Karen Benardello

Karen Benardello
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As a life-long fan of films and television shows, and an endless passion for writing, Karen Benardello decided to combine the two for a career. She graduated from New York's LIU Post with a B.F.A in Journalism, Print and Electronic in 2008. Karen has since been working in the press in New York City, including interviewing film and television casts and crews, writing movie and television news articles and reviewing films and televisions series. Some of her highlights include attending such local events as the Tribeca Film Festival, the New York Film Festival and New York Comic-Con, as well as traveling across North America to attend such festivals as the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW and the Toronto International Film Festival. She has been a member of the Women Film Critics Circle since 2012, and the New York Film Critics Online since 2019.
As a life-long fan of films and television shows, and an endless passion for writing, Karen Benardello decided to combine the two for a career. She graduated from New York's LIU Post with a B.F.A in Journalism, Print and Electronic in 2008. Karen has since been working in the press in New York City, including interviewing film and television casts and crews, writing movie and television news articles and reviewing films and televisions series. Some of her highlights include attending such local events as the Tribeca Film Festival, the New York Film Festival and New York Comic-Con, as well as traveling across North America to attend such festivals as the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW and the Toronto International Film Festival. She has been a member of the Women Film Critics Circle since 2012, and the New York Film Critics Online since 2019.

You, Me & Tuscany: Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page Shine in Visually Stunning Rom-Com

©Courtesy of Universal Pictures Rom-coms often prioritize immersive atmosphere over narrative originality, a familiar weakness of the genre. You, Me & Tuscany follows this pattern to a degree, offering a story to audiences that they will find predictable. But the film ultimately redeems itself through its rich visuals and the understated chemistry between its leads, Halle…

Dylan Clark Signs on to Direct Lionsgate and Blumhouse’s The Blair Witch Project Reboot

©Courtesy of Artisan Entertainment Two years after Lionsgate and Blumhouse announced their collaboration on a new installment in The Blair Witch Project franchise, the long-gestating reboot is finally moving forward.  Industry insider Daniel Richtman reports that filmmaker Dylan Clark will direct the project. The rising talent, who’s known for his short film work and upcoming…

Scream 8 in Development at Spyglass with Zuckerman Sisters Writing

Spyglass Media Group is officially moving forward with the eighth installment of the long-running Scream franchise, Deadline is reporting. The production company is bringing in new creative voices to shape the next chapter of the iconic slasher series. Spyglass has hired sisters Lilla Zuckerman and Nora Zuckerman to write the screenplay for Scream 8, marking a…

SXSW 2026 / Normal: Director Ben Wheatley, Writer Derek Kolstad, Producer Marc Provissiero, and Actor Bob Odenkirk Interview

Combining grit, gunfire and a morally tangled hero can powerfully reimagine the classic Western genre through a modern, kinetic lens. That’s certainly true with the upcoming action-thriller, Normal, in which justice is messy, violence is unpredictable and nothing is quite as ordinary as it seems. The new film is the latest pairing between actor Bob…

Ryan Gosling Cast in Daniels’ Next Sci-Fi Action Comedy

©Courtesy of Jonathan Olley / Amazon Content Services LLC Coming off a major box office opening weekend debut, Ryan Gosling has signed on to star in an untitled sci-fi action comedy, Deadline is reporting. Oscar-winning filmmaking duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as the Daniels, will develop the upcoming feature. Universal Pictures is…

NBCUniversal Exits First-Run Syndication in Major Strategic Shift

©Courtesy of NBC Universal NBCUniversal has revealed that it will step away from the first-run syndication business later this year, Deadline is reporting. Its announcement confirms that it will become the first major studio to formally abandon a model that once dominated daytime television. The decision also signals the move can become a broader industry…

Lee Isaac Chung Exits Warner Bros’ ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ Prequel

Two-time Oscar nominated filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung has departed the upcoming Ocean’s Eleven prequel, Deadline is reporting. The action comedy remains in active development at Warner Bros. Pictures and LuckyChap Entertainment. Chung had been working on the project as the director alongside its star and producer Margot Robbie. But the parties have now gone their…

Sundance Review: Chasing Summer Reinvents the Homecoming Rom-Com with Vulnerability and Humor

©Courtesy of Sundance Film Festival The most idiosyncratic take on the homecoming rom-com blends sharp humor with art-house sensibilities. The new movie, Chasing Summer, does just that by sincerity challenging the protagonist’s instinct to deflect intimacy. Both vulnerable and visually captivating, the latest homecoming story refuses to settle for the expected. Celebrated Sundance Film Festival…

Sundance Film Festival “Take Me Home” : Exclusive Interview with Director Liz Sargent

One of the most emotionally challenging processes in life for families is learning how to communicate in order to move forward, especially after they endure a tragic experience together. That’s certainly the case for the two sisters in the new drama, Take Me Home. The feature is inspired by the life of its filmmaker, Liz…

Paramount Outbids Netflix in $110B Warner Bros Takeover

Warner Bros Discovery has agreed to a $110 billion acquisition by Paramount Skydance. The two entertainment companies signed the deal this morning. News of the agreement emerged from an audio recording of a company-wide town hall reviewed by Reuters. The agreement caps a dramatic bidding war that reshapes the Hollywood landscape. It creates one of the…