BY Laura Berger
Trailer Watch: A Teen Will Do Whatever It Takes to Keep Her Family Together in “Sadie”
Sadie misses her dad. She writes him letters while he serves tours in the military, and no matter the distance between them, she remains extremely attached to him and anxiously awaits his visits....
Jill Soloway Is Launching a Book Imprint with Amazon Publishing
Jill Soloway is taking their relationship with Amazon to a whole new level. The “Transparent” creator is set to launch a book imprint with Amazon Publishing, the Los Angeles Times reports. Named...
Pam Fryman to Direct Pilot of “Murphy Brown” Revival
Pam Fryman has booked her fifth pilot this season, and it’s a big one: She’ll be re-introducing viewers to “Murphy Brown.” Deadline reports that she’s signed on to direct the first episode...
Sundance Winners “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Shirkers” Find Homes
Two big winners out of Sundance 2018 have secured distribution: Reed Morano’s post-apocalyptic drama “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Shirkers,” Sandi Tan’s documentary about the bizarre...
Women TV Writers in the UK Sign Letter Asking Why They’re Being Denied Job Opportunities
Seventy-six women writers have banded together to pen an open letter to UK TV drama commissioners. Boiled down to its essence, the letter poses a very simple question to the execs: “Why are you...
Trailer Watch: An Archer Fights Sexism on the Road to the Olympics in “Ladies First”
“I want my story to inspire every girl,” says Deepika Kumari in a new trailer for “Ladies First.” The short documentary chronicles the athlete’s epic journey to the Olympics. Born in...
Barbra Streisand on Her Oscar Snubs, Hollywood’s Boys’ Club, and More
Barbra Streisand reflects on the past, present, and future in a wide-ranging, lengthy new interview in Variety. The trailblazing writer, director, and singer speaks candidly about her experiences as...
Queen Latifah to Star in Make-A-Wish-Inspired Drama From Laurie Collyer
Queen Latifah is set to play a real-life fairy godmother. The Oscar-nominated actress has signed on to topline “Hope’s Wish,” an inspirational drama inspired by a real Make-A-Wish story....
Trailer Watch: “I Am Evidence” Shines a Light on the 400,000 Untested Rape Kits in the U.S.
“The rape kit back log is the most shocking demonstration of how we regard these crimes,” says Mariska Hargitay in a new trailer for “I Am Evidence.” Produced by the “Law & Order:...
Gina Rodriguez to Star in and Produce Netflix Rom-Com from Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Gina Rodriguez is adding another Netflix project to her slate. The “Jane the Virgin” star has signed on to topline and exec produce “Someone Great” for the streamer, The Hollywood Reporter...
Quote of the Day: Lynne Ramsay on Her Reputation for “Being Difficult”
“I’ve got a reputation for being difficult,” says Lynne Ramsay in a new interview with The Guardian, “and yet with my crew and my cast, I’m super-collaborative and we get on really well,...
Trailer Watch: Juliette Binoche Looks for Love in Claire Denis’ “Let the Sunshine In”
“You’re charming, but my wife is extraordinary,” Juliette Binoche is told in a new trailer for Claire Denis’ “Let The Sunshine In.” The Oscar winner plays Isabelle, a Parisian artist who...
Berlinale: Women-Directed Films Take Home Two Highest Honors
Women-directed films accounted for just 21 percent of the films eligible for the Berlinale’s highest honors this year. Despite overwhelming odds, the fest’s most prestigious prizes, the Golden...
Pilots: Amirah Vann Joins NYPD Drama About Sisters, Natalie Morales to Topline Bar Comedy “Abby’s”
“Underground’s” Amirah Vann and “Santa Clarita Diet’s” Natalie Morales each have a pilot in development. Vann has been cast as the lead in an untitled NYPD drama at ABC exec produced by...
Yara Shahidi in Talks to Star in Tracy Oliver’s Adaptation of “The Sun Is Also a Star”
Yara Shahidi is “Grown-ish” and in talks to topline her own film. The actress may be starring in an adaptation of Nicola Yoon’s best-selling YA novel “The Sun Is Also a Star,” The...
Tiffany Haddish to Host MTV Movie and TV Awards
“Hey it’s me, Tiffany Haddish coming straight at you with some good news,” the “Girls Trip” breakout announced in a video she posted on Instagram yesterday. The rapidly ascending star...
Trailer Watch: Sandra Oh Courts Disaster with a Psychopath in Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s “Killing Eve”
A trailer has finally dropped for “Killing Eve,” and it looks like we’re in for a riveting game of cat and mouse — it’s just not entirely clear who is playing which role. Hailing from...
Lupita Nyong’o to Star in Adaptation of Trevor Noah’s Memoir
Lupita Nyong’o is teaming-up with “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah. The Hollywood Reporter confirms that the Oscar-winning actress has signed on to topline a film adaptation of the comedian’s...
Michelle Wolf Is Hosting This Year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Michelle Wolf has landed another major gig. Just over a week ago Netflix announced that the “Daily Show with Trevor Noah” contributor and writer is getting her own show on the streamer, and now...
Dianne Dreyer’s Directorial Debut Starring Rachel Brosnahan Nabbed by Screen Media
“Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” breakout Rachel Brosnahan will be hitting the big screen later this year. The recent Golden Globe winner toplines “Change in the Air,” Dianne Dreyer’s directorial...
“Fleabag’s” Phoebe Waller-Bridge Has Another TV Project in the Works, Vicky Jones to Write
“Fleabag” won’t be returning for its sophomore season until 2019, but the dark comedy’s creator and star keeps lining up projects in the meantime. Phoebe Waller-Bridge and her producing...
Trailer Watch: Halle Berry Fights to Keep Her Family Safe During the LA Riots in “Kings”
A trailer has arrived for Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s follow-up to “Mustang.” “Kings” sees the Turkish writer-director tackling the 1992 Los Angeles riots through the perspective of Millie...
Exclusive: Chicken & Egg Pictures Announces 2018 Accelerator Lab Cohort
Chicken and Egg Pictures has announced the participants of their 2018 Accelerator Lab. Designed to support first- and second-time nonfiction female filmmakers, the program offers each finalist a...
Paul Feig and Kim Rosenstock’s “Girl Code” Gets Freeform Pilot Pickup
If you’ve been missing Cameron and Donna since “Halt and Catch Fire” concluded its four-season run in October, we’ve got some good news for you. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Freeform...
Distribution Deals: Christina Choe’s “Nancy” and Lorna Tucker’s Vivienne Westwood Doc
Two women-directed films that bowed at Sundance 2018 recently scored distribution deals: Christina Choe’s Andrea Riseborough-starrer “Nancy” and Lorna Tucker’s Vivienne Westwood documentary...
Anne Sewitsky’s Sonja Henie Biopic Scores Pre-Sale Deals
Figure skating is back in the news thanks to the PyeongChang Olympics and Margot Robbie-starrer “I, Tonya.” Now another controversial skater has a biopic on the way: three-time Olympic champion...
Winner of NYC’s #GreenlightHer Announced
The winner of #GreenlightHer, New York City’s inaugural women’s screenwriting competition, has been revealed: Patty Carey’s show “Half Life.” The comedy follows a woman juggling the...
Berlinale 2018 Women Directors: Meet Emily Atef — “3 Days in Quiberon”
Emily Atef is an award-winning writer-director. Her credits include “Molly’s Way,” “The Stranger in Me,” and “Kill Me.” She’s one of the six German directors participating in this...
Changes at Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY: Maori Holmes Named Exec Director, Tilane Jones Promoted
Ava DuVernay is weeks away from debuting her first blockbuster, but the “Wrinkle in Time” helmer hasn’t left her independent roots behind. In 2010 the “13th” director founded AFFRM, which...
Keira Knightley-Starrer “Colette” and Debra Granik’s “Leave No Trace” Get Release Dates
Two films to score distribution out of Sundance 2018 have received release dates, Keira Knightley-starrer “Colette” and Debra Granik’s father-daughter story “Leave No Trace. ” Bleecker...
Anne Hathaway May Star in Dee Rees’ Joan Didion Adaptation “The Last Thing He Wanted”
Anne Hathaway may be joining Dee Rees’ upcoming Joan Didion adaptation. Variety reports that the Oscar winner is in negotiations to topline political thriller “The Last Thing He Wanted.”...
Olivia Wilde Is Making Her Feature Directorial Debut with “Booksmart”
Olivia Wilde is stepping behind the camera for her feature directorial debut. After helming a couple of music videos and a short, the “House” alumna is teaming up with Annapurna Pictures and...
Trailer Watch: A Cowboy Searches for His Purpose in Chloé Zhao’s “The Rider”
“Sometimes dreams aren’t meant to be,” a former rodeo star is told in a new trailer for “The Rider.” Chloé Zhao’s award-winning drama is based on a true story and takes place in the...
Quote of the Day: Viola Davis on Receiving Fewer Opps and Less Pay as a WOC
What’s absent from far too many conversations about pay equality in Hollywood — and elsewhere — is recognition of the fact that all women aren’t compensated equally. As bad as things...
Trailer Watch: Michelle Pfeiffer Is in Over Her Head in “Where Is Kyra?”
Michelle Pfeiffer loses her knight in shining armor in a new trailer for Sundance drama “Where Is Kyra?” “Thank God for my mom, she saved my ass,” Kyra (Pfeiffer) says in a new trailer for...
Lone Scherfig to Direct Modern-Day Fairy Tale “Secrets from the Russian Tea Room”
Lone Scherfig’s follow-up to “Their Finest” sees her leaving the London Blitz behind for a modern-day fairy tale set in New York City. The Danish filmmaker has signed on to write and direct...
Trailer Watch: Rooney Mara Refuses to Be Silent in “Mary Magdalene”
“God made you to be a mother,” Rooney Mara is told in a new trailer for “Mary Magdalene.” But she insists that she’s “not made for that life,” and instead decides that she’ll commit...
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” Season 4 Premiere Date Announced
The world’s most lovable weirdo is set to make her triumphant return to Netflix. “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s” fourth season will hit the streamer May 30, Deadline reports. But there’s a...
Berlinale 2018 Women Directors: Meet Katharina Mueckstein — “L’animale”
Katharina Mueckstein made her feature debut with 2013’s “Talea.” She is the co-founder of production company La Banda Film. “L’animale” will premiere at the 2018 Berlinale on...
“Grace and Frankie” Renewed for Season 5
The small screen’s most delightful odd couple is staying put. Less than one month after “Grace and Frankie’s” fourth season dropped comes word that the Netflix series has been renewed for...
“The Chi” Creator Lena Waithe Has a New Show in the Works at TBS
Lena Waithe seems poised to build an empire. Her new Showtime series, “The Chi,” was renewed for a second season just weeks ago, and now comes word that she has another series in development at...
Tessa Thompson to Star in and Produce Biopic of Jewel Thief Doris Payne
“Ocean’s 8” isn’t the only female-led heist story in the works. “Thor: Ragnarok” star Tessa Thompson has signed on to star in a biopic about legendary American jewel thief Doris Payne,...
Trailer Watch: Award-Winning Autism Rom-Com “Keep the Change” Tells a Universal Story
“Because [‘Keep the Change’] deals with the subject of disabilities and specifically autism, people who haven’t yet seen it might dismiss it as a niche film — but it’s not a niche...
Michelle Wolf Has a Netflix Show on the Way
Michelle Wolf is getting her own show. The “Daily Show with Trevor Noah” contributor and writer will host a half-hour weekly talk show on Netflix, the streamer announced in a press release....
Melissa McCarthy to Co-Star with Tiffany Haddish in Andrea Berloff’s “The Kitchen”
Two of Hollywood’s funniest women are teaming up for a project. Melissa McCarthy has joined the cast of mob drama “The Kitchen,” Variety reports. Tiffany Haddish is also starring in the pic,...
Keira Knightley to Topline Spy Thriller “Official Secrets”
Keira Knightley is set to star in another spy story. Just months after signing on to topline a spy drama penned by Camilla Blackett (“Fresh Off the Boat”) comes word that the two-time Oscar...
Bette Midler & Sharon Stone to Star in Film Adaptation of “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife”
Bette Midler and Sharon Stone are taking “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife” to the big screen. Variety reports that the pair will star in a film adaptation of the award-winning play, which...
Ava DuVernay, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and Producer Dan Lin Launch Inclusion Fund
“Selma”director Ava DuVernay, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and “The Lego Movie” producer Dan Lin have teamed up with the shared goal of giving Hollywood a much-needed makeover. Variety...
Trailer Watch: Carey Mulligan Tries to Solve a Murder in “Collateral”
Carey Mulligan swaps period garb for a badge in “Collateral.” A trailer has dropped for the four-part crime thriller. The Oscar nominee plays Kip Glaspie, a detective determined to find answers...
Alicia Vikander to Topline Adaptation of “The Marsh King’s Daughter”
Alicia Vikander is expanding her ass-kicking résumé. The star of the upcoming “Tomb Raider” reboot is set to topline an adaptation of “The Marsh King’s Daughter,” a best-selling thriller...
WGA Winners: Tina Fey, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Flint,” and More
Offred’s story is still striking a chord. The 70th annual Writers Guild of America Awards took place over the weekend, and Emmy, Golden Globe, and DGA winner “The Handmaid’s Tale” took home...