Fresh News 12/21/2021
Posted by NALIP on December 27, 2021
Check out what industry leaders are up to!!
How Rudy Valdez Brought Shakespeare in the Park’s ‘Reopening Night’ to Life for HBO
Variety
Shakespeare in the Park, a free summer production produced by New York’s Public Theater, had never skipped a season in its sixty plus year history until COVID-19 shut down the world in 2020. So when the annual signpost of summer, held at Central Park’s Delacorte Theater, returned after a yearlong hiatus earlier this year, New Yorkers rejoiced. The reopening was a milestone not just for the city and the theater community, but for civilization at large, which is in part why filmmaker Rudy Valdez (“The Sentence”) documented the triumphant return. Read more here.
Vicente Fernandez Series Starring Jaime Camil Headed To Netflix
Deadline
Fans of Vicente Fernandez worldwide will be able to see a series based on his life starring Jaime Camil as the music icon via Netflix, Deadline has learned. The news arrives on the heels of Fernandez’s death last week at age 81.
The project, titled The Idol of the People, is a Caracol TV production and will air on that Colombian television network. Netflix has taken world rights to the series outside of Colombia, sources said. Read more here.
Buy, Sell, Rebuild: How Sony Pictures Chief Tony Vinciquerra Realigned the Studio for Streaming
Variety
You can learn a lot about a company by watching what assets it buys and what assets it sells. Sony Pictures Entertainment has been busy over the past four and a half years with a steady stream of deal activity.
Most of the transactions haven’t made big headlines because they haven’t involved big dollars compared with megabucks media mergers and acquisitions of late. But they have been signposts of how the company has positioned itself for the future under the direction of Tony Vinciquerra, who took the reins as chairman and CEO in mid-2017.
On the latest episode of Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” the CEO explains how it became clear to him that the move to streaming and on-demand platforms would reshape the entertainment economy. Read more here.
Guillermo del Toro Breaks Down the Making of ‘Nightmare Alley’ in 45-Minute Video, Including What Was In His 3 Hour 15 Minute Cut
Collider
Del Toro also talks about why he wanted to tell this story, lighting Bradley Cooper with the other characters in the film, and more in this exclusive interview with Collider. Read more here.
NATO Ups Two: Jackie Brenneman Exec VP, General Counsel; Todd Halstead Head Of Government Relations
Deadline
Cinema trade group the National Association of Theatre Owners has promoted Jackie Brenneman to executive VP and general counsel, which it called a new, “second-in-command” position, and named Todd Halstead director of Government Relations and Strategy Development. Read more here.
Cristián De La Fuente And Julieth Restrepo To Star In Indie Rom-Com ‘Switch Up’
Deadline
Cristián de la Fuente, Julieth Restrepo, Jeff Fahey and Sal Velez Jr have been set to star in Switch Up, an indie romantic comedy that will serve as the feature directing debut of Tara Pirnia. Production begins in January in Texas. Read more here.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Hasbro Toy Reveals First Look at America Chavez
IGN
A new set of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Hasbro toys has revealed a first look at the MCU's take on America Chavez, who will be played by Xochitl Gomez in the upcoming movie. Read more here.
Lifetime Adds Ben Savage & Lindsay Navarro’s ‘Girl In The Shed’ To February Movie Line-up
Annie Awards Nominations: ‘Raya And The Last Dragon’ & ‘Encanto’ Lead Field For Animation Prizes
James Purefoy, Manny Jacinto & Olivia Cheng Join Gina Rodriguez In QCode Podcast ‘Last Known Position’
How ‘Being The Ricardos’ Star Javier Bardem Bonded With Desi Arnaz – And Rediscovered Himself – Through Music
Deadline
Academy Award-winning actor Javier Bardem experienced a reawakening while becoming intimately acquainted with Desi Arnaz, the I Love Lucy star who Bardem brings to life in Amazon’s Being the Ricardos. And it all happened while the past and present collided during multiple musical numbers including “Babalu” and “Cuban Pete,” and while listening to private audio recordings shared by Lucy and Desi’s daughter, Lucie Arnaz. Read more here.
Disney Names Top Spotify Executive Horacio Gutierrez As General Counsel, Replacing Alan Braverman
Deadline
Disney has tapped Horacio Gutierrez — head of Global Affairs and chief legal officer at Spotify — as senior executive VP, general counsel and secretary, succeeding longtime Disney veteran Alan Braverman who this summer announced plans to retiring after nearly two decades as legal chief. Read more here.
"Prayers for the Stolen" shortlisted for International Feature at Oscars
Variety
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has announced the shortlists in 10 categories for the upcoming 94th Oscars ceremony.
Among the films included in the shortlist is Mexico's submission for International Feature, "Prayers for the Stolen" directed by Tatiana Huezo. See the list here.