Latest in Universal Studios

UPDATED with Viacom statement: Frank Biondi Jr., a stalwart in the top echelons of the entertainment industry as the former CEO  of Viacom, Universal Studios, and HBO, died Monday in Los Angeles. He was 74. Biondi died at his home after a battle with bladder cancer, according to family and former business associates…

Universal Pictures has issued the first trailer from Dolittle, which the studio has renamed from its previous title, The Voyage Of Doctor Dolittle. The film will still be released wide on its previously announced date of January 17, 2020. . The film was slated for an April 12, 2019 release date, then moved to January…

“Hello, wizards and witches!” Tiffany Haddish exclaimed as she walked out on the stage at Universal Studios Hollywood Tuesday night to host an exclusive preview event celebrating the release of the highly anticipated upcoming augmented reality (AR) real-world mobile game Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, which is set to be…

EXCLUSIVE: Given the rash of mass shootings in this country of late with students and teachers being killed both in Santa Fe, TX and in Parkland, FL, Universal Studios has opened up its backlot for First Responders to conduct active shooter training drills. The moves are part of overall security measures that has come…

EXCLUSIVE: Veteran NBC executive Vernon Sanders is exiting his post as EVP Current Programming at the network and is leaving the executive ranks to become a producer. He has signed an exclusive overall producing deal with NBC sibling Universal Television. At the studio, run by president Pearlena Igbokwe, the…

Universal is booking a trip to the ballet. The studio has won a bid battle for Swan Lake, a pitch inspired by the classic ballerina tale that has Felicity Jones (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) attached to star. Multiple studios were after the pitch from Kristina Lauren Anderson, who penned the 2014 Black List-leading sc…

When Scott Stuber took himself out of contention to replace the late Brad Grey as Paramount chairman, and instead accepted an offer from Reed Hastings and Ted Sarandos to run Netflix's feature film division, many felt he'd taken the more exciting job. Why? While Jim Gianopulos has to dig Paramount out of a deep hole…

The FBI and Los Angeles law enforcement agencies held a news conference this evening to announce they will be ramping up security for the city’s Metro rail system Tuesday after an anonymous tipster warned that the Metro Red Line station nearest NBCUniversal’s sprawling Universal Studios Hollywood complex would be…

Less than three months after a new writing team was brought into the project, The Croods 2 is history. Sources confirm to Deadline that DreamWorks Animation and new corporate sib Universal Pictures have axed the long-in-the-works sequel to the 2013 toon. Sources said the project had been going south for a while and…

FX’s American Horror Story is heading to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort beginning Friday, September 16, two days after the premiere of AHS 6. Guests will experience three chapters of the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning series in frightening mazes. Installment 1’s…

With Jeffrey Katzenberg eventually stepping into a new role as chairman of DreamWorks Animation New Media, Chris Meledandri, who started Illumination Entertainment nine years ago, is officially and unequivocally the town’s animation czar. With the Minions and Despicable Me franchise successes alone, you could argue he…

EXCLUSIVE: Steven Spielberg/DreamWorks SKG have begun negotiations with NBCUniversal and they are both trying to make things work to bring the filmmaker back to Universal for a marketing and distribution deal. There is no agreement yet, but it has moved a step closer as specific deal points are being negotiated back…