Annecy 2022: 10 Takes From Record Numbers To ‘Pinocchio’ Buzz, Industry Tremors and the Pull of Adult Animation

Amanda Kloots is celebrating her late husband, Nick Cordero, on the two-year anniversary of his death. On Tuesday, the host of shared a reflective post to mark July 5, the day that the Broadway star died from COVID-19 complications at the age of 41. Set to Justin Bieber’s song, “Ghost,” the 40-year-old's tribute featured a series of videos and photos of her and Cordero showing some PDA, smiling and playing with their 3-year-old son, Elvis. The video also featured clips of Cordero singing and playing instruments.

A post shared by Melissa Joan Hart (@melissajoanhart)In speaking about her dress, Melissa, 46, said she purchased it in 2000 in Melbourne, Australia. "I wore it on the #LateShow with #JayLeno in 2021 after 9/11 when I only wore red, white and blue for the better part of a year," she said, noting the clothing hangs in her vacation house in Lake Tahoe."It became a July 4th staple in my Tahoe closet in about 2008 and I have since worn it every year minus 2019 when I spent Independence Day on the east coast," she said. Melissa's Instagram post also showed her in the oft-recycled dress standing alongside Hilary Duff and Bryan Cranston — a photo, she said, that was "doctored.""That never actually happened in my memory," she said. A post shared by Melissa Joan Hart (@melissajoanhart)While the of-legal-drinking-age eagle outfit got all the attention, the actress began her holiday weekend in a green floral dress. She also shared an incredible video of a water rescue simulation exercise at Lake Tahoe.The bird is the word for Melissa.Howard Stern is apparently joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he accidentally revealed on his SiriusXM show.During a break in his show, the radio icon — who didn't realize his microphone was still on — let slip that he's part of Marvel's upcoming "Doctor Doom" project, which has yet to be officially announced. The bombshell occurred as Howard spoke with his show's producer about booking potential guests for the show.

Variety watches the shorts in Annecy’s main competition selection and picks 10 of our favorites. We’re not saying these are the best 10 shorts this year, though four won prizes, but we believe each brings something that shouldn’t be missed.“Anxious Body,” (Yoriko Mizushiri, France, Japan)Screening at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, Mizushiri’s fourth short and the first project co-produced by Japanese New Deer and France’s Miyu Productions.

Ezra Miller (“The Flash“) has had a rough couple of months in the press with dozens of reports of erratic and disturbing behavior. Earlier this spring, the embattled actor was arrested for second-degree assault in Hawaii after an altercation in a bar.

Marta Balaga France’s Annecy Intl. Animation Film Festival is celebrating Swiss animation – which marked its 100th anniversary back in 2021 – with a slew of retrospectives, screenings and special events.In its Official Selection, Switzerland is represented through 13 films spread across different sections.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefWarner Bros. Discovery Latin America has acquired streaming and Pay-TV rights to Indonesian-produced kids animation series “The Beachbuds” for play in Latin America.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentWarner Discovery came out at Annecy all three studios firing, Cartoon Network Studios,  Warner Bros. Animation and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe making a joint presentation of their upcoming slates.The biggest news was an exclusive, multiyear cross-studio overall deal inked between Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer“Silos Baking Competition” premiered to record-setting ratings for Magnolia Network Sunday, a turnout Chip and Joanna Gaines apparently saw coming a mile away, as their channel is already in pre-production on another baking competition series, Variety has learned exclusively.That unannounced baking competition is the first of several in the works at the cable channel, according to one source close to production.Simulcast across Food Network and Magnolia Network, a joint venture between the Gaineses and Warner Bros. Discovery, the one-hour premiere of “Silos Baking Competition,” which takes place at Chip and Jo’s Waco-based bakery, Silos Baking Co., drew more than 1.5 million viewers Sunday.

Adam B. Vary Senior Entertainment WriterA new DC star is born.Lady Gaga is in early negotiations to join “Joker: Folie à Deux” as Joker’s partner-in-madness, Harley Quinn, for what would be a musical sequel to director Todd Phillips’ 2019 blockbuster.Speculation that Harley Quinn would appear in the movie first bubbled to the surface after Phillips posted the cover of the screenplay to Instagram on June 7.

EXCLUSIVE: Former Warner Bros. Development Executive Paul Perez has inked a production deal at the Burbank, CA lot.

The S&P 500, down more than 3% in late-morning trade, fell into bear market territory Monday – defined by a dip of more than 20% from its most recent high — with little upbeat news on the horizon and not much going well on three key fronts: surging inflation, rising interest rates and the Russia-Ukraine War.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorFunko is popping cult-fave pop-culture brand Mondo into its merch mix.Under a deal with indie theater chain Alama Drafthouse, Funko acquired Mondo, which creates and sells vinyl records and soundtracks, posters, toys, apparel, books, games and other collectibles. About 30 Mondo employees are joining Funko.Financial terms of the deal are not being disclosed, but it’s obviously not massive.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaIt’s that time of year again. That post-July 4th period when media barons and billionaires break out the Brooks Brothers casual and don their sweater vests to hit an idyllic Idaho resort town of Sun Valley for another edition of “lets make a deal.”Many of the names expected to rub elbows next month are familiar ones. Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Liberty Media’s John Malone, Comcast chairman Brian Roberts, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Apple pasha Tim Cook and Berkshire Hathaway guru Warren Buffett are among those who have once again made the cut for Allen & Co.’s annual media conference.

UPDATED: Disney has confirmed the exit of Peter Rice and the ascension of Dana Walden. Release is below.

This has been building since before Toby Emmerich exited and Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy took the reins at Warner Bros. Joaquin Phoenix hasn’t quite signed a deal to reprise his role as the disturbed murderous anarchist Arthur Fleck in a sequel to the billion dollar grossing "Joker," but the film is a go.  Director Todd Phillips revealed on Instagram that there’s a "Joker" sequel script he just wrote with Scott Silver and that Phoenix, who won an Oscar for playing the title role, is reading it.That isn’t quite true; Phoenix read it awhile ago, and it has come down to making a rich deal for him to star in the genre-jumping sequel.

It became the speech heard around Hollywood — Jeff Sagansky’s blistering comments last week about the adverse impact the proliferation of the streaming-driven “cost plus” business model has had on profit participation struck a chord in the industry. A week after Deadline wrote about the media investor and producer’s speech at a NATPE event, the discussion over the issue continues, with agencies and unions mulling ways to step in and help the creative talent they represent.

posting a series of images to Instagram, including a red script cover with the title “Joker: Folie à Deux,” as well as a shot of Oscar-winning franchise star Joaquin Phoenix smoking while reading the screenplay. The script cover lists the writers as Phillips and Scott Silver, who both penned the first installment.The official Warner Bros.

The Joker will be making a comeback.

This has been building since before Toby Emmerich exited and Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy took the reins at Warner Bros. Joaquin Phoenix hasn’t quite signed a deal to reprise his role as the disturbed murderous anarchist Arthur Fleck in a sequel to the billion dollar grossing Joker,. but the film is a go. Director Todd Phillips revealed on Instagram that there’s a Joker sequel script he just wrote with Scott Silver and that Joaquin Phoenix, who won an Oscar for playing the title role, is reading it. That isn’t quite true; Phoenix read it awhile ago, and it has come down to making a rich deal for him to star in the genre-jumping sequel.

Jim Seals, the singer-songwriter-guitarist who scored Top 10 pop hits with “Diamond Girl,” “Summer Breeze” and “Get Closer” as one half of the soft-rock duo Seals & Crofts, died Monday. He was 80.

Toby Emmerich had a meal with Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy at the Polo Lounge, a hub of deal-making and power lunches, in a move that was clearly designed to send a signal of solidarity to Hollywood. The bread-breaking, which went down as show business players like producer Donald De Line and CAA agent Joel Lubin dined nearby, came just a day after Emmerich announced that he will step down as head of Warner Bros.’ film studio. De Luca, who worked with Emmerich back in the day at New Line, and Abdy will soon join the company, though in a reduced role; they will oversee Warner Bros.