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Broadway News reports: “Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends” begins performances February 8 at Center Theatre Group’s Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles ahead of its Broadway engagement this spring. “Old Friends” plays on the West Coast through March 9, beginning previews at Broadway’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre March 25 where it opens April 8. Devised by Cameron Mackintosh, the show is a …

Variety reports: The use of AI in best picture contender “The Brutalist” recently grabbed headlines and ignited controversy, but it isn’t the only Oscar contender to use the advancing technology. High-profile films such as “A Complete Unknown,” “Dune: Part 2” and “Emilia Pérez” have also used AI in large or small ways, and the growing popularity has led the Motion …

Variety reports: “Night Stage,” the gay erotic thriller by Brazil’s Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon, has been acquired by German distributor Salzgeber, which will release the film in Germany and Austria. The film will world premiere in Berlinale’s Panorama sidebar next week. M-Appeal is handling international sales for the film, and has released the international trailer. “Night Stage” follows an …

Deadline reports: Travis Kelce is playing in the Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, February 9, in New Orleans, where Donald Trump is expected to attend. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end recently told reporters he is “honored” that the president would attend the big NFL game at the Caesars Superdome. “It’s a great honor, I think, no matter who the …

Variety reports: Netflix is distancing itself from “Emilia Pérez” star Karla Sofía Gascón in an effort to salvage the film’s Oscar prospects. And as the Spanish actress tries to defuse the blowback for her past social media posts, in which she shared offensive views that were seen as Islamophobic and racist, she’s doing it on her own, without the guidance …

The Daily Beast reports: Kanye West has reportedly lost a $20 million deal to perform in Japan following his controversial stunt at the Grammys which saw his wife Bianca Censori appeared in a completely see through outfit. The artist, 47, faces two shows at the Tokyo Dome in May being cancelled. A source told the Daily Mail: “Kanye is just …

Variety reports: Those who have been patiently awaiting news of a Cowboy Carter tour just got their first confirmation that Beyoncé will in fact be heading out on the road this year to support her eighth album. On Saturday night, news trickled out that the tour was coming. Netflix was first to signal that an announcement was in the works, …

Deadline Hollywood reports: The casting process for Prime Video‘s Legally Blonde prequel series, Elle, is currently underway — and Reese Witherspoon has a difficult decision ahead of her regarding who will next don her iconic hot pink two-piece and assume ownership of Bruiser the Chihuahua. Witherspoon said she was first inspired to explore the idea of a prequel series through …

Deadline Hollywood reports: The fallout from Emilia Perez actor Karla Sofía Gascón’s past racist and Islamophobic tweets is ongoing, and this evening, one of her co-stars, Zoe Saldaña, coyly addressed the scandal for the first time during a Q&A session in London. “I’m still processing everything that has transpired in the last couple of days, and I’m sad,” Saldaña said …

Variety reports: The title character of “Emilia Pérez” is not a good person. Her lawyer, Rita (Zoe Saldaña), thinks she can become one, agreeing to facilitate a notorious cartel leader’s gender transition in part because “Changing the body changes the soul / Changing the soul changes society / Changing society changes everything.” But the ensuing story thoroughly disproves Rita’s thesis; …

Variety reports: Netflix has greenlit a new TV adaptation of “Little House on the Prairie,” the beloved book series written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Rebecca Sonnenshine (“The Boys,” “Vampire Diaries,” “Archive 81”) will serve as showrunner and executive producer on the new series. Ingalls Wilder released eight “Little House” books in the 1930s and ’40s, while a ninth was published …

Variety reports: Selena Gomez posted and deleted an emotional video of herself crying over deportations of undocumented immigrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, which resulted in her getting conservative backlash online. “I just wanted to say that I’m so sorry,” a crying Gomez said in a video on her Instagram Story Monday. “All my people are getting attacked, the …

Deadline Hollywood reports: The Lost Boys, a musical adaptation of the classic 1987 vampire film, will arrive in Broadway in spring 2026 at the Palace Theatre. The announcement was made today by producers James Carpinello, Marcus Chait and Patrick Wilson. Casting has not been announced. The new musical will feature direction by Tony Award winner Michael Arden (Parade, Maybe Happy …

Variety reports: Handing out pink slips to dozens of beloved small-market local TV news weathercasters would be ill-advised even in the best of times. But to do it right as unpredictable and dangerous weather disasters tear across the country this month — from wildfires in California to a historic freeze in the south — was particularly tone deaf. And yet, …

Variety reports: Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg‘s “Flight Risk” is facing no traffic on the runway, lifting off to an easy No. 1 opening in what is turning out to be another sleepy weekend at the January box office. The Lionsgate thriller carried on $4.4 million from 3,161 locations across Friday and preview screenings. Lionsgate held the review embargo for …

Variety reports: Here comes a plot twist: As Skydance Media and RedBird Capital Partners work to close the Larry Ellison-backed takeover of Paramount Global this spring, a consortium of investors who previously bid on the storied media conglomerate is mounting an eleventh-hour $13.5 billion offer. Variety has obtained a legal letter that is being sent to Paramount’s board Friday, Jan. …

Deadline reports: The Associated Press has weighed in on how it will respond to President Donald Trump‘s executive order changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and the name of Alaska’s Denali back to Mount McKinley. The guidance is significant as the AP Stylebook has widespread acceptance across the news industry. In a note …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Just when the winds seemed to be dying down, a new blaze has erupted in fire-ravaged Los Angeles. Dubbed the Hughes Fire, the wildfire broke out around 10:30 am and went from 50-100 acres to 500-1000 acres at noon to more than 8,000 acres by 4 p.m. That’s according to local TV outlets, all of which preempted …

Variety reports: Netflix is increasing subscription prices in the U.S. and other markets — including the first hike on its ad-supported plan. The streamer revealed the price increases along with its Q4 2024 earnings results Tuesday, when it announced its biggest-ever quarterly increase in subscribers with a gain of 18.9 million for the period. Under the new pricing in the …

Variety reports: Paul Schrader is sounding off in support of using ChatGPT to come up with ideas for films. In a recent Facebook post, the “Taxi Driver” writer and “First Reformed” director said he asked the AI platform to generate plots for movies by famous filmmakers, including himself, and was impressed by the results. “I’M STUNNED,” Schrader wrote. “I just …