AMC MAKES POWER MOVE: AMC became North America’s largest theater owner when it shelled out $1.2 billion four years ago to purchase Carmike; but the chain had to divest theaters in 15 markets to win regulatory approval. Now, as coronavirus threatens the industry, AMC hopes to regain what’s lost by filing a motion in a D.C. federal court seeking permission to take on 10 theaters in nine states. “The degree of economic hardship currently being experienced by AMC, New Vision, and the entire theatre exhibition industry is a unique changed circumstance that could not have been anticipated at the time the Final Judgment was entered,” states the motion, according to The Hollywood Reporter. AMC’s motion is unopposed, meaning the Department of Justice is likely on board.
AYO EDEBIRI TO REPLACE JENNY SLATE ON BIG MOUTH: Two months after Jenny Slate announced she would no longer voice the biracial character Missy on the animated Big Mouth, Netflix has found her replacement in writer and comedian Ayo Edebiri. “I was definitely a very uncomfortable child, so I think the show speaks to that and a lot of those feelings, which still resonate with me as an adult,” Edebiri tells Variety. “I’m back home in my childhood bedroom right now and on my bookshelf in between ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ is Bill Clinton‘s autobiography and Nelson Mandela‘s autobiography and a translation of ‘The Iliad’ in Latin. I was a true dork. So I don’t think I have to go too far to connect with Missy.”
HOWARD LEE TEASES MORE 90 DAY FIANCE: TLC‘s President Howard Lee has said that more spin-offs are in the works for ratings juggernaut 90 Day Fiance. The show has been airing since 2014 and nine spin-offs, including Pillow Talk and Happily Ever After, have been created. One or two more can be expected soon. At the Edinburgh TV Festival, he said: “We listened to the audience, and it is very important to us that we don’t just create a spinoff or a sequel or something else, that’s just for the sake of doing it. We want to make sure that we are not just ripping ourselves off franchise after franchise. There is always a need when we start something new.”
SHOW OF SUPPORT FOR FILM PLANNED AT VENICE: Eight artistic directors of leading European film festivals will take part in the opening night of the Venice Film Festival on September 2nd. The eight—Alberto Barbera (Venice Film Festival), Carlo Chatrian (Berlinale), Thierry Fremaux (Festival de Cannes), Lili Hinstin (Festival di Locarno), Vanja Kaludjeric (Rotterdam Film Festival), Karel Och (Karlovy Vary), José Luis Rebordinos (San Sebastian) and Tricia Tuttle (London Film Festival)–will attend to “reassert the importance of the art of cinema as a sign of solidarity towards the global film industry which has been hit hard by the pandemic,” the Venice Film Festival said. “Festivals”, they will affirm, “are not mere promotional showcases to highlight the best of authors’ and filmmakers’ creativity, but are increasingly becoming centres of culture, places of education at the service of young directors, opportunities for the cultural enlightenment of audiences and for education to beauty and to the richness of the film experience for young people. A place that fosters research and debate where creativity and freedom of artistic expression come together to produce a fertile and indispensable dialogue with audiences and society.”