As the Toronto International Film Festival opens, an uproar over the exit of the artistic director of The Berlinale, Berlin’s prestigious annual film festival, is laying bare the problems facing many international film festivals over finances, programming and the competing demands of government officials and artists.
On Wednesday, over 200 directors — including acclaimed filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader and Joanna Hogg — put their name to a petition asking for the reinstatement of the Berlinale’s artistic director, Carlo Chatrian, after the board that oversees the festival decided to change its leadership structure. Chatrian decided to walk away rather than take part in that transition in a diminished role.
The Berlinale leadership controversy is just part of the recent challenges during a very difficult time for film festivals. Nearly every festival, domestic and international, has struggled to pull in audiences in the wake of Covid and a shaky global economy...
On Wednesday, over 200 directors — including acclaimed filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader and Joanna Hogg — put their name to a petition asking for the reinstatement of the Berlinale’s artistic director, Carlo Chatrian, after the board that oversees the festival decided to change its leadership structure. Chatrian decided to walk away rather than take part in that transition in a diminished role.
The Berlinale leadership controversy is just part of the recent challenges during a very difficult time for film festivals. Nearly every festival, domestic and international, has struggled to pull in audiences in the wake of Covid and a shaky global economy...
- 9/8/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
There won’t be a comeback for The Idol.
HBO won’t move ahead with a second season of the drama from Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, who also starred. The series, starring Lily-Rose Depp as a pop star who falls under the sway of a Hollywood club owner (Tesfaye), suffered mostly negative reviews from critics, and viewership fell short of some other recent HBO shows.
“The Idol was one of HBO’s most provocative original programs, and we’re pleased by the strong audience response,” an HBO spokesperson said in a statement. “After much thought and consideration, HBO, as well as the creators and producers have decided not to move forward with a second season. We’re grateful to the creators, cast, and crew for their incredible work.”
A decision on whether to renew or cancel The Idol was in flux until recently, sources say.
HBO won’t move ahead with a second season of the drama from Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, who also starred. The series, starring Lily-Rose Depp as a pop star who falls under the sway of a Hollywood club owner (Tesfaye), suffered mostly negative reviews from critics, and viewership fell short of some other recent HBO shows.
“The Idol was one of HBO’s most provocative original programs, and we’re pleased by the strong audience response,” an HBO spokesperson said in a statement. “After much thought and consideration, HBO, as well as the creators and producers have decided not to move forward with a second season. We’re grateful to the creators, cast, and crew for their incredible work.”
A decision on whether to renew or cancel The Idol was in flux until recently, sources say.
- 8/28/2023
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Idol is one and done at HBO.
The controversial series from Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, will not be returning for a second season.
It’s not a huge surprise given the critical and commercial reception of the show, which starred Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp. It also came after extensive reshoots following the departure of director Amy Seimetz, as revealed by Deadline in April 2022, and a reduced order taking its total number of episodes to five.
Some of the cast did mention the possibility of a second season during interviews, though show insiders said that creators did not come into the production process with a plan for a multi-season arc.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who played one of the managers of Depp’s pop star Jocelyn, previously said that the first season was left intentionally open-ended for the possibility of a second.
“The Idol...
The controversial series from Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, will not be returning for a second season.
It’s not a huge surprise given the critical and commercial reception of the show, which starred Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp. It also came after extensive reshoots following the departure of director Amy Seimetz, as revealed by Deadline in April 2022, and a reduced order taking its total number of episodes to five.
Some of the cast did mention the possibility of a second season during interviews, though show insiders said that creators did not come into the production process with a plan for a multi-season arc.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who played one of the managers of Depp’s pop star Jocelyn, previously said that the first season was left intentionally open-ended for the possibility of a second.
“The Idol...
- 8/28/2023
- by Katie Campione
- Deadline Film + TV
Track List:
The Weeknd – A Lesser Man
Written by Abel Tesfaye, Mike Dean & Sam Levinson. Produced by The Weeknd & Mike Dean
The Weeknd – Take Me Back
Written By: Abel Tesfaye, Mike Dean & Jason “DaHeala” Quenneville. Produced by The Weeknd & Mike Dean
Moses Sumney – Get It B4
Written By: Moses Sumney, Roman GianArthur & Jarett Goodly. Produced By: Moses Sumney, Roman GianArthur & Sensei Bueno
The HBO® Original series The Idol debuts new episodes Sundays at 9:00 p.m. Et/Pt on HBO, and will be available to stream on Max.
Starring Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp, the series is co-created by Sam Levinson (HBO’s “Euphoria”), Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, and Reza Fahim. It is executive produced by Levinson, Tesfaye, Fahim, Kevin Turen, Ashley Levinson, Joe Epstein, Aaron L. Gilbert for Bron, and Sara E. White, and produced in partnership with A24. For updates on the show, follow @theidol on Instagram.
The Weeknd – A Lesser Man
Written by Abel Tesfaye, Mike Dean & Sam Levinson. Produced by The Weeknd & Mike Dean
The Weeknd – Take Me Back
Written By: Abel Tesfaye, Mike Dean & Jason “DaHeala” Quenneville. Produced by The Weeknd & Mike Dean
Moses Sumney – Get It B4
Written By: Moses Sumney, Roman GianArthur & Jarett Goodly. Produced By: Moses Sumney, Roman GianArthur & Sensei Bueno
The HBO® Original series The Idol debuts new episodes Sundays at 9:00 p.m. Et/Pt on HBO, and will be available to stream on Max.
Starring Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp, the series is co-created by Sam Levinson (HBO’s “Euphoria”), Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, and Reza Fahim. It is executive produced by Levinson, Tesfaye, Fahim, Kevin Turen, Ashley Levinson, Joe Epstein, Aaron L. Gilbert for Bron, and Sara E. White, and produced in partnership with A24. For updates on the show, follow @theidol on Instagram.
- 6/19/2023
- by Music Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Music
The premiere of The Idol didn’t draw a huge audience for HBO Sunday — but it did fall in line with some other recent series debuts on the premium cable outlet.
The Idol, which courted controversy with provocative trailers and was met with mostly negative reviews, drew 913,000 viewers across HBO (for the premiere and three replays) and Max on Sunday — with the majority of that coming via streaming on Max. The on-air debut on HBO drew 232,000 people, a little over a quarter of the total for the night.
The 913,000 viewers is a sizable step down from the first-night numbers for the final season of Succession, which immediately preceded The Idol in HBO’s 9 p.m. Sunday spot. It’s about level with a handful of other recent HBO drama debuts, however, including Winning Time (901,000 viewers) and season one of The White Lotus (944,000). Euphoria, from The Idol co-creator Sam Levinson, opened...
The Idol, which courted controversy with provocative trailers and was met with mostly negative reviews, drew 913,000 viewers across HBO (for the premiere and three replays) and Max on Sunday — with the majority of that coming via streaming on Max. The on-air debut on HBO drew 232,000 people, a little over a quarter of the total for the night.
The 913,000 viewers is a sizable step down from the first-night numbers for the final season of Succession, which immediately preceded The Idol in HBO’s 9 p.m. Sunday spot. It’s about level with a handful of other recent HBO drama debuts, however, including Winning Time (901,000 viewers) and season one of The White Lotus (944,000). Euphoria, from The Idol co-creator Sam Levinson, opened...
- 6/5/2023
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Will Sam Levinson have another HBO success on his hands with The Idol?
The series premiered Sunday night to 913,000 total viewers across Max and linear HBO telecasts, according to HBO. This is a fairly promising debut for The Idol, and viewership for the premiere is likely to grow in the next week as conversation about the somewhat controversial series continues ahead of Episode 2.
HBO says that new episodes of a series tend to draw 10%-20% of their total viewership on Sunday nights, indicating that The Idol will probably average several million viewers, at least for the first episode.
That being said, the series starring Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp didn’t quite match premiere viewership for Levinson’s first HBO hit, Euphoria. That series took home 1.1 million viewers on its premiere night in 2019, with a bit of a lead-in from a Season 2 episode of Big Little Lies.
The series premiered Sunday night to 913,000 total viewers across Max and linear HBO telecasts, according to HBO. This is a fairly promising debut for The Idol, and viewership for the premiere is likely to grow in the next week as conversation about the somewhat controversial series continues ahead of Episode 2.
HBO says that new episodes of a series tend to draw 10%-20% of their total viewership on Sunday nights, indicating that The Idol will probably average several million viewers, at least for the first episode.
That being said, the series starring Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp didn’t quite match premiere viewership for Levinson’s first HBO hit, Euphoria. That series took home 1.1 million viewers on its premiere night in 2019, with a bit of a lead-in from a Season 2 episode of Big Little Lies.
- 6/5/2023
- by Katie Campione
- Deadline Film + TV
After weeks of speculation, Cannes Delegate General Thierry Frémaux confirmed Thursday morning that Sam Levinson’s Euphoria follow-up The Idol will screen out-of-Competition at the festival.
Frémaux said he expects to see lead actor and co-creator Abel Tesfaye, who performs music as The Weeknd, on the Croisette for the premiere alongside co-star Lily-Rose Depp. The Starboy singer, Frémaux said, is a regular at the festival and has often traveled incognito to screen films playing in Competition.
The Idol is coming to Cannes Film Festival.
Congrats to everyone’s involved. @theweeknd pic.twitter.com/DrqCNk9f7F
— The Idol Updates (@theidolupdates) April 13, 2023
While announcing the title, Frémaux also described the HBO project as a “movie that could become a series.” The description was a mistake due to a mix-up in the French-English translation. The Idol is indeed a TV series, per HBO’s official promo materials. Sources can’t confirm how...
Frémaux said he expects to see lead actor and co-creator Abel Tesfaye, who performs music as The Weeknd, on the Croisette for the premiere alongside co-star Lily-Rose Depp. The Starboy singer, Frémaux said, is a regular at the festival and has often traveled incognito to screen films playing in Competition.
The Idol is coming to Cannes Film Festival.
Congrats to everyone’s involved. @theweeknd pic.twitter.com/DrqCNk9f7F
— The Idol Updates (@theidolupdates) April 13, 2023
While announcing the title, Frémaux also described the HBO project as a “movie that could become a series.” The description was a mistake due to a mix-up in the French-English translation. The Idol is indeed a TV series, per HBO’s official promo materials. Sources can’t confirm how...
- 4/13/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Trey Shults is riding the wave of Hollywood stardom.
After the “Waves” director recently confirmed an upcoming film starring Jenna Ortega, Oscar nominee Barry Keoghan, and The Weeknd, aka Abel Tesfaye, sources told IndieWire that Shults is additionally helming a secret A24 film. Casting has not yet been announced for the still-untitled feature.
A24 recently took home nine Oscars and made history as the first studio to dominate all major categories at the Academy Awards, with Best Picture winner “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “The Whale” sweeping acting categories.
The previously announced Shults film, which he co-wrote with Tesfaye, also has tangential ties to A24. Reza Fahim, who collaborated with Tesfaye on HBO series “The Idol,” also co-wrote the new project; A24 produces “The Idol,” as well as “Euphoria,” with “The Idol” showrunner Sam Levinson.
Tesfaye will compose the score for the feature with Daniel Lopatin, or Opn, who...
After the “Waves” director recently confirmed an upcoming film starring Jenna Ortega, Oscar nominee Barry Keoghan, and The Weeknd, aka Abel Tesfaye, sources told IndieWire that Shults is additionally helming a secret A24 film. Casting has not yet been announced for the still-untitled feature.
A24 recently took home nine Oscars and made history as the first studio to dominate all major categories at the Academy Awards, with Best Picture winner “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “The Whale” sweeping acting categories.
The previously announced Shults film, which he co-wrote with Tesfaye, also has tangential ties to A24. Reza Fahim, who collaborated with Tesfaye on HBO series “The Idol,” also co-wrote the new project; A24 produces “The Idol,” as well as “Euphoria,” with “The Idol” showrunner Sam Levinson.
Tesfaye will compose the score for the feature with Daniel Lopatin, or Opn, who...
- 3/16/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
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