Space drama

    HOT off the first season of “Westworld,” HBO is reteaming with J.J. Abrams for another drama. The premium cable network is teaming with Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions banner to develop “Glare,” an hourlong drama exploring the colonization of another planet.

    Javier Gullón will pen the script and executive-produce the drama, which stems from a blind script deal the Enemy Scribe had with Bad Robot.

    Dylan thanks academy

    BOB DYLAN was absent from Saturday’s Nobel award ceremony in Stockholm. But in remarks read by the U.S. ambassador, he alluded to the debate about whether the award should go to a songwriter.

    Dylan said when Shakespeare wrote “Hamlet,” he probably was thinking about which actors to pick and where to find a skull.

    In his words: “I’m sure the farthest thing from Shakespeare’s mind was: ‘Is this literature?’” Dylan said he too focuses on “mundane matters” such as recording in the right key, not on whether his songs are literature.

    European Film Awards

    THE German-Austrian drama “Toni Erdmann,” written and directed by Maren Ade, swept this year’s European Film Awards, winning five awards, including best film, director and screenwriter.

    “Toni Erdmann” also won best actress for Sandra Hueller and best actor for Peter Simonischek. The 29th European Film Awards took place Saturday in the Western Polish city of Wroclaw.

    Best ensemble cast

    THE Capri Hollywood International Film Festival announced that “La La Land” would be awarded with best ensemble cast as well as the best film score prize for composer Justin Hurwitz.

    The film will have a special screening at the festival Jan. 1, after which the best ensemble cast prize will be awarded in recognition of the work of Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt and J.K. Simmons.

    (SD-Agencies)