Open Thread

Deadline Hollywood reports: The Handmaid’s Tale is officially back in production on its sixth and final season. Hulu revealed Friday that cameras began rolling on the series’ conclusion on September 3, sharing a photo of series star Elisabeth Moss holding the slate for the first scene of Episode 1, which she will also be directing. Along with the production announcement, …

Variety reports: Larry Ellison, the megabillionaire founder of Oracle, will be the majority shareholder of National Amusements Inc., the company that controls Paramount Global, after the expected closing of the deal with Skydance Media — led by his son, David Ellison — next year, according to a regulatory filing. Larry Ellison will own 77.5% of National Amusements through Pinnacle Media, …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Within a day of launching a Kickstarter campaign in hopes of expanding Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice‘s distribution potential, the filmmakers have exceeded their goal. While the team behind the hot-button Ali Abbasi film had initially sought $100,000, which would help them get the film in front of as many viewers as possible, they’ve received $139,063 as …

Variety reports: In the latest move in an ongoing dispute, singer-songwriter Barry Manilow, who sold a catalog of his music to Hipgnosis Songs Fund in 2020, and Nevada-based Stiletto Entertainment have filed a lawsuit seeking $1.5 million in unpaid bonus funds in U.S. District Court in California. The lawsuit, obtained by Variety, claims that the bonuses were due as part …

Variety reports: Ticketmaster is set to face some tough questions in the U.K. after thousands of Oasis fans were left disappointed having failed to secure tickets through the site for the band’s long-awaited reunion tour. U.K. culture minister Lisa Nandy has pledged to look into Ticketmaster’s use of “dynamic pricing,” which saw ticket prices shoot up by hundreds of pounds …

Variety reports: George Clooney has commented for the first time on his New York Times op-ed asking Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race. “I’ve actually never had to answer that question so I suppose I will do it here,” Clooney said when asked about it at the Venice press conference for his new film “Wolfs.” “The person …

Billboard Magazine reports: Some Oasis fans celebrated like a champagne supernova, while others looked back in anger on Saturday (Aug. 31) as online ticket sites strained under demand for the band’s first shows in 15 years. The Britpop-era behemoth led by brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher is scheduled to play 17 gigs in Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin starting …

Variety reports: Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson brought sexy back to Venice Friday night at the premiere of Halina Reijn’s kinky, sex-filled “Babygirl.” With Kidman playing a high-powered CEO and Dickinson as the young intern she with whom starts a sexual relationship, “Babygirl” stimulated the Venice audience, leading to a 6.5-minute standing ovation that lasted all the way through the …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Netflix has snapped up U.S. rights to Maria, the biopic of opera singer Maria Callas, teaming Spencer helmer Pablo Larraín and Angelina Jolie, which is premiering Thursday at the Venice Film Festival. This is Netflix’s second film with Larraín directing following last year’s El Conde, which received an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography. The project marks the …

Variety reports: Sigourney Weaver got emotional while talking about Kamala Harris during her press conference at Venice Film Festival ahead of receiving a Golden Lion for lifetime achievement. Asked about the impact of her acting in empowering women — specifically her “Alien” character of Ripley — and how it could help make it possible for Harris to become U.S. president, …

Variety reports: Jason and Travis Kelce are kicking off a rich new deal with Amazon’s Wondery, which has exclusive ad-sales and distribution rights to the popular “New Heights” weekly podcast hosted by the famous football brothers. The deal between the Kelce brothers and Wondery, which runs for three years, is worth more than $100 million, according to a source familiar …

Billboard Magazine reports: Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” adds a seventh nonconsecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single, which became the singer-songwriter’s first leader on the list in July, claims outright 2024’s longest reign, surpassing the six nonconsecutive weeks on top for Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help” featuring Morgan Wallen. The latter, now at …

Deadline reports: Babe Ruth’s jersey, worn when he famously “called the shot” during the 1932 World Series, has been sold for a record-breaking sum. Ruth’s jersey sold for $24.12m at auction, becoming the most expensive item of sporting memorabilia ever sold at auction. Tthe sale dwarfs the previous record sum of $12.6m paid in 2022 for a 1952 Topps baseball …

Variety reports: The summer box office is winding down, as Amazon MGM’s social thriller “Blink Twice” and Lionsgate’s action remake “The Crow” both look to open beneath a trio of holdovers. “Blink Twice” wins the race between new releases though, with a $2.8 million gross across Friday and preview screenings from 3,067 locations. Marvel’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” looks to reclaim …

Deadline reports: The final night of the Democratic National Convention, buoyed by a speech from Vice President Kamala Harris accepting the party’s presidential nomination, averaged 26.2M viewers on Thursday across 15 networks, according to Nielsen. The audience grew to 28.9M viewers during Harris’ speech, which aired from around 10:31 p.m. to 11:11 p.m. ET. The DNC‘s Night 4 average is …

NBC News reports: They were the penguin power couple, a world-famous same-sex pairing whose love was taught about in schools and inspired a pride parade float. Now Magic, mourning Sphen’s death, has led their community in a tribute song. “The loss of Sphen is heartbreaking to the penguin colony, the team and everyone who has been inspired or positively impacted …

Variety reports: Fitness guru Richard Simmons’ cause of death has been revealed. His brother Lenny Simmons told People Magazine in a statement Wednesday that his death was “accidental” and caused by “complications from recent falls and heart disease.” According to TMZ, Simmons suffered a fall at his home on Friday, July 12, but declined seeking medical attention. The outlet reported …

Variety reports: The first footage from Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Room Next Door,” starring Oscar winners Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, is here. Sony Pictures Classics dropped a teaser trailer on Tuesday for the film, which marks Almodóvar’s first English-language feature and is set to premiere in competition at Venice Film Festival on Sept. 2. According to its synopsis, …

Deadline reports: Taylor Swift is meeting with families affected by the stabbing of children at a dance class themed after her. The “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” singer returned to the UK for a series of shows in London and met up with several of the Southport families. “The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing …

Variety reports: CBS’ “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” and Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” are set to travel to Chicago for a week of shows during the Democratic National Convention next week. On the docket: A Kamala Harris biofilm created by “The Daily Show” team and a guest list on “The Late Show” that includes Hillary Rodham Clinton and …