Julia Garner has been offered the role of Madonna in a forthcoming biopic about the pop icon, sources familiar with the project told Variety.

Garner has emerged the favorite from over a dozen candidates, one insider added, and has for months been speculated as a frontrunner for the part — a performance Madonna will shepherd herself as director. Garner’s team is considering and expected to accept the offer, said another source.

The film is set up at Universal Pictures, and will follow the early days of the oft-controversial artist and queen of perpetual reinvention. Universal Filmed Entertainment Group chairman Donna Langley won the script in a   multi-studio bidding war, and Amy Pascal is attached as a producer.

A production timeline and other principal cast is still unknown. Actors in contention for the role include the previously reported Florence Pugh, “Euphoria” star Alexa Demie, and Odessa Young. Singers including Bebe Rexha and Sky Ferreira have also been floated. The audition process was reportedly grueling, as the music-heavy production requires a skilled singer and dancer.

Upon announcement, Madonna said she hoped to “convey the incredible journey that life has taken me on as an artist, a musician, a dancer — a human being, trying to make her way in this world. The focus of this film will always be music.  Music has kept me going and art has kept me alive. There are so many untold and inspiring stories and who better to tell it than me. It’s essential to share the roller coaster ride of my life with my voice and vision.”

Langley praised Madonna as “the ultimate icon, humanitarian, artist and rebel.”

Source Variety

Michael K. Williams, who memorably portrayed Omar Little in “The Wire” and Chalky White in “Boardwalk Empire,” has died at age 54. The NYPD confirmed to Variety that the actor was found deceased today at 2 p.m. inside of his Brooklyn residence.

Williams was a regular on many acclaimed HBO series, including “The Wire,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “The Night Of” and “Lovecraft Country.” He also acted in many acclaimed films including “Inherent Vice,” “12 Years a Slave,” “Gone Baby Gone” and “The Road.”

The actor’s work often attracted awards attention, including three Emmy nods for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his work in “When They See Us,” “The Night Of” and “Bessie.” He’s currently in Emmy contention for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his work on “Lovecraft Country.”

Williams landed his career-making role in 2002 as Omar Little in “The Wire,” David Simon’s critically-acclaimed crime series.

In addition to his acting, Williams had also branched out to nonfiction storytelling, notably hosting and executive producing a 2016 docuseries for VICELAND called “Black Market with Michael K. Williams.”

The news was first reported in the New York Post.

LeBron James attended the Space Jams: A New Legacy premiere with his wife, Savannah, and daughter, Zhuri Nova James, on Monday (July 12). The screening was held at Regal LA Live in Los Angeles, California. Savannah, is wearing a green strapless  Alex Perry dress.

Space Jam: A New Legacy is the story of a basketball star (LeBron James) whose playing skills are out of this world. The star athlete also strives to be a fantastic dad.

“This is a fictional version of myself, but it’s also kind of who I am as well,” LeBron said of the film during a recent interview. “What works so well with the character is I was able to implement a lot of the things I actually do when the camera’s not on,” the celebrity father shared. “For me, to able to produce a movie like this but also to be able to star in a movie like this is very humbling for me, just knowing where I come from.”

Space Jam: A New Legacy director Malcolm D. Lee also discussed the film as it relates to LeBron James. “The thing with LeBron is he’s very professional,” Lee shared during a recent interview. “I don’t think he realized the magnitude of what being number one on the call sheet meant. He found out. But that didn’t deter him,” the director shared.

You can catch Space Jam: A New Legacy – starring LeBron James as himself as well as Don Cheadle as AI Rhythm and Cedric Joe as Dom James, in theaters on Friday, July 16, 2021.

Dua Lipa is to make her acting debut, joining a major ensemble of A-list talent in Mathew Vaughn’s newly-announced spy thriller Argylle.

The British pop sensation and Grammy winner is joining a heady lineup of stars that includes Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, John Cena and Samuel L. Jackson. Lipa will also provide original music for the title track and score.

Based on the soon to be launched spy novel Argylle, from author Ellie Conway, the film — being produced by Vaughn’s Marv banner — follows the world’s greatest spy Argylle as he is caught up in a globe-trotting adventure. It’s expected to be the first of at least three films in the franchise and is set in America, London and multiple locations across the world. Argylle is set to start shooting this August in Europe.

Vaughn (the Kingsman franchise) will direct from a script written by Jason Fuchs (Wonder Woman, Ice Age: Continental Drift), produced by Marv and Vaughn’s regular collaborators Adam Bohling and David Reid, as well as Fuchs. Zygi Kamasa, Carlos Peres, Claudia Vaughn and Adam Fishbach will serve as executive producers.

“When I read this early draft manuscript I felt it was the most incredible and original spy franchise since Ian Fleming’s books of the 50s,” said Vaughn. “This is going to reinvent the spy genre.”

Marv CEO Kamasa added: “We are delighted that we will be starting our fourth, and by far the biggest, feature film production since the start of the global pandemic. It demonstrates both our desire to scale up our production activity and our ambition to continue to launch new franchises beyond the Kingsman series of films.”

Marv is in currently post-production on Tetris, directed by Jon S. Baird and starring Taron Egerton, which it is producing for Apple; Silent Night, directed by Camille Griffin and starring Keira Knightley and Lily-Rose Depp; and action comedy School Fight, directed by acclaimed stunt director Damien Walters.

The King’s Man, the prequel to the Kingsman movies starring Ralph Fiennes, is scheduled to be released theatrically by Disney in December 2021.

Conway’s debut thriller is scheduled to be published in a major launch in 2022 by Transworld Publishers Ltd, a division of Penguin Random House.

Source : Hollywood Reporter

Canadian R&B artist The Weeknd is set to make his television debut in HBO’s The Idol, the pop singer confirmed on Wednesday, June 30.

According to Deadline, the “Blinding Lights” artist (born Abel Tesfaye) AKA The Weeknd has co-created a new series for HBO titled The Idol which he will also write, produce, and star in. He developed the new show with Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and Reza Fahim, a former nightclub owner and The Weeknd’s producing partner.

The show will follow “a female pop singer who starts a romance with an enigmatic L.A. club owner who is the leader of a secret cult.”

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Lily Collins will star as Polly Pocket in Lena Dunham’s live-action film adaptation of the popular micro-doll line.

Since she first captured kids’ hearts in the late 1980s, Polly Pocket has inspired playsets, dolls, web series and television shows. She’s roller-skated, snowboarded, shopped, sang, and exhibited a captivating can-do attitude. Now, Ms. Pocket will be the subject of a feature film that will be written and directed by Lena Dunham, the creator of “Girls.” “Emily in Paris” star Lily Collins will put her own spin on Polly, and will produce the film in addition to playing the title role.

The film version of the popular micro-doll line joins a long and intermittently distinguished cadre of toys-to-movies that includes the good (“Transformers,” “The Lego Movie”), the bad (“Max Steel”), and the ugly (“Battleship”). Mattel Films, the film division of the toy company, is working with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) on the movie, as well as with Lena Dunham’s production company Good Thing Going. The film will center on a young girl and a pocket-sized woman who form a friendship.

“As a child who was obsessed with Polly Pocket, this is a real dream come true and I can’t wait to bring these tiny toys to the big screen,” said Collins.

Robbie Brenner and Kevin McKeon will oversee the project for Mattel Films. Sandino Moya-Smith and Winnie Carrillo will head things up for MGM. Good Thing Going’s Liz Watson and Michael P. Cohen will serve as executive producers.

“Polly Pocket was responsible for countless hours of childhood escapism for me – Polly gave me a tiny world of magic and autonomy to narrate, so it’s pretty poetic to be tackling these same ideas now as a director collaborating with the brilliant Lily Collins, Robbie Brenner, Mattel and MGM,” said Dunham. “I’m so thrilled to bring to bear both my love of this historic property and also my deep-seated belief that young women need smart playful films that speak to them without condescension.”

Mattel has several projects in development including movies based on its American Girl, Barbie, Barney, and Hot Wheels toys. Some of these have attracted similar high-end talent to Dunham and Collins, with Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie teaming up to bring “Barbie” to the screen.

Dunham is represented by CAA and ID. Collins is represented by CAA, LBI Entertainment, Definition Entertainment and The Lede Company.

Source :Variety

‘Black Panther’ Star  Michael B. Jordan, iSpeaks Out on Chadwick Boseman’s Oscar Snub. Last year, the world lost a real-life hero — Chadwick Boseman — who passed away after secretly battling colon cancer. He was 43 years young.

Boseman famously brought King T’Challa to life in Marvel’s Black Panther, where he starred alongside Michael B. Jordan (Eric Killmonger). Now, Jordan is speaking out on Boseman’s Oscar snub, expressing his disappointment.

King T’Challa / Black Panther was not the only role Chadwick Boseman was famous for playing. In fact, he was up for the Best Actor award at the 2021 Oscars for his role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. The nominees for Best Actor were as followed:

Anthony Hopkins — The Father
Riz Ahmed — Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman — Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Gary Oldman — Mank
Steven Yeun — Minari

Anthony Hopkins ended up taking home the award, which shocked many across the country. Fans were expecting the late Chadwick Boseman to take the title of Best Actor, causing a lot of disappointment and even saying that Boseman was snubbed. Hopkins took to social media to pay tribute to the Black Panther star, saying the actor was taken from us way too early.

Now, Boseman’s co-star, Michael B. Jordan, is speaking out on the Oscar snub, expressing how he truly feels about the situation.

In an interview with Sirius XM’s Jess Cagle, Jordan said that there isn’t a single award that would validate or invalidate Boseman’s legacy. When speaking to Jess Cagle, Jordan said:

“This is how I honestly and truly really feel about it: There’s like, there’s no award that can validate his legacy. There’s no win that can take anything away from the lives around the world that he impacted. So you’ve got to look at the things that we can control and the gifts and the blessings that he left us, and that’s this incredible body of work and what he represents for as a person and as the biggest one we could really ask for.”

On the evening of Friday, August 28, the world lost a talented actor and real-life superhero. Chadwick Boseman, who famously brought King T’Challa to life in Marvel’s Black Panther, passed away from colon cancer. He was 43 years young.

His family released a statement saying:

“It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman. Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016 and battled with it these last 4 years as it progressed to stage IV. A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought many of the films you have come to love so much.”

The news came as a shock to many as they took to social media to express their condolences for the late actor. Everyone from around the world shared their love, kind words and thoughts on the passing of actor Chadwick Boseman, including The Walt Disney Company, Marvel Studios, and actors including Josh Gad, Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Brie Larson, Zoe Saldana, Mark Ruffalo, and more. President Joe Biden and Former President Barack Obama even took to social media to express their condolences for the actor.

Source ;  Insidethemagic

Chadwick Boseman’s brother Derrick spoke to TMZ (via The Independent) on behalf of the Boseman family to inform all of the late actor’s fans that there are no hard feelings following the 93rd Academy Awards, which ended with Anthony Hopkins winning the Oscar for Best Actor over presumed frontrunner Boseman. Hopkins won the BAFTA prize for his performance in “The Father,” so it’s not unprecedented that he also took home the Oscar, but many expected Boseman to prevail given his awards run (Golden Globe, SAG Award) and the Academy’s decision to shuffle the usual awards order to put the Best Actor category last. Clearly the Academy wanted to end the show on a Boseman tribute, but Hopkins won instead.

As reported by TMZ: “[Derrick] doesn’t view Chadwick not winning an Oscar for Best Actor as a snub because every nominated actor was excellent and deserving of the award. He says the family isn’t upset or agitated whatsoever that Chadwick’s name wasn’t called at the end of the Oscars ceremony. Derrick tells us the family wishes Hopkins and his family all the best because, as Derrick put it, ‘I’m sure [Anthony] would if Chad won.’ Derrick says Chadwick wasn’t one to put too much value on the Oscars anyway. Derrick says Chadwick ‘always described them to me as a campaign.’ That being said…Derrick says, yes, an Oscar would have been an achievement, but was never an obsession.”

Hopkins was not allowed to attend the Oscars via Zoom from his home in Wales, and therefore the Oscars ended without a Boseman tribute or a Hopkins speech. The ending to the 93rd Academy Awards drew widespread backlash, but ABC’s Rob Mills, executive VP of unscripted and alternative entertainment at Walt Disney Television, says it was a risk that paid off.

“It was not meant to end on somebody who was not present,” Mills told Variety after the Oscars. “It was a calculated risk, that I think still paid off because everybody was talking about it. Similarly, nobody wants the wrong envelope to happen, like it did three years ago, but everyone was talking about it. I think some people thought maybe they missed some awards. ‘Why is best picture early?’ or, ‘What’s happening, this is crazy,’ almost like, ‘How can this possibly happen? Best picture has to end it!’ Some people were upset, some people loved it and that was really the point that there was no apathy.”

Hopkins took to social media the morning after the Oscars to post an acceptance speech, one that included a shoutout to the late Boseman. The two-time Oscar winner said, “At 83 years of age, I did not expect to get this award, I really didn’t. I’m very grateful to the Academy — thank you. I want to pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman, who was taken from us far too early. Again, thank you all very much. I really did not expect this, I feel very privileged and honored, thank you.”

Head over to TMZ’s website to read more from Boseman’s family.

Netflix has ordered another two seasons of its Regency-era bonkbuster Bridgerton.

With production currently underway on Season 2, Netflix dropped a big surprise for the Shondaland show’s legions of fans, revealing that it will return to the world of Julia Quinn’s novels for a third and fourth season.

In accordance with Bridgerton tradition, Lady Whistledown had her own say on the renewal. “This author shall have to purchase more ink,” quipped the character, who is narrated by Julie Andrews and is the pen-name of Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). See below for a special edition of her Society Paper.

• Netflix has renewed its biggest series, Bridgerton for seasons 3 and 4. Season 2 is in production and in keeping with the novels, tells a new romance story – that of Lord Anthony Bridgerton’s quest for love.

• Netflix Quote: “Bridgerton swept us off our feet. The creative team, led by Shonda, knew the material and delivered a beautiful, emotional, romantic drama for our members. They have some exciting plans for the future, and we think audiences will continue to swoon for this show. We’re planning to be in the Bridgerton business for a long time to come.”  Bela Bajaria, VP, Global TV

• Shonda Rhimes Quote: “From the first time I read Julia Quinn’s delicious Bridgerton series, I knew these were stories that would captivate a viewing audience. But the evolution of this adaptation would not be a success without the many significant contributions of the entire Shondaland team. This two-season pickup is a strong vote of confidence in our work and I feel incredibly grateful to have partners as collaborative and creative as Netflix. Betsy and I are thrilled to have the opportunity to continue bringing the world of Bridgerton to a worldwide audience.”

• Bridgerton comes to Netflix from Shondaland and is executive produced by Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, and Chris Van Dusen

• About Bridgerton: Based on Julia Quinn’s best-selling series of novels, BRIDGERTON is set in the sexy, lavish, and competitive world of Regency London high society.  From the glittering ballrooms of Mayfair to the aristocratic palaces of Park Lane and beyond, the series unveils a seductive, sumptuous world replete with intricate rules and dramatic power struggles, where no one is truly ever on steady ground.  At the heart of the show is the powerful Bridgerton family.  Comprised of eight close-knit siblings, this funny, witty, daring, and clever group must navigate the upper ten thousand’s marriage mart in search of romance, adventure, and love.

Synopsis

Daniel Kaluuya wins Best Supporting Actor at the SAG Awards for his performance in Judas and the Black Messiah  For his Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture Kaluuya accepted his award virtually via Zoom during the socially-distanced broadcast.

The actor shared in his speech, “Thank you, thank you SAG for this honor. I share this with all the nominees and everyone that was apart of making Judas and the Black Messiah…man you can’t make a film without an incredible group of people that come together and want to say a truth.”