Netflix dominates as the go-to platform for anime content globally, with 48% of viewers subscribing for such programming, followed by Disney+ at 32% and Prime Video at 29%, according to a new study from Dentsu surveying 8,600 consumers across 10 countries. The study found that 31% of global consumers watch anime at least once a […]
Variety
BBC Issues Apology Over ‘High Risk’ Bob Vylan’s Controversial Glastonbury Performance
The BBC has issued a formal apology after allowing a “high risk” act to perform live at Glastonbury, despite internal warnings about Bob Vylan’s potential for controversial content. The performance aired on the broadcaster’s platforms and contained what the BBC described as “offensive and deplorable behavior” related to antisemitism. Director-general Tim Davie personally addressed BBC […]
U.K. Government Formally Rejects Streaming Levy, Doubles Down on Mixed Production Ecology
The U.K. government has firmly rejected calls for a 5% levy on streaming platforms and mandatory IP retention rules, instead emphasizing the benefits of a “mixed ecology” that welcomes both international investment and local production in its formal response to parliamentary recommendations on British film and high-end television. As revealed by Variety in May, U.K. […]
Head of Italy’s Film Department Steps Down Following Tax Credit Scandal Involving U.S. Citizen Who Is a Double Murder Suspect
Nicola Borrelli, head of the film department of Italy’s culture ministry, has stepped down in the wake of a mounting scandal involving a roughly $1 million dollar production tax credit granted for a film that never got made, allegedly partly produced by a U.S. citizen who stands accused of a double murder. Borrelli is well-respected […]
‘Sherlock & Daughter,’ Starring David Thewlis, Sells to Further Territories Following Stellar Launches in U.S. and Australia (EXCLUSIVE)
Federation Studios’ distribution arm Federation Intl. has closed a raft of sales for crime series “Sherlock & Daughter,” starring Emmy-nominated “Fargo” actor David Thewlis, “The New Mutants” star Blu Hunt and Dougray Scott, who appeared in “Mission: Impossible 2” and “Batwoman.” The show, which is produced by Starlings Television Distribution through its affiliate Albion Television, […]
Khyentse Norbu’s ‘Perfect God’ Wraps Production in Kathmandu, Unveils First Looks (EXCLUSIVE)
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, known in the film world as Khyentse Norbu, has completed principal photography on “Perfect God,” following a month-long shoot in Kathmandu, Nepal. The production has unveiled the film’s first looks. The film, adapted from Nepali author Samrat Upadhyay’s short story “The Limping Bride” from his collection “Arresting God in Kathmandu,” follows […]
Dan Rather on Paramount’s $16 Million Trump Settlement: ‘It Was a Sell-Out to Extortion by the President’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Legendary former CBS News anchor Dan Rather expressed disappointment Wednesday at Paramount Global’s decision to pay $16 million to the Trump administration and settle its lawsuit over a “60 Minutes” report. “It’s a sad day for journalism,” Rather told Variety. “It’s a sad day for ’60 Minutes’ and CBS News. I hope people will read […]
Hollywood Foreign Press Association Members Seek to Restore Organization Amid Disputes with New Owners of Golden Globes
Veteran board members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association are seeking to re-establish the organization, two years after the Golden Globe Awards and other assets of the HFPA were acquired by Dick Clark Productions and investor Todd Boehly’s Eldridge holding company. The move stems from a dispute between some HFPA members and the new stewards […]
‘Pretty Thing’ Review: A Casual Lover Turns Committed Stalker in a Medium-Hot Thriller With Alicia Silverstone
Attraction proves problematic if not fatal in “Pretty Thing.” Those who’ve missed the steaminess of the peak “erotic thriller” era as defined by “9 1/2 Weeks,” “Basic Instinct” and so forth may find some nostalgic pleasure in this slick if more modest enterprise, with Alicia Silverstone as a middle-aged businesswoman who picks up sexy younger […]
Inside the Courtroom for the Sean Combs Verdict: ‘There Were Gasps’
In a bonus episode of Variety‘s Strictly Business podcast, reporter Ethan Shanfeld provided insight into how the verdict for the Sean “Diddy” Combs trial played out in the courtroom. The trial resulted in a split verdict. Combs was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and was acquitted on sex trafficking […]