24 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 TV Ratings: James Corden Lifts Late Late With First Episode
- THR South Korean Box Office: Whiplash Hits Top Spot
- THR Hong Kong Filmart: Mike Tyson Sings Up For Ip Man 3
- Deadline: FCC Hit With First Net Neutrality Lawsuits by Internet Providers
- THR TV Ratings: Dancing and The Voice Hold on Monday
- THR: Roger Corman Lawsuit Blames Citco for Losing $60Mil of Family’s Money – The famed filmmaker says he wasn’t told that his money was being managed by troubled hedge fund manager Buddy Fletcher.
- The final report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on the Midnight Rider lethal train accident, taking the life of Sarah Jones, has been issued. The report determined that “probable cause of the accident was the film crew’s unauthorized entry onto the train trestle owned and operated by CSX Transportation. Contributing to the accident was the adjacent property owner’s actions to facilitate the film crew’s access to the right-of-way and bridge,” the report states.”CSX denied the film crew permission to film on CSX property. Because of contradictory information in the interviews, the investigation could not determine who made the final decision to disregard the denial and film on CSX’s bridge. As a result of this accident, one person died, and six were injured. Railroad property is private property. The film crew leadership had enough awareness about railroads to ask for CSX’s permission to film. In NTSB interviews, some of the film crew leadership stated that they thought others were handling the permission to be on CSX property; while others believed it was safe to film. This assumption was reckless, and it endangered the entire film crew.”
- Deadline: Camera Operating After Midnight Rider: “Speak Loudly And Lead By Example”
- Awardsline: As Academy Board Meets, Are the Oscars Ready for Radical Change? Don’t Bet On It
- THR Hong Kong Filmart: Download THR’s Day 3 Daily
- Deadline Pilots 2015: The Year of Ethnic Castings – About Time or Too Much of A Good Thing?
ABC/DISNEY/AMC FAMILY/LIFETIME
- ABC Family has ordered a 10-episode series for the single-camera comedy Kevin From Work, created by Barbie Adler, directed by McG and produced by Aaron Kaplan. Adler and Kaplan of Kapital Entertainment as well as McG of Wonderland Sound & Vision are executive producing the series. Noah Reid will play Kevin, a young man who declares his unrequited love for his co-worker Audry (played by Paige Spara) in a letter, believing he’ll never see her again after he accepts a job overseas. But when his overseas opportunity falls through and Kevin is forced to return to his old job, how will Audrey react and will they work together now that his feelings are no longer a secret? Co-stars who appeared in the pilot are Matt Murray, Jordan Hinson , Puman Patel and Amy Sedaris was featured as a guest star. McG directed the pilot and will continue to direct several more episodes.
AMC NETWORKS/AMC ENTERTAINMENT/A&E/IFC
- Oscar-nominated producer of Dallas Buyers Club, Rachel Winter, has just signed a first-look TV Development and Producing deal with A&E Studios, covering series and long-form scripted drama projects which Winter will create, develop and produce for A&E portfolio of networks including A&E, Lifetime and History, as well as outside networks.
CBS/CW/CBSFILMS/SHOWTIME/Pop
- Showtime just ordered 12 episodes of the financial drama, Billions starring Damin Lewis and Oscar-nominee Paul Giamatti. Written and executive produced by Brian Koppelman and David Levien along with Andrew Ross Sorkin, Billions will be directed by Neil Burger who will also executive produce with production beginning in New York later this year and a 2016 premiere planned. Billions is about the impending collision between two titanic figures, the hard charging politically savvy US attorney Chuck Rhoades (Giamatti) and the ambitious, brilliant hedge fund king, Bobby “Axe” Axelrod (Lewis). Other cast members are Maggie Siff, Malin Akerman, Toby Leonard Moore, David Costabile and Condola Rashad.
- CBS’ NCIS: Los Angeles’ Assistant Location Manager, Brianne Brozey was injured on the set in March 2011, has difficulty speaking after her life-threatening accident and resulting five-hour surgery. Hit by a falling steel rip head from a light stand, she faces yet another major surgery. See More
- Deadline: Bill O’Reilly Vistis David Letterman, Takes Victory Lap
- Deadline Review: The Dovekeepers‘ Review: Mark Burnett & Roma Downey’s Historical Epic Proves Big Isn’t Better
DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION (AOL, AMAZON, HULU, NETFLIX, YAHOO)
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS (DISCOVERY CHANNEL)/TLC
DREAMWORKS /DREAMWORKS ANIMATION
FOX ENTERTAINMENT GROUP/FOX SEARCHLIGHT/NEW REGENCY
- THR Exclusive: Fox Sue to Keep Empire as Title of Hit Series – The broadcaster takes preemptive action after being sent multimillion-dollar demands from Empire Distribution, Inc.
- Fox has ordered a six-episode limited run of the series The X-Files with David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson set to return as Agents Mulder and Scully. Chris Carter, the series creator, will direct for 20th Century Fox TV and Ten Thirteen Productions with production to begin this summer. No air date has been disclosed. I think of it as a 13-year commercial break,” Carter said. “The good news is the world has only gotten that much stranger, a perfect time to tell these six stories.”
- THR Exclusive: Boston Marathon Bombing Film Lands Gambit Writer
LIONSGATE
MGM, ORION, UNITED ARTISTS
NBC/UNIVERSAL STUDIOS/USA NETWORK/COMCAST/E!/SyFy
SCRIPPS NETWORK
SONY/TRISTAR/COLUMBIA
TIME WARNER/WARNER BROS./HBO/ CNN/TURNER/TNT/TBS/NEWLINE
- CNN International just been authorized rights for a 10-year broadcasting license in Russia. It can resume distribution which has been suspended since January 1, 2015 in Russia. “We have complied with all the procedural requirements and are delighted to now be officially licensed in Russia,” she went on to say. “We look forward to resuming distribution for CNN International in Russia as soon as possible.””I welcome the fact that CNN has been closely observing agreements reached at the negotiations, and I believe that [the broadcaster] will be equally precise and immaculate in its content policy,” Roskomnadzor head Alexander Zhukov was quoted as saying by Russian news agency RIA Novosti.
- Deadline Rataings: Girls Finale Ratings Fall Hard from 2014 in Demo
- Bradley Cooper, who has a first-look deal through his production company with Todd Phillips with Warner Bros., is currently in talks to direct a remake of A Star Is Born. Cooper would also produce along with Jon Peters, Bill Gerber and Basil Iwanyk. There have been two remakes of the original 1937 film starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March in which a movie star helps an aspiring young actress find fame while his own career careens downward as age and alcoholism send him in a spiral downward. Stay tuned.
- Warner Bros. released a trailer of the new Entourage movie, five years after the HBO series about Hollywood exited the small screen. Original cast (Adrian Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, and Jeremy Piven) returned for the film along with some new faces. Jessica Alba, NFLers Russell Wilson and Tom Brady, Liam Neeson, Pharrell, George Takei, Andrew Dice Clay, Warren Buffett, Armie Hammer, Kelsey Grammer, and Ed O’Neil also make appearances in the film.
TRIBUNE/WGN AMERICA
VIACOM/COMEDY CENTRAL/PARAMOUNT/MTV
INDIE
- THR Exclusive: Tom Ford Teams With George Clooney For Thriller Nocturnal Animals
- Deadline Exclusive: Anna Kendrick Reunites With Rocket Science Director Jeffrey Blitz for Table 19
- Deadline: Super Troopers 2 Turns On Sirens With $2M Crowdfunding Campaign
- Deadline Box Office: It Follows To Scare Up Business in 1,200 Theaters on Friday
- Deadline Exclusive: Janis Joplin Biopic Writer Fires Back at “Cynical” Options Lawsuit
- THR Exclusive: Focus Landing Harmony Korine’s The Trap with Idris Elba to Star