Revolution Studios has acquired the Cold Spring Pictures motion picture library, comprised of eight films produced by the studio from 2007 to 2012 and 46 titles produced during label founder Joe Roth’s reign, as well as the 64-title Morgan Creek library acquired last year. Revolution also bought 50% stake in Clooney’s The Ides of March from Cross Creek Pictures, completing a two-picture deal with that company following a 50% purchase Black Swan.

Maryland-based RC Theaters, which has 10 venues with 89 screens has signed an exclusive deal with MovieTickets. RC Theaters COO David Phillips says his new partner “offers best-in-class support and continues to develop cutting edge technologies, improving the entire moviegoing experience.” His company’s venues are mostly in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.

Cohen Media Group has bought the 30 titles from Merchant Ivory Productions partners Ismail Merchant and director James Ivory. There are 21 features, nine documentaries and shorts with plans to restore and rerelease them as part of the Cohen Film Collection. Among the films in the library are Howards End, Maurice, Shakespeare Wallah and Heat and Dust.

Warner Bros. Television Group has signed an exclusive multi-year development and production pod deal with celebrated broadcaster, author and producer Tavis Smiley. Under the agreement, WBTVG and Smiley will develop new scripted television series projects for the broadcast networks and cable. The first projects to be developed under the new pod deal will be television series adaptations of two of Smiley’s books: My Journey with Maya and the upcoming Before You Judge Me: The Triumph and Tragedy of Michael Jackson’s Last Days.

Founding partners Scott Waugh/Bandito Brothers, Studio veteran Simon Swart, and real estate developer Brad Pilz have launched a development, production and distribution venture named Rock Pile Studios.  Its goal is to create inspirational and aspirational family friendly films that feature an element of action is exemplified in the first film from the new venture titled I Believe in Love, based on the gripping near death experience of Amy Purdy and her inspiring story of surviving and thriving, despite the loss of both of her legs.

Matt Alvarez has become an In-House Producer at Broad Green Pictures and signed an exclusive pact with the company. He recently produced the hit movie, Straight Outta Compton. He previously worked at Relativity Media where he was the EVP. Alvarez has produced the Friday, Barbershop, Are We There Yet? and Ride Along series among other features.

Producer Caryn Mandabach has signed an exclusive multi-year pact with MGM Television to develop new hour and half-hour scripted content via her U.S.-based Caryn Mandabach Productions. Her credits include Roseanne, Nurse Jackie and Peaky Blinders. “Caryn is a prolific veteran of the industry and is the driving force behind some of television’s most creative and intriguing series,” said Roma Khanna, President of Television Group and Digital. “We are thrilled to work together on bringing new stories to the marketplace.”

StudioCanal and Red Production Company have teamed with producer Spencer Millman, Simon Bird and actor-writer Jonny Sweet to launch a new film and TV production company named Guilty Party, a new film and TV production company to be operated under the creative supervision of RED exec producer and founder Nicola Shindler. StudioCanal will have a 25% stake in Guilty Party, and will also handle worldwide distribution.

Film/TV distributor and MCN The Orchard has signed a distribution deal with Nitro Circus, the action sports entertainment collective led by 17-time X-Games medalist Travis Pastrana. Under the agreement, The Orchard will have worldwide distribution rights to Nitro Circus’ eight-film catalog and three upcoming releases, which it will make available to purchase as a digital downloads and rent to stream on-demand on a multitude of outlets.

Producers Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz have inked a multiple-year first-look overall deal with Lionsgate Television. Under the deal they will create and produce scripted programming for the company. Their TV credits include My So-Called Life, Thirtysomething and Once and Again.

Maverick Management: Amy Schumer has signed with Guy Oseary at Maverick Management. Oseary’s client roster includes Madonna and U2. In 2015 Schumer won an Emmy for her Comedy Central series Inside Amy Schumer and her film Trainwreck, which she wrote and starred was a box office hit. She recently debuted a new HBO special, Live at the Apollo and hosted Saturday Night Live.

CAA: Producer Jesse Collins has shifted from ICM Partners to CAA. Through his Jesse Collins Entertainment banner, Collins produces the BET Awards, The BET Honors and BET Hip Hop Awards. Under a multi-year first-look deal inked with BET last spring, Collins and his JCE are producing an original miniseries based on the iconic music group New Edition. In addition, Collins is producing TV food show Midnight Cook Club with Umami Burger founder Adam Fleischman to host.

UTA: Actress Melissa Benoist has moved her representation from CAA to UTA. She appears on the CBS series Supergirl in her role as Supergirl’s biological mother, previously she appeared on Nashville. In 2016 she will return to Broadway with the Roundabout Theatre Company’s revival of the musical She Loves Me, opposite Zachary Levi.

UTA: Wattpadd, the reader/writer community composed of 40 million users, has inked a deal with UTA to be represented in film, TV, digital, and licensing and partnerships. In April 2014, UTA made a deal to represent After, Wattpad’s breakout novel by first-time author Anna Todd that has been read more than 1 billion times and sold the movie rights to Paramount Pictures. “Wattpad is all about entertainment,” said Toront-based Wattpad’s Head of Business Candice Faktor. “Together with UTA, we will help Hollywood tell stories in unique and compelling ways to a global audience of 40 million. Whether it’s content licensing deal for our most viral stories, access to our top influencers, or exclusive marketing campaigns, studios and networks have a new way to reach and engage with fans.”

UTA: Dane Boedigheimer has signed with UTA. He’s known by his YouTube moniker is Daneboe and his digital-to-television hit Annoying Orange. Daneboe will be represented by the agency in all areas, with a focus first on his bread and butter – digital and linear TV projects. “Dane is a true digital pioneer who has created a genuine franchise property with the Annoying Orange and we are excited to help him continue to expand that brand, as well as help him launch his next big franchise,” said UTA partner and head of digital media Brent Weinstein.

Gersh Agency: Oscar-nominated actor Jackie Earle Haley has shifted representation from WME to Gersh. Next up for Haley he will direct and star in the upcoming indie feature Criminal Activities, opposite John Travolta and Michael Pitt, and will be seen in Focus Features’ action sequel London Has Fallen.

UTA: Oscar-nominated actress Berenice Bejo, best known for her turn in The Artist has shifted from CAA to UTA. Bejo previously starred alongside Annette Bening in the Chechen war drama The Search which screened at Cannes last year. Her other film credits include A Knight’s Tale, The Last Diamond, The Scapegoat and Populaire. She continues to be represented by Gregory Weill of France’s Agence Adequat and attorney Darren Trattner of Jackoway Tyerman.

SSN ORIGINALS

The Accidental Turitz: ‘Steve Jobs’ And The Accuracies (and Inaccuracies) Of ‘Based On a True Story’ Movies

SSN’s Neil Turitz weighs in on Jobs and Bridge of Spies and the backlash on how closely both films adhere to their true life tales. (SSN)

Film & TV Deals For 10/21/15: MovieTickets.com Signs Exclusive Pact With RC Theaters, Tavis Smiley Inks Deal With WBTV & More

Other film & TV deals include, Revolution Studios acquiring the film library of Cold Spring Pictures, Matt Alvarez becoming a producer at Broad Green Pictures and producer Caryn Mandabach signing a pact with MGM Television. (SSN)

Rep Moves For 10/21/15: Maverick Mgmt Snags Amy Schumer, UTA To Rep Wattpadd, Supergirl’s Melissa Benoist Signs With UTA

Other rep moves include, Berenice Bejo (The Artist) signing with UTA and actor Jackie Earle Haley signing with Gersh. (SSN)

OTHER HEADLINES

ESPN Begins Big Layoffs Amid Earnings Shortfall

ESPN announced that it would start the process of laying off about 300 employees. The move comes after an August announcement from Disney that its cable networks would not meet earnings forecasts. (HUFF)

AFI FEST 2015 Rounds Out Lineup With ‘Son of Saul,’ ‘Rams’ and More

AFI has announced the films that will screen in the World Cinema, Breakthrough, Midnight, Shorts and Cinema’s Legacy programs at AFI FEST 2015 presented by Audi. (IW)

‘Empire’ Writers To Pen Movie About The “Mother of Hip-Hop”

Warner Bros. has tapped Carlito Rodriguez and Malcolm Spellman, scribes on Fox’s hit series, to tell another music story, centered on Sylvia Robinson, the late co-founder of Sugar Hill Records. (THR)

Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz Sign First Look Deal With Lionsgate TV

‘Mythbusters’ To End With Final Season

The next season of Discovery’s Mythbusters will be its last. The show will stage its final experiment during next year’s 14th season after 248 episodes and 2,950 experiments. (EW)

Paramount Pushes ‘Ben-Hur’ Release To August 2016

Paramount has shifted the release date of remake Ben-Hur from February 26, 2016 to a late-summer slot: August 12, 2016. (DH)

‘Diary Of A Teenage Girl’ Leads At Gotham Independent Film Award Nominations

Marielle Heller’s romantic drama gathered the most noms at the 25th annual Gotham Independent Film Award nominations this morning earning nods in best feature, screenplay, actress and breakthrough director categories. The Gothams are the first set of kudos to get awards season started ahead of any guild or critics group with a specific focus on independent films. Deadline has the full list of nominees. (DH)

What Was Rumored Yesterday Is Confirmed Today: Chris Rock Is Your 2016 Oscar Host

The comedian and actor has been confirmed as the host of next year’s Oscars, producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin announced. The 88th Academy Awards will be broadcast live Sunday, Feb. 28th, 2016, on ABC. Rock previously hosted the 77th Oscar telecast in 2005. (TW)

YouTube Has Also Made It Official, Will Take On Netflix With a New Subscription Service

YouTube Red will cost $9.99 a month and features include offline viewing and the ability to play videos in the background across all devices. The YouTube service is set to launch next Wednesday, the 28th, with a one-month free trial offer. At launch, the new service will feature ten original series, including shows from some of YouTube’s biggest stars including PewDiePie, Fine Bros., Rooster Teeth and Lilly Singh aka IISuperwomanII. (IW)

Phil Lord and Chris Miller Have Apparently Found More Hours In the Day, Are Developing New Time Travel Sitcom

Executive producers of Will Forte’s The Last Man On Earth are now behind In Time, from experienced TV writer Julius Sharpe, who has developed the idea and will head the writing team for the show, which has earned a pilot order from Fox. The show’s story finds three friends who discover a way to time travel, but must balance that with the more ordinary details of their lives. (EMP)

Could Sony Lose James Bond? Even Before the Release Of ‘Spectre’, It’s Looking Increasingly Likely

Even if the film proves a big success, as most believe it will, it could mark the end of the Sony/MGM collaboration. Spectre is the last in a two-picture deal that Sony struck in 2011 with MGM, which controls rights to Bond along with Eon producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. MGM is expected to pursue an especially tough bargain once other studios come calling. (THR)

Marvel Sees a Good Thing, Won’t Change It: Peyton Reed To Return For ‘Ant-Man’ Sequel

Director of this summer’s Ant-Man is in talks with the studio to helm Ant-Man and The Wasp, which has just been handed a July 2018 release date. Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly are returning as the title characters, as is Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, the creator of the technology both heroes use. No writer is yet on board to write the sequel. The first film grossed $454 million worldwide. (VAR)

Amy Schumer Is Getting a Pretty Enormous Pay Raise For Her Next Movie

The Emmy-winning comedian-actress will receive between $4 million and $5 million for an untitled Fox mother-daughter comedy, which is much higher than the $300,000 she was paid for Trainwreck (although she likely ended up earning considerably more in backend and bonuses seeing as the movie grossed $138.3 million over the summer). (FT)

Twentieth Century Fox Sets Release Date For ‘Kingsman’ Sequel, Sets It Up Against Stiff Competition

Studio will open the film on June 16th, 2017, a far more competitive spot than the February 13th release date the first film had earlier this year. The sequel’s release date sets it up one week after the expected release of Paramount’s World War Z 2, and one week prior to Warner Bros.’ Wonder Woman. Star Taron Egerton is returning from the first film, as is director Matthew Vaughn. (COL)

Trailer Buzz: ‘Jane Got Her Gun’

The Weinstein Company has released the first trailer from the embattled film that stars Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Joel Egerton, Rodrigo Santoro, Noah Emmerich and Boyd Holbrook. The film, which TWC rescued from the Relativity Media bankruptcy, opens in February. (TP)

Screenwriters: Cross Road — ‘Woodland’ and the New Game Plan For Faith-Based Films

Our world is changing — fast. Writers, directors and producers of faith-based films are directly affected by how the world watches movies. More people around the world are now living in cities than in rural areas, resulting in a 30% growth of movie theaters in the last five years worldwide. There are ten new movie theaters opening every day in China alone. So what are they watching? (SM)

New Attachments

Bastards
Logline: Two brothers, raised to believe their biological father died, find out their mother slept with many powerful and famous men in the 1970s and the siblings hit the road to find their real father.
Studio/Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution
Production Company(s): Alcon Entertainment, The Montecito Picture Company, DMG Entertainment
Producer(s): Broderick Johnson, Andrew Kosove, Ivan Reitman, Tom Pollock, Ali Bell
Writer(s): Justin Malen
Director(s): Lawrence Sher
Cast: Owen Wilson, Ed Helms, J.K. Simmons, Ving Rhames, Katt Williams, Harry Shearer
SSN Insight: Warner Bros. acquired the spec script from writer Justin Malen in a reported six-figure deal. Project was previously set up at Paramount, but went into turnaround. Jason Sudeikis was previously attached to co-star.

Blind
Logline: About a novelist who was blinded in a car crash that killed his wife. Several years later, he rediscovers his passion for life and writing when he embarks on an affair with the neglected wife of an indicted businessman.
Production Company(s): Michael Mailer Films
Producer(s): Michael Mailer, Alec Baldwin, Mallory Schwartz, Diane Fisher
Writer(s): John Buffalo Mailer
Director(s): Michael Mailer
Cast: Alec Baldwin, Demi Moore, Dylan McDermott
SSN Insight: Clive Owen was previously mentioned to star. Project was included on the 2005 Black List. Uma Thurman and Jeffrey Dean Morgan were previously attached to star.

Collide
Logline: A young American couple Casey and Juliette are plunged into an adrenaline-pumping game of cat and mouse across Germany when they find themselves caught between two ruthless feuding criminals.
Studio/Distributor(s): Open Road Films
Production Company(s): Silver Pictures, Action Concept, IM Global, 42, Sycamore Pictures
Producer(s): Joel Silver, Rory Aitken, Benjamin Pugh, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Daniel Hetzer
Writer(s): Eran Creevy, F Scott Frazier
Director(s): Eran Creevy
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Felicity Jones, Ben Kingsley, Anthony Hopkins, Marwan Kenzari
SSN Insight: Relativity was originally set to distribute, but those plans were put on hold following that company’s bankruptcy, allowing IM Global to take it back and ink a deal with Open Road instead.

Colossal
Logline: After a giant lizard starts destroying Tokyo, a young woman in New York comes to realize that the power of her mind is connected to the far-off events and she tries to halt the destruction.
Production Company(s): Brightlight Pictures, Voltage Pictures, Sayaka Producciones
Producer(s): Nicolas Chartier, Shawn Williamson, Nahikari Ipina, Anne Hathaway
Writer(s): Nacho Vigalondo
Director(s): Nacho Vigalondo
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis, Austin Stowell, Tim Blake Nelson
SSN Insight: Stowell recently appeared in Bridge of Spies and currently co-stars on TNT’s Public Morals. His upcoming films include Stratton opposite Dominic Cooper and In Dubious Battle and The Long Home both directed by James Franco.

Freak Show
Logline: Cross-dressing teen Billy is a new student at an ultra-conservative high school who takes a stand for his individuality by running for Homecoming Queen.
Production Company(s): Flower Films, Maven Pictures
Producer(s): Trudie Styler, Celine Rattray, Charlotte Ubben, Drew Barrymore, Nancy Juvonen
Writer(s): Beth Rigazio, P.J. Clifton
Director(s): Trudie Styler
Cast: Bette Midler, AnnaSophia Robb, Ian Nelson, Lorraine Toussaint, Alex Lawther
Details: Based on the novel “Freak Show” written by James St. James and published by Dutton Children’s Books in 2007.
SSN Insight: Alex Lawther, previously seen in The Imitation Game, is set to play the lead role of Billy.

Hacksaw Ridge
Logline: About World War II American Army medic Desmond T. Doss, the first conscientious objector in U.S. history to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service during the Battle of Okinawa.
Studio/Distributor(s): Lionsgate
Production Company(s): Permut Productions, Pandemonium, Demarest Films, Cross Creek Pictures, Kilburn Media
Producer(s): Terry Benedict, David Permut, Bill Mechanic, Brian Oliver, Tyler Thompson
Writer(s): Robert Schenkkan, Randall Wallace
Director(s): Mel Gibson
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington, Teresa Palmer, Luke Bracey, Hugo Weaving
SSN Insight: Previously set up at Walt Disney Pictures. Terry Benedict was originally hired to write the screenplay at the studio. Randall Wallace was previously attached to direct.

Like a Virgin
Logline: After a night of intense partying, a girl named Mary is visited by the Angel Gabriel who tells her she’s been chosen to give birth to the next Messiah.
Production Company(s): BFI, Fly Film Company
Producer(s): Kate Ogborn
Director(s): Catherine Shepherd
Cast: Gemma Arterton
SSN Insight: Marks the directorial debut for Shepherd.

Megan Leavey
Logline: Megan Leavey, a US Marine who was injured with her dog Rex by an IED while on patrol in Iraq, was awarded the Purple Heart, and years later fought through bureaucratic red tape to adopt and reunite with Rex upon his retirement from duty.
Production Company(s): LD Entertainment
Producer(s): Mickey Liddell, Jennifer Hilton Monroe, Pete Shilaimon
Writer(s): Annie Mumolo, Tim Lovestedt, Jordan Roberts, Pamela Gray
Director(s): Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Cast: Kate Mara, Edie Falco, Ramon Rodriguez
SSN Insight: Ramon Rodriguez will play the male lead role of Cpl. Matt Morales.

Monster High
Logline: The teenage offspring of famous monsters including Dracula and Frankenstein endure the trials and tribulations of high school.
Studio/Distributor(s): Universal Pictures
Production Company(s): Storyline Entertainment, Mattel, Inc., Fake Empire
Producer(s): Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage
Writer(s): Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage, Alfred Gough, Miles Millar
Director(s): Ari Sandel
Details: Based on the toy line created by Mattel, Inc. in 2010.
SSN Insight: Sandel won the Oscar for his short film West Bank Story and recently directed The Duff for CBS Films.

Moonlight
Logline: A young man deals with his dysfunctional home life and comes of age in Miami during the War on Drugs era.
Production Company(s): Plan B Entertainment, A24
Producer(s): Adele Romanski
Writer(s): Barry Jenkins
Director(s): Barry Jenkins
Cast: Naomie Harris, Andre Holland, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monae
Details: Based on the stage play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue” written by Tarell McCraney.
SSN Insight: Moonlight is being filmed on location in Miami.

Mother/Daughter
Logline: A mother and daughter are trapped with one another on a vacation gone awry.
Studio/Distributor(s): 20th Century Fox, 20th Century Fox
Production Company(s): Chernin Entertainment, Feigco Entertainment
Producer(s): Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Paul Feig, Jessie Henderson
Writer(s): Amy Schumer, Kim Caramele, Katie Dippold
Director(s): Jonathan Levine
Cast: Amy Schumer
SSN Insight: Chernin Entertainment bought the script by Katie Dippold for a reported low seven-figures.

Railhead
Logline: In a futuristic world where trains travel in space through portals, a thief is hired to steal something so important that his actions could change the destiny of the galaxy.
Studio/Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Company(s): Di Novi Pictures, Hypnotic
Producer(s): Denise Di Novi, Alison Greenspan, Doug Liman, David Bartis
Writer(s): Gary Graham
Director(s): Doug Liman
Details: Based on the children’s novel “Railhead” written by Philip Reeve and to be published by Oxford University Press in the fall of 2015.
SSN Insight: Gary Graham previously wrote the script for the reboot of I Am Legend.

Robin Hood: Origins
Logline: A gritty story of when Robin Hood returns to Sherwood Forest after The Crusades and finds only corruption and evil, so he forms a posse of outlaws to take over.
Studio/Distributor(s): Lionsgate
Production Company(s): Appian Way, Safehouse Pictures
Producer(s): Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson Killoran, Tory Tunnell, Joby Harold
Writer(s): Joby Harold
Director(s): Otto Bathurst
Cast: Taron Egerton, Eve Hewson
SSN Insight: Guy Ritchie was previously attached to direct. Hewson will play the part of Maid Marian.

Security
Logline: A mall security guard must protect a female witness from a gang of thugs after all communication is eliminated from a storm.
Studio/Distributor(s): Millennium Films
Producer(s): Jonathan Yunger, Jeffrey Greenstein, David Harris
Writer(s): John Sullivan
Director(s): Alain DesRochers
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Ben Kingsley, Chad Lindberg
SSN Insight: The film is set to start production next month in Bulgaria. Lindberg will next appear on Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. and in the Lifetime movie Manson’s Lost Girls.

The Girl in the Book
Logline: The daughter of a powerful New York City literary agent is forced to confront painful events in her past when asked to work on the re-release of her father’s star client’s best-selling novel.
Studio/Distributor(s): Myriad Pictures, Freestyle Releasing
Production Company(s): Busted Buggy Entertainment, VariEnt
Producer(s): Gina Resnick, Kyle Heller
Writer(s): Marya Cohn
Director(s): Marya Cohn
Cast: Emily VanCamp, Michael Nyqvist, Ana Mulvoy Ten, Talia Balsam, Michael Cristofer
SSN Insight: Myriad is also handling foreign sales on the film and it’s the third joint release with Freestyle following Three Night Stand and After the Ball this year.

The Shallows
Logline: A young woman who has recently lost her mother is surfing in an isolated area when she gets stranded on a buoy, and a gigantic great white shark is between her and the shore.
Studio/Distributor(s): Columbia Pictures
Production Company(s): Weimaraner Republic Pictures (WRPCO)
Producer(s): Lynn Harris, Matti Leshem
Writer(s): Anthony Jaswinski
Director(s): Jaume Collet-Serra
Cast: Blake Lively, Oscar Jaenada
SSN Insight: Colulmbia Pictures won the active bidding battle set at high-six figures for the spec script by Tony Jaswinski. Project was included on the 2014 Black List. Screenplay was included in the 2014 Hit List

The Yellow Birds
Logline: A look at the harrowing lives of two soldiers in Iraq and the effects of war on their families at home.
Production Company(s): Story Mining & Supply Co., Cinelou Films
Producer(s): Jeffrey Sharp, Evan Hayes, Mark Canton, Courtney Solomon
Writer(s): R. F. I. Porto, David Lowery
Director(s): Alexandre Moors
Cast: Tye Sheridan, Jack Huston, Alden Ehrenreich, Jennifer Aniston, Daniel Jose Molina
Details: Based on the novel “The Yellow Birds” written by Kevin Powers and published by Little, Brown and Company September 11, 2012.
SSN Insight: Benedict Cumberbatch was previously attached to star. David Lowery was previously attached to direct.

Thor 3: Ragnarok
Logline: Storyline is under wraps.
Studio/Distributor(s): Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Production Company(s): Marvel Entertainment
Producer(s): Kevin Feige
Writer(s): Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost
Director(s): Taika Waititi
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Jaimie Alexander, Mark Ruffalo (In Negotiations)
Details: Based on the comic book character Thor who first appeared in “Journey into Mystery” created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and published by Marvel Comics in August 1962. Sequel to “Thor: The Dark World” (2013).
SSN Insight: Ruffalo can next be seen in the film Spotlight.

New Projects

Fender Bender
Logline: A serial killer purposely gets into car accidents to meet his future victims.
Production Company(s): Brainstorm Media, Shout! Factory, EchoWolf Productions
Producer(s): Carl W. Lucas, Joshua Bunting
Writer(s): Mark Pavia
Director(s): Mark Pavia
SSN Insight: Fender Bender is Shout! Factory’s first original feature, is said to be “a return to a more classic style of horror film.”

Hampstead
Logline: An American widow living in the London suburb of Hampstead and a local man who lives on the Heath form an unlikely alliance against unscrupulous property developers in the neighborhood.
Production Company(s): Ecosse Films
Producer(s): Robert Bernstein, Douglas Rae
Writer(s): Robert Festinger
Director(s): Joel Hopkins
Cast: Brendan Gleeson, Diane Keaton
SSN Insight: Cornerstone Films will handle international sales, including North America, and introduce the project to buyers at the American Film Market in Los Angeles in November, 2015.

Mayday 109
Logline: The harrowing story of how John F. Kennedy saved the crew of his PT boat after it was sunk by a Japanese destroyer in WWII is dramatized.
Production Company(s): Thunder Road Pictures, Flynn Picture Co.
Producer(s): Beau Flynn, Basil Iwanyk
Writer(s): Evan Kilgore, Samuel V. Franco
SSN Insight: The story was previously shot as a film with Cliff Robertson playing JFK in PT 109 in 1963.

Meet the Patels Remake
Logline: Storyline is under wraps.
Studio/Distributor(s): Fox Searchlight Pictures
Writer(s): Geeta V. Patel, Ravi Patel
Director(s): Geeta V. Patel, Ravi Patel
Details: Remake of the documentary “Meet the Patels” (2014) directed by Geeta Patel and Ravi Patel.
SSN Insight: Meet The Patels won the Audience Award for its My Big Fat Greek Wedding-like storyline at the Los Angeles Film Festival.

Polaroid
Logline: Two young women find a Polaroid camera and discoverthe horrible past it hides.
Studio/Distributor(s): Dimension Films
Production Company(s): Benderspink, El Dorado Films, Vertigo
Producer(s): Lars Klevberg, Petter Lokke, John Hagen, Chris Bender, Jake Weiner
Director(s): Lars Klevberg
Details: Based on the short film “Polaroid” (Norway/2015) written and directed by Lars Klevberg.
SSN Insight: The short film gained attention after winning at the L.A. Horror short film festival.

The Shave
Logline: After a police officer is cleared on the shooting of a teenager, he visits the boy’s father at his barbershop.
Production Company(s): Maiden Voyage Films, Route One Entertainment, Lost City
Producer(s): Eleanor Columbus, Chris Columbus, Russell Levine, John Finemore, Mason Novick
Writer(s): Miles Hubley, Thomas White
SSN Insight: The film is Route One’s second collaboration with Maiden Voyage after Sian Heder’s upcoming Tallulah starring Ellen Page and Allison Janney.

Untitled Hacker Thriller Project
Logline: As a brilliant kid from New York’s projects becomes a force in the hacking subculture, his friendships, family and loyalties at home are tested.
Production Company(s): Macro
Producer(s): Rick Famuyiwa
Writer(s): Rick Famuyiwa
Director(s): Rick Famuyiwa
SSN Insight: Macro recently closed an eight-figure round of funding that included lead investor Emerson Collective, founded by Steve Jobs’ widow Laurene Powell Jobs.

Untitled David Frigerio/Sci-Fi Project
Logline: The story takes place in space, but storyline is under wraps.
Studio/Distributor(s): Paramount Pictures
Writer(s): David Frigerio
SSN Insight: Frigerio previously wrote the 2014 Sundance Film Festival title The Signal.

Where the White Man Runs Away
Logline: In 2008, rookie Canadian journalist Jay Bahadur’s impulsive plan to embed himself among the pirates of Somalia provided the first close-up look at these men and the forces that drive them.
Production Company(s): Hungry Man, BCDF Pictures, Kalahari Films & Media
Writer(s): Bryan Buckley
Director(s): Bryan Buckley
Cast: Evan Peters
SSN Insight: Production begins this winter in South Africa.

SSN ORIGINALS

Film Development for 10/22/15: Amy Schumer Set For Mother/Daughter, Young JFK Movie In The Works, Mark Ruffalo In Talks To Hulk Out In Thor 3

Other film development news includes, Warner Bros. acquiring a script out of turnaround from Paramount, Black List film Blind gets a new cast with Alec Baldwin, Demi Moore and Dylan McDermott and Open Road acquires Relativity film Collide. (SSN)

OTHER HEADLINES

Universal’s ‘Queen Of Hearts’ Lands ‘Maze Runner’ Scribe To Adapt

Grant Pierce Myers, who wrote last year’s The Maze Runner, has been tapped to adapt Queen Of Hearts, Universal Pictures’ pic based on the Colleen Oakes YA book series. (DH)

‘Dear White People’ Director Tackling Musical For Charles King’s Media Company

Justin Simien, the filmmaker behind Dear White People, is developing an untitled musical for Charles D. King and his multicultural media company MACRO. (THR)

Seth Rogen & ‘The Interview’ Team Producing Workplace Comedy For Fox

Along with his producing partner Evan Goldberg and scribe Dan Sterling, Seth Rogen will serve as an exec producer on Citizen Floyd, a comedy that has landed a put pilot commitment at Fox. (VAR)

‘The Whispers’ Canceled By ABC After 1 Season

‘Still Star-Crossed': Shondaland Sells ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Sequel Series To ABC

Shondaland’s Still Star-Crossed, a one-hour drama about the fallout from the legendary lovers’ deadly acts, based on Melinda Taub’s 2013 novel, has been sold to ABC. (TVL)

Perfecting Pixar’s Movies Takes A Crazy Amount Of Research

Pixar is as much a research firm as it is an animation studio, and a new exhibit at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City does an expert job at showing us how. (WIR)

Free Scripts! Download 2016 Oscar Contenders ‘Straight Outta Compton,’ ‘Ex Machina,’ Trainwreck’ And More

For aspiring screenwriters, these scripts amount to a free screenwriting class. In studying the language, structure and pacing of the original and adapted screenplays, you’ll see how story is carefully plotted and learn how strong characters are developed. (IW)

Relativity Finds a New Investor Ready To Pump $29 Million Into Bankrupt Company

A court filing in the wee hours of yesterday morning shows that Joseph G. Nicholas, founder of a Chicago firm that analyzes hedge funds, will pump that money into Relativity — money that will go to pay off senior lenders and allow Ryan Kavanaugh to maintain his leadership of the company, minus its television division. The same court papers show that Kavanaugh will commit $1 million toward completing the transaction. (VAR)

U.S. Government’s Ill-Fated Fast and Furious Gun Scandal Heading to the Big-Screen

Lionsgate is aiming to bring the story of the ATF’s gunwalking scandal to the big-screen. The studio has picked up the rights to The Unarmed Truth: My Fight to Blow the Whistle and Expose Fast and Furious, a memoir written by ATF agent John Dodson, and has set Matthew Carnahan to pen the adaptation. Lorenzo di Bonaventura will produce the adaptation, which will be titled River of Iron, with Josh Bratman and his Immersive Pictures banner. (THR)

Jim Carrey Looks Like He Might Be Ready To Commit ‘True Crimes’

Actor is set to replace Christoph Waltz in the film, which is drawn from David Grann’s 2008 New Yorker article about the slaying of advertising company manager Dariusz Janiszewski, whose body washed up in Poland’s Oder River in December 2000. A detective tracked Janiszewski’s missing cell phone to an eBay auction. Seller was Krystian Bala, whose sado-sexual novel was published after Janiszewski’s death, featuring a plot eerily similar to the killing. (EMP)

Today In Reboot News: Paramount Sets Sail With ‘Jason and the Argonauts’

Susan Landau will produce, with a script penned by Christopher Hollier, who is known for his work on series such as Elementary and Alias, currently serves as a co-executive producer on The CW series The Originals. The plot of the film will follow the myth’s classic quest, following Jason and his band of heroes as they search for the Golden Fleece. The journey is in an effort to grant him the authority to command the throne of Iolcus and banish his tyrannical uncle. (TB)

Edgar Ramirez Circles Male Lead Of ‘The Girl On the Train’

Actor would portray Dr. Kamal Abdric in the Tate Taylor-directed adaptation of Paula Hawkins’ bestselling thriller that came out this year. The therapist character is involved in an affair with the married Megan (Haley Bennett), and becomes a suspect in her disappearance – which is the heart of the novel and the film. Emily Blunt and Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation’s Rebecca Ferguson are also in the pic with the Sicario actress playing a hard-drinking recent divorcee. (DH)

Fox Puts New Orleans Cop Show Based On New York Times Article Into Development

Drama is based on the story “Who Runs the Streets of New Orleans?” and explores what happens when an enigmatic tech billionaire makes a deal with a bankrupt, dying city to provide a privately owned and operated police force. Person of Interest co-EP David Slack will pen the script and exec produce the 20th Century Fox Television drama alongside Len Wiseman, who will direct the pilot should the drama move forward. (LF)

The New ‘Power Rangers’ Movie Has a Red Ranger and a Pink Ranger, and Now Has a Black Ranger, Too

On the heels of the announcement that Naomi Scott and Dacre Montgomery have joined the cast comes word that another unknown, Ludi Lin, is on board to play the Black Ranger. There are still the Blue and Yellow Rangers to be cast before the film starts shooting in early 2016, for a January 2017 release. (CB)

Tears and Terror: The Disturbing Final Years of Mickey Rooney

He was one of Hollywood’s greatest actors, someone whose estate could have been worth hundreds of millions when he died in summer 2014. Instead, he endured beatings, humiliation and poverty at the hands of his eighth wife and one of her sons, both accused today of elder abuse and destroying a legend. (THR)

Trailer Buzz: ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’

Sony has released the first trailer from the upcoming film adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith’s parody of Jane Austen’s classic novel. Starring Lily James, Ellie Bamber, Millie Brady, Bella Heathcote, Suki Waterhouse, Matt Smith, Jack Huston, Douglas Booth, Sam Riley, Lena Heady, and Charles Dance, and directed by Burr Steers, the film opens February 5th, 2016. (COL)

Screenwriters: ‘Angel Eyes’

The 129-page screenplay by Gerald DiPego, labeled Seventh Draft/Polish, and dated October, 1999. (DS)

Starts

A Few Less Men
10/19/2015
Logline: This tale of wedding mayhem includes three men in wedding tuxedos, a coffin and travel plans gone haywire.
Production Company(s): Parabolic Pictures, Stable Way Entertainment
Executive Producer(s): Josh Kesselman
Producer(s): Lawrence Malkin, Share Stallings, Gary Hamilton, Tania Chambers
Cast: Kevin Bishop, Kris Marshall, Xavier Samuel
Writer(s): Dean Craig
Details: Sequel to “A Few Best Men” (AUS/2012) directed by Stephan Elliott.
SSN Insight: Dean Craig was previously attached to direct.

Besties
10/21/2015
Logline: The friendship of two high school girls is disrupted when one girl starts dating the other one’s older brother.
Production Company(s): Gracie Films, STX Entertainment
Director(s): Kelly Fremon Craig
Producer(s): James L. Brooks, Richard Sakai, Julie Ansell
Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick, Blake Jenner, Hayden Szeto
Writer(s): Kelly Fremon Craig
SSN Insight: Hailee Steinfeld can next be seen in Jem and the Holograms and the upcoming Term Life to be distributed by Universal.

CHiPs
10/21/2015
Logline: California motorcycle cops take down a criminal organization.
Studio/Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Company(s): Panay Films, Primate Pictures
Director(s): Dax Shepard
Executive Producer(s): Rick Rosner
Producer(s): Andrew Panay, Dax Shepard
Cast: Dax Shepard, Michael Pena, Vincent D’Onofrio, Kristen Bell, Rosa Salazar
Writer(s): Dax Shepard, Paul A Kaplan, Mark Torgove
Details: Feature film version of television series “CHiPs” (1977-1983), which featured Larry Wilcox and Erik Estrada.
SSN Insight: Wilmer Valderrama previously attached to star as Ponch. Previously in development with Tapestry Films.

Colossal
10/18/2015
Logline: After a giant lizard starts destroying Tokyo, a young woman in New York comes to realize that the power of her mind is connected to the far-off events and she tries to halt the destruction.
Production Company(s): Brightlight Pictures, Voltage Pictures, Sayaka Producciones
Director(s): Nacho Vigalondo
Executive Producer(s): Nacho Vigalondo, Garrett Basch
Producer(s): Nicolas Chartier, Shawn Williamson, Nahikari Ipina, Anne Hathaway
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis, Austin Stowell
Writer(s): Nacho Vigalondo
SSN Insight: Nacho Vigalondo’s past films include V/H/S Viral, Open Windows and Focus Features’ Extraterrestrial.

Crash Pad
10/18/2015
Logline: When a man learns that his “true love” was just using him as revenge against her husband, he threatens to tell her husband, but then the husband decides to move in with him.
Production Company(s): Sodona Entertainment, Wonderful Films, Indomitable Entertainment, Windowseat Films
Director(s): Kevin Tent
Executive Producer(s): Alexander Payne, Dominic Ianno, Jon Ferro, Stuart Pollok, Joseph McKelheer
Producer(s): Bill Horberg, Lauren Bratman
Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Christina Applegate, Thomas Haden Church, Nina Dobrev
Writer(s): Jeremy Catalino
SSN Insight: Along with Vampire Diaries, Nina Dobrev was also seen in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Let’s Be Cops.

Dog Eat Dog
10/19/2015
Logline: A group of criminals target other criminals as their victims.
Production Company(s): Arclight Films Pty Ltd., Pure Dopamine
Director(s): Paul Schrader
Executive Producer(s): Gary Hamilton, Don Rivers, Tim Peternel, Shaun Redick, Raymond Mansfield
Producer(s): Mark Earl Burman, David Hillary
Cast: Nicolas Cage
Writer(s): Paul Schrader, Matthew Wilder
Details: Based on the novel “Dog Eat Dog” written by Edward Bunker and published in 1995.
SSN Insight: Project was previously in development at Hand Picked Films and Michael Mailer Films with Michel Shane, Anthony Romano and Michael Mailer attached to produce an adaptation written by Edward Bunker and Richard Stratton. Richard Stratton was previously attached to direct.

First Round Down
10/20/2015
Logline: A former hockey player and hitman returns home to escape his past and care for his brother.
Production Company(s): Marina Cordoni Entertainment, Substance Production
Director(s): Brett M. Butler, Jason G. Butler
Executive Producer(s): Marina Cordoni
Producer(s): Brett M. Butler, Jason G. Butler
Cast: Dylan Bruce, Rachel Wilson, Peter MacNeill, John Kapelos
Writer(s): Brett M. Butler, Jason G. Butler, Ennis Esmer
SSN Insight: Jared Keeso, Lauren Lee Smith, Gil Bellows, and Ennis Esmer were previously attached as cast members.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back
10/19/2015
Logline: Former military cop Jack Reacher finds himself embroiled in a quandary when he visits his old unit.
Studio/Distributor(s): Paramount Pictures
Production Company(s): Skydance Productions, Don Granger Productions
Director(s): Edward Zwick
Executive Producer(s): Paula Wagner, Herb Gains
Producer(s): Tom Cruise, Don Granger, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Christopher McQuarrie
Cast: Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, Danika Yarosh, Austin Hebert, Patrick Heusinger
Writer(s): Richard Wenk, Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick
Details: Sequel to “Jack Reacher” (USA/2012) directed by Christopher McQuarrie and starring Tom Cruise. Based on the novel “Never Go Back” written by Lee Child and published by Delacorte Press on September 3, 2013.
SSN Insight: Tom Cruise can also be seen in the upcoming Mena to be released by Universal Pictures.

Kong: Skull Island
10/19/2015
Logline: Based on the mythic origins of King Kong on his home Skull Island, which is ruled by mutant giant creatures, the story follows a man who visits the island with a rescue party after his brother disappears during a search for a serum thought to cure all ill
Studio/Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Company(s): Legendary Entertainment, Disruption Entertainment
Director(s): Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Executive Producer(s): Alex Garcia, Eric McLeod
Producer(s): Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Mary Parent
Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John C Reilly, Brie Larson, Corey Hawkins
Writer(s): Derek Connolly, Tony Gilroy, John Gatins, Max Borenstein
SSN Insight: Joe Cornish was previously mentioned to direct. Michael Keaton and JK Simmons were previously attached as members of the cast.

Secret Agent
10/22/2015
Logline: This period drama takes place in 1930s Korea during the Japanese colonial era.
Studio/Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Company(s): Grimm Pictures, Harbin
Director(s): Kim Jee-woon, Song Kang-ho
Producer(s): Jae-weon Choi, Choi Jung-hwa
Cast: Gong Yoo, Song Kang-ho
Writer(s): Lee Ji-min, Kim Jee-woon
SSN Insight: The first-ever Korean-language movie to be financed and distributed by Warner Bros.

Shambhala
10/21/2015
Logline: The lone survivor of a plane crash in the mountains of Northern Pakistan suffers from amnesia and must fight to survive and reach civilization in a remote and unfamiliar land.
Production Company(s): Xeitgeist, Marcys Holdings
Director(s): Summer Bodhi Nicks
Executive Producer(s): Pamela Godfrey
Producer(s): Huw Jones, Joe Thomas
Cast: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Pallavi Sharda, Akshay Kumar, Devika Urvashi Bhise, Allan Wu
Writer(s): Summer Bodhi Nicks
SSN Insight: Jonathan Rhys Meyers can also be seen in the upcoming London Town and the TV miniseries Roots for A+E.

Super Troopers 2
10/23/2015
Logline: The adventures of the five inept Vermont cops continue.
Studio/Distributor(s): Fox Searchlight Pictures
Production Company(s): Broken Lizard Industries
Producer(s): Richard Perello
Cast: Steve Lemme, Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Paul Soter, Erik Stolhanske
Writer(s): Steve Lemme, Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Paul Soter, Erik Stolhanske
SSN Insight: As of October 4, 2014, most of the estimated minimum budget of a $27 million was in place, but the producers planned an Indiegogo campaign to raise the remaining money. In March 2015, Broken Lizard launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to raise the remaining $2 million.

Wildling
10/21/2015
Logline: After a childhood in captivity under the care of a man who taught her to fear the outside world, a young woman’s new freedom is shattered by a series of unsettling events.
Production Company(s): Maven Pictures
Director(s): Fritz Bohm
Producer(s): Trudie Styler, Celine Rattray, Charlotte Ubben
Cast: Bel Powley, Liv Tyler, Brad Dourif, James LeGros
Writer(s): Fritz Bohm, Florian Eder, David C. Palmer
SSN Insight: The film marks the feature debut for German director Bohm. He graduated from the University of Television & Film Munich with the award-winning short Moonman.

Wraps

Below Her Mouth
10/22/2015
Logline: Two women begin an affair that changes their lives forever.
Production Company(s): Serendipity Point Films, Distant Horizon Corporation
Director(s): April Mullen
Producer(s): Melissa Coghlan
Cast: Natalie Krill, Erika Linder, Sebastian Pigott
Writer(s): Stephanie Fabrizi
SSN Insight: Serendipity Point Films’ other credits include Barney’s Version, Eastern Promises, Being Julia and Sunshine.

Gosnell
10/23/2015
Logline: This drama tells the story of Dr. Kermit Gosnell, who’s dangerous and unethical practices in his abortion clinic resulted in his conviction on murder and manslaughter, and a life sentence in prison.
Director(s): Nick Searcy
Executive Producer(s): John Sullivan
Producer(s): Phelim McAleer, Ann McElhinney, Magda Segieda
Writer(s): Andrew Klavan
SSN Insight: Financing for the movie has be through the crowdfunding site Indiegogo and had raised $2.3 million as of March, 18, 2015.

Measure of a Man
10/18/2015
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(s): Jim Loach
Executive Producer(s): Jim Reeve, Robert Halmi Jr., David Scearce
Producer(s): Christian Taylor
Cast: Donald Sutherland, Blake Cooper, Judy Greer, Luke Wilson, Beau Knapp
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.

Milton’s Secret
10/21/2015
Logline: A young boy is bullied at school and finds a unique way to deal with the situation.
Production Company(s): Barnet Bain Films, Buck Productions, Berkshire Axis Media, Hulo Film
Director(s): Barnet Bain
Producer(s): Stephen Huszar, Sean Buckley, Ryan Lockwood, Fred Fuchs, Barnet Bain
Cast: Donald Sutherland, William Ainscough, Percy Hynes White, Michelle Rodriguez, David Sutcliffe
Writer(s): Barnet Bain, Sandra Cooper, Donald Martin
Details: Based on the novel “Milton’s Secret,” written by Eckhart Tolle and Robert Friedman and published by Hampton Roads Publishing on October 8, 2008.
SSN Insight: Peter Fonda was previously attached to star.

-In our newest weekly series, SSN Insider will take a deep dive into the film ticket sales of the week leveraging data from the powerhouse ticketing website, MovieTickets.com. Not only will the infographic pinpoint which movies are claiming the largest piece of the pie from day to day in terms of sales but also which film had the biggest uptick in terms of a percentage variance surge and which had the biggest downtick or steepest dive between two points.-

SSN ORIGNALS

SSN Box Office Trending Report for 10/23/15: By Just How Much Did Star Wars: The Force Awakens Clobber Ticket Sales?

In our newest weekly series, SSN Insider will take a deep dive into the film ticket sales of the week leveraging data from the powerhouse ticketing website, MovieTickets.com. (SSN)

On the Set 10/22/15: Tom Hiddleston Starts on ‘Kong: Skull Island, Nina Dobrev Starts on ‘Crash Pad’

Other starts and wraps include, the Hailee Steinfeld/ STX Entertainment film Besties and the sequel to Fox Searchlight’s Super Troopers both starting production.  (SSN)

OTHER HEADLINES

‘Tower Of Terror’ Getting Movie Treatment; Venerable Disney Theme Park Fright Ride

With a treatment by Big Fish scribe John August, Disney is now looking to hire a screenwriter to give feature treatment to Tower Of Terror, long one of the most popular rides in its theme parks. (DH)

Academy Releases Long List Of Best Documentary Qualifiers

A total of 124 films have been submitted for consideration in the documentary feature category for the 2016 Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced. (EW)

Michael Moore’s ‘Where To Invade Next’ Gets Oscar-Qualifying Release

Michael Moore’s documentary Where to Invade Next will be released in New York and Los Angeles on Dec. 23, making it eligible for the Academy Awards. (VAR)

America Ferrera Launches Production Company, Signs Overall Deal With ABC

The actress, who will star in NBC’s midseason comedy Superstore, has launched Take Fountain Productions and will develop original series for cable and broadcast in her overall with ABC. (WRAP)

‘Straight Outta Compton’ Writer To Tackle Scarlett Johansson Thriller ‘Ghost In The Shell’

Straight Outta Compton, writer Jonathan Herman has been brought in to do an overhaul on the script for DreamWorks’ anime-based live-action thriller Ghost in the Shell. (THR)

Tom Wheeler Set To Script Live-Action ‘Dora The Explorer’ & ‘Micronauts’ At Paramount

Tom Wheeler has been set by Paramount to write a live-action adaptation of Dora The Explorer, as well as the next draft of Micronauts, a live-action version of the Hasbro science fiction toy line. (DH)

‘Clipped’ Cancelled At TBS

TBS’ Clipped, which starred Mike Castle and Ashley Tisdale (Hellcats) as part-time haircutters and full-time dreamers, has been canceled. (TVL)

Four New Films Flop, Allowing ‘The Martian’ To Reclaim Box Office Top Spot

Ridley Scott’s adaptation of the best-selling novel came in with $15.9 million, just ahead of Goosebumps, which finished with $15.5 million. Meanwhile, The Last Witch Hunter ($10 million), Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension ($8.2 million), Steve Jobs ($7.3 million), Rock the Kasbah ($1.5 million) and Jem and the Holograms ($1.3 million) all either disappointed or outright flopped. (BO)

Edgar Wright and Johnny Depp Are Teaming Up To Adapt a Neil Gaiman Story

The author’s children’s book, Fortunately the Milk, will be adapted by Bret McKenzie. Book, which is described as “a story of time travel and breakfast cereal,” will be a live-action and animation hybrid. Depp will be starring in the film, and he will also be producing the film along with Animal Logic Entertainment. (SF)

George Clooney and the Coen Brothers Are Working Together Again, Sort Of

In the planning stage for some time, Clooney is finally set to direct Suburbicon, an original script by Joel and Ethan Coen that the two time Academy Award winner has been eyeing for more than a decade. Film is being set up at Sony’s TriStar Pictures. Film is described as a noir drama in the vein of Blood Simple. Clooney has appeared in several Coen Brothers films, and is one of the stars of the upcoming Hail Caesar! (CS)

Jean-Marc Vallee To Re-Team With Reese Witherspoon, Will Direct ‘Big Little Lies’ For HBO

Nicole Kidman also stars in the limited series adaptation of the novel by Liane Moriarty about three women whose lives intersect and unravel in a big way. David E. Kelley has penned the scripts, and the project has a straight-to-series order. Vallee will direct the first episode, and maybe more, with production to start in early 2016. (TP)

Sherlock Fans Rejoice! A Premiere Date For New Special and Shooting Dates For Season Four Are Here

Masterpiece and PBS announced on Saturday that the upcoming 90-minute standalone, Victorian-era Sherlock special, titled Sherlock: The Abominable Bride, will make its PBS debut on Friday, Jan. 1st 2016  at 9/8c. (For the first time, Sherlock will premiere on the same day in the US and the UK.) Additionally, Masterpiece confirmed that Sherlock‘s fourth season will go into production in Spring 2016. (TVL)

Add the Blue Ranger To the Updated “Power Rangers’ Roster, as RJ Cyler Lands the Role

Star of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is the fourth actor cast for the movie, following Naomi Scott as the Pink Ranger, Dacre Montgomery as the Red Ranger and Ludi Lin as the Black Ranger. Dean Israelite is directing the movie from a script by Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz. Haim Saban, Brian Casentini and Allison Shearmur are producing. (VAR)

NBC May Have Cancelled ‘Hannbal’, but Bryan Fuller Is Still Recreating ‘Amazing Stories’ For the Network

The anthology series is now in development at the network. Fuller will executive produce and write a pilot script for the project – an hourlong weekly anthology series telling fantastic, strange and supernatural stories. The 1985 original ran for two seasons and was created and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, who is not involved in the reboot. The series earned 12 Emmy nominations and received five awards. (EW)

Cross-Promotion Alert: DreamWorks Creates a Magical World for Ikea’s New Line of Toys

The animation studio has created 25 animated short films to promote Ikea’s new collection of toys, Lattjo. The line includes games, musical instruments, toys for indoors and outdoors, and is meant to encourage adults and children to play together. (CO)

Trailer Buzz: ‘Jessica Jones’

Netflix and Marvel Studios have released the first full-length trailer from their upcoming drama series, starring Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, Carrie-Anne Moss and David Tennant. The series drops in its entirety on the streaming service November 20th. (EMP)

Screenwriters: Improvising Screenplays — The Five Keys To Creating Great Characters

You have a clear picture in your head of your main character. Great. You know what your protagonist has to do throughout the story. Fantastico! But what’s the motor driving her? What basic, primal character element is the essential force pushing her through every moment of your script? Crickets…crickets…annnd…crickets. (SM)

Company Launches & Partnerships

Time Inc. has acquired HelloGiggles, a digital lifestyle publishing start-up for women, co-founded by New Girl actress Zooey Deschanel. The Wall Street Journal reports Time paid an estimated $20 million for the company.

Interactive entertainment company Activision Blizzard has launched a new eSports division. Steve Bornstein, who previously served as CEO of both ESPN and NFL Network, will serve as Chairman of the new division. Activision has nabbed Mike Sepso, the former president of Major League Gaming, to serve as SVP for eSports.

Production studio The Uprising Creative is launching Vehiclevr, a virtual reality content studio. Vehicle will specialize in the production and direction of branded and original VR content and supply production services to partner companies working in VR. Uprising co-founder Jeff Nicholas has been tapped as their Managing Director and Head of Development. Uprising formerly worked on VR projects with partners including CBS Interactive.

WME | IMG has partnered with AGT to build an as-of-yet unnamed platform that enhances the value of consumer’s live event experience with personalized real time offsite and onsite content and engagement. The new platform is planned for an early 2016 release. Events and content will be handled by WME | IMG and the engineers and data will come from AGT.

Universal Sports Network, with its main focus as the Olympic sports channel co-owned by InterMedia Partners and NBCUniversal, is closing November 16. NBCU, which holds an 8% stake in the channel, will pick up USN’s rights to the Olympic sports through 2032.

Film

Production and finance company Macro has nabbed producer Kim Roth as President of Production to handle the slate of film and TV projects that continues to ramp up since its launch earlier this year. Roth previously spent 16 years at Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment.

David Burg has been upped to SVP, Associate General Counsel at Universal Filmed Entertainment Group. The former Weissmann, Wolff, Bergman, Coleman, Grodin & Evall attorney will report directly to General Counsel Clarissa Weirick.

Robert Walak has joined Universal Pictures International Productions as Co-managing Director. Prior to Universal, Walak worked at The Weinstein Company, acquiring titles including Carol, Macbeth, Paddington and The Imitation Game.

Louise Chater has been named the EVP, International Strategy & Research overseeing all international theatrical market research efforts for Sony Pictures Entertainment. She will report to international marketing chief Michael Horn and work with John Restall, who handles domestic market research. Prior to Sony Chater spent two years at Clarius Entertainment, where she oversaw the film company’s strategy, acquisitions, and slate development.

Grady Gamble is now the COO and CFO at Adaptive Studios. He was previously the Executive Director of Strategic Planning & Business Development at Paramount Pictures.

Magnolia Pictures has also promoted Scott Veltri to VP of International Sales. He previously served as the International Sales Director. Robert Maylor has been upped to his role of Director of International Sales. He was previously the Manager of International Sales at the company. Veltri joined Magnolia Pictures/Magnet Releasing in 2010 and held positions in marketing and acquisitions before moving in to international sales. Maylor joined Magnolia Pictures/Magnet Releasing in 2013 after completing his M.F.A in the Peter Stark producing program at USC’s school of cinematic arts.

Matt Alvarez is now the In-House Producer at Broad Green Pictures. He was previously the EVP of Production and President of the Multicultural Division at Relativity Media. Ella Robinson is now the VP of East Coast Publicity at Broad Green Pictures in New York. She was formerly the SVP, DKC Public Relations.

Rowan Riley is now the VP of Development & Production at Burn Later Productions. He was previously the Producer at Anonymous Content.

Scott Veltri is now the VP of International Sales at Magnolia Pictures in New York. He was previously the Director of International Sales at that company.

TV

FX Networks has upped Gina Balian, Nicole Clemens and Jonathan Frank, to the title of EVP. Balian will continue to handle the strategic development and production of original limited series. Clemens will continue to handle the strategic development of new drama and comedy series. Previously, Clemens was a partner and head of the motion picture literary department of ICM Partners. In his new position, Frank will handle all facets of day-to-day production for the entire slate of FX Networks’ original programming. Before FX, Frank was with Mark Johnson Productions as head of television development.

TV Producer Jimmy Desmarais, best known for French TV series including Panthers and The Returned, has been named the Co-CEO of Atlantique Productions. Atlantique, which is owned by Lagardere Studios, has produced TV series including Transporter and Borgia. Olivier Bibas will serve as Atlantique’s other co-CEO.

Henry Ahn is now the President of Content Distribution & Marketing at Scripps Networks Interactive. He was previously the EVP of Content Distribution & Marketing at Scripps Networks Interactive.

Karen Leever is now the EVP, General Manager of Digital Media at Discovery Communications in New York. She was formerly the SVP of Digital & Direct Sales at DirecTV.

Sergio Alfaro has been named the CEO at Eclipse TV. He was previously the SVP at Pink Sneakers Productions.

Amy Reisenbach has been upped from VP to the SVP of Current Programs at CBS Entertainment and CBS Television Studios. Bridget Wiley has been upped from SVP of Current Programs to the EVP of Current Programs at CBS Entertainment and CBS Television Studios.

Dan Tischler has been named the Head of Development at Rooney McP Productions. He was previously an Independent Producer.

Kelly Webb-Lamb will begin pursuing other opportunities at the end of 2015. She was formerly the Managing Director at Shine TV in London.

The CBC, Canda’s public broadcaster, has nabbed Chris Harris as their new Executive Producer of Digital Scripted Content. Prior to CBC, Harris served as VP of Strategy and Business Development at Secret Location, a Canadian digital content studio.

Jeremy Chilnick has been upped from Partner to the COO at Warrior Poets in New York.

Lucilla D’Agostino has been named the EVP of Current Programming & Development at Sirens Media in New York. She was formerly the SVP of Current Programming at Sirens Media.

Brian Dale has been upped from Development Producer to the VP of Digital Development at Thinkfactory Media. Erika Wadler has been upped from Director of Development to the VP of Unscripted Development at Thinkfactory Media.

Tina Exarhos is now pursuing other opportunities. She was formerly the EVP of Marketing & Creative at MTV in New York.

Saul Goldberg has been named the VP, Head of Unscripted Television at Covert Media. He was previously the Development Executive at Electus.

Andrew Marcus has been named the President at Relativity Television. He was previously the Managing Director at Relativity Television.

Management, PR, Agencies

Luber Roklin Entertainment has upped Ryan Lewis Tunick and Rob Saunders both to manager. Tunick previously worked in WME’s talent department for three years before Luber Roklin. Saunders was previously with MGMT management before Luber Roklin. Luber Roklin’s client list includes Olivia Cooke, Stephen Moyer, Shane West, Ryan Guzman and Hayden Christensen, among others.

David Anderson has been snagged by UTA to be an executive in their Digital Media department. He hails from the Los Angeles office of brand consultancy firm MediaLink, where his clients included Conde Nast, Twitter, Hulu and Funny or Die.

Chris Goble is now the SVP of TV Production & Development at Automatik. He was previously a Lit Manager at Grandview.

Ross Weiner is now an Agent of Theater at ICM Partners in New York. He was previously the Agent of Theater Literary at Paradigm.

Lori York is now pursuing other opportunities She was formerly a Partner of International TV & Media at ICM Partners in New York.

Music, Digital, Publishing, Misc.

GoPro has hired Bill McCullough to serve as an Executive Producer for GoPro’s motor sports and team sports channels. Previously, he served as VP of Creative Development and Operations for HBO Sports.

YouTube video marketing company Pixability has nabbed John Baker as its Chief Data Scientist. Prior he served as founder, CEO and Chief Scientist at DataKin.

Video ad marketplace Tremor Video has named John Walsh as its CTO. Formerly, Walsh served as Chief Technology Officer at CareCloud. Company co-founder and now-former CTO Steven Lee will continue to act as a senior advisor to Tremor.

Digital video company JW Player has hired Brent Wood, previously the Head of Consumer Web and Mobile Engineering at Bloomberg LP to serve as CTO. Rick Okin, previously the CTO of Integral Ad Science, will be the VP of Data.

Video supply side platform Altitude Digital has named Toby Gabriner to its Board of Directors. Garbiner previously was CEO of AOL’s programmatic video advertising platform Adap.tv. He currently serves as CEO of social music platform MAGNIFI.

Delia Rodriguez has been nabbed by Univision Digital as Deputy Managing Editor for Audience Engagement. She will handle Univision Digital’s editorial strategy to drive audience engagement.

Trevor Burkins is now the Senior Media Strategist at M Booth in New York. He was previously the Communications Associate at NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment.

David Haddad has been upped from EVP, General Manager to President at Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

Jason Ziemianski and Gayle Gilman have Co-Founded Ripple Entertainment. Gilman will act at CEO and was formerly the EVP of Digital Content at FremantleMedia North America. Ziemianski will act as Chief Revenue Officer and was previously the VP of Digital Partnerships & Cross-Platform Strategy at FremantleMedia North America.

Adam Lewinson is now the SVP of Programming, Marketing & Operations at Crackle. He was previously the SVP of Programming & Production at FX Networks.

Max Hole is now pursuing other opportunities. He was previously the Chairman and CEO at Universal Music Group International in London.

SSN ORIGINALS

Exec Shuffle for 10/26/15: Time Acquires Zooey Deschanel’s Hello Giggles, Universal Shutters Sports Network, FX Networks Names Multiple EVPs

In addition production studio The Uprising Creative has launched Vehiclevr, WME | IMG has partnered with AGT to build a new platform for live events, and interactive entertainment company Activision Blizzard has opened a new eSports division. (SSN)

OTHER HEADLINES

50 Feet from Syria and Nine Other Documentaries Make the Oscar Short List

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that the field of documentary short subject contenders for the 88th Academy Awards has been narrowed to 10 films from 74 eligible entries. Half of the films on the short list will receive Oscar nominations. (VAR)

TBS Greenlights Comedy about BFFs from Real-Life Besties Matt Fogel and Todd Strauss-Schulson

TBS has greenlit and cast a series from longtime best friends Matt Fogel (Bob: The Musical) and writer-director Todd Strauss-Schulson (The Final Girls). They penned the pilot, inspired by their own lives as sensitive, modern men. (DL)

Mila Kunis, Christina Applegate and Kristen Bell Team Up for Mom Comedy

The comedy project, which was to have starred Leslie Mann and be produced by Judd Apatow is back on at STX Entertainment which has picked up the now untitled project, with writer/directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, the writers behind The Hangover. (THR)

Hunger Games‘ Josh Hutcherson Along with Sir Ben Kingsley Have Boarded Backstabbing For Beginners

From Danish helmer Per Fly, Backstabbing For Beginners is a political thriller inspired by international relations veteran Michael Soussan’s memoir Backstabbing For Beginners: My Crash Course In International Diplomacy with pre-sales to start at AFM next week. (DL)

Yahoo’s $20 Million Gamble Pays Off as 15 Mil. Stream NFL Game

Yahoo and the National Football League say more than 15.2 million viewers went online to watch Sunday’s football game livestream. The event was historic, as it served as an initial step in the NFL’s plans to offer more of its games available via streaming services in the future. (TC)

FX Divorces Married Sitcom After Two Seasons

The cancellation comes as creative changes — including new jobs for Nat Faxon and Judy Greer’s married couple — did little to move the needle and the series’ recently concluded second run ranked as the lowest-rated FX series so far this year and down from last year. (THR)

How Bradley Cooper Has Finessed His Career and Transitioned from Smarmy to Likable Roles

Bradley Cooper has done what so many actors wish, changed his image, gracefully transitioning from smarmy roles to likable ones. How did this happen? When, exactly, did Cooper become likable? Grantland combed through his filmography to isolate the moments of this shift. (GL)

The Four James Bond Films That Could Have Been

When a film franchise lasts for more than five decades, it’s bound to gather a few unrealized projects along the way, and the James Bond series is no exception, these four came close to actual production. (VAR)

Chronically Unproductive? It’s Not You, It’s Your Tools

Most productivity “solutions” fit our personalities like a square peg does a round hole. Check out this list of productivity tools that are best suited for each of the four main productivity styles. (FC)

Keanu Reeves Will Be Taking On an Oscar Winner as His ‘John Wick 2’ Villain

Common, who recently took home an Academy Award for Best Song from Selma, has joined the cast of the highly anticipated sequel. He will the sequel’s main villain, the head of security for a female crime lord. Filming begins this week with Reeves reprising the title role and director Chad Stahelski returning to helm. Ian McShane will also return to co-star. (CS)

Disney Announces a Rather Impressive Voice Cast For Next Spring’s ‘Zootopia’

With Gennifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman and Shakira already cast, the trio has now been joined by Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Jenny Slate, Nate Torrence, Tommy Chong, Octavia Spencer, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Alan Tudyk, Tommy “Tiny” Lister, Raymond Persi, Katie Lowes, Jesse Corti, and John DiMaggio. The movie, in which animals live in the modern city of Zootropolis and must crack a major case, will hit theaters on March 4th, 2016. (BC)

Dan Stevens Lands Covered Anne Hathaway Boyfriend Role In Upcoming ‘Colossal’

Hathaway stars as a young woman down on her luck after losing her job and being dumped by her boyfriend in New York. Deciding to cut her losses, she moves back to her hometown, only to learn that she has a weird connection to a giant creature that has materialized over Seoul and is starting to destroy the city. Stevens joins the ensemble alongside Jason Sudeikis, Tim Blake Nelson and Austin Stowell. It’s scheduled to hit theaters March 17th, 2017. (EMP)

Hollywood Foreign Press Shows It Has a Sense Of Humor, Will Bring Back Ricky Gervais To Host the 2016 Golden Globes

The acerbic comic hosted the ceremony for three connectives years from 2010-2012 before Tina Fey and Amy Poehler took over the gig. Many have been wondering who the HFPA would choose to succeed the acclaimed turns of Fey and Poehler, and it looks like they’ve got a relatively safe and welcome route with the reliable Gervais. The show will air Sunday, January 10th, on NBC. (IW)

Reese Witherspoon & Laura Dern To Produce Drama Project For HBO Based On Book By ‘Wild’ Author Cheryl Strayed

Pay cable network has put into development Tiny Beautiful Things, a drama series based on Strayed’s bestselling 2012 book of the same name, a collection of essays compiled from Strayed’s Dear Sugar advice column. Strayed and her husband, filmmaker Brian Lindstrom, will write the TV adaptation, set to explore love, loss, lust and life through the eyes of a Portland family who live by the mantra that the truth will never kill you. (DH)

There Is a Very Good Reason Why the Netflix ‘Gilmore Girls’ Revival Is Only Four Episodes Long

Though details are sparse on the show’s rebirth, word has emerged that the four 90-minute episodes will take place over the course of one calendar year — meaning each episode will occur during a different season. That, and the eight-year time-jump between when the series ended and present day are the only known details. Series creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino will remain at the helm and cast members Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Kelly Bishop and Scott Patterson have reportedly started negotiating their returns. (HP)

According To Producer Frank Marshall, Harrison Ford Is the Only Man Who Will Ever Play Indiana Jones

Marshall, who produces the series along with Kathleen Kennedy, said in an interview that the series will not do “the Bong thing and call somebody else Indiana Jones.” Steven Spielberg, who has directed each of the first four movies in the series, recently said that he is planning to do a fifth movie with Ford, though no script has been written and no details have emerged. (COL)

Michelle Pfeiffer, Kiefer Sutherland to Star in ‘Beat-Up Little Seagull’ for Killer Films

The actress will star opposite the 24 star in the indie drama Beat-Up Little Seagull for Killer Films and financier Great Point Media. Mother of George helmer Andrew Dosunmu is directing from a screenplay written by Darci Picoult. Story follows the life of a sensitive and fragile woman who struggles to find footing in a fast-paced world. When her mother dies, she faces a crisis in which she must find a means for survival, while hiding her struggles from her new lover. (THR)

Investigating the Sausage: How an Episode Of ‘The Simpsons’ Is Made

In 1996, The Simpsons passed The Flintstones as the longest running prime-time animated show. In the 30-year interim, the tenor of adult cartoons had shifted dramatically: The Simpsons was more caustic and puerile than The Flintstones, a shameless Stone Age remake of hit 1950s sitcom The Honeymooners. What had hardly changed was the creative process. (TV)

Online Film School: Ten Books Every Aspiring Filmmaker Should Read

Filmmaking is a tough gig. It might look glamorous from the outside, like directors and writers and producers spend their days cackling over champagne with Jennifer Lawrence and Meryl Streep, gliding down red carpets, and cashing fat checks. If you want to be a filmmaker, though, and that’s your vision of the future, it’s time for a reality check. (BC)

36-24-36
Network: Showtime
Production Company(s): Martin Chase Productions
Executive Producer(s): Delia Ephron, Debra Martin Chase
Writer(s): Delia Ephron
Logline: The series follows the first black TV model to be featured on a major game show in 1990. Celebrity and glamour collide with sexual harassment, racism, misogyny, homophobia, bulimia and job insecurity, for the four gorgeous models on the No. 1 game show of the 90’s.
Details: The story is inspired by events surrounding the game show, “The Price Is Right,” during the 1990s.
SSN Insight: Martin Chase Production is currently in production on Zoe Ever After for BET, a straight-to-series romantic comedy with actress Brandy Norwood.

All Of Me
Network: NBC Entertainment
Studio: Universal Television
Production Company(s): Broken Road Productions
Executive Producer(s): Betsy Thomas, Dimitri Logothetis, Todd Garner, Jeremy Stein, Steve Martin
Writer(s): Betsy Thomas
Logline: A different person jumps into the protagonist’s body every week as he tries to help solve the problems that are holding them back. Based on the movie.
Details: Loosely based on the film, “All Of Me,” (1984), directed by Carl Reiner and starring Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin.
SSN Insight: Previously New Line tried to develop a feature based on the film with Queen Latifah. DreamWorks developed another version produced by John Davis and Logothetis, who holds the rights.

Amazing Stories
Network: NBC Entertainment
Studio: Universal Television
Production Company(s): Amblin Television
Executive Producer(s): Bryan Fuller, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank
Writer(s): Bryan Fuller
Logline: An anthology series telling fantastic, strange and supernatural stories.
Details: Based on the series, “Amazing Stories,” which aired on NBC from 1985-1987.
SSN Insight: Steven Spielberg will come on board as executive producer after the pilot.

Beckham: For the Love of the Game
Network: BBC 1
Production Company(s): 7 Games, Big Earth Productions
Logline: David Beckham play soccer on seven continents. Off the pitch, Beckham and childhood friend Dave Gardner will explore the lives of those who struggle to make a living in environments that present a daily challenge as well as those who get to live the dream when they make it to the big leagues.
SSN Insight: The 90-minute special was jointly ordered by BBC Worldwide and the BBC from 7 Games and Big Earth Productions.

Botched By Nature
Network: E!
Production Company(s): Evolution Media
Executive Producer(s): Dr. Terry Dubrow, Paul Nassif, Douglas Ross, Greg Stewart, Alex Baskin
Logline: Plastic surgeons look for prospective patients via the “ultimate house call.” Their plan is to embed themselves in the lives of their patients as they understand the physical and psychological scope of their situations. Whether it involves surgery on “disproportionate body parts” or “birth defects to major life accidents,” the doctors will invite their would-be patients back to Los Angeles for the ultimate transformation.
Details: The project is a spinoff of the series, “Botched,” which premiered on E! on June 24, 2014.
SSN Insight: E! has given a series order of eight episodes.

Casino
Network: NBC Entertainment
Studio: Universal Television
Production Company(s): UnbeliEVAble Entertainment
Executive Producer(s): Carlos Portugal, Eva Longoria, Ben Spector
Writer(s): Carlos Portugal
Logline: After a mogul’s mysterious death, his ambitious young widow and his illegitimate son have to join forces to save his famed casino, while circumstances surrounding his death come to light and threaten to take them both down.
SSN Insight: UnbeliEVAble Entertainment is currently under a deal with Universal TV.

Citizen Floyd
Network: Fox Broadcasting Company
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television
Production Company(s): Point Grey Pictures
Executive Producer(s): Dan Sterling, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver
Writer(s): Dan Sterling
Logline: A workplace comedy with political, action and suspense elements.
SSN Insight: Fox has given an initial commitment of a put pilot.

Cruel Intentions
Network: NBC Entertainment
Studio: Sony Pictures Television
Production Company(s): Original Film, AMBI
Executive Producer(s): Roger Kumble, Neal H. Moritz, Pavun Shetty
Writer(s): Roger Kumble, Lindsey Rosin, Jordan Ross
Logline: The story follows the rags-to-riches story of 16-year-old Bash Casey, the son of the late Sebastian Valmont and Annette Hargrove. Upon finding his late father’s journal, Bash learns of the family legacy he didn’t know existed. In search of answers, he trades his small-town Kansas upbringing for a scholarship to the prestigious Brighton Preparatory Academy in San Francisco and soon finds himself in a world of sex, money, power, and corruption he never could have imagined.
Details: Based on the film, “Cruel Intentions,” (1999). The original source material for the 1999 film was the novel, “Les Liaisons Dangereuses,” written by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, and published in 1782.
SSN Insight: NBC has given an initial script plus penalty commitment.

House Sitter
Network: Fox Broadcasting Company
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television
Production Company(s): The Walcott Company
Executive Producer(s): Matthew Bass, Theodore Bressman, Jake M. Johnson, Max Winkler, Jason Carden
Writer(s): Matthew Bass, Theodore Bressman
Logline: Centers on Beans, a house sitter who lives life according to his own set of rules; he turns your day-to-day existence into his vacation, your mundane into his adventure, and your bathrobe into his… bathrobe.
Details: Inspired by the real life adventures of Jake Johnson’s long-time friend Brian (Captain Beans) Farrell.
SSN Insight: Walcott is also producing Crossover, at Fox and 20^th TV. It’s a family comedy inspired by the life of former NBA all-star Baron Davis.

I Love Lakshmi
Network: NBC Entertainment
Studio: Universal Television
Production Company(s): Aggregate Films
Writer(s): Muffy Bolding, Doug Prochilo
Logline: The story follows the trials and tribulations of new parents, Danny and Lakshmi, as they endure Lakshmi’s own meddlesome immigrant parents whose version of the American dream never included a Danny.
Details: Inspired by the real-life experience of Doug Prochilo.
SSN Insight: Aggregate has an overall deal at Universal TV and through it has set up multi-camera comedy Say Uncles at NBC with writer Elon Gold.

In Time
Network: Fox Broadcasting Company
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television
Production Company(s): Lord Miller
Executive Producer(s): Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Julius Sharpe
Writer(s): Julius Sharpe
Logline: Three friends try to balance the adventure of time travel with the mundane concerns of their present day lives.
SSN Insight: Fox has given an initial commitment of a put pilot.

Incrimination
Network: Fox Broadcasting Company
Studio: ABC Studios
Executive Producer(s): Rina Mimoun
Writer(s): Justin Lo
Logline: Sienna is a young woman with narcissistic personality disorder who infiltrates a law firm in order to find the truth behind her sister’s murder. While working for this firm, she takes the law into her own hands, making sure that if the justice system doesn’t work she will find a way.
SSN Insight: Mimoun just sold her pitch Indivisible to ABC as part of her overall deal with ABC Studios.

Jet Set
Network: CBS Entertainment
Studio: CBS Television Studios
Production Company(s): Junction Entertainment
Executive Producer(s): Jon Turteltaub, JP Lavin, Chad Damiani
Writer(s): JP Lavin, Chad Damiani
Logline: A young, rich socialite partners with a blue-collar FBI agent to pose as the new “it” couple to investigate and apprehend suspects who have hidden behind wealth and influence to escape other charges.
SSN Insight: Turteltaub will direct the pilot. The last four pilots Turteltaub directed have gone to series: Rush Hour, Jericho and Harper’s Island and Common Law.

King Liz
Network: Showtime
Production Company(s): No Production Company Available.
Executive Producer(s): No Executive Producer Available.
Writer(s): Fernanda Coppel
Logline: An aggressive female sports agent has a contentious relationship with her ambitious assistant.
Details: Based on the stage play, “King Liz,” by Fernanda Coppel, which premiered in New York at Second Stage Uptown in the summer of 2015.
SSN Insight: Coppel has written episodes of FX’s The Bridge and DirecTV’s Kingdom.

Shining a Light: A Concert for Progress on Race in America
Network: A+E
Production Company(s): iHeartMedia
Logline: Sparked by the tragic shooting in Charleston, the concert is part of a campaign to confront issues of race, and promote unity and progress on racial equity, inspired by the response of the Mother Emanuel family members in Charleston and others working for reconciliation and change around the country,
SSN Insight: Immediately following the concert, A&E Network will air the one-hour special, Shining a Light: Conversations on Race in America, (working title) featuring artists engaging local residents at the center of the national conversation on racial inequality and violence.

Still Star-Crossed
Network: ABC Entertainment Group
Production Company(s): Shondaland, The MrG Production Company
Executive Producer(s): Heather Mitchell, Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Michael R. Goldstein
Writer(s): Heather Mitchell
Logline: Set in 16th century Verona after the events in William Shakespeare’s tragedy, the story follows the conflict between the Capulets and the Montagues in the wake of Romeo and Juliet’s deaths.
Details: Inspired by the play, “Romeo and Juliet,” written by William Shakespeare and believed to be published sometime in the 1590s.
SSN Insight: Mitchell first worked on Rhimes’ Grey’s Anatomy before coming on board Scandal after the pilot.

The Better Half
Network: ABC Entertainment Group
Studio: ABC Studios
Production Company(s): Tapestry Films
Executive Producer(s): Patti Vasquez, Michael Schreiber, Peter Abrams, Robert L. Levy
Writer(s): Emilia Serrano
Logline: A Mexican-American working mother is a well-intentioned and sometimes-misguided citizen disrupter. She tackles the small and large injustices around her for the greater good, even though many times no one asks her to. Her well-meaning actions create consequences that affect her career, community and home life in the crowded Chicago brownstone she shares with her parents, husband and children.
Details: Inspired by Patti Vasquez’s family.
SSN Insight: There is a possibility for Patti Vasquez to star in the project, though that has not been determined.

The Divine Monster
Network: Fox Broadcasting Company
Studio: Warner Bros. Television
Production Company(s): Silent H Productions, RatPac Entertainment
Executive Producer(s): Silvio Horta, Brett Ratner
Writer(s): Silvio Horta
Logline: The story chronicles the fall of the wealthy Vega family of Miami, whose real estate empire is built upon decades of greed, corruption, generally bad behavior and an alarming number of curious deaths.
Details: Based on the Belgian series, “Het Goddelijke Monster,” which aired in 2011. Both series are based on the novels of Tom Lanoye.
SSN Insight: Horta is currently under a deal at Warner Bros. TV.

The Great Holiday Baking Show
Network: ABC Entertainment Group
Production Company(s): Love Productions
Logline: Some of the nation’s best amateur bakers compete in a series of themed challenges and eliminations all hoping to be crowned Holiday Baking Champion.
Details: Based on the British series, “The Great British Bake Off,” which premiered on BBC 2 in 2010.
SSN Insight: ABC has ordered four episodes.

The Russians Are Coming
Network: NBC Entertainment
Studio: Universal Television
Production Company(s): Orchard Farm Productions
Executive Producer(s): Mila Kunis, Cami Curtis, Susan Curtis, Lisa Sterbakov
Writer(s): Sam Wolfson
Logline: A man’s Russian in-laws move in upstairs.
SSN Insight: Orchard Farm also has single-camera comedy Champion: The Jeff Beekman Story at Fox, drama Black Stiletto at ABC and horror comedy Trapped at Starz with Rob Zombie.

The Sound Of Music Live!
Network: ITV 1
Studio: ITV Studios
Executive Producer(s): Andre Ptaszynski, Lee Connolly, Fiona Clarke
Logline: Musical based on the romantic true story of Maria von Trapp, an aspiring nun who leaves the Abby to become a governess for the widower Captain von Trapp’s seven children and finds herself falling in love with her employer and questioning her religious calling.
Details: Based on the original Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical which opened November 16, 1959.
SSN Insight: ITV is promoting the 2 1/2-hour musical drama as the “must see” event of the year. It’s the first time a show like this has been attempted in the UK.

Think Like a Man
Network: Fox Broadcasting Company
Studio: Sony Pictures Television, Endemol Shine Studios
Production Company(s): Will Packer Productions, East 112th Street Productions
Executive Producer(s): Steve Harvey, Gerald Washington, Keith Merryman, David A. Newman, Tim Story
Writer(s): Keith Merryman, David A. Newman
Logline: The series explores the never-ending battle of the sexes from four very different points of view: newly married, moving in, breaking up and hooking up. Featuring both the male and female perspectives, the couples and their friends will realize that it’s easy to fall in love or be in love, but not necessarily easy to stay in love. Based on the books and films.
Details: Based on the book series that originated with “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment”. The series is also based on the subsequent films , “Think Like a Man,” (2012) and “Think Like a Man, Too,” (2014).
SSN Insight: Harvey’s company recently inked an overall deal at Sony Pictures TV.

This Is Happening
Network: NBC Entertainment
Studio: Universal Television
Production Company(s): Gary Sanchez Productions
Executive Producer(s): Amy Rhodes, Claudia Lonow, Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Owen Burke
Writer(s): Amy Rhodes, Claudia Lonow
Logline: The life of an uptight, unhappy, single woman in her mid-30s changes when she gets a new job working for a popular website and starts hanging out with a group of her 20-something co-workers.
Details:
SSN Insight: Rhodes was a longtime writer-producer on Ellen.

Tiny Beautiful Things
Network: HBO
Production Company(s): Pacific Standard
Executive Producer(s): Cheryl Strayed, Brian Lindstrom, Reese Witherspoon, Bruna Papandrea, Laura Dern
Writer(s): Cheryl Strayed, Brian Lindstrom
Logline: The series explores love, loss, lust and life through the eyes of a Portland family who live by the mantra that the truth will never kill you.
Details: Based on the book, “Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar,” written by Cheryl Strayed and published by Vintage on July 10, 2012.
SSN Insight: HBO has also set the limited series Big Little Lies, in which Witherspoon is starring and executive producing with Papandrea.

Untitled David Slack Len Wiseman Police Drama Project
Network: Fox Broadcasting Company
Production Company(s): Sketch Films, Storied Media Group
Executive Producer(s): David Slack, Len Wiseman, David Bernardi, Dennis Kim, Todd Hoffman
Writer(s): David Slack
Logline: An enigmatic tech billionaire makes a deal with a bankrupt, dying city to provide a privately owned and operated police force.
Details: Inspired by the article, “Who Runs the Streets of New Orleans,” written by David Amsden and published in the New York Times Magazine on July 30, 2015.
SSN Insight: Fox has given an initial script commitment.

Untitled Misty Copeland Ballerina Drama Project
Network: Fox Broadcasting Company
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television
Production Company(s): Principato-Young Entertainment
Executive Producer(s): Tracy Oliver, Misty Copeland, E. Brian Dobbins, Peter Principato, Paul Young
Writer(s): Tracy Oliver
Logline: A young, hip, diverse group of aspiring dancers fiercely compete for places in the American Ballet Theatre company.
Details: Partially based on Misty Copeland’s life story.
SSN Insight: Oliver first garnered notice on The Misadventures Of Awkward Black Girl web series, which she co-wrote and executive produced and followed that by writing on the ABC comedy Neighbors.

Untitled Todd/Fogel Comedy Project
Network: TBS
Production Company(s): Red Hour Films, Legendary Entertainment, Ulterior Productions
Executive Producer(s): Debbie Liebling, Ken Franchi, Matthew Fogel, Todd Strauss-Schulson
Writer(s): Matthew Fogel, Todd Strauss-Schulson
Logline: Todd and Fogel are two best friends and soul brothers. Each one thinks whatever the other one says is brilliant, insightful and/or incredibly hilarious. The guys are high-energy, smart and very sensitive. They care a lot about everything, and are always getting each other real activated.
SSN Insight: TBS has given a pilot order.

SSN ORIGINALS

TV Development for 10/27/15: All of Me, Cruel Intentions and Think Like a Man Heading to TV, Reese Witherspoon & Co. Set HBO Series

Other TV Development news includes, Delia Ephron’s drama based on The Price is Right for Showtime, a remake of Amazing Stories from Bryan Fuller and a put pilot commitment from Fox for a Lord & Miller comedy. (SSN)

OTHER HEADLINES

Michael Mann’s Christian Bale-Starrer ‘Enzo Ferrari’ Sets Funding, Paramount Distribution Deal

Paramount Pictures has signed on to distribute in most world territories Enzo Ferrari, the Michael Mann-directed drama on a pivotal year in the life of the Italian auto magnate that will star Christian Bale. (DH)

Scandal’s’ Kerry Washington & Katie Lowes Producing Shondaland Nanny Dramedy

The Scandal stars are attached as exec producers to an untitled dramedy in development at ABC, which will revolve around a clique of young nannies.  (VAR)

‘Gypsy’ With Barbra Streisand Won’t Happen At Universal Pictures

The movie adaptation of Gypsy that has Barbra Streisand attached to star has suffered a setback. Universal Pictures, which developed the film for several years, finally took a hard look at the musical and put it into turnaround. (DH)

Justin Theroux Bringing Some Sexy Danger To ‘The Girl on the Train’

Theroux is in negotiations to play the ex-husband of the heroine (Emily Blunt), who struggles with alcoholism as well as keeping her distance from her ex and his new wife in the Dreamworks adaptation. (VF)

M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Split’ Gets A 2017 Release Date

Universal and Blumhouse are continuing their relationship with filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan after his last hit film The Visit, as they’ve announced the release date for his next movie, the suspense thriller Split, starring James McAvoy, for Friday, January 20, 2017. (CS)

Common Signs Two-Year Deal With HBO

Two months after Showtime ordered a coming-of-age drama produced by Common, the rapper/actor/producer has signed a two-year deal with competitor HBO. The deal means that for two years, HBO has exclusive first-look rights at whatever projects Common develops through his Freedom Road Productions. (BILL)

Elizabeth Banks To Direct ‘Pitch Perfect 3′

Elizabeth Banks is set to return to the director’s chair for Pitch Perfect 3. Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow and Rebel Wilson are all onboard to reprise their roles from the hit musical comedy franchise. (THR)

Writer/Director Paul King Returns To Charm Again With ‘Paddington’ Sequel

‘The Grinder’ Scores Full-Season Order

Rob Lowe’s rookie comedy has snagged a coveted back-nine order. Fox announced that it has picked up the well-reviewed (yet low-rated) sitcom for a full season. (TVL)

Tom Cruise Never Stops Working, Could Shoot Moon Heist Flick Before ‘M:I — 6’

Cruise and his Edge of Tomorrow and Mena director Doug Liman are looking to work together again on Luna Park, a project Liman has apparently been developing for years. Now, Paramount and Skydance, the team behind the Mission: Impossible series, have brought on Jason Fuchs to write the latest draft for the project. Cruise is currently shooting Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, and would squeeze Luna Park in before next summer’s M:I — 6 shoot. (COL)

On Second Thought, HBO Decides Not To Go Forward With a Second Season Of ‘The Brink’ After All

Cable net has cancelled the dark geopolitical satire starring Tim Robbins and Jack Black, after one season. Which isn’t too shocking at first glance, given that the series never garnered much buzz and earned only modest ratings. What makes it weird is that the news comes after HBO already renewed The Brink for Season 2, way back in July. (SF)

Weinsteins Act Fast, Grab American Rights To Buzzy ‘HHhH’

In the run-up to AFM, TWC has acquired U.S. rights to the Nazi-era thriller with Jason Clarke, Rosamund Pike, Jack O’Connell, Mia Wasikowska and Jack Reynor. Directed by French up-and-comer Cedric Jimenez and based on Laurent Binet’s eponymous international bestseller that won the prestigious Goncourt prize, film is a WWII-set drama depicting the meteoric rise and fall of Reinhard Heydrich, the most lethal man in Hitler’s cabinet. (VAR)

Rooney Mara, Nicholas Hoult Set To Star In Sci-Fi Love Story ‘The Discovery’

Project is a sci-fi love story set in a world where the existence of the afterlife is scientifically proven. Charlie McDowell, who helmed The One I Love, will direct. McDowell and Justin Lader, who co-wrote The One I Love together, reunited to write The Discovery. Hoult plays the son of the man responsible for this discovery and Mara plays a woman he falls in love with whose life is tinged by a tragic past. Shooting is slated for January in Rhode Island. (HV)

Ryan Reynolds Finds ‘Truth In Advertising’ For A New Roger Michell-Directed Dreamed

Reynolds will be Fin Dolan, a hard working sort at an advertising company. His boss asks him to cancel his Christmas holidays to work on a new campaign, but when his best friend announces her engagement and his estranged father is admitted to the hospital at the same time, he starts to question the direction is life is taking. Novelist John Kenney adapted from his own award-winning book. (EMP)

CBS Believes In ‘Life In Pieces’, Gives Freshman Comedy a Full Year Order

The back-nine order for the freshman sitcom follows the first Monday that the show didn’t even air, with a special Supergirl launch airing in its place. Life in Pieces next moves to Thursday on Nov. 5th, retaining its Big Bang Theory lead-in, but the ensemble family comedy has thus far done well on Mondays. It’s averaging 10.3 million viewers and a 2.9 rating among adults 18-49 in it’s latest live-plus-seven day showings. (LF)

ABC Nabs Murder Mystery ‘The Party’ From Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage

In their first writing collaboration since creating Gossip Girl nine years ago, the producing partners are set to write and executive produce the drama project for ABC and ABC Studios. Show is described as a twisted family drama that follows a murder investigation told over the course of 24 hours. The case begins at a celebration that is interrupted when a body is found floating in the pool. Through flashbacks, the mystery paints every guest as a possible suspect.(DH)

With One Western In Theaters and Another Out Christmas Day, Kurt Russell Has Some Thoughts To Share

You want to follow Kurt Russell anywhere. Even into the weird wilderness that a tribe of cannibalistic cave-dwellers call home. He’s that sharp, that confident, that poised. He’s the real deal hero type. His new movie, Bone Tomahawk, is a collision of genres: one part cowpokin’ Western, another part ultra-violent horror. Come December 25th, he’ll also star in Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight. (ESQ)

‘Room’ Scribe Emma Donoghue On Writing a Cinematic Novel and a Literary Movie

A uniquely claustrophobic, fixed-POV nail-biter, Room is Donoghue’s seventh novel, but it was the first she was determined to make into a film. Fortunately for both filmgoers and fans of the book, she was also determined to make it on her own terms. (FCC)

Screenwriters: ‘Awakenings’

The 124-page screenplay by Steven Zaillian, based on the book by Oliver Sachs. Script is dated October 2nd, 1989, but has multiple revisions through December 15th, 1989. (DS)

CAA: Actress Anya Taylor-Joy has signed with CAA. She recently starred in The Witch, which earned the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Afterwards, she starred in the sci-fi thriller Morgan for Fox. Taylor-Joy is currently shooting the female lead in M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film alongside James McAvoy.

Gersh: Actress Jorja Fox has signed with Gersh for U.S. representation. Fox was recently seen on the top-rated series on television, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation for CBS which she starred in for eight seasons. Fox also starred on NBC’s ER as ‘Dr. Maggie Doyle’ prior to her role as ‘Secret Service Agent Gina Toscano’ on the Emmy Award-winning drama The West Wing. On the feature side her film credits  include the Sundance Film Festival favorite, Memento and more recent credits include the comedy Forever Fabulous with Jean Smart and Down with the Joneses opposite Joshua Leonard. Jorja is additionally repped by Framework Entertainment.

WME: Actress Priyanka Chopra has shifted from CAA to WME. She’s the lead in ABC’s new drama Quantico which was picked up for a full season. Previously she was actress in Bollywood with 45 films to her credit. Her career was launched after she won the title of Miss World in 2000. From there she became a model for Guess Girl. She’s also a singer. Her single “In My City” was the NFL Network’s 2013 Thursday Night Football theme song.

CAA: Vine and social media star Hayes Grier has been signed by CAA to represent him in all areas. He has a combined 12 million followers across social media platforms including 4 million on Vine. He’s the younger brother of the controversial six-second video king Nash Grier. Hayes is currently a contestant on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars. He also recently wrapped up the 16-city United 26 tour under the banner of his management company, 26 Entertainment. Grier has also inked a content deal with Verizon’s newly-launched streaming service Go90.

WME: Writer-director Mike Flanagan has shifted from APA to WME. He’s best known for the horror film Oculus. He also directed Hush, that was touted at TIFF. He is currently directing Ouija 2 for Universal from a script he wrote with Jeff Howard, his Oculus co-writer. His future projects including Gerald’s Game, an adaptation of the Stephen King novel.

UTA: TV and film director Gary Fleder has signed with the agency. Previous projects include ABC Family’s drama pilot Guilt and several episodes of the DirecTV series, Kingdom. On the feature side, Fleder last directed Homefront, starring Jason Statham, James Franco, and Kate Bosworth. His previous films include Runaway Jury, Kiss The Girls, Don’t Say A Word, and The Impostor.

UTA: Best known for the Harold & Kumar films, actor Kal Penn has shifted from Gersh to UTA for representation in all areas. He’s keeping busy on the TV side as in addition to his correspondent duties on HBO’s Vice, he will next host Superhuman, a two-hour competition special. He’s also in the cast of Hulu’s Deadbeat and will appear in William H. Macy’s The Layover. In addition, he’s developing a half-hour scripted series at Lionsgate.

Gersh: Actress Jane Levy has shifted back to Gersh from WME. She previously was a co-star on ABC’s comedy Suburgatory. She’s been seen on the film side with roles in Fun Size and Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead remake. Next up for her is Paramount’s Monster Trucks, set to be released on March 18, 2016.

UTA: Entertainment reporter Stephanie Bauer has signed with UTA. She currently works as a multimedia journalist for Access Hollywood. Previously she spent three years at the showbiz site Hollyscoop. She also has worked with The Wendy Williams Show, the FX Movie Channel, Good Morning America and MSNBC.

APA: Actor-comedian London Brown has signed with the agency. He is a regular on HBO’s Ballers and co-stars on the new series as Reggie, the childhood friend of NFL player Vernon who handles his money. He also stars on Fuse’s The Hustle. Brown also tours as a comic and impressionist.

Bryon Allen’s Entertainment Studios has acquired Freestyle Releasing, the company co-founded by Mark Borde and the late Susan Jackson. Freestyle currently has an output deal with Netflix, distributes 15 to 20 films per year with faith-based films that include God’s Not Dead and Woodlawn. The deal was reported to be in the high-eight figure range. Borde and his staff of about 25 will stay on board. God’s Not Dead grossed a stellar $60 million domestically. The just released Woodlawn has become one of only three the films to earn an A+ CinemaScore rating in the past two years. The Christian-themed inspirational drama has grossed $5 million.

America Ferrera has launched a production company titled Take Fountain Productions and signed an overall deal with ABC Studios. In her deal she will develop new projects for cable and broadcast. The actress has hired Gabrielle Neimand, former VP of Narrative Films at Participant Media to head development and production. Take Fountain has sold two projects, the comedy Plus One to ABC and drama Social Creatures to Freeform (previously known as ABC Family).

Actor-musician Common has signed a two-year first-look deal in television with HBO to develop and produce projects for the premium cable network through his Freedom Road Productions with manager/partner Derek Dudley and head of development and production Nicole Dow. Common just received his first scripted pilot order as a producer at Showtime for an untitled drama from writer Lena Waithe. On the feature side he will next be seen in the features Barbershop 3, Suicide Squad, Coco, Being Charlie and Hunter Killer.

Stuart Murphy is leaving his post as UK Sky’s Director of Entertainment Channels. Upon his exit he signed a deal to write and produce scripted projects for Sky Vision. “I’m delighted to have signed a production commitment with Sky Vision to write and develop comedy and drama projects, as this has been a private passion of mine for years, but I’m also very excited about exploring opportunities outside of TV”, he said. Murphy was previously the inaugural Controller of BBC Three before joining Sky in 2009 as Director of Programmes for Sky1.

Andrew Zimmern has launched Intuitive Content in Minneapolis and will be its Principal and Executive Producer. Intuitive Content will serve as a full-service production company dedicated to developing and producing original television series, broadcast specials, branded content series for both web and cable, and other digital content. Zimmern is the Co-Creator, Co-Executive Producer and Host of the TV series Bizarre Foods. Dusti Kugler has been named the VP of Operations at Intuitive Content in Minneapolis. He was previously the VP of Producer at Food Works, Inc. Dan O’Brien has been named the VP of Production & Development at Intuitive Content. He was previously the Producer, Executive Producer at Shovel Ready.

Martin Scorsese’s Sikelia Productions has extended its overall feature deal with Paramount Pictures into 2019. He is currently developing features including The Devil In The White City with Leonardo DiCaprio, The Irishman with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, as well as a Leonard Bernstein biopic. Paramount released Scorsese’s The Wolf Of Wall Street in 2013 through their previous deal. His next film under the deal is Silence, a 20-years-in-the-making passion project with Liam Neeson and Andrew Garfield set to star.

SSN ORIGINALS

Rep Moves for 10/28/15: Quantico’s Priyanka Chopra Shifts to WME, Kal Penn is Snagged by UTA, Viner Hayes Grier Signs with CAA

Other rep moves include, film and TV director Gary Fleder signing with UTA and WME signing Ouija 2 director Mike Flanagan. (SSN)

Film & TV Deals for 10/28/15: America Ferrera Unveils Take Fountain Prods, Bizarre Foods’ Andrew Zimmern Launches Intuitive Content, Common Inks Deal with HBO

Other film & TV deals include, Martin Scorsese’s Sikelia Productions extending its overall feature deal with Paramount Pictures and Bryon Allen’s Entertainment Studios acquiring Freestyle Releasing.  (SSN).

OTHER HEADLINES

Martin Scorsese Extends Paramount Deal To 2019

Martin Scorsese’s Sikelia Productions has extended its overall feature deal with Paramount Pictures through 2019. (VAR)

NBC Buys ‘The Leeches’ Family Comedy From Nat Faxon & Jim Rash With Penalty

The Leeches, a half-hour ensemble comedy from The Descendants co-writers Jim Rash and Nat Faxon, has been set up at NBC with a script commitment plus penalty. (DH)

2015 Blood List Features Broad Green’s ‘Eli,’ New Line’s ‘Babysitter,’ Universal’s ‘Bump’

Michelle Rodriguez To Star In Gender-Reassignment Thriller ‘Tomboy’

Fast and Furious star Michelle Rodriguez will go under the knife for Tomboy, A Revenger’s Tale, the gender-swapping action movie to be directed by Walter Hill. (THR)

Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios Acquires Rights To Sammy Davis Jr. Biography

Fresh off his deal to acquire feature distributor Freestyle Releasing, Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios has nailed down global rights to the Sammy Davis, Jr. Biography Deconstructing Sammy. (DH)

Rihanna’s Going To Wear Some Cool Space Outfits For Luc Besson’s Sci-fi Film ‘Valérian’

Rihanna is joining the cast of Luc Besson’s Valérian and the City of a Thousand Planets, a film adaptation of the French sci-fi comic Valérian and Laureline. (VUL)

‘Ash vs. Evil’ Dead Renewed For Season 2 Ahead Of Season 1 Debut

Three days before Ash vs. Evil Dead‘s Halloween launch, Starz has already renewed the comedic horror series for a 10-episode second season. (TVL)