Tag: Entertainment – Variety

It’s officially fall at Disney+, which is entering the month of September with a lineup of beloved spooky classics and all things football.

“Coraline,” “ParaNorman” and “Jennifer’s Body” are among the titles kicking off the fall season on the streaming platform and Hulu, which will also see the season premieres of familiar favorites like “Chad Powers,” “Dancing With the Stars” and “America’s Funniest Home Videos.”

September also marks the return of both college and professional football, with the streaming platforms also streaming women’s college volleyball games and the U.S. open.

Here are all the new titles coming or returning to Disney+ in September.

Sept. 1

“Amsterdam” (Hulu)

“The Bob’s Burgers Movie” (Hulu)

“Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective Podcast” (Season 2) 

“Burlesque” (Hulu)

“Coraline“ (Hulu)

“Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 1) – Finale Episode

“Disney Jr. Ariel – The Little Mermaid (Season 2) 

“Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Hulu)

“Ice Age: The Meltdown (Hulu)

“Inglourious Basterds (Hulu)

“Jennifer’s Body (Hulu)

“Jerry Maguire (Hulu)

“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Hulu)

“The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny Podcast” (Season 2)

“Moneyball (Hulu)

“ParaNorman (Hulu)

U.S. Open – First Round (ESPN) – 11:30 a.m. ET 

Primetime at the U.S. Open – Second Round (ESPN) – 7 p.m. ET 

Women’s College Volleyball – SEC/Big 10 Challenge: Illinois at Tennessee (ESPN, SECN) – 7 p.m. ET 

Women’s College Volleyball – SEC/Big 10 Challenge: Oregon at Missouri (ESPN, SECN) – 9 p.m. ET 

Sept. 2

“The Domonique Foxworth Show Podcast” (Season 2) 

“Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” 

“Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu Official Podcast” – Two-Episode Premiere at 9 p.m. ET

“LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian” – Premiere

“The One Shot” (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 1) (Hulu Original) – Finale Episodes

“FX’s The Shards” (Hulu) (Hulu Original) – New Episode at 9 p.m. PT

“FX’s The Shards Official Podcast” (Hulu)– Finale Episode at 9 p.m. PT

“9/11: United We Stand — 25 Years Later” (Disney+, Hulu)  

U.S. Open – Second Round (ESPN) – 11:30 a.m. ET

Primetime at the U.S. Open – Second Round (ESPN) –  7 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – SEC/Big 10 Challenge: UCLA at Kentucky (ESPN, ESPN2) – 7 p.m. ET 

Women’s College Volleyball – SEC/Big 10 Challenge: USC at Texas (ESPN, ACCN) – 9 p.m. ET 

Sept. 3

“Chad Powers” (Hulu) (Season 2) (Hulu Original) – Premiere, All Episodes Streaming

“Homicide Squad New Orleans” (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 3)

“The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny Podcast” (Season 2)

“Paranormal State” (Disney+, Hulu) (Seasons 1, 2) 

“Project Runway” (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 22) – 10 p.m. PT

U.S. Open – Second Round (ESPN) – 11:30 a.m. ET 

Primetime at the U.S. Open – Second Round (ESPN, ESPN2) – 7 p.m. ET

Sept. 4

“Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective Podcast” (Season 2) 

“The Domonique Foxworth Show Podcast” (Season 2) 

“Flex X Cop” ( Disney+, Hulu) (Season 2) 

“Spider-Man: Far From Home”

“Spider-Man: No Way Home”

U.S. Open – Third Round (ESPN) – 11:30 a.m. ET 

Primetime at the U.S. Open – Third Round (ESPN, ESPN2) – 7 p.m. ET

Sept. 5

“Flex X Cop” (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 2)

“Locker Diaries: Camp Rock: Shorts” – Premiere

U.S. Open – Third Round (ESPN, ESPN2) – 11 a.m. ET  

College Football – East Carolina at Bama (ESPN, ABC) – 12 p.m. ET

College Football – Oregon State @ Houston (ESPN, ABC) – 12 p.m. ET

College Football – Aflac Kickoff Game: Baylor v Auburn (ESPN, ABC) – 3:30 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – TCU at Louisville (ESPN, ACCN) –  4 p.m. ET

Primetime at the U.S. Open – Third Round (ESPN, ESPN2) – 7 p.m. ET

College Football – Clemson at LSU (ESPN, ABC) – 7:30 p.m. ET

Sept. 6

U.S. Open – Round of 16 (ESPN) –  11 a.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – Sprouts Farmers Market Block Party: Louisville vs. Texas (ESPN, ABC) – 12 p.m. ET

U.S. Open – Round of 16 (ESPN, ABC) – 3 p.m. ET 

Women’s College Volleyball – Sprouts Farmers Market Block Party: Indiana vs. Tennessee (ESPN, ESPN2) – 3 p.m. ET

Primetime at the U.S. Open – Round of 16 (ESPN) – 7 p.m. ET

College Football – Liberty Mutual Music City Kickoff: Louisville v Ole Miss (ESPN, ABC) – 7:30 p.m. ET

Sept. 7 

“The Domonique Foxworth Show Podcast” (Season 2)

“Dragon Striker: Gorotama Stars” (Season 1) 

“Futurama” (Hulu) (Season 14) (Hulu Original) 

“FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (Hulu) (Season 18) (Hulu Original) – 9 p.m. PT 

“Poor Things” (Hulu) 

U.S. Open – Round of 16 (ESPN) – 11 a.m. ET 

Women’s College Volleyball – Penn State at DePaul (ESPN, ESPNU) – 4 p.m. ET

Primetime at the U.S. Open – Round of 16 (ESPN, ESPN2) – 7 p.m. ET

Sept. 8

“Babylon” (Hulu)

“Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective Podcast” (Season 2)

“FX’s The Drop: A Snowfall Saga” (Hulu) (Hulu Original) – Premiere at 6 p.m. PT

“FX’s The Drop: A Snowfall Saga Podcast” (Hulu) – Premiere at 6 p.m. PT

“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (Hulu) (Season 27) – All Episodes Streaming

“The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny” Podcast (Season 2)

U.S. Open – Men’s & Women’s Quarterfinals (ESPN) – 11:30 a.m. ET 

Primetime at the U.S. Open – Men’s & Women’s Quarterfinals (ESPN) – 7 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – ACC/SEC Challenge: Auburn at Florida State (ESPN, ACCN) – 7 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – ACC/SEC Challenge: Oklahoma at Georgia Tech (ESPN, ACCN) – 9 p.m. ET

Sept. 9 

“The Domonique Foxworth Show Podcast” (Season 2)

“Made in Korea” (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 2) (Hulu Original) 

“Pokémon: Indigo League” (Season 1) 

“FX’s The Shards” (Hulu) (Hulu Original) – Finale Episode at 9 p.m. PT

U.S. Open – Men’s & Women’s Quarterfinals (ESPN) – 11:30 a.m. ET 

Women’s College Volleyball – ACC/SEC Challenge: North Carolina at Kentucky (ESPN, SECN) – 6 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – The Shriners Children’s Showdown at The Net: Pittsburgh vs. Tennessee (ESPN, ESPN2) – 6:30 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – ACC/SEC Challenge: Missouri at Louisville (ESPN, ACCN) – 7 p.m. ET

Primetime at the U.S. Open – Men’s & Women’s Quarterfinals (ESPN) – 7:30 p.m. ET 

Women’s College Volleyball – ACC/SEC Challenge: Miami at Florida (ESPN, SECN) – 8 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – The Shriners Children’s Showdown at The Net: Texas A&M vs. Stanford (ESPN, ESPN2) – 9pm ET

Women’s College Volleyball – ACC/SEC Challenge: Texas at SMU (ESPN, ACCN) – 9 p.m. ET

Sept. 10 

“Crime in Progress” (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 1) 

“Dancing with the Stars Official Podcast” (Disney+, Hulu) – Premiere

“The Mina Kimes Show Featuring Lenny Podcast” (Season 2)

“MonsterQuest” (Disney+, Hulu) (Seasons 3, 4) 

“Project Runway” (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 22) – Finale Episode at 10 p.m. PT

U.S. Open – Women’s Semifinals (ESPN) – 7 p.m. ET

Sept. 11

“Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective Podcast” (Season 2)

“The Domonique Foxworth Show Podcast” (Season 2)

“Flex X Cop” (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 2) 

“9/11 Tribute in Light: Live from Lower Manhattan” (Disney+, Hulu) – ABC News Live Special at 8 p.m. ET

U.S. Open – Women’s Doubles Championship (ESPN, ESPN2) – 12 p.m. ET 

U.S. Open – Men’s Semifinal No. 1 (ESPN) – 3 p.m. ET

U.S. Open – Men’s Semifinal No. 2 (ESPN) – 7 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – Wisconsin at Texas A&M (ESPN, SECN) – 8 p.m. ET

Sept. 12

“Flex X Cop” (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 2)  

“Honey Lemon Soda” (Hulu) (Season 1) (Dubbed) – All Episodes Streaming

“A Sign of Affection” (Hulu) (Season 1) (Dubbed) – All Episodes Streaming

“Suzume” (Hulu) (Subbed & Dubbed) 

College Football – Oregon @ Oklahoma State (ESPN, ABC) – 12 p.m. ET

College Football – Alabama @ Kentucky (ESPN, ABC) – 3:30 p.m. ET

U.S. Open – Women’s Championship (ESPN) – 4 p.m. ET

College Football – Ohio State at Texas (ESPN, ABC) – 7:30 p.m. ET

Sept. 13

“Kraven the Hunter”

Men’s Championship Pre-Show (ABC) – 1 p.m. ET 

Women’s College Volleyball – Paradise Invitational (ESPN, ESPN2) – 1 p.m. ET

Men’s Championship (ABC) – 2 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – Wisconsin at Texas (ESPN) – 3 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – Paradise Invitational (ESPN) – 5 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – UCLA at Utah (ESPN) – 8 p.m. ET

U.S. Open – Men’s Championship (ESPN, Encore, ESPN2) – 9 p.m. ET

Sept. 14 

“Beyblade X” (Hulu) (Season 2D) – Premiere, All Episodes Streaming

“The Domonique Foxworth Show Podcast” (Season 2)

“Dragon Striker: Gorotama Stars” (Season 1) 

“Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” (Hulu) 

“Futurama” (Hulu) (Season 14) (Hulu Original) 

“FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (Hulu) (Season 18) (Hulu Original) – 9 p.m. PT

NFL – Broncos at Chiefs (ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes) – 8:15 p.m. ET

Sept. 15

“Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective Podcast”  (Season 2)

“Dancing with the Stars” (Season 35) (ABC) –  Premiere, Streaming Live at 8 p.m. ET 

“FX’s The Drop: A Snowfall Saga” (Hulu) (Hulu Original) – 9 p.m. PT

“FX’s The Drop: A Snowfall Saga Podcast” (Hulu) – 9 p.m. PT

“The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny Podcast” (Season 2)

Sept. 16 

“City of Blood” (Disney+, Hulu) (Hulu Original) – Premiere, All Episodes Streaming

“Dancing with the Stars” (Season 35) (ABC) – 8 p.m. ET 

“Dancing with the Stars” (Hulu) (Season 35) (ABC) 

“The Domonique Foxworth Show Podcast” (Season 2)

“Made in Korea” (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 2) (Hulu Original) 

“Minimum Security” (Disney+, Hulu) (Hulu Original) – Premiere, All Episodes Streaming

“PLAVE Asia Tour” [DASH: Quantum Leap]

“R.J. Decker” (Hulu) (Season 2) (ABC) – Premiere

“Unexpected Loves” (Disney+, Hulu) (Hulu Original) – Premiere, All Episodes Streaming

Sept. 17 

“Booked: First Day In” (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 4) 

“Dancing with the Stars” (Hulu) (Season 35) (ABC) 

“Dancing with the Stars Official Podcast” ( Disney+, Hulu) 

“The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny Podcast” (Season 2)

Sept. 18 

“Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective Podcast” (Season 2)

“The Domonique Foxworth Show Podcast” (Season 2)

“Flex X Cop” (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 2) 

iHeartRadio Music Festival Livestream Day 1 (Disney+, Hulu)

“Magicampers: Shorts” (Season 2) – Premiere, All Episodes Streaming

Women’s College Volleyball – Florida at Florida State (ESPN, ACCN) – 7 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – Kansas at Creighton (ESPN, ESPN2) – 8 p.m. ET

Sept. 19 

“Flex X Cop” (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 2) – Finale Episode

iHeartRadio Music Festival Livestream Day 2 ( Disney+, Hulu)

KeSPA Hanwha Life Invitational Livestream Day 1

College Football – North Carolina at Clemson (ESPN, ABC) – 12 p.m. ET

College Football – Kentucky @ Texas A&M OR SMU at Louisville (ESPN, ABC) – 3:30 p.m. ET

Sept. 20

KeSPA Hanwha Life Invitational Livestream Day 2

Women’s College Volleyball – Louisville at Kentucky (ESPN, ABC) – 3 p.m. ET

Sept. 21

“CoComelon: The Melon Patch” (Season 1) – Episodes 1-10

“The Domonique Foxworth Show Podcast” (Season 2) 

“Dragon Striker: Gorotama Stars” (Season 1) 

“Futurama” (Hulu) (Season 14) (Hulu Original)

“FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (Hulu) (Season 18) (Hulu Original) – 9 p.m. PT

“Wicked” (Hulu) 

NFL – Giants at Rams (ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes) – 8:15 p.m. ET

Sept. 22

“Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective Podcast” (Season 2) 

“Dancing with the Stars” (Season 35) (ABC) – 8 p.m. ET 

Disney Princess: Create Your World x The LEGO Group (Hulu)

“FX’s The Drop: A Snowfall Saga” (Hulu) (Hulu Original) – 9 p.m. PT

“FX’s The Drop: A Snowfall Saga Podcast” (Hulu) – 9 p.m. PT

“The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny Podcast” (Season 2)

Sept. 23

“Dancing with the Stars” (Hulu) (Season 35) (ABC) 

“The Domonique Foxworth Show Podcast” (Season 2)

“Made in Korea” (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 2) (Hulu Original) – Finale Episodes

“R.J. Decker” (Hulu) (Season 2) (ABC) 

Women’s College Volleyball – Kentucky at Vanderbilt (ESPN, SECN) – 7 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – Miami at Florida State (ESPN, ACCN) – 7 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – South Carolina at Georgia (ESPN, SECN) – 7 p.m. ET

Sept. 24 

“FX’s American Horror Story: 13” (Hulu) (Hulu Original) – Three-Episode Premiere at 6 p.m. PT

“FX’s American Horror Story Official Podcast” (Hulu) – Premiere at 6pm P.T.

“Dancing with the Stars Official Podcast” (Disney+, Hulu)

“The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny Podcast” (Season 2)

“Paranormal State” (Disney+, Hulu) (Seasons 4, 6) 

“Pawn Stars” (Disney+, Hulu) (Season 24)

Sept. 25

“Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective Podcast” (Season 2)

“The Domonique Foxworth Show Podcast” (Season 2)

“Marvel’s Spidey and the Avengers: Halloween Team-Up!” – Special Episode

Women’s College Volleyball – Texas at Tennessee (ESPN, SECN) – 7 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – Stanford at SMU (ESPN, ACCN) – 9 p.m. ET

Sept. 26

“Chilean Mine Rescue: Race Against Time” (Disney+, Hulu) – Premiere, All Episodes Streaming

Sept. 27 

“A Complete Unknown” (Hulu)

“The Simpsons” (Season 37) 

Women’s College Volleyball – Texas at Kentucky (ESPN) – 1 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – Cal at SMU (ESPN, ACCN) – 2 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – Ole Miss at Alabama (ESPN, SECN) – 3 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – North Carolina at Wake Forest (ESPN, ACCN) – 4 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – Stanford at Pittsburgh (ESPN) – 8:30 p.m. ET

Sept. 28

“America’s Funniest Home Videos” (Hulu) (ABC)  (Season 37) – Premiere

“The Domonique Foxworth Show Podcast” (Season 2)

“Futurama” (Hulu) (Season 14) (Hulu Original) – Season Finale

“FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (Hulu) (Season 18) (Hulu Original) – 9 p.m. PT

NFL – Eagles at Bears (ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes) – 8:15 p.m. ET

Sept. 29

“Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective Podcast” (Season 2)

“Dancing with the Stars” (Season 35) (ABC) – 8 p.m. ET

“FX’s The Drop: A Snowfall Saga” (Hulu) (Hulu Original) – 9 p.m. PT

“FX’s The Drop: A Snowfall Saga Podcast” (Hulu) – 9 p.m. PT

“The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny Podcast” (Season 2)

“Project Runway All-Stars” (Disney+, Hulu) (Seasons 1-3)

“SuperKitties: Howl-O-Ween Charm” (Season 3) – Special Episode

NHL – Florida Panthers v Carolina Hurricanes (ESPN) – 5 p.m. ET

Women’s College Volleyball – Vanderbilt at LSU (ESPN, SECN) – 7 p.m. ET

NHL – New York Rangers v Boston Bruins (ESPN) – 8 p.m. ET

NHL – Chicago Blackhawks v Vegas Golden Knights (ESPN) – 10:30 p.m. ET

Sept. 30

“Dancing with the Stars” (Hulu) (Season 35) 

“The Domonique Foxworth Show Podcast” (Season 2)

“Jujutsu Kaisen 0” (Hulu) (Subbed & Dubbed) 

“R.J. Decker” (Hulu) (Season 2) (ABC)

Country music icon, actress and philanthropist Dolly Parton dedicated her life to giving back to her home state of Tennessee, and now, three days after her death, her state is ready to give back to her, renewing an earlier proposal to rename the Nashville International Airport in her honor. 

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and the Nashville International Airport announced in a joint statement on Friday their intentions to change the name of the airport. 

“Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state,” Lee said in a statement. “At a place where Tennessee welcomes the world, it is fitting that Nashville International Airport would bear the name of our state’s favorite daughter and greet travelers with the enduring legacy of Dolly’s music, generosity, faith and kindness.”

According to the statement, Parton’s team supports the change and is “touched by the idea and open to continuing the conversation.” With her Dollywood Foundation and Imagination Library, Parton’s profound influence on Tennessee and the country is widely recognized. 

The name change was first proposed last year when a petition was started in the wake of a proposal to rename the airport for President Trump. The number of signatures on the petition exploded after her death.

“Dolly’s remarkable legacy reminds us that what makes Nashville special is our ability to welcome people from every walk of life,” Doug Kreulen, president and CEO of Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority said. “She understood that dignity, kindness and opportunity should never be defined by where you come from or your socioeconomic status.”

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell expressed his support on social media, writing, “Dolly was in the process of working with us on a remarkable hotel and museum — SongTeller — that she called her love letter to Nashville. Now it’s our turn to share a love letter to Dolly — by renaming Nashville International Airport to Dolly Parton International Airport in Nashville.”

The Metro Nashville Airport Authority’s (MNAA) current naming policy and Lee’s proposal to rename the airport will be discussed at MNAA’s meeting on Sept. 17. 

Nashville International Airport currently uses the airport code BNA, which stands for Berry Field Nashville Airport. The facility takes its name from World War I and World War II U.S. Army veteran Col. Harry Smith Berry, a Tennessee native who helped establish the airfield.

On today’s episode of Variety‘s “Strictly Business,” Bogdan Nesvit, co-CEO and co-founder of Holywater Tech, details the explosive growth of the company’s My Drama and My Muse apps, and he details what he sees as the key to making vertical media more mainstream. “Studios and creators are knocking on our doors right now,” Nesvit says.

Nesvit reflects on how quickly the demand for microdramas and related vertical media has grown in the U.S. and Europe in the handful of years that Holywater has been active in vertical media. Last year, Holywater struck a deal with Fox that calls for the partners to produce as many as 200 vertical media series derived from IP drawn from Fox’s vault.

“There is a huge difference between me trying to reach out to studios and producers two years and one year ago when we just started the micro drama space. The first time when me and my co-founder went to Hollywood and started talking to studios and creators, it felt like knocking on the doors without getting any reply out there, even though the people are there behind the door,” Nesvit observes. “Right now, it feels like all the doors are open. And actually the studios and creators are the ones who are knocking on our on our doors. And it’s beautiful because people start to realize that this is not a fad. A lot of things were called a fad like Netflix and YouTube.”

Nesvit addresses a host of questions that are swirling around the vertical media boom from those who work in traditional Hollywood. First and foremost, there is grave concern that the low-budget model around vertical media will encourage the use of low-end generative AI to create weak content. Nesvit acknowledges that the vertical media world has reached a crossroads, especially for newer entities that are competing with AI-fueled apps from China that churn out romance stories at an astounding rate.

“We have a choice either to be comfortable like most of our competitors, especially from China, because they know how to do this really well, to stay comfortable and continue producing 99% of our shows within [the romance] genre, or push the boundaries and expand the audience and start experimenting with other genres,” Nesvit says. “We choose the second way, even though it’s more risky, because we have to invest more in R&D in something that doesn’t work necessarily from the first time, but we believe that we will drive more new audience like this.”

Nesvit points to My Drama’s success with the recent serial based on Fox’s unscripted series of “Farmer Wants a Wife” produced with Fox. “This is the first large IP that was released on vertical platform, and the metrics are amazing. So we’re experimenting with fantasy, with crime, a lot of experimenting with sports shows,” he says. “Romance is still a core driver of our revenue. But at the same time, we see that every time we release new formats and new genres, they expand in our audience.”

“Strictly Business” is Variety’s weekly podcast featuring conversations with industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. (Please click here to subscribe to our free newsletter.) New episodes debut every Wednesday and can be downloaded at Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Play, SoundCloud and more.

More than a decade after the last installment of “Grand Theft Auto” released, players are finally getting “GTA 6” on Nov. 19.

Per the official description for “GTA 6” from publisher Rockstar Games, “Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida – forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.”

With three more months until the game’s official release, here is everything we know about “Grand Theft Auto VI.”

Where can I play ‘GTA 6’?

The game is currently set to release on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S devices, meaning it won’t be available to play on older generations of the gaming consoles. There is no confirmation on when it will arrive on the PC, but previous “GTA” games have been released on consoles before expanding to PCs later. 

What will it look like?

Rockstar’s “GTA” franchise is already known for its photorealistic characters and lifelike movements, and “GTA 6” will be no different. On Aug. 27, Netflix released an extended preview of the game captured entirely on PlayStation 5.

The preview teases Jason and Lucia in scenes across the fictional Vice City, the Miami-inspired city players are familiar with. But “GTA 6” expands beyond city limits into Leonida, inspired by Florida, which is home to various distinct regions, like the Leonida Keys, Grassrivers, Port Gellhorn, Mount Kalaga and an area called Ambrosia.

Players who have allegedly seen the game say the map for “GTA 6” is significantly larger than the playable area in previous games. Rockstar has not officially confirmed this.

What is the game’s storyline?

Protagonists Jason Duval and Lucia Camino are at the center of “GTA 6,” where their odds are seemingly stacked against them. When a score goes wrong for the duo, “they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America,” the official website states. Now stuck in the midst of a criminal conspiracy in the fictional state of Leonida, Jason and Lucia must put their full trust in each other if they want a chance at making it out alive. 

Who are the characters?

Jason and Lucia are at the forefront of the game’s narrative, with Lucia recently being released from prison. Seeing Jason as a way to leave her troubled past behind and reaching the “good life” her mom used to tell her of, the pair form a Bonnie-and-Clyde-esque relationship in the world of drug runners. Below is a list of additional characters confirmed in “GTA 6.”

Cal Hampton — Jason’s friend and Brian’s associate who prefers “snooping on Coast Guard comms” from the comfort of his own home

Boobie Ike — A Vice City legend with an empire made up of real estate, a strip club and a recording studio

Dre’Quan Priest — A hustling aspiring musician ready to leave the days of performing at Boobie’s strip club behind after recently signing under Real Dimez 

Bae-Luxe and Roxy — also known as Real Dimez, the two have been best friends since high school. The rapping duo is signed under Only Raw Records

Raul Bautista — Raul is a cunning, charming and experienced bank robber always looking out for new talent

Brian Heder — Brian is a seasoned drug runner who operated during the prime time of smuggling in the Keys

Who is involved?

While there is no official confirmation of the actors who star in “GTA 6,” Jason and Lucia are rumored by fans to be played by Dylan Rourke and Manni L. Perez.

Rockstar North is the developer and Rockstar Games is the publisher of the franchise. Take-Two Interactive is the parent company of Rockstar.

When will it come out?

Thirteen years in the making, “GTA 6” will officially be available Nov. 19. The game’s release has faced several setbacks including leaks, delays and economic uncertainty.

Preorders launched on June 25, one day after Take Two-Interactive’s Rockstar Games revealed pricing for the game would be $79.99 for the standard edition, which can be purchased as a digital or physical (which includes a code in a box rather than a disc) copy. The “ultimate” version will cost $99.99 and include “an exclusive collection of premium vehicles, weapons, apparel and action threaded across all aspects” of the game.

Fans finally got a preview on Aug. 27 with Netflix’s “Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look.” The special included 27 minutes of content that revealed cinematic and gameplay scenes throughout the fictional Vice City and teases the overall narrative of the game.

How much is it expected to make?

Global preorders for “GTA 6” have reached an estimated $260 million, which lines it up for a potential $4.5 billion in sales by launch week.

“GTA 5” is still in the top five bestselling video games each year, 13 years after its initial release. It has raked in nearly $10 billion since its Sept. 2013 launch. In game sales alone, “GTA 5” has sold 230 million copies worldwide, placing it second in bestselling video games of all time behind Minecraft.

How long will it take to play?

It could take about 80 hours to complete, according to Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson. His playthrough included the campaign in its entirety plus some optional content, so it likely won’t take exactly 80 hours for each individual player.

What affects the character’s appearence?

“GTA 6” is more than just guns and chaos. This time, players can experience in-game role-play and build out Jason and Lucia – romantically and physically. The narrative of the game is all about fostering the protagonist’s relationship, and the strength of the relationship will be recognizable on the character’s bodies, Rob Nelson, Head of Development and Co-Studio Head at Rockstar North, told IGN.

“So being in the open world and exploring together or doing activities together — playing pool or mini golf or kayaking; normal slice of life things. Or, robbing stores together, robbing banks together. However players want to spend that time together, it will have a positive impact on the relationship.”

But to stay fit for each other and the action, “GTA 6” will also bring back the weight and muscle system from “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.” These characters can go to the grocery store, eat meals and even put on and lose weight. 

Just like the players, Jason and Lucia need constant communication, hearty meals and a solid eight hours of sleep each night. All of these key gameplay details affect the characters physical appearance.

Rafael Manuel’s new indie feature “Filipiñana,” which opens Friday in New York, is set against a backdrop of oppressive heat and drought. The narrative follows Isabel, a 17-year-old from the provinces of the Philippines, who gets a job at a prestigious golf resort.

Manuel felt the golf course was the perfect setting for the film to explore societal inequities in the country. With the very first courses established on American military bases, the local elite eventually took over, making the golf course a center of power.

In his framing, the country club members are presented high in the frame to show the hierarchy structure, and the servants are presented low in the frame — an early shot shows Isabel sitting on the grass as she places a ball on the tee for a club member.

Manuel says, “That’s what attracted me to the golf course.” He adds, “When you think about it, it’s a good metaphor for the country in that it’s very large and situated on a very fertile plot of land that’s toiled on and worked on by so many people, but ultimately enjoyed and profited from by only a select few.” That, Manuel says, illustrates the class divide that has been so ingrained in the Philippines.

Manuel spoke with Variety about how the film relates to the colonial past of the country, and the metaphorical symbolism of the golf course. He also talks about reflecting that through Isabel’s gaze and why she represents an awakening.

Can you talk about your main characters Isable and Clara and what they represent and what you wanted their gaze to say? I very much get the notion that Clara is an outsider in all of this.

The first image you see of Isabel is of her opening her eyes, and the last image you see of Clara is of her closing her eyes. For me, that’s very much representative of their narrative arcs. Isabel’s journey is one of awakening and remembering the past, seeing it and hearing it. Whereas Clara’s journey is one into slumber, inaction, passivity, and perpetuating the system. Clara is a tragic character. Isabel, on the other hand, is a heroic character because I feel like Isabel moves towards action, and Clara moves towards inaction.”

What went into that casting process and finding Jorrybell Agoto as Isabel and Carmen Castellanos as Clara?

Clara is a non-actor, but Isabel was in the short. It was only her second time acting, and she was a very inexperienced actor. My directing style is to try to get out of the way as much as possible, so I spent a lot of time building the world of the character and of the film. When it comes to being on set, I try to direct them as little as possible because I trust all the work that we both did in pre-production. Freedom is such an important part of acting because every single decision and gesture that they make, they have to freely choose it. That’s how you get good acting. What I really look for in actors is playfulness because I see playfulness as a sort of resistance. What we try to do is build all these restrictions around them and then see how their playfulness and their autonomy express themselves through the parameters we’ve set.

Can you talk about working with your production designer Tatjana Honegge and cinematographer Xenia Patricia in terms of establishing the film’s visual language. What did you want to say?

It was very much a team effort. I’d also like to mention Vincent Villa. He’s a French sound designer based in Cambodia, and I feel like sound has a very important role to play in this film — even in the visual aesthetic — because sound guides the eye on where to look. I feel like the conversations we had were about developing an oral grammar that could give shape, texture, color, and sound to this invisible violence that we were very interested in exploring.

A lot of the conversations I had with Xenia were about my obsession with landscape photography and how it’s been used in different contexts as a colonial tool. Susan Sontag’s “On Photography” talks about how the American West was colonized through landscape photography. If you go through the Philippine archive of the turn of the 20th century — around the 1800s and 1900s — you’ll see that the Philippines was also colonized through photography.

Simon Schama writes about this in his book “Landscape and Power.” He talks about how landscape is a projection of man’s imagination onto rock, grass, and water. So the question naturally arises: Whose imagination is being projected? These colonial themes — this dreamwork of imperialism — very much inform the visual language of “Filipiñana.” You’re constantly seeing characters framed in these wide landscapes, and their small actions become a form of resistance to the colonizing gaze.

A lot of the film is slow in terms of pacing, allowing moments to breathe. What was behind this choice?

The slowness, for me, has a twofold purpose. First, it really helps communicate the heat and lethargy — the kind of lethargy that the Filipino humidity and the stifling 50-degree heat of a Filipino summer can induce. When you think about why the Philippines has stayed the same for so long — why the country has struggled with the same problems for so long — I think the heat has a part to play in that. If you’ve ever been in heat like that, so humid and sticky, you realize quite quickly that it’s like a quagmire. It makes action so hard to do because all you want to do is lie down. The slow pacing of the film was meant to communicate that. The second reason behind the deliberate pacing of the film was that I really wanted to capture this Filipino experience of waiting for change.

What do you want people to take away from watching this?

I feel like so much of what we’re trying to do is create a space for the viewer to exercise their autonomy—autonomy of sight, hearing and feeling. I say that because the way the drama is structured is very minimal. I feel like conventional narrative, in a way, is a form of gentrification. When you take into consideration how so many spaces — not just in the Philippines but around the world — are privatized, you realize you can step out of your house and, in five seconds, you’re being sold something by a billboard. Actually, you don’t even need to step out of your house; you can just go on Instagram. So, we really tried not to be didactic and instead create an autonomous space for viewers to practice their autonomy — or to be autonomous, if they choose to be. So when you ask me what I want them to take away, it’s hard to say because they can take away whatever it is they want to take away. The film’s designed like that.

I guess for me, one of the main things I’m interested in hearing from audiences after a screening is: How did they view the ending? Did they view it as an optimistic ending, or did they view it as a pessimistic one?

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Disney+ has set a global distribution deal with the Pokémon Company International that will include a new stop-motion series coming in 2027.

The announcement comes on the heels of “Pokémon the Series: The Beginning” beginning to air on Disney XD earlier this month, marking it as the first title to launch under the new global distribution agreement. The show, which follows Ash and Pikachu as they embark on adventures throughout the Pokémon world, is now available for streaming on Disney+ in the U.S. and some international markets.

Titled “Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu,” the new stop-motion project hails from animation studio Aardman and will debut on Disney XD and stream exclusively on Disney+.

Per the description for the new series, “Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu”: Sirfetch’d and Pichu embark on an epic journey through the Galar Region. Together, they set out on a gallant quest to help and protect Pokémon across the region. Their missions rarely go as planned, but their noble deeds forge their friendship as they step bravely into the unknown where peril, alliances, rivalries, extraordinary Pokémon, and endless laughs await them.

“Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu” creative team at Aardman includes director Tom Parkinson, creative director of IP development Nat McKay and model making creative lead James Young.

The Pokémon-Disney distribution deal news was announced during a panel at Pokémon XP Friday, which is taking place over the next three days at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

“Pokémon has that rare ability to mean something to longtime fans while continuing to feel completely relevant to young audiences today,” Ayo Davis, president of Disney Kids and Family. “This new series ‘Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu’ brings Aardman’s signature stop-motion artistry with a bold, playful new perspective to this beloved world, giving audiences a fresh way to experience the characters they know and love. Along with ‘Pokémon the Series: The Beginning,’ these series are powerful additions to Disney XD and Disney+.”

“These stories, full of adventure and heroism, all told from the perspective of Pokémon is made even more exciting through the lens of the incredible filmmakers at Aardman,” Pokémon director of original animation Phil Rynda added. “Audiences will be delighted getting to know the Sirfetch’d & Pichu, and wonderful cast of Pokémon, featured in this series. Aardman has brought Galar to life in a way that makes you feel like you can smell the air, touch the tree bark, and want to adventure alongside our series heroes.”

Watch the trailer for the upcoming stop-motion series “Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu” below.

Whether you’re looking to settle into September with cozy classics or start a new series, Netflix has a long list of titles joining or returning to the streamer this fall. 

The long-awaited “Earle Meets World” is available Sept. 4. Following Gen-Z’s ultimate It Girl, Alix Earle, the reality series shows a new side of her, balancing her burgeoning business empire with being that unfiltered, twenty-something, hot mess everyone is used to.

If reality TV isn’t scary enough, Netflix is adding six “Resident Evil” movies on the heels of the biopunk action horror film series latest film coming to theaters on Sept. 18. 

More peaceful options include the return of “Great British Baking Show,” “Shark Tales” and “Sleepless in Seattle.”

Here are all the new titles coming or returning to Netflix in September.

Sept. 1 

“Jared Freid: The Family Plan”

“Untold Raygun: Breaking Badly”

“17 Again”

“About Time”

“Alien” 

“Aliens”

“Antz”

“Battleship”

“Big Daddy”

“The Blues Brothers”

“The Boy Next Door”

“Conan the Barbarian”

“Cruel Intentions”

“Dragnet”

“The Flintstones”

“Gothika”

“Greta”

“Heartland: Season 19”

“Jarhead”

“Jaws”

“Jaws 2”

“Jaws 3”

“Jaws: The Revenge”

“Kick-Ass 2”

“Knocked Up”

“Liar Liar”

“Neighbors”

“Phantom Thread”

“Ready or Not”

“Resident Evil: Afterlife”

“Resident Evil: Extinction”

“Resident Evil: Retribution”

“The Rite”

“Scarface”

“Shark Tale”

“Sleepless in Seattle”

“Straight Outta Compton”

“T2 Trainspotting”

“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”

“Uncle Buck”

“Unfriended”

Sept. 2

“Driven” Seasons 1-3

“Lovesick” 

“Resident Evil: Damnation”

“Resident Evil: Death Island”

“Resident Evil: Vendetta”

“Turning Point: Generation 9/11”

Sept. 3

“Fito Páez: The World Within a Song”

“Folktales”

“The Gentlemen”

“Major Crimes” 

Smile 2”

Sept. 4

“Earle Meets World”

“Teenage Wasteland”

Sept. 5

“Emeril Tailgates” Season 1

Sept. 8 

“Dang”

“Fauda” Season 5 

“Stavros Halkias: Uncle Stav” 

“Untold Mr. T: I Pity The Fool” 

Sept. 9

“Prom Night”

“Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Again?”

Sept. 10

“Call My Agent! The Movie”

“Crew Girl”

“NFL Melbourne Game”

“The Perfect Lie”

“We Don’t Live Here Anymore”

Sept. 11

“Go Team!”

“Physical 100: Italy” Season 1: Batch 1

“Stolen Heartbeats”

“Tribeca 25”

Sept. 13

“Dog Man”

Sept. 14

“Gabby’s Dollhouse” Season 14

“Hot Ones: Extra Heat” Episode 2

“When Hope Calls” Seasons 1-2

Sept. 15

“The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist”

“I Survived a Serial Killer” Season 1

Sept. 16

“The Doll”

Sept. 17 

“The Fixers”

“Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story” 

“Not a Stranger”

“Plastic Beauty”

“Stranger Things: Tales From ’85: Season 2”

Sept. 18

“Best of the Best”

“Pokémon Horizons: Season 3—Rising Hope Part 4”

Sept. 20

“Stop! That! Train!”

Sept. 22

“Doc: Season 2”

“Minerva Academy”

“Party Down” Seasons 1-3

“Doc” Season 2

Sept. 23

“Habeas Corpus”

“Lifehack”

“Wonka’s The Golden Ticket”

Sept. 24

“A Different World”

“Delusion”

“My Sad Dead”

“Oculus”

Sept. 25

“The Final Problem”

“Steel Ball Run Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: 2nd-3rd Stage”

“Unabomber”

Sept. 29

“Lego One Piece”

“Mononoke The Movie: Chapter Ⅲ – The Curse of the Serpent”

“Murder in a Small Town” Seasons 1-2

“This guy really does need to be contained, because he’s got such potential for danger and violence and mayhem.”

Macon Blair is describing the antagonist of his latest movie. He’s no stranger to menacing genre fare, as evidenced by the two other films he wrote and directed: 2017’s “I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore” and 2023’s “Toxic Avenger” reimagining.

But despite pitch-black elements, “Idiots,” in theaters Friday via Independent Film Company, is a rollicking comedy. In it, two knuckleheads — the well-intentioned and religious Davis (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) and sleazy bro Mark (Dave Franco) — get a job chauffeuring troubled teens to rehab. While their first ward, Sheridan Kimberley (Mason Thames), appears to be just another troubled rich kid, he turns out to be way too dangerous for his clueless caretakers.

Having Sheridan actually be a cruel person was one of the key audience expectations the writer-director hoped to flip in the pursuit of laughs.

“It was about wanting to have the most formidable villain possible for these guys to go up against, and just play off the idea that audiences are smart and they’ve seen a lot of movies,” Blair says. “If you see a premise like this … ‘There’s two dumbbells that have a kid in the car.’ Your expectations are probably going to be that at some point along the way they will give him some advice or wisdom or a hug and he will be redeemed. He’ll get straightened out sooner or later. I really like the idea of taking the wheel in the complete opposite direction, where at a certain point you realize, ‘No, he’s actually a monster that has to be captured before more people get hurt,’ and playing off people’s expectations.”

Sheridan’s cruelty also fueled the film’s oft-shifting tone, which keeps audiences uncomfortably guessing what cringy situation comes next. Without giving away too much, the film’s grossest scatological joke happens right before Sheridan has a sinister scene with a sex worker (Kiernan Shipka).

“There’s this big, extremely over-the-top gross-out comedy punchline, and then about 10 seconds later, it goes 100 degrees in the opposite direction,” Blair says. “It’s meant to be whiplash that resets the tone of the movie. As soon as that happens, we’re back into the jokes, but in theory, that clenched feeling from that one moment remains, and that’s how you feel about Sheridan for the rest of the movie. When they’re running around the block trying to capture him, it’s not as cartoonish as it otherwise would be.”

“Idiots” takes the structure of a road trip movie, as Davis and Mark work desperately to keep Sheridan under control and bring him to rehab. But along the way they reckon with Mark’s busted car, a werewolf-obsessed rapper (Nicholas Braun, in an outrageous role), a militant kidnapper (Peter Dinklage), bad drug trips and more.

Beyond the plot, Blair and his DP Guillermo Garza hoped to give the comedy a dynamic visual style. Despite the tight indie schedule, Blair says all of this pressure helped make the movie stronger due to creative problem solving.

“Because the schedule was so short, there were a lot of times where we had a very detailed shot listed/storyboarded plan going in. But we would get in the day, and there wasn’t going to be enough time to get all of it,” Blair says. “So a lot of times on the fly, Guillermo and I would redistill the scene and say, ‘OK, if we thought we were going to do this moment in three shots, what’s the version of it where it’s one shot and we just do it with a move?’ It was one of those things where the limitations of time or light or whatever forced us to … I don’t mean ‘not be precious about it.’ It’s kind of the opposite of that. To really drill down on: ‘gun to my head, what can we afford to lose?’ So the scenes become as specific as possible, because it’s really just the bare bones of what you very essentially need. I’m not saying, ‘I would go into another movie asking for fewer days.’ I wouldn’t. But I loved how that happened, because if we had the luxury of ‘you can shoot as much as you want,’ I don’t think we would have come up with the same solutions, and it would have felt different. It would have felt a little less sharp.”

The one comedic element Blair didn’t want to stick his neck out for? The much-discussed original title. The film premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival as “The Shitheads,” but was renamed “Idiots” once Independent Film Company acquired and dated the film. It wasn’t a war Blair felt like waging.

“That was part of the conversation we had internally about changing the title: It wasn’t so much a full ‘You’re not allowed to do this.’ It was just a list of limitations,” he says. “It was a lot of things that had to do with where posters could be displayed in public, and how you could obscure the names. It started to feel like it was going to be an uphill battle promotion-wise with this movie. Given that it’s a smaller movie and it’s coming out in the summertime, and there are a ton of movies to compete with, we didn’t want to hamstring ourselves with, yes, it’s a funny title, but to cross your arms and say, ‘By God, I’ll have fewer people see the movie to hold on to this title.’ It seemed like cutting off your nose to spite your face. So we said, ‘Let’s just pivot to something that’s not going to give us that hassle.’”

Watch the trailer for “Idiots” below.

Tom Hardy is best known as a movie star who plays rough-and-tumble characters, and he’s brought that energy to the mic on his latest project. The actor who records music under the alias Frankie Pulitzer just dropped a collaborative album called “Czarface Meets Frankie Pulitzer” with underground rap supergroup Czarface, which consists of duo 7L & Esoteric and Wu-Tang Clan’s Inspectah Deck.

For fans of Hardy’s Hollywood work, he peppers in plenty of film and comic book references into his lyrics. The actor is no stranger to comic lore, as he played the villainous Bane in 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises,” as well as portrayed Spider-Man antihero Venom in three standalone movies and a cameo appearance in “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”

In the song “Raw Forever,” Hardy loads his verse with references to Martin Scorsese’s 1999 film “Bringing Out the Dead,” Willem Dafoe’s portrayal of baddie Green Goblin from 2002’s “Spider-Man,” Marvel evildoer Doctor Doom, DC Comics hero Sergeant Rock and Sidney Lumet’s classic 1975 film “Dog Day Afternoon.”

I’m Bringing Out the Dead like a paramedic out the Cage, directed by Marty
Frank Pierce the gang’s here welcome to the party
I be somewhat of a scientist like Willem Dafoe
If you know then you know
Goblin up crumbs
Hit ’em with the fly kill ’em with the low
Profile, no smile, exile the old style
So vile, exhale the smoke cloud, blow trial
Dog Day Afternoon
When I talk Sgt. Rock on the block with the Glock aftershock from the boom
Rip you out your costume
Stuff you in the smallest locker, lock you in the locker room
Doctor Doom how I’m the Victor the Scripture

In the song “Mad Technology,” Hardy namechecks two Stephen King books-turned-movies (“Cujo” and “Misery”), and says something wild about the star of the latter, Kathy Bates. Elsewhere in his verse, he shouts out Marvel hero Thor, and later references Shameik Moore, who voices Miles Morales in the “Spider-Verse” films and starred in the drama “Dope.”

You shit-for-brain no-name lame, that bites like Cujo
I’d rather masturbate to Kathy Bates than hear you flow
And you know that Misery, it loves company

…

Beatin’ P is not an easy chore like defeating Thor

…

Sprinkle Dope Across the Verse, shout to Shameik Moore

At the end of “Grim-Visaged War,” Hardy recites Shakespeare‘s famous “Richard III” monologue in a voice very reminiscent of his Bane performance.

Lastly, there’s a “Titanic” reference on “Gnawing at My Rhyme Like a Poisonous Rat.”

Yo, you act amused like DiCaprio scratching his pencils
To capture your figure you love the attention that’s all clear

Although Hardy has not spoken publicly about his work as Frankie Pulitzer, he is no stranger to rapping, having previously appeared on other Czarface albums as well as dropping a few loose collaborative singles.

Hardy also recorded an album at the turn of the millennium called “Falling on Your Arse in 1999″ under the moniker Tommy No 1, along with his producer friend Edward Tracy, aka Eddie Too Tall. The record was never properly released, but it appeared online in 2018.