Variety’s Chief TV Critics Break Down the Weirdest, Smartest Emmys Ceremony in Recent Memory

EXCLUSIVE: Filmmaker Jessica Kingdon, who recently earned her first Oscar nomination for Ascension, has signed with Anonymous Content for management.

Jordan Moreau “Would you kindly watch Netflix’s ‘BioShock’ movie?”The streamer is teaming up with 2K and Take-Two Interactive to adapt the popular video game series as a film, details of which were announced Tuesday. Vertigo Entertainment and Take-Two will produce the movie, which does not have a director or talent attached as of yet.Set across multiple dystopian and visionary landscapes gone wrong, the “BioShock” series blends sci-fi and horror to pose unique existential and societal questions that reshaped how game stories could be told — all amidst pulse-pounding action gameplay that rewards sharp shooting, clever planning and lethal improvisation.Across the titles’ original releases as well as multiple re-releases, remastered editions and bundled collections, the “BioShock” series has sold more than 39 million copies worldwide, and it’s widely recognized as one of the most celebrated and beloved series in all of gaming.

Fake heiress Anna Sorokin, otherwise known as Anna Delvey, is working with Surviving R. Kelly producer Bunim/Murray Productions on a limited documentary series.

EXCLUSIVE: Sales company VIM Worldwide has picked up global rights to Teddy Grennan’s thriller Wicked Games.

Propagate has promoted Rodney Ferrell to President, Worldwide Scripted Content.

Prince Andrew and his accuser Virginia Giuffre have reached a “settlement in principle” over the latter’s abuse claim, according to U.S. court documents.

Netflix is partnering with video game holding company Take-Two Interactive and its game publisher subsidiary, 2K, to produce a film based on their renowned video game franchise, BioShock.

Kinetic Games has said that it will be “more transparent” with players when presenting Phasmophobia patch notes in the future.As reported by PC GamesN, after the developer recently ran a fan poll on Discord for the game looking for opinions from players, the lead artist on Phasmophobia, Corey J Dixon, has said that the poll “in no way guarantees how we actually write patch notes in the future,” and the team was “just looking for opinions and to create discussion for the possibility of change.”Following the poll, it was revealed that players voted to receive more in-detail patch notes for the ghost-hunting game, with multiple times the number of votes as the less-detailed options.Phasmophobia Balance Patch v0.5.2.0Ghost identity changes, High Priestess and Voodoo Doll buffs!https://t.co/XIgMuSh4U3#Phasmophobia— Phasmophobia (@KineticGame) February 10, 2022In a new Steam community post, Kinetic has confirmed that going forward it will change the way it presents the latest Phasmophobia patch notes. “In light of the most recent Discord Poll, we’ve decided to experiment with being more transparent in writing patch notes when we update the game,” the developer said.The rest of the patch notes for v0.5.2.0 features the updates to come, with a long list of changes in relation to Ghost Identities, fixes, new additions, and more.Some big ghost changes address the Demon, Banshee, Shade, Poltergeist, and Hantu – who have all either received a gameplay buff or nerf, as well as how players will interact with them.One new update includes ‘The High Priestess’ tarot card, which has received new functionality and should help when drawing one early while playing solo.

Universal Content Productions, a division of Unversal Studio Group, is expanding its executive leadership team, with the hire of Rebecca Franko and Kenny Tsai as SVPs, Current Programming.

Sigur Rós nearly a decade after he left, the band have announced on Instagram.Sveinsson was previously a member of the group from 1998, leaving in 2013 to “do something different”.The multi-instrumentalist was not replaced following his departure, with Jónsi telling Paste that year: “We never thought about getting somebody else to replace him. I think we just wanted to keep on with the three of us.”Sigur Rós have now shared a screenshot of a video call featuring Jónsi, Georg “Goggi” Holm and Sveinsson.

Vince Staples has shared his new single ‘MAGIC’, which was co-produced by Mustard – you can hear the track below.The song is the first preview of the Long Beach rapper’s forthcoming new album ‘Ramona Park Broke My Heart’, which is set for release in April (date to be determined) via Blacksmith Recordings and Motown Records UK.The first single from the upcoming LP sees Staples team up with the LA producer and DJ Mustard for the collaborative ‘MAGIC’.The track, which you can hear below, was co-produced by Lewis Hughes, Mustard, Nick “Unknown Nick” Audino and My Best Friend Jacob, while Kenny Beats also contributed to the song as a recording engineer.Speaking about ‘Ramona Park Broke My Heart’ in a press release, Staples said of the title: “It’s symbolic of home. And everyone has a home.

Sony Pictures Classics has pushed back the release for Roger Michell’s film The Duke, starring Academy Award winners Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren, by a month—from March 25 to April 22, 2022. It will be released in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on the latter date before expanding to additional cities over the following weeks.

Two days after Super Bowl LVI and two weeks after Tom Brady’s retirement comes word of a new docuseries about the GOAT quarterback’s years with the New England Patriots. Apple TV+ has ordered The Dynasty, a 10-part docuseries about the NFL team’s amazing run of success.

South by Southwest Conference and Festivals has set additional Keynotes and Featured Speakers names for the 36th annual festival, which celebrates the intersections of the technology, film, and music industries.

In an episode-long interview with The Daily Show‘s Trevor Noah last night, singer India Arie addressed the recent Joe Rogan-Spotify controversy, mentioning – among other things – that she believes Rogan is “consciously racist.”

System Shock remake is apparently playable “from beginning to end” according to a recent Kickstarter update, but it isn’t finished yet.In an update to the System Shock Kickstarter page, developer Nightdive Studios provided details on where they are at with the development of the remake. “At the time of writing, it’s in a position where the game can essentially be finished from beginning to end!” reads the post.

Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre have reached a settlement out of court in the US civil sex claim filed against the royal.

CD Projekt Red has released the next-gen upgrades for Cyberpunk 2077, optimising the game for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Kurt Vile is a creature of habit. Since leaving The War On Drugs nearly 15 years ago, he's stuck to his guns, releasing album after album of long, rambling songs that manage — against all logic — to stay interesting throughout. Today, he's dropped another such track, the seven-and-a-half minute "Like Exploding Stones," along with a cinematic video.

Anyone who follows the blogs will know that Gunna and Chlöe have been spotted spending time together recently, leading to suggestions the pair are dating. The new video for "You & Me" certainly won't stop that gossip with the pair using paparazzi footage from one of those recent dates alongside other clips of them shopping together and relaxing on a heart-shaped bed.

Hemant Mehta posted this short clip video from Sunday, February 7:On Sunday, Baptist preacher Danil Kutsar was telling his congregation that he hates gay people… when he went on a quick tangent to remind them that he really, really hates gay people.Just vile stuff… pic.twitter.com/swLIGnONem— Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) February 10, 2022Mehta says Kutsar doubled down this past Sunday.“Praise God,” Kutsar says. “I’m happy” that “sodomites” commit suicide.“I hope that every sodomite dies,” Kutsar says in this new clip.

Last year, Phoebe Bridgers was hit with a $3.8 million defamation suit filed by Chris Nelson, a producer and studio owner. The suit stemmed from posts on Bridgers' Instagram account: in one Instagram story, she claimed to have witnessed Nelson engaging in "abuse" including "grooming, stealing, [and] violence." Nelson's lawsuit also alleged that Bridgers used her account to broadcast claims made by Nelson's ex-girlfriend Emily Bannon reportedly accusing him of murder, assault, and fraud.

Nearly two years ago, Black Dresses broke up. A statement written by Ada Rook, the industrial-pop group's co-founder, blamed "invasion of privacy and harassment" from so-called fans and critics targeting Devi McCallion, the band's other half.

J. Kim Murphy “The Dynasty,” a documentary series about the professional football team the New England Patriots, has been ordered by Apple, the company announced on Tuesday. The event series comes from Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Documentariess, in association with NFL Films.The series focuses on the decadent two-decade period when the Patriots were successfully led by quarterback Tom Brady, head coach Bill Belichik and owner Robert Kraft.

Variety Staff Follow Us on TwitterVariety has won five Eddie & Ozzie Awards, presented by Folio:, for editorial and design excellence. No gala was held this year due to the pandemic.Variety’s April 29 issue, titled “The Great Depression,” which chronicled the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on workers across the entertainment industry, was honored with an award for business-to-business full issue as well as for its cover illustration.

Caroline Framke Chief TV Critic“Euphoria” starts inside the head of teenage addict Rue (Zendaya) and never fully leaves. Even as episodes start to focus on other characters, Rue’s sardonic voiceover never leaves, making it clear that no matter whose story she’s telling, her perspective is the one holding them all together.

Daniel D'Addario Chief TV CriticOpening this year’s Emmy Awards, host Jimmy Kimmel told the audience — the one at home, given that there was no one sitting before him in the stands of the Staples Center — that there were a great many moving parts in piecing together the ceremony. He asked, mordantly, “What could possibly go right?”It turns out: Quite a bit.

Caroline Framke Chief TV CriticWithin the first fifteen minutes of the 2020 Emmys, it became clear that “Schitt’s Creek” would own the night as, to the cast’s mounting disbelief, it went on to sweep every major comedy award like no other show ever had. And yet, with every new award, I couldn’t summon a single ounce of surprise.

Caroline Framke Chief TV CriticThe first time Connie the Hormone Monstress takes the screen in “Big Mouth,” she takes it over completely. She emerges from the shadows in a flash of lightning, as if zapped to Earth by some vengeful, horny god.

Emmys feature a slate of exciting nominees, from first-timers to veterans getting their due. Variety’s chief TV critics Daniel D’Addario and Caroline Framke discuss.Daniel D’Addario: It’s been a while since we’ve had categories of just five nominees, but one thing I’m struck by this year is just how big the Emmys feel.