SSN ORIGINALS
Hollywood Bull in the China Shop Part One: Insights into Entering the Chinese Film Market
SSN Contributor, Justin Feldman, has spent the last decade working in production and development and is currently the VP of Production for Base Media, the original content division of China’s largest post/VFX firm. The following is Part One of Feldman’s look into the China Film Market. Stay tuned this week for Parts Two and Three. (SSN)
TV Development for 9/15/15: Weinstein Acquires TIFF Screened ‘Trapped’, DiCaprio’s Appian Way Options ‘The Searcher’
Other TV development news includes, Zack Estrin selling his drama thriller to ABC, Colton and Aboud getting a put pilot commitment from Fox on their single-camera comedy and Legendary TV’s third pilot order with Downward Dog. (SSN)
Exec Shuffle for 9/15/15: Nina Tassler Leaving CBS, WME/IMG Acquires Miss Universe Org. from Trump, STX Snags Kathy Savitt from Yahoo!
Other exec shuffles include, Robbie Brenner leaving embattled Relativity to head up the film division at The Firm, a few promotions at Legendary’s Asylum Entertainment and a couple of promotions at WME in the Scripted TV department. (SSN)
OTHER HEADLINES
CBS Chief Nina Tassler to Step Down; Glenn Geller Upped to President
After 18 years with the company and 11 at the network helm, CBS entertainment chairman Nina Tassler announced that she’d be stepping down at the end of the year. CBS’ current chief Glenn Geller will move into the role of entertainment president. (THR)
Liam Neeson & Ruben Fleisher Pair In Lennon & Garant Pitch ‘The Revenger’ At Universal
The studio has acquired the action comedy pitch The Revenger, with Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant writing for Zombieland‘s Ruben Fleisher to direct and Liam Neeson to star. (DH)
Woody Harrelson Starring in ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’
Woody Harrelson will star as a villain in Fox’s War for the Planet of the Apes. Matt Reeves, who directed 2014’s “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” is returning to helm from a script by Mark Bomback. (VAR)
A24 Acquires New John Cameron Mitchell Film
A24 nabs one of the big pre-buys off the market in Toronto with John Cameron Mitchell’s How to Talk to Girls at Parties. Film is based on a story by cult author Neil Gaiman. (IW)
Justin Timberlake Trolls Us All For DreamWorks Animation
Mike Mitchell is attached to direct and Anna Kendrick was cast last year in the animated film based around the wild-haired dolls. Justin Timberlake will now also be lending his vocals to the movie. (EMP)
Trailer Buzz: The Jungle Book Teaser
The Jungle Book is the next addition to Disney’s growing list of live-action/CGI re-tellings of stories that it previously brought to life in animated movie form. This adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s source novel is directed by Jon Favreau and written by Justin Marks. (SR)