Watch Jennifer Hudson perform "Dreamgirls" hit songs at NBC's Upfront

Last week, Jennifer Hudson was announced as a new coach for Season 13 of The Voice returning in the fall. Jennifer Hudson is set to join Miley Cyrus, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton in the red chairs next season.

At NBCUniversal's Upfront on Monday, May 15, the Grammy Award-winning artist opened the presentation with a special, surprise performance medley of "One Night Only" and "I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" from the 2006 film "Dreamgirls," which earned her an Academy Award. This is a behind-the-scenes look at her rehearsal for the performance.

http://www.nbc.com/partner/widget-page?videoid=3519461

The 13th season will begin this fall.

Official show site: http://www.nbc.com/TheVoice.

Please follow THE VOICE on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NBCTheVoice and on Twitter at @NBCTheVoice and #TheVoice.

Mike Nichols' THE GRADUATE- New 4K Restoration opens this week nationwide for 50th Anniversary

Mike Nichols’ THE GRADUATE starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft BACK IN THEATERS FOR 50th ANNIVERSARY NATIONWIDE THEATRICAL PREMIERE OF NEW 4K DIGITAL RESTORATION ON APRIL 23 AND 26 ONLY THROUGH TCM/FATHOM EVENTS

New York-based specialty distributor Rialto Pictures and Studiocanal will release Mike Nichols’ groundbreaking THE GRADUATE, starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft, in new 4K digital prints beginning in April.

Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies and Rialto are thrilled to present a special two-day event, The Graduate, in select cinemas nationwide on Sunday, April 23 and Wednesday, April 26. The event also includes exclusive commentary from Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz, who will give insight into this classic film.

The 50 anniversary restoration had its World Premiere earlier this month at the TCL Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, as the centerpiece event of this year’s TCM Classic Film Festival. The new GRADUATE restoration will play in over 700 movie theaters nationwide on April 23 and 26, as part of TCM and Fathom Events’ monthly “TCM Big Screen Classics” series.

Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies and Rialto are thrilled to present a special two-day event, The Graduate, in select cinemas nationwide on Sunday, April 23 and Wednesday, April 26. The event also includes exclusive commentary from Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz, who will give insight into this classic film.

The new restoration will also screen at this year’s Il Cinema Ritrovato festival in Bologna and will be released theatrically and as a special edition Home Entertainment release in all Studiocanal territories (France, Germany, U.K., Australia and New Zealand) throughout the summer.

Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies and Rialto are thrilled to present a special two-day event, The Graduate, in select cinemas nationwide on Sunday, April 23 and Wednesday, April 26. The event also includes exclusive commentary from Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz, who will give insight into this classic film.

Hoffman, in his star-making, breakout role, is Benjamin Braddock, the college track star suddenly adrift after graduation, and ripe for seduction by an older, married woman: Bancroft's coldly calculating friend-of-the-family Mrs. Robinson. When Ben ultimately falls for dream girl Elaine (Katharine Ross), who happens to be the Robinsons’ daughter, it sets up a love triangle like no other in American films up to that time.

Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies and Rialto are thrilled to present a special two-day event, The Graduate, in select cinemas nationwide on Sunday, April 23 and Wednesday, April 26. The event also includes exclusive commentary from Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz, who will give insight into this classic film.

Adapted from the Charles Webb novel by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham (which immortalized the word “plastics” in the lexicon of hip expressions), THE GRADUATE was the biggest box office surprise of the decade, nominated for seven Oscars® andwinning for director Nichols’ sophomore effort. The classic “Top 40” score by Simon & Garfunkel started a new, youthful trend in soundtrack music as well.

“A MILESTONE IN AMERICAN FILM HISTORY!” – Stanley Kauffmann

About Rialto Pictures

Described by the Los Angeles Times as “the gold standard of reissue distributors," New York-based Rialto Pictures was founded in 1997 by BruceGoldstein. Adrienne Halpern joined him as Co-President a year later. A specialist in the release of film classics, Rialto holds rights to films by Hitchcock, Kurosawa, Godard, Fellini, Renoir, Antonioni, De Sica, Resnais, Buñuel, Jules Dassin, Carol Reed, Jean-Pierre Melville, and many others. Upcoming releases include John Schlesinger’s A Kind Of Loving, De Sica’s Il Boom,and the much anticipated centennial celebration of Melville’s films. Rialto has had a close partnership with Studiocanal on much of the French company’s classic library and for the past five years has been the domestic theatrical distributor of Studiocanal’s catalogue.

About STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. It operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL is also present in the USA and in China. STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, the highly anticipated Paddington 2 by Paul King, and Aardman Studios’ stop-motion movies Early Man by Nick Park and Shaun the Sheep 2. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning production companies including Tandem Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless), the UK’s RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley) and BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet). Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, boasting more than 9000 original titles from 60 countries, including 6000 films. STUDIOCANAL’s parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group. 

#DEARWHITEPEOPLE, April 28th on @NETFLIX

There’s a new class at Winchester University!

Watch the official trailer for the highly anticipated Netflix series, ‘DEAR WHITE PEOPLE’, created by Justin Simien and adapted from the 2014 film.

The 10-episode series will premiere on April 28th starring Logan Browning (Hit The Floor), Antoinette Robertson (The Haves and the Have Nots), Brandon P. Bell (Dear White People original film), Deron Horton (Burning Sands), John Patrick Amedori (Almost Famous),Ashley Blaine Featherson (Dear White People original film) andMarque Richardson (Dear White People original film).

Coming to Netflix April 28, 2017. Based on the acclaimed indie film, this series satirizes "post-racial" America as students of color navigate a predominantly white Ivy League college.

Set against the backdrop of a predominantly white Ivy League university where racial tensions bubble just below the surface, Dear White People is a send-up of the now post “post-racial” America that weaves together a universal story of finding one’s own identity and forging a wholly unique path. The satirical series -- which picks up where the acclaimed 2014 film by the same name left off – follows a group of Winchester University’s students of color as they navigate a diverse landscape of social injustice, cultural bias, political correctness (or lack thereof) and activism in the millennial age. Through an absurdist lens, Dear White People utilizes biting irony, self-deprecation and sometimes brutal honesty to hold up a mirror to the issues plaguing society today, all the while leading with laughter.

From creator, executive producer, director, writer Justin Simien, Dear White People -- a serialized continuation of the acclaimed 2014 film by the same name -- stars Logan Browning (Sam), Brandon P. Bell(Troy), Antoinette Robertson (Coco), DeRon Horton (Lionel), John Patrick Amedori (Gabe), Ashley Blaine Featherson (Joelle) and Marque Richardson (Reggie). Yvette Lee Bowser (A Different World, Living Single) serves as showrunner and executive producer, while Stephanie Allain (Hustle & Flow, Beyond the Lights) and Julia Lebedev (Dear White People) executive-produce.

Dear White People is produced by Lionsgate for Netflix.

#DEARWHITEPEOPLE

TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT - Watch the NEW trailer now!

TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT opens in theaters June 23, 2017

Filmed with IMAX 3D cameras

Directed by: Michael Bay

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Josh Duhamel, Anthony Hopkins, Laura Haddock, Jerrod Carmichael, Isabela Moner and Santiago Cabrera

When all seems lost, a few brave souls can save everything we've ever known. The Last Knight shatters the core myths of the Transformers franchise, and redefines what it means to be a hero. Humans and Transformers are at war, Optimus Prime is gone.

The Last Knight shatters the core myths of the Transformers franchise, and redefines what it means to be a hero. Humans and Transformers are at war, Optimus Prime is gone. The key to saving our future lies buried in the secrets of the past, in the hidden history of Transformers on Earth.  Saving our world falls upon the shoulders of an unlikely alliance: Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg); Bumblebee; an English Lord (Sir Anthony Hopkins); and an Oxford Professor (Laura Haddock).

There comes a moment in everyone’s life when we are called upon to make a difference.  In Transformers: The Last Knight, the hunted will become heroes.  Heroes will become villains.  Only one world will survive: theirs, or ours.

TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT Social Handles

#Transformers

Facebook: /TransformersMovie

Twitter: @Transformers

Instagram: @TransformersMovie

Snapchat: TFMovie

Netflix's THE DISCOVERY - Launching Today!

The Discovery launches globally on Netflix today - Friday, March 31.

In the near future, the world is off-balance. People have gained a specific knowledge, and death has lost meaning, due to a breakthrough scientific discovery by Dr. Thomas Harbor (Robert Redford): There is now definitive proof of an afterlife. While countless people have chosen suicide in order to "re-set" their existence, others go on, trying to decide what it all means. Among them is Dr. Harbor's son Will (Jason Segel), who has arrived at his father's isolated compound with a mysterious young woman named Isla (Rooney Mara). There, they discover the strange acolytes who help Dr. Harbor with his experiments. They are all looking to Dr. Harbor for meaning. Can Will and Isla find peace - in this place, or on the other side?

One year after the existence of the afterlife is scientifically verified, millions around the world have ended their own lives in order to "get there". A man and woman fall in love while coming to terms with their own tragic pasts and the true nature of the afterlife.

 

Premiere Date: March 31, 2017

Distributor: Netflix 

Directed by: Charlie McDowell

Written by: Charlie McDowell & Justin Lader

Starring: Robert Redford, Rooney Mara, Jason Segel, Jesse Plemons & Riley Keough

Runtime: 101 minutes

The New Featurette of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

It’s finally here!!!

The brand-new featurette from Disney’s PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES has just launched, showcasing the stars and directors discussing the epic new film.

Johnny Depp returns to the big screen as the iconic, swashbuckling anti-hero Jack Sparrow in the all-new “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” a rip-roaring adventure that finds down-on-his-luck Captain Jack feeling the winds of ill-fortune blowing strongly his way when deadly ghost sailors, led by the terrifying Captain Salazar, escape from the Devil's Triangle bent on killing every pirate at sea—notably Jack.

Jack's only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it he must forge an uneasy alliance with Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), a brilliant and beautiful astronomer, and Henry (Brenton Thwaites), a headstrong young sailor in the Royal Navy. At the helm of the Dying Gull, his pitifully small and shabby ship, Captain Jack seeks not only to reverse his recent spate of ill fortune, but to save his very life from the most formidable and malicious foe he has ever faced. 

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is in theaters May 26, 2017 in 3D, RealD 3D and IMAX 3D! Johnny Depp returns to the big screen as the iconic, swashbuckling anti-hero Jack Sparrow in the all-new "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales."

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” also stars Kevin R. McNally as Joshamee Gibbs,  Golshifteh Farahani as the sea-witch Shansa, David Wenham as Scarfield, Stephen Graham as Scrum, and Geoffrey Rush as Captain Hector Barbossa.

Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg are directing “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” with Jerry Bruckheimer producing. The executive producers are Mike Stenson, Chad Oman, Joe Caracciolo, Jr., Terry Rossio and Brigham Taylor. The story is by Jeff Nathanson and Terry Rossio, and Jeff Nathanson wrote the screenplay. “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” drops anchor in U.S. theaters on May 26, 2017. 

Tune-in and Watch the world premiere of #MEDIA on TV One TOMORROW!

***TUNE-IN + LIVE TWEET***

From the creators at TV One and Executive Producer Cathy Hughes, comes the original movie MEDIA. The exciting drama focuses on the Jones family, who owns and operates JUMP, a dynasty that has dominated the national urban media scene for years.

Between affairs and conspiracies, backdoor deals, fierce rivalries and even murder, the Jones family is doing everything they can to stop anyone or anything trying to tear them apart.

MEDIA airs TOMORROW, February 25th at 8/7C on TV One

Executive produced by Cathy Hughes, "Media" stars Brian White, Penny Johnson-Jerald, Pooch Hall, Gary Dourdan, and more in movie about a media empire torn apart by warring families!


Cast: Penny Johnson Jerald (Castle, 24), Brian White (Scandal, Chicago Fire, Stomp the Yard), Gary Dourdan (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Jumping the Broom), Stephen Bishop (Being Mary Jane, Moneyball, Battleship), Pooch Hall (The Game, Ray Donovan), Chrystee Pharris (Passions, Scrubs), Blue Kimble (Fast Five, Devious Maids), Finesse Mitchell (Roadies, SNL, Brothers in Atlanta), Denise Boutte (Meet the Browns, For the Love of Ruth), Jimmy Gonzales (Taken 3, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For), Stelio Savante (The Making of the Mob: New York, Ugly Betty), Jillian Reeves de Ortiz (Let's Talk, The 12th Night), Jasmine Kaur and Dane Kirby (Returned)

GIRLS TRIP | Watch the Restricted Trailer (NSFW)

Producer Will Packer (Ride Along and Think Like a Man franchises, upcoming Almost Christmas) presents Girls Trip, a new comedy from director/producer Malcolm D. Lee (The Best Man franchise, Barbershop: The Next Cut). 

When four lifelong friends—Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith and Tiffany Haddish—travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered, and there’s enough dancing, drinking, brawling and romancing to make the Big Easy blush.  James Lopez, head of motion pictures for Will Packer Productions, and Preston Holmes, executive produce.

This July, they're ready to SET. IT. OFF. Watch the #GirlsTrip red band trailer. Facebook - http://unvrs.al/GTFB Twitter - http://unvrs.al/GTTW Instagram - http://unvrs.al/GTIN Official site: http://unvrs.al/GTSite -- Producer Will Packer (Ride Along and Think Like a Man franchises, Almost Christmas) presents Girls Trip, a new comedy from director/producer Malcolm D.

GIRLS TRIP – In Theaters July 21

Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | #GirlsTrip

Genre: Comedy      

Cast: Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish, Larenz Tate, Kate Walsh, Mike Colter, Kofi Siriboe

Directed by: Malcolm D. Lee

Screenplay by: Kenya Barris & Tracy Oliver

Story by: Erica Rivinoja and Kenya Barris & Tracy Oliver

Produced by: Will Packer, Malcolm D. Lee

Executive Producers: Preston Holmes, James Lopez

CASTING ANNOUNCEMENT: Cold Iron Pictures & Imagine Entertainment Partner Up and Get In The Family Way

MIRANDA BAILEY, PRODUCER OF SWISS ARMY MAN & DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL, SET TO HELM "YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR FAMILY"

The comedy starring Jim Gaffigan will be produced by Cold Iron Pictures and Imagine Entertainment

Beverly Hills, CA, February 06, 2017 -- Miranda Bailey's Cold Iron Pictures is partnering with Imagine Entertainment on the feature film, You Can Choose Your Family.  The comedy, which will begin production in May, is a project developed in the Imagine/Reliance BIG Entertainment Writers’ Lab written by Glen Lakin, an AFI allum, that was further developed by Bailey.  Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Karen Kehela Sherwood of Imagine Entertainment and Amanda Marshall of Cold Iron Pictures will produce.

The comedy will star Jim Gaffigan (FX’s “Fargo,” The Bleeder) as the seemingly normal father of a loving family.  However, his home life is hilariously turned upside down when his 17-year-old son discovers that his dad has a second family.

 

You Can Choose Your Family marks the narrative directorial debut of Bailey, who directed the upcoming documentary The Pathological Optimist and the doc,Greenlight, which premiered at SXSW in 2010.  Acclaimed cinematographer, Yaron Scharf (Footnote) whom Bailey worked with on the upcoming Sony Classics release, Norman, will lense.  

"Partnering with Imagine is a dream come true for me as a filmmaker and that dream was made even better when Jim Gaffigan responded to our material and jumped onboard to play the complex role of Frank. I'm soooo excited!” stated Bailey. 

Jim Gaffigan is a Grammy nominated comedian, actor, writer, producer, 2-time New York Times best-selling author, top touring performer, and multi-platinum-selling father of five. He is known around the world for his unique brand of humor which largely revolves around fatherhood and his observations on life and food. He has six movies premiering in 2017 and he was recently cast as a series regular for season 3 of FX Networks’ crime thriller, “Fargo.”

Bailey is represented by ICM Partners and Echo Lake Entertainment; Gaffigan is represented by UTA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners; Lakin is represented by UTA and Echo Lake Entertainment.

Check out HUGH JACKMAN in new #LOGAN poster!

Our FAVORITE WOLF is back!

WOLVERINE heads to the big screen as LOGAN!!

Synopsis: In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hide out on the Mexican border. But Logan’s attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces.

In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hideout on the Mexican border. But Logan's attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces. In Theaters - March 3, 2017 Cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Richard E.

LOGAN is directed by James Mangold who wrote the screenplay alongside Michael Green and Scott Frank. The film stars Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Richard E. Grant, Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant, Dafne Keen.  The film is produced by Hutch Parker, Simon Kinberg, Lauren Shuler Donner

Logan Official Channels
Hashtag: #Logan
Facebook: /TheWolverineMovie
Twitter: @WolverineMovie
Instagram: @wponx

Lionsgate and Netflix close SVOD deal for OWN's "Greenleaf"

  • Lionsgate & Netflix have closed a worldwide SVOD deal for the OWN hit series Greenleaf

  • The deal will give Netflix the premiere in all territories ex-US & Canada day after broadcast and shortly after its linear run in US/CA

  • Season One will premiere globally on Netflix March 3

  • Greenleaf’s second season will debut on OWN on March 15th, 2017.  Production is currently underway in Atlanta.

  • Produced for OWN by Lionsgate in association with Harpo Films and Pine City, Greenleaf premiered last June as the #1 series debut in OWN history and was 2016’s #1 new cable series for women, averaging over three million viewers in Live+3 in its first season. (Source: The Nielsen Company) 

 

About “Greenleaf”

The OWN drama series “Greenleaf,” from award-winning writer/producer Craig Wright (“Lost,” “Six Feet Under,” “Brothers and Sisters”) and executive producers Oprah Winfrey and Clement Virgo (“The Book of Negroes”), takes viewers into the unscrupulous world of the Greenleaf family and their sprawling Memphis megachurch, where scandalous secrets and lies are as numerous as the faithful.

"Greenleaf” centers on the journey of estranged daughter and disillusioned preacher Grace “Gigi” Greenleaf (Merle Dandridge, “The Night Shift”) who has returned home after 20 years on the occasion of the mysterious death of her sister, Faith.  As she reenters the world of Calvary Fellowship World Ministries, the Memphis megachurch run by her powerful parents Bishop James Greenleaf (Keith David, “Community”) and Lady Mae Greenleaf (Golden Globe nominee and Emmy award-winner Lynn Whitfield, “The Josephine Baker Story”), it becomes evident that things are not as virtuous as they seem and that the family’s outward display of faith hides sin and misdeeds. Oprah Winfrey guest stars in a recurring role as Mavis McCready, the sister of Lady Mae Greenleaf and a close confidante to Grace Greenleaf.    

“Greenleaf” is produced for OWN by Lionsgate in association with Harpo Films and Pine City.   

 

About OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey's heart and creative instincts inform the brand – and the magnetism of the channel.  Winfrey provides leadership in programming and attracts superstar talent to join her in primetime, building a global community of like-minded viewers and leading that community to connect on social media and beyond. OWN is a singular destination on cable.  Depth with edge.  Heart. Star power. Connection.  And endless possibilities.  OWN is a joint venture between Harpo, Inc. and Discovery Communications.  The network debuted on January 1, 2011 and is available in 85 million homes.  The venture also includes the award-winning digital platform Oprah.com.  For more information, please visit www.oprah.com/own and https://press.discovery.com/us/own/. 

 

About Lionsgate

Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) is a vertically integrated next generation global content leader with a diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, premium pay television networks, home entertainment, global distribution and sales, interactive ventures and games and location-based entertainment.

With the acquisition of Starz, Lionsgate adds to its portfolio of businesses the flagship STARZ premium pay network serving nearly 25 million subscribers and the STARZENCORE platform with over 31 million subscribers.  The combined company will operate five over-the-top (OTT) streaming services and the Starz app delivering content directly to consumers.

The Company’s feature film business spans eight labels and includes the blockbuster Hunger Games franchise, the Now You See Me and John Wick series, the critically-acclaimed box office hit La La Land, which won a record-breaking seven Golden Globes and earned 11 BAFTA nominations, Hacksaw Ridge, Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween, CBS Films/Lionsgate’s Hell or High Water, Roadside Attractions' Manchester by the Sea, Codeblack Films’ breakout concert film Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain and Pantelion Films’ Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S.

One of the largest independent television businesses in the world, Lionsgate’s slate of premium quality series encompasses nearly 90 shows on more than 40 different networks.  These include the ground-breaking Orange is the New Black, the fan favoriteNashville, the syndication success The Wendy Williams Show, the acclaimed drama The Royals, the Golden Globe-nominated Casual, the breakout success Greenleaf and hit Starz series including Outlander, Black Sails, Survivor’s Remorse and Power, the second highest-rated premium pay television series of 2016.

Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rates.  Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of more than 16,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as a foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate, Summit Entertainment and Starz brands are synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world. www.lionsgate.com

Day of Reckoning | Hell will rise on January 31, 2017 #DayOfReckoning

From the creators of Jeruzalem, Tales of Halloween and BIG ASS SPIDER!, Film Financier and Distributor Epic Pictures announced the VOD and digital release of Day Of Reckoning across the US and Canada on January 31st, 2017. Written by Gregory Gieras, (BIG ASS SPIDER!), and directed by Joel Novoa (God’s Slave).

Starring Jackson Hurst (NCIS: Los Angeles, Scandal, Drop Dead Diva) and Heather Comb (Ray Donovan). Other notable cast members include Hana Hayes (Insidious: Chapter 4, To the Bone),  Jay Jay Warren (Night of the Living Fred, Maron), Raymond Barry (Training Day, Born on the Fourth of July), Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator, We Are Still Here), Nick Gomez (The Walking Dead, Dexter), and Randy Vasquez (Shameless, Acapulco H.E.A.T).

Fifteen years ago, the world suffered a horrific global disaster when millions of demon-like creatures ascended from the bowels of the earth, swarming the entire planet, and feasting on mankind for one full day. Now due to a lunar eclipse they have returned for 24 hours to purge the earth’s population.  One family will battle against the odds to not only save themselves but to also seal the breach.  Who will survive this “Day Of Reckoning”?

Epic Picture’s CEO Patrick Ewald believes “Joel Novoa created a real fun action film that plays on a lot of themes around human survival, science and religion,” and co-founder, Shaked Berenson, adds, “After the incredible success with ‘Jeruzalem’ this is a natural next step for us to take on a picture of this scope with similar dynamics.”

Synopsis: Fifteen years ago, the world suffered a horrific global disaster when millions of demon-like creatures ascended from the bowels of the earth, swarming the entire planet, and feasting on mankind for one full day. Now due to a lunar eclipse they have returned for 24 hours to purge the earth's population.

xXx: Return of Xander Cage is in-theaters January 20, 2017

xXx: Return of Xander Cage is in-theaters January 20, 2017

Directed By: DJ Caruso

Starring: Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen, Deepika Padukone, Toni Collette, Ruby Rose, Nina Dobrev, Tony Jaa, Kris Wu, Michael Bisping, Rory McCann, Nicky Jam, Neymar Jr., Samuel L. Jackson

The third explosive chapter of the blockbuster franchise that redefined the spy thriller finds extreme athlete turned government operative Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) coming out of self-imposed exile and on a collision course with deadly alpha warrior Xiang and his team in a race to recover a sinister and seemingly unstoppable weapon known as Pandora’s Box. Recruiting an all-new group of thrill-seeking cohorts, Xander finds himself enmeshed in a deadly conspiracy that points to collusion at the highest levels of world governments. Packed with the series’ signature deadpan wit and bad-ass attitude, “xXx: RETURN OF XANDER CAGE” will raise the bar on extreme action with some of the most mind-blowing stunts to ever be caught on film.

Watch the trailer for xXx: Return of Xander Cage! Coming to theaters January 20, 2017. The third explosive chapter of the blockbuster franchise that redefined the spy thriller finds extreme athlete turned government operative Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) coming out of self-imposed exile and on a collision course with deadly alpha warrior Xiang and his team in a race to recover a sinister and seemingly unstoppable weapon known as Pandora's Box.

Insecure: Season 1 is relatable AF! Download it on Digital HD January 2, 2017!

INSECURE: SEASON 1

HBO’s latest digital download release is funny AF!

Insecure: Season 1 will be available for Digital Download

on January 2, 2017!

Insecure: Season 1 – created by, written by and starring Golden Globe® nominee (Best Actress in a Comedy Series) Issa Rae (The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl)  – will be available for digital download Monday, January 2, 2017 – just in time to help you work through all of your insecurities in the New Year.
 
In Insecure: Season 1, Issa and Molly are definitely not “killing it” the way most modern-day black women are portrayed. These best friends must deal with their own real-life flaws as they attempt to navigate different worlds and cope with an endless series of uncomfortable everyday experiences. Over the course of the season, Issa attempts to figure out what she wants out of life and how to take control of it, while Molly, a corporate attorney who appears to have everything together, struggles inside as she looks for external ways to fix her life. Created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, the comedy series, Insecure, explores the black female experience. Rae stars as Issa and Yvonne Orji stars as Molly. These best friends must deal with their own real-life flaws as they attempt to navigate different worlds and cope with an endless series of uncomfortable everyday experiences.
 
Heralded by critics as “smart, funny and unfailingly fresh” (Entertainment Weekly), Insecure: Season 1 is “the year’s best new comedy… engrossing, deeply relatable, hugely funny” (Buzzfeed). Please be sure to let your readers know to check it out – and let us know if you’d like a download code to review the season.

Sundays at 10:30PM, something extraordinary and new is on HBO. Watch the half-hour comedy series Insecure, starring Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis and Lisa Joyce, that looks at the friendship, experiences and tribulations of two black women.

ASPiRE to Premiere "Bama State Style" This January

ASPiRE TO PREMIERE BAMA STATE STYLE

THE NETWORK HAS ACQUIRED THE SERIES

AND WILL PREMIERE NEW EPISODES

 The Mighty Marching Hornets take the field January 10 at 8 p.m. ET 

ASPiRE (@tvASPiRE), the network that presents authentic portrayals of Black and urban culture, announced today that they are the new television home ofBama State Style. The reality show features Alabama State University’s famous Mighty Marching Hornets – the esteemed marching band known throughout the collegiate world for their amazing mashups and dance collaboration with Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke at the MTV Video Music Awards. The Mighty Marching Hornets can also currently be seen in the movie Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk. The series begins as five candidates audition for the season’s top position: Head Drum Major. Meanwhile, the gorgeous Stingettes and the plus-sized Honey Beez kick off their seasons with a bang. Bama State Style will premiere Tuesday, January 10 at 8 p.m. ET on ASPiRE. 

“Bama State Style is the perfect addition to the ASPiRE lineup as we continue to be the destination for HBCU programming,” said Melissa Ingram, vice president and channel manager, ASPiRE. “ASPiRE is committed to showcasing the lifestyle and infectious pride of historically black colleges reflective of their value to the African-American community.”

“We are excited about the opportunity to continue to showcase our students and University on a nationwide level. Bama State Style showcases the efforts, talents and hard work to our audience,” said Dr. James Oliver, director of bands, Alabama State University. “We are honored that ASPiRE is allowing the Mighty Marching Hornets to tell our story on our new home, where everybody has a chance to be inspired.”

 

Bama State Style is produced by Tremendous! Entertainment. Executive Producers are Colleen Needles Steward, Shannon Keenan Demers, Tim Hamilton, Jennifer Colbert and Brendon Carter. ASPiRE has acquired Bama State Style from A+E Networks. ASPiRE will air eight one-hour episodes including four previously aired episodes and four never-before-seen episodes.  

 

About ASPiRE
ASPiRE is the television entertainment network that presents authentic portrayals of Black and urban culture through stories of Heritage, Heart and Humor.  ASPiRE offers a diverse programming mix of movies, series and specials featuring music, comedy, drama, faith/inspiration, theater/performing arts, lifestyle and news/information. The network was launched on June 27, 2012 by Magic Johnson Enterprises, which acts as a catalyst for driving unparalleled business results for its partners and fosters community/economic empowerment by making available high-quality entertainment, products and services that answer the demands of ethnically diverse urban communities. ASPiRE is available in 24 of the top 25 African-American markets including New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.aspire.tv, facebook.com/aspireTV, @tvASPiRE  on Twitter and @ASPiRETV on Instagram. 

About Magic Johnson Enterprises
Magic Johnson Enterprises acts as a catalyst for driving unparalleled business results for its partners and fosters community/economic empowerment by making available high-quality entertainment, products and services that answer the demands of ethnically diverse urban communities. For more information, visit http://magicjohnson.com/enterprises

New TV Spot - The Lego Batman Movie

The new extended TV Spot for LEGO BATMAN is here!

In the irreverent spirit of fun that made “The LEGO® Movie” a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble – LEGO Batman – stars in his own big-screen adventure: “The LEGO® BatmanMovie.”  But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker’s hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up.

In theaters February 10, 2017! http://LEGOBatman.com https://www.facebook.com/LegoBatmanMovie/ In the irreverent spirit of fun that made "The LEGO® Movie" a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble - LEGO Batman - stars in his own big-screen adventure.

The LEGO® Batman Movie (In theaters February 10, 2017)

Director: Chris McKay

Producer: Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller

Executive Producer: Chris McKay, Ryan Harris

Cast: Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson and Ralph Fiennes
 

Vanessa Williams and her gorgeous daughter, Lion Babe’s Jillian Hervey in Essence

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree — so the old saying goes and for iconic actress and singer, Vanessa Williams she shares that fact with interview with her daughter, Lion Babe’s Jillian Hervey proving that fierceness runs in the family but more to the point that true beauty is found inside and that beauty is timeless.

In Essence’s January 2017 cover story, Vanessa + Jillian, the stunning duo chat with Essence about being in the business, the sacredness of family and loving the skin you’re in.

In the upcoming “Daytime Divas” which is based on Star Jones’ book Satan’s Sisters she shared her insight into the former talk show host. “She’s no joke. She’s smart, she’s connected, she’s witty. She’s dynamic. She gets things done. There are a lot of parallels with Star’s life,” says Williams.

Williams herself came into the industry with her share of early scandal with nude photos of her with another woman almost stopping a career before it began. She makes it clear that she understands pain and the power of overcoming obstacles.

“You have to go through the fire,” says Williams. “Avoiding the pain is why most people never resolve it. You have to dig deep, sit in it and ugly-cry. Pretending it’s not there and keeping busy are a way of avoiding it…”

Essence’s January 2017 cover story, Vanessa + Jillian, just hit stands today.

Rickey Smiley Receives A Dating Intervention on TV One's "Rickey Smiley For Real"

RICKEY RECEIVES A DATING INTERVENTION DURING

NEXT EPISODE OF TV ONE’S RICKEY SMILEY FOR REAL,

TONIGHT, AT 8 P.M. ET

Rickey Smiley is the target of a dating intervention by D’Essence Malik, and Arryn on the next episode of TV One’s Rickey Smiley For Real, premiering Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. ET.

The kids, weary of their father’s meddling into their love lives, decide to sit Rickey down to tell him it’s time to focus on getting his own groove back. However, the single father and eligible bachelor has a different perspective on getting back in the dating pool.

“I [don’t give] a damn about having a relationship,” says Rickey. “Nobody’s around that house aggravating me, nagging me, bothering me. I cook my own food, I wash my own clothes. I’m good!”

Meanwhile, Gary with da Tea decides to invite Porsha to screen test for the role of his talk show co-host. Although the two have worked together on the radio show for years, Gary wonders will their personalities blend well in the new venture or will he have to check her?

Da Brat looks for new opportunities to expose her new artist in the ATL, and Juicy has another sit-down with management to discuss her future with the morning show. Finally, Brandon and Beonka meet for lunch in an effort to gain closure regarding the status of their relationship.

For more information on TV One’s Rickey Smiley For Real, visit the network’s YouTube Channel and website at www.tvone.tv. Viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@tvonetv) using the hash tag #RICKEYSMILEYFORREAL. For more information on Smiley’s personal and professional background, please visit: http://therealrickeysmiley.com/ and http://rickeysmileymorningshow.com/.

Rickey Smiley For Real is produced by Bobbcat Films for TV One with Rickey Smiley and Roger M. Bobb as executive producers and Angi Bones and Shante Paige as co-executive producers. For TV One, Lamar Chase is executive-in-charge of production, Robyn Greene Arrington is vice president of original programming and production, and D’Angela Proctor is head of original programming and production.

ABOUT TV ONE:

Launched in January 2004, TV One (www.tvone.tv) serves more than 60 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies and music designed to entertain and inform a diverse audience of adult black viewers. The network represents the best in black culture and entertainment with fan favorite shows Unsung, Rickey Smiley For Real, Fatal Attraction, Hollywood Divas and The NAACP Image Awards.  In addition, TV One is the cable home of blockbuster drama Empire, and NewsOne Now, the only live daily news program dedicated to black viewers. In December 2008, the company launched TV One High Def, which now serves 14 million households. TV One is solely owned by Radio One [NASDAQ: ROIA and ROIAK, www.radio-one.com], the largest radio company that primarily targets Black and urban listeners.

Check out brand-new content from ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY!

Hope begins with them. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in theaters December 16.

Director Gareth Edwards and Creature Effects Supervisor Neal Scanlan offer a behind-the-scenes peek at the creatures of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. In theaters December 16.

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY is in theaters December 16 in 3D, RealD 3D and IMAX 3D! 

 

Website and Mobile site: http://www.starwars.com

Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/StarWarsMovies

Follow us on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/StarWars

Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/StarWarsMovies

 

From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, with Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker. Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel are producing, with John Knoll and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. The story is by John Knoll and Gary Whitta, and the screenplay is by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy.  “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” opens in U.S. theaters on December 16, 2016. 

NEW DIGITAL SERIES “THE SECRET LIFE OF MUSLIMS”

NEW DIGITAL SERIES “THE SECRET LIFE OF MUSLIMS” CONFRONTS ISLAMOPHOBIA USING HUMOR AND EMPATHY IN “POST-ELECTION” AMERICA

Emmy-winning filmmaker Joshua Seftel, who is Jewish, heads multi-faith team to create series

Innovative Distribution Model Includes VOX, The USA TODAY NETWORK, PRI’s The World, and CBS Sunday Morning

In the wake of the election, The Secret Life of Muslims is a new digital series that uses humor and empathy to confront Islamophobia. The series was created by Executive Producer Joshua Seftel, an Emmy-winning filmmaker (War, Inc., Queer Eye, This American Life), who is joined by Executive Producer Reza Aslan, NYTimes bestselling author and frequent commentator on CNN, NPR, Meet the Press, and The Daily Show. 

Each week, through February 2017, a new episode will launch and can be viewed on the Vox Facebook, SLOM Facebook, Vox YouTube pages, CBS Sunday Morning,and on the USA TODAY Network.  The first four episodes are now available: What is a Muslim?, Khalid Latif: Saluted in uniform, harassed as a civilian, Rais Bhuiyan: This Muslim American Fought to Save his Attacker’s Life, and Ahmed Ahmed: An American Muslim comedian on being typecast as a terrorist with 10 more to follow.

“After such a divisive election, we need to come together and start telling stories that add truth and nuance to what was stoked on the campaign trail,” says Executive Producer Joshua Seftel.  Seftel, a Jew, assembled a team of Muslims, Christians, Jews, Atheists, and others to create films that confront Islamophobia through the words of Muslim Americans.  “As a boy, I faced anti-Semitism growing up Jewish in Upstate New York and that stayed with me. It's deeply upsetting to see the kind of anti-Muslim discrimination that’s happening right now in the U.S., so if we can help create understanding in some small way, that would be a great step.”

With the support of the Ford Foundation/JustFilms, Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, The New York Community Trust, Pillars Fund, and an advisory board that includes bestselling author Dave Eggers and executive producer Howard Gordon (24, Homeland), the series has brought together a unique coalition, determined to uproot Islamophobia in America.

The series features actor and comedian Ahmed Ahmed, NYPD Chaplain ImamKhalid Latif, World Without Hate founder Rais Bhuiyan, Executive Director of the Arab American Association of New York Linda Sarsour, ‘MIPSTERZ’ Video co-creator Layla Shaikley, founder and editor of MuslimGirl Amani Al-Khatahtbeh,AJ+ correspondent Dena Takruri, NYTimes bestselling author Reza Aslan, USOlympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad, ‘Ask a Muslim’ creators Mona Haydar and Sebastian Robins, award-winning writer and journalist Wajahat Ali, stand-up comedian and storyteller Aman Ali, comedian and co-host of the GoodMuslimBadMuslim podcast Zahra Noorbakhsh, actor and comedian Maz Jobrani, actor and comedian Omar Regan, Glee co-star Iqbal Theba, and writer / actress Negin Farsad.

The videos in this series are distributed by VOX and The USA TODAY Network and audio versions of the profiles will be heard on PRI’s The World. Vox released the inaugural episode on November 2nd.

About the Series: There are 1.7 billion Muslims in the world. 3.3 million of them live in the United States. “The Secret Life of Muslims,” produced by Brooklyn-based Seftel Productions, is a new series that tells some of their stories. Fifteen years after 9/11, American Muslims still face an uphill battle in the national imagination. The current political climate, spurred on by constant fear mongering during this election cycle, and the saturation of negative stereotypes that flood the news media, continue to make Muslims the target of suspicion and hostility. From the producers of the emmy-nominated NOVA web-series The Secret Life of Scientists, this first-person series will use humor and empathy to subvert stereotypes and reveal the truth about American Muslims: fascinating careers, unexpected talents, and inspiring accomplishments, providing a counter-narrative to the rampant Islamophobia prevalent in the media.

About Joshua Seftel (Executive Producer): Seftel began his career at 22 with Lost and Found, the Emmy-nominated documentary film about Romania’s orphaned and abandoned children. He followed this with several acclaimed independent films, including Taking on the Kennedys (one of TIME's “ten best of the year”), The Many Sad Fates of Mr. Toledano (Tribeca 2015), and It’s the Hard Knock Life (PBS), which the New York Times called “delightful.”  He also directed the feature film War Inc., starring John Cusack, Ben Kingsley, Joan Cusack, and Marisa Tomei, and the Emmy-winning TV series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.  He has been a contributor to This American Life, and his commentaries have appeared on NPR, Salon.com, and CBS Sunday Morning.

About Reza Aslan (Executive Producer): Aslan is a best-selling author (Zealot, No god But God), commentator, professor, and producer for The Leftovers (HBO), Of Kings and Prophets (ABC), Rough Draft (Ovation), and his upcoming spiritual adventure series Believer (CNN). Aslan has appeared as an expert voice on Islam and the Middle East on NPR, Meet the Press, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Real Time with Bill Maher, CNN, and Fox News.

VOX is an American news and opinion website owned by Vox Media. It is a general interest news site for the 21st century covering the latest in politics, public policy, world affairs, pop culture, science and business.

The USA TODAY NETWORK is the largest local to national media network in the country. Powered by integrated and award-winning news organizations with deep roots in 109 local communities, plus USA TODAY, the multiplatform news network informs and engages more than 100 million people every month through its diverse portfolio of digital, mobile, and publishing products.

PRI’s The World hosted by Marco Werman covers the world’s most interesting stories in an hour of radio each week day. PRI is a distinctive content source for information, insights and cultural experiences essential to living in our diverse, interconnected world. The World is heard on over 300 stations across North America.