MOVIES

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Former Paramount Global co CEO Brian Robbins has launched a new entertainment venture called Big Shot Pictures, an animation focused company aimed at building family friendly franchises for today’s audiences. The company enters the market with significant backing and a clear strategy that reflects Robbins’ long history in children and youth entertainment.

Big Shot Pictures will focus on developing animated and hybrid live action projects designed for theatrical release and streaming platforms. Sony Pictures Entertainment has already entered into a first look theatrical distribution agreement with the company, giving Big Shot an established studio partner as it begins operations. This deal positions the company to bring its projects to the big screen while benefiting from Sony’s global distribution reach.

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Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were unexpectedly left off the nominations list when the 2026 Academy Award contenders were announced on Thursday, Jan. 22, marking a major awards-season disappointment for Wicked: For Good.

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The Weight made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and arrives as a reminder of the kind of muscular adventure films that once drew major stars into rough and demanding roles. Set in 1933 Oregon during the Great Depression, the film feels cut from a classic mold, the sort of serious and physical storytelling that modern audiences rarely get to see on this scale. This impressive United States and Germany production suggests there is still real appetite for period driven stories rooted in endurance, moral pressure, and survival.

Echoes of landmark films can be felt throughout. Viewers may think of gritty 1970s classics like Deliverance, Sorcerer, and Jeremiah Johnson, as well as the iconic Cool Hand Luke and the Oscar winning The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. These influences are clear without overwhelming the film’s own identity. Director and editor Padraic McKinley channels that spirit into a rugged journey that feels both familiar and freshly urgent.

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Madelyn Cline is officially set to expand her growing film résumé as she enters talks to star alongside Glen Powell in a new original comedy from Universal Pictures, with Judd Apatow attached to direct. The untitled project marks another high profile collaboration for Apatow, who co wrote the screenplay with Powell, and continues Universal’s investment in star driven theatrical comedies. Cristin Milioti has also recently joined the cast, further strengthening the ensemble.

The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on February 5, 2027. While plot details are largely being kept under wraps, it has been confirmed that Glen Powell will play a country western music star whose career is spiraling, placing the character in a personal and professional free fall. Madelyn Cline is set to portray a pop star, a role that was initially being considered for real life music artists before the filmmakers broadened the search. According to sources close to the production, Cline impressed Judd Apatow and Universal executives during recent meetings, ultimately leading to an offer following a standout audition.

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Take That are opening up their history in a new three part Netflix documentary that traces the bands journey from their early days in Manchester to becoming one of the biggest pop acts in the world. Speaking ahead of the release Gary Barlow said the group felt it was important to finally tell their story properly and in their own words.

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Signature Entertainment has officially acquired the UK and Irish distribution rights to the US thriller What We Hide, marking another significant step in the film’s growing international presence. The deal was struck with Vaneast Pictures, the production and sales company behind the project, and signals strong confidence in the film’s appeal beyond the United States.

What We Hide stars Mckenna Grace, Dacre Montgomery, Jesse Williams, and Jojo Regina. The film places Grace at the center of a tense and emotional coming of age story that blends family drama with high stakes suspense. Grace plays fifteen year old Spider, who is left to survive alongside her younger sister after their mother suffers a fatal overdose. With no safe adult to turn to, the sisters make a desperate decision to hide their mother’s body in an attempt to avoid being separated by social services.

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Matt Damon and Ben Affleck recently shared candid thoughts about how streaming platforms are shaping modern filmmaking, especially when it comes to Netflix. The longtime friends and collaborators appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience to promote their upcoming Netflix film The Rip. During the conversation, they spoke openly about how audience viewing habits at home are influencing creative decisions behind the scenes.