Steve McQueen Will Direct a Heist Thriller Called Widows

Steve McQueen’s next film will be much, much lighter than his last, the already-classic 12 Years a Slave. The 45-year-old auteur is adapting British TV series Widows for the big screen as director and screenwriter. The original first aired in 1983, and followed three women who take on a life of crime after their husbands are killed in their own botched armed robbery. It was a favorite of McQueen’s growing up, with its female empowerment themes. The show’s reimagination will shift settings to modern-day in a U.S. city, with four widows. So basically, it’s a post-millennial Set It Off. No word on casting yet (fingers crossed for Lupita!), but Widows is slated for pre-production before 2015.

Read it at The Hollywood Reporter.

Dawn Robinson Threatens to Sue Lifetime Over En Vogue Movie

Dawn Robinson is telling Lifetime to “hold on” to its next music-inspired biopic, En Vogue Christmas. The former member of the R&B foursome has threatened to sue the network if it airs the fictional, holiday-inspired film without her likeness. Original members Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron play themselves in the movie, as does Rhona Bennett, who joined the group in 2003. Thing about Dawn’s gripe is, TMZ reports that the former Lucy Pearl singer forfeited her En Vogue rights after she left the group in 1997 to go solo.

Lawsuit or not, look out for petty dragging of the TV movie, which also stars David Alan Grier and Genelle Williams, and focuses on a family that convinces the legendary group to reunite to save a local concert house. “I have no interest in watching it. It looks horrible. I’m sad for them,” Dawn told TMZ, adding, “After seeing the Aaliyah biopic, I’m extremely worried that this is going to be a train wreck.” En Vogue Christmas airs on Sunday, November 22 at 8 p.m. EST.

Read it at TMZ.

Nicki Minaj to Make Her Return to SNL

Nicki Minaj is taking the Saturday Night Live stage for the second time. SNL has announced that the head Barb will serve as musical guest on December 6, days before she releases her third album The Pink Print (out December 15). It’s unclear whether YMCMB’s lady lyricist will appear in any sketches, but we hope so, especially after her memorable bit “The Creep” with Lonely Island back in her 2011 appearance.

Read it at Billboard.