All stories by Brent Lang on BroadwayStars

Monday, August 27, 2018

Broadway dimming lights to honor Neil Simon by Brent Lang

Broadway will dim its lights in honor of Neil Simon. The Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, librettist, lyricist, producer, and theatre owner and operator died Sunday at t…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 04:52PM
Thursday, August 16, 2018

‘Beetlejuice’ Musical Taps ‘School of Rock’ Broadway Star by Brent Lang

Alex Brightman will follow in Michael Keaton’s footsteps, assuming the title role in “Beetlejuice” on Broadway. It’s a familiar challenge for the Tony Award nominee. …

SOURCE: Variety at 11:07AM
Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Toronto Film Festival Lineup Includes ‘A Star Is Born,’ ‘Widows,’ ‘First Man’ by Brent Lang

“A Star is Born,” “First Man,” and “Widows” are among the awards-season hopefuls that will screen at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:00AM
Monday, July 9, 2018

Lincoln Plaza Cinemas: Theater Chains Vie to Take Over Indie Film Landmark by Brent Lang

Dan Talbot, an exhibitor who brought arthouse films to the residents of New York’s Upper West Side, died last December at the age of 91, leaving a void in the cultural life of the neighbor…

SOURCE: Variety at 03:40PM
Thursday, June 28, 2018

Glenda Jackson Bringing ‘King Lear’ to Broadway by Brent Lang

At 82 years old, Glenda Jackson shows no signs of slowing down. Fresh off her Tony Award winning triumph in “Three Tall Women,” the acting legend has already lined up her Broadwa…

SOURCE: Variety at 11:18AM
Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Vineyard Theatre Unveils New Season (EXCLUSIVE) by Brent Lang

Vineyard Theatre, an off-Broadway venue best known for highlighting provocative new works that are often from emerging writers, has unveiled its 2018 to 2019 season. The non-profit’s s…

SOURCE: Variety at 02:06PM
Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Michael Jackson Musical Coming to Broadway in 2020 by Brent Lang

The King of Pop is hitting the Great White Way. The Michael Jackson Estate and Columbia Live Stage announced Tuesday that they are developing a new stage musical inspired by the life of Mich…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:24AM
Sunday, June 10, 2018

Tony Awards 2018: Andrew Garfield, Laurie Metcalf Among Early Winners by Brent Lang

Andrew Garfield won the Tony Award for best leading actor in a play for his work as Prior Walter, the AIDS-stricken prophet at the center of “Angels in America.” In an emotional …

SOURCE: Variety at 08:11PM
Friday, June 8, 2018

Kerry Washington Returns to Broadway in ‘American Son’ by Brent Lang

Kerry Washington will return to Broadway to star in “American Son.” The “Scandal” star will be matched with Steven Pasquale, a stage veteran known for “Bridges …

SOURCE: Variety at 11:04AM
Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Daniel Radcliffe Returns to Broadway With ‘The Lifespan of a Fact’ by Brent Lang

“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is currently the hottest ticket on the Great White Way. Now, Daniel Radcliffe, the actor who first portrayed the boy wizard, is following suit…

SOURCE: Variety at 12:06PM

Bruce Springsteen to Perform at Tony Awards by Brent Lang

CBS must be breathing a sigh of relief. That’s because Bruce Springsteen has agreed to take the stage at the Tony Awards on Sunday, injecting some genuine star power into the congenita…

SOURCE: Variety at 11:49AM
Saturday, May 12, 2018

‘Secret Garden’ With Colin Firth Sells to Global Road by Brent Lang

Global Road Entertainment has acquired North American distribution rights to “The Secret Garden,” a big-screen adaptation of a much-loved children’s novel that inspired eve…

SOURCE: Variety at 12:00PM
Wednesday, April 25, 2018

AMC Chief Talks MoviePass, Saudi Arabia, and the Health of the Theater Business by Brent Lang

AMC chief Adam Aron believes the movie business is primed for a rebound and he’s sick of reading all the doom and gloom about the end of theatrical exhibition. Of course, he’s no…

SOURCE: Variety at 07:35PM

Saudi Arabia Getting First 4DX Theaters (EXCLUSIVE) by Brent Lang

Saudi Arabia is getting its first 4DX movie theaters. South Korea-based CJ 4DPLEX has signed a new partnership with Cinemacity to open three locations in the country’s capital city, Riyadh…

SOURCE: Variety at 12:25PM
Tuesday, April 24, 2018

‘A Star Is Born’ CinemaCon Trailer Shows Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper Singing Live by Brent Lang

Lady Gaga convinced Bradley Cooper to sing live for “A Star Is Born.” The pop star told the actor that is a pet peeve of her’s was watching actors lip-synch to pre-recorded…

SOURCE: Variety at 09:22PM
Thursday, April 19, 2018

Netflix and Byron Allen Could Be Getting Into the Movie Theater Business by Brent Lang

Landmark Theatres, a high-end chain known for its art-house offerings, has been quietly on the market for some time. But this week, two would-be buyers emerged as potential suitors: Netflix …

SOURCE: Variety at 03:41PM
Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Lorne Michaels Signs Film Production Deal With Universal by Brent Lang

Universal Pictures has entered into a first-look production agreement with “Saturday Night Live” creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels and his company Broadway Video, Var…

SOURCE: Variety at 03:09PM
Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Emily Blunt on ‘Mary Poppins Returns,’ ‘A Quiet Place’ and ‘Edge of Tomorrow 2’ by Brent Lang

Emily Blunt knew immediately that John Krasinski needed to direct “A Quiet Place.” As soon as her husband finished describing the story, which centers on a family struggling to s…

SOURCE: Variety at 09:35AM
Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Kenneth Lonergan Signs First-Look Deal With Amazon Studios by Brent Lang

Kenneth Lonergan has closed a first-look deal with Amazon Studios, the company behind his Oscar-winning “Manchester by the Sea.” The pact runs for two years and will cover direct…

SOURCE: Variety at 12:00PM
Thursday, March 1, 2018

Anna Kendrick Santa Claus Movie ‘Noelle’ to Debut on Disney Streaming Service by Brent Lang

“Noelle,” a fantasy comedy with Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader, is expected to debut on Disney’s new streaming service. Disney officially pulled the title from its release ca…

SOURCE: Variety at 05:51PM
Monday, February 12, 2018

Pasek and Paul Writing Songs for Blue Sky’s First Animated Musical (EXCLUSIVE) by Brent Lang

Oscar-winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul will write the songs for  an upcoming Fox Animation/Blue Sky Studio’s project, Variety has learned. The family film has the working title R…

SOURCE: Variety at 03:00PM
Thursday, January 4, 2018

Bomb Cyclone Leads to Theater Closures, Concert Postponements, but Broadway Remains Open by Brent Lang

A massive winter storm slammed the East Coast on Thursday, leading to movie theater closures, travel headaches for top media and entertainment figures, and concert postponements. On the Grea…

SOURCE: Variety at 02:08PM
Thursday, December 14, 2017

The Disney, Fox Deal Just Set Off a Studio Arms Race by Brent Lang

Disney’s $52.4 billion purchase of Fox is sending shockwaves throughout the movie business, with many industry observers believing that the marriage between the two iconic companies co…

SOURCE: Variety at 06:04PM

Disney Chief Bob Iger, Murdochs Reassure Employees, Tout Historic Deal by Brent Lang

Disney chief Bob Iger touted his company’s deal to buy the bulk of 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets in a memo to staff Thursday, calling the sale “historic.” T…

SOURCE: Variety at 04:48PM

Why the Fox-Disney Deal Could be Bad for Movies by Brent Lang

Disney is poised to swallow up Fox’s film and television assets, a move that will dramatically reshape the landscape of Hollywood, while making it increasingly difficult for producers …

SOURCE: Variety at 11:45AM

Fox Founder Rupert Murdoch Insists Disney Deal Is Not a ‘Retreat’ by Brent Lang

Rupert Murdoch spent decades cobbling together a media empire. On Thursday, the octogenarian mogul announced plans to sell his film studio and much of his entertainment assets to Disney in a…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:27AM

Fantastic Four, X-Men Can Team With Avengers Thanks to Fox, Disney Deal by Brent Lang

Disney’s $52.4 billion agreement to buy 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets is good news for fanboys and fangirls. The company was quick to tout that the pact “provides…

SOURCE: Variety at 07:49AM
Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Disney-Fox Deal: 10 Burning Questions as Takeover Deal Looms by Brent Lang

Disney and Fox are racing towards the finish line. The two media companies are expected to announce a $60 billion-plus pact this week that will see Disney snap up much of Fox’s televis…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:45AM
Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Michael De Luca, John Legend to Produce ‘Long Way Down’ for Universal (EXCLUSIVE) by Brent Lang

Universal has optioned the rights to “Long Way Down,” beating out several other studios for the chance to make a movie based on the best-selling novel. As part of the package, Mi…

SOURCE: Variety at 11:13AM

Disney, Fox Deal Expected for Thursday (Report) by Brent Lang

A mega deal between Disney and Fox will be announced on Thursday, according to a new report on CNBC. The $60 billion-plus pact will see Disney acquire key entertainment and sports assets fro…

SOURCE: Variety at 09:50AM
Monday, December 11, 2017

Fox Picks Up Leading 27 Golden Globes Nominations as Disney Deal Looms by Brent Lang

It was a big morning for 20th Century Fox, as the film studio picked up a leading 27 Golden Globes nominations on Monday. The haul was more than any other studio and more than double the num…

SOURCE: Variety at 01:21PM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre
TBA: Titanic
TBA: Ragtime