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While the oeuvre of Toronto director David Cronenberg, the maestro of body horror, has inspired generations of Canadian filmmakers (including his progeny) and continues to do, Montreal’s Fantasia Festival and its Frontières Market event put them face-to-face with the global genre community – not to mention rabid local audiences – in a red-carpet-free cinema hotzone.

10 years in the making, Félix Dufour-Laperrière’s “Death Does Not Exist” (“La mort n’existe pas”), his third animated film and the only Canadian feature to world-premiere at Cannes this year, receives its North American and local premiere July 17.

Dufour-Laperrière has made all his animated films with the same small team out of the Montreal studio he runs with his brother Nicolas. “We’re coming from the Quebec film scene, which has a strong relationship with documentary, animation, alternative fiction, alternative means of production,” he told Variety.

“The subject matter [of ‘Death Does Not Exist’] might be difficult, but it is made with total honesty,…

“I would love to see more of the classic thin gold metal frames with colored tints,” Lennox says. “There is something so sexy about the delicate nature of thin gold.” (Rose, lavender, and amber hues all pair nicely with gold, she says.) While Lennox’s current eyewear obsession is a French brand called Ahlem, she also suggests that more adventurous dressers check out pairs from Brain Dead and Loewe.

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Sora Suzuki, associate merchant, Todd Synder

When it comes to his eyewear, Sora Suzuki prefers glasses that hit that sweet spot between optical and sun—and he’s loyal to the New York label Moscot. (Which makes perfect sense, as the iconic eyewear company is known for its custom tints.) This summer, Suzuki says he’ll be wearing the Lemtosh, perhaps the brand’s most famous style, with a rosy brown hue. He also owns as pair of the Telena model with icy blue lenses. “The tints are light enough that it doesn’t look completely absurd to wear them indoors at the office,” he says.

Out in the wild, Suzuki has noticed well-styled men are gravitating toward either end of the eyewear spectrum: “I’ve been seeing extremes of really big and wide sunglasses and then super small and dainty,” he says. However, his prediction for the frame of the summer leaned more into the former: “Big old aviator sunglasses.” Rather than the ubiquitous wire-framed ones, Suzuki says, you want aviators that are “bigger, gaudy, and made of acetate.”

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Brandon Mahler, menswear consultant and stylist

“I think men are becoming more playful with sunglasses lately, and starting to experiment a little more,” says Brandon Mahler, a menswear consultant who has worked with the likes of Aimé Leon Dore and Drake’s. Lately, Mahler has noticed more dudes embracing shades with a slight cat-eye shape or leaning heavily towards a thicker acetate, à la Jacques Marie Mage. He’s a big fan of the Catfish style from Veda: “They’re so sturdy and feel very powerful for a smaller frame.” Mahler has also been eyeing some statement-making aviators from Port Tanger.

His main advice for finding a great pair this summer is to get out there, try some on, and keep an open mind. “Some of my favorite sunglasses have been a pair I might not normally gravitate towards,” he says. “But then I end up going back for them because I keep thinking about them two days later.”

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Derrick Gee, DJ and radio host

Derrick Gee—the former record label creative director behind the weekly show Solid Air and its accompanying 24/7 online radio station—has amassed a next-level collection of eyewear. It’s hard to miss his frames. His eccentric lineup boasts everything from vintage Ray-Bans and Gouverneur Audigier to Gucci and Moscot. “I like to generally pick pairs that are the opposite of my last pair, just to keep me on my toes,” Gee says.

His two most recent pickups, which he expects to wear the hell out of this summer, are from Saint Laurent and Jacques Durand. Like a few of our other experts, Gee feels that bigger, eye-catching silhouettes are on the rise. “I think one-off statement frames are becoming a big, big thing,” he says, pointing to the sizable style Reneé Rapp recently donned on Ziwe’s show as a great example. “I think they’re fun. More of it!”

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Brice Partouche, founder, Satisfy Running

As the creative powerhouse behind one of the hottest labels in running, Brice Partouche is no stranger to the intersection of style and performance. His current go-to is Satisfy’s redux of the Oakley Straight Jacket, a sleek and fashionable silhouette from 1994 that still looks pretty damn fresh today. (It’s sold out, but Oakley’s Eye Jacket offers a similar style.) “They’re minimal and sharp,” Partouche says. “I’ve always had a thing for black frames, a bit like the old Wayfarers. I’m a Wayfarer guy at heart.”

While he didn’t have much in terms of concrete predictions, Partouche instead offered up some wishful thinking: “I just hope more people start wearing those round purple sunglasses like Ozzy Osbourne…No one is cooler.” And honestly, drawing inspiration from the Prince of Darkness, especially when it comes to eyewear, is never a bad idea.

HBO has provided a first glimpse at the new world of Harry Potter, as filming begins on its hotly anticipated television adaptation of JK Rowling’s beloved book series.

A photo provided by the broadcaster shows Dominic McLaughlin in character as the young wizard for the first time. The 11-year-old was selected alongside Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger after an extensive casting search among British children aged 9-11. As with Daniel Radcliffe before him, McLaughlin sports Potter’s trademark round glasses and Gryffindor uniform.

“The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen,” said executive producers Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod while introducing the trio in May. “We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. It’s been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there.”

HBO also announced new cast additions, including Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley, Louise Brealey as Madam Rolanda Hooch and Anton Lesser as Garrick Ollivander.

Cameras have started rolling on the series at Warner Bros Studios Leavesden in the UK. The show, described as a “faithful adaptation” of Rowling’s bestselling novels with one season per book, “full of the fantastic detail, much-loved characters and dramatic locations that Harry Potter fans have loved for over 25 years”, according to HBO’s announcement in 2023.

Development of the show, executive-produced by Rowling and written by Gardiner, ignited feverish speculation over casting. HBO eventually confirmed that John Lithgow would play Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry originally played by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon. Other confirmed cast include Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.

Filling out the cast, for now, will be Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, Johnny Flynn as his father Lucius, Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley, Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley and Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley.

The series, directed in part by Succession veteran Mylod, is now expected to premiere on HBO in 2027, 30 years after the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (also known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone), was published, and 16 years after the final film in the eight-part franchise, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two.

EXCLUSIVE, UPDATED with more details: Kevin Hart, Tom Segura, Pete Davidson, Russell Peters, Jim Jefferies, Whitney Cummings, Zarna Garg, and Jessica Kirson are in talks to perform at the inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival, taking place in the Saudi Arabian capital this fall, sources tell Deadline.

Reps for the stand-ups couldn’t be reached for comment. While no deals have been finalized, reps for WME, which is consulting on the festival, confirmed ongoing discussions with several top-tier acts.

Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia‘s General Entertainment Authority, announced the festival on X in May, writing, “The best 50 stand-up comedians in the world are coming to the Riyadh Comedy Festival from September 26 to October 10.” (View the post below.)

Sources said the festival will feature multi-comic showcases and solo shows, along with special programming. WME became involved through its relationship with TKO — the sports-focused company borne from former WME parent company Endeavor — which has produced events in Saudi via WWE and UFC. The agency is working with Saudi’s General Entertainment Authority, as well as Sela, the largest live-events company in the kingdom, to get the festival off the ground. Sela will produce alongside Bruce Hills, a legendary comedy producer who spent nearly four decades at Just for Laughs, helping to turn it into the largest and most prestigious comedy festival in the world.

A source familiar with comedy touring noted that there’s big money to be made by comics in the Middle East — up to millions, or tens of millions, depending on the profile of the artist. They said many top stand-ups are happy to be “wined and dined” by the Saudi government, which has come to recognize the power of comics as the “cultural icons” of our time.

Of course, there are also significant drawbacks — or at least factors to consider — in performing in the Middle East. For starters, Saudi Arabia is known for limiting freedom of expression when it comes to the arts — typically dictating on the offer sheet, per multiple agents, what cannot be said on topics like religion, sex and the Saudi royal family.

While the kingdom is known for its discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, sources were particularly curious as to how many female comics will be appearing, given that they’d have to perform under the constraints of Sharia law in a country considered even more conservative than the likes of Abu Dhabi or Dubai. Sources said organizers are currently in talks with Cummings, Garg, and Kirson, among others.

Given WME’s extensive roster of talent, expect a strong showing from its comedians; Hart, Davidson and Segura are each with the agency. You’ll also see comics like Peters, who has worked in the Middle East for years, though it’s unclear what the balance will look like between international headliners and local acts.

It is also unclear how many marquee names not repped by WME would make the trek to Saudi Arabia; at least one top comedian that fills arenas has declined to attend, sources said.

There has been a shift in recent years in terms of top talent’s willingness to show face in Saudi as the stigma of doing so has dissipated over time. Both Hart and Peters have performed there recently, with the likes of Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias and the Wayans Brothers also making appearances. WWE has been hosting female wresting events in Saudi Arabia since 2019, and Live Nation is now active there in managing operations for Maraya, the world’s largest mirrored structure and one of the kingdom’s largest venues.

Perhaps the biggest showing of Hollywood star power in Saudi Arabia has come via the Red Sea Film Festival, which since 2021 has attracted female A-listers like Gwyneth Paltrow, Viola Davis, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Erivo and Michelle Yeoh alongside the likes of Baz Luhrmann, Spike Lee and Will Smith — with at least some reportedly receiving substantial payments for their appearances.

Word of developments around the Riyadh Comedy Festival comes following March’s revelation that TKO, the parent company of UFC and WWE, had set a multi-year partnership with Alalshikh and Sela to establish a new boxing promotion.

WME seems a natural fit as consultant to the comedy festival given its expertise in packaging live events of all kinds including comedy tours, as well as a history of business dealings in the Middle East. Amid Saudi Vision 2030, a strategic plan launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that focused on transforming Saudi’s society and economy, diversifying the latter beyond oil, with a focus on sectors like tourism and entertainment, Saudi’s Public Investment Fund committed $400 million for a minority stake in Endeavor in 2018. The deal was abruptly reversed months later following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, with then-Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel (who is also TKO CEO) returning the money.

Amid Endeavor’s efforts to distance itself from Saudi Arabia, WWE in 2018 entered a entered a lucrative 10-year partnership with Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority for live wrestling events. In 2023, Endeavor acquired WWE and formed TKO, with plenty of activity following for TKO in the kingdom.

Although the Riyadh Comedy Festival marks a new level of investment in comedy for Saudi Arabia, the region is no stranger to high-profile comedy events. Abu Dhabi’s Comedy Season, which this year featured Hart, Dave Chappelle, Trevor Noah and Bill Burr, and Jordan’s Amman Stand-up Comedy Festival are among others attracting top talent. Dubai’s Comedy Festival, meanwhile, will see Segura perform, along with comics like Akaash Singh and Morgan Jay, in October.

As a disclosure, Deadline’s parent company, Penske Media Corporation received $200 million from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in 2018. The deal included a minority equity stake in PMC and a $25 million joint venture focused on the Middle East and North Africa region.

Hart is also repped by 3 Arts and Schreck Rose Dapello; Davidson by Ayala Cohen Management and Granderson Des Rochers; and Segura by Mosaic and Jackoway Austen Tyerman. Jefferies is repped by GetComedy, UTA, and Brillstein Entertainment Partners; Peters by UTA, Seven Summits Pictures & Management, Jacobson, Russell, Saltz, and attorney Mark A. Feigenbaum.

أفضل 50 ستاند اب كوميدي بالعالم جايين مهرجان الرياض للكوميديا من الفترة 26 سبتمبر إلى 10 أكتوبر 🔥😎

The best 50 stand-up comedians in the world are coming to the Riyadh Comedy Festival from September 26 to October 10 🔥😎 pic.twitter.com/2rVCaxbE10

— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) May 16, 2025

This story originated as part of Deadline’s new Comedy Means Business newsletter. Sign up here.

BBC employees with the authority to cut the live stream of Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury performance were among 550 members of staff at the festival, director general Tim Davie has said.

Ending the broadcast “was an option open to those on the ground on the day”, Davie wrote in a letter to the Commons’ culture select committee.

The punk duo led a chant of “death, death to the IDF [Israel Defence Forces]” and made other derogatory comments during the performance, prompting apologies from the BBC and Glastonbury, as well as triggering a police investigation.

BBC News understands a small number of senior staff were told to step back from their day-to-day duties on music and live events as a result.

The corporation has previously admitted failings after it emerged the band were deemed “high risk” prior to their performance.

While the feed was monitored and warnings appeared on screen, the broadcast – which went out on iPlayer – was not stopped after the band’s comments were made.

BBC chairman Samir Shah has said the decision not to pull the live feed was “unquestionably an error of judgement” after strong criticism of the corporation’s handling of the incident.

In a letter responding to questions submitted by Dame Caroline Dinenage, chairwoman of the Commons’ culture, media and sport committee, Davie disclosed how many BBC employees were at the festival.

He wrote: “There were 550 personnel working for the BBC at Glastonbury.

“Of these 328 were working for BBC Studios (camera crew, rigging, technical and production roles), 35 providing coverage for BBC News, and 187 other BBC public service, working across a wide range of roles, including technical crew, producers, presenters, engineers, runners, commissioners and compliance staff.”

Answering whether any had the ability to end the broadcast, Davie said: “Yes, there were individuals present at Glastonbury who had the authority to cut the livestream after appropriate consideration.

“Those individuals had access to advice and support offsite should they have considered it necessary.”

He did not specify how many of those present had the authority to pull the live stream, but said those capable of issuing “editorial policy support” would be deployed to music festivals and events in the future.

During the duo’s set, singer Pascal Robinson-Foster, who performs under the stage name Bobby Vylan, also made a speech about a record label boss he used to work for.

That boss would “speak very strongly about his support for Israel”, and had put his name to a letter urging Glastonbury to cancel Irish-language rap trio Kneecap’s performance, the musician said.

The singer said: “Who do I see on that list of names but that bald-headed [expletive] I used to work for? We’ve done it all, all right – from working in bars to working for [expletive] Zionists.”

After the media coverage of their set, Bob Vylan said in a statement: “We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine”.

Avon and Somerset Police have launched a criminal investigation into the band’s comments.