On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, in our Box Office segment, Variety’s Rebecca Rubin breaks down the recording-setting opening for Lionsgate’s musical biopic “Michael.” And Marc Malkin brings us a Just for Variety report on Madonna’s surprise visit to the Abbey in West Hollywood. Listen to the full episode here: Lionsgate had high hopes […]

The Directors Guild of America has extended the employment contract of Russell Hollander as national executive director through the end of 2029. The extension comes about two weeks before the DGA is set to begin its collective bargaining process with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on May 11. Hollander is a more […]

Marketecture Media, a publishing and live event outfit that focuses on the nexus of media and technology, has recruited Jackelyn Keller to serve as chief revenue officer as the company looks to scale its business events and content operations. The company just completed a $1 million seed funding round designed to help it expand its […]

The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner was turned upside down Saturday night as a gunman was taken into custody after shots were fired near the ballroom at the Washington Hilton. President Trump, first lady Melania Trump and other administration officials were evacuated by the Secret Service after the shots disrupted the annual gala fundraiser event. […]

Michael Jackson’s estate is facing a new wave of molestation allegations leveled at the late pop star, this time from four siblings from New Jersey who say they were groomed and abused for years and that the many handlers in Jackson’s entourage willingly enabled it all. The lawsuit by the four siblings — three brothers […]

On today’s episode of Variety’s “Strictly Business” podcast, NBCUniversal’s Pearlena Igbokwe details the company’s key areas of focus following its transition with the Versant Media spinoff at the start of this year. Igbokwe, who is NBCUniversal’s chairman of Television Studios, NBC Entertainment and Peacock scripted, discusses the return of the pilot process at NBC, the […]

On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, breaks down the Warner Bros. Discovery sale saga as the company’s shareholders prepare to vote on the sale to Paramount Skydance. Gordon, who studies mergers and acquisitions and has used Warner Bros. Discovery as a […]

Johnathan Walton Media has struck a deal with The Hideaway Entertainment to develop his latest true-crime podcast, “The Handyman of West Texas,” for the screen. Walton is a popular true-crime podcast host who began building his own media firm after he produced a successful podcast series about his own devastating encounter with a scam artist. […]

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has installed new leadership with veteran business and policy executive Ron Frierson signing on as president and CEO. The chamber has also tapped Dan Halden to serve as chief operating officer and legislative director for the organization that advocates for the Hollywood area of Los Angeles and administers the world […]

A federal judge in Sacramento has issued a preliminary injunction against Nexstar’s acquisition of Tegna TV stations as part of DirecTV’s lawsuit to block the merger of TV station groups. U.S. District Court Judge Troy Nunley of California’s Eastern District issued the 52-page ruling late Friday, siding with DirecTV’s argument that allowing Nexstar to move […]

On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Variety’s Todd Spangler details the growing opposition within media and entertainment to Paramount Skydance’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. And Marc Malkin talks to documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville about his Focus Features documentary “Lorne,” about the enigmatic “Saturday Night Live” leader. Actor Mark Ruffalo delivered a passionate statement via […]

On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Variety’s Gene Maddaus details the Writers Guild of America’s four-year contract agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that will be sent out to members for a ratification vote on April 16. This time around, the guild’s focus was all about shoring up its health […]