News

Bectu Launches Biggest Ever Survey

British broadcasting union Bectu is launching what it is calling its largest ever survey of those working behind the scenes in TV and film. The union is asking workers across the UK’s creative industries about their experiences and views on key issues facing the sector, including pay, employment practices, mental health and wellbeing and finances. The move comes with the freelance workforce in a perilous position, with thousands exiting the sector as they struggle for work and grapple with low pay and poor conditions. Bectu has repeatedly stressed that this is worsening as time goes on. “Creative industry workers are critical to our economy and to our social and cultural fabric,” said Bectu head Philippa Childs. “But data on creative workers is lacking. The freelance nature of the creative industries means that freelancers often fall through data gaps on employment statistics, while without formal employment structures,...

When Universal Pictures' plan for an McU-style "Dark Universe" fell apart, Blumhouse wasted no time putting its own spin on those iconic movie monsters. The Invisible Man was among the first and received rave reviews before grossing $144.5 million worldwide on a mere $7 million budget.

While filmmaker Leigh Whannell has since moved on to Wolf Man, there's been chatter for years about him helming a sequel revolving around Elisabeth Moss' "Invisible Woman."

The movie ended by teasing a vigilante-style follow-up and both Jason Blum and James Wan have left the door open to it becoming a reality in previous interviews.

Unfortunately, Whannell doesn't seem overly interested and closed the door on stepping behind the camera for The Invisible Woman while talking to The Hollywood Reporter (via FearHQ.com).

"An ending is the hardest thing to do in screenwriting. It’s the holy grail of screenwriting, and I revere movies with great endings.

What if someone you loved became something else?

From Blumhouse and visionary writer-director Leigh Whannell, the creators of the chilling modern monster tale The Invisible Man, comes a terrifying new lupine nightmare: Wolf Man.

Golden Globe nominee Christopher Abbott stars as Blake, a San Francisco husband and father, who inherits his remote childhood home in rural Oregon after his own father vanishes and is presumed dead. With his marriage to his high-powered wife, Charlotte, fraying, Blake persuades Charlotte to take a break from the city and visit the property with their young daughter, Ginger.

But as the family approaches the farmhouse in the dead of night, they’re attacked by an unseen animal and, in a desperate escape, barricade themselves inside the home as the creature prowls the perimeter. As the night stretches on, however, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable, and Charlotte will be forced to...

From Blumhouse and visionary writer-director Leigh Whannell, the creators of the chilling modern monster tale The Invisible Man, comes a terrifying new lupine nightmare: Wolf Man

Wolf Man is directed by Whannell and written by Whannell & Corbett Tuck. Whannell’s previous films with Blumhouse include The Invisible Man, Upgrade and Insidious: Chapter 3.

Check out the brand new trailer now.

What if someone you loved became something else?

Golden Globe nominee Christopher Abbott stars as Blake, a San Francisco husband and father, who inherits his remote childhood home in rural Oregon after his own father vanishes and is presumed dead. With his marriage to his high-powered wife, Charlotte, fraying, Blake persuades Charlotte to take a break from the city and visit the property with their young daughter, Ginger.

But as the family approaches the farmhouse in the dead of night, they’re attacked by an unseen animal and, in a desperate escape,...

Dan Hamill joins ‘Spartacus: House of Ashur’ (Photo Courtesy of Starz)

Starz’s Spartacus: House of Ashur starring Nick Tarabay has added 12 guest stars to its cast. The much-anticipated new addition to the Spartacus franchise is in production in New Zealand, with Spartacus creator, writer, and executive producer Steven S. DeKnight guiding the series as showrunner.

“Spartacus: House of Ashur will be a history-bending, erotic, thrilling, roller-coaster experience that builds on everything that made the original series a colossal hit,” reads Starz’s synopsis. “The series poses the question: what if Ashur, played by fan favorite Nick Tarabay, hadn’t died on Mount Vesuvius at the end of Spartacus: Vengeance? And what if he had been gifted the gladiator school once owned by Batiatus in return for aiding the Romans in killing Spartacus and putting an end to the slave rebellion?”

In addition to Tarabay, the previously announced cast includes Lucy Lawless as Lucretia,...

One Fast Move features captivating bike racing scenes and talented actors who bring their roles to life. Despite negative reviews from critics, the film's action sequences and professional racing moments stand out. Kj Apa, Eric Dane, and Maia Reficco deliver strong performances in a story about family, love, and racing.

One Fast Move not only walks through several captivating bike racing scenes but also features performances from a talented group of actors who do an incredible job of portraying their respective roles. Directed by Kelly Blatz, One Fast Move premiered on Amazon Prime Video on August 8, 2024. After its release, the film mostly received negative from critics, holding a Rotten Tomatoes score of 20%. However, its audience reception was relatively better, allowing it to drive decent numbers on the streamer.

The film's primary appeal comes from its action sequences, which unfold on the racing track. Although it features a few street racing scenes,...

In NBC's The Hunting Party, dangerous killers escape a top-secret prison that's not supposed to exist, kicking off a heart-pounding and adventurous procedural.

Melissa Roxburgh leads the small team of investigators who assemble to track down and capture these dangerous criminals around the country.

Meet the Hunting Party Season 1 cast and characters below:

Melissa Roxburgh (Rebecca 'Bex Henderson)

Bex Henderson is the main character of The Hunting Pary, an ex-fbi agent hired to an elite government task force because she's profiled and caught some of the world's serial killers before.

Bex is described as wise and extremely curious.

These skills should help her be a good leader for her team.

Melissa Roxburgh is best known for portraying Det Michaela Stone in NBC's Manifest from 2018 to 2023.

Roxburgh commented that she felt she had many traits in common with her character, Michaela Stone.

Her dad is a minister, so her religious...

NBC has always been known for crime procedurals, so it's no surprise they have given another one a series order.

The Hunting Party is a new crime procedural set to premiere at midseason in 2025.

It's a high-concept procedural that promises intrigue and action with a list of well-known actors. Here is what we know about the series so far.

What is The Hunting Party?

The Hunting Party is a crime procedural about a team of investigators who track down and capture dangerous killers who have recently escaped from a top-secret prison that's not supposed to exist.

Crime procedurals have become the most popular Primetime television, so The Hunting Party should fit right in.

NBC is one of the networks launching the most new scripted content. In the fall, the network plans to air a medical drama, Brilliant Minds, starring Zachary Quinto from Star Trak, and a medical mockumentary called St. Denis Medical,...

Miriam Margolyes, who played Professor Sprout in the “Harry Potter” film franchise, is lending her voice to a new kids project titled “Badjelly,” Variety can confirm.

Based on the Spike Milligan children’s book “Badjelly the Witch: A Fairy Story,” the animated series will bring to life Milligan’s original tale about two siblings who go searching for a lost cow – and stumble upon a cast of magical creatures.

Margolyes is set to play Badjelly in the project, who is described as “the wickedest witch in all the world.” When she bumps into brother and sister Tim and Rose on their adventures in the great black forest high jinks ensue. Tim will be voiced by Malachi Hall (“The Flatshare”) while Ava Diakhaby (“Shortland Street”) plays Rose.

The 13-part series is aimed at 7-11 year old and is set for delivery in 2025. The show is already in production.

“’Badjelly’ delivers a...

Watching an international version of Taskmaster has the uncanny quality of trying to explain a dream. The sets are the same, but also not. The theme music’s a match, but it’s playing over people and tasks you don’t recognise. The Taskmaster was there, but it wasn’t the Taskmaster, just some other tall man in a suit. And instead of the familiar comedian configuration of ‘two off telly, two off Twitter and one you’ve never heard of’, you (probably) haven’t heard of anybody.

Once you have your bearings though, free Taskmaster! Multiple new-to-you episodes to fill the gap while we wait for series 16. And it’s good stuff. The New Zealand version is particularly strong, with an excellent choice of Taskmaster’s Assistant and consistently funny comedians. Also, thanks to (the show’s own) joke that New Zealand has a population of just eight people,...

Thomasin McKenzie is a New Zealand actress. She is best known for her roles in Old, Last Night in Soho and Eileen.

Thomasin McKenzie Biography: Age, Early Life, Family, Education

Thomasin McKenzie was born on July 26, 2000, in Wellington, New Zealand to director Stuart McKenzie and actress Dame Miranda Harcourt. She has one older brother and a younger sister, actress Davida McKenzie.

McKenzie graduated from Samuel Marsden Collegiate School in 2018.

Thomasin McKenzie Biography: Career

In 2012 McKenzie started her acting career with a small role in the film Existence. Two years later in 2014, she played Astrid in the film The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, which helped launch her career.

Some of her other notable acting credits include films like Leave No Trace (2018), Jojo Rabbit (2019), Old (2021) and Last Night in Soho (2021), the last of which she played the lead character.

For her role as Tom in Leave No Trace, McKenzie...

With season 7 beginning on March 29th, 2023, the Riverdale cast has welcomed back some familiar faces while also introducing several new characters. Based on the Archie Comics, Riverdale began in 2017 as a simple crime drama and followed the lives of Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Jughead Jones and Veronica Lodge as they investigated the death of their classmate, Jason Blossom (Trevor Stines). While the murder mystery formula in season 1 was a success, the show has since garnered interest for exploring other genres (such as the supernatural or horror) and coming up with the wildest and most fanciful subplots.

Season 7 seems to be continuing the trend as "The Core Four", along with their friends and loved ones, have all been transported back to 1955 after Tabitha saved them all from being hit by Bailey's Comet. With them all playing juniors at Riverdale High, viewers will not only be introduced to several new characters in this timeline,...

Exclusive: Travis Jeffery (Unbroken), Neil Sandilands (Sweet Tooth), Sara Wiseman (One Of Us Is Lying), Ras-Samuel Welda’abzgi (The Clearing) and Lydia Peckham (Cowboy Bebop) have signed on for roles in 20th Century’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. The actors join an ensemble which also includes Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Peter Macon, Kevin Durand and Eka Darville, as previously announced.

While specifics as to the film’s plot are under wraps, it’s a continuation of the storied Planet of the Apes sci-fi franchise which goes all the way back to Franklin J. Schaffner’s 1968 same-name film. We understand that it will pick up many years after the conclusion of the most recent entry in the franchise, 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes.

Specifics as to the new actor’s roles haven’t been disclosed. But Wes Ball (Maze Runner franchise) is directing from a script by Josh Friedman,...

Production is underway in the lush and remote northern tip of New Zealand on “Far North,” a premium drama series for Sundance Now.

The fact-based series stars local acting legend, Temuera Morrison and award-winning actress, Robyn Malcolm (“Top of the Lake”) as an everyday couple who foil an international crime ring’s largest ever deal in the Pacific.

The series was researched and created and is being directed by David White. The screenplay was written by White, Suli Moa and Mingjian Cui.

Filming will take 14 weeks in total, with seven of those on location in Ahipara, where the real events took place. The completed show will be delivered as six one-hour episodes, with All3 Media International handling rights sales outside of the producer territories.

South Pacific Pictures and White Balance Pictures are producing for Sundance Now (U.S.), Paramount+ (Australia), Warner Bros. Discovery (New Zealand) and All3Media International. The show...

Exclusive: Wellington Paranormal‘s Mike Minogue and Shortland Street actor Tim Foley are launching creative talent agency Frank Management with Kiwi agent Naomi Ferry.

The trio has created the New Zealand-based company with a pledge to offer an alternative for all creatives seeking representation. They say their collective experience in acting, writing and producing and representation positions Frank as a “unique presence in the local industry.“

Frank will seek clients across all disciplines, including acting, writing and filmmaking.

Minogue, best known as ‘Officer Minogue’ in Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement’s series Wellington Paranormal, is also a writer and producer, having recently produced the 2021 Sundance film Coming Home in the Dark. He will be Head of Development.

“I’ve been fortunate in my career to have had success across different areas of our industry and will draw on my experiences both in front of the camera, and in the development and business side,...

Actor Francis “Frankie” Mossman, best known for starring in the web series “The Horizon” and his role as Vitus on Starz’ “Spartacus,” died Aug. 14 in Sydney, Australia. He was 33.

Mossman’s brothers Laurence and Jeremy Mossman confirmed his death Aug. 16. The brothers set up an online fundraiser to help fly Frankie’s body from Australia to his native New Zealand for a funeral.

“With heavy hearts and much sadness, we learned of Francis’ passing,” the actor’s brothers wrote. “Francis was an energetic force and much-loved brother and son. He was a well-respected member of the acting community and found a supportive and endearing family community in Sydney. His smile and energetic presence will be sorely missed by those lucky enough to have known him.”

Mossman’s brothers did not specify a cause of death. The New Zealand Herald reported Aug. 15 the actor “died on Saturday in a suspected suicide,...

Francis “Frankie” Mossman, who appeared on television shows like Spartacus and The Horizon, died on Aug. 14 in Sydney, Australia. He was 33 and his death was confirmed by his brothers, who did not disclose a cause .

A GoFundMe page put together by his brothers, Laurence and Jeremy Mossman, has been issued to recover his remains for New Zealand and provide for a funeral.

“With heavy hearts and much sadness, we learned of Francis’ passing last Saturday 14th August in Sydney, Australia,” the post reads. “Francis was an energetic force and much-loved brother and son. He was a well-respected member of the acting community and found a supportive and endearing family community in Sydney. His smile and energetic presence will be sorely missed by those lucky enough to have known him.”

Mossman began his career on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He moved on to The Amazing Extraordinary Friends in...

Francis (Frankie) Mossman, a New Zealand-born actor who appeared in Starz series Spartacus, died at his home in Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 14. He was 33.

Mossman’s representative, Kathryn Rawlings, confirmed the actor’s passing to The Hollywood Reporter. A cause of death was not cited.

The actor played Vitus in Spartacus: Vengeance Unleashed and Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Mossman’s additional credits include Nz soap opera Shortland Street and kids series Amazing Extraordinary Friends.

More recently, Mossman appeared in LGBTQ web series The Horizon, which was made into a television movie from Australian director Stephan Elliot.

In a message posted to Mossman’s talent agency,...

Francis (Frankie) Mossman, a New Zealand-born actor who appeared in Starz series Spartacus, died at his home in Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 14. He was 33.

Mossman’s representative, Kathryn Rawlings, confirmed the actor’s passing to The Hollywood Reporter. A cause of death was not cited.

The actor played Vitus in Spartacus: Vengeance Unleashed and Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Mossman’s additional credits include Nz soap opera Shortland Street and kids series Amazing Extraordinary Friends.

More recently, Mossman appeared in LGBTQ web series The Horizon, which was made into a television movie from Australian director Stephan Elliot.

In a message posted to Mossman’s talent agency,...

Francis “Frankie” Mossman, a New Zealand actor best known for his roles on television shows like “Spartacus” and “The Horizon,” died on Aug. 14 in Sydney, Australia. He was 33.

Mossman’s death was confirmed in a GoFundMe post put together by his brothers, Laurence and Jeremy Mossman, to raise money for Mossman’s repatriation and funeral costs. A cause of death has not been disclosed.

“With heavy hearts and much sadness, we learned of Francis’ passing last Saturday 14th August in Sydney, Australia,” the post reads. “Francis was an energetic force and much-loved brother and son. He was a well-respected member of the acting community and found a supportive and endearing family community in Sydney. His smile and energetic presence will be sorely missed by those lucky enough to have known him.”

According to his IMDb page, Mossman got his start in acting in 2006 on the New Zealand soap opera “Shortland Street.

Exclusive: Six New Zealand screenwriters have been chosen to participate in the inaugural Black List New Zealand Project.

The project, stemming from a partnership between the Black List and the New Zealand Film Commission, is a professional development workshop and mentorship series. Bolstered by the presence of global screen industry executives, who will head up panels, mentor the writers and advise them on fine-tuning their scripts, its aim is to amplify the voices of underrepresented filmmakers, while promoting relationships between writers and producers, and creating international opportunities for New Zealand feature films.

The six participating filmmakers will receive up to Nz$25,000 in development financing from the Nzfc for completing the next draft of their scripts. The scripts they submitted to land a spot at the Black List New Zealand Project cover genres ranging from romance to comedy, crime and horror, and were selected from a pool of 179 for their unique perspectives.

Shamus Kelley Jan 7, 2020

Simon Bennett, director of many past episodes, has just revealed he’s the new Ep of Power Rangers.

The Power Rangers franchise may be about to see some big changes. Ever since 2015 Judd "Chip" Lynn has been executive producer on the franchise, overseeing Dino Charge, Ninja Steel, and Beast Morphers. While he wasn’t the only executive producer on those season he was the one who had a large portion of control over the show, working with the cast and crew on nearly every level of production. Now it’s being reported that Lynn won’t be the only executive producer working on the series in New Zealand.

Thanks to The Power Scoop via No Pink Spandex, we’ve learned that Simon Bennett (director of various Ninja Steel and Beast Morphers episodes) has, as his IMDb profile states, ”taken over the reins as Ep of Hasbro's famed Power Rangers TV series.

Pua Magasiva, star of “Shortland Street” and “Power Rangers: Ninja Storm,” was found dead in Wellington, New Zealand on Saturday at the age of 38.

Magasiva got his start in acting through “Power Rangers,” playing Red Ranger Shane Clarke in the kids series’ eleventh season in 2003. Magasiva joined the show after Disney, which acquired “Power Rangers” from Saban, moved production of the series to New Zealand to keep costs down.

That same year, Magasiva became known in New Zealand on the soap opera “Shortland Street,” playing comic-relief nurse Vinnie Kruse. Magasiva played the role from 2003-06, later returning to the show in 2011. Magasiva also had a career in radio, co-hosting the morning show on Kiwi station Flava. He left the show in 2018.

Wellington Police told the New Zealand Herald that they received reports of Magasiva’s death at an address in the city’s central business district. No suspicious circumstances were found at the scene,...

Pua Magasiva, who played the Red Ranger on “Power Rangers Ninja Storm,” was found dead Saturday in New Zealand.

Police arriving at a Wellington, New Zealand residence early on Saturday founder Magasive unresponsive, according to a New Zealand Herald report. He was 38-years-old and police said preliminarily there were “no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.”

Magasiva portrayed Red Wind Ranger Shane Clarke in the Power Rangers show, a spin-off of the original that aired in 2003. He also was known In New Zealandas nurse Vinnie on the medical drama “Shortland Street.”

Magasiva departed from Flava radio last April after a DUI arrest. He was born in Samoa and raised in New Zealand.

Survivors include his wife, Lizz Sadler, a 7-year-old daughter, Jasmine; and his brother, Robbie Magasiva, who is also an actor.

'Power Rangers' star Pua Magasiva, who played the Red Ranger, is dead. Magasiva died early Saturday morning in New Zealand. Police called it a "sudden death" but neither they nor his spokesperson would be specific. He was found unresponsive in a building in the central business district in the city of Wellington. Magasiva appeared on "Power Rangers Ninja Storm" and played Red Wind Ranger, Shane Clarke. It was a spinoff of the original...

If the first thing that pops into your head when you think of Kj Apa is "Riverdale hottie," then you'd be right. But the actor is so much more than just Archie Andrews. While he's quickly stolen the hearts of millions with his starring role on the hit CW show, there are a lot of other interesting facts about the star you probably didn't know. Like, how he's not from America. Or that despite his smoldering good looks, he's only 19 years old! Seriously, those chiseled abs could have fooled us. Get to know Kj a little better and prepare to fall even more in love. RelatedRiverdale Season 2: Things Are About to Get Very Dark and Weird His real name isn't Kj. Well, sort of. His full name is Keneti James Fitzgerald, but everyone calls him Kj for short. He's from New Zealand. He may play an all-American type of guy on Riverdale,...

Burbank, CA (May 22, 2017) – Unlock the mystery and dive into small town secrets as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases Riverdale: The Complete First Season on DVD on August 15, 2017. Premiering with 2.4 million viewers, The CW’s top new show across all major demos* is created by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Glee, Big Love), produced by Greg Berlanti (The Flash, Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Blindspot), and stars Kj Apa (Shortland Street), Lili Reinhart (The Kings of Summer), Camila Mendes (Randy Doe), Cole Sprouse (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody), Marisol Nichols (Big Momma’s House 2), Madelaine Petsch (The Curse of Sleeping Beauty), Ashleigh Murray (Deidra & Laney Rob a Train), Mädchen Amick (Twin Peaks), and Luke Perry (Beverly Hills 90210). Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is also an executive producer, along with Sarah Schechter (Arrow, Blindspot, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow), and Jon Goldwater (Publisher/CEO, Archie Comics). The release contains all 13 gripping episodes from the first season,...

South Pacific Pictures CEO Kelly Martin.

800 Words, a Seven and South Pacific Pictures co-pro, stars Erik Thomson as a widower who relocates to Nz along with his kids, played by Melina Vidler (Mako: Island of Secrets) and Benson Jack Anthony (Underbelly Razor).

The role saw Thomson win the Silver Logie for Most Popular Male in 2016, and Vidler win the Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Newcomer.

Created by James Griffin and Maxine Fleming and produced by Chris Bailey, the show.s executive producers are Seven.s Julie McGauran and John Holmes and South Pacific Pictures CEO Kelly Martin, whose credits include Shortland Street and The Brokenwood Mysteries.

For South Pacific Pictures, the success of the show, originally made possible by the New Zealand Film Commission.s Screen Production Grant, has been gratifying.

.We knew we had a great show,. says Martin. .Unfortunately these days that doesn.t always mean you get a big audience.

Jenny Morrill Sep 6, 2016

Den Of Geek raises a glass to some lesser-known soap star pop singles, from Coronation Street to Neighbours and more...

“Do you remember the guy who played that guy in that thing? His song was good wasn't it?”

The above is an example of a conversation regularly heard in our house. The only variants are that sometimes it was 'that girl from that thing', and a lot of the time the song was far from good.

Well sod it – I think we as a nation need to have more discussions about Craig McLachlan and Stefan Dennis. It's the only way our society will grow. So here are 12 songs from Soapland that weren't done by Kylie, Jason, or Kylie and Jason.

1. Kevin Kennedy (Curly Watts) – Bulldog Nation

Here we see Coronation Street's finest and supermarket manager extraordinaire with an indie effort from 2000. Did You Know - Kennedy...

In true Hollywood fashion, the tragic Boston marathon bombing of 2013 has gone on to inspire a string of real-life dramas, with both Stronger and the Mark Wahlberg-fronted Patriots’ Day at varying stages of development.

There’s another feature film to emerge from the disaster, though. It’s called Altar Rock, a lesser-known indie thriller helmed by Andrzej Bartkowiak, and Deadline brings word today that it’s secured its first leading star in Kj Apa.

Exactly who Apa will be playing remains up for question, but we understand that Bartkowiak will be directing from a script penned by Kristin Alexandre and A. Wayne Carter, with a production start penciled in for summer.

As for the New Zealand newcomer, the up-and-comer recently clinched the part of Archie in the CW’s midseason drama series, Riverdale. Beyond that, Apa will also star in A Dog’s Purpose, the big-screen take on W. Bruce Cameron’s beloved novel.

John Barnett.

Veteran Kiwi producer John Barnett (Shortland Street, Whale Rider) is teaming with Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder as a consultant producer to develop and produce drama out of Australia.

Barnett retired from Nz production house South Pacific Pictures last year.

Cjz is home to Gruen, Bondi Rescue, Go Back To Where You Came From and House of Hancock.

.John is without question one of the most experienced producers in the business in Australia and New Zealand., said Cjz MD Nick Murray..

.He.s a brilliant storyteller and to top that off, he.s a quality human being and we are excited and honoured to be working across a range of projects with him."

John Barnett said he had "enormous respect" for the Cjz team's "personal integrity, for the business they have built, and the programmes they make."

Cjz CEO Matt Campbell described Barnett as someone who "lives to tell stories...

Z

Shane West will star opposite Leslie Bibb in Jonathan Wright's thriller "Z" for Sony Pictures. Michael Baker and Jeff Sackman will produce.

The story follow a down-on-their-luck blue-collar couple young who discover a serial killer's film reels and take a chance to capture him for the major reward - they soon end up in his crosshairs. Filming begins in Ottowa in late May. [Source: Deadline]

The White Princess

Jodie Comer ("Doctor Foster") has scored the title role in Starz's "The White Princess," the sequel to the acclaimed historical TV drama "The White Queen". Based on Philippa Gregory's Cousins' War novels, this continues the story of the beautiful eldest daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville – the White Queen – the young princess Elizabeth.

Forced into marriage with Henry VII, she must reconcile her slowly growing love for him with her loyalty to the House of York, and choose between her...

New Zealand actress Frankie Adams (Shortland Street) has landed the series regular role of Bobbie Draper in Season 2 of Syfy’s space drama series The Expanse. Powerful in both stature and personality, Bobbie Draper followed in her father’s footsteps, enlisting in the Martian Marine Corps at an early age. A born solider, she quickly rose to the rank of Gunnery Sargent, commanding a group of elite troops. When a surprise attack on her squad puts in her in the middle of the…...

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, a different kind of crime story awaits you at USA Network.

The TV vet, who recently appeared in FX’s The People v. O.J. Simpson and has recurred on Major Crimes, will recur on Suits‘ upcoming sixth season, which finds Mike headed to jail.

RelatedSuits Boss Talks Mike’s Fate and Season 6’s ‘Uncharted Territory’

Per our sister site Deadline, Warner will show up as Danbury Prison’s counselor, who must help inmates survive their time in prison and guide them toward rehabilitation.

Additionally, Erik Palladino (ER) and Paul Schulze (Nurse Jackie) will also recur on Season 6, respectively...

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Riverdale‘s big man on campus.

K.J. Apa, who hails from New Zealand, has been cast as Archie in The CW’s Riverdale pilot, our sister site Deadline reports.

The potential series from Greg Berlanti (Arrow) and writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Supergirl, Looking), is described as a “subversive” take on the famous characters and the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s wholesome façade.

RelatedPilot Season ’16: Scoop on This Fall’s (Possible) New Shows, Who’s In Them

The 18-year-old actor will play the potential series’ lead character, a “conflicted” high school sophomore who has recently bulked up (thanks,...

UK-born New Zealand actor Jak Wyld has signed with Hollywood-based international management firm Bohemia Group. Currently featured on New Zealand’s TV soap Shortland Street, Wyld started his acting career in Sydney where he starred on TV in the country's top two dramas: A Place To Call Home and All-Saints. He’s next up in the Aussie sci-fi actioner Arrowhead helmed by Jesse O’Brien, set to be released this year. Bohemia recently added an Aukland outpost and has managers…...

UK-born New Zealand actor Jak Wyld has signed with Hollywood-based international management firm Bohemia Group. Currently featured on New Zealand’s TV soap Shortland Street, Wyld started his acting career in Sydney where he starred on TV in the country's top two dramas: A Place To Call Home and All-Saints. He’s next up in the Aussie sci-fi actioner Arrowhead helmed by Jesse O’Brien, set to be released this year. Bohemia recently added an Aukland outpost and has managers…...

Thank You For Your Service

Beulah Koale ("Shortland Street," "Harry") will join Miles Teller and Haley Bennett in the Ptsd drama "Thank You For Your Service" at DreamWorks. Jason Hall ("American Sniper") is penning and will direct the project which Jon Kilik will produce.

David Finkel's nonfiction book follows a group of U.S. soldiers who return from Iraq and struggle to integrate back into their civilian lives. Koale will play a Samoan American soldier raised on the streets who feels indebted to the military for making his life better. [Source: Variety]

Get Out

Catherine Keener has scored a key role in comedian Jordan Peele's thriller feature "Get Out" for QC Entertainment and Blumhouse Productions. Peele penned and will direct the story which centers on a young African-American man who visits his white girlfriend's family estate. Allison Williams and Daniel Kaluuya also star. [Source: Deadline]

Human People

Michael Cera, Tavi Gevinson, and...

"You didn't think I was gonna let you do this without the original Red Ranger, did you?" In a surprising turn of events, Lionsgate & Saban Entertainment have just announced that newcomer Dacre Montgomery will be the one who leads the new generation of Power Rangers into battle as Jason Lee Scott a.k.a. the Red Ranger in the upcoming Dean Israelite-directed Mighty Morphin Power Rangers reboot. He'll likely harness the "Tyrannosaurus" dinozord powers, which were previously used by original series star Austin St. John.  Montgomery has presumably beaten out the likes of K.J. Apa (Shortland Street), Mitchell Hope (The Descendants), and Austin Butler (The Shannara Chronicles), who were all slightly more established young talents rumored to be up for the part. He now joins Naomi Scott (The Martian), who was previously announced as the Pink Ranger. The new Jason, like all of the other Rangers, will be an updated version of the original,...

Over the weekend, it was revealed that Lionsgate’s upcoming big screen Power Rangers reboot had begun testing young actors to take on the roles of the iconic team members. They’re all relative unknowns, however, with the plan apparently being to cast a big name star as the villain in order to bring more eyes to the project.

Regardless, we now know who will be playing at least one of the main characters thanks to a new report from The Wrap, as the trade confirms that Naomi Scott (The Martian) has been cast in the role of Kimberley, a.k.a. The Pink Ranger.

As of right now, Kj Apa (Shortland Street), Austin Butler (Arrow), and Mitchell Hope (Descendants) are being eyed for the role of Jason/The Red Ranger, and Daniel Zovatto (It Follows), Ross Butler (Chasing Life), and Brian “Sene” Marc (Major Crimes) are in contention for Zack/The Black Ranger.

Lionsgate has reportedly begun casting for its big screen Power Rangers reboot, and insiders tell Variety Daniel Zovatto (It Follows), Ross Butler (Hacker's Game, Chasing Life) and rapper Brian “Sene” Marc are testing for the role of Zack (the Black Ranger) and that Kj Apa (Shortland Street), Austin Butler (Arrow, The Carrie Diaries) and Mitchell Hope (Descendants) are testing for Red... Read More...

Dean Isrealite's upcoming movie reboot for the Power Rangers is still moving along at a nice pace and it looks like Lionsgate is getting casting underway, with a shortlist of actors up for the primary Rangers. Come inside to see who the "teenagers with attitudes" might be.

With the film supposedly starting up production in the next few months, I figured it wouldn't be too long before we started hearing some casting information on the upcoming Power Rangers reboot. Lo and Behold, Variety got the information on a shortlist of actor vying for the roles of Kimberly, Jason, and Zack:

As Kimberly (the Pink Ranger):

Naomi Scott (The Martian)

Stephanie Scott

For Jason (the Red Ranger):

K.J. Apa (Shortland Street)

Austin Butler (The Shannara Chronicles)

For the role of Zack (the Black Ranger):

Daniel Zovatto (It Follows)

Ross Butler (Chasing Life)

Brian “Sene” Marc (Major Crimes)

Lionsgate...

You can practically hear Zordon.s booming voice saying, "Alpha, Rita.s escaped! Recruit a team of teenagers with attitude." Lionsgate has begun their search for young actors to populate the upcoming Power Rangers movie. While no one has officially signed on, reports are naming a handful of stars in contention.  According to Variety, the studio is looking for a troupe of fresh faces, while a bigger name will most likely be cast for the main villain. The trade states that actors have begun testing for some of the Ranger roles, including Jason, the Red Ranger; Zack, the Black Ranger; and Kimberly, the Pink Ranger.  Kj Apa of Shortland Street, Austin Butler of MTV.s The Shannara Chronicles, and Mitchell Hope of The Descendants (shown above) are three names that popped up for Jason. Jason was the first Red Ranger on the long-running TV series and led the Mighty Morphin...

According to Variety, Lionsgate is in the middle of casting the lead roles in its upcoming "Power Rangers" film reboot, which is written by Zack Stentz and Ashley Miller (X-Men: First Class, Thor). Testing for the role of Jason (The Red Ranger) are Kj Apa ("Shortland Street"), Austin Butler ("Arrow," "The Carrie Diaries") and Mitchell Hope ("Descendants"). Testing for the role of Zack (The Black Ranger) are Daniel Zovatto (It Follows), Ross Butler ("Chasing Life") and Brian Marc ("Major Crimes"). And testing for the role of Kimberly (The Pink Ranger) are Naomi Scott (The Martian) and Stephanie Scott (Insidious: Chapter 3). The plan is to cast newcomers in the lead role as surround them with big name stars. The reboot is described as a modern reinvention of the long-running franchise. In it, a group of ordinary high school kids find themselves infused with extraterrestrial powers and must harness those powers...

A group of young, up-and-coming actors and actresses are shortly set to begin testing for Dean Israelite's "Power Rangers" cinematic reboot at Lionsgate.

Amongst the actors test are Daniel Zovatto ("It Follows"), Ross Butler ("Chasing Life") and Brian "Sene" Marc for Zack (The Black Ranger); Kj Apa ("Shortland Street"), Austin Butler ("The Shannara Chronicles") and Mitchell Hope ("The Descendants") for Jason (The Red Ranger); and Naomi Scott ("The Martian") and newcomer Stephanie Scott for Kimberley (The Pink Ranger).

The story re-imagines the origins of the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" a group of high school kids who find themselves infused with alien powers and unite to save the world.

The studio is said to be looking for fresh faces for the team, but will likely seek a major name to play the villain - no offers are out regarding that part at this point.

Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz are...

Lionsgate has finally begun casting the lead roles for their big-screen take on the Power Rangers, the ’90s children’s TV series that has since expanded into pretty much every form of media there is, and has remained very popular to this day.

Variety has provided the names of the young actors in the running to play the Black, Pink, and Red Rangers, adding that unknowns are being looked at for the roles of Billy (Blue Ranger) and Trini (Yellow Ranger), while the studio is apparently looking for “a big name” to play the role of the antagonist.

It Follows star Daniel Zovatto, Chasing Life‘s Ross Butler and rapper/singer Brian ‘Sene’ Marc are up for the role of Zack (the Black Ranger), while Shortland Street‘s K.J. Apa, Descendants actor Mitchell Hope, and The Shannara Chronicles’ Austin Butler will compete to wear the helmet of the Red Ranger (Jason). Also,...

It's been a while since we've heard any concrete news from Lionsgate's upcoming Power Rangers reboot, but it seems the studio have begun their search for the five titular heroes. According to Variety, It Follows star Daniel Zovatto, Chasing Life's Ross Butler and multi-talented rapper/singer Brian 'Sene' Marc are the three strikingly diverse options to play 'Zack' (the Black Ranger). Furthermore, Shortland Street's K.J. Apa, Descendants actor Mitchell Hope, and The Shannara Chronicles hearthrob Austin Butler (who notably played Thea's temporary DJ/boyfriend on Arrow last year) are in the running to play Red Ranger 'Jason'. Finally, Terra Nova's Naomi Scott and newcomer Stephanie Scott are vying for the role of 'Kimberly' (the Pink Ranger). Jeff Sneider of The Wrap has since added to Variety's report, claiming that Bridge To Terabithia & The Carrie Diaries lead AnnaSophia Robb is also in contention to play Kim. Variety revealed...

You can tell we’re getting close to Halloween as the month of September has a myriad of great films arriving on VOD platforms that should help get everyone in the ‘spirit’ for every horror fan’s favorite upcoming holiday. The highly anticipated horror comedy Cooties starring Rainn Wilson, Elijah Wood, Leigh Whannell and Alison Pill is finally getting released on September 18th and Scream Factory is kicking off the month with a horror comedy too, the hilarious Bloodsucking Bastards, which arrives on VOD on September 4th.

On September 1st, The Curse of Downers Grove is coming to VOD courtesy of Anchor Bay and on the very same day, Dark Sky Films is releasing the psychological thriller Para Elisa as well. Other notable films hitting VOD in September include Hellions, Contracted Phase II, Some Kind of Hate and Run, Hide, Die.

Blood Moon (Uncork’d Entertainment/Jinga Films)- September...

Fright Rags has added four new beautifully dark T-Shirts to their collection that were inspired by covers of the Idw Publishing horror comic series, 30 Days of Night. Also in this morning's round-up: release details for Mickey Keating's Pod and the horror-thriller Blood Punch.

30 Days of Night T-Shirts: In the three-issue comic series 30 Days of Night written by Steve Niles with artwork by Ben Templesmith, vampires roam the frozen landscape of Barrow, Alaska. The town lies 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle, resulting in the sun not rising there (during the Winter Solstice) for 30 days. The vampires take this annual celestial event as an opportunity to wreak havoc on the townspeople.

In 2012, the series returned with 30 Days of Night Volume 1 by series creator Steve Niles and illustrated by Sam Kieth. Volume 2 in the series was released in August of that same year with artwork by Christopher Mitten and Davide Furno.

Walden Media, producer of such hit films as “The Chronicles of Narnia” series, “Bridge to Terabithia,” “Charlotte’s Web,” and the “Journey to the Center of the Earth” series, will co-finance and co-produce DreamWorks Studios’ upcoming film A Dog’S Purpose.

Based on the best-selling novel, “A Dog’s Purpose” is an inspirational story of one devoted dog finding his purpose in the lives of the humans he loves.

Dennis Quaid (“Far From Heaven,” “The Rookie”), Britt Robertson (“Tomorrowland,” “Delivery Man”), K.J. Apa (“Shortland Street”), Juliet Rylance (“The Knick,” “Frances Ha”) and Peggy Lipton (“Mod Squad,” “Twin Peaks”) join the film, which is being directed by Academy Award nominated director Lasse Hallstrom (“The Hundred-Foot Journey,” “Chocolat”).

Based on the beloved book by W. Bruce Cameron, the screenplay was written by Cameron & Cathryn Michon and Audrey Wells. Gavin Polone is producing with Alan Blomquist and Mark Sourian serving as executive producers.