Warner Bros. De Lane Lea Announce New London Base & Netflix Launch Screenwriting Initiative For Egyptian Women — Global Briefs

The Producers Guild said Tuesday that it has elected Stephanie Allain and Donald De Line its new presidents, after the pair ran unopposed to replace outgoing toppers Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher, who had served in the role since 2018.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor When Brian Stelter signed off from the last installment of CNN’s “Reliable Sources” Aug. 21, the number of mainstream vehicles analyzing an increasingly confusing media industry shrank even further.  Stelter bid farewell the same day Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan ended her run — asking such notables as Carl Bernstein and Jeffrey Goldberg on air whether the press is doing enough to cover topics ranging from disinformation to climate change. The lead story of his hour was a dire one: his program’s own cancellation after three decades. “It’s going to be on you to hold CNN accountable,” Stelter told viewers in the show’s waning moments, later adding: “The free world needs a reliable source.” 

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Amazon’s Prime Video is going big with fall TV, launching the most expensive TV series in history, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” and taking full control of NFL’s “Thursday Night Football.” But on the film side, things are a little less groundbreaking and more in flux as the industry waits to see what the e-commerce giant plans to do with MGM and which top movie-studio exec Amazon will select to run its film business. Among those whom Variety hears Amazon has spoken with in recent weeks are Netflix film chief Scott Stuber, Paramount Pictures alum Emma Watts and Warner Bros. vet Toby Emmerich. But according to multiple sources familiar with the matter, though Amazon “loved” Watts and doesn’t see Stuber as being interested in this type of role, deliberations are far from over and Amazon still has distance to go before the top film exec is chosen.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Ready your wands: a new Harry Potter immersive experience is making its U.S. debut this fall, allowing muggles all over the country to become wizards for the day.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Netflix is bringing “Heads Up!”, the charades game that originated on Ellen DeGeneres’ daytime talk show, into the Upside Down — and into the worlds of the streamer’s other original shows. The streamer is launching an exclusive version of the “Heads Up!” mobile game that will include 28 new decks from top Netflix series including “Stranger Things,” “Squid Game,” “Shadow and Bone,” “Bridgerton” and “Selling Sunset” as well as entertainment-themed decks in categories like rom-coms and true crime. Netflix launched its version of “Heads Up!” on Tuesday. Netflix’s edition of the game is available in English and 13 additional languages on Android and iOS devices, available to streaming subscribers for no additional cost.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Scott Foley has joined the cast of the upcoming HBO Max series “The Girls on the Bus,” Variety has learned. Foley joins previously announced cast members Melissa Benoist, Christina Elmore, and Natasha Behnam in the show, which was ordered straight-to-series at HBO Max in February after having been set up at both Netflix and The CW. “The Girls on the Bus” is inspired by a chapter in Amy Chozick’s book “Chasing Hillary.” It is described as a comedic character-driven drama that chronicles four female journalists who follow every move of a parade of flawed presidential candidates, while finding friendship, love, and scandal along the way.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorCNN sure likes to keep ’em guessing.After canceling media-affairs show “Reliable Sources,” which often tilted at the content of Fox News Channel, CNN plans to air a previously-announced documentary mini-series about that network’s owners.“The Murdochs: Empire of Influence,” a seven-part documentary series previously planned for the now-scuttled streaming site CNN+, will debut on CNN”s flagship cable outlet in the fall. The original series will debut with a two-episode premiere on Sunday, September 25.The series was produced with The New York Times and Left/Right and is based on the New York Times Magazine article “How Rupert Murdoch’s Empire of Influence Remade the World,” by journalists Jonathan Mahler and Jim Rutenberg. They serve as consulting producers on the series. The program aims to examine the rise of Rupert Murdoch, his global influence and the battle for succession among his children. In an announcement about the series in February, CNN said the series “charts the high-stakes deal making, political maneuvering and dynastic betrayals — and how the ambitions of one family birthed one of the largest media empires in history.”

Naman Ramachandran ‘Game of Thrones’ Prequel ‘House of the Dragon’ has proved to be a terrific return to Westeros for Sky Atlantic, the Sky group’s U.K. and Ireland channel focused on U.S. shows. The first episode of the show premiered Aug. 22 on Sky Atlantic and some 1.39 million people in total watched it, according to numbers seen by Variety. Of these, almost one million (991,000) either stayed up to watch at 2 am or downloaded via on demand through the day or caught up on recordings. More than 394,000 people watched the prime time linear broadcast. Based on overnights alone, this is the biggest drama debut ever on Sky Atlantic, overtaking the launch of “Game of Thrones,” and the biggest U.S. drama launch ever on Sky.

SKRIPT YouTube channel in an interview that they don’t have any footage from “Batgirl,” claiming the studio blocked their access to the production servers after it was shelved.“We have nothing! Adil called me and said, ‘Go ahead shoot some things on your cellphone.’ I went on the server and everything was blocked,” Fallah, 36, said. “We were like, ‘F—king s—t!’,” said El Arbi, 34. “’All the scenes with Batman in them! S—t!’”The Post has reached out to Warner Bros.

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros is going all in on The Batman director Matt Reeves and his 6th & Idaho production company. He has become the first filmmaker given an overall first look film deal since Warner Bros Pictures Group Co-Chairs/CEOs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy were hired by Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav to steer the film division. In addition, Reeves has re-upped with the Warner Bros. Television Group and Chairman Channing Dungey, where he is also working on The Batman spinoff series The Penguin with Colin Farrell.

Another day, another list of programming that was originally set to arrive on HBO Max but has been prematurely canceled. It’s happening so often, that it’s hard to feign surprise, right? Well, this time the list of cuts includes an animated project that superhero fans had been dying to see— “Batman: Caped Crusader.” According to Variety, HBO Max is continuing to cut children’s and family programming as the streaming service seemingly moves into a new phase of its existence before it combines with Discovery+ in 2023.

posted to Twitter.“It’s been a tough few weeks, as you might imagine, with everything going on with the show,” Elsass said in the video recorded for a fan on Cameo. “It’s sad; it’s a real shame. I know that I was pumped for Season 3, for sure, but what are you going to do? Anyway, mental health is definitely 100% priority,” he continued.“There’s no question — it’s pinnacle.

The cast of star-director Kevin Costner's new Western epic Horizon is getting bigger, with Luke Wilson signing on to star.The 50-year-old actor has signed on to star in the new film that Costner will both star in and direct, while also producing and co-writing the script with Jon Baird (via Deadline). Wilson joins a cast that also includes Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington and Jamie Campbell Bower, with Warner Bros./New Line distributing. Star-director: The cast of star-director Kevin Costner's new Western epic Horizon is getting bigger, with Luke Wilson signing on to star Luke cast: The 50-year-old actor has signed on to star in the new film that Costner will both star in and direct, while also producing and co-writing the script with Jon Baird (via Deadline ) Co-star: Wilson joins a cast that also includes Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington and Jamie Campbell Bower, with Warner Bros./New Line distributingThe film takes place over a 15-year period of, 'pre-and post-Civil War expansion and settlement of the American west.'The story will be told through the perspectives of several different characters, following a number of factors in their journey including the 'onslaught of natural elements' and their interactions with Native American characters.

Johnny Depp is set to make a surprise appearance at the MTV VMAs 2022, it has been claimed.The Pirates of the Caribbean actor recently returned to work for the first time following his court win against ex-wife Amber Heard.Following the news that he will be getting behind the camera for a biopic on acclaimed artist Modigliani, the 59-year-old is reportedly set to take on a role that is slightly different.According to reports, he has been in talks to dress up as a Moonman mascot at this weekend’s Video Music Awards, held in New Jersey.Kendrick Lamar and Lil Nas X lead nominations at the upcoming ceremony, with Nicki Minaj and Red Hot Chili Peppers being honored on the night.TMZ reports that the stars will be joined by Depp, dressed up as the iconic Moonman, and he will be unveiled at some point during the broadcast.The Captain Jack Sparrow star is no stranger to MTV award shows and has been nominated multiple times.In fact, he has taken home five MTV Movie Awards trophies over the years, including three for Pirates of the Caribbean, and the coveted MTV Generation Award in 2012.It was recently suggested that Depp could be in for a shock comeback to the Fantastic Beasts fold, following his departure in 2020.He originally starred Gellert Grindelwald in the first two outings of the Harry Potter spin-off, before he was replaced in 2022 sequel, The Secrets of Dumbledore over his highly-publicized legal battles.The Edward Scissorhands actor was asked to step down from the wizarding spin-off franchise after he lost a High Court battle against the Sun newspaper, over an article that labelled him a ‘wife beater’.‘I wish to let you know that I have been asked to resign by Warner Bros from my role as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorWarner Bros. Games’ “MultiVersus” — the free-to-play platform fighter that brings together a bevy of characters from across the WB portfolio — has surpassed over 20 million players less than a month after it launched in open beta, according to the company.“MultiVersus” kicked off the open beta on July 26 and Season 1 launched Aug. 15 with a new Battle Pass for players to earn in-game rewards.The game lets players team up in two-on-two fights and pick from a range of Warner Bros.

EXCLUSIVE: Elin Hilderbrand’s best-selling novel The Hotel Nantucket is in development at Warner Bros. TV with Sue Kroll set to executive produce, Deadline has learned.

Four big-budget features are among the 18 film projects that have conditionally qualified for the latest round of California’s tax credit program. Together, they’re expected to generate an estimated $915 million in overall production spending across the state and employ nearly 600 actors, more than 2,500 crew members and thousands of background performers. See the list below.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer“Joker” was a very New York movie — so much so that tourists flocked to the Bronx staircase where Joaquin Phoenix danced in a montage.But the sequel, “Joker: Folie á Deux,” will shoot in Los Angeles, thanks to $12.6 million in tax credits to Warner Bros. from the state of California.The California Film Commission announced its latest round of credit allocations on Monday morning, awarding $93.7 million to 18 projects.

John Oliver took another swipe at all the changes happening at Warner Bros. Discovery and this time he addressed the shows getting pulled from HBO Max.