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On the Set for 6/29/15: Justin Lin Rolls Cameras on ‘Star Trek Beyond’, Emilia Clarke Wraps ‘Me Before You’

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at arrivals for HBO 2014 Golden Globes After Party, Circa 55 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA January 12, 2014. Photo By: James Atoa/Everett Collection

STARTS

Driver X 6/25/2015 Logline: When a middle-aged man loses his business, he starts working as a driver at night and taking care of his two young daughters in the daytime. Production Company(s): Antic Pictures Director: Henry Barrial Producer(s): Mark Stolaroff Cast: Patrick Fabian, Travis Schuldt Writer(s): Henry Barrial SSN Insight: Fabian can be seen as playing Howard Hamlin in the AMC series Better Call Saul and as Captain Steven Caine in the CBS series Scorpion.

Gold 6/29/2015 Logline: Loosely based on a true story, an enormous amount of gold is discovered in the jungles of Indonesia in 1993, leading to a scandal involving the mining corporation. Production Company(s): j.k. livin Productions, Hwy61 Films, Black Bear Pictures Director: Stephen Gaghan Executive Producer(s): Paul Haggis, Richard Middleton Producer(s): Michael Nozik, Teddy Schwarzman, Patrick Massett, John Zinman, Matthew McConaughey Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Edgar Ramirez, Michelle Williams Writer(s): Patrick Massett, John Zinman SSN Insight: Michael Mann previously attached to direct and produce. Spike Lee previously attached to direct. The Weinstein Company will be distributing the film and it was financed by Black Bear Pictures.

Lights Out 6/29/2015 Logline: When a bloodthirsty supernatural being that lurks in the shadows preys upon a family, a young woman must fight to protect herself, save her little half-brother, and uncover a mystery about her family's shadowy past. Studio: New Line Cinema Production Company(s): Grey Matter Entertainment, Easternlight Film Productions Director: David Sandberg Producer(s): James Wan, Lawrence Grey, Eric Heisserer Cast: Brie Larson, Gabriel Michael Bateman Writer(s): Eric Heisserer Notes: Based on the short film "Lights Out" (Sweden/2013) written and directed by David F. Sandberg. SSN Insight: Wan is currently on board to direct RoboTech and Aquaman. Brie Larson can next be seen in the film Trainwreck and Digging for Fire, awaiting release.

Responsible Adults 6/28/2015 Logline: A recent college graduate pursues a relationship with his slightly older neighbor, who turns out to have been the recent grad's babysitter many years ago. Production Company(s): Night and Day Pictures, LBI Entertainment Director: Jon Poll Producer(s): Julie Yorn, Michael Roiff, Kirk D'Amico Cast: Cobie Smulders, Skylar Astin Writer(s): Alex Schemmer SSN Insight: Chace Crawford was previously attached to star. Katie Holmes was previously attached to star.

So B. It 6/29/2015 Logline: A 12-year-old girl decides to take a cross-country trip by herself, leaving the safety of her home with her mentally-challenged mother and agoraphobic neighbor. Production Company(s): Branded Pictures Entertainment, Outside the Box Pictures, LLC Director: Stephen Gyllenhaal Executive Producer(s): Michael Nelson Producer(s): Adam Tenenbaum, Orien Richman, J. Todd Harris Cast: Alfre Woodard, Talitha Bateman Writer(s): Garry Williams Notes: Based on the young adult novel "So B. It" written by Sarah Weeks and published by Laura Geringer Books in 2004. SSN Insight: In addition to her role on Grey’s Anatomy, Alfre Woodard will next be seen in the A24 film, Mississippi Grind.

Star Trek Beyond 6/25/2015 Logline: Storyline is under wraps. Studio: Paramount Pictures Production Company(s): Bad Robot, Skydance Productions Director: Justin Lin Executive Producer(s): David Ellison, Dana Goldberg Producer(s): J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Roberto Orci Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg Writer(s): Simon Pegg, Doug Jung, JD Payne, Patrick McKay, Roberto Orci SSN Insight: Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz had been considered to write the script. Joe Cornish had been considered to direct. Project will be shot digitally.

The Godmother 6/29/2015 Logline: The true story of Griselda Blanco, who became the deadliest, wealthiest woman to head a Colombian drug cartel. Production Company(s): First Born Films Director: Eva Sorhaug Executive Producer(s): Nicholas Pileggi, Nicolas Meyer, Marc Schaberg, Kelly McCormick Producer(s): Daniela Cristina Cretu Cast: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jon Bernthal, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Oscar Jaenada, Mehdi Dehbi Writer(s): Frank Baldwin SSN Insight: Life rights of Griselda Blanco optioned by Daniela Cretu.

U.S.S. Indianapolis: Men of Courage 6/22/2015 Logline: Story of the ship that was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine during WWII, leaving its crew to try and survive in shark-infested waters. Production Company(s): Hannibal Pictures Director: Mario Van Peebles Executive Producer(s): Ness Saban, Bill Bromiley, Patricia Eberle, Timothy Patrick Cavanaugh, Dama Claire Producer(s): Richard Rionda Del Castro, Michael Mendelsohn, Richard Salvatore, Douglas Miller, Jeffrey Andrick Cast: Nicolas Cage, Tom Sizemore, Thomas Jane, Matt Lanter, Brian Presley Writer(s): Cam Cannon, Richard Rionda Del Castro SSN Insight: Nicolas Cage has been busy, in addition to this project, he’s also in Bonjour Anne, currently in production and recently wrapped Army of One, Pay the Ghost and The Trust with The Runner and Snowden awaiting release.

Untitled (Bruce Willis Detective Film) 6/29/2015 Logline: When a Los Angeles private investigator’s dog Buddy is stolen by a notorious gang, he has to deal with vicious gang leaders and various goons and crooked characters to get his dog back. Production Company(s): Voltage Pictures Director: Mark Cullen, Robb Cullen Executive Producer(s): Patrick Newall Producer(s): Nicolas Chartier, Zev Foreman, Lauren Ford, Mark Cullen, Robb Cullen Cast: Bruce Willis, Jason Momoa, Thomas Middleditch, Famke Janssen SSN Insight: Voltage Pictures launched international sales at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. Voltage, CAA and WME are representing US rights to the film. Mark and Robb Cullen were the writer/executive producer team behind the 2010 film, Cop Out in which Bruce Willis also starred.

WRAPS

Barbershop 3 6/29/2015 Logline: In this sequel, with the neighborhood changing, Calvin considers shuttering the barbershop and moving uptown. Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM), New Line Cinema Production Company(s): State Street Pictures, CubeVision Director: Malcolm D. Lee Producer(s): Robert Teitel, George Tillman Jr., Ice Cube Cast: Ice Cube, Cedric The Entertainer, Eve, Queen Latifah, Nicki Minaj Writer(s): Kenya Barris, Tracy Oliver Notes: Sequel to "Barbershop 2: Back in Business" (2004) directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan. 2nd Sequel to "Barbershop" (2002) directed by Tim Story. SSN Insight: Matt Alvarez was previously attached to produce.

How to Be Single 6/25/2015 Logline: Explores the dating lives of five single New York women, one of whom, Julie, is writing a book about how bachelorettes across the world manage. Studio: New Line Cinema Production Company(s): Flower Films, Rickard Pictures Director: Christian Ditter Executive Producer(s): Nancy Juvonen, Drew Barrymore, Marcus Viscidi Producer(s): Dana Fox, John Rickard Cast: Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Alison Brie, Leslie Mann, Damon Wayans, Jr. Writer(s): Dana Fox, Marc Silverstein, Abby Kohn Notes: Based on the novel "How to Be Single" written by Liz Tuccillo and published by Atria on June 10, 2008. SSN Insight: Anne Hathaway was previously mentioned to star. Owen Wilson previously attached to star. Cameron Diaz previously mentioned to star.

Lavender 6/29/2015 Logline: When a woman struggling with memory loss returns to the childhood home where the rest of her family was massacred, strange clues within her photos suggest she may be responsible. Production Company(s): South Creek Pictures Director: Ed Gass-Donnelly Executive Producer(s): Andrea Iervolino, Monika Bacardi, Silvio Muraglia, Jennifer Levine, Emily Alden Producer(s): David Valleau, Ed Gass-Donnelly Cast: Diego Klattenhoff, Abbie Cornish, Dermot Mulroney, Justin Long Writer(s): Ed Gass-Donnelly, Colin Frizzell SSN Insight: Dermot Mulroney is also in the film Sleepless Night, a remake in production and in Dirty Grandpa, awaiting release.

Me Before You 6/26/2015 Logline: A woman on the verge of losing her job and a man who becomes wheelchair bound find their lives intertwined. Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM), New Line Cinema Production Company(s): Sunswept Entertainment Director: Thea Sharrock Producer(s): Karen Rosenfelt, Sue Baden-Powell Cast: Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, Stephen Peacocke, Jenna Coleman, Charles Dance Writer(s): Scott Neustadter, Michael H Weber, Jojo Moyes Notes: Based on the novel "Me Before You," written by Jojo Moyes and published by Pamela Dorman Books on December 31, 2012. SSN Insight: In addition to starring in Terminator: Genisys awaiting release, Emilia Clarke is also in Voice From the Stone, that wrapped and The Guns of August in active development.

Miss Stevens 6/22/2015 Logline: A high school teacher finds herself while taking a group of students to the state drama competition. Production Company(s): Gilbert Films, Beachside Films Director: Julia Hart Producer(s): Jordan Horowitz, Gary Gilbert, Alex Turtletaub, Michael B Clark Cast: Lily Rabe, Timothee Chalamet, Lili Reinhart, Anthony Quintal, Rob Huebel Writer(s): Julia Hart, Jordan Horowitz SSN Insight: Ellen Page was previously attached to direct, as her feature directorial debut. Project was previously in development at Anonymous Content with Doug Wald producing. Anna Faris was previously attached to star. The film will now mark Julia Hart’s directorial debut. She is currently writing the HBO miniseries “Madame X”, currently in development.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (Sequel) 6/25/2015 Logline: The revelation of a family secret and an even bigger, fatter wedding brings the Portokalos family together again. Production Company(s): Playtone, Gold Circle Entertainment, HBO Films Director: Kirk Jones Executive Producer(s): Nia Vardalos, Scott Niemeyer, Norm Waitt, Steven Shareshian Producer(s): Rita Wilson, Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, Paul Brooks Cast: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Elena Kampouris, John Stamos, Joey Fatone Writer(s): Nia Vardalos Notes: A sequel to the 2002 film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. SSN Insight: The original film opened on April 19, 2002 and went on to gross $368 million on a budget of $5 million, landing it in the number five spot of films by domestic gross in 2002.


SSN Industry Innovator Series, On the Set, NBC Drops Trump, Lee Daniels Gets TV Overall, DC-Vertigo Properties Headed to New Line

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SSN ORIGINALS

Industry Innovators: How LEG’s YouTube Channel Blends the Line Between Live and Digital Audience

This is the first article in the SSN Industry Innovators Series.  Here we take a look at Levity Entertainment Group [LEG], a vertically integrated entertainment company with four divisions: Live, Production, Talent Management and Digital. (SSN)

On the Set for 6/29/15: Justin Lin Rolls Cameras on ‘Star Trek Beyond’, Emilia Clarke Wraps ‘Me Before You’

Among the other projects starting production are Stephen Gaghan's Gold, the New Line thriller Lights Out, and the Nicholas Cage film, U.S.S. Indianapolis: Men of Courage.  Wraps include Barbershop 3, New Line's How to be Single and MGM's Me Before You. (SSN)

OTHER HEADLINES

NBC Cuts All Ties with Donald Trump Over Derogatory Statements About Mexican Immigrants

NBC announced this morning it had ended it relationship with Donald Trump over comments he made recently about immigrants coming over the Mexico border.  Miss USA and Miss Universe Pageants, which are part of a joint venture between NBC and Trump, will no longer air on NBC .  In addition, Trump will not be participating in Celebrity Apprentice on NBC either. (DH)

Empire  Co-Creator, Lee Daniels, Inks Overall Deal with 20th Century Television

The Empire co-creator has inked a multi-year overall deal the studio, where he will remain on Empire, as well as create new projects to write, direct and supervise under his new banner. (THR)

Ted 2  Fumbles: Are R-Rated Comedies in a Funk?

Ted 2 is the latest bawdy comedy to struggle at the box office, opening to just $32.9 million this weekend, exposing some kinks in the R-rated comedy genre’s armor. The disappointing returns come on the heels of Spy’s underwhelming $29.1 million debut earlier this month. (VAR)

Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto Sign Deals to Star in Fourth Star Trek Film

If Paramount decides to make a Star Trek 4 film, it can count on Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock reporting for duty. Actors Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto have renegotiated their contracts to allow for a fourth Trek adventure, in a move that also boosts their salary. (EMP)

Sandman and Other DC-Vertigo Movies Heading to New Line

In an effort to consolidate focus on its DC Movie Universe, Warner Bros. is opting to move properties under the DC-owned Vertigo comics imprint to sister studio New Line Cinema. This includes Sandman, the film adaptation of the Neil Gaiman comic that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is attached to direct and star in, as well as Constantine, Dark Universe, Preacher, and Lucifer. (COLL)

I Am Chris Farley Trailer

I Am Chris Farley — a documentary about the beloved comedian who died in 1997 — opens in theaters on July 31, and BuzzFeed has the exclusive first look at the trailer. (BUZZ)

Amy Schumer — Bachelorette?, Big ‘So B. It’ and ‘Gold’ Casting, Claire Denis’ English Language Debut, Anna Gunn’s New Indie

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Is Amy Schumer Going To Be Your Next Bachelorette? Quite Possibly

The superstar comedian, who is about to go supernova with next month’s release of her comedy Trainwreck, has apparently had conversations with ABC about starring in the next iteration of the popular reality series. But, she has some ground rules, including an interesting “no turds” policy, which might end up being a deal breaker. (UR)

The Next Great YA Adaptation, ‘So B. It’, Just Landed a Whole Host Of Castmembers

John Heard, Cloris Leachman, Jacinda Barrett, Dash Mihok and Jessica Collins have been cast in road-trip drama, joining Alfre Woodard and Talitha Bateman in the adaptation of Sarah Weeks’ young adult road trip novel. Stephen Gyllenhaal is directing from a script by Garry Williams, with Branded Pictures Entertainment’s J. Todd Harris and Orien Richman producing. Production is set to begin July 13 in Los Angeles. (VAR)

Stephen Gaghan’s ‘Gold’ Continues To Add More Interesting Castmembers

Michael Landes will appear in the Matthew McConaughey mining drama, which will star McConaughey and Edgar Ramirez in a story based on the real-life Bre-X scandal, about a massive stock fraud involving an Indonesian gold mine. Landes will play a Wall Street banker who travels to the mine to assess the company behind it. The Weinstein Co. purchased the U.S. rights for $15 million this spring, with a marketing spend valued at $20 million. (THR)

Acclaimed French Filmmaker Claire Denis Is Finally Ready To Make Her English Language Debut

Filmmaker whose credits include Beau Travail and White Material, is poised to make her English-language debut with a space-set sci-fi adventure. The movie will take place beyond our solar system, “in a future that seems like the present.” The project is based on an original idea by Denis and writing partner Jean-Pol Fargeau, but Denis is penning the screenplay with novelist Zadie Smith and Smith’s writer husband Nick Laird. (COL)

Anna Gunn Learned a Few Things From Her Time On ‘Breaking Bad’, Will Star In Indie Financial Drama

Meera Menon is directing Equity, which is being described as the first female-focused look at the Wall Street world. Gunn will play an investment banker whose future is threatened by a huge financial scandal. As she looks deeper into what’s going on, she discovers a massive, tangled web of corruption and has to re-examine the fast-paced, no-holds-barred world she’s always loved. Broad Street Pictures is producing the film, which will shoot before the end of the year. (EMP)

Paramount Makes a Big Move and Pulls ‘Triple Frontier’ Out Of Limbo, May Want J.C. Chandor To Helm It

Once in the hands of Kathryn Bigelow, who with screenwriting partner Mark Boal moved onto other projects, Chandor is in early talks to direct this thriller set at the titular organized crime crossroads of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. The project surfaced at Paramount in 2010, when Bigelow and Boal first came aboard, but then the duo it aside for Zero Dark Thirty. Tom Hanks and Will Smith were originally targeted for roles and might still appear in the film. (TOH)

In Other Big Paramount News, Studio Confirms Title Of the New ‘Star Trek’ Movie and Reveals First Images

As expected, the movie will be called Star Trek: Beyond, and will again feature the return of Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin and John Cho along with Idris Elba as the film’s villain and Sofia Boutella in a mystery role. Director Justin Lin confirmed the title yesterday with a tweeted image from the set, showing off the franchise’s familiar delta shield on some form of Starfleet uniform. (CS)

First Look Buzz: ‘Ghostbusters’

After much speculation, director Paul Feig tweeted out a photo revealing the costumes for the highly anticipated, female-led reboot that is scheduled to hit theaters next summer on July 22nd. With a message that included the hashtag whatyougonnawear, Feig gave fans an inside look at what is to come. The movie stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Chris Hemsworth. (CB)

Trailer Buzz: ‘The Secret In Their Eyes’

STX Entertainment has released the first look at the upcoming remake of the Oscar-winning Argentinian film, starring Chitwetel Ejiofor, Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman, and adapted from the original and directed by Billy Ray. It hits theaters October 23rd, smack dab in the middle of awards season. (SAA)

Online Film School: Watching ‘F For Fake’ With a Couple Of Film Critics

In the opening sequence to F For Fake, Orson Welles lays his cards on the table. “This is a film about trickery, fraud …  about lies.” But Welles also calls himself a “charlatan,” and he’s introduced performing magic tricks — and magicians use truth as a kind of misdirection — they tell you something true while pretending to saw a woman in half. There might be a similar kind of misdirection in Welles’ explanation. (FSR)

TV Development for 6/30/15: Jason Katims Gets HBO Pilot Order, New Regency Searching for Next Mr. and Mrs. Smith & More

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Untitled Nick Stone Missions Series Studio: The Weinstein Company Executive Producer(s): Antoine Fuqua Logline: Based on the novel about an ex-SAS soldier working on covert operations for British intelligence. Notes: Based on the fictional series of 16 novels, The Nick Stone Missions, written by Andy McNab, a former Special Air Service sergeant. The last book, For Valour was published in 2014. SSN Insight: The Weinstein Company is rumored to be the frontrunner to win the auction for the rights that’s being run by CAA. Antoine Fuqua is in talks to EP as well as direct the pilot. Fuqua previously worked with TWC on his upcoming film Southpaw and is currently directing The Magnificent Seven remake for Sony.

Funny or Die Presents America’s Next Weatherman Network: TBS Studio: United Artists Media Group Production Company(s): Mark Burnett Productions, Funny or Die Executive Producer(s): Mark Burnett, Mike Farah, Joe Farrell, Dean Houser Logline: An hour long comedy-reality competition series with the winner to forecast the national weather on the CNN show New Day in addition to a $100,000 prize. SSN Insight: TBS gave a series order of eight episodes with the first episode premiering August 8. Matt Oberg will host the series. Judges are veteran L.A. weather personalities Johnny Mountain of KABC, KCBS and Jillian Barberie of Good Day LA. International rights will be distributed by MGM. Bettyville Studio: Paramount Television Production Company(s): Archer Gray Productions Executive Producer(s): George Hodgman, Amy Nauiokas, Anne Carey Writer(s): John Hoffman Logline: A man returns to his hometown of Paris, Missouri for his mother Betty’s 91st birthday, only to find that this ever independent woman now needs the assistance she never thought she’d ask for. Mother and son, lifelong allies, conspirators, sharers of jokes and grudges, occasional warriors try their best to make things right and to redefine the home they find themselves sharing once more. Notes: Based on the memoir, "Bettyville," written by George Hodgman and published by Viking on March 10, 2015. SSN Insight: In addition to Bettyville based on the novel, Paramount TV is currently also adapting The Alienist, Lindbergh, Shutter Island (show title Ashecliffe) from novels for TV. Archer Gray Productions is also behind the upcoming film, Diary of a Teenage Girl.

Broke Network: AMC Studio: Lionsgate, AMC Studios Production Company(s): Clyde Phillips Productions Executive Producer(s): Clyde Phillips, Henrik Ruben Genz, Malene Blenkov, Piv Bernth Logline: Two best friends take one last shot at their dream of opening a restaurant together. One is a brilliant chef in trouble with the Mob and the law, and the other is the best sommelier in the city who is the widowed father of a teenage son. Based on the Danish series, "Bankerot." Notes: Based on the Danish series, "Bankerot," which premiered on DR in 2014. SSN Insight: AMC gave a straight to series order on June 25. This year AMC also handed straight to series orders for Into The Badlands, Humans and The Night Manager.

Guilt Network: ABC Family Studio: Lionsgate Production Company(s): Sea to Sky Entertainment, Wonder Monkey TV Executive Producer(s): Nichole Millard, Kathryn Price, Steve McPherson, Gary Fleder Writer(s): Nichole Millard, Kathryn Price Logline: An American girl is studying abroad in London. When her Irish roommate is brutally murdered, she finds herself the prime suspect and focus of an international media frenzy. SSN Insight: Draws parallels to the story of Amanda Knox. Rolled from 2013-2014 pilot season when it was in development at Fox with Lionsgate TV producing through McPherson’s previous first look deal with Fox and Lionsgate. The production company on the series now, Sea to Sky Entertainment, is a joint venture between Lionsgate Television and Canada’s Thunderbird Films.

Jeff And Some Aliens Network: Comedy Central Production Company(s): ShadowMachine Executive Producer(s): Sean Donnelly, Alessandro Minoli, Corey Campodonico, Alexander Bulkley Logline: The series follows Jeff, the world’s most average guy, and the three aliens sent to study him to determine whether or not humanity should be destroyed. Jeff’s mundane life is constantly thrown into chaos by his extraterrestrial guests- it isn’t always easy having roommates who force you to participate in grueling intergalactic decathlons or perform Azurian honor killings to restore interstellar balance. Notes: The project is a spinoff of the series, "Triptank," on which it was a recurring sketch. "Triptank" premiered on Comedy Central in 2014. SSN Insight: Comedy Central gave an initial script commitment back in November. As of June 24, Comedy Central gave a series order of ten episodes.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith Production Company(s): New Regency Productions, 3 Ball Entertainment Executive Producer(s): Todd A. Nelson, Brant Pinvidic Logline: Reality series where married couples compete in a high-octane, high-stakes game. Notes: Based on the film, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" (2005), directed by Doug Liman and starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. SSN Insight: New Regency previously developed a Mr. & Mrs. Smith scripted series that made it to pilot back in 2007 at ABC with Martin Henderson and Jordana Brewster starring, but it was not picked up to series.

Project Runway Junior Network: Lifetime Production Company(s): Full Picture, The Weinstein Company , Sarah Rea Productions Executive Producer(s): Tim Gunn, Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein, Patrick Reardon, Barbara Schneeweiss Logline: The series showcases the next generation of designers with contestants ages 14 to 17 competing. SSN Insight: Lifetime gave a series order on June 25. Lifetime also renewed renewed Project Runway All Stars for release in early 2016 and set the premiere of the 14th season of Project Runway for August 6. Tim Gunn will co-host this new series with supermodel Hannah Davis. Judges include 2007 Project Runway winner Christian Siriano and Aya Kanai, executive fashion editor at Cosmopolitan and Seventeen. Production will start this summer in New York.

Us Network: HBO Studio: Universal Television Production Company(s): True Jack Productions Executive Producer(s): Jason Katims, Michelle Lee Writer(s): Jason Katims Logline: A sweeping examination of the often baffling, sometimes unexpected but ultimately heart-wrenching ways love and human connection can be found today through a vast web of seemingly unconnected people. Notes: Based on an original idea by Jason Katims. SSN Insight: HBO ordered the pilot on June 24. Katims recently received an order for his drama series, The Way on Hulu. He previously executive produced the TV series Parenthood, About a Boy and Friday Night Lights.

SSN Events Calendar: Magic Mike, Minions & Mission Impossible Along with Comic-Con & More in July

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calendar pictureTime to bust out the AC, as temperatures rise in the month of July. The summer has been hotter than hot for Universal and Disney and there’s still more to come. What better time to hit the movie theaters with Magic Mike XXL, Minions and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation all releasing. If you want to surround yourself with movies, TV shows and comic books galore though there’s the annual San Diego Comic-Con, this time a couple weeks early. We’ve also listed submission deadlines for Oscar qualifying film festivals. Check out our calendar below for July’s events and let us know in the comments below if there’s any other events worth noting.

July Events Calendar
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Wednesday, July 1 Happy Birthday Princess Diana, Missy Elliott, Pamela Anderson, Liv Tyler FILM: Magic Mike XXL, Terminator: Genisys, A Poem Is a Naked Person, Faith of Our Fathers, Mala Mala Ann Arbor Film Festival Submission Deadline LA Cinema Festival of Hollywood through July 2 La Costa Film Festival with Mandalay Sports Open Registration for The Reel Pitch Contest, now through July 31 TV- Food Paradise International (NEW) on Travel Channel, Monster In My Family (NEW) on Lifetime Movie Network, Flipping Out on Bravo, BBQ Crawl on Travel, Extant on CBS

Thursday, July 2 Happy Birthday Peter David, Lindsay Lohan, Ashley Tisdale TV- Food Fighters on NBC

Friday, July 3 Happy Birthday Tom Cruise, Olivia Munn, Patrick Wilson FILM - Jimmy’s Hall, I-Lived, Amy, Zarafa, In Stereo, Stray Dog, Antboy 2, Jackie & Ryan, Stung, Cartel Land, Closer to God LA Int'l Short Film Festival Submission Deadline TV- Mysteries at the Monument on Travel Cinespia - The Goonies + Fireworks

Saturday, July 4 Happy Independence Day! Happy Birthday Malia Obama, Geraldo Rivera StreetFoodCinema - Jaws Eat/See/Hear- Jaws Cinespia- Top Gun + Fireworks

Sunday, July 5 Happy Birthday Edie Falco, Eva Green

Monday, July 6 Happy Birthday Sly Stallone, Kevin Hart, 50 Cent, George W. Bush TV- Talia's Kitchen (NEW) on Nickelodeon, Chasing Life on ABC Family, Penn & Teller: Fool Us on CW, Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations on Travel

Tuesday, July 7 Happy Birthday Ringo Starr, Michelle Kwan FILM- Aurora iCannes International Film Festival (Beverly Hills) TV- Hollywood Cycle (NEW) on E!, Hollywood Game Night on NBC, Total Divas on E!

Wednesday, July 8 Happy Birthday Jaden Smith, Kevin Bacon, Sophia Bush, Toby Keith The Martha's Vineyard Film Fest through August 26 Festival of the Arts/Pageant of the Masters (Laguna Beach) through August 31 TV- Million Dollar Listing San Francisco (NEW) on Bravo, Why? With Hannibal Buress (NEW) on Comedy Central, The Spoils Of Babylon on IFC

Thursday, July 9 Happy Birthday Tom Hanks San Diego Comic-Con International through July 12 Outfest through July 19 TV- Dates (NEW) on CW, Living With the Enemy (NEW) on Lifetime, Teen Mom 2 on MTV, Dominion on SyFy

Friday, July 10 Happy Birthday Sofia Vergara, Jessica Simpson FILM- The Suicide Theory, Mad Women, The Gallows, 10,000 KM, What We Did On Our Holiday, Minions, Selfless, Tangerine, Nowitzki: The Perfect Shot, Do I Sound Gay? TV- Sex With Brody (NEW) on E!, Treehouse Masters on Animal Planet, Masters of Illusion on CW, Redwood Kings on Animal Planet

Saturday, July 11 Bushwick Art Book & Zine Fair through July 12 TV- Livin' Lozada (NEW) on OWN, Dr. Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet (NEW) on Animal Planet, Flex & Shanice on OWN StreetFoodCinema- Back to the Future Eat/See/Hear- Old School Cinespia - A Hard Day's Night

Sunday, July 12 Happy Birthday Michelle Rodriguez, Topher Grace Cinanima Film Festival Submission Deadline TV- Naked and Afraid XL (NEW) on Discovery, The Strain on FX, Basketball Wives LA on VH1, Ray Donovan on Showtime, Masters of Sex on Showtime

Monday, July 13 Happy Birthday Harrison Ford TV- Southern Fried Road Trip (NEW) on Food, Running Wild with Bear Grylls on NBC

Tuesday, July 14 Happy Birthday Jane Lynch, Matthew Fox, Tommy Mottola Fantasia Int'l Film Fest (Montreal) through August 4 TV- Escaping Polygamy (NEW) on Lifetime Movie Network, My Giant Life (NEW) on TLC

Wednesday, July 15 Happy Birthday Gabriel Iglesias, Arianna Huffington, Forest Whitaker, Adam Savage ESPN ESPY Awards FILM- Court Clermont-Ferrand Int'l Shorts Film Fest Submission Deadline California Women’s Film Festival through July 16 TV- The Jim Gaffigan Show (NEW) on TV Land, Impastor (NEW) on TV Land, Lachey's Bar (NEW) on A&E, I Am Jazz (NEW) on TLC, Wahlburgers on A&E, Donnie Loves Jenny on A&E

Thursday, July 16 Happy Birthday Will Ferrell TV- Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll (NEW) on FX, Married on FX, Friends of the People on truTV

Friday, July 17 Happy Birthday Mark Burnett, David Hasselhoff, Donald Sutherland Disneyland Opened Today in 1955 FILM- Lila and Eve, Trainwreck, Ant-Man, All Creatures Big And Small, The Look of Silence, Alleluia, Catch Me Daddy, A Hard Day, Boulevard, Bonobos, The Stanford Prison Experiment, Mr. Holmes, El Ardor, Twinsters Giffoni Film Fest (Italy) through July 26 TV- Treasure Quest: Snake Island (NEW) on Discovery, BoJack Horseman on Netflix

Saturday, July 18 Happy Birthday Vin Diesel, Kristen Bell, Wendy Williams, Chase Crawford TV- Hell on Wheels on AMC, Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove on Hallmark StreetFoodCinema- Three Amigos Eat/See/Hear- Wedding Singer Cinespia - Grindhouse

Sunday, July 19 Happy Birthday Benedict Cumberbatch, Jared Padalecki TV- Port Protection (NEW) on NatGeo, Welcome To Sweden on NBC

Monday, July 20 Happy Birthday Julianne Hough, Carlos Santana, Omar Epps, Gisele Bundchen TV- Yukon River Run (NEW) on NatGeo

Tuesday, July 21 Colorado International Film Festival TV- The Agent (NEW) on Esquire, Knock Knock Live (NEW) on FOX, Big Smo on A&E

Wednesday, July 22 Happy Birthday Selena Gomez, Danny Glover, David Spade Downtown Film Festival L.A. through July 26 TV- Gamer’s Guide To Pretty Much Everything (NEW) on Disney XD, Twinning (NEW) on VH1, The Next Great Burger (NEW) on Esquire, Home Free (NEW) on FOX, Last Comic Standing on NBC, Dating Naked: Playing For Keeps on VH1

Thursday, July 23 Happy Birthday Daniel Radcliffe, Paul Wesley, Slash, Marlon Wayans

Friday, July 24 Happy Birthday Jennifer Lopez, Anna Paquin, Lynda Carter FILM- The Young Kieslowski, American Heist, Lucky Stiff, Warx2, Horse Money, Phoenix, Irrational Man, Five Star, Big Significant Things, Jack Strong, Samba, Dark Was the Night, Southpaw, The Vatican Tapes, Paper Towns, Pixels, The Outrageous Sophie Tucker, A Gay Girl in Damascus: The Amina Profile, Unexpected La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival through July 25 LA Int'l Short Film Festival through July 31

Saturday, July 25 Happy Birthday Matt LeBlanc, Geoffrey Zakarian, DB Woodside Qualcomm Ultra HD 4k Mobile Challenge, San Diego Film Fest StreetFoodCinema- Election, Raising Arizona Eat/See/Hear- Love Actually Cinespia - Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Sunday, July 26 Happy Birthday Sanda Bullock, Jason Statham, Mick Jagger TV- Answered Prayers (NEW) on TLC, I Am Cait (NEW) on E!, Stewarts & Hamiltons (NEW) on E!

Monday, July 27 Happy Birthday Maya Rudolph, Taylor Schilling, Triple H, Alex Rodriguez, Cassandra Clare Bugs Bunny Debuted this day in 1940

Tuesday, July 28 Traverse City Film Fest (Michigan) through August 2 TV- Face Off on SyFy

Wednesday, July 29 FILM - Vacation, Listen to Me Marlon TV- Fameless (NEW) on truTV, Randy Jackson Presents: America's Best Dance Crew on MTV, The Carbonaro Effect on truTV, #CandidlyNicole on VH1

Thursday, July 30 Happy Birthday Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lisa Kudrow, Terry Crews LA Latino Int'l Film Fest Submissions Deadline Melbourne Int'l Film Fest through August 16 1st Color Movies Shown this date in 1928 TV- Review on Comedy Central

Friday, July 31 Happy Birthday JK Rowling, Rico Rodriguez, Wesley Snipes Rocky Mountain Book & Paper Fair through August 1 FILM- 6 Ways to Die, Haganenet, Beyond the Brick: A LEGO Brickumentary, The End of the Tour, Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation, Jenny's Wedding, Extinction, Best of Enemies TV- Wet Hot American Summer: First Day At Camp (NEW) on Netflix, Cold Justice: Sex Crimes (NEW) on TNT, BUNK’D (NEW) on Disney, Atlanta Plastic (NEW) on Lifetime, Strike Back on Cinemax, Sky 1

–Note all events are subject to change. If you would like to add events to our monthly calendar, please email marketing@ssninsider.com with the details.–

SSN July Events Calendar, TV Development 6/30/15, Don Harris Steps Down at Paramount, Focus Circles ‘Jurassic World’ Directors Next Movie, Jackie Chan’s Big Bucks

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SSN ORIGINALS

SSN Events Calendar: 'Magic Mike', 'Minions' & 'Mission Impossible' Along with Comic-Con & More in July

Time to bust out the AC, as temperatures rise in the month of July. The summer has been hotter than hot for Universal and Disney and there’s still more to come. What better time to hit the movie theaters with Magic Mike XXL, Minions and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation all releasing. If you want to surround yourself with movies, TV shows and comic books galore though there’s the annual San Diego Comic-Con, this time a couple weeks early. We’ve also listed submission deadlines for Oscar qualifying film festivals. Check out SSN's event calendar for July’s events. (SSN)

TV Development for 6/30/15: Jason Katims Gets HBO Pilot Order, New Regency Searching for Next 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' & More

Also, the Weinsteins get an Antoine Fuqua pilot, TBS gets a Funny or Die comedy-reality competition series and Comedy Central gives a series order to an alien comedy. (SSN)

OTHER HEADLINES

Don Harris Exiting As Domestic Distribution President At Paramount

Don Harris is leaving Paramount Pictures as president of domestic distribution after 14 years of working at the studio. He will be staying through the release of Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation on July 31st. The studio will replace him and expect to have the new exec announced in the next 60 days. (DH)

Focus Circles ‘Jurassic World’ Director Colin Trevorrow’s ‘Book of Henry’

Focus Features is in discussions to acquire domestic distribution rights to Trevorrow’s next movie, Book of Henry.  Sidney Kimmel Entertainment will finance and co-produce the film with Double Nickel Entertainment. Sidney Kimmel will produce, along with Double Nickel’s Jenette Kahn and Adam Richman. SKE’s Carla Hacken and Jim Tauber are executive producers. (VAR)

Big Bucks For Big Brother: Why Jackie Chan Is The World's Second-Highest Paid Actor

Once ubiquitous in Hollywood, Chan hasn’t had an American live action hit in five years. Yet he’s earned an estimated $50 million over the past 12 months, more than any actor in the world besides Robert Downey Jr. and enough to land him the No. 38 spot in the Forbes Celebrity 100, right behind Tiger Woods. (FORBES)

Turner Taps WB Animation to Fill Revamped Boomerang Pipeline

Turner Broadcasting and Warner Bros. announced a global agreement to strengthen the pipeline of original content being developed for the recently rebranded Boomerang.  The agreement —the first-ever deal for original content developed exclusively for Boomerang — includes nearly 450 half-hours of programming from Warner Bros. Animation. (AM)

Michael Bay’s Benghazi Movie Gets an Early 2016 Release Date

Michael Bay has shot his Benghazi movie, based on the Mitchell Zuckoff‘s book about the dual 2012 attacks on American compounds in Libya that took four American lives and created a political firestorm.  The film, formerly called simply 13 Hours, now has a longer title. It also has a release date, as Paramount will get the film into theaters in January 2016. (THR)

Did You Catch All of Pixar Animation’s ‘Inside Out’ Easter Eggs?

Like every Pixar movie, Inside Out is ripe with easter eggs referencing all of the animation studio’s movies that came before it. Some are hard to spot, others are pretty easy to see.  SlashFilm runs through as many of them as possible.  (SLASH)

Comic-Con 2015: Hall H Wristband Rules

There are some changes coming to the current wristband system for Comic-Con's dreaded Hall H, aka the “Toucan Trackers”, that aim to ease concerns about sleeping out overnight, line-cutters, and scheduling conflicts. Collider has all the particulars. (COLL)

‘Sniper’ Writer’s Directorial Debut, Costner Passes On Amazon Series, Marshall’s Next Ensemble Flick, Keaton and Simmons Leave ‘Skull Island’

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First an Oscar Nod, Then a Directorial Debut For ‘American Sniper’ Writer Jason Hall

Hall will helm the PTSD drama Thank You For Your Service, the big-screen adaptation of David Finkel’s non-fiction book that focuses on veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hall also adapted the script for DreamWorks, which acquired the rights to the unpublished story back in May of 2013. (COL)

So Much For Kevin Costner Making His Television Series Debut Any Time Soon

The two-time Oscar winner ended up passing on Amazon’s David E. Kelley legal drama, The Trial after a deal could not be made. Now, the project is going back to square one to find a "huge star" for its leading man. The drama is still expected to go straight to series once that leading man is found, a point that Costner signing on would have guaranteed. (TLF)

Garry Marshall Finds His Next “Holiday”-Themed Film, Snags Julia Roberts and Others For ‘Mother’s Day’

Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson and Jason Sudeikis are also in talks for the ensemble film that Marshall is set to direct from a script by Anya Kochoff-Romano and Lily Hollander. The pic tells intertwining stories about the lives of several mothers as the title holiday approaches. It is the latest in Marshall’s holiday movie series that began with New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day. No studio is yet attached to the project, but CAA is taking the package to buyers. (DH)

Bad News From 'Kong Island': Michael Keaton and J.K. Simmonds Leave the Show For Scheduling Reasons

Legendary-Universal's King Kong origins movie is set to open on March 10th, 2017.  The studio and Legendary unveiled Skull Island during last year’s Comic-Con. They announced in September that Tom Hiddleston was on board to star, with Jordan Vogt-Roberts directing. Production is expected to start later this year. John Gatins and Max Borenstein wrote the script, about a team of explorers who venture deep inside the primordial island that is King Kong’s home. (VAR)

The Adaptation Of Tony-Winning ‘All the Way’ Has Found Its Martin Luther King Jr.

Anthony Mackie will be portraying the icon opposite Bryan Cranston’s Lyndon Baines Johnson. Jay Roach is directing the TV movie for HBO, working from playwright Robert Schenkkan’s own adaptation. Story follows LBJ after the assassination of JFK rockets him into the Oval Office, he has to push through ground breaking Civil Rights legislation while also battling to win re-election. It was, all told, a tough first year for him, capped by success at the polls. (EMP)

Fox Makes a Sea Change On Its ‘Minority Report’ Adaptation, Turns Identical Twins Into Fraternal Ones

Series originally cast one actor, Stark Sands, to play precog twins Dash and Arthur, but now he network has shaken things up by adding Nick Zano as a series regular to play Arthur. Sands will continue to play Dash. This also means that parts of the pilot will have to be reshot. The network has the show scheduled for Monday nights in the fall. (SF)

‘House Of Cards’ Fourth Season Is Bringing In Neve Campbell To Bolster the Team

The Party Of Five alum is joining the Emmy-winning show as a series regular. While details about her character are being kept under wraps, the next season will find power couple Frank and Claire Underwood headed into an election. There has been speculation that the fourth season would be the show’s last, but no word on that yet, one way or another. The next season will premiere in 2016. (TVL)

Stunningly, a New Study Reveals That Nine Of 10 TV Watchers Are Binge-Viewers

According to Tivo's second annual binge-viewing report, 92% of 12,500 TiVo subscribers surveyed said they have engaged in the practice, which TiVo defines as consuming three or more episodes of a single TV show in one sitting. And while the sheer prevalence of bingers suggests that gorging on content is the new norm, it also appears to be a somewhat solitary pursuit, as 53% of respondents said they do not binge in the company of others. (AA)

Trailer Buzz: ‘Creed’

MGM, Warner Bros. and New Line have released the first trailer for the upcoming Rocky spinoff, staring Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone, reprising his signature role. Directed by Ryan Coogler, the movie hits theaters November 25th. (SAA)

Screenwriters: ‘Wild Tales’

The 83-page screenplay, unlabeled but dated 2012, by Damián Szifron. (GITS)

Rep Moves for 7/1/15: Silicon Valley’s Martin Starr Signs with CAA, Dope’s Kiersey Clemons Snagged by UTA & More

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UTA: Actress Kiersey Clemons who starred in the Sundance Film Festival hit Dope has signed up with UTA. In addition to the indie Dope, which has sinced grossed $11 million, she also has a recurring role on Amazon’s Transparent and she can next be seen alongside Halle Berry in CBS’ new season of Extant. Clemons continues to be managed by Starr Andreeff of MJMG and Eddie Galan of Mach 1 Management.

CAA: HBO Silicon Valley actor Martin Starr has shifted from UTA to CAA. Before Silicon Valley he was cast in Freaks and Geeks and Veronica Mars. He recently appeared in the indie film that opened at Sundance, I’ll See You in My Dreams alongside Blythe Danner. He’s also currently cast in a feature version of the TV show Party Down, in active development, with Lizzy Caplan and Ken Marino attached among others. Starr will continue to be repped by Ben Feigin at Anonymous Content and attorney David Krintzman at Morris Yorn.

UTA & Management 360: Actor Harry Hamlin has changed up his representation. He leaves Paradigm for UTA and has shifted from Luber Roklin Management to Management 360. He will remain with Pinnacle Public Relations. He most recently was seen on Law & Order SVU as Deputy Chief Charles Patton and just completed arcs on Shameless, Rush and Glee. On the feature side he wrapped Bleeding Heart starring Jessica Biel.

CAA: Actress Jaina Lee Ortiz has landed her first agency representation and it’s at CAA. She was cast as a series regular on Chris Carter’s Amazon pilot The After and can next be seen in Rosewood, premiering this fall on FOX paired with returning hit show, Empire. On Rosewood, Ortiz will play Karissa Villa, a former NYPD detective who ends up teaming up Dr. Rosewood, a gifted pathologist. She will continue to be repped by Link Entertainment and attorney Lev Ginsburg at Ginsburg Daniels. CAA: YouTube's “King of Music Video Parodies" Bart Baker has signed with the agency for representation in all areas. His channel, a member of the Maker Studios MCN since 2011 has racked up more than six miillion subscribers and 1.6 billion views. He recently launched a channel on Vessel in addition to his Instagram (675k followers), Vine (315k), Twitter (219k) and Facebook (325k).  In December he started hosting the talk/game/clip show CrashPad, co-produced by Maker Studios and Drama 3/4, with videos provided by Jukin Media.


Ask the Analyst, Rep Moves 7/1/15, PT Anderson and ‘Pinocchio’, ‘Fatal Attraction’ TV Event Series, Laurence Fishburne to Star in ‘Roots’, Lionsgate to Make ‘Monopoly’ Movie

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SSN ORIGNALS

Ask the Analyst: You’ve Written Your Calling Card Script…So, Now What?

For ASK THE ANALYST, expert screenplay readers and analysts from ScriptShark answer questions that Facebook fans and Twitter followers posted. Read on to find helpful answers to questions regarding how to become a professional screenwriter and many other aspects of screenwriting and the movie business. Click here to read Part One and here to read Part Two. (SSN)

Rep Moves for 7/1/15: Silicon Valley’s Martin Starr Signs with CAA, Dope’s Kiersey Clemons Snagged by UTA & More

Amongst other moves are actor Harry Hamlin to UTA and Management 360, as well as TV actress Jaina Lee Ortiz landing her first representation at CAA. (SSN)

OTHER HEADLINES

Paul Thomas Anderson Writing, May Direct Robert Downey Jr.’s 'Pinocchio'

Acclaimed writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, The Master) has signed on to write and possibly direct Robert Downey Jr. as Geppetto in a re-imagined take on Carlo Collodi’s Pinocchio. (CS)

'Fatal Attraction' Getting Remade As TV Event Series

20th Century Fox is developing the project, with Mad Men veterans Maria and Andre Jacquemetton penning the script about a married man whose affair turns into a total nightmare when his lover can't let him go. (IW)

Laurence Fishburne To Star In ‘Roots’ Remake On A+E Networks

Fishburne will play Haley, the author of the novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family, an American family origin story based around the life of Kunta Kinte. (DH)

'Monopoly' Movie Passes Go with Lionsgate, Hasbro, and Screenwriter Andrew Niccol

The latest Hasbro movie adaptation is Monopoly, the board game that teaches financial management and the brutal practice of capitalism. Hasbro Allspark Pictures will be producing the picture with Lionsgate on board to provide financing.  Andrew Niccol (The Truman Show) has been set to pen the adaptation, which is expected to center on a boy from the game’s budget-priced Baltic Avenue who sets out into the world to make his fortune. (COLL)

Comic-Con 2015: THR's Full Guide to Parties in San Diego

After film behemoths Marvel, Sony and Paramount opted to sit out Comic-Con this year, TV is taking a front seat at the annual pop culture convention, set for July 8-12. And that includes the party circuit, with the familiar (Warner Bros. Television, Fox, The Walking Dead) and new faces (Universal Cable Productions, Fear the Walking Dead) helping to off-set missing studio bashes. (THR)

The Secret To Walt Disney's Corporate Strategy

A 1957 infographic of Walt Disney's corporate theory reveals a complex web of strategic channels. The illustration might be nearly 60 years old, but it's still the basis of the brand's success. (FC)

Bonfire Of The Vanities: When Personal Projects Go Wrong

United Passions, funded by FIFA itself, arrived just in time for the “revelations” about the football governing body’s systemic corruption and Sepp Blatter’s resignation. Empire looks back to 15 other vanity projects that didn’t always quite score the intended goal. (EMPIRE)

Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs: Official Trailer

Steve Jobs, based on Walter Isaacson’s eponymous biography, hits theaters Oct. 9. (WIRED)

‘The Birds’ Remake Finds a Director, Syfy’s New Horror Anthology, Anthony Anderson: Game Show Host, Timothy Spall’s New Role

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Michael Bay Has Found a Director For His Planned Remake Of ‘The Birds’

Dutch director Diederick Van Rooijen has been hired to helm the project, which is being produced by Platinum Dunes, Mandalay and Universal. Hitchcock’s classic 1963 film centered on a socialite who moves up to Northern California only to discover that the peaceful seaside town is under attack by hordes of birds that have suddenly turned murderous. (SC)

Syfy Gets Into the Horror Anthology Game With ‘Channel Zero’

Show from creators Nick Antosca and Max Landis will follow a single story throughout each season, starting with the short story Candle Cove by Kris Straub. That story, which delves into the creepy set of online memes and stories, follows a mysterious children’s television show from the 1980s and the show’s role in a series of murders and one man’s dark secret. (SF)

Anthony Anderson Is Adding “Game Show Host” To His Already Impressive Resume

ABC is rebooting its 1950s/1960s hybrid game show/variety show, To Tell The Truth, which will be hosted by the Black-ish star. Confirmed regular celebrity panelists include NeNe Leakes and Betty White (who actually was a panelist on the original program, decades ago). Also Anderson’s own mother. Original show featured a panel of four celebrities tasked with correctly identifying a mystery contestant, who has an unusual occupation or experience. (SAA)

Timothy Spall Appears To Be Lining Up His Next Role Based On a Real Person

The Mr. Turner star is in talks to join the new film The Journey as the late British Democratic Union Party leader Sir Ian Paisley. Nick Hamm’s film is actually chronicling the story of how two seemingly implacable enemies – Paisley, the stalwart, vocal leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness – who had to find common ground and make history. Producers are still casting the role of McGuinness. (EMP)

Another Blow To ‘Hannibal’s Chances: Producers Release Cast From Contracts

Ten days after NBC cancelled the show, the series no longer has its cast under contract. Starting today, stars Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen are free agents, and they are already fielding film and TV offers. Their options expired last night and were not extended by Hannibal producer Gaumont International Television. (DH)

Donald Trump’s Suddenly Homeless Miss USA Pageant Finds a Place On Cable

Reelz has picked up the rights to the telecast after NBC on Monday scrapped plans to air the pageant amid a growing controversy involving Donald Trump. The Miss Universe Organization, which presents the pageant, is a joint venture between Trump and NBCUniversal. (THR)

USA Network Does the Obvious and Renews ‘Suits’ For a Sixth Season

With the show’s fifth season having just premiered, the cable network is signing on for another season of the hit legal drama. No premiere date has been announced, but it will almost certainly be in 2016, and the network did confirm that there will be 16 episodes. (CB)

Behind the Scenes: How ‘Terminator: Genisys’ Re-Created Arnold For a Legendary Screen Fight

James Cameron’s original 1984 The Terminator includes an early scene that has become a sci-fi touchstone: A naked man (Arnold Schwarzenegger) arrives in a flash of lightning and smoke at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, takes on three punk rockers who harass him, and steals their clothes. For Genisys, the filmmakers re-created that scene, but with a pivotal twist. (EW)

Trailer Buzz: ‘Staten Island Summer’

Paramount Insurge has just released the trailer for a new comedy produced by Lorne Michaels. Directed by Rhys Thomas, film follows pals Danny and Frank, two young men who spend the summer after high school working as lifeguards while figuring out their future. Fred Armisen, Bobby Moynihan, Will Forte, Cecily Strong, Graham Phillips, Zack Pearlman, Ashley Greene, Kate Walsh, Jackson Nicoll, Jim Gaffigan and Method Man star. It hits Netflix July 31st. (CS)

Screenwriters: Behind the Lines With DR — Opinions and Quick Draw McFlaw

Part of surviving the inevitable ups and downs of a career producing entertainment — be it movies, books, TV, or even an article such as this — one has to accept that no matter how much one thinks a story is worthy of public consumption, there will always be those who think the work simply sucks. (SM)

Film Development for 7/2/15: Michael Neeson to Follow Dad Liam & Portray Michael Collins, Writer Abi Morgan Drafted for ‘Ashley’s War’

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New Attachments

The Rising Logline: The film tells the story of the Easter Rising in 1916, in which a small rebellion sought to free Ireland from centuries of oppressive British imperial rule. Producer(s): Kevin McCann Writer(s): Kevin McCann, Colin Broderick Director(s): Kevin McCann Cast: Colin Morgan, Michael Neeson Notes: The story is a prequel to the film “Michael Collins” (1996). SSN Insight: The film marks Michael Neeson’s first major film role. He will play the same role of Michael Collins his father, Liam Neeson, played in the 1996 film. The film also had a Kickstarter and raised €57,000.

Ashley's War Logline: This is the story of CST-2, elite women soldiers who worked with Green Berets and Army Rangers in Afghanistan in 2010, and1st Lieutenant Ashley White, the first member killed in action. Studio/Distributor: Fox 2000 Production Company(s): Pacific Standard Producer(s): Reese Witherspoon, Bruna Papandrea, Natalie Krinsky Writer(s): Abi Morgan Cast: Reese Witherspoon Notes: Based on the book "Ashley’s War: The Untold Story Of A Team of Women Soldiers On The Special Ops Battlefield" written by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon and published by Harper Collins on April 21, 2015. SSN Insight: Fox 2000, headed by Elizabeth Gabler, won an auction for the rights back in March. Morgan is best known for Shame and The Iron Lady.

Lights Out Logline: When a bloodthirsty supernatural being that lurks in the shadows preys upon a family, a young woman must fight to protect herself, save her little half-brother, and uncover a mystery about her family's shadowy past. Studio/Distributor: New Line Cinema Production Company(s): Grey Matter Entertainment, Easternlight Film Productions Producer(s): James Wan, Lawrence Grey, Eric Heisserer Writer(s): Eric Heisserer Director(s): David Sandberg Cast: Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Michael Bateman Notes: Based on the short film "Lights Out" (Sweden/2013) written and directed by David F. Sandberg. SSN Insight: Brie Larson was previously attached to star. The film is currently in production with a $5 million estimated budget.

Live! Logline: With a crazed killer after him, a disgraced cop races to find the police commissioner’s kidnapped daughter who has 80 minutes to live, and an online report follows the chase on social media. Production Company(s): Sentient Entertainment, The Solution Entertainment Group, Blackmrkt Incorporated, 5B Artist Media Producer(s): Myles Nestel, Skip Williamson Writer(s): Jeremy Drysdale Director(s): Darrin Prescott, Wade Allen Cast: Aaron Eckhart SSN Insight: Solution Entertainment acquired the spec script in late 2013. Eckhart will next be seen in London Has Fallen and Bleed for This and wrapped My All American.

Pinocchio (Warner Bros.) Logline: When Pinocchio goes missing, Geppetto sets out to find him. Studio/Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures Production Company(s): The Dan Jinks Company, Team Downey Producer(s): Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, Dan Jinks Writer(s): Paul Thomas Anderson, Michael Mitnick, Jane Goldman, Bryan Fuller Cast: Robert Downey Jr. Notes: Based on characters from the novel "The Adventures of Pinocchio" written by Carlo Collodi, which was initially serialized between 1881 and 1883. Tim Burton was previously in discussions to direct. SSN Insight: Ben Stiller was previously in talks to direct. In addition to his Marvel sequels, Downey was cast in Perry Mason and El Presidente, both of which are in active development at WB.

Swiss Army Man Logline: In this absurdist comedy, a hopeless man stranded in the wilderness befriends a dead body and together they go on a journey to get home. Production Company(s): Cold Iron Pictures , Blackbird Films Producer(s): Miranda Bailey, Amanda Marshall, Jonathan Wang, Lawrence Inglee Writer(s): Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan Director(s): Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan Cast: Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, Mary Elizabeth SSN Insight: Screenplay was included in 2014 Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab. Shooting to start this month.

The Journey Logline: After three decades of not speaking, Ian Paisley, staunch evangelical Protestant and advocate for Northern Ireland, and Martin McGuinness, a former leader of the IRA are forced to ride in a car together. Will their proximity help in the quest for peace? Production Company(s): Tempo Productions, Generator Entertainment, Greenroom Entertainment Producer(s): Nick Hamm, Mark Huffam, Piers Tempest Writer(s): Colin Bateman Director(s): Nick Hamm Cast: Timothy Spall SSN Insight: CAA and Bloom are selling the project on a promo reel at Cannes. Liam Neeson and Kenneth Branagh were previously attached to star.

The Rendezvous Logline: Follows an unlikely pair who find themselves swept up in a deadly race to find a sacred Dead Sea Scroll hidden in the ancient city of Petra. Producer(s): Dan Halsted, Tricia Gibbs Writer(s): Terrel Seltzer Director(s): Amin Matalqa Cast: Stana Katic, Raza Jaffrey, Alfonso Bassave, Ron Guttman, Glenn Fleshler, Darby Stanchfield, Nadim Sawalha Details: Based on Sarah Isaias’ book “A New Song”. SSN Insight: Shot on location in Jordan, the film recently wrapped. After winning the World Cinema Audience Award at Sundance for Captain Abu Raed, Matalqa directed the Disney feature, The United in 2012.

I Am Thor Logline: John Mikl Thor was a bodybuilding, steel-bending, brick-smashing rock star in the 1970s and '80s whose band, Thor, never quite made it big. Years later he attempts a comeback that nearly kills him. Studio/Distributor: MPI Media Group Production Company(s): Circus Road Films Producer(s): Ryan Wise, Al Higbee, Glen Reynolds Director: Ryan Wise Cast: Jon Mikl Thor, Rusty Hamilton, Mike Favata, Steve Price, Keith Zazzi SSN Insight: MPI acquired all distribution rights to the documentary about the heavy metal rocker and will release it in late fall.

Triple Frontier Logline: Storyline under wraps, but set in the organized crime haven in the border zone between Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. Studio/Distributor: Paramount Pictures Production Company(s): Atlas Entertainment Producer(s): Charles Roven, Alex Gartner, Grant Hill Writer(s): Mark Boal Director(s): J.C. Chandor (in discussions) SSN Insight: Tom Hanks was previously attached to star. Kathryn Bigelow, previously attached to direct and EP and Mark Boal, previously attached to EP, both left the project to focus on an untitled film about Bowe Bergdahl.

Untitled (Bruce Willis Detective Film) Logline: When a Los Angeles private investigator’s dog Buddy is stolen by a notorious gang, he has to deal with vicious gang leaders and various goons and crooked characters to get his dog back. Production Company(s): Voltage Pictures Producer(s): Nicolas Chartier, Zev Foreman, Lauren Ford, Mark Cullen, Robb Cullen Director(s): Mark Cullen, Robb Cullen Cast: Bruce Willis, Jason Momoa, Thomas Middleditch, Famke Janssen, John Goodman, Stephanie Sigman, Adrian Martinez, Kal Penn, Emily Robinson SSN Insight: Voltage Pictures launched international sales of the comedy at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.

Wilson Logline: A disaffected loner goes on a quest for human connection with his ex-wife and discovers he has a teenage daughter. Studio/Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures Production Company(s): Stars Road Entertainment, Ad Hominem Enterprises Producer(s): Jim Burke, Jim Taylor, Sam Raimi, Alexander Payne, Josh Donen Writer(s): Daniel Clowes Director(s): Craig Johnson Cast: Woody Harrelson, Laura Dern, Judy Greer, Cheryl Hines, Isabella Amara Notes: Based on the graphic novel "Wilson" written and drawn by Dan Clowes and published by Drawn and Quarterly in May 2010. SSN Insight: Alexander Payne was previously attached to direct.

Martyrs Logline: A revenge thriller that follows a woman and her childhood friend who team up to exact payback from people who once victimized and abused them. Studio/Distributor: Anchor Bay Entertainment Production Company(s): Wild Bunch Producer(s): Peter Safran Director(s): Kevin Goetz, Michael Goetz Cast: Troian Bellisario, Caitlin Carmichael, Kate Burton, Bailey Nobel, Taylor John Smith SSN Insight: Anchor Bay Entertainment has acquired all North American rights in a deal negotiated by Carole Baraton of Wild Bunch and Josh Thomashow, head of acquisitions for Anchor Bay, after the film’s screening during Cannes.

Monopoly Logline: A boy from rugged Baltic Avenue uses Chance and Community in a quest to make his fortune, taking him on a fun, adventure-filled journey during which he must create his own luck while avoiding going to jail. Studio/Distributor: Lionsgate Production Company(s): Hasbro’s Allspark Pictures Writer(s): Andrew Niccol, Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski, Pamela Pettler Notes: Based on the board game "Monopoly" published by Hasbro, Inc. SSN Insight: Project was previously put into turnaround by Universal Pictures. Previously in development with Ridley Scott Films. Lionsgate will finance the movie and co-produce alongside Hasbro’s Allspark Pictures.

Slash Logline: Coming of age drama about a teenage erotic fan fic author. Production Company(s): Washington Square Arts & Films, Boxcar Films, Arts+Labor Producer(s): Melissa Breaux, Brock Williams, Jason Wehling Writer(s): Clay Liford Director(s): Clay Liford Cast: Michael Ian Black, Missi Plye, Sarah Ramos, Peter Vack, Jessie Ennis, Matt Peters, Michael Johnston, Hannah Marks SSN Insight: Currently shooting in Austin. Traci Carlson is co-producing. Clay Liford previously wrote and directed the features Earthling and Wuss.

NEW Projects

Greenglass House Logline: 12-year-old innkeeper’s son Milo realizes that all the guests in the inn have a connection with the place, so he and the cook’s daughter try to unravel the mystery of Greenglass House. Studio/Distributor: Paramount Pictures Production Company(s): Ian Bryce Productions Producer(s): Ian Bryce Writer(s): Joe Ballarini Notes: Based on the novel "Greenglass House" written by Kate Milford and published by Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in August, 2014. SSN Insight: Paramount acquired the property for mid-six figure deal after a pre-emptive bid, and is considering it as a possible new franchise. Ray and Molly After the Apocalypse Logline: Thrown together in a post-apocalyptic world, the last two standing put aside their differences and challenge the rules of love. Production Company(s): The Muraviov Company, Over the Fence Films Producer(s): Susan Simnett Writer(s): Mark Simberg Director(s): Clare Kilner SSN Insight: Clare Kilner previously directed Janice Beard (which she also wrote), How to Deal, The Wedding Date and American Virgin.

Hearts Made of Black Logline: Storyline is under wraps. Studio/Distributor: 20th Century Fox Production Company(s): New Leaf Literary & Media Producer(s): Pouya Shahbazian Notes: Based on the upcoming novel "Hearts Made of Black" written by Stephanie Garber. SSN Insight: Publishing house Flatiron Books won the rights to Garber’s book during an intense auction for the major two-book deal. Fox secured the film rights within ten hours after the auction’s close.

House of Deceit Logline: The true story of American FIFA executive Chuck Blazer and his role in the biggest sports and public corruption scandal in history is chronicled. Studio/Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures Production Company(s): Management 360, Pearl Street Films Producer(s): Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Guymon Casady, Darin Friedman Writer(s): Anthony Tambakis Director(s): Gavin O'Connor Notes: Based on the upcoming book "House of Deceit" to be written by Ken Bensinger and based on his article "Mr. Ten Percent" posted on BuzzFeed on June 6, 2014. SSN Insight: Affleck/Damon shingle Pearl Street Films is also in active development on Apostle Paul, Bunker Hill, Race to the South Pole, Sleeper and an Untitled WB Africa thriller project.

Micro Logline: A mysterious biotech company lures some graduate students to Hawaii where they find themselves miniaturized and out in the rain forest, relying on their wits and scientific expertise. Studio/Distributor: DreamWorks Studios Production Company(s): Kennedy/Marshall Company, CrichtonSun LLC Producer(s): Frank Marshall Notes: Based on the novel "Micro" written by Michael Crichton and Richard Preston, and published by Harper in 2011. SSN Insight: In addition to this project, Crichton’s book Prey is currently in development at Fox with Rob Bowman attached to direct and Pirate Latitudes at Dreamworks with Steven Spielberg producing and possibly directing.

Mother's Day Logline: The stories of several mothers intertwine during the day leading up to the Mother’s Day holiday. Production Company(s): PalmStar Entertainment, Gulfstream Pictures Producer(s): Wayne Rice, Mike Karz, Kevin Scott Frakes Writer(s): Anya Kochoff, Lily Hollander Director(s): Garry Marshall Cast: Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Jason Sudeikis SSN Insight: The film is slated to begin production in August. CAA, which reps Roberts, Aniston, Hudson, and Sudeikis, will handle the film’s domestic distribution rights.

The Last Race Logline: After devout Scottish Christian Eric Liddell competed in the 1924 Olympics, he worked as a teacher and missionary in China and was interned in a prison camp by the Japanese in 1943. Studio/Distributor: Alibaba Pictures Production Company(s): Goodland Pictures, Innowave Limited Producer(s): Jim Green, Mark Bacino Stephen Lam,Stephen Shin Writer(s): Stephen Shin Director(s): Stephen Shin Cast: Joseph Fiennes, Shawn Dou, Elizabeth Arends Notes: The project serves as an un-official sequel to "Chariots of Fire" (UK/1981) as it tells the story of runner Eric Liddell after his participation in the 1924 Olympics. SSN Insight: The film will shoot in China and Alibaba Pictures will try for a China release, subject to it clearing censorship.

Sleight Logline: About a young street magician who is left to take care of his little sister after his mother’s death and turns to drug dealing in the Los Angeles party scene to keep a roof over their heads. When he gets into trouble with his supplier, his sister is kidnapped and he is forced to rely on both his sleight of hand and brilliant mind to save her. Production Company(s): Diablo Entertainment Producer(s): Eric B. Fleischman, Sean Tabibian Writer(s): JD Dillard, Alex Theurer Director(s): JD Dillard Cast: Dulé Hill, Jacob Latimore, Tyga, Storm Reid SSN Insight: Set to begin shooting this summer in LA. The project marks the feature directing debut of music video helmer JD Dillard. Charnel House Logline: An accomplished British architect finally achieves his dream of converting the long-abandoned Fairmont Meat Company slaughterhouse into ultramodern lofts, but he, his family, and his tenants become exposed to a decades-long mystery that cannot be hidden under the building’s high-tech makeover. Production Company(s): MJ Films, The Siegal Company Producer(s): Mark B. Johnson, Sandra Siegal Writer(s): Chad Israel, Emanuel Isler Director(s): Craig Moss Cast: Callum Blue, Erik LaRay Harvey, Makenzie Moss, Nadine Velazquez SSN Insight: Callum Blue can be seen in the new TNT series Proof as Peter Van Owen. He has also had a recurring role on USA’s Royal Pains and appeared on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy.

Things The Grandchildren Should Know Logline: Tells the story of a young man who survived an unsteady upbringing, the deaths of his entire family, and yet, created a worthwhile life for himself and found success as a musician, founding the group the Eels. Production Company(s): The Lost Ones, Troika Producer(s): Anthony Ernest Garth, Cort Johns, Luke Jaden Writer(s): Cort Johns, Luke Jaden, Mark Oliver Everett Director(s): Anthony Ernest Garth Notes: Based on the autobiographical novel “Things the Grandchildren Should Know” written by Mark Oliver Everett and published via Picador in 2009. SSN Insight: Filmmaker Anthony Ernest Garth has previously helmed music videos for the White Stripes, Von Bondies, D12 and Jim Jones among others and helmed commercials for Chevy, Harley Davidson, Ford, Lincoln, GM and others.

Franchise Wars, Film Development, Weekend Box Office, Comic-Con to Stay in SD, Melissa Leo in HBO’s LBJ Movie, Marisa Tomei to Star in Empire Season 2

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SSN ORIGINALS

Franchise Wars: How Universal Broke Box Office Records with 'Jurassic Park' & 'Jurassic World'

Jurassic World grossed more money in the first weekend than any other in history. What’s startling about that sentence is it’s not just talking about Jurassic World, but at one time could be said for Jurassic Park and The Lost World: Jurassic Park. How did Universal bring this franchise back from extinction? Read SSN's Franchise Wars: Jurassic Park to find out. (SSN)

Film Development for 7/2/15: Michael Neeson to Follow Dad Liam & Portray Michael Collins, Writer Abi Morgan Drafted for ‘Ashley’s War’

Amongst other development news this week are Theresa Palmer attaching to New Line's Lights Out, Paramount acquiring a novel for Joe Ballarini to adapt, Warner Bros. acquiring a novel for Ben Affleck and Matt Damon to produce and Dreamworks acquiring a Michael Crichton novel. (SSN)  

OTHER HEADLINES

Box Office: 'Magic Mike 2' Beats 'Terminator 5' But Both Need Bigger Fireworks

The two films, opening Wednesday, are pacing to do less business than expected over the Fourth of July holiday and could lose the weekend to Inside Out and Jurassic World. (THR)

Comic-Con to Stay in San Diego Through 2018

Comic-Con organizers have reached a deal to remain in San Diego through 2018.  San Diego has been the home of Comic-Con since it first began in 1970, but with an average over 130,000 attendees in recent years, the event, held at the San Diego Convention Center, had begun to outgrow its Bayfront property. (VAR)

Melissa Leo To Play Lady Bird Johnson In HBO’s LBJ Movie ‘All The Way’

Melissa Leo will star opposite Bryan Cranston in All The Way, HBO’s adaptation of the Tony-winning Robert Schenkkan play. Directed by Jay Roach and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, the film covers LBJ (Cranston) from the moment the assassination of John F. Kennedy made Johnson the 36th president of the United States, and through a turbulent first year.  Leo will play LBJ’s wife, First Lady Claudia Alta Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson. (DH)

'Empire' Signs Marisa Tomei to Play Lesbian Billionaire in Season 2

Tomei will play Mimi Whiteman, a demanding venture capitalist who becomes embroiled in Lyon family drama. (TVL)

Ron Diamond's Animation Show of Shows Coming to Comic-Con, Getting Ready for Nationwide Debut

Thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign, this animation industry favorite will now transition from being an insider-only exclusive to becoming a program that film fans around the world can participate in and enjoy. (HP)

The 15 Indie Films You Must See This July: 'Amy,' 'The End of the Tour' and More

Woody Allen, James Ponsoldt and Bill Condon are just a few of the directors back in theaters this month. (IW)

The 17 Best TV Episodes of 2015 So Far

Collider culls together a list of the best TV episodes so far this year.  This list is about episodes that really stood out, not just within their series, but within the early 2015 TV landscape at large. (COLL)

Exec Shuffle for 7/3/15: Alibaba Partners with DMG & Hunan TV, Vivendi Acquires DailyMotion, Multiple Shifts at Disney & More

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Company Launches, Partnerships & Deals

Alibaba Group has partnered with Chinese film company DMG and Hunan TV to bundle subscription-based Internet, cable and mobile entertainment, along with gaming, film and TV content, to Chinese consumers for the first time. The service will be offered to Hunan TV’s six million cable TV subscribers first and then roll out to China. Alibaba Pictures has been making strides as of late, co-financing Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation.

Cynthia Cidre has signed a two-year overall deal with ABC Studios. That’s the same studio that produces Blood and Oil which she executive produces in addition to being the showrunner. During her new deal she will develop new projects for network, cable, and streaming services.

Vivendi has acquired French video sharing site Dailymotion, which offers a high end, more B2B focus and synergies with Vivendi’s other media assets Canal Plus and, chiefly, Universal Music Group. It also offers the opportunity to potentially build a pan-European OTT rival to Netflix ahead of the SVOD giant’s continued expansion into Southern Europe later this year.

Empire EP and co-creator Lee Daniels has signed a multiyear overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television, which produces the Fox drama. Under the broad pact, Daniels will continue as an executive producer on Empire and develop, write, direct and supervise new projects under his Lee Daniels Entertainment banner. In addition he’s signed on to direct The Ten Commandments Project ordered to series by WGN America.

XLrator Media has joined Parkside Pictures and Tadross Media Group in a deal to co-produce and distribute worldwide a multi-picture production slate. Their first film is the action thriller If, with shooting to start in fall. Xlrator’s other co-production deals include one with New Artists Alliance for three sci-fi thrillers and Benattar/Thomas for three action-thrillers. Additionally, Parkside is financing some of the pictures in those deals.

WB has signed a global multi-series deal with Turner Broadcasting for Boomerang and will involve Boomerang’s classic animation portfolio from the Hanna-Barbera, MGM and Warner Bros. Animation collection, around 3,500 titles. The first of Boomerang’s new original series from Warner Bros Animation is Bunnicula, an animated comedy series based on the bestselling children’s book to debut in fall.

Danny Chun has re-upped his overall deal with ABC Studios for another two years. His series Grandfathered was picked up to series for fall and will star John Stamos, and was developed at ABC Studios. In addition he also wrote and executive produced another ABC Studios comedy project that went to pilot, ABC’s Delores & Jermaine starring Whoopi Goldberg.

Veena Sud has signed a premium development deal with Fox 21 TV Studios where she developed The Killing, on which she is the series creator and EP that ran for four seasons on AMC and then Netflix. Under the deal she will develop a new cable drama series.

AMC Networks has separated out AMC Studios and placed it under the leadership of Rick Olshansky and Stefan Reinhardt and they will oversee production and business affairs functions across AMC and SundanceTV. Olshansky is the current AMC head of business affairs while Reinhardt is AMC Networks SVP of Finance and Studio Operations. Joel Stillerman who was previously running the Studio has part of his role as the original programming chief will have an increased focus on development. The AMC Global channel, which launched in late 2014 will premiere AMC Studios’ series, Fear The Walking Dead this summer to be followed by Into The Badlands. As part of the shift, VP of Business Affairs Scott Stein will be upped to SVP of Business Affairs for AMC and head the negotiation of development and production agreements for AMC Studios original productions.

Kin Community has launched branded content house Kin Studios. The studio will be headed by longtime Kin executives Lauren Merriam, VP of sales, and Beth Le Manach, VP of programming. The studio has already lined up branded content deals with Beiersdorf, P&G and Wilton. Jennifer McDonnell, Kin’s VP of partnerships, will oversee the network of creators at the new studio. Services will include content ideation and in-house production services, along with customized campaigns, premium media and social activations.

Cinedigm has invested in Shout! Factory and the agreement will extend their DVD and video distribution deal. Shout! Factory currently runs Shout!Factory TV, an ad supported video streaming channel that will be revamped.

FILM

DreamWorks Animation has snagged former Fox executive Dan Berger as their Sr. VP Corporate Communications. Prior to Dreamworks, Berger spent nine years at Fox, during which he was a VP Communications for News Corp. and separately held that position for Fox Interactive Media.

Jody Arlington has been named Head, Film Press & Publicity, SXSW Film. She was previously the Director of Communications of IFP in New York.

Sean Berney has been named Fox Searchlight’s Manager of Acquisitions. He formerly had that role at IFC Films/Sundance Selects/IFC Midnight.

Disney has upped Christine McCarthy, their Treasurer for 15 years to CFO, replacing Jay Rasulo with a contract running through 2019. She’ll oversee Investor Relations, Corporate Planning and Control, Tax, Corporate Treasury, Corporate Real Estate, Facilities, Integrated Supply Chain Management, and Corporate Citizenship. They also promoted Kevin Mayer to Chief Strategy Officer, up from Corporate Strategy and Business Development EVP. He will report to Iger and COO Thomas Staggs. Leslie Ferraro and Jimmy Pitaro have been named Co-Chair, Disney Consumer Products & Interactive Media and President, Disney Consumer Products.

Emmy Chang has been named the VP of Publicity at Broad Green Pictures. She previously held that title at The Weinstein Company.

Paramount Pictures is losing their president of domestic distribution, Don Harris, after 14 years. He will exit and the studio expects to find a replacement within 60 days. He will stay through the release of Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation on July 31st.

Julie Candelaria has been promoted to SVP Marketing at indie distributor Gravitas Ventures. Nancy Sanchez also signs on as Marketing Manager from creative marketing industry firm InSync + BemisBalkind where clients included Universal, The Weinstein Company, Fox and HBO. The company has also hired AJ Feuerman as director of public relations and will oversee social media strategy, planning and executing publicity campaigns. She previously was at AEG Live, Millennium Ent. and Crown Media Family Networks.

JJ Meyers has been upped to Creative Executive at Voltage Films. JJ was previously a coordinator.

Francis Ford Coppola has been named president of The 15th Marrakech Film Festival to be held December 4-12. The acclaimed director follows Martin Scorsese, who was president in 2013, and Isabelle Huppert, who was president in 2014.

Paris Barclay has been re-elected president of the Directors Guild of America by 138 delegates representing more than 16,000 guild members. Barclay joined the DGA in 1992 was elected VP in 1999, serving in that role until he was elected president in 2013.

TV

Owen Shiflett has been named Parkes + MacDonald’s new head of TV. In his new role he will handle TV development and production under Parkes + MacDonald’s first-look deal with Universal TV. One of the first projects they’re developing is a TV drama adaptation of RASL, the Sci-Fi noir comic book by award-winning creator Jeff Smith.

Jason Serota has made the leap from Executive Assistant to Director of Development at Dark Toy Entertainment.

21st Century Fox has hired Brian Sullivan as their President of Digital for Fox Networks Group and will handle strategy in the direct-to-consumer digital video category, tasked with driving growth across FoxNow, FXNow, Fox Sports Go and FNG’s international Fox Play products. Previously he was the CEO of Sky Deutschland since 2010.

Alison Engel has been named Director of Original Series at Netflix. She was formerly the VP of Creative Affairs at Gaumont International Television.

Jesse Daniels has been named the Director of Development, Alternative Programming, Entertainment One. Previously Jesses was the Manager of Development at Maverick TV. Mark Herwick has been named the Head of Current, U.S. Alternative Programming. His credits include EP and showrunner on Botched. Ben Megargel has been named the Senior Director of Development, Alternative Programming. He was snagged from Karga Seven Pictures where he was Director of Development. Elliot Schwartz has been upped from Executive Assistant to Manager of Development in Alternative, Programming at Entertainment One.

Annie Roberts has been promoted from Executive Director to VP of Casting & Talent Development, E! Entertainment.

Adam Stern has been hired as the Director of Gotham Group’s TV Development department. He was previously a manager of Scripted Series Development at Xbox Entertainment Studios.

Jose Luis Ortega has been named Fox Deportes’ Director of Digital. He was formerly the Director at Red Viacom, Viacom International Media Networks. Sandra Rojas has been named the Director of Marketing there. She was previously the Director of Marketing at A&E Networks Latin America. Mark Simmons has been named the VP of On-Air Promotions. He was formerly the Executive Creative Director, FOX Sports Australia.

Management, PR, Agencies

Magnet Management has upped literary manager Christopher Mills to Partner. He’s been there since 2005. It coincides with the partner promotion of Jennie Frisbie, Bob Sobhani, Mitch Solomon and Zach Tann as well. The company’s also added literary manager Chris Emerson, who previously ran his own company, E-Squared.

A.J. Harris is the new head of Literary at The Savage Agency. He was previously an assistant in their commercial department.

Martin To has been hired on a lit agent at Equitable Stewardship for Artists. He was previously a coordinator at UTA.

Music, Digital, Publishing, Misc.

Creative marketing agency Pongo has snagged former Disney Channel VP of Marketing, Ron Pomerantz, to become VP Content & Strategy. He will handle the new creative content division for Pongo, and develop and produce interstitial content, PSAs, commercials and business-to-business integration as the company expands its client offering to philanthropic arms.

Innocean Worldwide Americas has named Steve Jun CEO, replacing Tony Kim on July 29. Jun has been chief executive for Innocean’s European operations.

Team One has named Jon Ruppel creative director, and will focus on creative technology and digital product development. Ruppel was previously at TBWA/Chiat/Day and Schematic.

Magic Leap, a “mixed reality” based in Florida has hired Vevo‘s former president and Chief Executive Officer Rio Caraeff as their Chief Content Officer. Caraeff will bring over 20 years of experience in entertainment, video and media to Magic Leap. Magic Leap first got noticed as a developer for a physical device to view augmented reality. The company continues to expand into the development of VR-friendly formats.

Nicholas Blechman was named creative director of The New Yorker.

TBWA Worldwide has hired Chris Garbutt as global creative president, working with global clients including Nissan, McDonalds and Adidas. Previously he was chief creative officer at Ogilvy & Mather East in New York.

Meredith Gardner who is the VP of Digital Marketing at Capitol Music Group has expanded her role to include Product. Josh Kahn has been named VP of Digital Marketing & Product, up from Head of Digital Design.

Marketing consultancy Gain Theory has named Karen Kaufman managing partner for client development, to handle the North America and Latin American regions. Kaufman previously worked in GroupM’s consulting practice.

Wahlberg and Roussey Headed For ‘Mile 22′, ‘Hello, Kitty’ Film On Its Way, Canal Plus’ New CEO, Exec Shuffle For 7/3/15

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Exec Shuffle For 7/3/15: Alibaba Partners With DMG and Hunan TV, Vivendi Acquires DailyMotion, Multiple Shifts At Disney, and More

It’s been another busy week here in Hollywoodland, with tons of movement in the executive ranks leading up to the holiday weekend. Among the bullet points are a new deal for Lee Daniels at 20th TV, a premium development deal for the creator of The Killing and a shakeup at AMC Networks, which spun off its studio arm. Read all about it by clicking the link. (SSN)

Mark Wahlberg and Ronda Roussey Are Joining Peter Berg Out There At ‘Mile 22’

Action flick sees a CIA field officer and an Indonesian cop thrown together while transporting a compromised informant from the centre of the city to an airfield 22 miles away. En route, they have to contend with corrupt police and heavily armed locals. The Raid star Iko Uwais plays the Indonesian cop. No word yet on when filming starts, but Wahlberg and Berg are currently shooting Deepwater Horizon in Louisiana. (EMP)

‘Hello, Kitty’! Famed Japanese Cat Is Getting Its Own Film Project

Japanese lifestyle company Sanrio is planning to finance and produce a feature based on the character and release it globally in 2019. The film will go through Sanrio’s recently established U.S. subsidiary. The project will have an expected budget of anywhere from $160 million-$240 million, including P&A, according to Sanrio execs. (DH)

So, If You’re Keeping Score, It’s Rudolphe Belmer Out, Maxime Saada In as Canal Plus CEO

French media group Vivendi has ousted Belmer, replacing him with Saada, who was executive vp of CanalPlus Group and head of pay TV, and was promoted to replace Belmer after he was "relieved of his responsibilities" by the board. In addition, CanalPlus CFO Gregoire Castaing has joined the pay TV channel's management board. (THR)

Donald Glover Casts His FX Project ‘Atlanta’ and Is About To Get Production Underway

The writer-actor’s comedy pilot has added Brian Tyree Henry, Lakeith Lee Stanfield and Zazie Beetz, along with Glover himself, who created and wrote the pilot. Show revolves around two cousins on their way up through the Atlanta rap scene whose opposing views on art versus commerce, success and race will make their quest anything but easy, says the press release. (SAA)

Dax Shepard’s ‘CHiPs’ Project Finally Gets the Green Light, Will Definitely Be Rated “R”

Shepard and co-star Michael Peña will play Don Baker and Frank “Ponch” Poncherello respectively, with Shepard also writing and directing. Vincent D’Onofrio is also on board, and it’s possible Shepard’s wife Kristen Bell will also join the cast. No official word yet on filming dates. (COL)

One Is Better Than Two: Visual Effects Companies Cinesite and Image Engine Merge

The two leading VFX companies have joined forces, giving the two entities a combined staff of over 525 VFX and animation staff at their studios in London, Vancouver and Montreal. Cinesite opened its doors in London in 1994 and has worked on films like X-Men: Days of Future Past and the Harry Potter series, while Image Engine, founded in Vancouver in 1995, has built a strong reputation for producing high-quality visual effects for film and high-end television. (VAR)

Your Creative Calendar: 74 Things To Do, See, Read and Hear In July

It's hard to believe that the year's half over. According to mathematics, half of the year's best projects have already been released. All of those items destined to hog up the top spots of end of the year list? Half of them are already in circulation. It doesn't seem possible, though. With all the cool movies, shows, albums books, and more on the way just in July, this year looks to be anything but front-loaded with essentials. (FCC)

Trailer Buzz: ‘Wet Hot American Summer: First Day Of Camp’

Netflix has released the first trailer for the long-awaited followup to the 2000 cult hit, which stars Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd, Marguerite Moreau, Elizabeth Banks, Jon Hamm, Christopher Meloni, Kristen Wiig, John Slattery, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Jordan Peele, Michael Cera, Josh Charles, Chris Pine, H. Jon Benjamin, David Wain and Lake Bell, and becomes available July 31st, at 3:01 AM EDT on the streaming giant. (HP)

Screenwriters: ‘Wild’

The 111-page screenplay by Nick Hornby, based on the memoir by Cheryl Strayed. Script is labeled multiple colors and dates, most recently, Yellow Pages dated October 21st, 2013. (GITS)

‘Jurassic World’ Wins Box Office — Again, Disney Sets a New Record, Ryan Kavanaugh Saves His Company, Ava DuVernay Spurns Marvel

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The Winner, and Still Champion: ‘Jurassic World’! Dinosaur Movie Wins Fourth Straight Week as ‘Terminator' Stumbles

Despite a 43 percent drop off from the week before, Jurassic World took in $30.9 million to once again squeak by Inside Out, which came in second at $30.1 million. The dinosaur flick has now reached $558.20 million through 24 days of release, putting it in fourth place all-time for domestic grosses. Terminator: Genisys finished third with $28.7 million in a disappointing opening, while Magic Mike XXL came in fourth with just $12 million in its opening. (BO)

In What Is Becoming a Regular Occurrence, Disney Becomes the Latest To Set a Box Office Speed Record

Mouse House has crossed the $3 billion mark worldwide, which it actually did on June 30th, significantly outpacing last year’s record which was set on August 5th. The total worldwide box office as of yesterday is $3.086 billion. The milestone came five days after the studio crossed $1 billion domestic — that one achieved in a record 174 days on June 25, beating the 188-day previous record set on July 8, 2012. (DH)

Ryan Kavanaugh Pulls It Off, Strikes a Deal With Catalyst Capital Group To Keep Relativity Alive

In a move that many in Hollywood have been betting against, Kavanaugh has pulled his studio back from the brink. The Toronto-based Catalyst has acquired 100 percent of Relativity’s senior secured debt valued at about $150 million, while also reaching a deal to invest $170 million of equity into the studio. This will give Catalyst an undisclosed equity stake in the company and provide Relativity with the increased financial flexibility it was seeking for long-term growth. (THR)

So, It Appears That Ava DuVernay Will NOT Be Directing That ‘Black Panther’ Movie For Marvel

In an interview, the Selma director said that she has passed on the project, after it became clear that her vision of what the film should be differed greatly from the Marvel vision. Chadwick Boseman is starring in the film, which continues to look for a director. It is scheduled for release in 2017. (TP)

Michael Eisner Makes a Comment About Funny Women, Is About To Be In Some Very Big Trouble

During a conversation with Goldie Hawn at the Aspen Ideas Festival, the former Disney CEO, made some ill-considered remarks regarding women. He said, “From my position, the hardest artist to find is a beautiful, funny woman. By far. They usually—boy am I going to get in trouble, I know this goes online—but usually, unbelievably beautiful women, you being an exception, are not funny.” Stand by for the inevitable firestorm of angry response to this. (VUL)

NBC Has Decided It’s Had Enough Of Religion, Cancels ‘A.D. The Bible Continues’

The series opened to high expectations but was not an out-of-the-box ratings hit like History Channel's record-setting The Bible. From producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, the Universal Television drama came in a season in which religious-themed fare, including CBS' Dovemakers mini, failed to lure live viewers. For NBC, this comes after a disastrous freshman season in which only Mysteries of Laura will return. (HTV)

Netflix and Marvel’s ‘Iron Fist’ Series Is Having Some Internal Issues and Might Not Be So Close On the Horizon

Studio apparently can’t decide where exactly it wants to take the character. It appears that the company has brought in a whole slew of people to pitch ideas, and have had plenty discussion on the series, but nothing has yet to stick. One of the major hold-ups in direction is the mystical elements of the character. There are too many different opinions on just how much of those magics Marvel wants to bring to the show. The show was originally set to premiere in 2016, but that now appears like it might be in doubt. (CB)

Preparing For His Upcoming Gig Replacing David Letterman, Steven Colbert Hosted a Public Access Show In Michigan

As part of his warm-up for the September 8 debut of The Late Show, Colbert hosted an episode of Only in Monroe, a public-access show in Monroe, Michigan. Eminem stopped by and sang a Bob Seger song, the regular hosts helped Colbert paint his nails, and Stephen offered a disgruntled Yelp reviewer named Mark a giant check for $4. (MA)

Thirty Years After Its Release, 10 Interesting Facts About ‘Back To the Future’ You Might Not Have Known

In author Caseen Gaines' new tell-all book, We Don't Need Roads, the cast and crew behind the seminal sci-fi comedy, which hit theaters July 3rd, 1985, reveal all the secrets behind the film's bumpy path, including what it was like to hear initial rejections from every studio, replace the lead actor, endure friction among castmembers and get mixed reactions from test audiences. (HV)

Screenwriters: Script Gods Must Die — Writing Dialogue, The Cut Instinct

Every scene exists for a reason. Approach each new scene in this matter: What am I trying to accomplish in the scene? Accomplish it. What do I have to say? Say it. Get in late, get out early. Say what you have to in the scene, get done what needs to get done, and move on. Fast, no fat, in and out of every scene. Develop the cut instinct. (SM)

On the Set for 7/6/15: J.K. Simmons Starts Shooting The Runaround, Sam Raimi Produced Thriller Rolls Cameras

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Measure of a Man 7/6/2015 Logline: In the 1970s, a bullied teenager is mentored by a Wall Street executive at his summer job while his mother’s independence and career upset her marriage. Production Company(s): Taylor Lane Productions Director: Jim Loach Producer(s): Christian Taylor Writer(s): David Scearce Details: Based on the young-adult novel "One Fat Summer" written by Robert Lipsyte and published by Harper & Row in 1977. SSN Insight: Terry Loane was previously attached to direct. Christina Hendricks was previously in negotiations to star.

The Runaround 7/6/2015 Logline: During a last-minute layover in L.A., a workaholic father tries to visit his daughter and learns she’s disappeared, so he teams up with her ex-boyfriend to find her. Production Company(s): Spring Pictures, American Film Productions, Heretic Productions, Wing and a Prayer Pictures, Abbolita Productions Director: Gavin Wiesen Producer(s): Mandy Tagger, Adi Ezroni, George Voskericyan, Ron Perlman, Josh Crook Cast: J.K. Simmons, Emile Hirsch Writer(s): Seth W. Owen SSN Insight: The Solution Entertainment Group is handling international rights and have presented it to buyers at Cannes. The Gersh Agency and UTA, which also organized the financing, are co-repping North American rights.

Unleashed 6/30/2015 Logline: When a cosmic event turns Emma’s dog and cat into two perfect guys, Emma reconsiders her outlook on dating, hilariously works out her trust issues, and ultimately learns to love herself. Production Company(s): Braveart Films Director: Finn Taylor Producer(s): Susan Johnson Cast: Justin Chatwin, Steve Howey, Kate Micucci, Josh Brener, Scott Coffey Writer(s): Finn Taylor SSN Insight: Taylor marked his directorial debut with the 1997 film Dream with the Fishes, which premiered at Sundance. He also directed the 2006 film The Darwin Awards, starring Joseph Fiennes and Winona Ryder that also debuted at Sundance.

A Man in the Dark 6/29/2015 Logline: Three teens plan to rob a home where a reclusive blind man lives alone with millions of dollars, but after breaking in the friends discover there's much more to the man than they'd expected, and they find themselves trapped and hunted one by one, rats in a maze for a psychopath's deadly game. Distributor: TriStar Pictures Production Company(s): Ghost House Pictures Director: Fede Alvarez Executive Producer(s): J.R. Young, Joe Drake, Nathan Kahane, Erin Westerman Producer(s): Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert Cast: Daniel Zovatto, Dylan Minnette, Jane Levy, Stephen Lang Writer(s): Fede Alvarez, Rodo Sayagues SSN Insight: The film reunites Alvarez with Ghosthouse’s Raimi and Tapert, who previously produced Alvarez’s 2013 remake of Raimi’s legendary horror film Evil Dead. Zovatto most recently appeared in the cult horror film It Follows.

WRAPS

American Honey 7/5/2015 Logline: A female teenage runaway travels the country selling magazine subscriptions while joining new friends in an adventure that includes wild partying, loving relationships, and even some criminal activity. Production Company(s): ManDown Pictures & Management, LLC, Parts and Labor , Pulse Films Director: Andrea Arnold Producer(s): Lars Knudsen, Thomas Benski, Lucas Ochoa, Pouya Shahbazian, Jay Van Hoy Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Arielle Holmes, McCaul Lombardi Writer(s): Andrea Arnold SSN Insight: This marks Arnold’s first US feature film. Arnold led the Critics’ Week jury in Cannes last year. LaBeouf last appeared in Fury alongside Brad Pitt.

Beautiful Devils 7/5/2015 Logline: A modern adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Othello set in the world of the contemporary music business. Production Company(s): Carnaby Films Director: James Marquand Producer(s): Andrew Loveday, Michael Loveday, Terry Loveday Cast: Osy Ikhile, Elliot James Langridge, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Danny Horn, Matt Bentley SSN Insight: London-based Carnaby International has also secured worldwide sales and distribution rights for Beautiful Devils. The film was shot solely in the UK around the urban areas of East London.

Dara Ju 6/30/2015 Logline: A young Nigerian-American financier struggles with love, family, and a prescription drug dependency as his ambitions steer him down a criminal path. Production Company(s): Divisadero Pictures, Global Film Group Director: Anthony Onah Producer(s): Justin Begnaud, Daniel Davila, Catherine Davila, Kishori Rajan Cast: Aml Ameen, Souleymane Sy Savane Details: Based on the short film also titled "Dara Ju" (2012) and also written and directed by Anthony Onah. SSN Insight: Justin Begnaud was nominated for a 2015 Spirit Award for his work on A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night. Dara Ju was one of 8 projects selected for Film Independent 2014 Producing Lab.

She Who Brings Gifts 7/3/2015 Logline: A gifted, genius 10-year-old girl is locked and hidden away with other children like her, constantly under strict and forceful supervision. Production Company(s): British Film Institute, Altitude, Golden Arrow Pictures Director: Colm McCarthy Executive Producer(s): Will Clarke Producer(s): Camille Gatin, Angus Lamont Cast: Gemma Arterton, Glenn Close, Paddy Considine, Sennia Nanua, Anamaria Marinca Writer(s): Mike Carey Details: Based on the novel "The Girl With All the Gifts" by M.R. Carey; published by Orbit January 1, 2014. SSN Insight: Screenplay was included in the 2014 Brit List.

Lifetime Renews ‘UnREAL’, ‘Walking Dead’ Alum Gets Some ‘Sex’, Disney’s Latest Live Action Remake, From ‘Macbeth’ To ‘The Kelly Gang’

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Lifetime Loves ‘UnREAL’, Will Bring Freshman Drama Back For a Second Season

The show about the making of a reality dating show has earned excellent ratings for the network. Starring Constance Zimmer, Shiri Appleby, and Craig Bierko is in the middle of its 10-episode first season and will have another 10-episode season set to premiere in 2016. (TVL)

The New Season Of ‘Masters Of Sex’ Will Feature a Survivor Of the Zombie Apocalypse

Walking Dead alum Emily Kinney has landed a recurring role on the upcoming season of the Showtime dram. Kinney will appear in a multi-episode arc as Nora. As a child, Nora was Bill and Libby Masters’ neighbor. Now in her 20s, poised and brimming with intelligence, Nora volunteers to become a sex surrogate in the next phase of Masters and Johnson’s research. Josh Charles, Maggie Grace and Tate Donovan are also in the new season, which premieres Sunday. (EW)

Disney’s Live Action Remake Train Rolls On With a New Prince Charming Project

Matt Fogel wrote the script, while David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman of Mandeville Films/TV as well as Tripp Vinson are on board to produce. Disney pioneered the recent and lucrative trend of taking either old animated classics or fairy tales and spinning them into live-action features. Details are being kept behind a moat, but the script is described as a revisionist take on the fairy tales. (HV)

Fresh Off His Brand New Adaptation of ‘Macbeth’, Justin Kurzel Is Taking On ‘The True History Of the Kelly Gang’

The director of the upcoming Shakespeare film that stars Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, will re-team with Snowtown screenwriter Shaun Grant to adapt the bloody Australian saga, which follows the life of legendary bushranger Ned Kelly as he attempts to keep one step ahead of the law. Film will be based on Peter Carey's Booker Prize-winning book. (GR)

Andy Garcia Becomes the Latest Actor To Sign On For the New ‘Ghostbusters’

Amidst news that Michael K. Williams has also joined the cast comes word about Garcia and comedic actor Matt Walsh, both of whom will appear in the film. Garcia is playing the mayor of New York while Veep star Walsh will be a mysterious character known as Rourke. The movie, which stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnonand Chris Hemsworth is currently shooting and will hit theaters next summer. (EMP)

Another Blow To ‘Hannibal’ Fans, Both Amazon and Netflix Pass On the Canceled Drama

The cult show has had a rough couple of weeks after NBC said this third season would be the last, leading to a concerted effort on behalf of the show's producers to try and find a home for the critically acclaimed program. But now, both streaming services have decided to pass, as creator Bryan Fuller has begun focusing his attention next on the Starz series American Gods. (TP)

Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions Decide That the Very End Of Summer Is Right For ‘Z For Zachariah’

The sci-fi film starring Margot Robbie, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Chris Pine, was originally set for an August 21st release, but is now coming out a week later, on the 28th. Film follows a lonely farmer in her mountain Shangri la above the post-nuke clouds that have destroyed the world, until two weary travelers stumble onto her farm and vie for her affection. (TOH)

BBC Is Enforcing Its Non-Compete Clause, Will Keep Jeremy Clarkson Off the Air Until 2017

The race to sign the new motoring show from Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, the former presenters at hit BBC show Top Gear, took a fresh twist this morning when it emerged that the three are blocked from appearing in a rival auto show on U.K. broadcaster ITV until April 2017 because of a no-compete clause in their old BBC contracts. (VAR)

Remembering Jerry Weintraub and the One Movie He Couldn’t Get Made

Legendary producer Weintraub, who died of heart failure yesterday at the age of 77, spent years trying to get The Colonel and Me off the ground. Story was a coming of age tale about how Weintraub was mentored by Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker. (DH)

Screenwriters: Things Learned From Listening To Tarsem’s Commentary For ‘The Cell’

Filled with visual artistry, if not an entirely cohesive plot, the film is still the director’s best feature. There are always things to learn from director’s commentaries, and this is no different, with anecdotes about casting, production and costume design, editing and how the film ultimately all came together. (FSR)

TV Development for 7/7/15: Fox Reviving Fatal Attraction, New SyFy Horror Anthology Series, Netflix Adds More Series for the Younger Set

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Epic Offenders Network: Disney XD Production Company(s): Bahr Small Productions Executive Producer(s): Adam Small, Trevor Moore Writer(s): Adam Small, Trevor Moore Logline: Centers around Chance, the charismatic leader of a team of four young pranksters, known as “The Epic Offenders,” who host a fictitious popular online hidden camera show. SSN Insight: Disney XD gave a pilot order. Newcomer Cody Veith will star alongside cast members Brandon Severs, Bryce Gheisar, Jillian Shea Spaeder and Tobie Windham. Tom Gianas of Tenacious D will direct the pilot.

Manson's Lost Girls Network: Lifetime Executive Producer(s): Joan Harrison, Nancy Bennett, Lisa Hamilton Daly, Steven Michaels, Jonathan Koch Writer(s): Matthew Tabak, Stephen Kronish Logline: The story of Linda Kasabian as she first meets "the family" at the seemingly idyllic Spahn Ranch hippie commune, where she and her baby daughter are embraced with open arms. Linda begins to see the evil in Manson and breaks away and turns herself in as a witness for the prosecution. Her testimony helps lead to the conviction of Manson and his followers for the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders. Notes: Based on the events surrounding the Manson Family murders. SSN Insight: Casting is already underway for the Lifetime original movie with Manson to be played by Jeff Ward, MacKenzie Mauzy as Linda Kasabian, Eden Brolin as Susan Atkins, Greer Grammer as Leslie Van Houten and Christian Madsen is set as Manson family member Tex Watson.

Channel Zero Network: SyFy Studio: Universal Cable Productions Executive Producer(s): Max Landis, Nick Antosca Writer(s): Nick Antosca Logline: Each season of this horror anthology will feature new storylines. In the first season, it tells the story of a mysterious children’s television show from the 1980s and the show’s role in a series of murders and one man’s dark secret. Notes: Based on Kris Straub's "Candle Cove," a short story that originated from the user-generated Internet horror phenomenon known as creepypasta. SSN Insight: Channel Zero is the latest joint effort by UCP and Syfy, other collaborations include Childhood’s End developed with Amblin TV, The Magicians based on Lev Grossman’s popular trilogy, Wes Craven’s The People Under The Stairs and We Are All Completely Fine, based on the book by Daryl Gregory.

Fatal Attraction Network: Fox Broadcasting Company Studio: Paramount Television Executive Producer(s): Maria Jacquemetton, Andre Jacquemetton, Stanley R Jaffe, Rosalie Swedlin Writer(s): Maria Jacquemetton, Andre Jacquemetton Logline: Explores how a married man’s indiscretion comes back to haunt him. Notes: A reimagining of the 1987 film "Fatal Attraction," directed by Adrian Lyne and starring Michael Douglas and Glenn Close. SSN Insight: Fox has given an initial script commitment and the series will be developed as a one-hour event series. Other adaptations in the works at Paramount TV include a HBO series based on Shutter Island with Martin Scorsese involvement and an American Gigolo series in development with Jerry Bruckheimer.

Foodies Network: AMC Production Company(s): Groundswell Productions Executive Producer(s): Michael London Writer(s): Duncan Birmingham Logline: A fast-paced culinary world, that follows a group of obsessive foodies who’ll go to any length to indulge their favorite pastime. SSN Insight: AMC has given an initial script commitment. London’s Groundswell has produced several pilots including John Singleton’s Snowfall at FX, The Magicians at Syfy and Betas at Amazon along with the HBO movie Confirmation starring Kerry Washington.

Kazoops! Network: Netflix Production Company(s): Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), BBC Children's International, Cheeky Little Logline: Monty has a huge imagination, a great sense of adventure and is always asking the question "Why," because the world is full of stuff people do and say that makes him scratch his head and wonder. Are all monsters scary? Can animals play music? Why must we wear matching socks? Accompanied by his best friend Jimmy Jones, the family pet pig, Monty challenges everyday preconceptions about life through the power of his imagination. SSN Insight: Netflix has given a series order of 13 episodes. The order joins other series aimed at preschoolers including Word Party and True & The Rainbow Kingdom along with Cirque du Soleil – Luna Petunia and Puffin Rock announced earlier this month. The series will have elements of language acquisition, problem solving and critical thinking throughout each episode.

Word Party Network: Netflix Production Company(s): The Jim Henson Company, Jim Henson's Creature Shop Logline: The series is a vocabulary building show that follows four adorable baby animals as they sing, dance and play. The show invites younger viewers to help teach the baby animals new words, learn these new words themselves, and even celebrate these achievements with a Word Party. SSN Insight: Netflix has given a series order of 26 episodes. The order joins other series aimed at preschoolers including Kazoops! and True & The Rainbow Kingdom along with Cirque du Soleil – Luna Petunia and Puffin Rock announced earlier this month. The series will have elements of language acquisition, problem solving and critical thinking throughout each episode.

True & the Rainbow Kingdom Network: Netflix Production Company(s): Guru Studio, Home Plate Entertainment, i am OTHER Logline: True is the guardian of the magical Rainbow Kingdom and the show’s bright and resilient girl lead. True, along with her best friend, Bartleby the cat, use ingenuity and creative thinking to solve problems big and small, and bring harmony and love to all. Notes: The series is based on artwork by the Friends With You fine art collective and its positive messages of Magic, Luck, and Friendship. SSN Insight: Netflix has given a series order of ten, 22 minute episodes, to premiere in 2017. The order joins other series aimed at preschoolers including Word Party and Kazoops! along with Cirque du Soleil – Luna Petunia and Puffin Rock announced earlier this month. The series will have elements of language acquisition, problem solving and critical thinking throughout each episode.

Ask the Analyst, TV Development, Hans Solo Spin-off Finds Directors, Taylor Hackford to Direct ‘The Comedian’, ‘Minions’ to Open Huge

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SSN ORIGINALS

ASK THE ANALYST: WHAT DO PRODUCERS LIKE IN A SPEC SCRIPT FROM SOMEONE UNPROVEN?

For ASK THE ANALYST, expert screenplay readers and analysts from ScriptShark answer questions that Facebook fans and Twitter followers posted. Read on to find helpful answers to questions regarding how to become a professional screenwriter and many other aspects of screenwriting and the movie business. Click here to read Part One: You’ve Written Your Calling Card Script…So, Now What? (SSN)

TV DEVELOPMENT FOR 7/7/15: FOX REVIVING FATAL ATTRACTION, NEW SYFY HORROR ANTHOLOGY SERIES, NETFLIX ADDS MORE SERIES FOR THE YOUNGER SET

In other TV Development news, Disney XD orders a pilot called Epic Offenders, and Lifetime begins casting for an original movie based around the Manson Family murders. (SSN)

OTHER HEADLINES

'Star Wars' Han Solo Spinoff In the Works With 'Lego Movie' Directors

Chris Miller and Phil Lord (The Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street movies) are tackling one of Star Wars anthology movies as their next directing project. The filmmaker team, who write, direct and produce, are stepping up to helm a movie that will focus on a young Han Solo, according to sources. (THR)

Taylor Hackford Stands Up To Direct Robert De Niro In His Passion Project ‘The Comedian’

Taylor Hackford is set to direct Robert De Niro in his passion project The Comedian, written by Art Linson.  Mike Newell recently exited the project due to scheduling.  Linson will produce the film along with Cinelou’s Mark Canton and Courtney Solomon. Cinelou, which funded the Jennifer Aniston-starrer Cake, is financing the picture.  (DH)

Box-Office Preview: 'Minions' Could Match 'Toy Story 3' With $110M U.S. Debut

The Despicable Me spinoff already boasts an early foreign total of $125.1 million and is expected to boost the North American box office this weekend with one of the biggest three-day debuts of all time for an animated film.  The film is tracking to open in the $100 million-$110 million range.  (THR)

Harry Shearer Staying on ‘The Simpsons’ After Inking New Deal

Harry Shearer has negotiated a new deal and will be returning to The Simpsons. Shearer will continue to lend his voice to the characters of Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, Waylon Smithers and Principal Skinner on the Fox series through seasons 27 and 28. (VAR)

Dark Horse Comics Team with Universal Cable to Adapt their Extensive Library to Television

Dark Horse Comics has struck a deal with Universal Cable Productions to adapt some of the titles from their library to television. Among the first titles set to be adapted include My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way’s hit series The Umbrella Academy, Cullen Bunn’s recently-published Harrow County, Paul Chadwick’s Eisner Award-winning Concrete, and Back Up, based on a feature script from Tom Vaughn. (CS)

HITMAN: AGENT 47 Reveals New Poster and Teaser Videos

Hitman: Agent 47 , directed by Aleksander Bach, opens in theaters August 21st.  The film highlights the title assassin as he uncovers hidden truths about his genetically engineered origins and uses his skills to stop a mega-corporation from unleashing an army of trained killers. Starring Rupert Friend in the title role, with Zachary Quinto, Hannah Ware, Ciarán Hinds, and Thomas Kretschmann. (COLL)

A Female Producer Explains 4 Ways Women Get a Raw Deal in Hollywood

Vulture reveals four challenges women working in Hollywood today face in the form of discrimination and disrespect. (VUL)

Fox’ Same-Sex Marriage Movie, STX Teams With Henson, ‘Daredevil’ Casts Its Elektra, ‘Muscle Shoals’ Headed To TV

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In a Rather Unsurprising Move, Fox Plans a Movie About Same-Sex Marriage Case Plaintiff

Studio is planning to bring to the screen the story of Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges, which led to the Supreme Court ruling finding a fundamental right to same-sex marriage in the United States. The studio has acquired Obergefell’s life rights as well as those of his attorney Al Gerhardstein. Additionally, it has acquired the rights to the upcoming book, 21 Years to Midnight: The Promise that Brought Marriage Equality to America. (THR)

STX Continues To Expand Its Slate, Pacts With Henson Co. For an R-Rated Comedy

Brian Henson will direct the project, based on a story by Todd Berger and Dee Robertson. Berger wrote the screenplay with revisions by siblings Erich and Jon Hoeber; the story is set in a world where puppets and humans live together. The plot is centered on the puppet stars of a TV show who begin to be mysteriously murdered, and two mismatched detectives – a take-no-prisoners human and a hard-drinking puppet — must stop the killings and catch the culprit. (VAR)

Season Two of ‘Daredevil’ Doesn’t Just Have a Punisher, It Now Has an Elektra, Too

With the shooting of the new season underway, Elodie Yung has landed the coveted part of the protagonist’s Greek-born trained assassin/love interest/enemy/obsession. Her casting follows that of Jon Bernthal, who will be showing up as The Punisher, in the second season, and it’ll be interesting to see who causes the most trouble for star Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock. (EMP)

Remember That Great 2012 Music Doc, ‘Muscle Shoals’? They’re Now Developing a TV Series About It

Doc tells the story of the tiny Alabama town, where a group of unassuming, yet incredibly talented locals came together and spawned some of the greatest music of all time: “Mustang Sally,” “I Never Loved a Man,” “Wild Horses,” and many more. Johnny Depp’s production company, Infinitum Nihil, is teaming up with Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Produced, and City Entertainment, to develop a scripted series, which will go behind the music to tell the stories. (SAA)

Netflix Plants Its Flag, Announces Release Dates For the Company’s First Original Films

Leading the pack is Cary Fukunaga's Beasts of No Nation, which the streaming service pushes into the awards corridor day-and-date on October 16th. It will be distributed in theaters by Netflix partner Bleecker Street. The first of four Adam Sandler vehicles set for Netflix, The Ridiculous Six, will premiere in time for the holidays on December 11th. Meanwhile, Pee-wee's Big Holiday and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend will hit theaters in early 2016. (TOH)

The New ‘Ghostbusters’ Flick Just Cast a Mysterious Villain

Neil Casey, who appears on Feig’s Yahoo sci-fi series Other Space, has joined the Sony-produced film. He’ll play a character named Rowan in the film that recently began shooting outside of Boston. The film is scheduled to haunt theaters starting July 22, 2016. (CB)

Captain Boomerang Himself, Jai Courtney, Lands the Coveted Male Lead Opposite Lily James In ‘The Kaiser’s Last Kiss’

Christopher Plummer also stars in the film, based on the novel by Alan Judd, which takes place around the 1940 invasion of Holland which brings the Nazis face to face with their former monarch, Kaiser Wilhelm. A lethally dangerous love affair ignites between a German officer and a young Jewish Dutch woman with consequences that neither they nor the Kaiser himself could have foreseen. (CS)

After Yet Another Horrifying Revelation By Bill Cosby, His Signature Sitcom Has Now Been Removed Entirely TV (But Not the Internet, Yet)

A day after newly unsealed court documents revealed that Bill Cosby testified in 2005 to giving prescription drugs to women with the intention of having sex with them, two TV networks have reacted swiftly. Both Centric and Bounce TV plan to pull reruns of The Cosby Show and Cosby from their respective networks starting as early as today. Both shows is still available for viewing on Amazon and Hulu. (VUL)

First Image: ‘Ghostbusters’

Director Paul Feig has tweeted out the first image of the Ecto-1, the car used by the female Ghostbusters in the upcoming reboot. The film, which stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Chris Hemsworth, Andy Garcia, Michael K. Williams and Neil Casey, is currently shooting in Boston and hits theaters next summer. (DH)

Screenwriters: ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’

The undated, unlabeled 115-page screenplay by Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan, based on the novel by John Le Carré. (GITS)
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