With Marvel’s Hierarchical Restructuring, an Added Bonus: the Creative Committee Is No More
What was the Creative Committee? It was a group of people (Alan Fine, Ike Perlmutter, Brian Michael Bendis, Dan Buckley and Joe Quesada) who would give notes and thoughts on Marvel productions as they made their way from script to screen. This committee was the source of much filmmaker frustration and consternation, and is said to be what drove Edgar Wright off of Ant-Man. (BMD)
Has the Nightmare Ended? Sony Reaches Settlement to Resolve Class Action Over Hacked Employee Data
Attorneys for a proposed class action against Sony Pictures over a large hack attack have revealed in court papers filed yesterday they have reached an agreement in principle to resolve the dispute. The judge overseeing negligence claims has been asked to push back deadlines so that the settlement may be presented in California federal court. Because this is a class action, U.S. District Court Judge Gary Klausner will need to approve it. (HESQ)
Is the Upcoming Relativity Bankruptcy Auction Failing To Excite Potential Bidders? It Looks That Way
Two bankers and a hedge fund manager who are familiar with Relativity Media said they expect no one will bid more than the $250 million stalking horse bid already put forward by senior creditors who pushed for the sale. While there is some interest from strategic buyers in Relativity’s television assets, a movie studio with high overhead and a paltry library is seen as a potential liability. (VAR)
With His ‘Black Mass’ About To Hit Theaters Later This Month, Director Scott Cooper May Have Lined Up His Next Project
American Wolf is based on material from Texas Monthly senior editor Nate Blakeslee, who chronicled a hunter in Yellowstone National Park and his accidental killing of an endangered wolf. Leonardo DiCaprio and his Appian Way company is part of the team courting Cooper, though Leo is not currently attached to star in the project. (EMP)
Netflix’s Upcoming ‘Luke Cage’ Series Has Rounded Out Its Core Cast
Simone Missick and Theo Rossi have joined Mike Colter and Alfre Woodard in the series, with Missick playing Cage’s ally Misty Knight and Rossi and Woodard playing villains. Additionally, Rosario Dawson will reprise her role as Claire Temple from Netflix’s Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Chen Hodari Coker serves as executive producer and showrunner on the series, produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios for Netflix. (DH)
‘Goosebumps’ Hasn’t Even Opened Yet, but Sony Is Already Set To Make Another One
Though the family horror/comedy isn’t set to spook audiences until October 16th, the studio is confident that the Jack Black-led pic could ignite a new franchise. The news isn’t too surprising given the mass appeal of the property, which is of course based on the worldwide phenomenon that is R.L. Stine’s iconic books series. (TB)
At Long Last, You Can Now Watch Hulu Without Commercials, Though It Will Cost You
Streaming giant announced yesterday that it will now offer a commercial-free plan for $11.99 per month. That’s $4 more than its regular plan. After fielding so many questions about why the service has had commercials in the past that it had an answer on its FAQ page, the company has finally made the switch for customers willing to pay the extra four dollars per month. (HP)
Independent Giant-Screen Producer/Distributor MacGillivray Freeman Films Expands Into TV
The Laguna Beach, California-based film company is known for big-screen, 70mm films and has so far produced 38 films for IMAX and giant-screen theatres, including Everest and The Living Sea. The new small-screen division aims to bring IMAX-quality content into TV production using 70mm film and 4, 5 and 6K digital footage rarely used in non-fiction programming. (RS)
Trailer Buzz: ‘The Night Before’
Columbia Pictures has released the first green band look at the upcoming holiday comedy starring Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anthony Mackie, Jillian Bell, Lizzy Caplan, Mindy Kaling, and Michael Shannon. Directed by Jonathan Levine, the film opens November 25th. (COL)
Screenwriters: Dream Career Toolkit — Get Re-Connected To Your Why
Often, we spend so much time talking about strategy, that we neglect some of the fundamentals. So, I’m going to spend a few minutes today talking about one of the most important things in your career, your motivation behind your goals, also known as your Why. (SM)