SAG-AFTRA Election Special: Ken Howard Reelected as President, Challengers Other Slots
Howard, who has led the union and its predecessor, SAG, since 2009, was reelected to an additional two-year term Thursday night, the union announced, beating challenger Patricia Richardson. But in an upset, challenger Jane Austin won the secretary-treasurer slot and, by a narrow margin, the presidency of the union’s largest local, Los Angeles. Under union rules, Austin will be able to hold both offices. (TB)
If You Have Read Reports Of Ice Cube and His Son Being Involved In an L.A. Riots Movie, Do Not Believe Them
After news circulated that Cube and his son O’Shea Jackson Jr. — who is played his father in Straight Outta Compton — coming on board the long-in-the-works L.A. Riots movie titled April 29, 1992, the duo issued a statement denying any involvement. “Ice Cube and O’Shea Jackson Jr. have no plans to commit to this project at this time. Any speculations or rumors that suggest that they are confirmed are simply untrue,” the statement reads. (DH)
Adrianne Palicki, Nick Blood to Star in Marvel Pilot for ABC, Won’t Be an ‘Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Spinoff
ABC and Marvel are changing course on their former Agents of SHIELD spinoff. The network has handed out a pilot order to a Marvel drama starring Adrianne Palicki as Bobbi Morse (aka Mockingbird) and Nick Blood (Lance Hunter). Titled Marvel’s Most Wanted, the drama was rumored to be in early development last pilot season and was originally conceived as an Agents of SHIELD spinoff featuring both characters. (IGN)
Howard Gordon Sells Straight-Out-of-Compton Medical Drama to Fox
The prolific producer behind Homeland and Tyrant is teaming with Bones alum Nkechi Carroll to develop a medical drama for Fox. The untitled drama, which has received a script pickup with a significant penalty attached, is described as a medical franchise centered around three young, brilliant doctors who grew up together in Compton and are reunited at an extraordinary cutting-edge hospital in Beverly Hills. (TLF)
Simon Helberg and His Wife Make a Big Bang Of a Deal With Warner Bros. TV
TV studio has signed an exclusive two-year pod deal with the Big Bang Theory star and his wife, writer-director-actor Jocelyn Towne. Under the deal, the duo will develop series for the studio via their recently established production banner, Wildline Entertainment. Film producer Cora Olson has also been brought on to head development and supervise projects. (VAR)
Will Poulter & Keith Stanfield Are the Latest To Sign Up For Brad Pitt’s ‘War Machine’
Pitt, Topher Grace, Anthony Michael Hall and Scoot McNairy are already cast in Netflix’s military satire, which will be directed by David Michôd. Pitt plays a top general in the US armed forces, overseeing the conflict and a mission that is riddled with problems, corruption and cock-ups. It’s all loosely based on the hubristic General Stanley McChrystal. (EMP)
The Second Season Of Netflix’s ‘Bloodline’ Adds John Leguizamo To the Cast
The multi-hyphenate is joining the show’s upcoming second season in a series-regular role that has strong ties to Ben Mendelsohn’s late (but still viable) black sheep. Leguizamo’s character, Ozzy Delvecchio, is a charming, violent, opportunistic wild card from Danny’s past who, in the wake of Danny’s murder, arrives in the Florida Keys with mysterious motives and threatens to wreak havoc in the lives of the Rayburns. (TVL)
Federal Judge Re-Opens Entertainment Studios’ $20 Billion Lawsuit Against Comcast, TWC and Al Sharpton
Yesterday, the lawsuit filed by Entertainment Studios Networks, Inc. and the National Association of African-American Owned Media was re-opened. Producer Byron Allen’s lawsuit alleges that he and other black producers and programming providers have been victims of racism by Comcast and have been “intentionally unable to secure distribution on cable systems that are owned by Comcast and Time Warner.” (SAA)
It’s Friday Morning, and Here’s How You Can Kickstart Your Productivity This Weekend
Could you use your weekend to be more productive, not by cramming it full of work, but in other ways? Time away from the office is an important aspect of productivity. For a start, that’s when we get to choose for ourselves how we spend our time. Often, however, when it gets to Monday morning we don’t feel refreshed or productive. We feel in need of another weekend before the week has even begun. What should you do to boost your productivity for the new week? (FC)
Screenwriters: ‘City Of Joy’
The 132-page screenplay by Gerald Brach & Roland Joffe, based on the book by Dominique LaPierre. Script is labeled October 1990 Early Draft. (DS)