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Friday, Jul. 28, 2017

Ben Affleck, Matt Damon producing Showtime drama pilot

In this Jan. 9, 2017 file photo, Ben Affleck, right, and Matt Damon appear at the “Live by Night,” premiere in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, FIle)

NEW YORK (AP) --

Showtime says Oscar-winning filmmakers Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are re-teaming off-screen for a new one-hour drama pilot.

The prospective new series, “City on a Hill,” is based on an idea by Affleck and Damon, and focuses on Boston in the early 1990s. The city was then rife with violent criminals emboldened by local law enforcement agencies where corruption and racism was the norm. Then it all suddenly changed. The series is a fictional account of what was called “the Boston Miracle.”

No cast members were announced by Showtime.

Affleck and Damon will be among the project’s executive producers. They shared a best screenplay Oscar for their 1998 breakout film, “Good Will Hunting,” in which they also co-starred.

Thursday, Jul. 27, 2017

George Clooney, Guillermo del Toro on Venice Film Fest slate

Julianne Moore (l) as Margaret and Matt Damon as Gardner in the George Clooney-directed “Suburbicon,” from Paramount Pictures and Black Bear Pictures (photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/courtesy of Paramount Pictures)

ROME (AP) --

This year's Venice Film Festival will include a crime comedy by George Clooney, a Guillermo del Toro fantasy and a Darren Aronofsky thriller.

Organizers of the world's oldest film festival announced a 21-film competition lineup Thursday that features the Clooney-directed "Suburbicon," the story of a home invasion gone wrong that stars Matt Damon and Julianne Moore, with a script by Joel and Ethan Coen.

Venice's late-summer time slot — starting a few days ahead of the Toronto festival — has made it a major awards-season springboard. In recent years it has presented the world premieres of major Oscar winners including "Spotlight" and "La La Land."

This year's contenders for Venice's top Golden Lion award include del Toro's "The Shape of Water," starring Sally Hawkins as a woman who forges a relationship with a sea creature, and Aronofsky's secrecy-shrouded "Mother!" starring Jennifer Lawrence.

The 74th Venice festival opens Aug More

Wednesday, Jul. 26, 2017

HBO announces five-part miniseries on Chernobyl accident

In this Jan. 24, 2016 file photo, actor Jared Harris poses at the premiere of "Certain Women" during the 2016 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Harris will star as a Soviet scientist tapped by the Kremlin to investigate the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in the upcoming miniseries, “Chernobyl”. Filming will begin in Lithuania in spring of 2018. (Photo by Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP, File)

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) --

HBO says production will begin next year on a miniseries about the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

The five-part series will star Jared Harris as a Soviet scientist tapped by the Kremlin to investigate the accident.

The series will dramatize the events of the 1986 Ukrainian nuclear catastrophe that resulted in widespread radioactive fallout. Thirty people were killed and more than 100,000 had to be relocated.

HBO announced at the Television Critics Association's summer meeting on Wednesday that production on "Chernobyl" is set to begin in Lithuania in spring of 2018.

Wednesday, Jul. 26, 2017

HBO exec: Slave drama "Confederate" announcement mishandled

In this Sept. 20, 2015 file photo, creator-showrunners David Benioff, left, and D.B. Weiss accept the award for outstanding writing for a drama series for "Game Of Thrones" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

By Lynn Elber, Television Writer

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) --

HBO's programming chief said the cable channel erred in how it unveiled plans for a series envisioning modern Southern slavery, but he defended "Confederate" against sharp criticism it drew on social media.

"I would file this under, 'hindsight is 20-20,'" programming president Casey Bloys said Wednesday. HBO was misguided in expecting that "we would be able to announce an idea that is so sensitive and requires so much care and thought on the part of the producers in a press release."

If HBO got a do-over, it would have given producers the chance to publicly detail why they wanted to do the series, an understanding that HBO executives had gained before greenlighting the series from "Game of Thrones" masterminds David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

Benioff and Weiss, who are white, also will serve as showrunners on the series. They'll work with Malcolm Spellman ("Empire," the forthcoming "Foxy Brown") and Nichelle Tramble Spellman (" More

Wednesday, Jul. 26, 2017

Steven Spielberg opens up about life, filmmaking in HBO doc

Director/producer Susan Lacy speaks in the "Spielberg" panel during the HBO Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour at the Beverly Hilton on Wednesday, July 26, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) --

Steven Spielberg isn't afraid to talk about his flops.

Filmmaker Susan Lacy says the celebrated director opens up about his life and career in "Spielberg." It's a new documentary premiering October 7 on HBO.

Lacy told the Television Critics Association on Wednesday that she conducted 17 interviews with Spielberg for the film.

She also spoke with his parents, sister and frequent collaborators, including Daniel Day-Lewis, Liam Neeson and Tom Cruise.

Lacy says "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" is Spielberg's least favorite film in that franchise. She said he also acknowledges some mistakes in "1941."

She suggested that the traditionally private filmmaker may have chosen to open up after turning 70 last year, though she began working on the film in 2015.

Tuesday, Jul. 25, 2017

New series from "The Simpsons" Matt Groening set for Netflix

In this July 11, 2015 file photo, Matt Groening attends "The Simpsons" panel during Comic-Con International in San Diego. (Photo by Tonya Wise/Invision/AP, File)

NEW YORK (AP) --

Netflix says it has ordered an adult animated comedy from "The Simpsons" mastermind Matt Groening.

"Disenchantment" will take place in the crumbling medieval kingdom of Dreamland, which is populated by hard-drinking princess Bean, her elf companion Elfo and her personal demon Luci.

The series will feature the voice talents of Abbi Jacobson ("Broad City"), Nat Faxon ("Friends from College") and Eric Andre ("The Eric Andre Show"). Netflix has ordered 20 episodes of the new series, which will premiere next year.

Groening says "Disenchantment" will focus on "how to keep laughing in a world full of suffering and idiots." Along with "The Simpsons," which this fall begins its 29th season on Fox, he was a creator of the animated series "Futurama."

Tuesday, Jul. 25, 2017

Nielsen to count viewers for Hulu, YouTube live TV services

This June 24, 2015, file photo shows the Hulu Apple TV app icon. (AP Photo/Dan Goodman, File)

NEW YORK (AP) --

Nielsen will begin to tabulate how many people get their live TV from Hulu and YouTube, giving media companies and advertisers a better idea of how many people now stream broadcast networks rather than watching them on traditional TV.

Hulu and YouTube have not revealed how many people subscribe to the live TV services that they launched in the spring as a counter to cable TV.

Subscribers can stream channels live on laptops, smartphones and elsewhere. They can also record shows digitally or watch them on demand. Both services cost nearly $40 a month.

Media companies base the amount they charge advertisers on the number of people who are watching at a particular time. There has been a tremendous surge in the number of people who use streaming services.

Tuesday, Jul. 25, 2017

Actor John Boyega wanted to challenge self with "Detroit"

This image released by Annapurna Pictures shows John Boyega in a scene from "Detroit." (Francois Duhamel/Annapurna Pictures via AP)

By Mike Householder

DETROIT (AP) --

"Detroit" star John Boyega says his new movie may be set a half-century ago, but it explores issues that remain relevant.

"We're dealing with systematic racism. We're dealing with social unrest. We're dealing with an uprising. And these are stories that reflect until today — especially police brutality," Boyega told The Associated Press during an interview Monday.

The London-born actor was in Detroit promoting the film of the same name. Directed by Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow, "Detroit" is a drama about the 1967 riot. The movie, which opens Aug. 4, also stars Anthony Mackie and John Krasinski.

"I was at a point where I had done a few projects, and I wanted to challenge myself," Boyega said "And when 'Detroit' came on my radar, it felt like a godsend to obviously have this kind of project, this kind of script.

"But at the same time, Kathryn as a director, she's unique in her process, and it just so happens to suit me."

Sunday, Jul. 23, 2017

Wonder Woman sequel gets a title: "Wonder Woman II"

Gal Gadot speaks at the Warner Bros. "Justice League" panel on day three of Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 22, 2017, in San Diego. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

By Lindsey Bahr, Film Writer

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (AP) --

Wonder Woman has a few reasons to celebrate.

As of Sunday, the superhero pic is now the highest-grossing film of the summer with $398 million from North American theaters, and the sequel is official. Warner Bros. is not saying much about the inevitable follow-up to the smash hit, but the studio did flash a title card with the words "Wonder Woman II" during its Comic-Con presentation Saturday.

But that was the extent of the "Wonder Woman II" talk at the fan convention. There is no official word on whether or not Patty Jenkins will return to direct, who is penning the script or even when the film might hit theaters.

Not even Gal Gadot mentioned it during the Comic-Con "Justice League" panel.

Sunday, Jul. 23, 2017

"Westworld" cast talks existentialism, robots at Comic-Con

Evan Rachel Wood speaks at the "Westworld" panel on day three of Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 22, 2017, in San Diego. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

By Sandy Cohen, Entertainment Writer

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (AP) --

Actress Evan Rachel Wood says working on "Westworld" changed her life.

She says the series about a futuristic park manned by robot hosts where humans can live out their fantasies has inspired existential questions about her own life. She also says the powerful character she plays has empowered her off-screen as well.

"It's so fulfilling," she said Saturday at a Comic-Con panel for the HBO show. "Because especially as women, and I don't know if this is true for men too, but a lot of times you feel as if your wings have been clipped and you're not being represented the way that you want to. And this was like just like somebody had given me (expletive) condor wings and I got to take off and fly."

Wood appeared alongside showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy and her fellow cast members for a presentation inside the San Diego Convention Center's largest exhibition hall. Other cast members at the panel included Jeffrey Wright, Ed Harris More