Variety
50 articles published on WSG News
🇺🇸Paramount to Raise $7.5 Billion More in Debt to Fund Warner Bros. Deal - Variety
Paramount Skydance is launching a syndication to raise $7.5 billion in debt to finance the Warner Bros. Discovery merger.
🇺🇸Macklemore Says 'Free Palestine' Is Not a 'Criticism' of Jewish People - Variety
Macklemore says his call to 'Free Palestine' is not a 'criticism' of Jewish people.
🇺🇸The 2026 World Cup’s Most Stylish Moments: From Erling Haaland’s Birkin Collection to Kylian Mbappé’s Dior Ensembles
At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, football’s biggest stars turned team arrivals and training camp entrances into their own kind of global runway. Fashion has always been embedded in the sport but this year’s tournament made the relationship impossible to ignore. Ra…
🇺🇸IPL 2026 Powers India’s JioStar to $1.14 Billion Quarter and Streaming Record
India’s dominant media platform JioStar generated revenue from operations of INR10,946 crore ($1.14 billion) in the three months ended June 30, 2026 – a 14% year-on-year increase driven by subscription growth and a surge in digital advertising. Operating EBIT…
🇺🇸‘God of War’ Shocker: Kratos Actor Ryan Hurst Recast After On-Set Injury - Variety
Prime Video's "God of War" adaptation has recast the lead role of Kratos after star Ryan Hurst suffered an injury on set.
🇺🇸‘The Five-Star Weekend’ Creator on Changes From the Book, Jennifer Garner’s Input on the Infidelity Story and Wanting to Do More Seasons With the Same Cast
SPOILER ALERT: This interview contains major spoilers for “The Five-Star Weekend,” now streaming on Peacock. For “The Five-Star Weekend” showrunner Bekah Brunstetter, women’s stories only get richer as they age. “There’s so much change that happens in your 40s and 50s — and I don’t just mean menopause and perimenopause, which has become what we’re […]
🇺🇸UFC 329 Livestream: Here’s Where to Watch the McGregor vs. Holloway Rematch Online
After Justin Gaethje defeated Ilia Topuria in a TKO to win the UFC Lightweight Championship belt during UFC Freedom 250 in June, the promotion company travels from Washington, D.C. to Las Vegas for UFC 329 and the return of Conor McGregor in July. For the main event, Irish fighter McGregor (22-6-0) goes head-to-head against American […]
🇺🇸World Cup Viewership Propels Telemundo and Peacock, Smashing TV Ratings Records
Telemundo’s World Cup coverage over the past four weeks has set numerous viewership records for NBCUniversal’s Spanish-language network. But two days in particular stand out to Miguel Lorenzo, senior VP of sports content and production for NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. The July 5 match that saw Mexico knocked out of the tournament by England ranks as […]
🇺🇸Barbara Ling, Production Designer of ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,’ ‘Michael,’ Dies at 73
Barbara Ling, the Oscar-winning production designer of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” who also designed films including “The Doors” and “Michael,” died July 9. She was 73. Ling’s career spanned four decades, during which she worked on Oliver Stone’s “The Doors” and Joel Schumacher’s “Falling Down.” She designed the sets for Antoine Fuqua’s Michael […]
🇺🇸Peter Van Norden, Actor in ‘Police Academy 2’ and ‘The Stand,’ Dies at 75
Peter Van Norden, a frequent character actor in films including “Police Academy 2,” and TV projects including “The Stand,” died Thursday in California, his son Robert confirmed on Instagram. He was 75. Born in New York, Van Norden graduated Colgate University and started out onstage in plays including “Measure for Measure,” “A Country Scandal” and […]
🇺🇸Box Office: ‘Moana’ Makes $18 Million on Opening Day
Although “Moana” led the box office on Friday, the live-action remake didn’t make the domestic splash Disney was probably hoping for. “Moana” made just $18 million on Friday from 3,875 North American theaters. Rival estimates have it grossing $45 million through opening weekend, which is below the $56 million the original “Moana” earned over its […]
🇺🇸‘Fruit Gathering’ Review: Two Working Women Chase Impossible Dreams and Desires in a Delicate Debut from Myanmar
Acts of kindness are few and far between in the punishing Myanmar textile factory where young San Kyi (Nandar Myat Aung) makes a meager living, hunched over a sewing machine. When new employee Theint (Nandar Myint Lwin) tells a white lie to cover for her after an unauthorized bathroom break, San Kyi’s face turns positively […]
🇺🇸‘Only Beautiful Things to Look At’ Review: A Handsome but Muffled Portrait of State-Sanctioned Cruelty
The fashions and furnishings of Czechoslovakia in the 1980s — the height of the state’s racist program of suppressing the Roma population through coerced sterilization — are painstakingly evoked in Slovakian filmmaker Ivan Ostrochovský’s “Only Beautiful Things to Look At.” But the film’s attractive yet oddly bloodless presentation gives the impression of a period drama […]
🇺🇸‘Only Beautiful Things to Look At’ Review: A Handsome but Muffled Portrait of State-Sanctioned Cruelty
The fashions and furnishings of Czechoslovakia in the 1980s — the height of the state’s racist program of suppressing the Roma population through coerced sterilization — are painstakingly evoked in Slovakian filmmaker Ivan Ostrochovský’s “Only Beautiful Things to Look At.” But the film’s attractive yet oddly bloodless presentation gives the impression of a period drama […]
🇺🇸‘Only Beautiful Things to Look At’ Review: A Handsome but Muffled Portrait of State-Sanctioned Cruelty
The fashions and furnishings of Czechoslovakia in the 1980s — the height of the state’s racist program of suppressing the Roma population through coerced sterilization — are painstakingly evoked in Slovakian filmmaker Ivan Ostrochovský’s “Only Beautiful Things to Look At.” But the film’s attractive yet oddly bloodless presentation gives the impression of a period drama […]
🇺🇸‘Night Nurse’ Review: Two Perverts Join Forces in a Gloriously Deviant Oddity About a Caretaker Drawn Into Her Patient’s Grifting Games
From the moment we meet luxury nursing-home patient Douglas (Bruce McKenzie), we feel something is up. The knowing sparkle in his baby-blue eyes; his slender gold chain and tufts of chest hair poking out of his medical jammies; his low, measured drawl — is it the voice of a former player who knows his mind […]
🇺🇸‘Night Nurse’ Review: Two Perverts Join Forces in a Gloriously Deviant Oddity About a Caretaker Drawn Into Her Patient’s Grifting Games
From the moment we meet luxury nursing-home patient Douglas (Bruce McKenzie), we feel something is up. The knowing sparkle in his baby-blue eyes; his slender gold chain and tufts of chest hair poking out of his medical jammies; his low, measured drawl — is it the voice of a former player who knows his mind […]
🇺🇸‘Night Nurse’ Review: Two Perverts Join Forces in a Gloriously Deviant Oddity About a Caretaker Drawn Into Her Patient’s Grifting Games
From the moment we meet luxury nursing-home patient Douglas (Bruce McKenzie), we feel something is up. The knowing sparkle in his baby-blue eyes; his slender gold chain and tufts of chest hair poking out of his medical jammies; his low, measured drawl — is it the voice of a former player who knows his mind […]
🇺🇸‘A Happy Family’ Review: Anna Schinz’s Powerful Lead Performance Elevates a Confused Custody Drama
There is a more interesting story lurking within Jan-Eric Mack’s “A Happy Family” than the one actually being told. At times, the Swiss filmmaker teases the possibility that the conventional narrative shown thus far might break into a bold, daring twist. It’s a promise unfulfilled, however, and those glimpses of something thornier and more daring […]
🇺🇸‘A Happy Family’ Review: Anna Schinz’s Powerful Lead Performance Elevates a Confused Custody Drama
There is a more interesting story lurking within Jan-Eric Mack’s “A Happy Family” than the one actually being told. At times, the Swiss filmmaker teases the possibility that the conventional narrative shown thus far might break into a bold, daring twist. It’s a promise unfulfilled, however, and those glimpses of something thornier and more daring […]
🇺🇸‘A Happy Family’ Review: Anna Schinz’s Powerful Lead Performance Elevates a Confused Custody Drama
There is a more interesting story lurking within Jan-Eric Mack’s “A Happy Family” than the one actually being told. At times, the Swiss filmmaker teases the possibility that the conventional narrative shown thus far might break into a bold, daring twist. It’s a promise unfulfilled, however, and those glimpses of something thornier and more daring […]
🇺🇸Colombia Adds Massive Soundstage as Bogotá Audiovisual Market Attendance Soars and ‘Narcos’ Star-Led ‘Rookies’ Cleans Up in Project Prizes
Colombia’s Bogotá Audiovisual Market (BAM) has wrapped its 17th Edition July 10 with an uptick in attendance. The numbers say it all: 2,336 accredited participants and 271 industry activities and 882 one-on-one business meetings connecting selected projects with a host of international guests, advisors and potential partners. “BAM once again showed that Colombia has world-class […]
🇺🇸Colombia’s Bogotá Audiovisual Market Attendance Soars as ‘Narcos’ Star-Led ‘Rookies’ Cleans Up in Project Prizes
Colombia’s Bogotá Audiovisual Market (BAM) has wrapped its 17th Edition July 10 with an uptick in attendance. The numbers say it all: 2,336 accredited participants and 271 industry activities and 882 one-on-one business meetings connecting selected projects with a host of international guests, advisors and potential partners. “BAM once again showed that Colombia has world-class […]
🇺🇸Colombia Adds Massive Soundstage as Bogotá Audiovisual Market Attendance Soars and ‘Narcos’ Star-Led ‘Rookies’ Cleans Up in Project Prizes
Colombia’s Bogotá Audiovisual Market (BAM) has wrapped its 17th Edition July 10 with an uptick in attendance. The numbers say it all: 2,336 accredited participants and 271 industry activities and 882 one-on-one business meetings connecting selected projects with a host of international guests, advisors and potential partners. “BAM once again showed that Colombia has world-class […]
🇺🇸Jay-Z Brings Out Beyoncé, Blue Ivy Carter, Nas, Alicia Keys and More for ‘Reasonable Doubt’ 30th Anniversary Show at Yankee Stadium
Jay-Z did appear to promise far in advance that his “Reasonable Doubt” 30th anniversary show would, in fact, be a celebration of the debut album that he dropped back in June 1996. That didn’t stop him from pulling out all the stops — well, most of them, at least — during the first of his […]
🇺🇸Jay-Z Brings Out Beyoncé, Blue Ivy Carter, Nas, Alicia Keys and More for ‘Reasonable Doubt’ 30th Anniversary Show at Yankee Stadium
Jay-Z did appear to promise far in advance that his “Reasonable Doubt” 30th anniversary show would, in fact, be a celebration of the debut album that he dropped back in June 1996. That didn’t stop him from pulling out all the stops — well, most of them, at least — during the first of his […]
🇺🇸Jay-Z Brings Out Beyoncé, Blue Ivy Carter, Nas, Alicia Keys and More for ‘Reasonable Doubt’ 30th Anniversary Show at Yankee Stadium
Jay-Z did appear to promise far in advance that his “Reasonable Doubt” 30th anniversary show would, in fact, be a celebration of the debut album that he dropped back in June 1996. That didn’t stop him from pulling out all the stops — well, most of them, at least — during the first of his […]
🇺🇸Oregon Attorney General Drops Motion to Delay Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger
The Oregon attorney general’s office has withdrawn its motion to delay the closing of the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, according to a filing submitted Friday in the Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland, Ore. The deal could close as soon as July 22, though several states, including Oregon and California, are investigating whether the $111 billion […]
🇺🇸Oregon D.A. Drops Motion to Delay Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger
The Oregon attorney general’s office has withdrawn its motion to delay the closing of the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, according to a filing submitted Friday in the Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland, Ore. The deal could close as soon as July 22, though several states, including Oregon and California, are investigating whether the $111 billion […]
🇺🇸Oregon D.A. Drops Motion to Delay Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger
The Oregon attorney general’s office has withdrawn its motion to delay the closing of the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, according to a filing submitted Friday in the Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland, Ore. The deal could close as soon as July 22, though several states, including Oregon and California, are investigating whether the $111 billion […]
🇺🇸Donald Iwerks, Disney Camera Technician and Co-Founder of Iwerks Entertainment, Dies at 96
Donald Iwerks, son of Mickey Mouse co-creator Ub Iwerks, whose groundbreaking innovations transformed cinematic storytelling and immersive entertainment, died July 9. He was 96. Iwerks spent over six deacdes on projects for The Walt Disney Company, along with his own studio, Iwerks Entertainment. Don pioneered innovations in projection technology, 3D and large-format filmmaking, and immersive […]
🇺🇸Donald Iwerks, Disney Camera Technician and Co-Founder of Iwerks Entertainment, Dies at 96
Donald Iwerks, son of Mickey Mouse co-creator Ub Iwerks, whose groundbreaking innovations transformed cinematic storytelling and immersive entertainment, died July 9. He was 96. Iwerks spent over six deacdes on projects for The Walt Disney Company, along with his own studio, Iwerks Entertainment. Don pioneered innovations in projection technology, 3D and large-format filmmaking, and immersive […]
🇺🇸Donald Iwerks, Disney Camera Technician and Co-Founder of Iwerks Entertainment, Dies at 96
Donald Iwerks, son of Mickey Mouse co-creator Ub Iwerks, whose groundbreaking innovations transformed cinematic storytelling and immersive entertainment, died July 9. He was 96. Iwerks spent over six deacdes on projects for The Walt Disney Company, along with his own studio, Iwerks Entertainment. Don pioneered innovations in projection technology, 3D and large-format filmmaking, and immersive […]
🇺🇸Jack White Offers Opening Slot to ‘Satanic’ Band Twin Temple — ‘Get in Front of Me, Satan!’ — as Charley Crockett Defends Decision to Dump Them
“Not today, Satan”… or “Hell yeah, Beelzebub”? A split is taking place in the polarizing realm of devil-rock, as practiced by self-styled “Satanic” duo Twin Temple. On Friday, country singer Charley Crockett took to social media to defend his decision to drop the act from his tour dates — even as Jack White piped up […]
🇺🇸Jack White Offers Opening Slot to ‘Satanic’ Band Twin Temple — ‘Get in Front of Me, Satan!’ — as Charley Crockett Defends Decision to Dump Them
“Not today, Satan”… or “Hell yeah, Beelzebub”? A split is taking place in the polarizing realm of devil-rock, as practiced by self-styled “Satanic” duo Twin Temple. On Friday, country singer Charley Crockett took to social media to defend his decision to drop the act from his tour dates — even as Jack White piped up […]
🇺🇸Jack White Offers Opening Slot to ‘Satanic’ Band Twin Temple — ‘Get in Front of Me, Satan!’ — as Charley Crockett Defends Decision to Dump Them
“Not today, Satan”… or “Hell yeah, Beelzebub”? A split is taking place in the polarizing realm of devil-rock, as practiced by self-styled “Satanic” duo Twin Temple. On Friday, country singer Charley Crockett took to social media to defend his decision to drop the act from his tour dates — even as Jack White piped up […]
🇺🇸Cineverse Buys Horror-Comedy ‘Portal to Hell’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Cineverse and its horror division Bloody Disgusting have acquired U.S. VOD and streaming rights to “Portal to Hell,” the Slamdance and Frightfest debut feature from Woody Bess. A limited theatrical rollout is expected ahead of Cineverse’s digital release this summer. Trey Holland (“The Diabolical”), Romina D’Ugo (“12 Monkeys”), Keith David (“The Thing”), and Richard Kind […]
🇺🇸Cineverse Buys Horror-Comedy ‘Portal to Hell’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Cineverse and its horror division Bloody Disgusting have acquired U.S. VOD and streaming rights to “Portal to Hell,” the Slamdance and Frightfest debut feature from Woody Bess. A limited theatrical rollout is expected ahead of Cineverse’s digital release this summer. Trey Holland (“The Diabolical”), Romina D’Ugo (“12 Monkeys”), Keith David (“The Thing”), and Richard Kind […]
🇺🇸Cineverse Buys Horror-Comedy ‘Portal to Hell’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Cineverse and its horror division Bloody Disgusting have acquired U.S. VOD and streaming rights to “Portal to Hell,” the Slamdance and Frightfest debut feature from Woody Bess. A limited theatrical rollout is expected ahead of Cineverse’s digital release this summer. Trey Holland (“The Diabolical”), Romina D’Ugo (“12 Monkeys”), Keith David (“The Thing”), and Richard Kind […]
🇺🇸‘Moana’ Cast Guide: Every Live-Action Character vs. the Original Animation
Moana and Maui are setting sail once again — this time, in live-action. Releasing in theaters July 10, Disney’s animated musical “Moana” comes back to life with a brand new live-action remake led by Catherine Laga’aia, who stars as the titular character. Similar to the original, the film follows Moana’s journey to restore the heart […]
🇺🇸‘Moana’ Cast Guide: Every Live-Action Character vs. the Original Animation
Moana and Maui are setting sail once again — this time, in live-action. Releasing in theaters July 10, Disney’s animated musical “Moana” comes back to life with a brand new live-action remake led by Catherine Laga’aia, who stars as the titular character. Similar to the original, the film follows Moana’s journey to restore the heart […]
🇺🇸‘Moana’ Cast Guide: Every Live-Action Character vs. the Original Animation
Moana and Maui are setting sail once again — this time, in live-action. Releasing in theaters July 10, Disney’s animated musical “Moana” comes back to life with a brand new live-action remake led by Catherine Laga’aia, who stars as the titular character. Similar to the original, the film follows Moana’s journey to restore the heart […]
🇺🇸Randolph Mantooth, Who Played Johnny Gage on ‘Emergency!,’ Dies at 80
Randolph Mantooth, known for playing paramedic Johnny Gage on the “Emergency!” TV series in the 1970s, died July 9 in Ventura. He was 80. Mantooth broke out in 1972 when he was cast in “Emergency!,” which introduced the profession of paramedics to the public. He co-starred with Kevin Tighe in the popular NBC series which […]
🇺🇸‘Pokémon Go’ Exec Promises 1,000-Person Times Square Mewtwo Event Is Just the Start of 10th Anniversary: ‘My Personal Goal Is to Create Core Memories’ for All Players
Ten years ago, “Pokémon Go” vice president of product Michael Steranka was crying in the shower because the first large-scale event for the hit mobile game was, in his own opinion, a disaster. The Niantic-developed game kept crashing, too many people were trying to play at once and the servers couldn’t handle the game’s immense […]
🇺🇸‘Love Island USA’ Season 8 Contestant Caleb McDaniel on His Relationship With Jaiden, Not Exploring Melanie and His Newfound Fame: ‘I’m Just Now Starting to Realize It’s As Big As It Is’
Yes, Caleb McDaniel knows he’s the internet’s boyfriend. Caleb quickly rose to fame on Season 8 of “Love Island USA,” entering the villa with about 10,000 Instagram followers, and now sitting with more than 1 million just one week after leaving the show. “I’m waiting to wake up from a dream right now. It’s just […]
🇺🇸Dakota and Elle Fanning Starrer ‘The Nightingale’ Moves to March, Facing Off Against ‘Sonic 4’
WWII drama “The Nightingale,” starring Dakota and Elle Fanning in their first starring movie role together, is moving a month later and will now face off against “Sonic the Hedgehog 4” on March 19. The later date puts it in prime territory for college students on spring break in the lead-up to Easter — especially […]
🇺🇸Broadcast Emmy Woes, Lots of Martin Short, Bad Bunny and Other Trivia From 2026’s Nominations
It’s been a long time since the broadcast networks ruled at the Emmys, but this year’s nominations are a reminder of how little they now factor into the race. Among the major drama, comedy and limited/anthology series categories, just one broadcast show earned a nod: ABC’s “Abbott Elementary.” “Abbott” received noms for outstanding comedy series, […]
🇺🇸Tilly Norwood’s New Movie Rekindles Hollywood Concerns That AI ‘Actor’ Is Just Ripping Off Human Performances
The news of Tilly Norwood’s feature-length movie debut again brought out the digital pitchforks surrounding her existence, with commenters weighing in on everything from the concept of an AI actress leading a film to why entertainment outlets such as Variety covered the news. Norwood’s creator is taking the backlash in stride, insisting that she’s just […]
🇺🇸‘Moana’: Lin-Manuel Miranda on Writing the Song ‘Along The Way’ in a Week and Being in the Oscar Race With Taylor Swift
A little over 10 years ago, Lin-Manuel Miranda was still performing on Broadway in “Hamilton” while writing the music for Disney’s “Moana.” Since then, Moana has grossed more than $643 million at the global box office, and its 2024 sequel earned more than $1 billion worldwide. This weekend, the live-action version of the film starring […]
🇺🇸Christopher Nolan Says ‘Odyssey’ Backlash Over Casting and More Is ‘Irrelevant’ and He’s Learned Not to Worry: ‘Remember, I Spent 10 Years Dealing With Batman’
Christopher Nolan is not phased by the pre-release backlash that’s been erupting on social media in the months leading up to his latest directorial effort, “The Odyssey.” The movie, a star-studded adaptation of Homer’s Greek epic, has irked Elon Musk and Trump’s MAGA base over its casting choices and riled up historical purists over Nolan’s […]
