20 Mar 2015
We will be providing briefs of what comes out of the studios or independent project development on a daily basis and summarizing them in daily posts. These will be a quick way to attempt to keep everyone updated on movement of projects. This post is updated throughout the day. So check back for the latest updates.
NON-SPECIFIC (OR MULTIPLE ENTITES)
- THR Box Office: Shailene Woodley’s Insurgent Fires Up Thursday Night With $4.1 Million
- THR TV Ratings: Scandal Slips As March Madness Starts Strong for CBS
- A $25 Million bail has been set by Los Angeles Judge Ronald S. Coen for rap mogul Marion “Suge” Knight. The charges against Knight are attempted murder and two counts of hit and run and an allegation that he committed a serious and violent felony while on bail in another pending case allegedly running over two men in a parking lot in January while out on bail in another case. As result, one of the men hit, Terry Carter age 55 died from the incident and the other man, Cle Denyale Sloan suffered serious injuries. If convicted, Knight could face life in prison. The bail set was based on concerns that Knight posed a flight risk and he is a candidate under the State’s three-strikes law and for possible witness intimidation.
- Variety: The 14 Women Who Dominated the SXSW Film Festival – Sally Field (Hello, My Name is Doris), Amy Schumer and Brie Larson (Trainwreck), Krisha Fairchild (Krisha), Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne and Miranda Hart (Spy), Ava DuVernay (Keynote Speech), Shannon Sun-Higginson (GTFO: Get the F% Out), Karyn Kusama (The Invitation), Jessica Edwards (Mavis!), Hannah Fidell (6 Years) and Janet Pierson (Head of SXSW Film)
- Deadline Review: Danny Collins Review: Pete Hammond Says Al Pacino’s Latest Is Something To Sing About
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Midnight Rider‘s director Randall Miller issued the following statement from behind bars where he accepts responsibility for the death of Sarah Jones from the train track accident on set while filming the feature. His producer wife, Jody Savin also issued a short statement. Below are both statements, Miller’s first and then Savin’s.On Feb 20th, 2014, a great number of mistakes were made and the terrible accident occurred which took Sarah Jones’ life. It was a horrible tragedy that will haunt me forever. Although I relied on my team, it is ultimately my responsibility and was my decision to shoot the scripted scene that caused this tragedy. I pleaded guilty for three reasons: first, to protect my wife and family; second, out of respect for the Jones family and to not put them through a difficult trial; and, third, to take responsibility for my failure in not knowing that every safety measure was in place. The location manager, the production designer, the unit production manager, the cinematographer, assistant director and others all made mistakes that lead to this, but I have taken responsibility because I could have asked more questions and I was the one in charge. I have worked in the film industry as a director for 25 years and never had a significant accident of any kind on any one of my sets. I am heartbroken over this. I hope my actions have spared the Jones family more anguish and that the onset safety measures that were lacking before this terrible tragedy will now take precedence for all in the industry.
– Randall MillerThe accident, which took the life of Sarah Jones, has been tragic for everyone involved. Sarah’s family is broken, and ours too. Our children and I love Randy so much and are trying to be strong for him as he has been so strong and brave for us. – Jody Savin - THR Exclusive: Kesha Wins Round in Nasty Legal Battle with Dr. Luke – A judge decides to pause the big-name producer’s defamation claim against the pop superstar.
ABC/DISNEY/AMC FAMILY/LIFETIME
AMC NETWORKS/AMC ENTERTAINMENT/A&E/IFC
CBS/CW/CBSFILMS/SHOWTIME/Pop
- CBS has been hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit from the children of the late Morton Stevens who wrote the theme song for the original Hawaii Five-0 series for CBS. According to copyright law, for works created before 1978, when a composer/author dies before the original term of the copyright grant expires, the rights revert to the heirs. Stevens passed away in 1991, about six years before the renewal copyright term for Hawaii Five-0 began. CBS filed a renewal registration for the theme in 1997 and according to the lawsuit, CBS did not have the right do do so. Basing the plaintiff argument on the Raging Bull lawsuit filed by Paula Petrella whose father wrote the script, Justice Ruth Ginsburg decided not to impose a “sue soon, or forever hold your peace” rule for copyright lawsuits. The Stevens family had been notified in advance of the 1997 filing by CBS and did not act at the time, but are hoping to get around their lack of response in 1997 via the Ginsburg ruling. CBS gave this response to the lawsuit: “We were surprised and disappointed by the lawsuit filed by the heirs of Morton Stevens more than five years after the new Hawaii Five-O series premiered, without any prior discussion between the parties. Although we have great respect and appreciation for Mr. Stevens work on the original Hawaii Five-O theme song, his heirs’ claims are without merit, and we will vigorously defend this case.”
- Stand-up comedian Andrew Dice Clay’s scripted single-camera comedy Dice, based on his life has been picked up straight-to-series by Showtime for six series. Hailing from Fox 21 Television Studios the series is created and written by Scot Armstrong who will executive produce the series along with Sean Furst, Bryan Furst, Richard Shepard, Bruce Rubenstein and Clay. Production will begin later this year for a 2016 release. Dice, Clay’s life, will follow him as he works in Las Vegas to resurrect his career while supporting his family, including his ex-finacé, ex-wife and mother-in-law, as well as his son’s band.
- Minnie Driver has been cast as the female lead opposite Steven Weber in CBS‘s new multi-camera pilot, Happy Life, created by former Modern Family Executive Producer Bill Wrubel and Warner Bros. TV. Driver still has uncertainty about whether About A Boy will be renewed or not so plays a guest role in the pilot, but with an option to become a regular. Happy Life is about a family man, Joe (Weber) who struggles iwth the fact that everyone around him is pursuing their dreams and enjoying their lives more than he is. Joe’s wife is Maggie (Driver), a former doctor who left the grind to embark on a new career teaching people “mindful meditation” out of her home studio, while carrying out her mother duties to her children Lucy and Andrew.
DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION (AOL, AMAZON, HULU, NETFLIX, YAHOO)
- Orange is the New Black has been denied their petition to submit to the comedy category at the Emmy’s by a nine-member panel. Three other hour long shows recently had filed and been approved to submit under comedy category (Shameless, Glee and Jane the Virgin) by the same panel, which gave Netflix hope that Orange could also continue to submit under the category in which it had already received 12 Emmy nominations. It definitely was a blow to both Netflix and Orange is the New Black for they now have to compete against an already crowded drama field and some strong freshmen shows and Netflix’s House of Cards.
- Deadline Exclusive: Netflix to Show Chinese Drama Empresses In The Palace; Is It Next Step In Entry Into China?
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS (DISCOVERY CHANNEL)/TLC
DREAMWORKS /DREAMWORKS ANIMATION
FOX ENTERTAINMENT GROUP/FOX SEARCHLIGHT/NEW REGENCY
- THR Guest Column: Glee Finale: Original Star on Tear-Filled Finale Day, Saying Farewell, Corey Monteith
- Deadline: Glee Finale: Dreams Fulfilled, Memories Revisited & The Show’s Legacy Sealed
LIONSGATE
MGM, ORION, UNITED ARTISTS
NBC/UNIVERSAL STUDIOS/USA NETWORK/COMCAST/E!/SyFy
- THR Exclusive: Adam Levine, The Voice EP To Produce NBC Songwriting Competition Show – Songland will feature everyday people who get the opportunity to pitch original compositions to the music industry’s biggest producers and artists, all hunting for the next global smash.
- Zachary Levi has entered into a first-look deal with Universal TV for a half-hour musical comedy, Turned, written by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont with Levi executive producing with Eva Longoria. Lvi will also guest star on Longoria’s new NBC/Uni TV straight-to-series comedy Telenovela and will option and develop new projects for the studio.
SCRIPPS NETWORK
SONY/TRISTAR/COLUMBIA
TIME WARNER/WARNER BROS./HBO/ CNN/TURNER/TNT/TBS/NEWLINE
- Writer Rodney Barnes and director Allen Hughes, along with rapper-actor Snoop Dogg are developing an untitled drama series for HBO, set in the 1980’s in Los Angeles that centers on a family whose seemingly idyllic life is turned upside down by the collision of their community and American politics. Snoop Doog, along with his longtime manager, Ted Chung of Stampede Management, Hughes and Barnes are all executive producing the project.
- Hip-hop mogul/producer Russell Simmons, writer Matthew Michael Carnahan and Steve McQueen have been given a six-episode order from HBO for their drama pilot Codes of Conduct which all three will executive produce along with Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Alan Poul. Codes of Conduct is co-written by McQueen and Carnahan and is about a young African-American man named Beverly Snow (played by newcomer Devon Terrrell) and his experience with entering New York high society, who has a past that may not be what it seems. Described as from Queens, he is talented and equally ambiguous with self-confidence providing him ability to break into the social circles of Manhattan’s elite, testing the boundaries of access and social mobility. Other co-starring cast include Paul Dano, Helena Bonham Carter, and Rebecca Hall.
TRIBUNE/WGN AMERICA
VIACOM/COMEDY CENTRAL/PARAMOUNT/MTV
- Javier Guierrez, helmer for Rings, the third installment of Paramount Pictures’ horror franchise, has just cast Alex Roe as the male lead. The first two films, The Ring and The Ring Two have together grossed $411 million worldwide. Rings will be produced by Walter Parkes and Laurie Macdonald and the script is penned by Ehren Kruger. Roe will play Holt, who is the boyfriend to (already cast star) Matilda Lutz’s character and becomes distant from her after watching the tape. The film is expected to debut on Friday the 13th of November.