TV/Film
This New Video Streaming Service Wants to Be Your Go-To for Filmed Music Content
Spinello and his founding team, which also includes John McDermott and Janie Hendrix of Experience Hendrix, Yoko Ono and the John Lennon estate and entertainment lawyer Jonas Herbsman, are now looking to shake up the old paradigm with an all-access subscription model that uses the power and reach of the Amazon distribution network to bring legacy video content in music — much of it rare and some it never before seen — to a larger audience than ever before. Launching today in the U.S. and slated to roll out to the rest of the world over the next year, Coda Collection has buy-in from most of the major players in music: Content partners at launch include all three major labels (Sony Music is an equity partner in the new venture), Rhino Entertainment, Concord Music, Mercury Studios...
BTS Collaborate With Japanese Band Back Number For New Movie Theme ‘Film Out’
Back Number have never written a song for another artist before, and Shimizu shared in a press release that his exchange with BTS — in particular Jungkook, who suggested a new melody based on the demo Shimizu sent — was an exciting experience. “I had some reservations because I’d never written a song that someone else besides myself would sing,” Shimizu said. “But I’m happy that we’ve completed a very lyrical, yet powerful track thanks to our experienced staff, our co-arranger UTA’s efforts, some exciting exchanges with Jungkook, and the personal qualities and power of expression each of the BTS members have.” Previously, BTS’s “Don’t Leave Me” was featured as the theme of the Japanese TV drama Signal, a remake of a South Korean series by the same name, starring Kentaro Sakaguc...
Donald Glover & Phoebe Waller-Bridge Team for ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ Series
How’s this for a collaboration: Donald Glover and Phoebe Waller-Bridge are uniting for an Amazon series, Mr.& Mrs. Smith. The Atlanta star teased the series, coming to Amazon in 2022, on his Instagram story Friday (Feb. 12). The project, a reboot of the 2005 New Regency film starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, has quietly been in the works for months and stems from the Fleabag creator’s overall deal with Amazon.Waller-Bridge and Glover will create and star in the series. Francesca Sloane (Atlanta, Fargo) — who is also under an overall deal with Amazon — is also attached as a co-creator and will serve as showrunner. New Regency’s Yariv Milchan and Michael Schaefer will also exec produce, as will Jenny Robins of Wel...
Brandy Shares How Whitney Houston ‘Changed My Life Forever’ While Filming ‘Cinderella’
The color-blind casting led to one of the most lauded multicultural casts in a Disney fairytale flick, which also features Paolo Montalban, Victor Garber, Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander, Veanne Cox, and Natalie Desselle-Reid, who died on Dec. 7, 2020, from colon cancer. But the cast’s cultural impact didn’t quite hit Brandy while she was filming. “I didn’t really understand what really was going on. I couldn’t really grasp the the history … I didn’t really know that it was gonna be historic in the way that it was, and [that] it was gonna have such an impact and be so revolutionary,” she told ET. “But I did know that something special and magical was happening. I was just so happy to be around my childhood idols and re...
Questlove’s ‘Summer of Soul’ Takes Top Documentary Prizes at Sundance
“I really wish there was a Sundance this year if only to watch the war between the Pfizer and Moderna suites trying to woo all the cool celebs to use their vaccine,” joked ceremony host Patton Oswalt to open the virtual ceremony. Sundance Institute director Keri Putnam offered words on the pandemic and Sundance’s place within it. “We have been able to gather in new ways that we weren’t sure to work but did,” said Putnam. “After a year that has been exceptionally difficult for artists and the arts. It is inspiring to this community rally so fiercely around both.” Newly instated director Tabitha Jackson followed Putnam and gave out thanks, concluding with the filmmakers for “trusting us with your work and going along with us on this ...
Everything We Know About Sia’s ‘Music’ Movie & Album (So Far)
Her two-in-one project has experienced multiple delays, and Billboard has been following its every move leading up to its scheduled February release date in the U.S. Find out everything we know (so far) below: Movie & album release dates Music is scheduled for a special limited theatrical IMAX release in the U.S. on Feb. 12 and it opens in Australia on Thursday (Jan. 14) via StudioCanal. Music – Songs From and Inspired by The Motion Picture will drop on Feb. 12 via Monkey Puzzle/ Atlantic. Songs on the album Sia released the lead single “Together” and its colorful accompanying visual on May 20, 2020, followed up by “Courage to Change” on Sept. 24, which she later performed at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards. Sh...
Lizzo’s ‘Good as Hell’ Crowns Top TV Songs Chart for November 2020 Thanks to ‘Virgin River’
In November 2020, the song earned 11.6 million U.S. on-demand streams and 7,000 downloads, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. In the tracking week ending Dec. 3, during which Virgin River premiered, the song rose 256% in digital sales. Virgin River reaches the November 2020 edition of Top TV Songs one other time, as Charlotte OC’s “Where It Stays,” from the second season’s second episode, bows at No. 4 with 231,000 streams and 4,000 downloads. The Netflix show does not boast the most entries for November 2020, though – that distinction goes to ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, which takes three of the 10 spots: John Legend and Gary Clark Jr.’s “Wild” (No. 3; 5.8 million streams, 3,000 downloads), Goldford’s “Walk with Me” (No. 5; 364,000 streams, 2,000 downloads) and Banners’ “Where the Shadow Ends”...
Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel Perform ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ During ‘Elf’ Reunion
Ferrell, who played as Buddy the Elf in the movie, and Deschanel, who played Jovie, reprised their rendition of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” during the event. Other original cast members who took part included Bob Newhart as Papa Elf, Edward Asner as Santa and Mary Steenburgen as Emily. Other original cast members included Amy Sedaris, Kyle Gass and Andy Richter. Meanwhile, other roles were filled by “special guests,” including Lithgow, who performed James Caan’s role of Walter; Sykes, who played the manager of Gimbel’s department store Christmas display; and Danny Woodburn, who played Peter Dinklage’s role as children’s author Miles Finch. Jeong, Ed Helms and Busy Phillips also joined the event in various roles. In a twist, Pod Save Ameri...
Disney Honors Chadwick Boseman on Birthday With New ‘Black Panther’ Opening Credits
“To all fans of #BlackPanther: watch the film on #DisneyPlus late tonight, for a special tribute to someone that was and will always be near and dear to our hearts,” Disney chairman Bob Iger said Saturday. Boseman died Aug. 28 of cancer. He had never spoken publicly about his diagnosis, and his passing both shocked and devastated Hollywood and fans around the globe. Marvel is now readying Black Panther 2 for a shoot that will start in Atlanta in July and last for upwards of six months. Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta, who was one of the stars of Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico, is in talks to play one of the antagonists. Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke and Angela Bassett are expected to return for the new feature. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates ...
‘Shawn Mendes: In Wonder’: Film Review
Shawn Mendes, the 22-year-old Canadian folk-pop singer with the velour trill, is a bard of puppy love. Throughout his prolific oeuvre — three studio albums since 2015 — the male ingénue guilelessly croons about budding romance and sweeping passion and blossoming youth like a modern-day Romeo hopping from muse to muse. “I can’t write one song that’s not about you!” he serenades in “If I Can’t Have You,” his infectiously percussive 2019 single. “Can’t drink without thinkin’ about you! Is it too late to tell you that everything means nothing if I can’t have you?” His songs are as peppy and mellifluous as his persona is honeyed and nonthreatening. Wunderkind Mendes rose to prominence in the post-Bieber era of democratized ...
Bebe Rexha to Make Feature Debut in Kristen Bell Comedy ‘Queenpins’
Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly penned the screenplay and will direct the feature. AGC Studios’ Linda McDonough will produce alongside Red Hour’s Nicky Weinstock. AGC Studios chairman Stuart Ford and Miguel A. Palos, Jr. will executive produce alongside Ben Stiller and Breean Solberg of Red Hour. Patricia Braga is overseeing the project for STXfilms. STXfilms chairman Adam Fogelson said, “This is a perfect film for Bebe to be making her live-action film debut. She’s an incredible talent and international superstar and we love her for this role as Tempe Tina, an eccentric computer hacker who helps our heroines with their coupon scam. We know she will add so much fun, talent and personality to this cast.” Rexha previously voice starred in STX animated feature UglyDolls. She is rep...
How Phillipa Soo Channeled Beyonce & More ‘Diva Queens’ for Netflix Animated Feature ‘Over the Moon’
The beautiful story, directed by Glen Keane, features spritely and often moving songs by Chris Curtis, Majorie Duffield and Helen Park, and a luminescent score by Oscar-winner Steven Price. For Soo, who is Chinese-American, the story of Chang’e was familiar — up to a point. “We’ve never seen Chang’e like this before. We know what happens until she gets to the moon, but we don’t really know what happens after that,” she says. “With this version, there’s elements of science-fiction in it, elements of the myth, elements of the Chinese culture, and that all culminates into this wonderful version of how we see her now.” Soo talked to Billboard about what Earth-bound stars inspired her performance, how Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda helped prepare her, and the significance...
