MOVIES: The Ice Dragon - Warner Bros. Animation Adapting George R.R. Martin Children's Book
EXCLUSIVE: George R.R. Martin is making his first foray into family films with Warner Animation Group adapting his 1980 children’s book The Ice Dragon for the big screen.
Martin wrote the book in 1980 prior to Game of Thrones. The book is not set in the realm of Martin’s Seven Kingdoms, but rather in a world of medieval fantasy where warring kingdoms harness the power of fire breathing dragons. It’s the story of a young girl named Adara, who secretly befriends a rare Ice Dragon. When the invading army of dragons invade her city, only the Ice Dragon can help her save their world from utter destruction.
MOVIES: Skyscraper - Trailer 2 feat Dwayne Johnson
The House of the Spirits - TV Adaptation Based on Isabel Allende's Novel in Development at Hulu
Hulu is in early stages of development on a TV series adaptation of Isabel Allende’s critically praised novel The House of the Spirits. FilmNation Entertainment (Arrival), which had landed rights to the book in a competitive situation, will serve as the studio on the project, with Allende on board as executive producer. A search is underway for a writer to pen the adaptation and a director.
The House of the Spirits brings to life the triumphs and tragedies of three generations of the Trueba family.
MOVIES: The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Idris Elba to Direct & Star in Modern Retelling for Netflix
Idris Elba Set to Star, Direct and Produce A Modern Retelling of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" for Netflix
Golden Globe and SAG winner Idris Elba will star, direct and produce the currently untitled film, a modern retelling of Victor Hugo's "Hunchback of Notre Dame" for Netflix. The feature film will be a sonic and musical experience for which Elba will also produce the music.
Producers: Fred Berger (La La Land) and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (Midnight Special) for Automatik and Elba and Ana Garanito for Elba's Green Door shingle.
Writer: Michael Mitnick (The Current War)
NETFLIX REVEALS FIRST LOOK AND LAUNCH DATE FOR "DISENCHANTMENT”
Disenchantment.
Dis August.
From the mind of Matt Groening, comes adult animated comedy fantasy series, Disenchantment, with 10 episodes launching on Netflix, August 17, 2018.
In Disenchantment, viewers will be whisked away to the crumbling medieval kingdom of Dreamland, where they will follow the misadventures of hard-drinking young princess Bean, her feisty elf companion Elfo, and her personal demon Luci. Along the way, the oddball trio will encounter ogres, sprites, harpies, imps, trolls, walruses, and lots of human fools.
The series will feature the voice talents of Abbi Jacobson ("Bean"), Nat Faxon ("Elfo") and Eric Andre ("Luci"), along with John DiMaggio, Billy West, Maurice LaMarche, Tress MacNeille, David Herman, Matt Berry, Jeny Batten, Rich Fulcher, Noel Fielding, and Lucy Montgomery. Animation is being done by Rough Draft Studios (Futurama).
EXCLUSIVE: Jay Ryan has been cast as the adult version of Ben Hanscom in New Line Cinema’s It: Chapter 2. The younger version of this character was played by actor Jeremy Ray Taylor in It.
The Baby-Sitters Club - TV Adaptation Being Shopped
The Baby-Sitters Club is making its way back to the small screen.
The popular young-adult book series, affectionately known as the BSC, is being packaged for the 2018 marketplace as a timely story of female friendship, entrepreneurialism and empowerment. The adaptation comes from Walden Media and Michael De Luca, which will be producing and shopping the modernized version as half-hour episodes. Each of author Ann M. Martin’s characters is expected to appear in the TV iteration. There was an earlier Baby-Sitters Club TV series from Scholastic that aired in the early '90s on HBO. There was also a 1995 Baby-Sitters Club movie, which starred Rachael Leigh Cook, Larisa Oleynik and Schuyler Fisk, among others.
De Luca will serve as an executive producer on the series, with Broad City’s Lucia Aniello and GLOW’s Rachel Shukert in talks to direct and showrun, respectively. Walden’s Naia Cucukov and De Luca Productions’ Lucy Kitada will oversee production. In a bid to keep the TV version as timely as possible, episodes will broach topics including divorce, racism and belonging. And like all other projects in the Walden portfolio, it’s being billed as a family-friendly series, designed to appeal to kids, teens and adults alike.
Counterpart - Season 2 - James Cromwell Cast in Multi-Episode Arc
EMMY(R)-AWARD WINNER JAMES CROMWELL CAST IN STARZ ORIGINAL SPY-FI THRILLER SERIES "COUNTERPART"
"American Horror Story" Actor Cast in Multi-Episode Arc
Santa Monica, Calif. - May 23, 2018 - Starz, a Lionsgate company (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B), announced today that Emmy(R)-winner and Oscar(R)-nominated actor James Cromwell ("American Horror Story," Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, "The Young Pope") has been cast in a recurring guest role as "Yanek" for season two of the STARZ Original series "Counterpart."
Appearing in a multi-episode arc, Cromwell's character Yanek is the enigmatic warden of Echo, an underground facility where Howard (J.K. Simmons) finds himself fighting for his life.
Season two of the critically-acclaimed STARZ Original series "Counterpart" began production in Berlin in February. The 10-episode second season of the one-hour scripted drama is from creator Justin Marks, Gilbert Films, and Anonymous Content, with MRC serving as the studio for the series. Season two of the espionage spy-fi thriller is currently in production in Los Angeles and will complete production in Berlin later this year.
MOVIES: Men In Black Spinoff - Liam Neeson in Negotiations to Join Cast
Liam Neeson is in negotiations to join Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson in Sony's Men in Black spinoff.
Plot details and the characters Hemsworth and Thompson will portray are being kept secret, but on the Neeson front, it is known that he will play the head of the Men in Black organization in London, where the story begins.
Kidding - Bernard White to Recur in Jim Carrey's Showtime Comedy
Bernard White (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) is set to recur opposite Jim Carrey and Catherine Keener in Showtime’s upcoming half-hour comedy series Kidding. The story centers around Jeff aka Mr. Pickles (Carrey), a beloved children’s television personality, whose life suddenly begins to unravel when his family (wife, two sons, sister, and father) begins to implode. What results is a slow leak of insanity that is both hilarious and heartbreaking. White will play Deirdre’s (Keener) husband.
The Sinner - Season 2 - Elisha Henig Joins Cast as Series Regular
Former Alex, Inc. star Elisha Henig is set as a lead opposite Bill Pullman and Carrie Coon on the second season of USA Network’s praised drama series The Sinner, from Universal Cable Productions.
Henig’s Julian is a bright but peculiar young boy on the brink of adolescence who is from a sheltered, unconventional background and is now thrust into the outside world.
Amazing Stories - Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz Set As Showrunners on Apple Series
Thanks to Lady_Junky for the heads up.
Once Upon a Time creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz have been tapped as executive producers/showrunners of Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories series reboot for Apple.
Peter Lenkov Inks New Overall Deal at CBS TV Studios
Peter Lenkov has emerged as CBS Television Studios’ most prolific writer-producer with four series on the air, Hawaii Five-0, MacGyver, Salvation and the recently picked-up Magnum P.I. reboot. He is now extending his relationship with the studio where he has been for the past decade, signing a new rich multi-year overall deal. Under the pact, Lenkov will continue as executive producer on the four drama series.
Step Up: High Water - Renewed for a 2nd Season by YouTube Red
YOUTUBE ORDERS SECOND SEASON OF LIONSGATE HIT DANCE DRAMA SERIES "STEP UP: HIGH WATER"
NAYA RIVERA AND FAIZON LOVE RETURN IN SERIES INSPIRED BY GLOBAL MOVIE PHENOMENON
Santa Monica and Los Angeles, CA - May 22, 2018 - YouTube announced that it has ordered a second season of the popular dance drama series STEP UP: HIGH WATER from global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B). Since its debut on January 31, the first episode of STEP UP: HIGH WATER has generated over 22 million views. Series regulars Singer/Actress Naya Rivera (Glee) and Actor/Comedian Faizon Love (Couples Retreat, Elf) are set to return in the second season of the 10-episode, hour long series which begins production in the fall and debuts on YouTube Premium in 2019.
In season one, STEP UP: HIGH WATER focuses on several ambitious young dancers in a contemporary performing arts school in Atlanta. Sage Odom (Ne-Yo) is the legendary founder of Atlanta's famed High Water Performing Arts School. Collette (Naya Rivera), is a former dancer turned High Water administrator whose passion for her students is only matched by her history with Sage, and secrets of her own. Dancers "Janelle" (Lauryn McClain) and "Tal" (Petrice Jones), are twins who are uprooted from suburban Ohio to live with their Uncle Al (Faizon Love). As the pair settle into their new home, new school, and new life they face big challenges. The cast of series regulars, all returning for a second season, include Marcus Mitchell as "Dondre," Jade Chynoweth as "Odalie," Carlito Olivero as "Davis," Terrence Green as "Rigo," Eric Graise as "King," and Kendra Oyesanya as "Poppy."
STEP UP: HIGH WATER is created and executive produced by showrunner Holly Sorensen (Recovery Road, Make It Or Break It). Adam Shankman, Jennifer Gibgot and Meredith Milton, all producers of the original Step Up films, executive produced season one, along with Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan, who both co-starred in the original Step Up film. All will be returning to executive produce for the second season.
"With Step Up: High Water, we wanted to create a dramatic series that reflects the world where the YouTube audience lives -- it's diverse, vibrant and authentic. The energy from the talented teams in front of and behind the camera brought this dance drama to life and pulled viewers in right from the start," said Susanne Daniels, Global Head of Original Content, YouTube. "We look forward to working with Lionsgate, Holly Sorensen and the full ensemble of actors, choreographers, writers, directors and creative minds behind this series for another exciting season."
"We're thrilled to be partnering with our friends at YouTube and the amazing cast and creative team of Step Up: High Water on the show's second season," said Lionsgate Executive Vice President and Head of Worldwide Scripted Television Chris Selak. "Following the success of our film franchise and the series' first season, we look forward to bringing audiences more of the bold, exhilarating content for which Step Up has become known."
"Working with dazzlingly diverse writers, directors, cast and crew to re-imagine Step Up in a grittier, grounded incarnation has been the most gratifying job of my life," said Holly Sorensen. "It's wonderful that so many are connecting to the passion and true talent Step Up: High Water embodies, and I cannot wait for the fans to see what we have in store for season two."
NICK KROLL ANNOUNCES TWO NEW CHARACTERS TO JOIN "BIG MOUTH" S2
"Gina", voiced by Gina Rodriguez (Jane: The Virgin) is a girl on Missy and Jessi's soccer team who shakes up the social dynamics of the school... ...can you say "Drama Alert"?!
"The Shame Wizard", voiced by David Thewlis (Fargo and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) is the Hormone Monster's mortal enemy who haunts the kids, stoking their deepest shame! Honestly, EVERYTHING is embarrassing this season, so stay tuned for more!
Big Mouth is a 10-episode, half-hour edgy adult animated comedy from real-life best friends Nick Kroll (Kroll Show, The League) and Andrew Goldberg (Family Guy) about the glorious nightmare that is teenaged puberty.
Comedian John Mulaney lends his voice to the character of Andrew, while Kroll (who serves as co-creator, executive producer) voices many including best friend Nick. Maya Rudolph, Jason Mantzoukas, Jordan Peele, Fred Armisen, Andrew Rannells, Jenny Slate and Jessi Klein are among those who lend their voice to the series.
Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg and screenwriter-directors Mark Levin & Jennifer Flackett are all creators and executive producers on the series. Big Mouth is a Netflix production.
MOVIES: Mowgli - Trailer feat Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto & More
Catch-22 - Giancarlo Giannini to Co-Star in Hulu Limited Series
Oscar-nominated actor Giancarlo Giannini is set for a co-starring role opposite Christopher Abbott, Hugh Laurie, Kyle Chandler and George Clooney in Catch-22, Hulu’s high-profile limited series directed by Clooney. Written by Luke Davies and David Michôd based on the seminal Joseph Heller novel, Catch-22 hails from Paramount Television and Anonymous Content.
Giannini will play Marcello, the proprietor of a brothel in Rome. He is weathered and once handsome but still debonair. He loves to challenge the young American soldiers about their patriotism, their worldview and their sense of history.
LIVING BIBLICALLY stars Jay R. Ferguson as Chip Curry, a modern-day man at a crossroads in his life who decides to live strictly in accordance with the Bible. As he begins his sincere spiritual journey toward a more moral life with the help of his wife and friends, Chip wonders if he'll be able to take a page - or every page - out of the Good Book, and if the effect will be of Biblical proportions. Lindsey Kraft, Ian Gomez, David Krumholtz, Tony Rock and Camryn Manheim also star.
MOVIES: It: Chapter Two - James Ransone & Andy Bean Join Cast
Andy Bean is set to play the older version of Stanley in New Line’s It: Chapter Two. Stanley was portrayed by Wyatt Oleff in the highest grossing horror film of all-time last fall.
James Ransone will be playing the adult version of Eddie in Andy Muschietti’s It: Chapter Two. He’s the member of the Losers’ Club who was portrayed by Jake Dylan Grazer.
Pennyworth - Epix Gives Straight to Series Order for Batman Prequel from Gotham Showrunner Bruno Heller
EPIX(R) GREENLIGHTS DRAMA SERIES "PENNYWORTH"
Ten-Episode DC Origin Story of Batman's Best Friend Hails from Warner Horizon Scripted Television, and Executive Producers Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon
New York, NY - May 16, 2018 - Premium cable network EPIX(R) announced today a straight-to-series greenlight of the DC origin story PENNYWORTH, from Warner Horizon Scripted Television, executive producer/writer Bruno Heller (Gotham, The Mentalist, Rome) and executive producer/director Danny Cannon (Gotham, CSI series).
The ten-episode, one-hour drama series is based on DC characters created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger. It follows Bruce Wayne's legendary butler, Alfred Pennyworth, a former British SAS soldier who forms a security company and goes to work with Thomas Wayne, Bruce's billionaire father, in 1960's London. Production will begin later this year, with a series premiere slated for 2019.
Said Michael Wright, President, EPIX, "As genuine fans of these classic DC characters, as well as the incredibly talented Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon, we couldn't be more excited to make EPIX the home of this series. We can't wait to work with Bruno and Danny - along with Peter Roth, Susan Rovner, Brett Paul and the team at Warner Horizon - on this fantastic origin story."
Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon said, "Michael and his colleagues have created the perfect venue for original storytelling, and all of us working on PENNYWORTH are thrilled to be on the EPIX slate."
PENNYWORTH comes on the heels of EPIX's recent pick up of ABC Signature Studios' drama series GODFATHER OF HARLEM, starring and executive produced by Oscar(R) winner Forest Whitaker, with Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein (Narcos) serving as showrunners. Both series are part of a growing slate of EPIX originals, which includes the upcoming season two premiere of the critically-acclaimed dark comedy GET SHORTY, from MGM Television, this summer.
In the Dark - Jon Collier Tapped as Showrunner on Upcoming CW Series
Veteran TV writer-producer Jon Collier (Bones) has been tapped as executive producer/showrunner on the newly picked up CW drama series In the Dark, executive produced by Ben Stiller.
The project was written by Corinne Kingsbury who sold two pitches this season, comedy Fam to CBS and drama In the Dark to the CW, and saw both of them go to pilot and then to series. (Both hail from CBS TV Studios.) She is in first position on Fam, which stars Nina Dobrev, and will focus on that, with Collier stepping in to run In the Dark.
In the Dark, which has been a darling of the CW’s top executive team, centers on a flawed and irreverent blind woman who is the only “witness” to the murder of her drug-dealing friend. After the police dismiss her story, she sets out with her dog, Pretzel, to find the killer while also managing her colorful dating life and the job she hates at the guide dog school owned by her overprotective parents.
Following her final episode on NCIS on May 8, Pauley Perrette explained over the weekend that she left the CBS show after "multiple physical assaults."
In a series of tweets, Perrette, who starred on the show for 15 seasons as Abby Sciuto, tweeted that although she never told her story publicly, she departed NCIS, attributing it to "multiple physical assaults" and a "machine" keeping her silent.
She also encouraged victims to "stay safe," and stressed that "nothing is worth your safety. Tell someone."
She tweeted, "I refused to go low, that's why I've never told publicly what happened. But there are tabloid articles out there that are telling total lies about me. If you believe them? Please leave me alone. You clearly don't know me. (Sorry guys, had to be said)."
She continued: "I feel I have to protect my crew, jobs and so many people. But at what cost? I.don't know. Just know, I'm trying to do the right thing, but maybe silence isn't the right thing about crime. I'm... Just... ?"
09:50 - Better Call Saul - Season 4 - Stefan Kapicic to Recur
Deadpool 2 star Stefan Kapicic is taking a trip to Albuquerque.
Kapicic will appear in a recurring role in the upcoming fourth season of AMC's Better Call Saul. His role in the Breaking Bad spinoff is being kept under wraps for now.
"I'm thrilled that I have a chance to become a part of Better Call Saul family. It is one of my favorite shows on TV and it's a dream come true be a part of the Breaking Bad universe," Kapicic says. "The amazing team and talented cast behind this wonderful show are a delight to work with and I can't wait for everyone to see what is in store for this upcoming season."
09:50 - MOVIES: The House that Jack Built - Trailer feat Uma Thurman & Matt Dillon
Thanks to z3la for the heads up.
08:50 - LA to Vegas - Season 2 - Will Ferrell Eyed to Guest as Comedy Tries To Secure Season 2 Renewal at FOX
EXCLUSIVE: When discussing the pending renewal decision on bubble freshman comedy LA to Vegas, the network chairman Dana Walden this morning noted that series creator/exec producer Lon Zimmet and executive producer Steve Levitan are currently working on Season 2 ideas and that “if we can’t find a way to make noise, we won’t do (a second season)” of the Dylan McDermott series.
I hear one of the top ideas that is being considered to create buzz around LA to Vegas‘s potential return is have series executive producer Will Ferrell appear in the Season 2 premiere.
18:30 - Missions - First Look Promo - New BBC Sci-Fi Show
18:30 - Trollhunters Part 3 Trailer
Our Trollhunters are stronger than ever, but so are their enemies. The fight to save humankind wages on in Part 3 of Trollhunters, dropping May 25.
10th May
MOVIES: The Spy Who Dumped Me - Trailer feat Mila Kunis, Kate McKinnon & Sam Heughan
Impulse - Trailer feat Maddie Hasson
In the upcoming YouTube Red Originals drama series IMPULSE, 16-year-old Henry Coles is an outsider in her new town of Reston, New York. With a major chip on her shoulder and no friends, she remains withdrawn and isolated, but everything changes when a traumatic encounter with a classmate triggers something deep within Henry— unleashing a power she cannot control. All ten episodes coming June 6.
MOVIES: The Predator - Teaser Trailer feat Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Jacob Tremblay, Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Munn, Sterling K. Brown, Alfie Allen, Thomas Jane, Yvonne Strahovski & More
Cobra Kai - Renewed for a 2nd Season by YouTube
YouTube has ordered a second season of Karate Kid sequel Cobra Kai. Starring Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, the 10-episode, half-hour series will begin production this fall and debut on YouTube Red in 2019.
The critically praised Cobra Kai, from Sony Pictures Television and Overbrook Entertainment, has been a hugely popular hit for YouTube. Since its debut on May 4, the first episode has generated over 20 million views.
Rick and Morty fans won't have to worry about renewals for quite a while. Adult Swim just handed out a 70-episode order of the cult cartoon.
Described as a "longterm deal," albeit without any announced time frame, the order is for more than double the count of episodes Rick and Morty has already produced to date. Co-creators Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon have been especially precious about the comedy, spacing out seasons and waiting as long as two years before the most recent run aired.
A Rick and Morty renewal was given, but the extent of this new pact is quite unexpected. Should Roiland and Harmon maintain anything close to their current production schedule, this will keep the show on the air for as long as another decade.
Yellowjackets - Female Survival Thriller in Development at Showtime
In a competitive situation, Showtime has nabbed for development drama series project Yellowjackets, from Entertainment One, studio-based producer Drew Comins, and writer-producers Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson (Narcos).
Written by Lyle and Nickerson, Yellowjackets follows a girls’ high school soccer team. In 1975, the Dearborn High Yellowjackets became the first team in state history to qualify for the Girls’ U.S. Soccer Championship Series in Manchester, NH. They never got the chance to compete. Equal parts survival epic, horror story and pitch black coming of age, Yellowjackets tells the story of the (un)lucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the Ontario wilderness, chronicling their descent from a friendly, cooperative team to warring, cannibalistic clans. At the same time, it follows the lives they’ve attempted to piece back together nearly twenty-five years later, proving that the past is never really past and what began out in the wilderness is far from over.
Yellowjackets, described as a smart, provocative female thriller that is subverting the teen genre, giving it a hard R treatment, was an original idea by Lyle and Nickerson. It was pursued by multiple producers, with Comins ultimately securing the project via his overall deal with The Mark Gordon Co.. Comins’ deal is now with eOne following Gordon’s transition to President and CCO of that company.
Edge of Seventeen - Spinoff TV Series Based on Edge of Seventeen Receives Pilot Production Commitment at YouTube
YouTube Red is looking to add some teen angst to its lineup.
The streaming platform's subscription service has handed out a pilot-production commitment to a TV spinoff based on Hailee Steinfeld feature film Edge of Seventeen.
Based on the 2016 film from Robert Simonds' STX Entertainment, Annabel Oakes (Amazon's Transparent, Netflix's Atypical) will pen the script for the potential TV series. Kelly Fremon Craig, who wrote, directed and produced the feature, is attached to exec produce the YouTube entry.
Steinfeld, who earned a Golden Globe nomination, starred as Nadine, a teen outcast balancing strained relationships with her overly dramatic mother (Kyra Sedgwick) and her popular older brother (Blake Jenner), who begins dating her best friend (Haley Lu Richardson). Woody Harrelson co-starred as Nadine's trusted high school teacher.
The YouTube comedy, while described as a spinoff, will feature an entirely new cast and follow a high school student and her best friend as they navigate the relationships, feelings and realities of being a teenage girl. YouTube says the series will "subvert standard teen show tropes."
MOVIES: In The Tall Grass - Stephen King & Joe Hill Novella Being Adapted By Netflix with James Marsden in Negotiations to Star
EXCLUSIVE: Despite its absence from the official film program here at the Cannes Film Festival, Netflix continues to move forward in its feature slate building. A deal has closed for In The Tall Grass, a novella written by Stephen King and his son and fellow bestselling horror author Joe Hill. Westworld‘s James Marsden is in negotiations to star, and Vincenzo Natali is adapting to direct. Natali is best known for helming Cube and Splice.
The logline: after hearing a young boy’s cry for help, a sister and brother venture into a vast field of grass in Kansas but soon discover that there may be no way out.
MOVIES: Bill & Ted Face the Music - Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter Returning for 3rd Installment
“Most excellent!” Twenty-seven years after we last saw the totally radical pairing of Ted “Theodore” Logan and Bill S. Preston Esq., Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are now confirmed to reprise their roles in a third Bill & Ted movie. Bloom is launching sales in Cannes on the long-gestating time-travel comedy, which is called Bill & Ted Face the Music. The movie is likely to be one of the hottest properties at the market.
Currently in pre-production, the movie has been written by the franchise’s creators Chris Matheson (Imagine That) and Ed Solomon (Men in Black), with Dean Parisot (Galaxy Quest) confirmed to direct. Scott Kroopf (Limitless) will produce together with Alex Lebovici and Steve Ponce of Hammerstone Studios, with Steven Soderbergh serving as an executive producer alongside Scott Fischer, John Ryan Jr., and John Santilli.
