Variety

Variety honored its 2025 10 Storytellers to Watch at the Arkansas Cinema Society’s Filmland festival in Little Rock. Watch this year's honorees talk craft, Hollywood adaptations and more. https://lnkd.in/gqpi9Xgy

Leadership at Disney is pressing Hollywood creatives for movies that will bring young men (ages 13-28, aka Gen Z) back to the brand in a meaningful way, specifically original concepts. Sources say Disney has been seeking new IP and pitches such as splashy global adventures and treasure hunts, as well as seasonal fare like films for the Halloween corridor. The calls come as the Star Wars machine struggles to produce any film project and the superhero genre sheds audiences by the minute. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gtUps-sy

Film critic Leonard Maltin explains how 'The Wizard of Oz' found its lasting impact when the film was sold to television. “It was a very expensive movie to make and it shows. It was very difficult to make their investment back. And it only turned a profit through re-reissuing to theaters and then ultimately being sold to television, which is where it took root in our popular culture.” Watch the full conversation from the Variety 120 Screening presented by Barco Cinema. bit.ly/4mPozxu

From “Euphoria” to “Saltburn” to “Priscilla,” Jacob Elordi has built a reputation for playing beautiful, larger-than-life men. In Guillermo del Toro’s "Frankenstein," he takes that presence in a new direction — disappearing beneath prosthetics to become the creature locked in a brutal feud with his maker, Victor Frankenstein, played by Oscar Isaac.⁠ ⁠ Isaac plays Victor as a rock star, inspired by Bowie, Prince and Mick Jagger, calling the film a “feast.” With his pompadour hair, wide-brimmed hat and velvet coat, he embodies Victor as a flamboyant artist. Del Toro’s first choice for the role, Isaac channels rock-star swagger while grounding Victor in deep emotional pain.⁠ ⁠ Elordi underwent his own extreme transformation, spending up to 10 hours in the makeup chair. He arrived at night for early call times, wore prosthetics and false teeth, and practiced a halting walk inspired by Butoh Dance. To find the monster’s guttural voice, he studied Mongolian throat singing. For del Toro, it was Elordi’s eyes — “so full of humanity” — that made him the perfect choice to chart the creature’s journey from trusting fawn to rageful beast.⁠ ⁠ The two stars describe the experience as consuming, exhilarating and unlike anything else they’ve done. As Elordi puts it: “It changed me fundamentally — changed the way that I approach performance and the way that I watch movies.”⁠ ⁠ Read the story here: https://lnkd.in/gDfQCEtN

John Stamos and Jack Perry, founder & CEO at Zeam, join Variety's Entertainment and Technology Summit on Sept. 25. They will discuss the creative and business vision behind Zeam, a free, ad-supported streaming service that focuses on local news and entertainment content. Limited seats available. Register now: Variety.com/EntTech

‘Wicked’ composer John Powell on the original music in ‘The Wizard of Oz': “There is some of the greatest music written to film in this movie.” Watch the full conversation from the Variety 120 Screening presented by Barco Cinema: bit.ly/4mPozxu

Listen now to episode 3 of “Variety Confidential: The Life and Legend of River Phoenix" featuring exclusive interviews with Samantha Mathis and Matthew Ebert. https://lnkd.in/gReCNy6f

#StrangerThings creators Matt and Ross Duffer are officially exiting Netflix after signing a four-year deal with Paramount for "large-scale theatrical films," television and streaming projects. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining the Paramount family," the Duffer Brothers said in a statement. "David, Josh, and Dana are passionate about bringing bold, original films to the big screen. To be part of that mission is not just exciting – it’s the fulfillment of a lifelong dream... Our time at Netflix has been incredible. Ted, Bela, and Peter have given us the kind of creative freedom and support that artists dream of but so rarely receive. A decade in, they are family. We’re excited to continue collaborating – not only on the upcoming release of 'Stranger Things 5,' but also on shows we’re deeply proud to be producing, including 'Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen' and 'The Boroughs.' And we look forward to building out the future of 'Stranger Things' together – there are many more stories to tell beyond Hawkins, and we can’t wait to share them." https://lnkd.in/gFi-rynD

“Bodyguard of Lives” director Dan Krauss explains the aesthetic choice behind how the interviews were shot in the documentary. | Variety & Rolling Stone’s Truth Seekers Summit presented by Paramount+ Watch the full conversation: bit.ly/4mixLug

Legendary Entertainment is in early talks to partner with Paramount on film distribution. The production company behind “A Minecraft Movie” and the “Dune” franchise” had cut ties with Warner Bros. in 2022 and entered a multi-year worldwide film distribution partnership with Sony Pictures, which expired in 2024. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gJPcwbwT