Rachael Leigh Cook Signs Development & Talent Deal With Fox’s Marvista; Sets ‘There She Goes’ Among First Projects

After the release of “Bumblebee” there had been suggestions that Paramount Pictures would be move past the established Michael Bay “Transformers” films to more traditional designs of the Autobots/Decepticons. Enter “Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts,” directed by Steven Caple Jr.

TMZ she was at work on Tuesday when she got a call explaining that her Virginia home was on fire. She immediately packed up her things and headed toward the rental home. "I thought maybe it was a mistake, maybe it was the house next to us," she said.After getting into her neighborhood, it was clear that her house was ablaze and her life was literally in ruins.

Charna Flam James Gunn told Variety Thursday night that his upcoming DC Studios movie, “Superman: Legacy” hasn’t found its leading man just yet — but the production is considering “some really great choices.” On the red carpet for Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” MCU actors, Pom Klementieff and Will Poulter also teased whether or not they’d join the director for his upcoming DC movie. Gunn explained exactly what he is looking for his Clark Kent. “The next Superman has to be someone who has all the humanity that Superman has but he’s also an alien,” Gunn told Variety’s Marc Malkin. “It’s gotta be somebody who has the kindness and the compassion that Superman has and be somebody who you want to give a hug.” As for whether or not Gunn is recruiting “Guardians” star Chris Pratt for the role, he said. “It’s not Chris Pratt. If he was a few years younger, maybe.” The DC Studios co-head announced in December he was writing the upcoming feature, and in March he was then confirmed as the “Superman: Legacy” director. He recently revealed that “costumes, production design and more are now up and running.”James Gunn reveals what he's looking for in the next Superman at the premiere of #GuardiansoftheGalaxyVol3. https://t.co/G3QElsKbUh pic.twitter.com/GkWRmVy5Pq— Variety (@Variety) April 28, 2023

Jenelle Riley Deputy Awards and Features Editor According to William Stanford Davis, the Illuminati changed his life. In the pilot episode of “Abbott Elementary he appears as the mysterious janitor Mr. Johnson in front of a whiteboard with “ILLUMINATI” written on it in big letters, telling a group of children: “That’s who runs the world, kids.” Proof of the adage there are no small parts, Davis would continue to steal scenes with minimal screen time as Mr. Johnson because a fan favorite. Less than 18 months after that first appearance, the 71-year-old actor finds himself with his first series regular gig, a SAG Award for his work in the show’s ensemble and a favorite meme thanks to all of Mr. Johnson’s random quotes.

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Damon Lindelof’s exit from the Star Wars universe was not a mutual decision, the writer confirmed in a new Esquire interview. The “Lost” and “The Leftovers” co-creator boarded a new Star Wars movie in 2022 with “Ms. Marvel” director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy attached to direct. Lindelof brought on Justin Britt-Gibson (“Counterpart,” “Into the Badlands”) to co-write the project with him. The duo exited the film in February. “I was in more than talks to join the Star Wars universe,” Lindelof told Esquire. “I joined the Star Wars universe and was asked to leave.”  Lindelof and Britt-Gibson were replaced as writers by Steven Knight, best known in recent years as the creator of “Peaky Blinders.” Obaid-Chinoy remained as director amid the screenwriting transition. Lindelof told Variety earlier this month that his script was “a true labor of love.”

Scheana Shay is setting the record straight about whether Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval ended up fertilizing her eggs.

Amber Dowling The least compelling thing about “Tom Jones: Masterpiece” is Tom Jones himself. When the four-part miniseries debuts on April 30, it transforms Henry Fielding’s 800-plus page picaresque novel into a romcom in which the female lead isn’t only every bit the hero as her male counterpart, but often outshines him. For the uninitiated, “Tom Jones” revolves around an orphan of the same name who is raised by a squire as if he were his own. It’s a coming-of-age story in which Tom grows up with and falls for his neighbor, Sophia Western, all while shagging plenty of other women and often getting in his own way. There are forces conspiring against him, of course: namely his cousin William Blifil, who is born into privilege and hates everything about his relative from Day 1.

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Michael Appler It’s quiet on the roof of the St. James Theater. Up here, less than 10 stories above 44th Street, the clamor of an opening night on Broadway drifts away. Below, titans of the American theater — actors like Chita Rivera and Joel Grey — are gathering to attend the opening night of a new musical by John Kander and Fred Ebb, a duo who gave Broadway shows like “Cabaret” and “Chicago.” But on the roof — on top of “New York, New York” — the air is still.  Up here, in the few moments of serenity before red carpet interviews, an opening night performance and a long evening of parties, the musical’s two stars, Colton Ryan and Anna Uzele — newcomers to all the fuss below — stop to catch their breath. 

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Tucker Carlson hasn’t left Fox Corporation quite yet. The company’s Fox News Media unit has hours and hours of various specials and original programming the controversial anchor developed for the subscription-based streaming service Fox Nation, and doesn’t appear poised to take any of that content down. The Carlson-created options currently available on the service are manifold. There is a program called “Let Them Eat Bugs!” that examines how “global leaders, movie stars and social media influencers are making a concerted push to force bugs into your diet, whether you like it or not.” A “Tucker Carlson Originals Christmas Special” is available for those interested. And Carlson’s last broadcast on Fox News Channel — from Friday, April 21 — is ready to for binge-viewing. There are also classic Carlson interviews to be found in “Tucker Carlson Tonight: The Vault.”

EXCLUSIVE: Fox has given a straight-to-series order to Rescue: HI-Surf, a Hawaii lifeguard drama from John Wells Productions in Wells’ broadcast return. The series, slated to premiere during the 2023-24 season, will be co-produced by Warner Bros. Television, where JWP is based, and Fox Entertainment.

EXCLUSIVE: Sony’s 3000 Pictures has acquired Delia Ephron’s New York Times best-selling memoir Left On Tenth. Ephron will adapt, with Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Laurence Mark producing the feature. Daryl Roth is executive producing. Ephron will simultaneously write and develop the memoir as a play for Roth to produce and Susan Stroman to direct, marking the first time both a feature and play adaptation will be developed at the same time

British filmmaker Dexter Fletcher is fresh off the release of his Apple TV+ crime caper Ghosted, and during a recent interview, Fletcher highlighted what he described as the “comprises” required when developing a project for a streamer.

More casting news for Ridley Scott‘s upcoming blockbuster sequel “Gladiator 2.” Deadline reports that Connie Nielson will return to reprise her role as Lucilla from the 2000 original film, while “Stranger Things” breakout star Joseph Quinn lands the role of Emperor Caracalla. The pair join the already stacked cast of Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan, and Denzel Washington.

A health board eradicated a waiting list for prostate cancer surgery - by using robots. NHS Tayside currently has no patients waiting for a prostate cancer op, and recorded the highest number of procedures using a single robot in Scotland.

Since covering The FADER in 2019, Rema has developed his talents with remarkable style and brought his "Afrorave" sound from Nigeria to the global pop charts. He secured a massive hit this year with "Calm Down" and its Selena Gomez-featuring remix, and he'll head out on a 17-date tour of North America this summer.

Michael Beale admits Rangers can’t afford to put a foot wrong if they are to sidestep Celtic and salvage their season.

A Coltness woman who received a kidney and the the gift of life from a selfless neighbour says she will never be able to thank her enough.

Still a rom-com queen! Rachael Leigh Cook made a name for herself in romantic comedies like She’s All That, so she knows a thing or two about the genre.

Rachael Leigh Cook, Tara Reid and Missi Pyle are together again! On Thursday, the ladies posed together at Netflix's Hollywood premiere of for a mini reunion.In the cult classic 2001 movie about a girl group, Cook portrays frontwoman Josie McCoy while Reid is one of the Pussycats, Melody Valentine. As for Pyle, she portrays Alexandra Cabot, the sister of the group's manager, Alexander Cabot (Paulo Costanzo). «I love my Tara, I love antagonist Alexandra from » Cook told ET's Cassie DiLaura on Thursday's red carpet. Continuing to gush over Pyle, she added, «She's such a gift.