With more than a dozen high-profile venues in their hospitality portfolio (Delilah, Bootsy Bellows, Bird Streets Club), The h.wood Group’s John Terzian and Brian Toll are the go-to-guys for L.A.’s coveted tables, the masterminds behind A-lister nights out and the gatekeepers of exclusive events surrounding Super Bowl and Paris Fashion Week. Now, they are harnessing the industry connections they have amassed over two decades to create h.wood Media, a multimedia production arm of their hospitality company.
Partner Jeremy Allen, who helped h.wood Media raise its first fund, oversees the film and TV slate from development to studio projects. They are working on projects with Kid Cudi, Machine Gun Kelly, Post Malone, and more. Former HBO executive Emma Slivers serves as director of development.
The multi-strategy vertical grew from a collaboration between Allen, Toll and Terzian on 2022’s They Call Me Magic, an Emmy-nominated Apple+ docuseries about Magic Johnson.
Partner Jeremy Allen, who helped h.wood Media raise its first fund, oversees the film and TV slate from development to studio projects. They are working on projects with Kid Cudi, Machine Gun Kelly, Post Malone, and more. Former HBO executive Emma Slivers serves as director of development.
The multi-strategy vertical grew from a collaboration between Allen, Toll and Terzian on 2022’s They Call Me Magic, an Emmy-nominated Apple+ docuseries about Magic Johnson.
- 5/1/2024
- by Melinda Sheckells
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On the heels of Sept. 17’s season two finale of HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, fans were shocked to learn that the series had been canceled. Others, like Magic Johnson, were unfazed.
“Well, I never watched it because nobody in this world can tell the Lakers story [like it needed to be told]. The Showtime story? Nobody! Dr. Buss was way ahead of his time as an owner. Our team? Unbelievable! The Laker girls with Paula Abdul? Unbelievable! Nobody can tell that story,” the NBA great told The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday night when asked about it on the red carpet at the Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS. “So, none of us watched it because it was fictional. You just can’t tell that story. But, hey, that’s on them.”
Based on Jeff Pearlman’s book, Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers, Winning Time chronicled the...
“Well, I never watched it because nobody in this world can tell the Lakers story [like it needed to be told]. The Showtime story? Nobody! Dr. Buss was way ahead of his time as an owner. Our team? Unbelievable! The Laker girls with Paula Abdul? Unbelievable! Nobody can tell that story,” the NBA great told The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday night when asked about it on the red carpet at the Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS. “So, none of us watched it because it was fictional. You just can’t tell that story. But, hey, that’s on them.”
Based on Jeff Pearlman’s book, Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers, Winning Time chronicled the...
- 9/25/2023
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Every creator on earth now feels the guiding hand of AI.
On social media, TikTokers are rewarded with massive views for tailoring content to an algorithm that is meticulously designed to trigger dopamine release. In Hollywood, producers are rewarded with lucrative film deals for developing projects that feed the black box AI at studios and streaming platforms, which keep valuable viewership data insights to themselves. That viewership data is built via feedback loops created by recommendation engines reinforced by the very viewer behaviors they shape in the first place. It is value creation increasingly usurped by machines, and between TikTok and streaming platforms, the precious space that allows for human-first innovation is closing. TikTokification is metastasizing.
The Writers Guild is right to push for protections against AI, but nowhere are these protections more urgent than in the documentary and nonfiction space, where I have worked both as a producer and a writer.
On social media, TikTokers are rewarded with massive views for tailoring content to an algorithm that is meticulously designed to trigger dopamine release. In Hollywood, producers are rewarded with lucrative film deals for developing projects that feed the black box AI at studios and streaming platforms, which keep valuable viewership data insights to themselves. That viewership data is built via feedback loops created by recommendation engines reinforced by the very viewer behaviors they shape in the first place. It is value creation increasingly usurped by machines, and between TikTok and streaming platforms, the precious space that allows for human-first innovation is closing. TikTokification is metastasizing.
The Writers Guild is right to push for protections against AI, but nowhere are these protections more urgent than in the documentary and nonfiction space, where I have worked both as a producer and a writer.
- 5/4/2023
- by Emmet McDermott
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: The docuseries based on The Sound: Mystery of Havana Syndrome podcast is moving a step closer to fruition.
Xtr, the non-fiction studio behind Apple’s They Call Me Magic and Oscar-nominated Ascension, has boarded the project, which comes from Project Brazen.
Deadline revealed in January that Project Brazen, which was launched by Pulitzer finalists Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, were launching the podcast, hosted by Nicky Woolf, who hosted Audible’s Qanon podcast Finding Q.
At the time, Project Brazen was also developing it as a docuseries with Prx and Xtr will now co-produce. Prx is no longer involved.
Havana Syndrome is a medical condition allegedly affecting U.S. diplomats in countries such as Cuba. The series will explore the events that began in December 2016, when a U.S. official in Havana went to the embassy medical center to report a debilitating and confounding illness that included headaches, nausea,...
Xtr, the non-fiction studio behind Apple’s They Call Me Magic and Oscar-nominated Ascension, has boarded the project, which comes from Project Brazen.
Deadline revealed in January that Project Brazen, which was launched by Pulitzer finalists Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, were launching the podcast, hosted by Nicky Woolf, who hosted Audible’s Qanon podcast Finding Q.
At the time, Project Brazen was also developing it as a docuseries with Prx and Xtr will now co-produce. Prx is no longer involved.
Havana Syndrome is a medical condition allegedly affecting U.S. diplomats in countries such as Cuba. The series will explore the events that began in December 2016, when a U.S. official in Havana went to the embassy medical center to report a debilitating and confounding illness that included headaches, nausea,...
- 4/3/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Veteran producer Stratton Leopold (Mission: Impossible III) and filmmaker Dax Phelan (The Other Side of the Wind) have teamed up to produce a new currently untitled limited series based on an infamous 19th-century prison escape known affectionately as The Catalpa Expedition.
Set in Ireland, the United States, and Australia during the 1860s and 1870s, the series will be based on the real-life plan members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood — a 19th-century republican group — made to free six political prisoners from a British penal colony in Western Australia while aboard the whaleship, The Catalpa. The writer, poet, and journalist John Boyle O’Reilly was among the political prisoners sent to a British penal colony in Australia.
The Whaling Ship, Catalpa.
Phelan will write the pilot episode and produce alongside Leopold and Eric M. Klein. Terence E. Groves (Jasmine), who first brought the idea to Leopold, will serve as executive producer along...
Set in Ireland, the United States, and Australia during the 1860s and 1870s, the series will be based on the real-life plan members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood — a 19th-century republican group — made to free six political prisoners from a British penal colony in Western Australia while aboard the whaleship, The Catalpa. The writer, poet, and journalist John Boyle O’Reilly was among the political prisoners sent to a British penal colony in Australia.
The Whaling Ship, Catalpa.
Phelan will write the pilot episode and produce alongside Leopold and Eric M. Klein. Terence E. Groves (Jasmine), who first brought the idea to Leopold, will serve as executive producer along...
- 3/20/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Soccer fans the world over are enjoying this time of year. The Mls season started just a couple of weeks ago, and the UEFA Champions League is in the second leg of its round of 16 knockout stage. Now fans of the beautiful game will also get to enjoy “Real Madrid: Until the End,” a new documentary series premiering Friday, March 10 on Apple TV+. It offers an unprecedented chance to go behind the scenes of one of the most prestigious soccer clubs in the world for a whole season. You can watch Real Madrid: Until the End: Miniseries with a 7-Day Free Trial of Apple TV+.
How to Watch ‘Real Madrid: Until the End’ Premiere When: Thursday, March 9, 2023 Where: Apple TV+ Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Apple TV+. 7-Day Free Trial$6.99 / month apple.com About ‘Real Madrid: Until the End’ Premiere
Introduced by David Beckham, “Real Madrid: Until The End...
How to Watch ‘Real Madrid: Until the End’ Premiere When: Thursday, March 9, 2023 Where: Apple TV+ Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Apple TV+. 7-Day Free Trial$6.99 / month apple.com About ‘Real Madrid: Until the End’ Premiere
Introduced by David Beckham, “Real Madrid: Until The End...
- 3/9/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Apple TV+ have set a new soccer documentary, “Real Madrid: Until The End,” which is introduced by David Beckham.
The three-part series, about iconic soccer team Real Madrid, goes behind the scenes to explore their incredible 2021-22 season. “Fueled by their fervent fans, they defy the odds and skeptics on their way to one of the most memorable finishes in football history, culminating in a record 14th Champions League title,” reads the logline.
“The path to a 14th title has never been steeper,” Beckham says in the trailer. “Many doubted it but not this coach, not these players and definitely not these fans. This is no ordinary club. This is Real Madrid.” Beckham himself played for the club between 2003 and 2007.
David Quintana, Virginia Acero, Camila Rodríguez Bohórquez, Jorge Cabrera and Real Madrid C.F. produce the series, which is scheduled to drop globally on March 10 on Apple TV+.
“Real Madrid:...
The three-part series, about iconic soccer team Real Madrid, goes behind the scenes to explore their incredible 2021-22 season. “Fueled by their fervent fans, they defy the odds and skeptics on their way to one of the most memorable finishes in football history, culminating in a record 14th Champions League title,” reads the logline.
“The path to a 14th title has never been steeper,” Beckham says in the trailer. “Many doubted it but not this coach, not these players and definitely not these fans. This is no ordinary club. This is Real Madrid.” Beckham himself played for the club between 2003 and 2007.
David Quintana, Virginia Acero, Camila Rodríguez Bohórquez, Jorge Cabrera and Real Madrid C.F. produce the series, which is scheduled to drop globally on March 10 on Apple TV+.
“Real Madrid:...
- 2/28/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
The highly anticipated second season of the acclaimed documentary series “Make or Break,” featuring behind-the-scenes access to the world’s best surfers as they battle for the top title at the World Surf League Championship Tour, is set to premiere with four episodes on Friday, February 17. An additional four episodes debut on Friday, February 24.
With unprecedented access, “Make or Break” returns to the world of professional surfing, offering an intimate deep dive into the aspirations, challenges, accomplishments and personal lives of the surfers who compete to remain on the elite Men’s and Women’s World Surf League Championship Tour. This season will take viewers on location for the 2022 competition season to stunning surf locations across the globe, capturing the highs and lows of the “Dream Tour,” including the first-ever mid-season cut, international rivalries and record-breaking upsets.
Each episode in the eight-part season of the series spotlights internationally recognized surfers...
With unprecedented access, “Make or Break” returns to the world of professional surfing, offering an intimate deep dive into the aspirations, challenges, accomplishments and personal lives of the surfers who compete to remain on the elite Men’s and Women’s World Surf League Championship Tour. This season will take viewers on location for the 2022 competition season to stunning surf locations across the globe, capturing the highs and lows of the “Dream Tour,” including the first-ever mid-season cut, international rivalries and record-breaking upsets.
Each episode in the eight-part season of the series spotlights internationally recognized surfers...
- 1/26/2023
- by TV Shows Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid - TV
Ben Affleck’s latest directorial effort, “Air,” will get a global theatrical release from Amazon Studios on April 5, ahead of its global streaming premiere on Prime Video.
“Air,” from Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports, Mandalay Pictures, and the first project from Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity, features what is being described as a “first of its kind arrangement” with Amazon Studios distributing the film globally with Warner Bros. Pictures handling international as part of its distribution pact with Amazon’s MGM.
The new movie tells the true story of the partnership between Michael Jordan, a then-rookie with grand ambitions, and Nike’s fledging basketball division. Charting the creation of the Air Jordan brand, whose legacy still impacts popular culture today, “Air” will portray the greatest basketball player of all time in his earliest days and the drive that made him such a force of nature (on and off the...
“Air,” from Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports, Mandalay Pictures, and the first project from Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity, features what is being described as a “first of its kind arrangement” with Amazon Studios distributing the film globally with Warner Bros. Pictures handling international as part of its distribution pact with Amazon’s MGM.
The new movie tells the true story of the partnership between Michael Jordan, a then-rookie with grand ambitions, and Nike’s fledging basketball division. Charting the creation of the Air Jordan brand, whose legacy still impacts popular culture today, “Air” will portray the greatest basketball player of all time in his earliest days and the drive that made him such a force of nature (on and off the...
- 1/23/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
A version of this story about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Barack Obama first appeared in the Down to the Wire: Drama issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar knows all about tough competition, but the basketball legend may be facing a fiercer foe than even Wilt Chamberlain or Julius Erving in this year’s Emmy race. And for that, he can thank the Outstanding Narrator category, which in its nine-year history has found an array of formidable voices going head-to-head: Sterling K. Brown over Anthony Hopkins, Meryl Streep over Laurence Fishburne and Ewan McGregor, Jeremy Irons over Daniel Craig and Whoopi Goldberg, David Attenborough over Chiwetel Ejiofor one year and over Morgan Freeman and Carl Reiner the next …
This year, Abdul-Jabbar is nominated for the second time for the History series “Black Patriots,” the first coming two years ago when he lost to Attenborough. His nomination this year comes during...
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar knows all about tough competition, but the basketball legend may be facing a fiercer foe than even Wilt Chamberlain or Julius Erving in this year’s Emmy race. And for that, he can thank the Outstanding Narrator category, which in its nine-year history has found an array of formidable voices going head-to-head: Sterling K. Brown over Anthony Hopkins, Meryl Streep over Laurence Fishburne and Ewan McGregor, Jeremy Irons over Daniel Craig and Whoopi Goldberg, David Attenborough over Chiwetel Ejiofor one year and over Morgan Freeman and Carl Reiner the next …
This year, Abdul-Jabbar is nominated for the second time for the History series “Black Patriots,” the first coming two years ago when he lost to Attenborough. His nomination this year comes during...
- 8/17/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Antoine Fuqua wants people to know the truth about the Los Angeles Lakers franchise, which is one of the reasons he directed and executive produced the upcoming 10-part Hulu docuseries “Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers.”
The series, which launches on Aug. 15, is the latest in a flurry of programming about the NBA dynasty.
When HBO’s “Winning Time: Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” an Adam McKay executive-produced scripted drama about the Magic Johnson-era of the Lakers, debuted in March, it drew criticism from some of those depicted for taking too many creative liberties. Former star player and general manager Jerry West demanded a legal retraction for how the series portrayed him, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar called it “deliberately dishonest.” Johnson, subject of Apple TV+s “They Call Me Magic” docuseries in April, also criticized the series, telling Variety, “You can’t do a story about the Lakers without the Lakers…...
The series, which launches on Aug. 15, is the latest in a flurry of programming about the NBA dynasty.
When HBO’s “Winning Time: Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” an Adam McKay executive-produced scripted drama about the Magic Johnson-era of the Lakers, debuted in March, it drew criticism from some of those depicted for taking too many creative liberties. Former star player and general manager Jerry West demanded a legal retraction for how the series portrayed him, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar called it “deliberately dishonest.” Johnson, subject of Apple TV+s “They Call Me Magic” docuseries in April, also criticized the series, telling Variety, “You can’t do a story about the Lakers without the Lakers…...
- 8/15/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
In entertainment, as in sports, it’s all about timing.
Which makes “Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers” a victim of the TV industry’s current interest in its subject matter. Jeanie Buss, the CEO of the NBA’s Lakers, has executive-produced Hulu’s documentary tribute to the team that was already, this year, at the center of Apple TV+’s doc “They Call Me Magic,” about star Magic Johnson, and HBO’s scripted “Winning Time,” about her late father Jerry Buss’ stewardship of the team.
This luxuriously slow-paced 10-part series begins in the “Showtime” era — during which Buss, who purchased the Lakers, along with their then-home court the Forum, in 1979 — leveraged his team’s location and his flair for drama to forge a more purely entertaining kind of sports. It’s a story that has certain noteworthy elements and that certainly has memorable personalities; Johnson is a welcome on-camera presence here.
Which makes “Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers” a victim of the TV industry’s current interest in its subject matter. Jeanie Buss, the CEO of the NBA’s Lakers, has executive-produced Hulu’s documentary tribute to the team that was already, this year, at the center of Apple TV+’s doc “They Call Me Magic,” about star Magic Johnson, and HBO’s scripted “Winning Time,” about her late father Jerry Buss’ stewardship of the team.
This luxuriously slow-paced 10-part series begins in the “Showtime” era — during which Buss, who purchased the Lakers, along with their then-home court the Forum, in 1979 — leveraged his team’s location and his flair for drama to forge a more purely entertaining kind of sports. It’s a story that has certain noteworthy elements and that certainly has memorable personalities; Johnson is a welcome on-camera presence here.
- 8/12/2022
- by Daniel D'Addario
- Variety Film + TV
“I’ve been a big fan of Magic for number of years,” admits composer Terence Blanchard about lending his talents to the four-part documentary series “They Call Me Magic,” about the life of sporting royalty Magic Johnson. For our recent webchat he adds, “for me there was a true fascination about getting the backstory, learning about everything that was happening in his life, along with everything that I was watching at the time. It’s just a fascinating thing to even just to ponder, ” he says. “I would have watched the documentary, so when I got the call, I was extremely excited because I’m such a fan.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
See over 200 interviews with 2022 Emmy contenders
The legendary musician and two-time Oscar-nominated composer (“BlacKkKlansman” and “Da 5 Bloods”), who has also received 16 career Grammy Award nominations to date (with five wins), is celebrating his first ever Emmy nomination this year,...
See over 200 interviews with 2022 Emmy contenders
The legendary musician and two-time Oscar-nominated composer (“BlacKkKlansman” and “Da 5 Bloods”), who has also received 16 career Grammy Award nominations to date (with five wins), is celebrating his first ever Emmy nomination this year,...
- 8/12/2022
- by Rob Licuria
- Gold Derby
Click here to read the full article.
Repetitive, or at least duplicative, programming is nothing new and it’s only going to become more common as the TV landscape expands.
In the case of anniversaries, that can mean dozens of shows focused on 9/11 or the Los Angeles riots. In the case of freshly concluded news, it can mean multiple Fyre Island films or more Jeffrey Epstein/Ghislaine Maxwell documentaries than I care to count.
It can be more arbitrary than that, though. Why have we needed to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of Woodstock ’99 with two different documentaries pushing fundamentally similar buttons? I get that only TV critics and topical completists will feel any need to watch every iteration on every topic, but it doesn’t seem particularly artistically adventurous for multiple filmmakers to be telling the exact same stories at the exact same time using many of the exact same...
Repetitive, or at least duplicative, programming is nothing new and it’s only going to become more common as the TV landscape expands.
In the case of anniversaries, that can mean dozens of shows focused on 9/11 or the Los Angeles riots. In the case of freshly concluded news, it can mean multiple Fyre Island films or more Jeffrey Epstein/Ghislaine Maxwell documentaries than I care to count.
It can be more arbitrary than that, though. Why have we needed to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of Woodstock ’99 with two different documentaries pushing fundamentally similar buttons? I get that only TV critics and topical completists will feel any need to watch every iteration on every topic, but it doesn’t seem particularly artistically adventurous for multiple filmmakers to be telling the exact same stories at the exact same time using many of the exact same...
- 8/12/2022
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A two-part documentary film exploring the life and career of the legendary Steve Martin has landed at Apple Original Films.
Martin is working on the docu with Oscar winner Morgan Neville, who directs and produces the as-yet untitled films from A24 and Tremolo Productions. A24 will executive produce alongside Tremolo’s Caitrin Rogers (20 Feet from Stardom).
The film will join Apple’s documentary slate including the four-part Earvin “Magic” Johnson docuseries They Call Me Magic; Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry; The Velvet Underground; Sidney, the upcoming documentary honoring Oscar-winning actor, filmmaker and actor Sidney Poitier and the recently announced untitled feature film about the life of actor and advocate Michael J. Fox.
Martin currently stars in Hulu’s Only Murders In the Building, which has received 17 Emmy nominations at next month’s awards, including outstanding comedy series and lead actor for Martin.
Martin is working on the docu with Oscar winner Morgan Neville, who directs and produces the as-yet untitled films from A24 and Tremolo Productions. A24 will executive produce alongside Tremolo’s Caitrin Rogers (20 Feet from Stardom).
The film will join Apple’s documentary slate including the four-part Earvin “Magic” Johnson docuseries They Call Me Magic; Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry; The Velvet Underground; Sidney, the upcoming documentary honoring Oscar-winning actor, filmmaker and actor Sidney Poitier and the recently announced untitled feature film about the life of actor and advocate Michael J. Fox.
Martin currently stars in Hulu’s Only Murders In the Building, which has received 17 Emmy nominations at next month’s awards, including outstanding comedy series and lead actor for Martin.
- 8/10/2022
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Well excuuuuse me! A documentary on legendary comedian, actor and banjo aficionado Steve Martin is coming to Apple TV+ from Oscar-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville.
Apple Original Films landed the untitled, two-part documentary film that hails from A24 and Tremolo Productions. The film will explore Martin’s life and career, though no other information was provided about the film.
Both parts are directed and produced by Neville. A24 will executive produce alongside Caitrin Rogers (“20 Feet from Stardom”) from Tremolo Productions.
Also Read:
‘Only Murders’ Co-Creator on the Trio’s ‘Rock Bottom’ Moment and ‘First Domino Push’ Toward Solving Bunny’s Murder
A24 and Tremolo together worked on the Oscar-winner “20 Feet From Stardom” and more recently on “Val” about the actor Val Kilmer.
Neville’s last feature was “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain,” and he also directed the TV docs “Watch the Sound With Mark Ronson” and “The Next Thing You Eat.
Apple Original Films landed the untitled, two-part documentary film that hails from A24 and Tremolo Productions. The film will explore Martin’s life and career, though no other information was provided about the film.
Both parts are directed and produced by Neville. A24 will executive produce alongside Caitrin Rogers (“20 Feet from Stardom”) from Tremolo Productions.
Also Read:
‘Only Murders’ Co-Creator on the Trio’s ‘Rock Bottom’ Moment and ‘First Domino Push’ Toward Solving Bunny’s Murder
A24 and Tremolo together worked on the Oscar-winner “20 Feet From Stardom” and more recently on “Val” about the actor Val Kilmer.
Neville’s last feature was “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain,” and he also directed the TV docs “Watch the Sound With Mark Ronson” and “The Next Thing You Eat.
- 8/10/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Steve Martin has been many things — a comic, an actor, a filmmaker, an author, a musician — and he’ll soon be one more. He’s going to be the subject of a documentary.
Martin is participating in a two-part feature from A24 which is set to be released by Apple TV+. Morgan Neville, who helmed Oscar-winning doc 20 Feet From Stardom as well as Won’t You Be My Neighbor? and dozens of other film and TV projects, is directing and producing. There’s no title or anticipated release date as of yet, but production has been ongoing.
“It’s somebody else’s take,” Martin tells THR of the process. “They found a lot of archival stuff. “They found a photo of my father in 1944 in Germany, touring Our Town with the Uso.”
For as well known as he is, Martin hasn’t...
Steve Martin has been many things — a comic, an actor, a filmmaker, an author, a musician — and he’ll soon be one more. He’s going to be the subject of a documentary.
Martin is participating in a two-part feature from A24 which is set to be released by Apple TV+. Morgan Neville, who helmed Oscar-winning doc 20 Feet From Stardom as well as Won’t You Be My Neighbor? and dozens of other film and TV projects, is directing and producing. There’s no title or anticipated release date as of yet, but production has been ongoing.
“It’s somebody else’s take,” Martin tells THR of the process. “They found a lot of archival stuff. “They found a photo of my father in 1944 in Germany, touring Our Town with the Uso.”
For as well known as he is, Martin hasn’t...
- 8/10/2022
- by Mikey O'Connell
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul Jabbar are sharing their stories of being part of the Lakers dynasty in the new teaser for Hulu’s “Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers,” which dropped Monday.
Hailing from director and executive producer Antoine Fuqua, the new series aims to capture the rise and success of one of the most dominant and iconic franchises in professional sports by featuring exclusive access to the Buss family and revealing interviews with players, coaches and front office executives.
When charismatic real estate tycoon Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Lakes in a risky and complex business deal, he faced a legion of doubters. But Buss pioneered the business of basketball by kicking off the “Showtime” era in 1979. He raised the price of floor seats, introduced dancers and a live band, opened an exclusive private club inside the arena and cultivated famous fans in Hollywood.
Hailing from director and executive producer Antoine Fuqua, the new series aims to capture the rise and success of one of the most dominant and iconic franchises in professional sports by featuring exclusive access to the Buss family and revealing interviews with players, coaches and front office executives.
When charismatic real estate tycoon Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Lakes in a risky and complex business deal, he faced a legion of doubters. But Buss pioneered the business of basketball by kicking off the “Showtime” era in 1979. He raised the price of floor seats, introduced dancers and a live band, opened an exclusive private club inside the arena and cultivated famous fans in Hollywood.
- 6/21/2022
- by Brandon Katz
- The Wrap
The number and range of superstars vying for Emmys this year – everyone from Kanye West and 50 Cent to Mick Jagger and Imagine Dragons – is staggering.
More than 600 entries in the seven Emmy music categories were unveiled today as voting began for the nominations round. Nominations will be announced by the Television Academy on July 12.
The most star-studded category is that of best song. “Euphoria” star Zendaya and composer Labrinth, who won Emmys for the series in 2020, have entered two songs from this past season as co-writers and could score again given the huge popularity of the HBO series. Labrinth has also entered in the series-score category.
Country stars Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert are up for songs in “Nine Perfect Strangers” and “Queer Eye,” respectively. Music docs are included too, as Sheryl Crow has entered a song from the new Showtime documentary on her life and Mary J. Blige...
More than 600 entries in the seven Emmy music categories were unveiled today as voting began for the nominations round. Nominations will be announced by the Television Academy on July 12.
The most star-studded category is that of best song. “Euphoria” star Zendaya and composer Labrinth, who won Emmys for the series in 2020, have entered two songs from this past season as co-writers and could score again given the huge popularity of the HBO series. Labrinth has also entered in the series-score category.
Country stars Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert are up for songs in “Nine Perfect Strangers” and “Queer Eye,” respectively. Music docs are included too, as Sheryl Crow has entered a song from the new Showtime documentary on her life and Mary J. Blige...
- 6/16/2022
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Ben Affleck has rounded out the cast for his upcoming film about Nike and its efforts to sign Michael Jordan to an endorsement deal, adding Jason Bateman, Viola Davis, Chris Tucker, Marlon Wayans and more to star alongside both himself and Matt Damon.
Also joining the cast are Matthew Maher, Tom Papa, Chris Messina and Julius Tennon. Affleck is directing the film from a script he collaborated on with Damon and was written by Alex Convery, eventually landing on the 2021 Black List of unproduced screenplays.
The untitled Nike film is set at Amazon Studios from Skydance Sports and Mandalay Pictures, and production has recently begun in Los Angeles.
Also Read:
Exclusive ‘They Call Me Magic’ Sneak Peek: Magic Johnson Recalls Epic ‘No Wives Invited’ Pool Parties (Video)
Damon, whom Affleck is directing for the first time despite their long history of collaborating, in the movie plays maverick sneaker salesman and former Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,...
Also joining the cast are Matthew Maher, Tom Papa, Chris Messina and Julius Tennon. Affleck is directing the film from a script he collaborated on with Damon and was written by Alex Convery, eventually landing on the 2021 Black List of unproduced screenplays.
The untitled Nike film is set at Amazon Studios from Skydance Sports and Mandalay Pictures, and production has recently begun in Los Angeles.
Also Read:
Exclusive ‘They Call Me Magic’ Sneak Peek: Magic Johnson Recalls Epic ‘No Wives Invited’ Pool Parties (Video)
Damon, whom Affleck is directing for the first time despite their long history of collaborating, in the movie plays maverick sneaker salesman and former Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,...
- 6/10/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Apple Original Films has set a first-look feature deal with Nike’s Waffle Iron Entertainment and Makeready, to develop and produce sports films.
The companies will team up to deliver a slate of films to inspire the next generation of athletes and celebrate the power of sport. It comes at a moment when streamers are leaning heavily into live sports rights and narrative and docu content focusing on athletics.
In the linkup between two giant brands, Apple will finance and distribute the projects, and Nike’s dedicated production label Waffle Iron’s Justin Biskin will produce along with Makeready’s Brad Weston and Collin Creighton. Weston has shepherded sports films that include the Oscar-nominated The Fighter when he headed production at Paramount Pictures. Under Zack Van Amburg & Jamie Erlicht, two year old Apple Original Films is coming off its first Best Picture Oscar for Coda, and is squarely in...
The companies will team up to deliver a slate of films to inspire the next generation of athletes and celebrate the power of sport. It comes at a moment when streamers are leaning heavily into live sports rights and narrative and docu content focusing on athletics.
In the linkup between two giant brands, Apple will finance and distribute the projects, and Nike’s dedicated production label Waffle Iron’s Justin Biskin will produce along with Makeready’s Brad Weston and Collin Creighton. Weston has shepherded sports films that include the Oscar-nominated The Fighter when he headed production at Paramount Pictures. Under Zack Van Amburg & Jamie Erlicht, two year old Apple Original Films is coming off its first Best Picture Oscar for Coda, and is squarely in...
- 6/9/2022
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
MSNBC Films and Xtr are partnering for Periodical, a feature doc about menstruation. Lina Lyte Plioplyte is directing the doc that will premiere on MSNBC in 2023 before heading to Peacock.
The film will feature stories from activists, authors, journalists and doctors, with notable names including Gloria Steinem, soccer star Megan Rapinoe, actress Ashley Greene, and Pen15 star Anna Konkle. The description of the film reads: “Periodical covers everything from the people who use their period blood for facials and “free bleed” while running marathons, to the ones who want to forget it exists. The film uncovers the shocking truths, challenges taboos and celebrates the untapped potential of this nutrient-dense blood.”
Pegah Farahmand is producing the doc with Kourtney Gleason co-producing. MSNBC’s Rashida Jones and Amanda Spain are exec producing alongside Xtr’s Kathryn Everett, Kathleen Flood and Justin Lacob.
“For Periodical, I...
MSNBC Films and Xtr are partnering for Periodical, a feature doc about menstruation. Lina Lyte Plioplyte is directing the doc that will premiere on MSNBC in 2023 before heading to Peacock.
The film will feature stories from activists, authors, journalists and doctors, with notable names including Gloria Steinem, soccer star Megan Rapinoe, actress Ashley Greene, and Pen15 star Anna Konkle. The description of the film reads: “Periodical covers everything from the people who use their period blood for facials and “free bleed” while running marathons, to the ones who want to forget it exists. The film uncovers the shocking truths, challenges taboos and celebrates the untapped potential of this nutrient-dense blood.”
Pegah Farahmand is producing the doc with Kourtney Gleason co-producing. MSNBC’s Rashida Jones and Amanda Spain are exec producing alongside Xtr’s Kathryn Everett, Kathleen Flood and Justin Lacob.
“For Periodical, I...
- 6/7/2022
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Gia Coppola, the director of the indie darlings “Palo Alto” (2013) and “Mainstream” (2020), will direct a documentary film about the most extreme, diehard fans of boy bands like BTS, New Kids on the Block, One Direction, Nsync and Backstreet Boys.
Coppola will direct “superfans: screaming. crying. throwing up.” for non-fiction studio Xtr and producers Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan for their Aggregate Films, in association with Coppola’s banner Detour.
The film “superfans,” which is Coppola’s first documentary, is currently in production and is based on a book called “Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKotB to BTS” by journalist and life-long fangirl Maria Sherman.
Also Read:
Dynamite! BTS Live Concert Topped ‘The Batman’ in Dozens of Movie Theaters Last Weekend
The film explores the obsession and devotion of fans who turn boy bands into multi-billion dollar franchises that dominate both the airwaves and pop culture phenomena.
Coppola will direct “superfans: screaming. crying. throwing up.” for non-fiction studio Xtr and producers Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan for their Aggregate Films, in association with Coppola’s banner Detour.
The film “superfans,” which is Coppola’s first documentary, is currently in production and is based on a book called “Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKotB to BTS” by journalist and life-long fangirl Maria Sherman.
Also Read:
Dynamite! BTS Live Concert Topped ‘The Batman’ in Dozens of Movie Theaters Last Weekend
The film explores the obsession and devotion of fans who turn boy bands into multi-billion dollar franchises that dominate both the airwaves and pop culture phenomena.
- 5/23/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Gia Coppola (Palo Alto) is in production on superfans: screaming. crying. throwing up., a documentary that she’s directing and producing for global nonfiction entertainment studio Xtr and Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan’s Aggregate Films, via her company Detour.
The film celebrating the culture-shifting influence of boy band superfans is based on Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKotB to BTS, a book by journalist and lifelong fangirl, Maria Sherman. It dives into the fangirl experiences, movements and markets of the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s, spotlighting the devoted girls, women and queer fans who have turned boy bands — including New Edition, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, *Nsync, One Direction and BTS — into multibillion-dollar franchises that dominate both the airwaves and pop culture phenomena.
For decades, fangirls like Sherman have had their musical infatuations demonized as frivolous or feminine, and superfans will shed new...
The film celebrating the culture-shifting influence of boy band superfans is based on Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKotB to BTS, a book by journalist and lifelong fangirl, Maria Sherman. It dives into the fangirl experiences, movements and markets of the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s, spotlighting the devoted girls, women and queer fans who have turned boy bands — including New Edition, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, *Nsync, One Direction and BTS — into multibillion-dollar franchises that dominate both the airwaves and pop culture phenomena.
For decades, fangirls like Sherman have had their musical infatuations demonized as frivolous or feminine, and superfans will shed new...
- 5/23/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Last Year’s Winner: “Secrets of the Whales”
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: Disney+ itself is not on a hot streak, having only won last year, and no other year since its existence. Disney as a whole though has won two years running, with ESPN winning in 2020 for the blockbuster docuseries “The Last Dance.”
Notable Ineligible Series: “The New York Times Presents”; “Biography”
This article will be updated throughout the season, along with all our predictions, so make sure to keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2022 Emmys race. The nomination round of voting will take place from June 16 to June 27, with the official Emmy nominations to be announced on Tuesday, July 12. The Creative Arts Emmy Awards will be given out over two consecutive nights on Saturday, September 3 and Sunday, September 4, with an edited presentation on the ceremonies to be broadcast on Saturday, Sept. 10, at 8:00 p.m.
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: Disney+ itself is not on a hot streak, having only won last year, and no other year since its existence. Disney as a whole though has won two years running, with ESPN winning in 2020 for the blockbuster docuseries “The Last Dance.”
Notable Ineligible Series: “The New York Times Presents”; “Biography”
This article will be updated throughout the season, along with all our predictions, so make sure to keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2022 Emmys race. The nomination round of voting will take place from June 16 to June 27, with the official Emmy nominations to be announced on Tuesday, July 12. The Creative Arts Emmy Awards will be given out over two consecutive nights on Saturday, September 3 and Sunday, September 4, with an edited presentation on the ceremonies to be broadcast on Saturday, Sept. 10, at 8:00 p.m.
- 5/23/2022
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
Xtr has launched production on Role Players, which is billed as the definitive documentary on the seminal fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons.
Boasting never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with high-profile celebrity D&d fanatics, Role Players will tell the all-encompassing story of Dungeons & Dragons, from the game’s origin story to the cult-like devotion of its players, exploring the power living in a fantasy world can have on real-life human connection.
The feature is being made by director Morgan Jon Fox (The One You Never Forget) and producer Ted Speaker (Sword of Trust). Bryn Mooser, Kathryn Everett, Justin Lacob and Abazar Khayami are executive producing for Xtr. Pic comes on the heels of Paramount and eOne’s announcement on the title for their upcoming narrative feature, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and Hasbro’s reported explosive growth on the franchise as a result of the major theatrical release in...
Boasting never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with high-profile celebrity D&d fanatics, Role Players will tell the all-encompassing story of Dungeons & Dragons, from the game’s origin story to the cult-like devotion of its players, exploring the power living in a fantasy world can have on real-life human connection.
The feature is being made by director Morgan Jon Fox (The One You Never Forget) and producer Ted Speaker (Sword of Trust). Bryn Mooser, Kathryn Everett, Justin Lacob and Abazar Khayami are executive producing for Xtr. Pic comes on the heels of Paramount and eOne’s announcement on the title for their upcoming narrative feature, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and Hasbro’s reported explosive growth on the franchise as a result of the major theatrical release in...
- 5/11/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Spring is fully in bloom and allergies on the rise. But if you have to lock yourself in your home to keep away from anything pollinating, there are plenty of options for stuff to watch. From a period drama with a big ass monster to horrors both supernatural and frighteningly real, we have got you covered. All you have to provide are the Kleenex and Zyrtec.
On with the television!
“The Essex Serpent”
Friday, May 13, Apple TV+
Apple
How many prestige costume dramas have you watched and thought, This would be a lot more entertaining if there was a giant monster in it? “The Essex Serpent” serves to scratch that particular (and incredibly specific) itch. Based on the acclaimed 2016 novel by British author Sarah Perry, “The Essex Serpent” stars Claire Danes as a London widow who moves to the titular town to investigate several reported attacks by a giant serpent.
On with the television!
“The Essex Serpent”
Friday, May 13, Apple TV+
Apple
How many prestige costume dramas have you watched and thought, This would be a lot more entertaining if there was a giant monster in it? “The Essex Serpent” serves to scratch that particular (and incredibly specific) itch. Based on the acclaimed 2016 novel by British author Sarah Perry, “The Essex Serpent” stars Claire Danes as a London widow who moves to the titular town to investigate several reported attacks by a giant serpent.
- 5/7/2022
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
In making the new documentary, They Call Me Magic, Earvin “Magic” Johnson had the opportunity to relive and recall some of the most significant times of his life. And while his career had plenty of highlights, Johnson told us he really enjoyed reminiscing about the very beginning of his NBA career, because he says the […]
The post Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s Early Days With The Lakers Were Truly Magic appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
The post Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s Early Days With The Lakers Were Truly Magic appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
- 5/4/2022
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Apple TV+ is taking a deep dive into the careers of some more iconic athletes for Season 2 of its short-form documentary series “Greatness Code.”
The upcoming second installment of the series will explore what drives some of the world’s greatest athletes, including four-time World Cup champion alpine ski racer and Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn, NASCAR’s Bubba Wallace, and Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson.
The six-part series will also include Marcus Rashford, Leticia Bufoni, and Scout Bassett. On Tuesday, the streaming service released a trailer for the new season, which you can watch above.
“In those really important moments, when you have everything on the line, it’s all or nothing,” Vonn says in the clip. Wilson adds, “As soon as you cross that white line to step on the field, the feelings have to go.”
Season 1 of “Greatness Code” followed LeBron James, Usain Bolt, Tom Brady, Shaun White,...
The upcoming second installment of the series will explore what drives some of the world’s greatest athletes, including four-time World Cup champion alpine ski racer and Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn, NASCAR’s Bubba Wallace, and Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson.
The six-part series will also include Marcus Rashford, Leticia Bufoni, and Scout Bassett. On Tuesday, the streaming service released a trailer for the new season, which you can watch above.
“In those really important moments, when you have everything on the line, it’s all or nothing,” Vonn says in the clip. Wilson adds, “As soon as you cross that white line to step on the field, the feelings have to go.”
Season 1 of “Greatness Code” followed LeBron James, Usain Bolt, Tom Brady, Shaun White,...
- 5/3/2022
- by Katie Campione
- The Wrap
Image Source: Getty / Jc Olivera
Basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson has given his life story "The Last Dance" treatment in a four-part documentary titled "They Call Me Magic." With interviews from fellow athletes, close friends, and family - including his wife Cookie, sons Ej and Andre, and daughter Elisa - the Apple TV+ docuseries, which premiered on April 22, takes a holistic look at the former Los Angeles Lakers player's life - from his early playing days and HIV advocacy to his community and entrepreneurial pursuits.
"I think that we both needed time to grow and come to terms with the change and evolution of our relationship."
According to Ej, Magic's idea to film a documentary about his life came up in 2020. "He had gotten a lot of interest after 'The Last Dance' and so he just decided to do his own," he tells Popsugar. "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder...
Basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson has given his life story "The Last Dance" treatment in a four-part documentary titled "They Call Me Magic." With interviews from fellow athletes, close friends, and family - including his wife Cookie, sons Ej and Andre, and daughter Elisa - the Apple TV+ docuseries, which premiered on April 22, takes a holistic look at the former Los Angeles Lakers player's life - from his early playing days and HIV advocacy to his community and entrepreneurial pursuits.
"I think that we both needed time to grow and come to terms with the change and evolution of our relationship."
According to Ej, Magic's idea to film a documentary about his life came up in 2020. "He had gotten a lot of interest after 'The Last Dance' and so he just decided to do his own," he tells Popsugar. "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder...
- 4/29/2022
- by Njera Perkins
- Popsugar.com
Updated with exec comments. Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company was “honored to be the stewards” of Best Picture Oscar winner Coda, adding that the trophy is one of 240 won by Apple TV+ in its two-and-a-half years of existence.
Coda was an acquisition out of the Sundance Film Festival, at a record acquisition price of 25 million. It went on to become the first streaming film to win the top Oscar, though it also had a vanishingly minimal profile in theaters, having been released day-and-date last summer.
The haul of awards wins is out of 960 total nominations, Cook noted during the company’s fiscal second quarter earnings call, though he didn’t cite any specific ones beyond the Academy Awards. Calling out recent original series debuts Severance, WeCrashed and Pachinko, the exec said the streaming service is “connecting with audiences and earning praise from critics.” As has been the case since launch,...
Coda was an acquisition out of the Sundance Film Festival, at a record acquisition price of 25 million. It went on to become the first streaming film to win the top Oscar, though it also had a vanishingly minimal profile in theaters, having been released day-and-date last summer.
The haul of awards wins is out of 960 total nominations, Cook noted during the company’s fiscal second quarter earnings call, though he didn’t cite any specific ones beyond the Academy Awards. Calling out recent original series debuts Severance, WeCrashed and Pachinko, the exec said the streaming service is “connecting with audiences and earning praise from critics.” As has been the case since launch,...
- 4/28/2022
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Xtr, the award-winning nonfiction company behind “They Call Me Magic” on Apple TV Plus and the Oscar-nominated “Ascension,” announced its acquisition of a 30,000 square-foot studio located off Alvarado St. in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, just west of downtown.
The new Xtr Studios space includes production and post-production facilities, a sound stage, recording studio and offices. The acquisition represents a key milestone for the documentary industry as audience growth and business catch up to narrative.
“This is an incredible time for documentaries where there is more demand than ever before. Having our own facilities will allow us to meet this moment,” said Bryn Mooser, Xtr CEO and founder. “Most importantly, we are excited to build a center for creative excellence and an independent home for filmmakers and artists that inspires them and supports them to make their best work.”
Speaking with Variety, Mooser adds that streaming services have...
The new Xtr Studios space includes production and post-production facilities, a sound stage, recording studio and offices. The acquisition represents a key milestone for the documentary industry as audience growth and business catch up to narrative.
“This is an incredible time for documentaries where there is more demand than ever before. Having our own facilities will allow us to meet this moment,” said Bryn Mooser, Xtr CEO and founder. “Most importantly, we are excited to build a center for creative excellence and an independent home for filmmakers and artists that inspires them and supports them to make their best work.”
Speaking with Variety, Mooser adds that streaming services have...
- 4/26/2022
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Photo: ‘They Call Me Magic’ The biography of Earvin “Magic” Johnson, as portrayed in the new docuseries, ‘They Call Me Magic,’ is packed with the turbulent highs and lows of the life of the basketball Hall of Famer. His tumultuous journey through life in becoming a basketball superstar, HIV activist, business entrepreneur, philanthropist, and supporter of the Black community is all unpacked in this four-part episodic documentary series. There are so many aspects to who Magic Johnson is as a person that while the documentary covers much of the large strokes of his life, much of it is seemingly glazed over and packaged in a neat and orderly product. The documentary fails to fully dig into the messier aspects of Johnson’s life and in parts of his interviews, he appears quite disinterested in revisiting certain topics. That being said the documentary provides new insights into the cultural phenomenon of Magic,...
- 4/26/2022
- by Thomas Jacobs
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
We independently selected these products because we love them, and we think you might like them at these prices. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may get a commission if you purchase something through our links. Items are sold by the retailer, not E!. Prices are accurate as of publish time. Even if the Los Angeles Lakers aren't your home team, the franchise is delivering so much premium content lately. HBO's controversial series Winning Time has plenty fans, except for the real-life legends depicted in the series. Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Jerry West have spoken out against the show. However, all three of them appeared in the Apple TV+ documentary They Call Me Magic, depicting Magic's...
- 4/24/2022
- E! Online
Back in 2020, ESPN's documentary miniseries "The Last Dance" captivated audiences for weeks by chronicling the rise of the multi-championship winning Chicago Bulls, led by the legendary Michael Jordan. It's a milestone sports doc series that digs deep into the history of the beloved NBA team and everyone that made them a national sensation in the '80s and '90s, both on and off the court. Now Los Angeles Lakers superstar Earvin "Magic" Johnson is getting the same treatment in the four-episode documentary miniseries "They Call Me Magic," coming to Apple TV+ on April 22, 2022.
Since "The Last Dance" had such a large ensemble...
The post They Call Me Magic Review: Magic Johnson Gets the Spectacular Last Dance Documentary Treatment appeared first on /Film.
Since "The Last Dance" had such a large ensemble...
The post They Call Me Magic Review: Magic Johnson Gets the Spectacular Last Dance Documentary Treatment appeared first on /Film.
- 4/21/2022
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
In this exclusive sneak peek from Apple ahead of Friday’s premiere of docuseries “They Call Me Magic,” Earvin “Magic” Johnson, recalls his notorious pool parties at the height of his fame with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Well you know, I was known for my parties,” the NBA legend laughs. “I had the best parties in Hollywood. Everybody wanted to come to the pool parties.”
Michael Cooper, a Lakers guard from 1978-1990, says, “It was fun, it was exciting. If you were a married guy, you’d get in trouble. If you were a single guy, you could get in trouble.”
There were plenty of beautiful women at these parties, but wives and girlfriends were not invited, which upset Johnson’s future wife Cookie so much, she walked out on him. The two eventually reunited and have now been married more than 30 years.
The four-part documentary event, which covers Johnson...
“Well you know, I was known for my parties,” the NBA legend laughs. “I had the best parties in Hollywood. Everybody wanted to come to the pool parties.”
Michael Cooper, a Lakers guard from 1978-1990, says, “It was fun, it was exciting. If you were a married guy, you’d get in trouble. If you were a single guy, you could get in trouble.”
There were plenty of beautiful women at these parties, but wives and girlfriends were not invited, which upset Johnson’s future wife Cookie so much, she walked out on him. The two eventually reunited and have now been married more than 30 years.
The four-part documentary event, which covers Johnson...
- 4/21/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
“How did so many talented people go so terribly wrong?” Kareem Abdul-Jabbar writes in a new blog post criticizing HBO’s drama series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.” The basketball icon goes on to call the series “deliberately dishonest” and “drearily dull.” The show, which is executive produced by Adam McKay, tracks the 1980s Showtime era of the Los Angeles Lakers and stars Solomon Hughes as a younger Abdul-Jabbar.
Abdul-Jabbar starts his blog post by clarifying that his critical reaction to “Winning Time” has nothing to do with how he is portrayed by Hughes in the show. Instead, he writes that the show “commits the sin” of being boring “over and over.” Abdul-Jabbar also knocked McKay, whose work he used to admire.
“I thought the poor quality of ‘Don’t Look Up’ was an anomaly,” Abdul-Jabbar writes. “I hoped that perhaps because he was overwhelmed by his passion about global warming,...
Abdul-Jabbar starts his blog post by clarifying that his critical reaction to “Winning Time” has nothing to do with how he is portrayed by Hughes in the show. Instead, he writes that the show “commits the sin” of being boring “over and over.” Abdul-Jabbar also knocked McKay, whose work he used to admire.
“I thought the poor quality of ‘Don’t Look Up’ was an anomaly,” Abdul-Jabbar writes. “I hoped that perhaps because he was overwhelmed by his passion about global warming,...
- 4/19/2022
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
“I needed to hear the roar of the crowd one more time — and I heard it.”
That’s how Magic Johnson describes his 1991 appearance on Arsenio Hall’s talk show in the new documentary “They Call Me Magic.” It was a key moment in Johnson’s public life, coming just after the basketball star’s announcement that he had contracted HIV. And it’s slightly telling that what Johnson recalls is not any particular thing he said but the applause of the audience for whom he was putting on a show.
Johnson, throughout both his athletic and business careers, is as close to an entertainer as an athlete gets. And “They Call Me Magic,” though often glowingly promotional, does an elegant job of depicting the mentality of a figure who needs his public just as much as they need him.
The contours of Johnson’s story will be familiar to...
That’s how Magic Johnson describes his 1991 appearance on Arsenio Hall’s talk show in the new documentary “They Call Me Magic.” It was a key moment in Johnson’s public life, coming just after the basketball star’s announcement that he had contracted HIV. And it’s slightly telling that what Johnson recalls is not any particular thing he said but the applause of the audience for whom he was putting on a show.
Johnson, throughout both his athletic and business careers, is as close to an entertainer as an athlete gets. And “They Call Me Magic,” though often glowingly promotional, does an elegant job of depicting the mentality of a figure who needs his public just as much as they need him.
The contours of Johnson’s story will be familiar to...
- 4/18/2022
- by Daniel D'Addario
- Variety Film + TV
Magic Johnson Explains Why He Didn’t Watch His Docuseries ‘They Call Me Magic’ Until Its LA Premiere
Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr. and his family — wife Cookie, daughter Elisa and sons Andre and Ej — were joined by a star-studded roster of celebrities and professional athletes as they attended the premiere of “They Call Me Magic” at the Regency Village Theater in Westwood on Thursday night.
Directed by Rick Famuyiwa, the four-part Apple TV+ docuseries explores the personal and professional life of the basketball legend, as well as his lasting cultural impact, through a series of interviews with Johnson and his family, friends and fellow athletes.
Johnson’s life and rise to basketball glory was recently depicted in the HBO drama miniseries “Winning Time,” though the NBA champion previously told Variety he was not consulted on the project and had no plans to watch the show.
On the red carpet at the premiere, Johnson indicated that he may have his own plans to create a feature film or miniseries based on his life.
Directed by Rick Famuyiwa, the four-part Apple TV+ docuseries explores the personal and professional life of the basketball legend, as well as his lasting cultural impact, through a series of interviews with Johnson and his family, friends and fellow athletes.
Johnson’s life and rise to basketball glory was recently depicted in the HBO drama miniseries “Winning Time,” though the NBA champion previously told Variety he was not consulted on the project and had no plans to watch the show.
On the red carpet at the premiere, Johnson indicated that he may have his own plans to create a feature film or miniseries based on his life.
- 4/15/2022
- by Ashley Hume
- Variety Film + TV
As Hollywood events return to full force in New York and Los Angeles amid the coronavirus pandemic, here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings, including red carpets for The First Lady, The Flight Attendant, Severance and Magic Johnson doc They Call Me Magic.
Severance finale event
Stars Patricia Arquette, Britt Lower, Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman, Dichen Lachman, Yul Vazquez, Jen Tullock and Michael Chernus, director Ben Stiller and creator Dan Erickson celebrated the finale of their Apple TV+ series on April 8 at Los Angeles’ DGA Theater. At the event, which co-star Adam Scott missed after testing positive for Covid-19, the team broke down the show’s first season, which revolves around a company that surgically divides its staff’s work and personal lives, and its buzzy finale, which sees the separation between the two worlds starting to fade.
Outfest Fusion Opening Night Gala
On...
Severance finale event
Stars Patricia Arquette, Britt Lower, Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman, Dichen Lachman, Yul Vazquez, Jen Tullock and Michael Chernus, director Ben Stiller and creator Dan Erickson celebrated the finale of their Apple TV+ series on April 8 at Los Angeles’ DGA Theater. At the event, which co-star Adam Scott missed after testing positive for Covid-19, the team broke down the show’s first season, which revolves around a company that surgically divides its staff’s work and personal lives, and its buzzy finale, which sees the separation between the two worlds starting to fade.
Outfest Fusion Opening Night Gala
On...
- 4/15/2022
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“I’m a sensitive man,” says Magic Johnson. “Man, I shouldn’t be telling my weaknesses … but I do cry at movies. I will admit that. I’m giving too many secrets away!”
In a new interview for this week’s cover story of Variety, Johnson expanded on some untold stories from his upcoming docuseries “They Call Me Magic,” premiering on April 22 on Apple TV Plus.
Here are some things we learned from one of the most influential basketball players in history.
Rivalry on the Court: “It’s no question: Larry Bird. We’re linked together forever,” Johnson says when asked to name his fiercest basketball competitor. Their rivalry began before either of them had made it to the NBA in the ’80s. They played each other — Johnson for Michigan State University and Bird for Indiana State University — in the NCAA Championship, which Michigan won. “Who ever thought that game...
In a new interview for this week’s cover story of Variety, Johnson expanded on some untold stories from his upcoming docuseries “They Call Me Magic,” premiering on April 22 on Apple TV Plus.
Here are some things we learned from one of the most influential basketball players in history.
Rivalry on the Court: “It’s no question: Larry Bird. We’re linked together forever,” Johnson says when asked to name his fiercest basketball competitor. Their rivalry began before either of them had made it to the NBA in the ’80s. They played each other — Johnson for Michigan State University and Bird for Indiana State University — in the NCAA Championship, which Michigan won. “Who ever thought that game...
- 4/8/2022
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
Magic Johnson Slams HBO’s ‘Winning Time’: ‘You Can’t Do a Story About the Lakers Without the Lakers’
“You can’t do a story about the Lakers without the Lakers,” Magic Johnson says. “The real Lakers. You gotta have the guys.”
In a new interview for this week’s cover story of Variety, the NBA legend shared his unfiltered thoughts about “Winning Time,” HBO’s scripted drama about the Showtime era of the Lakers, which has just been renewed for its second season. Johnson said he refuses to watch the series, and he’s baffled that neither HBO nor the creative executives — which include executive producer Adam McKay — sought participation from him or his teammates. (A rep from HBO declined to comment.)
Showtime coincided with Johnson’s tenure on the Lakers from 1979 to 1991, at which point he retired after being diagnosed with HIV. As explained in Johnson’s upcoming Apple TV Plus docuseries “They Call Me Magic,” NBA games were so scarcely watched before Johnson was drafted that...
In a new interview for this week’s cover story of Variety, the NBA legend shared his unfiltered thoughts about “Winning Time,” HBO’s scripted drama about the Showtime era of the Lakers, which has just been renewed for its second season. Johnson said he refuses to watch the series, and he’s baffled that neither HBO nor the creative executives — which include executive producer Adam McKay — sought participation from him or his teammates. (A rep from HBO declined to comment.)
Showtime coincided with Johnson’s tenure on the Lakers from 1979 to 1991, at which point he retired after being diagnosed with HIV. As explained in Johnson’s upcoming Apple TV Plus docuseries “They Call Me Magic,” NBA games were so scarcely watched before Johnson was drafted that...
- 4/7/2022
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
The year was 2010, and scarves were in. “Very European,” says Ej Johnson, the son of Magic Johnson, as he recalls when he came out as gay to his father. “Even in the summer, you had your linen scarves. That was the look. And of course I was rocking the scarves, because it was hot. And he just could not stand it. ”
In a new interview with Variety ahead of the April 22 release of “They Call Me Magic,” an Apple TV Plus docuseries that covers his life and career, Johnson revealed that he initially struggled to come to terms with his son’s sexual orientation.
“When you grow up in team sports, you’re thinking, ‘Is he gonna play sports?’” Johnson says. “And then when I saw that he liked dolls and to play dress-up … ‘What are you doing?’”
“I was out to all my friends,” says Ej, who is now...
In a new interview with Variety ahead of the April 22 release of “They Call Me Magic,” an Apple TV Plus docuseries that covers his life and career, Johnson revealed that he initially struggled to come to terms with his son’s sexual orientation.
“When you grow up in team sports, you’re thinking, ‘Is he gonna play sports?’” Johnson says. “And then when I saw that he liked dolls and to play dress-up … ‘What are you doing?’”
“I was out to all my friends,” says Ej, who is now...
- 4/6/2022
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
While shock jock humor is the brand that made Howard Stern famous, an interview on Magic Johnson’s 1998 late-night talk show “The Magic Hour” pushed the limits even for him, creating one of the most uncomfortable moments in late-night TV history.
In a new interview with Variety, Johnson looked back on his hosting stint prior to the April 22 release of “They Call Me Magic,” an Apple TV Plus docuseries that covers his life and career — including his brief chapter in the late-night seat. And though “The Magic Hour” was an overall flop, hated by critics and canceled after three short months, it’s Stern’s appearance on the program that still gets talked about today as a blatant example of how entertainers could get away with making racist comments before things changed in our culture.
“So many times, I wanted to say something and hit him at the same time — on air,...
In a new interview with Variety, Johnson looked back on his hosting stint prior to the April 22 release of “They Call Me Magic,” an Apple TV Plus docuseries that covers his life and career — including his brief chapter in the late-night seat. And though “The Magic Hour” was an overall flop, hated by critics and canceled after three short months, it’s Stern’s appearance on the program that still gets talked about today as a blatant example of how entertainers could get away with making racist comments before things changed in our culture.
“So many times, I wanted to say something and hit him at the same time — on air,...
- 4/5/2022
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
One of the most influential players in the history of professional basketball is ready to walk — make that dribble — down memory lane. On a recent afternoon in Los Angeles, Magic Johnson, sometimes on the verge of tears, reminisces about his last conversation with his mentor, L.A. Lakers owner Jerry Buss, in a hospital room hours before his 2013 death. He recalls telling the world that he was HIV positive at a press conference in 1991, and stepping away from his towering career as a Laker. And he talks about building his company, Magic Johnson Enterprises, which is estimated to be worth 1 billion. He holds in his palm an empire of businesses that includes part-ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers and an infrastructure firm that’s renovating Laguardia Airport.
Johnson discusses all of these moments and more in the four-part docuseries “They Call Me Magic,” which premieres on Apple TV Plus on April 22. Oddly,...
Johnson discusses all of these moments and more in the four-part docuseries “They Call Me Magic,” which premieres on Apple TV Plus on April 22. Oddly,...
- 4/5/2022
- by Selome Hailu and Ramin Setoodeh
- Variety Film + TV
On the March 15, 2022 episode of /Film Daily, /Film editor Ben Pearson is joined by /Film editors Jacob Hall, Brad Oman, and editor/chief film critic Chris Evangelista to talk about the best things they saw at SXSW 2022.
Opening Banter:
In Our Feature Presentation: The Best of SXSW 2022
Brad: I Love My Dad, They Call Me Magic, Spaz, Linoleum, Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off
Chris: The Pez Outlaw, Nothing Lasts Forever, The Girl From Plainville
Jacob: Everything Everywhere All at Once, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, X, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, More Than Robots
Also mentioned:
More Than...
The post Daily Podcast: The Best Movies of SXSW 2022 appeared first on /Film.
Opening Banter:
In Our Feature Presentation: The Best of SXSW 2022
Brad: I Love My Dad, They Call Me Magic, Spaz, Linoleum, Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off
Chris: The Pez Outlaw, Nothing Lasts Forever, The Girl From Plainville
Jacob: Everything Everywhere All at Once, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, X, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, More Than Robots
Also mentioned:
More Than...
The post Daily Podcast: The Best Movies of SXSW 2022 appeared first on /Film.
- 3/15/2022
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
SXSW got off to an uncharacteristically chilly start last week. As the annual ode to movies, music and tech kicked off on March 11 in Austin, the Texas winds blew a cold front into the downtown streets. Between screenings and musical acts, many attendees lamented that they hadn’t packed a heavy winter jacket. But by the weekend’s close, the frost had faded, and it felt like spring in Texas again.
That’s a fitting metaphor for this year’s gathering. The festival, which runs through March 20, represents a time of renewal as the first SXSW since 2019 — the 2020 edition became one of the first major events to be canceled due to Covid-19, and the 2021 version didn’t take place either because vaccines weren’t widely available. And now, SXSW has become one of the biggest U.S. film festivals to mount a comeback.
From one event to the next, the...
That’s a fitting metaphor for this year’s gathering. The festival, which runs through March 20, represents a time of renewal as the first SXSW since 2019 — the 2020 edition became one of the first major events to be canceled due to Covid-19, and the 2021 version didn’t take place either because vaccines weren’t widely available. And now, SXSW has become one of the biggest U.S. film festivals to mount a comeback.
From one event to the next, the...
- 3/15/2022
- by Ramin Setoodeh and Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Xtr, the non-fiction studio behind projects such as Oscar nominated doc Ascension and Apple’s They Call Me Magic, has hired its first Chief Operating Officer.
The company has hired Jonathan Stern in the new position. He comes from Media Advisory Group, the boutique IP rights, branding and consulting firm that he founded.
He will oversee all business operations and optimize Xtr for scale, including establishing new business opportunities and supervising legal, sales, and human resources.
Prior to founding Media Advisory Group, Stern was SVP, Strategic Development at Bunim/Murray Productions and has worked for Red Bull Media House and Fusion Media Group.
It comes as the company plans to expand into new international markets and has 45 films slated for release this year.
It is the latest hire for the company, which recently brought on former Spotify exec Abazar Khayami as its Head of Studio.
Xtr recently premiered six...
The company has hired Jonathan Stern in the new position. He comes from Media Advisory Group, the boutique IP rights, branding and consulting firm that he founded.
He will oversee all business operations and optimize Xtr for scale, including establishing new business opportunities and supervising legal, sales, and human resources.
Prior to founding Media Advisory Group, Stern was SVP, Strategic Development at Bunim/Murray Productions and has worked for Red Bull Media House and Fusion Media Group.
It comes as the company plans to expand into new international markets and has 45 films slated for release this year.
It is the latest hire for the company, which recently brought on former Spotify exec Abazar Khayami as its Head of Studio.
Xtr recently premiered six...
- 2/17/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Two years removed from his debut film Shithouse winning the top prize at SXSW the year that fest became the first one canceled by the Covid pandemic, writer-director Cooper Raiff finally will get his moment to take a bow in Austin.
Apple, which acquired Raiff’s Sundance Audience Award-winning follow-up Cha Cha Real Smooth for $15 million, has set that film as one of five titles that the streamer will send to SXSW. Cha Cha Real Smooth will get a SXSW screening Friday, March 18, followed by a conversation with the cast and filmmakers. The cast didn’t have the ability to do that in January when Sundance went virtual because of the Omicron spike.
Sundance Review: Dakota Johnson And Writer/Director/Star Cooper Raiff In ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’
“It’s so exciting to be able to add two wonderful new titles to the lineup for the 2022 Film Festival as...
Apple, which acquired Raiff’s Sundance Audience Award-winning follow-up Cha Cha Real Smooth for $15 million, has set that film as one of five titles that the streamer will send to SXSW. Cha Cha Real Smooth will get a SXSW screening Friday, March 18, followed by a conversation with the cast and filmmakers. The cast didn’t have the ability to do that in January when Sundance went virtual because of the Omicron spike.
Sundance Review: Dakota Johnson And Writer/Director/Star Cooper Raiff In ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’
“It’s so exciting to be able to add two wonderful new titles to the lineup for the 2022 Film Festival as...
- 2/16/2022
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
The New England Patriots will be the subject of a new documentary event series ordered from Apple called “The Dynasty” that will give a behind-the-scenes look at the championship NFL team and its former star quarterback Tom Brady, as well as general manager Bill Belichick and CEO Robert Kraft, the streaming video service announced Tuesday.
The 10-part docuseries is based on Jeff Benedict’s 2020 book, “The Dynasty: The Inside Story of the NFL’s Most Successful and Controversial Franchise.” The author was given “unprecedented access” to the team and now so has “The Dynasty” director Matthew Hamachek, whose films include the 2021 Tiger Woods doc “Tiger” and the Emmy-nominated “Cartel Land” and “Amanda Knox.”
The Patriots have broken open their archives for the series to share never-before-seen video footage and audio files. Hamachek also conducted hundreds of interviews with past and present Patriots players, coaches and executives, along with league officials and sports rivals.
The 10-part docuseries is based on Jeff Benedict’s 2020 book, “The Dynasty: The Inside Story of the NFL’s Most Successful and Controversial Franchise.” The author was given “unprecedented access” to the team and now so has “The Dynasty” director Matthew Hamachek, whose films include the 2021 Tiger Woods doc “Tiger” and the Emmy-nominated “Cartel Land” and “Amanda Knox.”
The Patriots have broken open their archives for the series to share never-before-seen video footage and audio files. Hamachek also conducted hundreds of interviews with past and present Patriots players, coaches and executives, along with league officials and sports rivals.
- 2/15/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
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