Culture, style, and media — the stories, sounds, and scenes shaping the conversation.

HBO Max vet Pia Barlow has been hired as Amazon MGM Studios’ new head of original series marketing. In her new role, which Barlow will begin Aug. 3, the exec will oversee all marketing efforts for Prime Video’s U.S. and Global Original Series. Barlow will report directly to Sue K

That Christopher Nolan would hit a home run with “The Odyssey” was as predictable as Odysseus’s return to Ithaca. What’s maybe a little more surprising is that he has hit a grand slam. The movie earned a staggering $124 million its opening weekend, with its IMAX showings sold out

Sony Pictures has signed on as international distributor for “Ramayana,” the two-part Indian mythological epic directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios, covering all territories outside India. Indian distribution will be handled by media pers

Comcast said its second quarter was boosted by revenue tied to World Cup telecasts on the company’s Spanish-language Telemundo network as well as the Peacock streaming service, which achieved profitability for the first time, but the company still faced headwinds in its cable and

A coalition of 13 attorneys general joined with DirecTV on Wednesday in accusing Nexstar of violating an injunction by appointing the members of Tegna’s board. The two TV station groups were ordered in April to halt their integration and to maintain independent operations pending

HBO’s upcoming DC Studios drama “Lanterns” got a new trailer for the Green Lantern-inspired mystery at San Diego Comic Con. The eight-episode series premieres on HBO on Aug. 16. The show stars Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, a veteran Green Lantern, and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart,

Noah Wyle knows some “The Pitt” fans came down hard on his character, Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, given how the character’s personal struggles caused him to lash out at some of his colleagues in Season 2. But he tries not to pay attention to the online discourse. “The blendi

Hasbro is launching a brand new “My Little Pony” series exclusively on YouTube. Titled “My Little Pony: Forever Frienship,” the show will debut on YouTube in early 2027. Nine-minute episodes will drop bi-weekly. The series is said to follow “Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety chief awards editor Clayton Davis. The

The Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment and Janet Yang Productions have granted four filmmakers $25,000 to produce their films as part of the Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge. The filmmakers include Keshni Kashyap Nilsson (“The Shoe Burglars”), Nayon Cho (“Stigma”), Pa

“Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire” has been renewed for Season 4, titled “Queen of the Damned.” The renewal was announced at San Diego Comic Con and comes ahead of the Season 3 finale on Sunday for “The Vampire Lestat.” Series executive producers Mark Johnson and Hannah Mos

While down-the-line voting has often scored huge, the 2026 Emmys may shake up the usual tradition. Some of the biggest shows of the year are only recognized in the acting categories but miss in series nods. Below, Variety breaks down the contenders in a few major categories. (And

Paramount Skydance has reached an agreement with a coalition of state attorneys general to postpone the Warner Bros. Discovery merger until after an antitrust trial. The company entered a joint stipulation in the federal case on Friday afternoon agreeing not to close the $111 bil

Warner Bros. Discovery sued Amazon, alleging the internet giant engaged in an “illegal” campaign of “inducing contracted employees” of WBD to “breach their employment agreements” — including HBO marketing veteran Pia Barlow. In its lawsuit, WBD alleged that “Amazon has chosen to

Chuck Russell, who helped launch several notable careers as the director of genre films including 1994’s “The Mask” as well as “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors,” died Wednesday in the San Diego area. He was 74. His death was confirmed by his attorney. The local fire d