SSN EMMY COVERAGE
Reality Television
Feeling Like You’re Seeing the Same Titles Among the Nominees Every Year? You’re Not Alone
They are all worthy and high-quality shows, nevertheless they’ve been the same six series battling it out in the reality competition program category since 2012: The Amazing Race, Dancing With the Stars, Project Runway, Top Chef, So You Think You Can Dance and The Voice. The only change that category has seen in recent years was when then-newcomer The Voice usurped the spot previously held by American Idol. (VTV)
Mark Wahlberg on His Emmy Nom, the Burger Biz and Expanding to Middle East
The star and producer of Wahlbergers also explains why he was initially hesitant to do the A&E docuseries, admitting: “Being on TV as ‘Mark Wahlberg’ was not of interest to me.” (HTV)
SSN ORIGINALS
TV Development For 8/25/15: ‘Big Bang Theory’s Simon Helberg Developing Two Series, Hulu Orders Pilot From Seth Rogen
With close to two dozen projects moving forward in some fashion, there is a lot to check out this week. Among them a new show from Mark Burnett, a new take on Cleopatra, a show about a family who makes bourbon, a hosting opportunity for Carmen Electra, as well as a new Marvel show and at least one other adaptation of a comic book. (SSN)
OTHER HEADLINES
Relativity Bankruptcy Judge Rejects Biggest Objection to Studio Sale
The company’s third bankruptcy hearing continued this afternoon in New York, with U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Michael Wiles rejecting Manchester Securities’ arguments of its rights under Relativity’s operating agreement, clearing the most significant objection to a quick sale of Relativity. (HESQ)
Debra Winger Returns! Actress Will Star In Ashton Kutcher’s New Netflix Comedy
Danny Masterson and Sam Elliott also star in the multi-camera comedy series The Ranch, which has a 20-episode order. Created by Don Reo and Jim Patterson, show is set on a Colorado spread, with Kutcher’s character returning home after a brief semi-pro football career to run the family business with his brother, played by Masterson. Elliott play the boys’ father, and Winger plays the mom. Series is set to premiere in 2016. (DH)
Bryan Cranston to Star Alongside James Franco in Comedy ‘Why Him?’
John Hamburg is on board to direct, and will co-write the script with Ian Helfer. Shawn Levy is producing under his 21 Laps banner, with Ben Stiller also attached to produce through his Red Hour Films shingle. The comedy is set over the holidays, when a Midwestern dad travels with his family to visit his daughter at college, and soon finds himself in a battle for her affections with her brash new tech billionaire boyfriend. (VAR)
‘Maze Runner’ Director to Tackle Norse Mythology With ‘Fall of Gods’
Twentieth Century Fox is teaming up with Wes Ball, the director of its YA franchise, for an epic Norse fantasy. The studio has picked up the rights to Fall of Gods, a crowd-funded illustrated novel from Denmark-based Mood Studios. Mood’s concept designer Rasmus Berggreen ran point on the book project and teamed up with Michael Vogt, the lead writer of the Hitman video game with the intent to bring back a more Scandinavian stamp on Norse mythology. (HV)
‘The Girl On the Train’ Just Cast Its Third Female Lead, and Her Name Is Haley Bennett
Bennett joins Emily Blunt and Rebecca Ferguson in the film, an adaptation of Paula Hawkins’ bestselling novel. The story follows a recently divorced woman called Rachel (Emily Blunt) struggling with her life and sinking into alcoholism to try to cope. She sees a seemingly perfect couple from her London train ride every day and starts to fantasize about their lives. But things take a turn when she sees something shocking happen in the house. (EMP)
Once Again, Blame ‘Creative Differences’: Greg Malins Exits Showrunner Role For Upcoming ‘The Grinder’
The veteran showrunner has exited the freshman comedy starring Rob Lowe and Fred Savage. A replacement has not yet been named, though that should happen soon. Malins’ departure is related to slight creative differences about the single-camera comedy about a famous TV lawyer who returns home after his hit show is canceled and joins his family’s law firm. Malins boarded the show following the pilot after his half-hour Take It From Us did not move forward. (TLF)
Investigating the Real Hero Of ‘The Karate Kid’: Johnny Lawrence
When’s the last time you saw the movie? Because after watching this video, and seeing a new perspective on the film and the behavior of both Lawrence and the movie’s nominal hero, Daniel LaRusso, you might very well just find your mind blown. (YT)