ISSA RAE INKS MEGA-DEAL: Issa Rae has signed a major eight-figure deal with WarnerMedia, Variety reports. The five-year deal brings her Hoorae media label to the party, giving HBO, HBO Max and Warner Bros. television exclusive rights to Rae’s work in TV, plus a first-look film deal that spans WarnerMedia brands, including Warner Bros. Pictures Group, New Line and HBO Max. She signed an overall two-year deal with HBO in 2016, ahead of Insecure’s bow. They renewed the agreement in 2018.
SHAZAM! SEQUEL ENLISTS HELEN MIRREN: Helen Mirren is joining DC’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods, as Hespera, the daughter of Atlas. She joins Rachel Zegler, who is also starring in Steven Spielberg's upcoming West Side Story.
BAFTA ANNOUNCES CO-HOSTS: Clara Amfo, Edith Bowman and Dermot O’Leary will host the BAFTA Film Awards, which will take place over a weekend on April 10th and 11th. Amfo, a popular BBC Radio 1 presenter, will kick things off on the 10th, with a panel of as-yet-unannounced guests, and Bowman and O’Leary hosting the second night of the awards, on April 11th. Rocks and Nomadland lead nominations.
PETER FARRELLY RECRUITS ZAC EFRON, RUSSELL CROWE: Peter Farrelly is following up the Oscar-winning Green Book with The Greatest Beer Run Ever. Zac Efron, Russell Crowe and Bill Murray are in talks to star. Beer Run will follow a misguided beer delivery to pals fighting in Vietnam, circa 1967. Production is set to commence in August in New Zealand or Australia.