Studio & Project Development Briefs for Feb 3, 2015

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3 Feb 2015 5:57 AM PT

Studiobriefs06

 

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 (NOT SPECIFIC TO A GIVEN ENTITY)

 

ABC/DISNEY/AMC FAMILY/LIFETIME

  • Disney has reported its first fiscal quarter of 2015 with a net income up 19% to around $2.2 Billion and revenues up 9% to nearly $13.4 Billion.  “This was yet another incredibly strong quarter for our company, with diluted EPS up 23% driven by record revenue as well as significant growth in segment operating income,” said Robert A. Iger, chairman and CEO, the Walt Disney Co. “Our results once again reflect the strength of our brands and high quality content and demonstrate that our proven franchise strategy creates long-term value across all of our businesses.”   Read More
  • Disney and Lucasfilm have just attached  The Theory of Everyhing‘s Felicity Jones to their Star Wars  standalone spin-off 3D feature film that will be directed by Gareth Edwards and is being re-written by Chris Weitz, originally written by Gary Whitta. Plot details for the spin-off have not been made available, although there is a planned release date of December 16, 2016.   Disney is investing on the Star Wars franchise after acquiring Lucafilm in 2012 and planning Star Wars-themed attractions at Disney parks.   CEO Bob Iger told investors“I can assure the millions of Star Wars fans who have spent the last decade hoping for a new movie, this one will be worth the wait,” And it’s only the beginning of a new era of exceptional Star Wars storytelling.”  He also confirmed that the 8th and 9th episodes of Star Wars will open in 2017 and 2019, with the next installment,  The Force Awakens, opening December 18, 2015.   How the spin-offs play into the overall story-telling and slate is still unclear.
  • Bob Iger, CEO of Disney suggested the possibility of new direct-to-consumer offerings involving ESPN and “other Disney brands.  “We think we have that opportunity with a Disney branded service.  We may hve an opportunity with a Marvel type product and possibly even Star Wars.” He added that Disney is “mindful of the value of the expanded basic bundle to this company” and sees no reason to move quickly with an online product that might hurt the pay TV cash cow. Iger did state that he believed it was worthwhile to experiment to “try to convince younger people to sign up to cable when they either wouldn’t have signed up for it at all or might have waited” he said in regard to involvement with Dish’s Sling TV, designed to reach an estimated 12 million households that subscribe to broadband but not pay TV. Iger expressed that he wants “a closer relationship to the consumer that can be mined for other revenue-generating purposes..… I think this is going to be larger and larger in terms of Disney’s future.”  In addition to data collection,Iger wants to “provide customers with experiences that they want and demand. Basically to be even more user-friendly, more customizable and personalized.” He added that company watchers will “see various initiatives aimed at achieving just that.”
  • Deadline’s Dominic Patten reviewed the ABC show Fresh Off The Boat.  Here it is ‘Fresh Off The Boat’ Review:  Sitcom Translation All Wet, Says Dominic Patton.
  • Naya Rivera has signed on to play a recurring role (Blanca) on Lifetime‘s Devious Maids.   Rivera has also been asked back on ABC’s The View.  She will do several more episodes as co-host on The View, following her previous November and January appearances.   Rivera’s role on Devious Maids, Blanca, is a new maid in the neighborhood to a “picture perfect” family in Beverly Hills.  However she soon uncovers a terrible secret, something that could change her life forever.
  • Variety poses the question “How Long Can Frozen Fever Last?”

 

AMC NETWORKS/AMC ENTERTAINMENT

CBS/CW/CBSFILMS/SHOWTIME

  • Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary’s Revlations Entertainment, who brought on CBS‘s freshman drama Madam Secretary which received an early second season renewal, have just signed a multi-year, first look deal with the CBS TV Studios. “Since the beginning of our partnership on Madam Secretary, we were determined to lure Revelations to the studio in a bigger way,” said CBS TV Studios president David Stapf. “Lori, and Morgan are collaborative, insightful and a pleasure to work with in all parts of the creative process.”
  • CW unveiled the first photo of Arrow‘s Ray Palmer’s (played by Brandon Routh) Atom costume.  The episode where Palmer will first don the costume will be episode 315, entitled ‘Nanda Parbat’ airing Feburary 25.  Palmer’s character is new to Arrow, starting this third season.   He is a billionaire tech genius who harbors aspirations of heroism after his fiancee was killed when Slade Wilson (Manu Bennett) attempted to take over Starling City at the end of last season.
  • CW has ordered an action-adventure mystery, drama project, Cheerleader Death Squad to pilot for 2015.   Cheerleader Death Squad comes from creator and executive producer Marc Cherry (Devious Maids, Desperate Housewives), showrunner Neal Baer (Under the Dome), and executive producer Dan Truly (Blue Bloods).   The trio all wrote the script.  The plot for Cheerleader Death Squad is about a disgraced CIA agent-turned-teacher at an elite Washington DC prep school who realizes that his students have high-level access through personal connections.  He trains a select few to be his eyes and ears into the world of international espionage and who help him earn his way back into the agency.   The series has been equated with “Heathers meets Alias“.   CBS TV Studios is the studio bringing the project with Cherry, Baer and Truly executive producing with Cherry’s partner in Cherry/Wind Productions, Sabrina Wind.

 

DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION (AOL, AMAZON, HULU, NETFLIX, YAHOO)

 

 

DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS (DISCOVERY CHANNEL)

 

DREAMWORKS ANIMATION

 

 

FOX ENTERTAINMENT GROUP/FOX SEARCHLIGHT

 

HBO

 

NBC/UNIVERSAL STUDIOS/USA NETWORK

  • USA Network ordered 10 episodes of the thriller Colony, starring Josh Holloway (Lost) and Sarah Wayne Callies (The Walking Dead).  Colony is executive produced by Carlton Cuse and Ryan Condal.  The project is a co-production between Legendary Television and Universal Cable Productions and will shoot in Los Angeles.   The story of Colony is about a family who must make difficult decisions balancing staying together with trying to survive.   Los Angeles has been occupied by a force of outside intruders, where the family lives, leaving choices on whether to collaborate with the authorities of the new order or to rebel, both sides have consequences that must be considered and faced.
  • Suge Knight entered a plea of “not guilty” to the murder charge placed against him in the hit-and-run incident that resulted in the death of Terry Carter outside a Compton restaurant, the site of Universal Studio‘s N.W.A. biopic, Straight Outta Compton location shoot.  Bail was revoked on Monday due to concerns he may pose a flight risk citing that he is a candidate under the state’s three-strikes law and because of the possibility for witness intimidation according to a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office Department Official.   If convicted, Knight would face life in prison.  Just after entering his plea, Knight was taken to the hospital for an unspecified medical condition.  No further information has been disclosed.
  • An Untitled single-camera, politically correct office comedy project, written by Aseem Batra has been ordered to pilot by NBC.   Batra is executive producing with Joe and Anthony Russo for Universal TV.   The story is about two best friends, Dale and Georgie, whose relationship is upended when Dale starts dating the “perfect” woman.   Aseem said that the projct is loosely based on her life growing up in Georgia.

 

 

LIONSGATE

 

PARAMOUNT STUDIOS/VIACOM

 

 

SONY/TRISTAR

 

TURNER BROADCASTING & ENTERTAINMENT/ TNT/ TBS

  • Newly appointed President of TBS and TNT and Chief Creative Officer of Turner Entertainment, Kevin Reilly has split the original TNT/TBS programming team into two separate units which will be run by producer Sarah Aubrey for TNT and Turner’s Brett Weitz for TBS.   Comedy-driven TBS will get a brand makeover with a focus on “bold sensibility and a network that’s more digital and more socially driven.”   Drama-oriented TNT will “sharpen the brand with a distinct slate of new programming aimed at a younger, more dual-gendered audience.”   Reilly also wants to increase original programming output over the next three years; and have a stronger emphasis on both networks owning a larger portion of their content, thereby increasing the importance of the company’s in-house production arm.  Read more about Aubrey and Weitz

 

 

 

WARNER BROS.

Warner Bros. announced that it is moving its reboot of Point Break from a July 31 release to a December 25th release. The rebooted action-thrilled is directed by Ericson Core and stars Edgar Ramirez who plays the part originally portrayed by Patrick Swayze, and Luke Bracey who plays Johnny Utah originally played by Keanu Reeves.

VIACOM

 

INDIE

  • EuropaCorp’s US distribution venture RED will promote a slate of English-language movies at the European Film Market held in Berlin February 5-13, 2015.  Pre-sales will begin on Untitled Kawasaki project written by Allison Burnett about a man who devises a plan to save his gravely ill daughter at all costs, even his own life.   Casting has not been revealed on this project.   Also highlighted will be Shut-in starring Naomi Watts, by Farren Blackburn; Nine Lives starring Kevin Space, by Barry Sonnenfeld; and Underground by Daniel Barber.  See Film Descriptions
  • MICA Entertainment and Plan B have just cast Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy) to join Sienna Miller (American Sniper) and Robert Pattinson (Twilight films) in the film adaptation of James Gray’s Lost City of Z.   Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner are producing from Plan B with Dale Johnson and Anthony Katagas.  Marc Butan is Executive Producing with MICA Entertainment’s Julie B, May and Glenn Murray.   International Sales at the European Film Market in Berlin will be handled by Sierra/Affinity with CAA handling domestic sales.   Production is to begin this summer.
  • IMAX and Broad Green Pictures have signed on to join Sophisticated Films and Wild Bunch to complete financing for Terrance Malick’s Voyage of Time.  Broad Green has optioned to distribute the film after it makes an IMAX debut.  Brad Pitt and Bill Pohland are among a long line of producers.   The film is a celebration of the universe, displaying th whole of time, from its start to its final collapse and examines all that occurred to prepare the world that stands before us now:  science and spirit, birth and death, the grand cosmos and the minute life systems of our planet.   Malick is looking at a 40-minute version with scientific narration by Pitt for IMAX to be followed by a 35 mm feature-length version with Cate Blanchett doing the narration.  Malick has been working on this film for 30 years.
  • Trial to begin March 9 on the death of Sarah Jones against the filmmakers of Midnight Rider.   The film was produced by Film Allman production company with producers Randall Miller and Jody Savin who co-wrote the adapated screenplay.  Miller directed the film.  The original autobiography was by Gregg Allman.  Prosecutors are looking to become the first ever to convict filmmakers on manslaughter charges even though there have been more than 80 people who have died in 52 fatal accidents while filming in the US. Thus far, only two have resulted in indictments and none in convictions.   The first death due to making of a film was on July 1, 1914.  The last time a manslaughter case involving filming was 30 years ago in the infamous Twilight Zone case which ended in acquittals of director John Landis and four co-defendants.   “It was a difficult case to prosecute” Le D’Agostino, deputy DA who prosecuted that case later said.   “You didn’t have people who went maliciously to do something.  They went in to create a movie.”   The same could be said of the defendants in the Midnight Rider case.   Clearly no one involved in the production intended for anyone to be injured or killed on the old train trestle over the Atltamaha River.   It will be up to the Prosecutors to build a case well enough to convince the jury that the defendants should have “reasonably foreseen” that someone could be killed if a freight train came barreling down those tracks.  See More
  • IFC Midnight has just closed a low-seven-figure deal for US rights to the horror film, The Hallow, shown at Sundance Film Festival which just ended this weekend.   The Hallow is direcgted by Corin Hardy (Butterfly, The Crow) and stars Joseph Mawle, Bojana Novakovic, Michael McElhatton and Michael Smiley.  The film was produced by Joe Neurauter and Felipe Marino.  The film is about a London-based conservationist is sent to Ireland to survey for construction an area of ancient forest believed by the superstitious locals to be hallowed ground. The locals aren’t wrong; a horde of demonic forces are unleashed, and horror ensues. The film premiered in the Midnight Section last Sunday at the Egyptian Theatre.
  • A Review of  Bifrost Pictures and Orion Distributing‘s We’ll Never Have Paris
Posted in: ABC, CBS, CW, Film, FOX, NBC, Televsion ⋅ Tagged: , othernettag,

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