1 min read

OpenAI film ‘Artificial,’ dropped by Amazon, finds a new home with Neon

NEW YORK | “Artificial,” Luca Guadagnino’s starry film about Sam Altman and OpenAI, has been acquired by the indie distributor Neon after it was dropped by Amazon MGM Studios. Neon said Tuesday that it bought the film following a bidding process. Amazon dropped the nearly complete $40 million film, starring Andrew Garfield as Altman, earlier […]

2 mins read

Film academy invites 529 new members, including Jenna Ortega, the Safdie brothers and Jacob Elordi

NEW YORK | The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Wednesday invited 529 members to the Oscar voting body, a new class that brings the group’s membership to nearly double what it was a decade ago. Among those who received invites are “One Battle After Another” nominee Teyana Taylor, Josh O’Connor, Jenna Ortega, […]

2 mins read

Comcast plans to split into two public companies by spinning off NBCUniversal and Sky

Comcast is planning to split itself into two publicly traded companies, one focused on media that would include NBCUniversal and Sky and the other focused on broadband and wireless services. The company said Monday that its board and management team think each company will be better positioned to pursue its own strategic priorities, invest for […]

7 mins read

Hollywood gets into the microdrama race as mobile-first storytelling draws stars and major studios

LOS ANGELES | While much of Hollywood was consumed by the streaming wars, Issa Rae was studying a different mode of entertainment thousands of miles away: microdramas. No stranger to creating a successful online series, the Emmy-nominated actor and producer became intrigued by China’s booming market for the short, mobile-first soap operas, seeing its potential […]

6 mins read

Charlie Brown’s longtime pen pal is finally revealed in new Apple TV ‘Peanuts’ movie

NEW YORK | Charlie Brown began writing to a pen pal not long after the comic strip “Peanuts” debuted in newspapers back in 1950. No one has gotten a look at whoever was on the other end of his letters — until now. Her name is Mia, and she’s a young girl from London of […]

5 mins read

What to Stream: ‘Enola Holmes 3,’ Madonna and the ‘Legally Blonde’ prequel series ‘Elle’

“Enola Holmes 3” and a new album from Madonna are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: the “Legally Blonde” prequel series, a look at Ralph Lauren’s stamp collection […]

8 mins read

The Minions and their ‘big boss’ Chris Meledandri keep a blockbuster machine humming

NEW YORK | When Illumination founder and chief executive Chris Meledandri earlier this month received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he wondered how many visitors it will have. “In years to come, as people walk down Hollywood Boulevard, they’ll come across my star,” he said to the assembled crowd. “And unless they’re […]

5 mins read

What to Stream: Paul Simon, ‘In the Hand of Dante,’ ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ and Star Fox

A Paul Simon concert special and Season 2 of the live-action “Avatar: The Last Airbender” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: a new Larry David series celebrating […]

7 mins read

Movie Review: In ‘Toy Story 5,’ it’s (digital) apocalypse now for toys

The “Toy Story” movies, like “Star Wars” and those games Michael Jordan played with the Washington Wizards, pose a problem of canon. The first three movies are a near-perfect trilogy: a series that spanned a childhood: from bedroom playtime to college, from enchantment to loss. The scope didn’t seem epic. The movies rarely strayed much […]

2 mins read

Sean Penn to direct Warner Bros. movie about a police officer at the Jan. 6 Capitol riot

NEW YORK | Sean Penn will direct a movie about a police officer who was at the Jan. 6 Capitol riot in 2021, Warner Bros. announced Tuesday. Following his Oscar-winning performance in “One Battle After Another,” Penn will direct the as-yet untitled film from his own script. Bradley Cooper is in talks to star, though […]