One Liners: Bobby Sessions, Songkick, James Blake, more

Zack Sharf Robert Pattinson guarantees comic book movie fans will know Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” is unlike any other Batman movie ever made as soon as they see the opening shot. Reeves’ nearly-three hour Caped Crusader epic is inspired by New Hollywood classics from the 1970s, including “Taxi Driver,” “The Conversation” and “Chinatown.” Pattinson told GQ magazine that viewers will feel these inspirations from the movie’s first frame.“I watched a rough cut of the movie by myself.

Wilson Chapman editorMSG Networks is doubling down on sports betting, launching a new programming slate dubbed “Bet-A-Palooza.” And in a first, MSG will simulcast two New York Knicks games featuring play-by-play announced through the lens of sports betting.“Bet-A-Palooza,” announced on Tuesday by the sports network, will run every night this week as a lead up to the Super Bowl. The event, which kicked off on Monday, will continue through Feb. 13, the day of the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals game.The centerpiece of the programming slate is a live discussion every night that covers Super Bowl trends, game odds and prop bets.

William Earl Wendy Williams will not be returning to her daytime talk show this season, but the future of her show remains in flux, Variety has learned.Meanwhile, Sherri Shepherd is in advanced discussions with Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury for her own daytime talk show, which could potentially replace Williams’ series, sources say.Currently in its 13th season, “The Wendy Williams Show” is one of the biggest hits in daytime TV history. Launching in national syndication from Debmar-Mercury in 2008, the show was built around Williams, who, at the time the show premiered, was a popular radio host known for her no-holds-barred take on celebrity gossip.Williams has been absent from her show all this season, as she has been battling ongoing health issues.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaGina Duncan will serve at the president of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, returning to the non-profit organization after a short stint at the Sundance Institute.It’s a homecoming of sorts for Duncan, who previously served as BAM’s first vice president of film and strategic programming.“We saw Gina’s extraordinary leadership skills firsthand during her four years steering BAM’s film and strategic programming initiatives,” said board chair Nora Ann Wallace. “She has the ability to bring people together toward clear goals and she understands that BAM must always evolve in order to nurture new audiences and champion innovative programming.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterAmanda Seyfried doesn’t think she nailed the iconic deep voice of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes for Hulu’s upcoming limited series “The Dropout” — but she did her “best to try to capture the oddness of it.”“The shape of my mouth isn’t the same as hers, but I can make sounds somewhat or pretty close to what she did,” Seyfried, who plays the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire on the Hulu show, said during a virtual panel at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour Tuesday. “And that’s my job as an actor, mimicking and stuff like that.

Adele thanked her ex-husband Simon Konecki and their son Angelo in an emotional speech on Tuesday as she picked up Album of the Year and Artist of the Year at the 2022 BRIT Awards.MORE: Adele shows off Hollywood transformation in glamorous black dressThe singer made her first public appearance after canceling her Las Vegas residency, and wowed fans as she wore a gorgeous custom Giorgio Armani Privé dress with a tulle neckline and tail. She accessorized with neutral makeup, large diamond earrings and a pear-shaped sparkling ring on the all-important finger.WATCH: Adele thanks ex-husband in emotional speech"I want to thank everyone I work with but I want to dedicate this to my son, and to Simon, his dad, this album was all of our journey, not just mine," she shared as she picked up the Album of the Year award. "I am very proud of myself for sticking to my guns and putting out an album about something so personal, not many people do stuff like that anymore."MORE: Adele gives another very candid chat: TV habits, fake Instagram, family traits and moreShe added: "And my son has been so gracious and kind and patient with me over the last over years, so it's for him."Adele, who is one of the world's best-selling music artists of all time, married charity entrepreneur Simon Konecki in 2017.

Ed Sheeran married his childhood sweetheart Cherry Seabrook in 2019, but he often keeps his beloved out of the spotlight.INSIDE: Ed Sheeran's ultra-rare look inside £3.7million estate that resembles a mini villageBut on Tuesday after he scooped Best Songwriter of the Year at the BRIT awards, he couldn't help but mention his beau in his acceptance speech. Standing on stage, the hitmaker said: "Because it's a songwriting prize I really really wouldn't be here without the fantastic people I get to work with, so thank you to all of them." After naming his record companies he then moved onto praise his loving wife.WATCH: Ed Sheerman makes rare omment about wife CherryHe added: "But also my wife Cherry, who at the drop of the hat will come to the middle of nowhere to a really secluded studio and live in-house and be so supportive while we just make songs and songs and songs.

Naman Ramachandran Zhang Lu’s “Yanagawa” (China), Hong Sung-eun’s “Aloners” (South Korea) and Fujimoto Akio’s “Along the Sea” (Japan/Vietnam) were among the top award winners at France’s Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinemas. “Yanagawa,” which opened the 2021 Pingyao Film Festival, won the Golden Cyclo, the festival’s top honor awarded by the international jury.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterThe widow of Ol’ Dirty Bastard sued Wu-Tang Clan Productions on Tuesday, alleging that the late rapper’s estate is owed at least $1 million in unpaid royalties.ODB, whose legal name was Russell Tyrone Jones, was a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan, the rap group that catapulted to stardom in the early 1990s. He died of a drug overdose in 2004 at the age of 35.His widow, Icelene Jones, alleges in the lawsuit that Wu-Tang Clan Productions did not pay royalties to the estate from 2011 until July 2021, when it sent a check for $130,000.

Selome Hailu HBO has picked up “Doomsday Machine,” the series starring Claire Foy as Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. The series adapted from Sheera Frenkel and Cecilia Kang’s New York Times bestselling book “An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination.”“Doomsday Machine” is described as a “riveting human drama chronicling the political and social minefields Facebook has navigated on its relentless quest for growth.

Sony/ATV has signed a number of new publishing deals. They include:A global administration agreement with songwriter and producer Freddy Wexler, who has co-written such hits as Marshmello and Halsey's "Be Kind,” the Jonas Brothers’ “Like It’s Christmas,” Kanye West’s “Wolves” and Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber’s Hot 100 No.

This is one of the best songs James Blake has ever released!

The new track samples James Blake

By Variety Staff

James Blake belted out a stunning cover of Joni Mitchell‘s “A Case of You” during Tuesday’s “Late Late Show”.

The cover originally featured on Blake's 2011 EP 'Enough Thunder'

The songwriter says Wonder "invented music"

The singer also revealed her favourite track on the album

Kehlani painted a complete picture of her sophomore album It Was Good Until It Wasn't by revealing the entire tracklist featuring Tory Lanez, Jhené Aiko, Masego, Lucky Daye and James Blake today (May 4).She caps the 15-song listing with "Lexii's Outro" to commemorate late Minnesota-based rapper Lexii Alijai, who first collaborated with Kehlani on "Jealous" from the Bay Area crooner's 2015 mixtape You Should Be Here. Alijai died Jan.

It's his first new material since 2019 LP 'Assume Form'

James Blake recently took to Instagram TV for a livestreamed performance from his home. His last one featured covers of Radiohead, Billie Eilish, and Frank Ocean, and this one was similarly wide-ranging. He played a new song titled “Say What You Will” (around 45:27), sang his collaboration with Beyoncé (“Forward” from Lemonade, around 28:18), and performed album tracks like “Life Round Here” and “Retrograde.”

'At About 6-7' also features Four Tet, Arab Strap, Frank Ocean and a host of others

James Blake has said the lyrics to Nirvana classic ‘Come As You Are’ are “potent” in the current climate, suggesting that he chose to cover the song to reflect the times.The musician provided his own rendition of the US band’s hit 1991 single last month as part of a fundraiser for The Loveland Foundation.Now, Blake has spoken to Zane Lowe on Apple Music about his decision to cover that song in particular. “This Nirvana song felt like a blank canvas, because taking away the instrumentation, just being left with the song, the lyrics are extremely powerful.

James Blake broadcast a live performance on Instagram TV, singing original songs and covers from his home piano. Check it out below.

He also covered Billie Eilish and Joni Mitchell in a solo piano performance

James Blake is the latest artist to bring his performances directly to fans impacted by the ongoing coronavirus epidemic. The singer-songwriter is broadcasting a live show from his home via Instagram Live today at 3 p.m. ET.

Christine and the Queens represent the country of France in leading a listing of Monday’s live-streamed music performances, while a pair of country music queens, Brandy Clark and Ashley McBryde, get their own turns at serenading fans in this new world of web-only concerts.

James Blake has a gift for his fans.

The musician called it "one of my favourites"

On Wednesday, English singer-songwriter-producer James Blake shared a new song called "Are You Even Real." Listen below via Spotify. The swooning and ornate ballad, ready for any left-of-center wedding playlist, was co-written by Starrah and Ali Tamposi.

Variety Staff Follow Us on TwitterSony/ATV Music Publishing announced the signing of Bobby Sessions to a global co-publishing deal.

James Blake has announced the forthcoming release of a new track, ‘Are You Even Real?’.The track was first teased on Twitter on Sunday (July 5), when Blake shared a 20-second audio excerpt.pic.twitter.com/zPsRPQyzbm— James Blake (@jamesblake) July 5, 2020Following that, Blake confirmed on Twitter the track would be released this Wednesday (July 8).‘Are You Even Real?’ – out on the 8th JulyCo-written by @iStarrah and @alitamposi ❤️ pic.twitter.com/M0V43d2ZAI— James Blake (@jamesblake) July 6, 2020‘Are You Even Real?’ was co-written by songwriters Starrah and Ali Tamposi, and recorded across Burbank, Los Angeles and New York.The track follows Blake’s previously released single, April’s ‘You’re Too Precious‘, his first new music since 2019