Janet Jackson To Receive The Rock Star Award At The 2018 Black Girls Rock Awards
Janet Jackson will receive the rock star award at the 2018 Black Girls Rock awards.
The Grammy winner will be honored as a “phenomenal woman in music,” organizers said Thursday. Jackson recently released “Made For Now,” her single with Daddy Yankee.
Queen Latifah will host the show, which will be taped Sunday at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. BET Networks will air the special celebrating the accomplishments of black women on Sept. 9.
Other award recipients include Mary J. Blige, Naomi Campbell and Judith Jamison.
Blige will receive the star power award. Campbell will be presented with the black girl magic award and Jamison will receive the living legend award for her work in dance and choreography.
The televised special is a BET Networks, B.G.R. Enterprises Inc./BONDVISION MEDIA and Jesse Collins Entertainment production. The executive producers are Beverly Bond, CEO, founder and creator of “BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™”, Connie Orlando, Head of Programming for BET Networks and Jesse Collins and Jeannae Rouzan – Clay of Jesse Collins Entertainment.
‘Bewitched’ Reboot From Kenya Barris In The Works At ABC
ABC has given a pilot production commitment to a reboot of classic sitcom “Bewitched” from Kenya Barris.
The project hails from ABC Studios and Sony Pictures Television. It was in the works prior to Barris’ departure this summer from ABC Studios, where he had been under an overall deal. Earlier this month, Barris signed a three-year agreement with an option for two more additional years at Netflix worth $100 million.
Barris will write and executive produce the project with Yamara Taylor, currently a co-producer on Barris’ ABC comedy series “Black-ish.” John Davis and John Fox of Davis Entertainment will serve as non-writing exec producers.
A half-hour single camera comedy, the new “Bewitched” will be reimagined as a story featuring a bi-racial couple. The original “Bewitched” aired on ABC from 1964 to 1972. It starred Elizabeth Montgomery, a witch with magical powers who marries an ordinary mortal man, Darren, played first by Dick York and later by Dick Sargent. It was created by Sol Saks and produced by Harry Ackerman. Sony Pictures holds the rights to the franchise, which was made into a 2005 feature film starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell. The new project will feature an African-American Samantha who marries a mortal white man.
Source: Variety
Common Signs Overall Deal With Lionsgate TV
Common is increasing his focus on television.
The Emmy-winning songwriter, actor and producer has inked an overall deal with Lionsgate Television. Under the pact, Common will create and develop new projects for the studio.
The deal expands Lionsgate’s relationship with Common, who has starred in the film studio’s John Wick and Now You See Me feature franchises. He currently co-stars and exec produces Showtime’s The Chi.
“We’re thrilled to have the talented multihyphenate Common join our television team along with his longtime manager and producing partner Derek Dudley, president of production Shelby Stone and creative executive Melisa Resch,” said Lionsgate executive vp and head of worldwide scripted TV Chris Selak. “Common’s expertise from working across all different artistic platforms offers a rich and exciting creative vision to our group. We look forward to the bold, premium content Freedom Road Productions will bring to our deep and diverse television slate.”
Common, who earned an Emmy for his music in Ava DuVernay’s Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning documentary 13th, next has features Smallfoot (with Warner Bros.), The Hate U Give (Fox) and Hunter Killer, which hails from Lionsgate’s indie label Summit Entertainment.
“I’m proud to expand my relationship with the innovative content creator Lionsgate,” said Common. “The studio offers a collaborative, creative freedom that is unique in the entertainment industry, which makes them a perfect partner for Freedom Road Productions. I’m looking forward to teaming up with Kevin [Beggs, Lionsgate TV Group chairman], Chris and the Lionsgate collective on exciting and fresh television programming.”
Common’s TV credits include a co-starring role on AMC’s Hell on Wheels, joins a Lionsgate roster that also includes Dear White People‘s Justin Simien and Yvette Bowser, Kim and Eric Tannenbaum (Two and a Half Men), Courtney Kemp (Power) and Jenny Bicks(Sex and the City), among others. Common is repped by UTA, Dudley and attorney David Fox.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
WATCH: The HappyTime Murders Movie Review!
For this episode of Humor Mill TV, we review the new film titled The HappyTime Murders!
Now, before we jump into the review we have to say do NOT take your children to see this film! Yes, the film include puppets that you may have seen in the trailer if you happened to catch it on television, but unlike the puppet films of the past, this film is not for your kids.
As stated, The HappyTime Murders is a film for adults, with puppets, that is sure to be the beginning of a whole new audience; an audience that includes rude, sexual jokes, drug jokes, and a ton of cursing that is not like anything you have seen from any puppet film. With that being said, this film is one of the most hilarious films released this year and thanks to the performances of Melissa McCarthy and Maya Rudolph, it does not disappoint. The HappyTime Murders will most likely be the start of a new branch of a puppet movie franchise for adults that’s sure to be around for a while, and laughter is definitely in the recipe for future success.
If you are not familiar with the film, check out the film description and our immediate reaction below. This film is rated R for strong sexual content, drug usage, and language but we give it a RATED G, as in GO SEE IT.
Film description;
Set in the underbelly of Los Angeles where puppets and humans coexist, detective Connie Edwards (Melissa McCarthy) teams up with her puppet partner, Phil Philips, to find out who’s behind a series of puppet murders. From Brian Henson, the son of Jim Henson and director of The Muppets Christmas Carol and Muppets Treasure Island, comes the least kid-friendly puppet movie ever made.THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS is a hilarious and outrageous R-rated comedy unlike anything you’ve ever seen, starring the very funny Melissa McCarthy alongside comedy all-stars Maya Rudolph, Joel McHale and Elizabeth Banks.
Regina Hall Confirms ‘Girls Trip’ Sequel Is In The Works
It looks like the Flossy Posse is getting back together! According to Girls Trip star Regina Hall, “the girls are coming back” for a sequel to the breakout comedy of summer 2017.
“We’re trying to make that happen,” Hall told BuzzFeed News’ AM to DM. “So we’re trying to get everything together with the schedule. I think they’re working on something. I don’t know where we’re going. I don’t know where the girls are going, but… we’re going somewhere.”
Girls Trip, directed by Malcolm D. Lee and written by Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver, earned $140.4 million worldwide after its debut last year. Starring Hall, Tiffany Haddish (in her breakthrough role), Queen Latifah, and Jada Pinkett Smith, the film saw four college friends reuniting at Essence Fest in New Orleans where they partied hard, revisited old wounds, reclaimed their identities, and became much closer for it.
Talk of a sequel has been buzzing about since audiences proved once again that a film with women in the leading roles can (wait for it…) make a lot of money. (Hear that, Hollywood executives?) An official announcement, however, has remained elusive; Universal had no comment.
Lee told EW “we’d like to” do a sequel. “The audience really took to it, I think they’d want to see what the Flossy Posse is up to next and I’m hoping that we can make that happen and bring that to the masses.”
He continued, “It has to be a little bit bigger, it has to be just as good, just as funny, just as outrageous and that takes time. We’ve got to figure out how that’s all going to come together and coalesce in a script and make it worth our time as filmmakers, their time as actors, and the audience’s time as consumers. So we don’t want to do it if it’s not going to be great. We want to make sure that it’s a quality piece of work.”
This is something Haddish says she’s been “constantly bothering the studios about that.”
“Every time I see one of the executives, I say, ‘When are we doing Girls Trip 2? How’s it going to work out? Here, I have a few ideas,’” she adds. “I’m like writing it myself. I’m so ready for Girls Trip 2 to happen. And so is Jada and Queen Latifah and Regina, we all talk about it. We talk to each other at least once or twice a month, like ‘What do you think? What about this idea?’ I’m like, we should just write it ourselves and then present it to the studio, like, ‘When are we going to shoot this?’”
Source: Entertainment Weekly
Jay Ellis To Join Tom Cruise In The New ‘Top Gun’ Sequel
Jay Ellis is continuing to bolster his film resume.
The Insecure star, who will appear in the psychological horror flick Escape Room, is among the latest cast members added to the new Top Gun sequel, Top Gun: Maverick.
Tom Cruise toplines the upcoming film, and other co-stars include Val Kilmer, Glen Powell, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Thomasin McKenzie, Charles Parnell, Jay Ellis, Bashir Salahuddin, Danny Ramirez and Monica Barbaro.
The only character detail known as of yet is that Ellis will play a pilot.
Joseph Kosinski is the director of the film, set for release in July 2019.
Tiffany Haddish Sets Up Another New Stand-Up Special At Netflix
Tiffany Haddish continues to be a force.
After last year’s stand-up special on Showtime, she’s set another one in 2019, this time at Netflix.
“Tiffany Haddish is a force. Hilariously funny, brash and self-effacing, she’s an incredible artist who is winning over audiences while breaking barriers, and we are tremendously proud that she will showcase her formidable talent on Netflix,” said Lisa Nishimura, vice president of original documentary and comedy at Netflix.
Haddish has a busy to-do list; this is her second Netflix project aside from her animated series with Ali Wong, Tuca & Bertie, which premieres next year.
Her TNT series with Tracy Morgan, The Last O.G., was recently renewed for a second season, and among her many films set for release is September’s Night School.
Source: Shadow & Act
HBO Officially Orders Regina King-Led ‘Watchmen’ Series
HBO has officially ordered the upcoming HBO adaptation of Watchmen, which is led by Regina King.
From Damon Lindelof, it is the latest collaboration between him and King since HBO’s The Leftovers.
Jeremy Irons, Louis Gossett Jr., Don Johnson, Tim Blake Nelson, Adelaide Clemens, Andrew Howard Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Tom Mison, Frances Fisher, Jacob Ming-Trent, Sara Vickers, Dylan Schombing, Lily Rose Smith and Adelynn Spoon also star.
Specific character details have not been revealed yet, but King is believed to be playing a character Angela Abar, while Gossett Jr.’s character will be Old Man.
The official log line: Set in an alternate history where “superheroes” are treated as outlaws, Watchmen embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel while attempting to break new ground of its own.
Back in May, Lindelof posted a letter to fans about the upcoming adaptation, which read in part, “Some of the characters will be unknown. New faces. New masks to cover them. We also intend to revisit the past century of Costumed Adventuring through a surprising yet familiar set of eyes…and it is here we will be taking our greatest risks.”
King recently said, “I felt like we’re really lucky because Damon is so smart to…create his own, I don’t want to say a world, but we don’t have to be beholden to what everyone’s already seen with Watchmen. I think everybody will just be surprised. It’s not a total redo; it’s its own world.”
The series is expected in 2019.
Source: Shadow & Act
Eva Longoria Joins The Live Action Comedy ‘Dora the Explorer’
Dora the Explorer has found her mom.
Eva Longoria has joined Paramount’s live-action feature based on the character from the popular Nickelodeon TV series.
The movie is currently in production in Australia with James Bobin in the director’s seat and Kristin Burr producing.
Isabela Moner is starring as the titular character with Eugenio Derbez, Micke Moreno, Nicholas Coombe, Madeleine Madden, Adriana Barraza, Temuera Morrison also on the call sheet.
Per the studio, the movie will tell the story of Dora, a girl who has spent most of her life exploring the jungle with her parents, but now must navigate her most dangerous adventure yet: high school. Always the explorer, Dora quickly finds herself leading Boots (her best friend, a monkey), Diego, and a rag tag group of teens on a Goonies-esque adventure to save her parents and solve the impossible mystery behind a lost Inca civilization.
Longoria is playing Eva, Dora’s mother.
Paramount has set Aug. 2, 2019 as the release date. Paramount Players, Nickelodeon, Walden Media are the companies involved.
Longoria starred for eight seasons on Desperate Housewives, the comedic soap opera that made her a household name. She has appeared in movies such as In a World… and the recent Overboard and is currently in theatres with Dog Days from Annapurna Pictures. Longoria has also become a force in producing television shows with her production company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment and is an executive producer on ABC’s new drama Grand Hotel which is slated for midseason.
She is repped by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
‘Sister Circle’ Announces The Addition Of New Host Trina Braxton!
“Sister Circle” announced today that Trina Braxton is joining first-year hosts Rashan Ali, Syleena Johnson and Quad Webb-Lunceford on the lively, daily talk show. Braxton is an entrepreneur, R&B singer and star of the reality TV show, “Braxton Family Values.”
“Sister Circle” is a live, one-hour daily talk show that is inspiring, informative, empowering and always entertaining. The show is hosted by four dynamic women that don’t shy away from sharing their opinions, views and feelings. “Sister Circle” tackles a wide range of topics including matters of the heart, raising a family, race relations, cooking, managing money and the latest beauty and fashion trends. The hosts are often joined by celebrity guests to have honest, emotional and frank discussions that engage audiences across platforms.
“Sister Circle” airs daily in 12 TEGNA markets and nationally on cable’s TV One from noon-1:00 p.m. ET. Produced by TEGNA out of its Atlanta station WATL, “Sister Circle” reaches 60 percent of U.S. television households.
“As our hosts always say, ‘the show was created for African American women, but it’s a show that not only speaks to women of color, but we welcome all women into our circle – The Sister Circle.’ ” said Lisa Kridos, vice president of original programming and development, TEGNA. “We are thrilled that Trina Braxton is joining the ‘Sister Circle’ family. From her musical roots as part of the legendary Braxton sisters and continuing to star with her famous family on ‘Braxton Family Values,’ Trina brings a unique perspective to ‘Sister Circle’ with her honest and candid perspective on relationships, motherhood, and managing it all.”
In the past year, “Sister Circle” has amassed more than 125,000 followers on Instagram and has been featured on some of the hottest social and digital media sites, including Bossip, Shaderoom and The Source/Her Source. Celebrity guests have included Ice Cube, Gabrielle Union, Will Packer and Bobby Brown.
To learn more about “Sister Circle” and to join the conversation, follow @SisterCircleTV across social media
