Sebastian Maniscalco: Last News

Malina Saval Associate Editor, FeaturesAs our driver approaches the Wiltern Theatre from a jam-packed stretch of Wilshire Boulevard, Nick Nuciforo, partner and head of comedy touring at UTA, keeps his eyes locked on the line snaking out from the theater’s front entrance. It’s an early May evening, cool and breezy, and the marquee pulsates with electric blue and red. The words “Netflix Is a Joke: The Festival” stretch wide across the sign, with “Chelsea Handler,” the night’s sold-out act, in black lettering.

Universal and Illumination’s Nintendo movie Super Mario Bros about the famed videogame plumbers, kart drivers and squashers of turtles is zipping from its planned December 21 release date to April 7, which is Easter weekend 2023.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorAccording to Chris Pratt, his voice performance as Mario in the upcoming feature adaptation of the Super Mario Bros. video game will be “unlike anything you’ve heard.”Variety got the chance to catch up with Pratt at the Wednesday night premiere of his new Amazon Prime Video series “The Terminal List” (more on that later!) to talk about finding his voice for the film, which co-stars Charlie Day as Luigi.There’s been much internet discussion over Pratt’s casting in the animated film as the Italian plumber despite his non-Italian background, with critics expressing concern that his accent could potentially be offensive.

Director: Robert MachoianCast: Clayne Crawford, Jordana Brewster, Jeffrey Dean MorganBuzz Factor: Crawford and Machoian have a good thing going. The pair recently collaborated on “The Killing of Two Lovers,” a criminally under-seen drama about a man who becomes increasingly erratic when as his marriage crumbles.

Manori Ravindran International EditorKISS takes the stage in the first exclusive clip to emerge from hotly anticipated musical biopic “Spinning Gold.”The long-gestating movie about Casablanca Records founder Neil Bogart — directed by his son Tim Bogart and now in post-production — has finally landed, and is being screened to buyers at the Cannes Film Festival market this week.Founded in 1974 by Neil Bogart, Casablanca Records was the home to KISS, Donna Summer, the Village People and Parliament Funkadelic, among others. The company contributed the first smash extended single to clubs and radio stations all over the world with Summer’s 17-minute 1975 banger “Love to Love You,” and released 289 albums from more than 140 artists.

EXCLUSIVE: Leslie Bibb has been tapped to star alongside Kristen Wiig in in Apple TV+ comedy series Mrs. American Pie, executive produced by Laura Dern. Based on Juliet McDaniel’s book, Mrs. American Pie hails from creator Abe Sylvia (The Eyes of Tammy Faye) and director Tate Taylor (Breaking News in Yuba County). Oscar winner Allison Janney also recently signed on to star in the series, in which Dern is poised for a key role.

If there’s a continuing motif among studios presentations at CinemaCon this year, it’s comedians working the exhibition crowd. Lionsgate closed out CinemaCon with Sebastian Maniscalco preforming eight minutes of stand-up to huge roars in Caesars Colosseum. He’s here to promote the movie inspired by his life, About My Father. Yesterday, Universal had Billy Eichner, Jo Koy Steve Carell.

Universal and Illumination’s Nintendo movie Super Mario Bros about the famed videogame plumbers, kart drivers and squashers of turtles is zipping from its Dec. 21 release date this year to April 7, 2023, which is Easter weekend.

Spencer Boldman (Lab Rats) has been tapped for a recurring role opposite Kumail Nanjiani and Murray Bartlett in the Hulu limited series Immigrant (working title), from Pam & Tommy creator Robert Siegel.

Todd Gilchrist The Comedy Store turns 50 this year, and it’s now known as a storied birthplace for the careers of literally hundreds of comedians — from David Letterman to Jim Carrey to Whoopi Goldberg to Sebastian Maniscalco.The late co-founder and longtime owner Mitzi Shore always envisioned the historic institution on L.A.’s Sunset Boulevard as an “artists colony,” a protected enclave where young talent could grow without worrying about money, consequently she mostly didn’t either.When Peter Shore came to Los Angeles in 2002 from Portland, Ore., to keep an eye on the business while his mother, Mitzi, convalesced, he and Bob Wheeler, the Store’s chief financial officer, would spend the next 10 years correcting the questionable decisions made decades in the past. “It is really just about preserving the place by any means necessary,” Shore tells Variety.Shore, who rarely agrees to interviews, was driven as much by how important the place is to thousands of comics who have come through its doors over the past five decades, and the millions of audiences that came night after night to see them, as it was to his mother, who passed away in 2018 at age 87.

John Mulaney, Billy Eichner, Bill Burr and other comedians have been added to the growing roster of performers headlining events at the inaugural “Netflix is a Joke: The Festival,” the streamer announced on Tuesday.The festival will host over 250 live shows in over 30 Los Angeles venues over the course of 11 days, featuring A-list names in stand-up and comedy. Previously announced performers and events include David Letterman, Gabriel Iglesias, Dave Chappelle, Amy Schumer, Tim Robinson and Aziz Ansari.Highlights from the newly announced shows include stand up sets from Mulaney, Sebastian Maniscalco, Franco Escamilla, Neal Brennan and Jacqueline Novak.

Eric Kops has been elevated to the new role of Lionsgate’s Head of Global Communications & Earned Media in the conglom’s motion picture division.

Lionsgate has promoted David Edwards to Executive Vice President, Global Marketing. In his new role at the studio, he will report to President of Global Marketing, Marisa Liston, overseeing creative, digital and strategy for its global motion picture marketing department.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorTop stand-up comedian Sebastian Maniscalco surprised fans at his shows in the New York area by giving away free commemorative NFTs to all ticketholders — the first comedian to launch such an offering using the next-gen digital collectible technology.The observational comedian’s complimentary NFTs (nonfungible tokens), designed by his wife, Lana Gomez, are uniquely designed for each show. The gold-shaded NFTs, minted by Ticketmaster, feature each ticketholder’s individual section, row and seat.

Chris Willman Music WriterHarry Styles’ success as an arena headliner was celebrated with an award for major tour of the year Tuesday night at the Pollstar Awards, held annually to honor the tours, festivals, venues, promoters, agents, managers, talent buyers and others judged to have achieved the greatest success in the live music sphere in the past year.Other artists singled out at the 33rd annual ceremony, held at the Beverly Hilton’s International Ballroom as part of the Pollstar Live! conference, included Lady Gaga, Chris Stapleton, Foo Fighters, J. Cole, Maroon 5, Dave Chappelle, Sebastian Maniscalco and Billy Strings.Artists typically make their acceptance speeches on video, as Styles did this year (although Elton John showed up to accept the top prize in the flesh two years ago).

Leonine And Lionsgate Strike Germany/Austria Film Deal

Naman Ramachandran Leonine Studios has secured all German and Austrian rights for Lionsgate’s upcoming film slate, including Keanu Reeves’ “John Wick 4” and its spin-off “Ballerina,” starring Ana de Armas.The deal, which extends Lionsgate’s existing relationship with Leonine, also includes culture-clash comedy “About My Father” from stand-up comedian Sebastian Maniscalco (“The Irishman”) starring opposite Oscar-winner Robert De Niro (“Meet The Parents”); action thriller “Shadow Force” with Kerry Washington (“Django Unchained”); the untitled new comedy from director Adele Lim starring Tony winning actress Ashley Park (“Emily in Paris”); gamer comedy “1Up” with Ruby Rose (“Batwoman”); and horror-thriller “Dear David,” centering on the urban legend that had its origins on the Twitter channel of Adam Ellis, starring Augustus Prew (“The Morning Show”) in the lead. Fred Kogel, CEO of Leonine Studios, said: “We are thrilled to extend our strong partnership with our friends at Lionsgate with this tremendous feature film slate.

As the New Year kicks off for Lionsgate, the studio has bolstered its Motion Picture Group production team with a series of hires and promotions.

Kim Cattrall has joined the cast of a new comedy starring Robert De Niro amid her epic Sex and the City feud.The actress, 65, will be playing a U.S.

Stand-up comedian Sebastian Maniscalco and his wife Lana Gomez have put their West Hollywood home on the market and we have some great photos from inside the house!

Keke Palmer is set to host the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards, which are slated for Aug. 30 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.Palmer will be the first woman of color to host the show since 1986-87, when then-MTV-VJ Downtown Julie Brown co-hosted.