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Survivor is known for its thrilling puzzles and gruesome living conditions and has managed to maintain the same level of quality since the last two decades. In this some players have gone down in history for playing the game to the best of their abilities. Others have stirred nothing but controversy with their participation in the competitive reality show.

Jeff Probst in Survivor | Credits: Hulu

And in this Jeff Varner can definitely give Richard Hatch a run for his money. In order to save himself from elimination Varner pulled a major stunt on the show, that left host Jeff Probst absolutely enraged.

Jeff Probst Left Furious When Jeff Varner Ousted Another Player for His Personal Gain

Everybody wants to create history on Survivor, but some take this to a whole new level that too in a very negative light. While the doings of Richard Hatch and Dan Spilo is known to many,...

On the heels of the second season premiere of Shrinking, Apple TV+ today announced that the critically acclaimed, Emmy Award-nominated comedy has landed a renewal for season three. Co-created by Jason Segel, Bill Lawrence, and Brett Goldstein, the first two episodes of Shrinking season two are now streaming globally on Apple TV+, and new episodes premiere every Wednesday.

The news was announced at New York Comic Con, where creators Segel and Goldstein and stars Christa Miller, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell, and Ted McGinley took the Main Stage for a special discussion around the new season.

“I’m so lucky to work on ‘Shrinking’ with actors, writers, and a crew so talented that they all elevate the material,” said co-creator and executive producer Bill Lawrence. “I’m even luckier that they are people I’d want to spend time with anyway. Huge thanks to Apple TV+ and...

“Shrinking” has been renewed for Season 3 at Apple TV+.

Co-created by Jason Segel, Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein, the show follows “grieving therapist Jimmy (Segel), who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own,” per the official description.

In addition to Segel, “Shrinking” stars Harrison Ford (as Paul) in one of his first television roles, Christa Miller (Liz), Jessica Williams (Gaby), Luke Tennie (Sean), Michael Urie (Brian), Lukita Maxwell (Alice) and Ted McGinley (Derek). Goldstein also makes a guest star appearance in the second season.

The news of the renewal was announced Thursday at New York Comic Con, where creators Segel and Goldstein, along with members of the “Shrinking” cast, appeared for a special discussion around Season 2. The first two episodes of the latest season are...

The grieving therapist is back.

Apple has renewed Shrinking, which stars Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, for a third season. It comes a day after the launch of season two.

The news comes as the creators and stars of the show are speaking at New York Comic Con.

Shrinking was co-created by Segel, Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein. It stars Segel as grieving widower Jimmy Laird, who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own.

Harrison Ford stars as Jimmy’s boss and mentor Paul, Jessica Williams as their co-worker Gaby, Michael Urie as Jimmy’s best friend Brian, Luke Tennie as one of Jimmy’s clients Sean, Lukita Maxwell as Jimmy’s daughter Alice, Christa Miller as Jimmy and Alice’s neighbor and Ted McGinley as Liz’s husband Derek.

Shortly after the premiere of “Shrinking” Season 2, Apple TV+ has renewed the comedy series for a third season. The show, which is set in the world of therapy, debuted in 2023 as the brainchild of “Ted Lasso” co-creator Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel and Brett Goldstein.

“I’m so lucky to work on ‘Shrinking’ with actors, writers and a crew so talented that they all elevate the material,” said co-creator and executive producer Bill Lawrence in a statement to press. “I’m even luckier that they are people I’d want to spend time with anyway. Huge thanks to to Apple TV+ and Warner Bros. for the amazing partnership and support. So grateful we get to keep making this show. Onward!”

“Shrinking” marks the third partnership for Apple, Lawrence and Warner Bros. Television, alongside “Ted Lasso” and new comedy series “Bad Monkey.”

“It has been wonderful to watch audiences around the world...

Shrinking has booked more sessions at Apple.

The therapy comedy starring Jason Segel has been renewed for a third season at the streamer. The news comes on the heels of Tuesday’s season two launch.

Created by Segel with Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein — the latter, who joined the cast in a key guest role for the second season — the cast also includes Harrison Ford in one of his first television roles.

The renewal news was announced Thursday at New York Comic Con when Segel and Goldstein — along with castmembers Christa Miller, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell and Ted McGinley — took the Main Stage for a discussion around season two, which is now streaming its first two episodes.

“I’m so lucky to work on Shrinking with actors, writers and a crew so talented that they all elevate the material,” said co-creator and executive producer Lawrence in a statement.

Nominees have been announced for the 76th annual Writers Guild Awards, and Star Trek: Picard squeaked in just under the wire.

The concluded Paramount+ quasi-revival saw its series finale nominated in the Episodic Drama category. Other first-time nominees include freshman shows Shrinking, The Last of Us, The Curse and The Diplomat.

More from TVLineThe Last of Us: Catherine O'Hara Confirmed for Season 2 Mystery RoleThe Diplomat Season 2: The West Wing's Allison Janney Elected Vice PresidentThe Last of Us Casts 100 Things to Do Before High School's Isabela Merced as Someone Very Important to Ellie

Of course, usual suspects like Succession,...

The Writers Guild of America’s west and east arms have announced nominations for this year’s honors in screenwriting, television, new media, news, radio/audio, and promotional writing during 2023. Delayed due to the Hollywood strikes, this year’s ceremony will take place on Sunday, April 14, 2024. Here are the nominees:

Screenplay Nominees

Original Screenplay

“Air,” Written by Alex Convery; Amazon MGM Studios

“Barbie,” Written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach; Warner Bros. Pictures

“The Holdovers,” Written by David Hemingson; Focus Features

“May December,” Screenplay by Samy Burch, Story by Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik; Netflix

“Past Lives,” Written by Celine Song; A24

Adapted Screenplay

“American Fiction,” Screenplay by Cord Jefferson, Based upon the novel “Erasure” by Percival Everett; Amazon MGM Studios

“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.,” Screenplay by Kelly Fremon Craig, Based on the book by Judy Blume; Lionsgate

“Killers of the Flower Moon,” Screenplay by Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese,...

The 2024 Writers Guild Awards nominations have been revealed.

The nominees in the category of original screenplay are Air, Barbie, The Holdovers, May December and Past Lives.

In the adapted screenplay category the nominees are American Fiction, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Killers of the Flower Moon, Nyad and Oppenheimer.

In an unusual move this year, the WGA Awards will take place after the Oscars, with the winners awarded on April 14.

A complete list of this year’s nominees follows.

Screenplay Nominees

Original Screenplay

Air, Written by Alex Convery; Amazon MGM Studios

Barbie, Written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach; Warner Bros. Pictures

The Holdovers, Written by David Hemingson; Focus Features

May December, Screenplay by Samy Burch, Story by Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik; Netflix

Past Lives, Written by Celine Song; A24

Adapted Screenplay

American Fiction, Screenplay by Cord Jefferson, Based upon the novel Erasure by Percival Everett; Amazon MGM Studios

Are You There God?...

Horror cinema is thriving. It feels important to note that after a year like 2022. While the past 12 months saw industry trades choked with grim or despairing reports on the box office of original movies and new ideas, the news surrounding chillers has been strangely sunny and full of cheer. From the year beginning with a robust relaunch of the Scream franchise to its ending, where the horror-comedy-satire amalgamation of The Menu won audiences over twice, once in theaters and again on streaming, we’ve seen repeated testimonials to the fact audiences like being scared—and they don’t necessarily care if the movie has a colon, numeral, or hyphen in the title.

Along the way, we’ve seen some genuinely nervy and daring attempts to push the boundaries of cinematic dread, be it in the art house, a la Speak No Evil , or the multiplex, courtesy of Smile. We’ve...

The Ferrari 250 Gt California featured in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is one of the more iconic vehicles of ’80s cinema, and someone just bought it for a whopping 337, 500 at auction. That’s quite the price tag, especially considering that the car doesn’t even have an engine and obviously isn’t driveable. Has anyone checked under the hood for a drawing of an engine?

The Ferrari isn’t a real one but was one of three replicas built for Ferris Buller’s Day Off, with this particular model being used as the “crash car” for the memorable scene in which it flies backwards out of Cameron’s father’s glass garage, plummeting to the ground below. After the movie, the Ferrari was rebuilt as a display piece. “It consists of a fiberglass body bolted to a rolling chassis with cosmetically finished interior with tan vinyl seats, tan carpeting, matte...

Cobra Kai’s Bill Posley tells the story of four kids sent to rob a spooky house only to find themselves playing gory games of Operation! Battleship and Rock Paper Scissors

Actor-writer-director Bill Posley (best known for his scripts for Cobra Kai) is clearly having a bit of fun with this cheap and (presumably intentionally) cheesy horror romp. An opening framing device has a purring Tony Todd introducing the story in the style of hosts like Alfred Hitchcock or, more recently, Guillermo del Toro, evoking the “’hood horror stories of old” like Blacula (1972), Bones (2001) and Candyman (1992) to set the stage for some Afrocentric scares. This film, he boasts, is the story of the first black serial killer to wear a mask, who goes by the name Bitch Ass.

Moving between a 1980 and late 1990s time frame that leaves plenty of room for sequels, Posley’s script posits a Black-majority neighbourhood...

Netflix’s Cobra Kai returned for its fifth season on September 9 and since then, the popular series has taken control of the No. 1 on the streamer’s top 10 list with no signs of slowing down.

And thanks to that continued success, series creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg are in very high demand. The trio is currently working on their upcoming Netflix series Obliterated, a “high octane” action-comedy that tells the story of an elite special forces team who thwarts a deadly threat to Las Vegas.

Deadline also recently revealed exclusively that Heald, Hurwitz, and Schlossberg are working on a film for Paramount Pictures titled Sam and Victor’s Day Off, a spinoff of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off focusing on the valet drivers who went on a joyride in the John Hughes film.

With a sixth season of Cobra Kai yet to be confirmed, could it potentially be delayed?...

To this day, filmmaker Bill Posley will not say “Candyman” five times while looking in the mirror. But he will write him a letter.

It sounds strange, but that turned out to be the exact way to summon the attention of a cinematic legend like Candyman actor Tony Todd and to request that he consider a pivotal role in Posley’s new slasher movie and directorial debut, Bitch Ass.

“We were looking for somebody to be our Vincent Price, this Crypt-Keeper type, intro-ing the movie,” Posley says. Eventually, the Bitch Ass writer-director and his collaborators came around to the idea of reaching out to the statesman of the type of Black horror they aimed to resurrect; the only thing was that Todd would only accept queries by mail—and return with a call of his own.

That call eventually came when Posley was on another job. Standing in an Arkansan...

Perhaps it’s the show’s YouTube origins, but I continue to be surprised by just popular Cobra Kai has become. The fifth season of the Karate Kid spinoff series recently debuted on Netflix, and although a sixth season hasn’t been officially announced, it’s expected that the series will return for more. But even when Cobra Kai does come to an end, its creators say that they already have ideas for potential spinoffs.

While speaking with GamesRadar, Cobra Kai co-creator Hayden Schlossberg said that expanding the franchise is definitely on their mind. “That’s what we love most about the franchise: anybody watching our show sees how many characters are entering in and there’s part of us that never wants to stop,” Schlossberg said. “We do have a place where it’s all going, but that doesn’t mean the world has to stop there. We have...

No need to take attendance: several generations of film lovers will likely tune into this one. Thirty-six years after its release, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is getting a spinoff, Variety reports.

The new film, titled Sam and Victor’s Day Off, will be released by Paramount Pictures and is being led by Jon Hurwtiz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald, who created Cobra Kai, the successful spinoff series of 1984’s Karate Kid.

The Ferris revisit will follow the previously-unnamed valets who took Cameron’s dad’s Ferrari on a drive...

Everything old is new again. Or, in this case, kind of old again since we're going back to the '80s. It has been revealed that the John Hughes classic "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is getting a spin-off film. While that, on its own, might raise an eyebrow or two, the actual pitch for the movie is more than a little surprising. Rather than focusing on Ferris, Cameron, or one of the other main characters, we are going to take a look at a couple of very minor figures in Ferris' legendary day away from school.

As reported by Deadline, the film is titled "Sam and Victor's Day Off" and is currently in the works at Paramount Pictures. So, who are Sam and Victor? Those who will recall the 1986 classic might remember that Ferris convinced Cameron to borrow his dad's cherished Ferrari. Well, this movie will focus on the valets...

Paramount Pictures is getting ready to revisit “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” A spinoff of John Hughes’ beloved teen comedy is in the works at the studio, with the creators of “Cobra Kai” producing, Variety has confirmed.

Titled “Sam and Victor’s Day Off,” the film is a side story that focuses on the titular characters on the same day as Ferris (Matthew Broderick), Cameron (Alan Ruck) and Sloane (Mia Sara) skipped school in the ’86 flick. In the original film, Sam and Victor were valets who took Cameron’s father’s red Ferrari on a joy-ride. The characters went unnamed in the original film, and were portrayed by Richard Edson and the late Larry “Flash” Jenkins.

Jon Hurwtiz, Hayden Schlossberg and Josh Heald, who created another expansion of an ’80s teen film in “Karate Kid” sequel series “Cobra Kai,” are producing the film, while their head of development Dina Hillier executive produces.

Deadline reports that Cobra Kai creators Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald are developing a spinoff of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off for Paramount Pictures.

The Ferris Bueller’s Day Off spinoff is titled Sam and Victor’s Day Off and will follow the “same-day adventures of the titular valets who took the Ferrari on a joy ride” in the 1986 John Hughes movie. The original roles were played by Richard Edson and Larry “Flash” Jenkins, but the characters weren’t given names at the time. Bill Posley (Bitch Ass) is slated to pen the script for the spinoff.

Related Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net: Star Wars, Stranger Things, Thor: Love and Thunder, Top Gun

Although there had been talks of a Ferris Bueller sequel back in the day, the first project to emerge was a TV series that portrayed the “real” Ferris Bueller upon which the movie was based.

Exclusive: A spinoff of the 1986 John Hughes film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is in the works at Paramount Pictures titled Sam and Victor’s Day Off from Cobra Kai creators Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald. Bill Posley (Bitch Ass) is set to write the film.

Sam and Victor’s Day Off will follow the same-day adventure of the titular valets who took the Ferrari on a joy ride in the Matthew Broderick-starrer.

In the original film, the valet attendants were not given official names. They were played by Richard Edson and Larry “Flash” Jenkins, who died in 2019.

Paul Young (Key & Peele) is producing through his company, Make Good Content; the company’s executive Devon Young will oversee the project. Stephen Cedars, Benji Kleiman, and Scott Yacyshyn will be associate producers.

Hurwitz, Schlossberg, and Heald are producing under their Counterbalance Entertainment banner with their head of development Dina Hillier...

Quiver Distribution has acquired North American rights to “Bitch Ass,” a horror movie that premiered at this year’s SXSW where it won the Midnighter’s Audience Award and earned praise for its sly reinvention of the slasher genre.

The film stars Teon Kelley (“Tyler”), Tunde Laleye (“Black as Night”), Me’lisa Sellers (“Split”), Tony Todd (“Candyman”), and Sheaun McKinney (“The Neighborhood”) and was written and directed by Bill Posley (“Cobra Kai”). Quiver Distribution is planning an October 14, 2022 release.

Quiver says the film blends comedy, horror and social commentary, while telling the story of a gang initiation gone wrong when a group of four recruits break into a house of horror and are forced by Bitch Ass (Laleye) to play deadly games for their lives. Win and you live – lose and you die.

Reviewers liked the movie with Bloody Disgusting praising its “gleeful sense of fun and creativity” and The Austin...

Pretty Problems, Bad Axe, Atlanta among other winners announced on Wednesday.

James Morosini’s I Love My Dad starring the writer-director alongside Patton Oswalt has won its second major prize at the in-person SXSW 2022, earning the Narrative Feature Competition audience award.

The film won the Narrative Feature Competition jury prize last week and tells of a man who catfishes his son in an effort to reconnect.

‘I Love My Dad’: SXSW Review

David Siev’s Bad Axe took the Documentary Feature Competition prize for its account of an Asian-American family fighting to survive in Trump’s America, while Kestrin Pantera...

Updated, 12:23 Pm: South by Southwest Conference and Festivals today announced the Audience Award winners for the 29th SXSW Film Festival, with the Patton Oswalt comedy I Love My Dad, FX’s comedy series Atlanta, Sony Pictures Classics’ music doc The Return of Tanya Tucker – Featuring Brandi Carlile and AMC’s drama series 61st Street coming in as notable recipients.

I Love My Dad was previously awarded the Narrative Feature Competition Grand Jury Award, and today took home the Narrative Feature Competition Audience Award. Atlanta won out in the Headliners section, with The Return of Tanya Tucker prevailing in 24 Beats Per Second, and 61st Street taking the Audience Award for Episodic Premieres.

The SXSW Audience Awards follow the previously-announced 2022 Jury Awards, as well as the 40 Years of Massive Talent Award, which was presented to Nicolas Cage at the festival screening of his Lionsgate pic The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent on Saturday night.

Barely over two years ago, the Den of Geek staff was mere days away from heading to Austin when the inevitable happened: SXSW and all its strange and glorious intersections of film, music, technology, games, and more was canceled due to the then only dawning Covid-19 pandemic. A virtual alternative eventually went forward some months later, and there was a virtual SXSW in 2021 as well, but to concede things haven’t been the same in Austin is an understatement.

Which is perhaps why nearly every face, and every person we spoke with, over the last several weeks in the Texas state capital seemed to have an incorrigible grin on their face. Be they fans or filmmakers, actors or music artists, or even just folks walking down the street, the thrill and good vibes was everywhere. SXSW is back where it once belonged.

During that time, we were able to get...

Bitch Ass Review — Bitch Ass (2022) Film Review from the 29th Annual South by Southwest Film Festival, a movie directed by Bill Posley, written by Jonathan Colomb and Bill Posley and starring Teon Kelley, Tunde Laleye, Me’lisa Sellers, Kelsey Caesar, Sheaun McKinney, A-f-r-o, Belle Guillory, Tony Todd, Jarvis Denman Jr., Tim J. Smith, [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: Bitch Ass: Old School Horror Returns to the Screen in a Routine Fashion [SXSW 2022]...

Move over Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees, a new horror villain has been born and we now have the first Black masked serial killer. The film Bitch Ass just had its World Premiere at this year’s SXSW Film Festival and director Bill Posley and writer Jonathan Colomb couldn’t be any happier about their incredibly creative and bloody addition to the slasher subgenre premiering at the festival.

Bitch Ass tells the story of a kid named Cecil, who is brutally bullied because of his love for board games. When Cecil grows up and takes on the persona created by his awful nickname, Bitch Ass, the real games begin and this time the players are playing for their lives. The film poses the question of whether or not Bitch Ass is an antihero or a monster and allows the audience to play along and decide for themselves. Featuring an extremely talented all Black cast,...

From the moment Tony Todd, playing Titus Darq, a pencil mustache master of ceremonies hosting a “Good Horror Movie Night,” appears on the screen with a Vincent Price inspired cackle, you know Bill Posley’s hilarious homage to 1990s Black horror, “Bitch Ass,” knows exactly what movie it wants to be. In his opening welcome, accentuated by comical splashes of thunder, the keys of a creepy piano, and the nostalgic buzz of a VHS tape, Darq makes allusions to “Candyman,” “Tales from the Hood,” “Bones,” and so forth to prime viewers for Posley’s deliciously schlocky vision.

Continue reading ‘Bitch Ass’ Review: Bill Posely Crafts A Hilarious Homage To Black Horror [SXSW] at The Playlist.

It’s 2022 and except for a few films like Candyman, Blacula, Bones, and Us, there is still a frustrating lack of Black horror villains. Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, and Ghostface all have their own successful franchises, but genre film clearly still has a lot of work to do as far as representation and diversity. Filmmaker Bill Posley (Culty) is not only putting in the work, but he also created a unique slasher film with the potential to be the first Black horror franchise. Written by Posley and Jonathan Colomb, and directed by Posley, Bitch Ass, features the first Black masked serial killer, as well as an entirely Black cast, and is having its World Premiere at this year’s SXSW Film Festival.

In Bitch Ass, horror legend Tony Todd (Candyman) is the host of a show called Hood Horror Stories, where he introduces the story of a kid named Cecil,...

Invoking an oft-overlooked canon, actor turned director Bill Posley fabricates a highly entertaining homage to the Black horror of decades past with “Bitch Ass,” a slasher picture set in 1999 aiming to become the heir of cult classics the likes of “Blacula” or “Bones.” Posley’s genuine fondness for his predecessors in the genre is first visible in the perfect casting of Tony Todd, who played the title part in the original 1992 “Candyman,” as a TV horror host — think the famed Elvira, the Cryptkeeper from “Tales from the Crypt,” or Mr. Simms from “Tales from the Hood” — to introduce his

Reveling in an appropriately malevolent laugh, Todd describes Bitch Ass as “the first Black serial killer to don a mask” and then immerses us into his world through an old television set and a VHS tape. Right off the bat, Posley announces his murderous protagonist’s fascination with games of all...

Exclusive: Candyman star Tony Todd wants the world to know he’s not retiring.

Not only is he too busy working on a multitude of projects at any given time, but he also wants to spend more time with his growing family and supporting up-and-coming Black talent like writer Bill Posley. The pair recently collaborated on Posley’s directorial film debut, Bitch Ass, featuring one of the only masked Black serial killers to appear in film.

Deadline has an exclusive clip of Todd as the character Titus Blaq in Bitch Ass above.

Described as Think Don’t Breathe meets Squid Game—but Black, the film is an homage to 90s horror films like Tales From The Hood and People Under the Stairs. It will celebrate its world premiere at SXSW tonight at Alamo Lamar D at 10 p.m.

The film tells the story of Cecil (Tunde Laleye), a normal teenager...

Games will be played at the ongoing SXSW Film Festival and this time, Jigsaw won’t be behind them. Bill Posley sets up the board games with Bitch Ass, a brand new slasher being introduced to audiences at tonight’s World Premiere. Bitch Ass takes place in the late 90s where the title character, played by Tunde […]

The post ‘Bitch Ass’ Filmmakers on Giving Birth to a New Black Slasher [SXSW Interview] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

In-person festival to run in Austin, Texas, from March 11-20.

A starry SXSW 2022 film line-up announced on Wednesday (2) includes world premieres of new work from Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Richard Linklater and Nicolas Cage, among many others.

The Austin, Texas, festival ran online editions over the past two years and is planned to take place from March 11-20 as an in-person event against a backdrop of declining Omicron infection levels across the United States.

The roster includes Irish filmmaker and actor Campbell-Hughes’s It Is In Us All (pictured) in Narrative Feature Competition starring Cosmo Jarvis, Claes Bang and Campbell-Hughes about a...

CBS has named the creative and writing team that will lead the studio’s actors showcase in 2020, formerly known as the CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase. The event, intended to highlight diverse talent, is attended by senior CBS network execs, showrunners and casting directors on CBS series, as well as talent agents and managers.

Returning to direct Showcase, as it is now known, is Stephen Guarino, an actor-writer-director known for “EastSiders” and “I’m Dying Up Here,” while Tess Paras is joining as associate director. Tien Tran, who has appeared on “Easy” and “Hot Date,” will serve as head writer of the writers’ room of 11. Guarino, Paras and Tran are all Showcase alum.

“Showcase is one of my favorite events and one I look forward to year after year,” said Tiffany Smith-Anoa’i, CBS’ executive vice president of entertainment diversity, inclusion and communications. “I’m excited for the entertainment community to...

The finalists for the 13th Annual NBCUniversal Short Film Festival were announced Monday with the fest setting a record for female representation in front of and behind the camera. The finalists will be recognized at an awards ceremony Oct. 24 at the Director’s Guild of America in Hollywood where their short films will be screened.

Known for celebrating diverse storytelling and storytellers, the NBCUniversal Short Film Festival finalists explore race relations, women’s rights, as well as gender and sexual identity. The finalists include a variety of perspectives — both dramatic and comedic — from diverse communities including B.U.T.S: Spanish Class, Kyenvu, Masks, Monday, Rani, and We Know Where You Live.

The finalists were selected from 15 semi-finalist shorts after being showcased at public screenings in New York City this past August. They have already earned acclaim at prominent festivals including CAAMFest, the New York Television Festival, Outfest and the Pan African Film Festival.

Here's some big Doctor Who TV show casting news. The BBC's Doctor Who blog has confirmed that John Simm is returning as The Master this season. Doctor Who season 10 kicks off on BBC America, on Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 9:00pm Et/Pt.The Doctor Who TV series on BBC America follows a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, known only as The Doctor (Peter Capaldi). The tenth season features his new companion, Bill (Pearl Mackie), as well as Nardole (Matt Lucas). Season ten guest stars include David Suchet and Michelle Gomez. Gomez plays "Missy" the female incarnation of The Master character, The Doctor's old friend and nemesis from his home planet. Read More…...

Check out the new official trailer for the upcoming 10th season of the Doctor Who TV show on BBC America. The new promo teases the adventures this season has in store for The Doctor and viewers, too.Doctor Who, season 10, premieres on BBC America, Saturday, April 15 at 9:00pm. It is Peter Capaldi's final season as The 12th Doctor. Pearl Mackie debuts as his new companion, Bill, while Matt Lucas is returning to the franchise as Nardole. Guest stars will include David Suchet and Michelle Gomez.Read More…...

BBC America exec Sarah Barnett is talking about the search for the Thirteenth Doctor, for the 11th season of the Doctor Who TV show. As previously reported, the current and Twelfth Doctor, Peter Capaldi, will exit the series at the conclusion of of the upcoming installment.Doctor Who, season 10, premieres on BBC America, Saturday, April 15 at 9:00pm. Pearl Mackie debuts as the new companion, Bill, while Matt Lucas is returning to the franchise as Nardole. Guest stars will include David Suchet and Michelle Gomez.Read More…...

Peter Capaldi has announced he is leaving the role of the Twelfth Doctor, after the upcoming 10th season of the Doctor Who TV show. Doctor Who, season 10, premieres Saturday, April 15 at 9:00pm. Pearl Mackie will make her debut as the new companion, Bill. Matt Lucas is returning to the franchise as Nardole. Guest stars include David Suchet and Michelle Gomez. Don't worry though, Doctor Who is not cancelled. Although Ep Steven Moffat previously announced he will exit as showrunner after this installment, he has already tapped Chris Chibnall as his replacement for season 11.Following the Doctor Who season 10 premiere, BBC America has announced the spinoff, Class, will premiere on April 15th at 10:00pm. The new eight-part TV series...

Now that the Academy Awards have concluded, the #OscarsSoWhite controversy will soon go back on the shelf (at least until next year’s ceremony). Before it dies down, however, Break managed to get in one more piece of social commentary. The media company produced a prank that mirrored a similar stunt it pulled during last year’s Oscars. This year, though, there was a twist: The man at the center of the prank was black, not white, and he received very different treatment.

The original prank was simple: Comedian Mark David Christenson dressed up in a tuxedo, carried around a fake statuette, and pretended to be an Oscar winner. As a result, he received free stuff throughout the night, ranging from cabs to drinks to exclusive party invites.

The 2016 version of the prank featured Bill Posley in place of Christenson. Posley is black, and throughout his night, he received many fewer favors,...

Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for People since 2009. Follow him on Twitter @stephenfishbach.

"There's no point in going into a merge if you have somebody who can't be trusted." –Bill Posley, Survivor: One World

What an episode, what a merge and what a season!

Wednesday on Survivor, the season's merge left all 12 players scrambling. Alliances shifted and reformed as each of the variously collared contestants worked to solidify old agreements and form new bonds.

Survivor: Worlds Apart has no Jefras, no purple Kellys content to bob along on the game's tides.

Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for People since 2009. Follow him on Twitter @stephenfishbach."There's no point in going into a merge if you have somebody who can't be trusted." -Bill Posley, Survivor: One WorldWhat an episode, what a merge and what a season! Wednesday on Survivor, the season's merge left all 12 players scrambling. Alliances shifted and reformed as each of the variously collared contestants worked to solidify old agreements and form new bonds.Survivor: Worlds Apart has no Jefras, no purple Kellys content to bob along on the game's tides.

"Survivor" announced during the live "Blood vs. Water" reunion special that next season, which is number 28 (!) is "Brawn vs. Brain vs. Beauty," which could be a lot of fun. Since it's par for the course these days to have previous players return, it got us thinking -- which former castaways would we like to see in each category?

We're operating under the assumption that there will be three tribes divided according to the subtitle of the season, so here are our suggestions for each. Vote below for who your favorites are and let us know if we forgot anybody.

Also -- the castaways could oftentimes fit into two or all three of the categories, so we aren't saying they aren't smart or beefy or good-looking by picking one place to put them. Finally, we also are trying to pick people who haven't already returned to the show many times over.

Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for People.com since 2009. Follow him on Twitter @stephenfishbach."In this game or out of this game, that's all I've got. It's who I am." - Rupert Boneham, Survivor: All StarsAre Caleb and Colton the most polar opposite couple in Survivor: Blood vs. Water? In the universe? Stoic, hard-working Caleb shut his mouth and slipped into Culpeppper's "5 Guys" alliance. Meanwhile Colton, after a half-hearted attempt to sell America on his story of redemption and growth, pouts and plots. While the Returnees give each other massages,...

Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for People.com since 2009. Follow him on Twitter @stephenfishbach.

"In this game or out of this game, that's all I've got. It's who I am."

– Rupert Boneham, Survivor: All Stars

Are Caleb and Colton the most polar opposite couple in Survivor: Blood vs. Water? In the universe? Stoic, hard-working Caleb shut his mouth and slipped into Culpeppper's "5 Guys" alliance. Meanwhile Colton, after a half-hearted attempt to sell America on his story of redemption and growth, pouts and plots.

While the Returnees give each other massages,...

He is perhaps Survivor’s biggest villain — not for anything he did strategically in the game, but rather for the way he treated his fellow One World tribemates on a personal level. Many viewers called him a flat-out racist for his comments towards African-American tribemate Bill Posley. And yet despite all that — or, more likely, because of it — Colton Cumbie was asked to return to play Survivor: Blood vs. Water, and bring his fiancé Caleb Bankston with him.

However, Colton claims he is a changed man, and says his new lease on life will result in a very different character this time around.

Bill Posley should have been safe for at least another three days. For the first time in Survivor's 24 seasons, a tribe voluntarily gave up their immunity for the opportunity to vote out one of their own and Posley, 28, paid the price. Now back home in Venice, Calif., the stand-up comedian spoke to People about why he took the risk of going to Tribal Council, how he has become an unlikely role model and all about "spoiled brat" Colton. Why would you agree to give up immunity?!I thought I had guys like Jonas, Troy, Matt and Jay on my...

In just four episodes, Colton Cumbie has made a strong case for being the most hated Survivor contestant of all time. Whether it is the borderline racist comments, the bullying of a little person, or just overall disdain for anyone and anything he comes into contact with, Colton may as well just attach his picture next to the word “unlikable” in the dictionary. But is he the most despicable character in the history of the show? Jessica Shaw and I debate that very point in the newest installment of the InsideTV Podcast. And we call in an expert witness in...

Bill Posley was eliminated from "Survivor: One World" in what may be the craziest episode of the show we have ever seen in 24 seasons. Colton Cumbie was the leader of the effort to oust Bill and we had to commend Bill in our interview with him for not punching Colton for what he said to Bill.

I'm not even sure what to say about last night. I mean, I was mad after what I saw. I wanted to punch Colton after all the crap he was spewing last night.

"Yeah. That's the general consensus there around the 'Survivor' community. He did not portray himself very well."

Was he really like that? Was it editing at all?

"He was like that. You know, the deal with Colton is, and I've been trying to stress this over and over, Colton's had a very sheltered life. He makes that comment...

'It was such an idiotic thing to have happen,' Rob Cesternino tells MTV News of the men giving up immunity for a trip to tribal council.

By Josh Wigler

Bill Posley, of the Manono Tribe in "Survivor: One World"

Photo: CBS

And just like that, the whole Manono tribe has officially joined the "Survivor" Hall of Shame.

After winning immunity in a blowout challenge against Salani and recapturing momentum in the process, the men of Manono flushed their good fortune down the toilet by volunteering to go to tribal council in place of the women. Their reason: to vote out one of their own, Leif, who "betrayed" the tribe's core alliance by telling stand-up comedian Bill, the unwitting nemesis of newly anointed Manono mastermind Colton, that he was next on the chopping block. After a racially tense tribal council, however, it was Colton who had the last laugh, and...

'I feel like this may be one of the more scandalous seasons in 'Survivor' history,' two-time former contestant Rob Cesternino tells MTV News.

By Josh Wigler

Survivors on the first episode of "Survivor: One World"

Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS

Two tribes, one beach. That's the setup for the new season of "Survivor," titled "One World," premiering Wednesday (February 15). For the third time in "Survivor" history, the line will be drawn in the sand between one tribe of men and one tribe of women ... except this time, in a new twist, both teams will be forced to coexist on the very same beach right from the start.

So what happens when 18 men and women are forced to live together in the same tropical paradise while competing for a million-dollar prize? According to longtime "Survivor" commentator and two-time contestant Rob Cesternino — often described as "the smartest player who never won the...