Variety

NBC News is gearing up to cover two sprawling Democratic debates. But the trappings around them may remind viewers of another network staple: “Sunday Night Football.” NBCUniversal will televise debates among the Democratic candidates for U.S.

Huayi Brothers’ stock fell by more than 8% on Wednesday, the day after the veteran Chinese studio announced that its new war epic, “The Eight Hundred,” will not hit Chinese theaters as scheduled next week.

Michael Palin will exec-produce series of radio specials containing never-before-released audio from Monty Python as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations for the iconic comedy troupe. They will play on the BBC in the U.K.More | Talk | Read It Later | Share

MTV has announced that comedian, actor and best-selling author Sebastian Maniscalco will host the 2019 “VMAs” live from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Monday, Aug. 26. Last year, Maniscalco published his best selling book “Stay Hungry,” followed by a stand up tour of the same name.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, two of Hollywood’s most prolific ultra high-end house flippers, have put their oceanfront estate in Carpinteria, Calif., up for sale at $24 million, a 29% increase above the $18.6 million the property mad couple paid for the one-plus acre spread not even two years ago.

Bette Midler is set to appear at New York’s Pride Main Event this Saturday (June 29) at the Javits Center. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, she’ll perform a song accompanied by composer Marc Shaiman, of “Hairspray” and “Mary Poppins Returns” fame.More | Talk | Read It Later | Share

Lawsuits have been filed asking the Universal Music Group to come up with a complete accounting of recordings lost in the 2008 fire on the studio lot that destroyed untold thousands of master recordings, and UMG is unlikely to comply with those requests soon, for any number of practical or legal reasons.

In this week’s edition of the Variety Movie Commercial Tracker, powered by the always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company iSpot.tv, Twentieth Century Fox claims the top spot in spending with “Stuber.” Ads placed for the comedy had an estimated media value of $4.91 million through Sunday for 1,325 national ad airings on 42 networks.

The Raconteurs came to iHeartRadio’s theater in New York City’s Tribeca neighborhood Monday night for a record release party for their first album in a decade, “Help Us Stranger” — and, during a Q&A that came during a performance intermission, faced questions about whether they intend to get back on a more regular studio timetable.

Steve Martin has hung a not-quite $2.15 million price tag on the smaller of his two residences that are discreetly tucked into a little-known Beverly Hills, Calif., cul-de-sac in the ruggedly ritzy mountains between Coldwater and Laurel Canyons.