Steve Pond's Blog, page 1980
February 19, 2020
New NYFF Director Eugene Hernandez Wants to Make an Impact on New Yorkers Year-Round
Eugene Hernandez was just announced as the new director of the New York Film Festival Wednesday morning, but he’ll hit the ground running this week as he heads to Germany for the Berlinale Film Festival. And he’s already got his eye on a few titles he’d like see playing at Lincoln Center later this fall.
Hernandez’s goal in taking over for Kent Jones, who left after 2019’s NYFF to become a full time filmmaker, is to really keep in mind audience and how the festival strives to be inviting year round. While the festival’s program is smaller than what you might see at TIFF or Sundance, its strength is that audiences continue to return to Film at Lincoln Center after the festival has ended.
“This festival is such an important celebration of the work that we do year round. There are many different types of film organizations in this country and this world. Some are very specifically built around an individual festival, and others have a year round impact with an audience that comes back the minute the festival ends. They’re coming back the next week,” Hernandez told TheWrap. “Our programming is international, and we need to be as open to the international audiences that live in this city and inviting them, so that’s why we’ll continue to have more opportunities and ways to engage an audience.”
Also Read: New York Film Festival: Kelly Reichardt, Agnes Varda Lead Slate With 20% Female Directors
Hernandez is taking on the role of director of the festival in addition to his existing duties as part of Film at Lincoln Center, where he’s been the deputy director since 2016. He’ll pile on the responsibilities of the festival in addition to leading FLC’s Artist, Industry, and Education initiatives and serving as publisher of Film Comment.
He’s got a lot on his plate. But Hernandez says as he heads off to Berlin that this transition and added responsibility feels a lot more natural than when he moved from founding Indiewire to his work with Film at Lincoln Center.
“I’ll probably have to juggle my calendar a little more carefully this week to make sure I get to watch movies at the same that I’m getting the opportunity to sit down and have meetings with people. But it’s a natural extension of the work,” he said. “The bigger change was 10 years ago, was being a journalist and running an editorial publication to working at a year round cultural institution. That might’ve been a bigger disruption or change in my life.”
Also Read: Why 'Parasite' Studio CJ Entertainment Is Betting Big on Skydance
Hernandez will report to Lesli Klainberg, FLC’s executive director, who told TheWrap that hiring in-house made sense, not just in terms of Hernandez’s reputation both inside and out of the organization, but also the holistic mindset of tying in NYFF with the larger goals of the film center.
“We knew we had a wonderful person in terms of the public face of the organization and the festival and a lot of good will toward Eugene. People like him. That’s a unique person in the industry right there, a person whose liked by most people,” Klainberg said. “It just felt like a very natural and obvious fit.”
The departure of Jones specifically made Klainberg rethink what the process should be for putting together a festival and how it can carve out a place in the culture “writ large.”
Also Read: The Short Oscar Season Was Tough for Hollywood, but Good for Box Office
“We were looking at where we are in the film culture and where we are in the culture writ large, really considering what we need,” Klainberg said. “It was very clear that we needed to move in a different direction and have a person whose responsibility included all those different things that we considered as part of the building blocks of the festival. Once we did that, it was very clear that Eugene was the right person for that job.”
Hernandez’s other challenge coming into this year is continuing to make the festival relevant in an era when the awards calendar is getting increasingly cluttered. That doesn’t even mention the fact that the festival kicks off right around the time the opera, philharmonic and ballet all decide to launch their seasons.
“There’s so much cultural renewal that happens in New York in the fall,” Hernandez says. “Our festival really continues to look at the art of cinema and the art of film from a bunch of different perspectives, and that’s the foundation we’re working to build on.”
Also Read: 'The French Dispatch' Trailer: Wes Anderson Lampoons The New Yorker in Latest Film (Video)
He adds that he’ll still rely in part on his predecessor Jones as a resource, whether in working as a consultant or moderating panels. But Hernandez wants to make a bigger priority of spreading the conversations that are hosted at the festival more widely.
“Every conversation that we have at our festival, the longer Q&As, the conversations we have on our stages, we’re recording and capturing those so we can share them on our YouTube channel, we can share them on our growing podcast,” he said. “I think a lot about audience, because I think of how I got invited to be a part of this festival experience as an audience member, so I think a lot about what it means to just be open to an audience and signal that we’re a festival that audiences can engage with in a bunch of different ways.”
The 58th edition of the NYFF runs Sept. 25-Oct. 11, 2020.
Related stories from TheWrap:
'Minari,' 'Boys State' Win Sundance Film Festival's Top Jury Awards
Eugene Hernandez Named Director of New York Film Festival
Eugene Hernandez has been named the new director of the New York Film Festival, Film at Lincoln Center’s executive director Lesli Klainberg announced Wednesday. He’s replacing Kent Jones, who stepped down to become a full-time filmmaker after last year’s NYFF.
Dennis Lim, the director of programming for Film at Lincoln Center, is also expanding his role to become director of programming for NYFF.
Hernandez will remain the deputy executive director of the organization. And in addition to his current duties, which include leadership of FLC’s Artist, Industry, and Education initiatives and serving as publisher of Film Comment, Hernandez will be responsible for the strategic direction and leadership of the New York Film Festival and will serve on the festival’s selection committee.
Also Read: Kent Jones to Step Down as Director of New York Film Festival
“This is a very exciting new chapter in the story of the New York Film Festival and Film at Lincoln Center,” Klainberg said in a statement. “Eugene Hernandez is a singular presence in the film community, and when we began to consider the qualities needed for a person in this position, we knew we had the perfect person in-house already. His background as a journalist and founder of IndieWire as well as his more than eight years at FLC make him uniquely qualified to lead NYFF into a new era.”
Lim first started his tenure with FLC as a member of the selection committee between 2009-2011 and then again since 2013. He will now lead the programming strategy for the festival, chairing the committee that selects the Main Slate, among other sections, while continuing to oversee year-round programming for FLC. He’ll work together with Hernandez on shaping the selection process and structure of the festival.
“Dennis Lim is one of the most highly respected programmers in the world. In addition to the expert curatorial oversight Dennis brings to FLC’s year-round programming, we’re exceptionally fortunate to have him collaborate with Eugene to bring new energy to this venerable festival, which remains FLC’s most important annual event,” Klainberg continued.
Also Read: New York Film Festival: Kelly Reichardt, Agnes Varda Lead Slate With 20% Female Directors
The complete, expanded selection committee will be composed of FLC staff and external programmers, the members of which will be announced this spring.
“I’ll never forget my first experience at the New York Film Festival,” Hernandez said in a statement. “I had just moved to the city and saw Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Pulp Fiction,’ opening night of the 32nd NYFF, and was immediately under the spell of the festival’s prestige and singular programming. Ever since, the vital work of Film at Lincoln Center has been integral in shaping my passion for international cinema. I have learned so much from former Directors Richard Peña, Kent Jones, and selection committees through the years, as well as the festival’s sharp, enthusiastic audiences that make NYFF truly New York’s film festival. As Director of NYFF, I am honored to usher this legacy forward, and create an event that is inviting, engaging, and a home for a diverse array of artists and audiences, as it has always been for me.”
“I’m honored and excited to take on this new responsibility at a festival that has played a central role in the city’s film culture and that has meant so much to me personally,” Lim said in a statement. “At its heart, the New York Film Festival has always been about making a case for what matters in cinema, and beyond that, for the importance of cinema as an art form and as it relates to the world around us. I believe that is a more essential mission than ever today, and I’m looking forward to collaborating with the programming team to shape a festival that retains its singular identity while remaining open to discovery and surprise.”
The 58th edition of the NYFF runs Sept. 25-Oct. 11, 2020.
Also Read:
Hernandez is a film journalist and the co-founder and former editor-in-chief of IndieWire. In 2010, he joined FLC as director of digital strategy and was promoted to deputy director in 2014. He’s worked as a consultant for non-profits including the Creative Capital Foundation, and he serves on the board of advisors for SXSW, SeriesFest, and Art House Convergence and is a programming consultant for the Key West Film Festival.
Lim has been the director of programming at Film at Lincoln Center since 2013, leading the year-round curatorial strategy for the organization. During his tenure, he has co-chaired the New Directors/New Films selection committee, launched FLC’s annual Art of the Real festival, and organized retrospectives of Jane Campion, George Cukor, Christian Petzold, Raúl Ruiz, Agnès Varda, and John Waters. He was previously the film editor of the Village Voice and the editorial director of the Museum of the Moving Image, and was the programmer of the 2010 Flaherty Film Seminar. His 2015 book “David Lynch: The Man from Another Place” has been translated into three languages. His monograph on the Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo will be published in 2021.
Related stories from TheWrap:
'The French Dispatch' Trailer: Wes Anderson Lampoons The New Yorker in Latest Film (Video)
New York Times Sees Increases in Subscription Revenue as Advertising Revenue Continues to Decline
Nickelodeon Renews ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark?’ Reboot for Season 2
Nickelodeon has renewed its “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” reboot for a second season, the network announced Tuesday, despite the show’s miniseries label.
The news came as part of Nickelodeon’s 2020 programming slate announcement, which also included the new action-adventure series “The Astronauts,” a new “Henry Danger” spinoff and a live-action “Loud House” holiday movie set to air in December.
Among the other shows renewed for the 2020-21 season are “All That” (additional 10-episode order for Season 1), the “Loud House” spinoff “The Casagrandes,” “Blue’s Clues & You,” “PAW Patrol,” “Blaze and the Monster Machines,” “Bubble Guppies” and the holiday competition series “Top Elf.”
The new projects join previously announced series “Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan” and the “SpongeBob SquarePants” prequel “Kamp Koral.”
Also Read: Nickelodeon's 'Legends of the Hidden Temple' Revived at Quibi
See the full slate and descriptions of each project below.
The Astronauts (working title; 10 episodes) – Marking Nickelodeon’s first co-production with Imagine Kids+Family, this single-camera action-adventure series follows a group of kids who embark on the adventure of a lifetime when they are mistakenly launched into space. The Astronauts is executive produced by Imagine Entertainment Chairmen Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, Imagine Kids+Family President Stephanie Sperber and Daniel Knauf (Carnivàle, The Blacklist), who also serves as writer and showrunner. The series is slated to premiere this summer.
The Loud House: A Very Loud Christmas! (working title) – The popular animated characters from Nickelodeon’s Emmy Award-winning “The Loud House” will literally come to life in an original live-action, feature-length TV movie. Casting is currently underway for the holiday movie, which will begin production this summer and premiere in the fourth quarter of this year.
Big Nate (26 episodes) – The misadventures of Big Nate will go from page to screen in an all-new animated series based on HarperCollins’ best-selling children’s book title, penned by acclaimed author and cartoonist Lincoln Peirce.
Danger Force (13 episodes) – The brand-new spinoff of the number-one kids’ series Henry Danger stars two of its most beloved characters, “Ray/Captain Man” (Cooper Barnes) and “Schwoz” (Michael D. Cohen), and introduces four new superheroes-in-training as they team up to fight crime in their town of Swellview. “Danger Force” premieres Saturday, March 28, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT).
Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years (13 episodes) – The original “SpongeBob SquarePants” voice cast has been tapped to reprise their roles in this brand-new CG-animated prequel of the beloved hit series. Premiering July, “Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years” follows a 10-year-old SpongeBob during his summer at sleepaway camp.
Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan (14 episodes) – Executive produced, directed and written by Perry, the live-action series follows a family whose world is turned upside down when their nephew, Young Dylan (Dylan Gilmer), an aspiring hip-hop star, moves in unannounced. The series is currently in production at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Ga., and will premiere Saturday, Feb. 29, at 8:30 (ET/PT).
All That (Season 1, additional 10-episode pickup) – With a first season totaling 36 episodes, the reboot of the iconic ’90s pop-culture sketch series showcases the comedic talents of eight kid comedians and features musical performances and guest appearances from today’s biggest stars.
The Casagrandes (Season 2, 20 episodes) – Ronnie Anne and her multi-generational Mexican American family are back for more love, laughter and adventures in the big city. Premiering this fall, the Casagrande family members will find themselves in a variety of situations, including becoming a viral sensation, searching for Pancho Villa’s lost gold, celebrating Las Posadas and more.
Blue’s Clues & You! (Season 3, 20 episodes) – Josh (Josh Dela Cruz) and Blue will meet new friends, including their new neighbor Periwinkle; spend time with Josh’s Lola — his grandmother (Carolyn Fe) — and cousins, Steve (Steve Burns) and Joe (Donovan Patton); and go on all-new fun-filled adventures to the present store, outer space and more.
PAW Patrol (Season 8, 26 episodes) – Produced by Spin Master Entertainment, the new season follows the paw-some pack of pups — Chase, Marshall, Rubble, Skye, Rocky, Zuma, Everest and Tracker — as they embark on all-new action-packed rescue missions and work together to help their community of Adventure Bay, proving “no job is too big, no pup is too small!”
Blaze and the Monster Machines (Season 6, 20 episodes) – Blaze and the Monster Machines speed into a new season with the most epic races and rescues yet, including next-level transformations into fire rescue vehicles, big rigs, construction trucks and even a fire-breathing dragon.
Bubble Guppies (Season 6, 20 episodes) – The guppies’ adventures will be bigger and bubblier than ever before with all-new songs, funny guest stars, fin-tastic lessons and lots of Bubble Puppy.
Top Elf (Season 2, 5 one-hour episodes) – Season two of this holiday-themed competition series will feature new talented kid “elf-testants” who will be paired with Santa’s elves in a series of physical challenges as they compete for the title of “Top Elf” and a wish list of prizes for their community. At the end of each episode, Contestants are judged by Santa and a celebrity guest to decide who is on the “nice” or “naughty” list and one step closer to being named ‘Top Elf.”
Related stories from TheWrap:
Bella Twins to Guest on Nickelodeon's 'The Substitute' – See Nikki Go Undercover Here (Exclusive)
Nickelodeon's 'Legends of the Hidden Temple' Revived at Quibi
February 18, 2020
Justin Bieber Arm Wrestles James Corden During ‘Carpool Karaoke’ Ride (VIDEO)
Justin Bieber made his return to the “Late Late Show” on Tuesday night for another round of “Carpool Karaoke” where a discussion with host James Corden about Tom Cruise quickly turned in an arm wrestling battle right there in the front seat.
Bieber made the challenge after Corden questioned Bieber’s decision last year to challenge Cruise to a fight. “I was just being stupid,” Bieber said of the tweet from last year.
After Bieber said he found the idea of fighting Cruise funny, Corden shot back, “I don’t think it would be much fun for you. I gotta say, I think if me and you have a fight, you win. I think if you and Tom Cruise have a fight, I’d back Tom every day of the week.”
Also Read: Justin Bieber Chronicles Making of New Album in YouTube Original Docuseries (Video)
The two went back and forth a bit until Bieber finally threw down the gauntlet and challenged Corden to an arm wrestling bout. It didn’t go well for Corden but it didn’t stop him from proclaiming Bieber “still couldn’t beat Tom Cruise.”
Bieber and Corden also discussed TikTok dances, Bieber’s recent marriage and how the singer believes he’s a mix of all of the “Friends” characters.
This edition of “Carpool Karaoke” comes just a few weeks after Corden jokingly defended the segment after a video (shot during Bieber’s taping) showing Corden’s SUV being towed with the pair inside went viral.
Also Read: Oscars 2020: James Corden and Rebel Wilson Savagely Poke Fun at 'Cats' (Video)
“I know this looks bad,” Corden said. “But I just want to say right now that I always drive the car unless we’re doing something that we think might not be safe, like a dance routine or a costume change … or if I’m drunk,” he joked. “In the case of Justin Bieber, it was a safety issue where we thought it was best to tow the car. Frankly, I just kept getting lost in his eyes.”
He later added, “I swear to you, 95% of the time, I really am endangering the lives of the world’s biggest pop stars.”
Related stories from TheWrap:
Watch Dr. Phil Crash Meghan Trainor's 'Carpool Karaoke' (Video)
'Carpool Karaoke': Billie Eilish Takes James Corden Home and Makes Him Hold Her Gross Spider (Video)
'Carpool Karaoke': Chance the Rapper Reveals One Similarity Between Obama and Jay-Z (Video)
‘Good Times’ Star Ja’net Dubois Remembered by Norman Lear, Viola Davis and Others
Some of the biggest names in television paid tribute to “Good Times” star Ja’net Dubois, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 74.
“Oh man!!! Just saw you!,” actress Viola Davis, who appeared in a “Good Times” recreation as part of the ABC special “Live in Front of a Studio Audience” last December, tweeted. “What a pleasure it was to meet you. You shaped so much of the best memories of my childhood! God bless you, Ja’net DuBois! RIP??'”.”
Famed television producer Norman Lear, who worked with Dubois on “Good Times,” made reference to the fact she wrote the show’s theme song in his social media post. He wrote, “Ja’Net DuBois was all light and will be missed. I love that she wrote the theme song for her passing, ‘Movin’ on Up.’ #GoodTimes #TheJeffersons.”
Oh man!!! Just saw you! What a pleasure it was to meet you. You shaped so much of the best memories of my childhood! God bless you, Ja’net DuBois! RIP???? pic.twitter.com/tiEGNn9dVO
— Viola Davis (@violadavis) February 19, 2020
Ja’Net DuBois was all light and will be missed. I love that she wrote the theme song for her passing, “Movin’ on Up.” #GoodTimes #TheJeffersons pic.twitter.com/KKEEfep0QI
— Norman Lear (@TheNormanLear) February 19, 2020
Also Read: Viola Davis, Tiffany Haddish and More Join ABC's 'Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Good Times'
Jimmy Kimmel, who executive produced the “Live in Front of a Studio Audience” specials, added, “Ja’Net was such a nice person and when it came to nailing a classic TV theme song, no one ever came close.”
Comedian Kathy Griffin called Dubois “a true inspiration to future sidekicks, sassy neighbors, and comedic ESSENTIAL support actors everywhere. I mean, who didn’t wanna be Willona???”
Ms Ja’net DuBois was a true inspiration to future sidekicks, sassy neighbors, and comedic ESSENTIAL support actors everywhere. I mean, who didn’t wanna be Willona??? The best???? https://t.co/IGSKLkHccm
— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) February 19, 2020
“Devastated to hear of the sudden passing of the iconic Ja’Net Dubois,” Holly Robinson Peete wrote on Twitter, “We all cherished her as the beloved Willona on #GoodTimes. Got to work with her on Hangin With Mr. Cooper. I followed her around like a puppy dog. She shared so much wisdom. I loved and will miss her dearly.”
Devastated to hear of the sudden passing of the iconic Ja'Net Dubois ????
We all cherished her as the beloved Willona on #GoodTimes. Got to work with her on Hangin With Mr. Cooper. I followed her around like a puppy dog. She shared so much wisdom. I loved and will miss her dearly???? pic.twitter.com/YzBcuE73nv
— Holly Robinson Peete (@hollyrpeete) February 18, 2020
Also Read: Esther Scott, 'Boyz N the Hood' and 'Hart of Dixie' Star, Dies at 66
Ja’net Dubois was found dead at her home in Glendale on Tuesday morning, Glendale police told USA Today. Her representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TheWrap.
The actress starred on the CBS sitcom “Good Times” for five years from 1974 to 1979 as Willona Woods, the gossipy divorcee and next-door neighbor of the Evans family. In addition to acting, Dubois also co-wrote and sang the “Jeffersons” theme song, “Movin’ on Up.”
Related stories from TheWrap:
Esther Scott, 'Boyz N the Hood' and 'Hart of Dixie' Star, Dies at 66
'M*A*S*H' Actress Kellye Nakahara Dies at 72
Nikita Pearl Waligwa, Disney's 'Queen of Katwe' Actress, Dies at 15
‘Anatomy of a Suicide’ Theater Review: Carla Gugino and Company Face Their Own End
It’s not much of a spoiler to reveal that there’s only one self-inflicted death in Alice Birch’s new play. You can read about it right there in the title, “Anatomy of a Suicide,” which opened Tuesday at Off Broadway’s Atlantic Theater Company after a run at London’s Royal Court Theatre.
While there’s only one suicide, three very troubled women walk through the three doors of Mariana Sanchez’s stark, blue, nearly empty Magritte-inspired set. Carol (Carla Gugino) and Anna (Celeste Arias), have both attempted suicide, while Bonnie (Gabby Beans) is an ER doctor attending to a woman (Jo Mei) who has accidentally cut her hand in a fishing accident. We are introduced to Bonnie last, and while she occupies the space far stage right for the following 100 minutes, it is her story that appears entirely out of place in a play titled “Anatomy of a Suicide” — that is, until the final dramatic moments. There are “suicides” other than self-inflicted physical deaths.
Also Read: 'Dracula' and 'Frankenstein' Theater Reviews: Our Favorite Monsters Get a Makeover
Bonnie’s story galvanizes by being off-center in more ways than one. In addition to their suicide attempts, the two other female characters each become mothers during the course of the play. Bonnie, on the other hand, talks a lot about her own mother and grandmother; and as a lesbian, she feels there’s no chance she’s going to conceive in the usual way — or any other way, for that matter.
Lileana Blain-Cruz’s direction creates another equally riveting tension. Blain-Cruz is a master of grand stylized acting, as seen in her recent productions of “Fefu and Her Friends,” “Marys Seacole” and “The House That Will Not Stand.” Here, she bookcases Arias’ flamboyant performance with the tightly controlled ones from Gugino and Beans. It can’t be easy for actors relegated to either the far right or the far left of the stage to perform beside someone given not only center stage but all the big scenes — a taped confession, a gruesome therapy session, a difficult birth. Regardless, Gugino and Beans achieve enormous pathos by keeping under wraps those things that neither Carol nor Bonnie wants from life.
For the audience, it’s a hard-earned empathy. The three stories take place concurrently, with overlapping dialogue that finds the actors repeating the same words but in very different contexts. You may find yourself dropping out of one narrative to follow another more closely, and then deeply regretting having missed something crucial in your self-imposed detour. There are more than a few moments where you’ll want to hit the rewind button. “Anatomy of a Suicide” is a play that makes you work to sort out the details and put them in place. Paying attention has its rewards.
Husbands, fathers, boyfriends and male doctors (Jason Babinsky, Julian Elijah Martinez, Vince Nappo and Richard Topol in a variety of roles) surround these three women, but being men, they inhabit a radically different world. They are denied the false escape hatch that is pregnancy. Birch’s take on motherhood is designed to rankle.
Related stories from TheWrap:
'Dracula' and 'Frankenstein' Theater Reviews: Our Favorite Monsters Get a Makeover
'Hamlet' Theater Review: Ruth Negga Delivers Bard's Danish Prince as Joker Jr.
Zoe Caldwell, Four-Time Tony Winner, Dies at 86
Zoe Caldwell, a four-time Tony Award winner and film actress, died on Tuesday at the age of 86 from complications due to Parkinson’s disease, according to her son.
Born in Melbourne in 1933, Caldwell began her theatrical career at the age of nine in a production of “Peter Pan” and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in London at the age of 20. In 1965, she made her Broadway debut in the John Whiting play “The Devils,” and a year later she won her first Tony for her performance in the Tennessee Williams play “Slapstick Tragedy. She later won Tonys for her performances in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” in 1968, “Medea” in 1982, and “Master Class” in 1995.
Outside of Broadway, Caldwell was best known for her voice work in the 2002 Disney film “Lilo & Stitch.” Caldwell played the Grand Councilwoman, an alien leader who sentences Stitch to exile to protect the galaxy from his dangerous nature but later allows him to stay on Earth. Caldwell reprised the role in straight-to-video sequels and a Disney Channel TV series based on the film.
Also Read: Gene Reynolds, 'MASH' Co-Creator and Former DGA President, Dies at 96
Caldwell married theatre director and producer Robert Whitehead in 1968. They were together until his death in 2002. She is survived by two sons, Sam and Charlie Whitehead; and two grandchildren, Ross and Ward.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Ja'net Dubois, 'Good Times' Star, Dies at 74
Esther Scott, 'Boyz N the Hood' and 'Hart of Dixie' Star, Dies at 66
First Out Transgender Woman in ‘Blind Date’ History Says She ‘Was Treated Very Well’ by Date and Show
Dating is stressful enough without the added pressure of making history on an iconic American television show, but Ciara, the first out transgender woman in “Blind Date” history, told TheWrap that both were surprisingly easy.
“I was very nervous, of course, but it was a lot of fun, actually,” she said, explaining it had “been a minute” since she’d been on any dates before she was selected, let alone one with a stranger orchestrated and filmed by a television crew.
“I actually, at some point, forgot the cameras were there,” added the star of the groundbreaking episode, which airs Wednesday night on Bravo, where the decades-old “Blind Date” series has been revamped. The show returns from a mid-season break at 11:30 PM ET/PT with four new episodes airing back-to-back.
Also Read: 'To All the Boys: PS I Still Love You' Star Lana Condor StudioWrap Portraits (Exclusive Photos)
“I was treated very well. Shout out to all the cast and crew. Everybody was very nice and accommodating and that made me feel very comfortable, so that part was amazing,” she said.
Ciara even liked her date, Tucker, though she says they haven’t hung out since she moved to a new city.
As for how it feels to be the first out trans woman in the show’s history, Ciara says she’s happy to take on the role, since “it would have meant the world” to her to see an out trans woman doing something as simple as going on a date with a cisgender man on television when she was younger.
Also Read: Fall TV 2020: Every Broadcast Show Canceled, Renewed and Ordered - So Far (Updating)
“I know we have women like Janet Mock and Laverne Cox who are amazing representation for transgender women,” she said, but noted she hopes to be a representation of the community outside of the entertainment space.
Ciara told TheWrap her episode will not only show viewers a trans person doing more basic day-to-day activities like going on a date, but allow “that door to be open for cisgender men who are trans-attracted to follow that. [Tucker] had never been on a date with a transgender person and I think he handled that very well.”
Related stories from TheWrap:
Fall TV 2020: Every Broadcast Show Canceled, Renewed and Ordered – So Far (Updating)
Nick and Vanessa Lachey to Host 'Love Is Blind' Dating Show for Netflix
Sharon Stone Blocked From Bumble Dating App for Impersonating Sharon Stone
Harrison Ford’s ‘The Call of the Wild’ Faces Off Against ‘Sonic’ at This Weekend’s Box Office
“Sonic the Hedgehog” is off to the best start ever for a video game adaptation with a $70 million 4-day opening weekend. Now it is expected to stay No. 1 even with new competition from “The Call of the Wild,” the first 20th Century Fox film that will be released by Disney under the rebranded name 20th Century Studios.
It’s the start of what will be a slower late February period for the box office. Between the release rush of the first half of the month and what is expected to be a crowded March, theaters are largely keeping their distance from this period as it isn’t showing a lot of potential for new films to leg out. With its genre record and strong audience word of mouth, “Sonic the Hedgehog” should stay atop the charts while “The Call of the Wild” is expected to open No. 2 with an opening weekend of approximately $15 million.
Also Read: Could 'Sonic the Hedgehog' Speed Paramount's Recovery at the Box Office?
For “Call of the Wild,” it will be a challenge to peel away the core family audience it is aiming towards from the very popular “Sonic.” Ideally, the film finds a lane with families that have older kids and teens that might be looking for something with a bit more intensity than the lighthearted “Sonic.” Based on the Jack London literary classic, the film stars Harrison Ford as the devoted companion of a St. Bernard named Buck, who is portrayed as a CGI character rather than by a real dog.
Early reviews from critics have been mixed-to-positive, with some criticizing the CGI Buck as being stuck in the uncanny valley while others praised the film for its entertaining action and earnest tone. The Rotten Tomatoes score currently sits at 67%, a score that won’t hurt its pre-release buzz but probably won’t do much to help it either. We will have to see whether there is a large slice of moviegoers that is interested in a family-friendly film that prefers irony-free adventure over the wisecracking and eye-popping flash and bang that made “Sonic” a success this past weekend.
“The Call of the Wild” is directed by Chris Sanders from an adapted screenplay by Michael Green. Ford stars alongside Dan Stevens, Omar Sy, Karen Gillan and Bradley Whitford.
Also releasing wide is the STX horror film “Brahms: The Boy II,” the sequel to the 2016 film “The Boy” which grossed $64 million worldwide against a $10 million budget. Analysts who spoke to TheWrap predict a $5-8 million opening for this film, which would be slightly below the $10.7 million domestic opening for “The Boy.”
“Brahms: The Boy II” stars Katie Holmes as a mother whose family moves in to the Heelshire Mansion, unaware of the bloody events that occurred there during the events of “The Boy.” Soon, her son befriends the diabolical doll named Brahms, dragging the family into a face-to-face confrontation with the mansion’s darkest secret. William Brent Bell directed the film from a screenplay by Stacey Menear. The film currently does not have a Rotten Tomatoes score.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Harrison Ford and His Dog Journey to Yukon in 'The Call of the Wild' Trailer (Video)
6 Gaming Trends to Watch in 2020 (Charts) | PRO Insight
The continued growth of the games industry has been both a huge surprise and an inevitable certainty: Surprising because very few observers expected it to reach the $180 billion annualized market size it currently boasts, and inevitable because “Fortnite,” “Mario,” “Halo,” “Candy Crush” and Twitch have all become fixtures with audiences in the living room, at the office and on the go.
This year will be critical in the evolution of games. Here are six key trends in the gaming industry to keep an eye on in 2020:
1. Gaming could eclipse the market size of paid TV by 2021 based on current growth trajectories.
In terms of overall revenue, gaming is now bigger than music and movies combined. Gaming is on track to become the No. 1 entertainment category in the next several years. IDG estimates that gaming reached roughly $180 billion in revenue last year and is on track to exceed $230 billion by 2023. Asia-Pac (led by China, Japan and South Korea) is the biggest overall bucket, followed by North America. But rest of world — led by what we are calling “The Opportunity Markets” of Southeast Asia, Middle East North Africa, Australia/New Zealand, Russia, India, Latin America and Turkey, among others — will post the strongest Compounded Annual Growth Rate in the next 4 years — 13% versus 6% for North America, 9% for Europe and 5% for Asia.
Also Read: 'Sonic the Hedgehog' Breaks Video Game Box Office Record With $58 Million Opening
Enlarge
2. The games market will become more fragmented and more consolidated at the same time.
In other words, there will be growth of cross-play, where a title can be played simultaneously by players of different platforms (a PS4 “Call of Duty” gamer can play against a friend who has “Call of Duty” for Xbox One). At the same time, there will be growth of siloed walled gardens, where publishers build out their own platforms. The two sub-industries will be able to coexist in 2020.
While these two trends appear to be diametrically opposed to each other, there will be a mix of some new cross-play collaborations above and beyond “Fortnite”/”Minecraft”/”Call of Duty,” while at the same time EA, Ubisoft, Bethesda, Rockstar and others will continue to build out their own siloed platforms to complement their existing external platform partnerships. Sometime in the next 3-4 years, however, IDG believes that there will be a consumer reckoning, whereby having to log into 10+ platform accounts to access all of a gamer’s gaming content will become too cumbersome and cross-play/interoperability will be valued over fragmentation.
Enlarge
3. Gaming represents the next frontier for social media and for traditional media.
Players and viewers spend an increasing amount of time in share of day through game communities. As an example, Netflix’s greatest competitor might not be Disney+ or Hulu. “Fortnite” is a competitive threat, and Netflix said as much last year when the company stated that “Fortnite” was cannibalizing Netflix customers’ screen time. This battle for entertainment share of day is becoming more multi-faceted, and in many fronts of this battle, gaming and esports are winning. When evaluating the games market, it is important to take a community-centric approach. Both competitive and livestreaming platforms are benefiting from this broader trend, and it is reshaping entertainment as we know it.
Also Read: All 46 Video Game Movies Ranked, Including 'Sonic the Hedgehog'
Enlarge
4. Gaming and esports are the new Trojan horse for Gen Z and millennials.
Although there remains a sizable audience and appetite for traditional media and linear TV, those in younger demographics are often discovering content for the first time on Twitch, YouTube and other communities where gaming and esports are primary content drivers. These same audience segments represent the same people that traditional media have termed “cord-cutters,” and the growing share of gaming and esports is beginning to impact traditional media and even traditional sports.
While a streaming viewer of an esports event might hold a different value versus a Super Bowl television viewer, the scale and scope of gaming/esports/livestreaming entertainment can no longer be denied. Even if we split the League of Legends World Championship Series audience in half, since half of the global audience came from China, the remaining half is still pretty in-line with the total audience of this month’s Super Bowl event. And while the growth in viewership for traditional sports events has decelerated and, in some cases, declined year-over-year, the growth in gaming/esports viewership continues apace.
Enlarge
5. Esports is finally growing up and approaching esports 2.0.
In esports 1.0, the ecosystem was beginning to build out, but there was still a focus on short-term opportunities and a more transactional nature to partnerships. Many of the lower-quality companies are beginning to get weeded out of the market, while top-notch esports teams, franchises, brands and leagues are emerging with best practices and credibility to lend long-term strength to this burgeoning market. However, a rising tide does not necessarily lift all boats, and the same can be said in the case of esports.
There will be winners, but there will also be a lot of losers during this consolidation phase, as the market transitions in a flight to quality, with cleaner business models where dollars are tracked more accurately, operating models become more crystallized and less emblematic of the Wild Wild West. The partnership focus will become less transactional and, instead, will emphasize sustainable, long-term relationships.
Also Read: A New Era for Video Game Streaming? Competitors Target Twitch
6. Gaming and esports will benefit this year from a variety of key catalysts.
Next-gen console launches will release sometime in Q4 2020 for both PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X. Although console transitions are always disruptive to some extent, our checks with game developers indicate that there is more seamlessness in building next-gen content this time around versus prior transitions.
Enlarge
Cloud gaming platforms are still finding their footing, but there should be a bit more traction in 2020, although the bigger potential for this market is still a long ways off. VR gaming will also remain on the periphery but begin to establish itself more as we begin to see better VR-focused game content in the form of “Half-Life: Alyx” from Valve, among others. And the most important innovations in the games market will likely come from business model innovations, in addition to content innovations. Anticipate new genre mash-ups but also new ways of monetizing consumers that will provide additional value and engagement to the gaming experience.
Related stories from TheWrap:
'Sonic the Hedgehog' Breaks Video Game Box Office Record With $58 Million Opening
All 46 Video Game Movies Ranked, Including 'Sonic the Hedgehog'
A New Era for Video Game Streaming? Competitors Target Twitch
Steve Pond's Blog
