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The Sopranos may just be one of the most celebrated shows on earth. With its explosive plot, chaotically charged characters, blinding betrayals, and divisive ending, the HBO show easily ranks high among an elite group of shows fit for kings. However, despite the fancy ratings and the golden reviews, the behind-the-scenes account of the making of the show was most troubling.

The Sopranos [Credit: HBO]

The Sopranos was not the average HBO project. It marked the beginning of a revolution that radically changed the face of the television industry for the better. The mob crime drama not only dramatically altered the narrative structure of television projects but also had an impact on their tone, dialogue, cinematography, and grounded realism. Meanwhile, something else about the cast stood out in The Sopranos, too.

The Sopranos Cast Draws Inspiration from Real-Life Tony Sirico as Paulie in The Sopranos [Credit: HBO]

Considering the level of charisma, devotion, and...

Vince Gilligan struck gold when he created the crime drama series Breaking Bad. The transformation of Bryan Cranston’s Walter White from being a chemistry teacher to the kingpin of a dr*g empire was one of the most interesting arcs on TV and is the reason why the show is considered to be among the greatest.

Gilligan was reportedly sure that Breaking Bad would end with the journey of White turning into an antagonistic character. Though he was not sure how long it would take, he knew that the series did not follow traditional TV norms. Hence, the writer’s room continued to delve into White’s darkness even if it ran the risk of losing viewers.

Vince Gilligan Risked Alienating His Viewers As Walter White Got Darker Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad | Credits: AMC

Breaking Bad is often considered to be one of the greatest TV shows of...

Actor Lance Reddick, known for his roles in The Wire and the John Wick franchise, died last March at the age of 60 from heart disease. Reddick was a fantastic talent and we're all the poorer for not getting to see more performances from him.

The producers behind the Disney+ show Percy Jackson and the Olympians, based on author Rick Riordan's book series, were left in a difficult spot, since Reddick played the role of the Greek god Zeus, who starts the plot of the show into motion by accussing young Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) of stealing his master lightning bolt. That storyline got resolved in the show's first season, which wrapped up early this year. But Zeus features in the later books, including The Sea of Monsters, which will form the basis of season 2.

So we expected Disney to recast the role sooner or later. Per The A.V. Club,...

Percy Jackson and the Olympians has found its new Zeus in Courtney B. Vance. The two-time Emmy-winning actor replaces Lance Reddick as the sky god following The Wire alum’s death in March 2023. “I can’t tell you how excited I am to join the extraordinary cast of Percy Jackson and the Olympians!” Vance said in a statement on Monday, November 25. “There are few moments in an actor’s career when you can honestly say that you’re about to board a series that has such a devoted fan base filled with characters beloved around the world and is based on a wildly successful book series. I know that stepping into this role of Zeus will be a memorable experience and I’ll be giving my brother, Lance Reddick, who left us way too soon, a heavenly hug.” Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 is currently filming and is set to premiere in 2025 on Disney+.

Courtney B. Vance is taking up the mantle of Zeus following the death of Lance Reddick. The “Grotesquerie” and “American Crime Story” star has joined Season 2 of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.”

“Finding someone to step into this role going forward was not an easy task, but when icon Courtney B. Vance answered the call, we knew the Gods were listening,” executive producer Dan Shotz wrote in a post on the Disney+ original’s Instagram page. “This legend of cinema not only wanted to honor the books, but wanted to honor Lance’s legacy. We can’t wait for you all to see him take the throne.”

Reddick, who is best known for his work in “John Wick,” “Fringe” and “The Wire,” died in March 2023 at the age of 60. At the time of his death, a spokesperson said the actor died of natural causes.

Zeus is a major character in...

The cultural impact of The Sopranos remains unparalleled to this day as the New Jersey mob and their daily shenanigans forever altered the course of television history. The ripple effect of the HBO show can be found in modern prestige shows like Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Wire, and even Game of Thrones. But it’s the real-life mobsters who remain at the top of the list.

The Sopranos [Credit: HBO]

Taking a page out of fiction’s greatest mob stories, David Chase crafted a perfect story about the Italian-American Mafia based out of New Jersey. With James Gandolfini in the lead, the series introduced a golden age of television that left the audience wide-eyed with fascination and wonder.

But no amount of lessons from The Godfather and Scarface could prepare Chase and Gandolfini for what came next.

The Sopranos Gets a Life Lesson from a Real Gangster Tony Soprano hosts a...

All eyes are on James Gunn’s Superman, which will set the tone for his DC film universe for years to come. The director and CEO of DC knew he had to dedicate time to post-production in order to make it look right, “If you do some research you’ll see my films have always taken a different approach and I’ve always given my VFX artist-collaborators time to do their jobs properly, and the respect they deserve.” He explains, “This is why we wrapped on Superman a year before release and why they’ve been hard at work on many shots for months before that.“

So, would this mean a teaser could be ready for release sometime soon? Perhaps in coordination with a couple of possible family holidays coming up? According to Collider, back in October, a fan asked Gunn on Threads if there would be a teaser or...

Pressman Film, the indie producer founded by the late Edward Pressman and behind classics from Wall Street to American Psycho, has broken new ground in film financing with the first slate listed on popular investment platform Republic.

The offering launched Sept. 5 with a goal of $1.5 million to develop a minimum of six new projects. It’s raised over $1.7 million and could see additional coin by the time it closes on Friday.

This is not crowdfunding but equity investment from — so far — 295 investors with Pressman offering rather generous returns if a project does make it into production as the indie seeks to create a brand and attract a pool of followers and potential financiers going forward. Investors can also reap premiums at other milestones including a portion of Pressman Film’s producing fee and a portion of their share of the net profits.

“We’re the first slate they [Republic] offered in this way,...

Veteran screenwriter Chris Collins (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum) has partnered with producer and film executive Kelly McKee, and entertainment attorney Ken Browning to launch Generator Entertainment, a new entertainment company that will develop, produce, and finance projects across film, TV, and other areas.

Primarily focusing on action, sci-fi, and elevated horror in the budget range of $5 million to $20 million, Generator launches in partnership with Hill Country Studios, a $250M studio development outside Austin, Texas, which will be the first purpose-built production facility of its kind in the state, offering access to 12 sound stages, four workshops, dedicated production offices, and 1,500 acres of backlot space. Under the partnership, Hill Country will back Generator’s ongoing development and contribute to the financing of upcoming productions, two of which are set to shoot at the studio in late 2025, and two of which are planned for the following year.

Ahead of launch,...

Remember when television felt like a comforting escape?

Shows like The Love Boat, The A-Team, and Friends offered pure entertainment — a chance to relax, laugh, and forget about real-world problems.

Problems were solved in under an hour, laughs were abundant, and happy endings weren’t just expected — they were guaranteed.

The original Magnum P.I. (CBS/Screenshot)

These days, that carefree spirit seems harder to find, replaced by gritty dramas, morally ambiguous antiheroes, and narratives that demand heavy emotional investment.

While complex storytelling has its place, so does the simple joy of escapism.

So, how did we get here? And is it time for escapist TV to make a comeback?

Escapist TV: Fun, Fantasy, and Feel-Good Heroes I Dream of Jeannie (NBC/Screenshot)

There was a time when TV leaned unapologetically into escapism.

Shows like I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched, and Gilligan’s Island didn’t ask audiences to confront tough questions or analyze deep themes.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and The Wire co-writer Chris Collins has partnered with former Pressman Film head of production Kelly McKee and entertainment attorney Ken Browning to launch production and finance company Generator Entertainment.

Generator will focus mainly on action, sci-fi, and elevated horror in the budget range of $5-20m and has partnered with Hill Country Studios, a $250m studio development outside Austin, Texas, which will back the new venture’s development and contribute to financing on upcoming productions.

The parties said the full-service studio will be the first purpose-built production facility of its kind in the state,...

The Godfather, Alf, and The Simpsons are among the thousands of films and TV shows whose dialogue has gone into AI training data.

Update: Since this piece was written, the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain has issued a response. You can find it at the foot of the post.

Our original story follows…

If our movies and TV shows are to be written by AI chatbots in the near future, then that output will have the work of countless creative, flesh-and-blood people to thank. According to a new report, such cultural staples as The Godfather, The Simpsons, Twin Peaks and Breaking Bad have all been fed into the AI data set used by some of technology’s biggest names, including Apple, Meta and Anthropic.

The report comes from The Atlantic and forms part of a wider investigation into exactly what tech firms are using to ‘train’ their AI systems. Journalist...

Not even those crazy, could-only-come-from-a-human-brain subtitles like "tentacles roiling wetly" from Stranger Things are safe from the AI slop pile. A new report from The Atlantic asserts that scriptwriters anxious about their hard work and proprietary content being used to train the thing that's trying to take their jobs really have nothing to worry about.

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In this golden age of television, at any given moment we have thousands and thousands of options of brilliant and entertaining TV shows but there are only a few TV shows that will stay with you long after you have finished watching. You will think about their characters, their stories, and in some cases their endings. So, today we thought of making a list of a few shows that you must watch (because of their brilliance) before you die.

Fleabag (Prime Video) Credit – Prime Video

Fleabag is a British dark comedy-drama series created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Based on Waller-Bridge’s one-woman show of the same name, the Prime Video series follows a dry-witted young woman in London as she navigates through the complexities of love and life without any life while dealing with a tragedy. Fleabag stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge,...

“I did things, Stephen, and I don’t even know what I think about them.”

This is Dolours Price, in a later episode of the new FX/Hulu miniseries Say Nothing. Dolours (played as a young woman by Lola Petticrew, and as an older one by Maxine Peak) has spent much of her life fighting on behalf of liberating Northern Ireland from British control. Her methods have often been violent, including the 1973 car bombing of London’s Old Bailey courthouse. And she has often been called upon to drive traitors...

There was a time, not all that long ago when the name HBO was synonymous with top-tier television.

Some of our readers might remember the iconic slogan from the cable giant’s heyday that summed up its unique approach to programming:

“It’s not; it’s HBO,” we were told. And as laughably pompous as that may sound in retrospect, at the time, it rang surprisingly true.

(Photograph by Macall Polay/HBO)

If one were to compose a comprehensive history of the past 25 years in American television, it would be difficult not to mention HBO on every other page.

When Sex and the City became an overnight cultural phenomenon in the summer of 1998, industry analysts likely regarded it as a fluke — a one-off instance in which a premium cable channel best known as a secondary market for theatrical movies stumbled onto success with an original series.

However, what HBO executives...

The beloved Natasha Lyonne comedy Poker Face will be playing with even more of a stacked deck in its second season.

Peacock announced today that Method Man, Awkwafina, Simon Rex, and Corey Hawkins will be joining the cast for the show’s sophomore outing.

In other words, the series will continue to rival Elsbeth and SNL in terms of big-name guest stars.

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

Though best known for his work with the Wu-Tang Clan, Method Man is no stranger to the world of acting.

In addition to his performances in films like How High and Garden State, he also appeared in 13 episodes of HBO’s The Wire, considered by many to be the finest show in recent TV history.

The legendary rapper is currently a regular on Power Book II: Ghost.

As for Awkwafina, in addition to her signature series,...

The Penguin comes to an end on HBO and Max on Sunday, Nov. 10. After watching one of the best gangster/mob stories we've seen in a long time, we know fans are going to be looking for something else to watch!

We've already watched The Batman, the film that inspired The Penguin, quite a few times. And, we also have a long time to wait until The Batman Part 2 hits theaters in 2026. Luckily, there are more than enough good crime shows for The Penguin fans to watch until The Batman Part 2.

And, we're also hearing some promising news about The Penguin season 2. We don't know for sure if the series is coming back for season 2, but there's some hope, according to a report from The Direct.

While we wait to find out the fate of The Penguin, let's get the list of crime shows to watch started with the best TV show of all time,...

Over the course of its four-season run, HBO’s My Brilliant Friend has featured gangland killings, sexual assaults, attacks by political revolutionaries, and other forms of violence. Yet time and again, the Italian drama series, based on Elena Ferrante’s quartet of Neapolitan novels, finds itself at its most savage, and powerful, in conversations between its two central characters, Elena and Lila.

Elena (played at various ages by Elisa Del Genio, Margherita Mazzucco, and most recently Alba Rohrwacher) and Lila (played by Ludovica Nasti, Gaia Girace, and now Irene Maiorino...

Donald Trump won fair and square against Kamala Harris in the U.S. Presidential election. Trump was one controversial figure long before the election, which caused many people to have a dislike towards the President-elect. Interestingly, many from the film and music industry did not take it well that people voted Trump back to power.

Donald Trump in The Apprentice | Credits: NBC; Kamala Harris in The Late Show with Stephen Colbert | Credits: CBS

Apart from a select few, Hollywood mourned the loss faced by Kamala Harris, whom most of the stars appeared to have voted for. Many political analysts pointed out that the celebrity endorsement might’ve had the opposite effect on the Democratic re-election campaign.

Christina Applegate Christina Applegate in a still from Friends | Credits: NBC

Christina Applegate could not hold back on her emotions after Donald Trump swept the 2024 U.S. elections. Taking her concerns to X, she...

Republican Donald Trump has been re-elected President of the United States of America, and most of Hollywood is sad and angry. Outspoken liberal celebrities are reacting with bitter disappointment following Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ loss.

As the results came in Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning, actor John Cusack wrote on X that “the fact that the country would choose to destroy itself by voting in a convicted felon rapist and Nazi is a sign of deep nihilism, to put it mildly.”

“Don’t Look Up” director Adam McKay blamed centrist Democrats who stuck with President Joe Biden and his policies until it was too late and failed to counter Trump’s message of economic populism.

“Who would have guessed lying about Biden’s cognitive health for 2 yrs, refusing to do an open convention for a new nominee, never mentioning public healthcare & embracing fracking, the Cheneys & a yr long slaughter...

The Wire star Wendell Pierce marked the historical moment of two Black women being elected to the U.S. Senate Tuesday night.

The actor, who is also known for playing Rev. Hosea Williams in Selma (2014), Captain C.W. Wagner in Elsbeth, Ishmael ‘Snaps’ Henry in Power Book III: Raising Kanan, James Greer in Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and more, tweeted in celebration of the occasion, shouting out newly elected Delaware Sen. Lisa Blunt-Rochester (D) and Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D).

As of Pierce’s tweet, Trump had 188 electoral votes to Harris’ 99, with Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Illinois, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia and more having been called.

History: 2 Black Women U.S. Senators in Congress for the first time! Sen. Blunt-Rochester & Sen. Alsobrooks pic.twitter.com/TiWKYqTyri

— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) November 6, 2024

Harris secured Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey,...

This week, Celebrity Crime Files examines the tragic passing of acclaimed actor Michael K. Williams. The episode explores the life and career of the actor, best known for his memorable performance as Omar Little in The Wire. His sudden death in 2021 from a fentanyl-laced heroin overdose sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry and underscored […]

Celebrity Crime Files “Michael K. Williams”...

That sound you're hearing outside isn't just the leaves rustling in the wind or acorns crunching under your boots. It's the sound of the la la la la's intensifying as millions of Gilmore Girls fans open Netflix and fire up their millionth annual rewatch. Once the calendar turn to September, you can count on all of us fans to make our yearly pitstop in Stars Hollow.

For years, it's been something of a joke or a trend or really a cultural phenomenon that Gilmore Girls is a "fall show." There's something inherently autumnal about The WB/CW series, and that likely has everything to do with Lorelai and Rory's quaint and quirky small hometown of Stars Hollow, Connecticut looking like ever the picture-perfect pumpkin spice locale.

However, The Hollywood Reporter crunched the numbers and ran the data to get to the bottom of the annual push of Gilmore-centric content.

Dominic West has been cast in the upcoming espionage political thriller series “The Agency” at Paramount+ with Showtime, Variety has learned exclusively.

West will appear in the series in a guest star role. The cast also includes lead Michael Fassbender and series regulars Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith, Katherine Waterston, John Magaro, Alex Reznik, Andrew Brooke, Harriet Sansom Harris, India Fowler, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Reza Brojerdi and Richard Gere. Hugh Bonneville is a guest star. Recurring cast includes Adam Nagaitis, Ambreen Razia, Bilal Hasna, David Harewood, Kurt Egyiawan, Ray Blk, Sabrina Wu and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor.

As previously reported, the series is based on the French series “Le Bureau des Legendes.” Per the official logline, the series follows “Martian (Fassbender), a covert CIA agent, ordered to abandon his undercover life and return to London Station. When the love he left behind reappears, romance reignites. His career, his real identity and his mission are...

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of "The Penguin."

If there's any cable network that understands the age-old trope that even the biggest villains oftentimes consider themselves the hero of their own story, it'd be HBO. The so-called Prestige TV era first defined itself with classics such as "The Wire" and "The Sopranos" back in the late '90s and early aughts, both of which featured some of the most unsavory characters in all of fiction who nonetheless didn't see themselves that way. This golden age of television would soon be joined by the likes of "Breaking Bad," "Mad Men," and other rivals that followed in their footsteps by placing complex, three-dimensional, but ultimately very bad people in the role of lead protagonist.

It comes as no surprise that "The Penguin" would take its cues straight from "The Sopranos" in that regard, spinning off from Matt Reeves'...

It’s not unusual for actors with big stature to get typecast into physically dominating roles, and similar has been the case for Domenick Lombardozzi throughout his career. Since hitting it big in the early 2000s, following his stint in the highly acclaimed The Wire, the actor has continued to star in projects that fed into his tough guy onscreen persona.

Ray Donovan | Credit: Showtime

Interestingly, the actor has been able to turn this around, thanks to his performance in Ray Donovan, and is doing the same thing with Taylor Sheridan‘s Tulsa King.

Domenick Lombardozzi Continues To Evolve With Tulsa King Tulsa King | Credit: Paramount Plus

After years of being relegated to playing physically imposing characters, Ray Donovan served as the turning point in Domenick Lombardozzi‘s career. Reflecting on the show’s impact, The Wire star stressed that it changed the conversations around him as an actor, adding...

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, the adventure series that proved to be a hit for Amazon MGM, is heading to the movies.

The company is developing a feature film that will see series topliner John Krasinski return to the titular role as the intrepid CIA analyst. Wendell Pierce (The Wire) is also set to return, while Michael Kelly (House of Cards) is in negotiations to come back as well.

Andrew Bernstein, who served as an executive producer and director on season two of the series, will direct the feature, which has a script penned by Aaron Rabin, who served as a co-executive producer and writer on season four.

Jack Ryan was based on the characters and so-called “Ryanverse” created by author Clancy, but placed in modern times. It ran for four seasons on Amazon Prime Video, where it is ranked among Prime’s top three most watched series globally.

Producing...

Wendell Pierce is ready to return as Robert Zane in the Suits spinoff.

The actor recently shared on SiriusXM’s The Spotlight with Jessica Shaw that he would be interested in reprising his role for the upcoming Suits: LA, following the original show’s unexpected streaming resurgence.

“I think it’s the most fascinating thing that all of a sudden, our show got on Netflix and it blew up,” Pierce said before recalling when he learned about the Suits boost in 2023. “We got a text, a chain text, from Gabriel Macht who’s the lead, and he just sent this text to everyone saying, ‘Wtf.’ We were all like, ‘What?’”

After Suits premiered on Netflix last year, the show, which initially ran from 2011 to 2019, sat at the top of the streaming charts in the summer and fall. It also became the most-streamed show over the course of a year. The show also streams on Peacock.

David Simon, the creator of The Wire, has sharply criticized Jeff Bezos, the owner of The Washington Post, following Bezos’s recent explanation for the newspaper’s decision not to endorse a presidential candidate just before the election.

In a passionate post on X, Simon detailed his reasons for canceling his subscription to the Post, condemning Bezos as a “technobrat oligarch” and accusing him of breaching public trust.

In his commentary, Simon expressed his dissatisfaction with Bezos’s rationale for the endorsement decision, which Bezos claimed was meant to avoid bias and was not influenced by his business interests.

“Just read Jeff Bezos’s thoughts in his opinion piece in The Post,” Simon began, noting that he initially hesitated to cancel his subscription because he doubted it would impact Bezos financially. However, he felt compelled to act against what he perceived as a defense of “transparent cowardice” from Bezos.

The Wire...

I’ve been leading The Streamable’s content team for four years, and I’ve covered every streaming service available. I’m price-sensitive, so that’s always a priority for me. And I have a family that likes different kinds of content, so I have several services. If you’d like to copy my setup, I thought I’d share my choices.

Live TV: Sling TV

When it comes to live TV, I want news and sports. Sling offers those at better prices than any other option. If you can wait until the start of football season to sign up, you’ll usually get the best deal of the year with deep discounts for a multi-month agreement. Typically, Sling offers 50% off your first month.

With Sling TV, I can watch my most important channels: ABC, CNN, ESPN, Fox, MSNBC, NBC, and NFL RedZone. Sling doesn’t offer ABC, NBC, and Fox in every market,...

Michael B. Jordan is one of the most exciting actors of his generation. Ever since breakout role as Wallace in "The Wire," Jordan has left a mark on every project he's been, with memorable roles in everything from soaps like "All My Children," to indie work like "Fruitvale Station" and even superhero fare like his excellent job as Killmonger in "Black Panther" — truly, every time Jordan collaborates with Ryan Coogler, they produce magic, which is why we absolutely can't wait for "Sinners." Then there's his directorial work in "Creed III," a fantastic film that brings anime aesthetics and rivalries to the popular boxing franchise.

Jordan is an example of why overnight success isn't really a thing with actors. Sure, there are roles that can give an actor a much bigger audience (and paycheck), but those don't happen in the blink of an eye. Instead, they are the product of years...

Of all seasons of "True Detective," season 2 remains the most maligned. But I always appreciate an attempt to peer under the carapace of sunny California and see what wretched beasts spring forth, and I think season 2 of Nic Pizzolatto's crime thriller series did as good a job as any of probing the dark side of the City of Angels. The same could be said of the first season, I suppose, though the swampy environs of deep Louisiana seem to lend themselves more to a murky noir mystery than SoCal. Regardless, it was when trying to find other shows with a similar tone to the first and second season of "True Detective" that I came across the "Red Riding" trilogy.

This series of three feature-length TV episodes set in the north of England during the late '70s and early '80s is about as dour as you can get,...

The actor plans to relocate to help make African films that are not framed by colonialism but ‘own those stories of our tradition, of our culture, of our languages’

Idris Elba has said he is planning to move to Africa as part of his plans to bolster the sub-Saharan film industry, saying “it’s going to happen”.

Elba, star of hit TV shows Luther and The Wire as well as films including Beasts of No Nation and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, spoke to the BBC while attending the Africa Cinema Summit in Accra, Ghana.

Exclusive: After Homicide: Life on the Street landed on Peacock several weeks back, Fremantle has struck its first major deals for the remastered version of NBC’s iconic police series, while senior international exec Bob McCourt has teased a potential remake.

Israel’s Yes and Canada’s Bell Media have picked up Homicide, with more deals close, we understand. Starring Andre Braugher, Yaphet Kotto and Melissa Leo, the show based on David Simon’s book ran for more than 100 episodes and seven seasons in the 1990s and is considered by many to be a precursor to Simon’s The Wire. The HD remastered version launched on Peacock over the summer, and Fremantle, which holds non-u.S. rights, is prioritizing at MIPCOM Cannes, according to Fremantle Commercial and International COO McCourt, who said Homicide “revolutionized the crime genre.”

“We’ve known for a year that this is coming and have been...

Welcome to Deadline’s The Hot Ones — Drama, our guide to some of the best scripted TV being sold at MIPCOM this year. Our editorial team has done extensive research in the run-up to the 2024 market and has handpicked a selection of the projects set to be big talking points at this year’s event in Cannes.

In between meetings and cocktail parties, you’re sure to hear whispers about the next potential global hit, and The Hot Ones is here to guide you. So scroll down for the juiciest fare including Beta Films’ Rise of the Raven, Lionsgate’s Spartacus prequel and Fremantle’s Jesse Williams-starrer Costiera.

A Better Place Komplizen/StudioCanal/Wolfgang Ennenbach

Distributor: StudioCanal

Length: 8 x 45’

Producers: Komplizen Serien, Studiocanal Series, Film Ag, The Post Republic, Wdr, Ard Degeto

Network: Ard (Germany), Canal+ (France & Austria)

What happens to a society that ditches prison? That’s the...

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

If you’re looking to revisit some of your favorite TV series or want to catch up on the classics to see what the hype is all about, you’ll want to take advantage of Amazon’s big DVD and Blu-ray sale right now. The site is blowing out box sets of some of the most popular shows of all time, with complete series available on DVD or...

Jane Schoenbrun didn’t invent movies exploring teenage malaise and identity through the lens of pop culture, but in the opening moments of Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel’s Eat the Night, echoes of their two acclaimed features immediately rise to the surface. Much like the protagonist of We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, 17-year-old Apolline (Lila Gueneau) is entirely immersed in an online gaming community, her only contact with an emotionally distant father coming when he tries to dissuade her from spending so much time on it. And, in an unintentional similarity with I Saw the TV Glow––which premiered while this movie was in post-production––Apolline begins interrogating how the fantasy game Darknoon has shaped her identity as she discovers it will soon be terminated without warning.

But this examination of a lonely, disaffected teen––and how she uses a video game to bond with both her...

The term "copaganda" gets tossed around way too much when talking about films and television shows that center on the lives of law enforcement professionals. Series like "The Wire," "The Shield" and "Justified" were, to differing degrees, nuanced in their portrayal of the good, bad, and utterly reprehensible behavior of the people tasked with keeping the peace in communities of all shapes, sizes, and demographics. They drove home the importance of getting collars and prioritizing closeable cases. They showed how deeply ingrained the practice of racial profiling is in Black and Brown neighborhoods. The characters who walked the razor-thin line of doing good and committing evil could frequently seduce us into laughing off their indiscretions, but there was usually a price to be paid for these actions — or, at the very least, a lack of approval from the writers.

Because sometimes artists respect viewers enough to trust that they won't take their depiction of complex,...

Ian Harding to star in the new Hallmark+ series Ripple [Image @ianmharding on Instagram]

Hallmark+ has announced the lead cast of the new upcoming series Ripple. The all-star cast includes Ian Harding, Frankie Faison, Julia Chan and Sydney Agudong. Read on to find out more about the upcoming series, set in New York City.

Cast of the new Hallmark+ series Ripple

The lead cast of Ripple is Frankie Faison, Julia Chan, Ian Harding, and Sydney. All are set to star in the Hallmark+ series Ripple.

The series is created by Michele Giannusa (The Dead Girls Detective Agency), and tells the story of four strangers in New York City, whose lives begin to serendipitously intersect. Walter (Faison), Kris (Chan), Nate (Harding) and Aria (Agudong) have unknowingly crossed paths many times, but have never met.

However, as they each face challenges in their lives, their actions create a ripple effect that ultimately connects them. Meanwhile,...

“The Wire” creator is calling out a pair of Russian streaming services for removing references to one of the show’s gay characters.

David Simon took to X on Friday to condemn the act of taking out scenes and dialogue that acknowledge Omar Little’s homosexuality. He did not take the censoring lightly.

“Have been informed that the two Russian streaming services offering ‘The Wire’ in that country have systematically removed scenes and dialogue indicating that Omar Little is homosexual,” Simon wrote on X.

He continued, “Be advised, you backward f–ks, that Omar Little of Baltimore, Maryland, is unapologetically gay and, though fictional, infinitely more badass and tactically effective than all of the conscripts and paroled thugs you’ve sent into the meat-grinder in Ukraine. Not that they’d do much better invading West Baltimore. But thanks for watching, I guess.”

Have been informed that the two Russian streaming...

Damn. I never did get around to watching The Boys Season 4. It isn’t that I’m not bothered – I love The Boys. But I missed it on the weekly episode rollout. My free time was already going to House Of The Dragon Season 2 (way better than the detractors said) and The Acolyte; which also meant I didn’t manage to binge The Rings Of Power Season 1 in time for Season 2 starting. I really need to start The Penguin, too, but I’ve already begun Agatha All Along and Only Murders In The Building Season 4, so I’ll just try and keep up with those for now. And I’d heard good word about Kaos – the Greek God drama with Jeff Goldblum as a paranoid, tracksuit-wearing Zeus. Except, that show just hit the Netflix scrapheap a mere six weeks (six weeks!) after it launched. Film and TV is basically my job,...

Exclusive: Industry Entertainment veterans Bill Butler and Michelle Kittrell have left after 14 years to join upstart management/production company Amplified, launched earlier this year by fellow longtime Industry managers Adam Levine, Brandy Rivers and Michael Hepburn.

Butler and Kittrell, who are bringing all of their clients, will be launching a New York office of Amplified, located in Chelsea. Butler, who was a partner at Industry, will join Hepburn, Rivers and Levine as partner; Kittrell has been named VP/Head of NY Talent.

Butler started his career at Wma before moving to Gersh, where he eventually rose to senior partner and head of the NY office. Kittrell began her career in theater before transitioning to representation at Gersh NY. She followed Butler when he left to launch the NY offices of Industry Entertainment in 2010.

Butler and Kittrell have been instrumental in growing the NY offices of both Gersh and Industry, working with a roster of clients,...

Netflix’s series adaptation of Man on Fire is adding to its cast.

Alice Braga (Queen of the South, Dark Matter) and Scoot McNairy (A Complete Unknown, Halt and Catch Fire) have joined the drama as series regulars, and Paul Ben-Victor (Nobody Wants This, The Wire) will have a recurring role. Man on Fire is based on novels by A.J. Quinnell, which previously served as source material for a 2004 feature film starring Denzel Washington and a 1987 Italian film with Scott Glenn.

The series, which Netflix ordered in March 2023, centers on John Creasy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), a former special forces mercenary now suffering intense Ptsd. Determined to overcome his personal demons, he sets out on a path to redemption. But before he can adjust to this new life, he finds himself back in the fire, fighting harder than ever. Billie Boullet and Bobby Cannavale are also part of the cast.

Braga will play Valeria Melo,...

Canada’s Bell Media and Warner Bros Discovery have extended their pact for HBO and Max content, and at the same time ended their legal dispute related to Bell rival Rogers.

The multi-year extension comes just 17 months after the previous licensing pact between the Canadian network and the U.S. studio was struck. The new agreement will see subscribers to Bell streamer Crave “have continued access to a vast library of premium content for the foreseeable future,” according to the network.

At the same time, Bell and Wbd also confirmed they have settled “all matters” in their recent dispute regarding Bell’s suite of Discovery-branded channels.

Wbd had struck a deal with Bell rival Rogers for English-language lifestyle fare, which had previously run on Bell for 30 years. This led to legal action being taken in July, but that has now ended. Details regarding changes to Bell-owned Discovery channels will...

Is Curb Your Enthusiasm the first sitcom about an asshole? Jeff Schaffer says no.

In the academic sense, Curb Your Enthusiasm is about as textbook a comedy of manners as we’ve ever seen on television. For 12 seasons and 24 years, Larry David bristled against social norms and challenged conventions of polite society to the delight of cantankerous Curb fans everywhere, highlighting the absurdity of modern society as he sees it. However, according to entertainment journalist Joel Stein in his new essay for The Wrap titled “Bad Manners,” David and Curb Your Enthusiasm also carved out a new subgenre within the umbrella of the comedy of manners: the comedy of the asshole.

According to Stein, Curb Your Enthusiasm entered the zeitgeist during a unique period of TV history when the antihero main character was quickly becoming the most popular character archetype, just as crime dramas such as The Sopranos and The Wire...

Exclusive: Frankie Faison (The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain), Julia Chan (Katy Keene), Ian Harding (Our Little Secret) and Sydney Agudong (Lilo and Stitch) are set to headline Ripple, Hallmark+’s upcoming drama series from Lionsgate Canada.

Created by Michele Giannusa (The Dead Girls Detective Agency), Ripple revolves around four strangers whose lives start to serendipitously intersect.

Set in New York City, the series follows the four — Walter (Faison), Kris (Chan), Nate (Harding) and Aria (Agudong) — who have unknowingly crossed paths many times but never met. As they each face life’s challenges, their actions create a ripple effect that ultimately connects them. Ripple delivers a powerful message of hope: just wait for the rainbow, some of the best things in life can’t happen without the storm.

“Walter, Kris, Nate and Aria are the heart of Ripple and it was essential that we get it right in casting

those roles,...

CBS’ The Neighborhood is adding another branch to the Butler family tree.

TVLine can exclusively reveal that Emmy Award-winning actor Glynn Turman (A Different World, The Wire, In Treatment) has been cast as Otis, father of Tichina Arnold’s Tina Butler. He’ll appear as part of a two-episode arc during Season 7, and make his debut in Episode 6 (which is currently penciled in for early December).

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Exclusive: Poppy Liu and Chris Bauer have joined the cast of Netflix’s Limited Series His & Hers in recurring roles. They will star opposite series lead and EP Tessa Thompson. Production is set to begin this fall.

The six-episode limited series from William Oldroyd and adapted from Alice Feeney’s novel is set in the sweltering heat of Atlanta where Anna (Thompson) lives in haunting reclusivity and is fading away from her friends and career as a journalist. But when she overhears about a murder in Dahlonega – the sleepy town where she grew up – she is snapped back to life, pouncing on the case and searching for answers. Detective Jack Harper (Jon Bernthal) is strangely suspicious of her involvement, chasing her into the crosshairs of his own investigation. There are two sides to every story, his and hers, which means someone is always lying.

Last year, actor Lance Reddick — famous for his roles in the John Wick movies, on The Wire, and much more — died suddenly of heart disease, cutting short a vibrant career. One of this last roles will be as the voice of the villainous dragon Thordak in the upcoming third season of The Legend of Vox Machina, based on the Dungeons & Dragons adventures from Critical Role, and the show has plans to honor him.

"I think after the first episode of the season, there's an 'In Memorium' card for him," star Sam Riegel (Scanlan) told Radio Times. "But it was such a sudden passing, we didn't have a chance to really say goodbye or anything. We've been in touch with his family, and his wife was very gracious and wanted to make sure his voice stayed in the show, and we were happy that it did and it could. It was...