Entertainment
CINEVERSE LAUNCHES THE MAVERICK BLACK CINEMA VOD CHANNEL
Channel Kicks Off with 100+ Films and TV Series across Multiple Genres
Deal Boosts Cineverse’s Strategy to Increase its Appeal for Black Viewers
Last Updated on September 27, 2024 by Rod Washington
LOS ANGELES /PRNewswire/ — Cineverse Corp. (NASDAQ: CNVS), a global streaming technology and entertainment company with one of the world’s largest portfolios of streaming channels and content libraries, has entered into a new partnership with Maverick Entertainment Group, an independent channel in the US VOD/FAST space offering the best in Black indie cinema, to launch a new VOD channel – Maverick Black Cinema on its flagship streaming service. The deal is a direct reflection of Cineverse’s mission to be a curated streaming home for independent film and filmmakers.
Maverick’s popular content is highly distributed across key streaming platforms. In fact, the Maverick brand, whether its channel or VOD content, is showcased across many of the industry leaders in the space including Samsung TV Plus, Tivo, Pluto TV, Freevee, Sling, and Peacock.
The global channel is joining the Cineverse family of channels with an initial line-up of 100+ films and TV series including content from genres such as action, drama, romance, comedy, thriller and more. In keeping with Cineverse’s commitment to offering consumers high-quality content and depth of choice, additional titles will be added in the coming months.
Maverick Black Cinema will utilize Cineverse’s proprietary Matchpoint technology to provide content recommendations based on real-time feedback from viewers.
Select highlights of key/high-performing Maverick films that are part of the initial Cineverse line-up include crime thriller “Take Me To Amazing”, Action film “Two Wolves” starring Mykel Shannon Jenkins and Ernest Lee Thomas, Street thrillers “Murder Gardens” and “Candy”, and courtroom drama “The Lying Truth” starring Reggie Gaskins and Maya Gilbert-Dunbar.
The Maverick deal represents the latest partnership to bring quality third-party content to Cineverse’s flagship platform. The company already provides viewers with a wide range of free, ad-supported, streaming television (FAST) and curated video-on-demand (VOD) channels including Gusto, Qwest TV, SHOUT! TV, The Carol Burnett Show, Johnny Carson TV, and Mystery Science Theater 3000, just to name a few.
ABOUT MAVERICK ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
Privately held Maverick Entertainment Group has a reputation for consistently releasing niche genre films that major studios often overlook. Founded in 1997, Maverick continues to be a leading distributor and producer of niche independent and Black Cinema content. Having released more than 1,300 films over the past 26 years, Maverick currently distributes the world’s largest library of feature-length Black Cinema. In addition to funding and producing originals, Maverick releases over 100+ movies a year and distributes them digitally and physically worldwide.
Maverick’s far-reaching and boutique distribution is due to direct relationships with digital platforms and retailers including Roku, Tubi, Samsung, Peacock, LG, Vizio, Vudu-Fandango, and many more. Maverick connects with its consumer base through streaming apps, channels, and networks, as well as DVD and Video-on-Demand.
Maverick supports independent film producers by providing a pipeline of content that streams from filmmakers to movie watchers. Likewise, Maverick accommodates consumers with a consistent flow of the genre films they wish to view. By maintaining an exemplary reputation within the film and business communities, as well as establishing direct relations with content creators and media providers, Maverick positions itself as a leader within the home entertainment industry.
Doug Schwab founded Maverick and continues to oversee the company. He and his team of key personnel have forged the cornerstone of the company’s growth into the future.
ABOUT CINEVERSE
Cineverse (NASDAQ: CNVS) is a global streaming technology and entertainment company with one of the world’s largest portfolios of owned and operated streaming channels, all powered by its advanced, proprietary technology platform. Cineverse currently features enthusiast brands for subscription video on demand (SVOD), advertising-based video on demand (AVOD) and free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels. Cineverse entertains consumers around the globe by providing premium feature film and television series, enthusiast streaming channels and technology services to some of the world’s largest media, retail and technology companies. For more information, please visit www.cineverse.com.
SOURCE Cineverse Corp.
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music and concerts
Hillbilly Bible Film Relaunch Honors John Amos, Adds Voyage Air Guitar Giveaway
Hillbilly Bible, a Memphis-rooted faith-based dramedy dedicated to John Amos, is set to begin production in Fall 2026 and is launching a $30 fan campaign with a Voyage Air Guitar giveaway.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Hillbilly Bible, a Memphis-rooted, music-driven faith-based dramedy, is being relaunched by Hillbilly Bible Movie LLC in association with MVP3 Foundation and MVP3 Network, with director KC Amos stepping in to honor the legacy of his father, actor John Amos.
The film is supported by Voyage Air Guitar as the leading product placement title sponsor and is scheduled to begin production in Fall 2026, with filming planned in Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee, and Clarksdale, Mississippi.
What the film is about
Written by Marie Pizano with co-writer Mark Selker and inspired by the book title Hillbilly Bible by Stevie Rey, the PG-13 story follows Billy Madden, a former foster kid whose early trauma shadows his adult life.
After a public fall tied to pride and addiction, Billy heads south searching for a legendary bluesman known as the “Cool Cat Jesus,” believing the musician can help restore his broken career.
Instead, he meets unexpected messengers who challenge him to face humility, inner-child wounds, and the cost of chasing applause over purpose.
The film tracks Billy’s road to repentance, healing, and restored identity, blending music, drama, and humor while carrying a dedication to John Amos.
The creative team
Pizano leads the project alongside director KC Amos and co-director Al Coronel, who makes his directorial debut. The producing team also includes Kent Wells, a longtime producer associated with Dolly Parton.
“This story carries the spirit of all of us,” Pizano said in the announcement. “We all stumble and fall, but we can get back up and find our ‘yes.’”
Fan campaign + giveaway
To bring supporters into the rollout, the film is launching a $30 fan supporter campaign and a Voyage Air Guitar giveaway. Organizers say the campaign is designed to give back to foster youth, ministries, and mental health advocacy.
Each supporter package includes an exclusive Hillbilly Bible T-shirt, entry into the Voyage Air Guitar giveaway, and access to a private screening before any wider public release.
More details and official rules are available at https://hillbillybiblemovie.com/. Fans can also follow the official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/share/1ApXMKqqA1/?mibextid=wwXIfr.
What to Watch For
- Fall 2026 production start and location updates (Memphis, Nashville, Clarksdale)
- News from press-only conferences set for March 25, 2026 (Memphis and Clarksdale), plus a later Nashville event
- Casting, music partnerships, and additional sponsor announcements as the project ramps up
Sources: hillbillybiblemovie.com
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pop culture
May the Fourth: Celebrating National Star Wars Day | Fun Facts & Festivities
National Star Wars Day, also known as May the Fourth, is a celebration of the Star Wars franchise that takes place annually on May 4th.
Last Updated on May 4, 2026 by Daily News Staff
National Star Wars Day, also known as May the Fourth, is a celebration of the Star Wars franchise that takes place annually on May 4th. The day is filled with festivities such as costume contests, trivia games, and movie marathons. Fans of the series can dress up like their favorite characters, watch their favorite movies, and make outer space snacks.
The phrase “May the Fourth Be with You” was first introduced by the Conservative Party in the UK in 1979 to congratulate Margaret Thatcher on becoming the first female Prime Minister. Since then, the phrase has become synonymous with Star Wars Day and is used by fans around the world to greet each other on this special day.
National Star Wars Day was first organized in Toronto, Canada, in 2011, and has since become a worldwide phenomenon. Fans of all ages come together to celebrate their love for the franchise and to honor its creator, George Lucas.
Whether you’re a hardcore fan or just a casual admirer, National Star Wars Day is a day to let loose and have some fun. May the Fourth be with you!
National Star Wars Day
https://nationaldaycalendar.com/?s=Star+Wars+Day
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The Substitute Teacher Who Wanted Blueprints of Our House
A fifth-grade assignment took a strange turn when a substitute teacher asked students to draw schematics of their homes. What followed — a wildly fictional floor plan and a priceless reaction from my mom — turned into one of my funniest childhood memories.
The Substitute Teacher Who Wanted Blueprints of Our House
Elementary school memories tend to blend together — cafeteria pizza, playground arguments, the eternal struggle of times tables — but every once in a while, something happens that sticks with you for life. For me, that moment came in the fifth grade during a week when our regular teacher was out, and we cycled through substitute teachers like we were testing models for durability.
By midweek, in walked a substitute with a mysterious, slightly intense energy — the kind of vibe that suggested he either meditated at dawn or worked a graveyard shift doing something he couldn’t talk about. We settled into our seats, expecting worksheets or quiet reading time.
But nope.
He had other plans.
“Today,” he announced, “we’re going to draw schematics of our houses.”
Schematics. Not drawings. Not little houses with smoke coming out of the chimney. Actual blueprint-style schematics. He wanted the layout of our bedrooms, our parents’ rooms, and where the pets slept. Every detail.
Now, to be fair, Highlights Magazine did have a feature that month teaching kids how to draw floor plans. So maybe he was just a bit overenthusiastic about cross-curricular learning. Or maybe — and this is my completely rhetorical adult theory — he worked the graveyard shift as a cat burglar gathering intel between heists. Just moonlighting between blueprints.
While the rest of the class tried their best to recreate their actual homes, my imagination sprinted in a totally different direction. The house I drew had:
- A massive master bedroom with an oversized bathroom for my parents
- Separate bedrooms for us kids on the opposite side of the house
- A kitchen placed right in the center like a command center
- And the dog — the true VIP — had a luxurious two-story doghouse
I had basically created a dream home designed by a 10-year-old watching too much Fantasy Homes by the Yard.
Later that day, my mom asked the usual question: “So, what did you guys do today?”
“We drew schematics of our house,” I said casually.
The look on her face was instant and intense. She wasn’t panicked, but there was definitely a “Why does a substitute teacher need to know the exact layout of my home?” expression happening. Parental instincts activated.
But then I showed her my diagram.
She stared at it. Blinked. Then sighed with massive relief.
“This isn’t our house,” she said.
“Nope! I made it up,” I replied proudly.
Her shoulders relaxed so much she probably lost five pounds of tension in one instant. If the substitute was secretly planning a heist, my masterpiece of misinformation would have sent him to the wrong house entirely.
Looking back, the whole moment feels like a sitcom setup — a mysterious substitute collecting “house schematics,” me creating a completely fictional piece of architecture, and my mom going on a full emotional journey in under 30 seconds.
Maybe he was just excited about the Highlights Magazine floor-plan activity. Or maybe — just maybe — he moonlighted in cat burglary. We’ll never know.
But if he was, I like to think I threw him completely off the scent.
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