Bill Engvall Partners with Comedy Dynamics to Produce His Final Stand-Up Special (EXCLUSIVE)

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Disney Plus Day officially kicks off on Sept. 8, but Disney is already offering epic deals in time for the annual virtual event. Right now, you can score a Disney Plus subscription for only $1.99/month, a huge drop from their usual $7.99/month price tag. The offer runs through Sept. 19 but you’ll want to jump on it fast in order to be able to stream all the new shows and films the streamer will be announcing this week. There is already a packed slate of fresh content arriving on the streamer for Disney Plus Day, in addition to dozens of surprise announcements expected to come over the weekend Some highlights include the streaming debut of “Thor: Love and Thunder” and a new live-action adaptation of “Pinocchio” starring Tom Hanks.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Momentum Pictures has purchased the North American and U.K. rights to Michael Morris’ “To Leslie,” a drama with Andrea Riseborough that had its world premiere at this year’s SXSW Film Festival. The film will be released in theaters and on VOD on Oct. 7. Riseborough starts as a West Texas mother who wins the lottery and drinks it away just as fast, leaving behind a world of heartbreak. She comes home in the hopes of achieving redemption. Riseborough leads an ensemble that includes Oscar-winner Allison Janney (“I, Tonya”), Marc Maron (“Maron”), Owen Teague (‘The Stand”), James Landry Hebert (“Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood”), Andre Royo (“The Wire”) and Stephen Root (“Barry”).

Clayton Davis Any best picture lineup of any industry organization that does not include A24’s “Close,” Utopia’s “Holy Spider” and the doc “Sr.,” which is still seeking a distributor, shall be declared null and void…at least in my mind.  In Telluride, all three films played like gangbusters. “Holy Spider,” which premiered at Cannes and won best actress for Zar Amir Ebrahimi, is looking likely to be Denmark’s submission for international feature (although it’s in Persian, it has Danish producers). Based on the true story of Saeed Hanaei (played by Mehdi Bajestani), a serial killer who targeted sex workers and killed 16 women from 2000 to 2001 in Mashhad, Iran, the film tells a fictional account of a female journalist (Ebrahimi) who investigates the case. 

wrote Tuesday, sparking a viral debate in the comments section.People weren’t happy with her statements, which ignited a medley of responses from others.“This is WRONG. Crazy Hollywood Leftie threatening ‘Civil War’ if Dems don’t win. Sadly, this is today’s Left: angry, hateful & violent,” Texas senator Ted Cruz tweeted in response.Christian author Jeremy Kappell chimed in: “The inherent message here couldn’t be more clear.

homelessness in 2017.The veteran actress, 76, stars in the indie feature “Dog Boy” as Vera Summers — a selfish Hollywood has-been who is on the verge of financial bankruptcy until she meets a cabbie who changes her perspective on life.Wood — who most famously played Plenty O’Toole opposite Sean Connery’s James Bond in 1971’s “Diamonds Are Forever” — got very candid on her economic struggles and how the film helped get her back on her feet.“It touched so many parts of me,” the little sister of the late, great Natalie Wood told Fox New Digital. “I identified with so many of the things that the character was going through or had gone through. There were some moments when it could have been me.

made her Broadway “Funny Girl” debut on Tuesday, had audiences roaring with laughter over one particular line.Early in the show, Michele’s character Fanny Brice delivered the line, “I hadn’t read many books.” Fans burst out into hysterics due to the persistent rumor that the former “Glee” star cannot read or write, which Michele recently shot down.The 36-year-old actress was first subjected to illiteracy rumors in 2017 when her late costar Naya Rivera’s memoir revealed that Michele refused to improvise her lines on set.Michele responded to the allegations recently, saying that the comment is sexist and that if she were a man, no one would question it. “There’s a rumor online that I can’t read or write? It’s sad.

Armie Hammer docuseries about the sexual abuse allegations against him is making a change following “new information.”“House of Hammer” will be removing an image of a bite mark that one of Hammer’s exes believed to be a photo of her own body — but is reportedly a picture of a bite mark tattoo taken from Pinterest.Courtney Vucekovich — one of Hammer’s former partners — accused him of improper sexual behavior and participated in an on-camera interview for the Discovery+ docuseries, where she alleged love-bombing, coercion and abuse.“He bites really hard,” Vucekovich claimed.She said that Hammer, 36, allegedly coerced her into multiple BDSM situations that made her feel unsafe, including rope bondage and biting. “He tells you to wear them like a badge of honor,” she claimed. “Almost like he convinced me that I’m lucky to have it.

Twitter user Leanne has shared footage of a bizarre encounter with a lady who offered to take a photo of her holding one of her feathered pets.Perhaps the strangest part of the entire meeting was how a seagull was wearing a hooded cloak as it was let loose on an Avanti West Coast service passing through Preston North End, Lancashire. READ MORE: Mystery fish 'inhaled' fisherman's fly and chomped through line with razor sharp teethPerched beside the gull on the owner's pink bird-carrier rucksack, was a grey pigeon and trying to reach them was a tan and white bird of similar size.

TikTok star, model and social media influencer Paige Niemann is best known for her stunning likeness to pop icon Ariana Grande. Niemann, who went viral in 2019 for multiple videos impersonating Ariana, is a familiar face to fans of the "God is a Woman" singer.

dog had eaten the postman before realising the body part hanging out of its mouth was a Halloween prop. The 16-stone dog worried residents when it was spotted racing around with a bloody "severed arm" - before realising it was a grisly toy.Owner Debra Ann Ridge heard her five-year-old English Mastiff Tatanka careering around the garden and rushed out to find the excited pooch with a gruesome severed "body part" in his mouth. READ MORE: 'Incredibly lucky' dog survives after being hurled from lorry driving at 50mph Stay-at-home mum Debra Ann claims they were given a "look" by neighbours before realising the mischievous dog had raided her Halloween collection and swiped a bloody forearm.The 57-year-old says locals now joke that Tatanka has hunted down the postman or quip he had been "digging in the yard again" - having munched his way through eight of the life-like limbs.In hilarious images, Tatanka can be seen bouncing around the lawn with the grisly accessory flailing through the air - transforming his owner's leafy suburban street into something from a horror movie.

Elizabeth Hurley looked sensational as she slipped into a number of outfits from her new Karen Millen fashion campaign.The model, 57, teamed up with the popular high street retailer in their ICONS to create a line of luxurious women's clothes. Sharing a series of new snaps from the campaign, the Royals actress looked simply sensational as she paraded her killer figure in a stunning black dress.READ MORE: Liz Hurley, 57, parades ageless beauty as she pours curves into slashed gownThe skintight ensemble boasted a corsetry inspired bodice and plunged at the neckline which accentuated her assets.

READ MORE: 'Men have matched with me on Tinder just to call me fat it's hard to swallow'We all know what red flags are when it comes to dating - no doubt we’ve all ignored a few too when we should have just swiped left.But what are beige flags?If you’ve ever matched with someone so mind-numbingly boring and you’ve suffered through tedious conversations then you may have experienced the phenomenon.Beige flags are signs on a dating app that someone hasn’t put effort into their profile, or into their responses to you.It's when their profile is some boring stock photos. It’s no bio or any indication of who they are.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeJazz Tangcay writes:Although the Creative Arts Emmys aren’t set to be handed out until Sept. 3 and Sept.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large“They asked, and it’s an honor,” Thompson told me Thursday on a sweltering August afternoon in Hollywood, where he was receiving his star on the Walk of Fame. “It’s a giant career milestone to host an Emmys, an Oscars, a Tonys, whatever.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large“Dr. Phil” is downsizing. The long-running daytime talk show, which returns in September for its 21st season, resumed production this month with 25 fewer staffers.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeGabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias’ landmark standup event at Dodger Stadium is finally making its way to Netflix. “Gabriel Iglesias: Stadium Fluffy Live from Los Angeles” will premiere globally on the streamer on October 18.The special, which was filmed as part of the “Netflix is a Joke” festival on May 6, made history as Iglesias became the first comedian to ever perform at Dodger Stadium.In the special, Iglesias talks about growing up in the Los Angeles region (he’s a native of Long Beach), a recent attempt at extortion towards him, and where he holds the record for receiving the highest fine on stage.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeComedian, writer and actor Larry Wilmore has been tapped to host the 46th Annual Humanitas Prizes, which return as an in-person event on September 9, 2022 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Wilmore is a previous Humanitas winner, having served as creator, writer and exec producer of “The Bernie Mac Show,” which won two of the prizes (along with an Emmy and a Peabody over five seasons).

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe duo’s fandom spans several generations. My parents grew up with them on “SNL” and “SCTV.” (To be fair, I was watching with them, perhaps inappropriately, also loving their work as a child of the 80s.) Over the past few years, my kids have gotten to know them as I’ve brought out “Three Amigos” and “Father of the Bride” for family movie nights. And now, we have “Only Murders in the Building” for every age range.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeHaving canceled “Live P.D.” in 2020, A&E is returning to the live docu-reality TV space — but this time, the network is trading order for law. A&E is set to launch “Court Night Live,” from former “Live PD” producers Big Fish Entertainment, next Wednesday, August 10 at 9 p.m.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeAmazon Prime Video is activating its Emmy Phase 2 plans, throwing an “FYC Fest” the weekend of Friday, Aug. 12 through Sunday, Aug. 14 to tout its 30 Emmy nominations.The weekend event will take place in three different locations in the Los Angeles area, including Sherman Oaks, Santa Monica and West Hollywood.

Clayton Davis Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official awards predictions for the upcoming Oscars and Emmys ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis; Awards Circuit Column, a weekly analysis dissecting the trends and contenders by television editor Michael Schneider (for Emmys) and Davis (for Oscars); Awards Circuit Podcast, a weekly interview series with talent and an expert roundtable discussion; and Awards Circuit Video analyzes various categories and contenders by Variety's leading awards pundits. Variety's unmatched coverage gives its readership unbeatable exposure in print and online, as well as provide inside reports on all the contenders in this year's awards season races.