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When you think of actors getting trapped in unfair contracts, your mind probably goes to the era of Old Hollywood and the studio system, when stars worked for one studio and one studio only, sometimes making as many as five films a year for their corporate bosses. This system started falling apart in 1948 due to a Supreme Court case that led to the Paramount Decrees, a group of antitrust laws that broke up the studios' Hollywood monopoly.

Though the Paramount Decrees ended in 2020, the landmark Supreme Court ruling forever changed how Hollywood operated. Of course, actors still sign contracts with studios that limit their ability to choose which projects they take on. Hollywood is a business above all else, and the bosses want to make as much money off their actors as they possibly can. As such, lawsuits between actors and studios are more common than you might think, revealing...

New Order have announced a “definitive” box set of their 1986 album, Brotherhood, out November 22nd via Warner Music. What’s more, they’re separately reissuing the 12-inch singles for “Bizarre Love Triangle,” “State of the Nation,” and “Touched by the Hand of God.”

The Brotherhood collection features nine unreleased songs and demos from a 1985 recording session in Japan alongside remixes and their contributions to the soundtrack of Beth B’s film Salvation. Among these tracks are the full-length version of “Every Little Counts” and instrumental versions of “All Day Long” and “Broken Promise.”

Get Peter Hook & The Light Tickets Here

Also included are DVDs containing live performances at Brixton Academy, G-Mex Manchester, and Glastonbury, as well as TV shows from the UK and Europe — all of which are coming to DVD for the first time. Pre-orders for Brotherhood Definitive Edition and the 12-inch reissues are ongoing.

Just in case that...

Quick Navigation Before He Was a Star 10. Dog (2022) – 77% Critics / 89% Audience 9. Magic Mike (2012) – 78% Critics / 60% Audience 8. The Lost City (2022) – 79% Critics / 83% Audience 7. Haywire (2011) – 80% Critics / 41% Audience 6. Side Effects (2013) – 82% Critics / 70% Audience 5. 22 Jump Street (2014) – 84% Critics / 77% Audience 4. 21 Jump Street (2012) – 88% Critics / 83% Audience 3. Hail, Caesar! (2016) – 86% Critics / 44% Audience 2. Foxcatcher (2014) – 88% Critics / 66% Audience 1. Logan Lucky (2017) – 92% Critics / 76% Audience

Although Channing Tatum is considered one of the best-looking actors in modern Hollywood, there’s more to him than just his pleasant appearance.

After he struggled to find a job in his twenties, Tatum eventually stumbled into the acting world by chance, leading to a fruitful and prolific career.

Channing Tatum smoldering in an all-black ensemble at a screening of The Lost City held at Cineworld Leicester Square in London, England on March 31, 2022 (Credit: John Rainford / Cover Images / Insta)

Often typecast as the “dumb but good-looking” hero, Tatum has made major strides to strengthen his portfolio, extending his talent in both comedy and drama.

No man is an island. As much as we hate to admit it, sometimes, no one gets anywhere in life without someone believing in them. The same is true for Hollywood. It takes the stars aligning (pun intended) for any success story for anyone to really make it, and especially to escape the shadow of how they may be initially perceived.

There may be no better example of that than Mr. Channing Tatum. He told GQ in 2009, “I got crazy lucky. Like, sometimes I think I won the lottery or something. I don’t really know how I got here. But I just keep moving forward, and it just keeps getting better and better.” Had the stars aligned differently, he could have been just an exotic dancer and never entered the public consciousness. Or just a model. Or just played a jock. Or just played generic romantic leads. Or just played generic action roles.

It’s easy to find sport-specific lists of movies online. From Bodog’s list of the top 5 legendary basketball films — which puts the gritty and ageless White Men Can’t Jump at its #1 spot, and we couldn’t possibly agree more—To others that also cover films, it’s not rare to get a lowdown on the best or the most popular films in a particular sport.

Then there are also perennial lists for sports on film review websites, like Rotten Tomatoes’ list of 30 essential football films, and overall sports lists like IMDb’s all-time highest-rated sports films that can also include films not primarily sports-based. But what is generally lacking is the list of the best films in a select few sports, ones that are the most popular in the UK. Today, we’re going to make that list for you!

For this purpose, we’re going to limit our...

As Netflix makes room for rom-com galore this February, a slate of classic flicks and beloved favorites, from Boots Riley’s “Sorry to Bother You” to the Samuel L. Jackson-led “Coach Carter,” will be exiting the platform.

“Air Force One” and “Walking Tall” and join the slate of action movies exiting the streaming service this month. Even spookier, several thrillers, including “Scream 4,” “Shutter Island,” “The Forest,” “Term Life” and “Margin Call” are also leaving Netflix this month.

Other notable titles that won’t be available on the streaming platform after February include “Cake,” “Mr. Right,” seasons 2 and 3 of “H2O: Just Add Water,” seasons 1 and 2 of “Versailles,” “The Paper Tigers,” “No Escape Room,” “Dragonheart: Vengeance” and several editions of “One Piece.” Catch up while you can!

Here’s the full list of what’s leaving Netflix in February 2023 below, and check out what’s new on Netflix here.

Also...

Come another Oscar season, and “G.I. Joe” is on everyone’s lips again.

Following Chris Rock’s quip at Jada Pinkett Smith’s “G.I. Jane” likeness (and Will Smith subsequently slapping him onstage at the Oscars), actual “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” star Channing Tatum reveals that even he did not want to partake in its sequel, “G.I. Joe: Retaliation.”

During a Vanity Fair lie detector test video, Tatum talked about his time on the two films, starting with the 2009 “The Rise of Cobra.”

“The first [sequel] I passed on seven times, but they had an option on me, and I had to do the movie,” Tatum said. “So the second one, I obviously just didn’t want to do that one either.”

Tatum noted that he asked to be killed off within the first 10 minutes of the 2013 sequel, “G.I. Joe: Retaliation.” Dwayne Johnson instead led the follow-up film as Roadblock.

Channing Tatum has already gone on record saying he hated starring in 2009’s “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” so it’s not too surprising to hear the actor’s most recent revelation that he tried to avoid acting in the movie almost a dozen times. Participating in a lie detector test for Vanity Fair, Tatum said he tried passing on “The Rise of Cobra” seven times but was forced to star in the Paramount tentpole.

“The first one I passed on seven times, but they had an option on me and I had to do the movie,” Tatum said. “So the second one, I obviously just didn’t want to do that one either.”

Tatum confirmed he asked to be killed off in the first 10 minutes of the sequel, 2013’s “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” to avoid any further commitment to the franchise. Did he regret that decision? “No,” he said bluntly.

Adrienne Bailon-Houghton has signed a talent and development deal at NBCUniversal.

Through the agreement, Bailon-Houghton will pursue unscripted opportunities across NBCU platforms to serve as a host and/or producer across the company’s broadcast, cable, streaming and syndication programming.

Bailon-Houghton first broke out as the lead singer of R&b girl group 3Lw, then went on to become a founding member of the pop group the Cheetah Girls and starred in the movies “The Cheetah Girls,” “The Cheetah Girls 2” and “The Cheetah Girls: One World.” Other TV and movie credits include “That’s So Raven,” “Raven’s Home,” “All You’ve Got,” “Lovestruck,” “Coach Carter” and “I’m in Love with a Church Girl.” Later in her career she serves as a co-host of “The Real” from 2013 to 2022, which in 2018 earned her a shared Emmy for entertainment talk show host.

“We’ve long admired Adrienne’s talents and been so impressed...

Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, who was one of the hosts of the recently canceled daytime series The Real, is moving into primetime television with a talent and development deal at NBCUniversal.

Bailon-Houghton, the first Latina daytime talk show host on English-language television, has struck the deal with NBCUniversal Television and Streaming and it includes unscripted opportunities across its networks and streaming service Peacock to serve as host and/or producer.

NBCUniversal has struck similar talent deals with the likes of Miley Cyrus and Meghan Trainor.

In addition to hosting The Real, Bailon-Houghton has her own YouTube channel, All Things Adrienne, hosts design show House to Home on CleoTV, and was a contestant on Fox’s The Masked Singer in 2019.

She began her career as a member of R&b girl group 3Lw and later became a member of pop group the Cheetah Girls. She has also acted in series That’s So Raven...

Academy Award nominees Andrea Berloff and John Gatins have formed a creative partnership with Netflix to write feature films for the streaming service.

“From gripping dramas based on true stories to spectacle action adventure and comedies, Andrea Berloff and John Gatins have created stories that deeply connect with audiences across genres,” Kira Goldberg and Ori Marmur, Vice Presidents of Netflix Studio Film, said in a joint statement. “We’re thrilled to start this creative partnership with these two acclaimed and versatile writing talents.”

Berloff is best known for co-writing the script to “Straight Outta Compton,” the hit film about Nwa’s rise and dissolution. She earned an Academy Award nomination for her work. Her other credits include “World Trade Center,” a drama about 9/11 that was directed by Oliver Stone,” and “Blood Father,” a crime thriller that was directed by Jean-Francois Richet. For Netflix, she co-wrote the soon-to-be-released “The Mother,” which will star Jennifer Lopez.

Actress Denise Dowse, known for her roles in “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Insecure”, has died. She a was 64.

Denise’s sister, Tracey, shared the sad news in a post on Instagram, writing, “It is with a very heavy heart that I inform everyone that my sister, Denise Dowse has gone forward to meet our family in eternal life.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Denise Dowse (@denisedowse)

Tracy added, “Denise loved all of you. I know that she is watching over us with all the love she has.”

In recent days, Denise had been in a coma while she battle meningitis.

Last week, her sister confirmed her condition to Et, saying, “Yes, she is still in a coma. We are hopeful that she will come out of this soon.”

In a post to Denise’s Instagram page this week, Tracey released a statement on Denise’s coma...

Character actress Denise Dowse, known for her roles on shows like Beverly Hills, 90210, and Insecure has died. She was 64. In a post shared on the actress’s Instagram page, her sister Tracey confirmed the news, writing, “I want to take this moment to thank our friends and family for all of the love and prayers. It is with a very heavy heart that I inform everyone that my sister, Denise Dowse has gone forward to meet our family in eternal life.” “Denise Yvonne Dowse was the most amazing sister, a consummate, illustrious actress, mentor, and director. She was my very best friend and final family member,” Tracey continued. “Denise loved all of you. I know that she is watching over us with all the love she has.” Denise Dowse in Coach Carter (Credit: ©Paramount/courtesy Everett Collection) Before announcing her death, Tracey posted on Denise’s page, revealing that...

Denise Dowse, an actress known for roles in “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Insecure” among multiple other film and television credits, has died. She was 64 years old.

Her sister Tracey shared the news on Instagram, writing, “It is with a very heavy heart that I inform everyone that my sister, Denise Dowse has gone forward to meet our family in eternal life. Denise Yvonne Dowse was the most amazing sister, a consummate, illustrious actress, mentor and director. She was my very best friend and final family member.”

Dowse had recently fell into a coma brought on by a virulent form of meningitis. Her sister first shared news of Dowse’s health condition through her Facebook on August 5.

“I am trying to keep my spirits up and support those who need it. As many of you know I am a private person. So this is hard for me. I am requesting support...

Denise Dowse, the busy character actress who portrayed Vice Principal Yvonne Teasley on Beverly Hills, 90210, Judge Rebecca Damsen on The Guardian and therapist Rhonda Pine on Insecure, has died. She was 64.

Dowse’s passing was announced Saturday on her Instagram account by older sister Tracey Dowse, who praised her sibling as “the most amazing sister, a consummate, illustrious actress, mentor and director. She was my very best friend and final family member.”

On Aug. 7, Tracey wrote on Instagram that her younger sister was hospitalized and in a coma brought on by a “virulent form of meningitis.”

On the big screen, Denise Dowse stood out as Ray Charles’ manager Marlene André in Ray (2004), starring Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, and she played another principal, this one based on a real-life educator at Richmond (California) High School, in Coach Carter (2005), starring Samuel L. Jackson.

She...

Exclusive: Rick Gonzalez and Brent Antonello have joined the cast of NBC’s Law & Order: Organized Crime for Season 3. The duo will portray NYPD detectives assigned to the Organized Crime unit.

The series follows Law & Order: Svu character Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni), a veteran detective who returns to the New York Police Department following his wife’s murder. He joins the Organized Crime Task Force.

Law & Order: Organized Crime is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group and Wolf Entertainment. Executive producers include Dick Wolf, Bryan Goluboff, Barry O’Brien, John Polson, Paul Cabbad, Arthur W. Forney, Christopher Meloni, and Peter Jankowski.

Gonzalez most recently starred in the Peacock series The Lost Symbol, based on the Dan Brown novel of the same name. Prior to that, he portrayed Rene Ramirez/Wild Dog in the CW’s Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow.

Last July, Garth Brooks was forced to make a last-minute cancellation of his show at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium when dangerous weather conditions rolled through just before he was supposed to go onstage.

The possibility of rain and storms hung in the air for the country star’s first of two rescheduled Stadium Tour dates on Friday, but Brooks wasn’t going to be thwarted this time.

“I’ve never seen rain like that,” Brooks told the crowd in Nashville at the beginning of his set. “Thank you for giving us a second chance!

“The Adam Project” and “Pieces of Her” topped Netflix’s Top 10 lists of English-language films and TV series for the week of March 7, when the fifth and final season of “The Last Kingdom” was viewed for 63.5 million hours in its first five days after launch.

Debuting March 11, the Ryan Reynolds-led pic was viewed for 92.43 million hours in just its first two days on the platform. Meanwhile, “Pieces of Her,” which premiered on March 4, was the No. 1 show for the seven days, drawing 95.72 million hours by March 13.

“The Last Kingdom” drew the above-mentioned 63.54 million hours and ranked second for English-language TV shows. Shonda Rhimes’ limited series “Inventing Anna” was in No. 3 in its fifth week post-premiere with 51.84 million hours watched. The rest of the list was rounded out by “Vikings: Valhalla” Season 1, “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” Season 4, the first season of “Worst Roommate Ever,” “Good Girls” Season 4, “Love Is Blind...

Pandemic? What pandemic? That seemed to be the vibe among the 68,000 people at Garth Brooks’ concert at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday night, the first major stadium concert anywhere in the U.S. since the arrival of Covid-19.

Social distancing? Nope. Masks? Maybe a few wore them. Heck, Brooks even shared M&m’s with the crowd at one point.

While there is certainly some trepidation about a mass indoor gathering right now — especially with the emergence of the more transmissible delta variant — the semblance of normalcy outweighed everything else on Saturday night.

Nearly six years have passed since Samuel L. Jackson, Wesley Snipes, and Denzel Washington presented Spike Lee with an honorary Academy Award in recognition of his influential career. Flanked by his colleagues, Jackson spoke for over seven minutes about Lee’s impact on the film industry, with a special focus on his and the director’s enduring friendship. Later, he also bestowed Lee’s first competitive Oscar, leading to their well-remembered on-stage embrace. Now, the time has come for the highly-regarded actor to have his own day in the sun.

Along with Danny Glover, Elaine May, and Liv Ullmann, Jackson is set to be recognized at the upcoming 12th annual Governors Awards. The 72-year-old’s tribute comes in acknowledgment of his status as “a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across genres and generations and audiences worldwide.” With more than 130 credits to his name and a yearly average of...

The latest in our series of writers sticking up for hated films is a call to reconsider Paris Hilton’s surprisingly effective performance in the horror remake

The stars of 2005’s House of Wax remake were all having their moments in Hollywood when they joined the reimagined slasher version of Vincent Price’s 1953 classic. Elisha Cuthbert had just broken out in 2004’s Girl Next Door while Chad Michael Murray was coming off both Freaky Friday and A Cinderella Story. Jared Padalecki starred opposite the Olsen Twins in A New York Minute in 2004 and Robert Ri’chard held his own opposite Samuel L Jackson in the early 2005 drama Coach Carter. And then there was Paris Hilton.

Related: Hear me out: why Deep Rising isn’t a bad movie...

It’s that time of year again for basketball fans — March Madness is in full swing for collegiate teams, and the NBA playoffs are just weeks away. Basketball fans are a loyal bunch, following the excitement of the sport, with its heart-stopping beat-the-buzzer moments, dramatic plays and fast action whipping from one end of the court to the other. It’s no wonder that basketball makes for great cinema – and its players are capable of being part of the show.

There have been some great basketball films over the years, ranging from lowbrow comedies like “Celtic Pride” to family fare such as “Like Mike” to inspirational stories like “Coach Carter.” Some have used the sport as a way to shine a light on social issues over the years, with films like “Cornbread, Earl and Me” and “The Basketball Diaries” remaining relevant decades after their premieres. And most of these films feature real-life basketball players,...

It’s that time of year again for basketball fans — March Madness is in full swing for collegiate teams, and the NBA playoffs are just weeks away. Basketball fans are a loyal bunch, following the excitement of the sport, with its heart-stopping beat-the-buzzer moments, dramatic plays and fast action whipping from one end of the court to the other. It’s no wonder that basketball makes for great cinema – and its players are capable of being part of the show.

There have been some great basketball films over the years, ranging from lowbrow comedies like “Celtic Pride” to family fare such as “Like Mike” to inspirational stories like “Coach Carter.” Some have used the sport as a way to shine a light on social issues over the years, with films like “Cornbread, Earl and Me” and “The Basketball Diaries” remaining relevant decades after their premieres. And most of these films feature real-life basketball players,...

Andrea Martin (Great News), Robert Ri’chard (Empire), Juani Feliz (Blue Bloods), Kate Rockwell (Mean Girls: The Musical) and Sullivan Jones (The Surrogate) are set for recurring roles on Amazon’s Harlem, the comedy series from Tracy Oliver (Girls Trip), Amy Poehler’s Paper Kite Productions and Universal TV. They’ll join previously announced Whoopi Goldberg and Jasmine Guy, who also recur.

Created, written and executive produced by Oliver, Harlem, formerly the Untitled Tracy Oliver Project, is a single-camera comedy following the lives of four black women, friends from their college days at NYU, as they navigate sex, relationships and chasing their dreams.

Martin will play Robin, Camille’s passionate feminist mentor at Columbia University. Ri’chard portrays Shawn, Quinn’s sexy, stripper one-night stand who sticks around much longer than she planned. Feliz is Isabela, a local politician on track to beating AOCs record as the youngest member of Congress...

No disrespect to the star-studded ensemble of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Quentin Tarantino’s acting troupe is stronger for Samuel L. Jackson. Reflecting on his career while accepting the Legend of Cinema Award at the 2020 Scad Savannah Film Festival (via Entertainment Weekly), Jackson shared that his cast members from Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight” make up the closest film bond of his career. That’s saying something considering Jackson is also a fixture of the McU and George Lucas’ “Star Wars” prequels, plus dozens of other films.

“The haters from ‘Hateful Eight,’ we have a chain where we still text each other every week to say where are you, what are you doing, or we’re commenting on the political situation. That’s the strongest cinematic connection I’ve ever had.”

Jackson starred as Major Marquis Warren in “The Hateful Eight” opposite Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bruce Dern,...

Garth Brooks will release his long-awaited new studio album, Fun, on November 20th. The country music performer announced the record’s release date, along with a new concert album coming the same day.

Brooks originally teased Fun back in 2018 with the single “All Day Long” and the ballad “Stronger Than You.” Both are included on the upcoming 14-track LP, along with his duet with Blake Shelton, “Dive Bar,” and a cover of “Shallow,” from A Star Is Born, with his wife Trisha Yearwood. Seven tracks from Fun are currently available on Amazon,...

Chernin Entertainment has named Sharla Sumpter Bridgett as senior vice president of film and television, Chernin Entertainment’s President of Film and Television Jenno Topping announced on Tuesday.

Sumpter Bridgett has produced film and TV projects over the past 15 years across all formats and genres. Most recently, she worked as Tim Story’s producing partner running The Story Company where current projects in development are Kevin Hart’s “Monopoly” and Universal Pictures’ musical comedy film “Praise This” directed by Tina Gordon.

Before The Story Company, she produced TV and film projects through her Sb&Co shingle, and she also consulted for multiple companies. She also served as Partner and President of Production at Varsity Pictures where she produced films and TV projects like “The To Do List,” “Blue Mountain State” and “Sonny with a Chance.” She also served as president of film at Tollin/Robbins Productions where she executive produced “Coach Carter” and “Wild Hogs.

Chernin Entertainment has brought on Sharla Sumpter Bridgett in the role of Senior Vice President of Film and Television, where she’ll produce projects for the company’s slate.

Sumpter Bridgett, who has over 15 years of experience in development and production, was previously Tim Story’s producing partner running The Story Company where projects in development include Lionsgate and Hasbro’s live-action feature Monopoly starring Kevin Hart, Universal Pictures’ musical comedy Praise This directed by Tina Gordon, and the STX Entertainment superhero comedy Night Wolf led by Hart.

Before this, Sumpter Bridgett produced television and film through her Sb&Co shingle, consulted for multiple companies, and cultivated a writer’s program. She’s also served as Partner and President of Production at Varsity Pictures, where she produced titles like The To-Do List, Blue Mountain State and Sonny with a Chance, as well as President of Film at Tollin/Robbins Productions where...

Samuel L. Jackson is set to reprise the role of Nick Fury in a new Marvel series currently in development at Disney Plus, Variety has learned exclusively from sources.

The exact plot details of the show are being kept under wraps, but multiple sources say Jackson is attached to star with Kyle Bradstreet attached to write and executive produce. Like all the other Marvel shows at Disney Plus, Marvel Studios will produce.

Reps for Jackson, Bradstreet, and Disney did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.

Jackson famously portrayed Fury, the monocular head of the clandestine government agency S.H.I.E.L.D, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe going back to the post-credits scene in the first “Iron Man” film in 2008. He has appeared in multiple films within the McU since, most recently portraying Fury in “Spider-Man: Far from Home,” “Avengers: Endgame,” and “Captain Marvel.” He also...

Actor Gina Torres had a “rude awakening” early on in her career when the “Suits” star realized that she would be pigeonholed as she sought out roles because of the color of her skin.

Torres spoke Sept. 17 during panel session with Black and Latinx actors organized by the African American Film Critics Association and the National Association of Latino Independent Producers, to kick off Latinx Heritage Month on Sept. 17 with a discussion about the experiences of Afro-Latinx talent in the entertainment industry.

Moderated by Magdalena Albizu, director of the documentary “Negrita,” the conversation consisted of Afro-Latinx actors and creatives including Torres, Selenis Leyva, Aida Rodriguez, Rick Gonzales, Yaya DaCosta and Sarah La Morena. Panelists shared their experiences as Afro-Latinx actors in Hollywood and discussed how the industry can better represent all Latinx cultures.

The consensus among the panelists was that they had all faced being pigeonholed into certain roles because of their skin color.

For so many sports-starved fans, “The Last Dance” provided not only weekly appointment television that felt like some semblance of normalcy during a pandemic this spring, but a sense of nostalgia-fueled comfort as well. So what has been “The Last Dance” for “The Last Dance” director Jason Hehir? He’s watched “Escape at Dannemora,” rewatched “Breaking Bad” (his girlfriend had never seen it), ’80s movies, and most recently “Hamilton,” but at the beginning, it wasn’t much. “I was still working, like night and day, on ‘The Last Dance’ when the pandemic began, so there wasn’t a lot of bingeing going on,” Hehir told Gold Derby (watch above). “I was bingeing my own rough cuts at that point.”

“The Last Dance” spotlights the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls dynasty utilizing unseen documentary footage from the entire 1997-98 season, which culminated with the team’s sixth NBA title in eight years,...

As people continue to stay home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, Showtime will add a myriad of television shows and films in July to keep house-bound subscribers entertained.

On the film side, a number of high-profile movies will debut at the start of the month, including The Amityville Horror, Catch Me If You Can, Closer, Cloverfield, Coach Carter, The Fifth Element, Finding Neverland, Julie & Julia, King Kong, Pretty in Pink, Stepmom, The Truman Show and What Lies Beneath. The Guillermo del Toro-produced Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark will be available to stream on July 4; the ...

As people continue to stay home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, Showtime will add a myriad of television shows and films in July to keep house-bound subscribers entertained.

On the film side, a number of high-profile movies will debut at the start of the month, including The Amityville Horror, Catch Me If You Can, Closer, Cloverfield, Coach Carter, The Fifth Element, Finding Neverland, Julie & Julia, King Kong, Pretty in Pink, Stepmom, The Truman Show and What Lies Beneath. The Guillermo del Toro-produced Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark will be available to stream on July 4; the ...

Actor Mel Winkler, known for his work across film, TV, theater and voice acting, died in his sleep on Thursday of unknown causes. He was 78.

Most notably, Winkler played Joppy, the best friend of Denzel Washington’s character Easy Rawlins in the 1995 thriller “Devil in a Blue Dress.” He also held minor roles in films such as “Doc Hollywood” in 1991 and 2005’s “Coach Carter.”

Winkler was born in St. Louis, Mo., on Oct. 23, 1941, and served as a captain in the U.S. Army prior to becoming an actor. Winkler began his career in 1969 on the TV show “The Doctors,” appearing in a total of 68 episodes. He also had guest roles on series like “American Playhouse,” “As the World Turns,” “The Cosby Show,” “Star Trek: Voyager,” “ER” and “NYPD Blue.”

Besides acting in film and TV, Winkler voiced several animated characters, including that of Lucius Fox in “The New Batman Adventures” from...

Mel Winkler, a character actor known for his voiceover work and appearances in such films as Devil in a Blue Dress, Doc Hollywood and Coach Carter, died Thursday. He was 78.

Winkler died peacefully in his sleep of unknown causes at his home in Hollywood, his family announced.

Winkler voiced the levitating guardian mask Aku Aku in Crash Bandicoot video games, Wayne Enterprises businessman Lucius Fox on The WB's The New Batman Adventures and Snow Cone Shop owner Johnny Snowman on Nickelodeon's Oswald. 

On Broadway, he appeared in The Great White Hope in 1968, in August Wilson's Joe ...

Mel Winkler, a character actor known for his voiceover work and appearances in such films as Devil in a Blue Dress, Doc Hollywood and Coach Carter, died Thursday. He was 78.

Winkler died peacefully in his sleep of unknown causes at his home in Hollywood, his family announced.

Winkler voiced the levitating guardian mask Aku Aku in Crash Bandicoot video games, Wayne Enterprises businessman Lucius Fox on The WB's The New Batman Adventures and Snow Cone Shop owner Johnny Snowman on Nickelodeon's Oswald. 

On Broadway, he appeared in The Great White Hope in 1968, in August Wilson's Joe ...

Exclusive: Sports fans are in a pandemic moment when we have no choice but to watch old game replays, videogame tournaments with NBA player/gamers, even a Dodgeball callback resurrection of ESPN’s The Ocho, a daylong marathon of obscure sports including cherry pit spitting, slippery stairs, stone skipping and cup stacking contests that seem funny but are an excruciating watch.

Like a cold drink in the desert, along comes the 10-part Chicago Bulls dynasty series The Last Dance, about arguably the greatest NBA team but really a Citizen Kane rendering of the sport’s indisputable Goat, Michael Jordan. Every aerial accomplishment, and career high and low is captured on full display, most of it never before seen. The first two parts of the series debut Sunday. Exec producer Mike Tollin, whose sports-themed films include Radio, Coach Carter and Varsity Blues with docus on Allen Iverson, Hank Aaron and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,...

Academy Award-winner Octavia Spencer is taking the lead on the small screen, producing and starring in “Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker.” In Netflix’s four-part limited series, Spencer plays the unlikely entrepreneur, a widow and single mother who became the world’s first female self-made millionaire. Here’s a glimpse at the life and career of one of our most beloved stars.

Secret Actor

Growing up in Alabama, Spencer had dreams of performing, but her mother urged her to pursue a more practical path. That led to her working in the casting department of films being shot locally. It was for 1996’s “A Time to Kill” that she finally worked up the nerve to ask for an audition — she wanted to be an angry bystander who starts the riot, but director Joel Schumacher said she was too “sweet-looking” and had her audition for the role of Sandra Bullock’s nurse.

It’s a small detail, the way Ben Affleck opens a can of beer, but it’s impossible to ignore. Before he sets one down on a table, he pops the top using just his right thumb and index finger, then abruptly slugs it back. He does it so fluidly, so casually, as if he’s been doing this forever. Maybe at one point in his life, it was a party trick, a muted expression of masculinity. Now it’s just the most efficient way to get alcohol to his throat.

This drunken dexterity takes place early in The Way Back, director Gavin O’Connor’s throwback sports drama that never forgets that it’s really an intimate character study of a man in crisis. It’s just one of many unique ways that Jack Cunningham (Affleck) keeps a drink close to him. The movie’s opening montage, which functions as a solemn overture,...

Jenny Gago (Southland) is set for a recurring role on Fox series Deputy, starring Stephen Dorff, from Entertainment One and Fox Entertainment. Written by Will Beall and directed by David Ayer, Deputy is a cop drama that blends the spirit of a classic Western with a modern attitude and gritty authenticity. When the Los Angeles County Sheriff dies, an arcane rule forged back in the Wild West thrusts the most unlikely man into the job: a fifth-generation lawman (Dorff) who’s more comfortable taking down bad guys than navigating a sea of politics. Gago will play the role of Anjelica Reyes, a smart, wise, loving woman who is the mother to Paula (Yara Martinez). Gago is known for her film roles in Mi Familia, Coach Carter, Blood In Blood Out and Nurse Betty. Her TV credits include TNT’s Southland and ABC comedy Freddie. She is co-managed by Karen Forman and Bill Rogin.

Octavia Spencer never believed she would be in front of the camera. Instead, she always saw herself as a producer.

Her award-winning performances in movies such as “The Help,” “Hidden Figures” and “The Shape of Water” helped Spencer, recipient of the Visionary Award at the PGA Awards this year, to do both. But getting traction in Hollywood wasn’t easy for the Alabama-bred multihyphenate.

“It took me 15 years to become an overnight success,” says Spencer, who appeared in films including “Never Been Kissed” and “Coach Carter” earlier in her career. “That’s the case for the majority of people. It took a little time, a lot of relationships. Building relationships with the people I worked with. I don’t take it for granted.

“I’ve always been a big dreamer. If you don’t dream big and you don’t see yourself where you want to be, it’s hard to put yourself there.

New year, and a host of new Netflix additions to match.

While subscribers are currently mourning the loss of Friends – after going dark today, January 1st, the beloved sitcom won’t be available until HBO Max arrives in May – Netflix has today rolled out a bevy of fresh TV shows and movies to keep us entertained, including some truly unmissable horror properties.

From Event Horizon to Cloverfield, The Amityville Horror to the Tremors franchise, Netflix’s horror category has officially been restocked. There’s plenty to choose from, too, including the 2002 rendition of The Ring, which only makes us long for a competent retelling of the Japanese horror legend to right the wrongs of Rings (2017). At least we have the upcoming Grudge reboot to look forward to on Friday (or January 24th if you happen to be located in the United Kingdom).

Per What’s on Netflix, here’s the comprehensive list of new additions,...

Viacom’s Bet Networks and Tyler Perry Studios today announced a September 19 U.S. launch date for Bet+, their joint venture and premier subscription video-on demand service.

Priced at $9.99 per month, Bet+ will feature more than 1,000 hours of content, including exclusive new original programming, series, movies, and specials from Bet Networks and creators, including Tyler Perry, Tracy Oliver, Will Packer, and others.

“We are thrilled to offer a streaming experience of content curated for the underserved African American audience with Bet+. African Americans have a higher Svod adoption rate than any other consumer base on the market, which is why Bet+ is a natural complement of Bet’s linear network, which has been and continues to be the leading home of black culture for decades,” said Scott Mills, President of Bet Networks.

“In our first year, we will release a Bet+ original project almost every month, adding to our lineup of deep and diverse content,...

Make way for another new streaming service.

Bet Plus, a joint venture between Viacom’s Bet Networks and Tyler Perry Studios, will launch domestically on Thursday, Sept. 19. The ad-free subscription video-on-demand service, priced at $9.99 a month, will kick off with more than 1,000 hours of shows, movies and stand-up specials, including content from Tyler Perry, Tracy Oliver, Will Packer and other African American content creators.

“We are thrilled to offer a streaming experience of content curated for the underserved African American audience with Bet [Plus],” said Bet Networks president Scott Mills. “African Americans have a higher Svod adoption rate than any other consumer base on the market, which is why Bet [Plus] is a natural complement of Bet’s linear network, which has been and continues to be the leading home of black culture for decades.”

Bet Plus’ general manager Devin Griffin added, via release, that the service will launch a Bet Plus...

Sometimes friends will take you straight to hell when Blood Brother arrives on Blu-ray (plus Digital), DVD, and Digital on January 29 from Lionsgate. This film is currently available On Demand. Starring music artist Trey Songz, Jack Kesy, China Anne McClain, WWE superstar Ron “R-Truth” Killings, and top-selling music artist Fetty Wap (iHeartRadio’s Best New Artist 2016), the film is an action-packed crime thriller about an ex-con hell-bent on revenge and his former friend who’s out to stop him. From the writer-director of The Quiet Ones, Blood Brother is a pulse-pounding crime film that will keep you pinned to the edge of your seat. TheBlood Brother Blu-ray and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $21.99 and $19.98, respectively.

This trailer looks so exciting:

When an ex-con takes murderous revenge against childhood friends whom he believes let him take the fall for a crime they collectively committed, one of the friends,...

Viacom has named longtime entertainment executive Brian Robbins the new president of massive kids’ network Nickelodeon, effective immediately. Robbins will be moving to Nickelodeon from his current film production position as president of Paramount Pictures’ Players division, where part of his work involved developing co-branded Nickelodeon and Paramount features.

Robbins resume includes Good Burger (a film adaptation of Nickelodeon’s '90s hit All That), The CW's Smallville and One Tree Hill, Disney Channel's Sonny With A Chance and So Random,and feature films including Coach Carter, Hardball, and Radio.

In something of a full circle moment, he also co-founded the tween- and teen-focused digital network AwesomenessTV [in what year], which began as a multichannel YouTube network and recently sold to Viacom for a reported $25 to $50 million..

At Nickelodeon, Robbins will stay “integrally involved” in the production of co-branded Nickelodeon/Paramount films, the company says, which includes films for beloved Nickelodeon properties...

A year and a half ago after AwesomenessTV co-founder Brian Robbins joined Viacom to run Paramount Players, he is being named President of the company’s Nickelodeon Group. He succeeds Cyma Zarghami who stepped down in June after more than 30 years with the network. Robbins will report directly to Viacom president and CEO Bob Bakish.

A search is underway for Robbins’ replacement as President of Paramount Players. In the interim, Wyck Godfrey, President of Paramount Pictures’ Motion Picture Group, will oversee day-to-day operations at Paramount Players, with support from Robbins during a transition period.

Robbins will manage the creative and business operations at Nickelodeon. As President of Paramount Pictures’ Paramount Players division, Robbins worked with Nickelodeon and Viacom’s other brands to identify talent and properties to be developed into co-branded feature films. In his new role, Robbins will remain integrally involved in the development, production and marketing of all...

Samuel L. Jackson has had a long and successful acting career (he currently has 172 credits on IMDb), starring in films like Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, Do the Right Thing, Deep Blue Sea, Coach Carter, the Star Wars prequels, Marvel films and many, many more. Teaming up with James Corden on the Late Late Show, the duo acted out Jackson's career, which featured some famous one-liners. Beginning with Pulp Fiction, the two donned wigs and black blazers as Jackson…...

There’s no question what’s in Samuel L. Jackson’s wallet once you realize that the ubiquitous film star has been in practically every movie.

On Wednesday, Jackson — who is currently promoting Kong: Skull Island — partook in The Late Late Show With James Corden‘s signature “Role Call” segment, which enlists A-list talent to revisit their filmography via green-screen-enhanced reenactments all shot in one take.

VideosTom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., Corden Recreate Jerry Maguire, Top Gun, Mission: Impossible and More

In total, Jackson and Corden “recreated” scenes (or, in the case of his work as Nick Fury in the Marvel films,...

 At some point Channing Tatum went from man-candy (what? It's been said) to movie star. His star rose when Step Up stole the hearts of romantic comedy lovers that had waited too long for a new dance film. Seemed like Save The Last Dance had been decades before, despite the fact it actually released only five years prior. But, let's take a look back at Channing's filmography and see exactly where Tatum became something more.

CSI: Miami - Bob Davenport (2004) Never saw it, lets assume he was "okay."Coach Carter - Jason Lyle (2005) Same as CSI: Miami, watching Samuel L. Jackson as a coach just seemed too easy. Yell. Throw Notebook. Win baby, win.War of the Worlds - Boy in Church (uncredited, 2005) Wuh? Did they know he was just in Coach Carter?Havoc - Nick (2005) Is this the Havoc with Anne Hatheway's nude scene? Must go back and pay...