-founded by Oscar-winning producer Simon Chinn (Man on Wire, Searching for Sugar Man, Whitney) and Emmy-winning producer Jonathan Chinn (La 92, Fantastic Lies, Whitney) to tell the full story — for the first time — of the global icon and undisputed Queen of Rock and Roll.

Altitude Film Sales is introducing the feature documentary Tina Turner (working title) to buyers at Cannes with Altitude Film Distribution acquiring distribution rights for the...