Bridgerton sets new Netflix record with 82 million viewers

NEW YORK - Bridgerton has become Netflix's most popular new series, with more than 82 million households tuning in to watch the period drama, the streaming service has announced.

The show reached number 1 in 83 countries including the United States, Britain, Brazil, France, India and South Africa, Netflix said in a statement Wednesday.

"I'm so proud of the incredible team behind this show! And thank you guys for loving it," 25-year-old actor, Phoebe Dynevor, who plays Daphne Bridgerton, wrote on Instagram.

Netflix said a record 82 million households watched the show in its first 28 days online, describing it as its "biggest series ever."

The previous record was 76 million views over a 4-week period for "The Witcher."

The figures are not subject to third party verification, unlike audience measurements for broadcast television.

Bridgerton has made the top 10 in every country except Japan, the company added.

The drama, set in early 1800s London, centers on the well-to-do Bridgerton family as it tries to navigate Regency-era high society in England. 

The show, with its outlandish costumes and racy sex scenes, has been lauded for casting Black actors in period drama roles that are traditionally played by white actors.

"It's designed to be more lavish, sexier and funnier than the standard period drama -- and that's what so surprised and delighted our members," said Netflix vice president of original series, Jinny Howe.

Bridgerton is produced by acclaimed American producer Shonda Rhimes and is based on a series of romance novels by Julia Quinn.

It has been commissioned for a second series.

Agence France-Presse

Netflix keeps growing in pandemic, tops 200 million subscribers

SAN FRANCISCO - Netflix on Tuesday delivered stronger-than-expected subscriber growth in the past quarter, keeping ahead of new streaming rivals competing for viewers stuck in their homes during the coronavirus pandemic.

The streaming television leader added some 8.5 million paid subscribers in the quarter to reach 203 million, topping 200 million despite recent price hikes, its quarterly earning update showed.

Netflix shares jumped more than 12 percent in after-market trades following the release.

Profits dipped to $542 million in the fourth quarter, compared with $587 million in the same period in 2019. But overall revenue in the quarter surged 21.5 percent to $6.6 billion.

For the full year, Netflix added a record 37 million paid memberships, according to the earnings report.

"We're enormously grateful that in these uniquely challenging times we’ve been able to provide our members around the world with a source of escape, connection and joy while continuing to build our business," Netflix said in a letter to investors.

Paid membership increased 23 percent in the final quarter of 2020 when compared with the same period a year earlier, but average revenue per membership was flat, according to the Silicon Valley based company.

While Netflix raised rates slightly in the US late last year, the majority -- some 83 percent -- of its new subscribers were from outside North America, the earnings report indicated.

FILMS TO LAUNCH

Netflix has invested heavily in original shows and films to make itself a must-have service in the increasingly competitive streaming television market.

Apple, Comcast, Disney and others have taken on Netflix with streaming television services of their own

"The big growth in streaming entertainment has led legacy competitors like Disney, WarnerMedia and Discovery to compete with us in new ways, which we’ve been expecting for many years," Netflix said in the letter.

"This is, in part, why we have been moving so quickly to grow and further strengthen our original content library across a wide range of genres and nations."

Netflix executives said its productions are back up and running in most regions after being derailed by the pandemic.

Netflix boasted having more than 500 titles in post-production or being readied for release on the service, with the plan being to launch at least one new original film weekly.

Already the master of the pandemic-era movie landscape, Netflix last week offered a preview of upcoming 2021 releases, a list with no fewer than 70 star-studded feature films. 

From drama, comedy and science fiction to horror and even Westerns, the slate will take in every major film genre before the year is out, with some releases poised as potential competition for major awards. 

Among the most-anticipated titles is "Don't Look Up," from filmmaker Adam McKay of "The Big Short" and "Vice" fame and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

"The Harder They Fall," a Western co-produced by Jay-Z and with a primarily Black cast including Regina King and Idris Elba, also promises to be one to look out for. 

The announcement -- via a brochure on the streamer's website -- was accompanied by a short video presented by "Wonder Woman" star Gal Gadot, "Jumanji" lead Dwayne Johnson and "Deadpool" actor Ryan Reynolds. 

Johnson, Gadot and Reynolds will appear in "Red Notice," an action film with a $160 million budget, according to US media. 

Agence France-Presse

'2gether' sequel to be simulcast in PH

MANILA -- Cue the shrieks: it appears the sequel to the hit Thai boys love series" "2gether" is also going to be airing in the Philippines. 

"Still2gether," set to premiere sometime before the end of the year, is announced as a five-episode follow-up to the original, which told the story of two college students falling in love with each other after pretending to be in a relationship.

A huge ratings success in Thailand with a cute soundtrack and lovable leads, it also became a smash hit with Filipinos, inspiring a devout local fanbase and plans to air it locally dubbed in Tagalog. 

In an announcement made last Friday, ABS-CBN said that as part of its partnership with GMMTV, the producer of "2gether," the series' sequel will also be simulcast on the Kapamilya Channel and iWant. 

The deal also involves six other GMMTV shows, although the specifics were not mentioned. 

"2gether" and "Still2gether" are the first boys love titles from Thailand acquired by ABS-CBN. 

It stars Thai actors Bright Vachirawit and Win Metawin.

The airing dates will be announced "soon," according to ABS-CBN. You can check out the dubbed trailer for "2gether" below: 




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Netflix to release 'Top 10' feature in push toward transparency, ease of search

Netflix Inc on Monday announced plans to launch a new Top 10 feature that will allow users to see the most popular TV series and films in their country.

The Los Gatos, California, company has guarded its viewership data for years and only recently started revealing information about how many people watch its shows.

Director of Product Innovation Cameron Johnson wrote in a company blog post that Netflix would update the Top 10 feature daily. It will include an overall top 10 list as well as lists for the most popular TV series and films.

Shows that make these lists will be designated with a "Top 10" badge elsewhere on the platform. The streaming giant has been experimenting with top 10 lists in Mexico and the United Kingdom for the last six months, wrote Johnson.

Netflix uses an algorithm to serve up content based on a user's viewing history, but still faces criticism that it is difficult to browse. The Top 10 list addresses that criticism, and also reflects a trend by the company to be more transparent about how its shows are performing.

In December Netflix released a list of its most popular shows and films of 2019 in the United States, based on the number of households watching at least two minutes of a series, movie or special during its first 28 days on the service. The numbers were not verified by a third party.

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'Star Trek' return 'irresistible,' says Patrick Stewart at new series premiere

LONDON (Reuters) - Sir Patrick Stewart said returning to “Star Trek” was irresistible as he led a new generation of cast members down the red carpet for the premiere of a series devoted to his much-loved character Jean-Luc Picard.

The 79-year-old British actor had repeatedly refused efforts to lure him back as the starship captain Picard.

But the writers of its latest chapter, “Star Trek: Picard”, helped change his mind to the delight of science fiction fans and his character is due back on screens later this month after a two-decade break.

“I came back because it was irresistible,” Stewart said on the red carpet on Wednesday ahead of a screening at a cinema in London’s Leicester Square.

“I was intrigued and that intrigue grew into something very exciting which is why I’m back.”

But he warned fans that this was a new era for “Star Trek”.

“Everything’s different. Everything. He’s hardly the same man,” he said of Picard.

There was also a question mark over whether the iconic colorful uniforms of the Starship Enterprise crew would return after Stewart said he told writers: “Don’t put me in a uniform.”

The new 10-part series picks up Picard’s life 20 years after the character last appeared in the film set in the 24th century.

A trailer showed a retired Picard living a quiet life running a family vineyard when Dahj, played by Isa Briones, comes to him asking for help and he puts together a crew to return to space.

Quizzed on the red carpet, Briones said that the Star Trek experience had been “crazy”.

“When you first sign on you really don’t know what you’re getting into,” she said.

For co-creator and executive producer Alex Kurtzman, the return of Picard brings a message of hope, reminding viewers of what a great leader can be.

“I think in this moment when so many people are looking and seeing so much division in the world, to be reminded that a great leader can come forward, and bring us back together I think that’s what it’s all about,” he said.

Stewart’s history with Picard dates back to 1987 when he played the character in the TV series “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, as well as in four feature films, the last of which was released in 2002.

Star Trek: Picard will launch on Jan. 24 with new episodes available weekly in the United States on CBS Corp’s CBS.N CBS All Access streaming service and in the UK and 200 other markets on Amazon.com Inc’s (AMZN.O) Prime Video.

CBS All Access has already confirmed that a second season will follow.

Reporting by Reuters Television; writing by Sarah Young; editing by Jonathan Oatis

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'Friends' theme songwriter dies aged 72

WASHINGTON — Allee Willis, who wrote the theme song for the hit television show "Friends," has died at age 72, her partner Prudence Fenton announced Wednesday.

"Rest In Boogie Wonderland Nov 10,1947-December 24, 2019," Fenton wrote on her Instagram account in a post with a photo of Willis, referring to the 1979 hit she co-wrote for Earth, Wind and Fire.

Willis' Instagram account also included a screenshot of an article about her death along with the caption: "We are extremely shocked and devastated to share this news."

She died Tuesday of a "cardiac event," The New York Times reported, citing her publicist.

Willis, who penned "I'll Be There For You" -- the theme for the long-running show "Friends" -- as well as several hits by Earth, Wind and Fire, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018.

She won a Grammy in 1985 for her work on the soundtrack for "Beverly Hills Cop," and was nominated for another 2 decades later for "The Color Purple," according to the Recording Academy's website.

Willis did not know how to play music, but learned to become a songwriter by listening to rhythms coming through the walls of Motown studios in Detroit, the city in which she grew up, according to the Times.

"I, very thankfully, have a few songs that will not go away," Willis told the newspaper.

Agence France-Presse

Meeting Henry Cavill

A fan takes a photo of Henry Cavill during an event at Ayala Malls Manila Bay on Thursday. Cavill, most popularly known for his roles as Superman, is in the country to promote the Netflix original series "The Witcher" where he stars as the lead character Geralt of Rivia. 

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Apple TV+ gives US poet Dickinson a 21st century reboot

NEW YORK, United States—Apple's new streaming service is taking a 21st century look at the life of 19th century poet Emily Dickinson in hopes it will strike a chord with America's youth.

The series, simply called "Dickinson," stars 22-year-old actress Hailee Steinfeld in the leading role, and hums with updated language and music by teen idol Billie Eilish and rapper Travis Scott. 

"It's a great opportunity for younger people to look at Emily Dickinson's life and work in a very new way and a modern way," said Jane Krakowski, who plays the poet's mother.

"If we could do all history this way, I think kids would love history in school," she added during a panel discussion with reporters in New York this month.

The series lands on Friday when Apple TV+, the giant's new subscription service, goes online.

Apple is not the first broadcaster to tackle the enigmatic life of Dickinson, who only became famous after her death in 1886 at age 55.

"A Quiet Passion" hit movie screens in 2016 and "Wild Nights with Emily" came out in 2018. Both received glowing reviews but failed to connect with viewers at the box office.

The new Apple series, created by Alena Smith, takes a rather unique approach. 

The black comedy focuses on Dickinson's rebellious youth during an upbringing in a conventional middle-class New England household.

While the costumes and props make it look like a period drama, some of the slang used in conversation and popular music is distinctly modern.

"I see this as a coming-of-age story about a young radical artist who was ahead of her time," said Smith.

"I use modern language and modern music to show the way Emily's inner consciousness is bursting at the seams against the corseted repressive rules and norms of the 19th century that she's living in."


'APPLE TAKING RISK'

Steinfeld first gained attention in Hollywood about a decade ago, when she earned an Oscar nomination for her work opposite Jeff Bridges in a reboot of "True Grit."

But the target audience for "Dickinson" -- teens and young adults -- will know her from her roles in the "Pitch Perfect" films and the action movie "Bumblebee," part of the "Transformers" franchise.

"It's an incredibly contemporary story for young people because it's about a young queer poet wondering if there's space for her in the world," said Anna Baryshnikov, who plays Dickinson's sister Lavinia.

"Dickinson" focuses heavily on the protagonist's passionate relationship with her sister-in-law Susan Gilbert. 

Although there has never been any clear evidence of an affair, many experts suspect their relationship was more than just friendship.

With its mischievous tone and digressions, the series strives to reflect the richness of Dickinson's inner world to overcome what appears on the outside to be a monotonous existence. 

The poet spent almost her entire life in the family home, with little outside relief. She sought solace in poetry; the majority of her more than 1,000 poems were published after she died.

Apple TV+ is one of several new on-demand streaming platforms launching in the coming months to take on the might of Netflix and Amazon Prime. 

The surge in the number of services is providing fertile ground for unconventional series such as "Dickinson," its creators and cast say.

"I'm so grateful that Apple is taking this real risk. Because the space is so saturated right now, it leaves room for people to try things," said Baryshnikov.

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New Netflix series 'The Politician' premieres in London

LONDON - The new Netflix series "The Politician" had a special screening on Monday at the Ham Yard Hotel in London.

The 8-part series is a comedic and satirical presentation of what it takes to make a politician.

Starring Ben Platt (Payton Hobart) and created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan, the show is about an affluent student from Santa Barbara who had known since age seven that he wants to be the President of the United States.

The red carpet special screening was attended by Platt, Zoey Deutch, Lucy Boynton, and Laura Dreyfuss, with the Q&A hosted by broadcaster Edith Bowman.

Boynton, who recently gained worldwide fame for her acclaimed role in the Queen big screen biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody," praised senior actors Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Lange for their depth, saying the experience working with them was "daunting."

Platt, for his part, described "The Politician" as digestible, satirical, and something that will engage the young people in politics.

He also compared working in theater and in film, with the latter allowing more creative "processing" of his acting.

Other stars of "The Politician" include Paltrow, Lange, Bob Balaban, David Corenswet, Julia Schlaepfer, Theo Germaine, Rahne Jones, and Benjamin Barrett.

The series will be available on Netflix starting September 27.

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'Breaking Bad' sequel movie out on Netflix in October

ANAHEIM, California -- A "Breaking Bad" film set after the events of the hit television show and centered on meth addict-turned-cook Jesse Pinkman will be released on Netflix in October, the streaming giant said Saturday.

"El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie" will pick up the story after Pinkman escaped the clutches of a neo-Nazi gang with the help of kingpin Walter White in the AMC show's 2013 conclusion.

"In the wake of his dramatic escape from captivity, Jesse must come to terms with his past in order to forge some kind of future," Netflix said in a statement.

The "gripping thriller" is written and directed by Vince Gilligan, creator of the original series, which is widely acclaimed as one of the best TV dramas ever made.

"Breaking Bad" ran for five seasons from 2008 to 2013, and told the story of a high-school chemistry teacher diagnosed with cancer who starts cooking crystal meth -- often with former pupil Pinkman -- to provide for his family.

A teaser trailer for the film released Saturday shows another returning character, "Skinny Pete," telling police he has no idea where his friend Pinkman has gone.

"No way I'm helping you people put Jesse Pinkman back inside a cage," he says.

News of the long-rumored film broke earlier Saturday after Netflix users spotted a "placeholder" page on the streaming giant's platform giving the title and synopsis.

Though the page was subsequently deleted, The New York Times confirmed the report by publishing an interview with Paul.

"It's a chapter of 'Breaking Bad' that I didn't realize that I wanted," Paul said. "And now that I have it, I'm so happy that it's there."
Paul told the Times that Gilligan had phoned him two years ago with the proposal for a movie.

"I quickly told Vince that I would follow him into a fire," Paul responded.

The movie will be released on October 11, Netflix said.

The series' stars Bryan Cranston and Paul both tweeted cryptic messages hinting at a possible film earlier this year. 

Local media in Albuquerque, where the original series was set and shot, reported last year that filming for the movie was under way.

Bob Odenkirk, the star of "Breaking Bad" spin-off "Better Call Saul," also said in a recent interview that he "can't wait to see" the movie.

The original series is widely credited with helping to usher in the current so-called "golden age" of television.

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HBO's 'Chernobyl' sparks tours, stokes fears in Lithuania

IGNALINA, Lithuania -- Walking along the top of Lithuania's decommissioned nuclear reactor, the set of HBO's critically acclaimed "Chernobyl" TV series, tourist Vytas Miknaitis says he's not "afraid at all."

"They know what they're doing," the retired computer engineer from Chicago says, referring to organisers of the three-hour tour of the Ignalina power station in eastern Lithuania.

Similar in design to Chernobyl, some 450 kilometers away, the Ignalina reactor provided the backdrop for the show's outdoor scenes, shot last year.

The Baltic state's only nuclear power plant built in Soviet times was open to the public even before the "Chernobyl" drama first aired in May but has since seen a steady uptick in visitors on the heels of the show's success.

Tourists don white overalls, walk on top of the reactor and tour the various work stations, including a command post built to resemble the one in the series.

They can even pretend to be the protagonists pushing the various buttons.

Ignalina plant spokeswoman Natalija Survila-Glebova said that the series had attracted a new stream of visitors, mostly Lithuanians but also foreign tourists from countries like Poland, Latvia and Britain.

Last month, there were 900 visitors, she told AFP, adding that tours were "almost completely booked through the end of the year." Due to the ongoing dismantling work, tours are only open to adults.

Dark tourism

The Soviet Union's Chernobyl plant, in what is now Ukraine, was the scene of the world's worst nuclear disaster, when one of its reactors exploded in 1986 during testing.

It polluted a big part of Europe, with the area immediately around the power plant the worst affected.

In recent years, the abandoned site has become a "dark tourism" destination, even before the eponymous TV drama that has picked up 19 Emmy nominations.

Lithuania, which like Ukraine is a former Soviet republic, began decommissioning Ignalina in December 2009.

The European Union made its closure a condition of the small country's 2004 entry into the bloc as the plant had two reactors that were the same model as those at Chernobyl.

Drab is fab

"Chernobyl" tours have also sprung up in other parts of Lithuania where the series was filmed, including the capital, Vilnius.

Visitor Vytautas Kastanauskas, who works in tourism, marvelled at how the producers were able to recast parts of the picturesque city as a Soviet-era industrial outpost.

"The atmosphere of the time and the nature of the relationships between people, everything was recreated perfectly in the series," the 47-year-old, who experienced Soviet times, told AFP.

The northern Fabijoniskes neighbourhood was transformed into Pripyat, a city of nearly 50,000 people near Chernobyl that was abandoned after the disaster.

The makers of "Chernobyl" used the drab, grey district, with row upon row of Soviet-era housing blocks, as the location to shoot Pripyat's mass evacuation.

And one young Lithuanian has even refurbished his grandparents' Fabijoniskes apartment in the Soviet style and opened it up to visitors and Airbnb stays.

Jurate Pazikaite, of the Vilnius Film Office, says that the series has "focused a lot of attention" on the city of around half a million people, putting it on the map as a prime location for filmmakers.

Tax breaks for production companies introduced in 2014 have lured a growing number of crews, she said.

The BBC's 2016 miniseries adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace" cast Vilnius as both 19th-century Moscow and the Austrian Alps.

A new HBO drama series, "Catherine the Great" starring Oscar winner Helen Mirren, has also partly been shot in the Lithuanian capital.

Emergency iodine, sirens

But the "Chernobyl" series is not only generating curiosity and pride in Lithuania.

It has also fed into unease that was already felt over a new nuclear plant, set to open in neighbouring Belarus.

Spearheaded by the Russian state energy corporation, Rosatom, the plant, featuring two reactors, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts, is expected to go online later this year.

Lithuania says that the facility in the northwestern Belarusian town of Ostrovets, just 20 kilometers from its border, does not meet safety standards.

Minsk rejects the claim.

"The Chernobyl series has affected us deeply, my friends and I talk about this topic (nuclear risk)," says Ieva Nagyte, a 27-year-old, who works at the Vilnius Academy of Arts.

"If the Ostrovets nuclear reactors exploded, I'm not sure we'd know what to do," she told AFP.

However, Lithuanian authorities are preparing for the worst -- they have stockpiled iodine tablets used to ward off certain forms of radiation poisoning, established evacuation routes and are testing emergency sirens, according to the internal affairs ministry.

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'We're sorry!' says 'Game of Thrones,' as Starbucks makes a cameo

LOS ANGELES, United States - "Game of Thrones" may be a medieval fantasy but Sunday's episode had a distinctly modern touch when a stray Starbucks cup made an unexpected cameo in the fictional Westeros kingdom of dragons and zombies, sending fans into a frenzy.

The distinctive paper cup with plastic cover was spotted on a table at a feast in Winterfell within reach of characters Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen during episode 4 of the final season, "The Last of the Starks."

Bernie Caulfield, one of the executive producers of HBO's global hit television series, apologized to fans.

"I can't believe (it)," she said in an interview with New York's WNYC radio on Monday. "Our onset prop people and decorators are so on it a 1,000 percent."

"We're sorry! Westeros was the first place to actually have Starbucks," Caulfield quipped.

In a tongue-in-cheek comment, HBO said that "the latte that appeared in the episode was a mistake. Daenerys had ordered an herbal tea."

Starbucks, the world's biggest coffee chain, had its own take on the unexpected publicity in a series that is watched by more than 30 million people in the United States alone.

"TBH we're surprised she didn't order a Dragon Drink," the company said on Twitter, referring to its summer menu addition of a bright pink fruit and coconut milk beverage that contains the tropical dragon fruit, also known as pitaya.

Fans lit up social media with memes and jokes about the stray cup, with some inserting the company's green and white logo on photos of castles featured in the series.

Others were dismayed at the gaffe. "They took 2 years to shoot 6 episodes and left a Starbucks cup in a scene," tweeted a user named Dylan.

The eighth and final season of "Game of Thrones" has broken records for HBO, with more than 38 million American watching the season premiere episode that was broadcast on April 14.

The Emmy-winning series, an adaptation of George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series of novels, comes to a conclusion on May 19.

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Pedro Pascal to lead cast of 'Star Wars' series

LOS ANGELES - "Narcos" and "Game of Thrones" star Pedro Pascal is to play the lead in upcoming "Star Wars" TV series "The Mandalorian," Disney said Wednesday, as it builds on the beloved and profitable science fiction franchise.

Penned and produced by Marvel mainstay Jon Favreau, the live-action show will follow Pascal's lone gunfighter, making his way in the outer reaches of the galaxy after the fall of the Empire.

"We're having a great time working with this incredibly talented group and excited for everyone to see what we're up to," said Favreau, whose next big screen project will be Disney's "The Lion King (2019).

Pascal, 43, made his name as the dashing prince Oberyn Martell in "Game of Thrones," and cemented his stardom as drug cop Javier Pena in "Narcos."

The Texas-raised Chilean-American has since broken into the Hollywood mainstream via "Kingsman: The Golden Circle," "The Equalizer 2," and awards season darling "If Beale Street Could Talk."

Other actors announced for the series -- set to debut on Disney's upcoming small screen streaming service -- include Gina Carano ("Deadpool"), Giancarlo Esposito ("Breaking Bad"), Nick Nolte ("Hulk") and acclaimed German filmmaker Werner Herzog.

Directors of individual episodes will include "Thor: Ragnarok" helmer Taika Waititi, "Jurassic World" star Bryce Dallas Howard and Canadian filmmaker Deborah Chow ("Jessica Jones").

"Star Wars" has grown into the most lucrative and influential movie franchise of all time since the original film was released in 1977.

Disney paid creator George Lucas $4 billion for Lucasfilm in 2012, and has already brought out no less than four movies, starting with 2015's "The Force Awakens."

But disappointing box office results for its latest spin-off "Solo: A Star Wars Story" raised questions over whether "Star Wars" fatigue might be setting in, 40 years into a series that once kept respectable three-year gaps between episodes.

On top of "Madalorian," Lucasfilm has announced plans for an Episode IX, two further trilogies by "Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson and "Game of Thrones" showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, a Boba Fett origin story and a possible Obi Wan Kenobi spinoff.

Online reaction to the announcement of Pascal appeared positive, with fans praising Lucasfilm on Twitter for its "excellent choice" of cast.

"ALL IN on a Pedro Pascal Star Wars TV show," said one enthusiast.

"The Mandalorian" will air on Disney+, set to launch in the US in late 2019.

jz/ft

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Netflix teases 'fitting end' to defining series 'House of Cards'

BEVERLY HILLS, California -- A Netflix Inc. executive promised on Sunday a "fitting end" to the streaming service's acclaimed political drama "House of Cards" but did not divulge how the series wrote out scandal-tainted star Kevin Spacey.

"House of Cards" put Netflix on the map as a home for original entertainment when the series debuted in 2013 starring Spacey as conniving politician Frank Underwood. The show's coming sendoff centers on Robin Wright, who plays Frank's devious wife, Claire.

"We're really proud of the show, and it's a fitting end," Cindy Holland, vice president of original series at Netflix, said in response to questions at a Television Critics Association event where networks promoted upcoming shows.

"We always planned for season six to be the final season, and we are proud of the work of Robin" and the rest of the cast and crew, she added. The company has not yet set a release date.

"House of Cards" upended television when Netflix released the first season's episodes all at once to encourage online "binge viewing." The show earned widespread critical praise.

In November 2017, Netflix quickly cut ties with Spacey after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced. Spacey has been accused by more than 20 men and has said nothing publicly about the allegations since an apology to the first accuser in October 2017.

Five years after Netflix's gamble with "House of Cards," the company plans to release about 700 original TV series, movies and other types of programming around the world this year. The sheer volume has led to questions about whether Netflix can keep churning out programming with a high level of quality.

"Quality and quantity are not mutually exclusive," Holland said. "We are maintaining quality as we grow by hiring brilliant talent who are passionate about the stories they want to tell and giving them creative space."

She also addressed complaints from some producers that their work can get lost in the flood of Netflix programming. Netflix devises a marketing plan for each show and is one of the biggest online advertisers in the world, Holland said.

She added that the best way to reach viewers was by Netflix's promotion of the shows when people turn on the service. The company reported it had 130 million subscribers at the end of June.

"That is by far the most powerful promotional vehicle we have," she said. "I'm confident we are doing justice to our programming."

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Fil-Belgian, partner win 'Belgium's Got Talent'

ANTWERP – An emotional roller-coaster.

This was how Filipino-Belgian Ian Lodens and his friend, Natashca Van Es, described their journey before and after winning the 2018 edition of "Belgium's Got Talent."

The duo bested 11 other acts with their acrobatic dance routine, and won a cash prize of 50,000 euro.

Watch their winning routine here:


Lodens, 19, was emotional after they were announced as winners, and later praised their competitors as excellent performers and deserving of their spot in the finals.

"I am happy to be a three-time world jujitsu champion, but winning 'Belgium's Got Talent' with Natascha is just fantastic," he said. "I never expected this, and it feels so great."

"With the prize, I would visit the Philippines with my mum, use some of it with the family, and the rest, I'll save it for my future," he added.

Van Es, on the other hand, believes her years of training in acrobatics seasoned her for the competition. She added that they connected well with the audience.

"It was a strong line-up in the finals, with 11 other great acts," said Van Es. "So it really came unexpected."

"We gave everything on that stage for the last time, and I think we managed to make the audience emotionally involved, that we just made this tiny chance to win," she added.


Loden's Filipina mother was still shocked at the result, noting how stiff the competition was. However, she did not forget those who supported the duo in their "BGT" journey.

"Salamat po sa lahat ng mga Belgian at mga kababayan kong Pinoy na sumuporta kina Ian at Natascha. Napakalaking tulong po ang nagawa nyo para sila ay manalo," she said.

What's next for the pair? Aside from TV and radio interviews, Lodens and Van Es will also be busy preparing for their school exams in June.

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Netflix releases trailers for Black Mirror Season 4

On Wednesday, Netflix released the full trailer for the highly anticipated season 4 of Black Mirror, along with teasers for each of its 6 new episodes. The new season will be launched Friday, promising viewers even more 21st century horror and technology-gone-wrong episodes.

The twisted sci-fi series takes viewers into a unique reality every episode, where technology brings out the darkest aspects of human life.

Written by Charlie Brooker, the Emmy-winning television show seems to have a simple message: technology has transformed almost every aspect of our lives. Its earlier seasons revealed the dark side of technology, from social media popularity to augmented reality, surveillance, and virtual space.

The stories feel oddly familiar, as if the events are just a preview of what is to happen in the near future. They may induce familiarity and paranoia, causing a strange addiction among audiences who would like to know their possible fate.

See the season 4 trailer here.

Watch the episodic trailer for “Arkangel” here.

Watch the episodic trailer for “Crocodile” here.

Watch the episodic trailer for “Black Museum” here.

Watch the episodic trailer for “Hang the DJ” here.

Watch the episodic trailer for “Metalhead” here.

Watch the episodic trailer for “U.S.S Callister” here.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Amazon to produce 'Lord of the Rings' television series

Amazon.com Inc has bought the global television rights to "The Lord of the Rings," the company said on Monday, in what may be its biggest and most expensive move yet to draw viewers to its streaming and shopping club Prime.

Amazon said it will produce a multi-season series that explores new storylines preceding author J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Fellowship of the Ring," the first installment in the famed fantasy trilogy.

Three movies made of the trilogy in the early 2000s, filmed in New Zealand and based on Tolkien's novels, garnered nearly $3 billion at the box office and 17 Academy Awards.

New Line Cinema, which distributed the film trilogy, the Tolkien Estate and Trust, and publisher HarperCollins will work with Amazon to produce the television series.

Amazon did not say how much it was paying for the rights.

The project underscores a shift in Amazon's video programming. Its studio started in 2010 with a focus on unique shows beloved by critics, such as "Transparent," about a father coming out as transgender to his family.

That was a winning formula for attracting Hollywood talent, awards and buzz, though not Prime subscribers around the world.

Now, Amazon is looking for a dramatic show that could be a hit globally, much like HBO's popular fantasy series "Game of Thrones."

This puts Amazon in uncharted territory, with higher-than-usual production costs expected so it can transport viewers to Middle Earth.

Amazon justifies its spending on programming as a way to draw new sign-ups to Prime, whose members buy more goods more often from the world's largest online retailer.

"Amazon is committed to producing super high quality, recognized, branded entertainment," said Wedbush Securities industry analyst Michael Pachter. "That's a departure from shows like "Transparent" and "Catastrophe.""

"By definition this will be expensive," he added.

(Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in San Francisco, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Meet the winner of 'America's Got Talent' Season 12

Young ventriloquist Darci Lynne Farmer was named the winner of “America’s Got Talent” Season 12 on Wednesday night (Thursday morning in Manila).

She is the third ventriloquist to win the competition after Terry Fator in Season 2 and Paul Zerdin in Season 10.

According to her bio on the show's official website, Farmer’s mother entered her in a pageant at the age of six, hoping that she would gain more self-confidence since she was a very shy girl.


Since then, Farmer went on to join and win several other talent contests and pageants. It was in one of those contests that she participated in that she was inspired to try ventriloquism.

Aside from being a ventriloquist, Farmer also used to study gymnastics.

Here's a look back at Farmer’s journey on “America’s Got Talent,” starting with her audition that earned her a golden buzzer from judge Mel B.






Farmer first stepped onto the "AGT" stage when she auditioned on the show back in May along with
her rabbit puppet Petunia. Judge Mel B fell in love with her performance that she gave farmer the
golden buzzer, sending her straight through to the live shows.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

'Westworld,' 'SNL' lead 2017 Emmy list packed with new TV shows

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sci-fi drama "Westworld" and satirical sketch show "Saturday Night Live" led Emmy award nominations on Thursday with 22 apiece in a list stuffed with new contenders that reflected a booming era for television.

With reigning Emmy champ "Game of Thrones" ineligible this year for the highest honors in television after it moved its seventh season to this summer, the door opened to five new shows vying for the top prize of best drama series.

The crowded race includes British royal series "The Crown" and supernatural mystery "Stranger Things," both on Netflix; Hulu's breakout dystopian women's series "The Handmaid's Tale" starring best actress nominee Elisabeth Moss; and NBC's emotional family drama "This Is Us."

Peter Morgan, creator of "The Crown," said he was "chuffed, thrilled, proud, honored!" at the show's 13 nominations.

Television Academy Chairman Hayma Washington noted the "explosive growth" in television, where more than 400 scripted shows vie for attention across streaming, cable and broadcast networks.

"The creativity and excellence in presenting great storytelling and characters across a multitude of ever-expanding entertainment platforms is staggering," Washington said in a statement.

The nomination for "This Is Us," which also received acting nods for stars Milo Ventimiglia, Sterling K. Brown and Chrissy Metz, make the show the first from one of the four leading U.S. broadcast networks to enter the Emmy drama series contest since CBS's "The Good Wife" in 2011.

"For our show to even be in a general conversation with these other stellar programs - it’s beyond our wildest dreams," said Dan Fogelman, creator of "This Is Us."

Among networks, HBO again had the highest overall tally, with 111 nods, mostly because of multiple nominations for crime drama "The Night Of" and female-driven murder mystery "Big Little Lies."

“When we started on this journey, we never thought the series would connect on such a big way worldwide," said "Big Little Lies" star Nicole Kidman, who was among four actresses on the limited series to get Emmy nominations.

Streaming upstart Netflix followed with 91 nominations and NBC at 64.

Perennial Emmy favorite "Saturday Night Live," which has been on a ratings roll with its parodies of U.S. President Donald Trump and key figures in his administration, earned nods for Alec Baldwin, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Vanessa Bayer as well as a best variety sketch series nomination.

Talk show hosts Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee and John Oliver, who also have mercilessly skewered Trump and his policies, won nominations in the variety show category.

The comedy series race features more familiar faces, with two-time Emmy-winning political satire "Veep" nominated again. Millennial hip-hop show "Atlanta," family racial comedy "black-ish," "Modern Family," "Master of None," "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and tech comedy "Silicon Valley" round out the competition.

First-time Emmy nominees included Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro for his role as disgraced financier Bernard Madoff in "The Wizard of Lies," 13-year-old newcomer Millie Bobby Brown for "Stranger Things" and Britain's Claire Foy for her portrayal of a young Queen Elizabeth II in "The Crown."

The Emmy awards will be presented at a ceremony hosted by Stephen Colbert in Los Angeles on Sept. 17.

Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy and Jill Serjeant; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Leslie Adler

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Did you know? 'Man v. Food' host also visited PH

MANILA – Last month, fans of Anthony Bourdain went crazy after finding out that their favorite chef and TV personality was here in the country.

A month later, another popular host of food-themed programs was spotted here in the Philippines.

Adam Richman, known to many as the host of the food reality television series “Man v. Food”, recently visited Manila to try some of the local fare.

On Twitter, he posted a photo of a dessert combining local flavors – suman (glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk), Philippine mangoes and Choc Nut, a well-loved chocolate and peanut confection.

He said it was “delicious.”

Suman, Philippene sticky rice with mango, and local sweets like "Chocnut" Delicious! #ManFindsFood pic.twitter.com/o6rEBfqXRS

— Adam Richman (@AdamRichman) January 16, 2016

Magazine editor Cheryl Tiu, meanwhile, posted a photo of herself with the TV host on her Instagram page.

Last December, a photographer and his wife spotted Bourdain at a Korean restaurant in Malate, Manila.

Bourdain also ate at a homegrown fast food chain, and visited cultural activist and tour guide Carlos Celdran.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com