Richard Roeper replacing Roger Ebert at Sun-Times

CHICAGO — The Chicago Sun-Times says it will replace Roger Ebert with the late famed movie critic's former colleague Richard Roeper.

The newspaper announced Thursday it has officially named Roeper its movie columnist, making him the centerpiece of its movie coverage.

Ebert died in April at age 70, after a long battle with cancer. Roeper appeared alongside the Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic for eight years on the television show “Ebert and Roeper.”

Roeper will write movie criticism for the newspaper and host two weekly online video shows, one on Wednesdays and one on Fridays. Roeper started at the Chicago Sun-Times as a reporter in 1987.

Ebert's widow, Chaz Ebert, said in a news release announcing Roeper's appointment that, “Roger would have been thrilled as I am over the news.”