You’ve probably seen our other COVID-19 list, the one where we are examining every cancellation that has taken place as the pandemic takes hold in our community. This is the counterpoint to that “Houston, we have a problem” list; this is the one where we’ll talk about how the show must go on, how the Force will be with us, and, maybe most importantly, how we’ll be back. IndieWire will continue to update this page with the latest breaking news regarding virtual events, work logistics, TV premieres, and general acts of bravery and kindness. This is the place where we’ll be documenting our return to normalcy — and make no mistake, we’ll get through this. The most recent updates will be posted at the top of the running list below.
August 24
–Landmark Theatres announced today its two-phase reopening plan. The first round of theaters will open their doors August 28.
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The speciality theater chain, which has 48 locations in 27 markets, will reopen its cinemas in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and St. Louis on Friday. Landmark is already selling tickets online to advance screenings of Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet,” for showings as early as August 31. The film officially opens September 3.
Locations in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, San Diego, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Detroit, Dallas, Houston, and Washington, D.C. will reopen as part of Landmark’s second phase. The company hopes to reopen those theaters by mid-September, but because they are located in various states and cities, it’s likely they will not all open at once.
The company’s reopening plan includes social distancing measures, auditorium caps, strategic scheduling to minimize common-area traffic, enhanced cleaning protocols, a limited concession menu, contactless transactions, and mask requirements for workers and patrons.
Landmark is a signatory of a new set of voluntary, industrywide guidelines released by the National Association of Theatre Owners last week. The CinemaSafe rules also cover all three major chains, AMC, Regal, and Cinemark, as well as over 300 other chains. That means that 3/4 of the nation’s theaters will abide by a set of minimum safety standards as they get ready to welcome audiences back to their auditoriums.
July 29
The Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation, The Hunt Institute, and The Ounce of Prevention have announced two special, free events to support Willa Kammerer’s upcoming documentary “Starting at Zero: Reimagining Education in America.” The film culminates with a call to governors to invest in high-quality early childhood education to support today’s workforce and the workforce of tomorrow.
The pre-premiere panel on August 10 at noon ET will feature a live conversation between North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Former U.S. secretary of education John B. King, and President and CEO of the Education Trust and Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. It will be moderated by moderated by Javaid Siddiqi, president and CEO of The Hunt Institute and former Virginia education secretary. Register here. The virtual world premiere on August 12 at 1:30 p.m. ET will be accompanied by brief panel discussions before and after the film on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on early childhood education. Panel participants will include Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and First Lady Pamela Northam, former North Carolina governor James B. Hunt, former Mississippi governor Phil Bryant, former Alabama secretary of early childhood education Jeana Ross, The Ounce of Prevention President Diana Rauner, Deputy Director of Early Learning at The Gates Foundation Marquita Davis, Ellen Galinsky (chief science officer of Bezos Family Foundation), Archie Jones (senior lecturer, Harvard Business School), Cindy Cisneros (VP for education programs, Committee for Economic Development), and pediatrician and author Dr. Laura Jana. Closing remarks will be delivered by Professor Howard Gardner of Harvard Graduate School of Education. Abramorama will release the film in virtual cinemas August 14.
July 9
-The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles has announced six recent hires made since January, when Sandra Jackson-Dumont started as director and CEO. The museum, founded by George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson, is currently under construction in Exposition Park and will feature illustrations, paintings, comic art, photography, and an in-depth exploration of the arts of filmmaking The new hires are Pilar Tompkins Rivas, chief curator and deputy director of curatorial and collections; Nenette Luarca-Shoaf, managing director of learning and engagement; Amanda Hunt, director of public programs and creative practice; Anais Disla, director of special events; Larissa Gentile, managing director of special projects; and Erica Neal, director of computing and infrastructure.
June 15
-The Palm Springs Film Society will begin screening a portion of its ShortFest 2020 selections tomorrow. The films will be available to stream at the festival’s website alongside virtual classes and industry panels as part of the annual festival, which runs June 16-22.
June 8
Premiering on ABC: “The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons – Ever!” Premiering on Food: “Duff Takes the Cake,” “Big Time Bake” Premiering on Travel: “Buried Worlds With Don Wildman” Premiering on Spectrum: “L.A.’s Finest”
June 5
Premiering on Netflix: “13 Reasons Why,” “Choked: Paisa Bolta Hai,” “The Last Days of American Crime,” “Queer Eye”
Premiering on LMN: “Deadly Second Chances” Premiering on Apple TV+: “Dear…” Premiering on Comedy Central: “Esther Povitsky: Hot for My Name” Premiering on PBS: “Race Matters: America in Crisis” Premiering on VH1: “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” Premiering on Hulu: “Shirley” Premiering on Cinemax: “Trackers”
June 4
Premiering on Hulu: “And We Go Green” Premiering on Netflix: “Baki,” “Can You Hear Me?” Premiering on Crackle: “The Clearing” Premiering on ID: “Dead Reckoning” Premiering on UP: “Heartland” Premiering on History: “Mountain Men” Premiering on MUBI: “MS Slavic 7” Premiering on Food: “Summer Rush” Premiering on CBS All Access: “The Thomas John Experience”
June 3
Premiering on Netflix: “Spelling the Dream” Premiering on History: “Counting Cars,” “Forged in Fire: Beat the Judges” Premiering on AXS: “Final 24” Premiering on CMT: “CMT Celebrates Our Heroes: An Artists of the Year Special”
June 2
Premiering on ABC: “America in Pain: What Comes Next?” Premiering on ID: “Body Cam,” “The Truth Behind Joe Exotic: The Rick Kirkham Story” Premiering on USA: “Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story” Premiering on Netflix: “Fuller House,” “True: Rainbow Rescue” Premiering on HGTV: “House Hunters: Comedians on Couches” Premiering on TLC: “Outdaughtered”
June 1
Premiering on TLC: “Iconic: TLC” Premiering on Bravo: “Below Deck Mediterranean” Premiering on Acorn: “Seachange” Premiering on ID: “Vanished in New Canaan: An ID Mystery” Premiering on CW: “Iconic: TLC”
May 29
Premiering on Apple TV+: “Central Park” Premiering on Netflix: “Space Force,” “Somebody Feed Phil,” “Kenny Sebastian: The Most Interesting Person in the Room” Premiering on Showtime: “Jesus Trejo: Stay at Home Son” Premiering on CBS: “Haircut Night in America” Premiering on ID: “Little Boy Lost: An ID Mystery” Premiering on Hulu: “Ramy”
May 28
France will reopen its movie theaters nationwide on June 22, confirmed Prime Minister Édouard Philippe. Exhibitors have been drafting guidelines for health and safety in anticipation of welcoming moviegoers back to theaters. Provided the COVID-19 crisis does not present any constraints at the time, the Lumière Festival will take place in theaters as planned from October 10-18, organizers of the Lyon, France-based festival announced. Premiering on Netflix: “Dorohedoro,” “Intuition (La corozonada)” Premiering on Shudder: “Confessional” Premiering on ID: “Who Killed the Co-Ed? An ID Mystery” Premiering on Food: “Questlove’s Potluck”
May 27
Premiering on HBO Max: “On the Record,” “The Not Too Late Show With Elmo,” “Love Life,” “Looney Tunes Cartoons,” “Legendary,” “Craftopia”
Premiering on Netflix: “Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich,” “I’m No Longer Here” Premiering on BET: “American Soul” Premiering on ID: “Disappeared in the Darkness: An ID Mystery” Premiering on CBS: “Game On!” Premiering on Lifetime: “Married at First Sight: Australia” Premiering on ABC: “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” Premiering on Discovery: “Mysteries of the Deep”
May 26
Premiering on NBC: “America’s Got Talent,” “World of Dance” Premiering on ID: “Brittany Murphy: An ID Mystery” Premiering on Netflix: “Hannah Gadsby: Douglas” Premiering on ABC: “The Genetic Detective”
May 24
–The Venice Film Festival is still slated to take place in Italy, September 2-12. The news came from Veneto governor Luca Zaia on May 24, as reported by Deadline, but the festival and its representatives have yet to officially confirm the Lido event is moving ahead as originally planned. Zaia is also on the board of directors of the Biennale di Venezia, which hosts the film festival.
May 22
–Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film is going virtual. The New York festival will offer a program of 30 features and shorts, Q&As, discussion panels, and video greetings from filmmakers during an online program July 17 – 30. Premiering on virtual cinema: “Diana Kennedy: Nothing Fancy” Premiering on Netflix: “Control Z,” “History 101,” “The Lovebirds,” “Selling Sunset,” “Trailer Park Boys: The Animated Series” Premiering on Hulu: “Military Wives,” “The Painter and the Thief” Premiering on Apple TV+: “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet – Quarantine,” Premiering on Disney+: “The Big Fib,” “Marvel’s Future Avengers,” Premiering on LMN: “Black Hearted Killer” Premiering on Discovery: “All on the Line” Premiering on FX: “AKA Jane Roe”
May 21
Premiering on CW: “Burden of Truth” Premiering on NBC: “Celebrity Escape Room,” “Red Nose Day Special” Premiering on Nat Geo: “Heroes of the Sky: The Mighty Eighth Air Force,” “WWI in Europe: Voices From the Front” Premiering on ABC: “Holey Moley,” “To Tell the Truth” Premiering on TruTV: “Impractical Jokers: Dinner Party” Premiering on Fox: “Labor of Love” Premiering on Sundance Now: “Penance” Premiering on Sundance: “The Split”
May 20
Premiering on CW: “The 100” Premiering on TruTV: “At Home With Amy Sedaris” Premiering on ABC: “The Wonderful World of Disney” Premiering on Netflix: “Rebelión de los Godinez,” “The Queen and the Conqueror,” “Blood & Water,” “Ben Platt Live From Radio City Music Hall” Premiering on CNBC: “Jay Leno’s Garage” Premiering on Cooking: “Man Fire Food” Premiering on Lifetime: “Married at First Sight: Couples’ Cam,” “Once Upon a Quarantine” Premiering on Discovery: “Small Town Throwdown”
Premiering on Fox: “Ultimate Tag”
May 19
-The African American Film Critics Association is hosting a series of online events in conjunction with organizations including BAFTA and the Producers Guild of America dubbed AAFCA Strong Summer 2020. One of the first events is a discussion centered around 2008’s “RocknRolla” with co-stars Toby Kebbell and Christopher “Ludacris” Bridges on May 26 at 1 p.m. ET. Other events include a virtual table-read series launching May 28 with participants including Ali LeRoi (“Everybody Hates Chris”), Datari Turner (“Uncorked,” “Growing Up Hip Hop”), DeMane Davis (“Self Made,” “Queen Sugar”) and Michelle Amor (“Of Boys and Men,” “Tupac Shakur: Before I Wake”), and a celebration of LGBTQ pride month on June 28. Details about the Summer Screening Series featuring selections “Punks,” “House Party,” and “Love & Basketball” will be announced soon. More information on the program is available at aafca.com. –“And We Go Green” will premiere on Hulu in the US June 4, producer RadicalMedia announced. The documentary, directed by Oscar winner Fisher Stevens and Malcolm Venville and produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, is focused on the rise of Formula E electric car racing and its impact in combating climate change. –The Locarno Film Festival’s short films section, Pardi di domani, will be included among the projects for “Locarno 2020 – For the Future of Films.” The program of Swiss and international shorts will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year, and will be accessible digitally from August 5 – 15. The online shorts will be limited to 1,590 viewers per film. -Premiering on ABC: “After the Dance with Stephan A. Smith,” “The Story of Soaps” -Premiering on Netflix: “Patton Oswalt: I Love Everything,” “Sweet Magnolias” -Premiering on the CW: “Stargirl”
May 18
-Premiering on Netflix: “The Big Flower Fight” -Premiering on AcornTV: “Dead Still” -Premiering on CW: “Penn & Teller: Try This at Home” -Premiering on Smithsonian: “Private Lives of the Monarchs” -Premiering on FYI: “Sell This House!” -Premiering on MTV/VH1: “St. Louis Superman”
May 15
-Premiering on Showtime: “Basketball County: In the Water” -Premiering on Hulu: “The Great” -Premiering on Discovery: “BattleBots” -Premiering on CBS: “The Greatest #StayatHome Videos,” “Bravery and Hope: 7 Days on the Front Line” -Premiering on Netflix: “White Lines,” “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power,” “Magic for Humans,” “Inhuman Resources,” “I Love You, Stupid,”
-Premiering on LMN: “Engaged to a Psycho” -Premiering on Disney+: “A Dog’s Life with Bill Farmer,” “Fury Files” -Premiering on CW: “Masters of Illusion”
May 14
–The Thessaloniki Documentary Festival will be held online from May 19 – May 28 on its YouTube channel, and feature 210 documentaries from all over the world alongside tributes and panel discussions. –Premiering on Crackle Plus: “Cooped Up” –Premiering on TBS: “The Misery Index” –Premiering on Food: “Restaurant: Impossible” –Premiering on LMN: “Tempted by Danger” –Premiering on Cooking: “Yum and Yummer”
May 13
-As Germany readies to allow film production to restart, Deadline reported “The Matrix 4” hopes to begin production once again in Berlin in early July. The news comes as the cast signed an eight-week extension that keeps them on hold until July 6. The sequel, which reunites director Lana Wachowski with stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, started shooting in February but had to stop work in the German capital amid the pandemic. -Frameline Partners With The Castro Theatre for Pride Showcase. The San Francisco International LGBTQ+ film festival will host a four-day virtual screening series, which will include a sneak preview of “Ahead of the Curve,” a documentary about the long-running lesbian magazine, Curve. Films will screen online from June 25-28, as well as at the West Wind Solana Drive-in Theater in Concord, California. -Disney has again shuffled its theatrical calendar. 20th Century’s Marvel adaptation “The New Mutants,” which has seen its date moved several times, will now be released on August 28 and its animated title “Ron’s Gone Wrong” was moved from February 26, 2021 to April 23, 2021. -Premiering on Lifetime: “Dance Moms: Abby’s Virtual Dance Off” -Premiering on Netflix: “The Wrong Missy”
May 12
–Disney will release its film version of the the Broadway hit “Hamilton” on Disney+ almost 18 months early. The film, starring Lin-Manuel Miranda and the rest of the original Broadway cast, will debut on July 3, 2020. –Premiering on Britbox: “A Confession” –Premiering on ABC: “The Happy Days of Garry Marshall” –Premiering on Nat Geo: “Kingdom of the Mummies” –Premiering on Netflix: “True: Terrific Tales,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend”
May 11
–Premiering on Food: “Bakeaway Camp With Martha Stewart,” “Amy Schumer Learns to Cook” –Premiering on PBS: “Asian Americans” –Premiering on Netflix: “Trial By Media,” “Bordertown,” “Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics” –Premiering on Vice: “F*ck, That’s Delicious,” “Most Expensivest” –Premiering on Acorn TV: “A Royal Tour of the 20th Century”
May 9
-Comic-Con will take its 2020 year edition virtual. Originally slated to kick off in San Diego on July 23, the event will next host an in-person confab July 22 through 25.
May 8
-Premiering on Netflix: “Too Hot to Handle: Extra Hot: The Reunion,” “Restaurants on the Edge,” “Rust Valley Restorers,” “Valeria,” “The Hollow,” “Dead to Me,” “The Eddy,” “18 regali,” “Chico Bon Bon: Monkey with a Tool Belt” -Premiering on Discovery: “Bering Sea Gold” -Premiering on Hulu: “Into the Dark: Delivered,” “Solar Opposites,” “Spaceship Earth”
May 7
–Premiering on Sundance Now: “Bad Mothers” –Premiering on NBC: “Blindspot” –Premiering on Fox: “Celebrity Watch Party” –Premiering on Netflix: “Scissor Seven” –Premiering on BET+: “Tyler Perry’s Bruh” –Premiering on Shudder: “Z”
May 6
–AFI DOCS is going online for the festival’s 18th annual edition. It will run from June 17-21, with films available to view on docs.afi.com, and the opener will be “Boys State,” directed by Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine. –Premiering on Netflix: “Becoming,” “Workin’ Moms” –Premiering on Science: “Building Giants” –Premiering on PBS: “Expedition with Steve Backshall” –Premiering on BET: “The Oval”
May 5
Premiering on Netflix: “Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill” Premiering on Bravo: “Million Dollar Listing: Los Angeles” Premiering on PBS: “The Queen at War” Premiering on TruTV: “Tirdy Works”
May 4
Premiering on Bravo: “Camp Getaway” Premiering on AMC: “Creep Show” Premiering on Acorn TV: “Gold Digger” Premiering on Disney+: “Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian”
May 1
–Premiering on Netflix: “All Day and a Night,” “Almost Happy,” “Get In,” “The Half of It,” “Hollywood,” “Into the Night,” “Medici,” “Mrs. Serial Killer,” “Reckoning.” –Premiering on HBO: “Betty” –Premiering on Disney+: “Prop Culture” –Premiering on MUBI: “Ema” –Premiering on LMN: “A Mother Knows Worst” –Premiering on Apple TV+: “Trying”
April 30
-The Palm Springs Film Society has announced plans for a virtual ShortFest 2020, taking place June 16-22, 2020, with many films available for audiences to stream for free during that time. Winners from the virtual edition will be announced in late June, and become eligible for Academy Awards consideration. More information is available on the festival’s website. –Premiering on NBC: “Council of Dads,” “The Paley Center Salutes Parks and Recreation,” “A Parks and Recreation Special” –Premiering on Netflix: “Dangerous Lies,” “Drifting Dragons,” “The Forest of Love: Deep Cut,” “Ricos de Amor,” “The Victims’ Game” –Premiering on Shudder: “Wolf Creek”
April 29
-The 2020 edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival will be held virtually from August 20 through September 2. The first wave of titles will be announced in late May. -The Brooklyn Film Festival will hold an online version with 140 films viewable for free. The festival’s 23rd edition will run from May 29 to June 7 on its website.
A host of awards will be handed out, including Best Film, Spirit Award, and Audience Award; a total of over $60,000 in cash, products, and services will be given to winning filmmakers. Titles include Iria Gómez Concheiro’s “Before Oblivion,” Catherine Legault’s “Sisters: Dreams & Variations” and Frank Vitale’s “The Erotic Fire of the Unattainable.” –Premiering on Hulu: “Normal People” –Premiering on Netflix: “Nadiya’s Time to Eat,” “Extracurricular,” “Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story,” “A Secret Love,” “Summertime” –Premiering on Travel: “Destination Fear”
April 28
-The 22nd Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, which was postponed, will now take place online from May 19-May 28. The first 400 viewings of each film will be available for free for Greek viewers. -The Beijing International Film Festival is also moving online; streamer iQIYI will start airing the selected films on May 1. –Premiering on HBO: “Autism: The Sequel” –Premiering on History: “Lost Gold of World War II”
April 27
-After being postponed, the Chattanooga Film Festival is planning a four-day virtual festival set for mid-May. The festival’s full lineup of features and shorts will be streamed, while partnerships with tech companies including Microsoft will allow for Q&As, panels, and live events. One-day badges start at $10; it’s $30 for access to the entire program. Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit festival and will be split with filmmakers. The exact dates have not been announced. More info is available on the festival’s website. Premiering on HBO: “Axios” Premiering on Netflix: “Never Have I Ever”
April 23
-The original cast of “Parks and Recreation” will reunite April 30 at 8:30pm ET/PT for a scripted special on how Pawnee’s own Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) stays in contact with her friends in a time of social distancing. The special benefits Feeding America.
April 22
–“They Call Me Dr. Miami,” which was slated to premiere at the Miami International Film Festival in March, will instead bow as a Vimeo rental in a partnership between the Miami festival and the city’s Tower Theater. The documentary will be available for 48 hours starting Saturday leading up to a live Q&A with Dr. Miami himself on Sunday at 6 p.m. EST on the festival’s Instagram. The Jean-Simon Chartier-directed film focuses on Dr. Michael Salzhauer, whose outrageous social media persona includes daily live-streams of graphic plastic surgery procedures. –Premiering on Netflix: “Absurd Planet,” “Circus of Books,” “The Plagues of Breslau,” “The Silence of the Swamp,” “The Willoughbys,” “Win the Wilderness” –Premiering on Nat Geo: “Born Wild: The Next Generation,” “Jane Goodall: The Hope” –Premiering on BBC America: “She Walks With Apes” –Premiering on Travel: “Ghost Nation”
–Premiering on Discovery: “The Great Global Clean Up” –Premiering on PBS: “H20: The Molecule That Made Us” –Premiering on Fox: “The Masked Singer: After the Mask” –Premiering on CW: “People Presents Harry & Meghan: A Royal Rebellion” –Premiering on BET: “Saving Our Selves: A BET COVID-19 Relief Effort”
April 21
–“Jackson” is now available on Vimeo. The abortion-focused documentary will be part of a virtual screening and Q&A event on Sunday, April 26. -Once destined for theaters, Warner Bros.’ “SCOOB!” will instead be released digitally. The Scooby-Doo installment follows another family franchise entry, Universal’s “Trolls World Tour” in foregoing a theatrical release and embracing PVOD. “SCOOB!” will be available to rent for $19.99 and purchase for $24.99 beginning May 15. The animated film stars Will Forte as Shaggy, Gina Rodriguez as Velma, Zac Efron as Fred, Amanda Seyfried as Daphne, and Frank Welker as Scooby. Others lending their voices to the movie include Mark Wahlberg, Jason Isaacs, Ken Jeong, and Tracy Morgan. -A panel discussion with the cast and crew of “Roswell, N.M.” will take place Tuesday, April 21 at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. The event is one of many being planned as part of the charity initiative Cast4Good. The initiative will “raise vital funds for charitable organizations and their efforts towards COVID-19 relief.” -Abramorama, Butlerfilms, and Contemporary Dialogs will host a Facebook Live screening of “American Heretics: The Politics of The Gospel” on April 25 at 4 p.m. EST, followed by a panel with the film’s cast, hosted All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The acclaimed documentary explores the contentious and misunderstood history of religion, race, and politics in America and features a group of defiant ministers in the Bible Belt who challenge deeply rooted fundamentalist Christian doctrine. Watch here. –Michael Moore dropped his latest documentary “Planet of the Humans” on Earth Day. The film is available for the next 30 days on Moore’s personal YouTube channel. The film first screened as a work-in-progress print at the Traverse City Film Festival and focuses on how human decisions have failed to stop climate change. –Premiering on A&E: “Accused: Guilty or Innocent?” –Premiering on CBS: “Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince” –Premiering on Netflix: “Middleditch & Schwartz”, “Nicky Jam: El Ganador”
April 20
–The Venice Film Festival is staying on course for its 77th edition, planned for a September 2-12, 2020 run. Roberto Cicutto of the Venice Biennale told an Italian news organization there there were no plans to collaborate with the twice-delayed Cannes Film Festival after the idea was floated by that festival’s director Thierry Fremaux earlier this year.
-“The Lovebirds”, starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae, will debut on Netflix on May 22. It was original set to debut on April 3 via Paramount. –Premiering on Netflix: “The Midnight Gospel”, “Cooked With Cannabis” –Premiering on Acorn TV: “Balthazar”
April 17
–Premiering on AMC: “Friday Night In With the Morgans” –Premiering on Netflix: “Sergio”, “Too Hot to Handle”, “Betonrausch”, “#blackAF”, “Earth and Blood” “The Last Kids on Earth”, “Legacy in the Bones” –Premiering on Apple TV+: “Home”, “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth” –Premiering on LMN: “Killer Dream House”
April 16
–Disney announced that “Artemis Fowl” will begin streaming on Disney+ on June 12. Disney previously announced that the film would skip its theatrical run. -The documentary “Too Beautiful – Our Right to Fight” is now available on Vimeo, Vudu, and iTunes. –Premiering today on CW: “In the Dark” –Premiering today on ABC: “The Disney Family Singalong” –Premiering today on Netflix: “Fary: Hexagone (Part 2)”; “Fauda”; “Mauricio Meirelles: Levando o Caos”
April 15
–Premiering today on ABC: “American Housewives” –Premiering today on Netflix: “The Innocence Files” –Premiering today on Hulu: “Mrs. America” –Premiering today on AXS: “The Big Interview with Dan Rather” –Premiering today on ID: “Deadly Recall” –Premiering today on FX: “What We Do in the Shadows” –Premiering today on Bravo: “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” –Premiering today on HGTV: “Property Brothers: Forever Home”
April 14
-Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna’s traveling documentary festival, Ambulante Gira de Documentales, will offer an online program that runs from April 29 to May 28. The program will be available for free in Mexico via the festival’s website. A different documentary will be released each day and will be available for 24 hours. The films will be accompanied by Q&A sessions, nightly talks with filmmakers, and other discussions. The full schedule for Ambulante en Casa will be announced April 21. –Premiering today on Netflix: “Chris D’Elia: No Pain” –Premiering today on Discovery: “Deadliest Catch”, ‘Deadliest Catch: Bloodline” –Premiering today on WarnerMedia properties, including HBO, TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network: “Sesame Street: Elmo’s Playdate”
April 13
–Lionsgate will be streaming one of its popular movies every Friday for the next four weeks. The studio will team with Fandango and YouTube to livestream “The Hunger Games,” “Dirty Dancing,” “La La Land,” and “John Wick.” The movies will be available on Lionsgate’s YouTube page and Fandango’s Movieclips YouTube page.
-The Sarasota Film Festival will offer an online program April 27 – May 3. The festival will offer screenings, Q&As, and other live events. Tickets can be purchased and films viewed through the festival’s app. More information will soon be available on its website. –Premiering on TBS: “American Dad!” –Premiering on ABC: “The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart”, “The Baker and the Beauty” –Premiering on PBS: “Bedlam” –Premiering on A&E: “Biography: Kenny Rogers”, “Merle Haggard: Salute to A Country Legend” –Premiering on E!: “Botched” –Premiering on HGTV: “Celebrity IOU” –Premiering on Cooking: “Good Eats: Reloaded” –Premiering on Spectrum: “Paradise Lost” –Premiering on NBC: “Songland” –Premiering on VH1: “T.I. & Tiny: Friends and Family Hustle” –Premiering on Fox: “TMZ Investigates: Tiger King – What Really Went Down” –Premiering on Acorn: “Vintage Roads Great and Small”
April 10
–Premiering on Netflix: “L.A. Originals”, “Love Wedding Repeat”, “The Main Event”, “Tigertail”, “Time to Hunt”, “The Trial (Il process0)” –Premiering on Disney+: “Maggie Simpson in ‘Playdate With Destiny” –Premiering on YouTube: “Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert” –Premiering on HGTV: “Selling the Big Easy”
April 9
–Apple will begin offering free streaming for a variety of its Apple TV+ shows on Friday, including “Little America,” “Servant,” “The Elephant Queen,” “For All Mankind,” “Dickinson,” “Helpsters,” “Ghostwriter,” and “Snoopy in Space.” –Premiering on Netflix: “The Circle: France”, “Hi Score Girl” –Premiering on CBS All Access: “The Good Fight” –Premiering on MTV: “Families of the Mafia” –Premiering on Oxygen: “Mark of a Killer” –Premiering on Vice: “Shelter in Place With Shane Smith” –Premiering on TNT: “Shaq Life’
April 8
-The Midwest iteration of Tribeca Film Institute’s If/Then Shorts Program, which awards $25,000 and year-round mentorship to a filmmaker, is going virtual. Six short documentary filmmakers earlier this year were selected to compete in a pitch competition, which was set to occur at the Cleveland International Film Festival. Now, they’ll present their projects to a jury of filmmakers, industry leaders, and programmers on a Zoom webinar April 16 from 2 to 4 p.m. ET. “Once we found out that Cleveland International Film Festival was canceled, we knew we were going virtual,” said program director Chloe Gbai. “I think the worst thing the industry can do right now is stop the flow of money to filmmakers.” The online format will allow for audience participation and a presentation to a wider audience, she said. The directors in competition and their projects, all with connections to the Midwest, are Hao Zhou (“Comrades of the Midwest”), Naeema Torres and Amber Love (“The House on the Hill”), Suzanne Jurva (“Memory Camp”), Elizabeth Scheltens (“Right to Flourish”), James Christenson (“To Be Reconciled”), and Paul Syznol’s “A Peaceful Place.”
-Artist Relief, which bills itself as the first national, multi-disciplinary direct-to-artist relief fund, launched today with $10 million in funding for $5,000 unrestricted grants for filmmakers, painters, musicians, poets, and others facing financial emergencies due to the impact of the coronavirus. The program, made up of a coalition of grant-makers consisting of Academy of American Poets, Artadia, Creative Capital, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, MAP Fund, National Young Arts Foundation, and United States Artists, was created with a $5 million seed gift from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to match an initial $5 million in funding from a long list of foundations. -SeriesFest will take place as scheduled from June 18-24, but will transition to a virtual event with all panels, competitions and premieres available online. In the buildup to the event, SeriesFest will be hosting virtual writers rooms, creator hangouts, network watch parties, and Pitch-A-Thons. –Premiering today on ABC: “A Modern Farewell”, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” –Premiering today on A&E: “Celebrity Ghost Stories”, “Ghost Hunters” –Premiering today on Sundance: “Liar” –Premiering today on FYI: “The Liquidator”
April 7
–BlackStar Film Festival has announced new hires and grants amid fast growth. It’s still scheduled to run July 30 to August 2 in Philadelphia. In a first for the organization, BlackStar has hired four full-time, year-round staffers who are joining founder, Artistic Director, and CEO Maori Karmael Holmes: Program Director Nehad Khader, Operations Director Lauren Hunter, Communications Director Imran Siddiquee, and Administrative Coordinator Kira Rodriguez. Additionally, the festival has has been awarded two grant awards: $500,000 over three years from the Surdna Foundation and an additional $11,000 this year from the Philadelphia Cultural Fund. -Indie streaming service MUBI has announced its slate of exclusive online premieres for April: Camila José Donoso’s “Nona, If They Soak Me, I’ll Burn Them,” is available now. Experimental animator Jodie Mack’s “The Grand Bizarre” drops April 9, “Ghost Town Anthology” from genre-bending Québécois filmmaker Denis Côté will be available April 21, and Alexander Zolotukhin’s highly stylized “A Russian Youth” will premiere April 30. Other exclusives include a slate of three recent Canadian films: Chloé Robichaud’s “Delphine” (April 16), Zacharias Kunuk’s “One Day in the Life of Noah Piugattuk” (April 17), and Chang Yung’s “This Is Not a Movie” (April 18). –Premiering on HGTV: “Bargain Mansions” –Premiering on Discovery: “Before the Catch” –Premiering on Pop: “Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt’s Creek Farewell” –Premiering on PBS: “The Gene: An Intimate History”
–Premiering on TBS: “The Last O.G.” –Premiering on Netflix: “Terrace House: Tokyo 2019-2020” –Premiering on CBS All Access: “Tooning Out the News”
April 6
-Bleecker Street will launch a virtual screening of “The Roads Not Taken” on April 10. Screenings will cost viewers $12 and will make the film available in a three-day viewing window. More information is available at bleeckerstreetmedia.com.
April 2
–Premiering on Acorn TV: “Deadwater Fell” –Premiering on Bravo: “Camp Getaway” –Premiering on Netflix: “The Big Show Show” –Premiering on PBS: “Broken Places” –Premiering on ABC: “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Secrets & Surprises”
April 2
-Focus Features is launching “Movie Mondays,” free Facebook livestreams of classic films. The current schedule will feature “Gosford Park,” “Moonrise Kingdom,” “Mallrats,” and “My Summer of Love.” –IFC Center in Manhattan, like other theaters, may be closed, but it’s moving forward with an online version of its signature short film programming with “Wish We Were Here: Shorts by IFC Center Staff.” Documentaries, comedies, dramas, animated shorts, and experimental work from the ushers, cashiers, managers, and projectionists who staff the theater will be presented at ifccenter.com, with a different film available for free every few days. It launched March 31 with Joe Stankus’ “Marquee,” a black-and-white visit with the now-retired longtime IFC Center usher Larry Alaimo as he changes the letters on the theater’s marquee and reminisces about his life at the cinema. –Premiering on E: “Total Bellas” –Premiering on Bravo: “The Real Housewives of New York City” –Premiering on Freeform: “Siren” –Premiering on Science: “Black Files Declassified”, “Mysteries of the Deep” –Premiering on ID: “If I Should Die” –Premiering on CBS: “Broke”, “Man With a Plan” –Premiering on ABC: “How to Get Away With Murder” –Premiering on LMN: “His Fatal Fixation” –Premiering on Shudder: “Cursed Films”
April 1
-The Ashland Independent Film Festival will relaunch as a three-week virtual event that will feature over 75 films, which will beginning streaming statewide on May 22. –Premiering on Netflix: “The Iliza Schlesinger Sketch Show”, “David Batra: Elefanten I Rummet”, “How to Fix a Drug Scandal”, “Nailed It”, “Sunderland ‘Til I Die” –Premiering on Discovery: “Legends of the Wild”, “Bering Sea Gold” –Premiering on Comedy Central: “Crank Yankers” –Premiering on ABC: “David Blaine: The Magic Way”
–Premiering on MTV: “The Challenge: Total Madness” –Premiering on CBS: “Garth & Trisha Live!” –Premiering on Bounce: “In the Cut” –Premiering on Zune: “Police WoMan” –Premiering on ID: “See No Evil”
March 31
-The American Film Institute has launched AFI Movie Club, a daily virtual gathering for film lovers. Steven Spielberg introduced the club’s first movie, the classic “The Wizard of Oz.” Each day’s featured film will be accompanied by fun facts, discussion points and material from the AFI Archive. –Premiering on TLC: “7 Little Johnstons”, “Little People, Big World” –Premiering on OWN: “If Loving You Is Wrong” –Premiering on NBC: “NBC News Special Report: Coronavirus Pandemic” –Premiering on HBO: “The Scheme” –Premiering on History: “The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch”
March 30
–All four seasons of “Battlestar Galactica” and “The Plan” and “Razor” films are available to stream for free on Syfy. –Premiering on ABC: “Celebrity Family Feud” –Premiering on CBS: “Homefest: James Corden’s Late Late Show Special” –Premiering on Discovery: “Driven”, “Fast N’ Loud” –Premiering on Acorn TV: “The Schouwendam 12” –Premiering on Nickelodeon: “#KidsTogether: The Nickelodeon Town Hall” –Premiering on WGN: “Almost Paradise”
March 27
–Premiering today on Netflix: “Car Masters: Rust to Riches”, “The Decline”, “Dragons: Rescue Riders: Hunt for the Golden Dragon”, “Il processo”, “Maska”, “Ozark”, “Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts” “True: Wuzzle Wegg Day”, “Uncorked” –Premiering today on Hulu: “Baghdad Central” –Premiering today on WE: “Mama June: Family Crisis” –Premiering today on PBS: “Somewhere South” –Premiering today on SyFy: “Vagrant Queen”
March 26
–Jane Fonda and Greenpeace’s Fire Drill Friday climate activism rallies are going virtual. Fonda will be hosting monthly virtual rallies and additional programming every month on Fridays to continue encouraging politicians to adopt a Green New Deal, end new fossil fuels, and transition to a renewable economy that protects workers and communities. The first event will be held on Friday, March 27 at 11 a.m. PST and will feature a Q&A with Fonda and Senator Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) about COVID-19 and the climate crisis. The first virtual Fire Drill Friday rally will be held on Friday, April 3 at 11 a.m. PST. IndieWire spoke to Fonda earlier this year about bringing Fire Drill Fridays to Los Angeles and the importance of climate activism. –Showtime’s “Desus & Mero” will be coming back with new episodes filmed from the hosts’ homes starting Monday, March 30. –Premiering today on Netflix: “7SEEDS”, “Unorthodox” –Premiering today on Food: “The Great Food Truck Race” –Premiering today on E!: “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”
–Premiering today on HBO: “Kill Chain: The Cyber War on America’s Elections” –Premiering today on Science: “Mysteries of the Abandoned” –Premiering today on TruTV: “Tacoma FD”
March 25
-The 29th Annual Aspen Shortsfest is the latest festival to go the virtual route. It will be presented online in its entirety March 31 to April 5 through a partnership with streaming platform Festival Scope. “Our goal from the minute we made this decision (to cancel the in-person festival) was to figure out a way to still present this incredible work. We are an Oscar-qualifier and by offering a private festival, all of the selected films are still eligible,” said Aspen Film Executive and Artistic Director Susan Wrubel. “In addition, our generous jury has agreed to review the full festival virtually and adjudicate on awards. Each of our Shortsfest awards comes with a cash prize, which in this climate is a huge boon for filmmakers.” Viewers have two options: Purchase access codes to screen program blocks consisting of multiple films ($10 per block, $7.50 for Aspen Film members, $5 for students) or buy access to all nine blocks ($75, $60 for Aspen Film members, $45 for students). Tickets are available at AspenShowTix.com or calling 970-920-5770. –NEON has acquired worldwide distribution rights to Amy Seimetz’s “She Dies Tomorrow.” The film was an official SXSW selection and screened for critics in New York and LA to acclaim even following the cancellation of the festival. Described as “an apocalyptic existential thriller,” the movie stars Kate Lyn Sheil (who previously appeared in Seimetz’s “Sun Don’t Shine” and in a supporting role in her series “The Girlfriend Experience”) as a woman suddenly gripped by the idea that she is going to die tomorrow, a feeling she passes on to those around her such as her friend Jane (Jane Adams). In an A- review declaring “She Dies Tomorrow” to be a Critic’s Pick, IndieWire Chief Critic Eric Kohn said the film “combines classic David Cronenberg body horror with the scathing surrealism of Luis Buñuel… Seimetz has conjured a beguiling narrative so tapped into the current worldwide panic that it might have been made in its aftermath.” The deal was negotiated by Jeff Deutchman, and NEON will issue its release plans at a later date. –Premiering on Netflix: “Crip Camp”, “Curtiz”, “The Occupant: Hogar”, “YooHoo to the Rescue” –Premiering on CMT: “CMT Crossroads: Halsey & Kelsea Ballerini” –Premiering on PBS: “Earth’s Sacred Wonders” –Premiering on Smithsonian: “Humboldt: Epic Explorer” –Premiering on History: “Eating History” -Premiering on Discovery/Science: “Pandemic: COVID-19”
March 24
-The 16th edition of the Fantaspoa Film Festival has been postponed to sometime between October and December, if deemed safe at that time. The festival is launching a “Fantaspoa at Home” initiative on April 1, which it bills as a free digital platform that will stream select feature films from the festival’s prior 15 events. The platform will be available at https://www.fantaspoaathome.com/.
-After the cancellation of this year’s TCM Classic Movies Film Festival in Los Angeles the network is dedicating April 16-19 to a slate of programming entitled TCM Classic Film Festival: Special Home Edition. The four day tribute will screen four features initially slated to play at the festival down in Hollywood, as well as a host of other movies that have played at earlier festivals. Special video introductions have been filmed with director Peter Bogdanovich with airings of past TCM Film Festival interviews with stars Faye Dunaway, Luise Rainer, and Eva Marie Saint. -The 2020 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony has been rescheduled for November 7. It will be broadcast live from the Public Auditorium in Cleveland at 8 p.m. ET on HBO. –Premiering today on NBC: “Council of Dads” –Premiering today on Pop: “One Day at a Time” –Premiering today on PBS: “East Lake Meadows: A Public Housing Story” –Premiering today on Vice: “Dark Side of the Ring” –Premiering today on Netflix: “Tom Segura: Ball Hog”
March 23
–Premiering today on Netflix: “Freud”, “Sol Levante” –Premiering today on Discovery: “Street Outlaws: Memphis” –Premiering today on Acorn: “Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears” –Premiering today on Nat Geo Wild: “The Hidden Kingdoms of China” –Premiering today on Disney: “Sydney to the Max”
March 20
–“The Lovebirds” has been picked up by Netflix, though the release date is still undetermined. The SXSW premiere of “The Lovebirds” was cancelled along with the festival and the film’s original April 3 release date was axed shortly after. -Paramount Pictures’ winter favorite “Sonic the Hedgehog” will be available for digital purchase on March 31, followed by rental and disc on May 19. It’s the highest-opening video game movie in the U.S. -Disney and Pixar’s “Onward” is skipping the rest of its theatrical window and becoming available for digital purchase tonight at 8:00pm ET. It will then arrive on Disney+ on April 3, many months ahead of schedule. “While we’re looking forward to audiences enjoying our films on the big screen again soon, given the current circumstances, we are pleased to release this fun, adventurous film to digital platforms early for audiences to enjoy from the comfort of their homes,” said Dan Scanlon (Director, “Onward”) and Kori Rae (Producer, “Onward”). –Premiering today on Netflix: “Archibald’s Next Big Thing”, “The English Game”, “Buddi”, “Dino Girl Gauko”, “Ultras”, “Tiger King”, “Self Made: Inspired By the Life of Madam C.J. Walker”, “Maska”, “The Platform”, “A Life of Speed: The Juan Manuel Fangio Story”, “Greenhouse Academy”, “A Letter for the King”
–Premiering today on Disney: “Descendants Remix Dance Party” –Premiering today on Disney+: “Disney Insider” –Premiering today on NBC: “The Blacklist” –Premiering today on PBS: “Great Performances: Turandot” –Premiering today on Hulu: “Margaret Atwood: A Word After A Word After A Word Is Power” –Premiering today on LMN: “My Daughter’s Psycho Friend”
March 19
-The Ben Affleck-led “The Way Back” will be available for digital purchase starting March 24 for $19.99. The movie premiered in theaters on March 6. -Despite canceling its 63rd edition, which was set to run April 8 through 21, SFFILM’s San Francisco International Film Festival has announced its lineup. “While we are heartbroken that we are unable to hold the Festival itself, we are planning new ways to keep our audiences entertained, inspired, and engaged with each other,” said SFFILM executive director Anne Lai. Altogether, the planned fest features 154 films, kicking off with “Boys State” and wrapping with “Bad Education.” View the full lineup via the festival’s website. -After its planned theatrical rollout was thwarted by theaters closing their doors, Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company will release the faith-based film “I Still Believe” on premium VOD platforms on March 27. The cast includes KJ Apa, Shania Twain, and Gary Sinise. Normally, PVOD offers audiences a chance to pay more than they typically would for a movie before it leaves theaters or is available for as a regular rental/on Blu-ray. But as theaters around the country have closed their doors, potentially for several months, studios have begun to find radical new applications for the concept in this unprecedented time. Lionsgate’s announcement comes as Universal will make available the already-opened “Emma,” “The Hunt,” and “The Invisible Man” for a 48-hour rental for $19.99 starting Friday. There’s no word yet how much “I Still Believe” will cost. –Premiering today on Netflix: “Feel Good”, “Altered Carbon: Resleeved” –Premiering today on HBO: “After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News” –Premiering today on Bravo: “Top Chef” –Premiering today on NBC: “NBC News Special Report: Coronavirus Pandemic” –Premiering today on BET+: “Ruthless” –Premiering today on Sundance Now: “The Restaurant”
March 18
–“Conan” will begin airing new episodes on TBS on March 30. The new episodes are reportedly being shot on iPhones and without audiences. Guest interviews will be filmed via video chat and the show’s production staff will continue working from home. “The quality of my work will not go down because technically that’s not possible,” O’Brien said in a statement. -The Vin Diesel-led action film “Bloodshot” will be available for digital purchase on March 24 for $19.99. The film hit theaters on March 13.
-The Museum of the Moving Image’s First Look Festival, set for earlier this month, was canceled, but at least one of its screenings is moving online. Maya Daisy Hawke will debut her third interactive social media video novel, “Unfated Yet,” on Facebook Live March 19 at 5 p.m. ET. Featuring Werner Herzog, the project is a “screen-sharing meditation on the present moment, and the unknowability of interiority.” It was set to debut as a work-in-progress during First Look’s “Working on It” series. -Though the Cannes Film Festival and the Marche du Film have not been canceled, the Cannes market has announced it will set up a virtual market from May 12-23 to run alongside the in-person market. The effort will allow companies to screen acquisitions titles and promo reels and conduct video conferences. Cannes organizers have been steadfast in their decision not to cancel the festival at this point, but it’s looking increasingly likely the event will be called off. Organizers say the online market is meant to help industry players who can’t attend the festival. But laying the groundwork for the plan, backed by the major agencies, is an important step in keeping alive the important business value Cannes plays even if the festival is canceled. -At noon today Animal Planet is starting a 94-hour “Too Cute!” marathon to celebrate the Spring Solstice. The network promises to feature “furry felines and teacup pigs to playful puppies and rambunctious rabbits” during the marathon of the two-time Emmy nominated show, which originally ran from 2011-2016. –Premiering today on Hulu: “Little Fires Everywhere” –Premiering today on Freeform: “Motherland: Fort Salem” –Premiering today on IFC: “Brockmire” –Premiering today on Travel: “True Terror With Robert Englund”
March 17
-The release of Annie Silverstein’s “Bull” has been delayed but will release on VOD and digital platforms on May 1. The drama film was originally scheduled to hit theaters on March 20. -The 18th Garden State Film Festival is going the streaming route. Planned for March 26-29 in Asbury Park, New Jersey, the festival will stream its program of over 240 films over four days to ticket holders. Films including opening night movie “Team Macro” and the Quentin Tarantino documentary “QT8: The First Eight” will stream live during the time they were originally planned to screen in person. “We believe the opportunity to venture into a new digital frontier can serve as a blueprint for festivals worldwide and we look forward to bringing global film fans GSFF 2020 through online and virtual exposures,” festival Executive Director Lauren Concar Sheehy said. -The 60th Monte-Carlo Television Festival released a statement that they are on course for the event to be held in June 2020. “With the measures taken so far by different countries and the Monte-Carlo Television Festival being held in three months, we can be confident that the organization of the 60th edition will not be impacted,” according to the organization’s press release. “Unless otherwise advised by the Monegasque authorities, and depending on the evolution of the epidemic, the Monte-Carlo Television Festival will tak eplace from 19th to 23rd June at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.”
–Premiering today on Netflix: “Bert Kreischer: Hey Big Boy”, “Shaun the Sheep: Adventures from Mossy Bottom” –Premiering today on Comedy Central: “Crank Yankers”, “Tosh.0” –Premiering today on Food: “Supermarket Stakeout” –Premiering today on PBS: “Niall Ferguson’s Networld”
March 16
–Magnolia Pictures is offering an annual subscription of its “DOX” documentary channel to new subscribers for $14.99, half of its regular price. The channel offers documentaries and docuseries from celebrated filmmakers. The offer is valid through the end of March. –Shudder is offering a 30-day free trial of its horror and thriller streaming service. The service, from AMC Networks, typically offers a seven-day trial, but you’ll get a whole month for free if you use the promo code “SHUTIN.” The service offers horror classics like “Halloween” and “Night of the Living Dead,” a full slate of original series, and exclusive newer films including “Tigers Are Not Afraid.” -Organizers ended the 37th Miami Film Festival four days early, on March 12, but they’re still planning on handing out awards. There’s one exception: the Documentary Achievement Award, voted on by audiences, will not be awarded. Instead, the Toyota Feature Film Audience Award, originally intended just for narratives, will be altered to include documentaries screened before the festival’s closure. Twenty-one of the festival’s 87 features and six of its 48 shorts didn’t have a chance to screen to the public. Juries will finish watching the remainder of the films online. The festival earlier presented $42,500 in cash awards for Florida film students as part of the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Family Foundation Cinemaslam Competition. The overall winner was “Celestial” by Bruklyn Miller from the New York Film Academy, Miami Beach, who received $7,500. -Per Shout Factory TV: “TokuSHOUTsu, a free streaming channel, debuts on PlutoTV this Tuesday, March 17. TokuSHOUTsu will be an incredible at-home digital destination for the imaginative worlds of tokusatsu, the revolutionary Japanese entertainment genre known for its unique special effects and epic battles. TokuSHOUTsu will be on Channel 681 in the Tech + Geek section of PlutoTV.” -The National Football League announced that it intends to keep the 2020 season on its previously planned schedule, which includes the free agency period for players opening this week. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the National Football League’s Players Association approved the start since this part of the NFL year does not need to be conducted face-to-face; all deal negotiations on players’ behalf can be conducted remotely. –Premiering today on HBO: “My Brilliant Friend: The Story of a New Name”; “The Plot Against America” –Premiering today on Netflix: “The Boss Baby: Back in Business”
–Premiering today on CW: “Roswell, New Mexico”; “Supernatural” –Premiering today on Fox: “9-1-1” –Premiering today on VH1: “Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta” –Premiering today on CBS All Access: “Tooning Out the News”
March 15
-Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns has asked PBS stream his film “Baseball.” Watch it here or on any streaming device. -On Sunday at 3 p.m. EDT, “The Silent Comedy Watch Party” will feature two one-reel comedy shorts with live piano accompaniment. Film introductions will be done by author Steve Massa.
March 14
-The Metropolitan Opera in New York will begin live-streaming performances for free via its website nightly, starting on Monday, March 16. The performances were previously captured and aired in theaters as part of the opera house’s Live in HD series.
March 13
–“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” is available for digital purchase on several retailers, including Vudu, FandangoNOW, and iTunes. The film was previously expected to release digitally on March 17. –Disney is releasing”Frozen 2″ on Disney+ on Sunday, March 15, three months earlier than initially expected. –The first-unit Australian production of Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” has reportedly been suspended as director Destin Daniel Cretton self-isolates while awaiting the results of a coronavirus test. However, the second unit and other parts of the production are moving ahead. The news comes as Disney has suspended production on many of its other live-action films, including Guillermo del Toro’s Searchlight thriller “Nightmare Alley.” While the studio hasn’t pushed back releases for those films still in production, the fact that the second unit is still working on “Shang-Chi” could mean that a release delay is even less likely for the superhero film starring Simu Liu, Awkwafina, and Tony Leung, slated to hit theaters Feb. 12, 2021. –Movie theaters are still open, but in many cases operating at reduced capacity. AMC Theatres and Regal, the country’s two largest chains with a total 1,200 locations, announced they will reduce capacity of their auditoriums by at least 50%. The move is meant to heed orders from governors in California and New York to limit gatherings to 250 and 500 people, respectively, and comes after major Canadian chain Cineplex announced a similar policy. –Comcast Cable is offering low-income families discounted internet so they can stay connected as self-quarantine procedures go into effect. “For millions of low-income Americans who don’t have Internet service at home, this uncertain time is going to be even more difficult to manage. As schools and businesses close and families are encouraged, or even mandated, to stay home, Internet connectivity becomes even more important,” Comcast said in a prepared statement. Low-income families in Comcast’s service area can sign up for 60 days of their “Internet Essentials” package for free. They’re also increasing internet speeds for all customers, new and old, who purchase the service.
–Premiering today on Netflix: “100 Humans,” “Beastars,” “Bloodride,” Élite” — a Spanish teen soap, which, the worldliest, coolest kids in my Twitter feed say is a must to watch; plus “Go Karts,” “Kingdom,” “The Valhalla Murders,” and “Women of the Night” –Premiering today on Disney+: “Stargirl” — check out IndieWire’s coverage here with director Julia Hart, who explains how she feels streaming services are a way to save indie film. –Premiering today on Pop TV: “Flack,” with the six-episode season available to stream in its entirety besides airing a new episode weekly on linear Pop TV. –Premiering today on Discovery: “Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail” –Premiering today on Travel: “Portals to Hell” (No judgment, but geez, read the room, Travel.) –Premiering today on LMN: “No Good Deed Goes Unpunished” –It’s unrealistic that SXSW 2020 will be rescheduled, organizers wrote in a blog post Thursday. But some important elements for the entertainment industry are moving forward. The festival will still hand out film awards. All films will remain eligible for Independent Spirit Awards, and the short films from the lineup will continue to qualify for the Academy Awards. Those who purchased a badge for this year’s festival can transfer it to 2021, 2022, or 2023. The festival on Friday launched a press and industry streaming platform to screen some film and TV entries. Additionally, many film representatives have made available links to stream movies that were set to screen in Austin, giving publications a chance to cover and review films and offer prospective buyers a chance to consider them for acquisition. Meantime, unofficial parties and events planned in conjunction with SXSW are still happening. That includes a cadre of music events. Among the small number of Austin film screenings still happening include the premiere of Caleb Michael Johnson’s “The Carnivores,” set for this weekend. –The wheelers, dealers, and mercenaries of the business are grinding on. Starting this week, or on March 16 at the latest, the following agencies are instituting a work from home policy: CAA, Gersh, UTA, Paradigm, ICM, Abrams, BRS/Gage, and Global Artists Agency.
–Mole people gonna mole. Raise a glass in particular for the editors at the above entities and in post production houses around the city who continue to eschew daylight (and germs) from the comfort of their edit bays. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
