Variety

First Look: Jon Favreau Directs Live Action Promo for Videogame ‘Destiny’

Marc Graser — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:00:14 +0000

To promote their ambitious new videogame “Destiny,” Activision and Bungie (which created “Halo”), have produced a live action commercial, directed by Jon Favreau and featuring Giancarlo Esposito, for the fall release. SEE ALSO: Bungie Hopes to Repeat ‘Halo’ Success With ‘Destiny’ The 60-second spot, produced by ad shop 72 and Sunny, with visual effects handled... Read more »

‘Hangover Part III’ Debuts With $3.1 Mil Wednesday

Andrew Stewart — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:29:17 +0000

With a solid $3.1 million Wednesday night start for “The Hangover Part III,” Warner Bros. execs should be tickled pink as the pic’s late-night perf nearly matches that of “Star Trek” last weekend — and without the benefit of higher-priced 3D or Imax. REVIEW: ‘The Hangover Part III’ Warner expands “Hangover” nationwide on Thursday to... Read more »

Hamptons Fest Sets ‘Twenty Feet’ to Kick Off SummerDocs

Sean Fitz-Gerald — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:23:28 +0000

The Hamptons Int’l. Film Fest has wrangled Morgan Neville’s “Twenty Feet from Stardom” to kick off its fifth-annual four-part SummerDocs series starting June 15. The summer series presents East End auds with a curated batch of docus in an effort to cast an early spotlight on potential Oscar contenders. Neville’s pic pays tribute to the... Read more »

‘Modern Family,’ ‘Criminal Minds’ Win As Season Wraps

Rick Kissell — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:20:23 +0000

ABC's "Modern Family" emerged the leader in key demos on Wednesday, the final night of the television season, while a two-hour "Criminal Minds" performed well for CBS and won its timeslot.

Time Warner Cable Faces Broadcast Blackout in 14 Markets

Todd Spangler — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:50:10 +0000

LIN Television is looking to extract more coin from Time Warner Cable, telling viewers its local broadcast stations in 14 markets will be pulled from TWC and Bright House Networks if the companies cannot reach a retransmission-consent deal by next Friday, May 31. According to Time Warner Cable, the broadcaster is seeking an increase of more... Read more »

New Foxwoods Owner Faces Big Challenges on Broadway

Gordon Cox — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:30:20 +0000

If theater owners are the most powerful figures on Broadway, then there’s a new power player in town. The purchase this week of Broadway’s largest venue, the 1,930-seat Foxwoods, reps the first real foothold in Main Stem real estate for Ambassador Theater Group, the Brit legit giant that across the U.K. owns 39 venues (including... Read more »

Film Movement Takes U.S. on ‘2 Autumns’

Leo Barraclough — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:23:39 +0000

CANNES — Striking fast at Cannes, Film Movement has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Sebastien Betbeder’s “2 Autumns, 3 Winters,” a film in France’s long tradition of contemporary relationship dramas. Sold by Alpha Violet, and unspooling over two falls and three winters, “2 Autumns” turns on two friends in their early-thirties, Arman and Benjamin, one... Read more »

Baja Fest Amps Up Industry Heft (EXCLUSIVE)

Leo Barraclough — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:01:50 +0000

CANNES — Founded last year to forge stronger links between Mexico and Hollywood, and attended by Edward Norton, Matt Dillon, Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna, the Baja Intl. Film Festival has seen an extensive makeover in top execs, industry events and geographic scope. The 2nd Baja Festival runs Nov. 13-16. Alonso Aguilar, previously Baja... Read more »

Industrial Light & Magic Ups John Knoll to Chief Creative Officer (EXCLUSIVE)

David S. Cohen — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:00:09 +0000

With Lucasfilm gearing up for a new era of active production of Star Wars films and TV series, the company has upped John Knoll to chief creative officer of Industrial Light & Magic. Knoll joins ILM president Lynwen Brennan at the top of the storied f/x studio. Knoll’s credits as vfx supervisor include the first... Read more »

Disney’s Kevin Brockman Elected Chairman of LGBT Org

Variety Staff — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:45:32 +0000

Kevin Brockman, head of Disney/ABC Television Group communications, has been elected board chairman of the non-profit LGBT advocacy org GLSEN. The New York-based Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network works with schools to ensure the safety of LGBT students. Brockman has been active with the org for nearly 20 years and a board member for... Read more »