Variety

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Sean Penn’s Secret Superpower

Contributors

Television’s Drama • Marketers struggle to tubthump new fall season without stars, big shows

Four Takeaways From TIFF • From Lil Nas X’s big moment to the scabrous ‘American Fiction,’ here’s what had everybody talking in Toronto

Spanish Panache • Peso Pluma, Grupo Frontera and more will vie for the best new artist gold at the Latin Grammys

FIVE ON THE RISE • These artists could make their mark on the best new artist category

Future Boy • Rising star Casey Likes tackles a role made famous by Michael J. Fox

Steven J. Horowitz Named Senior Music Writer

The Great Debater • Chris Keyser’s talent for rhetoric has been key to the WGA strike

Directing A-Listers on Oscar Display • Legends and stars like Martin Scorsese, Bradley Cooper and Greta Gerwig will keep audiences engaged in the race

EXPOSURE

SEAN PENN’S CRUSADE • He’s not afraid to risk it all, even his life, to give voice to the Ukrainian people in the new documentary ‘Superpower.’ But what does this actor turned humanitarian really want?

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT • THE CW LEANS INTO SPORTS AND UNSCRIPTED AS THE NEXSTAR REGIME RESHAPES THE NETWORK

SHOCK TREATMENT • Once the most offensive filmmaker in the business, John Waters has watched the world come around to his brand of provocation

Breaking Down Barriers for New Voices • Variety’s Philanthropists of the Year Brian Weinstein and Jessica Pliska celebrate 20 years of helping young people through their Opportunity Network

Disabled Writers Speak Up • The Inevitable Foundation gives a voice to underrepresented scribes

GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS. PARTY • ON AUGUST 31, VARIETY & THE GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS CELEBRATED BREAKTHROUGH TALENT & EXCELLENCE IN ITALIAN FILMMAKING AT THE VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

Keys to the San Sebastian Festival • The biggest film event in the Spanish-speaking world revs up new talent and other cinema goodies

Fest Champions Tech Innovations • Startup Challenge draws entrepreneurs to San Sebastian

Movistar Plus Bets Big on Bold • Spanish platform brings ambitiousseries ‘La Mesías’ to San Sebastian Festival

Parent Forges New Paths • Telefónica and Movistar Plus explore innovation across a broad spectrum

Location Is Everything • Spain offers mountains, beaches, fairytale castles and ultra-modern settings on top of its production incentives

The Boy and the Heron

The Morning Show

Madison Beer

LOCATIONS • ON SEPTEMBER 4, VARIETY HOSTED A NETWORKING RECEPTION CENTERED AROUND LOCATIONS ON SCREEN AT THE VENICE FILM FESTIVAL